Rosee

PERIOD: England, 14th century | SOURCE: MS Douce 257 | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: Chicken in Rose Almond Milk

ORIGINAL RECEIPT:

For to make rosee, tak the flowrys of rosys and wasch hem wel in water, and after bray hem wel in a morter; & than tak almondys and temper hem, & seth hem, & after tak flesch of capons or of hennys and hac yt smale, & than bray hem wel in a morter, & than do yt in the rose so that the flesch acorde wyth the mylk, & so that the mete be charchaunt: & after do yt to the fyre to boyle, & do therto sugur & safroun that yt be wel ycolowrd & rosy of leuys of the for seyde flowrys, & serue yt forth.

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

MODERN RECIPE:

• 2 pounds ground chicken
• 4 C almond milk
• 2 C fresh, pesticide-free rose petals
• Sugar to taste
• 1/8 tsp saffron
• Butter for sautéing

2. Snip off the white tips on the end of each rose petal, which are bitter, and rinse and drain the petals.

3. In a blender or food processor, grind the rose petals fine, adding 1/2 cup of almond milk a bit at a time as a medium in which to grind them.

4. In a large pot, over medium heat, combine remaining almond milk, rose petal and almond milk purée, ground chicken, sugar and saffron. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring frequently, for ten to fifteen minutes. Serve in individual bowls.

Serves six to eight.

NOTES ON THE RECIPE:

Edible flowers often find their way into medieval cuisine. Anything with roses in it was rosee. Be sure your rose petals are free from insecticides or other harmful chemicals.

I have chosen to brown the ground chicken first.