Medieval England · England
Forme of Cury's Blancmange
From The Forme of Cury · Richard II's master cooks · 1390
Verified from original source
A medieval savoury dish of shredded chicken in almond milk thickened with rice.
History
Blancmange in the Forme of Cury (c.1390) was a savoury medieval dish of shredded chicken or capon pounded with rice, almond milk, sugar and salt into a white pottage, vastly different from today's sweet dessert. Served at royal and noble tables across England and France, it exemplified refined courtly cuisine—white foods signified purity and expense. The dish appeared in nearly every major medieval cookbook from the 13th century onwards. Gradual shifts through the centuries saw meat removed and sweetness increased, transforming blancmange into the cornflour-thickened milk pudding familiar in British kitchens today.
Sources
- The Forme of Cury, compiled by Richard II's master cooks, c.1390
- Constance B. Hieatt and Sharon Butler, Curye on Inglysch, 1985
- Terence Scully, The Art of Cookery in the Middle Ages, 1995
- C. Anne Wilson, Food and Drink in Britain, 1973
- Barbara Ketcham Wheaton, Savoring the Past: The French Kitchen and Table from 1300 to 1789, 1983
Serves
4
Prep
20m
Cook
40m
Difficulty
Medium
Ingredients
- · 2 chicken breasts
- · 100 g ground almonds
- · 600 ml chicken stock
- · 100 g white rice
- · 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- · Pinch of saffron threads
- · 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- · Salt
Method
- 1
Poach chicken breasts in stock until cooked, then shred finely.
- 2
Soak almonds in 240 ml hot stock for 30 minutes, then strain through muslin, squeezing well.
- 3
Cook rice in remaining stock until very soft.
- 4
Mash rice and combine with almond milk, chicken, ginger, saffron and sugar.
- 5
Heat gently until thickened, season with salt and serve warm.
