I don’t suppose there was much meat to stuff during wartime 1940’s unless you were lucky enough to live in the country and raise your own animals BUT people did raise backyard chickens and turkeys as well as rabbits and I guess these would have been raised for special occasions like Christmas and thanksgiving..
Our thanksgiving this year was a very simple affair and consisted of pumpkin soup for starters, main dish and then apple crumble for dessert. I didn’t have a big turkey but we did have a small free range chicken. I live in the country so I guess in reality I would have raised my own poultry (and I did keep chickens, geese and ducks prior to moving to Canada!)
So yesterday we did enjoy chicken and we did enjoy homemade bread stuffing and here is the recipe and it is VERY FRUGAL on the rations..
Bread stuffing (for those special occasions)
Ingredients
- Loaf of bread
- 1 or 2 oz butter
- dried or fresh herbs such as sage, thyme and parsley
- onion
- 500 ml of vegetable stock
Method
Get a large bowl and take all the slices of bread and tear them up into small pieces and place in bowl
Sprinkle on your herbs to your own taste (I like lots!) Add salt and pepper
Dot the butter/margarine over the top
Chop onion finely, saute in butter and then add to the bowl of bread and stir
Take the warm vegetable stock and pour a little of the stock over the bread to moisten it.
Stir until it starts to stick together (not too moist)
Place it in ovenproof dish or form into balls
Cook in oven at about 200 c for 30-40 mins until browned and turn once
Makes 16-20 balls or serves a LOT of people!
My grandparents lived in London and had back yard chickens for meat and eggs. Whilst my Grandfather was away at war my Grandmother went to the country so once again would have access to these things, not on the scale we do now but they would have been better than some.
I know this is 14 Oct 2012 (nearly exactly 3 years late!!), but I have been wondering and missing my Mums bread stuffing for 25 years (cannot believe she died 25 years ago). This sounds just like it. My Mum used stale (dried) bread and didn’t use any herbs. The stuffing had a sweetish taste. Another thing my mum did was visit a butchers in Warrington market and ask for shin beef. Once she was shown it, she asked the butcher to mince it up, Shin beef is a cheap cut of meat and is relatively lean.
Writing about this has brought a small tear to my eye.
Found your website as my family have always celebrated New Year with a party (for more than70 years). My immediate family took over the organisation about 20 years ago. Over the past 5-6 years we have had themed parties. This year we are having a 1940’s theme. We have decided to only spend £19.40 on costumes, but want it to be as authentic as possible, hence the search for 1940’s recipes.
I am currently working in Russia, and am reading this blog over the weekend. I do not know if you have achieved your aims as I am reading through chronologically. My Wife Wendy will definitely enjoy looking at these as well.
This blog is funny, witty, and thought provoking. The comments are equally inspiring. I do hope you managed – and I know I am cheating in not having to wait the whole year.
Have you tried publishing a cook book with your comments, and advice given?
I do hope so.
Thank you
Paul
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Sweet treats from breadcrumbs:
Truffles can be made with breadcrumbs too, I like to use the really nutty brown or granary loaf for these. Really simple and simply delicious too.
Ingredients:
Granary breadcrumbs (or cake or biscuit crumbs)
Condensed milk
Any other flavours such as chopped dates, flax seeeds, crumbled flake bar, pine nuts, coconut etc can be added for flavour & texture.
Method
Mix well & make into balls, coat with one of the coatings below then chill before serving
Coatings:
Melted chocolate
Cocoa powder
Drinking chocolate
Coffee powder
Chopped peanuts
etc
This is my favourite ice cream, I’ll share the recipe with you all, do try it.
Easy Brown Bread Ice Cream
Ingredients
600 ml thick cream
1 x 400g tin condensed milk
1 cup ranary or brown breadcrumbs
½ cup soft brown sugar
Method
Toast the breadcrumbs in a dry frying pan then when they start to crisp throw in the sugar and it will melt and stick to the breadcrumbs like a caramel or toffee coating. Tip the mixture onto a tray and to cool right down and harden. Beat the cream to soft peaks with an electric mixer then gradually add the condensed milk till smooth and creamy. This is the time to add the prepared crumbs. I also like to add a crumbled chocolate flake too. Pour into a container and freeze. It’s a semi soft ice cream and it’s delicious.
