OATMEAL—A VALUABLE FOOD

New Zealand Listener, Volume 8, Issue 204, 21 May 1943, Page 21

OATMEAL—A VALUABLE FOOD

| \ Ve 7 HEN planning good family meals, according to our modern knowledge of what is necessary for complete health, let us not forget oatmeal, one of the staple foods on which our English and Scottish forefathers throve. As a matter of fact, I believe the cakes which King Alfred burned were oat cakes! From oatmeal we get (1) protein, or building food; (2) starch, or energy-food; (3) much more vitamin B1 than from white flour, making it a protective food (from skin and nervous troubles); besides (4) a little fat, and (5) a helpful amount of iron, Store oatmeal in a container with a tight-fitting lid, because its fat content prevents it from keeping for more than a month or two. Do not put a new supply in on top of any old stock. Porridge Two ozs. medium oatmeal, and a pinch of salt, to one pint of water. Bring the water to the boil, add the salt, and sprinkle in the oatmeal slowly, stirring all the time and taking care not to let the water go off the boil. Boil and stir for 5 minutes, then simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you have a double saucepan cook your porridge in it after the first 5 minutes. It can be left to cook by itself with only a very occasional stir. Another good method is to mix the oatmeal to a paste with the cold water, let it stand over night, and then cook for 15 minutes only. King Alfred’s Oat Cakes Mix one Ib. of oatmeal and a pinch of salt with some lukewarm water to form a stiff dough. Roll out thinly, bake on a

griddle or on iron plates placed over a slow fire for three or four minutes, then place before the fire to harden. Keep the oat cakes in a dry place and they will be good for months. Oat Cakes Eight ounces of oatmeal, 1 tablespoon dripping, 42 teaspoon salt. 1140zs., flour, 1% teaspoon baking soda, some boiling water. Mix the oatmeal, soda, flour and salt together. Add the melted dripping and enough boiling water to bind. Knead the dough until free from cracks. Roll out as thinly as possible on a board sprinkled with oatmeal, Cut into triangles and bake on a greased tin in a fairly hot oven. Oatmeal Biscuits Half pound of flour, Ib. fine oatmeal, 3ozs. sugar, 1 tablespoon lard (or other fat), 1 egg. Mix dry ingredients, add lard melted, beaten egg, and enough cold water to make a firm dough; roll out, cut into rounds; bake in moderate oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Oatmeal Muffins (Using Porridge) One cupful cooked oatmeal, 114 cupfuls flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1% teaspoon salt, 2 cup milk, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sift and mix together all the dry ingredients, add half the milk, the beaten

egg, the oatmeal mixed with the remainder of the milk; beat thoroughly; then add the melted butter. Bake in patty tins in a hot oven. Vegetable Pie with Cheese and Oatmeal Crust Have ready 1141lbs. of cooked mixed vegetables. Put them into a_pie-dish with a little vegetable water. Season. Make pastry with 2ozs. oatmeal, 6ozs. flour, loz, butter or dripping, 2ozs. grated cheese, pinch salt. Rub butter into flour; add grated cheese, oatmeal and salt. Mix to stiff paste with water. Roll out and cover pie. Bake in a moderate oven for about 30 minutes. For Thickening Soups and Stews To two pints of soup or stew add 114 to 2ozs. of oatmeal. This should be added to the soup or stew about 30 minutes before serving. Fine, medium or coarse oatmeal may be used, Oatmeal Hint Toast medium or fine oatmeal. on a tin in the oven, or beneath the grill, till golden. This makes it tasty and digestible for sprinkling over fruit, stewed or fresh, or individual sweets in the same way as chopped nuts. Oatmeal Water (A refreshing drink) Boil together 3 pints water, 2ozs. oatmeal and ¥0z. sugar. Do not strain. Shake well before drinking. This can be diluted if necessary, but the water added should be boiled first.