LEFT-OVERS—IF ANY!

New Zealand Listener, Volume 26, Issue 651, 21 December 1951, Page 20

LEFT-OVERS—IF ANY!

S lamb, poultry and ham are all expensive, people will probably buy just the right amount to make one hot and one cold meal; and I don’t think there will be any left-overs this year. Do you remember the old story of the small boy watching the big boy eating an apple, and saying, "May I have the core?" The reply was, "There ain’t going to be no core!" That idea will apply, I think. However, there may be ends of ham and tongue; and even quite small scraps of poultry may be used in croquettes or fritters. Sandwiches _ There are very often left-over sandwiches. These may be just toasted under the griller with an extra spread of butter on both sides, turning them once. Or melt a little butter in a pan and toast the filled sandwiches in it, on both sides, until brown. Or, best of all, make them into French toasted sandwiches, by dipping them into batter and then frying in a hot pan with butter. A cheap and easy batter is made by just beating 1 egg a little and stirring in 1-3rd cup milk and 1% teaspoon salt. If you want to make the whole affair substantial, make a better batter by putting 4 oz. flour into a basin And dropping in an ege-yolk, whole. Beat a little, then add a little tepid water to make a smooth batter. Leave 10 minutes. Then add the egg-white beaten stiff with a little salt added. These are really good. Left-over Cake This can be sliced, a custard poured over ity and baked. Often just crumbs of cakes are left, and make really nice puddings like this. A delightful way with stale sponge or madeira cake is to cut it into squares and arrange them, spread with jam, in a pudding dish, pour a good custard sauce over, and chill for about 3 hours. Sprinkle with chopped nuts or toasted almonds before serving. Barbecued Left-over This is just cooked lamb cut into thin slices and heated in a barbecue sauce. It makes a change from the usual creamed left-over, which is simply heating ina geod white sauce flavoured with grated onion. For. the barbecue sauce lightly cook in a little hot fat, in a pan, % cup of minced onion and diced _celery, ‘i carefully. Add 1 small teaspoon mustard, 2 tablespoons eae sugar, 114 teaspoons salt, and stir. . Then add 3 tablespoons vinegar, 11% tometo; juice, Y2 cup water. Simmer until thickened. And finally drop in 2 cups of the Yamb, cut into thin slivers. Serve surrounded by cooked rice, peas, or green beans. > Croquettes : This is a good way of using up lamb, chicken, beef, veal or ham. Have a cupful of rich thick white sauce; add a teaspoon each of minced parsley and onion, 4% teaspoon of lemon juice, and 2 cups of the minced left-over. Salt

and pepper as desired. Chill well-sev-eral hours or overnight. When mealtime comes, divide out the chilled croquette mixture into portions-this quantity makes 8 nice sized ones. It is very soft to handle but makes good croquettes. Spoon out each portion, and shape into cylinders or balls. Break an egg into a plate and add a tablespoon of water; mix with a fork till blended. On another plate have sifted dried breadcrumbs. Roll the croquettes first in breadcrumbs, then in the egg, then in crumbs again. Make sure they are thoroughly coated so that they don’t get fat-soaked when frying. Leave them to chill a little while, then fry in inch-deep fat until golden, turning occasionally. Do a few at a time. Remove ‘with slotted spoon, drain on paper, and keep hot in oven while you cook ‘the rest. Ham Loaf Two cups minced cooked ham; 1 cup breadcrumbs, % cup milk, 1 cup cold water, 1 sliced onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons dry mustard, 1%4 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon butter. Mix together well. Mould into a loaf, bake in moderate oven (350 degrees), about 1 hour. Sprinkle top with brown sugar, and stud with a few whole cloves before baking. Hot Devilled Ham Combine 1 cup finely minced cooked ham with 1 dessertspoon (or more if liked) of mustard made with milk, a level teaspoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon Worcester sauce. Spread on toast. Very nice topped with poached egg. Ham and Asparagus Rolls Use tinned or fresh cooked asparagus. Grill thin slices of cooked ham lightly on both sides. On each slice of ham place several stalks of asparagus, Then roll up the ham slices. If liked, serve on each roll of ham and asparagus a generous amount of thin rich cheese sauce. Cheese Sauce: In the top of a double boiler melt % Ib. processed cheese. Gradually add 1-3rd cup of milk, stirring all the time till smooth. Cottage Pie Have 4-5 cups meat hash and vegetables moistened with gravy or stock, in piedish. Make pancake batter: Beat 1 egg slightly, add % cup milk and 1 tablespoon melted butter, mix well. Add this to % cup sifted flour, 1% teaspoon baking. powder, and pinch of salt. Beat till smooth. Pour over hash. Bake in hot oven about 25 minutes. Serve hot. Egg and Ham Tartlets Chop 4 oz. cooked ham very finely and mix with 2 oz. white breadcrumbs. Add salt and pepper, and moisten with 12 gill milk until smooth stiff paste obtained. Butter well 4 small patty tins or odd saucers and coat with a few white breadcrumbs. Then add to each some of the prepared ham. Break an egg carefully on to each tin or saucer, sprinkle with more breadcrumbs, add tiny bits of butter on top. Cook in moderate oven till eggs are set. Serve very hot.