Traditional British Pub Food.

See that title, well, it’s not 100% correct.  When it comes to the word “traditional”, it’s geared towards the foods that are well known for that part of the United Kingdom.  Also, it has to be taken into account that other countries influenced each other.  Those, in England, did not stay put, as could be said for Scotland, Ireland and Wales, with a smattering of isles here and there.

Oh, and don’t forget all the invaders from Northern Europe (those Vikings were a randy bunch), and the Romans that marched through (the originators of the One World Order ideal).

When I write about British recipes, they are the typical ones I have seen depicted in television shows, movies, or written in one of my favorite genres, British mysteries.  I have already shared a few, San Juan Record, July 03, 2018 – The Cornish Pasty; June 26, 2024 – English Style Fish and Chips; and March 19, 2025 – The Ploughman’s Lunch.  When it comes to Shepherd’s Pie though, do a search on my food blog and you will find recipes that use the traditional ground lamb, and the not so traditional ground beef, elk, venison and alpaca.  Remember though, when I say “British”, it also refers to the influences from the surrounding countries of the United Kingdom.

So, if my kitchen was a typical pub kitchen, what would be on the menu?  Besides what I mentioned above, there would be: Bangers and Mash, Bubble and Squeak, Toad in the Hole, Yorkshire Pudding, and variations of Shepherd’s Pie, one featuring chicken.  Reading the first three recipe names, I bet you are wondering if I am cooking up food, or creating a weird new comic series. Yes, they are actual names of recipes which I will share with you.  By the way, the main meat ingredient for those three recipes is sausages; oh, those Brits just love their sausages.

 

Bangers and Mash

Bangers and mash is a traditional dish consisting of sausages and mashed potato. The dish is usually served with onion gravy, but may also include fried onions and peas.

 

 

 

 

Bubble and Squeak

Bubble and squeak is a dish made from cooked potatoes and cabbage, mixed together and fried.  Since cabbage contains a lot of water, it tends to make "bubbly" and squeaking noises as it wilts and cooks.

If, after making the first two recipes, you happen to have loads of mashed potatoes and chopped cabbage available, how about going Irish?  Colcannon, aka Irish Mashed Potatoes, is an Irish mashed potato recipe made with greens (cabbage, kale or mustard greens), scallions, and plenty of butter and cream.

 

 

 

Toad-in-the-Hole

 Toad in the hole is a traditional dish consisting of sausages in Yorkshire pudding batter, usually served with onion gravy and vegetables. Historically, the dish has also been prepared using other meats, such as rump steak and lamb's kidneys.

 

 

 

Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire pudding is a baked pudding (more a bread than a dessert pudding) made from a batter of eggs, flour, and milk, traditionally served with roast beef or as part of a roast dinner in British cuisine. It's known for its puffy, crispy exterior and soft, slightly doughy interior. The batter is similar to pancake batter but thicker, and it's often cooked in hot fat, traditionally beef drippings, which contributes to its savory flavor. 

 

Yes, I have a traditional Yorkshire Pudding baking tin which consists of 6 cups/compartments, that are not attached like a typical muffin tin pan.  Metal rods hold each cup separate from each other.  They are deeper than muffin tins, so the puddings can rise up higher, crispier on the outside, and fluffier, yet still doughy, on the inside.

 

 

 

Shepherd's Pie/Cottage Pie

Cottage pie is a meat pie, traditionally made with ground beef, vegetables, and gravy, topped with mashed potatoes. In the USA, cheddar cheese is often mixed into the mashed potatoes.  While the terms cottage pie and shepherd's pie are often used interchangeably, shepherd's pie is traditionally made with ground lamb or mutton, and parmesan cheese is mixed into the mashed potatoes.

 

Traditional Shepherd’s Pie/Cottage Pie

Ingredients:

The Filling:

2 ½ lbs. ground lamb or beef (depending on which pie is being made)

1 large onion, diced

1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms, diced

2 Tbsp. tomato sauce or ketchup

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 (16 oz.) bag frozen peas and carrots

1 Tbsp. each crushed dry thyme and marjoram

1 tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. flour

1 cup beef stock

The Topping:

6 large potatoes, peeled and cut up

4 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup milk

6 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Paprika

Preparation:

In a large skillet, high heat, brown the meat and drain excess oil.  Add the onion and mushrooms, letting cook till the onion softens.  Add tomato and Worcester sauces, frozen vegetables, herbs, pepper, flour and beef stock; mix thoroughly and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes.

