10 November 2022
Discover More Than Yorkshire puddings in Elaine Lemm's new cookbook
Esteemed food writer and former chef Elaine Lemm originally hails from Yorkshire and following a career that has seen her running cookery schools in France, Yorkshire and Tuscany, she returns to her roots with her new cookbook, More Than Yorkshire Puddings. Following the success of her first cookbook The Great Book of Yorkshire Pudding, she was keen to revisit the rich history of Yorkshire food with a collection of recipes drawing on all the produce, ingredients and landscape that make Yorkshire so unique.
The book contains over 100 of Elaine’s recipes ranging from legacy recipes such as Roasted Rhubarb & Vanilla Crumble and Yorkshire Curd Tart, to recipes inspired by her travels, including My Favourite Dhal and Spicy Goat Stew. All of which serve to demonstrate that Yorkshire food has more to it than just Yorkshire puddings, however delicious they may be!
Why do you think Yorkshire has such a rich and exciting food scene?
There are lots of reasons why Yorkshire has such a vibrant food scene: we’re naturally outgoing people and will give things a go and there’s an eclectic mix of people with a strong ethnic scene. We’re a real melting pot.
The landscape helps too. Not unlike Tuscany, we have the coast, moors, and cities with a wealth of things going on. Historically Yorkshire has always had the big houses too. My Grandmother, Nanny Lemm, worked as a head chef in one of the country piles, hence some of the legacy recipes in my book.
We also have a strong sense of who we are in Yorkshire and we’re proud of that.
Of which recipe in the book are you most proud?
For presentation it would have to be the Game pie, having used a beautiful pie tin from London cook shop Divertimenti, but overall, I am most proud of my Yorkshire Pudding recipe. In my family we’ve had fierce competition around Yorkshire puds with my Mum uttering at one point, “I didn’t need your gadgets to make my Yorkshire puds”! However, my recipe has now had nearly 500,000 views on YouTube and I’ve had thousands of letters thanking me for it; one from a Navaho Indian who recreated it back at home in America!
Which chefs/cooks have you been most influenced by?
I met Madame Grande, an 80-year-old plumber’s wife, when I was living in France, and she was by far the most influential person in my culinary life. Not only did she teach me the French classics, but she reignited a passion within me and helped me to reconnect with food. She taught me how to cook with love and just how important it is to cook and care for your family.
What is your favourite recipe to cook from the book?
My husband Ron would say that it has to be the Cheese and Onion Flan – ‘the best tart ever’. A recipe from my school days, it’s really nourishing and comforting, and we tend to serve it with homemade chips or new potatoes and salad.
Who would you invite to a fantasy dinner party?
I would love to have shared a bottle of wine with Keith Floyd. I loved his whole ethos around food. Stanley Tucci would also need to be there. His appreciation of food and where it comes from and the sharing of food around the table with family and friends is inspirational.
Elaine’s book is published by Great Northern Books. For more information visit: https://www.gnbooks.co.uk/product/more-than-yorkshire-puddings/
