British Cooking Tip of the Day - Clootie Dumpling - A V Clootie Dumpling - A Very Old Traditional Scottish Recipe CLOOT is the old Scottish name for a CLOTH. The following dish is still made today. Mixing should be done by hand. Dry ingredients: -175g butter -1 teaspoon baking soda -350g plain flour -1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon -100g sugar -1 teaspoon powdered ginger Other ingredients: -225g currants -1 tablespoon syrup -450g sultanas -2 beaten eggs -1 tablespoon black treacle -enough milk to keep the mixture stiff Method: -Put all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix very well, making sure the spices are well blended. -Rub in the butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. At this point, add the currants and sultanas and stir well. -Make a hollow in the centre and add syrup, black treacle and the beaten eggs. Mix again until well blended. -Add just enough milk to "work" the mixture but keep it stiff. -The "CLOOT" (cloth) should be one kept for this purpose only. A good sized piece of calico or cotton will do. To prepare the CLOOT (cloth) - dip it into boiling water. Squeeze out gently (and carefully) and spread on baking board. Dust it generously with flour. Place the mixture on the cloth and, leaving enough space for expansion, gather up the sides and edges and tie it firmly with string. -Place filled CLOOT in a pan of boiling water with the lid on and simmer gently for approximately 3 hours. Serve as desired - either as a sweet with custard, maple syrup or fresh cream. In Scotland, this dish is sliced and fried on the same platter as a full Scottish breakfast.

Happy Birthday, Lord Laurence Olivier, Baron of Brighton.

Lovage Lovage is another herb that originated in the Mediterranean. It has a fresh flavour akin to celery. It must be used with care or it will dominate all other flavours. A distinctive savour can be obtained by chopping the young leaves into a fresh salad, or used to flavour soup and casserole meat dishes. For the table: The dark green leaves can also be cut neatly and used with their pretty yellow flowers as a table decoration centrepiece. Enhanced by 2 or 3 seasonal purple shaded flowers, this centerpiece becomes very much a 'table talk' feature, particularly as people are drawn to the delicate aroma.

Whisky Creams - Another offering from the Lairds's Table A very simple rich sweet - but do not serve too large a portion! Ingredients: -2 X 570ml containers of fresh double cream. -2 large tins of condensed milk. -10 tablespoons (or to taste) whisky. Method: -Whisk the double cream and the condensed milk until stiff. -Add the 10 tablespoons of whisky and stir through. -Transfer to attractive tapered glasses. Place on a tray in freezer and leave overnight. -Remove from freezer just prior to serving the main course and allow to thaw slightly. -Place each portion in the tapered glass on an attractive saucer. Decorate with a twist of thinly sliced orange and a triangle of the finest shortbread (or brandy snaps) on the accompanying saucer. -Serve and enjoy!

Fresh Garden Peas Ingredients- -1 head soft lettuce -500g frozen OR fresh garden peas -salt & pepper to taste -25ml water -A knob of salted butter -1/2 teaspoon sugar Method: -Separate the lettuce leaves, wash them and dry on a kitchen paper towel. -Put butter in a small pan with a lid. Melt butter down gradually. -Remove from heat and place half of the lettuce leaves over the melted butter - allow the leaves to come slightly up the base of the pan - about 1/2 inch. -Pour the peas over the lettuce. Season to taste. -Sprinkle on sugar. -Place the other half of the lettuce leaves over the top of the peas and "tuck in" the edges. -Add water. -Cover with lid and cook until the lettuce becomes soft. -Remove the lettuce leaves and serve the peas immediately. They will be a most attractive bright green and taste delicious.

Beef Casserole with Basil and Tomato This supper dish serves 8 people. Ingredients: -28g butter -4 cloves fresh garlic -4 medium onions -900g lean minced beef -2 x 198g tins chopped tomatoes with herbs -4 tablespoons dry red wine -salt and pepper to taste -350g cooked long grain rice -8 large tomatoes -12 tablespoons fresh basil leaves -8 spring onions Method: -Crush the garlic. -Chop the onions. -Put the butter in a large pan and cook on high for one minute. -Add garlic and onions and stir on high for three minutes. -Crumble the minced beef into the pan and stir well. Now cook on high for three minutes, stirring once. -Drain off excess liquid. -Add the tinned tomato and red wine and simmer for 15 minutes. -Season well then stir in the cooked rice. -Slice the fresh tomatoes and finely chop the basil leaves with the spring onions. -Transfer the meat mixture to a good sized casserole dish. -Spread the sliced tomatoes, chopped basil and chopped spring onions over the top. -Cover the dish with the lid and cook for 5 mins. -Leave to stand for 3 minutes before serving. Tip. You may prefer a crunchy topping - if so, mix breadcrumbs and grated cheese together with the chopped basil and spring onions and spread over the sliced tomatoes and place in a hot oven for 6 - 8 minutes before serving. Delicious both ways.

