Crazy Englishwoman Cooks!

So May starts tomorrow and I have some oddities to include for other letters of the alphabet but no a to do tomorrow.

Send ideas to me now!

I've decided to do something a little different next month. It's going to be an alphabet of British food. Each day, I'll be offering recipes and talking about a different ingredient... and you can help decide what each day's topic will be. So if you've ever wanted to know what Marmite is or how to use suet, this is your chance. Just leave your question in the comments section and I'll add it to the schedule.

I've been lax in doing this for the past few weeks but I'm back to it today.

#1. What’s your favorite flavor of yogurt?

I'm a fan of good old peach yogurt. I love the taste of peaches but hate the peach fuzz skin so yogurt lets me enjoy them.

#2. Got a recipe for a smoothie?

I love a good protein smoothie: blend together cottage cheese, peanut butter, half a banana, and some milk.

#3. Got a recipe for split pea soup?

No but pea soup reminds me of the summer I spent working on a mountain hut in Germany cooking pea soup. Green slime. Yuk!

#4. What’s your favorite kind of pudding?

American style pudding (which for the Brits is similar to blancmange) is something I don't like at all. English style pudding (ie either dessert or a steamed suet pudding) - treacle pudding, jam roly poly, and of course steak and kidney!

To Italians, it's polenta. To Kentuckians, it's cornmeal mush. The former sounds more appetizing to me.



Last week, in a fit of wanting to try something new that was also cheap and easy to make, I decided to try making polenta. What I'm sharing here is a very basic version. You can leave out the garlic if you want, or add cheese and herbs. It's up to you. We ate it topped with vegetables, beans and marinara sauce. I also have some the next day with honey. It's a versatile food.

You will need:

1/2 stick butter
2 tbs olive oil
1 cup milk
1 cup half and half
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup cornmeal

Melt the butter and oil in a pan. Add salt, pepper, any additions (garlic, herbs, cheese, etc). Add the stock and milk. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and whisk in the cornmeal. Return to a low heat and whisk until thick.
Pour into a shallow cake pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Turn out of the pan, and grill, bake, or fry to serve.

Macaroni cheese is the ultimate in comfort food, so when I came across Ina Garten's recipe for a cozy favorite with a little extra, I knew I had to try it. The combination of Gruyere, Cheddar and Danish Blue made this dish an instant keeper.

Gourmet Macaroni Cheese (serves 2)

4 oz thick sliced bacon
olive oil (optional)
salt
2 cups pasta - I used cavatappi for a fun twist on traditional macaroni
1 1/2 cups milk (skim is ok)
2 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
4 oz Gruyere, grated
3 oz sharp Cheddar, grated
2 oz Danish Blue, crumbled - You could substitute another blue cheese, or, if you don't like blue cheese, some people have tried Fontina with great results
black pepper
nutmeg
breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 400F. Bake the bacon for about 20 minutes until crisp, then drain on paper towels until cook enough to crumble.

Cook the pasta in boiling water (with a drizzle of oil if you like). Drain well when cooked.

Meanwhile, warm the milk in a pan but don't allow it to come to a boil. In a separate pan, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Add the milk and stir until the mix is thick and smooth. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cheeses, 1 tsp salt, some black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Add the cooked pasta and bacon. Mix well.

Pour into a dish and cover with breadcrumbs. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, then enjoy!