Ingredients
Duck; Red Wine; Pomegranate Vinegar; Cinnamon; Ginger; Grains of Paradise; Long Pepper; Nutmeg; Mace; Galangal; Cloves; Sugar; Salt; Cornstarch
Seitan (Wheat Gluten); Red Wine; Red Wine Vinegar; Cinnamon; Ginger; Grains of Paradise; Long Pepper; Nutmeg; Mace; Galangal; Cloves; Sugar; Salt; Cornstarch
We are given multiple recipes for Cameline Sauce in our sources, so we are left to devise something that captures what represents the dish fundamentally. We also know that this sauce so widely available that it could be purchased pre-made (LM 2.4-55) so I believe it fair to assume there was variance across households and vendors in its preparation In this case, Taillevant (LV 155) and Chiquart largely agree, and the Goodman of Paris offers us a regionally specific option and his own bourgeois preference, which runs toward the simple (LM 271)/ I choose to present, as usual, the more lavish option and will include all of the spices Chiquart suggests, in the quantities devised by my gross analysis, with the exception of adding considerably more cinnamon – a direction across all three primary sources, and attested in additional sources (LC 70, FC 149). “Cameline” indicates the color of the sauce,which also comes from an abundance of cinnamon. I believe this is meant to be a rich, slightly sweet and slightly piquant sauce as it accompanies strong meats, and so my redaction accomplishes that. Since it calls for all of the spices we have ratios for in DF, I will use my pre-blended ratios of major spice and of minor spices, and in their approximate ratio of 25:1 to one another.
The texture of the sauce is also clearly disagreed upon. Taillevant and and the Goodman specifically tell us to strain the mixture, which will result in a very thin sauce – the thickening power of un-boiled bread starch being quite low. Chiquart gives us no direction to strain at all, and seems to suggest we blend just whatever wine and vinegar are in the bread with it which results in a very thick sauce. Interestingly to me, both LC and FC include nut powder to thicken the sauce and do not indicate straining. If nut powder were added then removed, it would provide no thickening whatsoever, so we are left to assume it was an unstrained and thick sauce. FC indicates that bread is an acceptable substitute if almonds are not available. Another anomaly is LM’s direction that the sauce is boiled in winter. There could be a number of practical reasons for this, but what it definitely would accomplish making a thicker sauce than the un-boiled, which most people I think agree suits colder weather. It is also likely that it was meant to enhance the food’s “warm” trait in Humoral Theory. Taking all of this into account, my redaction creates a sauce which coats its meat but is not especially thick or thin. My sauce has been boiled primarily to activate my choice of thickeners, and so only briefly.
References
Modern Redaction
| 1 c. | Red Wine |
| 1/4 c. | Vinegar |
| 1/2 T. | DF Major Spices |
| 1/2 t. | Cinnamon |
| 1/8 t. | DF Minor Spices |
| 2 T. | Sugar |
| 1/2 t. | Salt |
| 1 T. | Cornstarch |
- Combine all of the ingredients except for the Cornstarch in a sauce ban and bring to a simmer.
- Mix the Cornstarch with 1 T. of Water or Wine to make a slurry.
- Mix the slurry into the simmering Wine and spice mixture, stirring constantly
Allow to simmer for at least 30 seconds, then remove from heat and cool to room temperature. - Taste the sauce, adjusting the salt, sugar, or vinegar, or adding more wine to thin as needed.
Process Photos
