One thing I really love is Vintage Cookbooks. I have a great love for these old recipes which formed the backbone of what we consider to be modern cookery today. Because of this I have collected a few vintage cookbooks, and I like to cook recipes from out of them occasionally.
Today's recipe comes from the Good Housekeeping Cookbook which was published in 1963. I purchased my copy from Thrift Books. It was in excellent condition.
Book is full of recipes and knowledge for beginning cooks or to enlighten a seasoned chef. There are 805 pages, 40 sections, and 3500 recipes. All tested by the Good Housekeeping institute. If you are also a person who enjoys vintage recipes, then you might also enjoy this book!
This Tuna Cornbread Pie recipe intrigued me. I love tinned tuna, and I love discovering new ways to use it. It involved creating a creamy tuna mixture which is spread into a pie tin, lined with thin lemon slices. This gets covered with a layer of cornbread and then baked.
The tuna layer comes out of the oven with a texture which closely resembles a soufflé. The cornbread layer is light and fluffy. The two together are quite nice. It is a pretty basic recipe. I always like to make things as written the first time. I have suggested some improvements which could be made below in my recipe notes.
It did make rather a lot for just me, but no worries, I took half of it over to my next-door neighbor who was most appreciative!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE TUNA CORNBREAD PIE
Just a few simple store cupboard ingredients. This is super simple to make.
- 12 thin lemon slices
- 1 7-oz (198.5g) tuna, drained and flaked
- 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (1 slice of bread)
- 2 TBS grated onion
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 (10.5 oz/297g) tin of condensed mushroom soup, undiluted
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 package corn bread or corn muffin mix (see notes below)
- parsley to garnish
Scrub your lemon really well to get rid of any nasties. If your knife is really sharp it should be very easy to cut it into really thin slices.
I used a can of solid albacore tuna, drained well and then flaked. My cats always come running every time they hear me opening a can of tuna. I don't know why as I never give them any of it! Perhaps they can smell it.
I grated my slice of bread on the side of a box grater to make my breadcrumbs. The onion was the equivalent of a small onion peeled and grated. If you don't want to grate it, simply finely mince.
There is no getting around the soup and the eggs. They are what combine to make the souffle-like tuna mousse on top.
I used a package of Jiffy corn muffin/bread mix. If you cannot find this in your supermarket, I have included instructions in the recipe notes to make your own version from scratch.
HOW TO MAKE TUNA CORNBREAD PIE
This is pretty basic and very simple to make. There is nothing complicated here.
Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a 10-inch pie plate really well. Arrange the lemon slices in the pan.
Whisk the flaked tuna, bread, soup, eggs, grated onion and seasoning together until well combined. Spoon this mixture carefully over top of the lemon slices, smoothing it out.
Prepare the cornbread according to the package directions. Spoon this mixture into the pie dish on top of the tuna mixture, again spreading it out. This should be done carefully so as not to overly disturb the tuna mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for35 to 40 minutes, until everything is completely set. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. If it is browning too quickly, loosely cover with a piece of foil.
Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Run a knife around the edge of the pie if necessary. Place a large plate over the pie plate and carefully invert the pie onto the plate, tuna side up. Sprinkle with parsley and cut into wedges to serve.
Notes
To make your own corn muffin mix to use in this recipe you will need:
2/3 cup plain all-purpose flour (83g)
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (polenta) (85g)
1/3 cup granulated sugar (63g)
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS vegetable oil or melted butter
Combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl until evenly mixed together. Proceed as per the above recipe, using this as the cornbread mix, adding 1/3 cup (80ml) milk and 1 egg.
This was interesting to say the least. I don't think it was my absolute favorite as written, but I can see where a few changes would lift it over the top to being really delicious. By perhaps adding some minced bell peppers to the tuna base, or celery, perhaps an herb and some grated cheddar cheese. That would give it a lot more flavor.
Having said that, it did taste nice. The cornbread layer went very well with the tuna mixture. I think another thing you could do to improve it would be to add a tasty sauce to nap over top. Either a cream sauce or a butter lemon sauce. (I have added the link to my recipe for that in the recipe card description.)
