‘Meat’ Category

  1. Fried Japanese Rice

    September 28, 2011 by Tarrant Figlio

    I am feeling a bit peasanty today, so I grabbed The Peasant Cookbook by Marian Tracy (1955) from the shelf. I skipped the soup section and came upon this recipe for “Japanese Fried Rice.” I ponder the authenticity of it because I don’t associate bacon, celery, and parsley with Japan. Perhaps my otaku son can enlighten me. In any case, it sounds like a fabulous, inexpensive, and easy option for fried rice with a bit of a different flavor profile than your usual. Besides, it has BACON.

    Some other things to love about this recipe:

    • It uses up odds and ends from the fridge.
    • The “leave a thick film” of bacon grease in the pan. What recipe says THAT anymore?
    • You can easily add other leftover vegetables, tofu, meat, etc to the recipe.

    Fried Japanese Rice

    3 strips bacon, diced
    1 large onion, chopped fine
    1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
    1/3 cup coarsely chopped celery
    1 cup diced cooked meat, preferably chicken, pork or beef
    2 cups cooked rice (leftover rice may be used)
    Soy sauce
    salt and pepper
    2 whole eggs

    Saute the bacon and pour off most of the fat. Leave a thick film covering the bottom of the skillet, add the onion, parsley, and celery. Stir around until the onion and celery are pale yellow and partly cooked, but still crisp. Add the meat and rice. Season with soy sauce, salt and pepper, heat briefly, break the eggs onto the mixture and scramble over low heat until the eggs are cooked.

    Serves 4.

    Category Meat, Recipes, retro food | Tags: | 2 Comments

  2. Italian Meat Loaf

    May 14, 2011 by Tarrant Figlio

    This is an Italian Meat Loaf that my great-grandmother enjoyed. It is not much like the meat loaf I make, but it is quite good. The rye bread and Parmesan add a nice touch. Note the unusual way the bread is used–not as breadcrumbs exactly. I love the note about the oregano–exotic herb it was in the American south at the time. ;-)

    Italian Meat Loaf

    2 slices rye bread
    2 slices white bread
    1 lb ground beef
    4 sprigs parsley
    3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
    1 egg
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon pepper
    2 tablespoons butter or margarine
    1 can tomato sauce
    1 teaspoon oregano*

    Preheat oven to 375 and grease a shallow baking pan.

    Put both kinds of bread in a large mixing bowl. Pour 1 cup water over the bread and let the slices soak for several minutes. At this point mash the bread very fine with a fork.
    Dump the meat in with the bread and add finely chopped onion, chopped parsley, grated cheese, slightly beaten egg, salt, pepper. Mix together with clean hands, put mixture into baking pan and shape into a loaf. Put dots of margarine or butter over the top and bake 30 minutes. Pour tomato sauce over the meat. Sprinkle with oregano. (learn to use this good herb–it makes food taste the way good Italian restaurant food tastes) and bake 20 minutes longer. Serves 4-6 generously.

    Original source and date unknown. From my great-grandmother’s recipe box.

    Category Meat | Tags: | 1 Comment

  3. Romanian Chopped Meat (Parjoale)

    February 22, 2011 by Tarrant Figlio

    In another dish that caught Rebecca’s eye from The Peasant Cookbook (Marian Tracy, 1955) we have a Romanian dish that you can serve with mashed potatoes, rolls, and apples.

    Again, this is very meatloaf like, I wonder if she is trying to get meatloaf on the menu again soon. This one might go over since it is sauteed…more like a meatball.

    Parjoale

    1 1/2 lbs chopped chuck
    2 eggs
    1/2 hard roll (or 2 slices stale bread) soaked in milk and squeezed out
    salt and pepper
    1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped dill
    Bouillon
    Flour
    1/4 cup butter or Crisco

    Mix the meat, eggs, moistened bread, salt and pepper and dill together. Moiston with the bouillon until fluffy. Make into rolls 2 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide and 1 1/2 inches thick. Dust lightly with flour and saute in hot oil. Serves four.

    Category Meat, Recipes, retro food | Tags: | No Comments

  4. Macaroni Stroganoff

    January 13, 2011 by Tarrant Figlio

    In the mood for something a bit more….”International”? Go for the Macaroni Stroganoff.

    I have to tattle and say that Denise has confessed a fondness for canned macaroni and cheese. She won’t touch a thing called Stroganoff though. I suspect serving this nightmare of Spam…err I mean “luncheon meat” and canned macaroni and cheese won’t go over well in our house no matter the name. The nutrition content or lack thereof makes me cringe.

    That said–it is a quick and thrifty meal. Since none of the ingredients truly makes me queasy, if we went down to a bare bones budget, (always a possibility) this might appear. I think the anti-soup Denise would stick to the black bean soup served with it. (as would the children)

    Macaroni Stroganoff

    1 can luncheon meat
    1/2 cup chopped onion
    2 tablespoons butter or margarine
    1/2 cup sour cream
    2 cans macaroni and cheese sauce
    chopped parsley

    Cut meat into strips about 1/2-inch thick. In skillet, brown meat and cook onion in butter until tender. Stir in sour cream and macaroni. Heat; stir now and then. Garnish with parsley.

    From Easy Ways to Delicious Meals, 1968

    Don’t forget: You can win a $100.00 Gift Card from Jimmy Dean and BlogHer by sharing your better choice for the New Year on my review blog.

    Category Meat, Recipes, retro food | Tags: | 2 Comments

Older Entries