{"id":13754,"date":"2018-12-22T19:03:12","date_gmt":"2018-12-22T18:03:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coquinaria.nl\/?p=13754"},"modified":"2019-11-25T18:04:04","modified_gmt":"2019-11-25T17:04:04","slug":"vegetarian-cutlets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coquinaria.nl\/en\/vegetarian-cutlets\/","title":{"rendered":"Vegetarian cutlets from World War I"},"content":{"rendered":"

Straight to the recipe<\/small><\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\"IwanRecently a book was published containing the biography of the Dutch chef Iwan Kriens (1871- ca 1957) who had a very succesful career in England. To honour the occasion, this page contains a recipe from\u00a0The Victory Cookery Book<\/em>, which he wrote with Mrs C.S. (Dorothy) Peel in 1918.<\/p>\n

Kriens already had a successful international career as cook when, at the start of the twentieth century, he dedicated himself to quality schooling for people (men) working in restaurants. As a teacher he was loved by his students. He also gave demonstrations for larger audiences which were very popular. Mrs Peel was a journalist and author, writing about various subjects of which cooking was one. Both Kriens and Peel dedicated themselves – at first independently from each other – to educate the British on cooking, preventing waste of food and cooking with rations. When Dorothy Peel was asked by the Ministry of Food to write a cookery book on the subject, she invited Iwan Kriens to cooperate. It is hard to distinguish what was contributed by each author.<\/p>\n

The book\u00a0De kookschool van oom Iwan<\/a><\/em>\u00a0(‘Uncle Iwan’s cookery school’) has been written by Trudy van der Wees, who is a journalist and an author, and married to a cousin of Iwan Kriens. I will not write about his life here, let’s just hope that the book will soon be translated into English. Van der Wees also published (adapted) recipes from\u00a0The Victory Cookery Book<\/em>\u00a0in Uncle Iwan’s Cookery School<\/em>, but the vegetable cutlets are not among those.<\/p>\n

Cooking during the First World War<\/h3>\n

The Victory Cookery Book<\/em> was not the only war-time cookbook that was published during the First World War. Even in the Netherlands, that had remained neutral, there was food rationing; and several books and pamphlets on cooking during war-times were published. One of those publications is\u00a0Meulenhoff\u2019s Oorlogskookboek<\/em>\u00a0(Meulenhoff’s War Time Cookbook). More about that cookbook can be read at the recipe for a macaroni dish<\/a>. Another, international cookbook that was published in 1916 is\u00a0Allied Cookery<\/em>. This is a collection of recipes from the allied countries and its goal was “to aid the war sufferers in the devastated districts of France”. A recipe from that cookbook can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Some similarities exist between the recipes from the Dutch\u00a0Oorlogskookboek<\/em>\u00a0and the\u00a0Victory Cookery Book<\/em>: one should eat less meat and use fuel sparingly. Striking difference: the Dutch cookbook emphasizes the use of the haybox, providing information on how long dishes must be heated and how long they have to stay in the haybox, the Victory Cookery Book recommends\u00a0Casserole cooking<\/em>. This had the extra advantage that it saved on washing-up because the food could be served straight out of the pan. By the same, since food cooked in a haybox also is placed in a casserole, it has the same advantage with regards to washing-up.<\/p>\n

\"TheWhen in 1917 the Germans enforced a complete naval blockade using U-boats around the British Isles, shortage of food and other commodities grew to such an extent that rationing was implemented early 1918. Earlier, in 1917, the British Government had tried to limitation of consumption on a voluntary basis, but this proved to be unsuccessful. Now, in 1918, everyone had equal access to food and fuel, even King George V and Queen Mary had their own ration cards. For the poorest, rationing was a relief of their meagre diet. Rationing would remain in place for several years after the war ended, in 1920 the last limitati9ons, on butter, were finished.<\/p>\n

After the Second World War it would be years longer before the last limitations ended (in 1954), just as in the Netherlands. When looking purely at the dietary advise during these times, that was not so bad: eat more vegetables and legumes, eat less meat, wheat and sugar, and do not waste food. All things that are still relevant today.
\nThe picture of the German blockade of the UK is from\u00a0Wikipedia<\/a>, the colours are added by me.<\/p>\n

