What we're cooking this weekend....

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

So, there is a competition in our local SCA barony for best period dish, another for best period 'subtlety' (which is the art of making food that looks like something it is not). Sjaantze and I have decided to cook a Cockentrice aka Cockatrice aka Cockengris.

Here are three period recipes for this lovely piece of culinary art:
1:
Harleian MS.279 .xxviij. Cokyntryce. - Take a Capon, & skald hym, & draw hem clene, & smyte hem a-to in the waste ouerthwart; take a Pigge, & skald hym, & draw hym in the same maner, & smyte hem also in the waste; take a nedyl & a threde, & sewe the fore partye of the Capoun to the After parti of the Pigge; & the fore partye of the Pigge, to the hynder party of the Capoun, & than stuffe hem as thou stuffyst a Pigge; putte hem on a spete, and Roste hym: & whan he is y-now, dore hem with yolkys of Eyroun, & pouder Gyngere & Safroun, thenne wyth the Ius of Percely with-owte; & than serue it forth for a ryal mete.

2:
Douce MS. 55 Cockentrice. Capitulum lxiiij. - Scalde a capon clene, & smyte hem in-to the wast oueretwarde, and scaude a pygge, and draw hym, & smyte hym in the same maner; and then sewe the forthyr parte of the capon and the hyndyr parte of the pigge to-gederys, and the forther parte of the pygge and the hyndyr parte of the capon to-gedyr; then draw the whyte & the yolkes of eyren, and cast ther-to, and svette of a schepe, and saffron, & salt, and pouudre of gyngeuere, and grated bread; and melle all to-gedre with thyn honde, and putt it in the cockentrice, and putt it on a spite, and roste hem; and endore hem with yolkes of eyren, and pouudre of gyngeuere, and saffron, and ioissh of persely or malves, and draw hem, and endore hem all abowte in euery perty of hym.

3:
Forme of Cury 183 Cokagrys. Take and make the self fars, but do therto pynes & sugur. Take an hold rostr cok; pulle hym & hylde hym al togyder saue the legges. Take a pigg and hilde hym fro the myddes dounward; fylle him ful of the fars, & sowe hym fast togeder. Do hym in a panne & seeth hym wel, and whan thei bene isode: do hem on a spyt & rost it wele. Colour it with yolkes of ayren and safroun. Lay theron foyles of gold and siluer, and serue hit forth.

So if you had trouble following that, its the front half of a suckling pig, attached to the back half of a capon (castrated rooster) and made to appear as a mythical creature.

A picture from the Gode Cookery site:

[Suu]

Oh man. I want pics of it when it's done!

We had a pig roast at Pennsic. It's terrifying and delicious at the same time.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Nice! Good luck.

Wow, man, it just occurred to me that it would be hilarious to find a forum where it was KIND OF, MAYBE, appropriate to use Medieval spelling and grammar, and go to town in that manner.

[Jenne]

We did a roasted whole pig while camping last year.  Twas fun.  The kids get a big kick outta it.

Never seen it attached to another animal before, though.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

The Winning Entry for the Baronial Cooking Championship!

More pictures later, including the lovely hand sewing....

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

that looks like a delicious horror show

[Suu]

But I bet it was soooo tasty.

[NotPublished]

Is it just me or does the pigs head remind you of a kind elderly womans face?

... Grandma is that you...

[NotPublished]

Thats all I could see .. I don't think I can look at pigs the same again. You monsters 

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

It will be tastier next time, because we'll spit roast them... the pork could have used the smokey flavor.

[NotPublished]

How did you guys cook it before? I can't imagine what a pig tastes like if it wasn't on the spit (Oh except bacon!)

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

How did you guys cook it before? I can't imagine what a pig tastes like if it wasn't on the spit (Oh except bacon!)

The one from this weekend was done in the oven: 375 for 5 hours.

It cooked fine, but missed that yummy smokey flavor