Here are pages 5, 6 and 7 of the WWII ration cookbook titled “Recipes For Today” that was published by General Foods Corporation in 1943. This was during the second world war when the United States was experiencing food rations and shortages (sugar, meat, etc.) and homemakers were looking for creative ways to feed their families.
You can view all the pages in this little book by visiting this category: Recipes For Today (WWII) [1], just click a page title to view that section of the book. You’ll find scans of the pages included below (click pictures to view a larger size) as well as a typed version for easy printing.
Stews are natural-born meat-stretchers and you can count on them to make the most of whatever the meat man sells. Any low-cost cut of meat plus vegetables at hand will make a fine stew. Remember, too, it’s good managing to make enough for two meals, then skip a day in serving, perhaps like the dinners on pages 6-7.
How to make grand stews
MEAT STEW WITH VEGETABLES
Allow 1 pound clear meat or 1 1/2 pounds meat and bones for 6 servings. Trim bits of fat from meat and heat them slowly in heavy deep skillet or kettle. Use kettle that can be tightly covered.
Cut meat in uniform pieces (about 1 1/2 inches), dredge well with salted flour, and brown well in fat in kettle, turning to brown all sides. Add water to cover meat, cover kettle tightly, and let simmer until meat is tender. Do not boil. Veal, pork, and lamb take 1 1/2 to 2 hours; beef, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
To add vegetables, cut onions, potatoes, celery, carrots, or other vegetables in slices, cubes, or strips. Add to stew to cook with meat during last 30 to 45 minutes. Add seasonings to taste. Cooked vegetables may be used, but should be added only during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
For a light stew (usually lamb) meat is not browned or floured. But stew must be thickened before serving.
To thicken, stir in flour and water paste, bring to a boil, and boil gently until thickened, stirring constantly. (For paste, use 2 tablespoons flour and 2 to 3 tablespoons water per cup gravy.)
GOOD FLAVOR COMBINATIONS
BEEF STEW. Choose cuts from neck, brisket, flank, shank, chuck, or heel of round.
For vegetables, choose from onions, carrots, turnips, celery, potatoes, green beans, cabbage. Or use tomatoes as part of liquid.
For seasonings, choose from pepper, green pepper, minced celery tops, carrot tops, or parsley, garlic, paprika, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, vinegar, clove, basil.
VEAL STEW. Use cuts from neck, shoulder, shank, breast, flank.
For vegetables, choose from onions, green beans, parsnips, cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, celery, tomatoes, celery root.
For seasonings, choose from green pepper, bay leaf, celery tops, paprika, nutmeg, marjoram, savory.
LAMB STEW. Choose cuts from neck, shank, breast, or shoulder.
For vegetables, choose from onions, carrots, peas, potatoes or rice, celery, Lima beans, tomatoes, cauliflower, parsnips, leeks.
For seasonings, choose from pepper, dried mint, curry powder, thyme, savory, ketchup, minced carrot tops.
PORK STEW. Use cuts from shoulder or neck, or any lean pork.
For vegetables, choose from green beans, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, cabbage, Lima beans, celery.
For seasonings, choose from pepper, paprika, chili powder, sage, parsley, celery tops, bay leaf, clove.
WAYS TO SERVE STEWS
WITH VEGETABLES. Stews may be cooked without vegetables, then serve with carrots, turnips, or other vegetables.
WITH POTATOES. If potatoes are not cooked in stew, serve mashed, boiled, or baked potatoes to accompany stew, or serve sweet potatoes with pork or lamb stew.
WITH NOODLES, MACARONI. Serve stew with well-seasoned noodles, macaroni, or spaghetti instead of potatoes.
MEAT PIES, may be made by turning stew into baking dish and topping with a Meat Pie Crust (page 24). Bake in hot oven (450° F.) 20 minutes, or until crust is browned.
SHEPHERD’S PIE. Turn stew into baking dish. Pile fluffy mashed potatoes on stew, sealing to edge of dish and leaving an opening for steam. Brush with melted fat. Brown in hot oven or broiler.
STEW WITH DUMPLINGS. Mix Cereal Dumplings (below), Plain Dumplings, or Potato Dumplings (pages 24 and 15). Drop mixture by tablespoons or balls on simmering stew 15 minutes before serving. Cover kettle very tightly and cook 12 to 15 minutes.
CEREAL DUMPLINGS
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon fat
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
1 egg, well beaten
2 1/2 cups Grape-Nuts Flakes or Post’s 40% Bran Flakes
1 tablespoon minced onion
Scald milk and add fat. Remove from fire. Add salt, pepper, and egg, mixing well. Crush and add flakes, then onion; mix thoroughly. Shape into 1-inch balls. Drop into simmering stew, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Makes 15 dumplings. (Three cups Post’s Corn Toasties may be used instead of flakes in this recipe.)
4- to 5-pound fowl, cut in pieces
1/4 cup celery leaves
1 bay leaf
2 whole cloves
12 small onions
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons chicken fat or other fat
4 tablespoons flour
3 cups stock
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
Cover fowl with boiling water; add celery leaves and spices. Simmer, covered, 2 hours, or until tender, adding onions and salt when nearly done. Remove chicken and onions from stock. Cut chicken from bones in large pieces. Boil down stock until rich in flavor.
Melt fat in saucepan; add flour and stir to a smooth paste. Add stock gradually and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add lemon juice, parsley, chicken, and onions. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Serve with mashed potatoes or hot biscuits (page 24). Or place stew in 10x6x2-inch baking pan and cover with Meat Pie Crust (page 24). Sprinkle with celery seed if desired and bake in hot oven (450° F.) 20 minutes. For a golden glaze on crust, brush it before baking with mixture of egg yolk and milk.
KIDNEY STEW WITH CEREAL DUMPLINGS
1 pound beef, veal, lamb, or pork kidneys
2 tablespoons fat
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups water
1/3 cup minced onions
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Cereal Dumplings (page 6)
Wash kidneys thoroughly. Split in halves lengthwise and remove fat and tubes. Soak in cold salted water 1/2 to 2 hours; rinse, drain, and dry thoroughly. If kidneys are old or large, cover with cold water, bring slowly to a boil, drain, and dry thoroughly. Cut kidneys in 1/4-inch slices.
Sauté kidney slices in fat 3 minutes. Add flour and cook 3 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Add water, onions, and seasonings, and bring to simmering point. Add Cereal Dumplings. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 5 to 6.
Thursday Night Dinner: Vegetable juice with crackers and Savory Spread* using horse-radish and parsley. Veal Stew* served with seasoned Noodles. Creamy Cabbage Slaw,* rolls or bread, and for dessert, Grape-Nuts Puff Pudding.* (To make the best use of fuel, let stew simmer in the oven while pudding bakes.)
Saturday Noon Dinner: Shepherd’s Veal Pie* with crisp relishes (celery, carrot, and white turnip sticks), Corn Muffins,* and Jell-O Grapefruit Refresher.* (This easy meal takes just a short baking for muffins and potato pie top.)
*Recipes for starred dishes are given in this book. See page 40.