Brown Bread Ice cream is wonderful.
Also, Outlander (as in Jamie, Clare etc)
I never throw bread away. I let it dry, break it up, blitz it in the blender then store it in an airtight container in the fridge or bag it up and freeze it.
Savoury Eats from bread crumbs:
Stale breadcrumbs make great dumplings, light and tender, try this recipe next time you make stew, soup or a casserole.
Dumplings
Ingredients
¾ cup plain flour, plus more for dusting
½ cup dried bread crumbs
1 tsp salt (or herbs, stock powder, etc)
½ cup boiling water, plus more as needed
Method
Pulse flour, breadcrumbs & salt in a food processor until combined. While running the blender slowly add boiling water; mix until a dough forms. Rest the dough then form into balls and add to your stew or soup about 15- 20 minutes (depending on size) before serving.
Sausage meatballs, rissoles or filling for pies, pasties, bridies, samosas, spring rolls or whatever. Ingredients
2 cups breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 tsp stock powder, or salt
1 onion chopped finely and fried
500g pork sausage meat
Method
Blend the egg salt or stock powder then mix with the breadcrumbs. If the mixture is too dry add a little water, it should be fairly moist then mix well with the sausage meat. Herbs are nice in this as are pine nuts or chopped salted peanuts. Add whatever you like before using as suggested.
For the meatless cooks you can miss out the meat for the above filling for rissoles or filling for pies, pasties, bridies, samosas, spring rolls or whatever. Ingredients
4 cups breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 tsp stock powder, or salt
1 onion chopped finely and fried
possibly a little water if too dry
Method
Blend the egg salt or stock powder then mix with the breadcrumbs. If the mixture is too dry add a little water, it should be fairly moist then mix well with the sausage meat. Herbs are nice in this, but feel fre to add whatever you like before using as suggested.
Note
The bridie with this filling is called Forfar bridie in Scotland but it sometimes has toasted oatmeal rather than breadcrumbs in the ingrediaents list, but only half the amount as above
Stale breadcrumbs make great dumplings, light and tender, try this recipe next time you make stew, soup or a casserole.
Dumplings
Ingredients
¾ cup plain flour, plus more for dusting
½ cup dried bread crumbs
1 tsp salt (or herbs, stock powder, etc)
½ cup boiling water, plus more as needed
Method
Pulse flour, breadcrumbs & salt in a food processor until combined. While running the blender slowly add boiling water; mix until a dough forms. Rest the dough then form into balls and add to your stew or soup about 15- 20 minutes (depending on size) before serving.
Sweet or Savoury Brad cumb ideas:
Use stale breadcrumbs as a sweet or savoury crumble topping for pies, hot pots & stews, here’s how to:
For a sweet topping mix the breadcrumbs with spices, sugar and cold grated unsalted butter then you can sprinkle on top of the filling then add something else like chocolate drops, coconut, coffee powder, ovaltine podwer, etc – use your imagination.
For a savoury topping mix the breadcrumbs with cheese, chillie flakes, dukkah or what ever will go well with your filling – use your imagination.
This is a frugal filler or a treat, depends how much you like them !
Stale Bread Fritters
Ingredients
1 cup granary or brown breadcrumbs
½ cup self raising flour
½ cup chilled soda water or beer (any carbonated drink can be used)
For sweet
1 tbl soft brown sugar
Some dried fruit chocolate drops, nuts, coconut, etc – you choose.
For savoury
1 tp stock powder, or salt
Herbs, fried onions, left over veggies, etc – whatever needs using up,
Method
Whisk the flour and liquid together, add the breadcrumbs and then what ever you are adding for the sweet or savoury fritters. Drop spoonfuls into hot dripping (for best flavour) or oil (if you prefer) till puffy crisp & golden. Drain well and enjoy.
The savoury version can be served as a side dish with just about anything as a tummy filler or as a snack.
The sweet version can be served as a dessert served with custard, cream or ice cream or again as a snack.