General Chat

My husband did a wonderful type of stew with lovely meat and veg on Halloe'en,all inside a huge pumpkin.It cooked slowly in the oven for a couple of hours He supported the sides,which do tend to sink a bit as they soften,with upright pillars of corn. The whole thing was yummy and looked great comng to the table

Mags, Fry the onion and bacon but if you dice the potato very small you don't need to cook it first, but it must be fairly small or it won't cook properly. Viv

Tip for cooking dumpling, do not open the lid and have a look for at least 20 mins or you will have a mess not big fluffy dumplings I learnt the hard way. ANN

Mags, I can't eat onion but love the flavour. Just peel the onions and leave them whole in the stew. Those that like to eat them then can. I love potato hash. Left over meat cooked in stock and when thoroughly heated, chunks of potato are added and cooked. Love it sprinkled with malt vinegar. When we were children and my mother wanted to make a quick pudding she would make dumplings and serve them with syrup. Cloutie Dumpling is a pudding cooked in a pudding cloth in boiling water. 1lb plain flour 6oz fresh bread crumbs, 8oz sultanas, 8oz currants 4oz raisins 4oz chopped mixed peel 8oz soft dark brown sugar 8oz black treacle 88oz shredded suet 2tsp ground cinnamon 2tsp gr. ginger 2 tsp mix. spice 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp(Half) salt 2 eating apples, grated 2 medium carrots, grated 2 eggs, grated zest and juice of one lemon a little milk Mix all ingredients well and if necessary add a little milk to make a soft consistency. Half fill a large saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Put in a large piece of clean white cloth. Lift out and drain well then spread out on a flat surface. Flour lightlyto form a seal. Put on pudding edges and draw up sides of cloth then tie with string, leaving a little room for expansion. Put a plate upside down in the pan and place the pudding on the top. Bring to a simmer and then cover and leave to simmer for three hours. Unroll onto a plate and dry in a low oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with caster sugar, before serving hot with cream or custard. Serves eight. Not I suspect for weight watchers! Rosemary(Essex)

Viv - my very fussy (pita) husband doesn't eat onions either! but that sounds really yummy - guess I shall have to start making two small ones instead! Do you have to par boil the spuds first? Magsx

Ooo clootie dumpling is lovely, full of sultanas, currants and flavoured with cinammon, ginger and black treacle. I've never tried it with whisky in. You can eat it hot with custard or have a slice cold with butter on, or even fried with a breakfast fry-up. When I was small my Granny was the "clootie dumpling maker" in our street. That meant whenever it was any of the neighbour's children's birthdays she'd make a great big one filled with thrupenny (3d) bits wrapped in greaseproof paper in it. It takes hours to make and the "clootie" bit is the muslin cloth it was wrapped in to be cooked. My s-i-l does hers in the microwave but it's not as good Christine

Hi Christine, thanks for the suggestion about Clootie pud - I'm gonna have to ask She cos its bugging me now!! Watch this space .....

Christine that sounds absolutely fabulous. We MUST have a recipe for that. Anyone? She?! Debbi - you won't believe the gravy. I don't like oxtail soup but I lurv that gravy. Make sure you use 2 tins cos you'll want seconds! lol Jeanette x

Had a clootie pudding, last xmas, think it was like a fruit suet pudding with whisky!..

Oh Jeanette that sounds divine.............I like Oxtail soup too.........I'm gonna try that one this weekend. we should start a reciepe thread........I think there used to be one

Mags, I add onion and potato (finely chopped) to my bacon dumpling then wrap in a cloth and boil. I have baked it in the oven as well...Mmmmmmmmmm!!!! Viv

My bacon dumpling was girt lush! Jules - forgot to say pinch the ends of the dumpling together too (otherwise the filling will all fall out lol) Anyone done corned beef toad? - enjoy that too and very very cheap! Magsx

Just had beef stew and dumplings!.. that meat was so tender :) Dumplings with mint in, are nice with lamb!..

Hiya Jan You ok mate? Are roast suets something common to this area? You never hear od those poncy southerners cooking them do you! LOL Jeanette x

Oooooo liver Debbi now you're talking! lol Try casseroling your liver in the oven in oxtail soup. Beautiful and tender with gorgeous gravy. Goes very well with my afore mentioned raost suet puddings Jeanette x

PMSL nah, i is a midlands woman, LOL, we are suppose to be a comman place ya know, LOL. i cook mine in an old pressure cooker, cut everything up in to bits, throw it in with water, bring to the boil, then let it simmer, then add the gravy, bring to boil again, then simmer, then done, also have a slow cooker, so sometimes do it in there, LOL.

Just had a nice savoury mince with dumplings a rough guide for dumplings half the amount of suet to flour. seasoning and water to mix to a dough. can add herbs , cheese , bacon , fried onions Jeanette crispy suet puds yummy I got fed up of folks saying you don't cook dumplings like that !!!! LOL Jan

Nichola is it one o' them Norvern fings???!!!!! Too posh fer us cockneys I bet!!! Maz. XX

BUBBLE & SQUEAK with cold meat left overs and pickles or with liver and thick onion gravy..........I;m hungry now LOL

PMSL maz, its pork ( or any other meat you like). parsnips. carrots. potatos. onions. turnip. dumplins if you like them, cook in a huge big pan for few hours. then tuck in. suppose its like stew, dont ask me why its called lobby, LOL.