Fish - Retro Food For Modern Times

Category: Fish

05
Jan
2025

January 2005 – Beachside Dinner

categories: 20 Years Ago Today, Australian Gourmet Traveller, Blueberries, Calamari, Cocktail, Fish, Salad, Seafood, Sorbet, Squid, Summer

Happy New Year, time travellers! Welcome to January 2025 and January 2005! Today we will enjoy a quintessential Australian beachside dinner. Unlike many parts of the globe, the start of the year here is hot, making dining on or near the beach a beloved tradition. Also very Australian is to magpie food and flavours from other cultures so today our “Aussie” meal has roots in the tropics, China, Mexico and Italy!.

I was particularly excited for this month, as seafood and ice cream are among my favourite treats. We’ll soon see how my culinary hopes fared. Today’s menu is inspired by the January 2005 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.

But first, let’s ease ourselves into 2005, not with Pop Culture as per our norm but a look at the news events that defined the year:

YouTube’s first video: “Me at the zoo” was the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube. Can you believe YouTube is only 20 years old? I feel like I’ve been watching it all my life!

Hurricane Katrina: A devastating tropical cyclone that killed 1,392 people and caused $125 billion in damages, particularly in New Orleans
London bombings: 52 people were killed and about 700 were wounded in a terrorist attack on the London Underground
Angela Merkel’s election: Angela Merkel became the first woman chancellor of Germany
Kyoto Protocol: The Kyoto Protocol, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, began to take effect
Same-sex marriage legalization: Spain and Canada legalized same-sex marriage

So a mixed bag news wise! Let’s see if the menu was also a blend of good and bad!

The Menu

Blue Hawaiian

I’ve always harboured a certain prejudice against blue drinks. They somehow screamed “college party” to me, a garish, overly sweet concoction best left to the youthful and the reckless. And creamy cocktails? Don’t even get me started. I’ve always considered them rather…gloopy.

But the Blue Hawaiian was an entirely different beast. The colour, was a glorious, cerulean blue, like a summer sky. But the flavour! It was a symphony of the tropics, a vibrant burst of sunshine in a glass. Honestly, I can’t imagine a more perfect aperitif for a beachside dinner. The mere thought of it now transports me – I can almost taste the salt spray on my lips, hear the gentle rustle of palm fronds overhead… pure joy!

Salt and Pepper Squid

Salt and Pepper Squid is a firm favourite of mine when dining out. But I had never tried to cook it at home before. And the result? A perfect prelude to a seaside feast, I served mine not with rice as per the recipe but with a vibrant fennel salad (though you wouldn’t know this from this photograph). You can find the recipe here. I also had some mayonnaise in which I swirled some chilli crisp just in case the pepperiness of the squid needed a bit more oomph!

Salt and Pepper Squid is as ubiquitous in Australian pubs as… well, as a pot of beer. So you can imagine my surprise to discover while poring over the recipe that it has Cantonese roots. This version, however, pays homage to those origins with the addition of Szechuan peppercorns, a delightful touch of unexpected heat that sets it apart from the standard pub fare.

Snapper Veracruzana

For the main course, we transported ourselves away from the vibrant shores of China to the sun-drenched beaches of Mexico with a delectable Snapper Veracruzana. This dish was simply exquisite! The snapper, cooked to perfection, flaked effortlessly at the touch of a fork, while the Veracruz sauce… well, words can hardly do it justice. A symphony of flavours – ripe tomatoes, briny capers, plump olives, and a tantalising hint of chilli – it was utterly irresistible. Frankly, I could imagine this sauce gracing almost any plate. Chicken, prawns, even grilled halloumi or roasted vegetables – the possibilities are endless. It’s a testament to the magic of great ingredients, a celebration of the vibrant flavours of Mexico.

