So we are snowed in – a whole 2 inches of the white stuff – but in this part of the world that is more than enough to bring the whole road and rail network to a grinding halt.
And since ‘Black Tuesday’ (I’ll call it that although it could have been a Wednesday) two years ago when it took me, my wife and thousands of others over 8 hours to drive 13 miles home in the evening, few were prepared to go through that experience again. So most worked from home; the roads were quiet and all was good.
And gazing out of the window, I mean doing a detailed spreadsheet analysis, my thoughts turned, surprisingly, to food. For Big Weather you need Big Food, and it doesn’t come much bigger than Giant Yorkshire Puddings.
Those are dinner plates. Big Ones.
Now creating big Yorkshire Puddings is one thing. But what to serve them with. Well we went for sausages, gravy, peas and….carrots. But not any old carrots. Tom Kerridge carrots. Now Tom is a Michelin starred chef, and, unlike many skinny cooking artists (I’m thinking especially of Michel Roux Jr who looks like the very idea of food repels him, he’s so thin) he obviously enjoys what he cooks!
And if you take a look at the way he cooks carrots, you can see why it wouldn’t be too difficult to pile on the poundage eating at his place.
So to create the carrots you need
- Brussel Sprouts. Joking you need some carrots. Big Ones.
- Sugar
- Salt
- Butter
- Star Anise (2)
Bung all of this in a pan of simmering water for about 40 mins until the carrots are tender. I mean I bet you didn’t realise carrots could be this unhealthy, right? Just goes to show. What, I don’t know.
Now to create Super-sized Giant Yorshire Puddings I do two things. First use cake tins to hold the batter and secondly add extra egg to the batter to accelerate and exaggerate the puffing of the pudding.
So for the batter:
- 125g plain flour
- 3 eggs
- 150 mls (1/4 pint) milk, mixed with the same amount of water
- pinch of salt
There are many rumours and best practices to putting a batter together to ensure it rises but essentially a) mix everything together well and b) leave it to stand for half an hour and c) get the oven really hot (about 220 centigrade) and make sure the pans and the fat are really hot before adding the batter. If you do all this right the puddings should end up looking like this:
Now the one on the left contained Quorn sausages. The one on the right contained pheasant & pork sausages. This is what the plates looked like after half an hour:
As if any explanation is needed, this is why I need to diet (BTW the remaining half sausage was gone within 2 minutes of this photo being taken). And the carrots? Why I reckon even the fussy eater would have eaten them they are devine!
Our snow is coming tonight. New York is supposed to get 12 inches, but here in Michigan, I think we will only get about three. Still, something about an oncoming snow storm that makes me want to cook.
We apparently might get a bit – but honestly round here its so much hassle when it snows – its never enough to close everything down its always just enough to make everything that much more painful (skidding on the roads, the trains are delayed, dodgy pavements (sidewalks), intermittent internet, etc etc
I wish there was a super like button. Those large carrots and super-sized everything else is perfect for a king and queen. Oh, that would be the two of you : )
This is something I know I could not create. It looks absolutely delicious !!
Right I’m going to take a look into this super like button idea….
I love giant yorkshire puddings. I saw Tom Kerridge making those carrots on Saturday Kitchen. I’m not much of a carrot fan unless they’re in a stew and taste more of meat than carrot, do you think I’ll be converted?
Definitely – they don;t really taste of carrot at all!
I’ve never tried making Yorkshire pudding – giant or otherwise but I think if I’m going to go for it, why not go BIG! This looks so good & I’m surprised at how few ingredients you need for it.
How’s that spreadsheet coming?
Not well. As for yorkshire – its hard to get it to rise but you have to add enough egg and let the batter rest!
Wow, the enormity of that dish gave me pause. Now, forgive me for sounding like a smug Canadian, but when I read that 2 inches of snow has snowed you in, I had a bit of a superiour snigger. But, truth be told, it’s been so mild here the last couple of years, that if we got two inches of snow tomorrow traffic would be affected. Mostly because it seems there are more and more people who just don’t seem to know how to drive in bad weather. (Don’t get me started…!)
Well the busiest airport in the world, Heathrow, cancelled 25% of its flights on Friday and they got less than an inch! We do love a drama over here
Oh, it all depends what you’re used to. It doesn’t take much snow to throw Vancouver into a tizzy either!
I’ve never made yorkshire pudding. Perhaps because it’s so weird to me to have pudding but not for dessert?
Great post!
Try steak and kidney pudding – that’s even better!
I have mixed feelings about this …… I love Yorkshire pud but carrots aren’t on my to do list š … I and my computer have both been receiving care and attention and I am pleased to say I can now read and comment again. Long may it last…….
Good to have you back! Thats the good thing about the carrot – you can just take it out and chuck it!
at who? š
I love Yorkshire pudding. This looks magnificent! (and feels torturous to my hungry belly)
I’m looking at them right now and I’m starving (back on the work-diet)
Yum! Yum! delicious. I could eat that any day of the winter. Love sausages too.
Perfect winter munching
Ha-ha-ha! Your post made me laugh out loud (as usual). Those puddings look fantastic by the way.
Thanks they were well worth the effort!
Hehe! They both look fantastic!! š
Thanks cooking for a meat eater and a vegetarian at the same time requires some thought sometimes
Wintry days are meant for foods like this. I noticed you ate your veggies.
Too right those carrots were a meal in themselves
Fantastic stuff. I love the concept. Amazing big puddings. And, yes, I noticed it, if only the base…
Best,
Conor
You mean they were a bit flat? You should have seen the first attempt (that didn’t make it to the blog it looked like a big pancake
Chicken wire would help. Real engineering!
Yes chicken wire! I get you. Also I need a solution to getting a mirror finish for sacher torte – that was and still is my biggest culinary frustration. I need to get out more
Love a good Yorkshire pudding. Yours look amazing.
Yes. it was totally over the top though
That is one huge Yorkshire pudding! We don’t really ever get them here in Australia. I did bring home with me, from England, a Yorkshire pudding baking tray but have yet to use it. That was almost four years ago now…
Do it, you won’t regret it!
I made Yorkshire pudding at Christmas but not this elaborate. As they say, more butter is more better.
I like that phrase, it encapsulates everything that is good about butter