In Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books (Harleian MS. 279, c.1430), we are told to serve fish — especially eel — with Blawnche Perrye, much as venison was paired with furmenty. Eel was common in medieval England, but difficult to find (and costly) today. For this version, I substituted perch, though monkfish or mullet would be closer to the fatty, firm texture of eel.
This dish sits at the intersection of pottage cookery and fish service. It’s a reminder of the wide variety of fish eaten in the Middle Ages: herring, salmon, eel, cod, pike, turbot, perch, carp, trout, even porpoise and whale. Shellfish such as oysters, cockles, shrimps, crabs, and mussels were also common.
The Original Recipe
.xlv.—For to make Blawnche Perrye.
Take þe Whyte of the lekys, an seþe hem in a potte, an presse hem vp, & hacke hem smal on a bord. An nym gode Almaunde Mylke, an a lytil of Rys, an do alle þes to-gederys, an seþe an stere it wyl, an do þer-to Sugre or hony, an dresse it yn; þanne take powderd Elys, an seþe hem in fayre Water, and broyle hem, an kytte hem in long pecys. And ley .ij. or .iij. in a dysshe, and putte þin perrey in a-noþer dysshe, an serue þe to dysshys to-gederys as Venysoun with Furmenty.
Daniel Myers offers a modernized Middle English transcription on Medieval Cookery, and the recipe is also rendered in Austin’s edition of Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books.
Modern Recipe
Interpreted Recipe (serves 2 as main, 3–4 as side)
- 2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
- 1 cup almond milk
- ½ cup cooked rice
- 1 Tbsp honey (or sugar)
- 2–3 pieces firm, fatty fish (eel, monkfish, mullet, perch, etc.)
Method:
Clean the leeks thoroughly — grit hides in the layers. Slice, cover with water, and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and chop finely. Add leeks to almond milk, rice, and honey. Cook gently, stirring until it thickens into a creamy pottage. Meanwhile, roast or broil your fish simply, seasoned with a little salt (and optionally vinegar and coriander, as in a Roman fish recipe aliter ius in pisce elixo).
Serve the fish in one dish and the pottage in another, just as venison was served with furmenty. The mild, creamy leeks balance the richness of the fish beautifully.
🥕 Dietary Notes
- Gluten-free ✔ (uses rice and almond milk)
- Dairy-free ✔ (almond milk instead of cow’s milk)
- Vegetarian ❌ (fish-based)
- Vegan ❌ (contains fish, honey — swap honey with sugar for strict vegetarians)
Why This Dish?
Blawnche Perrye is a pottage — a staple in medieval kitchens — elevated with almond milk, rice, and honey. Served with fish, it reflects the importance of fasting and fish days in the medieval calendar. Its pairing with eel underlines both the seasonality of ingredients and the symbolism of dishes in feasting sequence — much like Venyson in Furmenty.
On a medieval table, this dish could appear in the first or second course, often alongside roast or sauced fish, shellfish, or vegetable pottages. Its creamy, slightly sweet character balances savory mains and provides a textural contrast to roasts or grilled dishes.
Humoral Theory
According to humoral theory, leeks were considered hot and dry, almond milk moistening and cooling, rice moderately binding, and honey warming. Together, the dish was seen as balancing — suitable for tempering the body’s humors on fast days when meat was forbidden. Pairing it with fish (itself considered cold and moist) further harmonized the meal.
Suggested Pairings
- Fish: Salted eel (period), or monkfish, mullet, perch (modern). Vegetarian option: tofu, seitan, or roasted mushrooms.
- Other Fish Dishes: Try pairing with other medieval fish recipes such as:
- Gyngaudre – Fish in Ginger Sauce (Harleian MS. 279)
- Lamprey in Galentyne (Harleian MS. 279)
- Gaylede Ryce – Rice with Fish (Harleian MS. 279)
- Tench Three Ways (Late Medieval)
🥕 Dietary Notes
- Gluten-free ✔ (uses rice and almond milk)
- Dairy-free ✔ (almond milk instead of cow’s milk)
- Vegetarian ✔ (omit the fish, or substitute tofu, seitan, or mushrooms)
- Vegan ✔ (omit fish, replace honey with sugar, use tofu/seitan/mushrooms if desired)
The original pairing with eel was intentional — much like venison with furmenty — but the leek–rice–almond pottage stands beautifully on its own. If you want a modern vegetarian or vegan protein alongside, consider:
- Tofu (firm): Press lightly, then roast or broil with salt and a splash of vinegar.
- Seitan: Slice and pan-fry or roast for a denser, “meatier” texture similar to monkfish or eel.
- Mushrooms (king oyster or portobello): Roast or broil thick slices for umami depth and satisfying bite.
Each option keeps the dish feast-worthy while adapting it for different diets. In a medieval context, cooks themselves often substituted depending on what was available — so omitting or swapping the fish is still very much in the spirit of the recipe.
Historical & Culinary Notes
Salted eel (powdered eel) was preserved through dry-salting, brining, or pickling. These methods — along with smoking, sugaring, drying, and jelling (aspic) — were the primary means of food preservation before refrigeration. Dishes like this one show the practicality and creativity of medieval cooks working with preserved foods.
Similar recipes for leek pottages appear in German (Ein Buch von guter spise, c.1345), English (Ancient Cookery, c.1425), and Spanish (Libre del Coch, 1520) sources, underscoring how widespread leek-and-almond dishes were across Europe.
Related Recipes
- Venyson in Furmenty (Harleian MS. 279)
- Fylettys en Galentyne (Harleian MS. 279)
- Powder Douce – Medieval Spice Mix
- Arranging the Feast – Course Structures
Sources
- Austin, Thomas. Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books. Harleian MS. 279 (c.1430).
- Daniel Myers, Medieval Cookery.
- Wagstaff Miscellany (England, c.1460).
- Ein Buch von guter spise (Germany, c.1345).
- Libre del Coch (Spain, 1520).
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