White Leek Bruet
A dish of leeks, salt pork, & almonds - contributed by L. J. Spencer, Jr.

Original recipe from Du Fait de Cuisine; translation by Elizabeth Cook:

To make white leeks, he who is in charge of them should arrange that he has his leeks and slice them small and wash them very well and put to boil. And take a good piece of salt chine of pork, and clean it very well and put it to boil therewith; and when they are well boiled take them out onto fair and clean tables, and let them save the broth in which they were boiled, and let there be a good mortar full of blanched almonds, and then take the broth in which the said leeks have boiled and draw up the almonds with it, and if there is not enough of the said broth take beef or mutton broth -- and take care that it is not too salty; and then afterward put your bruet to boil in a fair and clean pot. And then take two fair and clean knives and chop your leeks, and then take them and bray them in a mortar; and, being brayed, put them into your broth, of almonds as much as water, to boil. And the leeks being boiled, when it comes to the side board put your meat on fair serving dishes and then the said broth of the said leeks put on top.


Modern recipe:

  • 2 Leeks, white part only 
  • 1/4 lb. Salt pork, sliced thinly
  • 1 cup blanched Almonds, ground finely 
  • Good broth (made without bread crumbs)
  • Salt, to taste 
  • 1 cup Almonds 
  • 1 cup Water
Slice leeks into rounds. Rinse well to remove silt and sand. Put leeks into a pot. Cover with water.

Rinse salt pork well. Add to leeks. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until leeks are tender and pork is cooked through.

Reserving stock, drain leeks. Measure reserved stock and add good broth to make 1 qt. stock. Bring stock to a boil. Turn off heat. Mix almonds with stock. Salt to taste. Separate pork from leeks then using 2 knives finely chop leeks. Mash leeks in a mortar. Stir leeks into broth. (You can eliminate chopping if a food processor is used for this step.) Add leeks to stock and pour over meat. Add almonds and water. Simmer 20 minutes. Pour leek mixture over salt pork. Serve. Makes 8 servings.

Notes on the recipe:

This bruet has been very well received. It is subtle yet delicious. Recommended.

Metric, Celsius, & Gas Mark Equivalencies

L. J. Spencer, Jr. lives in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where is an active and long-time member of The Society for Creative Anachronism. His SCA feasts are well-known for being both delicious and authentic, and he is a major contributor to the SCA-Cooks Discussion Group.

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White Leek Bruet © 1999 L. J. Spencer, Jr. | This page © 2000 James L. Matterer

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