This recipe comes from the Good Huswifes' Jewell-
A Tarte of Rice
Boyle your Rice and put in the yolkes of two or three Egges into the Rice and when it is boyled, put it into a dish, and season it with Suger, Sinamon and Ginger and butter and the iuyce of 2 or 3 orenges, and set it on the fire again.
From The Good Huswifes' Jewell by Thomas Dawson, 1596
My recipe
1C Arborio rice - well rinsed
1.5 C water plus 200ml extra
50g butter
5 tsp sugar
1 heaped tsp cinnamon
1 heaped tsp ginger
3 egg yolks, small to medium eggs
Method:
Cook rice until al dente. Lightly beat the egg yolks and add the spices. Stir.
Add the egg yolk/spice mix to the rice and stir. Add sugar and mix well.
Cook the mixture on moderate heat until rice is nice and soft and the mix starts to fuse together with the individual grains looking less defined. (I cooked it is the microwave due to time constraints, but a a small saucepan on the stove top would be ideal.) You may need to add extra water here if the mix looks too dry.
When the mixture is cooked and the rice is very soft, put into a serving dish and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on the top. Caster sugar would be best here.
Next time I will add more spice. Cooking in the microwave meant that the dish didn't have a lovely crust like you get when you put it in the oven to brown after cooking.
I have made this recipe with and without the orange juice. I liked the recipe above (without the orange juice) better; it was less acidic.
Some of the comments I received included:
'Delightful! Lovely as a dessert or between courses. I think the addition of cream over the top would be great'.
'I really like this, it is nice and I want to eat more!'
'Loved it- delicious. The flavours are well balanced and really liked the kick of ginger on the tongue. It was a little dry but arborio rice left overnight does that. Would recommend almond milk as a substitute for the water or orange juice. If you reduced the sugar it would be a good accompaniment to a fatty strong flavoured meat.'
'Nice texture, well cooked. Good spice.'
Showing posts with label Sweete delyte revel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sweete delyte revel. Show all posts
Monday, February 24, 2020
Saturday, February 22, 2020
Recipe for An Italian Pudding
Here's another recipe from the Revel that I cooked for late in 2018. The original comes from The Newwe Booke of Cookerie and which I found reproduced on Steffan's Florilegium and also here http://medievalcookery.com/search/display.html?nevvb:84 from a later print edition
This is an excerpt from A NEVV BOOKE of Cookerie (England, 1615)
The original source can be found at Thomas Gloning's website
To make an Italian Pudding. Take a Penny white Loafe, pare off the crust, and cut it in square pieces like vnto great Dyes, mince a pound of Beefe Suit small: take halfe a pound of Razins of the Sunne, stone them and mingle them together, and season them with Sugar, Rosewater, and Nutmegge, wet these things in foure Egges, and stirre them very tenderly for breaking the Bread: then put it into a Dish, and pricke three or foure pieces of Marrow, and some sliced Dates: put it into an Ouen hot enough for a Chewet: if your Ouen be too hot, it will burne: if too colde, it will be heauy: when it is bakte scrape on Sugar, and serue it hot at dinner, but not at Supper.
My recipe redaction:
1/2 tsp rosewater
1/2 tsp nutmeg
5 small-med eggs
1 loaf of white bread with crusts cut off
2/3 cup of sugar
250g dried dates, chopped small
1 cup of extra dried fruit of choice (eg. raisins, currants, sultanas)
1/2C to 3/4C of cream, depending on the dryness of the bread.
Make sure all the crust is removed from the bread and dice it small. Beat the eggs and mix in the sugar, cream, rosewater and spices. Mix the bread into the wet mixture gently. The mix should be fairly moist, similar to a bread pudding. Add the dried fruit and mix. Put into a lightly greased dish. Dot butter around on the top if you wish. Cook in moderate oven (about 170 degrees C) until cooked through and golden brown. Serve hot.
