Chykonys in Bruette

PERIOD: England, 15th century | SOURCE: Harleian MS. 279 | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: Boiled Chicken in Ale Sauce

ORIGINAL RECEIPT:

Take [an] Sethe Chykonys, & smyte hem to gobettys; than take Pepir, Gyngere, an Brede y-grounde, & temper it vppe wyth the self brothe, an with Ale; an coloure it with Safroun, an sethe an serue forth.

- Austin, Thomas. Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books. Harleian MS. 279 & Harl. MS. 4016, with extracts from Ashmole MS. 1429, Laud MS. 553, & Douce MS 55. London: for The Early English Text Society by N. Trübner & Co., 1888.

MODERN RECIPE:

• 3 or 4 pounds chicken, cut into serving pieces
• 2 T butter
• 3 C water
• 3/4 C ale or beer
• 3/4 C broth from boiled chicken
• 1/2 tsp each pepper and powdered ginger
• 1/4 tsp saffron
• 1 C white bread crumbs
• Salt to taste

2. Add water to the pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for thirty minutes or until chicken is cooked through and tender. Remove from heat.

3. With a basting nozzle or ladle, draw off 3/4 cup of the broth in the pot.

4. In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine broth, ale and spices. Stir in bread crumbs, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes.

5. Arrange chicken pieces on a serving platter, and pour the sauce over them.

Serves four to six.

Notes on the Recipe:

In this dish, bruette might be a broth-based sauce rather than a soup or stew. I have chosen to brown the chicken before boiling it.

Chykonys in Bruette is featured in In Festo Sancte Trinitatis in Cena