ARE Yorkshire puddings the new Rock n’ Roll? We only ask because the battered old stager is getting some fresh twists. First up was Lowry Hotel head chef Andrew Green’s Yorkshire Pudding Wrap. Basically an entire Sunday roast and trimmings in a flattened parcel, it became a social media sensation.
Now Beastro, on Spinningfields Leftbank, an operation so meat-centric it’s basted in dripping, is hosting a Manchester launch night for Daft Puddin’, a new pop-up project from the Tyke heartlands.
The picture above was tweeted recently by DP founder Jason Hartley. It shows native rare breed beef rib slow braised in a mustard infused puddin' cooked in beef dripping. Filled with cauliflower purée, beef fat roast spuds, veg, roast parsnip and a rich bone marrow gravy.
ToM is ready to briefly shed its commitment to Veganuary to share this example of “reet posh filled Yorkshire puddings using the very best artisan Northern produce”, Jason’s rallying cry that echoes across the great Pennine divide.
A celebration of the whole North, Daft Puddin' launches on Feb 1 with a permanent food truck in York's historic Shambles market, while a second will tour the country from Summer 2018. A range of gourmet ready meals is in the pipeline.
The Beastro pre-launch on Tuesday, January 23, begins with a short talk from Hartley, whose mum comes from Oldham, on the Daft Puddin' campaign and the state of food culture and eating habits in the North of England.
Then follows a three course tasting (you can request a vegetarian menu when booking). Northern craft beer and spirits will be on offer plus Northern tunes (please don’t let it be the Oldham Tinkers).
The ‘Northern menu’, in the hands of Beastro’s James Taylor and Richard Brown, is surprisingly global. The Pits starter, dedicated to the South Yorkshire mining communities, is rare breed pork cheek marinated in smoked chilli, slow cooked for 10 hours and then finished in a Mexican smokey, chocolatey mole sauce. Served in a coal-black Yorkshire pudding with black beans and seam of melted cheese.
For the main, Moors on t’ Moors, North Africa meets North Yorkshire with Swaledale rare breed hogget marinated in harissa and Moroccan spices, then slow cooked with preserved lemon and dried fruits and served on sweet potato puree in an African spiced Yorkshire pudding topped with toasted almonds, saffron yoghurt and pomegranate seeds.
The dessert is Tykes Tea and Biscuits – a Yorkshire Tea infused ice cream rolled in custard cream biscuits, popped into a vanilla Yorkshire pud in a chocolate donut glaze and finished with a hot chocolate sauce, all using bean to bar chocolate made in Grimsby.
This event is vegetarian friendly but not suitable for vegans or gluten free diets.
Daft Puddin’ at Beastro, Irwell Square Leftbank, Manchester, M3 3AG. January 23, 7pm-10pm. £26.71. Get tickets Eventbrite.