Thursday, May 27, 2010

Rations for One (2).

Cooking for one is somewhat of a challenge for those of us in the habit of cooking for twelve, even if there are only two. How much harder must it have been in wartime Britain under rationing?

The wartime Ministry of Food thought of everything, and every set of circumstances seem to have been covered in its weekly Food Facts leaflets. Leaflet number 213, in July 1944 gave several suitable recipes, and also advised that ‘A week’s Menus for one person living alone and recipes for many of the dishes mentioned by be had, free of charge. Please send postcard marked “leaflets” to the Ministry of Food, London, W.1’

One of the ‘recipes for one’ given in the leaflet was for Pot Roast, with the suggestion to ‘eat the reminder cold, with some appetising trimming’.

Pot Roast.
Ingredients: The joint or cut of beef, 1 lb., mixed root vegetables including spring onions, 2 tablespoons dripping, salt and pepper, vegetable stock or water.
Method: Melt the dripping in a saucepan with a well-fitting lid. When the dripping is hot, put the meat in and cook it on every side to seal the juices. Take it out and put it aside. Slice the vegetables, drop into the fat with a teaspoonful of salt and a shaking of pepper. Put on the lid and cook the vegetables over a very low heat for five minutes. Replace the meat on a bed of vegetables, replace the lid and cook over a low heat for 1 ½ to 2 hours. If the pan gets too dry, add a little vegetable stock or water.

Quotation for the Day.

The best things in life are never rationed. Friendship, loyalty, love, do not require coupons.
Anon.

5 comments:

Karen said...

A nice glass of wine might make an appetizing trimming . . .

The Old Foodie said...

I am all for trimming with wine ....

Anonymous said...

Oh, yum. A nice simple pot roast. I would chop the remains, add a glass of wine and some water or broth if I had any, and have vegetable beef soup for another two or three days. Bread on the side or cubed potatoes in the soup would make it extra filling.

Did the Ministry tell people that you can use carrot tops in soup?

Jenny Islander

lavendah said...

have just found your blog,wow what an informative "glance" Ive had will take me days of reading to read it all but thanks in advance. I love to read about the history of food. I am a chef and have just started my own foodie blog for me to put recipes etc on and for friends to share http://adventureofthepurplechef.blogspot.com thanks again for a great site

The Old Foodie said...

Hi lavendah - thanks for finding me, and keep up the blogging yourself!