The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook (39 page)

Even the Earl of Grantham — who is likely not the biggest fan of the Irish, thanks to Tom Branson running off with the earl’s daughter — would enjoy this Irish classic every now and then. That said, this dish is likely to be eaten more by Tom Branson and his coworkers than by the Crawleys, as it is unlikely the aristocrats of
Downton Abbey
would want to be seen eating something as plebeian as a sandwich.

4 pounds corned beef brisket, rinsed and patted dry

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2–3 (12-ounce) bottles Guinness stout (or other Irish stout beer)

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
   
2. Place corned beef brisket on a rack in a large dutch oven. Rub brown sugar all over the corned beef, coating completely. Pour Guinness stout all over and around beef, until beef is thoroughly soaked and submerged in beer.
   
3. Cover dutch oven and gently place in preheated oven. Bake for 2
   ¹
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   –3 hours and serve hot.
   

Perhaps the most obvious time to cook this dish would be St. Patrick’s Day, which was celebrated by the Irish as early as the ninth and tenth centuries. However, St. Patrick’s Day would not become the festive holiday that we now know and love until many, many years later. The United Kingdom did not declare St. Patrick’s Day to be an official holiday until 1903, and Britain’s first St. Patrick’s Day parade was not held until 1931.

This classic British dish dates back to the 1800s, with the first “chippie,” or fish and chips shop, appearing in the early 1930s. Fish and chips was one of the most popular meals during World War I, as it was available to all regardless of wealth. Nonetheless, it was lower- and middle-class families more than the aristocracy who ate this dish. It is likely that Mr. Bates partook in a version of this dish in the pub where he hid out for a few days.

1 gallon safflower or vegetable oil

4 large Russet potatoes, or any floury potatoes

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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⁄
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teaspoon lemon pepper

Dash cayenne pepper

1 bottle dark beer, such as Mann’s Brown Ale or Sierra Nevada Brown Ale

Dash Tabasco sauce

1
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⁄
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pounds firm-fleshed white-fleshed fish such as cod, cut into 1-ounce strips

Cornstarch for dredging

Malt vinegar for serving

1. Heat oven to 200°F.
   
2. Heat the oil in a 5- to 6-quart dutch oven over high heat until it reaches 320°F.
   
3. Slice potatoes with skin on using a V-slicer. Place in a large bowl of cold water.
   
4. In a separate large bowl, make batter: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, lemon pepper, and cayenne pepper. Slowly whisk in the beer and Tabasco sauce until the batter is smooth and free of lumps. This may take a while, just keep whisking. If the batter feels too thick, thin with water. Refrigerate for 15–30 minutes.
   
5. Drain potatoes, removing any excess water. When oil in dutch oven reaches 320°F, submerge potatoes in the oil. Working in small batches, fry potatoes for about 3 minutes or until edges are just golden. Remove from oil, drain, and cool to room temperature.
   
6. Increase oil temperature to 375°F. Fry potatoes again, in batches, and cook until crisp and golden brown, about another 3 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on a roasting rack. Season with kosher salt while still hot, then hold in oven.
   
7. Allow oil to turn back down to 350°F. Dredge fish strips in cornstarch, then again working in small batches, dip the fish into batter and immerse into hot oil. When batter is set, turn pieces of fish over and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain fish on roasting rack or paper towel, and serve with malt vinegar and salt.
   

Before safflower oil or vegetable oil were used for frying, it was common to make fish and chips using beef drippings or plain old lard. While Americans would likely flavor this dish with mayonnaise or tartar sauce, the English would choose to stick with malt vinegar and salt. This dish would typically be served with Mushy Peas (see
Chapter 11
).

This traditional English dish, composed of mashed potatoes and sausages, is often found at British pubs. While the Crawley sisters likely wouldn’t be familiar with such food, most of the staff that keeps Downton Abbey running would know this filling dish quite well and would perhaps partake on their days off.

8 large Russet potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

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–
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cup whole milk

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1
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pounds beef sausage

¹
⁄
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cup diced onion

1 teaspoon rosemary

1 teaspoon oregano

1 garlic clove, minced

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cup mushrooms, sliced

1 (.75-ounce) packet dry brown gravy mix

1 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place potatoes in a saucepan with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook potatoes until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, then mash with 4 teaspoons of the butter and enough milk to reach a creamy consistency. Continue mashing until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
   
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook sausage until heated through, about 3–5 minutes. Remove sausage from skillet and set aside. Add remaining butter to skillet, and add onion, rosemary, oregano, garlic, and mushrooms. Stir until tender. Whisk together gravy mix and water as directed on packet, then add to skillet with onion and mushrooms. Simmer, stirring constantly, to form a thick gravy.
   
3. Pour half of the gravy mix into a medium-sized casserole dish so that the bottom is coated. Place sausages in a layer over the gravy, then cover with remaining gravy. Top with mashed potatoes.
   
4. Bake bangers and mash uncovered in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until potatoes are evenly browned.
   

According to the
Oxford English Dictionary
, while many believe that the term “bangers” had its origins in World War II, the phrase was in use at least as far back as 1919. Apparently, before World War I, “bangers” were referred to by upper-crust Victorians as “little bags of mystery” because people suspected the sausages were filled with horsemeat. Once World War I began, however, there was a dramatic reduction in the production and farming of meat due to war rationing, so producers stuffed their sausages with cereal and water, which caused them to pop, hiss, and “bang” when cooked over fires in open trenches — hence their name.

Due to the United Kingdom’s prime location, fish has always been a major part of the English diet. Indeed, there would be an abundance of sole, haddock, and cod for Mrs. Patmore to choose from when it came to cooking meals for the family and staff. Even perpetually ill-willed Thomas would tone down his salty attitude when served these delicious salted cod cakes for lunch!

1 pound salted cod

2 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 teaspoons seafood seasoning

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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cup fresh parsley, chopped

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cup fresh cilantro, chopped

2 large eggs, beaten

1 large onion, finely chopped

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cup all-purpose flour

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cup extra-virgin olive oil