Bryndons

Two 15th century cookbooks
Ab. 1420 A.D.

Bryndons
—Take Wyn, & putte in a potte, an clarifiyd hony, an Saunderys, pepir, Safroun, Clowes, Maces, & Quybibys, & mynced Datys, Pynys and Roysonys of Corauns, & a lytil Vynegre, & sethe it on þe fyre; an sethe fygys in Wyne, & grynde hem, & draw hem þorw a straynoure, & caste þer-to, an lete hem boyle alle to-gederys; þan take fayre flowre, Safroun, Sugre, & Fayre Water, ande make þer-of cakys, and let hem be þinne Inow; þan kytte hem y lyke lechyngys,*. [long thin strips. ] an caste hem in fayre Oyle, and fry hem a lytil whyle; þanne take hem owt of þe panne, an caste in-to a vesselle with þe Syrippe, & so serue hem forth, þe bryndonys an þe Sirippe, in a dysshe; & let þe Sirippe be rennyng, & not to styf.

Modern English

Bryndons
(the syrup)
—Take wine, and put this into a pot with clarified honey, red sandalwood, pepper, saffron, cloves, mace, cubebs, and minced dates, pine nuts, currants and a little vinegar and boil this together. Boil figs in wine and grind them and draw them through a strainer and cast this into the first mixture and boil it all together.
(the Bryndons)
Then take fair flour, saffron, sugar and fair water and make cakes that are thin enough and cut them in slices and cast them in fair oil and fry them a little while.
(to serve)
Then take them out of the pan and toss them into a vessel with the syrup and so serve fourth the bryndonys and the syrup in a dish, and let the syrup be thin/runny and not too stiff.

Herbalade

15th century cookbook
Ab. 1420 A.D.

Herbelade
—Take Buttes of Porke, & smyte hem in pecys, & sette it ouer þe fyre; & seþe hem in fayre Watere; & whan it is y-soþe y-now, ley it on a fayre bord, & pyke owt alle þe bonys, & hew it smal, & put it in a fayre bolle; þan take ysope, Sawge, Percely a gode quantite, & hew it smal, & putte it on a fayre vesselle; þan take a lytel of þe broþe, þat þe porke was soþin in, & draw þorw a straynoure, & caste to þe Erbys, & ȝif it a boyle; þenne take owt þe Erbys with a Skymoure fro þe broþe, & caste hem to þe Porke in þe bolle; þan mynce Datys smal, & caste hem þer-to, & Roysonys of Coraunce, & Pyneȝ, & drawe þorw a straynoure ȝolkys of Eyroun þer-to, & Sugre, & pouder Gyngere, & Salt, & coloure it a lytel with Safroune; & toyle yt with þin hond al þes to-gederys; þan make fayre round cofyns, & harde hem a lytel in þe ovyn; þan take hem owt, & wyth a [leaf 43.] dyssche in þin hond, fylle hem fulle of þe Stuffe; þan sette hem þer-in a-ȝen; & lat hem bake y-now, & serue forth.

Modern English

Herbelade
—Take buts of pork, and chop them in pieces, and set it over the fire; and boil them in fair water; and when it is boiled/cooked enough, lay it on a fair board and pick out all the bones, and hew(chop) it small and put it in a fair bowl; then take hyssop, sage, a good quantity of parsley, and chop it small and put it on(in) a fair vessel; then take a little of the broth that the pork was boiled in and draw (it) through a strainer and cast in the herbs, and if it a boiled (when they are boiled?); then take out the herbs with a peel/skimmer from the broth and cast them into the pork in the bowl; then finely mince some dates and cast them in, and currants and pine nuts, and draw eggs yolks through a strainer into the bowl, and sugar and powdered ginger and salt and colour it a little with saffron, and stir/mix this all together with your hand; then make fair round coffins and harden them a little in the oven; then take them out and with the dish in your hand, fill them full of the stuff; then set them therein again(set them back in the oven); and let them bake enough and serve forth.


Break down:
-Chop pork in pieces and boil in water
-When it is cooked, bring it to a chopping board and remove the bones and chop it finely and put aside in a good sized bowl
-Take some hyssop, sage and a good quantity of parsley and finely chop it (and put in a vessel/bowl)
-Take the pork broth and run it through a strainer (to make a clear broth) and then cast in the herbs
-it seems to suggest boiling the herbs in the broth and then skimming them out and adding them into the bowl with the pork
-Finely chop up some dates and cast these in with the pork along with some currants and pine nuts.
-Strain some egg yolk (this being the binder) into the mixture and add some sugar, powdered ginger and salt to the mixture as well.
-colour the mixture a little with saffron
-mix this all with your hand
(it does not specify using the broth in the mixture, however it would be useful should the mixture end up too dry)

Pastry:
-A standard paste would be made from flour, butter, egg yolk and water though either the butter, yolk or water may be omitted.
-Make as many raised pie shells as you feel will hold the filling (does not specify size) and bake them in a low oven just to harden and dry them out a bit (they should likely still be whiteish).
-Fill the shells with the mixture and bake them until they are done and serve forth
(though many pies could be served cold, this does not specify to do so, nor does it mention if the pastry is to be covered or not so it may be an open/cover-less pie)

Douce Ame

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

Douce Ame
—Take gode Cowe mylke and do it in a pot. take parsel. sawge. ysope. saueray and ooþer gode herbes. hewe hem and do hem in the mylke and seeþ hem. take capouns half yrosted and smyte hem on pecys and do þerto pynes and hony clarified. salt it and colour it with safroun an serue it forth.

Modern English

Sweet Dish
—Take good cow’s milk and put it in a pot. Take parsley, sage, hyssop, savoury and other good herbs. Chop them and put them in with the milk and boil them. Take half roasted capons and chop them to pieces and add to this, pine nuts and clarified honey. Salt it and colour it with saffron and serve it forth.

Morree

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

Morree

Take Almandes blaunched, waisshe hem. grynde hem. and temper hem up with rede wyne, and alye hem with flour of Rys. do þerto Pynes yfryed. and colour it with saundres. do þerto powdour fort and powdour douce and salt, messe it forth and flour it with aneys confyt whyte.

Modern English

Morree (a mulberry coloured dish, in this case coloured with red wine and saunders)

Take blanched Almonds, wash them, grind them, and temper them up with red wine, and bind it with rice flour, do thereto (add) fried pine nuts, and colour it with sanders (red sandalwood), add powder fort (strong spices) and powder douce (sweet spices) and salt. Serve it forth and garnish/sprinkle it with white anise comfits.