manuscript written by Juan Valles entitled Regalo de la Vida Humana, which
was composed in the middle of the century. It shows how spices were still
common. Compare it to the recipe that follows—from Spain in the next
century. Incidentally, escabeche is meant to be kept out at room temperature
for about a week, but if you are squeamish, feel free to use a refrigerator.
Roast the rabbits very well and then cut them in pieces and place in a new
pot or in a similar glazed earthenware vase, placing between the pieces of
rabbit laurel leaves and a bit of chopped sage, and then make the escabeche
and put it on each in a way so the pieces are well covered with the escabeche,
and make the escabeche in this way: Take two parts of good white wine and
one of strong vinegar, but in this you must take consideration if the vinegar
is strong or weak, because if it is weak it will be necessary to add more,
and add enough lemons cut, and grind cloves, pepper and ginger and a
little nutmeg and let it boil, salt to taste and put over the rabbits, but be
advised that the rabbits must be cold when you add the escabeche. Some add
a little oil in this escabeche and for rabbits it works but not for partridges or
other birds.
Consider how this use of spices is related to that in medieval Persia and in
ancient India.
Pork Chorizo
(from Francisco Martinéz Montiño, Arte de Cocina, Pastelería,
Vizcochería, y Conservería of 1611, p. 202)
Try to make these sausages yourself. You don’t need any equipment at all;
you just need some sausage casings, which can be bought online or from a
butcher. Use beef middles, which are about the size used for thick bratwurst.
The only concession that you should make to modernity is using a pinch of
potassium nitrite (pink salt) to prevent botulism. It also brings out the bright
red color and fl avor of the pork. Cut the pork, preferably shoulder with about
20 percent fat, by hand with a cleaver; stuff it into the casings by hand; and
tie it off with string. Prick the sausages with a pin a few times to prevent
bursting when you poach them, very gently. Notice the restrained hand in
fl avoring and seasoning, which is characteristic of the court of Felipe III of
Spain. The most obvious ingredient missing is chili powder, which was not