NORFOLK RECIPES

Some traditional Norfolk recipes

FLIES IN AMBER

A cold savoury from King's Lynn

Ingredients:

1 hard boiled egg

1/4 pint cream

salt and pepper to taste

potted fish or meat as required

aspic jelly as required

mustard and cress or watercress

Method:

Remove yolk to a small basin. Pound with a wooden spoon to a cream, with cream to soften. Season with salt and pepper. Measure, and add double the quantity of potted fish or meat. Beat till blended. Rinse out some little moulds or coffee cups in cold water. Half fill them with aspic jelly, dissolved according to instructions, and about to set. Leave until set. Shape the meat mixture into tiny balls the size of green peas. Put half a dozen in each mould. Fill up with aspic jelly. When set, unmold on to a flat dish. Dust the tops with a little chopped egg white, and mustard and cress. Garnish round the base with mustard and cress or watercress.

YARMOUTH TOAST

For 4 persons

Ingredients:

4 hard bloater roes

butter as required

cayenne pepper to taste

French mustard to taste

salt to taste

Method:

Place roes in a basin. Pound with butter until in a paste, then season with pepper, mustard and salt. Turn in to small saucepan. Stir till piping hot. Spread on fingers of fried bread, or buttered toast. If the roes were not already cooked, rub then freely with butter and grill them before pounding.

NORFOLK DUMPLINGS

Ingredients:

1/2 pound of plain flour

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon of baking powder

Water

Method:

Mix all the dry ingredients together with enough water to make a firm dough.

Divide mixture into four portions and roll into balls.

Steam for 20 minutes.

SAMPHIRE - often know as "POOR MAN'S ASPARAGUS"

Method:

Wash your samphire well in fresh water.

Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes.

No need to add salt as it grows in salty water.

Once you can suck the flesh from the stalk it is ready.

You can eat it with vinegar as a dish of its own or as a vegetable with any meat dish. It also makes a very nice starter served with olive oil and lemon juice with parmesan shavings sprinkled on the top. (I doubt our Norfolk ancestors would have heard of that one though!!)

Samphire can be picked in Norfolk about the end of July.

The Village Kitchen