Blank Maunger

Origin: English      Period: Medieval

This dish represents the Medieval origins of the English dessert, blancmange. The name itself derives from the words blanc (or blanunk) [white] and mange [literally to eat or food] and stands for 'white food'. Before the common advent of sugar it was served with meat incorporated into the recipe as a form of gruel. During Elizabethan times, the meat was replaced with sugar and the dessert form of the recipe was born.

Original Recipe

Blank Maunger (from A Forme of Cury)

Take Capons and ſeeþ hem, þenne take hem up. take Almand⁹ blanched. grynd hē and alay hē up with the ſame broth. caſt the mylk in a pot. waiſhe rys and do þ⁹to and lat it ſeeþ. þanne take brawn of Capons teere it ſmall and do þ⁹to. take white grece ſug^r and ſalt and caſt þ⁹inne. lat it ſeeþ. þenne meſſe it forth and floriſsh it wth aneys in confyt rede oþ⁹ whyy. and Almand⁹ fryed in oyle. and sū it forth.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

Breast of a large chicken (preferably on the bone) [about 1kg]
250g white rice
2 tbsp lard or butter
2 tbsp white sugar
60g almond slivers
salt to taste

Method:

Preparation

Place the chicken in a large stock pot and cover with water. Add a little salt (and a twist of black pepper if you want) then bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 40 minutes, until the chicken is done. About half way through skim the top of the cooking water.

Whilst the chicken is cooking, toast the almond slivers in a dry pan and set aside. As soon as the chicken is done remove it from the heat, take the chicken from the stock and set aside to cool.As soon as it is cool enough to handle shred the meat along the grain into something like 5cm long strips. When done place in a bowl and add a little of the chicken broth to prevent them from drying out.

Use the remaining chicken broth to make almond milk. For this recipe you will need about 950ml of almond milk also make sure to strain the almond milk once you have made it (this recipe needs to be smooth and creamy). Place the almond milk in a saucepan, add the rice and bring to the boil. Continue boiling until the mixture thickens noticeably then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes (until the rice is a little over-done). Remember to stir continuously as the almond milk has a tendency to stick and burn. I the pottage is too thin then continue cooking until it thickens, if too thick add a little more broth (or water if you've used-up all the broth).

When the rice is done, add the chicken and the lard or butter (you need this to prevent the dish from congealing as it cools). Season with salt and cook for about five minutes more. Transfer to a dish, sprinkle with toasted almonds and serve.

Read: Recipe Articles and Reviews

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