British

Scotch Egg

/ Yusen Ye / Leave a comment

As the weather gets nicer and nicer, I like to go out and have picnics. There are a lot of things you can bring, sandwiches, salad, skewers, and more, but one thing people don’t make very often anymore is the Scotch egg. Which is weird because if you think about it, it is the ultimate picnic snack, the crispy breaded shell with a satisfyingly runny center is just the perfect combination, no sauce needed! This recipe makes 8 Scotch eggs

You’ll Need:

  • 10 large eggs
  • 1.75lb or 800g sausage meat
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley leaves
  • all-purpose flour
  • 5oz or 150g breadcrumbs

How to make this:

  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil, then soft-boil 8 eggs for about 6 min, then rinse the egg in ice water, this will make sure that the eggs’ yolk stays runny. Peel the eggs and let them chill in the fridge
  2. Mix together the chopped parsley leaves with the sausage meat, you can use any sausage you want (I used sweet Italian sausages, but breakfast sausage works great too), then divide the meat mixture into 8 same size balls
  3. Flatten one of the sausage balls into a pattie, then roll a peeled egg in flour, then place it in the middle of the pattie, and gently shape the meat around the egg with your hands, at the end, wet you hands to create a smooth surface, like this:ezgif-1-3822834f3c.gif
  4. Roll the sausage-covered eggs in the flour, soaked it in the beat eggs, then cover it in bread crumbs
  5. Heat up half pot of oil to around 170C or 340F, then fry the breaded, sausage-covered eggs for about 5-6 min, take them out and let it rest for about 10 min before eating
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Seafood Chowder

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If you ask me which one I prefer, bisque or chowder, my answer will most likely be chowder. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike bisque, but when you put it in front of a chunky bowl of chowder, the bisque just seems too smooth and textureless. So, here is the recipe for the Irish seafood chowder, which is a lot lighter than the common clam chowder in the US. This dish uses smoked fish to add a distinct smoky flavor and is perfect for a cold winter night. This recipe severs 4 people.

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You’ll need: 1 lb potato; 1/2 lb smoked haddock; 1/2 lb cod; 15 mussels; 1/3 lb prawns; 1/4 lb bacon; 1 bay leaf; 1 shallot; 1/2 onion; 1 clove garlic; 1.5 cups full-fat milk; 1.5 cup seafood stock; 2 tbsp butter; 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley; 4 oz smoked salmon

How to make this:

  1. Finely chop the shallot, onion, and garlic, cube the bacon, then heat up a heavy duty pot on medium with the butter, fry the shallot, onion, garlic and bacon until the onion turn golden (about 5 min)
  2. Peel and cut the potato into 1/2 inch cubes, then cook it in the pot with the onions and bacon for about 5 min, use waxy potatoes for a better texture
  3. Pour in the seafood stock, add the bay leaf, cover and let it simmer for 10 min
  4. Peel and clean the shrimp, cut the haddock and cod into 1 1/2 inch cubes, rinse and scrub the mussel, discard those that are opened
  5. Pour in the milk, wait for it to simmer, then add in the shrimp, haddock, cod and mussel, cover and let it simmer for another 5 min
  6. Sprinkle with some fresh parsley & black pepper, then add a couple slices of salmon, served it with bread or crackers

Steak & Ale Pie

/ Yusen Ye / Leave a comment

Happy Australia Day! Here is an improved version of the previous meat pie, instead of minced meat, we’ll use juicy, tender steaks, with a beer or ale of your choice, I use Guinness.

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You need: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/2 tbsp butter; 1/2 large red onion; 2 carrots; 1/4 lb mushroom; 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 2 cloves garlic; 1 1/2 lb skirt steak; 1tbsp black pepper; 1 tsp salt; 1 tbsp flour; 1/2 cup beef stock; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1/2 cup dark beer or ale; 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 sheet shortcrust pastry; 1 sheet puff pastry; 1 egg

How to make this:

  1. Finely mince the red onion and garlic, roughly chop the carrots and slice the mushrooms, then heat up a pan on medium with butter, cook the onion, garlic, and carrots for 5 min, then pour in the vinegar and cook for another 7 min, until the onion are caramelized
  2. Cut the steak into strips, then toss it with some olive oil, salt, and black pepper, then in a pan heated over high heat, brown the meat for about 2 min per side, then add in the sliced mushroom to soak up all the remaining fat
  3. Pour the beer into the pan right after the meat is browned, maintain the high heat while stirring constantly in order to deglaze the pan, after about 1 min, turn the heat down to medium-high, and add the flour, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock, stir constantly to prevent any lumps. After about 3 min (or until the sauce thickens in the pan), turn off the stove
  4. Roll the shortcrust pastry and puff pastry into the thickness of 1/4 cm, use the shortcrust pastry as the bottom and puff pastry on top, brush it with a layer of egg wash, then bake it in a 175 C or 350 F degree oven for 30 min
  5. Serve it with some chip, mashed potatoes or peas

Sausage Rolls

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As British street food goes, the sausage roll is a quick and easy and delicious snack that you can eat wherever you want. It’s amazingly easy, and you can take it anywhere, so why spend 4 pounds for 1 when you can make 2 with roughly the same amount of money.

