Food Facts for the Kitchen Front. Литагент HarperCollins USD

PLATE

       1 cabbage.

       Level dessertspoon curry powder.

       1 oz. dripping or cooking fat.

       1 lb. potatoes.

       1 teaspoon salt.

      Shred the cabbage, including the stump, which can be cut into small dice after removing the fibrous outer part. Wash the cabbage in salted water then drain in a colander. Scrub the potatoes thoroughly, but do not remove the peel. They can then be cut into dice, of about ¹/₂ inch square.

      Melt the fat in a deep frying pan, or suitable saucepan, and when quite hot add the vegetables. Sprinkle in the teaspoon of salt and curry powder, then stir thoroughly over moderate heat, cover and cook for a few minutes.

      Remove the lid, and continue to cook for about 15 minutes, stirring continuously, but do not add any liquid.

      When the vegetables become brown and are quite tender remove and serve fresh and hot. Eaten with wheatmeal bread, this makes a satisfying and appetising meal. It is also a good sandwich filling for a carried lunch. (Serves 4.)

      RED CABBAGE CASSEROLE

       1 small red cabbage.

       1/2 lb. apples.

       A small onion, or a little minced spring onion.

       1 dessertspoon flour.

       Piece of bay leaf.

       1/2 pint water, or stock.

       1 oz. dripping.

       Salt and pepper. Dessertspoon of vinegar (if liked).

      Wash and halve the cabbage, remove the centre tough stalk, and shred the leaves into thin slices.

      Chop the onion finely, and peel, core and quarter the apples. Place cabbage, onion and apples into the melted dripping in a casserole and sauté for a few minutes. Then add a pinch of salt and the measured water, and simmer gently until the cabbage is tender, adding vinegar if liked.

      This vegetable is excellent served with sausages, or to make it a meal in itself, add a little chopped bacon just before the cabbage is to be served. (Serves 4).

      CAULIFLOWER

      Here is a valuable winter vegetable, which can be eaten either raw or cooked. The flower head can be grated raw for salads, while the green stem is excellent as a separate green vegetable serving. Always ask the greengrocer for the leaves of the cauliflower so that they can be cooked and served with the vegetable, or reserved for another dish.

      The vitamin value of the vegetable is retained better if the cauliflower is separated into sprigs and cooked for a shorter time. A few of these can then be set aside for a cold salad, with a final dressing of vinaigrette.

      Prepare the vegetable by trimming the stalk, cutting away, but reserving the outer leaves, and washing all in plenty of cold water. Soak the head for 20 minutes in warm salted water to draw away the insects, divide into springs, then rinse and steam or boil in a very little salted water until tender.

      After draining the sprigs, dip in browned breadcrumbs, or serve with a coating of plain, well-seasoned white sauce. Here are a few other ways of dealing with cauliflower for vegetable meals.

      CURRIED CAULIFLOWER

       1 cauliflower.

       A few sultanas, if possible.

       1 apple.

       A little minced onion, if possible.

       1 dessertspoon curry powder.

       1 oz. flour.

      Cook the cauliflower as described above, then drain and save the stock. Measure ¹/₂ pint of cauliflower stock into a saucepan, add the prepared and sliced apple and the sultanas, and cook until soft.

      Mix one dessertspoon of curry powder with an ounce of flour, then moisten with a little stock to a smooth cream. Add to the saucepan and stir until the mixture thickens, adding sufficient stock to bring to a pouring consistency. Then add the cauliflower sprigs to heat through, seasoning if necessary.

      A little home-made jam or sweet pickle is an improvement with curry sauce, if you have some handy.

      Serve the curry in the centre of a round dish, with a ring of mashed potato round it.

      BAKED CAULIFLOWER

       2 small cauliflowers.

       2 tablespoons breadcrumbs (wheatmeal).

       1 gill milk.

       1 teaspoon of vegetable extract (yeast product) if liked.

       1 oz. dripping or cooking fat.

       11/2 oz. flour.

      Cook the cauliflowers as described on page 19. Then drain carefully and reserve the liquid, using it for the sauce, in part measure with milk.

      Grease a fireproof dish and arrange the cauliflower sprigs in it, keeping them hot while making the white sauce. For this use 1¹/₂ oz. flour, 1 oz. fat and 1 gill milk. When boiled and smooth, add 2 gills of cauliflower stock in which the extract has been dissolved. Season well.

      Pour the sauce over the cooked cauliflower, sprinkle with an even coating of browned breadcrumbs, and cook in a moderate oven till crisp. For a quick meal, brown beneath a heated grill until well coloured, and serve very hot.

      CARROTS

      The carrot is one of the most valuable of all root vegetables. It is a rich source of Carotene, which is converted into Vitamin A, and strengthens our resistance to infection.

      Carrots also contain sugar, which is useful for war-time diet. Most children like raw carrots and should be allowed to eat them freely.

      Two tablespoons of grated raw carrot daily is a good rule for both children and adults. This can be served in a salad, or taken in a wheatmeal bread sandwich. Here are some sandwich fillings to try.

      (See page 60, SALADS).

      SANDWICH FILLINGS.

      RAW.

      1. Add two parts of grated raw carrot to one part of finely shredded white heart of cabbage, and bind with finely chopped sweet pickle. Season to taste.

      2. For children—use the filling without pickle, and spread the slice with a little dripping, or margarine mixed with a little vegetable extract. This increases the nourishment and adds to the vitamin value.

      COOKED.

      3. Prepare and cut the carrot into small cubes, cooking them in well-blended curry sauce. When perfectly tender and yielding to the knife, use as sandwich filling.

      4. Chopped cooked carrot, mixed with cooked peas and a little mayonnaise or salad dressing, makes a good filling or salad.

      UNCOOKED CARROT PUDDING