PlayA Taste of History - 1940s era
Published: Wednesday, 2 January 2008, 11:53AM
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Our very own Phil Vickery has been stepping back in time to show how our ancestors lived and what they ate, unearthing the culinary past of some of our favourite dishes along the way.
Phil travelled back to the 1940's to visit the home of Harry and Edna aka Craig and Amanda Pickard, who share a passion for this extraordinary era. Together they gave Phil a glimpse of life during this time, in their 40’s inspired home, and in return Phil cooked them the much loved classic, Corned Beef Hash, inspired by his own family recipe.
Craig and Amanda run the group, Home Front Friends, that aim to remember the British Home Front and the work they did during WWII. As well as taking part in living history events all over the country, they give historical interactive talks and demonstrations. For more information visit mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/homefrontfriends
Phil was also joined by the Doyenne of food writing, Marguerite Patten OBE. During WWII Marguerite was employed by the Ministry of Food to advise people how to eat healthily on the ration's available to them.
Corned Beef Hash
2 persons
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
400g / 14oz potato, peeled and cut roughly into 3cm pieces
about 400ml / 14fl oz boiling beef stock
3 tbsp Worcester sauce
250g / 9oz chilled corned beef, cut into 3cm pieces
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Heat the oil in an ovenproof pan. Add the onion and cook over a medium heat until just golden, then add the potatoes and stir together.
- Add the beef stock and Worcester sauce then season and bring back to the boil.
- Cover, turn the heat down and simmer gently or pop in a moderate oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked and starting to break down. This is essential to hash, so the stock is thickened by the potato breaking down, but still leaving some solids. You may need to add a touch more stock, if the potatoes dry out too much.
- Add the chunks of corned beef, stir well and heat through for a further 5 minutes, but do not allow to break up too much. Finally add the roughly chopped parsley and re season.
- Serve with pickled red cabbage and pickled walnuts.
Copyright Phil Vickery
July 2006
