MEALS FOR SUMMER DAYS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 6, Issue 133, 9 January 1942, Page 39

MEALS FOR SUMMER DAYS

ERE are some suggestions for cool, yet nourishing, meals for summertime. Although one must, of course, cook a hot meal nearly every other day, still one can arrange to have a good, nourishing and substantial cold supper for those coming home late from tennis, or bowls, or swimming, and so on. But do not let the family give way to the idea that "It is too hot to eat," for in that way they will get run down, and their resistance will be weakened, so that they will fall victims to summer sickness, and summer colds, and become an easy prey to the chilly winds of autumn. The housewife must study herself, too, quite as carefully as she does her family; for to get worn out and run down herself in caring for the others, is but poor economy. Nourishing Brawn Simmer half a shin of beef cut into 2 or 3 pieces, in sufficient water to cover, until the meat is very tender (but not stringy) and falling away from the bone. A knuckle of veal may be put in with it. For flavouring, put in a bunch of thyme, sage, and parsley, half a teaspoon of mace; % teaspoon of mixed spice, and % teaspoon of powdered nutmeg, and a very little salt and pepper. Remove the bunch of herbs when the meat is cooked, and cut up the meat finely. Have ready some moulds or basins, rinsed in cold water, and a couple of hard boiled eggs. Melt a dessertspoon of powdered gelatine in a little water, and add it to the hot liquid, which should be about 2 cupfuls. Ordinarily, you need a dessertspoon of powdered gelatine to set one breakfast cup of liquid, but this will be already inclined to set owing to the bones and the veal. Let this gelatine mixture cool, then put a little into the wetted basins, and rinse it round a little, so that the sides of the basins get coated too. Now arrange slices of hard-boiled egg on the bottom and round the sides; and some left-over cooked peas too, if you have them. Allow to get cold and nearly set, Then fill up the basins loosely with the cut up meat, and pour the strained liquor over all, There should be room for plenty of the tasty liquid, so that when cold the pieces of meat will be set

generously in jelly. Turn out when cold, garnish with parsley, cucumber, or tomato, and serve with salad. Jellied Rabbit Cut up a young rabbit, wash it in salted water, and simmer it till. tender in water, with a sliced onion, a little cup-up bacon, pepper and salt, a dash of nutmeg, and two or three cloves. Have ready 2 hard boiled eggs. Proceed in the same way as in the Brawn Recipe, Cut the cooked rabbit into neat pieces. Stir dissolved gelatine into the strained liquid from the rabbit, allowing a dessertspoon of gelatine to a breakfast cup of liquid. Rinse the basin in cold water, put a little liquid jelly at the bottom and arrange slices of hard boiled egg. Then put in the pieces of rabbit, and pour the rest of the jelly over. Leave to set. Turn out when cold, and serve with salad. Cooked peas may be put in with good effect. Jellied Fowl Do this in the same way as the Jellied Rabbit, but leave out the onion. Many people prefer to leave out the bacon too. Sprigs of parsley may be cooked with it, though, and a little cooked, chopped ham may be put in the mould with the cut-up chicken. Hard boiled egg. slices and cooked peas are used to line the mould. Use a dessertspoon of gelatine to each breakfast cup of liquor. Always soak the gelatine in a little water first, so that it 1s

easily dissolved in the meat liquor, and strain it over the loosely filled mould. Pour in the jelly when cold, and just beginning to thicken, Jellied Fish Any cold cooked fish may be used for this. First make your jelly liquid. For each two cups of cooked flaked fish, allow 1 breakfast cup of cold water; 12 cup of hot water; 2 tablespoons of lernon juice; 1 dessertspoon of ‘vinegar, and salt to taste-about a small teaspoon; and 1% dessertspoons of powdered gelatine. If you have no lemons at hand, put more vinegar. Dissolve the gelatine in the 4% cup of hot water, add the lemon juice, vinegar, salt and the cold water. The fish can be mixed with a few chopped capers, or a little chopped spring onion. Have your mould rinsed with cold water, then pour a little of the liquid jelly in, and let it nearly set. Arrange slices of hard boiled egg, and perhaps some cold peas or small pieces of beetroot, or anything you fancy. Then pour in a little more of the liquid, and cover over these. Allow to get nearly firm. Finally put in the fish with slices of egg in layers between. Cover with the rest of the liquid when it is just thickening. Turn out when set, and serve with a salad. Jellied Creamed Fish You may have some cooked .fish left over, and some white sauce, or parsley sauce. This may be made into a delightful jellied dish, too. Chop very finely, or mince the flaked up fish-say half a pound or a. little more. You will need

a good breakfast cup of parsley sauce, half a cup of milk (top milk or cream if possible), % cup of hot water; 2 dessertspoons of pow-Jered gelatine; salt and pepper to tasie; and a pinch of cayenne. You also need 2 or 3 tablespoons of cold boiled rice, so arrange for this beforehand, too, Mix the chopped fish and rice together. Dissolve the gelatine in the 1% cup of hot water. Mix together the white sauce, and the milk (or cream). Add the cooled gelatine to this mixture, and mix it all in a bowl with the fish and rice. Season to taste, and set in a mould. Turn out when cold, and serve with salad.