My Poppy is worn with pride
Lest we Forget:
Remembrance Sunday and The Wartime Kitchen Recipes
Image: The Last of the Few
Today is a reflective day for me, a day to remember all those who have died in both World Wars as well as other and continuing conflicts, both home and abroad. It IS a sad and sombre day, but it is a day to recognise just how brave and courageous all of the fallen were, and if it weren’t for them, we really would not have so many of the freedoms that we take for granted today……it’s not a day for too many words, so I will leave you with some poems and a selection of some of my Wartime Recipes. I am also sharing some “new” wartime recipes next week, so do pop back to see what I have been cooking on my Wartime Kitchen. And, yes, I DO wear my poppy with pride. Karen
Image: The Royal British Legion
When you go home, tell them of us and say
For their tomorrow, we gave our today.
John Maxwell Edmonds (1875–1958)
Image: Audio Boo
WW2 Rations 1940: per one person (adult)
Butter: 50g (2oz)
Bacon or ham: 100g (4oz)
Margarine: 100g (4oz)
Cooking fat/lard: 100g (4oz)
Sugar: 225g (8oz).
Meat: To the value of 1/2d and sometimes 1/10d – about 1lb (450g) to 12ozs (350g)
Milk: 3 pints (1800ml) occasionally dropping to 2 pints (1200ml).
Cheese: 2oz (50g) rising to 8oz (225g)
Eggs: 1 fresh egg a week.
Tea: 50g (2oz).
Jam: 450g (1lb) every two months.
Dried eggs: 1 packet (12 eggs) every four weeks.
Sweets & Chocolate: 350g (12oz) every four weeks
Spiced Mixed Fruit Roll in a Baked Bean Tin
Spiced Mixed Fruit Roll in a Baked Bean Tin
Spiced Mixed Fruit Roll in a Baked Bean Tin
Print recipe
| Serves | 4 to 6 |
| Prep time | 5 minutes |
| Cook time | 2 hours, 30 minutes |
| Total time | 2 hours, 35 minutes |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Dessert, Snack |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Serve Hot |
| Region | British |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 8 ozs (225g) flour
- 4 ozs (100g) chopped suet (I used vegetable suet, but you can use grated frozen butter or margarine)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 tablespoons dried mixed fruit and peel
- 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup (warmed)
- pinch of salt
- 2 clean 400g baked bean tins (greased)
Note
An old fashioned way to steam a pudding and a great way to recycle old baked bean tins; these spiced mixed fruit rolls are easy to slice to serve and are also lovely buttered like tea loaf when cold. This recipe is based on several WW2 ration book recipes that I found in various books, where no eggs and sugar are used. Makes two bake bean tin fruit rolls to serve 4 greedy people or 6 restrained diners!
Directions
| Step 1 | Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, suet, dried fruit and mixed spice together in a bowl. Add the warmed golden syrup and the enough water to make a soft cake like consistancy. |
| Step 2 | Spoon the mixture into the prepared baked bean tins, they must be well greased and a circle of baking paper at the bottom is a good idea for easy removal too. Fill to three-quarters full as the pudding expands during steaming. |
| Step 3 | Place a greased margarine or butter paper on top of the tin and then cover with tinfoil and tie to secure the covers. |
| Step 4 | Place the two tins into the top of a steamer, and steam for 2 1/2 hours. Make sure the water is topped up regularly. |
| Step 5 | Remove the covers carefully, and with heat resistant oven gloves invert the tin/s on to a plate, the puddings should slide out with ease. Slice the pudding and serve with custard. |
Scottish Vegetable & Meat Pudding Recipe
Scottish Vegetable & Meat Pudding
| Serves | 4 to 6 |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 3 hours |
| Total time | 3 hours, 15 minutes |
| Allergy | Wheat |
| Meal type | Lunch, Main Dish |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Serve Hot |
| Region | British |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
Pastry
- 7ozs (200g) plain flour
- 3ozs (75g) oatmeal, such as pinhead medium oatmeal
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- salt and pepper
- 2 to 3ozs (50 to 75g) grated suet (I used vegetable suet)
- water, to bind
Filling
- 8ozs (225g) strewing steak
- 120zs (300g) mixed prepared vegetables such as carrots, swede, potatoes, turnip, leeks, onions and celery (I used a bag of Scotty Brand prepared Casserole Vegetables)
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Note
A delicious meat and vegetable steamed pudding that would have been popular as a family meal during the war; the meat is padded out with tasty seasonal root vegetables and the suet crust is made from a combination of flour and oatmeal, for a nutty taste and texture. Serve with gravy and steamed seasonal vegetables. I used a very handy packet of Scotty Brand prepared casserole vegetables in my pudding.
