Yorkshire Savoury Ducks

Most people in the South of the UK will probably be thinking "what on earth is a savoury duck?". A savoury duck is what the endearing folk oop north call a faggot. It does get a bit confusing though because there is absolutely no duck meat whatsoever in a faggot as it is usually made from pork off-cuts and offal.

Traditional faggots, sorry savoury ducks, are wrapped in caul fat, which is like a spiders web of fat that surrounds the internal organs of the beast. You can see some pictures of caul fat by clicking here. Now caul fat is not something you will get in your local supermarket, indeed a butcher will probably have to order it in unless you get your meat direct from the abattoir, and as it is our last day on holiday here in Yorkshire I have a cat in hell's chance of getting some. We are staying on t' moors so it is kind of appropriate that my savoury ducks are not made from pork but lamb instead (just to add more confusion to the pot).

Ingredients:

500g Lamb mince
160g Lamb liver
4x Anchovy fillets, chopped
1x Small onion, finely diced
1x tbsp Fresh oregano (you can use dried but use a little less)
1x Slice bread, leave it out to go stale then grate into crumbs
1x Garlic clove, crushed
1x Egg


Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients together and form 16 round savoury ducks in your hands.
2. Place the ducks in a roasting tin and pop in a preheated gas mark 4 oven for about 40 minutes, turning half way through.
3. Plate up with mushy peas, mash and onion gravy.


Onion Gravy Recipe:
(also available here)

Ingredients:

2x Large red onions, sliced
1x tsp Sugar
1x tbsp Plain flour
1x Lamb stock cube, made up with 500ml hot water
2x tsp Marmite
Oil for frying


Method:

1. On a low heat on the hob cook the onions and sugar until caramelised, for about 25-30 minutes.
2. Stir in the flour and cook through for another couple of minutes.
3. Add the Marmite and stock then bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.

Yorkshire Fat Rascals

Fat rascals are a type of fruit scone that originated in Yorkshire in the 1800's. Traditionally they are topped with almonds and cherries but as Mrs Larry doesn't like almonds, and isn't particularly fond of cherries either, I've topped mine with left over cranberries from our Wensleydale and Cranberry Mash the other night. As the name suggests the scones are full of a big blob of fat in the form of lard but if you are a vegetarian please substitute the lard with an equal amount of butter. I don't often bake cakes as we could easily be a bunch of fat rascals ourselves, but these are 'reight tasty' and were well worth doing as a holiday treat. We are in Yorkshire after all.

Ingredients:

150g Plain flour
150g Self raising flour
1tsp Baking powder
65g Lard, diced
65g Butter (unsalted), diced
150g Dried fruit mix
1/2tsp Cinnamon powder
1/2tsp Nutmeg powder
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
100g Caster sugar
50ml Milk
2 Eggs, beaten
Dried cranberries


Method:

1. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl.
2. Add the butter and lard and work it through the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Pour in one of the beaten eggs and the milk followed by the dried fruit, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon and orange zest, and sugar. Mix well.
4. Pull the dough apart into 6 large pieces (or 8 smaller) and form into rascals with your hand.
5. Place the rascals on some grease proof paper on a baking tray then brush the tops with the remaining egg.
6. Finish off with a sprinkling of cranberries then pop in a gas mark 6 preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Watch the temperature of that caravan oven though as the tops of the rascals can easily burn with the bottoms remaining a bit soggy.
7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving with real butter.


Tip:
They will be quite crumbly when served hot from the oven but if you allow to cool they will take on a denser texture, just like cold scones.