This month, Prospect's food columnist Wendell Steavenson writes about commemorating the D-Day landings with a meal
Food was rationed in Britain from 1940 until 1954. Allowances fluctuated during the Second World War, but at their lowest, one adult was allowed each week:
4oz (113g) bacon and ham 8oz (226g) sugar 2oz (57g) tea One shilling's worth of meat 1oz (28g) cheese 4oz (113g) butter
On top of this each person had an allowance of cooking fat and margarine and—once a month—some jam. Once rationing had started, hoarding food became an offence punishable by a fine or even imprisonment.
So what can you cook using wartime rations? The recipes below were issued by the government during the Second World War to help people make the most of their rations and, where possible, create similar versions of the meals they had enjoyed eating in peacetime.
Bacon and egg pie From "Ministry of Food Leaflet No. 11"
Ingredients (serves 4): 2 eggs (reconstituted—see bottom of page for instructions) 2 rashers of grilled bacon 8oz potato pastry 2oz mashed potato Salt and pepper
Directions 1. Beat the egg. 2. Line a plate with half the pastry. 3. Mix the egg, potato, salt and pepper, and chopped bacon together. 4. Pour this mixture on to the plate, cover with the rest of the pastry. 5. Bake in a moderate oven for 1/2 hour. 6. Serve hot with vegetables or cold with salad.
Mock fried egg From "Ministry of Food Leaflet No. 11"
Ingredients 1 egg (reconstituted—see bottom of page for instructions) 2 slices wheatmeal bread Salt and pepper
Directions 1. Beat the egg. 2. Cut holes from the centre of each slice of bread with a small scone cutter. 3. Dip the slices quickly in water and then fry on one side until golden brown. 4. Turn onto the other side, pour half the egg into the hole in each slice of bread, cook until the bread is brown on the underneath side. 5. The bread cut from the centres can be fried and served with the slices.
Carrot croquettes From "Ministry of Food Leaflet No. 4" The government tried to promote the use of carrots during the Second World War, claiming that eating them could help people see in the dark. Ministry of Food Leaflet No. 4, published for the second time in July 1943, claimed that: "Carrots are particularly useful in wartime as they contain protective substances which help us to resist infection and to see better in the blackout." Unfortunately—although vitamin A is good for the eyes—they science behind the night-vision claim doesn't stand up. (One widely-circulated but sadly unconfirmed theory suggests this claim was invented to cover-up Britain's secret use of new radar technologies, which allowed the RAF to shoot down enemy planes at night.)
Ingredients 12oz finely grated carrot, raw 12oz finely grated potato, raw 4oz grated cheese 1 1/2 teaspoons salt Pepper 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard 3oz oatmeal
Directions 1. Mix the finely grated vegetables and cheese. 2. Season, add the oatmeal to form a fairly stiff mixture. 3. Form into croquettes and fry in hot fat.
Steamed pudding with jamFrom "Ministry of Food Leaflet No. 35: One Pot Meals"
Ingredients (serves 4):
6oz plain flour + 3 teaspoons baking powder; or 6 oz self-raising flower Pinch of salt 1 1/2 oz margarine orcooking fat 1 1/2 oz sugar Just over 1/4 pint milk and water 2 tablespoons jam
Directions 1. Mix together the flour, baking powder if used, and salt. 2. Rub in the margarine or fat and add the sugar. 3. Mix to a dropping consistency with milk and water. 4. Cover with lid and steam for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Patriotic pudding From "Food Education Memo No. 3: Good Fare in Wartime"
Ingredients 4 tablespoons flour 4 tablespoons grated raw potato or fine oatmeal 1 tablespoon fat 1/2 tablespoon jam, treacle or milk and water to mix syrup 1 grated carrot 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda Pinch of salt 2 teaspoons grated orange or lemon rind (if available) Milk and water to mix
Directions 1. Rub the fat into the flour, add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix well. 2. Add the jam and carrot, heated in four tablespoons of milk and mix to a soft mixture adding more milk or water if necessary. 3. Turn into a well-greased bowl, cover and steam for 1 hour.
How to reconstitute a dried egg (needed for some of the recipes above)
Ingredients for 1 egg 1 level tablespoon egg powder 2 level tablespoons water
Directions 1. Mix the egg and water and allow to stand for about five minutes until the powder has absorbed the moisture. 2. Work out any lumps with a wooden spoon, finally beating with a fork or whisk. 3. Mix egg to a smooth paste with half the water. Beat till lumps have been removed. 4. Add the remaining water and beat again.
For plain cakes and puddings, batters, etc., the egg can be added dry and mixed with the other dry ingredients. When adding the liquid to the mixture an additional 2 tablespoons per dried egg used must be allowed.
After reconstituting the egg, use at once. Do not reconstitute more egg than necessary for immediate use.