While meat mixture is simmering, boil the potatoes in salted water until tender.  Drain and mash the potatoes, add butter, milk, grated cheese and pepper to the potatoes.

Preheat oven to 375F.  In a 3-quart rectangular baking dish, spread 1/2 potatoes on bottom of baking dish; spread out the meat mixture; top with the other 1/2 of potatoes; sprinkle paprika over top.  Bake for 30-40minutes; potatoes should be lightly browned, and the pie heated throughout.

Makes 8 – 10 servings.  

When it comes to pure comfort food, this mixture of baked potatoes, meat and vegetables is definitely a must have. 

Creating the chicken cottage pie, cooked and chopped chicken breasts were used, instead of beef.  Whole kernel corn was added to the vegetables, instead of mushrooms.  Instead of tomato sauce or ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, I used 1 (10.5 oz.) can of cream of chicken soup, plus ½ cup milk for an extra creamy sauce.  When it comes to shepherd’s pie/cottage pie, not everyone eats a red meat of some type, so chicken is a great substitute.

There are so many cookbooks geared towards English pub foods, and if you’re wanting to purchase one, I say go for the older editions.  They have the more traditional recipes listed, instead of being updated to more modern trends and fads.  "Pip pip, cheerio, and all that rot!"

Mary Cokenour 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frying Up Them Fritters.

These United States of America were founded on basic principles, one being Freedom.  It became a melting pot for immigrants, mainly from Europe, who were leaving poverty, or seeking sanctuary for religious and/or political beliefs.  This mixture of peoples from different countries also brought their tried and true recipes of the former homelands.  As families met, couples married, and created blended families, so did the recipes intermingle.  The East coast was becoming crowded; the streets were not paved with gold, but a new land was being shouted about…The West.  The Pioneers began the trek out to the West; to seek their fortunes on open plains, or in the hills and mountains laden deep with gold, silver and copper.

Along the way, there were no general stores or restaurants; perhaps a trading post a thousand miles or so.  Provisions were on the wagons; hopefully the men would be lucky enough to catch fish in the rivers, or shoot wild game for meat.  Now the pioneer women were resourceful themselves; every scrap of food, from flour to butter to fruit and vegetables, had to be used up; there could be no waste!  In other words, leftovers were not something to sniff at and turn the head away; they were used and reconstructed into something new and delicious.

Let’s take one of my old time favorites, mashed potatoes…a fluffy mass of potato goodness seasoned with salt, pepper, perhaps an herb or two; rich and comforting with milk and butter.  I can picture it now, sitting in front of the fire on a cold or rainy day; a steaming bowl of buttery potatoes, a spoonful resting on the tongue, then slowly slides down the throat.  The deep sigh of satisfaction as warm comfort envelopes, not just the stomach, but the entire body and mind.  Alright, you get it, I truly enjoy mashed potatoes when they are fresh and hot.  Ah, but what about when they become cold, not so nice then…and back to our women pioneers.

Potato Fritters, British and Irish Pancakes, Jewish Latke, Polish Placki; name a European ancestry and you’ll find a version of one of these.  Now while I was researching Utah pioneer recipes, I came across an article, “A Melting Pot of Pioneer Recipes” by Winnifred C. Jardina at the Official Website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Let me quote one paragraph, “Thrift fritters were a combination of cold mashed potatoes and any other leftover vegetables and/or meat, onion for flavoring, a beaten egg, and seasonings, shaped into patties and browned well on both sides in hot drippings.”  However, there was no actual recipe within the articles, and I wondered, how was I to make these without a recipe?  I began searching and searching, and I had a “Duh!” moment; of course, this was what I knew as a potato pancake!

Now it just happened I had made a roast beef dinner including mashed potatoes and peas; gee, can you guess what I did with the leftovers?

 Pioneer Thrift Fritters

 

Ingredients:

2 eggs, beaten

4 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1 Tbsp. dried parsley leaves, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste.
1 cup cooked beef, diced
½ cup cooked peas
¼ cup sautéed diced onion
1 cup plain, dried bread crumbs
4 Tbsp. canola oil
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

 

Preparation:
 

I

 

 

 

n a large bowl, mix together the first seven ingredients, combine well.  From the mixture, use an ice cream scoop to make balls (if using hands, golf ball size); flatten to ½ inch and press both sides into the bread crumbs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a large, deep skillet, melt the butter in the oil over medium-high heat.  Put 4 fritters into the pan; reduce heat to medium low and cook for 15-20 minutes.  Carefully lift a fritter to check for brownness before flipping them over.  Fry other side for 15 minutes; drain on paper towels.  Repeat frying the fritters in batches of 4 as instructed for the first batch.  Add more oil and butter as needed.

