Cooking | Home Cooking, Brit Style
by Jennifer Buchet, posted on August 13th, 2012 in Cooking
Growing up with parents from Ireland and England, my comfort food tends leans across the pond, as they say. Fish n’ chips, pot pies, sausage rolls, bangers and mash, tea and scones, blackberry Ribena, puddings and trifles…yum!! In a farewell tribute to the London 2012 Olympics, here are two traditional and family-friendly dishes that serve just as well for lunch as they would for dinner.
Toad-in-the-Hole
I’m not entirely sure where the name originates from, but rumor has it that toads and golf courses are involved! What I do know is that this is a delicious way to make bangers (sausages) with an airy Yorkshire pudding topping. During World War II, my granny made this with dried egg powder instead of fresh eggs!
Ingredients
Non-stick cooking spray (Traditionally made with beef drippings or lard.)
4 oz flour (by weight)
Pinch of salt
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/4 C milk
4-6 links of chicken and apple sausages* (Do not use pre-cooked sausages or they’ll become quite tough!)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
*I prefer using chicken sausage, but any good quality sausage will do, even lentil!
1. To make the batter, sift the flour and salt into a medium-sized bowl. Make a small well in the center and pour in the beaten egg and half the milk (3/4 C). Gently stir in until smooth.
2. Whisk in the rest of the milk, again until lump-less. Now let it stand for 30 minutes at room temperature.
3. Grease an 8” x 10” pan and prick your sausages with a small fork.
4. Sprinkle the oil over the sausages and cook them for about 10 minutes at 425°. This should allow them to begin coloring and sizzling!
5. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately pour the batter over the sausages. Return to the oven and cook for another 35-40 minutes until the batter has risen and is a lovely golden brown.
In England, this is traditionally served with a heaping pile of mashed potatoes and onion-infused gravy. It’s also delicious with honey carrots, green beans or cabbage.
Easy-Peasy Beans & Chips
This recipe is ever so simple to put together; a big time-saver on busy days! You can prepare the peas ahead of time and re-heat them before serving. When I lived in England, this was a lunchtime favorite at school, sometimes served with a fried egg!
Ingredients
2C shelled peas—preferably fresh or frozen…not tinned!
1 / 4 C mint leaves
1 garlic clove
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/3 C olive oil
1/2 C grated Pecorino (or Parmesan) cheese
Juice of ½ lemon
Steak-cut frozen French fries
1 tin of baked beans (I prefer the vegetarian variety, but use whatever your family likes!)
1. Bake the fries in the oven, following the directions on the package.
2. Warm up the baked beans, if desired, over a low heat on the stovetop.
3. To make the peas, mix them with the mint, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor. As the processor runs, drizzle in the olive oil. (You can always mash up the ingredients with a mortar and pestle, or use the end of rolling pin! The object is to get the peas mushed, smushed and flavored.)
4. When the peas have been smashed, remove from the processor. Then stir in the cheese with a good squeeze from the lemon. Add a little more oil as necessary if the peas look stiff. And remember taste along the way to see if it needs any more salt or pepper.
To serve, spoon the peas onto the plate. Then dish up the “chips” and smother them with the beans.
Imagination Variation
Smash in fava beans with the peas.
The peas are brilliant over pasta or with fish, like a grilled or broiled salmon.
If chips—I mean, fries—aren’t available, use toast instead.
Cheerio ol’ chaps & toodle pip!
Jennifer Cooper Says:
Jennifer Says:
