Ah, the sound of leather on willow. Is there anything more quintessentially British than watching cricket in the summer?
Well, with the third Ashes test taking place just down the road from SK towers in Leeds, we were not going to let it pass without talking about a game which effectively boils down to hitting a ball, catching a ball and throwing a ball (ok you purists we know there’s a lot more to it than that!).
But this is a food blog we hear you say. If we wanted to read a sporting blog, we would look at Caught Offside, F1 Fanatic or The Full Toss.
Yes, you are correct, we are a food blog and one, incidentally which this week made it into the top 100 UK food blogs according to Feedspot.
But there’s a method to our madness.
Tell us one other sport in the world where food plays such an important part in it. It’s so important that they have two breaks so they can eat?
Yes, they stop for lunch and tea. How civilized is that?
We have often wondered what professional cricketers actually eat when they do stop for lunch and tea. You can’t imagine Joe Root, for example, sitting down to a roast dinner with all the trimmings for lunch, even if he does hail from Yorkshire. And, whilst he is a big lad who can no doubt put it away you wouldn’t want to think of Ben Stokes having a spicy curry for tea and then having to go out to bowl at 60mph!
Well, because nothing is secret anymore, we now know. During a test match, each player consumes balanced food consists of protein, fats and carbohydrates. So, that could consist of roast chicken or fish with boiled vegetables (no Yorkshire pudding though Joe!) with a choice of soup, cheese and fruits.
For tea, it’s a lighter affair, generally sandwiches, salads, fruit and protein bars, with energy drinks on tap.
So, as you can see, food and cricket are inextricably linked. You don’t become the 77th ranked food blog in the world without knowing what you are talking about!
For this week’s recipe, we’re taking inspiration from the England team. On an Ashes trip to Australia a few years back, the local press got hold of the English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) catering booklet which detailed what the team should eat during each day of the test. This was one of the dishes.
Thai beef salad
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 cloves garlic, crushed
- 500g beef rump steak
- 100g mixed salad leaves
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 red fresh chilli, thinly sliced
- Good handful of fresh coriander leaves
- 60g roasted peanuts or cashews, chopped
Method:
- Put the lime juice, fish sauce, oil, sugar and garlic into a small bowl and mix well. Add the beef and turn to coat in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours.
- Heat a pan over a medium heat and cook the beef until it’s cooked to your own preference (we recommend medium).
- Combine the salad leaves, cucumber, chilli, coriander and beansprouts in a large bowl and add the beef, mixing well.
- Serve with the peanuts or cashews.
About Jane Beesley
Development & Innovations Chef of SK Foods.
Your food. Our Passion.
