THE ULTIMATE SUNDAY LUNCH
One of the most iconic British traditions is that of "Sunday Lunch", also known as the "Sunday Roast" or "Sunday Dinner." Its a pretty good reason to look forward to Sundays, and can be great if you have a large family or group of people coming around that you want to sit down and share a meal with.
Typically it will be eaten around 3 in the afternoon, although these days you will find more and more people sitting down to it around supper time, due to their big Sunday breakfast. Its also quite popular these days for people to go "out" to a carvery or a pub for Sunday lunch and give mom a day off.
At one time it typically would have consisted mainly of Roast Beef and all the trimmings, but other meats are now becoming more popular, probably due to the rising cost of Beef.
Historically Roman Catholics and Anglicans abstained from eating meat on certain days of the week. This made having the Sunday roast a bit of a celebration because on Sundays all meat and dairy products could be eaten. It is widely believed that the first Sunday roasts were instigated during King Henry VII's rule in 1485.
In fact Royal Body Guards became known as Beefeaters due to their love of eating Beef and you will still see Beefeaters guarding the Tower of London.
A Sunday roast usually consists of roasted meat of some sort, the most traditional being Beef. It is not uncommon to also see people enjoying roast lamb, pork or chicken. All will be served with roasted potatoes, a variety of fresh vegetables, gravy and Yorkshire puddings, or batter puddings as they are also known.
Interestingly, Yorkshire puddings historically began as a starter dish, served with lots of gravy. I suppose the thought was that once people had filled up on the puddings, they wouldn't have as much room to stuff themselves with the meat, therefore helping it to stretch that much further. These days you will see them served along side of the meal. To the British a roast dinner is not a roast dinner without a crisp and light Yorkshire pudding to enjoy!
Ingredients for Sunday lunch can be picked up locally at any large supermarket, or (best scenario) your local Butchers and farm market.
Saturday mornings will find the local Butcher in most British communities filled with customers and often a line-up of people wanting to pick up their Sunday roast spilling out onto the pavement. There is something quite familial about picking up your meat at your local Butcher, which hearkens back to the days when people knew their neighbors and had a strong sense of community.
Whatever is served, the most important thing is that Sunday lunch remains a wonderful time to gather together around a table, relax, and catch up on the going's on of everyone's week just gone. Its a beautiful tradition that I hope never dies.
Today I am sharing my Sunday Lunch favorites, for both main and side dishes!
THE MAINS
PERFECTLY COOKED ROAST BEEF - This is more of a technique than it is a recipe. There is a lot more to cooking a roast than just banging into an oven. Whilst it is also very simple to cook, there is a proper way to do it and helps and tips that can produce the perfect roast every time. (if you follow them!) You can use this technique for any roasting cut of beef. I used to cook the Prime Ribs for the people at the Manor in this way every time.
ROAST PORK WITH CRISPY CRACKLING - Crispy brown on the outside, the tender meat studded with slivers of garlic, and dusted with plenty of salt and pepper, this is a real favorite Sunday Lunch around here. Served with Crispy Roast Potatoes and all the traditional veg, not to mention a tasty gravy. If you can remember, take it out of it's wrapping the night before and store open to the air in the fridge. This helps to make a nice dry and crisp crackling!
PERFECT ROAST CHICKEN - A perfectly cooked roast chicken, with moist and succulent meat and a crispy skin. This is my favorite way to roast a chicken. It turns out moist and delicious each and every time. There are plenty of tasty drippings to make a lush gravy with as well.
SLOW ROASTED LAMB SHOULDER - This succulent piece of meat melts in the mouth it is so tender. This is my favorite cut of lamb. Tender deliciousness that falls apart at the touch of a fork. Delicious and simple to make.
PERFECT ROASTED BONELESS LEG OF LAMB -These instructions depend on how large your piece of meat is and servings will vary accordingly. You will want approximately 1/2 pound of lamb per person. Mellow and deliciously tender.
APRICOT GLAZED GAMMON - Perfectly glazed . . . nice and sticky . . . tender, perfectly cooked meat. Tender ham with a lovely fruity glaze. Gammon is uncooked ham. Once it is cooked it becomes ham. Or so I am told.
THE SIDES
YORKSHIRE PUDDING - Lets begin with everyone's favorite. Yorkshire Pudding. Crisp and light as air, these are the perfect puddings. Its my late FIL's recipe. He was an army cook so you know they are beautifully delicious! I've been making these for over 40 years now! There is an art to getting nice puffed and tall ones, but I share all my secrets.
