The Crumpet

Crumpets more than likely originated in Wales in Anglo-saxon times as a bread that was not baked in an oven but cooked on a flat griddle. They became popular throughout Great Britain and in England during the Victorian period that the recognisable crumpets of today emerged. Although they are classified as a bread, they are made from a batter rather than a dough like the English muffin. They are circular about 8 inches in diameter and about an inch or just under in height and characteristically have holes in the top surface.

They are present everywhere and I often had them growing up, toasted with a spread of butter. Quite a unique spongy texture and flavour but the shop bought ones are nothing compared to the freshly made ones.

I wish I had a homemade recipe to share but I always had the shop bought crumpets. The best recipe by far I have come across is by an English celebrity baker with an American name, Paul Hollywood.


What you need:

175g strong white flower
175g plain flour
2x 7g sachets instant yeast
1 tsp caster sugar
350ml warm milk
150-200 warm water
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
sunflower oil for cooking


What you do:

• Weigh the flours into a bowl. Add the yeast and stir.
• Dissolve the sugar in warm milk and pour into flour. Beat until you have a smooth batter. Beat hard for 5 minutes otherwise you don't get the characteristic holes in the top.
• Cover and leave for up to an hour, the batter will rise and fall.
• Combine the bicarbonate and salt with warm water and beat into the batter. Add about 3/4 of the water and keep adding until get a double cream consistency. Cover and leave for 20 mins.
• Heat a flat griddle or heavy pan and grease some metal crumpet ring (chef rings), place onto griddle/pan.
• Drop 2 dessert spoons into ring and leave for 5 minutes. Bubbles should appear. Turn the crumpets in their rings and cook for further 3 mins.
• Can be served then or toasted after cooling with butter.

Don't forget if you hear an English person talking about someone as 'a nice bit of crumpet', can you guess what they mean?

Red Leicester Cheese

I grew up on this cheese. Every day after school the first thing I would do after putting down my bag would be to cut 2 thick slices from a white bloomer loaf and cut 2 cm thick slices of this orange cheese and make a sandwich, no butter, no sauce or any other filling. Quite strange but I just loved the taste of the cheese on its own.

Red Leicester is a hard cheese similar to cheddar and it dates back to the 17th Century from Leicestershire. Stilton would take priority regarding the cows milk and when that quota was filled, the leftover milk would be used to make this. The orange colour originated when the cheese makers wanted to distinguish their cheese from others and initially used carrot juice or beetroot juice but now the vegetable dye anatto is used.

It is sweeter than cheddar, moister, crumblier and has a nutty taste.

Pork pie recipe Melton Mowbray style

In London, pork pies are everywhere but these are the mass produced variety and vary greatly in quality. You might be from a part of the world where these have never been heard of before or you just might want to taste a home made fresh pork pie and why not, I believe it is definitely worth it. So here is a recipe for you. It is based on the Melton Mowbray recipe.


To make 1 pie:

Pastry                                    Filling
50g lard                                 225g lean pork chopped
30ml water                            125ml pork stock and 15g gelatine
113g plain flour                     Salt and Pepper
pinch of salt
1 egg

This pastry developed for the pie as it is strong and able to contain the contents of the pie while also holding its own weight in the oven. The jelly (used to be clarified butter) is added to fill any air holes in the pie. The lack of air extends the life of the pie and ensures the pie case does not crumble during transport.

• Flour, salt and 15g lard goes into a bowl and mixed together. Heat the rest of the lard and water until boiling and then add to the flour mixture and mix. Once it is cool enough knead well.
• Keep 1/4 of pastry for the lid and the rest roll into a ball and keep in fridge overnight.
• Next day take out the dough and make it pliable again by squeezing it.
• Mould the pastry around the bottom of a jam jar and push up around the jar ensuring even thickness all around until you have a hollow cylinder about 5 inches high.
• Season the chopped pork with salt and pepper and place into the hollow case.
• Roll out the pastry for the lid and use the egg (beaten) to bind the lid with the main case and crimp.
• Brush the top of the pie with egg wash, make a hole in the centre of the lid and chill overnight.
• Bake at 180℃ for about 90 mins but keep checking.
• Allow to cool.
• Dissolve the gelatine in the pork stock and pour into pie through the hole at the top and place in fridge to set the jelly.
• Remove from fridge 1 hour prior to serving.

You could always add other herbs or mixes of pork meat to the filling to experiment, you don't have to stick to the restricted guidelines that a Melton Mowbray needs to stick to.

Melton Mowbray Pork Pie

The town of Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire became the powerhouse and the peak pork pie producer due to a combination of factors but most notably they had all of the quality ingredients on their doorstep and knew how to use them to their fullest. Also, it is said that during major fox hunts in the area during the 1800's the pie gained notoriety when the upper classes were exposed to them.
This pork pie is grey as it is made from uncured meat which is diced not minced, the pastry is hand formed and they are baked free standing which gives it the sides the characteristic bowing out look.
All these characteristics which have caused this variant to dominate the others have been protected as of 2008, yes it has joined Champagne, Parma ham and Cognac.

