The Forme Of Cury

THE FORME OF CURRY

“The Fome of Cury was compiled of the chef Maister Cokes of kyng Richard the Secunde kyng of [E]nglond aftir the Conquest. the which was acounted þe best and ryallest vyand of alle csten .ynges and it was compiled by assent and avysement of Maisters and phisik and of philosophie þat dwellid in his court. First it techiþ a man for to make commune potages and commune meetis for howshold as þey shold be made craftly and holsomly. Aftirward it techiþ for to make curious potages & meetes and sotiltees for alle maner of States bothe hye and lowe. And the techyng of the forme of making of potages & of meetes bothe of flessh and of fissh. buth y sette here by noumbre and by ordre. sso þis little table here sewyng wole teche a man with oute taryyng: to fynde what meete þat hym lust for to have.”

 
FOR TO MAKE GRONDEN BENES [1]. I.
Take benes and dry hem in a nost [2] or in an Ovene and hulle hem wele and wyndewe [3] out þe hulk and wayshe hem clene an do hem to seeþ in gode broth [4] an ete hem with Bacon.

[1] Gronden Benes. Beans ground (y ground, as No. 27. 53. 105.) stript of their hulls. This was a dish of the poorer householder, as also is 4 and 5, and some others.
[2] a nost. An ost, or kiln. Vide Gloss. _voce_ Ost.
[3] wyndewe. Winnow.
[4] gode broth. Prepared beforehand.

 

FOR TO MAKE DRAWEN BENES. II.
Take benes and seeþ hem and grynde hem in a morter [1] and drawe hem up [2] with gode broth an do Oynouns in the broth grete mynced [3] an do þerto and colour it with Safroun and serve it forth.

[1] morter. Mortar.
[2] Footnote f: drawen hem up. Mix them.
[3] Footnote g: grete mynced. Grossly, not too small.

 

FOR TO MAKE GREWEL FORCED [1]. III.
Take grewel and do to the fyre with gode flessh and seeþ it wel. take the lire [2] of Pork and grynd it smal [3] and drawe the grewel thurgh a Straynour [4] and colour it wiþ Safroun and serue [5] forth.

[1] forced, farced, enriched with flesh. Vide Gloss.
[2] lire. Flesh.
[3] grynd it smal. Bruise or beat in a mortar.
[4] stryno’. Strainer.
[5] serue. Serve. Vide Gloss.

 

CABOCHES [1] IN POTAGE. IIII.
Take Caboches and quarter hem and seeth hem in gode broth with Oynouns y mynced and the whyte of Lekes y slyt and corue smale [2] and do þer to safroun an salt and force it with powdour douce [3].

[1] Caboches. Probably cabbages.
[2] corue smale. Cut small. V. _i corue_ in Gloss.
[3] powdour douce. Sweet aromatic powder. V. Pref.

 

RAPES [1] IN POTAGE. V.
Take rapus and make hem clene and waissh hem clene. quare hem [2]. parboile hem. take hem up. cast hem in a gode broth and seeþ hem. mynce Oynouns and cast þerto Safroun and salt and messe it forth with powdour douce. the wise [3] make of Pasturnakes [4] and skyrwates. [5]

[1] Rapes, or rapus. Turneps.
[2] quare hem. Cut them in _squares_, or small pieces. V. Gloss.
[3] in the wise, _i.e._ in the same manner. _Self_ or _same_, seems to be casually omitted. Vide No. 11 and 122.
[4] Pasturnakes, for parsnips or carrots. V. Gloss.
[5] skyrwates, for skirrits or skirwicks.

 

EOWTES [1] OF FLESSH. VI.
Take Borage, cool [2]. langdebef [3]. persel [4]. betes. orage [5]. auance [6]. violet [7]. saueray [8]. and fenkel [9]. and whane þey buth sode; presse hem wel smale. cast hem in gode broth an seeþ hem. and serue hem forth.

[1] Eowtes. _Lowtes_, No. 88, where, in the process, it is _Rowtes_. Quare the meaning, as Roots does not apply to the matter of the Recipe. In No. 73 it is written _owtes_.
[2] Cole, or colewort.
[3] Langdebef. Bugloss, buglossum sylvestre. These names all arise from a similitude to an ox’s tongue. V. Ms. Ed. No. 43.
[4] Persel. Parsley.
[5] orage. Orach, _Atriplex_. Miller, Gard. Dict.
[6] auance. Forte Avens. V. Avens, in Gloss.
[7] The leaves probably, and not the flower.
[8] Savory.
[9] Fenkel. Fennil.

