To Dress a Hen, Mutton or Lamb the Indian Way

To Dress a Hen, Mutton or Lamb the Indian Way is a traditional English recipe for what might be the first curry recipe written down in English from 1675 for a spatchcocked chicken cooked in a spiced marinade with vinegar. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic English version of: To Dress a Hen, Mutton or Lamb the Indian Way.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

30 minutes

Total Time:

50 minutes

Serves:

Rating:

Tags : Curry Spice Recipes Chicken Recipes Lamb Recipes Mutton Recipes British Recipes English Recipes

I've found what may be the earliest curry recipe in the UK. This is nothing like a modern curry, and originates in a handwritten Manuscript, Wellcome Manuscript No MS.4050/7, c1675. This is a full 70 years before the recipe found in 'The Art of Cookery, Made Plain and Easy' by Hannah Glasse, 1747 (which is really the archetype of the British curry).

The 'sweet herbs' referred to in the recipe are typically soft-leaved herbs used in enhancing the flavour of a dish. Herbs typically considered 'sweet' would include thyme, sage, mint, marjoram, savory, parsley and basil.

Original Recipe

Transcription:

To Dress a Hen, Mutton or Lamb y^e Indian Way

Take a hen an^d cut her downe the back and wash her cleane from the blood and dry her, then take salt, pepper, cloves and mace and beat the spices very well, then take also sweet herbs and some shallotts and mince them very small with Lemon & mingle all these well together; then rubb up ^te hen all over with these things and lay it flat in an Earthen pann and cover it with some vinegar and let it steep two houres; then roast it and beaste with this liquor, when it is enough, sett the liquor a cooking, take off the grease, and poure off the Henn. dissolve Anchovies in it and heat it with beaten butter. Soe Serve it up.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

1 oven-ready chicken
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black peppercorns
6 whole cloves
1 blade of mace
6 tbsp mixed sweet herbs
4 shallots, minced
pared zest of 1/2 lemon
enough vinegar (red or white wine), to cover
6 anchovies, pounded to a paste
50g butter, beaten to cream

Method:

Spatchcock the chicken by cutting down the back and opening up then wash well inside and out.

Combine the salt, black pepper, cloves and mace in a mortar and pound until smooth. Add the chopped sweet herbs, shallots and lemon zest, pounding until smooth.

Rub the spice and herb mixture all over the chicken (both inside and out). Transfer the bird to a roasting that's only just big enough to hold it. Then pour over just enough vinegar to barely cover the bird.

Cover with foil then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180C and roast for about 40-45 minutes, or until the chicken is done. Baste with the pan jusces every 10 minutes during this time.

Transfer to the hob and bring to a boil. Skim off any grease then pour the liquid into a saucepan. Put on the hob and bring to a simmer then dissolve in the anchovy paste.

Add in the creamed butter and let the ingredients meld together.

Joing the chicken and serve with the sauce.