Bacon fritters with tomatoes

Makes about 6 Friters

You will need:

4 rashers bacon

½ oz. dripping OR vegetable shortening

2 oz. self-raising flour

Salt and pepper

1 egg, lightly mixed milk to mix

2 tomatoes

Process:

1.       Trim and chop the bacon rashers.  Fry in the hot fat until crisp, remove the drain.

2.       Sieve the flour into a small basin, season well and stir in the egg and enough milk to mix to a smooth creamy consistency.

3.       Stir in the fried bacon and place spoonfuls of the mixture into the hot fat. Fry quickly until golden brown on one side, then flip over and fry on the other side.

4.       Meanwhile, add the seasoned halved tomatoes, to one side of the pan, and fry.  Server with the bacon fritters.

French toast and bacon

You will need:

1 egg pinch salt

2 table spoons milk

1 level tea spoons milk
1 level tea spoons castor sugar

2 slices day-old bread

1 oz. butter for frying

2-4 bacon rashers

Process:

1.       Crack egg into a dish, add salt, milk and sugar and whisk thoroughly  with a fork.

2.       Dip both sides of each bread slice in the mixture and fry at once in the hot butter, frying both sides until golden brown

3.       Meanwhile, trim and grill bacon rashers.  Serve with the French Toast.

Jugged kippers

You will need:

2 kippers
butter for serving

Process:

1.       Cut the heads and tails from the kippers and place in a jug or deep dish.

2.       Pour over boiling water to cover, and leave to stand for 10 minutes.

3.       Drain and serve with a large lump of butter in the center of each.

Finnan haddock with poached eggs

You will need:

2 small finnan haddock milk to cover

½ oz. butter
2 eggs
salt and pepper

Process:

1.       Cut off the tail and place the fish in a shallow pan.

2.       Cover with milk and add butter.  Bring to the boil, draw pan off the heat, cover and leave 5 minutes.

3.       Meanwhile poach the eggs in simmering salted water.

4.       Drain the fish, put on a serving dish, season with salt and pepper and top with salt and pepper and top with drained poached eggs.  Serve at once.

Chicken livers on toast

You will need:

¼ lb. fresh (or 3 oz packet frozen) chicken livers
seasoned flour
1 oz. butter OR margarine
2 Slices bread squeeze of lemon juice

Process:

1.       If frozen , thaw and separate the chicken livers. Trim away any core and roll in seasoned flour.

2.       Fry in hot butter for 2-3 minutes until browned.

3.       Meanwhile toast bread and butter.

4.       Add a squeeze of lemon juice to livers, then lift out on to slices of hot buttered toast and serve.

Grilled kippers

You will need:

2 kippers
butter for serving

Process:

1.       Holding the kipper closed, cut off the head and tail from each.

2.       Open out on to the base of the grill pan or flat baking tray, skin side downwards.

3.       Place under a moderate heat and cook for 5-6 minutes, until the kipper is well heated through.

4.       Serve at once with a pat of butter (if liked, the bone can be removed before serving.

Museli

You will  need:

1 heaped tablespoon quick-cooking oats scant ¼ pint water juice 1 lemon
1 heaped tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
1 oz. seedless raisins
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
2 eating apples (sharp flavoured)

Process:

1.       Measure the oats in to a small basin, add the water and leave to soak overnight. 

2.       Next morning stir in the lemon juice, condensed milk and dried fruit.

3.       Just before serving, stir in the chopped walnuts and the apples (grated with skin on) and spoon in two serving dishes.

Prunes

You will need:

4 oz. prunes
brewed tea
little lemon peel
1 table spoon brown sugar

Process:

1.       Place and slice the apples, or scrub and cut the rhubarb into 1-inch lengths.

2.       Measure the sugar and water in to a saucepan and stir over a low heat to dissolve the sugar.

3.       Add the prepared fruit, cover with a lid and place over very low heat.  Allow to cook slowly  until the fruit is tender but still whole.

4.       Draw the pan pan off the heat and add a little finely grate lemon rind to apples, (or a pinch of ginger to rhubarb) and set aside to cool.

5.       Spoon into a serving dish and chill until ready to serve.

Porridge

You will need:

1 pint water
2 rounded tablespoons medium oatmeal
¼ level tea spoon salt

Process:

1.       The Night before, measure the water, oatmeal and salt into a saucepan. Leave to soak overnight.

2.       Bring to the boil, stirring all the time.  Lower the heat and leave to simmer for 15 minutes,  stirring occasionally.

3.       Serve hot with creamy milk and sugar or a sprinkling of salt.

Flaky pastry

Makes 8 oz. pastry

You will need:

8 oz. plain flour
½ level teaspoon salt
6 oz. butter OR margarine and lard (equal quanitites)
¼ pint (about 6 table spoons) water
1 tea spoon vinegar OR lemon juice

Process:

1.   Sift together the flour and salt in to a basin and set aside.

2.   With a knife mix the fats together on a plate until softened and blended.  Spread evenly over the plate into four equal portions.

3.   Rub one portion into the sieved flour.

4.   Mix water and vinegar and add to mixture to form a smooth dough.  Leave to reset for 10 minutes before rolling out.

5.   Roll out the dough to an oblong shape, about 3 times as long as it is wide.  Place one-third of the remaining fat in small pieces over two-thirds of dough, distributing the fat evenly with spaces between pieces.  Mark the pastry into thirds and fold the lower uncovered section over the center and the top down over both.

6.   Give a half-turn so that one of the open edges faces you.  Seal edges and roll out again.

7.   Repeat and rest the dough 10 minutes between each turn until all the fat has been added.

8.   Roll and fold once more and then leave in a cool place 20 minutes before using.

Cheese pastry

Cheese pastry:

Makes 4 oz. pastry

4 oz. plain flour pinch salt and cayenne pepper
2 oz. mixed fats OR butter
1 oz. Cheese, finely grated
2-3 tablespoons milk OR egg and milk

Process:

Prepare the pastry as for "plain short crust pastry" instructions.  Use for savoury flans tarlet cases and for cheese straws and biscuits.  For baking time click here.

Sweet short crust pastry

Makes 4oz. pastry

You will need:

4oz. plain flour pinch salt
2oz. mixed fats
1 level tablespoon castor sugar midex with 1 ½ level tablespoon milk.

Process:

Prepare the pastry, following instructions, above for plain short crust.  Use for sweet pie, tarts,  flans and turnovers.  (baking time click here)

Plain short crust pastry

You will need:

4oz. plain flour pinch salt
2oz. mixed fats (equal quantities butter, margarine and vegetable fat)
2tablespoons milk OR water to mix

Process:

1.   Sift together the flour and salt into a basin. Measure  the fats and mix until soft and blended.  Add all at once to the flour

2.   Using the tips of the finger ( the coolest part of the hands) gently break the fat into small lumps, then rub into the flour in order to blend the two together very finely and thoroughly.  To ‘rub in’ means to pick up small handfuls of the mixture and rub very lightly with the thumbs so that the mixture falls back through the fingers into the basin. The action not only blends together the fat and the flour but also incorporates air which eventually results in a light pastry. It is equally important not to over mix the pastry at any stage, and rubbing in should stop when the mixture looks crumbly.

3.   Add the liquid, all at once, into the centre of the mixture.  Blend using a fork, until the mixture clings together into a ball, leaving the sides of the basin clean.  Turn out on to a lightly floured surface and knead lightly to make smooth fairy stiff dough.

4.   Set the pastry aside to rest for 10 minutes before baking in oven (baking time click here).