Potatge de Porrada

Leek Pottage

Source: Libre Del Coch, Mestre Robert, cook to ‘don Ferrando de Napols’ Catalan, 15th century.[1]

Original Recipe[2]:

Potatge de Porrada

Los porros pendras e fer los has bells e nets de part de vespre: e quant seran ben nets metras los a remulla en vna bella conca plena daygua ala serena e fes que estiga de aquesta manera tota la nit fins al mati: e apres de bon mati met los a per bollir de bona manera perque son molts mals de coure: e quant sien ben perbullits met los entre dos talladors e prem los be: e quant sien ben premuts çoffregiras los ab greix de carn salada e noy cal metre sal: e com sienben çoffregits met los a coure ab vn poch de brou que sie ben gras: e apres pren let de ametles e met la enla olla e coga fort fins a tant que sie ben espes: e tornat espes tastar ho has de sal e si ni mancaua met ni: e apres fes scudelles e damunt cada vna met sucre e canyella.

Translation: (by Robin Carroll-Mann) [3]:

Leek Pottage

Take leeks, well peeled and cleaned and washed the night before, and put them in a bowl of water to soak in the night air; and they should sit there all night until the morning; and then boil them well, for they are difficult to cook; and once they are well cooked press them out well between two cutting boards; and sweat them in the fat of good bacon; and do not add salt: and once they are thoroughly sweated put them to cook with good broth which should be fat and of a little amount and then take almond milk and add it to the pot and cook it until it is very thick; and when it has thickened taste it for salt, and there is not enough add some, and then prepare the serving dishes and scatter sugar and cinnamon over them.

My Interpretation:

In large dutch oven or pot cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pot. Sauté sliced leeks in bacon fat until tender. Slowly add broth, let cook over low heat for about 1 hour. Crumble cooked bacon and add to soup. Add Almond milk to soup and cook until desired thickness of pottage is reached. Add salt to taste. Mix cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over the pottage.

Works Referenced:

The Medieval Kitchen: Recipes from France and Italy; Odile Redon, Françoise Sabban, & Silvano Serventi, translated to the English by Edward Schneider; The University of Chicago Press, 1998

Nola, Maseter Ruperto de An English translation of Ruperto de Nola's "Libre del Coch" by Lady Brighid ni Chiarain. [Online] // Stefan's Florilegium / ed. Carroll-Mann Robin. - 2001. - May 29, 2009. - http://www.florilegium.org/?http%3A//www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-MANUSCRIPTS/Guisados1-art.html. - http://www.florilegium.org/?http%3A//www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-MANUSCRIPTS/Guisados2-art.html.

Nola, Master Ruperto de Libro de Cozina [Book] / ed. Cuenca Vincent F. / trans. Cuenca Vincent F.. - 1529 (translation 2001). - A full English Translatin with Commentary of Master Ruperto de Nola's Libro de Cozina.

Nola, Rupert de Lybre de doctrina Pera ben Servir: de Tallar: y del Art de Coch [Online] // Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes. - Fundació Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes. - August 18, 2014. - http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/obra-visor/libre-de-doctrina-per-a-ben-servir-de-tallar-y-del-art-de-coch-transcripcio--0/html/ff1e2444-82b1-11df-acc7-002185ce6064_2.html#I_106.

Nola, Rupert de Libre De Doctrina per a Ben Servir, De Tallar Y Del Art De Coch F. XXVv. Digital image. Biblioteca Virtual Miguel De Cervantes. Fundación Biblioteca Virtual Miguel De Cervantes, 2000. Web. 18 Aug. 2014. http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/obra-visor/libre-de-doctrina-per-a-ben-servir-de-tallar-y-del-art-de-coch--1/html/ff1de6be-82b1-11df-acc7-002185ce6064_52.html. Digitized image of folio XXVv of Rupert de Nola's 1520 book reprinted in 1988 by Ediciones Histórico Artísticas.

Nola, Rupert de Libre De Doctrina per a Ben Servir, De Tallar Y Del Art De Coch F. XXXVI [XXVI]r. Digital image. Biblioteca Virtual Miguel De Cervantes. Fundación Biblioteca Virtual Miguel De Cervantes, 2000. Web. 18 Aug. 2014. http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/obra-visor/libre-de-doctrina-per-a-ben-servir-de-tallar-y-del-art-de-coch--1/html/ff1de6be-82b1-11df-acc7-002185ce6064_53.html. Digitized image of folio XXXVI [XXVI]r of Rupert de Nola's 1520 book reprinted in 1988 by Ediciones Histórico Artísticas.

End Notes:

[1] (Nola, 1520 & 1988)

[2] The shorthand notations as shown in the image from the manuscript have been expanded out in the transcription.

[3] (Carroll-Mann, 2001)