Today’s chefs look back to 1970s cuisine with contempt. The decade is viewed as uncultured by today’s standards, and many of its dishes have fallen out of favor. It’s not all about cheese and pineapple cubes, however, and many 1970s recipes are more sophisticated and are worth revisiting.
1. Prawn co*cktail
If you want to know what a classic 1970s dinner involves, I suggest you watchAbigail’s Party. It’s an iconic TV play encapsulating the decade of bad taste and outdated food. Prawn co*cktail was the must-have starter at dinner tables, as it hinted at wealth and luxury. It’s also delicious but not as widespread today.
2. Quiche Lorraine
It wasn’t easy to buy quiche at the store in the 1970s, so chefs made their own. It’s simple to make but looks more complex so that you can impress your friends. Quiche Lorraine is a popular version with bacon, giving it a savory flavor.
3. Beef Bourguignon
Have we fallen out of love with beef bourguignon because of its 1970s connections, or is this a slow and complex dish? The beef cubes require lengthy cooking on low heat, which doesn’t fit in with many of today’s home cooks who lack time and patience. It’s a shame because this rich, hearty meal is simply delicious.
4. Black Forest Gateau
The classic dessert was a staple of dinner parties and was on most restaurant menus in the 1970s. It’s not widely available now due to itsassociation with the 1970s, but the black forest gateau needs to make a comeback. Chocolate cake with cherries and kirsch! What’s not to like?
5. Cheese Fondue
Fondue sets were so popular in the 1970s, and they were sometimes given away as luxuryprizes on game shows. They keep cheese hot and melty so it doesn’t go cold and congeal. However, The equipment is challenging to set up, which may be why cheese fondue has gone out of fashion.
6. Duck a L’Orange
The rich duck taste and the sweetness of the orange sauce perfectly combine in this 1970s classic. Duck A L’orange was another dinner party regular, but it was a labor-intensive dish and has since gone out of fashion. The orange sauce is not widely available as a pre-made item, which doesn’t fit well with today’s society.
7. Cowboy Stew
In an era where we’re more conscious of food waste, dishes like cowboy stew are ready to return. It’s a hearty meal using hamburgers, hot dogs and beans. Kids love it, while adults view cowboy stew as a guilty pleasure.
8. Moussaka
The dish is widely available in restaurants but rarely made at home. Moussaka is rich in flavor; for those who don’t like lamb, it’s possible to replace the protein with beef. It’s not an authentic version, but either meat will produce a delicious result.
9. Cheese and Pineapple Cakes
I was unkind about cheese and pineapple earlier, but this dish could change my view.The recipeadds green peppers and crushed pecans, while cream cheese is used instead of sharp cheddar. I’m still skeptical about most things that combine sweet and savory, but it could work this time.
10. Pasta Primavera
Pasta Primavera was a dry dish consisting of pasta and vegetables. It was a family favorite in the 1970s, but that dry texture wasn’t to everyone’s taste. The modern palate prefers sauce with its pasta, but this is a healthy and tasty dish, which a drizzle of dressing can moisten.
11. Waldorf Salad
While you will find Caesar salad at most restaurants, I can’t remember seeing a Waldorf salad on the menu. Thedish was namedafter New York’s Waldorf-Astoria hotel and features apples and walnuts as its primary flavors. Walnuts divide opinion, but if you love them, it’s time to serve this classic starter.
12. Coq Au Vin
At the 1970s dinner party, if beef bourguignon wasn’t on the menu, coq au vin would take its place as the main dish. Chicken in a wine sauce is as rich as it sounds. Aside from being thought of as a ‘“70s dish,” there’s no reason why today’s cooks shouldn’t revisit the recipe.
13. Vol Au Vents
A party in the 1970s would only be complete with this curious appetizer. Vol au Vents are versatile openers and use almost any savory filling. A miniature prawn co*cktail might fit in the little pastry case. Guests loved them, but they are fiddly to prepare, and that’s likely why they’ve died out.
14. Curry With Raisins
In the 1970s, few chefs cooked curry at home, and stores began stocking ready-made products. In the UK, we bought curry meals made by the Vesta company, and these used dried ingredients. Among those ingredients were raisins, which have disappeared from modern recipes, but they added a fruity, sweet hit that offers a nice balance to the traditional curry heat.
15. Oxtail Soup
Any offal-based dishhas gone out of fashion, but cuts of meat such as oxtail provide a rich flavor. Oxtail soup is widely available in stores, but few home chefs try it, and that’s a pity. It’s a delicious, warming meal that beats chicken soup as a pick-me-up.
16. Spam Fritters
In 1970s Britain, many meals were hangovers from post-war times when rationing was rife. Spam is a cheap meat comprising chopped pork and ham, appearing regularly at dinner. Spam cakes were available nationwide at fish and chip shops, but it’s hard to find the product today.
