Feasting on Fish: Five Historical Recipes from Harleian MS 279

Five Medieval Fish Recipes from Harleian MS 279

Iuselle of Fish, adapted from Harleian MS 279 — a delicate almond milk and saffron broth served with root vegetables, fruit, and rustic bread.

From fasting feasts to Friday fare, fish played a key role in medieval English cooking. Harleian Manuscript 279, compiled around 1430, contains dozens of fish recipes revealing the rich, layered flavors and creative preparations used in upper-class kitchens. Below are five standout dishes from that manuscript, all adapted or interpreted for the modern cook.

1. Tench Three Ways

Read the full recipe and interpretation

This unique entry shows off the versatility of medieval fish cookery. The tench is served boiled, in a broth, and roasted — each with different sauces or seasonings, ranging from parsley-based green sauce to a pottage enriched with almond milk and spices.

2. Mortrews of Fish

Read the full recipe and interpretation

Here, fish is cooked and then pounded smooth with breadcrumbs and flavorful ingredients like almond milk, saffron, and sugar. Served warm and thick, this dish is a satisfying meatless main and an excellent example of medieval texture-forward cooking.

3. Sturyon in Broth

Read the full recipe and interpretation

This spiced broth balances vinegar, pepper, and saffron to create a sharp yet warming sauce for chunks of fish — originally sturgeon, but modern substitutions like salmon or cod work just as well.

4. Iuschelle of Fish

Read the full recipe and interpretation

“Iuschelle” refers to a gently spiced dish, somewhere between a stew and a sauce. The fish is flaked and simmered in almond milk, saffron, and breadcrumbs, yielding a light but elegant presentation that fits well as a first course.

5. Roseye – Fish in Rose Sauce

Read the full chicken version (fish variation included)

Although your blog post features the chicken version, the original recipe allows for fish as well. The dish combines fried fish with a saffron-almond-rose sauce colored naturally with rose petals. It’s a fragrant, subtly sweet, and visually stunning dish — perfect for a final course or Lenten feast.

Historical Context

Harleian MS 279 reflects the dietary rules and creativity of the 15th-century English court. With meat forbidden during fast days, cooks leaned into fish, legumes, and dairy alternatives like almond milk. The use of fragrant spices, vinegars, and herbal sauces made these dishes anything but bland — and many remain surprisingly approachable for the modern table.

Want to Try One?

Leave a comment or tag me if you cook one of these! For printable versions, check out the recipe cards on Ko-fi. You can also browse other fasting-friendly or Lenten dishes using the tags at the bottom of each post.

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🐚 More Historical Shellfish Recipes

• Oystres en Broth (ixl)
• Oystres in Gravy Bastard (xl)
• Oysters in Brewet (lxxxxij)
• Welks in Bruette (lxxxxiij)

Explore more Fish Recipes and Fasting Dishes on the blog.

Sources: Harleian MS 279, Curye on Inglysch, Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books

Pressmetzen zu Ostern – German Easter Custard Bread (1544 Medieval Recipe)

Pressmetzen zu Ostern – German Easter Custard Bread (1544 Medieval Recipe)

Pressmetzen zu Ostern, Precedella, Torten von Epffel, and Sugared Mint Leaves

Pressmetzen zu Ostern – A Custard-Filled Sweet Bread for Easter

This beautiful, custard-filled Easter bread was the festive centerpiece of our GTOD Vigil dayboard. Inspired by Volker Bach's recreation of an Easter Feast, and drawn from the 1544 cookbook of Balthasar Staindl, it combines enriched dough, homemade “egg cheese,” saffron, raisins, and almonds in a vibrant wreath. Known as flecken, these breads were blessed for Easter and meant to be both celebratory and sacred.

Special thanks to Volker for the inspiration. If you’ve never explored Culina Vetus, his work on historical German cuisine is a treasure trove of ideas.

Ingredients for Dough:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp yeast (or 1 packet)
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 egg

To Make the Dough:

Stir together flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix melted butter, milk, and egg. Add wet to dry and knead until smooth (5–7 minutes). Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

Egg Cheese (Ayerschotten):

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 6 egg yolks or 3 large eggs
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp sugar

Whisk all ingredients in a saucepan. Heat slowly, stirring constantly, until curds form. Cool to room temperature, drain in cheesecloth with a weight to press out liquid. Can be made a day ahead.

