The Pudding In Situ
Most of you (all 5 of you out there) know that I love to cook. I love cooking traditional folksy food, the kind that fills you up. Makes you warm, contented, whole.
The kid of food my grandmother made, and her mothers made before her. For me that would include food from Croatia, Ukraine, Germany and England. I'm a typical American Mutt, a little of this, a little of that.
So, as part of my attempt to connect with my culinary heritage, specifically the English side. I set out to bake a Yorkshire Pudding. No buying those horrid little frozen ones at the local Brit import store. Ohhhh no.
I scoured my cookbooks, looked online, Delia Smith had a good recipe, so I ued that but added an egg. It's all very touchy making the batter..Is the right runniness? Is it too warm? Did I beat it too much? Is the sun in alignment with Venus properly..There is alot to factor in, and honestly I was scared I'd screw it up. What if it doesn't rise, and just lies there in the beef fat, smoking and looking flat. Mocking me...You just have to go for it sometimes when trying out something new.
So I set the roast to roasting, and went for it.
TA DA!
I'd like to say I took lots of preparation shots, but I didn't, I was busy trying to not get eggshell in the batter, and keep the cats off the counter.The Hubbinator, who was out in the forge, kept coming in occasionally to look hopefully at the oven door and ask "Is it done yet? It smells amazing!".
No. Not yet, the roast isn't done. Now go on..I'll call you when it's ready..Repeat this pattern for several hours. When it was time, I called him in to watch the pouring of the batter into the hot fat. Other than my hair smelling like roast beef for the rest of the evening, it all went fine.
I poured the batter into the hot fat, it flowed like white lava into the pan. I shut the door and waited..
Okay. Everything is a go, now we wait...
Tick tick tick....Then it was time.
"My God you could ski down those peaks!" He exclaimed as I pulled it from the oven. I grinned. Success was mine!!!
No waiting or graces
So powerful was the allure of this pudding that the Hubby broke out his knife and started cutting a hunk out of it. Who could blame him? It was deeeeeelishcious, we managed to get the roast on the table along with the veg to enjoy it with, but to be honest, it was all about the fried dough.
The pic above shows it after the carnage had begun, and it's peaks had deflated.
Still. It was amazing, and I felt triumphant as a cook.
I think it might be time to do up another roast with pudding, this is making me hungry just looking at the pics.
Here is a great website, Historical Foods, they have recipes from every era, and taste.
http://historicalfoods.com/1033/roast-beef-lunch-recipe/
9 comments:
Good Job ! That is one dish I have stayed waaaaay far away from.I don't know why since I make German Pancakes which are just about the same dang thing.
I meant to post a comment on your last posting and got side tracked so it is now- When I realized I needed to let go and trust the universe things turned a corner.Also realizing that things must come when they come was a big deal as well.Slowly but is sustaining ways life is getting better.That is my wish for you and Hubs,that things get better,slowly in a good and lasting way.
XOXO
That looks fantastic. I may just need to try that recipe. :)
Thank you Rois, it really is all about the fat being smoking hot, and not opening the oven door until it "poofs" It's a silky, crepe style batter, and it pours smoothly. You are an awesome cook, I know you could do it.Dan wants to head up to Gartner's to get a roast after he read this..
@Rae, Howdy, and thanks for the visit! It is yummy, I use a prime rib roast, or one with good marbleing, it's not so hard to make, but it has that "what if I screw this up factor"..
I am so coming over to your house for dinner (ha ha!) seriously I could almost smell the savory delight through the computer screen... If I ever cook a roast I am so going to try this, though. I've never done anything like this, other than Dutch Babies (aka german pancakes) but they use butter rather than beef dripping. Dang, now I'm hungry!
I read all your writing, should probably comment each time... thinking of you and Dan most every day. Life here at Acorn Cottage is toddling along, some difficulties and some sweetness to balance it...
Okay- now that you've master Yorkshire pudding, you can try another British fave: Toad-In-The-Hole:
Batter:
4 oz Plain white flour
2 Small eggs
1/2 t Salt
10 fl Milk
The toad part:
4 100% pork sausages
Essentially, this dish is Yorkshire pudding with cooked sausages in it.
Preheat the oven to 450F. Saute the sausages briefly in a pan to draw off excess fat. Reserve this. Cut the sausages into chunks.
Put the fat in a small roasting pan (a metal 9X9 cake pan is perfect) add a little oil or bacon fat, if necessary, to bring the amount of fat up to about 4 tablespoons. Heat the fat, either in a hot oven or on the stove, until smoking hot. Meanwhile, prepare the batter mixture. When the pan and fat are *very* hot, pour in the batter mixture, scatter the sausage chunks onto it, and put the whole business into the hot oven. Bake for about 5-10 minutes at 450F, then reduce to 400F and bake until the Yorkshire pudding around the sausages has puffed up nicely and is a deep golden brown. This may take as long as 30 minutes or as little as 20; keep an eye on it. Serve immediately when done.
I can't remember where I got this recipe, but it's good, and now I want to make it sometime this week for dinner. Tonight is leftovers, unfortunately.
Another great dish based on a Yorkshire pudding are Dutch Babies.
Oh my goodness! That looks amazing, I could smell it and felt your cooking pain! So descriptive... :) Soooo Im going to have to try this myself... hopefully the sun and venus will be in allignment. LOL
LOVES YA!
Paula= Yes! Toad in the Hole,I have wanted to try that dish, and so I shall! Thank you for posting it.:)
I love to cook, but it's just me and Danny, and I tend to cook for an army..
Greentiger= Iam happy you come by here to see what's up, comments or no, and happier that you have some sugar in yer life! Thinking about you too, when we get some spare time we shall have dinner.
Chelle= Loves ya too!
well as a comment from Yorkshire :-
I'll give you 10/10
keep up the good cooking
best wishes Danny
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