FOOD AND COOKERY.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 48, 18 September 1924, Page 1

FOOD AND COOKERY.

VEAL AND ITS PREPARATION. It is in cold weather such as we have felt lately, that sensible people turn to veal. At all events, that is the most suitable time for veal. Fortunately there is plenty of it in the shops just now. If possible, cook your veal oil the day you buy it. When buying, choose that which is fat, finely grained, white, and not overgrown. It should have a silky appearance, a greyishpink colour, and the flesh should be firm and dry. Large veal is apt to be coarse and tough. If too young, it lacks flavour and is less wholesome. The great disadvantage of veal is ’•hat it is more difficult to keep than eny other meat except pork, and it is essential that it should not have the very slightest taint before being prepared. Braised Fillet of Veal.—Take seven or eight fillets of veal, a pint of stock, half a pint of brown sauce, onions, carrots, celery, peppercorns, and half a pint of peas. Place the fillets in a saucepan, and put in plenty of vegetables and a little stock Simmer very gently for an hour. Take up and place on a liaking sheet to brown in the oven. Dish on mashed potatoes, and pour round the brown sauce and heap the peas, which should have been nicely boiled, and be of a good colour in the centre. Veal and Ham Pie.—Take l£lb. veal, Sib of ham. spice, four eggs, and three-quarters of a pound of piecrust. Cut the veal into thin slices. Put a layer of ham at the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with seasonings of pepper, salt, and spice, and put alternate layers of ham and veal until the dish is full enough. Then beat the eggs a little, and add a teacup of water to them, and pour over the meat in the dish. Cover with crust, and bake one hour. Then stand the dish 1 on the top of the stove for two hours longer, s : o that the meat may become tender by simmering gently. This way of putting the eggs in is a great improvement oil slicing them when ■ hard-boiled. Genoa Stew.—Take 2ilb of veal cutlets 2’oz. chopped bacon, 3oz. bread- i crumbs, a tablespoon chopped parsley, a teaspoon mixed herbs, grated lemon rind, an egg, 2oz butter, and 4oz macaroni. Put the veal cutlets on

a board, remove any bone, and press fiat. Then spread with forcemeat made as follows: Mix in a basin the bacon, breadcrumbs, herbs, pepper and salt, binding all with the egg. Roll the veal neatly, tie with tape, and dredge with flour. . Melt the butter in a stewpan, put in the veal, and turn it about till it is nicely brown. Add about a half-pint of water, and stew very slowly for two and a half hours. Boil the macaroni and drain. Stew it in a nicely-seasoned gravy for 20 minutes. Place the veal in a hot dish, make a border of the macaroni, and serve.

Frying Veal Cutlets.—Cut the cutlets half an inch thick, beat up an egg. and brush it over them on both sides. Afterwards dip the cutlets in breadcrumbs and lay them in a pan in which a little dripping has been melted and is thoroughly hot. Cutlets should be cooked carefully and thoroughly to a light brown.

Imitation Sweetbread.—Take a lb. of veal, and after pounding it in a mortar, add a little bacon, two beaten eggs and half a teacup of breadcrumbs. Season with pepper, salt, and a pinch of mace. Stir in one tablespoon of melted butter. Form the mixture into the shape of sweetbreads. Bake for half an hour, basting constantly. Serve very hot with thick, rich gravy. Veal and Sausage Pie.—Cut slices sin. thick from a fillet of veal. Season with pepper, salt and mace. Put one slice at the bottom of the dish, then over it a slice of Bologna sausage, and then another slice of veal, seasoned; repeat until the dish is filled. Put no water in the pie, but cover with a good puff paste, and bake an hour and a half. It is an excellent pie to eat cold. Brain Cakes.—Boil calves’ brains for five minutes. Then put into cold water to blanch. Pound in a mortar with a little salt, mace, cayenne and chopped sage and the well-beaten yolks of two eggs. Form into balls about the size of a nutmeg. Dip in egg and breadcrumbs, and fry till a golden brown. Veal Stuffing.—Take half a pound of white breadcrumbs, two whole eggs, four ounces of chopped suet, a tablespoon of chopped parsley, a very little thyme and shallot, pepper, salt, and a little nutmeg. Mix all together and it is then ready for use.