Blueberry Gelato

Gelato has a certain nostalgia for me. Travelling around Italy with some girlfriends back in the day, “gelati” was our code word for a handsome young man. “Shall we go for gelati at 3 o’clock?” would indicate both the presence of one of them and the direction the others should look to see him! I wanted this blueberry gelato to transport me to the beaches of Amalfi. and the heady summer days we spent there. Sadly, this was not to be. I would have preferred this to be more blueberry-forward, like a sorbet. I feel the milk dulled the blueberry flavour. Pretty colour but for me, this was a fail.

My Nigella Moment – BLT Salad

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 to have another bite of something delicious. 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.

BLT is a classic for a reason and this salad combines those familiar flavours into something new. This was delicious and definitely something to sneak back to for a little bit more after everyone else has gone to bed!

I hope you’ve enjoyed being beside the seaside with me! I also wish you all the very best for 2025! Let’s hope it’s a wonderful year for all of us!

22
Dec
2024

Salmon Croustade

categories: 1990's recipes, Fish, Magazines, Salmon, Vogue Entertaining & Travel

Hello friends and retro food lovers! Today’s recipe, Salmon Croustade, is inspired by this picture, which I found in Vogue Entertaining in February/March 1990. It looks absolutely delicious! That big chunk of bread to soak up that butter-laden sauce, the leeks and mushrooms surely sauteed to perfection in some garlic…my mouth was watering as I looked for the recipe, which didn’t exist.

It’s not like I was expecting a website link or a QR code but there was no recipe on the page and no indication of where one could be found. I turned the page in case it was one of those ads that span a few pages. Nothing. Well, not nothing. Because a completely blank page in a magazine would be peculiar, but nothing concerning a recipe for a Croustade of Salmon. Well, as they say, necessity is the mother of invention. So, if the recipe didn’t exist, someone had to invent it. And so I did!

Unlike the 1990 recipe, I knew I wanted to use fresh salmon. So, what remained to be figured out was how to:

Cook the salmon
Make the croustade
Make the sauce
Cook the vegetables and,
Combine them all to make a cohesive whole

Simple, right?

Before we get to the recipe, does anyone else think it strange that fish and mushrooms work so well together? One is fundamentally of the sea, and the other quintessentially of the earth. And yet….a marriage made in heaven. Opposites do attract! (If you want another recipe containing Fish and Mushrooms, I recommend Mia Farrow’s Fish with Ginger Sauce).

Salmon Croustades – The Recipe

Salmon Croustades

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A modern recipe inspired by a vintage advertisement.

Author: Taryn Nicole

Ingredients

Scale

For the garlic bread croustade:

One loaf French bread
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

For the poached salmon:

4 salmon fillets
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup vegetable or mushroom stock
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

For the leek and mushroom sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prepare the garlic bread croustade:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Slice the French bread into 1-inch thick rounds.
- Combine butter, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Spread the butter mixture on one side of each bread round.
- Place the bread rounds on a baking sheet, buttered side up.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
Poach the salmon:
- In a large skillet, combine white wine, stock, bay leaf, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat.
- Gently place the salmon fillets into the simmering liquid.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily.
- Remove the salmon from the pan and set aside.
Make the leek and mushroom sauce:
- In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the leek and mushrooms, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook for a few minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly.
Assemble the dish:
- Place a garlic bread croustade on each plate.
- Top with a poached salmon fillet.
- Spoon the leek and mushroom sauce over the salmon.
- Serve immediately.

Now, if you wanted to simplify this, you could use a bought garlic bread for the croustade. In that case, heat the garlic bread according to the packet instructions, and once it is ready, pile on the salmon and the sauce. You could also use canned salmon as per the OG recipe.

I thoroughly enjoyed creating this recipe, and I hope I have done the original justice. I would LOVE to know how much my version differs from the original, besides using fresh rather than canned salmon. So, if anyone out there has an original 1990 recipe for Croustades of Salmon with Leek and Mushroom, please let me know!

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!

