Dame Starry

That's really interesting.

Indian (molasses) Pudding - is that like a steamed Syrup Sponge Pudding?
Bread Pudding - is that made in a slab with bread, milk, suet (or other fat), spices and fruit? (Sometimes known as a 'Wet Nellie' in Liverpool)

DS x.

Dame Starry

I'm absolutely useless when it comes to roasting meat - although I've almost perfected roasting a joint in a saucepan on the hob - "watch this space".

I would be interested to know if anybody has any foolproof methods for roasting meat.

These are the basic roasting times given for beef in most cookery books:

Oven Temperature - 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4

RARE: 20 minutes per 450g (1 lb) plus 20 minutes.
MEDIUM: 25 minutes per 450g (1 lb) plus 25 minutes.
WELL DONE: 30 minutes per 450g (1 lb) plus 30 minutes.

NB: ALWAYS make sure that the meat is at room temperature before you put it in the oven.

DS x.

Dame Starry

I have discovered that I get better results if I make individual puddings instead of one large one.

Yorkshire Pudding

4ozs Plain Flour
Pinch Salt
½ pt Skimmed Milk or Semi-Skimmed Milk
2 Eggs, beaten


Sift flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre.

Add the eggs and, with a balloon whisk, lightly beat the liquid in the centre while gradually drawing in the flour.
Add more milk as necessary until you have a thick batter and then stir in the rest of the milk. At this stage, don’t worry, if there are a few lumps in the mixture.

Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to stand for 30-60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7.

Use either 4 x 4” dishes (see picture below) or a Yorkshire Pudding tin. Put a small knob of butter in each dish (or tin compartment) and put in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the fat is ‘smoking’.

Meanwhile, lightly whisk the mixture which will dissolve any small lumps remaining.

Share the mixture evenly between dishes and return to the oven.

Cook for about 40-45 minutes or until well-risen and golden brown.


DS x.

TimR

I looked that up, and I think it is somewhat similar to a pudding I had in England many years ago. From what I recall, I think it had golden syup in it?

Here, it would be molasses instead, or in Vermont or New Hampshire it would be maple syrup (very rich) and it is always made with cornmeal. It is usually served with sugarless whipped cream to offset the richness.

I think both are delicious.

It's interesting: the English settlers used the local ingredients to create a facsimile of what they knew, and it has remained popular. Corn and squash and pumpkins showed up in everything, including cake, and they still do.

Well, that sounds exactly like what my grandmother used to make: she was born in Cheltenham and moved to the US as a young woman. She brought her cooking with her. She also made rice pudding, as did my other grandmother - of Irish descent. I thought that was bland, but the bread pudding was delicious.

I think if you ordered it now at a Boston inn or restaurant, you would find it lighter and less rich. But in family homes, the old ways are still followed.

Another example I know from my own family is Irish or English soda bread, which became "johnny cake" here in the US. It was my great-grandmother's specialty. I think it was essentially the same as the original, except that the New England version was heavier. It got its name because it was made in rectangular pans, sliced in squares and taken on long journeys in winter. It would survive being frozen and still tasted good (at least according to family lore). "Journey" became "johnny" with the almost-vanished New England accent.

TimR

Thank you very much. I will pass this on to Mrs. TimR. She is an excellent cook.

Dame Starry

Tim - thank you so much for all of that, it was really interesting.
My maternal grandfather's family originate from Cheltenham - and my mother was born there.

I keep maple syrup in my fridge - previously mentioned in my waffle recipe with bacon and caramelised bananas. It gets drizzled on a lot of other things too!

I have a recipe for a bread pudding which I will dig out and post later - and I also have one for a microwave syrup sponge, which saves steaming the kitchen up for a couple of hours!
Both here would, traditionally, be served with custard - although the bread pudding is nice cold on its own.

DS x.

David Brent

They look absolutely wonderful Dame.

Roasts are popular here in Australia but for some reason people/restaurants do not bother with the Yorkshire pudding.

Roast beef and roast potatoes without Yorkshire Pudding is just not the same.

And how about rice pudding for afters?

Makes me feel homesick.

Dave.

Dame Starry

That really surprises me considering how many ex-pats live over there now.

