For comparison & for purposes of research you understand I felt compelled to try a “Slug Burger” at the Slug & Lettuce by the river in Richmond.

A moist organic burger, nicely presented with the onion ring perched on the mushroom stalk, tasty bbq sauce and a whole basket of chips.

From the Menu “SLUG ULTIMATE BEEF BURGER, With mushroom, Cheddar, bacon, beer-battered onion rings and a BBQ sauce.  All of our beef burgers are made with 100% British organic beef and served with seasonal salad leaves, gherkin, tomato, red onion and fries. Our beef burgers are available in two sizes — single £10.45 or double £12.45.”  Pic below shows the single.

Slug Ultimate Burger

Dropped into The Arc in Headingley, Leeds for lunch between meeting’s recently and tried out an Arc Burger, lots of burger, nice juicy meat, tasty bbq sauce and great onion rings, served with a nice mini bucket of chips on the side.  It was very good and reading the blurb in the menu they source locally.  Friendly, fast service, great spot for lunch.  Couldn’t tell you what the beer was like as it was coke only for me!!

From the menu “The Guv’ner 12oz £10.95, Our iconic double burger coated in melted, Monteray Jack, smoked BBQ sauce, bacon & mayo topped with onion rings.”

The Guvnor Burger

Really simple and fun recipe for Homemade Pizza and great to make with the kids.  Takes a little time but it’s fun and very tasty!  adapted from Delia Smith’s basic pizza dough from How to cook book 1.

Pizza Base Ingredients:-

• 12oz/350g plain white flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons dried yeast
• 1 teaspoon golden caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8fl oz/240ml warm water
• dusting of polenta or semolina to roll out

Method:-

• warm flour for a few mins in oven
• add flour, salt, sugar & yeast to bowl
• add olive oil and water and mix to a dough with wooden spoon/hands
• knead dough on a chopping board for 2 or 3 minutes then transfer to a bowl and cover with lightly oiled cling film
• leave to rise for approx 1 hour at room temperature or until roughly doubled in size
• knock back the dough, that is whack it and knead to get all the air out
• pull off into a smaller ball for your preferred pizza size and start stretching into shape
• dust your chopping board & rolling pin with polenta or semolina and roll out as thin as you prefer with slightly thicker edges
• add pizza sauce and toppings of your choice (see below) and bake for approx 10 minutes on a preheated baking sheet at 450F/230C,  gas mark 8, top of the hot oven in an Aga and enjoy

Tomato Pizza Sauce Ingredients:-

• Tin chopped tomato’s
• 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped or put through your garlic press
• fresh oregano or basil or a teaspoon of dried mixed herbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or a good glug from the bottle!

Method:-

• place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil and simmer for a couple of minutes or until reduced into a good pizza sauce consistency, put on one side ready to make your pizza
• prepare your pizza toppings and place into small individual bowls or ramekins ready to design your pizza
• toppings may include  some or all of the following, sliced olives, whole or halved olives, sliced mushrooms, sliced red and green peppers, salami, pepperoni, chorizo, ham, chicken, sweetcorn (uggh),  thinly sliced chilli, Italian bottled artichoke hearts, olive oil, cheese, Cheddar, Red Leicester, Mozzarella, Ricotta, Parmesan, whatever cheese you have or prefer
• once you have your base prepared brush on some pizza sauce and then let everyone design their own pizza from your prepared selections.

Our most recent Hogroast was at Bentham Auction Mart, a full hog served with apple sauce & stuffing, green salad, coleslaw and potato salad and Classic Pork Sausages and Burgers.  It was a full day as the Hog had to go on at about 10am to ensure it was cooked through for serving at 6.30pm and to guarantee that fantastic crispy crackling!  Our Classic Pork bangers and burgers were also served along with the pork sandwiches.

Rib Eye Steak from Paganum Farmers Market

Simple Rib-eye steak with a homemade savoury butter similar to a Maitre d’Hotel Sauce.

First buy your quality Yorkshire Dales steaks from www.paganum.co.uk, here we are using the butchers favourite Rib-eye, approx 8oz or 250g each and about an inch thick.  Always let your steak warm a little by taking out of the fridge at least half an hour before you start cooking. 

Ingredients for the Maitre d’Hotel Sauce:-

• 4oz local butter, diced and softened but not melted
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley or chives
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Dash Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Its best to make the butter a couple of hours before you need to use it so it can chill and harden in the fridge.  soften the butter and mix with the chives/parsley, garlic, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, mustard, Worcestshire sauce and black pepper & salt to taste.  Roll into a log or roll and cover with cling film and put back in the fridge to harden,  after a couple of hours you can cut coin sized pieces of the butter.

To cook the steak brush with olive oil and fresh black pepper add to a HOT heavy pan, griddle or BBQ and sear, turn over and brush the other side with oil and pepper and sear again, then reduce the heat and cook for the required time.

2-3 minutes on each side for Rare, 3-4 mins each side for Medium and for Well Done reduce the heat and cook for 8-10 minutes, the most important bit is then let your steak REST for at least 5 mins, put on a plate and cover with tin foil and rest for 5 to 10 minutes.  To finish add a couple of the coins of butter on top of the steak and allow to melt or flash under the grill quickly.

The Maitre d’Hotel Sauce sauce has parsley and the chive version is more of a savoury butter.