 

 

Makes 16 fritters.

 

Mary Cokenour

 

Note:  Just because I used a Mormon site to obtain this recipe, does not mean I am Mormon.  I don't discriminate; I accept people for who and what they are, and I expect the same treatment; regardless of, well just about anything.  Now, of course, if the person is a complete smuck, well then that goes towards the personality, not against race, religion, politics, ethnicity, yada, yada, yada.

 

Wild Mountain Meats Serving Up Alpaca.

Wild Mountain Meats, LLC

15 East Peter Springs Road
Monticello, Utah, 84535

Phone: (435) 419-0750

Email: dpad482841@aol.com

Website: http://wildmontainmeats.com

The owner of Peter Springs Alpaca Ranch, LLC, Dorothy Pipkin-Padilla began a new venture in 2014, Wild Mountain Meats, LLC; purveyor of Alpaca meats featuring: burger, steaks, chops, ribs and sausage.  While Alpaca is a staple in South American countries, it is beginning to find a place on the palates of North Americans.  It has become available in, still existing, butcher shops for the residential kitchen; and making its way into gourmet restaurants.

The Alpaca for Wild Mountain Meats comes from Dorothy's ranch, so are locally bred  and raised.  The processing is done by Jerry's Custom Meats, located in Helper, Utah; and is certified safe by the State of Utah.  Nothing from the Alpacas is wasted; the hides are made into leather goods.  On the ranch, the Alpaca are sheared and their wool made into thread for weaving.  In February 2015, Dorothy will be opening a new store on Center Street in Monticello, Utah; "Paca Pantry: Everything Alpaca and More".  If you happen to be in the Monticello area, come visit the store, or call (435) 419-0750 to arrange a tour of the ranch and get to meet the Alpacas; the babies are adorable!


My recipe for today will be a Shepherd's Pie made with Alpaca sausage; though mainly ground Alpaca meat, there is a mixture of pork and spices added in.  The pork absorbs a good amount of the ground black pepper giving it a bit of heat; while the Alpaca maintains its unique sweet flavor.  Traditional Shepherd's Pie is made with ground lamb, but the Alpaca meat maintains the essence of this perfect comfort food.

Alpaca Shepherd’s Pie

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground Alpaca meat, or Alpaca/Pork sausage
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 Tbsp. butter
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 and ½ Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 cups mashed potatoes
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F; spray a one and one half quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a 10 inch skillet, medium-high heat, brown the meat until no pink is showing; drain any excess oil. If using only Alpaca meat, add half teaspoon of salt plus one quarter teaspoon ground black pepper for seasoning.  While meat is browning, melt butter in another 10 inch skillet, medium heat, and sauté mushrooms for five minutes.

Into a medium bowl, mix together browned meat, mushrooms, peas and Worcestershire sauce.  In another bowl, mix together the mashed potatoes, cheese and garlic powder.

 

 

 

 

Spread out one cup of potatoes on bottom of baking dish and partially up sides.  Spoon meat mixture into bowl; cover completely with remaining two cups of potatoes.

 

 

 

Bake for 35-40 minutes; until potatoes are slightly browned.  Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Makes six servings.

Mary Cokenour

Shepherd's Pie Goes Wild Game.

Having ground venison(deer) in the freezer, I wanted to do more than just make burgers, meatloaf or a meat sauce for pasta; but what? I had not made Shepherd's or Cottage Pie in a long while and the thought of mashed potatoes with meat was too tempting.

Normally, a
traditional Shepherd's Pie is made with ground lamb; if it's made with ground beef, that is called Cottage Pie. Now why would I call this dish with venison Shepherd's Pie; simply it's based on taste. Lamb has a strong, gamey flavor even though it is an animal basically raised for its wool and meat. Venison, on the other hand, is a creature hunted in the wild; with a strong, gamey flavor. Yes, it's convoluted thinking, but I know for a fact the solution is a great tasting meal.

