Holiday Life with A Place Like Home

Farm to Table: Easy British Recipes to make in your

A Place Like Home Kitchen

If you’re a foodie, London is the best city in the world to be in. Whether you’re here for a few days, weeks, or months, you’re sure to have great eating experiences. But, London is also one of the most expensive cities to eat in. Even the simplest meals can set you back a pretty penny, especially if you’re travelling as a family.

 

A great way to save some money if you are visiting London is to book one of the premium holiday flats with A Place Like Home and cook in your well-equipped kitchen. Therefore, you can take advantage of local ingredients from nearby farmers' markets and transform them into your British favourites in the comfort of your own home. 

A well stocked pantry in your flat from A Place Like Home can save you a buck or two.

Hundreds of farmers' markets are embedded like jewels in the city. To trade at a London farmers’ market, the farms where the produce is grown or made must be within 100 miles of the M25 (London’s main highway).

 

South Kensington has a farmers’ market on Tuesdays and Saturdays where you can buy fresh, local ingredients for hearty meals at a fraction of the price of eating out!

 

If you’re happy to venture out further, be sure to visit Alexandra Palace Market in Barnet, Brixton Market, or Borough Market in London Bridge to shop for a fantastic selection of mouth-watering breads and pastries, cheeses, fresh meat, fish, poultry, and other produce, as well as sample foods from around the world at hundreds of stalls.

 

Breakfast at home is the best money-saver; it's quick, easy, and cheap—options include local fruit and yogurt, porridge, fresh breads with jams, and for a lazy morning in, the quintessential fry-up or Full English (traditionally featuring eggs, bacon, and sausage, baked beans, grilled tomato, mushrooms, hash browns, and toast, served with tea or coffee and orange juice!) A Full English for four could cost you anywhere between £35 and £70 in a café or restaurant, and probably won’t be farm-to-table like yours!

 

After a day of sightseeing or shopping, a comforting dinner of beer-roasted chicken and vegetables might be just the thing you need. A pub roast for four could cost you £40-£100 and won’t be nearly as delicious!

 

By now, maybe you’re craving grilled cheese; whip up the local version, aka Welsh Rarebit, it’s pretty scrumptious! Otherwise, four sandwiches could set you back £20-£30.

 

You can also stock your fridge with yoghurt and seasonal berries or British cheeses to be eaten with fruits or oatcakes for quick and healthy snack options.

Your Market Shopping List:

8 Eggs

12 Smoked Bacon Rashers (Choose back bacon)

4 Cumberland Sausages

2 Large tomatoes

400g Button Mushrooms (or any seasonal mushrooms)

1 can baked beans (optional)

Seasonal jam (optional)

1 loaf of granary bread (sliced)

1 large free-range chicken, skin on (ask for this to be quartered)

1kg Assorted vegetables (Carrots, red onion, potatoes, parsnips)

2 x 300ml Beer (choose a local dark ale or stout, for cooking)

Assorted fresh herbs

1 pod garlic

300g strong British cheddar (ask for this to be grated)

100g salted butter

What’s in the your APLH pantry:

Flour

Oil

Salt

Pepper

Ketchup

Worcestershire Sauce

English Mustard

Tea

Coffee

Sugar

Foil

Parchment Paper

Full English breakfast

Serves 4

Ingredients:

8 Eggs

8 Smoked Bacon Rashers (Choose back bacon)

4 Cumberland Sausages

2 Large tomatoes, halved

400g Button Mushrooms, washed and patted dry

1 can baked beans (optional)

4 slices of bread, toasted and buttered

1 potato, grated (for hashbrowns, optional) or cubed for roast potatoes

Seasonal Jam (optional)

5g butter

Method:

Optional: If you’re making the hashbrowns or roast potatoes, grate or cut the potato in 1cm cubes.

For Hashbrowns:

Heat some oil and butter in a fry pan. On medium heat, place all the grated potatoes in small pancake sized piles into the pan, cooking for 5 minutes on either side or until brown.

For Roasted Potatoes:

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Prepare a baking tray with foil or parchment paper. Toss the cubes in 1tbsp of oil.

Place the potatoes on one half of the tray and place the sausages on the other half. Put the tray in the oven, under the grill, for 15 -20 minutes.  

In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes, or until soft and cover.

Heat a fry pan, place the bacon rashers and cook for 5-10 minutes, depending on thickness. Do not crisp.

Place the bacon on top of the sausages and potatoes to keep warm and turn oven off.

In the same pan as the bacon, fry the halved tomatoes skin side up for 2-3 minutes and then turn for another minute. Remove and place in oven.

To the pan, add and heat 1 tsp of oil. Fry eggs to your liking.

Toast and butter the bread. Serve with jam (optional).

Serve all together!

Beer Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 large free-range chicken, (ask for this to be quartered)

300ml Beer (choose a local dark ale or stout, for cooking)

1kg Assorted vegetables (Carrots, red onions, potatoes, parsnips)

Assorted fresh herbs (Rosemary, thyme, and oregano go well with poultry)

1 pod garlic

4 Smoked Bacon Rashers

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Method:

In a bowl, soak the quartered chicken pieces in the beer (for at least 30 minutes up to 24 hours in the fridge).

In the meanwhile, wash the vegetables and cut into large pieces, toss them in 2 tbsp of olive oil (or any available) and season with salt and pepper.

Also wash and roughly chop the fresh herbs, and small the garlic pod.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.

In a roasting tray or dish, place all the vegetables and pieces of garlic.

Remove the chicken from the beer, season with salt and pepper, and wrap each piece with a slice of bacon.  Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and sprinkle with the herbs.

Place the tray in the oven and cook for 1 hour, turning after 30 minutes.

Serve this with some crusty bread and butter and a side salad (Optional)

Welsh Rarebit

Serves 4

And how about one with an egg to top it up?

Ingredients

50g flour

50g butter

250ml beer, warmed

250g strong British cheddar, grated

2tsp English mustard

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

black pepper

4 large slices granary bread

Method:

In a saucepan, on low heat, melt the butter and add the flour. Mix continuously to make a roux. Cook for a few minutes, making sure not to brown or burn the mixture.

Slowly stir in the beer to create a thick, smooth sauce.

Add in the cheese, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce and season with black pepper, creating a thick paste.

Lightly toast and butter the bread on one side. Top the toasts with the cheesy mixture and place under a hot grill until browned.

A Place Like Home offers the well-off traveller choice from the 200  high quality apartments and houses in top London locations such as Kensington, Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Notting Hill, Belgravia and Holland Park.

Feel free to further inquire about how you can get a flat for your family in London through Niloufer's Kitchen via comment, email, facebook or twitter.