Dr. Allinson's cookery book Part 1

The Allinson Vegetarian Cookery Book.

by Thomas R. Allinson.

INTRODUCTION

This book is written with the object of laying before the public a cookery book which will be useful not only to vegetarians, but also to flesh eaters, who are often at a loss for recipes for non-flesh dishes. Nowadays most people admit that "too much meat is eaten"; but when the housewife tries to put before her family or friends a meal in which meat is to be conspicuous by its absence, she is often at a loss how to set about it.

Vegetarians also frequently stay with non-vegetarian friends, or lodge with others who do not understand how to provide for them. For such this book will especially prove useful, for in it will be found a set of thirty menus, one for each day in a month, giving suitable recipes with quant.i.ties for one person only. Throughout this book it will be found that the use of wholemeal has been introduced in the place of white flour. Those persons who do not care to follow the hygienic principle in its entirety can easily subst.i.tute white flour if preferred. The recipes have been written bearing in mind the necessity for a wholesome diet; and they will be found to be less rich than those in most of the cookery books published. Should any one wish to make the dishes richer, it can easily be done by an addition of b.u.t.ter, eggs, or cream.

Let me draw the attention of vegetarians to the use of soaked sago in many dishes. This is a farinaceous food which should be used much more largely in vegetarian cookery than it is. Thoroughly soaked sago should be used in all dishes, savouries or sweets, in which a subst.i.tute for suet is required to lighten the mixture; that is, in boiled savouries or sweets which are largely made of wholemeal, as, for instance, in vegetable haggis, roly-poly pudding, and all fruit or vegetable puddings which are boiled in a paste. When soaked sago is used (taking a teacupful of dry sago to two breakfastcupfuls of meal) a light paste will be obtained which would mislead any meat eater into the belief that suet or, at any rate, baking powder had been used.

Baking powder, tartaric acid, soda and bicarbonate of soda, are all most injurious to the system, and these chemicals have been left out of this book entirely. In breads and cakes I have used a small quant.i.ty of yeast for the rising of the dough; those who once have got accustomed to the use of yeast will not find it any more trouble than using baking powder. It may here be beneficial to give a few hints as to the harm done by the use of the most commonly introduced chemicals, namely, soda, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, tartaric acid, and citric acid. Not only do they delay the digestion of the foods in which they are used, and give rise to various stomach troubles, but also cause rheumatism and gout, and often are the primary cause of stone in the kidney and bladder. Another danger lies in the fact that these chemicals are too dear to be supplied pure to the public, which always demands cheap goods, and the result is that many of the chemicals in the market are mixed with other still worse poisons, like a.r.s.enic, for instance. Self-raising flour, which is liked by so many on account of its convenience, is nothing but ordinary flour mixed with some sort of baking powder; in the same way egg powders are simply starch powders, coloured and flavoured, mixed with baking powder. Tartaric acid and citric acid also belong to the cla.s.s of injurious chemicals. They are often used in the making of acid drinks, when lemons are not handy. They irritate the stomach violently, and often cause acute dyspepsia. These few remarks will, I hope, convince the readers that all these chemicals are best avoided in culinary preparations. Even salt and spices are best used in great moderation; if our dishes could be prepared without them it would be far the best; but it takes a long time to wean people entirely from the use of condiments; the first step towards it is to use them as sparingly as possible.

I have tried to make this a hygienic cookery book; but there are a number of dishes introduced which can hardly claim to be hygienic; it has to be left to the good judgment of the readers to use them on rare occasions only, and it will be better for the health of each individual if the plainer dishes only are prepared for the daily table. I wish here to impress on vegetarians, and those who wish to give the diet a trial, not to eat much pulse; this is the rock on which many "would-be vegetarians" come to grief. They take these very concentrated, nitrogenous foods in rather large quant.i.ties, because they have an idea that only they will support them when the use of meat is abandoned. They are foods which, to be beneficial to the system of the consumer, require a great deal of muscular exertion on his part. The results to persons of sedentary habits of eating pulse foods often are indigestion, heavy and dull feelings, and general discomfort. In my own household b.u.t.ter beans, the most concentrated of all foods, come on the table perhaps once a month, lentils or peas perhaps once a week. None but those persons who have strong digestive organs should eat pulse foods at all; and then only when they have plenty of physical work to do. I have known several people who tried vegetarianism who have given up the trial in despair, and, when I inquired closely into the causes, the abuse of pulse food was generally the chief one.

