The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook (5 page)

During the Crawley girls’ childhoods and teenage years at Downton Abbey, it’s likely that the Earl and Countess of Grantham would have offered their guests fancy homemade crackers, rather than those easily bought at a market. After all, what is the point of having a cook if she can’t cook crackers? However, as the years wore on and ingredients became scarce thanks to the war, the Crawleys may have allowed Mrs. Patmore to use store-bought crackers as long as her other food continued to be excellent.

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 teaspoon kosher salt

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teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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teaspoons rosemary leaves, chopped

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teaspoon garlic powder

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cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

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teaspoon baking powder

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cup unsalted butter, chopped

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cup whole milk

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
   
2. Pulse oats in a food processor until chopped and fine. Add salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic powder,
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   cup flour, baking powder, and butter. Pulse until mixture turns into coarse bread crumbs. Pour in milk and pulse until the ingredients combine to form a dough, approximately 45 seconds.
   
3. With a rolling pin, roll dough until it’s
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   -inch-thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut about 50–60 squares. Place squares on lightly greased baking sheets and bake for about 15–20 minutes or until crackers are lightly browned on the bottom. Transfer crackers to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before serving.
   

Invitations to a formal dinner should be sent at least seven to ten days before the event and should be replied to within a week of receipt. Unless there is illness, it is considered bad form to reject a dinner party invitation.

As it presents great flavor with little fuss, this elegant and simple hors d’oeuvre would likely impress the opinionated but well-meaning Lady Rosamund Painswick. Perhaps Lady Rosamund would offer these to Lady Mary while encouraging her to wait to answer Matthew’s first marriage proposal, slyly suggesting that Lady Mary must prepare herself for a life of tiny yet nonetheless fantastic tastes.

1 cup cream cheese

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 large English cucumber, cut into 15–20 slices

1 teaspoon kosher salt

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teaspoon fresh ground pepper

4
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ounces caviar

1. In a small bowl, thoroughly mix together cream cheese and lemon juice. (If cream cheese feels too thick, try adding 1 tablespoon of sour cream.)
   
2. Top cucumber slices with cream cheese and lemon juice mixture. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Place a dollop of caviar on top of each cucumber slice, and serve.
   

Nothing tastes better with caviar than champagne or Prosecco — though Lady Rosamund would never serve Prosecco to her guests when champagne is an option! If you’d like to diminish the salty flavor of the caviar, try serving some of Mrs. Patmore’s Rosemary Oat Crackers (see recipe in this chapter) along with the cucumber slices, as the rosemary in the crackers will help lessen the intensity of the caviar taste.

When discussing the possibility of ending the harsh entail, the Dowager Countess would happily offer these filling French puff pastries to Matthew Crawley. As “Vol-au-Vent” translates to “blown by the wind,” it’s likely that the Dowager Countess (not to mention the Countess of Grantham) wishes that the entail could be easily blown away by a simple change in the weather! However, the ladies will have to make do with these delicious tarts, as Matthew can offer nothing but bad news.

11 ounces frozen puff pastry, thawed but very cold

1 large egg, room temperature

1 tablespoon water

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 garlic cloves, diced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup whole milk

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cup heavy cream

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. On a clean, well-floured surface, roll out the pastry so it is
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   -inch thick. Using a 2
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   -inch pastry cutter, cut nine circles. Then, using a 1
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   -inch pastry cutter, make an indent (not all the way through) in the center of each pastry circle.
   
2. Place cut pastries on a baking sheet and cover. Chill in refrigerator for 30–45 minutes.
   
3. Preheat oven to 400°F.
   
4. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and water. Brush the tops of the pastry cases with the egg-water mixture.
   
5. Bake pastries in preheated oven for 40–45 minutes or until golden brown.
   
6. Cool pastry cases on a wire rack. Using a sharp knife, carefully remove lids and scoop out any uncooked filling.
   
7. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in garlic and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3–5 minutes.
   
8. Add thyme and sliced mushrooms to butter-garlic mixture and cover. Let cook for an additional 3–5 minutes.
   
9. Remove lid and whisk in flour, cooking for 1 minute. Stir in milk and cream, and increase the heat. Let mixture boil for 15–20 seconds, then cover and reduce to a simmer for 3–5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
   
10. Carefully fill prepared pastry cases with mushroom filling, then place pastry lids over the filling.
    
11. Lower oven temperature to 375°F. Cook pastries in oven for 10–15 minutes, watching carefully so they do not burn.
    
12. Remove pastries from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
    

A high-quality crisp white wine such as a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc would help the diners’ palates pick up the sophisticated taste of the mushrooms.

While John D. Rockefeller had nothing to do with this dish, it was named for him because he was the richest man at the time, and the chef, Jules Alciatore — who took the original recipe to his grave — wanted to convey the richness of the sauce. It is likely that the American Countess of Grantham would make sure that Mrs. Patmore had a reliable recipe for this beloved — and fancy — American appetizer, making it possible for the Countess to have a taste of home when needed.

48 fresh, unopened oysters, cleaned

2 cups pale ale beer

4 cloves garlic

4 teaspoons sea salt, divided use

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided use

1 tablespoon Pernod

1 cup unsalted butter

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

10 ounces fresh spinach, chopped

10 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

10 ounces Fontina cheese, shredded

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cup whole milk

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons fine bread crumbs

8 slices bacon, cooked

1. Place cleaned oysters in a large stockpot. Add beer, followed by enough water to cover oysters. Add garlic, 2 teaspoons of the sea salt, and 1 teaspoon of the pepper. Bring liquid to a boil, then drain oysters and set aside.
   
2. Once oysters have cooled, break off and discard the top shell. Splash each oyster with a little bit of Pernod, saving
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   tablespoon for future use. Arrange oysters evenly on a baking sheet.
   
3. Preheat oven to 400°F.
   
4. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic, and cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in spinach, followed by the Monterey Jack and Fontina cheeses. Stirring frequently, cook until cheese melts. Add milk, followed by remaining 2 teaspoons sea salt and remaining 1 teaspoon of pepper.
   
5. Spoon sauce over each oyster. Sprinkle oysters again with remaining Pernod. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bacon.
   
6. Bake oysters until bubbly and golden, about 12–15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve.