~by Belle “Love Bunni” Sonsi (also known as bbwbabe)~
Great British Nosh!
Us Brits love our food and we love calling recipes strange names even more…LOL. Here are a few recipes which I cook on a regular basis and that should get your taste buds flowing.
Toad in the hole.
Now this does not contain toads!! Instead it is a very homely dish of sausages in a batter served with vegetables and onion gravy. Very filling and a great comfort food for a night in watching tv in your pj’s eating a good home cooked meal.
This recipe will serve 4 or one hungry adult and 2 other portions.
Ingredients:
8 Sausages (use good quality sausages of any flavour)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
225g (8oz) plain flour
4 eggs
250ml (8floz) milk
salt and pepper to taste.
Method
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees C or gas mark 6.
Pour the oil in the bottom of a good size baking dish (about 12 inches in length) and pop the sausages in the dish as well in a single layer. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
While oil is heating and sausages are starting to cook, make the batter as follows. In a large bowl whisk the flour, eggs and half the milk together until smooth. Continuing to whisk, add the rest of the milk until the mixture is smooth and completely mixed. Now season with salt and pepper.
Take the dish with the sausages out of the oven. Pour over the batter mix on the sausages. Try and keep the sausages spaced apart so there is batter between each sausage and around the edges. the batter should cover 3/4 of the way up the sausages.
Return dish to oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the center is risen and browned and golden. Depending on the type of dish you use the underside might be slightly soft. This is normal. I prefer to use a ceramic dish for mine.
Serve with fresh vegetables and a rich onion gravy.
As a variation you can wrap the sausages in smokey bacon before cooking for extra flavour.
Eton Mess
This is a glorious summer dessert (but I will eat it any time of the year!!) made with fresh strawberries and double cream. Very simple to make but delicious to eat. This recipe will serve 4….
Ingredients:
500g/1lb 2oz fresh strawberries, hulls removed.
400ml/14fl oz double cream.
3 x 3inch ready made meringue nests, crushed.
1 tbsp ginger cordial (optional but a lovely twist)
sprigs of fresh mint to garnish.
Method:
Puree half the strawberries in a blender. chop the remaining strawberries, keeping back 4 for decoration.
Whip the double cream until stiff peaks form then fold in the strawberry puree and crushed meringue. Fold in the chopped strawberries and ginger cordial if using.
Spoon equal amounts of the mixture into 4 cold large wine glasses. Serve with a garnish on top of the remaining strawberries halved (one on each) and a sprig of mint.
Queen Victoria Sponge Sandwich.
This is truly a classic cake and great for any occasion or just as an afternoon tea treat. It can be jazzed up with different jam fillings or add a butter cream topping, but here is my favourite recipe for the classic version.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
200g Caster sugar
200g Softened butter
4 Eggs beaten
200g self raising flour
1tsp baking powder
2 tbsp milk
For the cake’s filling:
100g butter, softened
140g icing sugar, sifted
couple of drops vanilla extract (optional but worth it)
340g jar of good quality strawberry Jam.
icing sugar to decorate.
Method:
Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Butter two 20cm sandwich tins and line with non-stick baking paper. In a large bowl, beat all the cake ingredients together until you have a smooth, soft batter.
Divide the mixture between the tins, smooth the surface with a spatula or the back of a spoon, then bake for about 20 minutes until golden and the cake springs back when pressed. Turn onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
To make the filling, beat the butter until smooth and creamy, then gradually beat in icing sugar. Beat in vanilla extract if you’re using it. Spread the butter cream over the bottom of one of the sponges, top it with jam and sandwich the second sponge on top. Dust with a little icing sugar before serving. Keep in an airtight container and eat within a few days.
This is great served with a dollop of thick cream and afternoon tea.
Note: The sugar in this recipe can be substituted for Total sweet if desired; I use a reduced sugar jam in mine.
Have fun trying these recipes out and enjoy eating them!!
