Best results are obtained if the poultry is allowed to thaw out gradually. Do not defrost by immersing in hot water and do not cook when it is frozen.
Steaks to choose:-
MINUTE STEAK: very thin slice of steak, so called because it only needs a minute on either side.
RUMP STEAK: Full of flavor, but less tender on the whole than fillet.
FILLET STEAK: Very tender indeed, very lean.
SIRLOIN STEAK: Cut from across the sirloin- excellent proportion of lean and fat.
ENTRECOTE: Cut from middle of ribs or sirloin. Tender, of good flavor.
POINT STEAK: Cut from the pointed end of the rump and most tender.
PORTERHOUSE: Very large sirloin steak, up to 4 lb.
PLANKED STEAK: So called because it is served on wooden plank.
TOURNEDOS: Fillet steak tied into a circle with string, served with various garnishes.
Make sure the grill is really hot before steak is put underneath. Brush the grill with plenty of oil or butter. Brush the steak also with oil or butter. Cook quickly on either side for 2 to 3 minutes. For an underdone or ‘rare’ steak that is properly enough, and it can be served at once. For a medium steak lower heat and cook for a further 5 or 6 minutes. For a well done steak, lower the heat as much as possible, so steak cooks gently through to the center. Continue cooking for a about 10 minutes without scorching on the outside.
Be particularly careful that the fish is really fresh, since stale shell fish can be harmful.
CLAM (September-April) : Smaller than oyster, but can be served in the same way as oyster.
COCKLES (September-April) : Tiny shell fish served cold. To cook, wash very well, put into salted water, then into either roasting tin in moderate oven or saucepan containing very little water. Heat until shells open. Take out and serve with seasoning and a little vinegar. Excellent added to sauces.
CRAB (May-August) : Dress and serve hot or cold. Be sure to remove the stomach bag and grey brown fingers. To cook put into boiling salted water, simmer for 20-25 minutes, rinse in cold water. Best selection is male crab, distinguished by larger claws.
CRAWFISH (May-August) : Although no large claws, use as lobster.
CRAYFISH (October-March) : Small fresh water shell fish, similar to lobster. If caught fresh; cook for 10 minutes only. Otherwise cook as lobster.
LOBSTER (February-October) : Serve hot or cold. To cook, wash well, tie claws and put into boiling water. Simmer for 20-25 minutes according to size. BUT NO MORE, then put into cold water. Hen lobster has wide tail and red coral which is delicious. If buying ready cooked lobster, make sure it has been freshly cooked. The lobster should feel heavy for its size and the tail should spring back when tested. Be sure to take out intestinal vein and the lady ‘fingers’.
A method of cooking a whole joint or bird in a pot. The meat or poultry is browned quickly before adding vegetables, a little liquid and flavoring. Everything is simmered very slowly and only occasional attention is needed. Pot roasting is an excellent way of treating joints of cheaper meat or suspiciously old hens.
Choose loin, leg, shoulder, blade bone, spare rib. To give pork a delicious flavor when roasting, mix a little finely chopped onion with salt, pepper and dry mustard, then rub the meat with lard or olive oil and sprinkle the onion mixture over this.
If roasting in a covered roasting tin or in foil remove the lid or foil a good 30 to 45 minutes before serving to allow the crackling to become crisp.
Always rub fat of pork with lard or oil and season before roasting to give a good crackling. Start in a really hot oven and allow time shown in table below OR reduce the heat after first 30 minutes to moderate and cook more slowly allowing about 35 minutes per lb.
Pork must never be served under done. Try to avoid serving pork in a very hot weather.
Purpose:- Roasting
Cut to choose:- Loin, Leg, Blade bone, Spare rib
Cooking Time:- 25 minutes per lb. plus 25 minutes over
Accompaniments:- Sage and onion stuffing, Mustard, Apple Sauce, Orange Salad
*** Please check it out for this link for more Pork Recipes ***
The purpose of trussing the bird is to keep it a good shape while cooking. Stuffing should be done first.
