{"id":9663,"date":"2008-02-26T18:34:17","date_gmt":"2008-02-26T17:34:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/coquinaria.nl\/?p=9663"},"modified":"2019-11-30T09:59:13","modified_gmt":"2019-11-30T08:59:13","slug":"medieval-blancmange","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coquinaria.nl\/en\/medieval-blancmange\/","title":{"rendered":"Medieval blancmange with fish"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Straight to the recipe<\/small><\/a><\/p>\n

\"CrayfishDainty and delicate<\/h2>\n

This recipe, the oldest redaction of which is dating from the end of the fourteenth century, is a typical dish for a fish day, or even Lent. Many people think of a medieval meal as a table laden with meat and fowl, but the truth is that on at least half the days in the year meat was banned from the table because of religious restrictions. The dishes would then be filled with roast and boiled fish with sauces, fish pasties, fish jellies, and dishes like the recipe below. This particular blancmange could appear even during Lent, the most restricted period of the year, because no diary was used. (more on Lent and food<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Blancmange in the Middle Ages<\/h3>\n

Blancmange<\/em>\u00a0today is an old-fashioned sweet dessert, a white pudding. In the Middle Ages however it could also be a savoury dish, made with almond milk and the white meat of chicken or fish.
\nThe blancmange on this page is taken from an\u00a0English\u00a0<\/span>cookbook from the end of the\u00a0fourteenth century<\/span>,\u00a0Diuersa Servicia<\/em>\u00a0(edition Hieatt and Butler, see bibliography<\/a>). It is a special recipe, because, in addition to almond milk, rice was also used. Rice was introduced as a crop in Spain in the eight century, by the conquering Moors. What type of rice was used is hard to say, there were already short and middle-long grain types of rice in Europe. One thing is certain: as it is a BLANCmange, white, polished rice was used. (modern blancmange<\/a>)<\/p>\n

European and American crayfish<\/h3>\n

\"EuropeanThe blancmange on this page is made with\u00a0crayfish<\/strong>\u00a0(or crawfish for the Americans). I have to confess to a small subterfuge to be able to use crayfish in this recipe. The Middle English text mentions\u00a0lopuster<\/em>\u00a0(lobster). In the glossary of\u00a0Two fifteenth century Cookery-Books<\/em>\u00a0(edition Austin<\/a>) it says at the lemma\u00a0Creue<\/em>\u00a5<\/em><\/span>\u00a0(crayfish): “It includes Lobsters” (p.126). So,\u00a0crayfish<\/em>\u00a0can be\u00a0lobsters<\/em>. Whether it can also be the other way around I’m not sure, but I like the decoration with crayfish so much.<\/p>\n

The crayfish used in fourteenth century England would have been European crayfish,\u00a0Astacus astacus<\/em>. But, sad to say, the European crayfish is now endangered, and a protected species. Not only pollution of its habitat threatens the crustacean, but also the invasion of exotic species like the North American crayfish (Orconectes limosus<\/em>), the Danube or Galician crayfish (Astacus leptodactylus<\/em>) and the red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii<\/em>). I made my blancmange with the last one, imported from a Chinese fish farm.<\/p>\n

Medieval tips for catching crayfish<\/h3>\n

In the Middle Ages native crayfish were still plentiful. According to the German text\u00a0Wie man fisch und v\u00f6gel fahen soll<\/em>\u00a0(How to catch fish and birds<\/em>) from 1493 (edition<\/a>) they were at their best in March and April, especially during waxing moon. They could however be eaten as late as July. This is how they were caught: “Item nim ein pocks leber vnd prat die vast woll. Nach dem praten so bestreich sy mit dem bereiten gaffer. Darnach mit ein netzlyn von einem kalbe oder schoffe daz frisch ist vnd schlag das netz vmb die leber. Darnach pint die leber vff ein pretlin als du kanst. Dar mit fachestu krepps vnd visch on zale.” (Take the liver of a billy goat and roast it very well. After roasting spread it with prepared camphor. Then take a fresh caul from a calf or sheep and wrap it around the liver. Then tie the liver on a little board as best as you can. With that you will catch innumerable crayfish en fish – Translation by Richard C. Hoffman, except for\u00a0netzlyn<\/em>, that I translated with\u00a0caul<\/em>instead of\u00a0peritoneum<\/em>).<\/p>\n

