MORE ECONOMICAL MEALS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 60, 16 August 1940, Page 44

MORE ECONOMICAL MEALS

further suggestions about tasty meals for farm folk, using, mostly, products of the farm. Mutton, poultry, milk, eggs, butter and cheese, vegetables and fruit, are nearly always available in large or small quantities. The idea is to use these as economically as possible without stinting the food value, as the times require. Some of these may be new to you, and we are hoping that some original ideas will be sent in by the resourceful wives of New Zealand farmers. All these recipes, also, are quite suitable for town people who have to buy the ingredients, for they are all quite economical. Baked Mutton Roll (With Variations) Have two small flaps of mutton boned. Prepare a "farce" with a pound of lean topside of beef and 1% Ib. of suet, very finely minced (put it twice through the mincer). Mix well in a big bowl with about two tablespoons flour, pepper and salt, and a grating of nutmeg. Moisten it with a beaten egg, and if necessary, a very little water to make it like a soft AST week I promised to give you

dough. Place this "farce" between the two flaps, adding a pinch of herbs if you like, sew them together and roast in the usual manner. This is delicious either hot or cold. Or you may have only one mutton flap, when you roll it up after spreading the farce upon it. Sausage-meat may also be used to stuff it-this is very much easier, too-and instead of baking it, you may roll the flap up, tie it in a cloth, and put it into boiling water; then gently simmer it for a couple of hours, Spiced Mutton Roll This makes a tasty change, and is also made with the homely flap of mutton. Bone a flap of mutton, or get the butcher to do it for you, and remove most of the fat. Then sprinkle with the following mixture: 1 dessertspoon of salt, 1% teaspoon of ground ginger, 4% teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon allspice, one teaspoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of finely chopped onion. Now place some pieces of lean meat (beef or mutton) on top, and sprinkle again with a little of the spice mixture. Roll up the whole, and sew or tie it up all round with thread. Put

this into an ordinary brine for a day or two. When it is wanted, boil and press it; and then slice thinly. This is really delicious. Brine A simple brine, especially good for mutton or lamb, is made with 4 gallons of water, 4 Ibs. of salt, 2 Ibs. of coarse brown sugar, and 3 ounces of saltpetre. Boil well until all the ingredients are dissolved. Skim, then allow to get quite cold before putting in the meat. Lamb and young mutton are ready after ten days; but they can be kept a little longer in the pickle if required. The Royal Sandwich This is a Leicestershire "special." It consists of new bread, spread with fresh dairy butter, covered with slices of home-cured ham, generously spread with orange marmalade, and topped with more buttered bread. Pressed Mutton Take two mutton flaps, and any odd neck pieces, etc. Cover with water, and boil gently until tender. Add any vegetables, such as onions, carrots, turnips and so on, so that the liquid will make a good rich soup. It is good to add peas, rice or barley as well. When the meat is cooked, take it out, and remove all the bones. Place one flap on a dish, and spread with one of these two fillings: — (a) Breadcrumbs seasoned as for ordinary fowl stuffing, cooked with a little dripping in a frying pan, or _ (b) Cold sliced ham or bacon; or if liked, hard-boiled eggs sliced. Mix these with a little of the thick liquid to make the jelly. Place the other flap on top and let it set. A weight may be put on top, but this is not necessary. Mutton Ham This makes another very nice change. Cut a hindquarter of mutton into the shape of a ham. Mix together 1 lb. of salt, 6 ozs. brown sugar, 1 oz, of saltpetre, a grated nutmeg, and % oz. of pepper, and rub them well into the ham every night until all the mixture is rubbed in. Then press with a heavy weight. Leave it for from 14 to 18 days, turning it every three days, and rubbing well with the pickle. Take it out, let it drain, then hang it up in a dry kitchen. If you are able to smoke it, do so. When you are ready to boil it, soak it for a few hours first in water, and then boil for about 2 hours, Leek Pudding This is a famous North Country dish -the actual recipe was given to a London friend when she was in land.Line a pudding basin with a suet crust, made of 1% Ib. of flour, 4% Ib. of suet, ¥2 teaspoon of salt, 44 teaspoon of baking powder, and water to mix. Then fill with about 6 medium sized leeks, which have been trimmed, washed and cut into small pieces. Season with pepper and salt, and add about an ounce of butter. Make a lid of the remainder

of the pastry, and cover the pie with it, Pressing the edges to seal it. Cover with greaseproof paper, and boil for 3 hours, Serve with good beef gravy. Yorkshire Raised Pork Pies Here is an authentic recipe, brought in to me by a Yorkshire woman in Auckland. On a farm, after the pig is killed, there are always plenty of pieces to be used up. I will give it in her own words: "One and a-quarter pounds of sieved flour, 42 teaspoon of -salt, 6 ozs. of lard melted in one and a-half gills of boiling water, a piece of shoulder, mixed fat and lean. Cut the rind off, take the bones out, and boil them for three hours slowly to make the jelly for filling the pies after they are cold. Season to taste with mace, pepper and salt. Mince the meat with a little fat added. Make a hole in the mixed salt and flour, and pour the boiling lard and water in. Stir with a wooden spoon and mix until a smooth dough. Lay aside until cool, and stiffened a little. "Cut into six pieces, reserving a small piece for each lid for the six pies. Mould with the hands, either on a wooden mould or on a small jam jar, until all cracks disappear, and fill with the minced pork. Roll the small pieces for the lids, then work them on to the pies without damping. Don’t put a hole in the pie as this tends to make it go flat. When the pies are set and cold, brush the sides and tops over with beaten egg, and put into a hot oven for one hour, reducing the heat after 20 minutes, Leave to cool for two hours, then make a hole in the top of each lid with a skewer, and pour into each pie the jelly, which must be nearly cold, but just liquid enough to run through the funnel." As the lady brought me two dear little sample pies, I speak from experience when I tell you that this is an excellent recipe, (Continued on next page)