17. Prawns in Aspic
Aspic is a clear gelatin usually made with meat broth and often used to encase proteins. Prawns in aspic were common in French restaurants in the 1970s, but another dish that has since disappeared. The key is to pack flavor into the aspic; otherwise, it can be tasteless and an unnecessary accompaniment to that protein.
18. Ham and Bananas Hollandaise
Bananas do sometimes appear in savory dishes, however, this took matters too far. I couldn’t believe it was a thing, but there are pictures and recipesto back it up. Most dishes on this list sound delicious, but I would revisit baked bananas wrapped in ham, with Hollandaise source for curiosity purposes only.
19. Banana Split
A more sensible way to use a banana is in this desert. The banana split originated in the US, but I can confirm it was a regular on UK restaurant menus in the 1970s.The classic recipeincludes a banana, three different flavors of ice cream, plus cherries and syrup. In a more health-conscious age, the banana split isn’t as widely available, but it’s a glorious indulgence.
20. Plaice and Fries
In the late 1970s through the 1980s, the classic three-course meal would involve a prawn co*cktail, plaice, and fries, with Black Forest gateau to finish. Plaice has disappeared from the menu now that different types of fish are available, but it’s atasty and “meatier”alternative to cod.
21. Scampi and Fries
A higher-end product, scampi, was the alternative to plaice for those whose budget allowed. Scampi and fries still appear in restaurants, but only some have tried to make this dish at home. It’s pretty easy if you’ve mastered the art of battering langoustine or prawn tails.
22. Egg Mayonnaise
We still consume egg mayonnaise, sometimes called egg salad, but who has the time to make the dish when it’s available in ready-made form at the store? In the 1970s and into the 1980s, you were “showing off” if you made egg mayonnaise as a starter, but that’s not the case today. I made this recently, and it uses way too many eggs.
23. Crepes Suzette
In the UK, we make pancakes once every year. Some cooks now buy pancake mix rather than make the liquid from scratch, so the chances of preparing a fiddly dish such as crepes suzette are slim. It’s an indulgent dessert with sweet orange juice as the prominent flavor, and it’s another 1970s recipe worth another look.
24. Savory Pancakes
Pancakes can be sweet or savory, but most prefer the sugary option. A “crispy pancake” product was popular in the 1970s and contained ingredients such as minced beef. Few of us enjoy savory pancakes now, but they are a delicious alternative to the sometimes overly sweet ones served in breakfast restaurants.
25. Deviled Eggs
A deviled egg is a hard-boiled egg cut in half with the yolk removed. That yolk is mixed with other ingredients, such as mustard and mayonnaise, before being placed back in the white egg. It’s a tasty appetizer but another time-intensive snack that has died out.
26. Deviled Kidneys
If you think making deviled eggs is tedious, try this dish. Lamb's kidneys are traditionally used in this recipe, while the mixture usually involves mustard, cayenne, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. The trend for using offal is classic 1970s, and this is another delicious dish that has gone out of fashion.
27. Layered Jell-O Salad
Many of these entries have disappeared from the family table because they are too labor-intensive. In a modern world where we want everything now, most home cooks need more patience to prepare complex dishes. Who has the time to layer different colored jello into a glass bowl? It’s a sad fact, but we should return to this recipe for a fun and impressive pudding.
28. Goulash
A hearty Eastern European dish, goulashrecipesenjoyed a brief period of popularity in the 1970s, and it could be found on restaurant menus. It’s now out of style, possibly because it’s another meal where the meat requires slow cooking. If you have the patience, goulash is a dish worth revisiting.
29. Orange Chocolate Fondue
If that 1970s fondue set is rusting in your shed, why not clean it up and make a melted chocolate version? Dipping strawberries and other fruit into chocolate sauce is out of style, but it’s simple and gorgeous. Add a hint of orange for an extra depth of flavor.
30. Ratatouille
In the 1970s, when fewer vegetarians were around, ratatouille was seen as an exotic dish. Cooking a vegetable stew was unusual and not to the taste of the decade’s many carnivores. The times are more accepting now, and ratatouille deserves to emerge from the fringes of modern cuisine- even if it's not cooked by Remy.
31. Summer Fruit Pudding
If the idea of white bread soaked in fruit and molded into a pudding sounds odd, I urge you to stick with it. The texture of the bread changes as it absorbs all of that juice to produce a delicious dessert. I’ve made summer fruit pudding, and if I can do it, anyone can.
32. Carrot Cake
With the rise of large-chain coffee stores, fewer home chefs are making carrot cake today. It’s much easier to head out and grab a slice that someone else has made. It’s another labor-intensive bake, but you can’t beat homemade cake.
33. Cauliflower Surprise
The only surprise with this dish is that someone bothered to put it down on a recipe card. The intention is to boil or roast a cauliflower and add cut hamburger strips around the sides. Add some tomatoes for extra flavor. Once again, it’s a 1970s meal that is worth revisiting for curiosity value.