 

HEBOLACE [1]. VII.
Take Oynouns and erbes and hewe hem small and do þes to gode broth. and aray [2] it as þou didest caboches. If þey be in fyssh day. make [3] on the same maner [4] with water and oyle. and if it be not in Lent alye [5] it with zolkes of Eyren [6]. and dresse it forth and cast þer to powdour douce.

[1] Hebolace. Contents, Hebolas; for _Herbolas_, from the herbs used; or, if the first letter be omitted (see the Contents), _Chebolas_, from the Chibols employed.
[2] aray. Dress, set it out.
[3] make. Dress. Vide Gloss.
[4] maner. manner.
[5] alye. Mix. V. Gloss.
[6] Eyren. Eggs. V. Gloss.

 

GOURDES IN POTAGE. VIII.
Take young Gowrdes pare hem and kerue [1] hem on pecys. cast hem in gode broth, and do þer to a gode pertye [2] of Oynouns mynced. take Pork soden. grynd it and alye it þer with and wiþ zolkes of ayrenn. do þer to safroun and salt, and messe it forth with powdour douce.

[1] kerve. Cut.
[2] partye. Party, i.e. quantity.

 

RYSE [1] OF FLESH. IX.
Take Ryse and waishe hem clene. and do hem in erthen pot with gode broth and lat hem seeþ wel. afterward take Almaund mylke [2] and do þer to. and colour it wiþ safroun an salt, an messe forth.

[1] Ryse. Rice. V. Gloss.
[2] Almand mylke. V. Gloss.

 

FUNGES [1]. X.
Take Funges and pare hem clere and dyce hem [2]. take leke and shred hym small and do hym to seeþ in gode broth. colour it with safron and do þer inne powdour fort [3].

[1] Funges. Mushrooms.
[2] dyce hem. Cut them in squares. Vide _quare_ in Gloss.
[3] Powdour fort. Vide Preface.

 

BURSEN [1]. XI.
Take the whyte of Lekes. slype hem and shrede hem small. take Noumbles [2] of swyne and boyle hem in broth and wyne. take hym up and dresse hem and do the Leke in the broth. seeþ and do the Noumbles þer to make a Lyour [3] of brode blode and vynegre and do þer to Powdour fort seeþ Oynouns mynce hem and do þer to. the self wise make of Pigges.

[1] Bursen. Qu. the etymon.
[2] Noumbles. Entrails. V. Gloss.
[3] Lyo’, Lyour. A mixture. Vide _alye_ in Gloss.

 

CORAT [1]. XII.
Take the Noumbles of Calf. Swyne. or of Shepe. parboile hem and skerne hem to dyce [2] cast hem in gode broth and do þer to erbes. grynde chyballes [3]. smale y hewe. seeþ it tendre and lye it with zolkes of eyrenn. do þer to verious [4] safroun powdour douce and salt, and serue it forth.

[1] Corat. Qu.
[2] kerve hem to dyce. V. _quare_ in Gloss.
[3] Chyballes. Chibols, young onions. V. Gloss.
[4] verious. Verjuice.

 

NOUMBLES. XIII.
Take noumbles of Deer oþer [1] of oþer beest parboile hem kerf hem to dyce. take the self broth or better. take brede and grynde with the broth. and temper it [2] up with a gode quantite of vyneger and wyne. take the oynouns and parboyle hem. and mynce hem smale and do þer to. colour it with blode and do þer to powdour fort and salt and boyle it wele and serue it fort [3].

[1] oþer. Other, i.e. or.
[2] temper it. Temper it, i. e. mix it.
[3] fort. Miswritten for _forth_. So again No. 31. 127.

 

ROO [1] BROTH. XIIII.
Take the lire of the Deer oþer of the Roo parboile it on smale peces. seeþ it wel half in water and half in wyne. take brede and bray it wiþ the self broth and drawe blode þer to and lat it seeth to gedre with powdour fort of gynger oþer of canell [2]. and macys [3]. with a grete porcioun of vineger with Raysouns of Coraunte [4].