CLASSIC ROAST POTATOES - Next to the Yorkshire Pudding this is one of the favorite sides in a roast dinner. Also referred to as "Roasties" these potatoes are crisp and golden brown on the outsides and fluffy inside. Parboiled, roughed up, and roasted to the perfect crisp finish in hot goosefat, dripping or hot oil.
CREAMY MASHED POTATOES - Light and fluffy with just the right amount of butter, milk and seasoning. I like to enjoy mine with a pat of butter in the middle, but a pool of gravy is just as nice!
HONEY MUSTARD ROASTED PARSNIPS & CARROTS - Coated in a mix of melted butter, Dijon mustard and sweet honey. These are roasted to perfection, coming out sweetly glazed, beautifully caramelized in places and perfectly crispy tender.
PERFECTLY COOKED CABBAGE - Cabbage really only needs about 3 to 5 minutes of cooking time, just so long as you prepare it properly in the first place. Finely shredded, lightly salted and cooked quickly in boiling water, it comes out perfect every time.
CREAMY PARMESAN BRUSSELS SPROUTS & BACON - Sure you could just boil your sprouts, but why settle for that when you can be enjoying crispy tender brussels sprouts in a creamy garlic sauce. This lovely side dish, topped with bubbling cheese and smoky bacon will be right at home with any roasted meat!
SAUTEED SWEDE (TURNIP/RUTABAGA) - These are quite simply delicious. There is no other word to describe them. Buttery. Slightly sweet. Oh so tasty. I could sit down to a plate of these and nothing else, but they do make the most fantastic side dish with a roast dinner . . . pork, beef or turkey or chicken. Take your pick. These simple old fashioned dishes are my favorite kinds of dishes. They just never get old.
HONEY & DILL GLAZED CARROTS & TURNIPS - These are a little bit more special than just plain boiled vegetables. Being lightly glazed with some butter and honey, then flavoured with dill . . . these arrive at the table glistening like jewels.
MELTING ONIONS -These will be the star of the show! These delicious onions melt in your mouth. Four simple ingredients. One fabulous dish.
ROASTED ONIONS WITH A PARMESAN CREAM - These are delicious and so simple to make. You can have them as a side dish, or a vegetarian main with a grain and a few other vegetables.
SAGE & ONION STUFFING - This is my favorite of all the stuffings. It is Mary Berry's recipe. You can bake it in a flat dish, ready for scooping, or roll it into balls and bake it that way. Why settle for a mix when the real thing is so easy to make and a hundred times more delicious!
PERFECT GRAVY FROM SCRATCH - Why use Bisto when you can make a perfectly delicious gravy from the drippings. No drippings? You don't need them. You can make this gravy easily just using simple ingredients that you probably already have in the house.
People also really enjoy a condiment with their roast dinners. This could be horseradish sauce, apple sauce, English mustard, bread sauce, cranberry sauce, mint sauce, etc. What you choose will largely depend on what meat you have chosen to roast.
It is typical to enjoy horseradish sauce with beef, apple sauce with pork, mustard with gammon, bread sauce or cranberry sauce with poultry and mint sauce with lamb. This is not a die hard rule and you can just have whatever sauce you want to enjoy with whatever meat or no sauce at all!
I could not personally eat a pudding (the British term for dessert) after a Sunday Lunch, well not right away anyways. Maybe a bit later in the day. Many do however. I will do a pudding post at another time.
In the meantime please enjoy my take on Sunday Lunch. I hope that it will inspire you to cook up a roast dinner for your family! They will be over the moon if you do!
Not all of the dishes need to be recipes. Quite often I will only cook a roast and then have boiled new potatoes, peas, carrots, and mashed swede with it along with some gravy. Those are delicious dinners too. The important thing is to enjoy it. Together. As a family!
As Julia would say Bon Appetit!
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SCRUMMO!!
Serves 4
This is kind of like an apple brown betty, except it is made with plums and has a creamy fudge sauce. Yum!!
50g unsalted butter (3 1/2 TBS)
50g of runny honey (2 1/3 TBS)
2 TBS double cream
2 TBS soft light brown sugar
1 tsp ground mixed spice (see right side column for a recipe to
make your own mixed spice)
75g fresh white bread crumbs ( 1 1/4 cup)
2 ripe plums, stoned and thinly sliced
Cream or creme fraiche to serve
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Have ready 4 (150ml) glass ramekins. (4 ounce size)
Put the butter, honey and cream into a saucepan and heat, whisking constantly,until melted and amalgamated. Put the breadcrumbs into a bowl and mix with the sugar and spice.
