Ain't Mushroom To Be British

This week’s info blog is dedicated to two contrasting examples for the expression “Being British” Queen Victoria andCaptain Edward John Smith.This week’s recipes are continuing on last week’s topic of healthy eating, and all to do with Mushrooms, they are Mushroom Stroganoff, Pork Steaks with mushrooms & Rosemary and Beef and Wild Mushroom Stew.

Queen Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India.

Victoria was the daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, the fourth son of King George III. Both the Duke of Kent and the King died in 1820, and Victoria was raised under close supervision by her German-born mother Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. She inherited the throne at the age of 18 after her father's three elder brothers died without surviving legitimate issue. The United Kingdom was already an established constitutional monarchy, in which the Sovereign held relatively few direct political powers. Privately, she attempted to influence government policy and ministerial appointments. Publicly, she became a national icon, and was identified with strict standards of personal morality.

She married her first cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in 1840. Their nine children and 26 of their 34 grandchildren who survived childhood married into royal and noble families across the continent, tying them together and earning her the nickname "the grandmother of Europe". After Albert's death in 1861, Victoria plunged into deep mourning and avoided public appearances. As a result of her seclusion, republicanism temporarily gained strength, but in the latter half of her reign, her popularity recovered. Her Golden and Diamond Jubilees were times of public celebration.

Her reign of 63 years and 7 months, which is longer than that of any other British monarch and the longest of any female monarch in history, is known as the Victorian era. It was a period of industrial, cultural, political, scientific, and military change within the United Kingdom, and was marked by a great expansion of the British Empire. She was the last British monarch of the House of Hanover; her son and successor Edward VII belonged to the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Captain Edward John Smith, RD, RNR (27 January 1850 – 15 April 1912) was an English naval reserve officer and ship's captain. He was the officer in command of the RMS Titanic and died when the ship sank in 1912. There is a statue to his legacy in Beacon Park, Lichfield and a real ale named after him brewed by the Titanic Brewery of Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. www.titanicbrewery.co.uk

The full version of this article can be found at www.garfysplaceinfo.blog.co.uk

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My first recipe is Mushroom Stroganoff courtesy of BBC Goodfood Magazine February 2012.

Serves 2, Prep 10mins, Cook 20mins

2tsp x Olive Oil
1 x Onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp x Paprika
2 x Garlic Cloves, crushes
300g x Mixed Mushrooms, chopped
150ml x Low Sodium Beef or Vegetable Stock
1 tbsp x Worcestershire Sauce, or Vegetarian Alternative
3 tbsp x Half-Fat Soured Cream
Small bunch of Parsley, roughly chopped
250g x Cooked Wild Rice

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and soften the onion for about 5mins. Add the garlic and paprika, then cook for a minute more. Add the mushrooms and cook on a high heat, stirring often, for about 5mins. Pour in the stock and Worcestershire Sauce. Bring to the boil, bubble for 5mins until the sauce thickens, then turn off the heat and stir through the soured cream and most of the parsley. Make sure the pan is not on the heat or the sauce may split. Cook the rice accordingly and stir through the remaining parsley, then serve with the stroganoff.

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My next recipe is Pork Steaks with Mushrooms & Rosemary, recipe by Gino D’Campo, taken from “The I Diet”.

Serves 4

2 tbsp x Olive Oil
4 x Lean Pork Steaks (approx 120g each)
250g x Button Mushrooms, quartered
2 tbsp x Rosemary Leaves, chopped
½ tsp x Dried Chilli Flakes
Juice of a Large Orange
1 tbsp x Red Wine Vinegar

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the pork for 2mins on each side until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the mushrooms and rosemary to the frying pan and fry for 3mins, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle over the chilli and pour in the orange juice and the vinegar. Bring to the boil. At this point return the pork steaks to the pan and cook over a medium heat for 5mins to allow the meat to finish cooking and the sauce to thicken. Turn the pork halfway through. Season with salt and serve immediately.

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My final recipe is Beef and Wild Mushroom Stew. Recipe by Gino D’Campo, from “The I diet”.

Serves 4

400g x Lean Rump Steak, cut into 2cm cubes
1 tbsp x Plain Flour
2 tbsp x Extra Virgin Olive Oil
200g x Baby Onions
50g x Pancetta, diced
150g x Mixed Wild mushrooms, cleaned and roughly sliced
1 x Large Carrot, cut into 1cm cubes
2 x Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
150ml x Red Wine
1 tbsp x Tomato Paste
400ml x Beef Stock
3 x Rosemary Sprigs
1 x Bay Leaf
Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Preheat your oven to 200C/180C Fan Gas Mark 6. Place the cubed beef in a large bowl and dust with the flour. Heat the oil in a large non-stick flameproof casserole and gently fry the beef for 2-3mins until browned all over. Work in batches if necessary. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the onions and pancetta to the pan and cook for 5mins, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms, carrot and garlic and continue to cook for a further 5mins. Pour in the wine and bring to the boil. Return the beef to the pan, stir in the tomato paste and gently mix well. Pour in the stock a little at a time, stirring as you do so, to create a sauce. Bring to the boil. Tuck in the rosemary and the bay leaf, cover the casserole and transfer to the middle of the oven for 25mins. Remove the lid for the last 5mins to allow the sauce to thicken. Before serving, season with salt and pepper and allow the casserole to rest, out of the oven for 10mins.

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Hope you enjoy!!..... ChefGarfy =D

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