Filling Additions:

• 2 eggs
• ~1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 1–2 tbsp sweet cream
• Pinch of saffron
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 1/4 cup chopped figs
• 1 egg yolk (for glazing)

Assembly and Baking:

1. Combine egg cheese with eggs, breadcrumbs, cream, saffron, and sugar. Stir in raisins.
2. Roll dough into a rectangle. Spread the filling, fold and shape into a ring.
3. Let rest 20 minutes. Top with figs and almonds.
4. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes.
5. Brush with egg yolk. Bake another 15 minutes until golden.

🌞 Medieval Breakfast Spotlight:
While more often associated with feasting days, Pressmetzen makes a rich and satisfying morning meal — especially on Easter Sunday. Custardy, fruity, and slightly sweet, it pairs beautifully with warm milk or spiced wine.

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🍽 Explore More Medieval Breakfast Recipes:

• Rastons – Egg-enriched bread for soaking in broth
• Soupes Dorye – Toasted bread in spiced almond milk
• Lyode Soppes – Early custard-style bread pudding
• Soupes Jamberlayne – Bread soaked in mulled wine
• Egges yn Brewte – Poached eggs in spiced broth
• Eyron en Poche – Poached eggs with herbs in sauce
• Pressmetzen zu Ostern – Spiced Lenten breakfast bread
• Spiced Apples and Pears – Stewed fruit with wine and spice
• Fennel and Bacon Bread – Rustic loaf with herbs and meat
• Frumenty and Venyson – Cracked wheat porridge with game

☕ Looking for even more morning inspiration?
Don’t miss the original article: Breakfast: Five Medieval Banquet Dishes »

Medieval Poached Eggs with Cheese – Egges yn Brewte (Gentyll Manly Cokere, 1490)

Egges yn Brewte

This is another recipe from our Curia Regis brunch. It is a beautifully simple, perfectly period dish for poached eggs served in a lightly spiced milk broth and topped with cheese. Dating to around 1490, the recipe is found in the Gentyll Manly Cokere, MS Pepys 1047.

🍳 Did You Know?
"Brewte" refers to a broth or seasoned liquid in Middle English, often used to enhance simple ingredients. Egges yn Brewte is one of several medieval egg dishes showcasing the versatility of dairy, spice, and soft textures.

Original Text – Egges yn Brewte (Gentyll Manly Cokere, MS Pepys 1047, c. 1490)

Take water and seethe it. In the same water break your eggs and cast therein ginger, pepper and saffron, then temper it up with sweet milk and boil it. And then carve cheese and caste thereto small cut. And when it is enough serve it forth.

Modern Translation
Take water and boil it. In the same water, break your eggs and add ginger, pepper, and saffron. Temper it with sweet milk and boil. Then slice cheese and add it in small pieces. When ready, serve.

Modern Interpretation (Serves 8)

• 8 eggs
• Water (for poaching)
• 2 cups milk (1/4 cup per egg)
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 16–20 threads of saffron (or to taste)
• 6–8 oz Butterkäse cheese (or similar mild, melty cheese)

Notes from the Cook:
I used Butterkäse cheese for this recipe. If you’ve never tried this creamy, buttery German cheese, I highly recommend it. Its sweet, slightly salty flavor with just a touch of acidity paired beautifully with the richness of the poached eggs and the spiced milk sauce.

Poaching Tips:
Poaching eggs can be tricky. I use the method described in my previous post: Cj. Eyron en poche. I diverged slightly from the original directions here. It was difficult to achieve the creamy “pan sauce” while poaching eggs directly in spiced milk, so I:

1. Poached the eggs in water until set
2. Simmered milk with saffron, ginger, and pepper in a separate pan
3. Added the eggs to the warm milk and topped with sliced cheese

Why no toast in the photo?
Soggy toast is a sad sight. I was unable to get a good photo with the eggs sitting prettily on the bread, so I gave up and photographed them solo. That said, this dish is excellent served over a thick slice of toasted bread or a sop of Rastons!

