Family Favorites from around the world, staples on our tables, comfort food for winter at it's most simple and satisfying. These 7 recipes have been in and out of fashion but have never gone out of style on the dinner table. Easy to make and sure to please the family there is a recipe for each day of the week. These classic cold busters originate from countries as varied as India, Australia, Holland, England, Japan and Italy but they all have one thing in common. They taste great.
Our 7 great retro winter warmer recipes are - "Easy to make sure
MEAT PIE to please the family."
OSSO BUCCO
DUTCH APPLE PIE Bon Appetit.
BUTTER CHICKEN, BASMATI RICE
RAITA
BREAD N BUTTER PUDDING
CLASSIC SPAGHETTI
MISO SOUP
We would love to know your favorite retro winter warmer recipe if you have one. What is guaranteed to keep the chill at bay at your house? Adam of QLD sent in his recipe for PEA N HAM SOUP
; Looks mouthwatering and can be found below as our bonus eighth recipe. Thank you for sending that in Adam and for the photo. Keep them coming folks. To share your recipe please comment below or email us at orsonsretro@yahoo.com.au titled That's So Retro!
Australian Classic Meat Pie
A true-blue aussie legend.
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Serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large brown onion finely chopped
500 gram lean beef mince
1 tablespoon cornflour
3/4 cup of beef stock
3/4 cup of tomato sauce
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon of H & R sauce
1 tablespoon Vegemite
2 sheets of puff pastry and 2 sheets of shortcut pastry. (or you could make your own pastry. We have included how to do this at the end of this recipe.)
1 egg, beaten
Note: Pies are incredibly versatile and are a great way of using up left over vegetables and scrap meats. Use whatever is handy and takes your fancy)
Step 1.
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion, cook or 3 minutes or until soft. Add mince. Cook for 4 minutes stirring with a wooden spoon or until browned.
Step 2.
Mix cornflour and one tablespoon of stock to form a paste. Add remaining stock. Add stock, sauces and Vegemite to mince. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 8 minutes or until thick. Cool.
Step 3.
Preheat oven to 220 degree's Celsius. Place a baking tray in oven. Grease 4 x 8 cm base measurement pie pans.
Step 4.
Cut 4 x 15 cm circles from shortcrust pastry. Use to line bases and sides of pans. Fill with mince. Brush rims with water. Cut 4 x 15 cm puff pastry. Place over meat. Press to seal. Trim. Brush with egg so it has a lovely golden glow when you pull it out of the oven. Season.
Step 5.
Place pies onto hot tray. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes. Or until golden. Serve.
(Great with potato on top and cheese also mushy peas and gravy. The classic australian way to enjoy this treat is with tomato sauce.) Serves 4.
Meat pie. Image taken by N.Gould. http://www.sxc.hu/photo/415223
To make your own pastry the old fashioned way :
1 cup sifted all purpose flour
Half a teaspoon of salt
1 quarter cup lard or solid shortening cut up into pieces no larger than a small pea
2 - 4 tablespoons of ice cold water
Method: Mix flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut lard into the mixing bowl. Add cold water a little bit at a time, mixing quickly and evenly through the flour and lard mixture with a fork until dough just holds together in a ball. Try not to use much water, the less the better. Roll out till about 1 eighth inch thickness. Line pie pan allowing about 1 inch to extend over the edge of pan. Crimp edges as desired and bake and fill.
OSSO BUCCO
This is a hearty and timeless Milanese dish. Great for camping or huddling around a fire. Warms the tummy and pleases the palate.
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Serves 4
Quarter cup olive oil
1 cup flour
Salt and pepper
3 bay leaves
6 - 8 pieces of Osso Bucco (veal or beef shank)
1 cup each of diced celery, carrot and onion
1 cup red wine
1 and half tins diced Italian tomatoes
500 gram tomato pasta sauce
1 teaspoon of lemon zest
2 - 3 cloves garlic
half a cup of chopped parsley
Step 1.
Season flour with salt and pepper and dip the osso buccu meat slices in the flour. Preheat oven to 150 degrees celsius. In a large pan heat the olive oil and then lightly fry meat until sealed and brown. Then set meat aside in a casserole dish.
Step 2.
