Volume 8, Issue 121 - June 27, 2005

Hello Recipe Club,

Hi Recipe Club, I am Jennifer Gordon

I am Development Chef for a small chain of restaurants. My job is to "trouble shoot" and look after 8 restaurants. I get to be a chef's shoulder. I am the person who goes in when the GP is low and the chefs are bombarded with problems. I am fortunate to be able to run into kitchens and still get the thrill as if it were my first day.  My grandmother always said to me (picture this in a very thick German accent) ---"Jenni if you can't love what you do then go do what you love". Although it didn't make sense to me then, it does now and I make sure I practice it!

As some of you know, I moved from Canada to the UK 2 years ago. I had no clue about the British culture or British food. All I knew coming over here was that they ate fish 'n chips out of newspaper.

Coming here I was very pro-American/Canadian food. I mean I love food from all over the world but there is no place like home. The reality hit when I walked into my first grocery store here. All I could do was cry. I could not find one name brand I recognized, not any dill pickles, and what the heck -  they do not even have Oreos. So I went on a mission. I searched up and down the lovely England and Scottish countryside sampling some of the best food.

The past two years have been a roller coaster for me. Getting married, moving away from home and learning how to cope in a totally different society. I have picked these recipes and I hope you agree they really portray the English culture. Each county having their own recipes and own mark in the culinary world.

I ask you to have an open mind when reading these recipes. Some might seem odd, but I can assure you the tastes and presentation of these foods have wowed me over the past 2 years.

So let's begin Monday with recipes representative of Cornwall, Devonshire:

I thought I would start off with the recipe that "wowed" me the most when I first saw it, Star-gazey Pie. It gets its name because the heads are left whole outside the rim of the pie starring up at the stars! From the depths of England, Cornwall is a beautiful place and home of Devonshire Cream.

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Star-gazey Pie

Ingredients:

8 fresh sardines, herrings or pilchards, 15 cm (6 inches) long

Saffron Egg Glaze:

2/3 cup (158 ml) milk
pinch saffron strands
1 egg yolk
pinch of salt

Pie Crust:

1 prepared short crust pastry, chilled

Pie Filling:

2 small eggs
scant 2/3 cup (158 ml) clotted cream
small handful green herbs, including parsley and dill, chopped
8 rashers of streaky bacon
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped

Preparation:

Preparing the Fish:

Gut the fish with a very sharp knife and remove all the bones. Cut off the fins and tails with scissors and rinse the fish thoroughly under cold, running water. Leave to drain on kitchen paper.

Preparing the Glaze:

Pour the milk into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, sprinkle the saffron strands on top and leave to infuse for at least an hour. Mix in the egg yolk and salt.

Preparing the Filling:

Beat the eggs, cream and herbs together to make an herb custard and set to one side.

Generously season the insides of the fish and then wrap a rasher of bacon around each one.

Divide the chilled pastry into two uneven pieces. Thinly roll out the larger piece to line the greased dish and return the remaining pastry to the fridge in a plastic bag. Arrange the bacon-wrapped fish in a radiating circle on the pastry-lined dish, with the tail ends touching in the center. Sprinkle the chopped onion on top and then pour the herb custard over, adding seasoning.

Dampen the edges of the pastry with milk. Roll out the second piece of pastry and cut a circle the same size as the dish. Carefully lay the pastry over the fish, pressing it down between the fish heads to seal. Use a sharp knife to cut away small semicircles of pastry to expose the fish heads.

Decorating the Pie:

Brush the pie lid with saffron egg glaze. Roll out some of the leftover pastry and twist to form a rope, press rope decoration around the edge of the pie. Use the remaining pastry to form decorations; make seashells or a starfish. Press the decorations onto the pie lid and paint over with a second coat of glaze.

Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C (400 degrees F, Gas Mark 6) for 15 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F, Gas Mark 4) for a further 25 to 30 minutes until the pie looks crisp and golden.

Serve immediately.

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Powder Biscuits

Ingredients:

1 pound (2 cups) self rising flour
pinch of nutmeg
1 cup margarine and lard mixed
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup currants

Preparation:

Rub the fat into the flour and nutmeg, add the sugar. Mix to a pliable dough with the eggs and currants. Roll out until half an inch thick and cut with a pastry cutter. Bake in a moderate oven, 180 degrees C (350 degrees F) for 15 to 20 minutes.

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Clotted Cream—Easy Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream

Preparation:

Pour cream into a shallow pan. Heat the pan, gently, to about 82 degrees C (180 degrees F) and hold at this temperature for approximately 1 hour. When the surface cream has developed a thick, rich, yellow wrinkled crust, turn off the heat and allows the pan to cool slowly.

Once cold, skim the cream off and serve with scones, fruit or fruit pies.