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Broiled fish with three sauces.
printout version recipe May/June 2004 (2 pages A4)

[Op visch] buijten den vasten (3.246)
Item neemt boter in een eerde panne, ende asijn, ende suijcker, ende geijnber, ende latet sieden, ende cloppet tot dick is, ende doet dat oeck op ghebraden vijssen, ijst brasem oft anders. 
Mer eest eenen snoeck alsoe legten in die scotel, ende doeter capparts over met olij, ende asijn, ende geijnberpoijer, dats sijn saus, ende dienet ter tafelen.
Oft alst inden tijt is van stekelbesijen, soe smoert die besijen in boter, ende doeter wijn in, ende eeck, suijcker, geijnber, ende caneel, ende sofferaen, ende alst dick opgesoden is, soe gietet op die gebraden brasem, ende overstroijtse wel, ende dienet ter tafelen.

 

 On fish outside of Lent.
Add butter to an earthenware pan, and vinegar, sugar, and ginger. Bring to the boil and whisk until it has thickened. And put this (also) on broiled fish, bream or another [fish].
But when it is a pike, lay this on a dish, and put capers over it with oil, vinegar and powdered ginger, that is his sauce, and serve it forth.
Or, when gooseberries are in season, braise them in butter, and add wine, and vinegar, sugar, cinnamon and saffron. And when it has reduced, pour it over the broiled bream, and sprinkle this amply [with spices] and serve it forth.
Butter sauce:
80 gram (1/3 cup) butter
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/2 Tbsp. cane sugar
1/2 tsp. powdered ginger

Preparation:
Melt the butter, add the other ingredients. Whisk with a beater to a frothy sauce.
Serve right away.
With broiled fish, especially bream.

Capers sauce:
2 Tbsp. capers
4 Tbsp. oil (neutral or olive)
1 Tbsp. wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. powdered ginger

Preparation:
Make a vinaigrette with oil and vinegar, add rinsed capers and ginger.
With broiled pike.

Gooseberry sauce:
100 à 150 gram (2/3 to 1 cup) gooseberries
30 gram (2 Tbsp.) butter
2 Tbsp. white wine
1 Tbsp. cane sugar
1/2 tsp. each of powdered ginger and cinnamon
optional: 1/2 tsp. ground saffron

Preparation:
Melt the butter and braise the gooseberries for 5 minutes. Add the other ingredients. Reduce to a thick sauce. Remove the skins of the gooseberries.
With broiled bream.

150 gram fish meat of a big fish or one whole small fish per person (mackerel, bream, pike, trout)

Preparation: 
Prepare the fish if this has not yet been done (scale, gill and gut the fish). When broiling a whole fish, you can put a sprig of thyme, rosemary, dill, parsley, or a fresh laurel leaf  in the cavity of the fish. To turn the fish easily on the fire you could put them in a special fish grill rack or grip (I am sure these things on the picture above have a name. In Dutch they are called "visklem". Please mail me if you know the correct term).
Broil the fish on the barbecue or in the oven until it is done.

To serve:
You can serve the broiled fish whole, you can also debone it and remove the skin, and serve the fillets. 
Serve the sauce seperately. I wouldn't serve all three sauces at the same time, they do not blend well.

Bibliography:
W.L. Braekman, Een nieuw zuidnederlands kookboek uit de vijftiende eeuw (A new southern Dutch cookbook from the fifteenth century). Scripta 17, Brussel, 1986. (ms KA Gent 15 parts 2 and 3). This manuscript is being published by me on this site.


This page was last updated on 23-07-09  (d-m-y).