Meet the Middle Ages

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Root vegetables, pork and herring

A root vegetable casserole with meat or pork was often eaten in the Middle Ages. Fried herring was also everyday food.

ROOT VEGETABLE CASSEROLE
1 swede
2 turnips
5 carrots
2 Spanish onions
salt
thyme

Clean the vegetables and slice them, or cut them into small cubes. Chop the onion coarsely. Put the vegetables into a pot and cover with water. Add salt and thyme. Boiled pork or fried herring was often eaten with the casserole. Other vegetables like leeks or parsnips may also be used.

 

BOILED PORK
1/2 kilo of salted, boneless meat
8 white peppercorns
1 bay leaf
thyme
1 spray of lovage
2 Spanish onions

Put the pork into a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and carefully remove the froth. Add spices and onions. Let it simmer under a lid for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove the pork, and keep it warm while cooking the root vegetables (see root vegetable casserole) in the pork stock.

 

FRIED HERRING
1 kilo herring
2 dl of rye flour
salt
butter
vinegar

 

Clean the herring. Either remove or keep the backbone. Coat the fish with rye flour and fry in butter in a hot frying-pan until the herring is a little crisp. Add salt and vinegar to taste.