Perry of Pesoun

PERIOD: England, 14th century | SOURCE: Forme of Cury | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: A dish of cooked peas

ORIGINAL RECEIPT:

71. Perry of pesoun. Take pesoun and seþ hem fast, and couere hem, til þei berst; þenne take hem vp and cole hem thurgh a cloth. Take oynouns and mynce hem, and seeþ hem in the same sewe, and oile þerwith; cast þerto sugar, salt and safroun, and seeþ hem wel þerafter, and serue hem forth.

- Hieatt, Constance B. and Sharon Butler. Curye on Inglish: English Culinary Manuscripts of the Fourteenth-Century (Including the Forme of Cury). London: For the Early English Text Society by the Oxford University Press, 1985.

GODE COOKERY TRANSLATION:

A Dish of Peas. Take peas and boil them fast, and cover them, until they burst; then take them up and cool through a cloth. Take onions and mince them, and boil with the peas, and add oil; add sugar, salt and saffron, and boil well together, and serve.

MODERN RECIPE:

• 2 lbs. frozen or fresh shelled peas
• 2-3 small onions, minced
• 3 tbs. olive oil
• salt & sugar to taste
• pinch saffron

The kind of peas available in the Middle Ages would have required additional cooking, hence the instructions in the original recipe to cook the peas until they burst, cool them, then cook again with the other ingredients.

Saffron too expensive? Use a drop or two of yellow food coloring instead.