Modern Classics: Seventies recipes reinvented, part II

Posted on 28 April, 2017

Before Instagram and the rise of the food stylist, recipe books were utilitarian items. 

Dog-eared and food-smeared, inside their worn covers lay culinary gems passed down from generation to generation. Belinda Neame takes inspiration from our mothers’ kitchens, reinventing four of yesterday’s classics for today’s table.

1970s Prawn Cocktail to 2017 Prawn cocktail salad

INGREDIENTS

Dressing

• 3/4 cup whole-egg mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 
1/2 tsp smoked or regular sea salt

Salad

• 16 cooked prawns, peeled 1 avocado, sliced
1 tbs olive oil
1/4 iceberg lettuce leaves
• 1 Lebanese cucumber, peeled, halved, seeds removed,
finely chopped
• 3 spring onions, thinly sliced on an angle

METHOD

For the dressing, mix together mayonnaise, paprika, lemon juice and salt. Cover and chill until serving.

Prepare all salad ingredients. Season the prawns with a little salt and pepper and set aside. Toss avocado with the olive oil and set aside.

On a large platter or bowl, place the iceberg lettuce leaves and top with prawns, avocado, cucumber and spring onions. Drizzle with the dressing until well covered. Serve salad with lemon wedges and the remaining dressing.

1970s Quiche Lorraine to 2017 Quiche Lorraine tarts

INGREDIENTS

Shortcrust pastry*

• 2 cups plain flour
• 
150g cold butter, diced
• 1/4 – 1/3 cold water
• Pinch of salt

Quiche filling

• 2 tbs olive oil 1 onion, diced
• 4 slices Pialligo Estate bacon rashers, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup cream or sour cream
• 2 tbs chopped parsley
• 
125g grated cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Shortcrust Pastry

Sift the flour and salt. Working quickly so the mixture doesn’t warm up too much, rub the butter into the flour to produce a breadcrumb texture. Add enough water to bring the pastry together. Knead briefly then wrap in cling wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Once chilled, roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 3mm thickness. Line the buttered and floured tart tins with the pastry. Working around the sides of the tins to ensure the pastry is pushed down into the corners. Trim excess pastry using a small knife and smooth out the top edges.

Prick the base of the shells and set aside to rest for 30 minutes. Line the shells with greaseproof paper and fill with pastry weights or rice.

Bake blind for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the paper and pastry weights and bake for a further 5 minutes to crisp the pastry. Once the shells are cooked, set aside to cool.

Quiche filling

In a heavy-based fry pan, heat the oil and add the onion and cook for five minutes. Stir often so the onion doesn’t take on too much colour. Add the bacon and cook for 3-4 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream or sour cream, parsley, cheese and salt and pepper. Spoon the bacon and onion mixture into the pastry shells and fill each one to the top with egg mixture. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden and set.

* This pastry recipe makes approximately 1 x 25cm pastry shell or 10 individual tarts. Any remaining pastry can be frozen for up to three months.

Photography by Tim Bean Photography

This article originally appeared as part of our Modern Classics article in Magazine: Back to Basics for Autumn 2017, available for free while stocks last. Find out more about Magazine here.