The Compleat Cook E-Book

W. M.

• Herausgeber: Science & Technology Publishing
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 132

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

The Compleat Cook: Expertly Prescribing the Most Ready Wayes, Whether Italian, Spanish or French, for Dressing of Flesh and Fish, Ordering of Sauces or Making of Pastry is a fascinating culinary manual first published in 1658, offering a rare glimpse into the kitchens and dining habits of 17th-century England. This comprehensive cookbook gathers a wealth of recipes and techniques from across Europe, reflecting the cosmopolitan tastes of the English elite during the Restoration period. The book is meticulously organized, providing clear instructions for preparing a wide variety of dishes, from roasted meats and stews to elaborate fish preparations, savory pies, and delicate pastries. It also includes detailed guidance on crafting sauces, pickles, and preserves, as well as advice on carving and serving, making it an indispensable resource for both professional cooks and ambitious home chefs of its time. Drawing on Italian, Spanish, and French culinary traditions, The Compleat Cook introduces readers to exotic ingredients and sophisticated methods, such as the use of spices, herbs, and wine in cooking, and the art of balancing flavors and textures. The recipes range from simple everyday fare to extravagant banquet dishes, showcasing the diversity and richness of early modern European cuisine. In addition to practical instructions, the book offers insights into the social and cultural context of food, including the importance of presentation, the etiquette of the table, and the role of the cook in aristocratic households. With its blend of practical advice, historical detail, and gastronomic curiosity, The Compleat Cook remains a valuable document for food historians, culinary enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the evolution of cooking. Its pages reveal not only the tastes and techniques of a bygone era but also the enduring pleasures of good food, skillfully prepared and shared.

Leseprobe

Note: This book is part of the W. M. volume The Queens Closet Opened.

THE COMPLEAT COOK.

Expertly prescribing the most ready wayes,

Whether, { Italian, { Spanish, { or French

For dressing of Flesh, and Fish, Ordering of Sauces or making OF PASTRY.

LONDON:

Printed by E.B. for Nath. Brook, at the Angel in Cornhill, 1658.

THE COMPLEAT COOK:

Expertly prescribing the most ready wayes, whether Italian, Spanish, or French, for dressing of Flesh and Fish, &c.

To make a Posset, the Earle of Arundels Way..

Take a quart of Creame, and a quarter of a Nutmeg in it, then put it on the fire, and let it boyl a little while, and as it is boyling take a Pot or Bason, that you meane to make your Posset in, and put in three spoonfuls of Sack, and some eight of Ale, and sweeten it with Sugar, then set it over the coles to warm a little while, then take it off and let it stand till it be almost cool, then put it into the Pot or Bason and stir it a little, and let it stand to simper over the fire an hour or more, for the longer the better.

To boyle a Capon larded with Lemons.

Take a fair Capon and truss him, boyl him by himselfe in faire water with a little small Oat-meal, then take Mutton Broath, and half a pint of White-wine, a bundle of Herbs, whole Mace, season it with Verjuyce, put Marrow, Dates, season it with Sugar, then take preserved Lemons and cut them like Lard, and with a larding pin, lard in it, then put the capon in a deep dish, thicken your broth with Almonds, and poure it on the Capon.

To Bake Red Deere.

Parboyl it, and then sauce it in Vinegar then Lard it very thick, and season it with Pepper, Ginger and Nutmegs, put it into a deep Pye with good store of sweet butter, and let it bake, when it is baked, take a pint of Hippocras, halfe a pound of sweet butter, two or three Nutmeg, little Vinegar, poure it into the Pye in the Oven and let it lye and soake an hour, then take it out, and when it is cold stop the vent hole.

To make fine Pan-cakes fryed without Butter or Lard.

Take a pint of Cream, and six new laid Egs, beat them very well together, put in a quarter of a pound of Sugar, and one Nutmeg or a little beaten Mace (which you please) and so much flower as will thicken almost as much as ordinarily Pan-cake batter; your Pan must be heated reasonably hot & wiped with a clean Cloth, this done put in your Batter as thick or thin as you please.

To dresse a Pig the French manner.

