The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook, Expanded Edition: From Lady Mary's Crab Canapés to Christmas Plum Pudding—More Than 150 Recipes from Upstairs and Downstairs

Part 1

DINING WITH THE CRAWLEYS

For the Crawleys, dining at Downton Abbey was done with a sense of sophistication and style—even if the family was dining alone—and, in this part, you’ll learn how to dine like those living upstairs. Each chapter denotes a specific course featured in a typical Downton Abbey dinner, granting you the freedom to mix and match courses and their recipes to your—and your guests’—palates. You’ll also find step-by-step guidance for, and recipes to serve at, a proper afternoon tea. All chapters offer etiquette tips, to which you should pay great heed before hosting your first event. After all, you don’t want to offend any prospective suitors!

Chapter 1

HORS D’OEUVRES VARIÉS

The hors d’oeuvres, or appetizers, set the scene and subsequently the entire mood of a formal dinner party. Thus it should come as no surprise that both Mrs. Patmore and the Countess of Grantham would take their hors d’oeuvres very seriously—as would their guests. If the dinner invitation suggested an eight p.m. dinner, it was expected that guests would arrive a half hour early so they could take part in idle chitchat while drinking cocktails and munching on these offerings. After all, many an episode of Downton Abbey begins with the Crawleys fighting or insinuating or laughing among themselves as they drink and snack before Carson announces dinner. An entire argument or proposal could occur in the time it would take for the Dowager Countess to finish her caviar.

Hors d’oeuvres started to become more of an expected and accepted offering in the early to mid-1900s. Indeed, the idea of eating food as a way to whet the appetite started in Russia, where guests partook of caviar, herring, anchovies, and other salty food in a separate room before dinner. Russia was also the birthplace of the Service à la Russe (in the Russian style of dining). While the Earl of Grantham might not like to be associated with Russia, he would not balk at the chance to show off his opulence and his ability to provide not just an extravagant meal but an extravagant array of snacks (expensive caviar and decadent oysters were standard offerings). Sometimes, however, depending on the number of people and the lateness of the hour, hors d’oeuvres would be served at the dinner table with the guests already seated. But no matter where the hors d’oeuvres were served, they would be served with Chablis—and at Downton Abbey you know they’d also be served with a wry sense of humor and plenty of witty repartee.

Grilled Oysters with Lemon Garlic Butter

As oysters and caviar were the most common appetizers offered before a large meal, the Earl and Countess of Grantham—along with their children—would know not to eat oysters with their fingers but with a fork. After all, one incorrect move and the Dowager Countess would have a field day complaining about her family’s manners.

Yields 4–6 Servings

11/4 cups unsalted butter

2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1 tablespoon minced parsley leaves

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lime juice

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced chives

1 teaspoon minced shallot

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

25 shucked oysters, half of each shell reserved and washed

1. Mix together all ingredients other than oysters in a large bowl, then place mixture on a piece of plastic wrap, rolling it to form a stiff log. Freeze until firm.

2. Move oven rack to middle of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F.

3. Place washed oyster shells on a baking sheet. Top each shell with one oyster. Remove the butter log from the freezer and unwrap, slicing it into 25 rounds. Place each round on top of an oyster.

4. Put oysters in oven and cook about 10–15 minutes until they are cooked through, curled around the edges with bubbling butter. Do not overcook. Oysters should be served in shell.

TIMES GONE BY

In the decade preceding World War I, Lady Jeune, Baroness St. Helier, a well-known socialite and self-proclaimed modern woman, revolted against what she saw as outdated customs. She proclaimed, No dinner should consist of more than eight dishes: soup, fish, entrée, joint, game, sweet, hors d’oeuvres, and perhaps an ice; but each dish should be perfect of its kind. Luckily, this dish counts as an hors d’oeuvre and makes the cut!

The Countess of Grantham’s Moules en Sauce

This French recipe, enjoyed frequently by those visiting the Breton coast, would be a fancy, yet easy-to-make appetizer that the Countess of Grantham would offer when Matthew Crawley and his mother first visit, as it is sure to please even those whom she has yet to really know.

Yields 4 Servings

1/2 cup light Bacardi rum

1 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large onions, peeled and sliced into rings

2 medium celery stalks, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

8 cups mussels, cleaned and debearded

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs fresh thyme

Kosher salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

6 tablespoons heavy cream, divided

Sprigs of thyme, for garnish

1. In a small bowl, mix together rum and wine and set aside.

2. Melt butter over medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Add onions, celery, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Stir occasionally until the onions are transparent.

3. Place mussels in pan and stir. Once the mussels begin to release their juice, pour the wine-rum mixture over them. Stir in bay leaves and thyme, then add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Once the mussels have opened, add 2 large tablespoons cream into the sauce. Pour mussels and sauce into 4 small bowls, then, to each bowl, add another tablespoon of cream and thyme for garnish.

Etiquette Lessons

To clean your mussels, be sure to discard any mussels that are broken or open. Before cooking, soak your mussels in water for 20–25 minutes. To remove a mussel’s beard, hold the mussel in one hand, then cover the other hand with a dishcloth. Grasp the beard with the dishcloth and yank toward the hinge edge of the mussel, not toward the opening end of the mussel. Place debearded mussels in another bowl of clean, cold water and use a firm brush to scrub off any remaining sand or attachments on mussels.

