The Holy Island of Lindisfarne is well known for mede. In medieval days when the monks inhabited the island, it was thought that if the soul was in God's keeping, the body must be fortified with this elixir of herbs and honey; the wine bequeathed to posterity as Lindisfarne Mede. The monks have long vanished but their spirit lingers in this aphrodisiac whose exact recipe remains a secret of the family still producing it.
Ingredients:
4 chicken joints
2 tablespoon olive oil
Knob of butter
1 small onion, chopped
100 gram mushrooms, chopped (4 oz)
Fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
150ml Lindisfarne Mede (1/4 pint)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 190 °C / 375 °F / Gas 5.
Fry the chicken joints in the oil and butter until browned. Put them aside in a casserole dish.
Make a sauce by adding the chopped onion to the oil and butter in the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, parsley, lemon juice, mede and seasonings. Stir well and cook for a further 3 minutes before pouring the sauce over the chicken joints.
Cover and cook in the oven for about 1 hour.