Take it and spit it, & lay it down to the fire, and when your Pig is through warme, skin her, and cut her off the Spit as another Pig is, and so divide it in twenty peeces more or lesse as you please; when you have so done, take some White-wine and strong broth, and stew it therein, with an Onion or two mixed very small, a little Time also minced with Nutmeg sliced and grated Pepper, some Anchoves and Elder Vinegar, and a very little sweet Butter, and Gravy if you have it, so Dish it up with the same Liquor it is stewed in, with French Bread sliced under it, with Oranges and Lemons.

To make a Steake pye, with a French Pudding in the Pye.

Season your Steaks with Pepper & Nutmegs, and let it stand an hour in a Tray then take a piece of the leanest of a Legg of Mutton and mince it small with Suet and a few sweet herbs, tops of young Time, a branch of Penny-royal, two or three of red Sage, grated bread, yolks of Eggs, sweet Cream, Raisins of the Sun; work altogether like a Pudding, with your hand stiff, and roul them round like Bals, and put them into the Steaks in a deep Coffin, with a piece of sweet Butter; sprinkle a little Verjuyce on it, bake it, then cut it up and roul Sage leaves and fry them, and stick them upright in the wals, and serve your Pye without a Cover, with the juyce of an Orange or Lemon.

An excellent way of dressing Fish.

Take a piece of fresh Salmon, and wash it clean in a little Vinegar and water, and let it lie a while in it, then put it into a great Pipkin with a cover, and put to it some six spoonfuls of water and four of Vinegar, and as much of white-wine, a good deal of Salt a handful of sweet herbs, a little white Sorrel, a few Cloves, a little stick of Cinamon, a little Mace; put all these in a Pipkin close, and set it in a Kettle of seething water, and there let it stew three hours.

You may do Carps, Eeles, Trouts, &c. this way, and they Tast also to your mind.

To fricate Sheeps-feet.

Take Sheeps-feet, slit the bone, and pick them very clean, then put them in a Frying-pan, with a Ladlefull of strong Broth, a piece of Butter, and a little Salt, after they have fryed a while, put to them a little Parsley, green Chibals, a little young Speremint and Tyme, all shred very small, and a little beaten Pepper; when you think they are fryed almost enough, have a lear made for them with the yolks of two or three Eggs, some Gravy of Mutton, a little Nutmegg, and juyce of a Lemon wrung therein, and put this lear to the Sheeps feet as they fry in the Pan, then toss them once or twice, and put them forth into the Dish you mean to serve them in.

To fricate Calves Chaldrons.

Take a Calves Chaldron, after it is little more then half boyled, and when it is cold, cut it into little bits as big as Walnuts; season it with beaten Cloves, Salt, Nutmeg, Mace, and a little Pepper, an Onion, Parsley, and a little Tarragon, all shred very small, then put it into a frying-pan, with a Ladle-full of strong broth, and a little piece of sweet Butter, so fry it; when it is fryed enough, have a little lear made with the Gravy of Mutton, the juyce of a Lemon and Orange, the yolks of three or four Eggs, and a little Nutmeg grated therein; put all this to your Chaldrons in the Pan, Toss your Fricat two or three times, then dish it, and so serve it up.

To Fricate Champigneons.

Make ready your champigneons as you do for stewing, and when you have poured away the black liquor that comes from them, put your champigneons into a Frying pan with a piece of sweet Butter, a little Parsley, Tyme, sweet Marjoram, a piece of Onion shred very small, a little Salt and fine beaten Pepper, so fry them till they be enough, so have ready the lear abovesaid, and put it to the champigneons whilst they are in the Pan, toss them two or three times, put them forth and serve them.

To make buttered Loaves.

Take the yolks of twelve Eggs, and six whites, and a quarter of a pint of yeast, when you have beaten the Eggs well, strain them with the yeast into a Dish, then put to it a little Salt, and two rases of Ginger beaten very small, then put flower to it till it come to a high Past that will not cleave, then you must roule it upon your hands and afterwards put it into a warm Cloath and let it lye there a quarter of an hour, then make it up in little Loaves, bake; against it is baked prepare a pound and a half of Butter, a quarter of a pint of white wine, and halfe a pound of Sugar; This being melted and beaten together with it, set them into the Oven a quarter of an hour.