I will now give a list of the composition of the various foods, which may be instructive and useful to those to whom the study of dietetics is new, as well as to vegetarians who may wish to use it for reference. The list is copied from a little pamphlet by A.W. Duncan, published by the Vegetarian Society in Manchester.

I now leave this book in the hands of the public. I hope that it will be found useful by many and a help to those who wish to live in a way which is conducive to health and at the same time innocent of slaughter and cruelty. The health of the nation to a great extent is in the hands of our cooks and housewives. If they learn to prepare wholesome and pure food, those who are dependent on them will benefit by it. Healthful cookery must result in health to the household and, therefore, to the nation. Avoid disease-communicating foods, use those only which are conducive to health, and you will be rewarded by an increase of health and consequently of happiness.

SOUPS AND STEWS

ARTICHOKE SOUP.

1 lb. each of artichokes and potatoes, 1 Spanish onion, 1 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 1 pint of milk, and pepper and salt to taste. Peel, wash, and cut into dice the artichokes, potatoes, and onion. Cook them until tender in 1 quart of water with the b.u.t.ter and seasoning. When the vegetables are tender rub them through a sieve. Return the liquid to the saucepan, add the milk, and boil the soup up again. Add water if the soup is too thick. Serve with Allinson plain rusks, or small dice of bread fried crisp in b.u.t.ter or vege-b.u.t.ter.

HARICOT SOUP.

1 lb. of haricot beans, 1/2 lb. of onions, 1 lb. of turnips, 2 carrots, 2 sticks of celery, 1 teaspoonful of mixed herbs, 1/2 oz. of parsley, 1 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 2 quarts of water, pepper and salt to taste.

Cut up the vegetables and set them to boil in the water with the haricot beans (which should have been steeped over night in cold water), adding the b.u.t.ter, herbs, and seasoning. Cook all very gently for 3-1/2 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. When the beans are quite tender, rub the soup through a sieve, adding more water if needed; return it to the saucepan, add the parsley chopped up finely, boil it up and serve.

BARLEY SOUP.

8 oz. of pearl barley, 2 onions, 4 potatoes, 1/2 a teaspoonful of thyme, 1 dessertspoonful of finely chopped parsley, 3-1/2 pints of water, 1/2 pint of milk, 1 oz. of b.u.t.ter. Pick and wash the barley, chop up the onions, slice the potatoes. Boil the whole gently for 4 hours with the water, adding the b.u.t.ter, thyme, pepper and salt to taste. When the barley is quite soft, add the milk and parsley, boil the soup up, and serve.

BREAD SOUP.

1/2 lb. of stale crusts of Allinson wholemeal bread, 4 onions, 2 turnips, 1 stick of celery, 1 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 1/2 oz. of finely chopped parsley, 8 pints of water, 1/2 pint of milk. Soak the crusts in the water for 2 hours before they are put over the fire. Cut up into small dice the vegetables; add them to the bread with the b.u.t.ter and pepper and salt to taste. Allow all to simmer gently for 1 hour, then rub the soup through a sieve, return it to the saucepan, add the milk and parsley, and, if the flavour is liked, a little grated nutmeg; boil the soup up and serve at once.

CABBAGE SOUP.

1 fair-sized cabbage, a large Spanish onion, 1-1/2 oz. of b.u.t.ter, pepper and salt to taste, 1/2 saltspoonful of nutmeg, 1-1/2 pints of milk, 2 tablespoonfuls of Allinson fine wheatmeal. After preparing and washing the cabbage, shred up very fine, chop up the onion, set these two in a saucepan over the fire with 1 quart of water, the b.u.t.ter and seasoning, and let all cook gently for 1 hour, or longer it the vegetables are not quite tender. Add the milk and thickening when the vegetables are thoroughly tender, and let all simmer gently for 10 minutes; serve with little squares of toasted or fried bread, or Allinson plain rusks.

CABBAGE SOUP (French).

1 medium-sized cabbage, 1 lb. of potatoes, 1 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 3 pints of milk and water equal parts, pepper and salt to taste, 1 dessertspoonful of finely chopped parsley, and 2 blades of mace, and 1 dessertspoonful of Allinson fine wheatmeal. Wash the cabbage and shred it finely, peel the potatoes and cut them into small dice; boil the vegetables in the milk and water until quite tender, adding the mace, b.u.t.ter, and seasoning. When quite soft, rub the wheatmeal smooth with a little water, let it simmer with the soup for 5 minutes, add the parsley, and serve.

CAPER SOUP.

