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Traditional English Food

(71 Posts)
1summer Mon 21-Oct-24 20:54:08

I need your help. My nephew who I am very close to has married a lovely girl from the Philippines, her sisters are coming over to visit and I have invited them all for a meal.
My nephew has said they would love a traditional English dinner. I am at a loss of what to cook that is also traditional but a bit special that is nice for a dinner party.
Looking for ideas for main course and dessert.
Many thanks.

Grandmabatty Mon 21-Oct-24 21:01:00

Roast beef and Yorkshire puddings? Treacle tart for pudding

Indigo8 Mon 21-Oct-24 21:03:45

Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. You can't get more traditional than that. Some nice roasties, green veg and carrots.
Fruit crumble with cream, ice cream or egg custard.

Bit more special than cottage pie, fish and chips or bangers and mash.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Mon 21-Oct-24 21:06:12

Can’t beat a roast dinner. We take it for granted but it really is delicious cooked well.

MissAdventure Mon 21-Oct-24 21:15:35

It's another vote for a roast, here.

flappergirl Mon 21-Oct-24 21:17:26

Prawn cocktail as a starter served with little gem lettuce in a nice sunday dish. You can tart it up with avocado and don't forget a slice of lemon on the side. Put a whole king prawn or small langoustine on top with head intact.

Or make smoked mackerel pate served in individual ramekins with melba toast and watercress garnish.

Roast beef and Yorkshire for the main. You really can't go wrong with that.

Or you could serve Beef Wellington with Madeira sauce which is very fancy. I think you can order one from Waitrose.

For dessert you could do Eton Mess which is always popular and looks pretty special if served in the right sort of dish.

Alternatively you could do pears poached in wine (there will be recipes online) served with vanilla whipped cream and served with really buttery homemade shortbread biscuits. Keep the pears whole and stand them proud on the plate with some of the reduced poaching liquid drizzled over.

flappergirl Mon 21-Oct-24 21:19:51

Forgot to add, finish with a selection of British cheeses and a couple of good artisan chutneys. When is this? Can I come?

MissAdventure Mon 21-Oct-24 21:34:20

Apple pie and custard would get my vote.

foxie48 Mon 21-Oct-24 21:36:40

I'd do smoked trout as a starter, followed by rib of beef, roasted rare with roast potatoes, British veg like carrots and peas with parsnip puree and Yorkshire puds. For pud it would have to be a really traditional pud like apple tart or a crumble. I've got a freezer full of blackcurrants so I'd use them or perhaps blackberry and apple tart with a proper homemade vanilla custard made with eggs not custard powder.

NotAGran55 Mon 21-Oct-24 21:40:49

Absolutely has to be a roast dinner, apple pie and custard, followed by Gaviscon. I would hate it, but it is traditional!

1summer Mon 21-Oct-24 21:44:48

Thank you lots of good ideas but roast beef seems to be coming up tops.
Ooh puddings - treacle tart sounds good maybe clotted cream. Elton mess, lovely very English. I have some blackberries I picked so maybe pie or crumble,
If I do a starter prawn cocktail a good idea.

1summer Mon 21-Oct-24 21:45:58

flappergirl

Forgot to add, finish with a selection of British cheeses and a couple of good artisan chutneys. When is this? Can I come?

Yes of course, your welcome any time, 😂

midgey Mon 21-Oct-24 22:06:08

Surely it has to be apple crumble for pudding, or even better, apple and blackberry!

Nannarose Mon 21-Oct-24 22:14:30

I would only do a full roast dinner if you are confident that you can get it on the table with all the timing right. I struggle with that!
I think that I might do a chicken and mushroom casserole, with dumplings if you want to be very traditional!
You don't say exactly when they are coming over, but if soon, I wouldn't do Eton Mess with straberries, but have had it done with poached spiced plums. Apple & blackberry crumble is easy & traditional.

You said 'dinner' but I would be tempted to give them a proper 'high tea' which is very traditional, and not found in other parts of the world. A proper piece of ham to carve, maybe smoked salmon (or pork pie!), your cheeseboard would shine (instead of being at the end of a big meal). Some lovely cake, that would be delicious! Also easy to prepare in advance.

Norah Mon 21-Oct-24 22:23:12

Summer pudding is traditional, if you've still nice fruit.

Allira Mon 21-Oct-24 22:33:02

I just looked for a list of traditional British food and on the list with fish and chips, roast beef and Beef Wellington is Chicken Tikka Masala. 🤔

Anniebach Mon 21-Oct-24 22:33:42

Roast beef an£ Yorkshire Apple Crumble to follow

Allira Mon 21-Oct-24 22:33:44

Norah

Summer pudding is traditional, if you've still nice fruit.

With Cornish clotted cream.

Lisaangel10 Mon 21-Oct-24 22:41:04

Beef Olives with seasonal veg followed by syllabub with shortcake biscuits.

grannyactivist Mon 21-Oct-24 23:41:18

CAUTION:
I have hosted many people from abroad and discovered that 50%-90% of Filipinos suffer from lactose intolerance, so maybe think again about serving clotted cream.

Catterygirl Tue 22-Oct-24 00:07:28

My experience of SIL Filipino was fish course for breakfast, lunch and dinner. She didn’t like anything remotely English so glad that your relatives are more adventurous. Roast beef sounds great for me served rare with blood still showing but unfortunately this is forbidden in some regions so what about a simple roast chicken?

Catterygirl Tue 22-Oct-24 00:08:19

Religions even

Shelflife Tue 22-Oct-24 10:32:30

A roast dinner is an obvious choice , but in your situation I would probably opt for a casserole of some sort. Beef or chicken in the slow cooker , lots of meat , onions mushrooms lentils , stock. If it's a luncheon, cook it overnight if an evening meal get it going early morning. Serve with a selection of vegetables and creamy mashed potatoes. A slow cooker gives you the opportunity to amend if necessary, once cooked your liking simply turn it down and forget it till you are ready to serve. Follow this with an apple pie or a crumble . Enjoy your guests .

NotSpaghetti Tue 22-Oct-24 10:54:38

The Philippines is mainly Christian and they eat a lot of pork and fried things. They also have a "sweet tooth"

I know this is a terrible generalisation but my truly lovely daughter-in-law is dual heritage and her family are all in the Philippines.
Apologies.

My next-door neighbour is also from the Philippines and has talked to me extensively about food there. The first time I went over to a party they had pork about 5 different ways including a suckling pig and at least a dozen delicious but very sweet deserts/cakes/puddings

My son lives between the Philippines and California and says he puts on so much weight over in the Philippines with all the fried food and sugary treats that he has to go on starvation rations in America!

So back to your question.
I think a roast dinner is a good idea. I'd probably suggest pork (roast with apple sauce) - but just in case your nephew's relations have a preference for sweet things I'd maybe put a sugar shaker or jar of honey/maple syrup on the table during the puddings.

Oh yes, just thought - rice pudding. That bridges the gap between Traditional British and something familiar.
The people I know love baked puddings (chocolate rice being one).

NotSpaghetti Tue 22-Oct-24 11:00:10

Could you put together a few ideas and ask your nephew's wife what she thinks her family might enjoy most?
I'm sure she'd like to be helpful.

Good point about the dairy. Why not have a choice of puddings?