Herbs

In To the kings Taste by Lorna Sass (no date but probably somewhere in the seventies), the author quotes Doctor of Physick Andrew Boorde (16th Century). Among his works is a Dietary which describes the medicinal value of herbs

There is no Herbe nor weede but god hath gyven vertue them to helpe man.
Parsley is good to breke the stone and causeth a man to pysse; it is good for the stomacke, and doth cause a man to have swete breth.
Isope (hyssop) clenseth viscus fleume (phlegm), and is good for the breste and for the lunges.
Sawge (Sage, see picture)is good to help a woman to conceyve and doth provoke uryne.
Fennell-sede is used to breke wynd and good agaynst poysen.

Most of these herbs grow easily in the garden, decorative and tasty, because as Charlemagne said: A herb is a friend of physicians and the praise of cooks.

The medieval dish Erbolate contains a lot of these wholesome herbs.

You need: 80 ml hot milk, 3 tbsp fresh herbs (parsley, sage, rosemary, chives, mint anything you like)5 eggs lightly beaten, pinch of salt, 2 tbsp butter (or rather less sunflower oil).
What you do:
1. pour the milk over the herbs and stir well. Allow the mixture to sit for 30 minutes so the milk gets the flavour of the herbs.
2. strain the milk throug a fine mesh sieve and discard the herbs.
3. mix the eggs, milk and salt thoroughly
4. melt the butter and pour in an ovenproof dish
5. pour in the egg mixture.
6. bake in (preheated 175 degrees Celsius) oven for approx. 30 minutes or until the eggs are set and top is golden brown.
7. serve as you would a pie.

I would prefer to leave the herbs in, to have something to chew on, but the original recipe discards them.


More about Andrew Boorde: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Boorde