Gotta dinner party to cook for this evening. Still planning menu but it will include roast beef. Will report back later with menu and recipes.

This is what we lived on in Scotland when we were penniless and hungry. I was taught it by the mum of hannah's school friend, and we seemed to get versions of it everywhere we went. It is delicious, very cheap and filling. Stovies potatoes 1 pint stock medium onion Left over vegetables and meat cubed, or preferably if you have the money - bacon Salt and pepper to season Peel and dice potatoes (half inch squares work best) Peel thinly and chop onion Saut� onion in large pan Add potatoes and stir round Add stock and salt and pepper bring to the boil Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes Add left over veg and meat cut into cubes Heat through and add thickening as necessary. Serve at once.

Here's another from those days: Speedy orange Cake 5 oz flour (1 1/4 Cup) 3 oz margarine (3.8.Cup) 1 Iablesppon orange juice 4 oz sugar (1/2 Cup) 2 eggs grated rind of 1 orange Put all ingredients in a bowl Stir gently until a softened cream. Pour into loaf tin Bake at 350 F (Gas mark 4) for 55 mins

Sorry, the margarine above should read 3/8 Cup

Thank you, Maggie! Nothing like a real Englishwoman posting her own recipes. Beats the Yank posting ones which come to me through email!

Well, since I got all the books out to list for the other topic ..... I've got more somewhere - shall I post them? Trouble is it is very difficult to define just what is British cooking these days. Does my strawberry starter from yesterday count because I made it up and I'm British!!!?

Indeed it does - Please Post! I would hope MarkG will do so as well.

Gromack Here's another rich Scottish sweet from the Lairds's Table. Ingredients: -500ml double cream -8 tablespoons whisky -4 tablespoons runny honey -8 tablespoons rolled oats -A few raspberries & mint leaves for decoration Method: -Put all rolled oats onto a dry (nonstick) omelette pan. -Using a wooden spoon, constantly stir them round over medium heat until they are roasted and golden brown. -Set aside to cool. -Beat together the cream, honey and whisky until the mixture starts to thicken. -Add in the roasted oats and continue to beat well until the mixture stands up in soft peaks. -To serve, arrange in attractive individual portion dishes. Decorate with raspberries and fresh mint leaves. - Frances Grant-Hutton

Strawberry Yum (so called because Fiona kept saying it! I said she sounded like a Furby) large punnet of strawberries chopped small chopped up fruit of four pink grapefruit four mandarin oranges chopped up small lollo rosso lettuce (although any will do) Line sundae dishes with lettuce, and arrange well mixed fruit on top. It's as simple as that. Delicious!

Ok, what's a prunnet? Have no clue.

Check these crei[pes I post - if any seem wrong or are really unpallatable, Please let us know!

Sorry, must be a British thing!!!! GRIN A punnet is the container the strawberries come in and we buy them by the punnet rather than weight. I guess the one I used was about a pound in weight. Anyway, it was a lot of yummy strawberries!!!

Melissa Tea Melissa Tea is a very popular fragrant tea made from the leaves of lemon balm. Excellent at night or if you are feeling stressed - instead of reaching for the coffee pot, try this tea. Here's how to make Melissa Tea Heat the teapot. Allow 1 heaped teaspoon crushed or dried lemon balm leaves per cup and pour over the boiling water. Leave for 5 minutes to infuse. Strain and drink while hot, a little honey may be added for sweetening. If you are feeling "stressed out" from a hard day at the office, etc., then add an extra spoon of dried leaves to the pot.

(What are you doing giving a baby a balm for, you want him to blow himself up with it?!!!)

(anyone want any lemon balm??? It likes my garden so much it pop up everywhere!!! Now I need to make some Melissa tea to ease the stress of gardening .....)

Not my writing in these British things I post - it is an email service. Should I delete it?

delete what?