Meat substitutes<\/h3>\n

Nowadays there are more and more vegetarian meat substitutes available for people who do not want to eat meat but do long for a meat ball or breaded cutlet. These alternatives all have in common that they are ready-bought, there is no possibility to add spices or other ingredients to add an individual touch, except in the sauce.<\/p>\n

Peel and Kriens have added a recipe to their cookbook that can be considered a made-at-home meatless version of the Wiener schnitzel: the vegetable cutlet<\/em>. With this recipe, the cook has great liberty to determine the flavour by adding spices or using alternative vegetables. The basic recipe is not a fully-fledged alternative for meat from a dietary point of view, because it consists solely of vegetables. However, the recipes that follow enrich the mixture that is used to form the cutlets with legumes, egg or nuts so that all necessary nutrients are included. Below is just the basic recipe, I leva the variations to your imagination.<\/p>\n

I chose this particular recipe from Kriens’ cookbook because I wondered whether it was at all possible to form cutlets from nothing but cooked vegetables. And yes, it was! Uncle Iwan was right.<\/p>\n

One more thing (or two)<\/h3>\n

Before I present the recipe, here are some links that I personally like or find interesting.<\/p>\n

East Sussex World War I<\/a> is a project to celebrate the centennial of the end of the Great War. East Sussex is the South-Eastern part of England that is situated closest to the European continent. As the makers of the website declare: “the guns and fighting in France and Belgium could be heard in East Sussex”. The site calls on people who live or have lived in the area to share their stories and memories. The result is a growing archive of stories about ordinary and special people.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>I like to read mysteries and crime novels. One of my favourite authors is\u00a0Anne Perry<\/a>, who has created not only two Victorian crime series, but also a five-part series that plays during the Great War, the\u00a0World War I Series<\/a>. Each part plays during one of the five years from 1914 to 1918. The story is about the experiences of the members of one family with one overarching mystery. The books can be bought in print or as e-book (just follow the link).<\/p>\n

The original recipe<\/h2>\n

The recipe as published in\u00a0The Victory Cookery Book<\/em>\u00a0from 1918 (see bibliography<\/a>). The vegetable cutlets are on p.169, the sauce on p.22.<\/p>\n

Vegetable Cutlets <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Materials. \u2014 1 oz. chopped onion, \u00bd oz. fat, 1 oz. flour, 1 lb. mixed vegetables from which stock has been made (they should be drained as dry as possible), salt and pepper, pinch of grated nutmeg, a little ground rice and batter (see p. 233), crumbs, vegetable sauce.<\/em><\/p>\n

Method. \u2014 Fry the onion in the fat till cooked but not coloured. Add the flour and mix with the fat, then chop the mixed vegetables, add them, and heat all together. <\/em>
\nSeason with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg, bind the whole by boiling thoroughly, stirring all the time. Place on a plate to cool. When cold, shape into pear shape, using ground rice or other flour. <\/em>
\nCoat the shapes lightly with batter and bread or other crumbs. Roll them, still retaining the pear shape, now bend the point and press down with a knife or with the flat hand. This will form them into the shape of cutlets. To cook, fry in a pan with very little fat. When one side is brown, turn over and fry the other side likewise, or if fat is not available they can be baked in the oven by mixing the crumbs with a very little fat before coating, then place them on a baking-sheet and bake in a hot oven until brown. <\/em>
\nThese are nice cold or hot, served with or without sauce.<\/em><\/p>\n

Brown Vegetable Sauce or Gravy<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Materials — \u00bd oz. fat, 1 oz. flour, 1\u00bd pint of vegetable stock, 1 tablespoonful of Worcester sauce.<\/em><\/p>\n

Method — Fry the flour in the fat until it becomes nut-brown. Let it cool, and then add the vegetable stock. Stir until boiling-point is reached, then add the Worcester sauce and simmer very gently for about 15 minutes. The fat used will rise to the surface, and must be skimmed off and added to the store of cooking fat.<\/em>
\nThis preparation tastes and looks like a meat gravy. For sauce boil the stock down until the thickness desired is reached; season to taste, and it is then ready for use. […]<\/em>
\nIf available a tablespoonful of tomato pur\u00e9e or one or two fresh tomatoes can be added, or the sauce may be varied by adding a spoonful or two of chutney, mixed pickles, mushrooms, etc.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/a>Modern adaptation of the recipe<\/h2>\n

