2 bunches watercress	 
1 carton mustard and cress	 
2 oz (50g) fresh parsley in sprigs	
1 small leek, finely sliced 	 
6 spring onions, chopped 	 
1 oz (25g) sorrel leaves, coarsely chopped 	
1 oz (25g) dandelion leaves, finely chopped 
1 small bulb fennel, sliced into matchsticks 
1 oz (25g) daisy leaves, finely chopped 
few red sage leaves 
few mint leaves
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons (30ml) wine vinegar
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
6 tablespoons (90ml) olive oil
violets, primroses, daisies, blue borage flowers,
dandelions and alexander buds to decorate.

Spiced Mussel and Leek Broth 

3 lb (1. 5 kg) fresh mussels                           
2 tablespoons (30ml) dry white wine             
1 small onion, very finely chopped                 
8 oz (225g) leeks, very finely sliced  	
2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil                    	
1 1/2 oz (40g) ground almonds      	
2 teaspoons (1 0 ml) ground ginger 	
good pinch of saffron                                  	
3/4 pt (450 ml) fish stock                             	
salt and freshly milled black pepper         	
1 tablespoon (15ml) white wine vinegar       	
4 tablespoons (60ml) double cream         	

4 oven-ready pigeons
12 large garlic cloves
4 teaspoons (20ml) chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons (30 ml) choppedfresh parsley salt andfreshly milled black pepper dripping or lardforfrying ff'pt (300 ml) chicken stock juice of  lemon large Pinch of ground ginger pinch of saffron strands ff' teaspoon ground cinnamon fresh herbs to garnish

31-4 lb (1.75-2 kg) chicken	
2 oz (50g) ground almonds	 
1 oz (25g) cornflour	 
1/4 pt (75 ml) water	 
1/2 pt  (150 ml) dry white wine 	
pinch of salt 	
red food colouring 	
little powdered saffron 	
little powdered cinnamon 	 
little white pepper 	
little powdered mace 	 
2oz (50g) whole almonds, blanched and fried gently in butter 
few whole cloves

6 fillets of sole	
1 oz (25g) butter and oil for frying	
			
FOR THE SAUCE 	
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil	
3 oz (75 ml) onions, chopped	
1 oz (25g) large raisins, stoned	
1 oz (25g) currants	 
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger	
1/2 teaspoon ground mace	
good pinch of ground cloves	
1/2 teaspoon salt	
1 oz (25g) sugar	
4fl oz (1 20 ml) dry red wine	
3fl oz (90 ml) red wine vinegar	
3 oz (75g) fresh breadcrumbs
water 

Rich Custard Pie with Dates and Prunes 

FOR THE PASTRY	
	8 oz (225g) plain flour	
	5 oz (1 50g) unsalted butter	
   	1/2 (12g) icing sugar	
	1 eggyolk	
	about 3 tablespoons (45 ml) cold water	
		
FOR THE FILLING	
	1 level teaspoon (5 ml) cornflour	
	about 1 oz (25g) caster sugar	
	3 large egg yolks	
	1 pt (600 ml) double cream	
	a good pinch of saffron	
	2 oz (50g) stoned dates, chopped	
	2 oz (50g) no-soak prunes, chopped	
		
First make the pastry. Rub the butter into the flour and sieve in 
the sugar. Stir together,  then beat the egg yolk with most of 
the cold water. Add to the mixture and work quickly to a firm 
dough with a fork, adding the re- maining water if necessary. Do 
not overwork the pastry, but knead lightly until smooth. Roll out 
on a lightly floured board and line a greased deep 8-in (20-cm) 
flan ring or cake tin with a loose bottom. Pinch the top edge to 
decorate, prick the base and leave to rest in a cool place for 
about 30  minutes. Line the pastry case with foil or greaseproof 
 paper and baking beans, place on a pre-heated baking sheet and 
bake in a fairly hot oven removing the foil or paper and beans 
for the last 5 minutes. Meanwhile, make the filling. Mix together 
the cornflour and the sugar in a bowl; add the egg yolks one at a 
time, beating until all the sugar has dissolved. Heat the cream 
with the saffron slowly until just on the point of boiling, 
stirring to get the best possible color from the saffron. Allow 
to cool for about 5 minutes, then strain on to the egg mixture 
and whisk. Taste the custard and add more sugar if you like. 
Sprinkle the chopped dried fruit on to the pastry base and pour 
over the custard. Return to a moderate oven (180'C, 350'F, gas 
mark 4) for about 30 minutes or until just firm, but a little 
wobbly in the center. Remove from the oven and cool. Serve 
slightly warm, or cold. Serves 6-8. 

Apple Fritters in Ale Batter 

4 medium cooking or crisp, tart, eating apples 
1 tablespoon (1 5 ml) lemon juice 
caster sugar

FOR THE BATTER 

4 oz (1 25g) plain flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
2 tablespoons (30 ml) sunflower oil 
1/4 pt (1 50 ml) pale ale, or still dry cider 
2 egg whites
oil for deep-frying
caster sugar and ground cinnamon for sprinkling

Make the fritter batter first so that it has time to rest for at 
least 30 minutes before using.  Sieve the flour and cinnamon 
together into a bowl.  Make a well in the center, pour the oil 
into this, followed by the pale ale or cider.  Gradually beat the 
liquids into the dry ingredients, to make a smooth creamy batter. 
 
Set aside for 30 minutes. 

When ready to cook, heat the oil for deep-frying to 190'C 
(375'F).  Peel, core and slice the apples into ¼ in (7-mm) thick 
rings and sprinkle with lemon juice and caster sugar.  Whisk the 
egg whites until stiff and fold them into the batter to make it 
extra light.  Make the fritters in small batches, 3 or 4 at a 
time.  Pat the apple slices with kitchen paper to mop up any 
excess lemon juice, dip them into the batter using a skewer or 
kitchen tongs, then shake off any excess batter.  Lower carefully 
into the hot fat and fry for about 4 minutes or until golden 
brown and crisp.  Drain well on kitchen paper and keep hot in a 
single, uncovered layer in the oven until all are cooked.  Serve 
piping hot, dusted with caster sugar and cinnamon.  Serves 6.

 

Pears in Wine Syrup 

6 large firm pears
about 3/4 pt (450 ml) dry red wine 
4 oz (1 25g) caster sugar 
1/2teaspoon ground cinnamon 
pinch of ground ginger 
red food coloring (optional) 
small bay leaves to decorate


Put the wine, sugar and spices in an enamel lined or 
stainless steel saucepan just large enough to hold pears 
standing upright.  Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, 
then bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel the pears as thickly as possible, leaving the
stalks on.  Core them from the base if you wish.  Put the pears 
into the hot syrup, cover and simmer very gently for 15-20 
minutes, or until just tender, basting the pears to a serving 
dish.  Taste the syrup and stir in a little more sugar to taste, 
then boil rapidly without covering until reduced by half and of a 
coating consistency.  Cool a little, then spoon over the pears to 
give them an attractive reddish gleam.  If the color of the syrup 
does not seem bright enough, intensify it with 2 or 3 drops of 
red food coloring.  Continue to baste the pears with the syrup 
until cold, then chill until ready to serve.  Decorate with bay
leaves stuck into the stalk ends of the pears.  Serves 6.

