Swedes with sweet chestnuts

1kg swedes - peel and wash. Then boil 5 mins in pan of salted water. Drain.
Score the chestnut (250g) skins to expose fruit, and boil for several minutes, then peel. Put swedes, chestnuts and 2 sage leaves in a saucepan with glass water and glass white wine. Add salt. Bring to boil, then lower flame and simmer at least 30 mins.

Lentils with cheese gratin

Cover lentils (600g) with salted water in saucepan with bouqut garni ( parsley, thyme and laurel), and bring slowly to boil. Cook for 11/2 hours, drain and remove bouquet garni. Put lentils in oven-proof dish, and add a generous knob of butter. Sprinkle with 3 coarsely-chopped boiled eggs. Then cover with 50g grated cheese and put under oven grill to brown before serving.

Broad bean "potage" ( purée)

Peel beans, remove their tails, put in boiling salted water for 5 mins. Drain.

Cook anew in boiling salted water until tender. Drain. educe to purée in mixer. Fry 2 onions cut into rings, on very hot flame, in butter or oil.

Add diced figs (10 figs) or diced apple (2 apples), and 2 sage leaves.

Brown the whole quickly, add to bean purée and serve.

Cabbage

Boil 1kg cabbage for 10 mins, along with a slice of stale bread (it helps remove any acidity), drain, and dispose of bread.

Return cabbage to saucepan with a bowl of beef (or mutton) stock, befoe long slow final cooking on very low flame. Add salt.