I have always loved tinned tuna. It is a very versatile and delicious store cupboard ingredient to have around. Here are a few other ways that I enjoy preparing it.
CLASSIC TUNA MELT - This is one of my favorite sandwiches to enjoy. Tuna melts don't have to be filled with calories and fat and light tuna melts don't have to be lacking in flavor! Try this one and I guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised!
CLASSIC TUNA CASSEROLE - This easy tuna casserole is probably something most of us grew up on. You can try to fancy these things up as much as you want, but the heart still wants what it wants. You just cannot beat the classics. Tuna, pasta and cheese in a creamy base with peas and a potato chip topping.
Yield: 4 - 5 servings
Tuna Cornbread Pie
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 40 MinInactive time: 10 MinTotal time: 1 Hour
This vintage recipe makes a delicious bake that is topped with a lemon glazed tuna souffle on a cornbread base. I think a butter lemon sauce would be nice spooned over top. I served with some peas on the side.
Ingredients
- 12 thin lemon slices
- 1 7-oz (198.5g) tuna, drained and flaked
- 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (1 slice of bread)
- 2 TBS grated onion
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 (10.5 oz/297g) tin of condensed mushroom soup, undiluted
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 package corn bread or corn muffin mix (see notes below)
- parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a 10-inch pie plate really well. Arrange the lemon slices in the pan.
- Whisk the flaked tuna, bread, soup, eggs, grated onion and seasoning together until well combined. Spoon this mixture carefully over top of the lemon slices, smoothing it out.
- Prepare the cornbread according to the package directions. Spoon this mixture into the pie dish on top of the tuna mixture, again spreading it out. This should be done carefully so as not to overly disturb the tuna mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven for35 to 40 minutes, until everything is completely set. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. If it is browning too quickly, loosely cover with a piece of foil.
- Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Run a knife around the edge of the pie if necessary. Place a large plate over the pie plate and carefully invert the pie onto the plate, tuna side up
- Sprinkle with parsley and cut into wedges to serve.
Notes
To make your own corn muffin mix to use in this recipe you will need:
2/3 cup plain all-purpose flour (83g)
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (polenta) (85g)
1/3 cup granulated sugar (63g)
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS vegetable oil or melted butter
Combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl until evenly mixed together. Proceed as per the above recipe, using this as the cornbread mix, adding 1/3 cup (80ml) milk and 1 egg.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.
Also, if you have not checked out my YouTube Channel yet, do give it a gander. I would really appreciate it, and if you want to subscribe that would be even more appreciated! Thank you so much! It is not really fancy like some people's channels. I am very much learning as I go along, but what you get is authentic at least! There is nothing fake there! No filters, bells or whistles. Filmed in real time and unedited!
I usually go to my sister's home every Sunday for a dinner with the family. There is usually my sister, my brother-in-law, my father and myself in attendance and we get to enjoy a really delicious meal together. No surprise, my sister is a very good cook.
Usually, it will be a roast dinner of some sort, and sometimes my sister will make a delicious pizza. I always look forward to either one. My sister's pizzas are unrivaled and better than any you could get at a Pizzaria. In fact, her homemade pizzas have ruined going to a Pizzaria for me!! They pale in comparison to Cindy's.
This week she made a delicious Lentil & Bacon Potage for our dinner which we enjoyed with some buttered rustic sour dough bread. I am not lying when I tell you that this is the most delicious lentil soup I have ever eaten!
It was hearty and loaded with goodness and beautiful flavors. It was so delicious that I had to get the recipe from her! She was more than happy to share. Here it is, only two days later (three as you read this) and I am already making it for myself here at home!
Trust me when I tell you that this is probably going to be the most delicious pot of lentil soup you will ever make! Simple and humble ingredients, put together in a very simple way with insanely delicious results. You will not want to miss out on this one. This is the "Gold" standard of lentil soups!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE LENTIL & BACON POTAGE (SOUP)
This is a soup which uses really simple vegetables. I am sure any root vegetable could be deliciously employed in any combination, and you would still come up with a hearty and delicious soup!