Saute' onion, carrot and celery gently or 8 - 10 minutes, until clear. Add the wine and 1 and a half cans of tomato. Stir well. Pour mixture over meat in casserole dish with the bay leaves added. (This meal can also be slow cooked in a crock pot or pressure cooker)
Step 3.
Cover casserole dish. Bake at 150 degrees celsius for 4 hours until cooked through and the meat falls off the bone easily. Should be very tender and aromatic.
To make Gremolata -
Combine minced garlic, parsley and lemon.
To serve - Sprinkle the top with gremolata and add some crusty bread and chopped parsley. A sprinkling of cheese can work well too.
dutch apple pie Image taken by Mikehome http://sxc.hu/photo/918695
Dutch Apple Pie
Many dutch children would have fond memories of dutch apple pie. Sweet and satisfying, perfect for ending the day.
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350 gram sultanas
2 tablespoons rum
4 cups self-raising flour
1 and 1 third cups of cool butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
zest of half a lemon
pinch of salt
190 gram green apples
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
half cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon corn flour
1 third extra cup brown sugar
Step 1.
Steep sultanas in rum for half an hour. Preheat oven to 347 degrees celsius.
Step 2.
Whisk eggs and add flour. Save a small amount of egg to brush pie with at end. Add the cubed butter, first cup of sugar, salt and lemon juice. Knead dough until it forms a ball then set aside.
Step 3.
Chop apples into small pieces after peeling and coring. Mix with sultanas, rum and the last 1 third cup of sugar. Sprinkle the corn flour and remaining spices over the top, mix well.
Step 4.
Cut away 3 quarters of dough and place over bottom of a greased pie dish. Add apple mix and press down firmly. Remaining dough cut into strips for lattice detailing of top. Cut overhanging dough. Brush with egg wash.
Step 5.
Place in oven for 1 hour or until golden and cooked through. Don't forget to allow pie to cool to a safe temperature before serving. Works great with cream, custard, ice cream or a side of seasonal berries.
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Butter Chicken, Basmati Rice and Raita
An indian winter wonder. Butter chicken is a traditional dish that has fans worldwide. Indian cooking is revered for it's tasty and creative use of spices.
1 onion chopped into bite sized chunks
2 teaspoons minced garlic
half teaspoon ground turmeric
1 to 2 teaspoon of chilli powder to your heat taste
1 tablespoon of coriander
400 - 500 gram chicken thighs or breast, skinless and chopped
1 third cup ground almond
250 gram whole peeled tomatoes in juice can
1 and half tablespoon tomato paste
half cup of plain yoghurt
3 tablespoon butter
Step 1.
Gently heat butter in large pan. Gently fry onions, do not brown. After 2 - 3 minutes of gentle cooking add the garlic, once fragrant add the turmeric, chilli and coriander and cook over medium heat.
Step 2.
Once it is very fragrant and the spices are cooking well add the cubed chicken pieces. Continually stir the chicken until it is whitened though not brown.
Step 3.
Pour the almonds, tomato paste and can tomatoes into the mix. Stir well and cover. Cook for 30 minutes on simmer heat. Add the yoghurt and heat through quickly.
Step 4.
Remove from heat and serve with raita and basmati rice, the directions for which follow.
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Basmati Rice
1 cup basmati rice
1 and 3 quarter cups of water
Seasoning to taste. A pinch of saffron is an authentic addition also.
Step 1.
Carefully wash rice with cool running water.
Step 2.
In a deep pan add water, rice and seasoning. Bring to boil.
Step 3.
Cover but allow steam to escape. Reduce to low heat. Cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat completely, cover and cook a further 14 minutes or until rice is fluffy.
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Raita
1 cup natural yoghurt
2 lebanese cucumbers finely diced
1 third medium tomato, deseeded and chopped finely
2 tablespoons mint leaves finely chopped
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
Method.
Combine all ingredients well and serve cool.
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Bread and Butter Pudding
This was a very popular dish in it's time and still much loved today. A delicious way to use older bread. This dish originates from the UK and is a tasty reminder to many of childhood desserts shared with the family.
8 slices bread with removed crusts
3 eggs
A teaspoon cinnamon
2 - 3 tablespoon Castor sugar
3tablespoons of apricot jam
300 ml cream
Step 1.