Autumn objected to the Balm for babies but I cannot find the objectionable post.

oh

Crepe Pancakes Ingredients: -225g plain flour -175ml water -pinch salt -4 free range eggs -385ml milk Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend thoroughly and leave in the fridge overnight. When you are ready to prepare the pancakes, add one tablespoon melted butter or oil to the mixture and mix. Take a clean griddle or large flat heavy frying pan. Put this over the heat and drop a little oil or butter on the surface. When warm, put a tablespoon of the mixture and drop onto the pan. Do not touch until bubbles rise to the surface, then, using a spatula, lift up the pancake and turn over onto the other side. The pancake is ready when it lifts off easily with a spatula. Place in rows on a clean tea cloth. Cover with another tea cloth. Serve spread with jam, rolled up, and a spoon of fresh cream on top. The pancakes may also be served sprinkled with brown sugar and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, rolled up and served with or without a spoon of fresh cream. They are delicious either way. - Frances Grant-Hutton

I couldn't resist commenting on this one (sorry Marcia) There are as many versions of this as there are cooks!! Here's the version my mum taught me: 2 eggs, 2 cups milk (no water), 2 T of oil beaten together, beat in to this 2/3 cup white flour and 1/2t salt to make a very runny batter. Done by hand with a fork in a large bowl, and ideally left to stand for an hour (although often I don't) I use an old cast iron skillet which has been well seasoned and is practically non-stick. I pour 1/4 cup batter into the skillet and tilt the pan until the batter covers most of the surface. I loosen the edges as it cooks, and when it slides around either toss it to turn it if I'm feeling brave or someone is watching(!) or use the spatula to turn it over. Our traditional family way of serving pancakes is to spread butter or margarine on it, either sprinkle sugar or spoon golden syrup on top of the margarine, (optionally) add mixed dried fuit, and (always) add freshly squeezed lemon to that. (I never serve it with cream or jam.) Then roll up and keep warm on a plate over a pan of boiling water until you have enough to serve everyone.

Maggie, Dear, I am counting on your corrections. These are from a subscription service unless I say otherwise. Please correct and comment!

Well, it's not so much correcton as addition I think! *grin* As long as you don't think I'm invalidating what you post, it's more that it sparks off thoughts in me. I'll dig out some more of my own once I can clear the debris enough to find them!

Never that. My sole purpose for posting these things on all of the conferences is to stimulate discussion and entice someone into the topic and they might just comment, too...*hopeful smile*

Ok, I'm putting this in here as I'm British and I'm cooking it ... Another dinner party tonight - for 7 this time. Keeping it simple so I don't get panicky... starter: cantaloupe melon, possibly with strawberries Main course: chicken pieces casseroled in red wine sauce (from a can), broccoli, carrots, potatoes Sweet: Home made fruit salad - apples, pears, oranges, grapes, kiwi fruit, bananas, pineapple dig out the coffee machine and a bottle of Rose wine

Sounds very tasty. What time did you say I was to appear? Have a large soft butter-pear Avocado to bring and some freshly made spinach dip!

Sounds wonderful Maggie, especially the fruit salad, what's Rose wine like?

The fruit salad was really yummy, especially with strawberries piled on top and double cream......We're still enjoying it today as we made a HUGE bowl full. Rose wine is the 'pink' wine(said rosay). I just couldn't do the accent in this box!!! Actually we had the British white wine that we buy by the 3L box instead, and the rose is still in the fridge (I like it cold...).

Ros� (Maggie, just hold down the alt button and push 0233 on the keypad. It is in your character map for things like � and such)

yeah, I know, just couldn't remember the number....

I hardly ever remember the number uless it is for the degres symbol because I use it the most...

One of my favourite dinner party recipes ..we also call them Tipsy Chops and I put some cider in the stock instead of water .... Devon Chops http://englishculture.about.com/aboutuk/englishculture/library/bldevchop.htm A great autumn recipe from beautiful Devon A warming autumn recipe from the third largest of England's old counties. Cooking Time: 1 hour 20 minutes Oven: 180�C Serves 4 INGREDIENTS 4 large pork chops 2 medium-sized onions 8 medium-sized potatoes 4 cooking apples 100g Cheddar cheese 20g butter Seasoning COOKING INSTRUCTIONS Chop the onions into thin slices, blanch for 1-2 minutes and drain. Slice the potatoes and arrange a layer in a dish with the onions. Season, add sufficient stock to just cover and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Then, using a frying pan, brown the chops quickly in butter and add the potatoes. Quarter the apples and arrange around the chops. Deglaze the frying pan with the remaining stock and pour over chops. Sprinkle cheese over the dish and put a few extra dobs of butter around the dish - especially on the apples. Return to the oven for 30-35 minutes, brown and serve.