Carrot Roll

Another lovely wartime recipe from English Heritage's Ration Book Cookery. Originally from the pamphlet Food Facts.

2 large carrots
1 tsp vegetable extract (Marmite or similar)
2 tsps fine oatmeal, toasted
cold cooked mashed potato

Grate the carrots and cook for 10 mins in a very little water. Add the vegetable extract and toasted oatmeal. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring to thicken. Cool. At this stage the mixture will be quite stiff. Have some cold mashed potato ready, dust the pastry board with flour and roll out into an oblong shape. Place the carrot filling in the centre, then fold over and shape into a roll. Dot with a few shavings of fat and bake in a moderately hot oven until nicely browned. Serve with well seasoned brown gravy.

You could leave out the Marmite. I was a vegetarian in the 70s and people insisted on adding Marmite to anything they cooked for you.

Curried Potatoes etc

From The Woman's Own Book of the Home, 1932

3 or 4 boiled potatoes
1 tsp curry powder
lemon juice
1 onion
little stock
dripping (or oil)

Fry the onion and slices of potato in a little dripping, shake over the curry powder, add the stock, a little lemon juice and salt and stew gently for 15 minutes.

Barley Posset
Take 1/4lb barley and boil it with 1 1/2 pints milk. Add 1/2 pint cream, and a little mixed spice, and sugar to taste. When nearly cold add a glassful of sherry and beat up the mixture. (The recipe doesn't say how long you should boil it for - try boiling for one minute then simmering for an hour.)

The Kitchen and its Equipment

from The Woman's Own Book of the Home, 1932

The kitchen should be well lighted and ventilated, and should be equipped iwth:

1. A cooking range or stove.
2. A kitchen table.
3. A kitchen cabinet, cupboard or cupboards.
4. A dresser.
5. At least one chair.
6. A separate cupboard, or tidy for brooms and brushes.
7. A clock.
8. necessary cooking utensils.

If, as is the case in a number of houses nowadays, the kitchen does the duties of both kitchen and scullery, then it should also be provided with:

9. A good sink.
10. A draining-board draining down into the sink.
11. A rack for mops, etc.
12. Soap dish.
13. A draining-rack for cups, saucers and plates.
14. A roller fitted in a convenient spot for carrying a roller towel.

Kitchen designers, please note, especially 10.

Saucer Pudding

From The "Olio" Cookery Book via Ration Book Cookery, published by English Heritage

1 tbsp sugar
2 oz butter
3 oz flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
a little milk
some jam

Mix all the ingredients together as you would for a cake. Divide into two and place each portion on a separate greased saucer. Baker for about 15 mins. cool, spread jam on one of the cakes and place the other on top.

Hash, to Prepare (and More)

This hash is for using up the end of the joint. From the Woman's Own Book of the Home, 1932.

1 1/2lb cold meat
2 oz butter/dripping
2 oz flour
1 onion
1 1/2 pints stock
1 dessertspoon ketchup
toast
parsley

Remove all fat and gristle from the meat and cut it into neat pieces. Make the fat hot and fry the onion a nice brown. Remove it and fry the flour, brown it welll, being careful not to burn it. Add the stock gradually, stir till it boils, return the meat and onion, add the ketchup and seasoning, thoroughly reheat it, but do not allow it to boil. Serve with snippets of toast or fried bread dipped in chopped parsley. (Mrs Beeton called them "sippets".)

And here are a couple of useful tips on cleaning hats:

Hats, bowler, to clean brims of First rub well with a little fresh butter and clean it off with a solution of 2 oz rock ammonia dissolved in 1/2 pint hot water. Then hold the hat under running water for a minute or two. Wipe with a soft, clean cloth, brush well with the nap, and hang out to dry.

Hats, felt and velour, to restore Thoroughly beat and brush the hat to remove all dust and to raise the surface. Hold it over boiling water and steam thoroughly from the inside. Turn the hat slowly so that it shall be steamed all over. shake well. Give a good final brushing when the hat is dry.

Hedgehogs, the care of Keep in a cage during the day and release at night if it is desired to use them as beetle-catchers. Feed on bread and milk and an occasional earthworm.

Jacques Tati Soup

From The Camping Cook Book by Annie Bell, 2009

Extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, slice
1 tsp Middle Eastern Spice blend
1/3 mug green lentils
1/3 mug basmati rice
1/3 mug bulgur wheat
sea salt
lemon juice

Heat a slug of oil in a saucepan and fry the onion until golden. Stir in spice blend, add the lentils, rice and bulgur. Add 5 mugs water and a stock cube and salt. Bring to the boil, half cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Dish up with some olive oil poured over and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Middle Eastern Spice Blend

1 1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp coriander

Mexican Shrimp Polenta

From The Encyclopedia of World Cookery, circa 1950

1 pint shrimps
4 oz maize flour or semolina (or polenta)
2 onions finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato puree
1/2lb ham, diced
1/4lb mushrooms, sliced
3 rashers bacon

Pour 1 pint boiling water onto the semolina and cook slowly until thick. Chop the bacon and fry lightly. Add the tomato puree, mushrooms, onion and ham. Simmer in 1/4 pint water for 10 minutes. Fill a buttered fireproof dish with alternate layers of semolina, tomato mixture and shrimps. Cover the dish, cook in a moderate oven for 30 minutes.