2 pints of water, 1 pint of milk, 1 large tablespoonful of capers, 1/2 lemon, 2 eggs, 1-1/2 oz. of Allinson fine wheatmeal, 1/2 oz. of b.u.t.ter, pepper and salt to taste. Boil the milk and water and b.u.t.ter, with seasoning to taste; thicken it with the wheatmeal rubbed smooth with a little milk. Chop up the capers, add them and let the soup cook gently for 10 minutes; take it off the fire, beat up the eggs and add them carefully, that they may not curdle; at the last add the juice of the half lemon, re-heat the soup without allowing it to boil, and serve.

CARROT SOUP (1).

4 good-sized carrots, 1 head of celery, 1 onion, 3 oz. of Allinson wholemeal bread without crust, 1 oz. of b.u.t.ter, pepper and salt, and 1 blade of mace. Wash, sc.r.a.pe, and cut the carrots into dice. Prepare and cut up the onions and celery. Set the vegetables over the fire with 3 pints of water, adding the mace and seasoning. Let all cook until quite soft, which will probably be in 1-1/2 hours. If the carrots are old, they will take longer cooking. When the vegetables are tender, rub all through a sieve, return the soup to the saucepan, add the b.u.t.ter, allow it to boil up, and serve with sippets of toast.

CARROT SOUP (2).

4 good-sized carrots, 1 small head of celery, 1 fair-sized onion, 1 turnip, 3 oz. of breadcrumbs, 1-1/2 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 1 blade of mace, pepper and salt to taste. Sc.r.a.pe and wash the vegetables, and cut them up small; set them over the fire with 3 pints of water, the b.u.t.ter, bread, and mace. Let all boil together, until the vegetables are quite tender, and then rub them through a sieve. Return the mixture to the saucepan, season with pepper and salt, and if too thick add water to the soup, which should be as thick as cream, boil the soup up, and serve.

CAULIFLOWER SOUP.

1 medium-sized cauliflower, 1-1/2 pints of milk, 1 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 2 oz. of Allinson fine wheatmeal, pepper and salt to taste, a little nutmeg, and the juice of a lemon. Prepare the cauliflower by washing and breaking it into pieces, keeping the flowers whole, and boil in 1-1/2 pints of water, adding the b.u.t.ter, nutmeg, and seasoning. When the cauliflower is quite tender add the milk, boil it up, and thicken the soup with the wheatmeal, which should first be smoothed with a little cold water. Lastly, add the lemon juice, and serve the soup with sippets of toast.

CLEAR SOUP.

1 large Spanish onion, 1 teaspoonful of mixed herbs, 1/2 head of celery, 1-1/2 oz. b.u.t.ter, 1 carrot, 1 turnip, and pepper and salt to taste. Chop the onion up fine, and fry it brown in the b.u.t.ter, in the saucepan in which the soup is to be made, and add 5 pints of water.

Prepare and cut into small pieces the carrot, turnip, and celery; add these, the nutmeg, herbs, and pepper and salt to the water, with the fried onions. When the vegetables are tender drain the liquid; return it to the saucepan, and boil the soup up.

CLEAR SOUP (with Dumplings).

2 large English onions, 1 teaspoonful of herbs, 1/2 teaspoonful of nutmeg, 1 carrot, 1 turnip, pepper and salt to taste, 1 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 3 pints of water. Chop up finely the onions and fry them brown in the b.u.t.ter in the saucepan in which the soup is to be made; add the water.

Cut up in thin slices the carrot and turnip, add these, with the herbs, nutmeg, and seasoning to the soup. Let it boil for I hour, drain the liquid, return it to the saucepan, and when boiling add the dumplings prepared as follows: 1/2 pint of clear soup, 4 eggs, a little nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste. Beat the eggs well, mix them with the soup, and season the mixture with nutmeg, pepper, and salt.

Pour it into a b.u.t.tered jug; set it in a pan with boiling water, and let the mixture thicken. Then cut off little lumps with a spoon, and throw these into the soup and boil up before serving.

CLEAR CELERY SOUP.

1 large head of celery or 2 small ones, 1 large Spanish onion, 2 oz.

of b.u.t.ter, pepper and salt to taste, and 1 blade of mace. Chop the onion and fry it brown in the b.u.t.ter or Allinson vege-b.u.t.ter in the saucepan in which the soup is to be made. When brown, add 4 pints of water, the celery washed and cut into pieces, the mace, the pepper and salt. Let all cook until the celery is quite soft, then drain the liquid from the vegetables. Return it to the saucepan, boil the soup up, and add 1 oz. of vermicelli, sago, or Italian paste; let the soup cook until this is quite soft, and serve with sippets of crisp toast, or Allinson plain rusks.

COCOANUT SOUP.