Branston Pickle

[Carrot Top]

I've been reading far too many mystery novels where the protagonists travel from British pub to British pub, drinking and eating instead of getting on with solving their cases.

When I saw a jar of Branston pickle relish staring at me from the grocery store shelf, I had an intolerable urge to buy it.

I am full of cheese and pickle sandwiches now, and there is still lots of relish left.

What can one do with Branston pickle besides cuddling it up alongside cheese in a sandwich? Anything?

[andiesenji]

Well, I like it stirred into fried rice, or noodles.

Anyplace you use chutney, you can use this.

[Carrot Top]

That's what I thought, too.

But I'm still hoping to get a secret recipe passed down from generation to generation for Branston pickle souffle or something like that though. One can always dream.

[Bernice Hurst]

That's what I thought, too.

But I'm still hoping to get a secret recipe passed down from generation to generation for Branston pickle souffle or something like that though. One can always dream.

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Or create one as a legacy of your own.

[David Naylor]

That's what I thought, too.

But I'm still hoping to get a secret recipe passed down from generation to generation for Branston pickle souffle or something like that though. One can always dream.

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make a pan of scrambled eggs, (ensure eggs are of a very runny consistency) fold in a good handful of crumbly Lancashire cheese then just before serving stir in a couple of spoons of Branston Pickle - make sure it is the chunky variety. Serve generous quantities atop well buttered lightly toasted crusty farmhouse bread.

a difficult dish to pair with wine due to the egg and the acidity of the pickle but perfect after a session on the beer In my earlier days when i spent my time with relations on their farm in Garstang, Lancashire they made unpasturised Lancashire cheese, this coupled with eggs a plenty and a wonderful bread oven meant the only thing we had to source from elsewhere was the Branston (Booths supermarket) oh and the Vimto

[Andy Lynes]

Fish finger and Branston Pickle sandwiches made with cheap supermarket white bread. I haven't had one of those in about 20 years. Now could be the time.

[TheBacchus]

Fish finger and Branston Pickle sandwiches made with cheap supermarket white bread. I haven't had one of those in about 20 years. Now could be the time.

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YES! Warbutons Toastie - extra thick, a few of the captains fingers and branston pickle. If feeling particularly fiendish throw a dollop of mayo on as well

[Andy Lynes]

I always thought there was an amuse bouche lurking somewhere in that "recipe" - maybe chef Nuno at Bacchus is the man to unearth it?

[ravelda]

Sous-vide fish buttie with a branston pickle foam - nice!

[RDB]

Paul Kitching at Juniper uses Branston in a few of his dishes, I think I remember having a cheese risotto, hollandaise and branston............

[Blether]

What can one do with Branston pickle besides cuddling it up alongside cheese in a sandwich? Anything? 

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Serve it with sausages; in a sausage sandwich (British bangers, split lengthways, in your choice of bread); on burgers; in a cheese toasted sandwich. Stir it into curry for extra tang and depth.

[Matthew Grant]

I used to eat it spread on buttered toast.

[markemorse]

What can one do with Branston pickle besides cuddling it up alongside cheese in a sandwich? Anything? 

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Serve it with sausages; in a sausage sandwich (British bangers, split lengthways, in your choice of bread); on burgers; in a cheese toasted sandwich. Stir it into curry for extra tang and depth.

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Ah, Blether beat me to it: you've got to try it on a burger.

[Carrot Top]

With all these excellent suggestions, it looks like I may have to go buy at least several more jars of Branston pickle.

Yesterday, the place where I live was touched by horror, by the darkness that can suddenly appear without warning from the human soul. I live in the small town "nestled in the hills of the Blue Ridge mountains" as the television folks are saying where a student went on a rampage in the university in a building two blocks from where I live, that I gaze upon from my window. 33 dead amd 28 injured.

At times like these one is not hungry, really.

But if anything can counter, in way of warm assurance, that the opposite of this darkness does exist in the human soul when one wonders what does, what *can* be counted on - It *is* actually Branston pickle. And many other pickles, and many other things we cook and eat and offer each other to eat. They are real, and they are good.

To log in yesterday and read your posts, posts from people I do not really "know" in person, posts from people far across wide ocean, and separated by many other things in the ways that we are people, meant a lot to me, yesterday. And does today, too.

These offerings typed out on the virtual page show the opposite of darkness, in all ways.

Thank you.

And soon, I *will* try each and every recipe above.

Maybe even the foams.

[andiesenji]

I thought of another - a real comfort food -

bacon, fried crisp and crumpled, mixed with a little Branston pickle

then dollops added to an nice bakedd macaroni and cheese and run back under the broiler for a minute so the top is bubbly.

