Faggots (1970s)

Gosh it has been a while since I shared some classic recipes.  This is one of my favourites, although this version calls for minced liver? I am certain that beef mince would be a good replacement!

Roast Beef - 1970's (Marguerite Patten)

So you think you know how to Roast Beef?  You haven't Roasted nothing until you've done it Patten-style.

If you scour the internet, you can most probably find a recipe on how to do a good roast, however it doesn't say anything about how your mum would do a roast.

There are so many many variations on this classic, my Dad does it completely differently from my Mother-In-Law for instance.  But this, dear reader, is the control method.

Valentine Special! Extra Rich Brandy Fudge - 1960's

Good old Marguerite Patten, she has a recipe for just about everything you can imagine.  And with Valentines Day looming over us like some heart shaped inevitable tsunami of soppyness and love, (read hatred and resentment for the single-and-proud types) the whole question about what to get your admired comes to mind.

Image taken from candyhero.com, go forth and drool as its an amazing website!

In my experience there is nothing better than a handmade token of love or gratitude, way above any bought chocolate.  So I give you a basic fudge recipe which is classed as 1960's as it comes from a book of that vintage, but its simply timeless.  Not only that but its also a damn bit cheaper.

If you just want to make Rich Vanilla Fudge you can replace the brandy with water.  Try a variation and add Apricot Brandy? What about Disaronno or even White Rum?  The possibilities are endless!

You will need:

1lb granulated sugar
1/2 pint cream
2oz butter
3 tablespoons brandy
half pint of milk
1 to 2 teaspoons of vanilla essence or 1 vanilla pod

1. Put all the ingredients, including the vanilla essence or cut the vanilla pod, into a strong saucepan, this is very important because of the strong cream content.  Here I would recommend a non-stick pan of high quality.

2. Stir until sugar is thoroughly dissolved.

3. Boil steadily, stirring quite frequently, until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage.  This is a nicer fudge if rather soft so do not let it exceed 238F (best use a thermometer).  Take out the pod, rince under water and store in a jar of sugar.

4. Beat until slightly cloudy, pour into a well oiled or buttered tin.

5. Allow to set and cut into squares.

Loganberry Wine - 1960's (possibly older)

Given Loganberrys are meant to be at their best about this time of year, I thought we'd do a seasonal wine today.

Loganberrys were discovered as a mistake when some raspberrys cross pollinated with a certain type of blackberry.  As a result they're a sort of super-blackberry, which is high in vitamin C and very tasty.  They also make a damn good wine, and if you happen to have 6lb of loganberry's lying around, this recipe that appears in the book '500 Recipes: Home-Made Wines and Drinks' by my favourite recipe lady Marguerite Patten which was published in 1963.


More than likely the recipe is older, but given the popularity of home-made wine and beers seem to come around in cycles I expect it will continue to be a home-brew favourite for years to come.  I am told by Google it is 'Refreshingly tart and fruity. Wonderful with fruit, cheese, nuts and smoked salmon' 

Recipe:
6lb loganberries
1 Gallon boiling water

To each gallon of water:
2.5 lb Sugar 1/4 oz of yeast

1. Put fruit into a container and pour over the water.
2. Mash firmly, pressing well to extract the juice and leave for 4 days to infuse.
3. Strain off liquid and measure.
4. Add sugar and yeast and leave in a warm place (65F to 75F) to ferment.
5. When bubbling ceases, stir well.
6. Leave for a further three days for the sediment to settle.
7. Strain through flannel or very thick muslin into a cask, filling this completely.  If not clear, see the instructions below
8. Cork and leave for 6 months.
9. Pour into bottles, cork and store in a cool dark place to mature for another few months at least.

My wine isn't clear? What should I do?
Marguerite has some instructions about what to do if your wine isn't clear.

"If, after straining, your wine does not look clear check carefully that you are using a fine enough filter.  It may well be that an extra two thicknesses of muslin, etc will immediately make a difference.
If, after fermentation and straining it is not clear, then you must use isinglass or egg white to ensure the wine is perfect to look at.  The white of one egg is sufficient for several gallons.  Whist it until firm, add to the wine in the container and leave for 24 hours.  You should then be satisfied with the result"
"It may well be that the haze or cloudiness in the wine is caused by the sediment which is disturbed by tipping the container when straining the wine.  This is why many people prefer to siphon rather than straining a wine.
There are actual faults in the wine that can cause a haze and this is a little difficult to rectify.  In a dry wine it may be because it is becoming a little vinegary, a condition which will get worse rather than better, so the wine must be used at once."

"In a sweet wine, it could be because the yeast in providing a special growth.  In this case the best solutions is to siphon the wine carefully into a new container, leaving the growth behind". 

Peanut Butter Soup - 1960s

This evening I came across a set of recipe cards that my Aunt has had for, quite literally, years.  They are nearly all 1967 published and in mint condition.

I am, sadly, very very happy and intend to bring you some of the finest recipes from this massive collection which is going to take up half of my desk, as I have nowhere else to put it.

So the first recipe that I am going to bring from this monster box of goodies is Peanut Butter Soup, and it is filed in the 'Picnics' section.

The cooking time for this strange dish is 15 minutes, it should take 15 minutes to prepare and for this you'll need a frying pan and saucepan.  The recipe makes enough for four people.