Start pestering the restaurants - "What? No Yorkshire pudding? Good grief!"

For you, Dave, I'll dig out my rice pudding recipe.

DS x.

Chevyman

A nice accompaniment to anything oriental

Serves two

Ingredients
Boiled rice (enough for two)
2 eggs beaten
2tsp Sesame Oil
Pinch salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Spring Onions chopped any which way you like
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

Cook the rice well in advance and allow to cool
Mix the eggs with the sesame oil
Heat the wok until it is very hot, then add the vegetable oil.
Add the onions, salt and pepper and stir fry for a minute
Add the beaten egg mixture and stir fry for a minute; they should start to solidify quite quickly
Add the cooked rice and stir thoroughly until warmed through
Serve

Tips
Get all the ingredients ready in advance
If you wish you can add Chilli oil at the point where you add the cooked rice
You can also throw in left over mushrooms, carrots etc., as long as you chop them finely

"One appears to have dropped one's monocle in the soufflee"

Why not visit the Festive Fayre section?

Dame Starry

Mmmm! One of my favourites.

A little tip - I always use bought, frozen rice straight from the freezer; it works a treat.

DS x.

batman

I need a good recipe for pancakes please, Dame.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

Chevyman

Hi Tim,

I'll have a word with Mrs Chevyman. She's the roasting supremo.

See what she comes up with

"One appears to have dropped one's monocle in the soufflee"

Why not visit the Festive Fayre section?

Chevyman

You'll have to try it with the ribs

Frozen rice would be perfect. I often use frozen peas too. They give excellent results and taste fine

"One appears to have dropped one's monocle in the soufflee"

Why not visit the Festive Fayre section?

Dame Starry

Easy, Bats - use the same recipe as for the Yorkshire Puddings and you won't go wrong.

You can make them in advance and layer them with greaseproof paper on a plate, then just reheat them individually in the frying pan - which is infinitely better than everybody sitting around the table waiting for each one to cook.

You can also freeze them providing you layer them with the greaseproof paper -and take one or two out at a time.

Cooked pancakes can be used as an alternative to pasta:

Make a Bolognese sauce and fold and roll up the pancakes with some of the mixture inside (like cannelloni), put them in a single layer in a dish, cover them with a favourite cheese sauce and sprinkle grated cheese over the top.
As everything is cooked, that just needs to go into the oven to reheat it through completely and melt and brown the cheese on top.
(I can't take any credit for that - I saw "St. Delia of The Ladle" do it once on TV!)

DS x.

Dame Starry

Depending on your taste and how much time you have, I have given you two recipes: one for the microwave and one for the oven. I have used both recipes, but the one baked in the conventional oven is probably the best.


Microwave Creamy Rice Pudding

(Based on a 1000w oven)

INGREDIENTS:

Butter, for greasing
225ml (8 fl. ozs) Evaporated Milk
350ml (12 fl. ozs) Water
50g (2ozs) Short Grain (Pudding) Rice
25g (1oz) Caster Sugar

Grease a large bowl with the butter.

Mix the milk and water together, pour into the bowl and stir in the rice and sugar.

Cook on HIGH (1000w) for 5-6 minutes or until the liquid is boiling.

Immediately reduce to SIMMER (250w) and cook for 30-35 minutes or until starting to thicken, stirring with a fork to break up any lumps every 15 minutes and at the end of the cooking time.

Leave to stand for 5 minutes to thicken before serving.

NB: You can use a pint of full-fat milk instead of the evaporated milk and water.
If you use semi-skimmed milk, you will probably have a thinner pudding.



Baked Rice Pudding

INGREDIENTS:

50g (2ozs) Short Grain (Pudding) Rice
30ml (2 Level Tablespoons) Sugar
600ml (1 pint) Milk (Full-Fat)
Knob of Butter
Nutmeg

Preheat oven to 150C/300F/Gas Mark 2.

Grease a 1½ pint ovenproof dish.

Add the rice, sugar and milk and stir. Dot the top with shavings of butter and sprinkle nutmeg on the top.

Bake in the centre of the oven for about 2 hours, stirring after about 30 minutes.

As ovens can vary dramatically, keep an eye on the pudding to make sure that it doesn't dry out.

DS x.