Eat More Cheese

New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 792, 24 September 1954, Page 32

Eat More Cheese

UITE lately the N.Z. Listener published an excellent article by Dr. H. B. Turbott called "Cheese is Valuable." I cut it out for my files, and hope most housewives have kept it, too. In spite of a wave of feeling that our cheese is "not as nice as it used to be," which has spread among our people, nevertheless the fact remains that cheese is a grand body-builder, being one-third protein as against one-fifth protein in beef, besides being rich in lime or calcium, so necessary for teeth and bones. Cheese is one-third fat also, so you see how good it is. It is not indigestible; that idea probably arose through eating quite a large amount of cheese as a supplement to a dinner which has already supplied a large amount of protein and fat. Children should be given plenty of cheese-even little ones can have it grated; the pasteurised or processed cheese is especially easy to digest and little children like it. Overcooked cheese can be indigestible, so be careful. Cheese is, of course, highly concentrated food, and should be eaten with more bulky material, such as lettuce and green salads of all kinds, and also with apples and pineapple. Grate cheese over fish and soup. Get the cheese habit. Fish Fillets with Cheese Squeeze lemon juice over fillets of fish, sprinkle with finely-chopped or grated onion, then grated cheese, pepper and salt. Roll up each, and place in buttered dish. Cover with lid, bake 20 minutes. Then pour over a good white sauce (may add parsley if desired), sprinkle more cheese, and put back to brown, Savoury Pancake This makes a good and tasty meal if served with rashers of bacon, baked -| potatoes or kumaras, and a_ green vegetable, steamed Brussels sprouts or spring cabbage; or, even better, a green salad, lettuce, endive, or chopped cabbage heart. Fry a good panful of sliced onions, add 42 teaspoon sugar, pepper and salt. Pour over 3 well-beaten eggs, and cover with thinly-sliced or shredded cheese. Let this set, and lightly brown underneath. Then turn over like a pancake. Cut into wedge-shaped pieces in the pan and lift out on to hot plates. Potato Jane This is an old-fashioned favourite. One and a half pounds potatoes, 4 oz. grated cheese, 2 oz. breadcrumbs, 12 chopped leek, 1 sliced carrot, 42 to %4 pint milk and water, salt and pepper. Put a layer of sliced potato in a fireproof dish. Sprinkle with some of the leek, carrot, crumbs, cheese and seasoning. Fill dish with alternate layers, finishing with a layer of mixed cheese and crumbs. Pour over the milk and bake in a moderate oven 45 minutes, or steam: 1 hour. Real Cheese Scones Make your usual scone recipe, with butter, and then slice in plenty of cheese in thinnish chunks. Mix as usual and bake in hot. oven, Cheese Fondu An American Link in the Daisy Chain sent me this: One cup each of stale breadcrumbs, thinly sliced processed cheese, and milk, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon butter, ¥2 teaspoon salt, ¥% teaspoon each of mustard and paprika. Beat the eggs well, then add milk, and all season-

ings, and beat again. Melt butter and add to beaten mixture. Butter a pudding dish and place layers of breadcrumbs

and slices of cheese until dish is full, then pour mixture over, and bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) till firm and lightly browned. This is a great favourite, and is a good stand-by for unexpected guests. Cheese and Salmon Timbales These are baked in individual cups-~ even handle-less cups or tiny piedishes would do, or cooked in one big piedish. Then they are turned out, and served with the cheese sauce. Flake and bone 1 Ib. tin of salmon. Mix it with a cup of soft breadcrumbs, % cup milk, 2

tablespoons melted butter, 1 tablespoon chopped onion, 2 beaten eggs, and pepper and salt to taste. Bake in a moderate oven for about half an hour. Sauce: Melt 1 oz. processed cheese in a double boiler, add 1-3rd cup milk, stirring until very smooth. Serve with mashed potatoes topped with green peas. Monkey Rarebit This is a recipe for 6 people. Two cups soft breadcrumbs, 2 cups milk, 1 lb. (or 4 cups) grated or sliced processed cheese, 2 teaspoons thick sauce or chutney, 142 teaspoon mustard either mixed or dry, % teaspoon salt, % teaspoon pepper, and 6 slices toast. Soak breadcrumbs and milk in top of double boiler for 5 minutes. Add cheese and seasoning, and cook over boiling water, stirring occasionally until cheese is melted. Divide over the 6 pieces of toast. This should be served with a green salad on a separate plate. Scalloped Potatoes Mash, say, 2 lb. potatoes with 14 pint milk and 3 oz. butter. Add 2 oz. grated cheese and pepper and salt to taste. Put the mixture into patty tins and brown in oven. While hot glaze with a little melted butter and cheese and dash of nutmeg. Vegetables au Gratin Boil cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, green beans, or even asparagus as usual. Strain, and put in an oven dish, sprinkle with a little pepper, and put some dabs of butter on, then dust thickly with grated cheese. Put under the griller for a few minutes, till the cheese melts a little. Or the vegetables may be heaped upon slices of buttered toast, instead of being put in the dish. Cheese and Bacon Tart Line pie plate with flaky or short pastry. Bake in hot oven till pastry is set, but not brown. Beat well 1 egg, add ¥2 cup milk, 1 cup finely grated cheese, pepper and salt to taste. Fry 3 rashers of bacon crisp, break into small pieces, and add to cheese mixture. Fill plate, bake in moderate oven till filling is set, and top golden brown. Serve with salad.