There are many reasons I love British food, one being my husband and extended family are British, which gave me first-hand knowledge of the traditions and pride the dishes held.
I also found a great respect for keeping it local and keeping the craft of British food alive.
There are many great dishes, but I thought as it's winter and the British and Irish Lions are touring I would pick some of my favourites.
Classic pea and ham soup
I always save ham bones from Christmas and freeze them and find them a welcome addition to our winter menu, as this soup will keep you full for days.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
500g green split peas, soaked in cold water
1 medium smoked ham hock or ham bones
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
2 celery sticks, dark green leaves removed, cut into large pieces
1 carrot, peeled and cut in half
4 cloves
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
6 peppercorns
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
Method
Begin by soaking the peas in cold water until needed.
Place the ham, onion, celery, carrot, cloves, bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns into a large pot, cover generously with cold water (2 litres) and bring to the boil. Reduce the temperature to a gentle simmer, remove any scum that may rise to the surface and cook the ham for 1-2 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone.
Remove from the heat and drain, reserving all the liquid. Also remove all the ham meat. Set aside.
In a large pot, add the 1.5 litres of ham stock, diced vegetables and bring to the boil. Drain the peas and add to the stock. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until the peas soften and the soup thickens. The time will vary from 30 minutes to over an hour depending on the age of your peas.
While the soup is cooking, strip off the meat from the bones.
If your soup is too thick add more stock or water. Season with salt and ground white pepper. Add the ham and serve.
Photos: Simon Lambert
Toad in the hole
If you haven't had the pleasure of this dish before then you have to give it a go. It has all the elements of satisfaction - juicy sausages encased in crisp, puffy Yorkshire pudding and baked together. It does, however, need a good gravy to go with it and perhaps some hot English mustard!
Serves 4
Ingredients
8 good-quality pork sausages
2 onions, sliced
1 tsp rosemary leaves, finely chopped
75g plain white flour
1 egg
75 ml milk
55ml water
40g lard (or 3 Tbsp plain oil)
salt and cracked pepper
good-quality gravy to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 225degC.
Place the lard or oil in a deep sided oven dish and add the sausages and onions. Place in the top half of the oven. Cook the sausages and onions until golden (8 min). Do remember the oven is very hot.
In a large bowl add the sifted flour, make a well and add the egg, milk and water. Using either an electric mixer or whisk mix until a lump-free batter forms.
Season with salt and cracked pepper and rosemary.
Carefully remove the sausages from the oven, put directly on to the stove top and keep hot. This is very important as it must not cool down!
Pour over the Yorkshire pudding batter and return immediately back into the oven.
Cook until the batter is golden, high and puffy (15-20 minutes).
Eat immediately drowned in gravy.
Lancashire hotpot
I love hotpots as they are a one-dish meal full of meat, vegetables and surrounded in a delicious gravy. You can use any type of meat and I always hunt out the cheaper cuts. This one is great, as lamb is perfect for it!
Serves 6
Ingredients
2kg lamb shoulder chops (excess fat removed)
500g onions, sliced thinly
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
salt and cracked black pepper
600ml chicken or lamb stock
1.5kg potatoes (desiree or agria), peeled and sliced thinly
50g butter, melted
Method
Preheat the oven to 160degC.
Lightly butter a 4½-litre casserole dish.
Put a thin layer of potatoes over the base of the casserole dish, scatter over half the onions, half the chops, sprinkle over half the thyme and season lightly. Repeat with more onions, lamb and thyme.
Pour over the stock, and finish neatly with a layer of overlapping potatoes, season lightly and brush over a little of the melted butter. Cover tightly with a lid and bake in the oven for 2 hours.
Remove the lid and brush the potatoes with remaining butter and return to the oven for 30m minutes or until the potatoes are golden and crisp.
Serve with your favourite vegetables.
Jam roly poly
I used to make this pudding many years back when I worked in private estates in the United Kingdom. This dessert is traditionally steamed, but to make life easier I found this method of baking it which works beautifully. One thing that is an absolute must for this pudding is custard, and lots of it!
Serves 6
Ingredients
225g self-raising flour
115g suet
8 Tbsp cold water (approx)
4 Tbsp raspberry jam, stirred to loosen
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tsp milk
sugar for dusting
butter for greasing
Method
Preheat the oven 200degC.
Sieve the flour into a large bowl, rub in the suet as you would butter until the mix resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Using a bread and butter knife, mix in the cold water until the dough comes together. Work it gently with your hand so it forms a soft ball.
Sprinkle a little flour over your bench and roll the dough out to form a 20x30cm rectangle.
Spread the jam over evenly allowing about 2 cm around edge.
Begin by rolling the longest edge closest to you. If you can get this first edge rolled tightly then it should continue to roll like this. Continue rolling the dough around the jam and secure the edges together.
Grease a suitable sized roasting or baking dish with butter and place the jam roly poly sealed side down.
Brush generously with the egg mix and cover the surface with sprinkled sugar.
Bake for 35-40 minutes.
Remove from the oven, cut into 6 slices and serve with plenty of warm custard.
