Celebrate the national saint’s day and ‘go English’ with these two traditional recipes, says Clare Latimer

THIS week we have got the Queen’s birthday and St George’s Day so I think we should keep the recipes very English. Sadly, we are nothing like the Irish or Scots or Welsh in the way they celebrate their saints’ days. We don’t really have any traditional food or drink for the day so I am afraid that you will have to trust me to choose something very English, which is not so easy as our real treat foods such as early potatoes, asparagus and strawberries are not quite ready.
You could make an effort to go to a farmers’ market this week where you can be guaranteed that the produce comes from this country or just read the labels carefully in the supermarkets. If you wish to go to a farmers’ market, the Islington one is near Camden Walk on Sundays between 10am and 2pm, the Swiss Cottage one is at the O2 centre off the Finchley Road is on Wednesdays between 10am and 3pm and finally the only other local one is just off the Marylebone High Street on Sundays from 10am and 2pm.

TOAD IN THE HOLE
The sausages are very important in this dish so choose carefully as there are many lovely flavours and if in doubt, the Duchy products are always a good bet.
They may be a bit pricey but remember you get what you pay for.
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
450g pork sausages;
A little oil;
One pint of milk;
175g of plain flour;
A little salt;
Two eggs.

METHOD
Preheat the oven 220C 425F Gas 7. Separate the sausages and put into a good roasting tin with a little oil to prevent them sticking and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until they are browned.
To make the batter put the rest of the ingredients into a blender and whizz on high for about 30 seconds. Make sure no pockets of flour stick to the sides. Set aside and stand for about 15 minutes.
When the sausages are browned, turn them over and then pour the batter into the roasting dish and cook in the oven for a further 20 minutes or until the batter is well-risen and golden brown.
Serve with gravy and perhaps some fried onions or stir-fried shredded cabbage.

ENGISH TRIFLE
You can make a trifle look wonderful with edible flowers but I like using crystallised petals, which you can buy at the supermarket. They have the purple violet or pink petals and that is the ultimate English look in my view.
Alternatively you can sprinke with toasted almond slices or walnut halves.
If you are in a hurry you could buy ready made custard and then just top with whipped cream and the whole thing would then only take minutes to make.
Serves 8

INGREDIENTS
One packet sponge cake fingers or homemade stale cake;
Two tablespoons of brandy;
A good slosh of ginger wine, or enough to be soaked up the sponge;
Two tablespoons of strawberry jam;
One pint of single cream;
Two beaten eggs;
Two beaten egg yolks;
25g of caster sugar.

METHOD
Spread the sponge with the jam and then arrange in a large glass bowl.
Spoon over the brandy and ginger wine so that it soaks into the sponge.
Bring the cream to near boiling and then stir it well into the beaten eggs. Pour into a double saucepan and with the top pan standing in the water, stir over a gentle heat continuously until the mixture thickens – about 10 minutes – and then remove from the heat and separate the saucepans.
Continue stirring and adding the caster sugar.
Leave to cool and then pour over the sponge and then chill in the fridge. Decorate with edible flowers or piped cream.

Clare’s Kitchen
41 Chalcot Road
Primrose Hill
NW1
Tel: 020 7586 8433
www.clareskitchen.co.uk