- 5 rashers (200g) smoked bacon
- 1 medium cooking onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 large potato
- 2 medium parsnips
- 2 medium carrots
- 1/4 cup (50g) green lentils
- 1 bay leaf, broken in two
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 cups (500ml) water or vegetable stock (or as much as is needed to cover everything)
A rasher is simply a strip of streaky bacon. You could use ham if you wanted to, but part of the delicious of this soup comes from the fat from the bacon. It creates a rich and silky broth.
Parsnips are a vegetable that looks a bit like a white carrot. They taste nothing like carrots but have a very distinct flavor of their own. They have a beautiful flavor that is almost perfume-like. Sweet and earthy. You could use Swede/turnip in their place if you cannot get the parsnips, but if you can get parsnips, DO use them. They are incredible in this soup.
Make sure you use green lentils. Red or yellow lentils will break down too much in the cooking. The beauty of using green lentils in this soup is that they keep their shape.
The reason I break the bay leaf in half is to release all of its flavors. I was taught to do that many, many years ago and it is a flavor tip that has never let me down.
I used vegetable stock. I like to use Better than Boullion. It has a lovely flavor and is not too salty.
HOW TO MAKE LENTIL & BACON POTAGE (SOUP)
This is one very easy pot of soup to make. Once you have all your vegetables prepped it goes together very quickly. It smells amazing while it is cooking.
Dice your bacon and place it into a medium-large saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes in order to allow the fat to render. It doesn't need to be crisp.
While the bacon is cooking prepare your vegetables. Peel the carrot, parsnip, potato, garlic, and onion.
Mince the garlic and finely dice the onion. Cut the carrots into rounds and cut the parsnips into half moons. Cut the potato into 1-inch chunks. Slice the celery into 1/3-inch slices.
Add the onion, celery and garlic to the bacon. Cook and sweat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the carrots, potatoes and parsnips. Cook, stirring occasionally for a further 2 minutes.
Add the stock and the lentils. (It should be enough stock just to cover everything.) Add the bay leaf, parsley and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for an hour, or until everything is meltingly tender, and the lentils are cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
Ladle into heated bowls and enjoy with crackers or crusty bread.
This is THE most delicious lentil soup I have ever eaten. I had it at my sisters for dinner on Sunday evening along with some crusty bread. I just had to get the recipe from her, it was that good. I have never tasted a lentil soup as delicious as this one.
I immediately went out and bought some parsnips yesterday so that I could make it again at home. I am in love. I enjoyed a hearty bowl of this along with some crisp salted crackers. I was going to take the second serving over to my neighbor, but oops!!! I'm afraid I made a bit of a pig of myself. I had it for lunch and supper.
Yes, it IS that good!
I love having soup for supper in these cold Winter months. Especially when it is a hearty one. Here are a few other hearty soups you might enjoy!
PEA SOUP WITH SHARP CHEDDAR DUMPLINGS - Did somebody say dumplings? I am a huge fan of dumplings and these delicious sharp cheddar dumplings really shine in this incredibly tasty pea soup. This is a perfect combination of flavors and textures!
COCONUT CURRY LENTIL SOUP - This soup is hearty and filling, low in fat, and loaded with goodness by way of two kinds of lentils, brown rice, shredded coconut, and a special mix of spices. It is, simply put, very delicious. Prepare to fall in love.
RECIPE HERE
Yield: 2 servings
Lentil & Bacon Potage
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 1 H & 10 MTotal time: 1 H & 15 M
I had this tasty soup at my sister's for dinner the other night and it was so delicious I had to beg her for the recipe and here I am just a few days later making it at home. This is hearty, filling and insanely delicious! It's also very simple to make. It can easily be doubled or tripled to make more.
Ingredients
- 5 rashers (200g) smoked bacon
- 1 medium cooking onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 large potato
- 2 medium parsnips
- 2 medium carrots
- 1/4 cup (50g) green lentils
- 1 bay leaf, broken in two
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 cups (500ml) water or vegetable stock (or as much as is needed to cover everything)
Instructions
- Dice your bacon and place it into a medium-large saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes in order to allow the fat to render. It doesn't need to be crisp.
