Flavours Of Britain

Poacher's Pie

Rabbit recipes feature widely in the traditional cooking of the Eastern Counties because there used to be a big surplus of wild rabbits and hares, which were partially controlled by shooting for game. If wild rabbit is not available, use commercially produced meat, on sale in many supermarkets.

225 g (8 oz) plain flour
salt and pepper
50 g (2 oz) butter
50 g (2 oz) lard
450 g (1 lb) boneless rabbit, skinned and cubed
100 g (4 oz) streaky bacon rashers, rinded and chopped
2 medium potatoes, sliced
1 medium leek, trimmed, sliced and washed
15 ml (1 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley
1.25 ml (1/4 tsp) mixed dried herbs
chicken stock
1 egg, beaten, to glaze

Put the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl and rub in the butter and lard until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 45 - 60 ml (3 - 4 tbsp) cold water and mix to form a firm dough. Fill a 1.7 litre (3 pint) pie dish with alternate layers of rabbit, bacon and vegetables, sprinkling with seasoning and herbs. Half-fill with stock.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to 5 cm (2 inches) wider than the top of the dish. Cut a 2.5 cm (1 inch) strip from the outer edge and line the dampened rim of the dish. Dampen the pastry rim and cover with the pastry lid. Trim and seal the edges. Make a hole in the centre to let the steam escape.

Decorate with pastry leaves and brush with egg. Bake in the oven at 190°C (375°F) mark 5 for 30 minutes. Cover loosely with foil, then reduce to 180°C (350°F) mark 4 for a further hour. Serve hot. Serves 4

Huntingdon Fidget Pie

A lovely old-fashioned recipe - no one knows how it got its peculiar name. Bacon, onions and apples are the traditional filling and the pie was originally made round harvest time to feed the hungry workers. Potatoes can be added to make the dish even more sustaining.

250 g (9 oz) plain flour
100 g (4 oz) back bacon, rinded and roughly chopped
1 medium onion, skinned and roughly chopped
225 g (8 oz) butter, diced
salt and pepper
225 g (8 oz) cooking apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
15 ml (1 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley
150 ml (1/4 pint) medium-dry cider
1 egg, beaten, to glaze

To make the pastry, sift 225 g (8 oz) of the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add just enough water to mix to a firm dough.

Gather the dough into a ball and knead lightly. Wrap the dough in foil and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes

Meanwhile, combine the bacon, onion and apples in a 568 ml (1 pint) pie dish. Add the parsley and season to taste. Blend the remaining flour with the cider, a little at a time, then pour into the pie dish.

Roll out the pastry. Cut out a thin strip long enough to go around the rim of the pie dish. Moisten the rim with water and place the pastry strip on the rim. Press down lightly all the way round. Moisten the strip of pastry, then place the lid on top and press to seal.

Knock up and flute the edge. Make a diagonal cross in the centre almost to the edges of the dish, then fold the pastry back to reveal the filling. Brush the pastry with the egg. Bake at 190°C (375°F) mark 5 for about 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the filling is cooked. Serves 4

Norfolk Turkey Breast With Asparagus

225 g (8 oz) thin asparagus stalks
2 turkey breast fillets, each weighing about 225 g (8 oz), skinned and halved
30 ml (2 tbsp) plain flour
salt and pepper
15 g (1/2 oz) butter
15 ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil
300 ml (1/2 pint) chicken stock
5 ml (1 tsp) chopped fresh sage or 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) dried
60 ml (4 tbsp) dry white wine
150 ml (5 fl oz) fresh soured cream

Cut off the ends of the asparagus if they are tough and woody. Trim them all to the same length, cut off the tips and cut the stalks into 3 pieces.

Bat out each turkey breast slightly with a rolling pin or meat mallet. Coat in the flour seasoned with salt and pepper, shaking off any excess. Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan and fry the turkey until lightly browned on both sides. Add the chicken stock, asparagus stalks, reserving the tips, the sage and wine, cover and cook gently for 15 - 20 minutes, until tender. Five minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the reserved asparagus tips and the cream. Season to taste. Serves 4

Greengage Tart

Back in the 18th century, Sir William Gage planted some French plum trees at Hengrave Hall, near Bury St Edmunds, without knowing exactly what type of fruit to expect. The plums turned out to be green and became known as the green Gage's plum, which eventually became shortened to greengage. They are sweet, oval and yellowy-green with a good flavour and are in season late August and early September.

175 g (6 oz) plain wholemeal flour
pinch of salt
75 g (3 oz) butter
25 g (1 oz) toasted hazelnuts, very finely chopped
15 ml (1 tbsp) soft light brown sugar
450 g (1 lb) greengages or plums, halved and stoned
2 eggs
300 ml (10 fl oz) fresh single cream
caster sugar (optional)

To make the pastry, put the flour and salt in a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the hazelnuts and sugar and enough water to bind the mixture together. Knead lightly on a lightly greased floured surface, then roll out and use to line a greased 20.5 cm (8 inch) fluted flan dish or tin. Bake blind at 200°C (400°F) mark 6 for 10 - 15 minutes, until set.

Arrange the fruit, cut side down, in the pastry case. Beat the eggs with the cream and a little sugar, if liked, and pour over the fruit. Bake at 200°C (400°F) mark 6 for 30 - 40 minutes, until golden and puffy. Serve warm. Serves 4 - 6

Sage And Onion Bread

15 g (1/2 oz) fresh yeast or 7.5 ml (1 1/2 tsp) dried
300 ml (1/2 pint) warm fresh milk
1 large onion, skinned and finely chopped
25 g (1 oz) butter
225 g (8 oz) strong white flour
225 g (8 oz) strong wholemeal flour
5 ml (1 tsp) salt
pepper
30 ml (2 tbsp) chopped fresh sage or 5 ml (1 tsp) dried
cracked wheat for sprinkling

Blend the fresh yeast with the milk. If using dried yeast, sprinkle it into the milk and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes, until frothy. Meanwhile, put the onion and the butter in a small saucepan, cover and cook gently for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and transparent but not browned.

Put the flours, salt, pepper and sage in a large bowl and mix together. Make a well in the centre, then pour in the softened onion and the butter and the yeast liquid. Beat well together until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl clean.

Turn on to a lightly floured surface and knead well for about 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place in a clean bowl. Cover with a clean tea-towel and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size. Turn the dough on to a floured surface and knead lightly. Divide into two, shape into rounds and place on a large greased baking sheet.

Brush with a little milk and sprinkle with cracked wheat. Cover and leave in a warm place for about 30 minutes, until doubled in size. Bake at 230°C (450°F) mark 8 for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 200°C (400°F) mark 6 and bake for a further 15 minutes. When cooked the loaves will be well risen and golden brown, and sound hollow if tapped on the bottom. Cool slightly and serve warm, or turn on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. Makes 2 small loaves