01
Aug
2024

July 2004 – No A’s

categories: 20 Years Ago Today, Cheese, Delicious, Fish, Magazines, Muffins, Soup

Hello friends and welcome to today’s Twenty Years Ago Today Post where I am creating a meal from the pages of Delicious magazine from July 2004. But, as usual, the menu comes with a challenge – this month the challenge was to create a meal where none of the recipes contained the letter A. In the event that you ever have an Alphaphobic over to dinner, I have you covered with this one.

And, even if I do say so myself, July 2004 did not disappoint in the taste department. Last week I mentioned that the Grapefruit Oat Brulee was Top Ten in the things I have cooked this year. And this week we have another, not one but two contenders for that list! Life is good – at least in the eating department!

Pop Culture – July 2004

We’ll get along to the deliciousness soon but here’s a little reminder of what was big in July 2004 to help set the scene. Looking first at films, Spiderman, I Robot and The Bourne Supremacy where respectively 1-3 at the box office. Personally, I would have been more interested in Anchorman, Fahrenheit 9/11 and The Notebook at 4, 5 and 7.

In books, the Da Vinci code was yep, you guessed it still number 1! Will the reign of this book never end? Angels and Demons also by Dan Brown was sitting at #7 this month so we might be looking at a Dan Brown double next month! And speaking of doubles, Usher had the number 1 and 2 songs on the Billboard charts with Burn and Confessions Part II.

And now we’ve set the scene, let’s take a look at our menu!

The No A Menu – July 2004

Minestrone

This was, without a doubt the best Minestrone I have ever eaten. I made a huge pot of it and ate it everyday for my lunch for the entire week. Now usually when this happens by Thursday I am starting to get a bit bored and by Friday I am dreading the meal, Not so this time, I would have eaten this for another 5 days if I had more!

This Bill Granger recipe is a little different from most other minestrones for two reasons. First, it has meatballs made from Italian sausages and second it has no pasta. It is also LOADED with veg so, outside of those little meatballs, it is also very healthy. This minestrone was definitely worthy of being on my Top Ten for the Year!

Minestrone Recipe

Smoked Fish Pie

The Smoked Fish Pie was also delicious! I used smoked trout in my pie and it was really yummy! This one is definitely something I will make again! We ate our pies on a frosty cold winter’s night and it was perfect comfort food!

Smoked Fish Pie Recipe

Lemon Meringue Muffins

Now…I could have sworn I took photos of these but no…not on my phone. Not in the cloud….and not enough time to remake them! Also, to be honest, these were probably the weakest part of the meal. They were ok but a little dry. This though, could have been my fault. I cooked the muffins until they were nearly ready but then I had to go out. I left them in the turned off oven to finish the cook and cool. Maybe they were in there a bit too long. I did however love the little secret stash of lemon curd in the muffin and the meringue top was delightful.

I thought for want of my own photo, I would include the photo from the magazine as inspiration. However, there wasn’t one. The recipe was included as a reader asked why there was a recipe for Lemon Meringue Muffins indexed in April 2004, however there was no such recipe in the magazine. The editors explained that the recipe had been pulled for space at the last minute.

There certainly seems oto be something slightly cursed about this recipe!

Lemon Meringue Muffins Recipe

My Nigella Moment – Baked Brie with Braised Cabbage

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 to have another bite of something delicious. In these Twenty Years Ago posts, it is something contained in the magazine that does not fit with the overall menu theme but I’m sneaking it in because it is too good not to share.

Oh wow…this was sooo good! This was the other recipe that is Top Ten so far this year. There is so much to love in this – warm oozy cheese, salty crispy pancetta, the sweetness of the apple in the cabbage….this was luscious!

Baked Brie with Braised Cabbage Recipe

Well, for me Delicious Magazine from June 2004 was great. Shame about the muffins….but maybe they should have been left out of this issue too!

Have a great week!

