Showing posts sorted by relevance for query lamb. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query lamb. Sort by date Show all posts
People are always asking me what it was like to live, cook and work at the Manor. I thought I would do a post today about that experience in my life. To be honest, it was, to a humble girl from a small town in Nova Scotia, Canada, a bit of a dream come true!
When I was a child I used to dream of one day living in a pretty cottage in the English countryside, but I never ever thought that this would be a dream of mine that would come true. When I moved over to the UK in 2000 that dream came a little bit closer to coming true for sure, but it still seemed to be pretty remote to someone like me.
I decided to go to culinary school when I first arrived in the UK. This was something which I had always wanted to do, and the time seemed right. I was an empty nester without any obligations, and so I took the courses I needed to take in order to be able to work in the food industry. I had always been a very good cook, and I had run my own coffee shop at one point in my life, and I had, in fact, worked as a pastry chef (sans training) when I was a very young woman.
After I graduated from Culinary school, I started looking for a job. I did not want to work in a restaurant. At the age of 46, I reallyfelt that was too old for the fast pace of restaurant work. Restaurant work is a young person's game.
There is a magazine in the UK called The Lady. It is one of the primary places that wealthy people advertise to recruit staff. I decided that I would try to find a job working for a private school or a family cooking on a much simpler and easier pace. I began looking at adverts in the magazine and applying for jobs.
I received call backs from several positions but there was one job in particular that appealed to me. and so I went down to Kent for an interview. It was to work as a Chef for an American family living in the U.K. Kent is one of the most beautiful counties in England. It is known as the Garden of England and is host to a lot of beautiful little villages.
I went down by train for the interview from Chester where I was living at the time. This was just about the longest job interviews I have ever had. I was there for the most part of the day. I was given a guided tour of the Estate and of the cottage that would be mine.
By the end of the day I was told that I had the job, which would include a decent wage along with the cottage, which was situated just down the lane from the main house which you see above.
It was a very lovely cottage and would be my home for as long as I worked at the Manor. It was cozy and comfortable and well situated. We had a large eat in kitchen/family room down stairs, a laundry room, and a walk in larder. There was a circular staircase leading upstairs where there was a reception room, two largish bedrooms, a room we called the library/office and two bathrooms.
This was only a small portion of the kitchen downstairs in the cottage. It was quite large, with loads of cupboard and counter space.
My job at the Manor entailed cooking for a family on a daily basis, five days of the week, breakfast, lunch and supper. I got weekends off and bank holidays, unless it was a special occasion and of course I needed to work extra hours when they were entertaining.
As well as cooking, I was responsible for cleaning the kitchen, larder and conservatory.
There was a huge larder just off the kitchen which had slate shelves. It was lovely and cool in there. Stored in there were a variety of specialized dishes/platters/etc. which would be required for specific occasions.
There was a small wine/alcohol section, an area with tinned/packaged goods, and an ice machine. There was also another refrigerator which came in very handy to store things when a dinner party was planned.
The kitchen was huge. I had access to a large sink with a garbage disposal a professional sized electric/gas stove, a gas burning AGA and every electrical appliance you can imagine. On the other side of the cooking area was also a dining area which was never actually used for eating for the whole time I worked there, but served as an area to provide welcome drinks when guests were arriving for a luncheon or brunch.
There were a multitude of cabinets, some of them glass fronted, which held a variety of silver and china, crystal, etc. I was also responsible for the maintenance of these. The ceiling was oak beamed. The walls were lined with copper utensils. I was also responsible for polishing all of the silver and copper. There was not only silver in the kitchen, but a huge cupboard across from the laundry room that was filled with it from the floor to the ceiling.
Working there cured me from ever wanting to have any copper, silver, or crystal for myself. It was a lot of work keeping these things up to par, and during those years I did enough of it to last me a lifetime.
Everything was beautiful however and I have to say it was a wonderful opportunity for me to get to work in a beautiful environment with some of the finest equipment and ingredients.
Every day meals were quite ordinary. Much the same as anyone would eat. In the mornings I would make breakfast for the Mr. who usually had toast and jam, coffee, juice. The Mrs. would have 3 mini bran muffins, a glass of my homemade fruit smoothie and 2 prunes. The recipe I used for the bran muffins was this Refrigerator Bran Muffin recipe. I kept a big jug of that in the refrigerator at all times.
It was only ever very occasionally that they would want anything else for breakfast. Occasionally he would like some scrambled eggs and toast, and if they had guests I would cook full breakfasts to order. Bacon, eggs, sausage, etc.
