October, 2019 - Retro Food For Modern Times

24
Oct
2019

Mr Kransky’s Panel Van Meatloaf

categories: Meat, Music

So people of the internet, we’re going to start today’s post with a little quiz. I’m going to show you some pictures and you can try to guess what these things have in common. Are you ready? Ok, picture #1 is my version of Matt Preston’s Mr Kransky’s Panel Van Meatloaf. No, I don’t know why it’s called that either.

Next up? Clue 2…

Any takers? Okay, clue 3 coming up!

And finally…

Have you got it? Meatloaf, 1979, Bat, Hell…shall I take the words right out of your mouth?

Today we are celebrating Meatloaf’s album Bat Out of Hell which was released this week 40 years ago! My parents had a copy of this album and in particular my Dad LOVED it and played it often so Bat out of Hell is part of the soundtrack of my childhood. There would have been a time where I could have song every song word for word. Those days are gone but, I will confess that if I’m in the car and radio hopping and I catch a few bars of “Paradise by the dashboard light” I will always listen just because it reminds of the time when “We were barely 17 and we were barely dressed” was the most risque thing I had ever heard! Nowadays I will crank the volume up and join in that operatic crescendo at the end “So now I’m praying for the end of time so I can end my time with you” Which in the words of PJ O’Rourke is definitely a case of age and guile beating youth, innocence and a bad haircut.

I celebrated this 40 year anniversary by making the aforementioned Mr Kransky’s Panel Van Meatloaf. I don;t know who Mr Kransky is or why he decided to make (eat?) his meatloaf in a panel van (aka a shagging wagon) but I can tell you it is delicious. That sweet glaze over the top? Mmmmmmwha!

I used lamb mince in my meatloaf as I don’t eat pork and added a little chilli into the meat mixture too.

This was so good.

The only downside is that the recipe makes a TON of meatloaf, I have been eating it all week! Still, it was worth it as this really is very tasty.

My two favourite ways of eating this are first, very traditionally with mashed potatoes and steamed green beans. The other is in a long roll with some lettuce and pickled vegetables (carrots, daikon and onion), coriander and with a little chilli sauce mixed into the glaze to become a kind of cheat’s bahn mi! Perfect for work lunches!

Have an awesome week everyone! I’ll be eating so much meatloaf and trying not to hum “Two out three ain’t bad” out loud.

PS – let me know at what number clue you guessed the quiz topic!

13
Oct
2019

Use By: Roast Vegetable Bubble and Squeak

categories: England, Great Name, Leftovers, Roast Vegetables, Use By

What can you do with a load of leftover roast veggies? Make one of the best-named dishes ever – Bubble and Squeak! Bubble and Squeak is a British recipe which is traditionally made from the leftovers from the traditional Sunday roast. It is supposedly called Bubble and Squeak due to the noises made during the cooking process. I think this last bit may be apocryphal. My Bubble and Squeak neither bubbled or squeaked. It was totally delicious though!

So what’s it all about Alfie? Given the Britishness of this dish, feel free to use your best Michael Caine cockney voice as you read that too!

Well, get your leftovers – I had some Ottlolenghi Harissa Potatoes and some Brussels Sprouts. You can use pretty much whatever veg you have as long as you have one that can be mashed up. Mashed potato will also work a treat in this.

Mash up your veggies and add a beaten egg. The rest is up to you. Add some of your chopped up leftover roast if you like, throw in some herbs or some cheese. Add some chill or a dollop of mustard. Be as fancy or as simple as you like. I kept these pretty simple, just the veggies and egg because the potatoes already had some harissa and spice seasoning.

When you are ready, pan fry your Bubble and Squeaks to make delicious patties. These are delicious as a side dish, make a great vegetarian burger patty or are good just by themselves.

Topped Bubble and Squeak

My favourite way to eat Bubble and Squeak is to pan-fry the little cakes until they are all crispy and brown on the outside and then top them with all sorts of delish things. These are one of my go-to’s for lunch (or breakfast) when I am working from home.

Breakfast Bubbles

No, I’m not talking about champagne although, having just come back from Europe where a glass of sparkling is de rigueur with your brekkie I’m totally on board with bubbles in the AM. Hmm…if you had some sparkling wine with your breakfast Bubble and Sqeak I guess that’s double bubble!

Bubble and Squeak with an egg makes a for a super breakfast. You could pan fry some bacon as you heat the bubble and squeak if you wanted to have some meat but I like to have mine just with egg. Grilled cheese on top of your B&S is another delicious breakfast option.

Lunchtime Squeaks

Come lunchtime, I like to top my Bubble and Squeak with some chilli labneh and pickled red cabbage or hummus and tomato salsa as per the top picture.

I love the combination of the crispy roast veggies, the creaminess of the yoghurt and the bite of pickle!

Bubble and Squeak can become quite addictive and now I routinely cook extra veg just so I can have them over the next few days!

Here’s a recipe but feel free to experiment as you wish with herbs, condiments etc. My version does not include cheese in the mix but, if you were going to add it, you could play around with different types. Having said that, now I desperately want to have Bubble and Squeak with some blue cheese crumbled through it!!!

Tell me, what is your favourite way of using up roasted veg?

Have a great week!

08
Oct
2019

Old Fashioned Lemonade

categories: Drinks, Lemon, Non - Alcoholic

So, what do you do when life gives you lemons? Make lemonade of course!

And oh boy has life given me lemons! We came home from holidays to find a tree that was so laden with lemons that the branches were nearly lying on the ground!

Poor tree!!!!

Emergency lemon measures were called for! Friends and family were called. However, friends and family were either having their own too many lemon dilemmas or were already hooked up with other peoples too many lemon dilemmas. So, unable to give them away, I started thinking about how to deal with the lemon glut of 2019 on my own!

My old fashioned lemonade is a total classic. It’s the kind of lemonade you can imagine kids selling from a homemade stand, Lucy Van Pelt style back in the day. Or the kind that these kids gave away to marchers during the 1963 March on Washington led by Martin Luther King, Jr. Bless their non-capitalist hearts!

Old Fashioned lemonade is also incredibly easy to make! It has just three ingredients – Lemon juice, sugar and sparkling water. Garnishes of lemon wedges, mint leaves and ice cubes are optional.

But if you also wanted to add a little splash of booze, well, I won’t judge you. 😉

Print

Old Fashioned Lemonade

Print Recipe

A simple and refreshing drink.

Author: Taryn

Ingredients

Scale

375mls of freshly squeezed lemon juice
200grm caster sugar
sparkling water
Ice cubes, lemon wedges and mint leaves to garnis

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Stir the sugar into the lemon juice until it has completelty melted.
When ready to serve, fill a glass to about a third with the lemon and sugar mixture.
Add icecubes.
Top with sparkling water.
Garnish with lemon wedges and mint leaves.

Notes

The lemon and sugar mixture will keep for about a week in a bottle in the fridge.

I’m sure I will have many more lemony dishes in the coming months including a much more fancy lemonade and a super sounding pickle that was in a book I got for my birthday.

Let me know what you would make if you had a million lemons – I need all the inspiration I can get.

Have a great week!

Month: October 2019

Topped Bubble and Squeak

Breakfast Bubbles

Lunchtime Squeaks

Old Fashioned Lemonade

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes