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Title: Capon or Chicken Crowned with Eggs
Categories: Entree Medieval British Chicken
Yield: 6 Servings
| 6 | lb | Capon or roasting chicken |
| Chicken fat or butter for greasing | ||
| 3 3/4 | c | Chicken stock |
| 1/4 | ts | Dried saffron strands |
| 4 | oz | Soft-grain white breadcrumbs |
| Sea salt to taste | ||
| 1/2 | ts | Each black pepper, cinnamon and ginger |
| 1/8 | ts | Ground cloves |
| 6 | Eggs, hard-boiled |
Capouns in councy. Take capouns and rost hem right hoot, that they be not half ynough, and hewe hem in gobbettes, and cast hem in a pot; do therto clene broth. Seeth hem that they be tendre. Take brede and the self broth and draw it up yfere; take strong powdour and safroun and salt and cast therto. Take ayren and seeth hem harde; take out the yolkes and hew the whyte, take the pot fro the fyre and cast the whyte therinne. Messe the dysshes therwith, and lay the yolkes aboue hool and flour it with clowes. The Goodman said stoutly that stuffing and tinting chickens was too difficult for a commoner's cook. Perhaps he decided this dish was easier.
Pre-heat the oven to 200C/424F/Gas Mark 7. Grease the breast of the bird with fat and roast it for 15-20 minutes or until browned. Cool it slightly, then cut the flesh off the bones, removing the skin if you wish. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Put them in a pan with the stock, cover the pan and cook gently for 25 minutes or until the meat is cooked. While cooking transfer 3 or 4 tablespoons of stock to a bowl and steep the saffron in it.
Strain the stock from the cooked chicken into a clean pan and add the saffron-tinted stock. Keep the meat warm in a covered dish while you make the sauce. Mix the breadcrumbs with the salt and ground spices, then stir the mixture into the stock. Simmer it for a few minutes, stirring it occasionally to make a thickened sauce.
Separate the egg yolks and whites without breaking the yolks. Chop the whites finely. Mix the chicken meat into the hot sauce and turn it on to a warmed serving platter. Edge the dish with chopped egg white and crown it with the whole golden yolks.
from The Medieval Cookbook by Maggie Black Chaper 4, "The Goodman of Paris" posted by Tiffany Hall-Graham From: Tiffany Hall-Graham Date: 05-26-94
From: Ian Hoare Date: 05 Mar 97 National Cooking Echo Ä
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