Salad - Retro Food For Modern Times

Category: Salad

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!

24
Nov
2024

Movie Night – November 2004

categories: 20 Years Ago Today, Cake, Chicken, Delicious, Salad, Savoury Pies and Tarts, Snacks, Whiskey

Hello friends! Welcome to November 2004! This month, we’re going to the movies via the pages of Delicious magazine. Caution – there are puns galore in this post, so if you are not a fan, feel free to skip this one! But before you do, why not hang around and take a trip down memory lane as we look back at what was popular in November 2004!

Given this is movie night, let’s first take a look at what was at the top of the box office in November 2004. The Incredibles was the number 1 movie, with National Treasure and The Polar Express rounding out the top 3. I’ve not seen The Polar Express but I like The Incredibles and I also enjoyed National Treasure. Jumping back to 2024 for a moment, I recently watched Longlegs with Nick Cage and it was so creepy! I really enjoyed it, but it is definitely not for everyone!

Bookwise, I was quite surprised to see that I only recognised one of the books that topped the charts during the month: Northern Lights by Nora Roberts, Hour Game By David Baldacchi (this was the one I had heard of), Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich and London Bridges by James Patterson. I was a huge fan of the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich but Metro Girl completely passed me by!

The top three songs also got a “meh” response from me: My Boo by Usher and Alicia Keys, Dropp It Like It’s Hot by Snoop Dog, and Lose My Breath by Destiny’s Child Iam very glad to tell you that this month’s menu did not get that reaction. So, let’s take a look!

“Sunset” Boulevard

Let’s kick off our movie night with a Boulevard, which is a take on the Boulevadier, a Parisian Cocktail from the 1920s. The Boulevard packs a punch as it contains Bourbon, Grand Marnier and Vermouth! It actually reminds me of the famous quote from Sunset Boulevard. In the scene, Joe Gillis, a young and poor screenwriter, meets Norma Desmond, a former silent movie star dreaming of making her comeback.

“You used to be big,” he says.

She responds “I am big. It’s the pictures that got small”.

Well, like the film I’ve matched it with, the Boulevard is big! Sip slowly while enjoying the brilliance that is the film Sunset Boulevard!

Phantomato of The Opera Tarts

I loved these! They were so delicious! The combination of sweet caramlised onions, the tanginess of the goat’s curd and sweet bite of the cherry tomatoes was Chef’s kiss perfect. I could not find mustard cress so garnished my little tartlets with basil leaves. The phantomato tarts are sure to have you singing an aria of joy when you taste them!

Chinatown Chicken Salad

This was the first recipe I chose for this film night post because it seemed too good to be true that here was a direct reference to a film. (For new readers, I chose the topics for these 20 years ago posts via a random number generator). And yes, the name was incredibly fortuitous, but….I just didn’t love the salad. It wasn’t terrible. It was just a bit bland.

The second day I ate this, I added some baby corn and some crispy chilli oil to liven things up a bit, and that did make it better. I also didn’t have any coriander (cilantro) so I added some Thai Basil which to me is a far superior herb. Not everything is for everyone, though, and I’m sure many other people would find this delicious! Personally, I might have liked it better with the duck, which is given as an option instead of chicken. However, for me, this quote is my view on the Chinatown Chicken Salad!

Passionfruit Roulade of The Christ

Interestingly, both The Phantom of the Opera and The Passion of The Christ were released in 2004! So, technically, a movie buff in November 2004 could have themed a dinner party exactly like this. I added some whipped cream into the roulade along with the passionfruit curd.

And what a way to finish! The passionfruit roulade is as light as air with a little zing coming from the passionfruit so it is also not overly sweet! One might say it is divine!

My Nigella Moment – Polka Dot Popcorn

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.

This month, my Nigella moment is definitely in theme! Because what’s a movie night without some popcorn? When I was growing up, we had a snack food called Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs, which were a combination of caramel popcorn and peanuts. This gave me the same vibes, plus a wave of nostalgia! It’s really yummy, and if you wanted to throw in some peanuts for a really Lolly Goggle Bliss Bomb effect, who could blame you?

