Medieval Recipes: Mixed Pickles

Instructions

“Take rote of persel, of pasternak, of rafens, scrape hem and waische him clene. Take rapes & caboches, ypared and ycorue. Take an erthen panne with clene water & set it on the fire; cast all thise therinne. Whan they buth boiled cast therto peeres & perboile hem wel. Take alle thise thynges vp & lat it kele on a faire cloth. Do therto salt; whan it is colde, do hit in a vessel; take vyneger & powdour & safroun & do therto, & lat alle thise thynges lye therein at night, other al day. Take wyne greke & hony clarified togider; take lumbarde mustard & raisouns coraunce, al hoole, & grynde powdour of canel, powdour douce & aneys hole, & fenell seed. Take alle thise thynges & cast togyder in a pot of erthe, & take thereof whan thou wilt & serue forth.’

– Curye on Inglysch, IV. 103.

Wash and peel all the root vegetables and slice them. Shred the cabbage and put everything in a large pan of water. Bring to a boil and add the pears. Cook until soft. Drain the contents and spread in a shallow dish; sprinkle with salt, saffron, ginger, and vinegar. Leave covered for twelve hours and rinse well. Add the currants and pack them into sterilized jars (leave 2.5 cm headspace). 

Put the honey and wine in a pan, add the sugar and the rest of the vinegar and all the remaining spices. Stir without boiling until the sugar dissolves, and pour it over the vegetables. Cover with seals and store.