34. Fish Sticks With Pineapple
Pineapple has much to answer for, and the 1970s produced many unpleasant ways of combining fruit with savory dishes. Fish sticks with pineappleappeared on a recipe card, but the dish failed to take off. If you want to revisit it for novelty value, it’s simple to make.
35. Custard Tart
The humble custard tart, with its sprinkle of nutmeg, is a delicious treat. It’s another relatively simple dish, yet most of us prefer to buy more expensive bakes from the store. The custard tart takes around two hours to make, and needs added chilling time, butthe recipeis worth following if you have the patience.
36. Perfection Salad
While early examples of perfection salad trace back to the 1940s, this dish enjoyed its heyday in the ‘70s.Different recipesare available today, but its main ingredients are chopped green cabbage, celery, and carrots with fruity additions such as lemon and pineapple. The whole dish can be bound in Jell-O, and it’s much tastier than my description suggests.
37. Dumplings
A 1970s stew wasn’t complete without stodgy dumplings floating on top. They are dough shapes without any noticeable flavor, but they absorb juices from the stew and add texture. Dumplings should return, and they are so easy to make.
38. Trifle
Buying ready-made trifles from the store is easy, but only some cooks prepare this dessert at home. Layers of fruit and Jell-O, topped with whipped cream, are a delicious and indulgent end to a meal. I wouldn’t say I like the soggy sponge fingers, but besides that minor issue, I’m a big trifle fan.
39. Steak With Peppercorn Sauce
A flash-fried steak with creamy peppercorn sauce is a meal that should be served occasionally as a well-deserved treat. It’s still popular with diners, and maybe it’s tricky to replicate perfect steak cooking at home. I’ve found that using an air fryer helps me get the timing right.
40. Lemon Meringue Pie
Lemon meringue mix is available in packets and contains a tiny lemon capsule, releasing a sharp, citrusy flavor into the liquid. They were fun to use, but thisclassicdessert is simple to make from scratch, and lemon meringue pie deserves a revival.
41. Pavlova
Once you’ve mastered the art of meringue, you can take your skills to the next level with this 1970s pudding. Pavlova is easy to make, yet it looks impressive. It’s also a versatile dessert topped with summer berries or citrus fruit.
42. Watergate Salad
The producers of this dessert hadn’t intended to call it a Watergate Salad, but the term stuck following one of the1970s greatest scandals. The name is now firmly associated with the decade, and maybe that’s why the dish has disappeared. The pudding is easy to make and only needs five ingredients. Whip up some pistachio cream, add marshmallows, canned pineapple, crushed pecan, and whipped topping, and it’s ready!
43. Butterscotch Whipped Dessert
This dessert uses a packet mix, a product rather than a recipe, and it appealed to my young sweet tooth. It’s a little too sweet for me many years later, but some would like to revisit their youth by making a butterscotch whipped pudding at home.
44. Lamb Chops
I won’t be revisiting this recipe, but you are free to do so. Growing up in the 1970s, lamb or pork chops were served at least once a week. Finding meat among the fat and bone was a struggle, so the chop has been absent from my adult menu. Some cooks like them, but the fact that chops are hard to find suggests I’m not alone in my views.
45. Stuffed Squash
Squashes are fun to grow, but what can you do with them once harvested? Many don’t have a strong flavor; one answer is to stuff them with a savory mix. Rich ground beef is one suggestion, a popular idea from the 1970s that needs revisiting.
46. French Onion Soup
It would be best if you liked onions to enjoy this broth. French onion soup is packed with its central ingredient, while a rich beef stock compliments the flavor. Traditionally, cheese adds to the top for even greater depth. I love French onion soup, but it’s a starter that will divide your dinner party guests.
47. Beef Stroganoff
Another popular Eastern European dish, beef stroganoff, is a 1970s classic. While the meat is thin strips, perfect cooking times are essential to ensure the beef isn’t harsh and chewy. It’s another recipe wherean air fryermight help out.
48. Garlic Bread
It’s another dish that appeared in the 1970s, and it’s enjoyed by many today. The difference is that we prefer to buy pre-packaged garlic bread for convenience. However, if we revisit the recipe, we’ll find garlic bread is easy to make, and the homemade version is much better.
49. Hawaiian Meatballs
Throughout this list, we’ve learned that using pineapple in savory dishes was a significant part of cooking in the 1970s. Fruit meets protein again in the Hawaiian meatballs recipe, which intends to bring an exotic flair to a hearty classic. It works best for meals where pineapples appear, as the balance of flavors produces an excellent main course.
50. Stuffed Grapes
We’ve already had devilled eggs and kidneys, and this stuffed grapes dish proves that chefs in the 1970s had too much time on their hands. The deal is that you split a grape, scoop out some flesh, and insert a cream cheese filling. If you’ve nothing better to do, it’s a fiddly yet tasty appetizer.