Lunches were also very simple affairs. He might ask me to make him a sandwich, or sometimes I would make a pizza and have it in the refrigerator that he could eat whenever he wanted. A tray of Deviled Eggs was kept in the refrigerator at all times and I would often make a homemade soup for him to enjoy with his sandwich. He also liked to munch on cold chicken and there was also always a tray of crisp vegetables with homemade dip in there for snacking.
Every day suppers were also very simple. Usually just some sort of protein with some vegetables on the side. They did not eat carbs such as rice, pasta or potatoes on a regular basis. Dinner would be simply some beef, pork, chicken, duck, or fish (usually salmon), and 3 or 4 simply cooked vegetables as well as a salad. Dessert was also not an every day thing, although the Mr. did like me to cook my Chocolate Chip Cookies and Fudge Walnut Brownies on a regular basis.
On Chocolate Chip Cookie days, all the staff made a visit to the kitchen. They all adored my cookies, and would pop into the kitchen, one at a time for a freshly baked cookie.
The Ladies' Luncheons were a different matter. These were much more involved and required a lot of work in preparation. The Mrs. would entertain ladies for luncheons several times a month. They would consist of drinks served in the kitchen upon arrival, usually Elderflower cordial as well as an assortment of finger foods. Not too many, only one or two because the ladies were always watching their weight. Small nibbles only.
There would usually be a soup course to begin, with perhaps some cracker breads or tiny muffins on the side. It would only be a simple soup like Potage Crecy.
The soup was often served in these vegetable shaped ceramic soup dishes which each had their own lids to keep them warm. They were all different shapes and very pretty.
The main course would usually be a salad of some sort, sometimes grilled chicken with a few vegetables, or salmon. All very dainty, and of course, beautifully presented.
There would be a dessert to finish. A favorite of the ladies was the Frozen Lemon Souffle which would have been prepared by myself as small individual souffles and served with some berries or a coulis.
There would be iced water and a variety of wines to serve with each course and chocolates and coffee to finish.
I loved doing the luncheons. Sometimes they would be held outside on the patio, but more often than not they were held in the conservatory, which was just off the kitchen. (See photo above.)
I did all of the planning, shopping, prepping, cooking and serving. I was also responsible for setting and dressing the table, an example of which you can see above. Plus all of the clean-up afterwards. I tried to pick dishes that I could do in advance for the most part for the first and dessert courses. That way I had only to really concentrate on the main course on the day.
They involved long hours of preparation, and many hours spent on my feet on the day, but I loved the challenge of being able to pull it all together and I can tell you, they were always very happy with what I had prepared. I was right in my element, and, as tired as I would be at the end of it all, I always felt a great sense of accomplishment when it was done, and really enjoyed all of it. They were considered to be quite casual affairs.
As fun to plan and prepare as the luncheons were, the dinner parties were what I loved doing most of all! I planned, cooked and served dinner parties for as few as 6 or 8 people and as many as 25. Usually six courses, including the coffee's and chocolates afterwards.
Dinner parties were always quite a bit more elaborate and involved a lot more in terms of preparation and effort. They were silver service and consisted of appetizers and drinks upon arrival, usually served in the main reception room. I would usually prepare 3 to 4 different appetizers. Some favorites were this delicious Smoked Salmon Spread with crisp breads, boiled Quails Eggs, Toasted Cheese Rounds, Smoked salmon on little rounds of brown bread with lemon, etc.
Another favorite were these Stilton and Walnut Shortbreads which were served spread with cream cheese and topped with a dollop of Mango Chutney and a toasted walnut half. Real party fare.
Following the appetizers and drinks there would be a first course. (This photo above is of the dining room, but dressed for a luncheon rather than a dinner party. Dinner parties were always silver service.) The first course was usually a soup dish or a fish dish. She was very fond of stacked salads. I had special rings to stack things up in. You would set the salads up in the rings, on plates, and then once they were set remove the rings for service. Things like this Layered Cobb Salad would be a prime example.
Following the first course (starter) there would be a main course. This could be any number of things. Lamb, Beef, chicken, fish, etc. Accompanied with a variety of vegetables and of course the special dinner rolls that I would have baked earlier in the day. This recipe on Cooking Classy is very similar to the party rolls I used to make for the dinner parties.
I plated everything very judiciously. Small dabs of each thing, artfully placed, so as not to overwhelm appetites. It took some getting used to. I was used to family service prior to working at the manor and had to really learn to restrain myself when I was plating up. With five or six courses being served they didn't want overly large helpings of anything.