Directions
| Step 1 | Pastry: Mix the flour, oatmeal, baking powder, salt, pepper and suet together and then add enough cold water to make a dough with a soft rolling consistency. |
| Step 2 | Roll the dough out on a floured board and use three-quarters to line a 2 pint (1200ml) pudding basin. |
| Step 3 | Dice the meat finely and mix with the prepared vegetables. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of water to the filling mixture and season well. Spoon the filling into the pastry lined pudding basin and then roll out the remaining dough to form a lid. |
| Step 4 | Moisten the edges of the edges of the pastry lid and put into position on top of the pie, crimping the pastry together around the edges to form a tight seal. |
| Step 5 | Cover with margarine paper or greased baking parchment, and add a lid if using a plastic steamer. Place in a steamer and steam for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, making sure the water is topped up regularly with boiling water. |
Scottish Vegetable & Meat Pudding Recipe
Wartime Devilled Fish
Wartime Devilled Fish
| Serves | 4 to 6 |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 20 minutes |
| Total time | 35 minutes |
| Allergy | Egg, Fish, Milk |
| Meal type | Lunch, Main Dish, Snack |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot |
| Region | British |
| From book | The Stork Wartime Cookery Book |
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb (225g) cold cooked fish (I used Coley, Saithe)
- 1/2 pint (300ml) milk
- 1 oz (25g) flour
- 1 oz (25g) Stork margarine
- 2 teaspoons Worcester sauce or tomato ketchup
- 1/2 teaspoon made English mustard
- 1 teaspoon curry podwer
- pinch of mace or grated nutmeg
- pinch of Cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 ozs (40g) stale breadcrumbs
- 1 hard-boiled egg (sliced or chopped)
- salt and pepper
Note
A thrifty and yet very tasty wartime dish of fish in a devilled white sauce, cooked au gratin, This recipe makes a pie that is adequate for 4 to 6 people, when served with potatoes and vegetables on the side, or a high tea meal for 4 people when served with bread and butter. The recipe comes from The Stork Wartime Cookery Book.
Directions
| Step 1 | Flake fish and remove any skin or bones. Grease a pie-dish with a little Stork margarine. Melt the 1 oz of Stork in saucepan, stir in flour and cook until it bubbles. Take off heat and add milk (or half milk and water). Bring to boil, lower heat and cook for 3 minutes, stirring all the time. |
| Step 2 | Add the fish, egg, nutmeg, curry powder, Cayenne, mustard, Worcester sauce or ketchup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. |
| Step 3 | Pour into prepared dish and coat with breadcrumbs, and bake for 20 minutes on moderately hot oven (Regulo Mark 6 - 180C/350F). |
Wartime Devilled Fish
Sylvia says
Thats a clever way to use baked beans tin! Fruit roll looks super delicious 😉
Andrew Petrie says
This just brings home to me how difficult things must have been.I’ve caught these fish of StMary’s lighyhouse in the North East and they are tiny – there’s nothing to them.
Pauline Simpson says
Good foe fish pie with cheese sauce
Gerri Tennant says
Thanks for remembering, a charity that is close to my heart and such a lovely recipe.
Julia Roberts (Australia) says
Thank you for these recipes from days of yore! I have to plan a menu for Remembrance Day this year. The cake will surely be on the menu
Karen Burns-Booth says
So pleased you enjoyed reading these posts and the recipes too!