BBC - BBC Radio 2 Programmes - Chris Evans, 17/09/2009

Yee-Haw!

Last night we ignited the debate, a burning ring of debate, if you will, over the difference between Country and Country and Western. Just who is the Boss Hoss when it comes to hoeing down? We lined up for some answers with former three time World Line Dancing Champion, Pedro Machado of the Country and Western Dance Council UK.

The Country & Western Dance Council

Mutton & Turnip Hot Pot - Ingredients

By Mark Hix from British Seasonal Food

This is basically a Lancashire hotpot, incorporating turnips as well as potatoes. There are various versions of this traditional dish, but the main ingredient is usually a flavoursome cut of lamb, such as the neck, which is traditionally cut on the bone like chops. I prefer to use mutton, as the end flavour is far better – almost gamey. Kidneys & black pudding are sometimes added to a classic hotpot & back in the days when they were cheap, a few oysters would have been put under the potato topping near the end of cooking.

Ingredients
1-1.5kg mutton neck chops
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Plain flour for dusting
6 lamb’s kidneys, halved & trimmed (optional)
9 slices of black pudding 1cm thick (optional)
6 fresh oysters out of their shells (optional)
4-5 tablespoons vegetable oil
450-500g onions, peeled & thinly sliced
60g unsalted butter, plus extra, melted for brushing
800ml lamb or beef stock
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary leaves
500g large potatoes
500g large turnips

Mutton & Turnip Hot Pot - Method Part 1

Method
Preheat the oven to 220C/gas7.
Season the mutton chops with salt & pepper & dust with flour.
Do the same with the kidneys if you’re including them.
Heat a heavy-based frying pan & add 2 tablespoons oil.
Fry the chops, a few at a time, over a high heat until nicely coloured, then remove to a colander to drain.
If using kidneys, fry them briefly to colour; drain & set aside.
Wipe out the pan, then add another 2 tablespoons of oil & fry the onions over a high heat until they begin to colour.
Add the butter & continue to cook for a few minutes until they soften.
Dust the onions with a tablespoonful of flour, stir well, then gradually add the stock, stirring to avoid lumps.
Sprinkle in the chopped rosemary.

Method - Continued

Bring to the boil, season with salt & pepper, then lower the heat & simmer for about 10 mins.
Peel the potatoes & turnips & cut into 3mm slices.
To assemble, take a deep casserole dish with lid.
Cover the bottom with a layer of potatoes & turnips, followed by a layer of meat (mutton, kidneys) moistened with a little sauce, then another layer of potatoes & turnips.
Continue in this way until the meat & most of the sauce have been used, ending with turnips & finally an overlapping layer of potato slices.
Brush the top with a little of the sauce.
Cover & cook in the hot oven for about 30 mins.
Now turn the oven down to 140C/gas1 & cook slowly for a further 2hrs or until the meat is tender.
Remove the lid & turn the oven back up to 220C/gas7.
Lift the top layer of potatoes & insert the oysters and black pudding, before replacing the potatoes & then brushing them with a little melted butter.
Return to the oven for 15-20 mins to allow the black pudding & oysters to cook and the potatoes to brown. (but don’t burn them!)

Nigel's Recipe Archive

Fox The Fox - With Steph McGovern

Thursday 17 September - Question

When I was kid the advert was about "can you eat 3 shredded wheat?", which means that Bothy has been the face of Shredded Wheat since about the late 70s (early 80s) which covers 30 years. Is he the longest serving "face" of advertising a single product. If not who is and what product do they endorse?

Thursday 17 September - Answer

There's much debate about this. Roy from Milton Village thinks it's a german tv star called Thomas who is the face of Haribo sweets, but he's only been doing it for 15 years. Andy in London said the Oxo mum, Lynda Bellingham, but it turns out she's was only on for 16 years. Malcolm in Hertfordshire said his mate Jonny's dad who was Captain Birdseye is the longest serving. The guy he's talking about is John Hewer who was the face of Birdseye from 1967 to 1998 so for 31 years, which does beat Ian Botham. But the correct answer comes from Gary on the M5 who reckons it's the Queen advertising the Royal Mail, which she has been doing since 1952....meaning she's been the face of a single product for 57 years.

Fox The Fox Archive