Weekend Cooking: Oxe Cheeks in Sallet (Salad with ox cheeks)

[snowynight]

Take oxe cheeks being boned and cleansed, steep them in claret, white-wine, or wine vinegar all night, the next day season them with nutmegs, cloves, pepper, mace, and salt, roul them up, boil them tender in water, vinegar, and salt, then press them, and being cold, slice them in thin slices, and serve them in a clean dish with oyl and vinegar.

From The Accomplisht Cook by Robert May (1685 London)

Comments

[muccamukk]

That actually sounds pretty good, though what is it with the 1600s and the cloves?

[snowynight]

Everyone loved spices, but the Dutch East India Company was less successful to enforce export limit on choves than nutmegs. It was also perceived to be an aphrodisiac, which probably helped.