The original recipe<\/h2>\n

There are no less than five Middle English cookbooks with this recipe:\u00a0Diuersa Servicia<\/em>\u00a0from the fourteenth century (edition Hieatt and Butler, see bibliography<\/a>),\u00a0Liber cure cocorum<\/a><\/em>\u00a0and two more manuscripts from the fifteenth century (Harleian ms 279 en Harleian ms. 4016,\u00a0editie Austin), and the first printed cookbook in English from 1500,\u00a0A noble boke of festes ryalle and cokery<\/em>, which I haven’t been able to find (anyone …?).
\nThe four recipes from the manuscripts all resemble each other greatly, only the\u00a0Liber cure cocorum<\/em>\u00a0leaves out any mention of lobster and uses other fish, and Harleian ms. 279 is the only manuscript that mentions ginger. here you find the version from\u00a0Diuersa servicia<\/em>, because that is the oldest (1381), and just for fun the version from\u00a0Liber cure cocorum<\/em>\u00a0(1460), because it rhymes.
\nThe original text below should show a particular symbol, the letter thor (\u00fe), that looks like a p and b combined. This represented the English ‘th’-sound in the Middle Ages. On the keyboard it can be reproduced by using ctrl-alt-t. But if your pc or browser does not recognize the symbol, you’ll see something else altogether, I can’t help that.<\/p>\n

For to make blomanger of fysch, tak a pound of rys. Les hem wel & wasch, & se\u00fe tyl \u00feey breste & lat hem kele; & do \u00feereto mylk of to pound of almandys. Nym \u00fee perche or \u00fee lopuster & boyle yt, & kest sugur & salt also \u00feerto, & serue yt forth.<\/em><\/div>
To make blancmange of fish, take a pound of rice. Clean and wash it well, boil until they (the grains) break, and let cool. Add milk of two pounds of almonds. Take perch or lobster and boil it, and cast sugar and salt in also. Serve it forth.<\/div>
<\/div>
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\n

Blanc maungere of fysshe
\nTake a pownde of ryse and sethe hom wele,
\nTyl \u00feat \u00feey brostene; and lete hom kele.
\nMylke of almondes \u00feerto \u00feou cast,
\n\u00deo\u00a0tenche or lampray do to on last;
\nWelle all togeder, as I \u00fee kenne,
\nAnd messe hit forthe before godde men.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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Blanc mange of fish
\nTake a pound of rice and cook to the full,
\nUntil it breaks, then let it cool.
\nAlmond milk thereto you cast,
\nTench or lamprey you’ll add last.
\nLet it boil, that’s what I say,
\nThen serve to good men as well as you may.<\/p>\n<\/div>

<\/div><\/p>\n

<\/a>Modern adaptation of the recipe<\/h2>\n

The adaptation is based on\u00a0Diuersa servicia<\/em>, but I have allowed myself some major liberties. I have chosen to prepare the almond milk with stock, made from the shells of the crayfish that are used in the recipe. This results in a delicate taste. And I have added the ginger mentioned in Harleian ms.279.
\nFirst course<\/span>,\u00a0side dish<\/span>\u00a0or\u00a0lunch<\/span>\u00a0for 3 to 6 persons<\/span>;\u00a0preparation in advance<\/em>\u00a01 hour<\/span><\/span>;\u00a0preparation<\/em>\u00a030 minutes<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n

\"Blancmanger300 gr crayfish meat (3 pounds unshelled\u00a0crayfish<\/span>), or 300 gr perch fillet (or tench or lamprey)
\n200 gr blanched\u00a0almonds<\/span>, ground
\n150 gr (\u00be cup)\u00a0rice<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(uncooked, after cooking about 400 gr\/2 cups)
\n1 Tbsp\u00a0sugar<\/span>
\n1 tsp\u00a0ginger<\/span>
\npinch of salt
\nsome whole crayfish, or heads with claws, to decorate
\ncrayfish shells to make the stock, and a tablespoon olive oil
\npinch of salt
\nsome whole crayfish, or heads with claws, to decorate
\ncrayfish shells to make the stock, and a tablespoon olive oil<\/p>\n