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You need:

  • 1/2 red onion
  • 3 pork sausages(about 1 lb)
  • 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 sheet ready-made puff pastry
  • 1 egg

How to make this:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C or 350F degree
  2. Thinly slice the red onion, then caramelize them in a pan with some butter, till they are soft and golden brown
  3. Slice open the sausage and take out the meat, mix in with the onion, breadcrumbs, and nutmeg
  4. Roll the pastry out into a big rectangle with the thickness of a pound coin and cut it in half into 2 smaller rectangles
  5. Whisk the egg and brush on the edge of the puff pastry, place the meat in a long roll, then fold the pastry, seal it with the tip of the fork
  6. Brush on a layer of egg wash, then bake it for about 25 min

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(2 Golden & Warm Fresh Sausage Rolls)

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Guinness Beef Stew

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Beer, potato, and meat, this is what this dish is. It’s Irish? I am not sure, but is it delicious? Yes! It’s super simple, and will definitely warm you up on a cold winter night.

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You need:

  • 2 lb beef chuck
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 onions
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 bottle Guinness
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 carrots
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 1/2 lb potatoes

How to make this:

  1. Cut the beef into 2-inch cubes, roughly chop the onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes
  2. Toss the beef in the salt, black pepper, and flour, heat up a dutch oven or a deep pot on medium high, and brown the meat
  3. Take the meat out, and in the same pot, cook the onions, carrots, and celery on medium for about 4 min, then pour half of the Guinness in, deglaze the pan
  4. Pour in the rest of Guinness, add the potatoes, sugar and beef stock, bring them to a simmer, then turn the heat down to low and let it cook for about 2 hours
  5. Serve it by itself or with some bread

Fish Pie

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Winter is here, and a warm and creamy pie is perfect for dinner on a cold night! This British comfort dish is very easy to make, and you can change the filling to your likings. It’s the perfect dish to warm you up!

photo-nov-28-7-23-39-pmYou need:

  • 1 lb Cod or Haddock (Any Whitefish Works), Skinless & Boneless
  • 1/2 lb Shrimp or Crab Legs
  • 1 Nutmeg; 1/2 tbsp (50g) Unsalted Butter;
  • 2 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 1/2 cup (350ml) Fish or Vegetable Stock
  • 1 1/2 cup (350ml) Milk
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 1 tsp English Mustard
  • 2 oz (50g) Cheddar cheese
  • 3 lb Russet Potatoes

How to make this:

  1. Skin the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch slices, boil them in a pot of salt water for about 20 min
  2. In another pan, melt the butter on medium, then whisk in the flour and continue whisking for about 3 min, this is called a roux
  3. Pour the milk into the roux and continue whisking until the sauce thickens, grade in the nutmeg and half of the cheddar cheese, then add the stock  and continue whisking until the sauce turns smooth, taste for salt & spice
  4. Cut the fish into 1-inch chunks, mix them into the sauce, then pour them into a roasting tray or large baking dish
  5. Mash the potato and add in 1 cup of milk, add salt and pepper to taste
  6. Cover the fish mixture with the mashed potato, place it in a 200C/400F degree oven for 35 – 40 min, or until the internal temperature reaches 70C/160F degrees
  7. Sever it with some green pea or steam spinach

Fish & Chips

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I saw some really great wild cod fillets today at the market and decided to get some. I was going to write a long thing about how delicious the golden crust and the soft, tender fish in the center are, and the crispy chips, but it’s fish & chips, it needs no introduction, so, let’s make some!

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You need:

  • 1 1/2 lb cod fillets
  • 1/2 lb flours
  • 1 1/3 cup beer/club soda
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp honey;
  • a pinch of salt
  • 3 potatoes
  • 5 cups peanut oil

How to make this:

  1. Mix the flours, beer, baking soda, honey and salt into a batter, and place the batter in the fridge to cool it down
  2. Peel and slice the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch wide strip, boil it in salt water for 5-8 min, drain it and let it cools down
  3. Heat the oil to 180C/355F degrees
  4. Season the fish with salt & pepper and coat a layer of flour. Then cover it in the batter and slowly drop it in the oil
  5. Fry the fish for about 5 min and let it drain on some paper towel
  6. Heat the oil to about 190C/375F degrees, dry the potatoes and fry them for about 8 to 12 min, stir from time to time, drain after they are done
  7. Sever it with a couple slices of lemon, some vinegar or ketchup