Home Education

Making butter - The Victorian Way

This video introduces Miss Fanny Cowley, the dairy maid at a large stately home during the Victorian era.

She shows us how to make Victorian Jersey butter with herbs.

Duration/Time: 8:08

Making Breakfast - The Victorian Way

In this video Mrs Crocombe shares the recipe and method to make kedgeree for a substantial Victorian breakfast.

She includes the ingredients so you can try making it yourself.

Duration/Time: 4:25

This recipe is perfect for using up leftover fish and rice. It originated in India as khichri, a dish made using lentils, rice, onions and spices.

The different cultures of the British Empire influenced language, fashion and food in England in the 19th century. But Indian ingredients and techniques were difficult to come by in England, so dishes were adapted to suit English tastes and ingredients. Khichri became kedgeree.

INGREDIENTS:

• 200g cooked rice
• 200g unsmoked fish
• 50g unsalted butter
• ½-1 tsp cayenne pepper
• ,li>1 tsp coarse grain salt
• 2 eggs

Optional:

• A little cream
• Pickled or hard-boiled quail’s eggs
• Parsley and Brown shrimp for garnishing

METHOD:

Poach your fish in a mixture of half water and half milk. You will know the fish is ready when the flesh becomes opaque - around seven minutes depending on the type of fish you have used.

Break up the poached fish into large flakes with a fork.

Lightly whisk your eggs and prepare your garnishes. Slice the hard boiled quail eggs in half, and finely chop the parsley.

Heat the butter in a frying pan on a medium heat until it foams and just starts to brown.

Add the rice and stir well to coat it in butter.

Fry it over a high heat to ensure it is piping hot throughout.

Turn the heat down slightly and add the flaked fish, salt and cayenne pepper. Stir more gently now, turning the fish so it does not break up too much.

When everything is heated thoroughly, turn the temperature right down and add the egg mixture. Turn very gently, just enough to mix the eggs in, and before they are solid, remove the pan from the heat. The eggs should still be slightly runny, as they would be on a good omelette.

Stir in the cream to stop the kedgeree overcooking, then transfer onto a serving dish.

Garnish the kedgeree. Arrange the quail egg halves around the dish and add the chopped parsley for a touch of colour.

Serve immediately, while the kedgeree is still hot.

Make a Cup of Tea - The Victorian Way

In this video Mrs Crocombe takes a break from her busy day of cooking to make a pot of tea in the Victorian kitchen.

She uses tea leaves, a tea pot, tea cosy and fine china cup. No Tea Bags.

Duration/Time: 2:09

Make Rhubarb Soup - The Victorian Way

In this video Mrs Crocombe shares how to make a light soup using forced rhubarb from the kitchen garden.

She includes the ingredients so you can try making it yourself.

Duration/Time: 4:29

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 stalks of rhubarb
• 1 litre veal or beef stock
• 1 small onion
• 2 thin slices of bread, plus extra for croutons
• Salt and pepper

METHOD:

Take half a dozen sticks of fine young rhubarb, peel them, and cut them into short lengths.

Throw the rhubarb into a quart of good veal or beef stock and add a moderate sized onion, two thin slices of bread, and a little salt and pepper.

Let the liquor boil, remove the scum as it rises, and simmer the soup until the fruit is quite tender - around 30 minutes.

Strain it, and serve with toasted sippets (croutons).

Make Soup for the Poor - The Victorian Way

In this video Mrs Crocombe shares how to make a soup to feed the poor during Victorian times.

She includes the ingredients so you can try making it yourself.

Duration/Time: 7:09

INGREDIENTS:

• Bacon - 3 rashers, streaky
• Butter - 1 tbsp
• Onion - x1 large
• Carrots – x2
• Celery - x2 sticks
• Yellow split peas - 300g / 11oz / 1.5 cups
• Mint - 2 sprigs
• Salt and pepper, to season
• Stock – 2 litres / 4pts, vegetable or meat stock

METHOD:

Soak the peas overnight in plenty of cold water, then drain.

Peel and chop the vegetables, and dice the bacon.

Fry the bacon in butter, and add the vegetables to the pan.

Cook for a few minutes and then add the peas and stock.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes until the peas have ‘split’.

Add chopped mint and seasoning to taste, and cook for a further 5 minutes before serving hot.

Make Ginger Beer - The Victorian Way

In this video Mrs Crocombe shares how to make ginger beer which was very popular during Victorian times.

She includes the recipe and method so you can try making it yourself.

Duration/Time: 6:47

Mrs Crocombe's recipe for Ginger Beer was copied from The Field newspaper which was a field sports magazine first published in 1853 and is still going today.

Made by soaking ginger, lemon, bread and yeast in water, this Victorian ginger beer is a little insipid for modern tastes and far from the sweet varieties we enjoy in tin cans today.

But with the addition of a sweetener such as honey or a dash of sweet whisky, this is a beautifully light and refreshing summer drink.

INGREDIENTS:

(Makes 4 litres / 7 pt / 4 1/4 quarts)

• 2–3 tbsp sugar
• 1 slice of thick-cut bread
• 4 litres / 7 pt / 4 1/4 quarts water
• zest of 1 lemon, cut off without pith
• 30 g/1 oz fresh ginger, chopped and bruised
• 4 tsp fresh (compressed) yeast, or 2 tsp dried yeast

METHOD:

Heat the measured water and sugar until the sugar dissolves then add the ginger and lemon zest.

Allow to cool to room temperature and decant into a food-grade bucket or a large bowl.

Toast the bread. Mix the yeast with a little warm water to form a thick paste and spread this on the toast.

Add the toast to the ginger beer mixture. Cover and leave to stand at room temperature for 12–24 hours.