27
Jan
2024

Jan 2004 – Pretty in Pink?

categories: 20 Years Ago Today, Delicious, Desserts, Drinks, Icecream, Pasta, Salmon, Sandwiches, Sorbet

Hello, retro food lovers and welcome to 2004! This month the random number generator chose Pink as the theme for our menu via the pages of Good Taste Magazine. Before we start though, maybe let’s throw around some phrases usually more prevalent in corporate speak than around here…

Maybe we just need to redefine what success looks like
It was a learning experience
And fun. Don’t forget how much fun it was.

All of this means if the success of this menu lies in its pinkness…this month was a disaster.

If we redefine success to mean did it taste good? We are not quite in the pink but certainly faring a bit better than colour alone.

So back in January 2004, we were all shaking it like a polaroid picture to Ooutkast’s Hey Ya, some of you were still watching The Return of the King and people on mass were still reading the Da Vinci Code. Surely by January 2004 we had reached peak Da Vinci?

So, in a new year, where pop culture looks very much like the old year, let’s take a look at a pink-inspired menu.

The Menu – January 2004

Pretty Pink Drink

Well, how can this go wrong? There’s pink in the title and for people doing dry January (or Feb fast), it’s non-alcoholic too. It’s lovely and refreshing. In fact the only thing wrong with it is…

It’s not overly pink is it? I mean on a scale of one to Barbie..I’d give it a 5 out of 10. The Pretty Pink drink looks like the liquid lovechild of the two candle holders behind it. It is a pretty colour though, if not as pink as I would have liked. It was tasty although having to buy three drinks to make one seemed a little unnecessary.

Pretty Pink Drink Recipe

Open Ham Sandwich

Is there a sufficient amount of actual pink in this? Yes! Is it weird to have an open sandwich as a starter? Also yes.

I thought this challenge would be an absolute lay down misère. Apparently, I vastly underestimated the prevalence of pink foods!

I was a bit worried about the combination of chutney and avocado in this sandwich but they worked well together. This was a very nice sandwich.

Open Ham Salmon Recipe

Salmon Ravioli With Fresh Tomato Sauce

I may have used the wrong sort of wonton wrapper for these because, not only was the “pasta” rather thick it was also not nearly as translucent as the one in the picture. This was not only not overly pink but also a bit meh…the ravioli were hard to make and bland. The sauce is pretty accurate though! I also liked that they used the same colour plate as my bowl!

I am certainly alone in not liking this though, the comments on the recipe are all highly complimentary

Salmon Ravioli Recipe

Peach and Rosewater Sorbet with Peach Schnapps

Peach. I mean, the clue is right there in the name. And we’ll leave it to the picture to show exactly how well this met the brief of pink.

Having said that, the peach sorbet was delicious. I almost wish I had made it back in 2004 so it could have been in my life for the last twenty years. As a bonus though, last year my mum gave us a…what do you call a really tiny tree? This was basically a knee-high-to-nothing stick in the dirt when we first got it. This summer though, we had our first three peaches from it. So I foresee many summers of peach sorbet in my future life. And that can only be a good thing.

It wasn’t anything like pink though!

Peach Sorbet Recipe

My Nigella Moment – Gravlax Salsa

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 to have another bite of something delicious. In these Twenty Years Ago posts, it is something contained in the magazine that does not fit with the overall menu theme but I’m sneaking it in because it is too good not to share.

I almost had this as the starter but I felt it was a bit cheaty in a pink challenge to have a salmon starter and main. This, and the sorbet are the things I will take away from this month to be the things I make again and again. The recipe for the gravlax salsa came with some caraway wafters – I don’t like the taste of caraway so I made my wafers with everything bagel seasoning. I won’t make them again. They were ok but for the time and effort they took I would rather buy some. I haven’t included the recipe for the wafers. You also do not need the mustard dill sauce for the salsa.

Gravlax Salsa Recipe

So January 2004 was a total failure in terms of meeting the brief, but also gave me two amazing recipes! And the drink wasn’t bad either. Let’s see what February brings!

If you were making a pink menu, what would you include?