Smoked Salmon Mousse

A more modern appetizer that the Dowager Countess would both detest for its modernity and enjoy for its taste, this is a take on the better known dessert mousses and jellies. However, we can rest assured that Mrs. Patmore would not offer this modern mousse on the night that the Dowager Countess first meets Matthew Crawley—the dear Dowager Countess is in a bad enough mood already.

Yields 10–12 Servings

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

1/2 cup boiling water

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 drops hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups poached salmon, flaked into minute pieces

2 tablespoons capers, drained

1 cup whipped cream

10–12 (1"-thick) baguette slices, toasted

Sprigs of fresh dill, for garnish

1. Soften gelatin in cold water. Add boiling water and stir well, making sure to thoroughly dissolve gelatin.

2. Let cool thoroughly, then stir in mayonnaise, lemon juice, hot sauce, paprika, and sea salt. Mix well. Fold in salmon bits and capers. Add whipped cream and continue folding until everything is well combined.

3. Pour mousse into a piping bag, then chill in the refrigerator overnight.

4. Pipe mousse onto small baguette slices, arrange on a large plate, top with sprigs of fresh dill for garnish, if desired, and serve.

Suggested Pairings

Although it would be difficult to get some of these ingredients in England back in the early 1900s, try serving this dish with sliced avocados, celery sticks, and olives.

Zesty Mussels in Tomato Garlic Sauce

It was typical in Edwardian times to serve Chablis along with mussel hors d’oeuvres. As many a night at Downton Abbey could erupt thanks to the hot tempers of its inhabitants, and as this is a spicier mussel appetizer than The Countess of Grantham’s Moules en Sauce (see recipe in this chapter), it’s no wonder that wine would serve as both the drink of choice and one of the main ingredients in this spicy dish. This may also be served with sourdough bread to soak up extra sauce.

Yields 2–4 Servings

1 cup white wine

1 cup tomato and clam juice cocktail

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes in garlic and olive oil

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 pound mussels, cleaned and debearded

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. In a large pot, combine wine, tomato and clam juice cocktail, diced tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and add mussels.

2. Cover and continue to boil for 6–8 minutes or until all the mussels have opened. Discard any closed mussels.

3. Remove mussels from liquid and keep warm. Pour off liquid, leaving only about 2 cups. Do not discard garlic if possible. Boil the 2 cups until it reduces to about 11/2 cups.

4. Stir in butter until butter has melted and sauce has thickened. Serve mussels with sauce.

TIMES GONE BY

In seventeenth- and eighteenth-century France, the bourgeoisie—the middle class—were far stricter about manners than the nobility. As there was no king standing nearby to enforce the rules of etiquette, the bourgeoisie saw it as up to them to impose and dictate the rules of civility, which means that they could be considered even worse snobs than their more prestigious counterparts.

Potatoes with Caviar and Crème Fraîche

With another reliable hors d’oeuvres standby, the Countess of Grantham would be sure to wow even the cynical Matthew Crawley with this simple, yet nonetheless delicious treat. After all, if the hostess of Downton could offer such a decadent treat as a mere appetizer, Matthew Crawley would quickly become aware that he was entering a whole other world—one with impeccable food to go with those impeccable manners.

Yields 4–6 Servings

2 dozen fingerling potatoes, washed and halved lengthwise

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons pink Himalayan sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 cup crème fraîche, divided

2 (3-ounce) jars high-quality black caviar (such as Osetra caviar), divided

Fresh chives, minced, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a large bowl, toss potatoes with 2/3 cup olive oil, rosemary, pink Himalayan sea salt, and pepper.

3. Coat a small pan with remaining olive oil. Place potatoes in pan cut-side down. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 45 minutes–1 hour or until potatoes are tender on the inside and golden on the outside.

4. Let potatoes cool slightly, then place on a serving platter.

5. In a small bowl, stir thyme into crème fraîche.

6. Spread each potato with 1/2 teaspoon of crème fraîche mix and 1/2 teaspoon of caviar. Garnish potatoes with chives.

Suggested Pairings

For a different taste, try replacing the black caviar with red caviar. While not quite as expensive and subsequently not as fancy, this will provide your guests with an unusual flavor that they are likely not used to tasting at fancy Edwardian dinner parties.

Lady Mary’s Crab Canapés

While the Countess of Grantham might offer the Potatoes with Caviar and Crème Fraîche (see recipe in this chapter) or her eponymous Moules en Sauce (see recipe in this chapter), she would likely offer more than one appetizer, including these delicious yet light crab canapés. However, Lady Mary, upon learning her entire inheritance is lost to a total stranger, would match the namesake of this dish by acting quite crabby.

