Peys de almayne

15th century cookbook, LAUD MS. 553 (Bodleian library)
Ab. 1420 A.D.

Peys de almayne

—Nym white peson & boille hem / & thanne tak hem vp, & wash hem clene in cold water, fort that ye holys go of: do hem in a clene pot / do water therto that hit be a-wese / let hem sethe vppon̛ colys / that ther be no lye / couere thi pot / that ther go no breth out / whenne hit beth ysode, do hem in a morter & bray hem smal, tempre hem vp with almande milke, & with flour de rys, do therto safron̄ & salt, & boille hit & dresse hit forth.

Modern English

—Take white pease and boil them and then take them up, and wash them clean in cold water, strong that the [“holys” could mean “holes” but could mean “hulls” in this instance] go off [come off]: put them in a clean pot/ put water therein that it be [“a-wese”, “wese” can mean to sweat]/ let them boil upon coals/ that there be no lye/ cover the pot/ that no breath [steam] goes out/ when it is enough, put them in a mortar and crush them small, temper them up with almond milk, and with rice flour, put therein saffron and salt, and boil it and dress it forth.

Frenche Owtes

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Forme of Cury (by Samuel Pegge)
original text from about A.D. 1390

Frenche Owtes—Take and seeþ white peson and take oute þe perrey & parboile erbis & hewe hem grete & caft hem in a pot with the perrey pulle oynouns & seeþ hem hole wel in water & do hem to þe Perrey with oile & salt, colour it with safroun & messe it and cast þeron powdour douce.

Modern English

Frenche Owtes
—Take and boil white peas (most likely dried) and take out the puree/mash and parboil herbs and coarsely chop them and cast them in a pot with the pea mash. Boil whole onions well (likely boil them until they are soft) and add them to the Pea mash along with some oil and salt. Colour this with saffron and serve it with sweet spices cast on top of this.

Lange Wortes de pesoun

15th century Book I
Ab. 1420 A.D.


Lange Wortes de pesoun

—Take grene pesyn, an washe hem clene an caste hem on a potte, an boyle hem tyl þey breste, an þanne take hem vppe of þe potte, an put hem with brothe yn a-noþer potte, and lete hem kele; þan draw hem þorw a straynowre in-to a fayre potte, an þan take oynonys, and screde hem in to or þre, an take hole wortys and boyle hem in fayre water: and take hem vppe, an ley hem on a fayre bord, an cytte on .iij. or iiij., an ley hem to þe oynonys in þe potte, to þe drawyd pesyn; an let hem boyle tyl þey ben tendyr; an þanne tak fayre oyle and frye hem, or ellys sum fresche broþe of sum maner fresche fysshe, an caste þer-to, an Safron, an salt a quantyte, and serue it forth.

Modern English

Long Worts with peas

--Take green peas, and wash them clean and cast then in a pot, and boil them till they burst, and then take them (out) of the pot, and put them with broth in another pot, and let them cool then draw them through a stainer into a good pot, and then take onions, and chop them into two or three, and take whole worts[vegetable/herbs] and boil them in good water: and take them up, and lay then on a good board, and lay on 3 or 4 (3 or 4 of the herbs), and lay them to[put them with] the onions in the pot, to the drawn [strained] peas; and let them boil till they are tender; and then take good oil and fry them, or else some manner (of) fresh fish, and cast thereto, and saffron, and a quantity of salt, and serve it forth.