Volume 8, Issue 122 - June 28, 2005

Hello Recipe Club,

Tuesday - Lancashire:

In Lancashire, my home county, Hot Pot is a home dish that every restaurant, pub and hotel has on the menu at one time or another. The Ribble Valley in Lancashire is well known for its fresh lamb and farm fresh ingredients. The pickled cabbage is a traditional side dish for Hot Pot and should be made the night before if possible.

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Lancashire Hot Pot

Ingredients:

drizzle of oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 pounds lamb steak, diced
1/2 red onion, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1/2 carrot, peeled and diced
3/4 cup red wine
3 cups potato, peeled and very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C (425 degrees F, Gas Mark 7).

Heat the oil and butter in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the lamb and red onions for a few minutes to colour. Add the thyme leaves, garlic and carrot and sauté for a further 4 to 5 minutes.

Pour in the red wine and heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to an ovenproof dish and let cook for 1hour. Top with the sliced potato. Dot with the butter and cook in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown on top.

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Pickled Red Cabbage

Best if made the night before!!

Ingredients:

1 head red cabbage (400 to 450 g)
1/3 cup coarse sea salt for salting the cabbage
1 cup malt vinegar
2/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups red wine
2 1/2 cups caster sugar
2 star anise
5 bay leaves
10 whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole pink peppercorns
1 stick cinnamon snapped in half
5 whole dried red chilies

Preparation:

Half and quarter the red cabbage. Devein away the large stem and finely slice the red cabbage leaves (alternatively put through a food processor).

Salt the red cabbage well in a colander for 2 hours until a deep rich colour is achieved. Drain and wash all the salt away thoroughly. Pat dry.

Place all the vinegars, wine and sugar in a suitable pan and reduce by half. Place all the dry ingredients in a pestle and mortar and coarsely pound.

When the reduction is near completion place all the dry spices into the reduction and allow to infuse for 5 minutes. Pass the reduction through a fine sieve and while hot pour onto the red cabbage in a suitable jar.

Allow to cool, leave the red cabbage out overnight. Refrigerate.

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Lemon Custard Tart

Ingredients:

Pastry:

2 cups sweet butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 pinch salt
vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour

Lemon Custard:

3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup 35% cream
2 lemons juiced
2 lemons zested

Preparation:

For the Pastry:

In a bowl mix butter and sugar. Beat lightly until smooth. Add the yolks, salt and vanilla. Add the flour and mix just long enough to make a smooth dough. Let rest and refrigerate for 1 hour.

For the Custard:

Whisk all ingredients, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll out pastry to 1/6 inch thick. Using 4 inch plain cutter, cut out 6 circles. Line the individual tart forms (muffin tins work well) with the pastry and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Bake the tarts for 10 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees F. Fill the tarts with the lemon custard using 2 ounces (1/4 cup) per tart. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.