plate 24: england

It was a jolly-good fit that I hadn't planned this week. I decided at the start of Destination Degustation that I would, at some point in winter, do a four-week block of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The weather became decidedly nippy this weekend, so it was perfect timing to start the UK culinary tour. That, and the fact that is was the Queen's birthday long weekend. I can't find any information to explain why the her birthday is celebrated in June when she was actually born in April (21st to be exact - for anyone out there who has a penchant for birthdays as I do), but having an extra day this weekend suited me fine.

My lovely English pal Sal gave me a recipe from Mark Hix's British Regional Food for a Lancashire Hotpot - apparently one of the best-known dishes in the north of the country. Mark explains that while there are variations, they all feature lamb chops, potatoes and onions. There used to be versions cooked with oysters, too, but that sounds a bit weird, no? I was tempted by other English dishes: Yorkshire pudding; and some with rather funny names: Toad in the Hole (sausages baked in batter); Bubble & Squeak (named for the noises this dish of leftover potatoes with cabbage makes while cooking); and Spotted Dick (dried fruit pudding served with custard).

The history lesson continues: the Lancashire hotpot is said to have been inspired out of necessity - to feed working families in a cold climate. Legend also has it that a Lancashire lass's hotpot-making prowess bode well for her marriage prospects. AJ: if you wanted to marry me before, let's hope my hotpot cemented your plan!

While there's a little prep involved - slicing onions, peeling and cutting potatoes, and dicing lamb - the cooking process is super easy. Layer it all in a pot and cook it for three hours. The pot I used was a tad small for the amount of ingredients I had, which caused a bit of spillage and setting off of a smoke alarm, but it was all worth it in the end. The flavours were simple, but very special: the onions were cooked in beef stock with a little butter and thyme - YUM; the potatoes became deliciously crispy; and the lamb was supremely tender. There was just the right amount of sauciness too. The traditional accompaniment is pickled red cabbage, which needed to have been made six weeks earlier. Needless to say I wasn't prepared, and unfortunately the shops gave me no love either. Success struck when I found it in a jar, ready to serve with the leftovers, but sadly forgot! I realised this as I opened my pantry to see the unopened jar staring back at me. I'll take Mark Hix's word for it that the pairing is fabulous.

My fellow diners and I loved the hotpot - it certainly hit the spot on a very cold winter eve - but the dessert blew us away. I settled on Queen of Puddings - an English dessert made with breadcrumbs soaked in boiled milk with lemon rind and sugar that's baked, then topped with a layer of melted raspberry jam, then topped with meringue. Decadence is an understatement. This thing was royally fantastic. And the recipe comes from English dessert queen, Nigella Lawson.

The Queen of AJ's family (AKA grandma Trich) said it was the best dessert she's ever had. And in her 82 years she's tasted a fair few, so this was quite the compliment.

 I'd also like to note that my egg-separating skills have improved ten-fold since this journey started, so organising the whites for my meringue was a cinch - hurrah - there wasn't a skerrick of yolk. The meringue-making was made doubly easy and quick thanks to an electric beater. Beats my balloon whisk any day.