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Capon or Hen with Oysters Old Elizabethan Recipe

Queen Elizabeth Ist

"Queen Elizabeth Ist"

To boil a Capon or Hen with Oysters


Take either of them, and fill the Belly of it with Oysters, and truss it, then boil it in white Wine, Water, the Liquor of the Oysters, a Blade or two of Mace, a little Pepper whole, and a little Salt; when it is boiled enough, take the Oysters out of the belly, and put them into a Dish.

Take some Butter, and some of the Liquor it was boiled in, and two Anchoves with the yolks of Eggs well beaten, heat these together over the fire, and then put your Oysters into it, then garnish your Dish with Limon sliced thin, and some of the Oysters, also some pickled Barberries and raw Parsley, then lay your Capon or Hen in the middle of it, and pour the sauce upon the Breast of it, then lay on sliced Limon and serve it in.

Capon or Hen with Oysters Old Elizabethan Recipe
The above Old recipe is taken from for Capon or Hen with Oysters is written in totally different way to today's recipe books.

  • There were no lists of ingredients - these were included as part of the text
  • Food and ingredient measurements were extremely basic - quantities were not often specified.
  • Temperature control was difficult and therefore not specified.
  • Cooking times were vague - and left to the cook to decide.
  • It was assumed that the reader would already have some knowledge of cooking

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