🍽 Serving Suggestion:
Serve Egges yn Brewte warm, over thick-sliced bread (like Rastons), for an elegant brunch or medieval-themed breakfast. For a crowd, consider assembling the dish in a shallow baking pan and gently warming in the oven until the cheese is just melted.

This dish received rave reviews from brunch participants. It's a wonderful option for special occasions — rich, warming, and surprisingly refined in flavor.

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🍽 Explore More Medieval Breakfast Recipes:

• Rastons – Egg-enriched bread for soaking in broth
• Soupes Dorye – Toasted bread in spiced almond milk
• Lyode Soppes – Early custard-style bread pudding
• Soupes Jamberlayne – Bread soaked in mulled wine
• Egges yn Brewte – Poached eggs in spiced broth
• Eyron en Poche – Poached eggs with herbs in sauce
• Pressmetzen zu Ostern – Spiced Lenten breakfast bread
• Spiced Apples and Pears – Stewed fruit with wine and spice
• Fennel and Bacon Bread – Rustic loaf with herbs and meat
• Frumenty and Venyson – Cracked wheat porridge with game

☕ Looking for even more morning inspiration?
Don’t miss the original article: Breakfast: Five Medieval Banquet Dishes »

Poached Eggs in Sweet Ginger Sauce – Cj. Eyron en Poche (Harleian MS. 279, c.1430)

Poached Eggs in Sweet Ginger Sauce – Cj. Eyron en Poche (Harleian MS. 279, c.1430)

.Cj. Eyron en poche. - Eggs Poached

This is one of the first recipes I’ve found in Harleian MS. 279 (c.1430) that specifies to “poach” the food. Poaching is a moist-heat cooking method with ancient roots, mentioned as early as De Re Coquinaria and formalized further in cookbooks like Le Viandier de Taillevent. While poaching became popular in the 17th century, here we see it clearly practiced over a century earlier.

My grandmother taught me to poach eggs using a whirlpool method and a dash of vinegar to set the whites—exactly how I approached this recipe. The final dish is delicate and beautiful, the egg nestled in a sweet milk-thickened sauce with saffron and ginger. It looks like a fried egg but surprises with subtle sweetness and savory warmth. Ideal for a luncheon or medieval dayboard!

Opinions varied: one tester wanted it sweeter, another preferred savory, but I enjoyed the balance. I’m tempted to riff on it with cumin or mustard—more like Hennys in Gauncelye.

🍳 Medieval Breakfast Spotlight: Poached Eggs in Ginger Milk Sauce

This early 15th-century dish offers a delicate twist on breakfast eggs. Poached gently and served in a sweet milk sauce seasoned with ginger and saffron, it blends savory and sweet in a surprisingly modern way. Try it with toast soldiers or crisped manchet bread.

Original Text – Harleian MS 279

.Cj. Eyron en poche.
Take Eyroun, breke hem, an sethe hem in hot Water; þan take hem Vppe as hole as þou may; þan take flowre, an melle with Mylke, & caste þer-to Sugre or Hony, & a lytel pouder Gyngere, an boyle alle y-fere, & coloure with Safroun; an ley þin Eyroun in dysshys, & caste þe Sewe a-boue, & caste on pouder y-now. Blawnche pouder ys best.

Modern Translation

Take eggs, break them, and cook them in hot water; then take them up as whole as you may; mix flour with milk, add sugar or honey and a little ginger, and boil all together. Color with saffron. Lay your eggs in dishes and pour the sauce above. Sprinkle with white powder (blanche powder).

Interpreted Recipe (Serves 8)

For the Eggs

• 8 eggs
• Water
• 1 tbsp white vinegar

For the Sauce

• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tsp sugar or honey
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• Pinch of saffron
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Poach eggs using your preferred method. I bring water to a boil, add vinegar, lower to a simmer, create a whirlpool, and gently drop in the egg. Turn off heat, cover, and let sit 5 minutes. Don’t touch it—trust me.
2. While the eggs cook, make a slurry with flour and milk. Whisk until smooth. Add remaining milk, sugar or honey, ginger, saffron, and bring to a simmer. Stir until thickened.
3. Place each poached egg in a dish and spoon sauce around. Finish with a dusting of white powder (optional).