- While the bacon is cooking prepare your vegetables. Peel the carrot, parsnip, potato, garlic, and onion.
- Mince the garlic and finely dice the onion. Cut the carrots into rounds and cut the parsnips into half moons. Cut the potato into 1-inch chunks. Slice the celery into 1/3-inch slices.
- Add the onion, celery and garlic to the bacon. Cook and sweat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the carrots, potatoes and parsnips. Cook, stirring occasionally for a further 2 minutes.
- Add the stock and the lentils. (It should be enough stock just to cover everything.) Add the bay leaf, parsley and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for an hour, or until everything is meltingly tender, and the lentils are cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
- Ladle into heated bowls and enjoy with crackers or crusty bread.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.
Also, if you have not checked out my YouTube Channel yet, do give it a gander. I would really appreciate it, and if you want to subscribe that would be even more appreciated! Thank you so much! It is not really fancy like some people's channels. I am very much learning as I go along, but what you get is authentic at least! There is nothing fake there! No filters, bells or whistles. Filmed in real time and unedited!
Happy Pancake Day. This was always one of my favorite days of the year when I was a child. It was actually the only day that we would get pancakes. Our mother never cooked them for us at any other time. They were a once a year treat and we could have as many of them as we could eat!
I'm afraid that we kept her at the stove for ages flipping and cooking them. We were making up for the dearth of pancakes from the rest of the year! She never complained! Neither did we!
They were always just plain pancakes. Nothing fancy. No frills or gimmicks. Just plain old pancakes, but they were heaven to us!
I'm afraid I spoiled my children when they were growing up. They got pancakes every weekend, as well as on pancake day! And they always, always got them on their birthdays and or when they had a friend to stay overnight. (Something else our mother never allowed, was for us to have overnight guests.)
This pancake recipe I am sharing with you today is the best. These are old-fashioned fluffy light and delicious pancakes. There is nothing fancy required. Just simple old-fashioned ingredients. You do not require any special equipment save it be a heavy bottomed non-stick skillet.
I always cook them in butter because, well, everything with butter tastes better. and I enjoy them with lashings of butter on top as well. This recipe was adapted from a recipe that I found here.
I am always up to try new pancake recipes! I cut the recipe in half to serve only two to three people (depending on appetites) and I left out the vanilla because, to be honest, unless you are making a specialty pancake, I don't think you need vanilla.
This pancake recipe delivered. Light. Fluffy. Tall and delicious. You can't ask for much more than that!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE FLUFFY OLD-FASHHIONED PANCAKES
- Plain all-Purpose Flour: The foundation for these soft pancakes is a good flour and simple flour. It gives them the perfect texture which is light and airy.
- Baking Powder: This is the secret to that fluffy rise. It gives the pancakes the lift they need to stay soft and tender. Don't be put off by the amount. I promise you; you will not taste it.
- Sugar: Just a touch to add sweetness to the batter. You can adjust this to your taste or leave it out altogether. It's your choice.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor and balances out the sweetness.
- Eggs: They help bind everything together and add richness to the pancakes.
- Milk: The liquid that makes the batter pourable. Whole milk is what I used to give me a rich, creamy texture, but you can also use any milk alternative.
- Butter: Melted butter adds flavor and moisture to the pancakes. It also helps give them a slight crispness on the outside when cooked, which we love, love, LOVE!
Can you use whole wheat flour when making these pancakes? You certainly can but bear in mind it will alter the texture and flavor somewhat.
Can you use gluten free flour when making these pancakes? You can for sure. Just make sure it is a one for one gluten free flour.
Can you leave out the egg when making these pancakes? Certainly. Substitute an egg replacer for the egg. Flax egg (1 TBS ground flax seed mixed with 1 1/2 TBS water) or applesauce (1/4 cup) can be used successfully.
