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Porée de cresson (Stewed Cress)
Porée de cresson (Stewed Cress) is a traditional Medieval recipe (originating in France) for a classic dish of watercress and chard boiled in stock before being drained and fried with grated cheese. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Medieval version of: Stewed Cress (Porée de cresson).
prep time
20 minutes
cook time
25 minutes
Total Time:
45 minutes
Serves:
6
Rating: 
Tags : Cheese RecipesBritish RecipesEnglish Recipes
Original Recipe
Porée de cresson
(from Le Viandier de Taillevent)
PORéE DE CRESSON. Prenez vostre cresson, et le faictes boullir, et une pongnée de bettes, et mettés avec, puis la miciez et friolés en huille, et puis la mettez boullir en lait, si vous la voulez telle.
Ou, en charnage, en l'eaue de la chair, ou au beurre, ou au frommage, ou toute crue sans riens y mettre, se vous la voulez ainsi; et est bonne contre la gravelle.
Translation
Poree de cresson: To Make Stewed Cress. Take your garden cress and boil it (var: parboil it), along with a handful of chard, then chop it up fine, sauté it in oil and then put it to boil if you so wish. On non-fasting days (it may be cooked) either in meat broth, or in butter, or with cheese added, or just plain without putting anything in it, should you like it that way. It should be salted to taste, and the garden cress should be well culled. It is good against gallstones.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1 large bunch of fresh
watercress, washed
1 small handful of chard leaves, cleaned
lightly salted water or
gode broth (made without breadcrumbs)
olive oil or butter
100g grated cheese (Parmesan, Pecorino Romano etc)
salt to taste
Method:
There are two versions of this stew:
Fast-day Version:
Bring water to a boil, add the cress and chard and cook until just tender. Remove from the heat and allow to drain thoroughly. When completely dry, chop the cress and chard into small pieces. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan and add the cress and chard. Fry in the hot oil until the leaves are only just browned. Remove from the heat, drain well season to taste and serve.
Meat-day Version
Bring Gode Broth to a boil (use enough broth to just cover the vegetables) and add the cress and chard. Cook until just tender then remove from the heat and allow to drain thoroughly. When completely dry chop the cress and chard into small pieces. Add about 2 tbsp of butter to a large frying pan, melt, then add the cress and chard. Fry in the hot butter until the leaves are only just browned. Add the grated cheese, toss with the leaves the add a little salt and serve.
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