It is also good in pork empanadas

or as as substitute for salsa in carnitas tacos.

Edited April 17, 2007 by andiesenji (log)

[Blether]

Oh yeah, and it's a good way to make a corned beef sandwich interesting. Thanks for the inspiration - made up in today's (sponge-and-dough method) home-made rolls:

- but with my own fruit chutney that's very like (but better than !) Branston

[Carrot Top]

Sounds like a good potential brand name: "Better than Branston".

When I make corned beef, after the initial cooking it gets put into the oven with a chutney glaze to bake for an additional half hour to forty-five minutes. The Branston pickle would be excellent for this. Corned beef is very good this way - it removes the sort of floppish tame-ness that can make too much corned beef rather dull. Leftovers disappear very very quickly with this recipe.

[Fibilou]

Now, don't get me wrong, I ADORE Branston (but only the chunky version - smooth seems to completely defeat the object of calling it pickle) but for me it's got to be in either a cheese or a ham sandwich with thick white bread. Nothing fancy.

[Blether]

When I make corned beef...

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I was of course referring to the wonderful corned beef of Messrs Libby, McNeill & Libby

Or cold roast pork. Or...

[Carrot Top]

I thought of another - a real comfort food -

bacon, fried crisp and crumpled, mixed with a little Branston pickle

then dollops added to an nice bakedd macaroni and cheese and run back under the broiler for a minute so the top is bubbly.

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Delicious, andiesenji. But somehow the image of that children's story where the guy goes to sleep under a tree only to awaken years and years later rises to mind when I think of chowing down upon this. Comfort food, indeed. Perfect for eating then taking a lovely nap.

Actually that sounds right up my alley. It is the Life to Work Towards, in my opinion

I was of course referring to the wonderful corned beef of Messrs Libby, McNeill & Libby 

Or cold roast pork.  Or...

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Please don't set the Messrs upon me for my unguarded remarks on *some* corned beefs. They sound large, the Messrs, and I am sure their corned beef is everything it should be.

Roast pork. From a roast made *with the ribs left on* (a thing becoming more and more difficult to find, here ). On one of those rolls you made. With some nice meltable cheese layered in. With some Better than Branston pickle. Heated in the oven.

(I wonder if Branston goes in potato salad as we use the simpler sweet pickle relishes here in "Southern Potato Salad". Might need some additonal spices to balance. "Curry powder" and/or fresh cilantro maybe.)

[Carrot Top]

More info on Branston pickle (for those of us just learning the course ):

Wiki on Branston

Branston pickle is made from a variety of diced vegetables, including swede (rutabaga), onions, cauliflower and gherkins pickled in a sauce made from vinegar, tomato, apple and dates with spices such as mustard, coriander, garlic, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, nutmeg and cayenne pepper.

One of the things that fascinates me is the inclusion of "swede" or rutabaga in the recipe. Goodness knows that rutabagas are rarely in short supply. A good use of rutabaga is a hard thing to find.

Here's a recipe for the pickle:

Branston Pickle Recipe

(Important not to include the root or hard top of the rutabaga when chopping. Somehow I think I got a chunk of one in that last jar. Nothing like a rutabaga root to make one wonder what that *is* in one's mouth . . .texture-wise )

A rather gorgeous-looking Ploughman's Lunch:

Ploughman's Lunch

Info from the experts at Crosse and Blackwell:

Pickles and Chutneys and Such Oh My

This most British of ingredients is a rich, deep-brown pickle relish that is essential for making the traditional English butty (sandwich). It contains crunchy vegetables and well-cooked spices that bring out the flavor of cheeses, artisan breads and cold meats and hors d’oeuvres.

With a guide to translation of key terms:

Wonder what a "butty" is (and why you'd put Branston® Pickle Relish on it?). Or why the Brits are "barmy" about Chutneys?

Never fear, the Crosse & Blackwell glossary is here. You'll find enlightening British terms for common cooking ingredients, smashing ideas for entertaining and authentic expressions to drop into your conversations at the next dinner party.

Quick as you can say "Bob's Your Uncle," you'll be having a blinding time.

Taking the biscuit – outdoes everything else and cannot be bettered.

Branston's pickle really does take the biscuit, doesn't it.

Edited April 20, 2007 by Carrot Top (log)

[Blether]

They sound large, the Messrs...

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"Latin American meat-packing glitterati", maybe ?

Roast pork. From a roast made *with the ribs left on* (a thing becoming more and more difficult to find, here  ). On one of those rolls you made. With some nice meltable cheese layered in. With some Better than Branston pickle. Heated in the oven.

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Leg gets my vote. Let them try and get the bone out of that !