So today we splurged on Boiled Bacon and Cabbage . . . well, actually a boiled gammon slipper joint and cabbage. It went down a real treat along side of peeled potatoes I had cooked in the pot liqueur along with the cabbage and some whole peeled carrots.
I hardy missed having Corned Beef at all. ☺
The vegetables were really tasty, scooped onto our plates and spread with a bit of butter and a grinding of pepper.
The gammon was oh so tender and pink . . . and delicious with this onion and mustard sauce I made to go along with it. Silky and rich, and filled with soft as butter onions bits and a light mustard tang . . . it went perfectly with the slight saltiness of the gammon.
It would also go very well with a mild favoured fish such cod or haddock.
The trick is to cook the onions until they are pratically melting, without colouring them. You will want to cook them on the lowest heat possible and stir them frequently. Your reward for all this attention will be a deliciously rich and tangy sauce!
*Onion and Mustard Sauce*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe
A delicious sauce to serve with gammon or bacon, or even fish.
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 rounded teaspoon of dry mustard powder
1 rounded teaspoon of grainy mustard
1 1/2 ounces of butter (3 TBS)
1 ounce plain flour (2 TBS)
6 fluid ounces of milk
6 ounces of ham stock
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Melt 2 TBS of the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion. Cook over the lowest heat possible, for about 20 minutes without colouring, stirring occasionally. Whisk in the flour and mustard powder, and cook over low heat for about a minute. Whisk in the milk a little bit at a time. Whisk in the ham stock in the same way. Cook and whisk until the mixture bubbles and thickens somewhat. Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Whisk in the remaining butter and the grainy mustard. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste. (You probably won't need any salt, depending on your tastes.) Pour into a sauceboat and serve warm at the table.
The only thing that truly matters is that you have lots of potatoes in there and onions. They are the key to it's perfection . . . crisp fried potatoes are just simply divine don't you think? I do!
I don't know about you . . . but for me, Bubble and Squeak sounds much more delicious!!!
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
Traditionally made by frying up the leftover potatoes, cabbage or Brussels sprouts (Christmas) in the drippings from the roasted Sunday joint. From what I understand the name came from the noise made from the vegetables as they fried in the pan, although I have also heard that it might have something to do with the effects that brassica vegetables might have on the human digestive system . . . ahem . . . If you don't have any leftover potatoes, you can always cook some to use in the recipe in some boiling salted water, just until they are tender, drain, cool and then proceed as per the recipe.
2 TBS butter, lard or meat drippings
a splash of oil
2 large mugs of leftover roasted potatoes, roughly diced
one medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 large mugs leftover cooked cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, and other cooked vegetables,
roughly chopped
salt, pepper and summer savoury to taste
Heat the butter in a wide heavy skillet or frying pan along with the oil. Once it is hot add the onions and cook, stirring, until they have softened. Add the remaining vegetables along with the herbs, salt and pepper. Give them a good stir to mix, then press the mixture down into the frying pan to compact it a bit. Cook, without stirring, over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes until they are beginning to brown. Give them a good stir, and repeat, allowing it to brown again. Once it is as crisply browned as you like, remove from the heat and serve, spooned out onto plates with, or without gravy. Some people like to just have it with a poached or fried egg on top which is also very good.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until bubbling and the chicken is no longer pink inside. Sprinkle with the cashew nuts and chow mein noodles (if using). Return to the oven for a further 4 to 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with the sliced spring onions and serve.
Like I said, this is by no means all that I could have shared with you today. My blog is filled with recipes like this. Have you got anything in particular that you would like to turn into a delicious meal? Ask me in the questions below and I will see what I can find or do! We are all in this together!
There will also be gravy and an assortment of cooked vegetables on the side and any number of condiments such as Horseradish Sauce, hot English Mustard or Apple Sauce. Popular vegetables are cabbage, brussels sprouts, carrots, swede (rutabaga) and peas!
Number Two would have to be FISH AND CHIPS. This delicious dish has been a popular meal with the British since the 19th century. Known as a street food, even small Hamlets can boast of having their own fish and chips shop and it would not be a trip to the seaside without enjoying a feast of fish and chips, wrapped in white paper as you sit on a bench watching the waves and beating off the sea gulls. (They love fish and chips as well.)
