By Nathan Brazell
 
 

 A Tart for Ember Day

250 g (9 oz.) whole wheat or whole meal pastry
(Made with 150g (6 oz) whole wheat or whole meal flour, 40 g (1 1/2 oz) each
of butter and lard with a little cold water)
40 g (1 1/2 oz) butter
150g (6 oz) onions, roughly chopped
12 fresh sage leaves, chopped, (or 1 tablespoon dried sage)
2 handfuls fresh parsley, chopped roughly
75 g (3 oz) well flavored cheese, grated
3 eggs
salt, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, ginger
180 mL (6 fl. oz, 3/4 c.) milk
40 g (1 1/2 oz) raisins (optional)

Make the pastry and line an 18-20 cm (7-8") flan case; bake it blind

Melt the butter in a pan and gently cook the onions with the sage and
parsley until they are just soft. Add the cheese, eggs, seasoning and
milk and mix well. Add the raisins if you are using them and pour the
mixture into the flan case. Bake in a moderate oven (350 F / Gas
Mark 4) for approximately
20 minutes or till the tart is risen, firm and lightly browned. Serves 6
warm or cold.

2 bunches of watercress
2 cartons of mustard and cress
1medium leek, very finely sliced
6 spring onions or scallions, chopped small
1 bulb of fennel, slicked in thin matchsticks
1 large handful of fresh parsley, pull off into small sprigs
The leaves from 1 young sprig of fresh rosemary
The leaves from 4-6 prigs of fresh mint, slightly chopped
6 fresh sage leaves, slightly copped
The leaves from 2 small branches of thyme
A few leaves from any other herb you have (take care not to use too
Much of any very strong flavored ones)
Sea salt and ground black pepper
2-3 tablespoons wine vinegar
4-5 tablespoons olive oil

Wash the cresses, herbs and fennel and dry all thoroughly. Mix them,
with the leek and spring onions, in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt and
pepper, and mix again. Mix the oil with the vinegar and pour lightly over the
salad just before serving.

            Serves 6

600 ml (20 fl oz, 2 1/2 cups milk)
50 g (2 oz) ground almonds
40 g (1 1/2 oz) rice four
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
350 g (12 0z) berries or currants, fresh or defrosted
75 g (3 oz) sugar
1-2 tablespoons wine vinegar (don't worry- used by ancient Romans to
emphasize the flavor of the fruit)
crystallized petals to decorate

Put milk in pan with ground almonds, bring to boil, and simmer for 3
minutes. Meanwhile, mix the spices with the rice flour in a pan, then
gradually add the hot almond milk. Mix them together till the mixture
thickens slightly. Add the fruit with the sugar. Cook them all together
till the sugar is melted and the fruit will mixed- it should not
totally disintegrate although it should be partially meshed. Add the
vinegar to taste and spoon the desert into glasses. Chill for a couple
of hours but serve at room temperature decorated with another berry or with a
crystallized rose or violet petal.