Porée blanche

Porée blanche est dicte ainsi pour ce qu’elle est faite du blanc des poireaux … Et premièrement l’en eslit, lave, mince et esverde les poreaux, c’est assavoir en esté, quant iceulx poreaux sont jeunes: mais en yver, quant iceulx poreaux sont plus viels et plus durs, il les convient pourboulir en lieu d’esverder, et se c’est à jour de poisson, après ce que dit est, il les convient mettre en un pot avec de l’eaue chaude et ainsi cuire, et aussi cuire des oignons mincés, puis frire les oignons, et après frire iceulx poreaux avec les oignons qui jà sont fris; puis mettre tout cuire en un pot et du lait de vache, se c’est en charnage et à jour de poisson; et se c’est en karesme, l’en y met lait d’amandes.
White porée is so named because it is made from the white of leeks … First, you select, mince, wash, and blanch the leeks – that is, in summertime when the leeks are young, but in the winter when the leeks are older and tougher, they should be boiled instead of just blanched. On a fish day, after doing all that, place them in a pot of hot water, and cook them thus. Likewise, cook minced onions and then fry them. Next, fry the leeks with those onions, then mix together in a stew pot. On a fish day and during Lent, use almond milk.
Ingredients

Leeks, Onions, Almonds, Olive Oil, Salt

LM tells us that this is named so because it is made from the white of leeks, and the dish name literally means “white leeks” so that seems sensible. I chose to make the Lenten alternative for its unique character and accessibility. Therefore, we’re directed to mince, boil, and fry our leeks, then do the same with onion. I cannot see any reason these two things cannot happen at once, so that is what we will do. Using the direction from LM 38, “how to cook onions,” I leave them to boil until the water is completely evaporated. Again I suppose that the frying portion is either to add flavor or to eschew the last of the water, so being somewhat fastidious, we keep that direction and use olive oil to meet our Lenten restrictions. We are told to use almond milk on a fish day or in Lent, cow’s milk otherwise, which we add after the leeks and onions have been fried.

Here, two directions further on guided me – firstly, the author notes that this is sometimes thickened with bread. Having no other gauge to use, I added almond milk to the pot gradually until the pottage was a consistency which made me think perhaps I might want to thicken it further, but also was fine not doing so – and then I did not do so. Second, at the end of 51, the author gives us a note that when we prepare porée with almond milk we are not to pass it, even though it is in other recipes. Therefore, we use almond milk with the almond meal remaining, and get a rich, creamy soup with variations in texture from the minced vegetables and the ground almonds with the creamy broth.

References

LM 38, 50, 51

Modern Redaction
1.5 c.Almond Flour
5 c.Water
2 eachLeeks, white only
1 eachOnion, medium yellow
2 T.Olive Oil
1 t.Salt
  • Combine the Almond Flour and boiling water in a heat proof container and allow to steep for 30-60 minutes. We are making Almoind Milk, but it will remain unstrained.
  • Meanwhile, mince the Leeks and Onions
  • Bring 1 c. of water to a boil in a wide pan and add the Leeks and Onions
  • Simmer the Leeks and Onions until all of the water has evaporated, then add the Olive Oil
  • Fry the Leeks and Onions until they sizzle and just begin to take a tiny bit of color at the edge.
  • Add your unstrained Almond Milk and Salt, and stir well.