1oz/25g butter
1oz/25g flour
half a pint / 275 ml milk
a bay leaf
2 - 3 oz / 50 - 75g peanut butter
1 pint/ generous half litre of chicken stock
OR water and stock cubes
Seasoning

To garnish: croutons.

1. Heat the butter in the pan, then stir in the flour and cook for several minutes, stirring well.
2. Remove from heat, stir in the milk then bring to the boil and cook until smooth and thick, again stirring to keep the sauce smooth. Add the bay leaf.
3.Put the peanut butter into a basin gradually blend in a little of the warm sauce, then return to the pan, adding the stock and seasoning.
4. Meanwhile prepare the croutons for this dice bread and fry in hot butter until crisp and golden brown.

To Carry: Pour the soup into a warmed vacuum flask.  Put the croutons into a screw topped jar, Take cups or soup bowls.

To Vary: Many other home made or canned soups are ideal for a picnic and by mixing various canned soups you have interesting flavours.

Southern Casserole - 1960's

This is one of Marguerite Patten's classics from 500 Recipes for Suppers and Snacks.  A really hearty sixties meal with a lot of easy-to-obtain ingredients.
It is a little odd, with processed cheese consisting as one of the main ingredients.  Most probably something to stay away from if you don't like cheese.


8 small cocktail sausages
3 oz elbow spaghetti
1 creamed corn on the cob
1 oz butter
seasoning
6 - 8 oz of processed cheese

1. Grill fry or bake the sausages. Keep hot until needed later.
2. Cook the spaghetti until tender.
3. Strain and mix with the creamed corn on the cob and the butter
4. Season well/
5. Put a layer at the bottom of a casserole, cover with a layer of processed cheese, then a layer of corn on the cob mixture.
6. Top with a thick layer of cheese.
7. Cook for 15 minutes in a moderately hot oven, (400F - 425F, GM 5-6) until cheese melts.
8. Arrange sausages on top.

Egg and Bacon Flan - 1960's

This is one for beginners.  It makes a really nice alternative breakfast or a quick fix for a baking urge.  making shortcrust pastry is pretty easy and it gets even easier when you buy pre-made, pre-rolled stuff.
So have a go at this classic recipe, it isn't a 'typical' sixties recipe as it still lives in today.  Flans are not exactly in fashion at the moment, but they're still pretty popular.


5 - 6 oz short crust pastry
4 - 6 oz bacon, diced.
3 to 4 eggs.
seasoning.

1. Line the flan tin with pastry and bake for about 10 minutes to set, but not cook, the pastry.
2. Fry the diced bacon until just crisp.
3. Add this to the well-beaten and seasoned eggs.
4. Pour the mixture into the flan case.
5. Set a further 25 minutes in a moderately hot oven.

Peanut Butter Toffee - 1960's

This is one of those 'I-would-love-to-try-this-recipe-if-I-had-a-metabolism-higher-than-Everest' recipes.  It is a complete treat, one of those things that you just have to try to say that you've done it.

Once you've made your Toffee, storing it might be an issue, so make sure you have plenty of wax paper or try individually wrapping them.  Personally I would let it set in a slab or try and pour it in to a slab mould of some sort.

1lb sugar, preferably Demerara
3oz peanut butter
1/3 pint of water
1 1/2 oz of butter
2 level teaspoons of golden syrup
1 teaspoon vinegar

1. Put all the ingredients into a strong saucepan and stir over a steady heat until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Bring to the boil and cook until the mixture reaches the 'hard crack' stage 290F.
3. Drop in teaspoonfuls on to a buttered or oiled tin and either allow to set as a slap or mark in to squares as the toffee becomes partially set.  Then cut or break when completely set.

Marguerite Patten's Mushroom Fingers - 1970's

This is essentially Mushroom on Toast.  So, Fungi Bruschetta for the posh amongst us.

8 oz. mushroom
Third of a pint of milk
1 oz flour
1 oz butter
Seasoning
Dash of Worcester Sauce
Little parsley chopped
4 slices of buttered toast

1. Wash and chop mushroom caps and stalks coarsely.
2. Simmer in the milk until tender.
3. Blend flour and butter together and work into mushroom mixture gradually.
4. Cook gently for some little time until smooth.
5. Season well, add sauce and parsley.
6. Spread on toast and divide into fingers.

Marguerite Patten's Stuffed Peppers - 1970's

This is most probably the simplest and healthiest dish that I can make without a recipe book near me.  Here Marguerite Patten gives us a quick simple recipe for this classic dish which I personally reckon was more sixties?  Regardless, Ms Patten gives us some alternatives with Cheese or minced meat instead of rice at the end of recipe, but I'll leave that up to you. A neat little recipe which can be adjusted and modified easily.

4 green peppers
2 onions
3 tomatoes
2 oz margarine
3 oz cooked rice
seasoning (salt and pepper?)
little parsley chopped

1. Halve the peppers lenthwise and remove seeds and hard centre
2. Out into boiling salted water and cook for about 5 minutes early.
3. Take out and drain.
4. Meanwhile fry the chopped onions and tomatoes int he margarine, add to the rice, season well and put into the centre of the peppers.
5. Cover with greased paper , put into a well greased dish and bake in teh centre of a moderate oven (375F - Gas Mark 6). Sprinkle with Parsley.