I hope you have enjoyed Movie Night from November 2004. For me, the month was a little hit-and-miss.

I am taking a weekend break next week to travel to Queensland to catch up with some family. I will do my best to set up the next post to send out on Sunday morning at the regular time. However, if things go awry and that doesn’t happen, I will be back Sunday evening and will do my best to send it out manually then. Apologies in advance if it is late.

Have a great week!

27
Oct
2024

Feb 2004 – From the Garden

categories: 20 Years Ago Today, Australian Table, Chicken, Potato, Potato Salad, Scallops, Seafood

Hello dear readers! I was updating the index for the Twenty Years Ago Today posts this week and I realised I had not actually posted this one from way back in February! Given that today’s post was just a little teaser for Murder is Announced which will be released on Tuesday, I thought why not post this today so you also get some real content. Enjoy!

Hello, retro food lovers! Buckle up for a delicious journey back in time! Today, we’re using the magic of Australian Table magazine to teleport ourselves to February 2004, and build a menu that celebrates the vibrant bounty of the garden. Talk about perfect timing, with our own gardens bursting at the seams right now! But before we whip up some culinary magic, let’s take a nostalgic stroll down memory lane and see what was buzzing in pop culture back then.

First up, music: Australia was rocking out to Shannon Noll’s powerful cover of the Moving Pictures classic “What about Me?”. Fun fact, this very song just gave me some serious bragging rights in a pub quiz! So, while it might have retired from the charts, it’s clearly not forgotten.

Now, onto the literary world: can you guess the top-selling book of the first half of February 2004? Drumroll please… yep, you guessed it, it was the phenomenon that was The Da Vinci Code. And if you think its grip on pop culture was about to loosen anytime soon, think again! Speaking of cultural giants, Jesus himself made a big splash on the big screen, with The Passion of the Christ becoming the highest-grossing film of the month. So, get ready for a menu that’s not only fresh and seasonal, but also infused with a touch of early 2004 nostalgia.

Fun Fact From Australian Table February 2004

I found this little timeline of how food evolved in Australia over the last 70 years fascinating I particularly liked it that they did this by looking at old magazines. Hmm…now what does that remind me of?

Now, let’s take a look at our menu.

The Menu – February 2004

Summer Cocktail

Garden ingredient : Mint

This was a take on a Classic Pimms Punch combining gingerale, lemonade, Pimms, cucumber, mint and orange. Many of these recipes often also contain strawberries which we also have growing but this one didn’t. It was however delicious. This was summer in a glass!

Summer Cocktail Recipe

Seared Scallop Salad with Macadamia and Coriander Pesto

Garden Ingredients, Mint, Lime

While I am not a huge scallop fan this was delicious! Next time I make it I would use prawns. Confession: I took some liberties with the salad, swapping out the red capsicum and beansprouts. I can’t eat red capsicum and I could only find huge bags of beansprouts at the greengrocer. Bean sprouts aren’t bad, but buying a giant bag just for a few felt wasteful! I opted for cherry tomatoes (home grown) and red onion instead. This dish is colourful and pretty and the macadamia and coriander pesto is divine!

Seared Scallop Salad with Macadamia and Coriander Pesto

Rosemary and Lemon Chicken with Mint Dressing

Garden Ingredients: Rosemary, Lemon, Mint

This was a great quick and easy midweek meal. Nothing elaborate but relatively quick and tasty.

Rosemary and Lemon Chicken with Mint Dressing – Recipe

Potato Salad with Garlic and Caper Mayonnaise

Garden Ingredients: Lemon, Parsley

I love potato salad. Roseanne Cash Potato Salad remains one of my favourites but the Garlic and Caper Mayo on this one was superb!

Potato Salad with Garlic and Caper Mayonnaise – Recipe

Angel Cheesecake

Garden Ingredients: Limes

I am not 100% sure why this is called an Angel Cheesecake. Maybe because there are egg whites in the filling to make it lighter? Maybe because the combination of lime and passionfruit is divine?

