Ovos Em Restorão
"Eggs In Broth"
From the treasured pages of Cozinheiro moderno, ou nova arte de cozinha
Written by Lucas Rigaud
Ovos Em Restorão
"Depois de se ter feito hum restorão com vitella, presunto, caça, e raizes clarifique-se, e pizem a qualidade de hervas que quizerem, como saõ espinafres, azedas, salsa, estragaõ, &c. depois de pizada esprema-se por hum panno, deite-se no restorão, e sirva-se como antecedentes, com ovos efcalfados em cima."
English Translation
"After making a broth with veal, ham, game, and roots, clarify it, and add whatever herbs you like, such as spinach, sorrel, parsley, tarragon, etc. After chopping them, squeeze them through a cloth, add them to the broth, and serve as before, with poached eggs on top."
Note on the Original Text
The original recipe is characteristically concise, assuming reader familiarity with processes like clarifying broths or poaching eggs, and omitting precise measurements. Spelling reflects 18th-century Portuguese conventions—e.g. 'restorão' for a restorative broth, 'efcalfados' for poached eggs (modern 'escalfados'). The prose is direct and practical, with instructions flowing in a single paragraph, typical of manuscript and early printed cookbooks. Today, we've adapted it to modern equipment and clarified steps for ease.
Title
Cozinheiro moderno, ou nova arte de cozinha (1785)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Lucas Rigaud
Era
1785
Publisher
L. da Silva Godinho
Background
A sumptuous journey through 18th-century Portuguese cuisine, 'Cozinheiro moderno, ou nova arte de cozinha' invites readers to master the refined and innovative cookery of its time. Delight in a treasury of recipes and culinary secrets that celebrate the flavors and craftsmanship of Lisbon's gastronomic past.
Kindly made available by
Internet Archive
This recipe comes from 'Cozinheiro moderno, ou nova arte de cozinha', published in Lisbon in 1785. It reflects the refined cooking of late 18th-century Portugal, where French and local influences mingled in aristocratic and bourgeois kitchens. 'Ovos em restorão' is a restorative dish—essentially a luxurious broth fortified with meats, herbs, and crowned with poached eggs, meant to revive and nourish. Such recipes were considered strengthening, served to those convalescing, or as an elegant start to feasts, showcasing both local produce and the chef's skill at producing clear, flavorsome broths.
Cooks of the late 18th century would have used large iron or copper pots for simmering the broth over open fire or coals. Meats and roots were chopped with hefty chef’s knives or cleavers. Herbs would be pounded using a mortar and pestle, then strained through clean linen cloths. Eggs were poached carefully in a shallow pan over gentle heat. Serving would be in ceramic, pewter or porcelain bowls.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Servings
4
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 1 lb veal (use beef or chicken as substitute if needed)
- 3.5 oz unsmoked ham
- 7 oz game meat (venison or rabbit; substitute with beef or chicken if necessary)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium parsnip, peeled and chopped
- 3.5 oz celery root (substitute with 1 celery stalk)
- 6 1/3 cups water
- 3.5 oz spinach leaves
- 1.75 oz sorrel leaves (increase spinach if unavailable)
- 1 oz fresh parsley
- 0.35 oz fresh tarragon
- 4 eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Begin by preparing a rich meat broth using veal (approximately 1 lb), unsmoked ham (3.5 oz), any available game meat (such as 7 oz of venison or rabbit), and a selection of root vegetables like carrots (2 medium), parsnips (1 medium), and celery root (3.5 oz).
- Simmer all together in about 6 1/3 cups of water for at least 2 hours, skimming off impurities, then strain and clarify the broth carefully until it is clear.
- Select fresh herbs: spinach (3.5 oz), sorrel (1.75 oz), parsley (1 oz), and tarragon (0.35 oz).
- Chop and pound these herbs (using a mortar and pestle or a food processor).
- Then, squeeze out their juices using a clean cloth or fine sieve.
- Add the vibrant green herb essence to the hot broth, stirring well.
- Poach eggs (one per serving—usually 4 eggs) gently in simmering water until the whites are set but the yolks remain runny.
- Serve the broth in bowls, and carefully float the poached eggs atop each serving, presenting a jewel-like egg in a fragrant, herbed restorative soup.
Estimated Calories
200 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 2 hours to simmer and cook the broth, and about 30 minutes to prepare the ingredients and poach the eggs. Each bowl of soup with a poached egg has about 200 calories. The recipe makes 4 servings.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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