Mixed Pickles

English
Makes 2.3 kg/ 5 lb
The Medieval Cookbook by Maggie Black


Compost. Take rote of persel, of pasternak, of rafens, scrape hem 
and waishe 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 thero salt; whan it is colde, do hit in a vessel; 
take vyneger & powdour & safroun & do therto, & lat alle thise 
thynges lye therein al 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.
(CI.IV. 103.)

900 g/2 lb mixed parsley roots, carrots, radishes and turnips
450 g/1 lb white cabbage
450 g/1 lb hard eating pears
    6 tablespoons salt
    1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon dried saffron strands
425 ml/15 fl oz/2 cups while wine vinegar
  50 g/2 oz currents
575 ml/1 pint/2 1/2 cups fruity white wine
    6 tablespoons clear honey
    1 teaspoon each ground cinnamon and black pepper
1/4 teaspoon each anise and fennel seeds
  50 g/2oz white sugar

Prepare the root vegetables and slice them thinly.  Core and 
shred the cabbage.  Put these vegetables into a large pan of 
water and bring slowly to the boil.  Peel, core and cut up the 
pears and add them to the pan.  Cook until they start to soften.  
Drain the contents of the pan and spread in a 5-cm/2-inch layer 
in a shallow non-metallic dish.

Sprinkle with the salt, ginger, saffron and 4 tablespoons of the 
vinegar.  Leave, covered, for 12 hours.  Rinse well, then add the 
currants.  Pack into sterilised storage jars, with at least 2.5 cm/1 
inch headspace.

Put the wine and honey in a pan.  Bring to simmering point and skim.  
Add the rest of the vinegar and all the remaining spices and sugar.  
Reduce the heat and stir without boiling until the sugar dissolves.  
Bring back to the boil.  Pour over the vegetables, covering them with 
1 cm/1/2 inch liquid.  Cover with vinegar-proof seals and store.
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