Recipe 5: To boil quail

The Good Housewife’s Jewel, Thomas Dawson, England, 1597

Original page 16

To boil quails

First put them into a pot with sweet broth and set them on the fire. Then take carrot root and cut him in pieces and put into the pot. Then take parsley and sweet herbs and chop them a little and put them into the pot. Then take cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and pepper, and put n a little verjuice, and so season it with salt. Serve them upon stops and garnish them with fruit.

My redaction

To boil quail

1.5 liter Broth vegetable (amount will vary by size of pot used. Enough to cover the quail)

40 gm Parsley

½ Tablespoon each Marjoram, Thyme and Rosemary

1 Tablespoon each of Cinnamon, Ginger and Pepper

1 teaspoon ground Nutmeg

500 ml Verjuice

500 gm carrots

Large pot with enough broth to cover the quail.

Bring to a boil.

Add spices adjusting to taste.

Add Verjuice.

Simmer until done.

Serve upon sops (pieces of toast) garnished with fresh fruit of the season.

Notes:

½ quail per person

Spices are per 4 liters of liquid

50 gm carrot per ½ quail