Pottage was the ultimate Anglo-Saxon food, eaten by both the upper and lower classes, so it is no surprise to find very few recipes for how to make it. It was basically a type of thick soup or stew, made in a large pot over the fire, using ingredients that were on hand,– normally vegetables, grains, herbs and spices, and some amount (or not) of meat or fish.
I assume the people of the Highlands of Scotland would have eaten a similar dish. For many, they enjoyed a simple, rustic diet of brown bread, root vegetables, legumes, eggs, cheese, and a lot of fish. Most highlanders were subsistence farmers who lived off the land. If they didn’t hunt it, fish it, or grow it, they didn’t eat it. Many raised cattle, and typical crops were barley, oats and dairy products such as cheese and butter. Pigs were often kept, as they, unlike cows and sheep, were able to live contentedly in a forest, fending for themselves. Preserved foods, such as bacon and pickled herring, were common, and would have made good additions to any simple pottage. Cereals were eaten as bread, pottage and porridge (usually the grain and a simple broth, only) by all members of society. Fava beans and yellow field peas were commonly used to thicken pottage, in the absence of cereal grains,– mainly oats, barley and rye, that grew well in the cooler climate.
Almost all cooking was done in simple stew pots, since this was the most efficient use of firewood and did not waste precious cooking juices,– making pottages and stews likely the most commonly eaten dishes. I included three pottage dishes in this demo project; two are included in this post and the third in a post to follow (Spring Pudding).
Peas Pottage
I USED APPROPRIATE INGREDIENTS I HAD ON HAND:
- a quart of water or broth (I used beef broth, which would be likely available)
- 1/2# yellow split peas (similar to the yellow field pea that was likely used)
- 1/2 an onion and several carrots & parsnips, cut small
- a meaty ham bone
- fresh parsley, fresh mint, fresh thyme
- salt
- small amount of cinnamon
- splash of vinegar
DIRECTIONS:
Place peas, carrots, parsnips, onion, in pot with the broth. Season with the cinnamon and the fresh herbs. Add the meaty ham bone and cook until the pottage is thick and the vegetables are soft, adding broth if necessary, about 3 hours. Remove the ham bone, chop any available meat and return the meat to the pot. Taste and add salt, if needed (ham is salty) and a splash of vinegar.
A Pottage of Leek & Oats
INGREDIENTS:
- 6-8 leeks, washed and cut small
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 stick butter (or other fat)
- 1 quart stock (I used chicken)
- 1 or 1-1/2 cups Scottish pinhead oats
- salt, pepper, mace
- fresh parsley
- additional broth (or milk), as needed
DIRECTIONS:
Cook the leeks and onions in the butter until soft. Add the stock and season well. Add the oats and cook until the oats thicken, adding more stock, if necessary. Allow to simmer until desired consistency is reached. This is good with the addition of a small amount of fresh cream or almond milk.