To murine Carps, Mullet, Gurnet, Rochet, or Wale, &c.

Take a quart of water to a Gallon of Vinegar, a good handful of Bay-leaves, as much Rosemary, a quarter of a pound of Pepper beaten; put all these together, and let it seeth softly, and season it with a little Salt, then fry your Fish with frying Oyle till it be enough, then put in an earthen Vessell, and lay the Bay-leaves and Rosemary between and about the Fish, and pour the Broth upon it, and when it is cold, cover it, &c.

To make a Calves Chaldron Pye.

Take a Calves Chaldron, half boyl it, and cool it; when it is cold mince it as small as grated bread, with halfe a pound of Marrow; season it with Salt, beaten Cloves, Mace, Nutmeg a little Onion, and some of the outmost rind of a Lemon minced very small, and wring in the juyce of halfe a Lemon, and then mix all together, then make a piece of puff Past, and lay a leaf therof in a silver Dish of the bigness to contain the meat, then put in your meat, and cover it with another leaf of the same Past, and bake it; and when it is baked take it out, and open it, and put in the juyce of two or three Oranges, stir it well together, then cover it againe and serve it. Be sure none of your Orange kernels be among your Pye-meat.

To make a Pudding of a Calves Chaldron.

Take your Chaldron after it is half boyled and cold, mince it as small as you can with half a pound of Beef Suet, or as much Marrow, season it with a little Onion, Parsley, Tyme, and the outmost rind of a piece of Lemon, all shred very small, Salt, beaten Nutmeg, Cloves and mace mixed together, with the yolks of four or five Eggs, and a little sweet Cream; then have ready the great Gutts of a Mutton scraped and washed very clean; let your Gutt have lain in white-wine and Salt halfe a day before you use it; when your meat is mixed and made up somewhat stiff put it into the Sheeps-gutt, and so boyl it, when it is boyled enough, serve it to the Table in the Gutt.

To make a Banbury Cake.

Take a peck of pure Wheat-flower, six pound of Currans, half a pound of Sugar, two pound of Butter, halfe an ounce of Cloves and Mace, a pint and a halfe of Ale-yeast, and a little Rose-water; then boyle as much new-milk as will serve to knead it, and when it is almost cold, put into it as much Sack as will thicken it, and so work it all together before a fire, pulling it two or three times in pieces, after make it up.

To make a Devonshire White-pot.

Take a pint of Cream and straine four Eggs into it, and put a little Salt and a little sliced Nutmeg, and season it with Sugar somewhat sweet; then take almost a penny Loaf of fine bread sliced very thin, and put it into a Dish that will hold it, the Cream and the Eggs being put to it; then take a handfull of Raisins of the Sun being boyled, and a little sweet Butter, so bake it.

To make Rice Cream.

Take a quart of Cream, two good handfuls of Rice-flower, a quarter of a pound of Sugar and flower beaten very small, mingle your Sugar and flower together, put it into your Cream, take the yolk of an Egg, beat it with a spoonfull or two of Rose-water, then put it to the Cream, and stir all these together, and set it over a quick fire, keeping it continually stirring till it be as thick as water-pap.

To make a very Good Great Oxford-shire Cake.

Take a peck of flower by weight, and dry it a little, & a pound and a halfe of Sugar, one ounce of Cinamon, half an ounce of Nutmegs, a quarter of an ounce of Mace and Cloves, a good spoonfull of Salt, beat your Salt and Spice very fine, and searce it, and mix it with your flower and Sugar; then take three pound of butter and work it in the flower, it will take three hours working; then take a quart of Ale-yeast, two quarts of Cream, half a pint of Sack, six grains of Amber-greece dissolved in it, halfe a pint of Rosewater, sixteen Eggs, eight of the Whites, mix these with the flower, and knead them well together, then let it lie warm by your fire till your Oven be hot, which must be little hotter then for manchet; when you make it ready for your Oven, put to your Cake six pound of Currans, two pound of Raisins, of the Sun stoned and minced, so make up your Cake, and set it in your oven stopped close; it wil take three houres a baking; when baked, take it out and frost it over with the white of an Egge and Rosewater, well beat together, and strew fine Sugar upon it, and then set it again into the Oven, that it may Ice.

