Lancashire Day is on November 27 and the annual celebrations are getting underway across the county.

It celebrates the first time elected representatives were sent to parliament in 1295. 

Marketing Lancashire is encouraging people across the country to visit their local high street or town centre and support the brilliant independent local shops and produced.

READ MORE: Lancashire Day 2021: What does it celebrate? 

Why not host a Lancashire themed party and buy fresh local food to go with it? From Lancashire Hotpot to a sweet Ginger Parkin Cake, we have you covered.

We have rounded up all the best recipes inspired by the Red Rose county from Visit Lancashire that are perfect for any event you are planning. 

Nigel Howarth's Lancashire Hotpot

Ingredients

Serves 4

  • 1 kg under shoulder, neck and shin of lamb (Cut into 3-4cm thick pieces) preferably regional lamb, eg
  • Bowland Lamb
  • 700g thinly sliced onions
  • 1kg peeled King Edward potatoes
  • 25g plain flour
  • 40g salted butter, melted
  • 150ml chicken stock
  • 3tsp sea salt
  • White pepper
  • Hotpot dish - stoneware, diameter 8"/21cm, height 3.5"/9cm

Method

1. Season the lamb with 1 tsp of salt and a good pinch of pepper, dust with the flour. Put the lamb into the base of the hotpot dish.

2. Sweat off the onions in 15g of butter with one tsp of salt for 4-5mins (to sweat is to cook without colour in a covered pan, on a moderate to hot temperature). Spread the onions evenly on top of the lamb in the hotpot dish.

3. Slice the potatoes horizontally (2mm thick). Place in a medium size bowl, add the remaining 25g melted butter, season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of white pepper-mix well.

4. Put the sliced potatoes evenly on top of the onions, reserving the best-shaped rounds for the final layer and add the chicken stock.

5. Place the Hotpot, covered in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes on 180-200C (Aga equivalent bottom of the baking oven) then for approximately 2½ hours on 130C (Aga equivalent in the simmering oven).

Lancashire Butter Pie

Ingredients -

Serves 6

For the pastry:

  • 230g Plain flour
  • 50g Butter
  • 50g Lard
  • Salt & Pepper

For the filling

  • 3 Large potatoes
  • 2 Large white onions
  • 150g Butter

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180˚C (fan)/gas mark 6.

2. Sift both the flour and salt into a bowl and stir in 50g butter and lard.

3. Use your fingertips to mix until it resembles breadcrumbs. Gradually pour in some cold water until the mixture begins to look and feel like pastry. Place the mixture into a plastic bag and remove all excess air, then place in the fridge and leave for around 40 minutes.

4. Peel both the onions and potatoes. The potatoes want to be cut into 'slices' rather than cubes.

5. Part boil your spuds and soften your onions.

6. Return to your pastry and pull off a third and set it aside. With your remaining pastry, line a dish.

7. Drain the potatoes and begin to create your Butter Pie. Line the bottom later with potatoes, then onions and little cubes of butter and repeat until the dish is full.

8. Season with Salt & Pepper then use the remaining pastry to form a 'lid' and poke holes through the top.

9. Cook until golden (around 30 mins) and pair it with pickled red cabbage.

Ginger Parkin Cake

From restaurant Millstone at Mellor

Ingredients

  • 900g self raising flour
  • 675g oats
  • 1575g golden syrup
  • 450g black treacle
  • 900g butter
  • 900g light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 18 tsp ground ginger
  • 4 ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 4 ½ tsp ground mixed spice
  • 9 eggs
  • 18 tbsp milk

Method

1. In a large bowl mix flour, salt, ginger, nutmeg, ground spice and oats.

2. In a pan heat up syrup, treacle, butter and sugar until it comes to boil and butter has melted, then mix into dry mixture.

3. Add eggs and milk, mix really well.

4. Place in a lined baking tray and cook at 180c for 1-1 ½ hours until firm on top.

5. Serve warm or cold with ice-cream.

Lancashire Gin ‘Hot Toddy’

Ingredients

Serves 1

  • 50ml Cuckoo Gin
  • Teaspoon of Honey
  • Lemon Juice
  • Boiled Water 75ml
  • Cinnamon stick to garnish

Method

  1. Put 1tsp of honey and 50ml of Cuckoo Spiced Gin in a mug or
  2. heatproof glass. Add the cinnamon stick then top up with just-off-theboil water. Stir in just enough lemon juice to balance the sweetness of the honey. Drink as soon as it doesn’t burn your lips.

A Gin twist

A couple of crushed juniper berries will add an aromatic piney and citrus hit. Try a slice of apple in the drink. It will soak up the flavours, soften in the heat, and can be eaten when you get to the end – a bit like mulled cider.

Notes

Use water that is just off the boil. Putting a spoon in the glass will prevent it cracking as you pour the water in. Use a lightly flavoured honey so it doesn’t make your toddy taste like cough mixture. Drink while it is still quite hot – it will be more soothing that way. Do not take at the same time as any other medicine.

Roast Lancashire Wood Pigeon

Chef, Chris Bury at The Cartford Inn

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 plump wood pigeons

200g of Bury black pudding

Thyme Garlic

100g butter

3 cooked Jersey Royal potatoes

1 cooked carrot

1 raw red beetroot

200g Girrole mushrooms

2 white and 2 green asparagus spears

100g Garden peas

1 red onion

25ml good red wine

100ml beef stock

Method

1. Pre- heat oven to 200 C.

2. The pigeon should be plucked, drawn and ready for roasting (ask your butcher for oven ready whole birds).

3. Heat a heavy all metal pan well with a small amount of oil.

4. Season the birds with salt and divide the black pudding and stuff the cavity with it.

5. Place the pigeon in the pan and seal all over to a brown colour to help develop flavour.

6. When this is done pop the butter into the pan and wait for it to turn to a light brown.

7. Add the thyme and garlic then spoon that butter over the pigeon achieving a deeper brown baste on the breasts and legs.

8. Put the pan in the oven and roast for 12 minutes removing half way through for another quick baste.

9. Remove the pigeon from the oven, drain off the fat from the pan ( do not clean ) turn upside down on the breasts to let the juices seep into the breasts and rest for 5 minutes.

10. At the same time as cooking the pigeon pan-fry the chunky diced vegetables in a little oil in a separate pan just till you gain a little colour then place in the oven for 6 minutes.

11. Remove from the oven and season with salt.

12. Take the pigeon off the pan. The pan should have some juices from the pigeon in it, with this you are going to make a little sauce.

13. Heat up the pan add the red wine and reduce then add the beef stock and also reduce slightly.

To dress the plate, position the pigeon in the middle and arrange the roasted vegetables around the outside, drizzle the sauce over the bird and around the plate. The pigeon should be nice and pink inside and be sure to scoop the black pudding out.

Enjoy with a glass of claret!