Similar Recipe

Fourme of Curye [Rylands MS 7] (England, 1390):
.lxxxviij. Pochee. Tak ayroun & breke hem in scaldyng hote water, & whanne they ben soden ynowgh, take hem up, & tak yolkes of ayroun & rawe mylke & swyng hem to gyder, & do therto poudour ginger, safroun & salt...

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🍽 Explore More Medieval Breakfast Recipes:

• Rastons – Egg-enriched bread for soaking in broth
• Soupes Dorye – Toasted bread in spiced almond milk
• Lyode Soppes – Early custard-style bread pudding
• Soupes Jamberlayne – Bread soaked in mulled wine
• Egges yn Brewte – Poached eggs in spiced broth
• Eyron en Poche – Poached eggs with herbs in sauce
• Pressmetzen zu Ostern – Spiced Lenten breakfast bread
• Spiced Apples and Pears – Stewed fruit with wine and spice
• Fennel and Bacon Bread – Rustic loaf with herbs and meat
• Frumenty and Venyson – Cracked wheat porridge with game

☕ Looking for even more morning inspiration?
Don’t miss the original article: Breakfast: Five Medieval Banquet Dishes »

Vyolette: A 15th-Century Violet Custard

Vyolette: A 15th-Century Violet Custard

This creamy, lightly floral custard is adapted from Harleian MS. 279, one of the earliest English recipe collections. Violets, celebrated for their sweet scent and gentle flavor, were often used in both food and medicine in medieval Europe.

Original Recipe:
.Cxxv. Vyolette.—Take Flourys of Vyolet, boyle hem, presse hem, bray hem smal, temper hem vppe with Almaunde mylke, or gode Cowe Mylke, a-lye it with Amyndoun or Flowre of Rys; take Sugre y-now, an putte þer-to, or hony in defaute; coloure it with þe same þat þe flowrys be on y-peyntid a-boue.

Interpreted Recipe (Serves 8)

• 1/3 cup fresh violet petals, cleaned and washed
• 1 cup almond milk or milk
• 2 tbsp rice flour
• 1–2 tbsp sugar or honey, to taste

Place petals and milk in a pot on low heat. After 10–15 minutes, once the color has steeped into the milk, add rice flour and sweetener. Stir constantly until thickened to a custard-like consistency. Cool slightly and garnish with fresh violets.

Kitchen Notes

This dish was a unanimous favorite among taste testers. The delicate lavender color and sweet, floral flavor delighted everyone. It’s a perfect springtime offering and has made its way onto the “must serve at feast” list.

Historical & Culinary Notes

• Violets were often preserved in syrup or candied for use in winter months.
• John Parkinson, in Paradisi in Sole (1629), wrote that “the blew Violets are much used in Possets, Syrups, and Conserves... and to comfort the heart.”
• A Book of Fruits & Flowers (1653) describes violets in both culinary and medicinal applications, including comfort syrups and conserve of flowers.
• According to The Garden of Pleasant Flowers, violets were admired for their cooling, moistening properties—ideal for spring dishes in humoral diets.

Related Resources:

• How to Candy Flowers
• Violet Syrup
• Flavors of the Flower: 5 Medieval Recipes Using Edible Blooms

⚠️ Reminder: Always use organically grown or culinary-grade flowers. Never consume flowers from florists or treated ornamental plants.

References & Resources

• Parkinson, John. Paradisi in Sole Paradisus Terrestris (1629). A foundational English gardening text blending botanical, culinary, and medicinal knowledge. Read on Project Gutenberg.
• A Book of Fruits & Flowers (1653). A 17th-century household manual offering flower-based recipes for food, drink, and medicine. Read on Project Gutenberg.
• MedievalCookery.com. Searchable transcriptions of medieval English and European cookbooks.

Soupes Dorye – Almond Milk Toast with Wine & Spices (1430)

Soupes Dorye and a glass of wine

Soupes Dorye – Golden Almond Milk Toast from Harleian MS. 279

Milk toast often gets a bad rap—but in the Middle Ages, a version like Soupes Dorye would have been a welcome dish on fast days or quiet mornings. This medieval comfort food combines wine-infused almond milk, fragrant saffron, and warm spices poured over toasted bread. The result? A golden, aromatic "pottage" that’s rich without being heavy, and humble without being plain.