The Pork Pie

The pork pie has been around since medieval times and changed very little. Generally pies were the result of trying to keep food for longer so the filling would be encased in a very simple dough and baked to lengthen the shelf life of whatever was inside. Pork jelly (historically clarified butter) is also injected after cooking to fill air gaps and lengthen the preservative factor. Furthermore, they could be easily transported with the pastry acting as a protective layer, particularly with the lower classes working outside. The pastry was not always eaten and sometimes discarded.
This simple dough is known as a 'hot water crust pastry'. The high water content means it is strong and has no problems with dense, wet fillings.

Traditionally eaten cold the pork pie is an essential ingredient in the ploughman's lunch. It is also often seen as a pub snack accompanied by some English mustard or the unmistakable Branston's pickle. In the Midlands of England there is a tradition for it to be eaten for the Christmas breakfast said to be started in the Victorian era by the novelist D H Lawrence.

The most famous pork pie is the Melton Mowbray variety originating from Leicestershire.

If you hear someone from the East London saying that you are telling porkies then beware. In Cockney rhyming slang 'Pork pies' are 'lies'.

Bangers and mash

Basically sausage mash and gravy, this dish is super easy which is why you will find it on most pub menus. When I used to run a pub kitchen this dish would fly out on a regular basis as a hearty and warming dish that would always satisfy.

A 'Banger' is an English term for a sausage originating from the First World war where rationing meant that sausages were comprised of lots of meat substitutes and a high water content. As these sausages were cooked they would often pop and 'bang' so it was common practise to pierce the sausages first. (More information on the humble English sausage).

Any sausage can be used, pork being used mostly and the Cumberland sausage is more traditional. It's one factor that can be swapped out to whatever you like meaning the dish can be dynamic in taste ensuring you can have it time after time without being bored. I will actually cook it today and have decided to choose a pork and apple sausage.

Its commonly served with an onion gravy but can be any gravy, and can be with or without peas. The most visually appealing presentation is the mash in the middle of a round bowl/dish and an uneven amount of sausages laying on top of the mash and the gravy on and around. If having peas these would float in the gravy around the mash.

To make is super easy:

First make a basic mash, or whichever type you like. I will give a simple recipe here just in case you have never made it.


Mash

• Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil 
• Peel about 2kg of large potatoes and cut in half and add to the boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20mins
• You will know when they are done when you stick a knife through one and it slides off back into the pot
• Drain into a colander and let steam for few minutes to reduce the water on them.
• Return to the dry pot and start mashing. The more you mash the smoother it will be.
• After thorough mashing add about 40g unsalted butter, more if you want creamier mash. Add 80ml of milk and a good pinch of salt and black pepper to season.
• Keep mashing, add more milk if required. Adjust seasoning to taste and add more butter to the top once it is in the serving bowl so it melts all over the top.

My father was renowned for how smooth and creamy he could make his mash, I believe he used cream instead of milk and a hell of a lot of elbow grease.

Gravy

Usually gravy is made using the meat juice but there won't be any from the sausages.

To be honest its very common nowadays in the household to use the ready made gravy mixes such as the freeze dried Bisto varieties. Then fry some onion in a frying pan and add the gravy mixture to it. If you are a busy mum or poor student why not, decrease the time and complexity.

However, the gravy is a the all encompassing taste factor as it covers the dish so it is worth spending that little bit of extra time to make a good gravy.

• Thinly slice 2 large peeled onions and cook in a pan with 2tbsp of butter and a little oil over a low heat and cover. Do this for about 15-20 mins until the onions soft. 
• Turn up the heat, add a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and stir for 2 mins to caramelise the onions.
• Turn down the heat to low again and stir in 1 teaspoon of flour and stir.
• After 2 mins pour in 100ml of red wine, turn up the heat and simmer for about 5-10 mins.
• Add 200ml of stock (as we have no meat juices, can be any stock)
• Reduce the sauce over about 15 mins until it thickens. Some people prefer runnier gravy, some prefer thicker gravy.

You could also experiment with this. Add some Worcestershire sauce, mustard or rosemary for example. I went through a phase of adding French mustard to the dish after it was presented as I was the only one who liked that so couldn't incorporate that into the gravy.

Cooking the sausages

Traditionally sausages would be fried but I think its too messy, all the oil spitting everywhere and having to keep turning them to make sure one side is not overcooked and one side undercooked. I always throw them in the oven in a baking tray. They take about 20-30 mins at about 180℃ fan depending on the thickness and you shake them once in a while, easy.

Cooking the meal in a hurry and cheating a lot

Your in a lazy mood and want something quick and tasty:

Buy the gravy granules and just add hot water and mix. There are different varieties but Bisto is far and away the most famous. Alternatively there are very good pre-made gravies bought already in liquid form, just heat up.  1 minute

If you haven't used a pre-made onion gravy fry some sliced onion in the oil you cooked the sausages in. 1 minute

The ready made mash you can get in supermarkets is actually quite good and after heating for a couple of minutes just add a dollop of butter on top and that has saved a lot of time and hassle. 2 minutes