Eles in Grave

PERIOD: England, 15th century | SOURCE: Arundel MS 334 | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: Fish in Almond Milk

ORIGINAL RECEIPT:

Take almondes, and grinde hom, and drawe hom up with swete wyn, and put hit into a pot; and do therto hole culpons of eles, and clowes, and maces, and raisynges of corance, and pynes, and ginger mynced, and let hit boyle, and colour hit with saunders; and in the settynge doun do therto a lytel vynegur, medelet with pouder of canelle, and serve hit forthe.

- Austin, Thomas. Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books. Harleian MS. 279 & Harl. MS. 4016, with extracts from Ashmole MS. 1429, Laud MS. 553, & Douce MS 55. London: for The Early English Text Society by N. Trübner & Co., 1888.

MODERN RECIPE:

• 2 pounds filleted eels, catfish, or other fish
• 4 C almond milk made with port, muscatel, or other very sweet wine (separate recipe, p. 12)
• 1 C currants
• 1/2 C pine nuts
• 1 T fresh, minced ginger
• 2 tsp. wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. each cloves, mace and saffron

2. In a large pot, over medium heat, combine almond milk, currants, pine nuts, minced ginger, and all spices except cinnamon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring frequently for ten minutes.

3. Add cooked eel or fish to the pot, and simmer, stirring frequently, for a further ten minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon and vinegar. Serve in individual bowls.

Serves four to six.

NOTES ON THE RECIPE:

I cook the eels or fish first before adding it to the almond milk. Saunders, a red coloring agent, is sandalwood. I have substituted saffron.

Eles in Grave is featured in Servise on a Fisshe Day