Can you freeze these pancakes when done? Absolutely. Cool completely and stack with some baking parchment or wax paper in between each pancake. Place into an airtight container or zip lock baggie and freeze for up to two months. They can easily be reheated in a toaster from frozen.
Can you make these pancakes dairy free? Yes you can! Just substitute any dairy free alternative in the same quantity for the milk required.
Can you make these pancakes ahead of time? You can mix the dry ingredients together ahead of time, but it is best that you do not mix together or add the wet ingredients until just prior to cooking them.
HOW TO MAKE FLUFFY OLD-FASHIONED PANCAKES
These are really simple to make. Just make sure you don't over mix them and that your pan is not too hot, and you will be okay!
Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together in a bowl.
Whisk the milk, egg and melted butter together in a beaker until smooth and well combined.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet. Whisk together just until evenly combined. A few lumps are okay.
Heat a medium skillet over moderate heat. Brush with butter or oil.
Drop 2 heaped TBS (1/4 cup) of batter into the hot pan. Cook until golden brown on the underside and bubbles appear and burst over the surface. Two to three minutes.
Flip over and cook until golden brown on the other side. One to two minutes Remove and keep warm in a low oven.
Repeat with the remaining batter until all of your pancakes are done.
HOW TO VARY & SERVE FLUFFY OLD-FASHIONED PANCAKES
-You can serve them in the traditional way with butter for spreading, and syrup (maple is a favorite here) for drizzling over top.
- You can serve with fresh fruit such as raspberries, blueberries or strawberries. Sliced banana is nice as are caramelized apple slices. We always enjoyed them with cold tinned sliced peaches.
-Turn this into a dessert by adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some sundae sauce drizzled over top.
-Spread with Nutella or peanut butter for a nutty touch when serving.
-Add semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips or fresh blueberries to the batter for another variation when cooking.
These were light and indeed very fluffy. I was a bit worried ahead of time that they might taste overly like baking powder, but they didn't! They were delicious.
I enjoyed three of these with some butter, maple syrup, and a few cheeky sausages on the side! It was a fabulous meal! I surprised my next-door neighbor with the other three and some sausage and syrup as well. She was really pleased!
Here are some other pancake recipes that you might also enjoy! I can promise you that they are very yummy!
SILVER DOLLAR PANCAKES - These were one of the favorite types of pancakes I made my kiddos. Silver Dollar pancakes . . . so called because they are about the size of a silver dollar. They loved them because they could fit a whole one in their mouths at once . . . little piggies . . . I loved them because they were soft and tender and fluffy inside, with just a tiny bit of crunch and wholesomeness from the small addition of cornmeal.
FLUFFY RICOTTA PANCAKES - These fluffy pancakes have a deliciously creamy texture. They make a particularly scrumptious breakfast for that special someone in your life, but they also make a delicious dessert when topped with sweetened whipped cream!
Yield: 2 to 3 servings
Fluffy Old Fashioned Pancakes
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min
Fluffy, golden brown and delicious. No bells. No whistles. Just plain good eating and sized perfectly for the family. Enjoy with butter and syrup and perhaps some sausage and bacon on the side!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (94g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 TBS sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 TBS (22g) butter, melted
- butter or oil for frying
- butter, syrup, etc. for serving
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together in a bowl.
- Whisk the milk, egg and melted butter together in a beaker until smooth and well combined.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet. Whisk together just until evenly combined. A few lumps are okay.
- Heat a medium skillet over moderate heat. Brush with butter or oil.
- Drop 2 heaped TBS (1/4 cup) of batter into the hot pan. Cook until golden brown on the underside and bubbles appear and burst over the surface. Two to three minutes.
- Flip over and cook until golden brown on the other side. One to two minutes Remove and keep warm in a low oven.
- Repeat with the remaining batter until all of your pancakes are done.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.
Also, if you have not checked out my YouTube Channel yet, do give it a gander. I would really appreciate it, and if you want to subscribe that would be even more appreciated! Thank you so much! It is not really fancy like some people's channels. I am very much learning as I go along, but what you get is authentic at least! There is nothing fake there! No filters, bells or whistles. Filmed in real time and unedited!
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