Originally just a small espresso stand connected to The Book Store, the management gradually expanded the menu as Treadleonians began to entrust them with treasured family recipes. In the spirit of open communication and sharing for which Treadleonia is noted, these recipes are printed here for you to try…
Liz's Recipes from Down Under
Hi Capt'n.
I've been meaning to submit a couple of recipes for the ristorante, and
finally here is one (or more if I still feel energetic after typing it
in).
This is Great Granny's Trifle: my paternal Grandmother's Mother. I am
the only one in the family who knows the recipe (only grandchild) and I
took notes as she made it years ago. It is too wonderful to keep to
myself since I can't make it for you all (I don't tell it to people I
can feed it to, I make it for them). It cannot under any circumstances
have jelly in it (not in my Granny's kitchen, a point she made
strongly). I think that Jelly here is Jello in the US, and jam here is
what Americans call Jelly. I know some people love jelly in Trifle, but
this one is perfectly balanced without it.
Great Granny's Trifle:
An unfilled sponge cake (8"? A guess)
jam, preferably strawberry and home-made (not that I make it...)
I small can fruit (I like pear and peach)
1 litre custard (pref. home made, it tastes better but I have made a
passable trifle with carton custard)
sherry (medium to dry)
cream and glacé cherries to garnish
Cut the sponge in half, spread with jam (amply) and join layers. Slice
into squares, reasonably small and put in a bowl (NB the bowl will now
be half full, so good time to gauge space required). Drain juice from
can and add to sponge. Pour in sherry until most or all sponge has been
in contact. I always have to put in more than I think necessary to keep
sponge moist. Refrigerate overnight. Pour custard over (cold or cool),
and move sponge to allow custard down sides. Refrigerate. When ready
to serve spread with thick layer of thick cream and glacé cherries in
circle. (If travelling put cherries on after drive, they sink. I nearly
drove off the road once watching them wobble down and laughing).
I tried making the sponge cake, but I gave up after a few disasters, so
I buy that but I really love the taste of the home-made jam in this. It
could be because my Granny makes the jam too.
Because the cherry is med to dry, it is not too sweet, just incredibly
filling. Simple but divine.
OK, I am still feeling energetic.
This is an old favourite of mine. Székely Gulyás
My mother's maiden name is Székely so I like this one. Wonderful in
winter, or when you feel the need for hearty food. There are many
variations of this recipe, and all taste good. This one is the one that
my Grandmother and Mother make (and both were born in Hungary and have
tasted the original, so I follow them).
Székelygulyás.
Ingredients:
1 pound sauerkraut (a large can is what I use)
1 pound lean pork, in small cubes
1 medium onion, finely cut (I use about 2-3 large ones)
1 teaspoon paprika
salt to taste
sour cream
pork/bacon fat/ghee for sautéing. Butter is OK but oil is not. (My
opinion only)
Pour warm water on sauerkraut and drain to reduce the sharp, salty taste
(twice or until happy).
Lightly sauté the sauerkraut and place in cooking pot.
Sauté meat and onions.
Remove from flame and allow to cool for a minute or two before stirring
in mild paprika. Add salt.
Place in pot with sauerkraut and cook slowly until pork is tender.
Lowish heat for 1-1 1/2 hours.
Let cool slightly and add 2 or 3 Tablespoons of sour cream (my
concession to health is to use light sour cream).
Reheat before serving, top with sour cream when served.
(4 servings).
This freezes well, and goes very well with short grain rice.
If more can be coped with I have a few favourites left, including
Belgian Karbonades.
Ta.
Liz
Perth Australia
Captain Dick's Macaroni Salad
In the summer, we like to barbecue barbecue parties on the deck. Often these are almost impromptu, last minute invitation events… This usually means dashing to the store to grab some chips and dips, kielbasas and burger meat and buns, maybe some corn, and some kind of picnic salad. Very rarely do I find a macaroni or potato salad that I like in prepared salads in the deli section of the store. They always use a sharp mayonnaise that is too runny, use too much of it, and don't put enough other stuff in to give interesting flavors. I have found that I can make my own for about the same cost, make more of it, and I like it better.
Ingredients:
One package large shell pasta
One large or two small stalks celery
1/4 to 1/2 red bell pepper
one medium or two small onions
one can tuna fish
sweet pickle relish
three eggs
Best Foods Light Mayonnaise
Salt and Pepper
Cook pasta per instructions on package and hard boil eggs.
Chop celery fairly small… I slice the stalks lengthwise once or twice, then dice.
Dice onions and red pepper.
Drain tuna
Drain pasta and put in large mixing bowl.
Add tuna, celery, onion, pepper, and several heaping spoonfuls of relish.
Add several big spoonfuls of the mayonnaise and stir… add more mayo until
You are satisfied that there is enough… don't overdo… you don't want it
Runny, but you want the other ingredients to stick to the pasta.
