British Invasion: three-course British meal for Sunday’s Patriots game
New England is taking over old England.
The Patriots are flying to London this weekend to take on the St. Louis Rams at Wembley Stadium as part of the NFL International Series. What better way to get into the spirit of the game than with a 3-course British meal? There is no better way! Go put that Patriots fan gear on and start cooking these delicious foods to enjoy the game in a delicious way.
Appetizer:
A Vol-au-Vent is a food that you may not have heard of. It is a French word, but is a very popular appetizer in London. There are many ways in which you can make them, sometimes with lamb, chicken or seafood. The recipe below is for shrimp vol-au-vents and is a great way to kick off your British three-course meal.
Classic Vol-Au-Vent. Photo credit: Simon Rimmer, BBC Food
Ingredients
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 pound frozen rock shrimp (70 to 90 count)
- 1 tablespoon Emeril’s Creole Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2/3 cup chopped green onions
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Crystal Hot Sauce
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt and pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Thaw the pastry at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before gently unfolding.
With a sharp knife, divide the pastry in half. Cut each pastry half into 4 equal triangles. With the tip of a sharp knife, make a 1/4-inch score on all edges of the triangles, being careful not to cut all the way through.
Put them on the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops lightly with the beaten egg. Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
Set aside to cool while preparing the shrimp. Season rock shrimp with Creole seasoning. In a large skillet over high heat, saute rock shrimp in olive oil for two to three minutes, until most of the liquid released by the shrimp has evaporated.
Add green onions, Worcestershire and hot pepper sauce and cook for one minute.
Add the cream, bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the sauce is reduced by half and covers the back of a spoon, about four to six minutes.
Add butter and whisk thoroughly to combine, about one minute. Season with salt and pepper.
With the tip of a knife, carefully remove the top of each pastry. Divide shrimp and sauce between pastries, cover with reserved tops and serve.
Main Course:
Most Americans have had Shepherd’s Pie before, but what about the traditional British way? This recipe takes some time, but it is the perfect British main course for your meal.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 pound chopped lamb shoulder or lamb fillet
- 1 cup chopped yellow onions
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 ounces button mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 1/4 cups lamb or beef stock
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 pound potatoes
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup white cheddar, grated
Directions
Lightly grease a six-cup baking dish and set aside.
Melt two tablespoons of the butter in a large saute pan over medium high heat.
Add the lamb and cook until starting to brown, about three minutes.
Add the onions, carrots, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper, and cook, stirring, for two minutes.
Add the mushrooms and bay leaf, and cook, stirring, until their liquid is almost all gone, about four minutes.
Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until starting to color, about one to two minutes.
Add the flour and cook, stirring, for one minute.
Gradually add the stock and Worcestershire sauce, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with salted water by one inch. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and return to the pot.
Over low heat, mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and nutmeg, and mash to incorporate. Add the heavy cream and mix well. Remove from the heat.
Remove the pot with the meat from the heat. Remove the bay leaf. Spoon into the prepared dish and top with the mashed potatoes, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and bake until browned and bubbly on top, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Dessert:
There isn’t a more British way to end your three course meal than with a scone. Scones are a delicious British dessert, usually served with tea. This is a great basic scone recipe for bakers of any level.
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons shortening
- 3/4 cup cream
- 1 egg
- Handful dried currants or dried cranberries
Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix well. Cut in butter and shortening. In a separate bowl, combine cream with beaten egg then add to dry ingredients. Stir in fruit. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Roll dough out and cut into biscuit size rounds. Bake for 15 minutes or until brown.
TIP: You can also cut them in half and add fruit or cheese to the middle.
All recipes courtesy of FoodNetwork.com.
