The Commonplace Stew may be a Savoury Delight

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20853, 11 July 1939, Page 3

The Commonplace Stew may be a Savoury Delight

Stew by any other name may not taste better, but the crudelystyled savoury compound of meat, poultry or game cooked gently with vegetables and herbs and garnished attractively is raised to the dignity of an entree of merit when presented as a ragout, a frieasse, or. to keen to nlain English, braised or imrtred.

or, to keep to plain jpngnsn, uraise< If ever a Council of Cooks should be summoned to consider the claims of familiar dishes made unpopular by their names, the stew 7 would be one of the first applicants for a' change, and with the new would come the even more unfortunate hash. Why the stew, when served under this homely description, should have come to be regarded with so much cointempt is one of the many mysteries of the kitchen. Its worst enemies snilf appreciatively when the lid of the stewpan is raised by the cook to see how the savoury contents arc proThr skill of Nell Cook, the canon's ton-pretty cook, of Ingoldsby legcn-l, was so wondrous that she could make stews or choice ragout of old shoes. Modern housewives and their cooks, without being called on to exercise such ingenuity, enjoy the challenge given to their sense of adventure m the matter of new ingredients and flavouring blends. Here are some good and inexpensive dishes which, when served in the colourful fireproof earthenware or glass casserole, would make acceptable entrees in luncheon or dinner menus, provided they do not come to table labelled " stew." Irish stew is an i exception, but this is a dish to itself, I with its own high place in cookery. I The first recipe is for slewing steak j with chopped pickled wainußs, and a | flavour of ginger. The result is a j dark, rich dish, of strong taste. The j ingredients given arc for four people: Brown Walnut Stew ! Allow 1i lb lean steak, 2 small on- ! salt and°pepper, 4 pickled walnuts, 1 I dessertspoonful cornflour and 1 des- ; sertspoonlul brown sugar. Cut steak into large cubes, removing ' any fat. Place in saucepan with sliced , onions and seasoning. Barely cover with cold water and simmer very gently until the steak is tender. Place walnuts in a basin, crush with a fork, and add two tablespoonfuls of the pickle vinegar from the walnuts. Add sugar and blend in the cornflour. Add this to the stewed steak, and stir to prevent catching. Boil for 10 miii- : utes. Jerusalem Artichoke; Cut lib of steak in neat pieces and 1 flour and season well. Peel 21b of ‘ artichokes, cut in hall', and have rea■!> a hot stew pot with a little water in. Place a layer of meat m, Uieu a

eu or juggea. of raw artichokes, and so on until the pot is nearly full. Add a little more water and some chopped parsley. Cook slowly in a good oven about two hours. Serve with mashed potatoes Tastes Like Game Get some good stewing steak and j cut thinly, as for beef olives. Flour I ihc meal, put small piece of good lean I bacon inside each slice, and roll up. ; Melt dripping in stewpan, and when thoroughly hot put in meat and brown well. Add one small onion, one small piece thin lemon rind, six peppercorns, one. teaspoonlul capers, one teaspoon- ’ ful caper vinegar. Cover with stock • or water, and cook slowly for two hours. Strain before serving, i.hieken • gravy slightly, and serve with red eur- • rant jelly. From the Highlands i Oatmeal is a specially good winter 1 cereal, because it is beat-giving, and this Scottish recipe is very tasty. Take j 2lb of neck of mutton, plenty of root - vegetables, and 2oz of oatmeal. Joint 5 meat and toss it in seasoned oatmeal; - then brown it in pork fat. Hut m , hotpot with a pint of stock, and cook j lor 1 hour. Then add the vegetables, i swede, celery, carrots, and so on, cut , into dice. Allow 1£ hours more slow . cooking. Sprinkle the top thickly w with more seasoned oatmeal, and cook t without lid for further hall' hour. Brown Stow Take £lb stewing' beef, 1 carrot, 1 onion, 1 *p iec e of turnip, loz of dripping, 1 lubiespooiiiui Hour, 6 to 6 . potatoes, i pint water, and salt and , pepper. V\ipe the meat, slap it well with the . back of a wooden spoon, then cut it in pieces about half-inch square, and roll ; in the flour. Cut the onion in thin l rings, cut the carrot and turnips into • small die,- and the potatoes into slices. Make the dripping smoking hot in a . stewpan and fry the onion until browned. Remove the onion, squeez- . ing as much dripping as possible back I into ttie pan. Make the dripping hot I again, put. in the meat and flour, and , lry until lightly Browned. Remove . tiic* pan from the heat, add the fried onion, the turnip and carrot, salt and pepper, and gradually stir in the water. Return t.o the heat, Mir until boiling; I then cover with a tighth-fitting lid. f and simmer for at teas! two hours. One hour befurn serving the .-tew, put . in the sliced potatoes. stir occasionr ally during cooking.

Spun aluminium, which can be had! dyed in several different colours, makes the most attractive ornamental uddit ions to your home. Fruit bowls and; platters in different sizes and shapes, and in such shades as old rose, have a| shimmering surface that is most fas- i cinating. Sets of napkin rings, each in a different colour, are also obtainable. By cutting a piece of fine turf and fitting if int*» a round, shallow bowl, p charming and unusual effect can he and moisten it thoroughly; then stick! any of the small varieties of flowers in it. man\ wild flowers will do), and! Hie result will be original and d*Lshllul