They really were very elegant affairs.
Following the main course there would be a dessert course. Typically I would prepare two to three different desserts. Usually a chocolate one, a light one and then a cake of some sort. I tried always to pick desserts that I could make well ahead of time that I wouldn't have to do for when it came to the actual day. These Baby Sticky Toffee Pudding Cakes were very popular.
Lemon Possets were another favorite.
After dessert there would be a cheese course. Prior to cooking at the manor I had a very timid cheese palate. I soon learned that in order to put together a delicious cheese tray I needed to know what I was doing and so I learned to love cheese.
I would prepare a large silver tray holding a variety of cheeses and fruits with special silver scissors meant to be used to clip off little sprigs of grapes. Normally there would be a hard cheese, some semi hard cheese, a soft cheese, a conversational cheese and a variety of fruits. Perhaps some wedges of apple, grapes, ripe figs, etc.
A silver biscuit barrel would also be passed at the table for the guests to enjoy a variety of crackers and biscuits with their cheeses. Small bread and butter plates with special silver knives would have been laid for them to spread their biscuits, cheese and fruits on.
As they were enjoying their cheese course I would be preparing the coffee course.
We always used a large wooden antique tray for this with handles. A hand crocheted antique lace cloth would be places over top and then the coffee things would be placed on top of the cloth. Small demi-tasse cups with silver spoons, and a silver basket covered with a doily and filled with a variety of quality chocolates.
By that time my work would have been almost done for the day. I would be busy clearing, cleaning and washing up. Leftovers, if any, would have been covered and refrigerated. The silver and crystal hand washed and put away and the dish washer would be humming.
Normally I would clean up the coffee things the next morning. That way they were free to socialize as they wanted and I could go home and get a well deserved good night's sleep before work the next day.
All did not always run smoothly. I remember the first Thanksgiving dinner I cooked, the turkey burned. It was a really large turkey and I had it in the electric oven. I went back to our cottage for a wee break and when I returned it was to discover that the bottom of the turkey was burning. It was so large that it was too close to the bottom element . We quickly ran to the shops, picked up two smaller ones and the first one was used as a show piece (elaborately garnished with plenty of parsley) and the guests were served meat from the other two. We did have a great laugh over that one.
The Mrs. said that it wouldn't be Thanksgiving if nothing happened to the turkey!
All in all I really enjoyed my years working at the Manor. I got to work in a beautiful environment with the finest equipment and ingredients. I got to stretch and expand my culinary skills more than I had ever thought myself capable, and I left there with a really good reputation intact.
So much so that a few years ago, they contacted me from their home in the Bahamas asking me could I come to work for them again. They said I had been the best Chef that they had ever had working for them. The offer included a cottage on the beach, etc. I had to turn it down though. I was very content now to just do what I am doing and to be near my family. I do admit I was very flattered to have been asked to return, however, and I was really chuffed that they thought so highly of me.
It really was a great experience and one that this simple girl from rural Nova Scotia had never thought that she would ever get to live. Living and working in a beautiful spot in the Garden of Kent. If I had my life to live over again, this experience would always be a part of it. Through it I learned a great deal about fine cooking and dining, proper service, and entertaining on a grand scale. This I will always be grateful for.
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 Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
My Todd is a real meat and potatoes man. He doesn't care what else is on the menu, as long as it contains some meat and potatoes somewhere along the line. He will tolerate rice every so often instead of potatoes, but a hefty plate of mash is his first love . . .
I think he loves chops most of all when it comes to meat meals . . . lamb chops are quite tasty, but he especially loves pork chops! The Waitrose in Chester is a small shop, but it sells very tasty Hampshire bred rack pork chops and the flavour is just wonderful. Succulent and meaty. We both love them . . . they're the best!
There is something very comforting and homey about a breaded pork chop. When I was a child my mom would sometimes treat us to "Shake & Bake" pork chops. We loved them. (Shake & Bake is a North American Crumb mixture that you can get for pork, chicken or fish. You just dampen the meat, and shake it in the plastic bag included to coat with the crumbs, also included.)
These delicious pork chops are a thousand times better. Tender and tasty and coated with a delicious sage and Parmesan flavored soft bread crumb mixture. Ohhh . . . these are some good. The crumbs get all crispy and golden brown . . . the meat stays succulent and moist beneath that golden crust . . . nothing on earth tastes better . . . truly . . .
Well . . . applesauce is mighty good with them . . . mighty good, all tangy and sweet at the same time . . . just perfect . . . especially if it is made with fabulous Bramley Apples, which are fabulous this time of year and cook up so fluffy. If you really want to impress, with just a tiny bit of extra effort, you can make a tasty chutney to serve with them!
