Stuffed Raisins and Fried Lemons.

Even in my most enthusiastic cooking moments, and in spite of how delicious they sound, I cannot imagine slicing open some good raisins, sandwiching them together with a mixture of herbs, and frying them.

These intriguing treats are called ‘dropt razins’ –I have yet to develop a theory about the name (they are ‘dropped’ into the pan?) -  and instructions for making them appears in John Murrell’s New Booke of Cookerie published in 1617. The recipe references the ‘foresaid stuff’ in the previous recipe, which also sounds most deliciously interesting, so I give you both:

To make French puffes with greene Hearbes.

Take Spinage, Parsley, Endive, a sprigge or two of Savory: mince them very fine: season them with Nutmeg, Ginger, and Sugar. Wet them with Egges, according to the quantitie of the Hearbes, more or lesse.

Then take the coare of a Lemmon, cut it in round slices very thinne: put to every slice of your Lemmon one spoonful of this stuffe. Then frye it with sweet Lard in a frying-panne as you fry Egges, and serve them with sippets, or without, sprinkle them eyther with White-wine or Sacke, or any other Wine, saving Rennish-wine. Serve them eyther at Dinner or Supper.

Dropt Razins.

Take the fairest Razins of the Sun, slit them on one side: lay them open, as round and broad as you can. Then take the aforesaid hearbs mint and seasoned, and lay betwixt two razins as many as you can close between them. Take half a spoonful of the foresaid stuffe that you fryed your Lemons with: frye them browne.