Eat to St George with English grub

Why not treat yourself to a good ol' hearty English meal tonight in honour of St George? Here are a few recipe ideas: 

*See our food and drink section for more recipes*


From www.greatbritishkitchen.co.uk

St George's Chicken Parcels
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, skinned and boned
100g (4oz) sage derby cheese, cut into 4 chunks
Freshly ground black pepper
8 rashers streaky bacon, rinded
25g (1oz) butter, melted

Method:
Lift out the loose fillet from the underside of each breast. Place the breasts and the fillets between two sheets of non-stick baking paper or clingfilm. Beat with a rolling pin to flatten. Remove the paper or clingfilm. Place a piece of cheese on each breast. Cover the cheese with the fillets and season well.

Wrap the chicken breasts around the cheese to make parcels. Cut the bacon in half lengthways and wrap one piece round the parcel. Cut the other piece into two and wrap around the parcel to form two crosses. Secure with wooden cocktail sticks.

Place in a roasting tin with a little of the butter and roast at 200 °C / 400 °F / Gas 6 for 30-40 minutes, basting with remaining butter at regular intervals.

Lancashire Hot Pot
Serves 4

Ingredients:
450g (1lb) potatoes, sliced
2 onions, sliced
675g (1 1/2lb) middle neck of lamb, trimmed
300ml (1/2 pint) lamb or beed stock
Butter or dripping, a little, melted
Parsley for garnish

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 190 °C / 375 °F / Gas 5. Layer potatoes, onions and meat in a 1.7 litre (3 pint) casserole, finishing with a layer of potatoes. Pour over the stock. Brush the potatoes with a little melted butter or dripping. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove the hot pot from the oven. Uncover and brush the potatoes again with melted butter or dripping. Return to the oven for a further 30 minutes, uncovered, to brown the potatoes. Serve garnished with parsley.

Shepherd's Pie
Serves 4

Ingredients:
450g (1lb) minced lamb
1 large onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
50g (2oz) mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots, diced
25g (1oz) plain flour
300ml (1/2 pint) lamb or beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato purée
700g (1 1/2lb) potatoes
25g (1oz) butter
4 tablespoon milk
50g (2oz) Lancashire cheese, crumbled

Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F / Gas 6.

Dry fry the lamb with the onion, bay leaf, mushrooms and carrots for 8-10 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring for one minute. Gradually blend in the stock and tomato purée. Cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and boils.

Cover and simmer gently for 25 minutes. Remove the bayleaf and spoon into a 1.7 litre (3 pint) ovenproof serving dish.

Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in boiling water for 20 minutes until tender. Drain well and mash with the butter and milk and mix well. Pile onto the mince mixture and sprinkle over the cheese

Bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot with a green vegetable.

From www.bbcgoodfood.com

Luxury Sausage and Mash

Ingredients:
2 sprigs each of fresh thyme
2 sprigs of rosemary
2 bay leaves
1tb dried oregano
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
12 Cumberland sausages
2 large red onions, sliced
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
750g floury potatoes, 1cm cubes
600g mixed vegetables such as swede, carrots, leek etc
1tb olive oil
2 knobs butter

Method:
Preheat the oven to gas mark six or 200 degrees and place the sausages on the tray with a touch of olive oil. Check the sausages every ten minutes and rotate until they are brown all over.

Meanwhile, cook the potatoes and mixed veg in a pan of boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes. When they're cooked right through drain and leave to one side.

Heat up the frying pan and drizzle with olive oil when up to temperature add the cooked potatoes and mixed veg.

Mash the vegetables up into a pancake form and fry for half an hour and check every five minutes. When it gets golden brown remember to give it a flip and mash back into pancake shape. Keep doing this until the bubble and squeak is slightly crisp all over, if possible.

Take out the sausages from the pan on to a plate and add the garlic and herbs with a splash of balsamic vinegar and stock. Remember to mix the gravy with residue from the sausages and drizzle with the olive oil and pimento olives. Heat the sauce in the pan on a gentle heat for 5 minutes until slightly reduced.

Once the bubble and squeak has been cooked place onto the plate adding the sausages on top. The onion gravy can be thicken with flour and butter to be poured on top of the sausages and vegetables.

Serve with a glass of wine and watercress for decoration.