Medieval Lent wasn't for the faint of heart.

As Catholics around the world embrace Lent, I thought it would be cool to see what Lent was really like in the Middle Ages... and let me tell you, it hasn't changed much. Except for one thing.
Punishment. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday were what later writers called the "Black Fasts." One meal. After sunset. Bread. Water. Herbs. That's all. On other days, no food until 3 p.m., which commemorates the death of Christ. No meat. No eggs. No dairy. No butter. No cheese. Nothing that came from warm-blooded animals. And if you broke it?
Today, you might be a little disappointed in yourself.
In medieval England, you could be fined. Publicly corrected. In some cases, they were referred to the church courts. Butchers were legally obliged to close during Lent in some cities. Meat sales were controlled. Most peasants simply continued to eat their meatless food as usual. But the upper class, accustomed to roast meats and rich sauces, had to get creative.
That's where this week's dish comes in.
I found a 14th-century fish recipe in Forma Curie, a royal A cookbook from the court of Richard II. Boiled fish covered in a spicy green garlic-herb sauce made with parsley, mint, rosemary, breadcrumbs, and vinegar.
Essentially, it's a medieval pesto... I poured boiling fresh water over the fish (in our case, Black Sea anchovy).
But as a window into medieval Lent, it's fascinating.