Revealed: the recipes that fueled Charles Darwin

For the home cook tired of celebrity chefs, a more intellectually stimulating source of inspiration has arrived.

'Emma was a very underestimated lady. She was no Delia Smith, and didn't even particularly like cooking, but had to feed Darwin, seven children and 12 servants.' Photo: GETTY

A cookbook containing recipes created by Charles Darwin's wife has been published, offering a fascinating insight into the food that fueled the mind of the great naturalist.

The book, which contains guides to making such Victorian favorites as broiled mushrooms and Penally Pudding, is being marketed as the perfect resource for those planning a "credit crunch Christmas".

Traditionally festive recipes include baked apple pudding, cranberry sauce and compote of apples and Italian cream.

The book, which is based on Emma Darwin's original notebook, also contains instructions for cooking rice written by Darwin himself.

Food authors Dusha Bateson and Weslie Janeway compiled the book, recreating and testing the 55 recipes after being given access to archives at Cambridge University, where Darwin studied at Christ's College between 1828 and 1831.

Lady Bateson said they wanted to ensure the contribution made by Mrs Darwin to her husband's career was fairly represented amid a large amount of material being released for the bicentenary of his birth in 2009.

She said: "Emma was a very underestimated lady. She was no Delia Smith, and didn't even particularly like cooking, but had to feed Darwin, seven children and 12 servants. The book shows the methodical approach she had to collecting the recipes she used.

Lady Bateson said the collection stood in marked contrast to the more glamorous approach of some famous chefs today.

"It's good, family cooking designed to feed a large household. Darwin had a lot of illnesses, and I think there's a lot of evidence that suggests he wouldn't have survived without Emma being there to prop him up and keep him going," she said.

"One of my own favorites among the recipes is her suggestion for using pickled walnut mashed up in a sauce for braised beef. It adds a hint of Worcester sauce to the flavor."

- Mrs Charles Darwin's Recipe Book is published by Glitterati Incorporated and priced £17.99.

RECIPE FROM THE BOOK

'French Ragout of Mutton' - described as "food for cold weather"

For the ragout:

Half teaspoon flour

Salt and pepper

One and a half pounds lamb chump, boned, fat trimmed, and cut into generous pieces

One teaspoon sugar

One cup water or stock

Butter for frying

One sprig parsley, chopped

For the turnips:

One pound young turnips, peeled and cut into half inch dice

Butter for frying

1. Season the flour with salt and pepper and place in a plastic bag with the pieces of lamb. Holding the bag closed, give it a good shake so the meat gets coated with the flour.

2. Melt the butter in an ovenproof dish with a lid. Add the lamb and fry over medium heat, turning the pieces so they get evenly browned.

3. Pour in the water or stock and stir, making sure any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan are brought into the sauce. Bring to a boil, add the sugar lump, and simmer for 1-2 minutes.

4. Put on the lid and bake in a 325°F (160°C) oven for about 40 minutes. Test the meat with a knife to see if is tender. If not, give it another 10-15 minutes.

5. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Sprinkle generously with chopped parsley.

6. About 20 minutes before serving, melt a good lump of butter in a large frying pan. Add the diced turnips in a single layer and fry them over medium heat, moving and turning them about so they brown but do not burn.

Season with a little salt and pepper and serve with the lamb. Though this is a very basic way of cooking turnip it is surprising good.

Technorati Tags: History,Darwin,Charles Darwin,Recipes

Machaca Burrito - Christmas Style

I am addicted to Friendfeed. Yes...I said ADDICTED. This Internet is killing me! Where is my life going? ; )

BUT my addiction is YOUR benefit, because one of my FriendFeed friends posted this delicious recipe for Machaca Burrito...CHRISMAS STYLE! So now you have something new to try out this holiday season. Hope you like it!



Christmas-Style Machaca Burrito
(Beef Burrito with Chile Colorado and Chile Verde)


SERVES 4


This simple, overstuffed burrito is typical of those found at local lunch counters across New Mexico. Our recipe is based on ones in two classic Southwestern cookbooks: The Feast of Santa Fe by Huntley Dent (Simon & Schuster, 1985) and The Border Cookbook by Cheryl and Bill Jamison (Harvard Common Press, 1995). The machaca filling—which takes its name from the Spanish verb machacar, meaning to pound or crush—consists of slow-stewed, shredded beef chuck seasoned with pepper, onion, garlic, and lime. In New Mexico, it's customary to order your burrito "Christmas" style all year round, in reference not to the holiday but to the smoky and sweet combination of red and green chile sauces that top the burrito.


3 lbs. trimmed boneless beef chuck
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups Beef Stock
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 small white onions, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup ground ancho chiles
1 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
6 large poblano peppers, roasted, cored,
peeled, seeded, and chopped
6 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
4 large flour tortillas
2 cups grated monterey jack cheese
2 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
1 small red onion, chopped


1. Season beef all over with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown all over, 12–14 minutes total. Add beef stock, one-fourth of the garlic, and one-third of the white onions, stir well, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, until tender, about 3 hours. Remove from heat and set pot aside to let rest, covered, until beef is cool enough to handle. Shred beef with your hands and reserve beef and any remaining cooking liquid in 2 separate bowls; skim off and discard fat from cooking liquid.


2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp. oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add one-fourth of the remaining white onions and one-third of the remaining garlic and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in half of the flour, 1 tsp. of the cumin, and half of the oregano. Cook until fragrant, 3–4 minutes. Add ground chiles and 1 1/2 cups water and whisk together. Increase heat to medium-high and bring just to a boil. Whisk well, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until smooth and thick enough to spoon, 2–3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set chile colorado aside.


3. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add one-third of the remaining white onion and half of the remaining garlic, stir well, and cook until translucent, 8–10 minutes. Stir in remaining flour, cumin, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper and cook for 2 minutes more. Whisk in chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the saucepan. Add two-thirds of the poblano peppers and remaining oregano and stir until well combined. Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until smooth and thick enough to spoon, about 20 minutes. Transfer contents of saucepan to blender and carefully purée; set chile verde aside.


4. Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining white onion and remaining garlic and cook until softened, 3–4 minutes. Add shredded beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 12–14 minutes. Stir in reserved cooking liquid, remaining poblanos, half of the tomatoes, and lime juice. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


5. Working with one at a time, heat tortillas in a large skillet, flipping once, until hot, then fill each with one-quarter of the beef and about 1/4 cup of the cheese. Roll up burritos snugly, tucking in the ends, then transfer to plates and spoon some of the chile colorado and chile verde over them. Top burritos with remaining cheese, remaining tomatoes, lettuce, and red onions.