Conyng in Gravey

PERIOD: England, 15th century | SOURCE: Harleian MS. 4016 | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: Rabbit in Almond Milk

ORIGINAL RECEIPT:

Take blanched Almondes, grinde hem with wyn And gode broth of befe and Mutton, and draw hit thorgh a Streynour, and cast hit into a potte, and lete boile; and cast there-to pouder of ginger, clowes, Maces, and sugur// And then take a Conyng, and seth him ynogh in goode fressh broth, and choppe him, And take of the skyn clene, and pike hem clene And cast hit to the Sirippe, And lete boyle ones, And 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:

• 1 4-pound rabbit, or chicken thigh quarters, cut into serving pieces
• 1 C dry wine
• 1 C beef or lamb broth, or a combination of the two
• 2 1/2 C almond milk made with broth and wine
• 1 tsp powdered ginger
• 1/8 tsp each cloves and mace
• Butter for sautéing

2. In a large pot, combine broth and wine and meat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about half an hour or until meat is cooked through. Remove meat and set aside.

3. Using the broth in the pot instead of water, make a double batch of almond milk following the recipe given HERE. You may want to add more broth or wine to replace what has boiled away while cooking the meat, so that you have two cups of liquid. Add the spices and sugar.

4. In the pot, over medium heat, recombine the meat with the almond milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring frequently, for about ten minutes.

Serves four to six.

NOTES ON THE RECIPE:

This recipe will work just as well with dark meat chicken, as there is little taste difference between that meat and rabbit.

I have chosen to sear the meat before boiling it.

I make the almond milk with the broth in which the meat has been cooked.