Chekyns Farsed

PERIOD: England, late 15th c. | SOURCE: MS Pepys 1047 | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: Chickens roasted with an herb stuffing between the skin and meat.

Facsimile of receipt from the original manuscript:
 

Transcription of original receipt:

Chekyns Farsed

Breke the skynne At the necke behynd And blow hym that the skyn may a ryse from the flesh draw them washe hem clene and chop of the hedys. Take the lene of ffatte porke sothyn and hackyd small with rawe yolkys of eggys and harde yolkys mynsyde small and rasyns of Curance and other powders & herbys perboyled and hewd small and put yn saferon and salt do to gethur all thes and stuffe thy chekyns ther with betwene the flesh and the skyn and plumbe (9.1) them in hote broth and then make them smoth with thy hands that the stuff lye evyn ondur the skyn than perboyle them a lytill then rost them And serue them furth.

Modern translation:

Chickens stuffed.

Break the skin at the neck behind and blow him that the skin may arise from the flesh. Draw them, wash them clean and chop off the heads. Take the lean of fat pork boiled and hacked small with raw yolks of eggs and hard yolks minced small and raisins of Courance and other powders & herbs parboiled and hewed small. And put in saffron and salt. Do together all these and stuff thy chickens there with between the flesh and the skin and plunge (9.1) them in hot broth and then make them smooth with thy hands that the stuff lay even under the skin. The parboil them a little, then roast them. And serve them forth.

(9.1) Plumbe - to plunge into water. The word and meaning are apparently related to the Middle Low German plumpen (American Heritage Dictionary, 1978, p. 543). Also, see the definition for Plom in Austin, p. 140: "Plump, into a pot."

Modern recipe: