Wheat Porridge with Bacon and Broad Beans
A thick porridge of cracked wheat, long-simmered with bacon, broad beans, and garden herbs. Comforting and economical, it is eaten with a wooden spoon or spread on bread. The nourishing foundation of all Francia, from peasants to the palace.
A thick porridge of cracked wheat, long-simmered with bacon, broad beans, and garden herbs. Comforting and economical, it is eaten with a wooden spoon or spread on bread. The nourishing foundation of all Francia, from peasants to the palace.
Listen to me, you who come to my table. Before the holy oil flowed on my brow, I already ate this porridge, as any self-respecting Frankish man does. You boil the crushed wheat until it becomes tender as flesh, you throw in the smoked bacon and last year's beans, and you stir tirelessly over the fire. Add a handful of lovage from your garden, and you will have enough to stand until evening, even on the day of a ride to Soissons. It is the liquid bread of the Franks, and no king blushes for it.
- •Cracked wheat (groats) — two full bowls (nourishing base)
- •Smoked bacon — a good piece (fat and salt)
- •Dried broad beans — a generous handful (protein, texture)
- •Lovage and savory — to hand (herb flavor)
- •Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Wheat Porridge with Bacon and Broad Beans
A thick porridge of cracked wheat, long-simmered with bacon, broad beans, and garden herbs. Comforting and economical, it is eaten with a wooden spoon or spread on bread. The nourishing foundation of all Francia, from peasants to the palace.
Why this dish? Before becoming king, Pepin grew up as a great Frankish lord whose household ate this nourishing porridge daily, inherited from the Roman *puls*. It is the everyday dish that filled the bellies of palaces like Verberie before hunting and campaign days.
Listen to me, you who come to my table. Before the holy oil flowed on my brow, I already ate this porridge, as any self-respecting Frankish man does. You boil the crushed wheat until it becomes tender as flesh, you throw in the smoked bacon and last year's beans, and you stir tirelessly over the fire. Add a handful of lovage from your garden, and you will have enough to stand until evening, even on the day of a ride to Soissons. It is the liquid bread of the Franks, and no king blushes for it.
Ingredients (period version)
- Cracked wheat (groats) — two full bowls (nourishing base)
- Smoked bacon — a good piece (fat and salt)
- Dried broad beans — a generous handful (protein, texture)
- Lovage and savory — to hand (herb flavor)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Cracked wheat (or spelt) — 200 g (nourishing base)
- Smoked bacon lardons — 150 g (fat and salt)
- Dried broad beans (soaked overnight) or frozen broad beans — 150 g (protein, texture)
- Fresh lovage (or celery leaves + a little parsley) — 2 tbsp chopped (herb flavor)
- Savory — 1 tsp (herb flavor)
- Water or broth — 1 liter (cooking liquid)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Fry the bacon lardons in a pot until they render their fat.
- Add the cracked wheat and stir for one minute to coat.
- Pour in the water or broth, add the beans (pre-soaked if dried), and bring to a simmer.
- Cook over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring often, until a thick porridge forms.
- At the end, stir in the lovage and savory, season with salt, and serve hot with wheat bread.
How it was made : The *puls*, a cereal porridge, was the staple dish of Roman antiquity inherited by the Franks. It was prepared in a cauldron over the hearth, with whatever the season offered: bacon, beans, peas, herbs. Cereals (wheat, spelt, barley) provided the bulk of calories, even among the powerful.
The contemporary twist : A drizzle of hazelnut oil and a few crispy bacon bits on top transform this humble porridge into a chic Carolingian risotto.
Pepin the Short · Charactorium