Spotted Dick
Some would rather call this dessert “Spotted Dog Pudding.” The spotted part refers to the currants in the dough and the word dick is a colloquial word for pudding.
INGREDIENTS
8 Ounces Self-Rising Flour
4 Ounces Shredded Suet
8 Ounces Currants
2/3 Cups Cold Water
1 Ounce Sugar
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
Mix together the flour, sugar, salt, suet and the currents. Keep mixing and add a little water at a time until the whole becomes firm dough. Roll into a long cylindrical shape that is about 8 inches long. Carefully place the rolled pastry into a small pan that is close to 8 inches diameter as possible. On top of the stove, place this smaller pan into a larger pan that is filled with boiling water. Do not fill so that the water spills into the smaller pan. This is to make a steamer to “steam” the pudding. Put on the lid to the larger pan and steam for about 2 ¼ hours making sure that the water is topped up in the outer pan with boiling water. If you would rather steam in the oven you can wrap in roil and bake at 400° F for 1 ½ hours. Serve with custard. Serves 6
Traditional Fish & Chips
You don’t have to go to the “chippie” to get traditional fish & chips. Serve with salt and malt vinegar.
INGREDIENTS
4 Large Pieces of Either Cod or Haddock
2 ½ Pounds Potatoes
Sunflower Seed Oil
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Batter
7 Ounces Unbleached Flour
1 Large Egg
2 ½ Ounces Milk
2 ½ Ounces Water
2 Tablespoons Dark Beer
Peel the potatoes and cut them into chips. You should cook them after you start cooking the fish. Place them covered in water to stop them going brown. Set aside. Make the batter mixture by putting the flour into a large bowl. Whisk the egg and add the 2 tablespoons of dark beer in a separate bowl. Now pour the whisked egg into the flour adding the milk and water. Beat until smooth. Leave batter stand for an hour.
Heat a deep and heavy pan filled with enough oil to cover the chips. Make sure that the oil gets hot. If you drop in a tiny piece of potato and it immediately starts to sizzle then the oil is hot enough.
Heat another pan of oil just deep enough to cover the fish. Individually put each fish fillet into the batter. Slide the fish pieces back and forth to cover with the batter. Lift out the fish pieces and allow to drip for a moment and then repeat. This makes certain that the fish is completely covered in batter. Lower the battered fish into the hot oil skin side to the bottom of the pan to stop the fillet from curling as it heats. Now cook one fillet at a time. After 5 minutes turn the fish over and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat with the second fillet, keeping the first cooked fillet warm in the oven. Now it is time to put the chips in the pan to cook. Take care as the oil might froth as the wet chips go in. This is normal, but be careful not to burn yourself. Carry on cooking the other two fillets and put them in the oven to keep warm. Lift out the chips when they reach a nice golden brown color and are cooked through. Use a mesh spoon to lift the chips out and let the oil drip back into the pan. Serve on plates or newspapers with the fish nestling on a bed of chips. Malt vinegar, salt & ketchup, YUM! Serves 4
Chicken Curry
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Skinless & Boneless Chicken Breasts
3 Crushed Garlic Cloves
¼ Teaspoon Ginger
1 Cup Chicken Broth
1 Finely Chopped Onion
1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
1 Cup Water
½ Teaspoon Cumin Powder
½ Teaspoon Coriander Powder
¼ Teaspoon Garam Masala
¼ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 Finely Chopped Green Chili
2 Tablespoons Coconut Milk
3 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves
Heat olive oil in a medium size pan. Dice chicken breasts and sauté until golden brown. Remove and drain. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and sauté until golden brown as well. Add all of the spices and sauté for another minute. Add chicken broth and water and let it boil for 2 minutes. Add chicken pieces and cover the pan and let it cook for 30 minutes. At the end of 30 minutes add the coconut milk and cook for another 1 minute. Serve over basmati rice. Serves 4
Deviled Ham Tea Sandwiches
My childhood consisted of deviled ham sandwiches and Ball Park franks (“they plump when you cook em’). I loved opening up a tin of Underwood Deviled Ham and spreading it all over Wonder Bread. Talk about salt! This homemade deviled ham recipe is creamy and just a bit spicy. Serve it scooped onto lettuce leaves as a light lunch, too.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Finely Chopped Smoked Ham
¼ Cup Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley
2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Green Onions
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
¼ Teaspoon Hot Sauce of Your Choice
12 Slices Thinly Sliced Sandwich Bread
