Green pea pottage

6 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient

Directions

Perrey of pesoun. Take pesoun and seeth hem fast, and couere hem, til thei berst; thenne take hem vp and cole hem thurgh a cloth. Take oynouns and mynce hem, and seeth hem in the same sewe, and oile therwith; cast therto sugur, salt, and safroun, and seeth hem wel therafter, and serue hem forth. 1⅒ litres/2 pints/5 cups water 700 g/1½ lb garden peas, shelled 350 g/12 oz onions, peeled and finely chopped 1 ½ tablespoons oil ¼ teaspoon pulverised dried saffron strands, steeped in 4 tablespoons boiling water (optional) 1-1 ½ teaspoons soft light brown sugar 1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste This vegetable puree was probably most often served in Lent when the last dried white peas of the winter store were being used; this is a fair guess because onions were used to flavour and saffron to colour the dish. However, it could also be made in summer, using fresh green peas, although more floury than ours. (Using modern green peas, the saffron can be omitted.)

Bring the water to the boil and tip in the peas. Add the chopped onions and the soaked saffron if used. Cook gently until the peas are quite soft. Sieve both the liquid and solids into a clean pan, or puree them together in batches in an electric blender. Return the puree to the pan, and simmer for 6-7 minutes or until the soup is the consistency you want; season before serving. Remember that, in the Middle Ages, the thicker a puree was, the better its quality was thought to be.

from The Medieval Cookbook by Maggie Black Chapter 5, "Of Manners and Meals" posted by Tiffany Hall-Graham From: Tiffany Hall-Graham Date: 05-26-94

Submitted By DALE SHIPP On 04-20-95

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