COOKERY FOR LICENSED VICTUALLERS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 773, 29 December 1904, Page 27

COOKERY FOR LICENSED VICTUALLERS.

“Cuisinier,”

(By

in “L.V. Gazette”).

—Tinned Meats, Soups, Fish, and Fruits — Preserved meat in tins is a recognised article of consumption, and although much inferior in) nutritive properties to meat cooked in the usual manner, it- is well to have always some tins in the storeroom in order to be prepared for any -emergency that may arise. The process of preserving meat in this manner is a very simple one. The meat is selected and prepared, and placed in the tin, with or without a small quantity of fluid. The lid is then soldered on, and the tin is closed, except at a small hole through which air and steam may •escape when heat is applied. It has been proved by experiment that the temperature of boiling water is not sufficient to expel all the air, and hence the heat must be increased by twenty degrees or more. This increased heat is obtained by the action of certain chemicals, such as chloride of cafcium. There are various processes, differing slightly in detail, but duration of exposure to the action of the same in principle. After a certain heat the hole in the cover is closed by -solder, and the tin is then hermetically sealed.

When purchasing tinned meats look well at the tin. If it bulges outwards have -nothing to do with it, as the air has not been fully expelled ; but if it is dented inwards it is probably all right. Always buy well-known brands, such as those of Libby, Armour, McCall, Shippam, Crosse -and Blackwell, and Maconochie. These firms have made a reputation which they •cannot afford to lose. Immediately a tin is opened its contents should be turned out into an earthenware dish. Ninetenths of the cases of poisoning that we ■read about from eating the contents of tins arise from a neglect of this precaution. When a tin is opened a rushing sound is heard, and many people think that the air is escaping ; but, of course, the air is really entering, and the whizzing sound is a proof that the contents are in good condition. The only exception to the above rule is in the case of sardines and other fish preserved in oil, which may remain in the tin, as the oil protects them from the action of the j-air. When tinned meat —beef or mutton —is served hot, there are many ways of turning it to account. In the first place it will make an excellent Irish stew, prepared as follows :—Take a number of potatoes and onions, generally two pounds of the former to one of the latter, in proportion to the amount of meat contained in the tin. Boil these in a saucepan, and strain away the liquor. Next, warm the tin before opening it, which will have the effect of converting all the jelly in the tin into a liquid. Now open the tin, and pour off the jelly on to the onions and potatoes in the saucepan. Let the onions •and potatoes boil in this jelly for about twenty minutes to half an hour, keeping the lid on the saucepan so that the flavour of the onions does not escape. r l ho meat itself, being already overcooked, requires only to be warmed up, while by boiling the onions and potatoes in the gravy they get the full flavour of the meat. Now take the meat, divide it into convenient pieces, and place it in the stewpan with the potatoes, onions, and gravy ; add salt and pepper, put the lid on, put a weight on the lid, and when the meat is hot through serve the stew. Another good way of treating tinned meat is to curry it, and a very good curry it makes, which will be found very acceptable on cold winter days. Melt in a saucepan a piece of butter the size of a large egg, and place in it half a large Spanish onion sliced. Fry it to a light brown, then add a sour apple finely minced, and a breakfast-cupful of nicely flavoured stock. Work in very smoothly a tablespoonful of curry powder, and one of curry paste. Let all boil together, stirring all the time, for three or four minutes. Press the sauce through a hair or fine wire sieve, and add the contents of a two-pound tin of beef or mutton cut up into small slq.uare pieces, and dredged with flour. Simmer for five minutes longer, during which time the meat must he covered with the gravy ; add more stock if necessary for this purpose. Serve with boiled rice. There are an immense amount of dainty dishes that can be made from tinned meats —“ Cassell’s New Dictionary of Cooking ” gives the recipes of no fewer than 109 of them—but very few people know how to cook them properly, and consequently an altogether unjustifiable prejudice against them exists. A large variety of soups are sold in tins, such as hare, giblet, ox-tail, 1 tomato, gravy, julienne, mock-turtle, and j mulligatawny, and as they can be heated I up in a few minutes they are very vain- i able in emergencies. Those made by the leading firms, such as Shippam, of Chichester, are both cheap and excellent,

and many will bear an equal measure of stock or even boiling water. The majority will bear a little extra seasoning and flavouring, and to some a spoonful of sherry or madeira is a great improvement. There are several sorts of Australian soups, also in tins, at a lower price than the home-made article, but the quality is not so good. A substantial, tasty, and economical staff dinner or supper may be made as follows :—Take a quart tin of tomatoes, a two-pound tin of Australian mutton, and a pound of potatoes. Take all the fat and jelly from the meat, and put it aside. Put the tomatoes and a quart of boiling water in a saucepan, take out the skins of the tomatoes, and add the potatoes thinly sliced. Season, and boil gently for an hour, or until the potatoes are a pulp. Then cut up the meat, put it into the soup with the fat and jelly from the tin, and let it stand for a few minutes to become heated, but do not boil again. To come to tinned fish : the most popular of these (with the exception of the sardine, of which we need say nothing) is undoubtedly salmon. This may be served plain, with vinegar and pepper, and as a rule it is preferred free from liquid in the tins. If required hot, put the tins in boiling water for about fifteen minutes, open them, then drain, and put the fish on a hot dish. Garnish as for ordinary boiled salmon. Tinned lobster is also a general favourite. Generally sy caking, the flat tins will be found the most satisfactory. In these tins the fish is but little broken as a rule ; the claws are intact, and altogether there is an apr'reciable difference between fish of this sort and the ragged-looking pieces lhat are tj be found in -=ome of the cherp<-r brands. This may be served plainly with oil, vinegar, and cayenne ; or it may be used for sandwiches, or for lobster salad, or lobster sauce for various kinds of fish.

Among tinned fruits, those in most general demand are peaches, apricots, pineapples, and pears, and the number of dishes that can be made from them is almost indefinite. There is no better way of serving them, however, than just as they are, with cream as an accompaniment.

A great variety of dishes can be obtained in tins besides those I have mentioned. Irish stew, minced collops, veal collops, tripe and onions, calf’s head and bacon, veal cutlets, mutton chops, kidneys, may all be had in this convenient form. I need not enter into any detailed description of these articles, as they are not likely to be much in request by those for whom I write ; still, it may he useful to know that such may be had.