I omitted the marrow because so many people would be put off by it and I thought it might make it a bit greasy. Next time I make it I might soak the fruit in port or something similar for a little while before I add it to the mix. I'll have to do some research to see what would be most appropriate.
I am usually not a fan of bread pudding, but I did like this one.
Some of the comments included:
'I liked it! Would be great with ice cream.''
'This was a generous and delicious dish. Wanted to go back for more. Wonderful texture.'
'I loved everything about this pudding - the taste, presentation and abundance of fruit. A nice pudding.'
This style of recipe appears to have continued to be popular into the next century, as there are several variations in later cook books. Here is an example:
A Baked Pudding after the Italian fashion, corrected
Source: The whole Body of Cookery Dissected, 1661
Take a penny white loaf or two, and cut it in the manner of dice: put to it half a pound of Beef suet minced small, half a pound of Raisins of the sun stoned, a little sugar, six sliced Dates, a grain of Musk, the Marrow of two bones, season it with Cloves, Mace, Nutmeg, salt and Rose-water, then beat three Eggs with about half a pint of Cream, and put it to your bread and other ingredients, and stir it together softly that you break not the bread, nor Marrow: then slice some thin pieces of Apple into the bottom of your dish, that you bake it in, and put your Pudding theron: bake it in an oven not so hot as for Manchet: when its enough, stick it with Cittern and strow it with Sugar.
From: http://www.godecookery.com/engrec/engrec30.html
I am very lucky that I have an adventurous Barony who are very generous with their time and are happy to provide detailed commentary on dishes to help me improve. I thank them all, but I have especial thanks for Baroness Linet and Viscount Aylwin who can always be relied upon to comment and offer detailed suggestions on how specific dishes may have been done in the period.
This is an excerpt from A NEVV BOOKE of Cookerie (England, 1615)
The original source can be found at Thomas Gloning's website
To make an Italian Pudding. Take a Penny white Loafe, pare off the crust, and cut it in square pieces like vnto great Dyes, mince a pound of Beefe Suit small: take halfe a pound of Razins of the Sunne, stone them and mingle them together, and season them with Sugar, Rosewater, and Nutmegge, wet these things in foure Egges, and stirre them very tenderly for breaking the Bread: then put it into a Dish, and pricke three or foure pieces of Marrow, and some sliced Dates: put it into an Ouen hot enough for a Chewet: if your Ouen be too hot, it will burne: if too colde, it will be heauy: when it is bakte scrape on Sugar, and serue it hot at dinner, but not at Supper.
My recipe redaction:
1/2 tsp rosewater
1/2 tsp nutmeg
5 small-med eggs
1 loaf of white bread with crusts cut off
2/3 cup of sugar
250g dried dates, chopped small
1 cup of extra dried fruit of choice (eg. raisins, currants, sultanas)
1/2C to 3/4C of cream, depending on the dryness of the bread.
Make sure all the crust is removed from the bread and dice it small. Beat the eggs and mix in the sugar, cream, rosewater and spices. Mix the bread into the wet mixture gently. The mix should be fairly moist, similar to a bread pudding. Add the dried fruit and mix. Put into a lightly greased dish. Dot butter around on the top if you wish. Cook in moderate oven (about 170 degrees C) until cooked through and golden brown. Serve hot.
I omitted the marrow because so many people would be put off by it and I thought it might make it a bit greasy. Next time I make it I might soak the fruit in port or something similar for a little while before I add it to the mix. I'll have to do some research to see what would be most appropriate.
I am usually not a fan of bread pudding, but I did like this one.
Some of the comments included:
'I liked it! Would be great with ice cream.''
'This was a generous and delicious dish. Wanted to go back for more. Wonderful texture.'
'I loved everything about this pudding - the taste, presentation and abundance of fruit. A nice pudding.'
This style of recipe appears to have continued to be popular into the next century, as there are several variations in later cook books. Here is an example:
A Baked Pudding after the Italian fashion, corrected
Source: The whole Body of Cookery Dissected, 1661
Take a penny white loaf or two, and cut it in the manner of dice: put to it half a pound of Beef suet minced small, half a pound of Raisins of the sun stoned, a little sugar, six sliced Dates, a grain of Musk, the Marrow of two bones, season it with Cloves, Mace, Nutmeg, salt and Rose-water, then beat three Eggs with about half a pint of Cream, and put it to your bread and other ingredients, and stir it together softly that you break not the bread, nor Marrow: then slice some thin pieces of Apple into the bottom of your dish, that you bake it in, and put your Pudding theron: bake it in an oven not so hot as for Manchet: when its enough, stick it with Cittern and strow it with Sugar.
From: http://www.godecookery.com/engrec/engrec30.html
I am very lucky that I have an adventurous Barony who are very generous with their time and are happy to provide detailed commentary on dishes to help me improve. I thank them all, but I have especial thanks for Baroness Linet and Viscount Aylwin who can always be relied upon to comment and offer detailed suggestions on how specific dishes may have been done in the period.
Friday, February 7, 2020
A Recipe for White Leach
 |
| Image of a dish of cream from https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/how-to-make-sour-cream/ |
A White Leach
Take a quart of new milke, and three ounces weight of Isinglasse, halfe a pound of beaten suger, and stirre them together, and let boile halfe a quarter of an hower till it be thicke, stirring them all the while: then straine it with three spoonfuls of Rosewater, then put it into a platter and let it coole, and cut it into squares. Lay it fair in dishes, and lay golde upon it.
From: Thomas Dawson The Good Huswives Jewell (London: 1596)
My recipe:
300 ml heavy cream
300 ml skim milk
1/2 cup sugar
4 tsp gelatine powder
1 1/2 tsp rosewater
nutmeg to taste
I used skim milk as it is what I usually have in the house. I added heavy cream to make it richer.
I substituted gelatine powder for isinglasse as it is much more easily availabile.
I mixed the milk and cream together gently in a small saucepan and then heated the mixture gently. AS it was warming, I sprinkled the gelatine powder into the mixture. The version of the recipe reproduced in Peter Brears' book "All The Kings Cooks" (p. 179) suggested that the mixture should be heated to 60 degrees C so I followed that advice. I then stirred in the sugar and rosewater into the warm milk mixture until it was well mixed with no grains. I added a little bit of nutmeg for richness and to complement the creaminess.
I then put into a lightly greased dish to cool and set in the fridge. I let mine set overnight.
This recipe can be presented in a dish or can be put into a lightly greased pan and cut into rectangles or lozenge shapes when set. Served up as individual wobbly pieces, this dish is very striking and appeals to the inner child in diners.
Some of the comments I received included:
"It is very nice and yummy"
"This is my all time favourite. It was smooth and silky and nicely set. Well presented with a bottom layers of creaminess to make a simple sweet go to the next level"
I will definitely continue to make this one. Interesting variations could include different flavours such as orange essence or a stronger rosewater flavour. I am tempted to make some different colour variations for fun, or even try a layered jelly with different colours.
You can learn more about historical jellies at https://www.historicfood.com/Jellies.htm
Thursday, March 7, 2019
A Recipe for Frumenty
One of the recipes I made for the Revel was Frumenty.
These period recipes listed below are reproduced at http://medievalcookery.com/recipes/frumenty.html
Source [Le Viandier de Taillevent, J. Prescott (trans.)]: Frumenty. Take wheat, prepare it, wash it very well, and cook it in water. When it is cooked, drain it. Take cow's milk boiled for an instant, add the wheat, and boil it for an instant. Move it to the back of the fire, stir often, and thread in plenty of egg yolks. Some add spices, saffron and venison stock. It should be yellowish and well thickened.
Source [Forme of Cury, S. Pegge (ed.)]: I - FOR TO MAKE FURMENTY. Nym clene Wete and bray it in a morter wel that the holys gon al of and seyt yt til it breste and nym yt up. and lat it kele and nym fayre fresch broth and swete mylk of Almandys or swete mylk of kyne and temper yt al. and nym the yolkys of eyryn. boyle it a lityl and set yt adoun and messe yt forthe wyth fat venyson and fresh moton.
Source [Liber cure cocorum, R. Morris (ed.)]: Furmente. Take wete, and pyke hit fayre and clene And do hit in a morter shene. Bray hit a lytelle, with water hit spryng Tyl hit hulle, with-oute lesyng. Þen wyndo hit wele, nede þou mot. Wasshe hit fayre, put hit in pot. Boyle hit tylle hit brest, þen Let hit doun, as I þe kenne. Take know mylke, and play hit up To hit be thykkerede to sup. Lye hit up with 3olkes of eyren, And kepe hit wele, lest hit berne. Coloure hit with safron and salt hit wele, And servyd hit forthe, Syr, at þe mele. With sugur candy, þou may hit dowce, If hit be served in grete lordys howce. Take black sugur for mener menne. Be ware þer with, for hit wylle brenne.
Source [Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco, L. Smithson (trans.)]: XXIV - Maize dish (Frumenty) good and perfectly useful. If you want to make a frumenty, take the wheat and beat it well to when it leaves the shell / husk, then wash it well, then put it to boil not much, then throw away the water, then put into it that fat of the meat that you choose, and it needs to be not too much, and mix spices sweet and strong and saffron, and if you do not have wheat take rice; it will be good.
Originally Published: March 20, 2003
As you can see, these recipes are either savory (with meat and marrow additions) or sweet, with spices and/or fruit additions. I chose to do a sweet version.
My recipe:
approximately 150g bulghur wheat, rinsed until water runs clear
pinch of saffron
3 egg yolks beaten
1/2 cup of almond milk
sugar to taste (approximately 1/2 cup)
prune pieces to taste
I boiled the bulghur wheat and saffron in a little water until soft, stirring often. It was very thick so I added the almond milk and yolks and stirred over a low-medium heat to get a consistency similar to porridge. It was too bland for a dessert revel, so I added sugar to taste and some chopped, pitted prunes.
I used bulghur wheat and commercially produced almond milk to reduce the preparation due to my wrist injury. I suspect that cooking down hulled wheat would produce a more interesting texture, and the addition of home-made almond milk would produce a richer and more creamy result. I did not add cinnamon or other spices as other menu items were spiced and I wanted a bit of variety in the dishes. Next time I do this dish it will not be as part of a feast so I will add spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, and probably some salt. I would be interested to try the dish with some different sugars, such as raw sugar, to see how the taste is affected.
Comments I received on this dish included:
"Very subtle taste, nice relief to stronger flavours. Quite sweet and moist. Felt like a dish to have as palette relief."
" I like the flavour! Very lovely."
"Pleasantly tasty with a delightful texture and flavour."
So, probably a dish worth experimenting with and developing.
These period recipes listed below are reproduced at http://medievalcookery.com/recipes/frumenty.html
Source [Le Viandier de Taillevent, J. Prescott (trans.)]: Frumenty. Take wheat, prepare it, wash it very well, and cook it in water. When it is cooked, drain it. Take cow's milk boiled for an instant, add the wheat, and boil it for an instant. Move it to the back of the fire, stir often, and thread in plenty of egg yolks. Some add spices, saffron and venison stock. It should be yellowish and well thickened.
Source [Forme of Cury, S. Pegge (ed.)]: I - FOR TO MAKE FURMENTY. Nym clene Wete and bray it in a morter wel that the holys gon al of and seyt yt til it breste and nym yt up. and lat it kele and nym fayre fresch broth and swete mylk of Almandys or swete mylk of kyne and temper yt al. and nym the yolkys of eyryn. boyle it a lityl and set yt adoun and messe yt forthe wyth fat venyson and fresh moton.
