TAKE A VACATION FROM THE KITCHEN THIS CHRISTMAS

Taupo Times, Volume 19, Issue 97, 15 December 1970, Page 5

TAKE A VACATION FROM THE KITCHEN THIS CHRISTMAS

Christmas is almost here and with it the beginning of the holiday season. In this time, in the course of filling the tins and cooking the regular family meals, food can be prepared for the freezer, to become the basis of holiday meals. Not only does it give the housewife a vacation from the kitchen, but also it reduces the cooking done in hot weather.

With a little forethought, many dishes or meal ingredients can be frozen now to be brought out later. No special recipes or methods are needed, according to the Department of University Extension at the University of Otago. Simply increase the amount of food you normally prepare, and package the surplus. It takes little longer to make and cook, and saves washing up.

To cite an example: Suppose creamy rice is on the menu this week. Make treble the quantity. Take out what is required for the meal. Cool and add an equal amount of whipped cream to the remainder. Press half into a greased ring mould or sandwich tin, cover and freeze. When required, thaw in the refrigerator and decorate with fresh or cooked fruit, chopped jelly and whipped cream. Pack the other half into a plastic pottle with a snap on lid. When it is wanted, thaw and add enough drained crushed pineapple and chopped marshmallows to double the yield. Other fruits may be used, for instance crushed strawberries or apricot puree. Thus three desserts come from one preparation. SAVOURY DISHES: (1) Scalloped or mornay dishes i.e. fish, vegetables, poultry in a savoury sauce (do not add breadcrumbs or cheese topping till ready for cooking). (2) Macaroni cheese and other cereal dishes e.g. spaghetti bolognese. (3) Pasties, tarts and pies, such as asparagus and cheese tart, quiche Lorraine, sausage rolls. Pastry is best baked after freezing. (4) Savoury pancakes. Make wafer thin pancakes, freeze unfilled separated by paper or foil. When required, thaw, roll round a savoury meat or fish filling, top with a creamy sauce and bake. (5) Pizzas, made from scone, pastry or yeast dough. MEAT AND FISH: (1) Roasts and pot roasts. Cook in one piece and freeze the extra portion. Small amounts of cooked meat are best covered with gravy or sauce to prevent drying out. If to be served cold, thaw in refrigerator, otherwise reheat unthawed. (2) Stews, fricassees and casseroles. Make as usual, but do not overcook, as further cooking will take place during reheating. Add potato after freezing to avoid a poor result. Use aluminium foil dishes for frtezing or line casseroles with foil so dish can be removed after freezing. Replace for baking. (3) Poultry. Buy a slightly larger bird than usual. After using for a meal,. remove remaining meat, package and freeze for dishes such as Chicken a la King, salads or sandwich fillings. Use carcass to make soup stock. Boil down well to concentrate stock and save freezer space. (4) Pies. e.g. steak and kidney, mutton, veal and ham, ham and chicken etc. Freeze uncooked, and bake unthawed. Cut slits in top just before baking. (5) Mince dishes such as meat loaf, meat balls in savoury sauces, meat sauce for serving with spaghetti. (6) Left-overs. Make kedgeree, croquettes, fish pie or shepherds pie etc., using mashed potatoes for topping the pies. VEGETABLES: (1) Potatoes. Whole potatoes, new or old, do not freeze well. Baked stuffed' potatoes can be frozen or potato cakes, potato croquettes etc. Potato chips should be lightly fried, and reheated, unthawed on a baking sheet in a hot oven. (2) Stuffed vegetables. A small marrow, or marrow

rings may be filled with a meat or savoury filling, as can tomatoes and green peppers. (3) Vegetable purees. These are useful to serve as a vegetable, or as an ingredient in a soup or savoury dish e.g. green pea, carrot, asparagus, spinach or silver beet etc. (4) Left-overs. Portions of corn, peas, carrots, beans, asparagus etc., should be packaged for adding to salads, soups or savoury dishes. PUDDINGS: (1) Pies and tarts. Whether made from biscuit crumbs, short crust or pastry, it is best to freeze raw and unfilled, unless sure the filling will freeze well. If uncertain, freezing a small test amount will serve as a guide. (2) Sponge mixtures. These may be used in many ways as pudding bases e.g. fruit flans, trifle, charlotte russe, strawberry cream sponge, icebox cakes etc. Sponge rolls can be filled with whipped cream or softened icecream, frozen and served in slices topped with fresh fruit puree or a sauce. (3) Sweet pancakes. Make as for savoury pancakes and freeze plain or unfilled. Filling can be fruit puree, icecream, mincemeat, cottage cheese etc. Serve with an appropriate sauce, or if serving hot, with hard sauce (make extra at Christmas). (4) Cheese cakes. Most varieties will keep well over the holiday period. MISCELLANEOUS : (1) Sauces — both sweet and savoury sauces can be made in duplicate. Examples — cheese sauce, curry sauce, chocolate sauce, fresh fruit purees. Reheat creamy sauces gently whilst stirring to avoid separation. (2) Toppings. Stock up with grated cheese, soft breadcrumbs (plain and buttered), whipped cream rosettes, chopped parsley etc. (3) Punch base. Freeze the syrup left from the Christmas fruit salad — add frozen cubes to a glass of lemonade or white wine to make a long cool drink.

MAIIMLY FOR WOMEN