Yield: 3 1/2 cups; fills one 10- to 12-inch baked tart shell
Cook’s note: This is a double recipe of the one in my book “Morning Glories.” Substitutions for the rosemary can be made easily; try lemon thyme, lemon verbena, mint or winter savory.
1 scant tablespoon whole rosemary leaves
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice
1 cup hot water
1 cup heavy cream
In a food processor or blender, whiz rosemary leaves and sugar until finely ground. Transfer to a medium saucepan and whisk in cornstarch and salt. Whisk in orange juice and hot water. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Boil 1 minute, whisking, until mixture is clear and thickened (it will thicken much more upon chilling). Remove from heat and whisk in cream.
Press curd through a strainer into the tart shell or an airtight container. If not using in a tart shell, cover and chill up to 3 days (after which it is still safe to eat, but will be slightly watery; pour off any excess liquid).
