Saffron and Verjuice Roast Capon
A roast capon then napped with a golden saffron sauce, spiked with ginger and cinnamon, and brightened by the acidity of verjuice. The ultimate festive dish of great medieval tables, yellow as gold, emblem of the curia's splendor.
A roast capon then napped with a golden saffron sauce, spiked with ginger and cinnamon, and brightened by the acidity of verjuice. The ultimate festive dish of great medieval tables, yellow as gold, emblem of the curia's splendor.
When it was time to extend a hand to the princes of the Church and the envoys of Byzantium, We had a table set at the Lateran worthy of the seat of Peter. Let the capon gilded with saffron be served then! This gold dust is worth its weight in silver, my child, and he who offers it says without words: see the abundance of the house of God. The poultry is basted with verjuice so that sourness awakens sweetness, dusted with cinnamon and ginger from the East. Eating together is already half-reconciled.
- •Capon (or fattened young rooster) — a fine one (centerpiece)
- •Saffron — a few threads (golden color and fragrance, signature)
- •Ginger and cinnamon — a pinch of each (noble spices)
- •Verjuice (green grape juice) — a goblet (acidity)
- •Pounded almonds — a handful (sauce thickener)
- •Lard or olive oil — as needed (roasting)
Saffron and Verjuice Roast Capon
A roast capon then napped with a golden saffron sauce, spiked with ginger and cinnamon, and brightened by the acidity of verjuice. The ultimate festive dish of great medieval tables, yellow as gold, emblem of the curia's splendor.
Why this dish? The brief pontificate of Anastasius IV was marked by efforts at reconciliation, notably with the Byzantine Empire and the management of Europe's great prelates. A banquet of reconciliation at the Lateran called for a prestige dish: poultry gilded with saffron, the most precious spice, a sign of opulence and offered peace.
When it was time to extend a hand to the princes of the Church and the envoys of Byzantium, We had a table set at the Lateran worthy of the seat of Peter. Let the capon gilded with saffron be served then! This gold dust is worth its weight in silver, my child, and he who offers it says without words: see the abundance of the house of God. The poultry is basted with verjuice so that sourness awakens sweetness, dusted with cinnamon and ginger from the East. Eating together is already half-reconciled.
Ingredients (period version)
- Capon (or fattened young rooster) — a fine one (centerpiece)
- Saffron — a few threads (golden color and fragrance, signature)
- Ginger and cinnamon — a pinch of each (noble spices)
- Verjuice (green grape juice) — a goblet (acidity)
- Pounded almonds — a handful (sauce thickener)
- Lard or olive oil — as needed (roasting)
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs and drumsticks (or capon) — 1.2 kg (centerpiece)
- Saffron — 1 good pinch (15–20 threads) (color and fragrance, signature)
- Ground ginger — 1/2 tsp (noble spice)
- Cinnamon — 1/2 tsp (noble spice)
- Verjuice (or substitute: grape juice + splash of cider vinegar) — 100 ml (acidity)
- Almond flour — 40 g (sauce thickener)
- Chicken broth — 200 ml (sauce base)
- Olive oil — 3 tbsp (roasting)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Infuse the saffron in warm verjuice for 15 minutes to release its color.
- Brown the poultry pieces on all sides in olive oil; season with salt.
- Roast at 190°C for about 35 minutes until the skin is golden and the meat cooked through.
- Meanwhile, heat the broth with ginger, cinnamon, and almond flour; let thicken gently.
- Add the saffron-infused verjuice to the sauce; adjust sweet-sour balance and salt.
- Nap the poultry with this golden sauce and serve immediately.
How it was made : Sauces thickened with pounded almonds and colored with saffron are ubiquitous in medieval court cuisine: sweet-and-sour (spices + verjuice) was the sought-after taste. Saffron, imported at great expense, served both to color and to signal the host's wealth.
The contemporary twist : Serve on a bed of millet polenta (an era-appropriate grain) and garnish with whole saffron petals to recall the gold of Byzantine mosaics.
Anastasius IV · Charactorium