Poume d'oranges (recipe)

The recipe Poume d'oranges comes from England in the 13th century.

Original recipe

1. Poume d'oranges. Ceo est une viaunde ke est apel� pomme de oranges. Pernez char de porc, ne mye trop gras ne trop megre, e festes couper creu, e festes braer en un morter, e metez dedenz le moel de l'oef cru; e pernez le bro, si festes boiller; e puys pernez le blaunc de l'oef e oyngnez vos meinz; e puys pernez hors la char e festes roundes soelez cume oingnun, taunt come vos volez, e festes boiller en cel bro; e puys pernez les hors e metez chescun parmy une broche ke nul ne tuche autre; e puys metez au feu pur rostir; e pernez deus esqueles, e metez le blaunc en une esquele e le moel, e festes oyndre les poumes kaunt it sunt charnis parmy; e pernez sucre e jetez desus kaunt il sunt tret hors de la broche; e puys dressez.

Redaction

Ingredients

• 1kg ground pork, raw
• 8 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• salt & pepper, to taste (optional)
• broth
• egg whites, slightly beaten
• additional egg whites & yolks, slightly beaten

Method

1. Combine pork and egg yolks to form a workable mass (so the mince sticks together in a smooth ball). Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Bring the broth to a soft boil.
3. Dip your hands in the bowl of remaining egg whites, take a fair amount of pork mince, roughly large enough to be the size of a medium orange. Alternately, you can make the meatball and then dip it in eggwhite.
4. Gently boil the meatballs in the broth until just done.
5. Remove and drain.

To roast the meatballs

1. Place the meatballs on skewers with about an inch gap between each one. Roast them on a rotissary until they start to brown. If roasting them in an oven, place them on a baking sheet, ensuring they are thoroughly covered in egg white. Cook them until the egg white begins to set and turn white - do not overcook. This will make the inner white coating of the orange peel.
2. Coat the meatballs in the egg yolk, adding a little yellow food dye for a deeper orange colour.
3. Return to the heat just long enough for the egg yolk to set; again, this will take only half a minute or so. Do not overcook, as the yolk will turn brown and spoil the effect.
4. Remove the "oranges" from the skewers or baking sheets, sprinkle on a little sugar, & serve.

Serve with Blaunche escrepes.