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Traditional Recipes - Yorkshire Pudding

Well, the British are known for liking their beef, especially on a Sunday dinner time (that's the middle of the day for you folks not from the North). The french even call us "les Rosbeefs"! Traditions and cuisine are changing, but you still can't beat traditional Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding.

Current trends are to serve the Yorshire Pudding with the main meal, perhaps in individual portions made in bun tins. For those who are sticklers for tradition however, it always used to be made as a starter, cut up and served from a big baking tray straight from the oven, along with some rich onion gravy. This was while the meat was still cooking or resting.

The idea was simple, of course. In former times of austerity, filling folks up with Yorkshire Pudding first would mean the meat for the main meal would go a lot further...!

Yorkshire Pudding itself is simple enough to make with simple ingredients, but along with the smell of the joint and some rich gravy, you just can't go wrong.


Yorkshire Pudding (serves four as an accompaniment)

3 fl oz (75 ml) milk
2 fl oz (50 ml) water
an egg
3 oz (75g) flour
salt and pepper

Firstly, place a baking tin in the oven (with the meat, if you're making it at the same time).The oven needs to be around 220C (425F Gas Mk 7) The bottom of the tin needs to have a good coating of oil or dripping.

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk, making sure plenty of air is introduced into the mixture. When the baking tin and the oil in it is hot (and not before!) pour the whisked batter into the tin and place in the oven. Leave it to cook for around half an hour.

Simple! Serve with a rich gravy or sauce, either before the meal or as an accompaniment to a roast beef Sunday dinner!

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