Recipe Manuscript

To Collar Ealls

Name: To Collar Ealls
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT30M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 2 medium eels, skinned and cleaned (about 1kg); 10g fresh thyme, finely chopped; 10g fresh sweet marjoram, finely chopped; 10g fresh winter savory (or extra thyme/marjoram), finely chopped; 10g fresh parsley, finely chopped; 1 tsp ground black pepper; 10 whole cloves (5 for filling, 5 for poaching); 1 tsp ground mace (half for filling, half for poaching) or 2 blades mace; 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg; 3 tsp sea salt (2 for filling, 1 for poaching); 1L water; 150ml white wine vinegar; 1 tsp whole black peppercorns; Strip of lemon peel (from 1 lemon); clean cheesecloth or muslin for wrapping

1700

From the treasured pages of Receipt book

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Advanced Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1700

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

To Collar Ealls

"Take time sweet marjerom winter savory and parsely shred them small take peper Cloves mace nutmeg and salt then take the eall skin and open them scour them with salt and water take out the back bone. dry them with a cloth and season them with the herbs and spices then roule them tide and sow them up in a Cloth take some water make it sharp with veniger season it high with some Cloves peper and salt put in a blade of Mace and lemon peale let it boyle and then put in the Ealls and keep them boyling halfe an hour then take them up and let them stand till they are Cold in the cloth when your liquor is Cold put the eals into there must be liquor enough to Cover them. Cousin Martyn's"

Note on the Original Text

Recipes of this era were written as brief instructions, assuming the reader already possessed a working knowledge of kitchen techniques and terminology. Measurements are rarely exact, relying on intuition and experience; common ingredients are named by what was at hand. Words are often abbreviated and spelling varies greatly ('eall' for 'eel', 'boyle' for 'boil', 'veniger' for 'vinegar', 'marjerom' for 'marjoram'). The structure reads as a sequence of actions, with little punctuation and frequent use of 'then' to link steps. Spelling and grammar were far from standardized, reflecting phonetic interpretation and local dialect.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipt book - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipt book (1700)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1700

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful glimpse into the kitchens of the early 18th century, this historic culinary manuscript promises a feast of recipes, remedies, and perhaps a pinch of mystery. Expect both practical fare and elegant inspiration for the curious cook.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from an English household manuscript, labeled as 'V.b.272', dating to around 1700. Collaring was a popular preservation method in 17th and 18th century England, especially for oily fish like eel, which were abundant in rivers and wetlands. The process of tightly rolling, seasoning, and pickling eels allowed households to keep them edible for several days, while imparting aromatic flavors of garden herbs and imported spices—a sign of a well-stocked British kitchen. It was typical to borrow ideas from regional and continental preserving crafts, and recipes such as these represent the interplay between home economy and culinary fashion in the Georgians' dining rooms.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In 1700, cooks would have used a sharp knife to bone the eels, a mortar and pestle to grind or blend spices, and clean linen or muslin cloths to wrap the rolled fish. Strong needles and thread or twine would have been used to 'sew up' or tie the rolls. Cooking would occur in a large copper or iron cauldron, set over the hearth. Once cooled, the collar would be stored in deep ceramic or stoneware crocks, with liquor poured over to fully submerge for preservation.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Servings

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

2 medium eels, skinned and cleaned (about 2.2 lb)
1/3 oz fresh thyme, finely chopped
1/3 oz fresh sweet marjoram, finely chopped
1/3 oz fresh winter savory (or extra thyme/marjoram), finely chopped
1/3 oz fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp ground black pepper
10 whole cloves (5 for filling, 5 for poaching)
1 tsp ground mace (half for filling, half for poaching) or 2 blades mace
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3 tsp sea salt (2 for filling, 1 for poaching)
4 1/4 cups water
2/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
Strip of lemon peel (from 1 lemon)
clean cheesecloth or muslin for wrapping

Instructions

Begin by finely chopping a small handful each of fresh thyme, sweet marjoram, winter savory (if unavailable, use extra thyme and marjoram), and parsley.
Blend these herbs with 1 tsp ground black pepper, 5 cloves, 1/2 tsp ground mace, 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg, and 2 tsp sea salt.
If available, use two medium eels (about 2.2 lb total), skinned and cleaned.
Rinse the eels in cold water with salt, then thouroughly dry them with kitchen paper.
Lay the eels flat, removing the backbone if possible, and rub the herb and spice mixture all over the flesh.
Roll up the eels tightly from head to tail and secure them with kitchen twine or sewing (as in the original), then wrap firmly in a clean cheesecloth or muslin.
For the cooking liquor: Bring 4 1/4 cups water to a boil.
Add 2/3 cup white wine vinegar, 6 whole cloves, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 blade of mace (or 1/4 tsp ground mace), and a strip of lemon peel.
Taste the broth; it should be highly seasoned and sharp.
Add the wrapped eel rolls, ensuring they're submerged.
Simmer gently for 30 minutes.
Remove the rolls, allow to cool in the cloth, then transfer to a deep dish.
Once both eels and liquor are completly cool, pour the liquor over the eels to keep them covered.
Store chilled, and allow flavors to blend overnight before serving cold, sliced.

Estimated Calories

250 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing the eels, chopping herbs, and assembling the roll takes about 30 minutes. Cooking them in the poaching liquor takes another 30 minutes. After cooking, the eels should be chilled overnight, but the hands-on time totals about an hour. Each serving contains about 250 calories, and the recipe yields four 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.