A SAVOURY DISH

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 11 August 1934, Page 9

A SAVOURY DISH

VEGETABLE PUDDING AS MEAT SUBSTITUTE Though Australians have been called “the world's greatest meat-eaters.” writes “The Australian .Journal” cook , ery expert,, I don’t think we cat quite as much meat as we did twenty years ago, possibly because, since the War, people have taken a great deal more interest in diet and its relation to health. The fashionable craze for slimming has also stimulated interest in food values. So we find that small meals, with meat no longer the dominant factor, are features of the modern table.

Many people, of course, still considei that meat stands in a food class by itself, but that is not the case. Meat, of course, contains that vital constituent, protein, but there are many other sources of the same element, such as fish, eggs, milk, cheese, and the pulses (peas, beans and lentils). If one is to replace meat in the diet, it must be from these substitutes that the necessary protein must be drawn. But, since protein foods ' are deficient u: starch (carbohydrates) they must be served with starch in some form or other to make them completely nour ishing. Some protein foods, such a„ the pulses, do not contain fat, and require to be eaten with a food rich in that element, so that we have those well-known combinations, bacon and beans, and pork and pease pudding. Here is a nourishing, inexpensive and tasty method of using lentils.

SAVOURY VEGETABLE PUDDING Half-pound lentils, 1 pint water, Ub cooked potatoes, £lb onions, Alb carrots, 2 dessertspoons dripping, gib tomatoes (when out of season, preserved tomatoes may be used), 1 teaspoon mixed herbs, 2 eggs, salt and pepper to taste. Wash the lentils, .add A teaspoon salt'and a few grains of pepper; put into a saucepan with water and cook gently until the lentils are tender and fairly soft. Meanwhile mince the onions, potatoes and carrots. Heat the dripping and fry the minced vegetables until pale brown, and until the dripping is absorbed. Add the sliced tomatoes, mixed herbs and seasoning to taste. Cook for a few minutes longer, cool and add the beaten eggs. Grease a pie-dish and line with breadcrumbs. Put in the cooked, lentils, then add the minced vegetables and finally the rest of the lentils. Sprjnkle the top with breadcrumbs and dot with bits of butter. Serve with brown sauce.