Lete Lardes

SOURCE: Original is from the Forme of Cury, # 69, as transcribed in Curye on Inglysch, p. 113. Modern version by Mathilde Eschenbach.
ORIGINAL: Take persel, and grynde with a litul cowe mylke; medle it with ayren and lard ydyced. Take mylke after ŝat ŝou hast to done and myng ŝerwith, and make ŝerof dyuerse colours. If ŝou wolt haue zelow, do ŝerto safroun and no persel. If ŝou wolt haue it whyte, nouŝer persell ne safroun, but do ŝerto amydoun. If ŝou wilt haue rede, do ŝerto saundres. If ŝou wilt haue pownas, do ŝerto turnesole. If ŝou wilt haue blak, do ŝerto blode ysode and fryed; and set on the fyre in as many vessels as ŝou hast colours ŝerto, and seeŝ it wel, and lay ŝise colours in a cloth, first oon, and sithen anoŝer vppon hym, and sithen the ŝridde and the ferthe, and presse it harde til it be al out clene. And whan it is al colde, lesh it thynne; put it in a panne and fry it wel, and serue it forth.
INGREDIENTS: DIRECTIONS:
  1. Grind parsley in food processer with 2 cups of milk. Strain.
  2. Heat milk, preferably in a double boiler, with 2 T lard, 12 egg whites and 1/2 tsp salt.
  3. When mixture has curdled, pour into mold*.
  4. Blend starch with 2 cups of milk, and repeat steps 2 and 3 to make a second layer in the mold.
  5. Blend sandalwood with 2 cups of milk, and repeat steps 2 and 3 to make a third layer in the mold.
  6. Put the mold in the refrigerator on a rack with a pan under it, and allow it to drain and chill. A weight on top would be helpful.
  7. Remove from mold and slice so that each slice has all three colors.
  8. Fry slices in bacon grease or lard.
  9. Serve.
*I used an extra-large disposable meatloaf pan with holes poked into it for the mold.
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