Oxtails  are still used quite a bit today and while this oxtail soup calls for ‘1 oxtail’, you will be able to buy shorter lengths.  And on the topic of how much to buy, this should help…

“An oxtail typically weighs 2 to 4 lbs. (1-1.8 kg) and is skinned and cut into short lengths for sale.” – Source, Wikipedia.

Oxtail Soup

Ingredients

1 oxtail

1 1/2 quarts water

1 strip celery

1 carrot

1 onion

Bunch herbs

10 peppercorns

3 cloves

Salt

1 dessertspoon of flour

A little dripping

Method

Cut the oxtail into joints and divide the large joints into four.  Fry till brown in good dripping, add the water and simmer gently till it is quite tender, about 4 hours.  Strain the stock into a basin, dip the pieces of tail into hot water to remove the fat; set them aside.  When the stock is cold remove the fat.  Put stock into a saucepan with vegetables and seasoning.  Cook till done.  Strain, thicken with the flour, let it boil, add some small pieces of oxtail.  Serve in a soup tureen.  Heat the rest of the oxtail in a good brown gravy, flavour with a little Parisian Essence, and serve as entree.

Recipe from Aunt Mary’s Cookery Book, Circa 1950’s

Modern Notes

• 1 1/2 quarts = 1.7 litres water
• Parisian essence is a traditional ingredient used to enhance the rich brown colouring of gravies, puddings, cakes and more.

Old fashioned sago pudding is a real treat and is definitely something that everyone should try in their life.  It is simple to make and is really a variation of rice pudding or any other cereal based pudding.  The eggs give it a custard texture and add to the creaminess.

Sago Pudding

Ingredients

1 pint milk

2 tablespoonfuls of sago

1 tablespoonful of sugar (or to taste)

2 eggs (optional)

Nutmeg

Salt

Method

Boil the milk, sprinkle in the sago, stir until boiling, and simmer gently until it (the sago) becomes clear, stirring occasionally.  Add the sugar, nutmeg and a good pinch of salt, and when a little cool, the well beaten eggs.  Pour into a greased pie dish and bake in a slow oven.

Modern Notes

• 1 pint = 570mls.
• Tapioca can be substituted for sago.
• The recipe states the eggs are optional, however for a true custard style pudding, they should be used.
• Salt can be omitted.

Recipe from Mrs Beetons  ”All About Cookery, circa early 1900’s

Devilled food is basically food that has been cooked with a very hot pepper so most ‘devilled’ recipes contain cayenne pepper.  Often mustard is in the mix somewhere too along with other spicy ingredients.

Devilled kidneys are a Victorian English breakfast dish that are still quite popular today and simply require a gently sauteing of the prepared kidneys in a spicy blend of ingredients.

Devilled Kidneys

Ingredients

6-8 sheeps’ kidneys

1/2 teaspoon mustard

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons tomato sauce

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Method

Wash kidneys thoroughly in salt and water.  Remove skin, cut into slices.  Melt butter.  Fry kidneys gently for about 10 minutes.  Add all the ingredients and cook gently for another 10 minutes.  Place on slices of toast and serve hot.

Buying and using parts of the chicken such as breast, wings, and thighs is quite common nowadays.  However, it used to be that chickens would only arrive in the kitchen in one piece and as a result recipes tended to utilise the whole bird.

This Chicken Casserole Recipe is a great example and requires the bird to be cut into pieces before using.  No wastage here!

Chicken Casserole Recipe

Ingredients

1 whole chicken

3 level tablespoons dripping

1 level teaspoon salt

2 or 3 slices onion

Small bunch of herbs (1 or 2 sprigs of parsley, mint, rosemary or thyme)

1 or 2 rashers of bacon

About 3 cups boiling water

2 level tablespoons flour

1 cup milk or cream

1 egg yolk

Method

Wash and cut chicken into joints.  Brown chicken in heated fat.  Place in casserole with salt, onion, herbs, bacon and water, cover tightly.  Cook gently (325F) until tender, about 1 ½ hours.  Remove herbs.  Drain off liquid and add to it the flour blended with a little cold water and bring to boil.  When the liquid is thickened add milk or cream beaten with egg yolk and pour over the chicken in the casserole.  Serve very hot with boiled rice or flour dumpling or hot savoury scones.  For 4 to 6.  To pressure cook allow approximately 45 minutes.

To Vary

Add 1 cup tomato puree instead of milk and egg yolk.

Add mushrooms 30 minutes before serving.

Make sauce thicker if liked by adding an extra level tablespoon of flour and seaon with chopped red capsicum or celery.

Recipe from “Aerophos” Recipe Book, 1951

Modern Notes

Olive oil or similar should be used in place of dripping.

The salt and water could be replaced with chicken stock.