Salt and pepper to taste…
Check flavor… you may want more salt… it absorbs a lot… likewise, you may want more relish.
Cut the hard boiled eggs in half lengthwise, then slice then and add them last, so they don't
Suffer from too much stirring.
If you like, you can vary the flavor of the salad… try adding a dash or tarragon or basalmic vinegar, or, if you like a more zesty herb flavor, some Italian dressing. If you like a creamier, cheese flavor, add some blue cheese dressing. However, I prefer it as above. I save the zestier flavors for my potato salad, but that's another story for another time.
While you can serve immediately, this salad is really best made the night before and put in the ice box. Just before serving, add some more mayonnaise and stir again.
HUNGARIAN PIROGI
Pirogi may be spelled many ways in various areas of central Europe, and the recipes
can vary considerably. Basically, they all involve either a bread or a noodle dough
cooked with miscellaneous meat and/or vegetable fillings, and all are delicious. As a
child, I was cared for by a wonderful elderly Hungarian woman who had been a pastry
cook at a state run children's home in Austria before the war. I will always treasure
her memory, and also her recipe for pirogi.
MARY BUBA'S PIROGI RECIPE
Peel and put 6 potatoes to boil.
Cut 2 medium onions and fry in 2/3 of 1/4 lb. of butter until golden brown.
Place two whisked eggs into 3 cups of flour. Slowly add water until a stiff dough is
formed. (Will take about one cup of water.) Knead the dough and let rest.
Put approx. 1/4 lb. of American cheese into potatoes and mash together, then add
onions and butter to mixture.
Take piece of dough and roll out to about the thickness of a thinner pie crust. Flour
the dough and cut rounds with a glass. (Keep dipping glass in flour to prevent dough
sticking.) Place approx. tablespoon of potato/cheese mix in center of each round,
keeping it away from the edges. Fold round and seal edge by pinching with a twisting
motion, to produce a sealed, scalloped appearing edge.
Drop pirogis into boiling water and cook two to three minutes.
Serve with gravy, melted butter or sour cream.
Note: if dough mixture is too moist or sticky, allow to sit awhile and add a little flour to
work with.
Pirogi filling can be varied as much as your imagination can devise. Browned ground
sausage can be an especially good addition, but must be well drained and dried on
paper towels to remove grease.
Captain Dick
PHYLLIS WIGHTMAN'S SINFUl TORTE DESSERT
My mother was never an inspired cook (which was one reason why we had Mary Buba), but she found a number of neat recipes that were very simple, and which became staples within the family over many years. This is one of her favorite simple dessert recipes.
To three well beaten eggs, add one cup of sugar, one cup graham cracker crumbs,
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, a pinch of salt and one teaspoon of vanilla or almond
extract.
Mix and put in greased pie pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan.
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream (or both!).
Captain Dick
CAPTAIN DICK'S RICE AND KIELBASA BAKE
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup sliced green onion
(3/4 0z.) slices American Cheese
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
package (16 0z) kielbasa
1 1/2 cups milk
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In 12 x 8 inch baking dish, sprinkle rice and onion
(reserve 2 tablespoons onion for garnish, if desired). In small bowl, slowly stir milk into
sour cream; pour over rice. Sprinkle with pepper. Place cheese slices evenly over rice.
Cut each sausage into sections, place on top of cheese. Cover and bake at 375 degrees
for 25 to 35 minutes, until liquid is almost absorbed. Let stand, covered, five minutes.
Sprinkle with the reserved onion. 4 servings.
Captain Dick
Janis Hillman's Chunk Pickle Recipe
1 bushel of medium size cucumbers
(3/4 inch diameter+3 inch long is perfect) washed and scrubbed with a brush
to remove spines (those little black dots)
approx. 2 cups plain salt
1 gallon water
3 gallon crock
1 old plate that fits inside crock
Cut cucumbers into chunks 3/4 inch thick. Put into crock. Dissolve salt
with 1 gallon of water to make the brine. If a raw egg floats in this
mixture, it is the right strength. Pour over cucumber chunks. A plate
slightly smaller than the diameter of the crock will keep the cucumbers
submerged. Cover with cloth.
Soak in brine mixture for 7 days. Each day skim foam and scum off the top
with a metal spoon. If you omit this step, they rot. Yuk
On the 8th day, pour off the brine and rinse the cucumbers with clear water.
Discard chunks with soft spots. Pour boiling water over the cucumbers and
let sit for 24 hours.
Drain and pour on weak alum water (2Tablespoons alum to 1 gallon water).
Let sit another 24 hours.
Drain alum water off.
1 gallon apple cider vinegar (5%) (getting harder to find. I buy it by the
quart to get the real stuff, not distilled.)
