Day Three Fringe Festival

"Some pigeons, Davy, a couple of short-legged hens, a joint of mutton, and any pretty little tiny kickshaws, tell William cook."

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We are sharing Elizabethan recipes this week as part of our digital fringe festival and the Shakespeare's Kitchen feature. There are more than 2000 references to food in the plays, (not to mention feasts!) The following is one of them.

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Henry IV, Part II

Shallow: "Some pigeons, Davy, a couple of short-legged hens, a joint of mutton, and any pretty little tiny kickshaws, tell William cook."

Kickshaws have become fashionable in contemporary restaurants in London. It is the mis-spelling of the French quelque chose "a little something".

The following recipe was taken from the English Huswife. It is a meat turnover, a little something to whet the appetite. Turnovers such as this were called purses. This is a savoury filling with tangy candied ginger and sweet dried fruit. Give it a go!

8 ounces ground beef

quarter tsp ground rosemary

third cup currants

6 pitted dates, finely chopped

1 tbs finely chopped candied ginger

quarter tsp ground cinnnamon

quarter tsp freshly ground nutmeg

2 tbs light brown sugar

half tsp salt

Pinch of freshly milled black pepper

For the pastry:

8 ounces of plain flour

half tsp salt

1 large egg beaten

half a cup of cold butter cut into small cubes

Put the beef, rosemary, currants, dates, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix together. Refrigerate for at least six hours or overnight.

Remove one hour before baking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For the pastry mix the flour with half a cup of ice cold water, egg and salt, on a cold surface until crumbly. Flatten with a rolling pin and place one quarter of the butter cubes on to the mixture. Roll into a dough, fold, and roll again. Repeat three more times until butter is incorporated. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Then roll out one eighth of an inch thick on a floured work surface. Cut out 24 circles with a 3 inch ring cutter. Place half tbs of the meat mixture on each circle, fold in half, pinch edges to seal, brush the purses with egg and put on well-greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

(The Elizabethans called currants raysons and required that the ingredients be mixed in a mortar. Cinnamon was called Sinemon.)