The vegetables that are used in making the cutlets, were first used to make vegetable stock. And that stock in its turn is used to make the sauce. The recipe for stock is on this page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Vegetable cutlets<\/h3>\n

I have decided to add walnuts to the vegetables to create a meat substitute which contains all necessary nutrients. Other options mentioned by Kriens are: 2 chopped hard-boiled eggs, or 200 gram cooked lentils, split peas or beans. Although there is no mention of cheese, that would be an excellent addition. But in 1918 cheese was a scarce commodity.
\nMain dish<\/span> for four persons<\/span>; Preparation in advance<\/em> 25 minutes<\/span><\/span> (plus preparing the stock); Preparation<\/em> 10 minutes<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n

\"The400 gr of the vegetables that were used for preparing the stock<\/a> (onion<\/span>, cabbage<\/span>, carrot<\/span>, leek<\/span>, turnip<\/span>, celeriac<\/span>)
\n100 gr (\u00be cup)\u00a0walnuts<\/span>
\npepper and nutmeg to taste
\n1 small onion, chopped
\n2 Tbsp oil
\n30 gr (2 Tbsp) flour<\/p>\n

Breading<\/em>
\n4 Tbsp rice flour
\nbatter (see below)
\ncrumbs of 4 slices old white bread
\n2 Tbsp oil<\/p>\n

Batter<\/em>
\n20 gr (1 Tbsp and 1 tsp) flour or half flour\/half rice flour
\n1,25 dl (\u00bd cup) water, milk or a combination of both
\npinch of salt
\noil for frying<\/p>\n

\"VegetablePreparation in advance<\/h3>\n

Chop the vegetables that were used for the stock even more finely. Chop the walnuts also and put them with the vegetables. Add pepper and nutmeg. Salt has already been used in making the stock.<\/p>\n

Fry the chopped onion in the oil at low heat until it just starts to brown. Add flour, stir well, and let it ‘sweat’ for a short while on low heat. Then add the chopped vegetables and walnuts; stir-fry into a firm ball. Transfer to a plate and let it cool.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, prepare the batter by beating everything until smooth, and prepare the sauce (see below).<\/p>\n

Divide the vegetable mass into four, six or eight portions (with eight cutlets, you’ll need more ingredients for the breading).\u00a0Shape the vegetable mass into cutlets. They should be shaped like a pear according to Kriens, but I made commas.\u00a0 Take care that the sides are neat. Sprinkle the cutlets with rice flour.<\/p>\n

Preparation<\/h3>\n

\"FryingPour the batter in a deep plate and dip the cutlets gently in it one by one. Turn them to cover both sides, then cover with breadcrumbs or ready-bought breading. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the cutlets to a nice golden colour.<\/p>\n

For extra protein, use only milk for the batter. But for vegans, use only water.<\/p>\n

Gravy<\/h3>\n

The quantities from the original recipe will result in a rather thin sauce because one had to use fat sparingly during the war. However, I have adapted the recipe by doubling the amount of fat and flour. The basic recipe does not contain tomato pur\u00e9e, but it is mentioned as one of the possible variations. Other choices are pickled vegetables, chutney or mushrooms.<\/p>\n

\"The1\u00bd Tbsp oil
\n25 gr (1 Tbsp and 2 tsp) flour
\n3 dl (ca 1\u00bc cup)\u00a0vegetable stock<\/a>
\n\u00bd Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
\n1 Tbsp tomato pur\u00e9e<\/p>\n

Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add flour, stir with a wooden spoon and fry until the flour has turned nut-brown. Gradually pour in the vegetable stock, keep stirring. Finish the sauce with the Worcestershire sauce and tomato pur\u00e9e.<\/p>\n

Ingredients<\/h2>\n

All descriptions of ingredients<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Label<\/a>Worcestershire sauce<\/h3>\n

A spicy, black sauce which is produced by the English firm Lea & Perrins since 1838. The article on\u00a0Wikipedia<\/a>\u00a0suggests a connection with the Roman fish sauce\u00a0garum<\/a>, because of the fermented anchovies it contains amongst other ingredients. One of the ‘secret’ ingredients of Worcestershire Sauce is rumoured to be Asian soy sauce. Many Asian cuisines use some form of fermented fish sauce, so it is more probable that this was the inspiration for Worcestershire Sauce rather than the Roman sauce.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Bibliography<\/h2>\n

The editions below were used by me. Links refer to available editions.<\/p>\n