Katie’s my youngest granddaughter and since her mum worked a bit later, on a Wednesday. I was elected for the school run. Besides, my wife, bless her, insisted that they all came to ours on a Wednesday for a proper dinner, as she called it. A proper dinner consists of a joint of some sort, roast potatoes, assorted vegetables, Yorkshire puddings and gravy and a sweet to follow.

As I passed through the kitchen the aroma of roasting meat made my mouth water and I asked, ‘Is it Beef?’

‘No it’s lamb, you know Rosie won’t eat beef.’

Shows what I know, I should have remembered about the Beef. By the way, Rosie is Katie’s elder sister, a lovely and loving girl of eleven, but oh what a fussy eater. I was picking her up after I collected Katie.

After a belly busting dinner and they’d all gone home, I helped with the washing up – no I’m not kidding – then returned to my little box, to continue with my story, It’s about a girl who longs for a horse. Anyway I opened up the file and for the life of me, couldn’t think of a thing to write.

While I stared at blank page the title of an old song popped into my head. Sad or what?

‘Boiled Beef and Carrots.’

Boiled Beef and Carrots, boiled beef and carrots,

That's the stuff for yer Derby Kell

Keeps you fit and keeps you well.

Don't live like vegetarians on food they give to parrots.

From noon to night blow out your kite

On boiled beef and carrots.

___

That thought led me to, ‘Any Umberellas,’ another music hall favourite from the past.

___

Toora luma luma, toora luma luma, toora ly aye

           Any umberellas any umberellas to mend today?

           Bring your parasol it may be small, it may be big

           I can mend them all with what you call a thingamyjig.

           Pitter patter patter, pitter patter patter, here comes the rain

           Let it pitter patter, let it pitter patter don't mind the rain.

            I'll mend your umbrellas and go on my way singing

            Toora luma luma toora lye, toora luma luma toora lye

             Any umberellas to mend today?

Then leaving the south behind, my mind drifted – It does a lot of drifting these days – north to the land of my fathers and after all of that, I hadn’t come up with anything for my story and my mind wandered – It does a lot of wandering as well – back to the boiled beef, what does it taste like? And how on earth do you do it? – I told you it wandered. Anyway, I had a word with me 85 year-old Mum and the equally ancient grand dame, and between them, ended up with a recipe for boiled beef and carrots.

Boiled Beef And Carrots

First you have to salt a piece of beef.

Three pound of silverside or brisket will serve 4 to 5 people.

Brine.

4 pints water

¾ lb coarse salt

½ lb dark brown sugar

1 oz saltpetre

1 bay leaf

1 sprig of thyme

5 crushed juniper berries

5 crushed peppercorns

Put all the brine ingredient into a large pan, bring to the boil and continue to boil for 5 minutes. Then leave to cool.

Strain the brine into a basin, immerse the meat in the liquid, and leave for 7 days.

To cook the beef.

2onions, 2 cloves, 3 carrots, 5 peppercorns

and a bouquet garni = (half a bay leaf, 1 teaspoon dry parsley, ½ teaspoon thyme, tied into a piece of muslin)

Method.

Take the meat out of the brine and rinse with cold water.

Put the meat into a pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. If the water tastes very salty, throw away and start again with fresh water.

Add the onions stuck with cloves, sliced carrots, bouquet garni and peppercorns to the pan

Bring slowly to the boil, cover pan and simmer for 30 minute per lb and 30 minutes over.

Can be eaten either hot or cold.

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