Raining Sideways

Sally Vincent’s Diary of Food and Life on a Devon Farm.

  • Venison Sausages with “Francatelli’s” Sauce

    Francatelli was Queen Victoria’s Chef but don’t let that put you off! Venison is a very healthy meat dense and rich in flavour but low in fat, good for those watching their cholesterol. It is important to keep the meat moist while cooking without adding extra fat and defeating the object! That’s where Francetelli comes…

  • Turkey Pudding !

    Here is an OLD ENGLISH recipe which still survives in Sussex. Line a deep pudding basin with suet crust pastry, pack tightly with pieces of turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy. Cover with a lid of the suet crust and steam as you would a steak and kidney pudding. Dorothy Hartley ( Food in England:…

  • Tarragon Chicken For two….

    Gently poach two chicken Supremes or chicken breasts in enough stock to just cover them. Add a little white wine and a few sprigs of fresh *French tarragon. Cook for about twenty minutes. Set chicken aside in a warm place (not a hot oven!!) while you make the sauce. Strain the cooking juices through a…

  • Tagliatelle al Ragu Bolognese

    Our English interpretation of this Italian classic often lacks some traditional ingredients. In Italy minced prosciutto fat or pancetta is added to the Ragu. Even a little minced streaky bacon will help to give that special depth of flavour. To feed four people first make the Ragu. Heat 50gms of butter in a heavy pan,…

  • Steak and Kidney Pudding

    Why not warm up with a good old fashioned Steak and Kidney Pud… To feed six first cut up 900gms of really good, lean stewing steak together with 300gms of ox kidney. Brown the meat quickly in batches in hot oil. Remove each batch from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Chop…

  • Steak and Kidney Pie

    I always cook the steak and kidney filling first, then make up the pie. First I brown 500grms of diced beef skirt or chuck steak in hot oil, then remove from the pan into a heavy lidded casserole pot. Next I brown the chopped ox kidney, having made sure all sinew has been removed. The…