Recipe Manuscript

To Make Pottage To Looke Like Lyke Greene

Name: To Make Pottage To Looke Like Lyke Greene
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT1H15M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (approx. 1.5 kg); 2 liters fresh water; 20 g violet leaves (or substitute with additional spinach); 250 g fresh spinach leaves; 100 g white bread (crusts removed); 3-4 g salt, plus extra for serving; 1/4 tsp ground cloves; 1/4 tsp ground mace; 1-2 tsp white sugar

1650

From the treasured pages of Certain profitable and well experienced collections for making conserve of fruits

Written by Nicholas Webster

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Beginner Dinner Lunch

To Make Pottage To Looke Like Lyke Greene

Original Recipe • 1650

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

To Make Pottage To Looke Like Lyke Greene

"Take a chicken and boyle it in spring water, then take a handfull of violet leaves a good pint full of spinage leaves, and boyle them in the same broth, then take a good peece of the same, pick out the stones, and sett them on the fire, and then when it is well soden straine it with the broth of the chicken, and when you have strayned it put it into the pott againe with a little salte, then season it with cloves, mace, and a little sugar, and soe serve it foorth with a little salte because it cooles, and for to forme it."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe, like most contemporary instructions, is written in the imperative and assumes familiarity with basic techniques—quantities are vague, and ingredients are added in order of use rather than as a precise list. Early Modern English spelling varies ('boyle' for 'boil,' 'pott' for 'pot'), and verbs like 'straine' indicate the expected step of passing solids through a sieve. The reference to 'cooles' highlights the period belief in the humoral effects of food.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Certain profitable and well experienced collections for making conserve of fruits - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Certain profitable and well experienced collections for making conserve of fruits (1650)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Nicholas Webster

Era

1650

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step back to the bustling kitchens of mid-17th century England with this flavorful collection by Nicholas Webster. Savory secrets, age-old recipes, and period culinary wisdom await in this masterfully penned volume—a true feast for culinary history enthusiasts.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from mid-17th-century England, a time when cookery books often recorded the medicinal qualities as much as the flavors of their dishes. Pottages like this were everyday fare—nourishing, restorative, and adaptable to what was available seasonally. Green color and the use of fresh herbs or leafy vegetables indicated health, and ingredients like violet leaves were believed to have cooling properties, perfect for balancing the body in humoral theory. The recipe is drawn from a manuscript associated with Nicholas Webster, around 1650, reflecting how skilled households transformed simple ingredients into surprisingly elegant fare.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Historically, this pottage would be prepared over an open hearth using a large earthenware or metal pot for boiling. A wooden spoon for stirring, a ladle for skimming, and a mortar and pestle for pounding or puréeing bread were all standard. A coarse strainer (or sieve) would help incorporate the bread into the broth, ensuring a smooth, thickened soup.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 15 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (approx. 3.3 lbs)
2 quarts fresh water
0.7 oz violet leaves (or substitute with additional spinach)
9 oz fresh spinach leaves
3.5 oz white bread (crusts removed)
1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt, plus extra for serving
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground mace
1-2 tsp white sugar

Instructions

To recreate this vibrant 17th-century green pottage, begin by simmering a whole chicken (about 3.3 lbs) in 2 quarts of fresh water until the meat is tender, skimming off any impurities as needed.
Remove the chicken, reserving the broth.
Chop a generous handful (about 0.7 oz) of violet leaves or, if unavailable, use extra tender spinach, and add these with 9 oz of spinach leaves to the chicken broth.
Simmer until the greens are well wilted.
Take a piece of bread (about 3.5 oz, crusts removed) and soak it in a little of the hot broth, then purée it thoroughly.
Return the puréed greens and bread to the broth, season with a pinch of salt (1/2 to 3/4 tsp), 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon of ground mace, and 1-2 teaspoons of sugar.
Gently reheat, stirring until thickened, and serve hot with an extra sprinkle of salt just before serving to enhance its cooling, restorative qualities.

Estimated Calories

280 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 15 minutes to prepare the ingredients and about 1 hour and 15 minutes to cook the chicken and pottage. Each serving has around 280 calories. This recipe makes 6 servings.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.