Read more
Wendell Steavenson drinks calvados with veterans at the D-Day commemorations in Normandy
Food was rationed in Britain from 1940 until 1954. Allowances fluctuated during the Second World War, but at their lowest, one adult was allowed each week:
4oz (113g) bacon and ham 8oz (226g) sugar 2oz (57g) tea One shilling's worth of meat 1oz (28g) cheese 4oz (113g) butter
On top of this each person had an allowance of cooking fat and margarine and—once a month—some jam. Once rationing had started, hoarding food became an offence punishable by a fine or even imprisonment.
So what can you cook using wartime rations? The recipes below were issued by the government during the Second World War to help people make the most of their rations and, where possible, create similar versions of the meals they had enjoyed eating in peacetime.
Bacon and egg pie From "Ministry of Food Leaflet No. 11"
Ingredients (serves 4): 2 eggs (reconstituted—see bottom of page for instructions) 2 rashers of grilled bacon 8oz potato pastry 2oz mashed potato Salt and pepper
Directions 1. Beat the egg. 2. Line a plate with half the pastry. 3. Mix the egg, potato, salt and pepper, and chopped bacon together. 4. Pour this mixture on to the plate, cover with the rest of the pastry. 5. Bake in a moderate oven for 1/2 hour. 6. Serve hot with vegetables or cold with salad.
Mock fried egg From "Ministry of Food Leaflet No. 11"
Ingredients 1 egg (reconstituted—see bottom of page for instructions) 2 slices wheatmeal bread Salt and pepper
Directions 1. Beat the egg. 2. Cut holes from the centre of each slice of bread with a small scone cutter. 3. Dip the slices quickly in water and then fry on one side until golden brown. 4. Turn onto the other side, pour half the egg into the hole in each slice of bread, cook until the bread is brown on the underneath side. 5. The bread cut from the centres can be fried and served with the slices.
Carrot croquettes From "Ministry of Food Leaflet No. 4" The government tried to promote the use of carrots during the Second World War, claiming that eating them could help people see in the dark. Ministry of Food Leaflet No. 4, published for the second time in July 1943, claimed that: "Carrots are particularly useful in wartime as they contain protective substances which help us to resist infection and to see better in the blackout." Unfortunately—although vitamin A is good for the eyes—they science behind the night-vision claim doesn't stand up. (One widely-circulated but sadly unconfirmed theory suggests this claim was invented to cover-up Britain's secret use of new radar technologies, which allowed the RAF to shoot down enemy planes at night.)
Ingredients 12oz finely grated carrot, raw 12oz finely grated potato, raw 4oz grated cheese 1 1/2 teaspoons salt Pepper 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard 3oz oatmeal
Directions 1. Mix the finely grated vegetables and cheese. 2. Season, add the oatmeal to form a fairly stiff mixture. 3. Form into croquettes and fry in hot fat.
Steamed pudding with jamFrom "Ministry of Food Leaflet No. 35: One Pot Meals"
Ingredients (serves 4):
6oz plain flour + 3 teaspoons baking powder; or 6 oz self-raising flower Pinch of salt 1 1/2 oz margarine orcooking fat 1 1/2 oz sugar Just over 1/4 pint milk and water 2 tablespoons jam
Directions 1. Mix together the flour, baking powder if used, and salt. 2. Rub in the margarine or fat and add the sugar. 3. Mix to a dropping consistency with milk and water. 4. Cover with lid and steam for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Patriotic pudding From "Food Education Memo No. 3: Good Fare in Wartime"
Ingredients 4 tablespoons flour 4 tablespoons grated raw potato or fine oatmeal 1 tablespoon fat 1/2 tablespoon jam, treacle or milk and water to mix syrup 1 grated carrot 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda Pinch of salt 2 teaspoons grated orange or lemon rind (if available) Milk and water to mix
Directions 1. Rub the fat into the flour, add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix well. 2. Add the jam and carrot, heated in four tablespoons of milk and mix to a soft mixture adding more milk or water if necessary. 3. Turn into a well-greased bowl, cover and steam for 1 hour.
How to reconstitute a dried egg (needed for some of the recipes above)
Ingredients for 1 egg 1 level tablespoon egg powder 2 level tablespoons water
Directions 1. Mix the egg and water and allow to stand for about five minutes until the powder has absorbed the moisture. 2. Work out any lumps with a wooden spoon, finally beating with a fork or whisk. 3. Mix egg to a smooth paste with half the water. Beat till lumps have been removed. 4. Add the remaining water and beat again.
For plain cakes and puddings, batters, etc., the egg can be added dry and mixed with the other dry ingredients. When adding the liquid to the mixture an additional 2 tablespoons per dried egg used must be allowed.
After reconstituting the egg, use at once. Do not reconstitute more egg than necessary for immediate use.
Read more
Wendell Steavenson drinks calvados with veterans at the D-Day commemorations in Normandy
