Subtleties

Subtleties were served between courses or at the end of a grand meal, made from either sugar paste or marzipan formed into the shapes of birds, beasts, chess pieces, castles, flowers etc. Sometimes they were made by the lady hosting the meal rather than a cook.

Add small amounts of food colouring to bought marzipan or make your own by mixing together two parts of icing sugar to one part of ground almonds adding just enough rose water, lemon juice or glucose syrup to mix it to a stiff dough. Colours or natural flavours can be added. Then get creative.

Frumenty

Frumenty was originally served to accompany meat dishes such as venison or mutton, today we would be more likely to eat it as we would porridge for breakfast. If you are going to serve it with meat, substitute the milk with meat stock.

275g kibbled wheat or bulgar 1.1 litres of water 150 ml milk salt to taste 2 egg yolks A few dried saffron strands (if you microwave them for a few seconds, they give off more colour)

Boil the wheat for about 15 minutes until it softens. Leave it to stand for another 15 minutes, most of the water should have been absorbed. Add the milk, salt, egg yolks and saffron and stir over a low heat until the egg thickens it a little. Let it rest off the heat for a few minutes before serving.

Pea Pottage

Pottages or thick soups were eaten particularly by the less well off. Usually whatever vegetables that were available were boiled up with dried peas or beans and the mixture thickened with oats if necessary.

1.1 litres of water 700g fresh shelled peas or 250g of dried peas 2 onions chopped Salt 1 teaspoon sugar 30g butter

Bring the water to the boil and add the onion and peas. Simmer gently until the peas are quite soft (this takes much longer for dried peas than fresh ones). Add the sugar, salt and butter, then either mash, sieve or liquidise the pottage. You might want to adjust the consistency by adding more water.

Fried Fig Pastries

Figs were a popular sweet food, they were served both as a fresh fruit and made into desserts.

450g dried figs (soaked for at least 2 hours, drained, then minced, mashed or whizzed in a food processor; keep the soaking liquid.) A pinch each of ground ginger, ground cloves, black pepper and salt. ¼ teaspoon dried saffron strands (moistened in a little of the soaking water) 1 egg yolk 2 egg whites 6 or 7 sheets filo or strudel pastry Oil or butter for frying Warmed clear honey for serving

Combine the figs, spices, salt and egg yolk, a food processor makes it easier. Beat the 2 egg whites together but not so they go frothy. Lightly brush a sheet of pastry with the egg white, then cut it into 7.5cm strips across the width of the sheet. Place a little of the fig mixture down the middle of the pastry strip, then roll it up like a little swiss roll. Pinch the ends to seal the fig mixture in. Repeat this process until all the fig mixture has been used up. Fry the rolls a few at a time, then serve with warmed honey drizzled over them.