Classic recipes from British Isles rich in taste, history

In a vain clean-up attempt in my years-long cooking files, I struck gold the other day! A complete folder of classic recipes I collected during my many visits to England and a few Scots and Welch delights as well. I’d been searching for them for literally years — and suddenly there they were! This means the next couple of Chef columns — beginning today — will spotlight authentic British cookery at it’s very best. 

Rich, hearty Cheddar, which originated near the village of the same name in the 15th Century, is Britain’s most famous cheese. Our first recipe stars at many a pub accompanied by farmhouse butter, pickles and a glass of ale — the classic ploughman’s lunch. 

Cheddar cheese loaf 

• 1/4 cup warm water 

• 1 package dry yeast 

• 1 teaspoon sugar 

• 6 tablespoon milk, room temperature 

• 2 teaspoons dry mustard 

• 1/2 teaspoon salt 

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted 

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion 

• 1 cup packed grated extra-sharp Cheddar 

• 1 teaspoon dill (or fennel or celery) seeds, slightly crushed 

• 1 egg, beaten to blend (for glaze) 

Mix water, yeast and sugar in large bowl, stirring to dissolve yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Mix in milk, mustard and salt. Gradually mix in enough flour to form soft and slightly sticky dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl; add dough, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in warm in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume — about 1 hour. 

Grease a 7 1/2x3 1/2x2 1/4-inch loaf pan. Punch down dough and turn out on lightly floured surface. Pinch off a 1/2-inch piece of dough and roll into a ball. Repeat with the remaining dough. Arrange half of the dough balls in bottom of prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon onion, then 1/2 cup cheese and half of the seeds. Cover with remaining dough balls, sprinkle with remaining onion, cheese and seeds. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until it just reaches the top of the pan — about 1 hour. 

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Brush loaf with egg glaze. Bake until top is golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped on bottom — about 45 minutes Turn out onto rack and cool completely. Serve at room temperature. Serve on a platter or basket that allows diners to pull off their own pieces. 

If you want a simple supper, serve the bread with the following recipe. 

Quick Fish & Chips 

• 1/2 cup flour 

• 1/2 cup flat English ale or beer 

•  1 tablespoon malt vinegar (or cider vinegar) 

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

• Vegetable oil for frying 

• 1 12-ounce 1/2-inch-thick cod or orange roughie fillet, cut crosswise into eight strips 

• Malt or cider vinegar 

Whisk flour, ale, 1 tablespoon vinegar and baking soda in medium bowl till just blended. Season batter generously with salt and pepper. Pour oil into a medium-sized skillet to a depth of 1/2-inch; heat to 350 F. Pat fish dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper.  Dip four fillets into batter, holding up to let excess drain back into bowl. Fry fish until brown on both sides until just cooked through — about 3 minutes per side. With a slotted spoon, transfer fish to a warm platter and repeat dipping and frying the remaining fillets. Arrange on platter and serve with chips, which — surprise — are simply purchased frozen French fries cooked in your oven while the fish fries! (This latter comes from the auspices of Bon Appetit in the early 1990s).  

Back to the Cheddar loaf recipe now, with the old Welsh comfort food, Welsh Rarebit — or ‘Rabbit’ — which fluffy creature has never appeared in the recipe. 

Cheddar Rarebit 

(Serving for two, double if desired) 

• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter 

• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour 

• 1 teaspoon dry mustard 

• 2/3 cup milk 

• 3/4 cup flat English ale/beer 

• 1 1/2 cups packed grated med-sharp cheddar cheese 

• 4 slices whole grain bread, toasted 

• Paprika 

Melt butter in heavy saucepan over med. heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth; cook for 30 seconds. Whisk in mustard. Gradually add milk, then ale, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer till sauce coats spoon thickly, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add half of the cheese, stirring until melted and smooth. Add remaining cheese and stir till melted and smooth, setting over low heat if necessary. Overlap two slices of toast on each plate, ladle rarebit over all, dust with paprika and serve. 

 Time for dessert — a classic ‘fool’ — dating back to the 15th Century, but with some modern-day twists. Make sure the strawberries and kiwis are perfectly ripe. 

Lime Fool 

(4 Servings) 

• 1/4 cup whipping cream 

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 

• 1 teaspoon grated lime peel 

• 6 ounces imported white chocolate (such as Lindt), chopped 

• 3/4 cup chilled whipping cream 

• 3 tablespoons sugar 

• 2 cups sliced hulled strawberries 

• 2 kiwi fruit, peeled, thinly sliced 

• 4 whole strawberries 

• 4 lime slices 

Bring the first 3 ingredients to simmer in a small, heavy saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Pour into medium bowl; refrigerate until cool but not set, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.  

Beat the 3/4 cup of chilled cream in another medium bowl to soft peaks. Add sugar and beat until stiff. Fold into the white chocolate mixture. Place a scant 1/4 cup of the sliced berries in each of four wine glasses. Press three kiwi slices against the sides of each glass. Spoon 1/3 cup cream mixture into each glass. Spoon another scant 1/4 cup berries into center of each, pressing behind the kiwi so they don’t show at sides of glasses (thus, the "fool"). Spoon remaining cream over all; smooth tops. Cover and chill for at least two and up to six hours. To serve, using a small knife, make lengthwise cuts in whole strawberries without cutting through stem ends. Fan 1 strawberry atop each dessert. Attach a lime slice to rim of each glass as shown, to squeeze onto dessert as desired.

    Want something tasty, comforting and filling for dinner. Try the old Welsh comfort food, Welsh Rarebit.
  

    For a dinner that's sure to delight, turn to fish and chips.
  

    Valle Novak

Editor's note: For many years, Valle Novak wrote gardening and cooking columns for the Daily Bee. "Weekend Gardener" and "Country Chef" became renowned for their humor, information, and common-sense advice on how to do everything from planting to cooking. She left behind many columns such as this one to delight her many fans.