To make a Pumpion Pye.

Take about halfe a pound of Pumpion and slice it, a handfull of Tyme, a little Rosemary, Parsley and sweet Marjoram slipped off the stalks, and chop them smal, then take Cinamon, Nutmeg, Pepper, and six Cloves, and beat them; take ten Eggs and beat them; then mix them, and beat them altogether, and put in as much Sugar as you think fit, then fry them like a froiz; after it is fryed, let it stand till it be cold, then fill your Pye, take sliced Apples thinne round wayes, and lay a row of the Froiz, and a layer of Apples with Currans betwixt the layer while your Pye is fitted, and put in a good deal of sweet butter before you close it; when the Pye is baked, take six yolks of Eggs, some white-wine or Verjuyce, & make a Caudle of this, but not too thick; cut up the Lid and put it in, stir them well together whilst the Eggs and Pumpions be not perceived, and so serve it up.

To make the best Sausages that ever was eat.

Take a leg of young Pork, and cut of all the lean, and shred it very small, but leave none of the strings or skins amongst it, then take two pound of Beef Suet, and shred it small, then take two handfuls of red Sage, a little Pepper and Salt, and Nutmeg, and a small piece of an Onion, chop them altogether with the flesh and Suet; if it is small enough, put the yolk of two or three Eggs and mix altogether, and make it up in a Past if you will use it, roul out as many pieces as you please in the form of an ordinary Sausage, and so fry them, this Past will keep a fortnight upon occasion.

To boyle a Fresh Fish.

Take a Carp, or other, & put them into a deep Dish, with a pint of white-wine, a large Mace, a little Tyme, Rosemary, a piece of sweet Butter, and let him boyle between two dishes in his owne blood, season it with Pepper and Verjuyce, and so serve it up on Sippets.

To make Fritters.

Take halfe a pint of Sack, a pint of Ale, some Ale-yeast, nine Eggs, yolks and whites, beat them very well, the Egg first, then altogether, put in some Ginger, and Salt, and fine flower, then let it stand an houre or two; then shred in the Apples; when you are ready to fry them, your suet must be all Beef-suet, or halfe Beef, and halfe Hoggs-suet tryed out of the leafe.

To make Loaves of Cheese-Curds.

Take a Porringer full of Curds, and four Eggs, whites, and yolks, and so much flower as will make it stiff, then take a little Ginger, Nutmeg, & some Salt, make them into loaves and set them into an oven with a quick heat; when they begin to change Colour take them out, and put melted Butter to them, and some Sack, and good store of Sugar, and so serve it.

To make fine Pies after the French fashion.

Take a pound and half of Veale, two pound of suet, two pound of great Raisins stoned, half a pound of Prunes, as much of Currans, six Dates, two Nutmegs, a spoonfull of Pepper, an ounce of Sugar, an ounce of Carrawayes, a Saucer of Verjuyce, and as much Rosewater, this will make three fair Pyes, with two quarts of flower, three yolks of Egges, and halfe a pound of Butter.

A Singular Receit for making a Cake.

Take halfe a peck of flower, two pound of Butter, mingle it with the flower, three Nutmegs, & a little Mace, Cinamon, Ginger, halfe a pound of Sugar, leave some out to strew on the top, mingle these well with the flower and Butter, five pound of Currans well washed, and pickt, and dryed in a warm Cloth, a wine pint of Ale yeast, six Eggs, leave out the whites, a quart of Cream boyled and almost cold againe: work it well together and let it be very lith, lay it in a warm Cloth, and let it lye half an hour against the fire. Then make it up with the white of an Egg, a little Butter, Rosewater and Sugar; Ice it over and put it into the Oven, and let it stand one whole hour and a half.

To make a great Curd Loaf.