Eggs - Retro Food For Modern Times

Category: Eggs

22
Jan
2025

March 2005 – Bread and Cheese

categories: 20 Years Ago Today, Bread, Eggs, Lamb, Pastry Desserts, Salad, Soufflé

Hello time travellers! March 2005 is our destination today with a menu based on two of my favourite things – bread and cheese! What kind of menu might Delicious Magazine be able to provide from these ingredients? Are we up for three courses of cheese on toast? Personally? I’d be quite happy with that but I’m sure Delicious will be able to give us a little more variety! Before we go there, though, let’s look at what was happening in music, books and film back in the day!

What Was Hot – March 2005

Books

Since I started doing these posts, the one constant has been the presence of The Da Vinci Code at the top of the list. March 2005 is no exception!

The Da Vinci Code: By Dan Brown
Prince of Fire: By Daniel Silva
Missing Persons: By Stephen White

I have not heard of the other books but Prince of Fire is one in a series of spy thriller books about an Israeli agent called Gabriel Allon. Spy thrillers are not my thing but I believe this series is very popular. Missing Persons is a psychological thriller about psychologist Allan Gregory. This is also one in a series that interests me. If I didn’t have a “To read” pile taller than me, I would give this series a go!

Movies

Robots
The Pacifier
The Ring 2

I saw The Ring in the cinema. The Ring 2 and both of these other film were not on my radar at all!

Music

All about you / You’ve for a Friend – McFly
Good Luck Charm – Elvis Presley (what??? It’s 2005 not 1965!)
Falling Stars – Sunset Strippers

Dakota by The Stereophonics was just missing out on the podium on the British Charts. This was a big fave of mine at the time!

The Menu

Quick Cuban

This was more of a lunch than a starter. It was most certainly not a traditional Cuban sandwich, but it was delicious nevertheless! And combined both our key ingredients! You may notice that I have not toasted my sandwich – the day I made this, we were in the middle of a mini heatwave, and I really didn’t fancy anything toasted. It would, however, be as good or even better toasted!!! I also thought the tomato salad accompaniment was a bit extra even thought it was tasty!

Quick Cuban Recipe

Pistachio Crusted Goat’s Cheese Soufflé With Pea, Feta and Mint Salad

These were both superb! I loved them individually, and they really worked well together, too. I did not make the red capsicum and mustard seed relish, which was the suggested accompaniment to the soufflé. However, if you would like to give that a try, let me know and I can flick you the recipe I served mine with some chilli jam I had in the fridge. The soufflé was as light as a feather! And I could eat that salad every night of the week. I could not find snow pea shoots for love or money, but the salad was delicious without them.

We have goat’s cheese in the soufflé, parmesan in the crisp and feta in the salad as our key ingredients.

Pistachio Crusted Goat’s Cheese Soufflé Recipe

Pea, Feta and Mint Salad Recipe

Raspberry Tartlets with Raspberry Caramel

Oh. My. God!!!!

These were divine!!!! Truly a piece of heaven!!!! I cheated a bit by buying tart shells because sometimes, life’s too short and the weather is too hot to make pastry! Also, Any leftover raspberry caramel is amazing on ice cream.

Raspberry Tartlets with Raspberry Caramel Recipe

My Nigella Moment – Lamb with Sun-Dried Tomato and Onion Jam

For first-time readers, this refers to the moment at the end of Nigella Lawson’s cooking shows when she sneaks back to the fridge for a delicious late-night bite. In the context of these Twenty Years Ago posts, it is something contained in the magazine that may not fit with the overall menu theme, but I’m sneaking it in because it is too good not to share.

This was amazing! I really loved this, and I am so glad I chose to cook this one as my special dish! That sundried tomato and onion jam was absolutely delicious!

Have a wonderful week!

19
Jan
2025

Pebbles on A Peruvian Beach

categories: 1970's recipes, 500 Recipes for Quick Meals, Cheese, Eggs, Potato, Recipe Fail, Recipe Revamp

Hello friends and retro food lovers! Remember back in your school days when you got marks/grades for effort? Alternatively, does the phrase “the soul was willing, but the heart was weak” resonate with you? Well, they will indicate how I feel about the recipe for Pebbles on The Beach, which I’ve renamed Pebbles on a Peruvian Beach.

