Cooking the Books

Nora Thornton, who works in our photographic archives, and Joanne Carroll,  who works in manuscripts, are keen cooks who've enjoyed trying out a range of recipes from the NLI's archive. Earlier this year,  the duo put together a public talk, 'Cooking The Books', which they have presented twice, introducing some of the Library’s gastronomic collection. 

From 16th century manuscripts to 21st century websites, you can discover Ireland’s food heritage and culinary traditions by exploring our online catalogue.

Over the years, and particularly as a fun form of escapism during the pandemic, Thornton has shared some of these recipes on our social media, which you too can try at home.

If you decide to try any of these recipes, please share them on social media and tag the National Library of Ireland. Happy cooking! 

1) Lemon Cake recipe, c. 1830 (MS 42,267)

Recipe transcription:

Receipt to make a lemon cake
Take the yolks of sixteen eggs and beat them up with your whisk very light and take the whites of eight eggs and whisk them very light and put a pound of lump sugar ground fine ten ounces of flour and one naggin of whiskey and half a naggin of syrup of candied lemons and 2 hours bake it in a 2 pound cake.

Nora's comments:

I quartered the recipe so:
4 egg yolks
2 egg whites
115g caster sugar
75g plain flour
35ml whiskey
20ml lemon syrup

I followed the “directions” exactly and I lined an 8-inch tin with greaseproof paper and baked at 160 fan oven. In 45 mins it was done. I decorated with some of the candied lemons used in making the syrup.

2) Beefsteak Pie recipe, c. 1811-1831 (MS 42,105)

Recipe transcription: 

Cut some beefstakes thin, butter a pan (or as Lord Buckingham’s cook, from whom these rec’ts are taken, calls it, a soutiers pan.

Sprinkle the pan with pepper and salt, shalots, thyme and parsley put the beefstakes in and the pan on the fire for a few minutes, then put them to cool, when quite cold, put them in the pie, scrape all the herbs in cover the pie, and ornament as you please, it will take an hour and half.

When done take the top off and put in some 'coulis',

Nora's comments:

Puff Paste from The 1800's Housewife 'Mrs. Randolph’s Rule for Puff Paste'

Sift a quart of flour, leave out a little for rolling the paste, make up the remainder with cold water into a stiff paste, knead it well, and roll it out several times; wash the salt from a pound of butter, divide it into four parts, put one of them on the paste in little bits, fold it up, and continue to roll it till the butter is well mixed; then put another portion of butter, roll it in the same manner; do this till all the butter is mingled with the paste; touch it very lightly with the hands in making–bake it in a moderate oven, that will permit it to rise, but will not make it brown. Good paste must look white, and as light as a feather.

In order to make sure the meat was cooked and the pastry did not become to brown I cooked the beef for longer and the pie itself for only [40 mins] as suggested by Mrs Randolph.

Coulis from History of Sauces
Coulis (koo-LEE) –

1. (A French culinary term. It is a type of a sauce, usually a thick one, which derives it body (either entirely or in part), from pureed fruits or vegetables. A sauce of cooked down tomatoes can be a tomato coulis as can a puree of strained blackberries.
2. Today coulis also means a thick soup made with crayfish, lobster, prawns, and other crustaceans – the word being used where bisque has formerly been used.

History: In old English cookbooks, the world “cullis” is found but this has fallen into disuse and “coulis” has taken its place. At one time, coulis were sauces and also the juices which flowed from roasting meat. Some cooks called liquids purees coulis, but only those prepared with chicken, game, fish, crustaceans, and some vegetables.

3) Apple Fritters recipe, c. 1811-1831 (MS 42,105)

Recipe transcription:

Peel the apples and cut them in thick slices put them to soak in white wine and sugar for two hours, then make a batter with four eggs flour, cream and the wine and sugar-

First pouring off all the wine and sugar from the apples, when all beat up put the apples in the batter; put some clean? clear lard into a stewpan and when hot put the apples in one piece at a time,

When of a nice brown take them up, and put them on the back of a sieve to drain the fat from them, then lay them on a sheet of white paper and sift some sugar over them, hold over them a salamander to melt the sugar.

Dish them on a napkin.

Nora's comments:

I peeled, sliced and soaked the apples as directed. I used 1 egg, and enough flour, milk (instead of cream) and some of the wine and sugar mixture to make a batter. I then dipped each slice into the batter (this bit was quite messy) and fried in butter, not lard.

Once they were golden brown I drained them on a tea towel, sprinkled more sugar on top and put them under the grill for a few moments. Google tells me that a salamander is an old-fashioned grill-like implement.

They tasted quite good. The texture of the raw apple inside the warm batter coating is unusual but nice. 

4) Lemonade recipe, 1782 (MS 42,008) 

Recipe transcription:

Lemonade

Two lemons and half a pound of sugar to every quart

strain it into yr glasses, or cups, for use - - - - -

leave none of the white, only just the yellow rind

put the yellow rind’s into the water, squeeze in theed,

strain it into yr glases, or cups, for use - - - -

2 unwaxed lemons

1.1 litres of tap water (2 pints or 1.13 litres = 1 quart)

225g/8oz sugar

Nora's comments: 

Directions as above. I found it easier to use a vegetable peeler to remove the skins from the lemons. Even then it was hard to avoid some of the white pith.

This recipe seems far too sweet for modern tastes. I would perhaps halve the amount of sugar and double the amount of lemon juice. I would also serve chilled with ice, but ice would have been harder to come by in those days!

5) Preserved Ginger, c. 1811 (MS 42,105)

Recipe transcription:

To preserve Ginger

Take the large white ginger

Peeling of the outside skin with a sharp knife then steep them in water for a week changing it often.

Put your ginger to boil in sugar and water till quite tender

having a syrup ready in which you give it a fine boil when cold

put it in crocks and covere

Nora's comments:

I put it in crocks and covered soaked it in water for 7 days. I changed the water every day or two. Then I boiled the ginger in water and sugar until soft. This took around 30 minutes. While that was boiling I made a syrup with 400ml of water and 300g of sugar. I stirred it until the sugar dissolved then boiled until syrupy. When the ginger was soft I put it into the syrup and boiled for a further 10 minutes. Once the mixture was cold I poured it into a sterilised glass jar.

If anyone has any recipes that use preserved ginger, please share and tag us on social media!