A tangy, sweet and spicy Cranberry Chutney on the side makes this a really special dinner. You don't even need to have any fresh cranberries around, coz this chutney is made completely out of dried fruit! I always have dried cranberries, sultanas and apples in the larder. They come in ever so handy! You just never know when you are going to need a handful or two. Your family will love this meal. It's special enough to make them feel like they are having a real treat . . . and special enough to feed to company!
You will end up with about 2 1/2 cups of the chutney, but I am sure you will find it so delicious that you won't have a problem using it all up. It is great with pork, ham, chicken or turkey. Try it as a tasty relish in sandwiches!! Stir it into some chicken salad for a wonderfully scrummy sandwich filling. It's also quite, quite special served with a good white farmhouse cheddar and a crusty loaf for a deliciously different ploughman's lunch!
*Sage Pork Chops with Cranberry Chutney*
serves 4
Printable Recipe
Mmmm . . . comfort food at it's best. A tasty crumbed pork chop, tender and juice and accompanied with a tasty Cranberry Chutney.
75g plain flour (3/4 cup)
3 large free range eggs
2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
4 to 6 sage leaves, finely chopped
50g fresh bread crumbs (scant cup)
100g fresh finely grated Parmesan Cheese (generous 1/2 cup)
4 good quality pork chops
60ml vegetable oil (1/4 cup)
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
For the chutney:
250g sweetened dried cranberries (1 2/3 cup)
375ml boiling water (1 1/2 cups)
25g of dried apples, diced (about 1/4 cup)
25g of sultanas (about 1/4 cup)
1 TBS minced crystalized ginger
85ml white wine vinegar (generous 1/3 cup)
3 TBS sugar
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp of ground ginger
2 heaping dessertspoons of seedless raspberry jam or red plum jam
First make the chutney. Put the cranberries, apples, sultanas and crystalized ginger into a bowl. Pour the boiling water over and let sit for 30 minutes. At the end of 30 minutes, combine the vinegar, sugar, cayenne, allspice, cinnamon and ginger in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring frequently. Add the berry mixture. Bring back to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the jam and remove the mixture from the heat. Cool to room temperature. (You can even do this the day before if you wish.)
Put the flour for the chops onto a flat plate. Beat the eggs and worcestershire sauce together in a shallow pie plate. Combine the sage leaves, bread crumbs, and Parmesan together in another shallow pie plate. Trim the fat from the pork chops and season them well all over with some salt, pepper and garlic powder. Press a pork chop into the flour, coating the meat evenly and shaking off any excess. Dip the floured pork chop into the beaten egg, allowing any excess to drip off. Press the egged pork chop firmly in the crumb mixture to coat evenly all over. Repeat with the other 3 chops.
Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat, in a heavy bottomed skillet large enough to hold all four chops. Once heated add the chops and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, so they gently sizzle in the oil and a golden crust forms. Flip them over and cook for an additional 5 minutes on the other side.
Serve immediately with some of the chutney on the side of each portion of pork.
It goes without saying the Toddster likes plenty of potatoes with his, mashed, baked or fried. He's a happy camper just so long as he's got some potato to go with his chop!
Chicken Cutlets with Sage, Lemon & Butter. This is a delicious recipe to make using fried chicken cutlets.
We eat a lot of chicken in this house. It's fairly in-expensive, and we just like it. We don't eat a lot of red meat actually, saving it for a rare treat like the odd pork chop, lamb chop or steak . . .
I only buy free range chicken. I made a conscious decision several years back that I would only eat responsibly reared and sourced meat, fish and poultry.
I only buy free range chicken. I made a conscious decision several years back that I would only eat responsibly reared and sourced meat, fish and poultry.
It means that we have really cut down our consumption of those things because well . . . responsibly reared and sourced products cost more, and I would rather pay a bit more and eat protein like that a little less often.
This is a chicken that has really come home to roost in recent weeks (no pun intended) as we have come to learn that a great deal of our meat products, specifically those used in ready meals, beef burgers, etc. have been contaminated with horse meat and who knows what else . . .
This is a chicken that has really come home to roost in recent weeks (no pun intended) as we have come to learn that a great deal of our meat products, specifically those used in ready meals, beef burgers, etc. have been contaminated with horse meat and who knows what else . . .
Its a nasty business all round. I have nothing against eating horse if that is what you choose to do . . . but when I pay for beef, I expect to be eating beef. In France you see dedicated horse meat sections in the grocery shops. That's great if that's what you want to eat.
