Unearthing the richness of culinary heritage from the medieval era is an intriguing endeavor. Medieval cuisine, spanning the Middle Ages (roughly 5th to 15th century), was a delicious blend of a variety of herbs, spices, meats, and fish, with recipes passed down through generations.
One of the earliest English cookbooks, known as ‘The Forme of Cury’, was written by ‘The Master Cooks of King Richard II’. Another significant work, from around 1390, is ‘Le Viandier de Taillevent’ written by Guillaume Tirel, also known as Taillevent, the master cook for several French kings. Among the wealth of recipes these cookbooks hold, we explore some intriguing ones in this article.
#A. Bread Pudding from The Forme of Cury
One of the earliest recipe records of Bread Pudding came from the cookbook ‘The Forme of Cury’. It was called ‘Payn Puff’ in old England.
Ingredients:
– White loaf bread: 1 pound
– Milk: 1 quart
– Eggs: 8
– Salt: 1 teaspoon
– Butter: Half a pound
– Sugar: 1 cup
– Currants: 1 pound
Instructions:
– Slice your loaf into thick pieces, discard the crumbs.
– Boil milk in a pan until it begins to cream, then pour it over your sliced bread.
– When the soaked bread has cooled, add beaten egg yokes, salt, and about half of your sugar. Mix until smooth.
– Add your currants to this mixture. Then follow by adding the rest of the sugar and folded-in beaten egg whites.
– Put the butter on a baking tray and pour the mixture in after the butter has melted.
– Bake at 350°F until the pudding is firm, and a knife comes out clean.
#B. Medieval Gingerbread from Le Viandier de Taillevent
Unlike modern gingerbreads, the medieval version incorporated bread crumbs and honey. The spices give it its characteristic tangy taste.
Ingredients:
– Honey: 1 cup
– Fine white flour: 2 cups
– Ginger powder: 1½ tablespoon
– Ground Cinnamon: 1 teaspoon
– Ground Clove: ½ teaspoon
– Ground Cubeb (optional): ½ teaspoon
– Bread crumbs: 2.5 cups
Instructions:
– Warm your honey in a pan until it becomes very runny.
– In a separate bowl, sieve your dry ingredients (flour, spices) and mix them well.
– Add warm honey to your dry mix and mix well.
– Add in the breadcrumbs gradually until your mixture is thick and pliable. If it is too dry, add more honey.
– Flatten your dough into a pan, pressing down hard so it sticks together.
– Bake at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes or until it sets.
#C. Venison Pie from The Forme of Cury
This pie, a medieval classic, savors the distinctive flavors of venison and red wine.
Ingredients:
– Venison steak: 1 pound
– Pie crust: 1 package
– Bacon strips: 4
– Red wine: 1 cup
– Beef stock: 1 cup
– Carrots: 2
– Salt: 1 Teaspoon
– Ground pepper: Half teaspoon
Instructions:
– Preheat oven to 375°F.
– In a pan over medium heat, fry your bacon until crispy.
– In the same pan, brown your venison in the bacon grease.
– Add chopped carrots, wine, beef stock, salt, and pepper.
– Simmer until venison is tender and the liquids have reduced by half.
– Line your pie dish with pie crust. Pour the venison mixture into the pie crust.
– Cover with another layer of pie crust, crimp the edges to seal and make a few slits in the top crust.
– Bake for 30-35 minutes until the crust is golden.
#D. Tart de Bry from Le Viandier de Taillevent
One of the oldest recipes for cheese tart, Tart de Bry uses Brie cheese, eggs, and cream for a delicious meal.
Ingredients:
– A round of Brie cheese: 1
– Egg Yolks: 4
– Cream: Half cup
– Unsalted butter: 2 tablespoons
– A savory pie crust
Instructions:
– Preheat your oven to 350°F.
– In a bowl, mix together your Brie, cream and egg yolks.
– Layer your butter into your pie crust, and follow this with your cheese mixture.
– Bake until the filling is firm and lightly browned, about 25-30 minutes.
The medieval era gifted us with a wealth of recipes that shed light on the culinary traditions of the age. Relishing these dishes today allows us a taste of history, transporting us back to the spectacular banquets of medieval times.
