Green Pea and Tomato Scramble

Although this book is one I’ve had since even before I started actively buying vintage cookbooks I don’t think I’ve ever cooked anything from it (may not be true, can’t be bothered to check). This is because it’s horrendous. Every single image in it is a browny-yellow shade and it makes vegetarianism sound like a problem which they’ve come up with a few palliative measures to make the burden slightly more bearable rather than a perfectly reasonable culinary choice. I’m sure with a bit more enthusiasm and better food photography many of the recipes would be more appealing but as it is, I’ve never wanted to cook any of them. Why I suddenly decided to the other night remains a mystery.

Potage Saint-Germaine – Pea Soup

Final soup for January. This time from Ma Cuisine by Auguste Escoffier, published by Paul Hamlyn in 1934. (I am becoming very proficient at locating the recipes in this long book which do not require meat jelly or double cream!)

This is the second version given, the first being just boiled, puree’d peas with a little stock added. I was attracted to the idea of eating something summer-y, as it’s been so effing cold over the last week.

Kashmiri Sag

Today a guest-post from loyal reader and Asian food enthusiast Martha!

Sick of vegetarian recipes that act as if rich food is a mortal sin? Then  read on! This my friend is the dish for you.

I bought this book in a charity shop, mostly because of it’s fabulous front cover and spiral binding and partly for the author’s name. Another Martha, yay!

Basic Fried Rice

Here’s another dish from Kenneth Lo’s Cheap Chow. I went for the Chinese classic of fried rice, which I’ve attempted before without reference to a recipe, with limited success. I figured starting at the very beginning when it came to fried rice might be a good idea, so Basic Fried Rice it is.

Stir-Fried Minced Meat with Soya Sauce, Mushrooms & Green Peas with Onion Cakes

Here’s two from Kenneth Lo’s 1978 book on Chinese cooking – Cheap Chow. I’ve been meaning to cook more from this book, and now my budget is somewhat tight I hope to get on with some of the more adventurous recipes. There’s one for Broad Bean, Potato and Belly of Pork Soup, which sounds amazing, but would require me to tackle pig’s trotters and I’m just not sure I’m ready for that kind of commitment. Today’s recipe features the much more familar mince, because, as Kenneth points out ‘In facing up to the problems of budget cookery, sooner or later one has to resort to the use of minced meat‘. So here goes!

Family Fish Pie

This is from the St Michael All Colour Budget Cookery Book by Audrey Ellis. I can’t locate a date of publication inside it, but am guessing late seventies, possibly early eighties. It’s chocka with lovely all colour photos of things that mostly look mainly edible. Mindful of both my wallet and my health I’ve been trying to eat more fish instead of meat, so last Monday I cobbled together this fish pie:

Family Fish Pie
The skin can be removed after cooking if preferred but some cooks believe it adds to the flavour of the milk stock.