[1] Roo. Roe. The Recipe in Ms. Ed. No. 53. is very different.
[2] Canell. Cinnamon.
[3] macys. Mace. V. Preface and Gloss.
[4] Raysouns of Coraunte. Currants. V. Gloss.

 

TREDURE [1]. XV.
Take Brede and grate it. make a lyre [2] of rawe ayrenn and do þerto Safroun and powdour douce. and lye it up [3] with gode broth. and make it as a Cawdel. and do þerto a lytel verious.

[1] Tredure. A Cawdle; but quare the etymon. The French _tres dure_ does not seem to answer.
[2] lyre. Mixture.
[3] lye it up. Mix it.

 

MONCHELET [1]. XVI.
Take Veel oþer Moton and smite it to gobettes seeþ it in gode broth. cast þerto erbes yhewe [2] gode wyne. and a quantite of Oynouns mynced. Powdour fort and Safroun. and alye it with ayren and verious. but lat not seeþ after.

[1] Monchelet. _Mounchelet_, Contents.
[2] y hewe. Shred.

 

BUKKENADE [1]. XVII.
Take Hennes [2] oþer Conynges [3] oþer Veel oþer oþer Flessh an hewe hem to gobettes waische it and hit well [4]. grynde Almandes unblaunched. and drawe hem up with þe broth cast þer inne raysons of Corance. sugur. Powdour gyngur erbes ystewed in grees [5]. Oynouns and Salt. If it is to to [6] thynne. alye it up with flour of ryse oþer with oþer thyng and colour it with Safroun.

[1] Bukkenade. Vide No. 118. qu.
[2] Hennes; including, I suppose, chicken and pullets.
[3] Conynges. Coneys, Rabbits.
[4] hit well. This makes no sense, unless _hit_ signifies smite or beat.
[5] Grees. Fat, lard, _grece_. No. 19.
[6] to to. So again, No. 124. To is _too_, v. Gloss. And _too_ is found doubled in this manner in _Mirrour for Magistrates_, p. 277. 371, and other authors.

 

CONNATES [1]. XVIII.
Take Connes and pare hem. pyke out the best and do hem in a pot of erthe. do þerto whyte grece þat he stewe þer inne. and lye hem up with hony clarified and with rawe zolkes [2] and with a lytell almaund mylke and do þerinne powdour fort and Safron. and loke þat it be yleesshed [3],

[1] Connat seems to be a kind of marmalade of connes, or quinces, from Fr. _Coing_. Chaucer, v. Coines. Written quinces No. 30.
[2] Yolkes, i. e. of Eggs.
[3] yleesshed. V. Gloss.

 

DREPEE [1]. XIX.
Take blanched Almandes grynde hem and temper hem up with gode broth take Oynouns a grete quantite parboyle hem and frye hem and do þerto. take smale bryddes [2] parboyle hem and do þerto Pellydore [3] and salt. and a lytel grece.

[1] Drepee. Qu.
[2] bryddes. Birds. _Per metathesin; v. R. in Indice_.
[3] Pellydore. Perhaps _pellitory_. _Peletour_, 104.

 

MAWMENEE [1]. XX.
Take a pottel of wyne greke. and ii. pounde of sugur take and clarifye the sugur with a qantite of wyne an drawe it thurgh a
straynour in to a pot of erthe take flour of Canell [2]. and medle [3] with sum of the wyne an cast to gydre. take pynes [4] with Dates and frye hem a litell in grece oþer in oyle and cast hem to gydre. take clowes [5] an flour of canel hool [6] and cast þerto. take powdour gyngur. canel. clower, colour it with saundres a lytel yf hit be nede cast salt þerto. and lat it seeþ; warly [7] with a slowe fyre and not to thyk [8], take brawn [9] of Capouns yteysed [10]. oþer of Fesauntes teysed small and cast þerto.

[1] Vide No. 194, where it is called _Mawmenny_.
[2] Flour of Canell. Powder of Cinamon.
[3] medle. Mix.
[4] pynes. A nut, or fruit. Vide Gloss.
[5] clowes. Cloves.
[6] hool. Whole. How can it be the flour, or powder, if whole? Quare, _flower_ of cand for _mace_.
[7] warly. Warily, gently.
[8] not to thyk. So as to be too thick; or perhaps, _not to thicken_.
[9] brawn. Fleshy part. Few Capons are cut now except about Darking in Surry; they have been excluded by the turkey, a more magnificent, but perhaps not a better fowl.
[10] yteysed, or _teysed_, as afterwards. Pulled in pieces by the fingers, called _teezing_ No. 36. This is done now with flesh of turkeys, and thought better than mincing. Vide Junius, voce _Tease_.

