Recipes
Follow links to modern interpretations
(Serve red or white wine with the meal and Hippocras with dessert and afterwards)


Oystres en Grauey
(Oyster Stew)
Take gode Mylke of Almaundys, an drawe it wyth Wyne an gode Fysshe brothe, an sette it on the fyre an let it boyle; an caste ther-to Clowes, Maces, Sugre an powder Gyngere, an a fewe parboylid Oynonys y-mynsyd.  Than take fayre Oystrys an parboyle hem in fayre Water an caste hem there-to, an lete hem boyle to-gederys; an thanne serue hem forth. 
- Harleian Manuscript 279, British Library, 15th Century
Brede
(Medieval Bread)
Take fayre Flowre an the whyte of Eyroun (eggs) an the yolke, a lytel.  Than take Warme Berme (ale barm) an putte al thes togederys with thin hond tyl it be schort an thikke y-now, an caste Sugre y-now ther-to, an thenne lat reste a whyle.  An kaste in a fayre place in the oven an late bake y-now (until done). 
- Harleian Manuscript 279, British Library, 15th Century
Chawettys
(Mince Pies)
Take buttys of Vele an mynce hem smal, or Porke an put on a potte; take Wyne an caste ther-to pouder of Gyngere, Pepir, Safroun an Salt an a lytle verthous (verjuice), an do hem in a cofyn (pie crust) with yolkys of Eyroun (eggs) an kutte Datys an Roysonys of Coraunce (currants), Cloyws, Maces an then ceuere thin cofyn an lat it bake tyl it be y-now (done).
  - Harleian Manuscript 279, British Library, 15th Century
Pigge Ffarced (Roast Suckling Pig)
Take rawe egges and drawe hem thorgh a steynour, And thene grate faire brede; And take saffrone, salt, pouder ginger, And suet of Shepe, And do medle (mix) al togidre into a faire vessell, and put hit in the pigge womb. Whane he is one (on) the brocche, And Thene sowe the hole togedire; or take a prik (skewer), and prik him togidur, And let him roste. 
- Harleian Manuscript 4016, British Library, 15th Century
Sawse Madame (Goose in Sauce Madame)
Take sawge, parsel, ysope (hyssop) and saueray, quynces and peeres, garlek and grapes, and fylle the gees ther with and sowe the hole that no grece come oute and roost hem wel, and kepe the grece that fallith ther of.  Take galyntyne and grece and do in a possynet (little pot).  Whan the gees buth rosted ynowh, take & smyte hem on pecys, and take that, that is with inne, and do it in a possynet and put ther inne wyne if it be to thyk.  Do ther to powdour of galyngale, powdour douce (ground, sweet spice blend) and salt, and boyle the sawse and dresse the gees in dishes, & lay the sewe onoward.
  - The Fourme of Cury, British Library Manuscript, Addit. 5016,  c. 1390
Caboches in Potage (Cinnamon Cabbage)
Take caboches (cabbages) and quarter hem and seeth hem in gode broth with oynouns ymynced and the whyte of lekes yslyt and ycorue (carved) smale and do ther to safroun & salt and force (season) it with powdour douce (ground, sweet spice blend).
  - The Fourme of Cury, British Library Manuscript, Addit. 5016,  c. 1390
Crustade Lombard (Lombardy Custard)
Take gode creme, an leuys of Percely, an Eyroun (eggs), the yolkys an the whyte, an breke hem ther-to, an strayne thorwe a straynoure tyl it be so styf that it wol bere hym-self.  Than take fayre Marwe (marrow) and Datys y-cutte in ij (2) or iij (3) and Prunes an putte the Datys an the Prunes an Marwe on a fayre Cofynne y-mad of fayre past an put the cofyn on the ovyn tyl it be a lytel hard.  Thanne draw hem out of the ovyn.  Take the lucour (liquid) an putte ther-on an fylle it uppe an caste sugre y-now on, an salt; then lat it bake togederys tyl it be y-now (done); an if it be in lente, let the Eyroun an the Marwe out an thanne serue it forth.
- Harleian Manuscript 279, British Library, 15th Century
Hippocras (Hippocras)
Have three pewter basins for the liquid and three straining bags, one for each, hanging inside of them from a perch.  Pare ginger or beat it into a powder and be sure to use the columbine variety.  Your cinnamon sticks should be thin, brittle and fair in color.  Use grains of paradise, sugar, red wine, long pepper and turnsole for coloring.  Put each spice into a separate bladder and hang these bags from the perch so that they don’t touch each other.  Place two or three gallons of wine into each of the basins.  Allow the wine to absorb the flavors from the spice pouches.  The strain the liquid through the long cloth bag called a Hippocrate’s Sleeve.  Taste it.  If there is too much ginger, add cinnamon, and vice versa.  After you have made hippocras, you can use the spice dregs in the kitchen.
  - Abridged and translated from John Russell, The Boke of Nurture,  c. 1440