I don't really want to eat it and I don't like thinking that we have been tricked into doing so without our knowledge. Not that I eat a lot of grocery store beef. I don't. All the more reason not to.
This recipe here today is a delicious way to make two large single chicken breasts stretch to deliciously feed four people.
This recipe here today is a delicious way to make two large single chicken breasts stretch to deliciously feed four people.
Yes, four people, and nobody will feel like they have been shortchanged, just so long as you use decently sized chicken breasts.
The magic happens when you slice each breast into two pieces and then gently pound them out flat.
The magic happens when you slice each breast into two pieces and then gently pound them out flat.
They are then simply pan grilled and a delicious sauce is made using quite simply . . . sage, butter and lemon.
Delicious served with rice and peas. I cheated today and used a pouch of mushroom rice, but any rice will do.
Delicious served with rice and peas. I cheated today and used a pouch of mushroom rice, but any rice will do.
Really I'd love to have them with pasta, but you know . . . the Toddster, he's not so fond . . .
*Chicken Cutlets with Sage, Lemon & Butter*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
Quick, simple and delicious. One of my favourite ways to prepare chicken.
4 TBS plain flour
2 large chicken breasts cut into 4 escallopes
(Cut them in half lengthwise through the middle into two
long thin pieces)
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 TBS olive oil
2 TBS butter
1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and bruised
1 tsp freeze dried sage leaves
the juice of half a lemon
Place your chicken cutlets between two sheets of cling film and bash them gently to flatten them out a bit. Dust them lightly with flour, patting it on and shaking off any excess. Heat the oil and 1/2 of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
*Chicken Cutlets with Sage, Lemon & Butter*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
Quick, simple and delicious. One of my favourite ways to prepare chicken.
4 TBS plain flour
2 large chicken breasts cut into 4 escallopes
(Cut them in half lengthwise through the middle into two
long thin pieces)
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 TBS olive oil
2 TBS butter
1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and bruised
1 tsp freeze dried sage leaves
the juice of half a lemon
Place your chicken cutlets between two sheets of cling film and bash them gently to flatten them out a bit. Dust them lightly with flour, patting it on and shaking off any excess. Heat the oil and 1/2 of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
Once it begins to
foam, add the chicken and brown lightly on both sides, seasoning it to
taste with some salt and black pepper.
Add the garlic and the sage to
the pan along with the remaining butter. Squeeze in the lemon juice
and let it bubble up a minute. Serve immediately with some of the
lemony juices spooned over each cutlet.
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.
One
of the most iconic British dishes is the ‘Sunday Roast’ or ‘Sunday Dinner’. It’s
definitely a good reason to look forward to Sundays and can be great if you
have a lot of people coming round and you need to cook a large amount of food.
Just a note, a Sunday Roast is also great comfort food for those more lonesome
times if you’re feeling a little more introvert.
Traditional Sunday Roast
A
Sunday Roast usually consists of roast potatoes, stuffing, mash, roasted meat,
Yorkshire puddings, gravy and vegetables. But every household may have their
own version or different trimmings to their taste. Although they are not
seasonal you may choose to accompany meat with vegetables that are in season. A
Sunday Roast can be cooked any day of the week but traditionally is cooked on a
Sunday. BBC
Good Food have some great recipes that will inspire you to
decide on your roast and choice of ingredients.
Buying Your Ingredients
You
can buy ingredients for a Sunday Roast from any large supermarket or even
better if you have a local butcher in your area. Usually, it can be better to
buy a bigger piece of meat and eat any leftovers the next day or two.
Important Cookware
All
you need to create this great British classic dish is durable roasting tins and
roasting dishes. Check out Viners for some great products perfect for
cooking your Sunday roast. When buying your meat and ingredients take into
account the size of your roasting tins and dishes to ensure you are purchasing
the right size.
Cooking Your Meat
You
can look online for tips or even better ask your butcher for advice on cooking your
meat as they will have tips on the best ways to cook different types. You could
also do the same to find out how best to season your meat and which herbs would
go well for example, rosemary goes well with lamb whereas oregano and thyme go
nicely with beef. Take a look at the Tesco
website to watch a video on how to cook a simple Roast Dinner.
So,
enjoy your Sunday and invite friends and family round to impress and try out
your roast. Just don’t forget to rest the meat once it’s cooked to make sure
that it’s juicy and tasty! Let us know reasons why you love Sunday Roasts and what
you use to make them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons