SC - White Leach Recipe?

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Greetings,

On Saturday, 25 March, I hosted my fourth annual Mid Lent "Fish Feast".  
There were twenty guests at table (although four of them were children who 
came and went).  Foremost among the guests was Giovanna di Firenza (MKA Liz 
Pearson), Nordskogen's A&S Minister and sometime feastocrat.  The dish that 
she contributed was a Blamaunger in Lenten, beautifully molded in the shape 
of a fish, covered with shaved almond "scales", and elegantly garnished with 
fruit and herbs, the showpiece of the evening.  It was also the only fish 
served that didn't actually contain fish.  It was a delight to meet her, and 
finally break bread with another medieval cook.

The guest who prepared the eggplant dish from the Neapolitan Recipe 
Collection did so directly from the source, and didn't make any notes, so I 
can't supply a redaction. A new redaction for Papal Torte follows the menu. 
(Terence Scully wasn't sure if this pie was from the pope's kitchens or the 
region of the Papal States.)  My guests determined that either one likes this 
pie or one doesn't.  I more or less halved the proportions given in the 
original, with a bit more rice and a bit less caviar.  Not having pike eggs, 
I used black caviar, which turned the pie pale green.  Red caviar would 
produce a different effect.

First Course
Apple Muse - Harleian MS 279 (Austin p. 20) 
Gelee of Fish - Forme of Cury 104
Green Garlic Sauce (Congur in Sawse without the Congur) - Forme of Cury 107
Flounder (in lieu of Turbot) Roste ensauce - Harlein MS 4016 (Austin p. 106)
Eggplant Neapolitan - MS Bühler 19 (Neapolitan Recipe Collection 33)
Papal Torte - MS Bühler 19 (Neapolitan Recipe Collection 182)

Second Course
Perrey of Pesoun - Forme of Cury 71 
Blamaunger in Lenten - Utilis Coquinario 30 
Shrympes - Harleian MS 4016 (Austin p. 103)
Salat 
Eyroun in Lentyn - Harleian MS 279 (Austin p. 41)
Leche Frys in Lentoun - Forme of Cury 166 
Fresh Fruit  (Apples, Pears and Grapes)
______________________________________________________________________

PAPAL TORTE
Sweet Fish Paste and Caviar Pie

Get a pound and a half of soft-textured sturgeon or good pike; well cooked by 
boiling, and be careful not to leave any bones, then grind it up thoroughly; 
when ground, take it out of the mortar, get half a pound of almonds and a few 
pinenuts and grind them together; then get half a pound of rice well cooked 
in almond milk and grind it with the above; add in a pound of sugar, half an 
ounce of ginger, a little cinnamon, salt, saffron and a beaker of pike eggs, 
and strain everything; make a crust in the pan as is directed above, putting 
the mixture onto it.
MS Bühler 19

Pastry dough for one nine-inch pie crust
3/4 lb mild, skinless fish fillets
3/4 C blanched almonds
1/4 C pinenuts
1/2 C rice
3/4 C strained almond milk 
3/4 C water
1/4 C caviar or other fish eggs
1 C sugar
1/2 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp each cinnamon and saffron
Salt to taste

1.  Pre-heat oven to 350°

2. In a pot, over medium heat, bring water to a boil. Immerse fish, return to 
the boil, reduce heat, and simmer for three to five minutes, or until fish is 
cooked through.  Remove fish, drain, and break into chunks.

3. In a pot, combine rice with water and almond milk, bring to a boil, reduce 
heat,        and simmer, covered, for ten to fifteen minutes until liquid is 
completely absorbed.

4. In a blender or food processor, adding about a tablespoon of water, grind 
the almonds and pinenuts together to a fine paste.

5. Add fish and rice to the nut paste in the blender and grind everything 
together to a fine paste.  Add sugar, spices and caviar and blend them into 
the mixture as well.

6. Pour the mixture into the pie crust and bake for forty-five minutes.

Serves eight to twelve


Rudd Rayfield