Recipe Manuscript

To Bake A Lump In A Coffin

Name: To Bake A Lump In A Coffin
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT45M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 800g firm white fish (cod, haddock, or similar); 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped; 1 tbsp mixed sweet herbs (parsley, savory, marjoram), chopped; 0.5 tsp ground cloves; 0.5 tsp ground mace; 0.5 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp salt; Pinch of black pepper; 50g breadcrumbs; 600g shortcrust pastry (for 'coffin'/pie crust); 50g beef marrow (or unsalted butter if unavailable); 100g oysters, shucked and drained (or 100g white mushrooms as substitute); 4 hard-boiled egg yolks, halved; 1 lemon, thinly sliced (zest only or peeled flesh); A few small balls of fish forcemeat (optional); 75g unsalted butter (to dot on top); 100ml white wine; 100ml oyster liquor (or fish stock as substitute); 50g melted butter (for sauce); 2 egg yolks (for sauce)

1673

From the treasured pages of The whole body of cookery dissected

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Advanced Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1673

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

To Bake A Lump In A Coffin

"You must flea him, and cut all the fish from the bones in pieces about the bigness of your two fingers, season it with minced Time, sweet herbs, Cloves, Mace, Ginger, Salt and a little Pepper, with a handful of grated bread: your Coffin being made, strow in the bottom thereof one handful of the seasoning, and put therein your Collops of Fish: and put on them pieces of Marrow, Oysters, the yolks of hard Eggs cut in halves, with sliced Lemmon; lay on the top of that more seasoning, lay over the rest of your fish, and supply them with the Ingredients (in order before mentioned, with a few small balls of forced Fish upon the top of them, put on butterr enough to bake it, and close up your Pie, and put it into the Oven, and when it is baked, put in a Lear of Whitewine, Oyster liquor, drawn butterr, and the yolk or two of an Egg: cut up your Pie, or put it in at the funnel, and shake it about, so serve it up."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is composed in a narrative style, guiding the reader step by step without precise quantities or times—expecting kitchen know-how and adaptability. Spelling and phrasing reflect 17th-century conventions: 'flea' for skin or fillet, 'Coffin' for pie crust, 'collops' for slices, and 'lear' for sauce. Lists of ingredients are embedded within actions, and flavor comes first: every addition is about constructing layers of taste and surprise. Such recipes relied on an experienced cook's intuition, making the written recipe more a prompt or framework than a strict formula.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

The whole body of cookery dissected - Click to view recipe in book

Title

The whole body of cookery dissected (1673)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1673

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A sumptuous exploration of 17th-century English cookery, 'The whole body of cookery dissected' serves up an array of recipes and kitchen wisdom, offering a flavorful journey through the dining tables of Restoration England.

Kindly made available by

Texas Woman's University

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from 'The Whole Body of Cookery Dissected', published in 1673—a period when English cuisine was rich with spices, elaborate pastries, and surprises hidden in pies. The 'coffin' in the recipe refers not to a casket, but to a pastry case—often a sturdy, re-usable shell in the 17th century, but here likely meant to be eaten. Dishes like this were served at grand feasts, showcasing a mix of sea and land: fish, oysters, eggs, and even beef marrow, all encased in an ornate pie crust. It exemplifies the Baroque fascination with layered flavors and lavish presentation, and the technique of adding a rich 'lear'—or sauce—once the pie is baked for extra succulence.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Cooks of the time would use a sharp knife to 'flea' (skin and fillet) the fish and cut it into neat 'collops' (slices). Ingredients were mixed in earthenware bowls. The pie 'coffin' would be shaped by hand from robust pastry and filled in deep ceramic or metal pie dishes. Portable brick ovens, open hearth fires, or large wood-fired ranges were used for baking. A small funnel or cut vent in the pastry allowed for adding a hot sauce at the end, with everything handled using wooden spoons and flat-bladed knives. Serving would be dramatic: the pie brought to table whole, opened with a flourish to reveal the aromatic steam.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

45 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

1.75 lbs firm white fish (cod, haddock, or similar)
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp mixed sweet herbs (parsley, savory, marjoram), chopped
0.5 tsp ground cloves
0.5 tsp ground mace
0.5 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
Pinch of black pepper
1.75 oz breadcrumbs
1 lb 5 oz shortcrust pastry (for 'coffin'/pie crust)
1.75 oz beef marrow (or unsalted butter if unavailable)
3.5 oz oysters, shucked and drained (or 3.5 oz white mushrooms as substitute)
4 hard-boiled egg yolks, halved
1 lemon, thinly sliced (zest only or peeled flesh)
A few small balls of fish forcemeat (optional)
2.75 oz unsalted butter (to dot on top)
3.5 fl oz white wine
3.5 fl oz oyster liquor (or fish stock as substitute)
1.75 oz melted butter (for sauce)
2 egg yolks (for sauce)

Instructions

To recreate 'To bake a Lump in a Coffin' for the modern kitchen, begin by preparing around 1.75 lbs of firm white fish, such as cod or haddock.
Remove the skin and bones, and cut the fish into strips about the size of your fingers.
Combine a tablespoon each of chopped fresh thyme and mixed sweet herbs (such as parsley, savory, marjoram), half a teaspoon each of ground cloves, mace, and ginger, plus one teaspoon salt, a pinch of black pepper, and about 1.75 oz of fresh breadcrumbs for the seasoning mix.
For your 'coffin', roll out 1 lb 5 oz of shortcrust pastry and line a deep pie dish.
Sprinkle a layer of the seasoning mix at the bottom, then layer on half the fish.
Dot with 1.75 oz beef marrow (or substitute with unsalted butter), 3.5 oz drained oysters, four hard-boiled egg yolks halved, and the thin-sliced zest of half a lemon.
Cover with more seasoning and the remaining fish and ingredients.
Scatter on a few small balls of fish forcemeat if desired.
Top with 2.75 oz cubed butter, seal with the remaining pastry, and cut a small steam vent.
Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.
When baked, carefully pour in a sauce made by heating 3.5 fl oz white wine, 3.5 fl oz reserved oyster liquor, 1.75 oz melted butter, and two beaten egg yolks.
Pour this through the vent or serve alongside.

Estimated Calories

550 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 30 minutes to prepare the filling and pastry, then 45 minutes to bake. Each slice of this rich pie is hearty, making one serving satisfying. The calories per serving are estimated from all ingredients divided among six 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.