Latest features Top 10 British foods behind bars

Date Published:

23/09/2008

For years these 10 British foods have provided us with vital sustenance yet they remain unwanted and unloved at the back of the nation's pantry. This neglect must stop – radishes need be ravished, cauliflower needs to be craved. It's time to free Britain's neglected foodstuffs from their pigeon-holed prisons and let them shine as the palate pleasers they all can be

The crime: Ruining countless Christmas dinners with its bitter, acrid taste after Mum boiled it to oblivion and starved it of seasoning.
The place of incarceration: Slopped down reeking and burnt next to the turkey.
Grounds of appeal: It's not its fault – overcooking gives it the unpleasant sulphur stench but cooked correctly it has a subtly nutty flavour that complements many a roast meal. Packed full of antioxidants it's said to be a warrior in the war on disease and it's one of the few veg to have originated in Northern Europe.
Recommended recipe on release: Free it from the enslaves of the Christmas dinner and let it run wild in these vegetable cakes with ham and avocado.

The crime: Tuna mayo for the post-war generation - tinned pilchards were stock-piled in 1960s for unfathomable reasons and promptly abandoned. Oily, pungent and packed full of bones - that smell on your fingers just isn't pretty.
The place of incarceration: At the back of Granny's cupboard - languishing and alone.
Grounds of appeal: What's our problem? It's just a big sardine. Boasting more fatty acids than you can shake a stick at, pilchards are a great source of omega 3 and taste amazing barbecued, grilled or fried. The Portuguese love them so much they built a festival around them - celebrating Saint Anthony's day by gorging themselves silly on grilled sardines and stringing pilchard-shaped bunting up in the streets.
Recommended recipe on release: Let them swim free in this pan-fried pilchards with red onion, garlic and coriander recipe.

The crime: An over-powering addition to summer salads. They look good but what do you do with them? They've been in Britain since the 1500s but so far inspiration has been thin on the ground.
Place of incarceration: Paired with spring onions to 'jazz up' a basic salad. Mr McGregor's garden.
Grounds of appeal: A staple in China and Japan, where they're often pickled in brine, radishes are low in fat and high in fibre. They come in an abundance of varieties, which can be sculpted in a host of outlandish styles and are considered dainty delicacies on the streets of Germany. They're also rumoured to stimulate appetite so get them down the kids to ensure empty plates.
Recommended recipe on release: Hugh knows how to treat a radish. Show it some respect with Hugh's radish and goat's cheese raita recipe.

The crime: Making us gag over our Smash Hits in the school canteen as we avoided the lumpy bits of our congealed pudding. There's only so much damage control a spoonful of jam can do.
Place of incarceration: It's been the dessert du jour of British dinner ladies since time began.
Grounds of appeal: It's loved in Greece, India, Cyprus and Iran to name but a few. And is a regular repast in some cultures at funerals and religious celebrations. Can so many culinary heavyweights be wrong?
Recommended recipe on release: Make the school time staple exotic with this saffron semolina pudding recipe.

The crime: It stands accused on two counts: eaten raw with less than a mighty bite it can leave you with a mouthful of stringy, smelly mush and boiled to within an inch of its life it's often an unwelcome pungent addition to soups and sauces.
Place of incarceration: Another inmate of that culinary clink - the school canteen of our youth - perpetually overcooked.
Grounds of appeal: Referenced by Homer, favoured by Hippocrates and chosen by King Tut to adorn his tomb, celery lovers are in good company. The floral veg is thought to contain androsterone, a pheromone released by men to send women crazy. Leave off the Lynx - it's the celery effect.
Recommended recipe on release: Don't save it for salad – follow Jamie's advice and cook up a hot pot.