‘Shirley’s Special’ Recipes of the Month

Brought to us by courtesy of ‘Shirley’ as featured on Chrissie’s Tuesday show

2 oz lard or white vegetable fat
8 oz Self Raising flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp mixed spice
3 oz caster sugar
2 oz chopped dates
2 oz sultanas
4-5 tbs milk
Sugar for sprinkling
 
Grease & flour a baking sheet
Sift flour, salt & spice into a bowl then rub fat in until it resembles breadcrumbs
Add sugar & fruit into mixture then add milk & stir with a knife until it all comes together to make a moist dough
Turn onto a floured board & pat into an 8” round ¾” thick
Transfer carefully to the baking tray & mark into 8 segments with a sharp knife
Sprinkle with a little sugar. Use Demerara to give a good colour
Bake at 200°C, 400°F, Mark 6 for 25 - 30 minutes
Cool, served sliced with butter

4. SOUFFLE’D PARSNIP

2 lbs parsnips, peeled & chopped roughly
¾ oz butter
1 tbs plain flour
½ pt milk
1 egg separated
4 oz grated cheese
2 oz breadcrumbs

Cook parsnips in boiling salted water until tender
Drain, reserving ¼ pt of the liquor then mash
Melt butter then add the flour & a little salt & pepper
Cook for 2 minutes then add parsnips, liquor & milk
Stir until it boils & remove from heat
Add the egg yolk & 2 oz of the cheese
Fold in the stiffly beaten egg white & pour into a greased oven proof dish
Mix remaining cheese & breadcrumbs & sprinkle over the top
Bake at 190°C, 375°F, Gas Mark 5 for 15-20 minutes

This can be eaten with warm crusty bread for a mid-day snack but also goes well with a roast dinner

6. RUM & BANANA PANCAKES
FOR SHROVE TUESDAY

8 pancakes made with 4 oz flour etc or these can be bought
2 oz seedless raisins
3 tbs rum
2 bananas
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbs Demerara sugar

FOR THE SAUCE
2 oz butter
2 oz sugar
Juice of 2 oranges
½ tsp cinnamon
 
Soak raisins in the rum for 2-3 hours
Slice bananas into a small saucepan
Sprinkle with lemon juice & sugar & cook over a gentle heat until lightly cooked

MAKE THE SAUCE
Place butter, sugar & orange juice in a large frying pan then stir over a gentle heat until everything is dissolved
Add cinnamon & boil for 1 minute then strain the rum from the raisins into this & stir well
Place one pancake at a time into the sauce & put one or two pieces of banana on top
Then fold the pancake into quarters & push to one side of the pan
Repeat until all the pancakes are filled
Scatter raisins over the surface & warm gently for 2-3 minutes
Serve immediately with ice cream, pouring cream or creme fraiche
Serves 4

7. SAVOURY PANCAKES FOR SHROVE TUESDAY

Ingredients
8 ready-made pancakes

For the sauce :-
1 small onion, chopped finely
2½ oz butter
2½ oz plain flour
1 pt stock made with 2 golden stock cubes

For the filling :-
12 oz cooked chicken, cubed
4 oz cooked asparagus spears chopped
2 tbs single cream

To Finish :-
2 oz grated gruyere cheese

Method :-
Lightly fry onion in butter, add flour & cook for one minute
Remove from heat & slowly add stock, stirring briskly
Bring to the boil & cook for one minute
Add the chicken & asparagus & stir well
Heat gently then add the cream & season
Now divide the filling between the pancakes
Roll them up to enclose the filling & place in a greased dish
Finally sprinkle the cheese over the top
Cover with foil & reheat for 30 minutes at 180°C, 360°F, Gas Mark 4
The cheese is optional. The asparagus can be substituted with either cooked mushrooms, chopped ham or chopped crisp grilled bacon if you prefer