Medieval Servant's Beef and Turnip Soup

Summary

In this video, we explore a medieval soup recipe from Anonimo Toscano's manuscript, intended for servants. The dish features beef, turnips, and saffron, cooked together to create a hearty and flavorful winter soup. The script delves into medieval dietary practices, explaining how beef was considered a food for workers, while highlighting the historical use of spices like saffron and black pepper in both humble and noble kitchens. The video also touches on historical cooking techniques, the significance of turnips, and provides insights into the social context of medieval food. The final dish is a simple yet delicious meal, perfect when paired with barley bread and wine.

Takeaways

• 😀 The medieval soup recipe comes from Anonimo Toscano’s manuscript, intended for servants.
• 😀 The main ingredients for the soup are beef, turnips with leaves, saffron, and black pepper.
• 😀 The beef is boiled in salted water, with cooking time depending on the meat cut.
• 😀 Beef, despite being considered a food for workers, was often used in medieval dishes for commoners.
• 😀 Turnips require a double cooking process according to medieval sources to ensure digestibility.
• 😀 Saffron, though expensive, was widely used in medieval cooking and considered essential for making good sauces.
• 😀 Black pepper, a common spice in the medieval diet, was considered a condiment for the rural population.
• 😀 The turnips in the recipe can be substituted with other greens if turnip leaves are unavailable.
• 😀 Medieval cooking for commoners used fewer and less expensive spices compared to noble dishes.
• 😀 The final soup, after adding pepper and saffron, offers a warming and hearty flavor that is perfect for winter.
• 😀 The dish pairs well with rustic bread like millet or barley and a glass of wine, typical of medieval meals.

Q & A

What is the origin of the medieval soup recipe discussed in the video?

The medieval soup recipe comes from Anonimo Toscano's manuscript, which is suggested by the author as a dish for servants.

What ingredients are required for making the medieval soup?

The ingredients needed are beef, turnips with their leaves, saffron, and black pepper.

Why is beef used in this recipe despite being considered food for workers?

Beef was recommended for people who made great physical efforts, like workers and artisans, due to its ability to provide nourishment for their labor. It was not commonly consumed by the rich and nobles.

How long should the beef be boiled for the soup?

The beef should be boiled for about 1 hour, though the cooking time can vary depending on the cut of beef.

What historical sources suggest that beef was food for workers?

The Tractatus de Modo Preparandi et Condiendi Omnia Cibaria, written at the end of the 13th century, lists beef as food for workers, alongside other meats like mutton and salted pork.

How should the turnips be cooked according to medieval sources?

Medieval sources recommend cooking turnips in two stages: first boiling them in plain water, then draining and cooking them again with the meat to remove potential harmful effects and make them more digestible.

What makes saffron significant in medieval cooking?

Saffron was highly valued and commonly used in medieval and Renaissance cooking, especially for its flavor and color. Despite being expensive, it was a frequent ingredient in both common and noble households.

How does the use of spices differ between commoners and nobles in medieval recipes?

While spices were used across all social classes, nobles used them in much larger quantities and of higher quality, whereas common people had access to fewer spices and in smaller amounts, such as saffron and pepper.

What is the suggested method for cooking the turnips in this soup?

For this recipe, the turnips were cooked for 10 minutes before adding the greens and cooking them together for another 10 minutes. If the turnips are tougher, they should be cooked longer or pre-boiled before adding to the meat.

What is the historical significance of black pepper in medieval cooking?

Black pepper was considered the condiment of the rural people, or 'rusticorum,' and was commonly used in medieval kitchens. It appeared in nearly all historical recipes starting from ancient Rome and Greece.