Monday 5 March 2012

The Secret is Out : Nana's Yorkshire Puddings

This New York Strip defeated me...
Apologies for lack of posting recently, Hungry People. I have been away in foreign lands eating giant steak in America and far too many flat breads and tagines in Morocco. It's been tough but I made it through, and now will try to ease up on the (very) bad stuff for a while, to make up for what was pretty much gorging for two weeks. Well surely to have good intentions is better than nothing?
Too many of these isn't enough

Before the good behaviour begins, (whatevs) I thought it was about time to share a very sacred family recipe. My Nana's Yorkshire puddings. I'd love to say that my Nana is from Yorkshire, but she isn't, she's pretty Southern and now lives in Devon, but that doesn't stop her recipe for Yorkshire Puddings from being the Best Ever.

We went for a rather juicy forerib joint (not four-rib as I originally thought), and yes, it did cost more than our normal little chicken. But my god was it worth it. The beef required some battery goodness to accompany it and I dug out the scrawled hand-written instructions that I scribbled while on the phone to my Mum who has passed the Secret down to me. This was actually the most stressful roast ever, I was so worried about overdoing the beautiful beef that I had timers going and everything, having carefully calculated my cooking times, something I hardly ever do. It all paid off. I have messed up roast beef AND Yorkshires before and it took me a good week to get over it. My Mum never actually times her beef, yet she gets it right every time, maybe I will learn this skill one day. It's a bit like when I needed her help with maths homework, and teary and frustrated I'd ask her how to do it, and she didn't know, she just got the answer right. Maybe she's a genius, maybe she's a secret witch...

Taadaaaaaa!
Makes at least 12 decent YPs. In a medium sized measuring jug whisk up half a pint of milk mixed with a tsp water, 4oz flour (yes, ounces!), and two eggs. Once this is nicely mixed, leave in the fridge for half an hour. I have no idea why but this is important. They take about 20-30 minutes, so cook them as soon as you take the beef out to rest. Take a muffin/Yorkshire pudding tin, and in each part, drop a little piece of dripping. Put this in the oven so it gets really super hot and melts. Quickly remove from the oven and pour in the mixture into each hole, not quite filling to the top. Now put back in the oven and do not open it until they are done. Usually takes 20 mins, and they are ready when giant and golden.

Douse with gravy and devour with super pink beef smothered in horseradish. Don't tell anyone the recipe though, I'll be in trouble with Nana.

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