Rys

Rice Pudding

The following recipe was common in England at the time of Chaucer, and was referred to quite frequently.

Source: Harleian MS. 279, ab. 1420 A.D (from Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books)

Original Recipe:

Rys. Take a porcyoun of rys, & pyke hem clene, & sethe hem welle, & late hem kele; þen take gode mylke of almaundys & do þer-to, & seþe & stere hem wyl; & do þer-to sugre and hony, & serue forth.

My Translation:

Rice. Take a portion of rice, and pick it clean, and boil it well, and let it cool; then take good milk of almonds and thereto, and boil and stir it well; and do thereto sugar and honey, and serve forth.

My Interpretation:

Bring water to a boil in 2 quart pot then stir in rice. Reduce heat to low and let rice cook for 20 minutes until rice is tender. Add almond milk, sugar and honey. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until pudding is quite thick. Can be served warm or cooled.

Works Referenced:

Austin, Thomas, comp. Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books. N.p.: Early English Text Society, 1888. Google Books. Web. 21 June 2012. <http://books.google.com/books?id=t0Te8MaCmpoC>

Friedman, David D., ed. A Collection of Medieval and Renaissance Cookbooks. S.l.: S.n., 1991. Print.compiled by Duke Cariadoc of the Bow and Duchessa Diana Alena

Renfrow, Cindy. Take a Thousand Eggs or More: A Translation of Medieval Recipes from Harleian MS. 279, Harleian MS. 4016, and Extracts of Ashmole MS. 1439, Laud MS. 553, and Douce MS. 55, with More than 100 Recipes Adapted for Modern Cookery. Unionville, NY: Royal Fireworks, 1997. Print.