The great thing about multiculturalism is the ability to imbibe new and unfamiliar cultures. We get to sample them through our eyes (through visual arts), our ears (through music and poetry) and, of course, through enjoying delicious foods! Thus, traditional English dishes like Yorkshire pudding and sausages can be enjoyed by families around the country even as Brits cite chicken tikka masala as their favourite dish. Here we present a recipe for an old English classic, adapted to be 100% Halal!
Ingredients
- 6 Halal Beef Bacon rashers
- 12 British free-range Halal Sausages
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil (leave a little extra oil to drizzle)
- 225g sifted plain flour
- A pinch of baking powder
- 4 large free-range eggs, beaten
- 350ml whole milk
- 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
But what’s such a traditional dish without gravy? For this you’ll need…
- Sunflower oil for frying
- 1 large chopped onion
- A knob of butter
- 1 tbsp flour
- 500ml vegetable stock
- 1-2 tsp redcurrant jelly
- 2 tsp Henderson’s Relish (optional)
Let’s get cooking!
Preheat the oven to 200°C /Gas Mark 6 (180°C for fan ovens). Stretch the Halal Beef Bacon lengthways using the back of a knife. Now, cut it in half widthways, wrapping a piece around the middle of each sausage.
Place the wrapped sausages in a roasting tin with a drizzle of oil and cook for 25 minutes, turning regularly. Keep them warm in a parcel of foil.
While they’re cooking, you can get cracking on the the gravy. Heat a hearty splash of oil in a pan over a medium heat and cook the onion pieces along with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes. Reduce to a low heat and to cook for a further 20 minutes or until caramelised.
Stir the butter into the onion, and add the flour. Cook for a minute more. Gradually stir in the stock, turning up the heat to bring up to a simmer. Cook like this for another 10 minutes until the gravy has thickened, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the redcurrant jelly and (if you so desire) Henderson’s relish. Season to taste and reduce to a low heat to keep warm. Now, how about those yorkshires?
To make the batter, sift the 225g flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. When it’s mixed together, create a little well in the centre. Add the eggs, and pour in the milk. Mix into a smooth batter using the balloon whisk. Add a little seasoning to taste and whisk in the herbs and mustard. When the matter is mixed it can be set aside. For an extra tasty Yorkshire pudding, mix the batter a few hours ahead of time and keep it stored in the fridge. When you’re ready to cook them, just give them a quick whisk and they’re ready to go!
Now to turn this batter into crisp, fluffy yorkies. Divide the 4 tbsp oil among the 12 holes of a muffin tin and heat in the oven for 5 minutes. Once the oil is smoking hot in the little cups, carefully portion the batter out evenly into the holes. Bake those bad boys for 15-20 minutes until they’re fluffy and golden brown.
Serve with the sausages and gravy and enjoy a simple yet delicious treat!