Stew Recipe from Boke of Kokery

This recipe is taken from a scroll which starts "Here Beginnethe a Boke of Kokery" (the closest thing it gets to a title). This scroll, commonly known as Harleian MS. 4016 and held in the British Museum, was written about 1450 C.E. The recipe specifies roasted mutton or chicken or 'such other flessh' i.e. meat, but tastes just as good with browned beef.

Original Text:
Take faire Mutton that hath ben roste, or elles Capons, or suche other flessh, and mynce it faire; put hit into a possenet, or elles bitwen ii siluer disshes; caste thereto faire parcely, And oynons small mynced; then caste there-to wyn, and a litull vynegre or vergeous, pouder of peper, Canel, salt and saffron, and lete it stue on the faire coles, And then serue hit forthe; if he have no wyne ne vynegre, take Ale, Mustard, and A quantite of vergeous, and do this in the stede of vyne or vinegre.

Rough translation:
Take good Mutton that has been roasted, or else Chickens or other such meat and mince it medium-size; put it into a small pot or else between two silver dishes [?]; cast into it a medium amount of parsley and onions minced small; then add in wine and a little vinegar or verjuice, ground pepper, cinnamon, salt and saffron, and let it stew on the hot coals, and then serve it forth; if you have neither wine nor vinegar, take ale, mustard and a quantity of verjuice, and use this instead of wine or vinegar.

Recipe (for 4 people)
600 gm cubed stewing beef/pork/chicken (pre-roasted if possible)
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 medium onions, minced small
1 330 ml bottle Guiness (any other ale will do)
1 Tb wine vinegar (or verjuice if you have some)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
4 strands saffron (soaked in warm water for 10 minutes)

  1. If the meat wasn't roasted beforehand, brown it in a little butter first.
  2. Put the meat, half the ale, the parsley, vinegar (don't leave this out! it is an essential taste in the stew), cinnamon, pepper, salt and softened saffron in a heavy pot. Don't forget to soak the saffron beforehand or you won't get any flavour from it.
  3. Simmer for 3 hours.
  4. Add the rest of the ale halfway through the cooking, making sure the stew doesn't boil or dry out. If you need more liquid, use either water or beef stock or consommé. The stew will reduce down to a thick syrupy liquid by the time you serve.
  5. Turn it off and let the stew 'rest' for a couple of hours before reheating it for dinner. This helps deepen the flavour.