Country 6 - Herefordshire

With a population of less than 200 people per square mile, Herefordshire is one of the least populated counties in England, and with over 5000 farms one of its most rural. It is celebrated for its Hereford cows and cider producing orchards. The county has a long and rich history of cider and perry production. Great Britain produces around 130,000,000 gallons of cider per year, half of which is produced here. Herefordshire has around 3000 apple and pear orchards, covering over 9000 acres, more than any other county in UK. Its cider and perry production is protected under European law, sharing the same status as French Champagne.

The Black Mountain ranges of Wales border the south-west corner of the county, with many picturesque valleys between, the widest and most scenic is the Golden Valley. Rising majestically over Herefordshire, in the east, are the Malvern Hills, an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (ONB). The River Wye, England's fifth longest river, winds its way across the county from Plynlimon in Wales to the Severn Estuary. It is largely unpolluted and is considered to one of the best rivers for salmon fishing in Britain, outside of Scotland. Herefordshire's many scenic villages are filled with 16 and 17th century timber framed houses, many of which can be viewed on the popular 40 mile Black & White Village Trail. Its flower is the Mistletoe.

 

http://www.travelaboutbritain.com (Accessed 02/03/2016)

 

OUR EXPERIENCE

The frazzled Beef sounded better than it was, so it was not a good start to Herefordshire, after last week too. However the fish pie was delicious, although I did use a mixture of fish instead of just salmon and we all enjoyed it. The apple dumplings were also very nice. I remember as a child my mother having a baked apple and I always thought it looked horrid; but know I know better. We had custard with ours, a lovely Sunday pud!

Cooked with score (out of 100):

Frazzled (or Frizzled) Beef............56

Wye Baked Salmon…...................90

Apple Dumplings……………………….87

Frazzled (or Frizzled) Beef

All I could find was this description:

Claimed in the J Salmon ‘Favourite Herefordshire and Why Valley Recipes’ to be thin, fried, beefsteak topped with, or accompanied by, fried patties of mashed potato with onion.

I did this, and we didn’t think it was anything special…

 

Wye Baked Salmon

 

4 thick salmon steaks

1lb shortcrust pastry

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped 

3oz butter

2oz button mushrooms chopped

2oz fresh breadcrumbs

1 egg beaten

Milk

2 tablespoons white wine

juice of lemon

Egg or milk to glaze

 

Serves 4.  Place salmon into boiling water for 5 minutes, remove the skin.  Set oven to mark 4 or 350F.  Roll out 2 thirds of the pastry on lightly floured surface and use to line a 2 litre pie dish.  Fry onions in half the butter, add the mushrooms and breadcrumbs and season, stir well and fry for 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the egg and enough milk to bind. Arrange salmon on the pie dish spread on the onion and mushroom mixture.

 

Melt the rest of the butter in a pan. Add the wine and lemon juice and bring to the boil. Pour over the salmon. Roll out the rest of the pastry for a lid, seal the edges and trim.  Make a hole to release the steam in the centre and decorate with pastry trimmings.  Brush with beaten egg or milk to glaze.  Bake for 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.  Serve with mashed potatoes, baby carrots and a green vegetable.

www.allaboutherefordshire.com/files/Wye_Baked_Salmon.do (accessed 10/02/2016)

 

Hereford Apple Dumplings

 

12 ounces prepared shortcrust pastry (340g)

4 teaspoons sugar

4 cooking apples, peeled, cored

2 ounces sultanas (60 g)

¹⁄₂ finely grated an orange, rind of

1 tablespoon marmalade

¹⁄₄ ounce butter, softened (28 g or 2 tablespoons)

milk (for glazing)

sugar (for glazing)

marmalade (for serving)

 

Directions

1.       Heat oven to 400 F (200 C)(gas mark 6).

2.       Divide the pastry into 4 and then roll each piece out into a circle big enough to fully enclose one apple.

3.       Take each pastry circle and sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar and place an apple in the middle. mix together sultanas, orange rind, marmalade and butter and then divide this mixture between the apples, filling up each core hole.

4.       Fold the pastry around each apple and seal firmly with a little water.

5.       Place them, upside-down, onto a greased baking sheet and decorate the tops with leftover pastry bits cut into leaf shapes.

6.       Brush with milk and sprinkle a little sugar to glaze.

7.       Bake for 10 minutes and then turn down the oven temperature to 350 F (180 C) (gas mark 4) for a further 30 minutes or until the dumplings are golden brown.

Source: English Favourite Recipes published by J Salmon