Traitors' Stew

The original source for this was various bits of Far Isles gossip, which only make sense if you were there at the time (and perhaps not even then). It was (supposedly) found at the castle of St. Briavels after a revel (which had included using both stuffed rabbits and cabbages as archery targets), and "translated" by one Sian ferch Rhianneth, then a Journeyman Cook, who has no connection to the Guild of Inquisitors at all (she hopes). So here we go, translating as we go along.

Original recipe	Translation: quantities for four
Take one traitorous rabbit. Behead it and smite it into gobbets	Take 1 lb of diced rabbit
Take one head of white cabbage, and purge the evil from it by means of the Test of St. Anthony: let that which remains be put to the scourge.	Take 1/2 white cabbage and slice thinly
Let the rabbit be dressed in white, for purity, then seared in hellfire in order to put fear and repentance into its heart.	Flour the rabbit and brown in a little oil
Mix with the cabbage and such other herbs as will induce understanding of its fowl deeds	onion (chopped), sage, thyme, chicken stock
and let the traitor be seethed for a time suitable to allow proper meditation on its sins.	About an hour in a medium oven
A hastily scrawled note in the margin of the original recipe suggests that one carrot should be added, sliced finely so as to resemble red hair. I have no idea why this should be required, but it does improve the presentation of the dish.

And a post-experimental note: the idea is that the cabbage should be cooked for long enough to act as a thickening agent. Cutting the cooking time, or adding too much water, gives you cabbage and rabbit soup, not stew.

Most recent revision 29th August 1999