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  This recipe serves 8, and is originally made with a can of chopped tomatoes.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.

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". 

Honey Cheesecake - 1970s

Last night I decided it would be a fantastic idea to take a photo of this recipe.  It was a fantastic idea, but, it didn't work as the photo came out far too small.

So here it is again, but this time done properly.

For a Honey Cheesecake you will need...

225g / 8oz Wholeweat Biscuits (digestives) crushed.
125g / 4oz melted butter
5ml / 1 teaspoon ground allspice
350g / 12oz cottage cheese
125g / 4oz clear honey
10ml / 2 teaspoons brown sugar
 2 eggs
pinch of salt
10ml / 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. Mix the biscuits, butter and allspice together then press in to the bottom and sides of a well greased 23cm / 9 inch flan tin.
2. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
3. Mix all the remaining ingredients, except the cinnamon, together.  Spoon into the biscuit crust and dust with cinnamon.
4. Put in to a pre-heated oven at 170C / 325F and bake for 40 minutes or until filling is set

Irish Stew - 1970s

This is most probably an older recipe, but I am taking it from the newest addition to my collection.  The first edition of the 1000 Recipe Cook Book, editied by Isabel Barrett and Jane Harrop ISBN 0706405315
As with these sorts of books, the recipe itself is most probably older than 1970s but it appeared in 1976, not possibly the first time it appeared.  It is very much one of those timeless classics that has evolved as you can read on about.com on their history of Irish Stew.  One thing that I love is that this recipe can be 'Boozy' if you want it to be.  Whack a bit of Guinness in why not?

You will need:

1kg/2lb of potatoes sliced
2 large onions sliced
salt and pepper
15ml/tablespoon dried thyme
1 kg/2 lb lamb chops


1. Put about half the potatoes on the bottom of a large casserole.  Cover with half the onions then sprinkle with salt and pepper and half the thyme.
2. Add the chops, then continue to make layers with the remaining Onions, salt and pepper, thyme and remaining potatoes.
3.  Add just enough water to cover.  Cover tightly and put into the oven pre-heated to warm (170 celsius/325 Farenheit/Gas Mark 3).
4. Cook for 2 to 2.5 hours or until the chops are cooked through.

Iced Cheese and Pear Salad - 1960's

Mad Men themed party? Perfect party dish.




3 level tablespoons
1 red pepper (chopped)
4 oz crumbled Cheshire cheese
One eighth pint of double cream
2 large pears
4 lettuce leaves
Sprigs of watercress

1. Either turn up your refrigerator up to maximum or make sure you have access to a clear freezer.
2. Mix mayo with the Cheshire cheese, chopped red pepper, double cream and spread in an ice tray.
3. Place in a freezing compartment/refrigerator and stir every 30 minutes until mixture is frozen which should take 1 - 1.5 hours.
4. Wipe pears (peel if skins are tough) and cut in half and remove core.  Place each half pear on a lettuce leaf, pile iced cheese mixture on pear and garnish with watercress sprigs. Serve immediately.