Category Archives: Recipes

RECIPE-Parsley Sauce

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Parsley Sauce

½ oz fat

½ pint milk or milk and stock

½ oz Cornflour (corn starch in the US)

2 tsp parsley

Salt & Pepper to taste

Melt the fat, add the cornflour and mix well. Add the milk, stir until boiling and boil 3 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and parsley. Serve with Mock Fish and cooked potatoes.

 

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RECIPE-Mock Fish

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Fish was hard to get as the war loomed on. Fishermen had joined the military and were off fighting the war; those that remained had to throw their nets close to shore, as bombing by the enemy was always a threat. The fish that were caught were sold and bought quickly by those that lived close to shore; those that lived inland rarely got fresh fish. So what to do in wartime? Make Mock Fish!

Mock Fish

1/2 pint of whole milk

2 oz ground rice

1 tsp chopped onion or leek

Margarine (or butter if your ration allows)

Anchovy paste or essence

1 egg, fresh or powdered (1 tbls powdered egg mixed with two tbls water)
Bring half a pint of milk to the boil, shower in two ounces of ground rice and add a teaspoonful of chopped onion or leek, a piece of margarine the size of a small walnut, and a seasoning of anchovy essence. Let this simmer gently for 20 minutes, then take the pan off the fire, and stir in a well-beaten egg. Mix well together, and the spread the mixture out on a flat dish: it should be about half an inch thick. When it is cold, cut it into pieces the size and shape of fish fillets, brush these with milk, roll them in breadcrumbs, and fry until golden-brown. Serve with parsley sauce.

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RECIPE-Mock Banana

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When bananas weren’t available, one did the next best thing and made something that tasted like a banana!

Mock Banana

Parsnips (a root vegetable related to carrots)
Banana extract
Sugar to taste

Select young, fresh parsnips as they are more tender and taste sweeter. Peel the parsnips; leaving them whole and steam until tender; dry the parsnips. Slice the cooked parsnips and put into a bowl; thoroughly mash and add a few drops of the banana extract. Continue adding the banana extract to taste (but not too much); add sugar to taste then mash until smooth.

Serve on two slices of National Loaf bread for a nice banana sandwich!

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RECIPE-Snoek Piquant

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Snoek Piquante

This wartime recipe calls for Snoek, but one can substitute using canned mackerel.

Ingredients:

  • 4 spring onions chopped (green onions)
  • Liquid from the can of Snoek
  • 4 Tablespoons of vinegar
  • ½ can of mashed Snoek
  • 2 teaspoons of golden syrup (or dark corn syrup)
  • salt and pepper

Directions: Cook onions in snoek liquor and vinegar for 5 minutes. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Serve cold with a salad.

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RECIPE-Potato Chocolate Spread

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This recipe was developed by the Ministry of Food, as they stated to the public: “As sugar, fats, jams and preserves are rationed, energy-giving foods available are limited. Therefore if we are to keep up our weight and health then non-rationed foods, potatoes and bread, must be eaten in larger quantities. Potatoes come first because they are home grown.”

Potato Chocolate Spread (sweet)

2 tablespoonfuls mashed potato

1 tablespoonful cocoa

1 tablespoonful sugar

Almond or vanilla flavouring

Method:  Mash the potato thoroughly, mix in the cocoa, sugar and flavouring. Use as a spread in place of jam.

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RECIPE-Wartime Christmas Pudding

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Food may have been rationed, but even in wartime  it would be unthinkable to have Christmas without a traditional Christmas Pudding! This recipe was created by the Ministry Food and published in one of the famous “leaflets.”

Christmas Pudding

2oz plain flour
½ level teaspoon baking powder
½ level teaspoon grated nutmeg
¼ level teaspoon salt
¼ level teaspoon cinnamon
1 level teaspoon mixed spice
2-4 oz suet or fat
3oz sugar
½ – 1lb. mixed dried fruit
4 oz. breadcrumbs
1 oz. marmalade
2 eggs, fresh or dried
¼ pint rum, ale, stout or milk
Sift flour, baking powder, salt and spice together. Add the sugar, fruit and breadcrumbs and grated suet or melted fat. Mix with the marmalade, eggs and rum, or other liquid. Mix very thoroughly. Put in a greased basin, 2 pt. (1 quart) size. Cover with greased paper and steam for 4 hours. Remove the paper and cover with a fresh piece and a clean cloth. Store in a cool place. Steam 2 to 3 hours before serving. The steaming is best done by standing the basin in a saucepan with water coming a third of the way up the sides of the basin. Keep the water boiling gently over a low heat. It may be necessary to add a little more water during cooking but be sure the water is boiling when added.

RECIPE-Parsley and Celery Stuffing

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Parsley and Celery Stuffing

Ingredients:

4 oz chopped celery

2 large onions finely chopped

4 level tablespoons parsley

4 oz stale breadcrumbs 

Salt and pepper

2 level teaspoons mixed herbs (I used Herbs de Provence)

1 oz melted dripping (2 tablespoons-I used bacon grease)

Hot water to mix

Mix all ingredients together adding sufficient hot water to give a soft consistency. Use for stuffing meat and poultry.

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RECIPE-National Loaf

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The National Loaf

From: Ministry of Food – Jane Fearnley Whittingstall

Makes two loaves

1 ½ lb wholemeal bread flour*
1 ½ tbsp salt
1 ½ tbsp dried yeast
1 dsp honey or treacle (two teaspoons)
450 ml tepid water (about 2 cups)
1, Mix together all the ingredients and knead for about 10 minutes until you have a soft dough. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a dish towel, and leave until dough has doubled in size (around 2 hours).
2.  Knock back the dough, give a short knead then cut into two equal pieces. Place in 1.5 litre loaf tins (8 X 4 X 3 loaf pans), allow to rise for a further 2 hours.
3. Pre-heat oven to 200°C (400° F) then bake loaves for 30 min. To test the loaves, turn them out of their tins and give the base a tap; if it sounds hollow,  they are ready. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

*use a food scale for best results

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RECIPE-CARROT CROQUETTES

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Carrot Croquettes

  • 6 Carrots
  • 1 oz Margarine (or butter if you have enough from your ration)
  • 1 oz corn flour
  • 1 gill milk (4 oz)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Oatmeal
  • Enough fat for frying

Steam the carrots until  soft and tender, drain, and put through a sieve. Add seasoning to taste. Make a thick white sauce* with the corn flour, margarine, and milk. Add the seasoned sieved carrots to it. Leave till cold, then shape into croquettes, roll in oatmeal and fry in hot, deep fat. Drain well and serve
*Make a thick white sauce by slowly melting the margarine in a pan. Add the corn flour and make a nice roux until lightly brown. Whisk the mixture and slowly add the milk to the roux while still whisking until a smooth sauce forms.

 

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RECIPE-Oatmeal Soup

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Oatmeal became an important food in wartime. It was used as a thickener in soups, used to make mock meats (oatmeal “sausages”) and of course as a breakfast food. The Kitchen Front from the Ministry of Food said:

OATMEAL IN WARTIME

Most of us, because of rationing, are eating less butter, and consequently we should make the best use of foods rich in vitamins A and D and foods containing natural fats. Oatmeal, of all cereals, contains the most fat and is the best energising food. Here is an oatmeal recipe : 

  • 1 quart Water or Pot Liquor (liquid from boiled greens)
  • 1 chopped Apple or 2 tablespoons Fruit Pulp if available
  • 2 tablespoons oatmeal
  • 1 large Potato, chopped
  • 1 tsp Curry Powder
  • 1 large Carrot, chopped
  • ½ pint Milk
  • ½ Swede (rutabaga)  or 1 Turnip, chopped
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 2 tablespoons Parsley

Sprinkle the oatmeal into the boiling water or pot liquor and allow to boil for 5 minutes, stirring all the time. Add the salt, prepared fruit and vegetables (sliced or cut into small pieces) and the currypowder mixed with 2 tablespoons water. Allow to cook steadily for ¾ to 1 hour. When cooked, add the milk and pepper and reheat. Add the finely chopped parsley, stir well and serve very hot.

NOTE: — Add a bone or bacon rinds if available to improve flavour.

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