Good Cook (27 page)

Ah, lovely, lovely meringues—and a return to Mum’s Aga. She used to make them in the bottom oven, from where they emerged after about two hours as golden and sweet-smelling, together with very tiny explosions of caramel dotted about their crazed and almost mountainous surfaces; they were big, Mum’s meringues.

Nowadays, I prefer mine a little more dainty and, like hers, they still turn out golden-ish, but maybe a touch paler; the solid fuel Aga’s bottom oven temperature was a fluctuating affair and, together with an occasional moment of forgetfulness on her part, produced very golden meringues indeed, sometimes. Nevertheless, the unpasteurized cream (from the next-door-but-one farm), lightly sweetened, whipped to soft peaks and used to sandwich the meringues, would always save the day.

Preheat the oven to 275°F.

Using a scrupulously clean mixing bowl, whip the egg whites with the salt until soft but able to hold a peak. Beat in the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until glossy and stiff.

Lightly grease a flat baking tray with the butter and sift over a spoonful of flour. Shake around a bit to disperse the flour in an even coating and then tap off the
excess (the kitchen sink is the most contained area and affords the least mess). I have always found this coating to be the most effective non-stick method, however arcane you might think it. And I loathe fiddling about with baking parchment.

Spoon out the meringue mixture on to the baking tray with whichever size spoon you like (a tea spoon is my choice). Bake in the oven for about 1–1½ hours. I like my meringues with a pale golden hue. Leave to cool for a few minutes before removing them from the baking tray and placing them on a wire rack to cool.

Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until thick, then use this generously to sandwich the meringues together. Eat with a dainty fork.