Source [Liber cure cocorum, R. Morris (ed.)]: Furmente. Take wete, and pyke hit fayre and clene And do hit in a morter shene. Bray hit a lytelle, with water hit spryng Tyl hit hulle, with-oute lesyng. Þen wyndo hit wele, nede þou mot. Wasshe hit fayre, put hit in pot. Boyle hit tylle hit brest, þen Let hit doun, as I þe kenne. Take know mylke, and play hit up To hit be thykkerede to sup. Lye hit up with 3olkes of eyren, And kepe hit wele, lest hit berne. Coloure hit with safron and salt hit wele, And servyd hit forthe, Syr, at þe mele. With sugur candy, þou may hit dowce, If hit be served in grete lordys howce. Take black sugur for mener menne. Be ware þer with, for hit wylle brenne.
Source [Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco, L. Smithson (trans.)]: XXIV - Maize dish (Frumenty) good and perfectly useful. If you want to make a frumenty, take the wheat and beat it well to when it leaves the shell / husk, then wash it well, then put it to boil not much, then throw away the water, then put into it that fat of the meat that you choose, and it needs to be not too much, and mix spices sweet and strong and saffron, and if you do not have wheat take rice; it will be good.
Originally Published: March 20, 2003
As you can see, these recipes are either savory (with meat and marrow additions) or sweet, with spices and/or fruit additions. I chose to do a sweet version.
My recipe:
approximately 150g bulghur wheat, rinsed until water runs clear
pinch of saffron
3 egg yolks beaten
1/2 cup of almond milk
sugar to taste (approximately 1/2 cup)
prune pieces to taste
I boiled the bulghur wheat and saffron in a little water until soft, stirring often. It was very thick so I added the almond milk and yolks and stirred over a low-medium heat to get a consistency similar to porridge. It was too bland for a dessert revel, so I added sugar to taste and some chopped, pitted prunes.
I used bulghur wheat and commercially produced almond milk to reduce the preparation due to my wrist injury. I suspect that cooking down hulled wheat would produce a more interesting texture, and the addition of home-made almond milk would produce a richer and more creamy result. I did not add cinnamon or other spices as other menu items were spiced and I wanted a bit of variety in the dishes. Next time I do this dish it will not be as part of a feast so I will add spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, and probably some salt. I would be interested to try the dish with some different sugars, such as raw sugar, to see how the taste is affected.
Comments I received on this dish included:
"Very subtle taste, nice relief to stronger flavours. Quite sweet and moist. Felt like a dish to have as palette relief."
" I like the flavour! Very lovely."
"Pleasantly tasty with a delightful texture and flavour."
So, probably a dish worth experimenting with and developing.
Saturday, March 2, 2019
A Sweete Revel in November
One of my challenges to myself last year was to run and be sole cook for a small event. This probably doesn't sound like much of a challenge to the average able bodied reader, but for someone who battles fatigue and is almost constantly ill, it seemed like an almost insurmountable challenge.
Choosing to run a small, low key event was one way to reduce the impact of the event. As it turned out, in the lead up to the event I wasn't actually sick for a change. I did injure my wrist significantly, to the point that I needed cortisone injections and was told to immobilise it for four weeks and wear a brace - on the week of the event. What fabulous timing!
I had planned a pastry-rich menu, but rolling and kneading was definitely out of the question, so I had to alter my carefully considered menu. Now, don't think for a minute that my thoughtful friends didn't offer to jump in and cook for me at the last minute - they certainly did! But part of the challenge was for me to be the sole cook, so I was stubborn and just adjusted the menu. And cursed and sweated while stirring!
The event was a supper revel and games night with a sweet theme. Our Baroness and one of the Barony's peers also brought along some cheese and other items to supplement all the sweetness.
