British Side Ploughman's Soup* A new take on the ploughman's lunch, a lunch served in taverns throughout the British Isles.
In a large pot, saute the onion in butter till tender. Stir in flour to make a roux (see sidebar). Slowly stir in chicken broth and ale. Continue stirring and bring to a boil, turn down heat, and simmer till thickened. Add Worcestershire sauce. Gradually, add cheese, stirring until all is melted. Add salt and pepper. Serve with salad and crackers or crusty bread. |
Tips & Glossary Clotted Cream: a thick yellowish cream made from unpasturized cow's milk. You can make your own, although it's hard to find unpasturized cream in the U.S. Still, you'll find 3 recipes under Scones. All use pasturized cream; try to avoid "ultra" pasturized. Ploughman's Lunch: sounds romantic, like a peasant dish from medieval times, but it's a marketing gimmick from the 1970's! It's become a popular lunch in Britain now: a piece of bread, hunk of cheese, with onion, gherkin, and an apple. Our Ploughman's Soup is a take-off on that name. Roux: (“roo”), paste-like mixture of melted butter and flour, into which liquid is gradually added. Used as a thickening agent for soups and all classic French sauces. Basic Roux: melt 1 part butter and add 1 part flour. Stir continuously till it becomes paste-like. Slowly add whatever liquid your recipe calls for. Tea Time: Afternoon tea became fashionable in the mid-1600's. A light snack with sandwiches and sweets, it's served from 3-5 in a sitting room. High tea, is a light meal served from 5-6 in a dining room. ("High" because the dining table is higher than the low ones in a sitting room.) Yorkshire Pudding: from the northern county of Yorkshire, originating in the early 1700s when flour was more readily available. A pancake like batter is spooned into the drippings of a roast as it cooks. Eaten alongside the roast or as a separate course.
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British Side Roasted Root Vegetables This roasting method adds a touch of glamor to the lowly root vegetable.
Preheat oven to 375. Cut peeled potatoes, parsnips, and carrots into large chunks. Toss them in a large bowl with the oil, herbs, salt and pepper. Turn them out in a single layer on a shallow roasting pan and cook, tossing them halfway through, till tender, about 45-50 minutes. If you’re also preparing roast beef, you can skip the oil, herbs, salt and pepper. About 50 minutes before the beef is finished, drop the vegetables into the roasting pan, stirring and coating them with the beef’s drippings and fat. Yum. Bake till roast is finished (or longer if needed...while the roast rests under a foil tent). |
Tips & Glossary Clotted Cream: a thick yellowish cream made from unpasturized cow's milk. You can make your own, although it's hard to find unpasturized cream in the U.S. Still, you'll find 3 recipes under Scones. All use pasturized cream; try to avoid "ultra" pasturized. Ploughman's Lunch: sounds romantic, like a peasant dish from medieval times, but it's a marketing gimmick from the 1970's! It's become a popular lunch in Britain now: a piece of bread, hunk of cheese, with onion, gherkin, and an apple. Our Ploughman's Soup is a take-off on that name. Roux: (“roo”), paste-like mixture of melted butter and flour, into which liquid is gradually added. Used as a thickening agent for soups and all classic French sauces. Basic Roux: melt 1 part butter and add 1 part flour. Stir continuously till it becomes paste-like. Slowly add whatever liquid your recipe calls for. Tea Time: Afternoon tea became fashionable in the mid-1600's. A light snack with sandwiches and sweets, it's served from 3-5 in a sitting room. High tea, is a light meal served from 5-6 in a dining room. ("High" because the dining table is higher than the low ones in a sitting room.) Yorkshire Pudding: from the northern county of Yorkshire, originating in the early 1700s when flour was more readily available. A pancake like batter is spooned into the drippings of a roast as it cooks. Eaten alongside the roast or as a separate course.
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British Side Stilton & Pear Salad English Stilton is one of the truly great Blues.* Pair it with pear...and you've got an elegant, delicious salad.
