Country 5 - Staffordshire

Staffordshire is renowned for the craftsmanship of its world famous potteries in Stoke on Trent. It has some beautiful countryside, particularly where the Peak District National Park crosses into the north east of the county, and the breath-taking Cannock Chase, with thirty thousand acres of forest and heathland further south.

The hills in the north are a continuation of the moors of Derbyshire, rising in places to 1,500 feet above the River Trent. They are broken by several wooded valleys; the Manifold, Milldale and Dovedale. The northern part of the county is known as the Potteries. The famous 'Five Towns' that make up The Potteries are Burslem, Hanley, Longton, Stoke and Tunstall. The centre and south of the county are generally level, with a few low valleys intersected by the Trent, Blithe, and Tame rivers. In the centre of the county is a wide tract of heather and forest known as Cannock Chase, a haven for foxes, wild deer, badgers, red squirrels, grouse and green woodpeckers. The southern part of the county is known as the 'Black Country', due to the iron, coal and associated heavy industries that are carried on there.

Flash claims to be the highest village in England, at 1,158 feet above sea-level. Tamworth is famous for its pigs, which are a sandy red colour and its country flower is the Heather.

 

http://www.travelaboutbritain.com/staffordshire/staffordshire.php (accessed 02.03.2016)

 

OUR EXPERIENCE

We loved the oatcakes, we had then on Pancake Day and they were a huge hit. I have to admit I did make the recipe simpler by cooking the bacon and mushrooms as I cooked the pancake, so although we ate separately it was a communal experience in the kitchen with good hot yummy food. The Beef Lobby was also a hit, very warming on a cold winter’s day. Lovely experience of food.

 

Cooked with score (out of 100):

Staffordshire oatcakes............90

Beef Lobby..............................87

Staffordshire oatcakes

Ingredients

225g/8oz fine oatmeal (if you don't have this, blitz some porridge oats)

100g/3½oz wholemeal flour

100g/3½oz plain flour

1 tsp quick-action yeast

pinch salt

825ml/1 pint 9¾fl oz water

1 tbsp baking powder

12 tsp vegetable oil

24 rashers streaky bacon

1 tbsp olive oil

150g/5¼oz chestnut mushrooms, cut in half

300g/10½oz mature cheddar cheese, grated

Method

1. Mix together the oatmeal, wholemeal flour, plain flour, yeast and salt in a bowl until well combined.
2. Make a well in the centre of the mixture, then gradually add the water in a thin stream, stirring well with a wooden spoon, until the batter is well combined and the consistency of thick double cream. (NB: You may not need to use all of the water.)
3. Cover the batter with a damp, clean tea towel and set aside for 3-4 hours (or up to 8 hours), to allow the gluten in the batter to develop.
4. Once ready to cook the batter, whisk in the baking powder until well combined.
5. Heat one teaspoon of the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, add a ladleful of the batter mixture and swirl the pan to coat the bottom of it in a thin layer of the batter.
6. Fry the oatcake for 1-2 minutes, or until golden-brown on one side.
7. Flip the oatcake and fry for a further minute, or until golden-brown on both sides.
8. Set the oatcake aside on a warm plate and cover with a sheet of greaseproof paper.
9. Repeat the process with the remaining batter mixture, to make about 12 oatcakes. Stack them on top of each other, separated by greaseproof paper, and keep warm.
10. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to its highest setting.
11. When the grill is hot, arrange the streaky bacon onto a grill tray and grill for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until crisp and golden-brown on both sides. Set aside and keep warm.
12. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a separate frying pan over a medium heat.
13. Add the mushrooms and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown and cooked through. Set aside and keep warm.
14. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over a medium heat until hot. Return one of the cooked oatcakes to the hot pan and sprinkle grated cheese over one half of it.
15. Continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese starts to melt, then place two grilled rashers of bacon on top of the melted cheese and sprinkle over a spoonful of the mushrooms. Fold the other half of the oatcake over and continue to heat for a further minute, or until the cheese has fully melted.
16. Repeat the process with the remaining vegetable oil, oatcakes, bacon, mushrooms and cheese.
17. Serve immediately.
     
    Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/staffordshireoatcake_92371 (Accessed 05.03.2016)
     

Beef Lobby

Serves 4

450g/1lb stewing or braising steak - fat removed and cut into small chunks

A handful pearl barley (optional)

1 onion diced

1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed (optional)

4 potatoes diced

1 swede diced (the big orange fleshed ones not the little white ones)

4 celery sticks, chopped

4 diced carrots

Beef stock

 

1. Put the meat, onion and pearl barley in a large pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and then simmer gently on a very low heat for 40 mins. Stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking.
2. Meanwhile peel and chop the vegetables to dice of a similar size - small or chunky, however you prefer. Add the vegetables to the pan and top up with stock to cover the vegetables.
3. Cook at a low simmer for approximately 60 mins or until everything is softly cooked and the meat is tender. Cook for 2 hours+ for really tender meat (the longer the better!) or cook in a slow cooker. Continue to stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of pan. Season to taste.
4. Serve in big bowls with chunky bread. HP Sauce is a nice addition, or a little vinegar
    
   NB: Being a "chuck-in" recipe, feel free to add/substitute cabbage, turnip, parsnip, nettles etc.
    
   Source: http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=81775  (accessed 10/02/2016)