The Unofficial Downton Cookbook
There are just two episodes left in the latest series of Downton Abbey, our favourite Sunday- night indulgence. So we could not have been more delighted by the publication of The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook. With more than 150 recipes, you can create sumptuous delicacies – even if you don’t have your own Mrs Patmore in the kitchen.
The period before the two world wars was the last hurrah of British gastronomy. Many commonplace dishes served at Downton soon ceased to be made because of rationing and hard times. But cast that knowledge aside and re-create the splendours of another era.
Live one day as a lady and the next as a lady’s maid with Edwardian entrées, downstairs suppers and puddings to please even the Dowager Countess.
The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook by Emily Ansara Baines, is published by Adams Media Corporation, priced £16.99.
In classic English literature, eating pea soup is considered a sign of poverty. Thus, this would be a dish the staff of Downton Abbey would eat, but not the lords and ladies. Mrs Patmore would make a hearty split-pea soup to warm her staff on winter nights, no doubt. If she wanted to offer this soup with a bit of variety, she only need cook it with yellow split peas, as it would be called a ‘London particular’ after the thick yellow smogs for which London was famous until the passing of the Clear Air Act in 1956.
Serves 6-8
Pour the stock and water into a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Add the ham bone, then lower the heat to simmer stock for 1 hour, stirring every 15 mins.
Add the peas and allow to soak, liquid still simmering, for 15 mins. Then add onions, salt, pepper, garlic, bay leaves and thyme. Cover, bring soup to a boil, then simmer for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove bone from soup and cut off meat. Dice the meat into bite-sized pieces and return to soup. Add celery, carrots and potato to soup. Cook uncovered, for 30-45 mins or until vegetables are tender.
Etiquette Lessons
When you have finished your soup, it is polite to leave your soup spoon on the soup plate or saucer, handle to the right, over the edge of the plate, parallel to the table's edge.
This dish combines the Edwardian love for capers/salty appetisers in a fancy entrée. An inexpensive yet elegant dish, this would be a staple for dinners at Downton Abbey when no guests are present.
Serves 4
Season chicken with lemon pepper, sea salt, black pepper, dill, and garlic powder. Marinate chicken for at least 2 hours in lemon juice. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sugar, and sauté for 5 mins. Place breasts in skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Turn chicken until brown, about 5 mins. Reduce heat to medium and cook breasts for 5-7 mins or until cooked through. Remove chicken, cover with foil, and keep warm.
Increase heat to high, and whisk in wine and cream. Whisk until mixture is reduced to a sauce-like consistency, about 2-3 mins. Remove from heat, then stir in the capers. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.
Suggested pairings
Mrs Patmore could serve these chicken breasts with a Cajun rémoulade sauce. This sauce includes mayonnaise, anchovies, capers, mustard, herbs, and pickles.
Every experienced cook would have this recipe in her repertoire. It’s fun to imagine Mrs Patmore trying to teach patience to ditzy Daisy. But note that the long cooking time reflects a time past when animals were tougher than the ones we eat now. Today, cooking this leg of lamb for 5 hours is more than enough.
Serves 10-12
1 (5-6lb) lamb leg, bone in
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 large onions, quartered
4 large carrots, quartered
1 head of garlic, cloves halved
4 bay leaves
4 tsp dried thyme
4 tsp rosemary
2 (750ml) bottles dry white wine
5lb large red potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
Preheat the oven to 400F. Rub lamb with olive oil, and season. Layer onions, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary in a Dutch oven/cast iron casserole dish, large enough to hold lamb. Place lamb on top of onions and carrots. Roast, uncovered, in oven for 45 minutes.
Remove lamb from oven, leaving oven on. Place Dutch oven on top of stove, then pour the white wine over the lamb. Cover and bring mixture to a boil. Return lamb, now covered, to the oven. Roast for an extra 4 hours or until lamb is fork tender but not falling off its bone. (Timing depends on the size and age of the lamb, and type of pan used.) Check on the lamb every half hour; if it begins to burn, reduce heat. When lamb is tender, add potatoes and tomatoes to stock. Cover Dutch oven and roast until potatoes are cooked, 45 mins to 1 hour. By now the lamb should be very tender and falling off the bone.
Times gone by
This recipe has been modernised, as few households in the Edwardian era had gas stoves. Most country estates had a range, well into and after the First World War. Mrs Patmore had a basic fridge with two compartments – one for food and the other for ice to keep food cold.