 

EGURDOUCE [1]. XXI.
Take Conynges or Kydde and smyte hem on pecys rawe. and frye hem in white grece. take raysouns of Coraunce and fry hem take oynouns parboile hem and hewe hem small and fry hem. take rede wyne suger with powdour of peper. of gynger of canel. salt. and cast þerto. and lat it seeþ with a gode quantite of white grece an serue it forth.

[1] Egurdouce. The term expresses _piccante dolce_, a mixture of sour and sweet; but there is nothing of the former in the composition. Vide Gloss.

 

CAPOUNS IN COUNCYS [1]. XXII.
Take Capons and rost hem right hoot þat þey be not half y nouhz and hewe hem to gobettes and cast hem in a pot, do þerto clene broth, seeþ hem þat þey be tendre. take brede and þe self broth and drawe it up yferer [2], take strong Powdour and Safroun and Salt and cast þer to. take ayrenn and seeþ hem harde. take out the zolkes and hewe the whyte þerinne, take the Pot fro þe fyre and cast the whyte þerinne. messe the disshes þerwith and lay the zolkes hool and flour it with clowes.

[1] Concys seems to be a kind of known sauce. V. Gloss.
[2] yfere. Together.

 

HARES [1] IN TALBOTES [2]. XXIII.
Take Hares and hewe hem to gobettes and seeþ hem with þe blode unwaisshed in broth. and whan þey buth y nowh: cast hem in colde water. pyke and waisshe hem clene. cole [3] the broth and drawe it thurgh a straynour. take oþer blode and cast in boylyng water seeþ it and drawe it thurgh a straynour. take Almaundes unblaunched. waisshe hem and grynde hem and temper it up with the self broth. cast al in a pot. tak oynouns and parboile hem smyte hem small and cast hem in to þis Pot. cast þerinne Powdour fort. vynegur an salt.

[1] Haares, Contents. So again, No. 24.
[2] Talbotes. Ms. Ed. No. 9, _Talbotays_.
[3] Cole. Cool.

 

HARES IN PAPDELE [1]. XXIIII.
Take Hares parboile hem in gode broth. cole the broth and waisshe the fleyssh. cast azeyn [2] to gydre. take obleys [3] oþer wafrouns [4] in stede of lozeyns [5]. and cowche [6] in dysshes. take powdour douce and lay on salt the broth and lay onoward [7] an messe forth.

[1] Papdele. Qu.
[2] azeyn. Again.
[3] obleys, called _oblata_; for which see Hearne ad Lib. Nig. I. p. 344. A kind of Wafer, otherwise called _Nebula_; and is the French _oublie, oble_. Leland, Collect. IV. p. 190. 327.
[4] wafrouns. Wafers.
[5] loseyns. Vide Gloss.
[6] cowche. Lay.
[7] onoward. Upon it.

 

CONNYNGES IN CYNEE [1]. XXV.
Take Connynges and smyte hem on peces. and seeþ hem in gode broth, mynce Oynouns and seeþ hem in grece and in gode broth do þerto. drawe a lyre of brede. blode. vynegur and broth do þerto with powdour fort.

[1] Cynee. Vide Gloss.

 

CONNYNGES IN GRAUEY. XXVI.
Take Connynges smyte hem to pecys. parboile hem and drawe hem with a gode broth with almandes blanched and brayed. do þerinne sugur and powdour gynger and boyle it and the flessh þerwith. flour it with sugur and with powdour gynger an serue forth.

 

CHYKENS IN GRAVEY. XXVII.
Take Chykens and serue hem the same manere and serue forth.

 

FYLETTES [1] OF GALYNTYNE [2]. XXVIII.
Take fylettes of Pork and rost hem half ynowh smyte hem on pecys. drawe a lyour of brede and blode. and broth and Vineger. and do þerinne. seeþ it wele. and do þerinne powdour an salt an messe it forth.

[1] Fylettes. Fillets.
[2] of Galyntyne. In Galyntyne. Contents, _rectlus_. As for _Galentine_, see the Gloss.