[Sca-cooks] Hello! and questions...

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

I just looked over Chiquart's cook book at bit more carefully, and i
found a sort of recipe for a pea puree - recipe number 23.

Also, re this recipe, there have been numerous discussions on this
list as to just what "white peas" means. Some folks wonder if they
actually had peas that were white. Since the word "white" is often
used to imply "clean, other cooks think it means dried green peas
with their skins removed.

I wonder if they might not be cream peas. They're Old World, after
all, having an origin in South Asia, and are related to black-eyed
peas, and if IIRC, there's evidence that some legumes in this family
made it to Medieval Europe. I bought some to experiment with,
although i confess the bag is still sitting in my cupboard. I believe
these are readily available in the American South where you are,
Madhavi.

---------------------
23. And first, for your white bruet take almonds according to the quantity
of the potage which you are told to make, and have them blanched and cleaned
and brayed cleanly, and moisten them with the puree of white peas; and when
they are well brayed draw them up with the said broth of peas and put it in
according to the quantity of the said almonds; and put in good white wine
and verjuice and white ginger and grains of paradise, and everything in
measure, and salt, and check that you have not put in too much of anything;
and put sugar in according to the quantity of the broth; and then take a
fair, large, clear and clean pot and put to boil. And when this is at the
sideboard put your fried fish on fair serving dishes and then throw the said
bruet on top; and on the potages which you make from almonds from here on,
when it is to be dressed do not forget the sugar-spice pellets [dragiees]
which should be scattered on top.

And when you have ordered to be made your potages according to the quantity
of the said potages, take your quantities of fish, both marine and fresh
water, and order them to be fried by your diligent assistants; and let them
fry them well and properly while the potages are being made.
---------------------

Of course, you can leave off the dragees, since your recipe calls for
pomegranate seeds :-)

Also, elsewhere in the cookbook, at the end of recipe 29. it says
"turbot should be given green sauce...", so turbot or flounder, if
you can get/afford it, but if, i suspect a nice fine, not coarse,
fleshed white meat fish would be suitable.

Anahita