English Village Life is Alive and Well

Our daughter, husband and family have moved to a tiny English village near us. Here the children attend a little two roomed school and the family have been absorbed into a life in England where time seems to have stood still.

In the village families have lived for generations and many of the villagers are related to each other. Everyone knows everyone else and when there is an event of any kind in the village everyone attends. It is impossible not to feel at home or part of the community.


So when the village wanted to raise funds for the village hall the children from the school collected recipes from everyone and published their own recipe book - and what wonderful reading it makes! Here in the book are the favourate recipes of each family. Many have a little write up such as, " This is the recipe for elderflower champagne which my grandfather (who attended the school from 1911 -1917) used to enjoy during haymaking......."This is the recipe for green pea salad that Dennis was famous for making for local events" "my mother would make a simple fish pie with fish, white sauce and mashed potato on a Friday" to "invented in desperation to find something to make with only the things in the fridge."

I wonder what your favourite family recipe would have been? Here is one of mine.

Lentil and mushroom with cheese
I usually usea cast iron casserole for this so I can fry in it as well. but you can use separate frying pans etc.
2 tablespoons oil
1 chopped onion
1 chopped carrot
2 chopped sticks celery
1 clove of garlic crushed
250g(8oz) red lentils
1 pt water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper.
Mushroom filling
25g marg (1 oz)
250g /8oz mushrooms sliced
2 crushed cloves garlic
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
To Finish 3 oz (75g) grated cheese
Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion carrot and celery and fry for 10 mins until softened. Add the galic, lentils, water, soy sauce and salt and pepper . Cover and simmer for 1 hour until the lentils are tender. You can do this all in the same pot.
While it is cooking you prepare the filling. Fry the mushrooms in melted marge for a couple of minutes add the garlic, parsley , salt and pepper and mix well.
Place half of the lentil mixture in an oiled shallow ovenproof dish and spread the mushrooms over then cover with the remaining mixture. Top with cheese and bake in moderately hot oven. 190F or Gas mark 5 for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with crusty bread and green salad.
I have been making this for years and the family love it.
Click here to see our website, Cutlery and Catering for everyone who loves to cook and eat