This spicy fruited custard was served at King Richard II's Feast given with the Duke of Lancaster on September 23^rd, 1387. It is one of my favorite medieval dishes, and always makes a hit with the guests! With the combination of marrow and fruits, it seems another variant of mince meat.

9-inch uncooked pie pastry shell
15 each, pitted prunes and dates, cut into small pieces
2 T. raw bone marrow, crumbled *
3 T. finely minced parsley
1 c. heavy cream
2 T. brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
pinch salt
3/4 t. dried orange peel
1 t. cinnamon
pinch mace

*(Ask your butcher to hack open a beef bone so you can easily get at the marrow)

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Bake the pie pastry for 10 minutes. Set it aside to cool.
• Line the pie crust with the dried fruits. Distribute the marrow and parsley evenly over the fruit.
• Combine the remaining ingredients into a bowl. (The spices are not called for in the original recipe, but make a delicious addition.) Beat until thoroughly blended. Pour the mixture over the fruits in the crust.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is brown. Let the crustade cool for about 5 minutes before serving.