Vegetables - Retro Food For Modern Times

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!

14
Apr
2024

Guacamole Stuffed Tomatoes

categories: 1980's recipes, Avocado, Starters, Tomatoes

Hello friends! Get ready for a delicious trip down memory lane, fueled by none other than guacamole-stuffed tomatoes! As a quirky only child, I spent a lot of my time lost in the magical worlds found between book covers. Every week, the local library became my wonderland. It was on one of these adventures that I stumbled upon a treasure – “The Complete Avocado Cookbook.”

I became obsessed with this book and borrowed it over and over. This book, and the food contained within it seemed like the height of sophistication to my younger self. This book was my future! I could not wait to grow up and have Breakfast At Tiffanys-esque parties complete with drunks wearing lampshades on their heads, women with foot long cigarette holders and, of course, some amazing avocado-based food!

Nostalgia Ain’t What It Used To Be

Given this history, you can only imagine my delight when I stumbled upon a copy of “The Complete Avocado Cookbook” in a charity shop a few years ago! I snatched it up so quickly, you’d think it was the last book on earth. However, the fact that it’s taken me years to actually cook from it might be a good indicator that “you can’t dip your toe into the same river twice.” Take the recipe for Crusted Stuffed Avocado, for example. For twelve-year-old me, this was the absolute star attraction, the shiny gold ornament on the Christmas tree of “The Complete Avocado Cookbook.”

For this recipe, you take an avocado, cut it in two and scoop out the flesh. You then mix that flesh with Camembert cheese, garlic and herbs and pile all of that back into the avocado shells. Then, you put the shells back together and crumb and fry the rejoined avocado. Try very hard not to sing Atomic Kitten’s Whole Again as you do this! Finally, you then serve your crusty stuffed avocado with an almond butter sauce!

Here it is:

And here is my childhood reaction to reading this recipe:

And here is adult me:

I now know that I don’t actually like the taste of cooked avocado.
Nowadays, the heart attack-inducing power of a deep-fried avocado stuffed with Camembert cheese, served with a butter sauce, terrifies me!
Why would you leave the skin of the avocado on?
Finally…why are they using a Shepherd when everyone knows the Hass avocado is far superior!

Guacmaole Stuffed Tomatoes – The Recipe

All of which leads me to the Guacamole Stuffed Tomato – let me tell you, it was absolutely delicious. I wouldn’t normally add olives to my guacamole but they were a nice salty addition! I could not really taste the coriander powder either and would probably sub in fresh coriander (cilantro) next time. Having said that, my twelve year old self, as well as my… ahem somewhat older self were both delighted! I was also delighted to take this photo of the original picture of the book and my homage to it!

And, if like me, you have aslo been hunning Whole Again this whole time, I’ve linked it in below. I will now look lovingly at my copy of The Complete Avocado Cookbook and sing along:

Looking back on when we first metI cannot escape and I cannot forgetBaby you’re the one, you still turn me on

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!

03
Mar
2024

Fresh Asparagus with Rouille

categories: 1980's recipes, Asparagus, France

Hello friends and welcome to another post on what posh people ate in the 1980s. Spring has sprung in many parts of the world. I have been holding over the recipe for Fresh Asparagus with Rouille for months as I think it is a perfect dish for the season.

Why Is Fresh Asparagus with Rouille Posh Food?

We’ve long considered asparagus a high-end vegetable.

A scene in The Crown was reshot because the etiquette advisor noticed Dominic West using a knife and fork for asparagus. The proper way is to pick it up with your fingers! This is exactly how I used to eat it back in my single days. Sometimes, when too tired to cook after work, dinner became microwave hollandaise sauce and steamed asparagus dunked straight from the jar. I just thought I was being lazy!

And I suspect that the inclusion of the word “Fresh” in the recipe title was further 1989 code for “Not that tinned garbage the hoi poiloi eat darling, we only want the real deal”.

Rouille accompanies the asparagus. This:

Is a Provençal Sauce
Is Hard to pronounce – its Roy-ee btw
Contains saffron, a very expensive spice

Any of which would send the Poshometer into overdrive. All of them? This could be the poshest recipe ever!