The period before the two world wars was the last hurrah of British gastronomy. Many commonplace dishes served at Downton soon ceased to be made because of rationing and hard times. But cast that knowledge aside and re-create the splendours of another era.
Live one day as a lady and the next as a lady’s maid with Edwardian entrées, downstairs suppers and puddings to please even the Dowager Countess.
The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook by Emily Ansara Baines, is published by Adams Media Corporation, priced £16.99.
Split-Pea Soup
In classic English literature, eating pea soup is considered a sign of poverty. Thus, this would be a dish the staff of Downton Abbey would eat, but not the lords and ladies. Mrs Patmore would make a hearty split-pea soup to warm her staff on winter nights, no doubt. If she wanted to offer this soup with a bit of variety, she only need cook it with yellow split peas, as it would be called a ‘London particular’ after the thick yellow smogs for which London was famous until the passing of the Clear Air Act in 1956.
Serves 6-8
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 4 cups water
- 1lb ham bone
- 2½ cups green split peas
- 1 cup diced onions
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 large clove garlic, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pinch thyme
- 2 cups chopped celery stalks
- 2 cups chopped carrots
- 1 cup diced potato
Pour the stock and water into a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Add the ham bone, then lower the heat to simmer stock for 1 hour, stirring every 15 mins.
Add the peas and allow to soak, liquid still simmering, for 15 mins. Then add onions, salt, pepper, garlic, bay leaves and thyme. Cover, bring soup to a boil, then simmer for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove bone from soup and cut off meat. Dice the meat into bite-sized pieces and return to soup. Add celery, carrots and potato to soup. Cook uncovered, for 30-45 mins or until vegetables are tender.
Etiquette Lessons
When you have finished your soup, it is polite to leave your soup spoon on the soup plate or saucer, handle to the right, over the edge of the plate, parallel to the table's edge.
Crawley Chicken Breasts With Caper Cream Sauce
This dish combines the Edwardian love for capers/salty appetisers in a fancy entrée. An inexpensive yet elegant dish, this would be a staple for dinners at Downton Abbey when no guests are present.
Serves 4
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tsp lemon pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp fresh dill
- 1½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic, diced
- ½ tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp dry white wine
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
Season chicken with lemon pepper, sea salt, black pepper, dill, and garlic powder. Marinate chicken for at least 2 hours in lemon juice. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sugar, and sauté for 5 mins. Place breasts in skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Turn chicken until brown, about 5 mins. Reduce heat to medium and cook breasts for 5-7 mins or until cooked through. Remove chicken, cover with foil, and keep warm.
Increase heat to high, and whisk in wine and cream. Whisk until mixture is reduced to a sauce-like consistency, about 2-3 mins. Remove from heat, then stir in the capers. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.
Suggested pairings
Mrs Patmore could serve these chicken breasts with a Cajun rémoulade sauce. This sauce includes mayonnaise, anchovies, capers, mustard, herbs, and pickles.
Seven-Hour Leg Of Lamb
Every experienced cook would have this recipe in her repertoire. It’s fun to imagine Mrs Patmore trying to teach patience to ditzy Daisy. But note that the long cooking time reflects a time past when animals were tougher than the ones we eat now. Today, cooking this leg of lamb for 5 hours is more than enough.
Serves 10-12
1 (5-6lb) lamb leg, bone in
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 large onions, quartered
4 large carrots, quartered
1 head of garlic, cloves halved
4 bay leaves
4 tsp dried thyme
4 tsp rosemary
2 (750ml) bottles dry white wine
5lb large red potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
Preheat the oven to 400F. Rub lamb with olive oil, and season. Layer onions, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary in a Dutch oven/cast iron casserole dish, large enough to hold lamb. Place lamb on top of onions and carrots. Roast, uncovered, in oven for 45 minutes.
Remove lamb from oven, leaving oven on. Place Dutch oven on top of stove, then pour the white wine over the lamb. Cover and bring mixture to a boil. Return lamb, now covered, to the oven. Roast for an extra 4 hours or until lamb is fork tender but not falling off its bone. (Timing depends on the size and age of the lamb, and type of pan used.) Check on the lamb every half hour; if it begins to burn, reduce heat. When lamb is tender, add potatoes and tomatoes to stock. Cover Dutch oven and roast until potatoes are cooked, 45 mins to 1 hour. By now the lamb should be very tender and falling off the bone.
Times gone by
This recipe has been modernised, as few households in the Edwardian era had gas stoves. Most country estates had a range, well into and after the First World War. Mrs Patmore had a basic fridge with two compartments – one for food and the other for ice to keep food cold.