“Ibrahim posted sentinels around my hut, so that my slumbers were uninterrupted, until Ali-Ninpha roused me with the pleasant news that the bowls of rice and stews were smoking on the mat in the chamber of Ibrahim himself. Ninpha knew my tastes and superintended the cook. He had often jested at the "white man's folly," when my stomach turned at some disgusting dish of the country; so that the pure roasts and broils of well-known pieces slipped down my throat with the appetite of a trooper. While these messes were under discussion, the savory steam of a rich stew with a creamy sauce saluted my nostrils, and, without asking leave, I plunged my spoon into a dish that stood before my entertainers, and seemed prepared exclusively for themselves. In a moment I was invited to partake of the _bonne-bouche_; and so delicious did I find it, that, even at this distance of time, my mouth waters when I remember the forced-meat balls of mutton, minced with roasted ground-nuts, that I devoured that night in the Mandingo town of Kya.”
A cook of roughly the same moment, setting down the same dish.
I. Chop a Loin into steaks, lay it in a deep dish or stewing pan, and put to it half a pint of Claret or White-Wine, as much water, some Salt and pepper, three or four whole Onions, a faggot of sweet Herbs bound up hard, and some large Mace; cover them close, and stew them leisurely the space of two hours, turn them now and then, and serve them on sippets. II. Otherways for change, being half boiled, chop some sweet Herbs and put to them, give them a walm, and serve them on sippets with scalded Goosberries, Barberries, Grapes, or Lemon. III. Otherways for variety, put Raisins, Prunes, Currans, Dates, and serve them with slic't Lemon and beaten butter. IV. Sometimes you may alter the Spice, and put Nutmeg, Cloves, and Ginger. V. Sometimes to the first plain way, put Capers, pickled Cucumbers, Samphire, _&c._ VI.
Sources: The passage is from Theodore Canot, Captain Canot, free to read in full at Project Gutenberg. The recipe is from May, The accomplisht cook of 1660, also free in full. Both are in the public domain in the United States. The binding above is ours — burgundy cloth, amphora stamp.