Preparation in advance<\/h3>\n

Shell the crayfish, don’t forget to crack the claws if they are fleshy. Put the meat in the refrigerator. Save four whole crayfish or heads with claws for garnish (also: refrigerator).
\nRinse shells well under the tap, and drain. Use a third of the shells to prepare the stock for the almond milk, but use the rest to make this\u00a0concentrated crustacean fumet<\/a>\u00a0you can freeze.
\nHeat olive oil in a pan, fry (as I said, a third of) the shells at high temperature for a minute, then add five decilitres water. Let simmer for 45 minutes, strain the resulting stock.
\nWhen making the blancmange with fish, poach the fish preferably on the bone and with skin, fillet when it is done. Save three decilitres of the strained cooking liquid.
\nUse the cooking liquid (or use\u00a0fish fumet<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0crustacean fumet<\/a>) to make almond milk: steep the (freshly) ground almonds for twenty minutes in the hot liquid. Then strain through a cloth, be sure to press the almond pulp to get as much almond milk as possible.<\/p>\n

Preparation<\/h3>\n

Chop the crayfish meat. Don’t forget to remove the intestine first, unless you get a kick out of eating crayfish poo. Put meat, rice, sugar, salt and ginger in a skillet, and add enough almond milk to moisten the rice. Heat over a low fire until the almond milk has been absorbed or evaporized. If you want to, you can use a blender to pur\u00e9e the rice, but this is not necessary.
\nLine a pudding mould with plastic foil, scoop in the blancmange, and let it cool to room temperature. Or line small cups or souffl\u00e9 moulds with plastic foil to get individual portions.<\/p>\n

\"CatsTo serve<\/h3>\n

Demould the blanc mange on a dish. Use whole crayfish, or the heads and claws, to garnish. You can also use flowers or herbs. Just not slices of lemon. Lemons were an extreme rarity in fourteenth century England.
\nYou could serve this blancmange with a sauce made from cream, reduced with Noilly Prat and a spoonful of crayfish fumet. Not medieval, but quite delicious.<\/p>\n

Cats will love this blancmange too. If you refrain from adding salt, and used ginger sparingly, this dish can be given without any qualms. That is to say … Hiro gobbled it up, but his mother Clio wrinkled her nose and tried to bury the dish under the kitchen tiles. Cats have just as individual tastes as humans.<\/p>\n

Ingredients<\/h2>\n

All descriptions of ingredients<\/a><\/p>\n

\"European<\/a>Lamprey<\/h4>\n

There are mainly two kinds: the river lamprey (Lampreta fluviatilis<\/em>), and the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus<\/em>). In Dutch there is a third animal that is called\u00a0lamprei<\/em>, it is used to designate a\u00a0young rabbit<\/em>. The mouth of the fish has inspired many science-fiction film makers in the design of creepy aliens.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Blancmange<\/h4>\n

Modern blancmange is a sweet dish for dessert. A couple of examples for Blancmange in Dutch cookbooks from the nineteenth and early twentieth century:\u00a0Rijstvla<\/em>, a custard with rice, sugar and milk, garnished with lemon peel (Maria Haezebroek,\u00a0De hedendaagsche kookkunst<\/em>, (1851) 2nd edition, p.117), and\u00a0Blanke Roompudding<\/em>, a white pudding with cream, milk, sugar, vanilla, gelatine and almond biscuits (C.H.A. Scholte-Hoek,\u00a0Het nagerecht bij huislijke dineetjes. Deel I<\/em>, 1935, p.36\/38).
\nThe francocentric\u00a0Larousse Gastronomique<\/em>\u00a0(at least, my Dutch edition) defines\u00a0blancmange<\/em>\u00a0as a ‘kind of jelly made with almonds’.\u00a0The Oxford companion to food<\/em>\u00a0describes the Anglosaxon version as ‘a sweet jellied dessert made from milk and cornflour, to which flavour and colour[!]<\/em>\u00a0are often added’. Blancmange is not to be confused with bavarois. That dessert is made with egg custard or pur\u00e9ed fruit, cream and gelatine.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Rice<\/h4>\n

Rice is associated primarily with Asian cuisine. The grain is indeed indigenous to Asia, but was introduced in Europe as early as 327 BC by Alexander the Great. However, it remained a curiosity for a long time. Exactly one recipe with rice can be found in the Roman cookbook\u00a0De Re Coquinaria<\/em>, pounded as thickener for a sauce for meat balls. It wasn’t until the conquest of the Iberic paeninsula by the Moors in 711 AD that rice was introduced as a crop. It would take another seven centuries before rice was grown in Italy, in the Po Valley. In Spain as well as Italy both short and middle long grain rice was grown.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Bibliography<\/h2>\n

The editions below were used by me. Links refer to available editions.<\/p>\n