Evening star., 1942-12-22

Sfevs, Casserole
Dishes PREPARED
In Tiny Ufensil
By Edith NJ. Barber
Many young housekeepers hesi-
tate to attempt to make stews and
casserole dishes because they look
upon them as only possible to pre-
pare in large family quantities.
Actually dish of this sort can be
prepared most successfully If
small utensil Is used.
For top-of-the-stove cooking this
should be a heavy pan of metal or
heatproof glass and, of course, there
must be a tightly fitting cover.
When a pan has too much surface
there is more evaporation, although
If the cover really fits this is neg
lible. Most brides have, among their
wedding presents, a small casserole
in which just enough for two can
be baked.
When meat is prepared for top
of-the-stove cookery and usually
when 1t Is to go into a casserole,
the large or small pieces should be
Drowned in fat to which a few slices
Of onion or tiny bit of garlic may
be added. The heat under the pan
should be medium, high enough to
brown nicely, but not enough to dry
and possibly burn the meat. After
the liquid has been added the heat
should be very low, just high enough
to allow the mixture to simmer.
Vegetables are added either with the
liquid or later, depending upon the
recipe. Potatoes, however, are al
ways added later. This is also the
case with noodles or rice when a
one-dish meal is being prepared.
When the oven is to be used for
cooking, the meat dish plans should
be made to cook other foods with
the same heat. Potatoes and pieces
of Hubbard squash or halves of
acorn squash can be baked on the
rack around the casserole. Other
vegetables, such as onions, sliced
carrots or scalloped tomatoes, may
be baked in another covered casse-
role either on the shelf beside the
meat or on a lower shelf. The tenn
perature indicated for the meat cas-
serole will be appropriate for any
vegetable.
The oven should be pre-heated
and the regulator, If there is one on
the stove, set when gas or electricity
is turned on. If your stove lacks a
regulator an oven thermometer will
be good investment. The cost Is
small and results are worth while.
AS it takes a certain amount OF
fuel to pre-heat the oven, 1t is a
good idea to plan a baked dessert
which can be prepared and taken
out Of the oven before the dishes
for the main course go into it, or
which can bake during the meal.
SWISS STEAK.
pounds rump or round beef, cut
IN inches thick.
Flour.
Salt.
Pepper.
3 tablespoons bacon fat.
l medium-sized onion, sliced.
l carrot, sliced.
2 cups canned tomatoes.
Wipe meat with cloth. Pound sea-
soned flour into steak with a potato
masher, hammer, or edge Of heavy
plate. Heat bacon fat in heavy fry
ing pan and brown meat on all
sides. Add onion, carrot and toma-
toes. Cover and simmer over low
heat about III hours until meat Is
tender Yield: Six servings.
Note-If you are planning an oven
meal, the meat may be baked in
moderate oven $3.50 degrees F) for 2
hours.
Use half the recipe for three serv-
ings.
CUBE VEAL STEAK WITH
MUSHROOM SAUCE.
cube veal steaks.
tablespoons butter or fat.
/ tablespoons minced onion.
u pound Il cup) mushrooms,
sliced.
tablespoons flour.
y teaspoon salt.
h teaspoon pepper.
l cup water or stock.
a cup rich milk or thin cream.
" teaspoon Worcestershire sauce.
Wipe meat with cloth. Melt 2
tablespoons Of fat in heavy frying
pan, add meat and saute minutes
on each side. Remove to warm
place. Add remaining fat to pan to
saute minced onion and sliced mush-
rooms about minutes until brown.
Stir in flour, salt and pepper, and
when we'll blended, add water or
stock and milk or cream slowly, STIR
ring constantly until mixture thick
ems and boils. Add Worcestershire
sauce. Serve meat on hot platter,
and your sauce over and around
meat. Yield: Six servings.
Note-Use half the recipe for two
! servings.