Mary Ostler

Well, my clumbsy nature got the better of me. Last week I broke my ribs. What does this mean? Means playing out in the shop is sharply curtailed. Having been benched for the next few weeks I have decided to turn to some less strenuous persuits. Cooking being one of them.

I decided to try out some medieval recipes I have in cookbooks.

Sauteed Aspargus-

from Pleyn Delit: Medieval Cookery for Modern Cooks

If you wish to eat asparagus, take them and wash them and parboil; and when they are parboiled, dredge them with flour and then put them in the frying pan and fry them until they are cooked. And put them on a serving dishes, and if you wish, put a little vinegar on them. - Libre de sent sovi , 14th century Catalan recipes

The only asparagus I could get was fairly thick. I normally prefer the more slendor shoots.

Parboiled them for a few minutes

And then let them dry off a bit on paper towel.

Coated them in flour, salt & pepper. I only had brown rice flour on hand, so don’t know how that would effect the final out come.

Fried them with a little olive oil until the flour turned slightly brown.

Sprinkle on a little white wine vinegar.

Out come: Tasty.  The larger of the asparagus shoots were a little under cooked, but otherwise a good simple tasty dish.