Why is it that simple everyday recipes are disappearing?
Posted by: verity
12th Jul 2011 10:31am
With cookery competitions and programmes on the TV every night, sometimes twice a day! You would think we would be a nation of gourmet chefs but, increasingly I find people resort to ready meals and take-aways to spice up their diet. I was recently surprised when a friend asked me how to make "Shepherds Pie" and "Lamb Stew", two simple and usually passed down recipes. Are we neglecting to pass these skills on?
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Comments 6
Captain Slog
Hi Verity,
I agree with you. There are very few decent Good Honest Tucker Recipes these days. We have Master Chef and all these others on TV, even shows like Come Dine With Me, and others, and everyone seems to want to CREATE Arty Farty Food that resembles fancy pictures or something the cat threw up, and they're all under lots of pressure to use exotic ingredients like Saffron and Larks Vomit just to make it all seem. . . "CLASSY?" About the "Lark's Vomit," I was using sarcasm there, just like Monty Python did in that Customs Sketch with the Mysterious Chocolates.
Shepherd's Pie?
Peel and boil Agria Potatoes. Chop and salt, cover in water.
Chop up an Onion and some Garlic.
Add to the pan with 500 gs of Beef Mince which has been browned, and mix well until Onion, and garlic is opaque.
Add about a cup of mixed Frozen Veges. season with Salt and Ground Pepper.
Taste and add a little Red Wine (CAPFUL) if you like.
If it is to be thickened, add some water to a Desert Spoonful of flour and add to the dinner.
By now the Potatoes should be cooked.
Drain Spuds, Mash and cream with some Milk.
Put the Mince Mixture into a suitable bowl and Dollop spoonfulls of Potato all over the mixture to cover it. Smooth it all out and then with a fork gently make patterns like criss crosses or whatever, so it gets a cruchy crust on it when its cooked. Add a little grated cheese if you like. IF you think you're rather flash, you could try PIPING the potato on top. Make sure there are no gaps though.
That was just the BASIC recipe off the top of my head. DON'T take it literally! You can add your own tastes to your liking. That's the idea of Recipes. They are just a guide, and can be made exactly as instructed, or you can "Springboard" with them and make them your own with little tweaks here and there.
Enjoy!
Another good one! I don't know what it's called, but my mum used to make it. its exactly the same as the Cottage Pie, except, Sausages are usd instead of the Mince Mixture.
Simply prick a few sausages. enough to cover the bottom of the bowl.
Slice an Onion up and distribute them all over the Sausages.
Do the same to a Tomato. Season well and cover with Potato as per the Cottage Pie.
Again, this too, is just basic and you can make it your own by using other ingredients. Use different sausages. Try Venison, Pork, Beef, whatever you like. Yes, you CAN put Tomato Ketchup or Sauce on it when you eat it. No one's stopping you.
Enjoy!
paradox
Good point Verity, I think Freda has got most of the answer. We have all become so used to these fancy concoctions that we are afraid to cook the simple meals for our family. I have recently retired and participate much more in cooking for the family and I find that the family rather has a simple well cooked meal than one that is a little fancy but doesn't taste quite right. By the way we are 3 generations and number 5 in this family.
Freda
With the trend to be a gourmet chef at home, comes the necessity to buy more ingredients-fresh herbs, goat's cheese,spices and the list goes on. It is all about making us spend more money. Not just on ingredients, but on cook books, utensils, appliances and the list goes on. I cook daily for a family of 5 adults and having recently taken unpaid leave from my job, was forced to look to those old and more economical recipes-Shepherd's Pie, Tuna Mornay, Chow Mein, Curried Sausages to name a few. I have been amazed at how much money I have been able to save and shall continue to cook old fashioned recipes even when I return to work.
gina21
It surprises me that so many people really cant cook. I make spaghetti sauce for one night then use the rest of the sauce the next night with a couple of vegies added to have shepherds pie the next night.Have sausage and onion gravy one night, put the rest of the sausages in the freezer so you can have curried sausages another night. Doesnt cost a fortune to cook a better and nutricios meal than you can get from one of the cooking shows. How about a nice liver and bacon casserole yum. You are doing great Freda and I bet your food is most appreciated.
medu
U r so very right Freda.It just never occurred to me to see things in the way you have written.And yes this is a eye opener.I will keep on repeating my family favorite and only occasionally try something new but only if it is a cheaper option and if not i will put on my creative cap to do it.thanks
matt
i think its partly because when you write a cook book you've got to write something new, as a result the original version is lost in a sea of weird variations. Also, the packed sauces make it seem like getting that flavour is something really difficult, when really you may only need one or two herbs to get that flavour