As a Lancashire-based business, we couldn’t get to the end of November without mentioning that November is the month of Lancashire Day and that there are many Lancashire culinary delights that you can serve in your coveted  bespoke or ready-to-go wood-fired Valoriani oven!

Lancashire Day always falls on November 27, commemorating the exact date, in 1295, when Lancashire first sent representatives to parliament in London, after being called there by King Edward I.  This parliament later became the ‘Model Parliament’. 

The Lancashire proclamation is read out by town criers across the county and finishes with “God bless Lancashire, and God save the King, Duke of Lancaster.”  To celebrate the day, many towns and villages raise flags, gather together and organise events, serving traditional Lancastrian dishes, such as Lancashire Hotpot.

Lancashire-based wood-fired ovens

Our family couldn’t be prouder of our Orchard Ovens home here in Preston, where we’ve built our reputation, not to mention a demo kitchen in which homeowners and chefs can try out our Valoriani wood-fired and gas ovens, before they purchase one.  

So, in honour of Lancashire, we thought we’d share some of our favourite traditional Lancashire recipes, giving the perfect excuse to fire-up those wood-fired ovens and raise a glass in tribute to the Red Rose county. 

Lancashire recipes for a wood-fired oven

Lancashire Hotpot is a dish we love to cook when the colder months arrive, as it’s the perfect comfort food for a chilly winter night.  Its origins date back to Industrial Revolution days, when workers in the cotton industry would work long, hard hours, whilst still living in poverty.  Traditionally cooked with mutton (now more commonly lamb) and layered with potatoes and onions, a hotpot was an affordable and hearty dish that could be left to cook for a long period of time, while families went out to work. 

Today, it has become a family favourite across the country – not to mention being the acclaimed dish of the Rovers Return in Coronation Street!  It will happily sit, bubbling away in a Valoriani wood-fired oven, taking on a delicious golden brown, crispy topping and a wonderful wood-fired taste.

There are plenty of recipes for this culinary delight to be found online, but we love this one from Delicious Magazine.  Just make sure you serve it with a side of braised red cabbage!  

On that note, red cabbage is another slow-cook dish and a great one to prepare in your wood-fired oven. Follow Delia’s recipe and you can’t go wrong.  Cook slowly, in an oven that you’ve had to full temperature for other dishes but which is cooling down and using residual heat.  Popped in a casserole dish, with the lid on, it should only take a short time to cook.

We’re sure there are those who will not have heard of a Butter Pie but, here in Preston, it’s famous!  Another very simple, warming dish, this time free from meat, it was once an expensive treat!  It’s a combination of potatoes, onion and butter, encased in a delicious shortcrust pastry and is lovely on its own, or served as a side dish (with a roast dinner, for example.)  Have a nosey at Visit Lancashire’s website for the recipe.

Baking in your wood-fired oven

Did you know that a wood-fired oven can be used for baking?  Puddings, breads, cakes even biscuits can be whipped up in no time and there are some delicious Lancashire specialities we can highly recommend trying.  

You can’t get more local than a Goosnargh cake!  Originating from the village of the same name, near Preston, these little treats are similar to a shortbread biscuit and bake very quickly in a wood-fired oven.  Once ready, they are just perfect with a cup of tea.  Here is the recipe to try, courtesy of the Lancashire Food blog.

Another local delicacy, ideally served with a brew, is the Eccles Cake, packed with fruit and wrapped in flaky pastry. Try this recipe, courtesy of BBC Good Food.

If you have already invested in one of our Valoriani ovens, we hope we have inspired you to try a few new recipes in celebration of Lancashire.  If you are thinking about how you could incorporate a wood-fired or gas-fired oven into your kitchen or outdoor space, we invite you to visit our demo kitchen, here in Preston.  Call us on 01772 250000 or email info@orchardovens.co.uk to arrange your visit.