RE: Medieval Recipes - Almond Milk

[Guest guest]

Almond Milk

 

“Almond milk was essential in the medieval kitchen, because it could replace

cow’s or sheep’s milk during Lent and on fish days, when all animal products

were forbidden.

 

“Do not be intimidated buy the thought of blanching a batch of almonds; it

is child’s play … Your efforts will be rewarded a thousandfold when you

taste this elegant, digestible liquid. You need not confine it to medieval

cooking either; try it in your coffee or in creamy deserts … if you haven’t

got the energy to blanch and grind your own almonds, you can try using

ground almonds from the baking section of your supermarket. The result will

be nowhere nearly as good, but it won’t be bad either.

 

“Any time you use almonds, once they are blanched you should soak them

overnight in clean water, or at least for a few hours. They will swell very

slightly and will regain much of their fresh-picked fragrance.

 

“If you require a thicker almond milk, you can increase the proportion of

almonds to water.”

 

Generous 3/4 cup almonds, shelled but not blanched (120g) or 6 oz ground

almonds (150 g)

4 cups warm water (1 litre)

 

To blanch the almonds, place them in boiling water, return to the boil, and

immediately drain in a strainer. Run cold water through the almonds until

cool, One by one, pinch each almond between thumb and forefinger; the nut

will easily slide out of its brown skin. And that’s it; you are blanching

almonds! It will only take you 10 minutes or so to blanch the whole batch –

less, if you use both hands.

 

If time permits, soak the blanched almonds in cool water overnight or for a

few hours.

 

Put the half the almonds (or half the commercially ground almonds) and 2

cups of warm water into a blender and blend for quite some time, until a

smooth, white liquid forms. Reserve, and repeat with the remaining almonds

and water. Line a strainer with a double layer of strong cheesecloth,

washed and squeezed dry. Strain the almond milk, pressing lightly to

extract as much liquid as possible, The result will be a magnificently rich

milk ready to use in any way you can imagine. The remaining ground almonds

can be used in baking or in a soup such as cream of chicken.

 

Note: when almond milk is heated and brought to the boil, it can separate

slightly; generally this will not affect the result, as it is used in

combination with other ingredients.

 

" The Medieval Kitchen: Recipes from France and Italy " by Odile Redon,

Françoise Sabban, and Silvano Serventi