Yields 8–10 Servings, or 48 Canapés

48 mini toasts such as Pride of France

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

11/2 cups canned crabmeat

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup cream cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 green onions, finely chopped

1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning

1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

1 dash Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, plus more to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Slather individual toasts with melted butter, thoroughly coating each toast. Place toasts on a lightly oiled baking sheet and toast in oven for 1–2 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, blend crabmeat, mayonnaise, and cream cheese. Once evenly blended, stir in Parmesan cheese, followed by green onions, Old Bay seasoning, sea salt, Tabasco sauce, lemon juice, and white pepper. Stir in more salt and pepper to taste.

4. Spread crabmeat mixture on individual toasts and arrange evenly on a baking sheet. Bake in the middle of preheated oven until puffed, about 10–15 minutes. Serve warm.

TIMES GONE BY

The term canapé comes from the French word for couch. This makes sense if you look at the garnish as a person, sitting on a couch (the bread/pastry). Nonetheless, it is expected that a canapé be salty or spicy, as its job as an appetizer is to increase the guests’ appetites.

Mrs. Patmore’s Rosemary Oat Crackers

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.

Yields 50–60 Crackers

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

11/2 teaspoons chopped rosemary leaves

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup chopped unsalted butter

1/4 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, 1/4 cup flour, baking powder, and butter. Pulse until mixture resembles 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 1/8" thick on a surface sprinkled with remaining flour. 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.

Etiquette Lessons

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.

The Crawley Sisters’ Stuffed Mushrooms

The fun feel and mouthwatering texture of this Italian-based dish make it a classic hors d’oeuvre that everyone—whether upstairs or downstairs—can get behind. While the perceived attitude of the Crawley sisters matches the stuffiness of the mushrooms, a deeper look inside shows that they have warm, perhaps even gooey, hearts—just like these appetizers!

Yields 12 Stuffed Mushrooms

12 whole white mushrooms

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 cup chopped green onions

11/2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 dash Worcestershire sauce

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease a medium or large baking sheet.

2. Carefully clean mushrooms, removing stems. Chop stems extremely fine.

3. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt olive oil and butter. Add chopped mushroom stems, chopped green onions, and minced garlic, followed by Worcestershire sauce. Cook garlic and mushrooms until all moisture has evaporated, being careful to not burn the garlic. Set aside and let cool.

4. When garlic, onion, and mushroom stem mixture is no longer hot to the touch, stir in cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Mixture will be thick and difficult to stir.

5. Fill mushroom caps with a good amount of stuffing. Sprinkle top of each mushroom cap’s stuffing with Italian bread crumbs. Arrange mushroom caps on prepared baking sheet.

6. Bake mushrooms in preheated oven for 20–25 minutes or until mushrooms are extremely hot and liquid starts to form. Cool slightly and serve.

TIMES GONE BY

The extravagant Crawleys actually owe frugality for this delicious dish. It was through a lack of ingredients—but a surplus of mushrooms—that Italian chefs and farmers first came up with the concept of stuffed mushrooms. As the nineteenth century wore on, and Italian restaurants realized that many patrons preferred fancy food to the food you may associate with red-and-white-checkered tablecloths, they started offering stuffed mushrooms delicately arranged on plates and filled with a wide range of vegetables and cheeses. Before the Italians could say Buon appetito, these delicacies were flying off the table and into their patrons’ mouths!

Upstairs Anchovy Onion Tarts

While this tart is a delicious and unique appetizer offering, it’s likely that Lady Mary would stay away from this particular hors d’oeuvre, as it would give her bad breath—and then the charming Pamuk might never want to kiss her.

Yields 10–12 Tarts

For Pastry

11/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsalted butter, chopped into cubes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons cold water, plus more if needed

For Filling

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 large onions, peeled and sliced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage

1 (2-ounce) tube anchovy paste

2 cloves garlic chopped

1/2 teaspoon sugar

4 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1. For pastry: In a large bowl and using your fingers, blend flour, butter, and salt, kneading until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add cold water, stirring until fully incorporated. Once again using your hands, squeeze together a small amount of dough—if it does not hold together, add more water a few teaspoons at a time. Be careful not to overwork mixture.

2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into four equal-sized portions, using the palms of your hands to evenly distribute fat in dough. Gather dough back together, pressing into a ball, then flatten one more time into one 5" disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or until firm.

3. For filling: Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions and sage. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, for 35–40 minutes or until caramelized onions are soft and golden brown.

4. Preheat oven to 375°F.

5. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together anchovy paste, garlic, sugar, tomato paste, and thyme.

6. Roll out chilled dough on a lightly floured surface until dough is a 12–13 disc. Place disc on a large parchment paper–covered baking sheet.

7. Evenly spread tomato–anchovy paste mixture over dough, leaving a 11/2–2 border along pastry edge. Arrange caramelized onions on top of tomato–anchovy paste mixture. Fold edges of pastry over. Bake pastry for 45–50 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm, preferably presliced.

TIMES GONE BY

While the thicker nature of this snack might properly label it an entrée, hosts in the Edwardian era were allowed to vary their hors d’oeuvres offerings, especially if the appetizers in question were served at the table or even between meals. To ward off any raised eyebrows, however, anchovies, a popular hors d’oeuvres standard, are added to this pastry.

Mushrooms Vol-au-Vent

When discussing the possibility of ending the harsh entail, the Dowager Countess would happily offer these filling French puff pastries to