FINISH [marinate] THE PARSNIPS IN OIL AND BROTH, OR FRY THEM IN OIL, SPRINKLE WITH SALT AND PEPPER, AND SERVE.
[1] Ex G.-V. wanting in Tor. and List. Found in Sch. also. V. Procedure quite in accordance with modern practice. We envelope the p. in flour or frying batter.
BRUISE THE BOILED PARSNIPS [scallops, muscular part of shellfish] ELIMINATE THE HARD STRINGS; ADD BOILED SPELT AND CHOPPED HARD EGGS, STOCK AND PEPPER. MAKE CROQUETTES OR SAUSAGE FROM THIS, ADDING PIGNOLIA NUT AND PEPPER, WRAP IN CAUL [or fill in casings] FRY AND SERVE THEM AS AN ENTRÉE DISH IN A WINE SAUCE.
[1] V. This formula is virtually a repetition of ℞ No. [46], all the more bewildering because of the divergence of the term (Cf. ℞ No. [115]), which stands for “scallops” or the muscular part of any bivalve, at least in the above formula.
The Græco-Latin word for cow-parsnip is spondylium, sphondylium, spondylion. It is almost certain that the preceding parsnips formulæ are in the right place here. They are in direct line with the other vegetables here treated—the shellfish—spondylus—would be out of place in this chapter, Book [III], The Gardener. All the recipes, with the exception of the above, fit a vegetable like parsnips. Even Lister’s and Humelberg’s interpretation of the term, who read spongioli—mushrooms—could be questioned under this heading, Book [III].
It is barely possible that this entire series of formulæ, Spondyli uel fonduli (℞ Nos. [115-121]) does belong to Book [II] among the scallop hysitia, though we are little inclined to accept this theory.
Cf. ℞ No. [122] which appears to be a confirmation of the view expressed above.