Gyngaudre – A Medieval Fish Liver Stew (Harleian MS. 279, c. 1430)

Gyngaudre – Medieval Fish Liver Stew from Harleian MS. 279 (c. 1430)

Originally published July 2015 · Updated October 28, 2025

Illustration from The Book of Wonders of the Age (St Andrews ms32).

Fish in the Medieval Diet: During the Middle Ages, fish was an essential protein for both the pious and the practical. Church fasting rules forbade meat from warm-blooded animals on Fridays, during Lent, and other holy seasons—amounting to nearly one-third of the year. Preserved and freshwater fish therefore became dietary staples across all social classes, and creative dishes like Gyngaudre ensured nothing was wasted.

Context & Historical Background

Gyngaudre (sometimes written Jingandre or Gyngawdre) is a rare entry in Harleian MS. 279 (c.1430), one of the great English culinary manuscripts of the 15th century. It appears alongside many Lenten and fasting-day recipes, where fish replaces red meat or poultry. The dish is a rich fish-liver stew, thickened and sharpened with wine, vinegar, saffron, and pepper.

Offal dishes—especially those made with liver and roe—were prized for their perceived nourishment and humoral warmth. According to medieval dietetic theory, liver was considered “hot and moist,” believed to restore vitality and promote sanguine balance. Fish livers, particularly from eel or cod, were thought especially rich in essence and restorative for those weakened by fasting.

Modern readers may balk at the idea of fish offal, but in its day this would have been a luxurious and economical dish—making use of every edible part of valuable seafood during Lent or “fish days.” Today, cod liver remains a delicacy in parts of Northern Europe, often canned in its own oil.

About the Source

Harleian MS. 279 is one of two major medieval English cookbooks compiled for upper households in the early 15th century (the other being Harleian MS. 4016). Its recipes show a transition between heavily spiced, sauce-rich medieval fare and the more refined early Tudor palate. “Gyngaudre” reflects that shift—spiced, fragrant, but comparatively simple.

What Is a “Fish Pouch”?

The manuscript calls for “the Pouches and the Lyuerys.” The term pouch may refer to the roe sac, as in “fish pouch of eggs,” or possibly a scribal error for “paunch”—meaning belly. Both interpretations fit a recipe focusing on rich internal organs. For modern cooks, roe or belly meat are both acceptable substitutes.

Modern Safety Note

While medieval cooks used offal liberally, modern dietary safety recommends avoiding fish livers from unknown sources due to possible toxin accumulation. If you wish to attempt this dish, use clean, cold-water species and ensure all organs come from a safe, traceable source. Alternatively, substitute filleted fish and roe for a milder and safer experience.

🥕 Dietary & Substitution Notes

• Pescatarian. Gluten-free if served without bread or grain.
• Modern substitutions: Use mild white fish fillets or tinned cod liver (available via Awin affiliate link) instead of fresh offal.
• Vegan version: Try oyster mushrooms or hearts of palm for a similar texture; season with kelp powder or vegan “fish sauce.”

The Recipe

📜 Original Text – Harleian MS. 279, ab. 1430

.lij. Gyngaudre.—Take þe Lyuerys of Codlyngys, Haddok, Elys, or þe Hake hed, or Freysshe Mylweƚƚ hedys, þe Pouches, & þe Lyuerys, an sethe hem in fayre Water; þan take hem vp on a fayre bord, & mynce smal þe pouches; þan take gode freysshe brothe of Samoun, or Turbut, or of Elys, & cast þe mynced pouches þer-to, & pouder Pepyr, & let boyle; þan take þe brothe, þe pouches & þe lyuerys wer sodoun in, in a stipe or on fayre brede, & draw þorw a straynoure, & þan mynce þe lyuer in fayre pecys; & whan þe pouches haue boylid, an þe licoure, caste þe leuer þer-to, an let boyle a whyle: þan caste þer-to þe lyuerys, Wyne, Venegre, Safroun, Salt, & late it boyle a whyle, and serue forth þat rennyng.

🍲 Modern Interpretation (Serves 2)

Ingredients:

• 1 fish head (cod, haddock, or hake preferred) with liver and roe sack, or ¼ lb. white fish fillets
• ¾ cup fish stock
• ¼ cup white wine and vinegar mix (1 Tbsp. each white wine, white wine vinegar, and water)
• Pinch of saffron
• ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Boil fish heads and livers gently until just cooked; remove and cool slightly.
2. Pick the meat from the heads and mince the roe and liver.
3. Strain the cooking broth and return to pot with saffron, salt, and pepper.
4. Return fish to the pot; add wine-vinegar mix and bring just to a boil.
5. Serve warm with bread or over boiled grain. The sauce should be slightly “running,” as described in the manuscript.

Did You Know? In medieval England, “codling” referred to a young or small cod—its livers were prized for rich sauces, much like pâté today.

Serving & Humoral Balance

According to the four-humor theory, this dish would be classified as hot and moist, suitable for the phlegmatic or melancholic body. The vinegar and saffron helped temper the heaviness of the liver, while the pepper and wine stimulated digestion during cold seasons or fasting periods.

Menu Placement: In a medieval feast, Gyngaudre would likely appear among the first “pottages” or as a Lenten course replacing meat soups.

Sources & Further Reading

• Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books (Harleian MSS 279 & 4016), ed. Thomas Austin, Early English Text Society, 1888. Online at University of Michigan.
• Cod Liver (Awin Affiliate Link)
• Allen J. Grieco, Food, Cookery and Society in the Middle Ages (Cambridge University Press, 2020).

More From the Fish Table

• Iuschelle of Fish
• Roseye
• Tench Fish Three Ways

Have you ever tried cooking with cod liver or roe? Share your experience below—I’d love to hear how you adapted this medieval delicacy for your modern kitchen.