Baked Eggs Melange - 1980s

This time of year is definitely tomato time.  We, like many households across the nation have lots of organically grown, home seeded tomatoes that we've been given by friends and family, and also ones we've grown ourselves.  The common thing is to put them in salads or make them in to chutney, but this eighties recipe from my favourite Tomato themed cookbook  published in 1987, shows you something a bit unique you can do with your Tomatoes.



Melange means a blend or a mess, a cacophony, and this is very much the case.  For this recipe I would definitely recommend free-range organic eggs, as they have much more taste to them.  This recipe serves 8, and is originally made with a can of chopped tomatoes.  However it can easily be converted to use fresh ones.

You need:

12 hard-boiled eggs, shelled.
810g can of tomato pieces (or lots and lots of tomatoes).
120g butter
1 onion, chopped
1 capsicum pepper, seeded and chopped.
1 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons flour
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
1 cup White Sauce (Schwartz mix is an easy option)
365g can champignons, chopped (mushrooms).
half a cup of breadcrumbs
half a cup of grated cheese
finely chopped parsley

1. Chop the eggs roughly.  Strain tomatoes, reserving the juice.  (If using fresh tomatoes it might be good to chop the tomatoes and scoop out the insides and use the insides for the juice.)

2. Melt half the butter in a pan and gently fry the onion, capsicumand celery until tender.  Add the flour and tomatoes stirring until the mixture thickens.  Add the reserved tomato juice and seasonings, then bring the liquid to the boil.  Stir in the White Sauce, chopped eggs and champignons.

3. Spoon the mixture in to individual serving dishes or an oblong cassorole dish, then top with breadcrumbs and dot with the remaining butter.

4. Bake in an oven pre-heated to 220C for 10 minutes or until brown and bubbling.  Sprinkle with grated cheese and parsley to serve.

Beef Bake with Beer - 1980's

If you're in Exeter next week on the 21st January, the local CAMRA is holding their Winter Ales festival at the Exeter City Football ground in St James Park.  In tribute to this occasion, here is another beer related meal that can be experimented with and played around with.

15g Margarine
450g minced beef
1 x 225g packet of frozen mixed vegetables
200ml beef stock
300ml real ale
100g mushrooms, chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Topping:
2 tomatoes, skinned and sliced
salt
freshly ground black pepper
450g thinly sliced potatoes
50g margarine
300ml plain yoghurt
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
50g grated cheese

1. Melt the marge in a saucepan and saute the meat for 5 to 10 minutes until browned.
2. Add the mixed vegetables, stock, real ale, and mushrooms.  Add salt and pepper to taste and then simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Turn into an ovenproof dish and arrange the tomatoes on top.
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Fry the potatoes in the marge until softened and arrange over the tomatoes.  Combine the yoghurt and nutmeg and pour over the potatoes.
6. Sprinkle with cheese and bake in a preheated moderately hot oven (200C) for 25 to 30 minutes until top is browned.

Kofta Curry - 1980's

Here is a classic from the darker period of culinary creation, yet surprisingly nice as a concept.

225g mincd lamb
1 small onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon of garam masala
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 beaten egg
oil for frying
1 283g of curry sauce
a few mint leaves roughly chopped to garnish

1. Mix the meat, onion, garlic, spices and salt and pepper.
2. Add the beaten egg and mix well.
3. Shape in to 8 to 10 meatballs and fry in hot oil in a shallow pan on all sides until evenly browned.
4. Drain well, and then in a large saucepan, heat the curry sauce and add the meatballs, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Serve garnished with chopped mince.

Keith Floyd's Pork Chops in Beer - 1980's

Stuck on what to have tomorrow night? This classic from Keith Floyd is very simple if you have the right ingredients (obviously).

4 pork chops
Salt and Pepper
1 oz (25g) lard or dripping
1 pint (600ml) beer
1 oz (25g) capers, drained
2 egg yolks
pinch of nutmeg
lemon slices and parsley to garnish

1. Season the chops with salt and pepper.  Fry quickly in hot lard in a frying pan to seal in the juices (or you can trim the excess fat from he chops, melt it down and use that).

2. Drain off fat and reserve.  Add most of the beer and more seasoning to the chops and simmer gently for 30 to 45 minutes until they are tender

3. Remove the chops from the pan, place and a warm serving dish and keep warm.

4. Pour the hot cooking liquid into a basin, add the capers, egg yolks and nutmeg.  Beat thoroughly, adding a little of the drained-off fat.

5. Return the sauce to the pan and stir until it thickens, but do not boil; then add a couple of dashes of beer to bring back the flavour.  Pour over chops and garnish with lemon and parsley.

Herb Omlettes - 1980's

Here is one to teach your kids.

4 - 5 Fresh Free Range Eggs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp of chopped fresh parsley, chervil and chives
1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon

1. Beat the eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl until whites and yolks are combined.
2. Melt the butter in a suitable pan until it starts browning and bubbling
3. Pour in the eggs and stir them with the flat end of a fork igorously.
4. Lift the edge of the eggs tilting the edge of the pan at the same time so uncooked egg runs to the edges.
5. Sprinkle over the herbs, fold over the omlette, serve.