Elevenses with oomph

Why stop for lunch when you could crack on and enjoy the day? Fuel up with Philippa Davis’s delicious ideas for elevenses and you’ll be full in the field until dinner

NOW, this suggestion may not be to everyone’s taste but over these past few seasons an increasing number of my shoot clients have started to request that we go all out on elevenses – and then skip the shoot lunch.

I confess I was bit surprised at first as the shoot lunch is always such a big part

MAKES 24

You will need a mini muffin tin with 24 holes. Depending on the current rules and your set-up, if you are concerned about social distancing you can make up a mixed platter of food for each of the guests to take rather than serving all on one dish.

For this Yorkshire pudding recipe I have included the weights but I usually just use the volume method. This involves cracking the eggs into a cup and measuring the same volume of flour and milk in two same-sized cups, this way it’s easy to scale up or down.

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°f/gas mark 6 and position an oven shelf just above the middle of the oven. of the day, but holding what pretty much amounts to a canapé party out in the field has turned out to be a lot of fun and hugely popular.

It allows both guns and guests to avoid that afternoon post-lunch slump and, of course, should they so wish, the opportunity to return home just a little bit earlier.

Yorkshire puddings

Whisk the eggs and milk together until combined.

Place the flour in a bowl and whisk in the milk mix to combine.

Pour into a jug and rest for 20 minutes. Put half a teaspoon of fat in each of the mini muffin tin holes and place in the heated oven until the fat just starts to smoke, about 5 minutes.

When the fat is smoking hot and the batter has rested fill the muffin holes two-thirds full with batter and bake for 9-10 minutes. They should be puffed up and golden. Leave to cool then remove from the tin.

Meanwhile…

Rub the venison fillet with the thyme and oil and season with salt and pepper.

If you are planning to try this for your shoot I suggest you provide about two each of five different elevenses and maybe one sweet bite for each guest.

The food needs to be packed full of flavour, easily eaten in one or two bites and agreeable to being transported to the great outdoors.

Mustard mayo

To serve Yorkshire pudding

batter

2 medium eggs 85ml whole milk 50g plain flour 3-4 tbsp beef, goose or duck fat (or olive

oil)

Venison fillet

200g venison fillet 1dsp finely chopped

thyme

2 tsp olive oil

Mustard mayo

2 dsp mayonnaise 1 dsp Dijon mustard 1 dsp horseradish

sauce

To serve

2 tbsp redcurrant jelly

1 small box of cress

In a frying pan on a medium/high heat sear the fillet on all sides then place on a plate or dish to cool completely. For this dish I like the venison as rare as you would for carpaccio but you can cook it for a little longer if you prefer.

Once cooled, thinly slice – you should get at least 24 portions.

In a small bowl whisk everything together, then keep cool.

Spoon or pipe a little of the mustard mayo into the well of each of the puddings. Top with a slice of venison, a small dollop of redcurrant jelly and a few leaves of cress. Serve at ‘room temperature’.