Preheat oven to 220 degrees celsius. Cut the bread into triangles. Spread the bread with apricot jam and sprinkle with cinnamon. Place in an ovenproof dish arranged at the bottom.
Step 2.
Whisk the eggs, sugar and cream in a bowl. Combine well. Pour over bread and bake for 25 - 30 minutes.
Note:
Substitute apricot jam with your favorite. This dish tastes great with strawberry and raspberry among others.
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Classic
Spaghetti
Spaghetti
Along with Pizza, Spaghetti is one of Italy's most famous dishes and exports. There are many variations and most families have their own version of this wonderful dish. A good spaghetti recipe was often closely guarded by family members in the past and to this day Spaghetti is one of the most popular meals worldwide.
bowl of spaghetti Image taken by topfer http://sxc.hu/photo/993329
Spaghetti
500 gram lean beef mince
1 onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 anchovies
half cup red wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot chopped finely
2 celery stalks chopped finely
1 can chopped Italian and basil tomatoes in juice
1 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tomato sliced
Parmesan cheese to garnish to taste
Step 1.
Heat the olive oil in a deep pan. Saute the garlic gently until aromatic and clear. Add the onions and cook till clear, 1 minute. Add the celery, anchovies and carrot and cook for 2 - 4 minutes until soft on very low heat watching that it doesn't burn.
Step 2.
Add the mince. Stir quickly over high heat adding the mince in sections. Keep stirring and adding until all of the mince is browned and cooked through.
Step 3.
Add the can of tomatoes and tomato paste stirring through well. Add the wine and simmer it for 20 minutes or until the wine has greatly reduced. Boil salted water in a large deep pot. Add spaghetti. Follow the directions on packet.
Step 4.
Add sliced tomatoes to the mince on low heat so they gently warm just a little. Remove and set aside. When spaghetti is cooked drain well then plate up adding the mince sauce mixture and placing warmed sliced tomato and Parmesan cheese on top to taste. Basil and crusty rolls are another great accompaniment to this classic spaghetti dish.
Miso Soup
Miso soup is nutrient rich and chock full of vitamins and minerals, a very healthy winter treat to help stave off colds and flu. This is a Japanese treat that has skyrocketed in popularity in the western world in recent years and has been a firm staple of the Japanese for centuries. Generations of Japanese school children grew up with this protein rich snack. Vegetarian.
3 cups dashi soup stock
1 block tofu - cubed into bite sized, neat pieces
3 - 4 tablespoons miso paste
1 quarter cup chopped green onion
Step 1.
Put soup stock in a pan and bring to boil. Add tofu and simmer on low heat for 2 minutes.
Step 3.
Remove a small amount of soup mix and dissolve the miso paste in it. Add to mix again gently while stirring still on low heat.
Step 4.
Turn off heat and add chopped onions. Remember not to boil soup once miso paste has been added. Steep for 2 minutes then serve.
Note: Ingredients such as miso paste and dashi soup mix can be purchased from many supermarkets and asian grocery stores.
Bonus Recipe #8
Pea & Ham soup
Recipe and photo submitted by Adam of QLD.
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1 white onion chopped finely
2 gloves garlic, crushed
2 smoked ham hocks
1 cup dried split peas (follow directions on packet. Many require soaking over night)
2 litres vegetable stock
half cup white wine
splash cream
salt and pepper to season
Step 1.
Soak split peas as per packet instructions. Drain rinse and set aside when ready.
Step 2.
On medium heat in a large, deep stock pot saute finely chopped onion and garlic. Fry until transparent.
Step 3.
Add wine and heat then add vegetable stock. Bring to boil. Then when boiling turn down to medium heat and add ham hocks and cover. Cook on medium heat for 1 hour 20 minutes.
Step 4.
Remove hocks from liquid. Shred them and set aside. Add split peas to liquid. Boil for 2 hours.
Step 5.
Turn to low heat. Add the shredded meat. Cover then leave for 20 - 25 minutes.
Step 6.
On lowest heat add the cream and parsley. Cook for 5 minutes.
Step 7.
Add pepper to taste. Serve with hot buttered rolls and garnish with parsley.
We hope you enjoy these 7 great retro winter warmers and the bonus #8th recipe.
For more winter recipes -
Have anything to add to our list? Please feel free to leave a comment or share this with your friends.
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