Title: Pork Roast with Spiced Wine
Categories: Medieval Entree Meat
Yield: 6 Servings

Cormarye. Take colyaundre, caraway smale grounden, powdour of peper and garlec ygrounde, in rede wyne; medle all thise togyder and salt it. Take loynes of pork rawe and fle of the skyn, and pryk it wel with a knyf, and lay it in the sawse. Roost it whan thou wilt, & kepe that that fallith therfro in the rostyng and seeth it in a possynet with faire broth, & serue it forth with the roost anoon.

1.8 kg/4 lb pork loin joint on the bone 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, pounded or pulverised in a grinder 1 large clove garlic, peeled and crushed with salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon salt 175 ml/6 fl oz/ 1/4 cup red wine About 225 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup chicken stock

The spiced wine was originally used as a marinade or baste dripped over the meat while it spit-roasted. A joint might also be heavily dredged with crumbs or flour while it roasted, or might be wrapped in caul like a huge sausage to prevent the surface scorching. I have used foil for wrapping, which makes it easy to save the drippings. Ask your butcher to chine the joint.

A small coffee or mut mill will reduce the caraway seeds to powder, and do it more effectively if you grind the garlic with them.

Pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7. Strip the skin off the pork joint and prick the fat all over with a knife point. Mix the spices, garlic and seasonings into the wine and rub the meat all over with this mixture. Lay the joint on a doubled sheet of foil big enough to enclose it. Fasten the edges of the foil around the meat, leaving an open space at the top. Pour most of the remaining wine mixture over the meat, then close the foil parcel. Cook the joint at 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7 for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4; allow 30 minutes per 450 g/1 lb and 30 minutes over. Open the foil for the last 30 minutes to brown the surface of the meat; turn up the heat a little if you wish.

Lift the meat carefully out of the foil parcel and 'rest' it on a warmed serving dish while you make a sauce with the spiced wine. Scrape any drippings and wine mixture from the foil into a saucepan and stir in the chicken stock. Simmer it for a few moments, then taste. Adjust the seasoning if required, strain into a warmed gravy boat and serve with the meat.

from The Medieval Cookbook by Maggie Black Chapter 7, "Courtly and Christmas Feasting" posted by Tiffany Hall-Graham From: Tiffany Hall-Graham Date: 05-27-94

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