BAKING TIPS: Pub grub

Well, here we are in July, after spending June clearing away birthday cards and spring cleaning. I hope I don’t become anti-social with all this isolation – but no, we will enjoy and appreciate going out and being with friends and family rather than chatting at the window! 

My baking recently has been past favourites – banana and nut loaf, peanut cookies, seedy oaty bakes – all of which you have recipes for. My current diet is soups and poached salmon or chicken, not really of interest to you.  

So, I’ve made a trawl through my old books and come across a notebook from the 1970’s pub-cooking era. This reminded me of how I became such an alcoholic cook (most going into the food of course). I really enjoyed these days, hard work though it was!

Chicken Liver Pate 

This was a real popular item, made using sherry. For those who haven’t cooked livers before, my preparation tip; put them all in a colander, rinse well under the clod tap before cutting in half and trim all the pipey odd bits from the inside using a pair of scissors. 

Anyway, after cleaning and trimming a tub of livers put them into a large frying pan with

• finely chopped shallots (preferred) or white onion,
• a slug of oil
• and a large (James Martin sized) knob of butter.

Cook these slowly before adding in your sherry (Fino or Amontillado) until the mix is bubbling.

Season well with salt and pepper before stirring in a teaspoon of Dijon or Wholegrain Mustard.

Leave to cool then tip into your blender or food processor, pulse until reaching your preferred consistency. Pour this into a dish or individual ramekins and top with melted butter; store in the fridge until required. 

Added flavourings you may wish to consider include pureed garlic or herbs (thyme is good); for texture maybe chopped cooked crispy bacon. 

Easy Meaty Favourites  

Spread your thick pork sausages with onions, garlic and cider in a roasting tin and cover with foil. Cook slowly in a medium hot oven – really tasty! 

Chicken pieces with white wine and herbs works equally well, as do pork chops with apple, sage and onions in lager. 

Large meat balls or patties with tomatoes (tinned or big over ripe fresh ones) with red onion , red wine and basil was another favourite. 

All these were good pub grub alongside the trusty meat pies of course.

Enid’s Sliced Spuds or “Chips with Everything”  

A former boss of mine recently reminded me of my dislike of serving chips with everything. As an alternative I’d cook up large dishes of sliced potatoes and onions with either stock and herbs or milk and cheese. No fancy names, just Enid’s Sliced Potatoes.