As the perfect savoury biscuit, these Cheese Biscuits are great to make as you can get your hands nice and dirty rubbing in the butter.    Use whatever cheese you like, but a nice tasty cheddar is perfect.

Cheese Biscuits

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup grated cheese

3/8 cup milk and water in equal parts

Method

Sift flour, add baking powder and salt, and sift again.  Rub in butter and cheese.  Add liquid gradually until soft dough is formed.  Roll 1/3 inch thick on slightly floured board.  Cut with floured biscuit cutter.  Bake in hot oven (220C/425F) 15 minutes.  Makes 12 biscuits.

Recipe from Aunt Mary’s Cookery Book, circa 1950’s

This Meat Hash recipe is a great way to use up leftover any leftover meat and vegetables – so don’t throw them out!  Any meat will do – beef, pork, veal or lamb.  You could even try poultry.

Ingredients

2 cups finely minced cooked meat

1 level tablespoon chopped onion

1 level teaspoon salt

2 cups finely chopped cooked vegetables

1 cup milk

2 level tablespoons good beef dripping, butter or margarine

Method

Combine meat, onion, salt, vegetables and milk.  Heat fat in frying pan.  Add meat mixture.  When browned on bottom, fold over in two.  Slip on to hot platter and garnish with chopped parsley.

Modern Notes

• Olive oil, vegetable oil or other oil of your choice could be used to replace the ‘fat’ in this recipe.
• The salt can be omitted or reduced to taste.

This Raspberry Slice is definitely an ‘oldie but a goodie’.  The wonderful combination of sweet raspberry jam with a coconut topping and biscuit base is hard to resist for anyone.

Raspberry Slice Recipe

Beat ¼ lb butter and ¼ cup sugar to a cream.  Add 1 beaten egg, then 1 ½ cups S.R. flour.  Butter a flat tin, put mixture in, press out flat with fingers and spread with raspberry jam.  Beat 1 egg, ½ cup sugar, 1 cup dessicated cocoanut, and spread on top of the jam with a fork.  Bake fifteen minutes in a good oven.

Recipe from “The Barossa Cookery Book” circa 1940’s

Modern Notes

• While the recipe is particularly nice with raspberry jam, any berry jam could be substituted.
• A ‘good’ oven would be a moderate oven – 180C (350F)
• A suitable tin size is approximately 28 x 18cm
• Once the slice is removed from the oven, allow it to cool slightly then cut into squares

Going by this recipe, there was a time when you could by sheep’s tongues in a tin – but they may not be as readily available today!

In the spirit of eating the ‘whole of the beast’, here is a recipe for sheep’s tongues.

This is an entrée sized dish.

Ingredients:

1 tin sheep’s tongues or 4 sheep’s tongues

About 1 pint brown sauce made as follows:

Method:

Cut carrot, onion and turnip into small pieces.  Melt the fat, fry the vegetables a deep brown.  Add herbs, stir in the flour, cook 3 minutes.  Add water, stir until it boils.  Add bacon and simmer gently about half to three-quarters of an hour.  Before using, strain.  Cut the tongues into slices, after trimming and removing skin.  Place in the sauce and simmer gently for half an hour.  Serve very hot with green peas and mashed potatoes.

Notes:

1 pint = 570ml

Following on from how to make The Perfect Omelet and a recipe for Puffy Omelet, here is a recipe for making a plain French Omelet.

The difference between the Puffy Omelet and French Omelet is the method of mixing.  One requires the egg yolk and whites to be beaten separately (puffy) , in the other they are beaten together (French).

French Omelet

Ingredients

Method

Beat the eggs only until the yolks and whites are well mixed.  Add the liquid and the seasonings.  Heat an omelet pan or heavy frying pan, melt the butter in it, and when hot pour in the omelet mixture.  Cook over low heat, lifting carefully from the sides to allow the liquid to run down until the whole is lightly cooked and of a creamy consistency.  Increase the heat to brown the omelet, fold and turn out on to a hot platter.  Serve at once, garnished as desired.

A pork loin can be purchased either with the bone in or out.  Either can be used for this Stuffed Pork Loin recipe, although it does refer to the bone in the method.  If the loin is boneless, simply make a slit in the meat to insert the stuffing.

An alternative option is to bake and serve the stuffing separately.

Stuffed Pork Loin

Ingredients

A loin of pork

Onion Stuffing

Method

Score the skin in narrow lines, and make and opening for the stuffing by separating the meat from the bone on the inner side.  After putting in the stuffing secure the opening, wrap the loin in a greased paper, and roast in a moderately hot oven for about 2 hours.  Baste frequently, and ½ an hour before serving remove the paper to allow the crackling to brown.

Serve with gravy and apple sauce.