Medieval Lenten Tart

Ingredients Edit

• dough — for 9 inch pie crust
• 1½ lbs salmon, cod, haddock or mixture
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 pears — peeled, cored and thinly-sliced
• 2 apples — peeled, cored and thinly-sliced
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 5 cubebs^[1] , thinly crushed
• ⅛ tsp cloves, ground
• ⅛ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• ½ cup raisins
• 10 prunes — pitted and minced
• 6 dates — minced
• 6 dried figs — minced
• 3 tbsp red currant jelly or damson

Directions Edit

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and bake the pie crust for 10 minutes.
2. Let cool.
3. Cut the fish into 1½" chunks,salt lightly and sprinkle with 2 tbsp lemon juice.
4. Set aside.
5. Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet and toss the pear and apple slices in it until they are lightly coated.
6. Combine the wine, lemon juice, brown sugar, spices and dried fruits, and add to the mixture in the skillet.
7. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until the fruit is soft but still firm.
8. Check the flavoring, and drain off excess liquid.
9. Paint jelly on the pie crust.
10. Combine fish chunks with fruit and place the mixture in the crust.
11. Bake at 375°F for 15 – 25 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily.
12. Preheat the oven to 425°F and bake the pie crust for 10 minutes.

Notes Edit

1. ↑ the cubeb, an aromatic pepper commonly used in medieval times, can still be bought in many spice shops."