Peel, quarter, and slice pears. Arrange sliced pear quarters on bed of lettuce. Sprinkle with Stilton and walnuts. Shake all dressing ingredients in a jar and pour over the salad when ready to serve. * The royal triumvirate of the world's blue cheeses are Stilton (UK), Roquefort (France), and Gogonzola (Italy). |
Tips & Glossary Clotted Cream: a thick yellowish cream made from unpasturized cow's milk. You can make your own, although it's hard to find unpasturized cream in the U.S. Still, you'll find 3 recipes under Scones. All use pasturized cream; try to avoid "ultra" pasturized. Ploughman's Lunch: sounds romantic, like a peasant dish from medieval times, but it's a marketing gimmick from the 1970's! It's become a popular lunch in Britain now: a piece of bread, hunk of cheese, with onion, gherkin, and an apple. Our Ploughman's Soup is a take-off on that name. Roux: (“roo”), paste-like mixture of melted butter and flour, into which liquid is gradually added. Used as a thickening agent for soups and all classic French sauces. Basic Roux: melt 1 part butter and add 1 part flour. Stir continuously till it becomes paste-like. Slowly add whatever liquid your recipe calls for. Tea Time: Afternoon tea became fashionable in the mid-1600's. A light snack with sandwiches and sweets, it's served from 3-5 in a sitting room. High tea, is a light meal served from 5-6 in a dining room. ("High" because the dining table is higher than the low ones in a sitting room.) Yorkshire Pudding: from the northern county of Yorkshire, originating in the early 1700s when flour was more readily available. A pancake like batter is spooned into the drippings of a roast as it cooks. Eaten alongside the roast or as a separate course.
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British Tea Time Chicken Pecan Sandwiches These little tea sandwiches are also delicious with a ginger-curry mayonnaise dressing.*
Cook chicken breasts (using any method you prefer and chill at least 4 hours or overnight. Slice into 12 very thin pieces. Combine mayonnaise, lemon zest, pecans, salt and pepper. Spread mixture on all 12 slices, layer 6 slices with sliced chicken, and top with lettuce and the remaining 6 bread slices. Carefully, trim the crusts (save for making breadcrumbs). Then slice the sandwiches diagonally—for 12 pieces; slice again for 24 smaller triangles. * For ginger-curry mayonnaise: replace lemon zest with 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger (see sidebar) and add 1/2 tsp. curry powder. |
Tips & Glossary Clotted Cream: a thick yellowish cream made from unpasturized cow's milk. You can make your own, although it's hard to find unpasturized cream in the U.S. Still, you'll find 3 recipes under Scones. All use pasturized cream; try to avoid "ultra" pasturized. Ploughman's Lunch: sounds romantic, like a peasant dish from medieval times, but it's a marketing gimmick from the 1970's! It's become a popular lunch in Britain now: a piece of bread, hunk of cheese, with onion, gherkin, and an apple. Our Ploughman's Soup is a take-off on that name. Roux: (“roo”), paste-like mixture of melted butter and flour, into which liquid is gradually added. Used as a thickening agent for soups and all classic French sauces. Basic Roux: melt 1 part butter and add 1 part flour. Stir continuously till it becomes paste-like. Slowly add whatever liquid your recipe calls for. Tea Time: Afternoon tea became fashionable in the mid-1600's. A light snack with sandwiches and sweets, it's served from 3-5 in a sitting room. High tea, is a light meal served from 5-6 in a dining room. ("High" because the dining table is higher than the low ones in a sitting room.) Yorkshire Pudding: from the northern county of Yorkshire, originating in the early 1700s when flour was more readily available. A pancake like batter is spooned into the drippings of a roast as it cooks. Eaten alongside the roast or as a separate course.
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British Tea Time Cucumber-Mint Sandwiches Mint adds a delightful twist to a classic cucumber tea-sandwich.
Mix the first 3 ingredients in a bowl, blending well. Spread the mixture evenly on all 12 slices of bread. Place cucumber slices on 6 slices and cover with the other 6 slices. Carefully, trim the crusts (save for making breadcrumbs). Then slice the sandwiches diagonally for 12 pieces; slice again for 24 smaller triangles. |
Tips & Glossary Clotted Cream: a thick yellowish cream made from unpasturized cow's milk. You can make your own, although it's hard to find unpasturized cream in the U.S. Still, you'll find 3 recipes under Scones. All use pasturized cream; try to avoid "ultra" pasturized. Ploughman's Lunch: sounds romantic, like a peasant dish from medieval times, but it's a marketing gimmick from the 1970's! It's become a popular lunch in Britain now: a piece of bread, hunk of cheese, with onion, gherkin, and an apple. Our Ploughman's Soup is a take-off on that name. Roux: (“roo”), paste-like mixture of melted butter and flour, into which liquid is gradually added. Used as a thickening agent for soups and all classic French sauces. Basic Roux: melt 1 part butter and add 1 part flour. Stir continuously till it becomes paste-like. Slowly add whatever liquid your recipe calls for. Tea Time: Afternoon tea became fashionable in the mid-1600's. A light snack with sandwiches and sweets, it's served from 3-5 in a sitting room. High tea, is a light meal served from 5-6 in a dining room. ("High" because the dining table is higher than the low ones in a sitting room.) Yorkshire Pudding: from the northern county of Yorkshire, originating in the early 1700s when flour was more readily available. A pancake like batter is spooned into the drippings of a roast as it cooks. Eaten alongside the roast or as a separate course.
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