We have a passionfruit vine in the garden but it is only tiny so has not had any fruit on it yet. I am looking forward to making this again with some homegrown passionfruit sometime in the future!

Angel Cheesecake – Recipe

My Nigella Moment – Barbecued Green Rice

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.

This month I chose a recipe that used a technique that was new to me. I have never thought of putting rice on the bbq. But I made the sushi with crispy rice out of the book Eat California by Vivian Lui (highly recommended BTW) and I loved it. And this gave me the same vibes. It was really tasty and I did get the crispy rice I was after but this recipe really needed some salt to make it a 10/10 instead of an 8/10! We also do not have a bbq at the moment so I made this in a pan on the stove.

Barbecued Green Rice Recipe

I really enjoyed this month, it just felt very lemon and mint-heavy in terms of garden produce! There were some absolute winners in the taste department too – the pesto, the potato salad, the cheesecake, and the rice are things that will become part of my repertoire!

25
Aug
2024

Spice It Up – August 2004

categories: 20 Years Ago Today, Apples, Baking, Blue Cheese, Delicious, Indonesia, Lamb, Leeks, Magazines, Pie, Salad, Savoury Pies and Tarts

Hello friends! Welcome to Twenty Years Ago Today! For a spicy twist this month, I turned to the August 2004 issue of Delicious magazine for recipe ideas. While the month wasn’t perfect, one dish stood out as a clear highlight and is easily one of my top ten of the year. But, before we get there, let’s take a little look at what was making the charts pop culture-wise back in August 2004!

Pop Culture – August 2004

So, for the first week of August 2004 and, also for the first time in what seems like eleventy billion years, The Da Vinci Code was NOT the number one selling book. That honour went to R for Ricochet by Sue Grafton. Now, I have never read any of this series. Is anyone out there a fan? I love a good mystery / thriller. Please let me know if you think this series might be good for me! However, before we get too excited about the demise of The Da Vinci Code, it went back to number one for the rest of August.

Collateral was the best-selling film of August 2004 but Garden State, which was a film we covered in my film club was #10. Leave, (Get Out) by JoJo was the number 1 song. I do not remember this song or the singer at all!!! Does anyone?

In the absence of any memory of JoJo, let’s pop the soundtrack for Garden State onto Spotify and get cooking!

The Spice It Up Menu – August 2004

Gado Gado

Spices used – garlic, ginger etc in the Satay sauce, chilli

I adore Gado Gado. It’s the perfect balance of health and indulgence, combining the virtue of steamed vegetables with the decadence of a spicy satay sauce. Unfortunately, despite searching through multiple supermarkets, I couldn’t find the tofu puffs I typically include. To compensate for the protein, I added some eggs. I ate this as a main dish so wanted to make it a substantial meal.

I also took some liberties with the vegetables, using ingredients I preferred or had readily available instead of strictly adhering to the recipe.”

Gado-Gado Recipe

Lamb Chops with Bay, Paprika and Chickpeas

Spice used: Paprika

The Jamie Oliver recipe was…alright. While it wasn’t a favorite, it was certainly edible. I’m not likely to make it again, but it was passable.

The biggest issue was the excessive amount of chili. As someone who enjoys spicy food, that’s a rare complaint for me. The chili completely overwhelmed the other flavors.

Another minor annoyance was the recipe’s use of the term “chops” while actually calling for “cutlets.” For those unfamiliar with lamb, cutlets are significantly more expensive than traditional chops. I used loin chops for my version because I had some in my freezer.

Lamb Chops with Bay, Paprika and Chickpeas Recipe

Apple and Blackberry Pie

Spices used: Cinnamon and Cloves

This. Was .Divine.

Unfortunately, my photos were not. Please don’t judge this on the photo or my really bad lattice work because the pie really truly was AMAZING!!!! This is a top ten dish if ever there was one! There is a version with Rhubarb mentioned which I will also be trying ASAP!

Apple and Blackberry Pie Recipe

Cinnamon Tea and Recipe

Spice Used: Cinnamon

Delicious Magazine also contained a recipe for Cinnamon Tea. I only ever really drink herbal tea, so this was not for me. Howeever, as the name suggests, it does contain a spice so if you are a tea drinker and maybe wanted something to sip on while eating your pie, here is the recipe.

My Nigella Moment – Leek and Gorgonzola Tarts

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 love leek and gorgonzola anything as it reminds me of a pizzeria I used to go to with my work mates a few years ago that did an amazing leek and gorgonzola pizza! I didn’t think these were as good as the pizza but that could also be nostalgia talking. They were quite nice in their own right!

Leek and Gorgonzola Tarts Recipe

I hope you have enjoyed this trip back to August 2004. Have a great week!

23
Mar
2024

March 2004 – No O’s

categories: 20 Years Ago Today, Custard, Delicious, Desserts, Magazines, Potato, Prawns, Salad, Steak

Hello, retro food lovers! Today we are stepping back in time for a fun theme. Remember the childhood book “Ghosts and Crows and Things With O’s? Well, today is the opposite. My aim today was to create a menu where none of the recipes contain the letter O in its name. Weird? Yes but so is Omicronphobia which is a fear of the letter O. Just in case you ever happen to be entertaining someone suffering from this affliction, here is a menu for you. Also, please don’t tell them I called them weird! Our guide today is the March 2004 issue of Delicious Magazine.

So, what else was happening in March 2004? Well, a fire crew in a hurry to get to a fire in Melbourne Florida left a fryer on in the firehouse. A little later they got a call to come and put out another fire…at their firehouse! In popular culture, the Da Vinci code was still top of the best seller lists and The Passion of The Christ was number 1 at the box office. Yeah by Usher was the number one song.

Now, that we have set the scene, let’s get to the menu

The Menu – March 2004

Prawn Caesar Salad

This was not strictly a Caesar Salad as the dressing was more of a Marie Rose-type thing but it had a Caesar-ish vibe about it. It was also delicious! You can find a more classic Caesar Salad here.

Prawn Caesar Salad Recipe

Teriyaki Steak with Wasabi Mash

I loved this, it was my favourite dish on the menu and so easy to make as well. I often found bought teriyake sauces much too sweet for my palate but this was perfect. And the wasabi mash was a perfect accompaniment. I also served some edamame and pickled veg alongside.

Teriyaki Steak with Wasabi Mash Recipes

Crème Brulée

March has been a very custard and caramel month around these parts. Last week I made caramel custard and this week, its more sophisticated cousin, Crème Brulée. I will say though that I cannot recommend this recipe. For a start, the cooking time was completely out. I had to cook my custards for about double the time they suggested! I was also intrigued by their suggestion of grinding the sugar to make it easier to torch. It did not. All it did was add to the time taken to cook the recipe, and burn the sugar when I torched it. After the first two, I went back to my usual way of using normal caster sugar and it was fine. Just listen to this. This is the sound of a good Crème Brulée.

Crème Brulée Recipe

It was a bit of a dud but I am including it for compleness sake. And having said that, the custard was delicious. And once I reverted back to my usual non-powdered white sugar, the bruleed top became perfect!

My Nigella Moment – Blue Cheese, Honey and Walnuts

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 have long said that cheese is my love language so this recipe immediately called to me. So simple and so delcious. And if you wanted to bring this recipe up to date? Sub out ordinary honey for some hot honey. This is a perfect after-dinner cheeseboard for one, or many. I served mine with a green salad and a croissant for a delicious lunch. This recipe is proof that the simple things in life are often the best!

Blue Cheese with Walnuts and Honey Recipe

Apart from a few hiccups with the Brulee, I loved this month. Delicious Magazine has allowed the Omicronphobes (and me) have some beautiful vibrant and tasty meals!

Have a great week!