The grand Sunday meal: a pink roast beef, puffed Yorkshire puddings, roasted vegetables and gravy. The dish that brings the British family together every week.

Why this dish? Andrew Haigh films domestic intimacies, those moments when couples gather around a table. The Sunday roast — the quintessential British family institution — embodies exactly that shared ritual that runs through his films, from Nottingham where he grew up to the quiet homes in *45 Years*.

Sunday at our house was sacred — not religious, just family. My mother would bring out the big dish, and the whole house smelled of roasting meat from early morning. The secret to Yorkshire pudding is to let the batter rest and pour it into sizzling hot fat: it puffs up instantly, like magic, and you must never open the oven. I love these meals because you don't need to talk much; you're just there, together, and that's already everything.

How it was made : The Sunday roast dates back at least to the 18th century: meat was roasted after the Sunday morning church service. Yorkshire pudding, originally cooked under the spit to catch dripping fat, served to fill up before the more expensive meat.

The contemporary twist : A 'film noir' version: rare roast beef sliced thin, gravy poured at the last moment in front of diners.

Andrew Haigh · Charactorium