The word pottage - a thick soup or stew - comes from Old French and in fact means contents of a pot. Pottage was
a common dish in the Middle Ages and would typically include ingredients such as peas, carrots, leeks, onions,
cabbage and beans, oats, herbs, saffron and sometimes meat.
Ingredients
3 pints of stock (about 6 cups)
10oz of split peas
1 onion
1 carrot
1 teaspoon of sugar
A pinch of salt
Cooking Instructions
Begin by putting the stock into a large saucepan and bring to simmering point, meanwhile chop the onion and the
carrot. When the stock is simmering add the peas, the chopped onion and the chopped carrot together with the
sugar and the salt. Bring to the boil, then gently simmer for about one and a half hours or so.
Next press all through a fine sieve or liquidize in a blender. Then return the soup to the saucepan and very gently reheat. Before serving taste to see if the pottage needs a little more seasoning.
List of Medieval Recipes