One thing I knew for sure, to smooth out the flavor of the venison, I needed to marinade it overnight. I placed one pound of the ground meat in a plastic container and added two tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and ground black pepper and mixed it thoroughly. Sealing up the container, I placed it in the refrigerator until I would use it the next day.

In a large skillet, I began browning the meat over medium-high heat. After a couple of minutes, I added in one tablespoon of Worcester sauce and 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder; mixed thoroughly and let it cook until no more redness in color showed.

Now in a large mixing bowl, there was already waiting 1 and 1/2 cups of a pea and diced carrot mixture, a 1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms and 1/2 cup of beef broth. Of course I already had the mashed potato topping waiting for its grand entrance. Here's how to make that just in case you haven't followed the link to Shepherd's Pie:

The topping:

6 large potatoes, peeled and cut up
4Tbsp butter
1/2 cup milk
6 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and mash the potatoes, add butter, milk, grated cheese and pepper to the potatoes.

Preheating the oven to 375F, I sprayed a 2 quart casserole dish with nonstick spray. First I spooned in the venison filling, then spread the mashed potatoes over the filling; finishing with the sprinkling of paprika over the topping. 40 minutes later it was ready to eat.

The ground venison had the taste of fine steak with the underlying flavor of red wine; the vegetables were tender, not mushy; the mashed potatoes were smooth with a buttery, cheesy flavor. The scent however was heady with a mixture of meat, potato, cheese and wine; you knew what you were in for and you wanted it.

Don't be afraid to try out wild game such as venison. Begin with a simple recipe, such as one of the many recipes I've posted on this blog concerning venison and elk. You will be surprised how easy and flavorful it is.

Mary Cokenour

Ponderosa is no Bonanza.

Ponderosa Restaurant

108 S. 8^th Street and Hwy 145

Dolores, CO, 81323

(970) 882-7910

Website: N/A

A year ago we tried the Ponderosa Restaurant; it was a typical small town diner, friendly service, decent food.  Funny how things can change in just a year, and last night was a perfect example.  We arrived around 5pm and found only one other table being occupied; the hostess told us to sit anywhere we liked and brought us menus.  I’d heard a commercial on the radio about the Country Fried Steak (salad, mashed potatoes with cream pepper gravy), so had already decided beforehand to order that; however, when we arrived we were told that the night’s special was Spaghetti and Meatballs.   My hubby ordered the Sirloin Steak with salad and mashed potatoes with brown gravy; the vegetable of the day was whole kernel corn. 

The Salad bar is small, but adequate if having a side salad with a meal; if ordering the salad bar as a meal though, it is rather lacking with choices.

Our meals came out quickly; we were only half way through our salads, so hurriedly finished them, so we could eat our meals while still hot.  The mashed potatoes were smooth, but utterly tasteless and we could tell they were from an instant, not homemade.  The cream gravy was either from a packet or a jar, very thick and was already congealing on top of the potatoes when served.  The corn was canned and overcooked; at least the roll was warm and soft.  The country fried steak was very thin and tender, and while the crust was nicely crisped, the meat itself did not taste fresh.

The sirloin steak was cooked properly and tender, but there was very little grill flavor; nothing to brag about.  The brown gravy was similar to a thin beef stock with no seasoning.  Mashed potatoes and corn were the same as those served with my meal.

Considering only one other couple came in after us, the waitress was very quick to remove our plates as soon as the utensils were put down.  We were given our bill and not even asked if we’d like anything else.  We asked for another cup of coffee though and it was the hostess who served us, not our waitress.

Now we overheard the waitress speaking with the other couple; twice the gentleman asked how many meatballs came with the special.  All the waitress would tell him was, “Quite a few”.  Now that is certainly not a proper answer, especially if on a portion restricted diet, or a person who cannot eat a big meal.  Then again, the word “few” refers to three or more, so what “few” means to one person may not be the same to another.  Later on the cook himself came out to chat with the couple who turned out to be locals.  He was relating to them how he had been working in the kitchen for 30 days straight without a day off.    Perhaps this would explain the substandard food; was he suffering from burnout?

On another note, the women’s restroom was not in a clean state; debris on the floor, black mold on the wall behind the sinks and no locks on the stalls.  Considering it was only 5pm and they close at 9pm, one would think the bathrooms would be checked regularly and maintained.

Our basic decision was, maybe we’ll go back in a year again, and see what has changed, if anything, or maybe not.

Mary Cokenour