The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook (38 page)

1 teaspoon nutmeg

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teaspoon oregano

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teaspoon basil

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teaspoon rosemary

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teaspoon cayenne pepper

Prepared sausage skins (optional)

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cup unsalted butter (optional)

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cup vinegar (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
   
2. Pour blood into a deep pan, keeping cool. Stir in salt.
   
3. Slowly stir in milk, onions, suet, oatmeal, herbs, and spices. Pour blood mixture into prepared sausage skins, or else pour into a large ovenproof dish such as a dutch oven.
   
4. Bake sausage skins or dish, covered, in a water bath for 1
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   –2 hours. Alternatively, cover and steam blood mixture in a large saucepan for the same amount of time.
   
5. Allow sausages to cool, then slice. Fry sausages in butter if desired, or serve with vinegar.
   

This dish is considered a delicacy in the English Black Country (hence the name) and in the English North West, especially in Lancashire, which is also the home of the World Black Pudding Throwing Championships. While this dish is incredibly popular in England, variants can also be found throughout Europe in Germany, Austria, and even France. Asia and Spain also offer a type of black pudding, though their versions use rice instead of the oatmeal found in most European versions.

The servants would take their lunch — which they referred to as dinner — at midday, long after the aristocrats ate their own lunch. This would be the most filling meal of the servants’ day. Whereas lunch for the upper class was not a large or formal affair, the servants’ own lunch (also known as dinner) had a rigorous etiquette. The staff would stand around the table until their superiors sat down; the butler (Mr. Carson) and housekeeper (Mrs. Hughes) would sit at the heads of the table. Men would be allowed to drink three pints of beer with their dinner, while women were not allowed more than two. Nonetheless, this would be a great period of respite (and likely, venting) for the servants before the rest of the long workday.

It is likely that at least one of the many workers at Downton Abbey hails from Cornwall, and that this pasty — often lauded as Cornwall’s national dish — would be beloved by any of the Downton Abbey servants, Cornish or not. The pasty, British slang for a pie made with meat, dates back all the way to the 1300s, and was actually originally a dish meant for the wealthy. By the 1600s, however, members of the working class were also enjoying this dish, as it could be easily eaten while on the go.

2
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cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

4 ounces cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces

4 ounces lard, cut into pieces

1 large egg yolk

6 tablespoons cold water

1
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pounds rump roast, diced

2 small yellow onions, finely chopped

1 potato, cut into
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-inch dice

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons whole milk

1. For pastry shell:
   In a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Using your fingers, knead the butter and lard into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
   
2. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and water, then add to flour mixture. Mix thoroughly until dough just forms. Knead until pastry is smooth. You should be able to manipulate dough without breaking it, but the dough should also retain its texture. Press into a flattened disc shape and wrap in plastic. If pastry breaks while rolling it out, add a bit more water. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
   
3. Unwrap dough and roll out until it is
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   -inch thick. Cut out six circles, each about 5–6 inches in diameter. Stack the pastry rounds onto pieces of parchment paper (with pieces between each round to prevent sticking) and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
   
4. Preheat oven to 400°F.
   
5. For filling:
   In a medium to large mixing bowl, combine meat, onions, potato, salt, and pepper until thoroughly mixed.
   
6. Remove pastry shells from refrigerator. Place on a clean surface, then place about
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   –
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   cup of filling to one side of the center of each pastry. Using the beaten egg, brush the edges of the pastry and then bring the unfilled side over to cover the filled side so edges meet. Press edges together and seal, then crimp with a fork. Repeat with remaining pasties.
   
7. Brush all pasties with remaining egg. Cut several slits into the top of the pasties. Bake for 25 minutes or until pasties are golden brown around edges. Reduce heat to 350°F. Continue baking until pasties are completely golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
   

On July 20, 2011, the Cornish pasty was given the “Protected Geographical Indication” status by the European Commission. According to the commission’s strict guidelines, an authentic Cornish pasty should be shaped like a
D
and crimped on one side, but not on the top. Ingredients must include uncooked beef, turnip, onion, and potato, along with a seasoning of salt and pepper. This status also means that Cornish pasties must be prepared (but not baked) in Cornwall, causing a major change for many supermarkets and cafés that offered their version of a “Cornish Pasty” outside of this locale.

Yorkshire Pudding was an excellent and affordable way to fill up on a meager budget. Often, Yorkshire Pudding was served before a less-than-filling meal as a way to stave off hunger. While not enjoyed by the upper crust, Yorkshire Pudding — along with a side of jam or cream — is the kind of snack that Mr. Mason would serve to Daisy during her after-Christmas visit.

1
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cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

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cup whole milk, room temperature

3 eggs, room temperature

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cup water

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cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the dry mixture, then pour in the milk, whisking thoroughly. Beat in eggs one at a time.
   
2. Pour dry mixture into a blender, then add water. Blend until the mixture is light and frothy. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, covered.
   
3. Let batter warm up to room temperature before using. While batter warms up, preheat oven to 400°F.
   
4. Place butter in a 9×12-inch baking pan in oven and cook until sizzling, at least 5 minutes. Pour the batter over the melted butter and bake for 30 minutes or until the sides have risen and are golden brown. Cut into 6–8 portions and serve immediately.
   

The history behind this dish is long and storied. When wheat became a viable option for cooking cakes and other batter-related dishes, cooks up in Northern England, fans of the “waste not, want not” philosophy, developed a way to use the fat drippings from roasting meat to make a batter pudding. The Yorkshire Puddings served at Downton Abbey were flatter than they are today, though the Royal Society of Chemistry issued a proclamation that a Yorkshire Pudding was not a true Yorkshire Pudding if it was less than 4 inches tall. While this recipe does not use beef drippings, beef drippings can easily be substituted for the butter.