Compost

Forme of Cury, c. 1390

Take rote of persel, of pasternak, of rafens, scrape hem and waische hem clene. Take rapes & caboches, ypared and icorue. Take an erthen panne with clene water & set it on the fire; cast alle þise þerinne. Whan þey buth boiled cast þerto peeres, & parboile hem wel. Take alle þise thynges vp & lat it kele on a faire cloth. Do þerto salt; whan it is colde, do hit in a vessel; take vyneger & powdour & safroun & do þerto, & lat alle þise thynges lye þerin al nyyt, oþer al day. Take wyne greke & hony, clarified togider; take lumbarde mustard & raisons coraunce, al hoole, & grynde powdour of canel, powdour douce & aneys hole, & fenell seed. Take alle þise thynges & cast togyder in a pot of erthe, & take þerof whan þou wilt & serue forth.

Ingredients

½ kg carrots, sliced
½ kg purple carrots, sliced
1 cabbage, in small pieces
4 buerre bosc pears, sliced thin
10 radishes
2 turnips
1 tsp. salt
6 Tbs. vinegar
2 tsp. ginger
few threads saffron
1 bottle (750 ml.) white wine
½ cup honey
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
¾ cup currants
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ Tbs. each anise seed & fennel seed

Method

Lightly boil the carrots, cabbage, turnips and radishes for a few minutes, then add the pears, cooking until tender. Drain well, and lay on a clean cloth. Sprinkle with salt and leave to cool. Add to a large contained with the vinegar, ginger and saffron and leave overnight. Bring the wine, honey and cinnamon to a boil, skimming off the scum, until clear. Remove from the heat and add to the vegetable with the currants and seeds. Let cool before serving.