Divide half of the buttery fudge mixture between the ramekins. Top with 1/2 of the plums. Top with half of the bread crumb mixture. Top with the remainder of the plums. Top with the remainder of the bread crumb mixture. Drizzle the remaining buttery fudge mixture over top of each one evenly. Place the ramekins onto a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, before carefully unmolding onto dessert plates. Serve with cream or creme fraiche for spooning. Serve warm.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
As soon as October rolls around I hunker down and start to crave my autumn favourites . . . apple pies, and pots of homemade soup . . . and pumpkin. Pumpkin anything, but most especially these delicious Pumpkin Pie Muffins!
As promised yesterday here is a selection of five delicious puds to serve at the end of your Christmas Dinner tomorrow. There is something here to please every taste I think . . . from chocolate to ice cream. All are quite simple and easy to make, and quite impressive I think. If you hurry, you'll be able to pick up any last minute ingredients at the shops before they close.
I'll be taking a well earned couple of days off now, celebrating the holiday with the Toddster and my little pup Mitzie. I wish each of you all the best! Enjoy and have yourselves a Very Merry Little Christmas Time!
*Mont Blanc*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
This has to be one of the easiest and the tastiest desserts around. Your guests will think you have slaved all day.
4 fine glasses with stems
8 to 12 small plain meringues
250ml of double cream, chilled (1 cup)
2 TBS icing sugar
400g sweet vanilla flavoured chestnut puree
chocolate sprinkles (optional)
Crumble the meringues and divide them equally amongst the stemmed glasses. Put the chilled double cream into a large bowl and whip with an eletric whisk until it forms soft peaks, but is not stiff. (if perchance you have whipped it a bit much, gently stir some unwhipped cream into it to loosen it up a bit. It works a charm) Fold in the icing sugar. Cover the layer of meringue in the glasses with chestnut puree and then cover that with the sweetened whipped cream. Sprinkle with sprinkles if desired.
*Fruity Chocolate Fondant Puddings*
Makes 6 servings
Printable Recipe
A delicious chocolate fondant pudding with the secret surprise of a fruited middle! Plan ahead as the middles have to be frozen for at least 3 hours before baking.
160g fruit mincemeat (1/2 cup)
50g of dark eating chocolate, chopped coarsely (about 2 ounces)
(70% cocoa solids)
150g of butter, chopped coarsely (2/3 cup)
3 large free range eggs
75g soft light brown sugar (1/3 cup packed)
75g plain flour (1/2 cup)
35g of self raising flour (1/4 cup)
1 TBS cocoa powder
For the Sauce:
150g of dark eating chocolate, chopped coarsely (6 ounces)
(70% cocoa solids)
80ml double cream (1/3 cup)
2 TBS dark rum
Spoon the mincemeat into 6 holes of a 1 TBS ice cube tray. Freeze for at least 3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter six 1-cup pudding molds really well. Place on a baking tray and set aside.
Stir the chocolate and butter together in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is competely smooth. Cool for 10 minutes before proceeding.
Beat the eggs and sugar together with an electric whish until thick and creamy. Sift the flours and cocoa together. Fold into the creamed mixture. Fold in the cooled chocolate.
Divide the batter equally amongst the pudding molds. Remove the frozen mincemeat cubes from the ice cube tray and pop one into the centre of each pudding,
Bake the puddings for 12 minutes.
While the puddings are baking make the sauce. Stir the ingredients in a saucepan over medium low heat until smooth and completely amalgamated.
Serve the puddings warm and drizzled with some of the sauce.
*Panettone Puddings*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe
Delicious individual bread puddings with a great fruity flavour!
2 (170g) individual panettone
270g of mincemeat (1 cup)
For the custard:
250ml of double cream (1 cup)
180ml of whole milk (3/4 cup
2 TBS caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large free range eggs
Icing Sugar to dust over the tops
Preheat the oven to 170*C/325*F/ gas mark 3 oven. Butter 6 (1 1/4 cup) ovenproof teacups. Place in a roasting tin large enough to hold them all. Set aside.
Bring the cream, milk, sugar and vanilla to the boil in a small saucepan. Whisk the eggs together in a bowl and then gradually whisk in the hot milk mixture.
Cut the panettone in half lengthwise, then cut each half into thick slices. Layer the Panettone and half of the mincemeat in the prepared cups, overlaping the panettone slightly. Dollop spoonfuls of the remaining mincemeat over top of each, then strain the custard over all.