Strain the mixture through a fine sieve lined with kitchen paper or, better still, muslin or a jelly bag.

Decant into clip-top jars or bottles, which will allow any gas to escape if it gets a bit lively.

Leave for at least 4 days and up to a few months.

CAUTION:

Be sure to use thick glass bottles with clip tops because the gas and pressure can cause thinner bottles to explode.

Make Macaroni Cheese - The Victorian Way

In this video Mrs Crocombe shares how to make macaroni cheese, a food popular with servants during Victorian times.

She includes the recipe and method so you can try making it yourself.

Duration/Time: 6:33

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 2-3 people

• Macaroni - 225g / 8oz / 2 cups
• Parmesan - 175g / 6oz / 1 cup, grated
• Breadcrumbs - 2-3 tbsp
• Water - 1.2L / 2pts / 5 cups
• Milk - 600ml / 1pt / 2 ½ cups
• Salt and pepper, to season
• Butter - 110g / 4oz / 1 stick, plus extra for greasing

METHOD:

Begin by breaking your macaroni tubes into smaller sections.

Bring the water and milk to the boil with a good handful of salt. When it boils, throw in the pasta and cook until it is nearly done (it needs to be slightly under-cooked as it will cook further in the oven).

Butter a shallow dish (around 20cm / 8 inches in diameter) and put in half of the cooked macaroni.

Dot the dish with a third of the butter, and sprinkle with half of the cheese. Season with ground pepper to taste.

Add another layer of macaroni, dot with another third of the butter, and top with breadcrumbs mixed with the rest of the cheese.

Finally, melt the remaining butter and drizzle it over the top.

Bake at 200c / 400F for 15 mins until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown.

For a really good, crisp top, finish with 2-3 minutes under a hot grill.

CAUTION:

Be sure to wear thick oven gloves because the dish will be hot and you do not want to burn yourself.

Make Marmalade Water Ice - The Victorian Way

Mrs Crocombe shows how to make marmalade water ice - a simple Victorian dessert and a palate cleanser following a meal.

She includes the recipe and method so you can try making it yourself.

Duration/Time: 6:38

INGREDIENTS:

• Marmalade (approx. 125g)
• 1 small lemon
• 500ml of water
• Candied peel (for decoration)
• Salt (for the ice)
• Ice (for the sorbetière

METHOD:

To make the mixture, add a cup (approx. 125g) of marmalade and some lemon juice to a pan of boiling water (500ml) before stirring well. Let it cool before leaving it to chill.

Start to freeze the mixture using a sorbetière (ice cream maker). Pack ice all around the outside and sprinkle with salt as you go to help reduce the temperature of the ice.

Once the mixture is cool enough, pour it into the sorbetière. Keep it moving gently with a spoon, before placing the lid on and rotating the sorbetière a few turns every so often to help evenly lower the temperature of the mixture.

As the mixture starts to freeze into a water ice, be sure to give it a good stir.

Once the mixture has frozen, choose a suitable mould and spoon it in until the mould is full. Then, leave in an ice box to freeze.

Once frozen, gently turn out on to a plate and decorate as desired.

TIP:

You can use a modern ice cream maker and jelly moulds if you do not have a sorbetière.

Make Cucumber Ice Cream - The Victorian Way

In this video Mrs Crocombe shows how to make cucumber ice cream the Victorian Way.

She includes the recipe and method so you can try making it yourself.

Duration/Time: 3:30

INGREDIENTS:

• 120g sugar
• 2 lemons
• 1 large cucumber
• Half a pint of water
• 1 pint sweetened cream
• Some ginger brandy (optional)
• A little green food colouring

METHOD:

Peel and de-seed the cucumber, then chop it and cook it until tender in the water and sugar.

Whilst the cucumber is still warm, pound it to soften it a little, then add the green food colouring.

You can then add the brandy and lemon juice. The brandy is optional.

Sieve the mixture to remove any lumps, then add the sweetened cream.

Place some ice into a large bowl, then cover the ice in salt. Then place a smaller bowl on top, and add the cucumber mix inside.

Keep stirring the mixture, turning the bowl at the same time. Keep this going until your ice cream mixture has thickened.

You can then add your thick mixture to some moulds, or an ice cream tub and place it in the freezer.

After a few hours your ice cream will be ready.

TIP:

You can use a modern ice cream maker or you can make one from a few big tins with lids.

Make Brown Bread Pudding - The Victorian Way

In this video Mrs Crocombe shows how to make Brown Bread Pudding the Victorian way.

This is a good recipe for the upper servants, or middle class families.

Duration/Time: 5.59

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 eggs
• Candied peel
• Sugar to taste
• 100g salted butter
• Red wine or brandy
• Wine sauce, to serve
• 200g brown breadcrumbs
•  
• Black treacle or black strap molasses

For the wine sauce:

• 140ml of water
• 30g of caster sugar
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons of apricot jam
• A glass of sherry or claret

METHOD:

Add the butter, candied peel, black treacle (or molasses) and egg yolks to a bowl of breadcrumbs.

Add sugar to taste (try 3 tbsp) before mixing well.

Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl, then carefully fold them in to the mixture (a little lemon juice will help the rise).

Pour in the brandy or wine (as preferred) and fold in to the mixture once more.

Grease your mould with butter and spoon the mixture in, being careful not to fill it to the top as the mixture will rise.

Cover the open top with a disc of buttered paper, and then tie up in a cloth (or cover with foil).

Steam the pudding in a saucepan of boiling water for about an hour.

Leave the pudding to sit for five minutes before serving and decorate as desired.

This is particularly good with a wine sauce!