aioli,
194
–
7

almond & apricot turnovers,
293

anchovy

& onion tarts,
15
–
17

croûtes,
276
–
7

mayonnaise,
237
–
9

piedmontese pepper,
84
–
5

salade niçoise,
21
–
3

sauce,
18
–
19

tartare dressing,
247
–
8

apple

& mincemeat suet pudding,
283
–
4

sauce,
190
–
3

apricot & almond turnovers,
293

Asian green sauce,
129
–
31

asparagus

anchovy mayonnaise & veal fillet,
237
–
9

délices d’Argenteuil,
165
–
7

aubergine

& tomatoes with homemade masala paste,
29
–
31

parmigiana,
27
–
8

with olive oil, garlic, parsley & feta cheese,
25
–
6

avocado, jalapeños & chopped prawns on toast,
204
–
5

bacon

crab & sweetcorn soup,
273
–
5

lentil salad,
276
–
7

pigeon & mushroom pie,
184
–
7

potato soup,
261
–
2

quiche Lorraine,
170
–
1

baked

pappardelle, pancetta & porcini,
91
–
3

trout, Chablis, cream & tarragon,
72
–
3

beef

Carpaccio,
225
–
7

tripe, spring onions, ginger, chillies & coriander,
230
–
2

beetroot & horseradish relish for salt ox

tongue,
44
–
5

biscuits, Parmesan,
60
–
1

braised neck of lamb with carrots & pearl barley,
117
–
19

bread & tomato Tuscan salad,
77
–
9

breadcrumbs,
124
–
5

breast of lamb baked with onions,
120
–
3

broad bean, salad of, smoked cod’s roe, ricotta & olive oil,
80
–
1

buttered rice, mozzarella, garlic & basil,
138
–
9

calf’s liver & sweet & sour onions,
242
–
3

caramel orange custard,
301
–
3

Carpaccio,
225
–
7

carrot, pearl barley & lamb,
117
–
19

cep, parsley, garlic & grilled veal chop,
240
–
1

Chablis, cream, tarragon & baked trout,
72
–
3

cheese

& ham fried sandwich,
168
–
9

Lancashire, & onion pie, my mother’s,
55
–
6

sauce,
47
–
8

white wine, mustard & pork chops,
67

see also
feta; mozzarella; Parmesan; ricotta; Roquefort

chicken

coq au vin,
68
–
70

homemade tandoori,
150
–
1

hot salad, with sweet mustard dressing,
148
–
9

poached, with saffron sauce & cucumber,
145
–
7

chicken liver

& pork terrine & green peppercorns,
157
–
9

mousse & port jelly,
154
–
6

& mushrooms on toast,
153

pilau,
160
–
1

chicory, Roquefort & pear salad with walnut oil,
62
–
3

chive butter sauce,
107
–
9

chocolate ginger pot,
304
–
5

chopped prawns, avocado & jalapeños, on toast,
204
–
5

cod’s roe

smoked, ricotta, olive oil & broad beans salad,
80
–
1

see also
salt cod

coffee

granita,
306
–
7

ice cream,
299
–
300

Cointreau custard,
296
–
7

coq au vin,
68
–
70

gravy, poached eggs in,
71

cotechino sausage, lentils & mustard fruits,
175
–
7

crab & sweetcorn soup,
273
–
5

croquettes, spinach & ricotta,
18
–
19

croûtes, anchovy,
276
–
7

croutons,
86
–
7

crumble, rhubarb, & Guernsey cream,
290
–
1

cucumber

fried, sour cream & dill,
35
–
7

gazpacho,
86
–
7

saffron sauce & poached chicken,
145
–
7

salad,
101
–
2

tzatziki,
38
–
9

custard

Cointreau,
296
–
7

orange caramel,
301
–
3

date, sticky toffee pudding,
285
–
7

délices d’Argenteuil,
165
–
7

duck, English roast, & apple sauce,
190
–
3

duck, roast, & orange gravy,
198
–
9

egg

poached, in coq au vin gravy,
71

poached, with Lancashire cheese, leeks & chives,
57

quiche Lorraine,
170
–
1

Roquefort tart,
64
–
5

salade niçoise,
21
–
3

smoked haddock pilaf,
105
–
6

soft-boiled, anchovy croûtes & lentil salad,
276
–
7

endive

& pot-roast pork,
49
–
51

au gratin,
47
–
8

feta & aubergine,
25
–
6

figgy pudding, rich,
181
–
2

fillet of veal, anchovy mayonnaise & asparagus,
237
–
9

fish

with a white butter sauce,
213
–
15

see also specific fish

flageolet bean & warm prawn salad,
206
–
7

fried

cucumber, sour cream & dill,
35
–
7

ham & cheese sandwich,
168
–
9

fruit

mustard,
175
–
7

see also specific fruit

garlic

mayonnaise,
124
–
5

mushrooms,
96
–
7

gazpacho,
86
–
7

ginger

chocolate pot,
304
–
5

steamed sponge,
294
–
5

gnocchi, potato, butter, sage, garlic & pine nuts,
262
–
4

granita, coffee,
306
–
7

grape & pot-roast quail,
181
–
3

gravadlax, homemade, cucumber salad & mustard sauce,
101
–
2

gravy

coq au vin,
71

orange,
198
–
9

greens, wilted, wrapped in Parma ham,
82
–
3

gremolata,
172
–
4

grilled

lamb cutlets & minted hollandaise,
126
–
8

squab pigeon, sweet sherry vinegar & shallot vinaigrette,
188
–
9

veal chop, ceps, parsley and garlic,
240
–
1

haddock
see
smoked haddock

ham

& pea soup,
272

endives au gratin,
47
–
8

fried, & cheese sandwich,
168
–
9

hock, & split peas,
269
–
71

see also
Parma ham

hollandaise sauce,
107
–
9
,
165
–
7

minted,
126
–
8

homemade

gravadlax, cucumber salad & mustard sauce,
101
–
2

tandoori chicken,
150
–
1

horseradish

& beetroot relish for salt ox tongue,
44
–
5

base recipe,
41

cream,
42
–
3

hot chicken salad with sweet mustard dressing,
148
–
9

ice cream, coffee,
299
–
300

Irish creamed shrimps on butter-grilled toast,
203

jalapeño, avocado & chopped prawns on toast,
204
–
5

kidney, potato & steak pie,
228
–
9

kipper & tomato baked in cream,
113

lamb

braised neck of, with carrots & pearl barley,
117
–
19

breast, baked with onions,
120
–
3

grilled cutlets, & minted hollandaise,
126
–
8

leftover cold breast, sliced, breadcrumbed & fried till crisp, with garlic mayonnaise,
124
–
5

marinated butterflied leg, & Asian green sauce,
129
–
31

leek

chives, Lancashire cheese & poached eggs,
57

Roquefort tart,
64
–
5

split peas & ham hock,
269
–
71

leftover cold breast of lamb, sliced, breadcrumbed & fried till crisp, with garlic mayonnaise,
124
–
5

lentil

cotechino sausage & mustard fruits,
175
–
7

salad, & soft-boiled egg & anchovy croûtes,
276
–
7

liver
see
calf’s liver; chicken liver

lobster gratin,
208
–
9

mackerel in white wine,
220
–
1

marinated

butterflied leg of lamb with Asian green sauce,
129
–
31

sardine fillets,
110
–
11

marmalade sponge with Cointreau custard,
296
–
7

masala paste,
29
–
31

mayonnaise,
225
–
7

anchovy,
237
–
9

garlic,
124
–
5

meringues, small, & whipped cream,
308
–
11

mincemeat & apple suet pudding,
283
–
4

mornay sauce,
249
–
52

mousse

chicken liver,
154
–
6

scallop,
249
–
52

mozzarella, garlic & basil buttered rice,
138
–
9

mushroom

& chicken livers on toast,
153

& pigeon pie,
184
–
7

broth, & tarragon cream,
94
–
5

coq au vin,
68
–
70

duxelles,
249
–
52

with garlic, parsley & lemon & olive oil & potato purée,
96
–
7

mussel(s)

with Gewürztraminer & cream,
255

“Rockefeller” style,
256
–
7

saffron & rice,
135
–
7

mustard

fruits,
175
–
7

sauce,
101
–
2

sweet dressing,
148
–
9

my mother’s Lancashire cheese & onion pie,
55
–
6

“nehari,” oxtail, & potatoes,
233
–
5

onion

& anchovy tarts,
15
–
17

& breast of lamb,
120
–
3

& Lancashire cheese pie,
55
–
6

coq au vin,
68
–
70

sweet & sour,
242
–
3

orange

caramel custard,
301
–
3

custard,
296
–
7

gravy,
198
–
9

ox tongue, salt, & horseradish & beetroot relish,
44
–
5