Add enough boiling water to the roasting tin to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake for 35 minutes until set. Remove from the oven and remove the cups from the roasting tin and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving. Dust with icing sugar just prior to serving.
*Glace Fruit Cakes with Ginger Syrup*
Serves 12
Printable Recipe
Delicious little individual fruity cakes served with a delectable ginger syrup!
105g slivered almonds (3/4 cup)
90g butter, softened (3 ounces)
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
165g caster sugar (3/4 cup)
2 large free range eggs
75g self raising flour (1/2 cup)
110g plain flour (3/4 cup)
80ml milk (1/3 cup)
4 slices glace pineapple, chopped coarsely
70g red glace cherries, halved (1/3 cup)
70g green glace cherries, halved (1/3 cup)
75g coarsely chopped candied ginger (1.3 cup)
an extra 70g of slivered almonds (1/2 cup)
for the ginger syrup:
180ml of water (3/4 cup)
165g of caster sugar (3/4 cup)
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
To serve:
icing sugar and cream
Preheat the oven to 170*C/325*F/ gas mark3. Butter a 12 hole medium muffin cup pan and line the bases with parchment paper cut to fit. Sprinkle the almonds into the bottoms.
Cream the butter, lemon zest and sugar together in a bowl with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Sift the flours together. Stir into the creamed mixture along with the milk, fruits and additonal almonds. Spread this batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for about 25 minutes, until risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
While they are baking make the syrup. Stir the syrup ingredients together in a small saucepan over medium heat without boiling, until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered without stirring for about 5 minutes or so until the mixture is slightly thickened.
Remove the baked cakes from the oven, Pour the hot syrup evenly over all. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the tins before removing.
Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar and with cream for pouring.
*Cranberry, White Chocolate and Pistachio Ice Cream Puds*
serves 8
Printable Recipe
A light little pud chock full of fruit and nuts, served drizzled with a warm white chocolate sauce.
1 vanilla pod
430ml of whole milk (1 3/4 cups)
600ml of double cream (2 1/3 cups)
180g of white eating chocolate, coarsely chopped (6 ounces)
8 large free range egg yolks
165g caster sugar (3/4 cup)
130g dried cranberries (1 cup)
2 TBS brandy
140g unsalted shelled pistachios (1 cup)
2 tsp vegetable oil
Split the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a medium saucepan. Add the pod, milk, cream and 50g of the chocolate. Bring to the boil, then remove from heat.
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl until thick and creamy. Gradually whisk into the hot milk mixture. Stir the custard ove rlow heat without boiling until the mixture thickens slightly. Cover surface with plastic cling film and cool for 20 minutes. At the end of that time, strain into a shallow container, such as an aluminium baking tin. Cover with foil and then freeze until almost firm.
Place the ice cream into a large bowl, chop coarsley and then beat with an electric mixture until smooth. Pour the mixture into a deep container, cover and freeze again until firm. Repeat the process two more times.
Place the cranberries into a bowl with the brandy. Let steep for 15 minutes. Stir this mixture with the nuts into the ice cream the last time you beat it. Spoon the ice cream into 8 (180ml/3/4 cup) molds. Cover and freeze for 3 hours, until firm.
Stir the remaining chocolate and oil in a saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth.
Dip each mold into hot water, one at a time for about a second to loosen. Turn out onto serving plates. Drizzle with the warm melted chocolate mixture to serve.
Crispy Tortilla Eggs
ingredients:
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 large free range egg
- 1/4 tsp seasoning salt
- 2 TBS grated cheddar or Jack cheese
- 1 (15cm) flour tortilla (6 inch)
- chopped spring onions
- hot sauce (I used Sriracha and Green Tabasco)
instructions:
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over moderate heat. Crack in the egg. Sprinkle with the seasoning salt. Cook until the whites are set. Carefully flip over. Sprinkle with 1 TBS cheese. Immediately top with the tortilla. Cook until the cheese melts (won't take long). Carefully flip back over until the egg is on top and the tortilla is on the bottom. Cook for about a minute. Sprinkle on the remaining TBS cheese. Remove from the heat and pop on a lid. Leave til the cheese melts.
- Slide onto a heated plate and top with some hot sauce and the spring onions. Serve immediately.
NOTES:
Note - I like these with a softly cooked egg, but if your family prefers them firmer, just let the egg cook for a bit longer.
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