In a medium bowl mix together ham, mayonnaise, parsley, green onions, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Cover and chill deviled ham for at least 2 hours. Divide deviled ham between 6 slices of bread and spread out evenly with a knife. Top with remaining slices of bread and press each sandwich down lightly. Remove crusts and cut in halves or quarters. Transfer to platter and serve immediately or cover platter with a slightly dampened paper towel and plastic wrap – then refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 6
Crème Caramel
INGREDIENTS
Custard:
1 Quart Whole Milk
1 ¼ Cups Plus 3 Tablespoons Sugar
5 Jumbo Eggs
3 Jumbo Egg Yolks
2 ¼ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Caramel:
½ Cup Plus 1 Tablespoon Sugar
3 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
3 Tablespoons Water
First arrange 8 (1 Cup) ramekins in a large roasting pan and set aside. To make the caramel: in a small saucepan, bring the sugar, water and corn syrup to a simmer over medium heat. Stir lightly to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 25 minutes or until a rich, amber caramel amber caramel forms. Pour an equal amount of hot caramel into each ramekin. If the caramel gets too hard, gently reheat it. Preheat the oven to 300° F. To make the custard: In a large saucepan, bring the milk and sugar just to a simmer over medium heat. Stir for 5 minutes to dissolve the sugar. Let cool until warm. In a large bowl, whisk the whole eggs with the yolks. Slowly whisk in the warm milk mixture and then the vanilla. Strain the custard and pour into the prepared ramekins. Add enough hot water to the roasting pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan with 2 layers of plastic wrap. Bake the custard for 1 hour or until they are set, but still slightly wiggle in the center. Remove the hot custards from the water bath and let them cool on a rack until they are room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the custards overnight. To serve pour 2 inches of extremely hot water into a small bowl. Dip the ramekin in the hot water for 10 seconds and then run a thin knife around the edge of the ramekin to loosen the custard. Invert the crème caramel onto a serving plate. Repeat with the remaining crème caramels and serve. Serves 8
Beef Sliders
These mini-burgers are so very tasty. What meat eater can resist?!
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Ground Sirloin
½ Cup Dried Onion Flakes
¼ Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
Cheddar Cheese (optional)
24 Mini Buns
Red Onion Slices (optional)
Lettuce (optional)
Condiments of Choice
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Evenly spread dried onion on the bottom of a 9×13 glass baking dish. Gently pat the ground sirloin on top of the onion flakes to form one large patty. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with cheese if desired. Return to the oven for 5 more minutes. Let stand for at least 5 minutes. Drain grease by tipping pan and pouring most of the grease out from one of the corners of the pan. Cut burgers into 24 portions (6” x 4”). Place mini-burgers on mini-buns and top with condiments of your choice. If you would rather make individual mini-burgers you can do that as well. Makes 24
Strawberry Tart
This is such an easy dessert recipe. Feel free to substitute the strawberries with your favorite berry.
INGREDIENTS
9 Inch Pie Crust
8 Ounces Softened Cream Cheese
1/3 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 Cups Washed & Hulled Whole Strawberries
Bake the pie crust until golden brown. If you are using a frozen pie crust then follow the package directions. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. Spoon the filling into the cooled pie crust. Spread the mixture evenly in the shell. Arrange the strawberries on top of the filling. Some people like to arrange the strawberries with the bottoms up, but arrange however you wish. Chill for 1 hour before serving. Serves 6
Chicken Pot Pie
I remember eating the TV dinner chicken pot pies growing up. Even as a kid I thought that the frozen ones were horrible. Homemade chicken pot pie is so much better. If you don’t feel like making your own crust purchase a prepared one.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Cubed Skinless/Boneless Chicken Breasts
1 Cup Sliced Carrots
1 Cup Green Peas
½ Cup Sliced Celery
1/3 Cup Butter
1/3 Cup Chopped Red Onion
1/3 Cup Unbleached Flour
½ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 ¾ Cups Chicken Broth
2/3 Cup Milk
1 (9inch) Unbaked Pie Crusts
Preheat the oven to 425° F. In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. In a separate saucepan cook onions in the butter until soft and translucent over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over low heat until thick. Remove from the heat and set aside. Place the chicken mixture in the bottom of the pie crust. Pour the hot liquid mixture over the chicken mixture. Cover with the top crust and seal the edges. Cut away any excess dough. Make several small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 8
Baked Camembert
I discovered Baked Camembert while living in France. Baked Camembert is a great appetizer or can be eaten as a meal.
