Orange Herb Sauce

This recipe for Orange Herb Sauce is provided in the manuscript as part of the instructions for the sauce to be served with grilled Swordfish. I have served this sauce with Grilled Tuna and Grilled Chicken so I wanted to present the sauce separately.

Source: Libre Del Coch, Mestre Robert, cook to ‘don Ferrando de Napols’ Catalan, 16^th century.^[1]

Original Recipe^[2]:

De emperador en graelles

Capitol en quina manera se deu aparellar lo emperador en graelles. Primerament pendras lemperador e tallaras lo axi com sil hauies de rostir e leuali la ventresca e vaja a rostir e vntaras lo ades ades ab oli: e apres fes lilo seu salsero çoes: such de toronges: e pebre: e oli: e sal: e vn poch de aygua e tot aço metras dins vna olla petita: e com lo Senyor voldra menjar pendras vn plat e met lo dintre e lançaras y aquell salsero damunt e ab aquestes herbes: çoes: joliuert: e menta: e moraduix.

Translation: (by Robin Carroll-Mann) ^[2]:

Swordfish on the grill

Cut the swordfish as if you were going to roast it, and remove everything that is inside; and set it to roast on the grill, greasing it with oil, little by little. Then make your light sauce which is orange juice, and pepper, and oil, and salt, and a little water; and you will put all this in a small pot, and when they want to eat, put it on a plate; and cast on the said sauce with the other herbs: parsley, and mint, and marjoram.

My Interpretation:

3 cups orange juice	¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice	¼ cup Italian Herbs
¼ cup lime juice	2 tsp. grains of paradise
2 tsp. salt	1 tsp. dried mint
¼ tsp. ground black pepper

Combine ingredients into a pot, bring to a simmer and reduce until desired thickness is reached

Notes

• There is a little ambiguity with "other herbs" in the recipe. I find the Italian Herb blend to be a handy choice.
• I find the grains of paradise enhance the flavors in the sauce adding a more floral note, this spice was available and used in this time period.

Works Referenced:

Nola, Maseter Ruperto de An English translation of Ruperto de Nola's "Libre del Coch" by Lady Brighid ni Chiarain. [Online] // Stefan's Florilegium / ed. Carroll-Mann Robin. - 2001. - May 29, 2009. - http://www.florilegium.org/?http%3A//www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-MANUSCRIPTS/Guisados1-art.html. - http://www.florilegium.org/?http%3A//www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-MANUSCRIPTS/Guisados2-art.html.

Nola, Master Ruperto de Libro de Cozina [Book] / ed. Cuenca Vincent F. / trans. Cuenca Vincent F.. - 1529 (translation 2001). - A full English Translatin with Commentary of Master Ruperto de Nola's Libro de Cozina.

Nola, Rupert de Lybre de doctrina Pera ben Servir: de Tallar: y del Art de Coch [Online] // Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes. - Fundació Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes. - August 18, 2014. - http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/obra-visor/libre-de-doctrina-per-a-ben-servir-de-tallar-y-del-art-de-coch-transcripcio--0/html/ff1e2444-82b1-11df-acc7-002185ce6064_2.html#I_105_.

Nola, Rupert de Libre De Doctrina per a Ben Servir, De Tallar Y Del Art De Coch F. XXVv. Digital image. Biblioteca Virtual Miguel De Cervantes. Fundación Biblioteca Virtual Miguel De Cervantes, 2000. Web. 18 Aug. 2014. http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/obra-visor/libre-de-doctrina-per-a-ben-servir-de-tallar-y-del-art-de-coch--1/html/ff1de6be-82b1-11df-acc7-002185ce6064_52.html. Digitized image of folio XXVv of Rupert de Nola's 1520 book reprinted in 1988 by Ediciones Histórico Artísticas.