The fish, which usually Cod, Haddock or Plaice is dipped in a delicious batter and deep fried. Chips are almost always hand cut and twice fried. You will always be asked if you want salt and vinegar on them and they will lavish them with salt and malt vinegar if the answer is yes. This is the ultimate finger food! When enjoyed in a sit down restaurant you will often have them served with some mushy peas and or coleslaw.
Simple, yes, but proof positive that sometimes simple can be very, very good. You can use oven chips if you wish, but once in a while it doesn't hurt to have a real chip. (In the UK French fries are called Chips.)
Number Four, CLASSIC SHEPHERD'S PIE - The UK is famous for all of their pies, steak and kidney, chicken and mushroom, pork pies, etc. but one of the absolute most comforting of pies is this classic. And its not really even a pie!
This is the perfect family meal and is very easy to make with a rich ground lamb and gravy filling topped with vegetables and a layer of fluffy mashed potatoes. You can top the potatoes with grated cheese if you wish. It is cousin to the also very popular COTTAGE PIE which is made with ground beef.
Both are equally popular and incredibly satisfying. You can also use leftover cooked beef or lamb in the fillings, which is how they were originally planned to be used, as a vehicle for the leftovers from Sunday dinner.
BUBBLE AND SQUEAK is another bonus meal created from the leftovers of Sunday lunch! Traditionally it is a hash made with leftover gravy, potatoes, cabbage, and onions, as well as brussels sprouts during sprout season, but really . . .
You can use whatever combination of cooked vegetables you have to hand . . . carrots, peas, parsnips, beans, swede . . . it doesn't really matter . . .
The name comes from the way it bubbles and squeaks in the pan as it is cooking.
Number six - BANGERS AND MASH - This is so popular that even songs have been written about it. Banger is a term lovingly used to describe sausages and is a term which began during World War ll. This was attributed to the sound that sausages might make when cooked under high heat, a pop and a sizzle.
You will find this tasty dish on offer at most pubs and restaurants in the country. What you get here is a delicious snappy skinned thick pork sausage grilled to perfection and served with a fluffy pile of mashed potatoes and plenty of onion gravy!
Number Seven - TOAD IN THE HOLE - This tasty dish combines grilled sausages and Yorkshire pudding batter. The sausages are partially cooked in a dish and once the fat has been released a pudding batter is poured around them and they are baked until the batter is all puffed and golden brown and the sausages are cooked through,
This is a favorite of one and all and delicious served with Bisto gravy and fluffy mash. The origin of the name 'Toad-in-the-Hole' is quite vague. Most suggestions are that the dish's resemblance to a toad sticking its little head out of a hole provide the dish with its somewhat unusual name.
Number eight - CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA - The British love their curries and Chicken Tikka Masala is a real favorite. Chicken tikka masala is a dish of pan roasted chunks of chicken in a spicy sauce. The sauce is usually creamy, spiced and orange-coloured, from the tomatoes that are in the dish.
It was almost certainly invented in Britain and is among the country's most popular dishes, leading a government minister, Robin Cook, to claim in 2001 that it was a British national dish.
When I went to Culinary school in the UK Chicken Tikka Masala was one of the first dishes we were taught to make.
Number 9 - APPLE CRUMBLE - So popular you could almost call it the National dessert. Usually served warm with cold cream for pouring over top, or warm custard sauce.
When it comes to an apple dessert you can't get much better than an apple crumble. I like the ones with the Oats in the crumble most of all. You can find my recipe for the custard here. This custard is also awfully good served with stewed rhubarb, another British favorite!
Number ten - THE CREAM TEA - You will find "Cream Teas" on offer throughout the UK, but they are truly a speciality of the SouthWest . . . Devon and Cornwall areas. I have seen Welsh Cream Teas as well as Cream Teas being offered in many other areas of the UK. In general nowadays, they are offered in Tearooms EVERYWHERE across the UK wherever someone wants to give an impression of British influence.
Not to be confused with high tea which is more like a meal, Cream teas are meant as a light lunch or snack and usually consist of CLASSIC SCONES, served with jam and clotted cream (a true British delicacy) and hot pots of tea.
This is by no means a complete list, but only the tip of a very delicious iceberg. I came to love many different dishes when I lived in the UK. Every region has their own specialty and all of them are endearingly delicious. These are just a few of the things which wangled their way into my foodie heart!!
There is Sticky Toffee Pudding and Banoffee Pie for instance, but I had to draw the line somewhere. If you ever are lucky enough to travel in the UK these are some of the more traditional culinary delights which await you! Bon Appetit!
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