I understand what they were trying to do here…it just didn’t work! This recipe was also an anomaly because, so far, everything else I’ve made from Marguerite Patten’s 500 Recipes for Quick Meals has been great! Remember the Sardine Toadstools? (It’s still my favourite thing from last year)!

Pebbles on The Beach – The Intent (I think)

So, I assume that in this recipe the tops of the eggs and the potatoes would poke out of the cheese sauce like pebbles on a beach! If pebbles were white and pink and the sea was a cheese sauce. So, even then, the analogy has problems. Pebbles on the moon? Pebbles in the desert? These may have been more accurate visual descriptions of this dish.

Pebbles on The Beach – The Actuality

Without it’s Peruvian flavour bomb, this dish was as bland as could be. Potatoes don’t have much flavour nor do eggs. Don’t get me wrong, I love both of these ingredients but even combined with a cheese sauce this was dull. My best description would be nursery or invalid food. It even looks dull without its garnish!

The second is that the recipe requires you to take eggs that are already hard-boiled and then cook them for another 20 minutes. Those eggs were rock-hard!

Oh!

Surely that was not why they called this dish pebbles?

The cure for the blandness was to serve the Pebbles on the beach with some Peruvian Salsa. We last saw this salsa paired with some Croquetas de Carne almost exactly two years ago, in January 2023.

The cure for the eggs? Maybe keep them raw and cook them in the cheese sauce? I don’t quite know how to fix that one. And, to be honest, it wasn’t tempting enough, even with the Peruvian Salsa to give it another go! Honestly, if you want a really good tasty combination of potatoes and eggs, then I would recommend Roseanne Cash’s Potato Salad over this any day of the week!

Oh well, you can’t win ’em all….here’s the recipe in case you have any bright ideas or want to feed a three-year-old or an invalid.

Have a great week!

22
Dec
2024

Eggs in Sour Cream

categories: 1970's food, 1970's recipes, Austria, Eggs, Good Housekeeping World Cookery, World Cooking

Guten Tag, friends! Today, we embark on a culinary journey through Europe, guided by the pages of Good Housekeeping’s World Cookery. Our first stop? The enchanting land of Austria, where the hills will soon be alive with the delightful aromas of delicious food. We’re starting with a simple yet elegant dish: Eggs in Sour Cream.

As the holiday season approaches, life often becomes a whirlwind of activity. It’s during these hectic times that simple, comforting meals become invaluable. Eggs in Sour Cream is the perfect solution, providing a quick, easy, and delicious meal that requires minimal effort. This Austrian dish resembles the French Ouefs en Cocotte, both involving eggs baked in a creamy mixture.

I’ve loved Ouefs en Cocotte, ever since my aunt introduced me to them during my primary school years. Discovering this Austrian variation was a delightful surprise, offering both familiarity and novelty. The tangy sour cream and the light, creamy texture create a truly divine experience. The crunchy breadcrumb topping adds a delightful textural contrast, elevating the dish to new heights.

Paired with a fresh green salad, Eggs in Sour Cream make for a perfect lunch or supper. It’s quick, easy, and incredibly cost-effective, making it a win-win. Feel free to experiment with different herbs to suit your taste preferences.

This dish was a pure comfort, a tranquil oasis after a long, busy day. While I opted for a simple green salad to accompany the eggs, you can also serve it with roasted vegetables, crispy bacon, or a slice of crusty bread. The endless possibilities allow you to customize the dish to your liking.

So, let’s dive into the recipe and experience the magic of Eggs in Sour Cream for ourselves. This dish promises to warm your soul and satisfy your taste buds, making it a perfect addition to your culinary repertoire.

Eggs in Sour Cream – The Recipe

Happy cooking, friends! Have a great week!