 

Red and White Gingerbread 

 Red and White Gingerbread

1 lb. (450g) clear honey
tiny pinch of powdered saffron 
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground black pepper 
2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground ginger 
2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground cinnamon 
about 1 lb. (450g) fresh white bread crumbs 
box leaves, or small bay leaves, and whole cloves to decorate


Warm the honey over a gentle heat until quite runny, then stir in 
the saffron and pepper.  Pour into a large bowl and add the 
ginger and cinnamon, then mix in the bread crumbs.  It is 
impossible to say exactly how many bread crumbs the honey will 
absorb because it varies, but the mixture should be very stiff.  
If not, add a few more bread crumbs.  Line a shallow gingerbread 
tin with baking parchment and press the mixture into it with your 
fingers.  Level the top and leave to firm up in the fridge for 
several hours, then turn out on to another sheet of paper and cut 
into small squares.  Arrange the gingerbread on a large plate, 
then decorate each square with two box or small bay leaves and a 
whole clove stuck in the center.  You can achieve an even 
prettier effect by gilding a few of the leaves or painting the 
ends of some of the cloves red.

If you want to achieve a checkerboard effect, make the mixture up 
in two lots, adding a few drops of red coloring to one quantity 
of honey before mixing, then continue as before.  Arrange the red 
and white squares of gingerbread alternately on the serving 
plate.  Makes 12 servings.

Spiced Red Wine 

3pt (1.5 litre) bottle dry red wine
8 oz (225g) granulated sugar
1 oz (25g) ground ginger
1/4 oz (6g) ground cinnamon
1/4 oz (6g) ground cloves


Heat the wine gently with the sugar until it has dissolved, 
stirring frequently.  Mix in the spices, then allow to stand for 
24 hours, stirring occasionally, then strain through a jelly bag 
or a double layer of muslin into a jug or bowl.
Pour back into the wine bottle and re-cork until needed.  Makes 
10-12 glasses.

Take nine pints of warm fountain water, and dissolve in it one pint of pure White-honey, by laving it therein, till it be dissolved. Then boil it gently, skimming it all the while, till all the scum be perfectly scummed off; and after that boil it a little longer, peradventure a quarter of an hour. In all it will require two or three hours boiling, so that at last one third part may be consumed. About a quarter of an hour before you cease boiling, and take it from the fire, put to it a little spoonful of cleansed and sliced Ginger; and almost half as much of the thin yellow rind of Orange, when you are even ready to take it from the fire, so as the Orange boil only one walm in it. Then pour it into a well-glased strong deep great Gally-pot, and let it stand so, till it be almost cold, that it be scarce Luke-warm. Then put to it a little silver-spoonful of pure Ale-yest, and work it together with a Ladle to make it ferment: as soon as it beginneth to do so, cover it close with a fit cover, and put a thick dubbled woollen cloth about it. Cast all things so that this may be done when you are going to bed. Next morning when you rise, you will find the barm gathered all together in the middle; scum it clean off with a silver-spoon and a feather, and bottle up the Liquor, stopping it very close. It will be ready to drink in two or three days; but it will keep well a month or two. It will be from the first very quick and pleasant.

11 pints water
1 T peeled, sliced fresh ginger (~1/4 oz)
1/2 t yeast
1 pint honey = 1 1/2 lb
1/2 T orange peel

Dissolve the honey in the water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Let it boil down to 2/3 the original volume (8 pints), skimming periodically. This will take about 2 1/2 to 3 hours; by the end it should be clear. About 15 minutes before it is done, add the ginger. At the end, add the orange peel, let it boil a minute or so, and remove from the heat. The orange peel should be the yellow part only, not the white; a potato peeler works well to get off the peel. Let the mead cool to lukewarm, then add the yeast. The original recipe appears to use a top fermenting ale yeast, but dried bread yeast works. Cover and let sit 24-36 hours. Bottle it, using sturdy bottles; the fermentation builds up considerable pressure. Refrigerate after three or four days. Beware of exploding bottles. The mead will be drinkable in a week, but better if you leave it longer.

This recipe is modified from the original by reducing the proportion of honey and lengthening the time of fermentation before bottling. Both changes are intended to reduce the incidence of broken bottles. Using 2 liter plastic soda bottles is unaesthetic, but they are safer than glass.