I’m on a roll! I was doing the tech for live streaming with the USA team (for my day job) less than an hour ago while this WW2 recipe for “Carrot & Potato Hotpot” was baking in the oven. I could smell the delights wafting up the stairs into my office while our ISO experts at IMSM were talking about energy efficiency and carbon footprints while my oven was blasting away at 220 centigrade for just two little pies (I did chuck something in for my daughter too). Yes I did feel a tad guilty (makes mental note to do better next time).
This dish needed more seasoning than I gave it and fresh herbs wouldn’t have gone amiss. My fault really but I wanted to taste authenticity and transport my mind and my senses back to a 40’s kitchen during WW2. I followed the recipe to a tee and of course it was a little bland.
I’m time poor right now so the recipe below is a clipping from a WW2 recipe book. I would suggest to add more salt and pepper than the recipe calls for and bung some other condiments in for good measure. Enjoy! C xxx
PS: Just a heads up to make it clear I am normally not so energy inefficient! This was an authentic recreation of a WW2 recipe (the pies took 45 minutes as I divided into two small dishes). I have a slow cooker, a bread maker, a microwave which I normally use. Please don’t worry!!! 🙂 xxxx C
It looks good though!
I am too scared to turn the oven on these days given the exorbitant price of electricity.
I know what you mean!!! Dreading the second half of the year and what electric and gas is going to cost us all!!!!
If cooking for more than one then use a slow cooker for the main cooking process as they are low power consumers, then brown under a grill to brown off. Your slow cooker is great for cakes too.
If you are cooking for one and own both a microwave and a “family pie maker” ( I see Aldi do one for 20 quid) then you will find that a portion can be ‘baked’ in it. If you cooked the vegetable in a microwave then (while hot) arrange in the pie maker for a bout ten minutes it will brown, longer for some models. Your microwave is great for cakes too.
These methods are a lot better than heating an oven – unless you are cooking a great deal, then it could well be better. Use the old method of using the whole oven for everything leaving the slow things in the hot oven when it’s switched off at the end of the session, such as rice pudding, semolina, etc.
I love my slow cooker, I actually also have a slow cooker for one too and love this. Cooking WW2 meals authentically as part of this one month experiment is quite eye opening, makes me realise how lucky we are to have our slow cookers, breadmakers, microwaves etc. I rarely use my oven so it really has been quite an eye-opener! C xxxxx
Looks very good, yes I will be trying this one.
Thanks Deborah xxx
Looks fantastic, and thanks for the recipe!
In the US, gasoline and food prices have gone up enormously (~$35-$50+ USD for a week’s groceries/mostly vegetables per person without meat), but electricity hasn’t been too bad yet. Good reminder to conserve, though!
Your pie tins are great – are they vintage? What are they actually called (is there a specific name, short of enamelware)? Thank you again!
I just made some garlic ginger paste and I think that it would help with the flavours and spice it up a bit. We might have this with dinner tonight!
Looks tasty, I love a hot pot. What temperature oven did you use please?
I cooked them covered for about 30 minutes at 200C and then took the tin foil off and cooked them for another 15 minutes until the tops browned. Everything was sliced very thinly indeed and in two small pie dishes so it seemed to cook Ok in 45 minutes xxxx
I just tried this recipe, and wow, you were right about the bland taste. I expected that much salt and pepper to make it more tasty, but no; I ended up sprinkling on some seasoned salt. I like the recipe though. It’s uncomplicated and healthy.