We’re having a massive sort-out and throw-out – for some people that would mean going through their wardrobe, but for me, I really don’t have that many clothes. I have been through my wardrobe and weeded out a few that no longer fit, or I don’t particularly like, or I rarely wear, but I’ve got to the stage where I have sufficient but no more. Now throwing out books, that’s a whole different thing! I have tried, honestly I have, but anyone coming to our house would never guess. Only the bathroom is free from books.
For some reason there’s a book beneath my writing desk – oh what a surprise, it’s a cookery book. This edition of “Good Housekeeping Colour Cookery” was published in 1967 and has that thick furry paper which doesn’t feel very nice. However it has plenty of illustrations, and many in colour and it’s interesting to look through and see the huge variety of recipes from sixty years ago.
I opened the book at random and came to casseroles – and stews, and hotpots, using every sort of meat, including cuts we would rarely choose these days – tripe, heart, tongue, liver, kidneys, brain… I’m not sure you’re still allowed to buy brain after several food scares. The page which fell open has Bulgarian Hotpot, Australian Corroborree Hotpot, Scandinavian Pork Casserole, Russian Casseroled Beefsteak and –
Jugoslavian Beef Casserole
- 1 lb fat beef
- ¼ of a white cabbage
- 1 small carrot
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 large potatoes
- 1 green pepper
- 1 small parsnip
- a few haricot beans
- ¼ of a red cabbage
- 2 small onions
- salt
- a few peppercorns
- a half bottle of white wine
- slice the meat and vegetables and lay them in alternate layers in a casserole, lightly salting and adding peppercorns
- pour the white wine over
- cover the casserole closely and simmer for at least 2½ hours – do not stir or the vegetables will break up
- serve in the casserole
It’s a very simple recipe really and to be honest you could use any vegetables that you have as long as you have the cabbage which does make it a different type of stew from what we might typically have where the cabbage would be cooked and served separately. I am also pretty sure that most of us would have a pepper-mill and give a good few grins over each layer – whole peppercorns can be somewhat of a surprise! I am sure that these days we would trim the beef of its fat – then it was thought to add flavour so whether we are more health-conscious or whether we don’t like the greasiness of fat or whether it’s a bit of both we can only speculate. This is definitely a 60’s rather than 50’s recipe – I don’t remember coming across green peppers until I was in France in the early 70’s, and I lived in the cosmopolitan city of Manchester! My last comment – no herbs! My mum and aunties always used herbs in casseroles and stews so I would have expected some here. I’m not being critical, by the way – I’m just interested in how recipes and recipe books have changed!
Lois Elsden 