10 lb sugar
stick cinnamon
celery seed
whole cloves
pickling spice
mustard seed
To every 2 quarts vinegar add
8-9 cups sugar
Place the following in a cheesecloth tied with cotton string:
1 box stick cinnamon
1 box celery seed
1 big spoon whole cloves
1/2-1 box pickling spice
1/2 box mustard seed
Boil together and pour over cucumbers. Remove vinegar mixture and spices
for 3 days, bring to boil and pour over pickles. (Heavenly smell, will
clear your sinuses or give you a major attack!)
Can on the third morning. This is a step that I have put off for a few days
to make it more convenient for me, but I do boil the vinegar every day. I
also use a hot water bath to can. I don't think this is recommended
anymore, but I still do it this way. If the pickles shrivel
I grind them up in the food processor and can them for sweet pickle relish.
Hopefully, I have included everything you need. Any questions feel free to
ask.
Janis in Arkansas
Jenny Sims "Monday Morning Broth"
Hi all,
I would like to share a recipe for my Monday morning broth as it's so easy and saves lots of pennies for more pleasurable buys. My auntie makes it regularly and the rest of the family think her really strange, I don't understand why.
You need to save all the leftover veggies even roast ones from Sunday lunch, along with the bones and leftover meat and gravy, I like lamb best for this but beef works well too. Chop it all up not too small and put it all in a pan with a chopped onion or two and some chopped tomatoes, add some stock and a spoonful of mint sauce, (or horseradish). Simmer away for about an hour. Basically you add flavouring to suit yourself and there's no effort to making it, my boys just love it.
Jenny
Liz Ann's Soup Stock
In response to Jenny's monday morning broth, I'll submit my favourite
winter soup. All summer, I save all little sauce leftovers, especially
curry, parprika/sour cream sauces (Hungarian ones), meaty pasta sauces,
and so on. I also put in leftover fried rice, and sometimes pasta
itself. It all goes in a plastic box in the freezer. By winter I have
several boxes of yummy sauces. When defrosted it makes the most
delicious, hearty soup. I make lots of spicy food, so it also has quite
a bite. The different flavours all add to the depth.
Liz
Perth Australia
Angie Hellman's Favorite Creole Red Beans Recipe
CREOLE RED BEANS
(plan to cook these all day!)
recipe from La Bouche Creole
1 thick slice of ham
1 slice of pickled pork
1 lb. red beans
2 onions, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
4 toes garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons vinegar
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon powdered thyme
1/8 teaspoon powdered allspice
1/8 teaspoon powdered cloves
½ teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
salt to taste
Optional: 1 lb. smoked sausage, chopped
Clean & rinse beans; soak overnight covered with water. When ready to cook, drain water & rinse beans again.
Place ham & pickled pork in a large pot, cover with 2 ½ quarts cold water. Set heat on low; chop and add all vegetables & garlic. Next add all seasonings except salt.
If using chopped sausage, add that now, too. Bring pot to a boil, then reduce heat until the beans are simmering gently. Stir 3-4 times/hour, scraping down the sides of the pot. Add additional water if pot becomes too dry. When beans are soft and ready to serve, adjust seasoning. Serve with hot rice.
Note: pickled pork is a local item - pieces of pork cured in brine. I do not recommend salt pork as a substitute. Just use some good smoked ham.
Refrigerator pickles.
FIRST
Mix well in gallon jar
2 cups sugar
1 cup vinegar
1 TBLS celery seed (optional, I didn't use them)
1 TBLS salt.
Next alternately layer these in a one gallon jar. I do about 1 inch of cukes
then a thin layer of
peppers and onions repeating until I run out. It doesn't have to be perfect.
7 cups sliced cucumbers
1 cup green bell peppers
1 cup sliced sweet onions
Let sit on counter for 2 hours or until the juice has worked up over the cucumbers.
refrigerate for
ten days. They must be stored in the refrigerator. They are not canned. I get
the big jars from a
local diner.
You can also halve the mixture and use half gallon jars.
Once they work down and chill for a couple of days I combine jars or transfer
them into smaller
jars. Starting with 1 gallon will give you a little over a half gallon finished.
Sharon in NC
Miz Johnny's Pretzel Salad
2 c. crushed pretzels 3/4 c. melted margarine
3 tblps. sugar 1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 c. sugar 1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip
1 pkg. (6 oz.) strawberry 2 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen
Jello sliced
strawberries
2 c. boiling water
Crush pretzels, leaving some small pieces for
crunch. Mix together pretzel crumbs, melted margarine
and 3 tablespoons sugar. Spread evenly into 9 x 13"
pan. Bake 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Let cool. Beat
cream cheese and 1 cup sugar until well mixed. Stir
in whipped topping just intil mixed (if overstirred,
the mixture will not be light and fluffy). Spread on
cooled pretzel crust. Dissolve Jellow in 2 cups
boiling water. Stir in the frozen strawberries. Let
this mixture stand for 10 minutes, then pour on top of
cheese mixture and chill. Serves 12.