All in a nights work

[John Gill]

Last weekend Liverpool celebrated Global Scouse Day,when everyone disagrees on the best method of preparing our national dish. My own method uses lamb rather than the traditional beef. Preparation and ingredients of my dish are a closely guarded secret, but I can reveal I use roasted lamb bones simmered for a few hours for the stock.
The reference to 'bones' recalls when I did a few trips as night cook on Cunard's Sylvania in the 60's. As some will be aware, there were stock pots in the galleys used mainly by the soup and sauce chefs. The two on the Sylvania were enormous, one for meat products,bones etc, the other for fish.
They would simmer away for what seemed weeks until most of the goodness of the stock had weakened. That's when I got the job of emptying them.
They would be switched off during the day and left to cool. When I turned to at night, after feeding all the night crowd- including drunk and hungry American passengers clamouring for double cheese burgers- I would, with the help of step ladders, climb into the now cooled stock pots, drain the stock and remove the contents into containers and toss them over the wall. Refill them with fresh water and switch the power back on. Some of the contents of those stockpots were not always of the edible variety, I've found crockery,cutlery, even a couple of pans.
One of the perks of working nights in the galley was first off on docking day at Liverpool Landing Stage with a suitcase full of goodies and contraband before the rummagers surfaced.

[John Albert Evans]

John,

I to like Scouse very much, when its made with beef its Scouse but when its made with lamb its Cawl which is the Welsh version. This is what i've been led to believe anyway, no doubt others will have their own opinions.

John.

[Dennis McGuckin]

Just last night had a feed of scouse.
At least that's what I call it.
Make it with beef.
Left overs for tonight.
Yummy.

[John Albert Evans]

Either which way you cook it I find it is always better on the second day.

John

[Frederick Lacey]

Prefer Lamb myself.....

BBC Food - Recipes


F.

Enter Scouse Pie.

[Brenda Shackleton]

DEFINITELY lamb.
Our daughters once tipped Italian seasoning (herbs) into it, and called it 'Scouse Provençal'. It was awful. They have all left home now so we have tasty, unadulterated Scouse.
Regards
Brenda.
Wasn't there also, 'Blind Scouse' - no meat ?

[happy daze john in oz]

Could be a cousin of Irish Stew no doubt or genuine MInestrone in Italy where just about anything goes in. Story is it was invented by the mokns so travellers ariving hungry would get a good fullfilling meal.

[John Gill]

#8 that large jar of fat you mention Leratty, would be dripping, which sustained me culinary-wise as a lad. Never got round to hanging my meat. (Bit late now). You mention you're the soup jockey- I've got one on the go at the moment, pea wack: red lentils ( non soak) simmering away in stock from a previously boiled fresh gammon joint,carrots.celery, onions, some garlic and perhaps a bit of chopped leek. I make sure the lentils have completely dissolved as this will thicken the soup and because of the ham stock very little adjustment is needed for seasoning. Bon appetit!

[john sutton]

for the older members of us dripping would be treat to remember.My favourite is turkey dripping but the wife has banned it for health reasons.Here in spain dripping (manteka) is very popular especially at breakfast Usually made from pork or sausages which (gives it a red colour).I was in a restaurant last week where they served pork dripping as a starter.Unfortunately I finished up sharing the wife,s salad.

[Keith Tindell]

I remember dripping on bread, war years and famished , mum reckoned it kept the cold out. In those days I was built like a racing snake but would eat anything put in front of me, kt