Finally, this recipe comes from an article called Polo Partying Shot. Now, I don’t know if you know any polo-playing people? One of my friends once dated a polo player and he and his buddies were universally vile. They truly believed that having more money than God entitled them to be arrogant, rude, dismissive, sexist and racist. They were the worst!

Asparagus with Rouille2 — Dunking with Glee..not a knife in sight!

Fresh Asparagus with Rouille – The Facts According To Me

This was amazing! It was so tasty! I love asparagus. My Nana’s asparagus sandwiches (made with tinned asparagus) were one of my favourite things to eat!!!! And, as above, it was one of my lazy single-girl meals. So, I am already a fan of asparagus.

But the Rouille?

OMG….

The Rouille was a game-changer! I always thought nothing could be better than Hollandaise with asparagus. The Rouille blew my mind. Not only was it a beautiful deep, rich yellow but it also had a deep rich flavour that was nothing short of superb. It’s thick and lemony and garlicky with a little kick from some mustard and cayenne but you could also definitely taste the saffron. But whilst it is punchy, it doesn’t overwhelm the asparagus.

Finally, this was ridiculously easy to make! And certain to impress your friends at your next dinner party, picnic or night on the couch!

Fresh Asparagus With Rouille – The Recipe

via the pages of Vogue Entertaining Oct/Nov 1989

For another lovely take on Spring Asparagus recipes, why not check out my Easter Lily Sandwiches?

Have a wonderful week!

04
Feb
2024

Spinach Pancakes

categories: 1970's recipes, A-Zof Cooking, Spinach, Vegetarian

Hello friends and welcome to a return to the wonderful vintage cookbook, The A-Z of Cooking. The last time I visited this book was back in 2016/17 when I cooked a LOT of recipes from it. There were only a few recipes left that I wanted to cook and this one for spinach pancakes with tomato sauce was top of the list! I love the combination of spinach and cheese – in spanakopita, in cannelloni and these pancakes did nothing to change my mind!

The finished pancakes looked very much like cannelloni! And to be honest, while the taste was great, this was a lot of work. The sauce needed to simmer for a few hours, the pancakes took some time to cook, the wrapping and rolling was fiddly. Alas, no two of my rolled pancakes were the same size! By the time these came out of the oven I was almost too tired to eat. It was only the day after that realised this recipe was in the “Night Before” chapter of the A-Z. It would have been far less tiring to make the sauce and pancakes the day before!

Maybe because I was thinking of cannelloni, the method of cooking seemed a bit odd to me. The recipe says to fill the pancakes, place them in the baking dish and then sprinkle cheese over the top. You were then meant to serve the sauce on the side.

I did this but about half way through the cook, I gave into to the urge to pour the sauce over the top! I then added more cheese.

Deeelicious!

Spinach Pancakes with Tomato Sauce – The Recipe

My notes on the recipe

I used frozen spinach
I subbed ricotta cheese for the cottage cheese
Leave yourself plenty of time – this took me around 3 and a half hours all up.

And, if l like me you can’t get enough spinach and cheese, here are some other ways you can spin these flavours!

Have a great week!

Category: Vegetables

Pop Culture – August 2004

The Spice It Up Menu – August 2004

Gado Gado

Gado-Gado Recipe

Lamb Chops with Bay, Paprika and Chickpeas

Lamb Chops with Bay, Paprika and Chickpeas Recipe

Apple and Blackberry Pie

Apple and Blackberry Pie Recipe

Cinnamon Tea and Recipe

My Nigella Moment – Leek and Gorgonzola Tarts

Leek and Gorgonzola Tarts Recipe

Nostalgia Ain’t What It Used To Be

Guacmaole Stuffed Tomatoes – The Recipe

The Menu – March 2004

Prawn Caesar Salad

Prawn Caesar Salad Recipe

Teriyaki Steak with Wasabi Mash

Teriyaki Steak with Wasabi Mash Recipes

Crème Brulée

Crème Brulée Recipe

My Nigella Moment – Blue Cheese, Honey and Walnuts

Blue Cheese with Walnuts and Honey Recipe

Why Is Fresh Asparagus with Rouille Posh Food?

Fresh Asparagus with Rouille – The Facts According To Me

Fresh Asparagus With Rouille – The Recipe

Spinach Pancakes with Tomato Sauce – The Recipe

My notes on the recipe