To early Christians, the legendary slaying of a dragon by Saint George symbolised Christ’s triumph over evil. But it was not until the mid 14th century that Saint George was made patron saint of England, reputedly by Edward III when he founded the Order of the Garter in St George’s name.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: approximately 2 hours
Serves 6

Fore-rib of beef, approximately 2kg (4lb 8oz)
Olive oil 1 tbsp
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Yorkshire pudding:
Plain flour 110g (4oz)
Egg 1 large
Milk, full cream 300ml (1/2 pint)

For the hot horseradish sauce:
Butter 15g (1/2oz)
Plain flour 15g (1/2 oz)
Milk, full cream 300ml (1/2pint)
Hot horseradish, freshly grated (2-3 tsp)
Soured cream 3 tbsp

1 Preheat the oven to240degC/475deg.F/Gas 9. Wipe the beef well with kitchen paper, and then smear it all over with the olive oil. Sprinkle the fat liberally with salt.

2 Place the beef in a roasting tin, standing it upright, and cook for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and continue cooking for 1 hour, basting frequently – this cooks the beef to medium-rare. For meat that is more well done, continue cooking until done to your liking – testing every 10-15 minutes.

3 While the beef is cooking, prepare the batter for the Yorkshire pudding. Sift the flour and a good pinch of salt into a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Break the egg into the centre of the flour, and then gradually start to whisk it into the flour –preferably with a hand-held electric whisk. As the mixture starts to thicken, gradually add the milk – whisking well until all the milk is incorporated and the batter is smooth. Cover and leave to stand.

4 Meanwhile, make the horseradish sauce. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, stir in the flour, add the milk and bring to the boil – stirring continuously until the sauce thickens. Stir in the grated horseradish, season well with salt and stir in the cream. Cover the surface of the sauce closely with cling film, cover the pan with a lid and keep warm.

5 When the beef is done to your liking, carefully remove it from the roasting tin onto a serving plate. Loosely cover with foil and leave to stand until ready to carve. Increase the oven temperature to 220degC/425degF/Gas 7.

6 Skim 3 tablespoons of the fat from the roasting tin into a 19cm (71/2in) round, ovenproof glass or metal pie plate, and heat in the oven until sizzling hot. Stir the batter, carefully pour it into the pie plate and cook for 30-40 minutes, until the pudding is very well risen, golden brown, and crispy.

7 To make the gravy, skim all but approximately 2 – 3 tablespoons of the fat from the roasting tin into a small bowl and use for roasting potatoes. Stir flour into the fat remaining in the tin, and add the beef stock.

8 Place the roasting tin over a moderate heat and bring to the boil stirring continuously, and scraping the browned residue from the bottom of the tin. Simmer for 5 minutes, season well with salt and pepper and then strain into a warmed gravy boat.

8 While the gravy is simmering, reheat the horseradish sauce and pour it into a serving jug or bowl.

Recipe taken from Around Britain Dairy Cookbook.