1. Put the stuffing in the bird at the breast end. If 2 kinds of stuffing are used then 1 kind can be put the other end. Fold the skin firmly over the back at the neck end.
2. Press the legs down firmly at the sides of the bird.
3. Put a skewer right through the bird, just under the thighs. Turn the bird over and pinion the wings with the skewer. Pass string under the ends of the skewer and cross over at the back. Turn the bird over and tie the string round the tail, securing the ends of the legs.
Bones:- Bones of meat, poultry, etc. provide the basis for first class stock. The marrow from beef bones can be taken out and served as a savory on toast.
Brains:- The brains from calves’, pigs’ or sheep’s heads can be served in a thick sauce on toast or as a sauce. They are very nutritious.
Chitterlings (fraise or crow):- This is the name given to the small intestines of a calf. They are sold ready prepared in some pork butchers. Served cold or they can fried in a little hot butter.
Feet:- The feet of calf and pig contain a great deal of gelatine and are used to help set moulds and brawn.
Ears:- Not so popular today, but once considered a great delicacy. The traditional recipe in old country houses was to boil them until tender and serve cold.
Faggots:- These are made from pigs’ offal. Can be bought ready made.
Head:- The head of calf is considered the most delicate in flavor but both sheep’s amd pigs’ heads can be used in exactly the same way.
Heart:- The small heart of sheep, calf or pig can be stuffed and roasted. Ox heart is inclined to be tough and can be casseroled slowly.
Kidneys:- These can be used in a number of ways, as a savory dish, served either as a main dish or served on toast as a savory, with or without fried bacon. The kidneys from pig, calf or lamb are all very tender and can be cooked fairly quickly. All that is needed is to remove the gristle and skin. Ox kidney on the other hand, is much tougher and should be used in recipes with prolonged cooking.
Pot roasting is a very simple. Put a little fat in the bottom of a pan, which should be a good heavy one with a well fitting lid. Brown your meat lightly then lift it out of the pan and insert either a small trivet or rack and lift the meat on to this. Put enough water in the pan to give about 1-inch but make sure it does not cover the meat as you do not want it to taste stewed. Season well and put on the lid. Allow approximately 40 minutes per lb.; add your vegetables during the cooking period so they get tender at the same time as the meat. When you dish up you will find the liquid at the bottom makes a delicious gravy. If by chance you have not a trivet then lift the meat on to bed of vegetables but you must of course keep these in very big pieces so that they are not overcooked by the time the meat is ready.
*** Simple and Easy Cooking Recipes ***
CARP (October-February) : Unless a very small carp, this fish is too tough for grilling or frying. Is best baked rather slowly, preferably with onions and tomatoes in a covered casserole. Allow 8 oz. per person.
EEL (September – May) : Must be purchased from a fishmonger who keeps them alive in a tank. He will cut and skin them. Stew, or make into jelly. 6-8 oz. per person.
TROUT (April – September) : Buy whole; grill, fry or bake. Delicious fried and served with brown butter sauce. Keep well basted when cooking as the fish is rather dry. Ideal to cook almost immediately after being caught.
PERCH (May – February) : Generally small enough to serve 1 fish per person. Be careful of the spikes in the dorsal fin as they are very sharp. This fish is difficult to scale, so plunge for a minute in boiling water then scale. Delicious flavor. Best fried and served with meuniere sauce.
SMELT (September – March) : Becoming very rare. Can be poached, grilled, fried, baked or cooked in white wine or cider. To prepare remove fins, but leave head on to cook.
If you like a very lean joint choose topside or rump or fillet. For a prime quality with a good distribution of lean and fat choose ribs of beef (for a large joint) or sirloin. Aitch bone of first rate quality can be roasted, but is best roasted slowly.
If you like a crisp to the meat then DO NOT use a covered roasting tin. Instead put a little well clarified dripping or fat on the meat, which can be seasoned lightly if desired. Either put meat in roasting tin or on trivet (rack) in the tin. Or the meat can be cooked on a turning spit.
Start in a hot oven (425°-450°F- Gas Mark 7). For the joints under 4 lb. the heat need not be lowered a great deal. Follow times in individual recipes.
