The victory cookery book

is very tender, and when minced and shaped 4 into small steaks is more tender than rump _ steak. Other parts are better for stewing or stoving. Braising is not recommended, as this is an expensive method of cooking _ and needs gelatinous stock, to produce — which much fuel is required. When stewing or stoving meat cut it into portions; naturally, then, the cooking takes less time, and the meat will be more juicy than when larger pieces are cooked. All meat produces fat, — however lean it may appear, and this should be carefully preserved, for it will be required when cooking vegetables (fresh or dried), all of which are deficient in fat. When stock is made with meat, as for the French pot-au-feu, the meat should be placed in boiling water to seal it up, thus preserving | the flavour. Cooks should realise that the i flavour of meat is soon lost by over-cooking, and consequently if the fluid extracts are allowed to boil freely the essential meaty flavour is destroyed. ; Casserole cooking, or “‘ stoving”’ by gentle — fi heat, is most suitable for tough meat, and requires very little or no water. As the meat becomes warm its own moisture runs freely, and after a little while the meat will practically swim in liquid. The flesh then | is cooked in its own juice, the fat is dissolved, ' and when the dish is done, if a little water _is added, there will be as much gravy as re- | quired. The fat skimmed off is of course | reserved for other purposes, Cooked in this manner, half a pound of lean meat from | whatever part of the animal will produce /1 pint of good gravy. As the strongest gravy contains only about 5 per cent. of solid extractions, there must remain in the cooked meat the remainder of its original food value. When stock is made from _ bones, there remains a certain amount of _ gristle cooked tender, and also a small _ portion of meat. If carefully collected, very | nice made dishes, such as croquettes, rissoles, | patties, potato meat cakes and sausages | may be produced without much additional expense. It should also be known that _ bones contain fat which, when stock is made, rises to the surface, so that bones produce | fat, stock and gristle, each of which must be used to the fullest advantage. Sausages can be made with any kind of meat trim- _mings—liver, fat, meat, crusts of bread, beans, peas, etc. The materials should be Passed through the mincing-machine and _ then fried or baked. They may be crumbed _or rolled in paste, dipped in batter and then baked. No skins are required then, and ~ fat for frying becomes superfluous. In making sausages the bread should not be squeezed _ dry, but simply drained so that equal weight of water and bread is used—8 oz. of meat plus 4 0z. soaked bread—that is, 4.0z. bread and 4 oz. water—make a better sausage _ than that generally supplied by the butcher. © Instead of bread, biscuit meal (see p. 285) _ may be used, or cooked porridge, and part of _ the meat may be cooked meat. For rissoles, _ rice or other cereal, or potato may be added, and in this manner a large variety of econ- — omical and nourishing dishes are produced. When making meat pies the above remarks ~ are also applicable. If, from lack of meat, a feeling of hunger is experienced, cheese or nuts are the items which should be added ees r . al anal ee in small proportions to the diet. Meat is — concentrated food, and it is therefore good — for the general health of the country that it — should be used as sparingly as possible; but © as the desire for the quantity of meat to — which most people have been accustomed ~ must be satisfied, it should be served in such ~ a manner as to supply the necessary bulk. — The following recipes are arranged so that substantial dishes result, although they contain but little meat. :