This version comes from Harleian MS. 279 (c. 1430), where it’s served warm and dusted with a blend of ginger, cinnamon, sugar, cloves, and mace. As one of my tasters put it: “It smells like Christmas in here.”

As I prepared this dish, one of my tasters remarked, “It smells like Christmas in here.” Indeed, the gentle spice and rich almond aroma evoke warmth and celebration.

Historical Context

Almond milk was not a trendy vegan alternative—it was a culinary necessity during the Middle Ages. Whether due to spoilage risks of dairy or strict religious fasting laws, cooks relied on almond products during over 120 mandated fast days each year. Dairy, meat, and eggs were forbidden during Lent, Advent, and Ember Days. Almond milk, butter, and even almond “cheese” were indispensable kitchen staples.

This dish, a “sop”—toasted bread soaked in liquid—would likely have been served before bed or during fasting seasons. It’s simple, frugal, and comforting.

Original Recipe: Harleian MS. 279

.xxvij. Soupes dorye — Take gode almaunde mylke y-draw wyth wyn, an let hem boyle to-gederys, an caste þer-to Safroun an Salt; an þan take Paynemayn, an kytte it an toste it, an wete it in wyne, an ley it on a dysshe, an caste þe syrip þer-on. And þan make a dragge of powder Gyngere, Sugre, canel, Clowes, Maces, an caste þer-on When it is y-dressid, an serue þanne forth for a potage gode.

Modern Translation

27. Soupes Dorye — Take good almond milk drawn with wine and let them boil together. Add saffron and salt. Then take bread, cut and toast it, and soak it in wine. Lay it in a dish and pour the almond milk syrup on top. Sprinkle with a dredge of ginger, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and mace. Serve as a good pottage.

Interpreted Recipe (Serves 8 as a main dish)

• 8 C. Almond milk + 1/2 to 3/4 C. white wine
• 1/2 tsp saffron (optional)
• Salt to taste
• 8 thick slices of toasted bread (Rastons, Manchet, or French bread)
• Sweet spice mix: 2 tsp ginger, 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp mace

Heat almond milk and wine gently over medium heat. Add saffron and salt to taste. Toast the bread and slice into thin strips or desired shapes.

Place bread in serving bowls and briefly soak with additional wine (about 1–2 tablespoons per slice, or to taste). Pour the warm almond milk mixture slowly over the bread to soften but not overwhelm.

Sprinkle generously with your sweet spice blend and serve immediately. The bread should soften to a custardy texture without falling apart, soaking up every drop of the golden almond milk broth. This is a dish best savored slowly, with a spoon in hand and a warm drink nearby.

Fun Fact:

“Dorye” may be a variant of dorée (French for “golden”), hinting at saffron-tinted color and lightly browned bread—thus: “Golden Sops.”

Similar Recipes from Other Manuscripts

• Fourme of Curye (England, 1390): Uses almond milk, wine, saffron, and layers of bread and sauce.
• Liber cure cocorum (England, 1430): Red wine and almond milk thickened together, served over wine-soaked bread.
• A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468): Emphasizes layering of bread and almond milk, finished with spices.

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Related Recipes & Resources:

• Papyns – Medieval Custard with Almond Milk
• Quick Homemade Almond Milk
• Powder Douce & Powder Forte Spice Mixes

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🍽 Explore More Medieval Breakfast Recipes:

• Rastons – Egg-enriched bread for soaking in broth
• Soupes Dorye – Toasted bread in spiced almond milk
• Lyode Soppes – Early custard-style bread pudding
• Soupes Jamberlayne – Bread soaked in mulled wine
• Egges yn Brewte – Poached eggs in spiced broth
• Eyron en Poche – Poached eggs with herbs in sauce
• Pressmetzen zu Ostern – Spiced Lenten breakfast bread
• Spiced Apples and Pears – Stewed fruit with wine and spice
• Fennel and Bacon Bread – Rustic loaf with herbs and meat
• Frumenty and Venyson – Cracked wheat porridge with game

☕ Looking for even more morning inspiration?
Don’t miss the original article: Breakfast: Five Medieval Banquet Dishes »