Star-Gazy Pie

Take as many fresh herrings or mackerel that will fit a moderate size dish. Scale and clean and remove bones. Lay flat and season with salt and pepper and parsley, then roll up neatly. Butter the pie dish and sprinkle with a thick layer of breadcrumbs, then layer fish, breadcrumbs to top of dish. Cover with slices of bacon. Beat six eggs, and add 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar or a quarter pint of cream. Cover the dish with a shortcrust pastry, bringing the heads of the fish up through slits cut in the pastry. Bake in moderately hot oven 45-60 minutes. When cooked place a sprig of parsley in the mouth of each fish.

Serve with jacket potato.

Source: Australia's Little Cornwall. Cornish Cook Book (Moonta, S.A.: National Trust of South Australia Moonta Branch, n.d. [post-1998]), p.6.

Pears in Tarragon Cream Dressing

(as an entree or sweets)

4 ripe juicy pears

Paprika

Lettuce leaves

Dressing:

1 egg

2 tablespoons castor sugar

1/4 pint cream

3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar

Salt and pepper

Method: Prepare dressing -- break egg into bowl and beat. Add sugar and gradually add vinegar. Stand bowl in saucepan of simmering water, stir until mixture begins to thicken, then remove from heat -- stir until slightly cool, season and chill. Whip cream and fold into dressing. Peel pears, cut in halves, lay each half on lettuce leaves. Before serving, coat eash [sic] pear half with 2 tablespoons dressing -- garnish with paprika on top.

Source: contributed by Mrs Lorna M. Hosking, A.C.H. Gawler Auxiliary in The Adelaide Children's Hospital Recipe Book 1979 (Adelaide: 1979), p.36.