Potage of Rice

PERIOD: England, 15th century | SOURCE: MS Harley 5401 | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION:  A thick rice dish, colored gold

ORIGINAL RECEIPT:

Potage of Rice. Recipe rice, & pike þam & wash þam clene, & seth þam to þai breste; þan lat þam kele & cast þerto almond mylke, & do þerto a lityll porcyon of wyne, anoþer of hony, and colour it with saferon, & boyle it & serof it forth.

- Hieatt, Constance B. "The Middle English Culinary Recipes in MS Harley 5401: An Edition and Commentary." Medium Ævum vol. 65, no. 1 (1996): 54-71.

GODE COOKERY TRANSLATION:

Pottage of Rice. Recipe. Rice, & pick them & wash them clean, & boil them till they burst; then let them cool & add there-to almond milk, & do there-to a little portion of wine, another of honey, and color it with saffron, & boyle it & serve it forth.

INGREDIENTS:

• cooked rice
• Almond Milk
• white wine
• honey
• saffron (or substitute with turmeric or yellow food coloring)

Place the cooked rice in a soup or sauce pot; add enough almond milk to just come to the top of the rice. Add a small amount of the wine, then add enough honey to slightly sweeten. Color with the saffron or its substitutes. Bring to slow boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook slowly until the liquid cooks down and the mixture thickens, being careful not to scorch or burn the bottom. Serve forth!

Those familiar with medieval cooking will recognize this dish as a golden blawmanger!