INGREDIENTS
One 9 Ounce Camembert (In Wooden Box)
1 Peeled and Sliced Garlic Clove
½ Teaspoon Fresh Thyme Leaves
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Small Baguette (Cut into Slices)
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Extra Olive Oil For Brushing
Sea Salt
Preheat oven to 400° F. Remove the camembert from the box and throw away any wax paper packaging. Take a 10 inch square of foil and place in the wooden box. Place the camembert back inside the box. Pierce the top of the camembert with the tip of a knife and push in the slices of garlic along with thyme leaves. Drizzle with honey. Loosely scrunch the foil up over the cheese and set aside. Brush two 12 inch square sheets, the size of your baking sheet, of parchment paper with oil. Line the baking sheet with one of the oiled parchment sheets – oil side up. Spread the slices of baguette over the sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with crushed sea salt. Place the remaining sheet of parchment – oil side down – over the bread. Place in the oven with the camembert and cook both for 10 minutes or until the cheese has risen and the bread is crisp. Open up the foil and dip in the hot baguette. This is delicious! Serves 4
Dagwood Sandwich
The Dagwood sandwich has been around for quite awhile. It is a tall, multi-layered sandwich made with a variety of meats, cheeses and condiments. This mammoth sandwich was named after Dagwood Bumstead, a central character in the 1936 Blondie comic strip. Dagwood was frequently shown making enormous sandwiches. There is no set recipe for the Dagwood so feel free to be creative!
INGREDIENTS
10 Slices White Sandwich Bread
1/3 Cup Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Yellow Mustard
1 Teaspoon Minced Garlic
1 Pinch Cajun Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Horseradish
1 Tablespoon Pickle Relish
¼ Pound Thinly Sliced Swiss Cheese
¼ Pound Thinly Slice Provolone Cheese
¼ Pound Thinly Sliced Cheddar Cheese
¼ Pound Thinly Sliced Pepper Jack Cheese
¼ Pound Sliced Pepperoni
½ Pound Thinly Sliced Turkey Breast
½ Pound Thinly Sliced Ham
½ Pound Thinly Sliced Roast Beef
½ Pound Thinly Sliced Pastrami
½ Pound Thinly Sliced Salami
5 Pieces Cooked Crisp & Halved Thick Cut Bacon
1 Medium Thinly Sliced Red Onion
1 Medium Thinly Sliced Cucumber
1 Medium Thinly Sliced Tomato
10 Whole Leaf Lettuce Leaves (Washed & Dried)
3 Cherry Tomatoes
3 Small Pickle Slices
3 Long Metal Skewers
Combine mayonnaise, mustard, horseradish and pickle relish in a small bowl. Add the chopped garlic and Cajun seasoning to the mayonnaise mixture. Arrange 5 bread slices on a large cutting board. Spread 2 tablespoons of the mayonnaise mixture evenly on each slice. Layer the meat and cheeses evenly among the bread slices. Fold the meats so that the sandwiches will stack evenly on top of each other. Top each of the sandwiches with tomato slices and the remaining bread slices. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise mixture on top of each sandwich and lay 2 bacon halves on top of each sandwich. Place 1 cherry tomato and 1 pickle slice through each skewer. Carefully build the Dagwood sandwich by stacking all 5 sandwiches on top of each other. Separate the sandwiches by placing 2 lettuce leaves in between. To keep the sandwich tower from falling over, fit the skewers into the sandwich tower all the way through the center. To serve, pull off the desired amount of bread, meat and cheese. Serves a whole village!