01
Dec
2024

Sardine Toadstools

categories: 1970's recipes, Devilled Eggs, Eggs, Fish, Sardines

Hello friends and retro food lovers. These little sardine toadstools may just be the most wonderfully whimsical vintage things I’ve ever made here! They are as cute as a button! A button mushroom, that is! The recipe for the Sardine Toadstools comes from what is fast becoming a favourite around these parts: Marguerite Patten’s 500 Recipes for Quick Meals (1972).

Imagine serving around a little tray of these at your next Halloween party. Or an Alice in Wonderland-inspired children’s party. I showed photos of these to one of my work colleagues. He loved them so much he is going to make them for his nieces on Christmas morning. Another colleague heard him talking about them and has also asked for the recipe to make for his daughters for weekend breakfasts!

Sardine Toadstools are a dish for any occasion where you want to add a touch of magic, which could also just be lunch! Your guests will be delighted and, by the way, these taste pretty good too!

Variations on The Theme of Sardine Toadstools

Now, I know that some of you, bizarrely, in my opinion, hate sardines. I feel the same way about cooked carrots. And beetroot. So there’s no judgement here. But please don’t discount this recipe if you do. You could swap in some tuna. Or leave out the fish altogether and just add mayo and mustard for a classic deviled egg.

If you want to get fancy and don’t mind the fiddliness of trying to coax the yolks out of boiled quail eggs, think how spectacular a miniature version of these would be! Use quail eggs and cherry tomatoes, and voila, not only are you magical, but you are also sophisticated!

Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth and yawned once or twice, and shook itself. Then it got down off the mushroom, and crawled away in the grass, merely remarking as it went, ‘One side will make you grow taller, and the other side will make you grow shorter.’

‘One side of what? The other side of what?’ thought Alice to herself.

‘Of the mushroom,’ said the Caterpillar, just as if she had asked it aloud; and in another moment it was out of sight.

Lewis Carroll – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

The Recipe – Sardine Toadstools

As you can see, I’ve not bothered with the rounds of bread and butter, but you do you!

Please let me know if you make these! With Christmas just around the corner, many people may be wondering what to serve guests as fun finger food or a starter. These sardine toadstools could be just the thing for your entertaining needs! And if you do make them, please tag me on Instagram if you post them or ping me a photo. I would absolutely love to see how your creations turn out.

Have a great week!

18
Aug
2024

Cheddar Scotch Eggs

categories: 1970's food, 1970's recipes, 500 Recipes for Quick Meals, Eggs, England

Hey friends! Today, I’m diving into a classic recipe: Cheddar Scotch Eggs. This little gem hails from 500 Recipes for Quick and Easy Meals by Marguerite Patten (1972).

I’ve got a confession: Scotch Eggs are one of those foods I adore eating but dread making. Remember the Pakistani version, the Nargisi Kofta, I made back in 2019? It was a culinary delight, but let’s face it, Scotch Eggs are a lot of work! Who wants to deal with the mess of a deep fryer just for one meal? It’s like running a marathon for a single slice of pizza!

Scotch eggs are however, quite lovely eaten cold, which makes making a big batch worthwhile as you can enjoy meals for a few days! They are also amazing picnic food so if you are contemplating an al fresco meal in the near future, these could be your go-to dish!

Ahem, I hear you say. That looks exactly like a regular Scotch Egg. Where’s the extra cheese you promised? Scotch Eggs are already laborious enough to make, but this version takes things to a new level. You cut the eggs in half, remove the yolks, and mix them with cheese. Then, you reassemble the eggs and proceed with the normal Scotch Egg process.. You can see the split in the eggs where they where cut through in the close up photo below.

What Are Scotch Eggs?

But maybe I should pause here in case some of my readers are unfamiliar with the concept of a Scotch Egg.

First thing. They are not from Scotland. They were invented by Fortnum and Mason the very posh department store in Picadilly in London in 1738. The term scotch comes from adding anchovies to the meat to cut through the fattiness of the meat and to give it a stronger flavour.

Second, they are an egg, wrapped in a meat casing and then crumbed and fried.

Cheddar Scotch Eggs – The Recipe

Have a great week!