Choice of vegetables

 When  buying vegetables it is necessary to consider price and quality. Vegetables are generally cheaper when they are in season for then there is a copious supply of them. Only frozen vegetables have stable prices – and these are usually quite high. When planning meals, try to include 

Vegetables and fruit that are at their cheapest and avoid those that are out of season for these are likely to be expensive and of poor quality. Always look for freshness and quality when buying fresh vegetables.

Bon appetite!

Corn-starch or Corn-dough

1 Soak the corn for 2 days, changing the water daily

2 Strain out water on the third day and wash the corn

3 Pound in a mortar or have it milled

4 Mix the corn-meal with a little water to make a stiff dough, pack tightly in an enamel bowl or calabash and leave covered till next day. This keeps for about 3 – 4 days if it is covered tightly. If the meal is required immediately then proceed without first making it into a dough.

Bon appetite!

Left-over boiled rice and chicken casserole

Pieces of cooked chicken.                1 tablespoon butter or margarine

2 cups boiled rice.                             300 ml milk

2 eggs

1 Bone the pieces of chicken and cut into small pieces

2 Put alternate layers of rice and chicken into a well greased casserole, beginning with the rice.

3 Beat eggs, add milk and seasoning. Pour this over the rice and chicken and dot with butter or margarine.

4 Bake in a moderate oven until well browned.

Bon appetite!

How to make chocolate sauce

50 g plain chocolate.                         1 tablespoon icing sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

Grate the plain chocolate; put it in a small saucepan and add the vanilla essence, icing sugar, and one tablespoon of water. Stir over gentle heat until it melts.

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Dough cake

250 g flour.                                                       Grated nutmeg

25 g margarine.                                               15 g mixed peel

25 g granulated sugar.                                   A little tepid milk

1 egg.                                                                  Pinch of salt

50 g currants.                                                   15 g yeast

1 Sieve the flour and salt. Rub in the fat.

2 Cream the yeast and sugar; mix with a little tepid milk. Add to flour.

3 Add the rest of the ingredients and mix to a soft dough with the remaining liquid. The dough should be slightly softer than for bread.

4 Beat well with the hand.

5 Half-fill a greased warmed loaf tin, put in a warm place to rise until the dough reaches the top of the tin.

6 Bake in a moderately hot oven for 30 – 40 minutes.

Bon appetite!

Sweet potato biscuit

250 g flour.                                                           ½ teaspoon salt

125 g mashed cooked sweet potato.                125 g margarine

25 g sugar.                                                            150 ml milk to mix

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 Sift all the dry ingredients together

2 Melt the margarine in a saucepan and beat well into the mashed sweet potatoes. Stir in the milk and mix thoroughly.

3 Add the dry ingredients to the potato mixture and stir until well blended. Add a little more milk if necessary, to make a soft but wet dough

4 Prick and cut with a biscuit cutter and arrange on a greased baking tray.

6 Bake in a hot oven for 15 minutes.

Bon appetite!

Cheese aigrettes or cheese fritters

50 g flour.                                     150 ml water

50 g grated cheese.                     1 tablespoon grated cheese (for sprinkling)

1 whole egg and 1 yolk.             Salt, pepper, and pinch of cayenne

15 g margarine 

1 Warm and sieve flour

2 Bring the water and margarine to boiling point.

3 Draw the pan aside; add all the flour immediately and beat until smooth and cool slightly.

4 Beat in the yolk and beaten whole egg a little at a time. Add seasonings and 50 g cheese. Beat well

5 Drop the mixture in small teaspoons into a bath of deep fat which is just beginning to smoke.

6 Cook for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Drain well and pile on a hot dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese.

7 Serve very hot.

Bon appetite!

Varieties of yeast

1 Compressed yeast can be bought by the ounce. It should be kept perfectly fresh. It does not keep well in hot weather, therefore buy a small quantity at a time and always keep in a cold place.

2 Dried yeast keeps well and is used when it is difficult to obtain or to store fresh compressed yeast.

3 Preserved yeast is the froth which rises to the surface of beer when it is fermented, but it is not so dependable.

Fried fish with tomatoes

6 fillets of sole.           Brown bread crumbs

1 egg.                            Lemon

3 tomatoes.                 Parsley

1 Prepare fillets. Season with salts and white pepper

2 Coat with egg and breadcrumbs.

3 Heat the fat and fry the fish to a golden color. Drain and keep hot

4 Grill or fry quickly the halved tomatoes. Make slices of lemon into the shape  of lemon butterflies.

5 Arrange the fish on an oval dish, put tomatoes round the fish and garnish with lemon butterflies and parsley.

Bon appetite!

Black cap pudding

 250 ml plain butter.                 50 g currants

1 Prepared batter and stand for half an hour

2 Place cleaned currants at the bottom of a well-greased mould

3 Pour in batter and cover mould with greased paper.

4 Steam for 1 – 11/2 hours or bake for 30 – 40 minutes.

5 Serve with custard sauce.

Bon appetite!