I did have to supplement my menu items with some bought ones like fruit pies. The dishes I made were:
Frumenty (wheat, almond milk, eggs, saffron powder, sugar, spices, prunes)
Torta of Buttered Fruit (cottage cheese, sugar, butter, ginger, rosewater, cinnamon, milk, saffron
powder, dried fruit)
Tarte of Ryce (rice, sugar, lemon juice, eggs, spices, butter)
Prunes in Syrop (prunes, red wine, sugar)
Pomada (apples, spices, sugar, almond meal, rosewater)
Candied Peel (lemon peel, sugar)
Cream (cream, sugar)
Italian Pudding (Eggs, cream, spices, bread, rosewater, dates, dried fruit, sugar)
Fine Cakes (Flour, sugar, spices, salt, butter, eggs, yeast, cream, rosewater)
Fine Cakes GF Version (rice flour, almond meal, sugar, spices, salt, butter, eggs, yeast)
White Leach (milk, cream, gelatine, sugar, nutmeg, rosewater)
Red Gingerbrede of the Court (bread, red wine, spices, sugar)
An Excellent Cake (flour, butter, eggs, mixed fruit, spices, port, yeast, rosewater)
Rice Pudding (rice, almond milk, honey, sugar)
Marzipan Subtletie (commercially produced, containing almonds, sugar and food colourings)
The event was very relaxed, with people enjoying games and dancing. I liked being able to enjoy the event with pre-prepared dishes and not spend the whole night in the kitchen. I must thank my friends for their help and support, especially Federyc, Sorcha, Violet, Ethan, Emma, Skeggi, Faelan, Linet, Vlad and the kitchen clean up crew. It was a gentle introduction to Feast Stewarding/Cooking and I am grateful for all the assistance.
Choosing to run a small, low key event was one way to reduce the impact of the event. As it turned out, in the lead up to the event I wasn't actually sick for a change. I did injure my wrist significantly, to the point that I needed cortisone injections and was told to immobilise it for four weeks and wear a brace - on the week of the event. What fabulous timing!
I had planned a pastry-rich menu, but rolling and kneading was definitely out of the question, so I had to alter my carefully considered menu. Now, don't think for a minute that my thoughtful friends didn't offer to jump in and cook for me at the last minute - they certainly did! But part of the challenge was for me to be the sole cook, so I was stubborn and just adjusted the menu. And cursed and sweated while stirring!
The event was a supper revel and games night with a sweet theme. Our Baroness and one of the Barony's peers also brought along some cheese and other items to supplement all the sweetness.
I did have to supplement my menu items with some bought ones like fruit pies. The dishes I made were:
Frumenty (wheat, almond milk, eggs, saffron powder, sugar, spices, prunes)
Torta of Buttered Fruit (cottage cheese, sugar, butter, ginger, rosewater, cinnamon, milk, saffron
powder, dried fruit)
Tarte of Ryce (rice, sugar, lemon juice, eggs, spices, butter)
Prunes in Syrop (prunes, red wine, sugar)
Pomada (apples, spices, sugar, almond meal, rosewater)
Candied Peel (lemon peel, sugar)
Cream (cream, sugar)
Italian Pudding (Eggs, cream, spices, bread, rosewater, dates, dried fruit, sugar)
Fine Cakes (Flour, sugar, spices, salt, butter, eggs, yeast, cream, rosewater)
Fine Cakes GF Version (rice flour, almond meal, sugar, spices, salt, butter, eggs, yeast)
White Leach (milk, cream, gelatine, sugar, nutmeg, rosewater)
Red Gingerbrede of the Court (bread, red wine, spices, sugar)
An Excellent Cake (flour, butter, eggs, mixed fruit, spices, port, yeast, rosewater)
Rice Pudding (rice, almond milk, honey, sugar)
Marzipan Subtletie (commercially produced, containing almonds, sugar and food colourings)
The event was very relaxed, with people enjoying games and dancing. I liked being able to enjoy the event with pre-prepared dishes and not spend the whole night in the kitchen. I must thank my friends for their help and support, especially Federyc, Sorcha, Violet, Ethan, Emma, Skeggi, Faelan, Linet, Vlad and the kitchen clean up crew. It was a gentle introduction to Feast Stewarding/Cooking and I am grateful for all the assistance.
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