Wartime Rations

 Frugal and Tasty

I am sorry that I haven't been here for awhile. We were away for a few days visiting my family, the beginning of term was busy and now we're in Lockdown again. And this time it isn't fun. I am struggling with it to be honest.

However, family life goes on and we all need to eat. Including my hungry dogs and hens. I am sitting here looking out my window watching the hens. They are funny creatures. Walking around in their chicken coop wanting to get out. A bit like me in lockdown. I love the quiet of where we are, extra quiet at this time as no one is out and about driving, busy busy. I love to be able to look up to our hills and see the sheep and cows, the sunlight brightening the green of the grass. It lifts my spirits. Going for a walk daily helps, except today I felt stressed. I love being at home and am quite the homebody but when your freedoms are taken away and you feel pressure, it is a different feeling. I am trying to stay strong and trust in God for all things.

So I find myself in the kitchen even more than what I normally am, baking up a storm for everyone. I baked some delicious little ginger nut biscuits the other day, oh so yummy. I don't know why I haven't made them before. I have baked a banana cake, chocolate chunk cookies, blueberry muffins, muesli slice, chocolate muffins....

Only the chocolate chunk cookies had the most expensive ingredients, everything else was pretty economical.  I have also been cooking some wartime meals from a favourite cookbook. I often find myself looking to the old ways in hard times. I think I draw strength from knowing that many others before us have gone through difficulties and have come out the other side. 

I think to myself, how would I cope in a difficult situation. I think it is important to hang on to some old ways of doing things, reviving old fashioned skills and knowing how to be practical and make do and mend. Even though sometimes I like easy options, on the whole I get a great deal of satisfaction out of achieving something from scratch myself, repairing things, growing my own vegetables. Just learning how to take care of poultry over the last year has been a learning curve for all of us and very rewarding.

I discovered a very frugal frittata that only uses 2 eggs, a yummy wartime soup and a vegetable sauce/curry that was basic but everyone enjoyed it. This is a great little cookbook that I enjoy reading through from time to time.

I will share the recipe for the frittata and soup here.  

Potato and Salami Tortilla

2oz (55g) diced salami ( I used 3 spicy sausages I had in the freezer)

2 sliced red onions ( I used one the first time and it was still plenty)

8oz (225g) cooked diced potato

1/4 pint (150ml) milk

1 tbsp chopped mixed herbs ( dried is also fine but use 1 tsp )

2 beaten eggs

salt and pepper

Fry the diced salami or sausage in a small non-stick pan until the fat runs, add the sliced red onions. Continue to cook for a further 7 - 10 minutes or until the onions are soft. Tip the mixture into a bowl and add the cooked potato, the milk, mixed herbs and beaten eggs. Season well with salt and pepper. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over a very low heat for 8 - 10 minutes. Check the base every so often and if it shows signs of burning, finish cooking the tortilla/omlette under the grill. Serve with a seasonal salad or steamed vegetables.

Chunky Winter Vegetable and Chickpea Soup

1 tbsp oil ( or in true wartime fashion, bacon fat )

8oz (225g) butternut squash

8oz (225g) celeriac

8oz (225g) swede ( I didn't have these two veggies so I used carrots and celery I think. Thickly dice all vegetables and peel the swede. )

1 onion

1 garlic clove

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1 1/2 pints (1L) vegetable stock

410g can drained chickpeas

cabbage

grated Wensleydale cheese or similar ( totally optional )

Heat a large pot with the oil, fry for 1 minute. Add the roughly diced vegetables and thickly sliced onion.

Fry over a low heat for 3-4 minutes to allow the vegetables to soften and colour lightly. Add the clove of crushed garlic and chilli powder and pour over the vegetable stock. Season lightly and bring to the boil. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are nearly cooked. Add the chickpeas and a handful of shredded cabbage and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve with a sprinkling of grated cheese and thick slices of toast.

These are quite frugal recipes really and even though they are basic compared to more contemporary cooking, they are quite tasty. My family enjoyed these two meals which is a win for me! They are meals with ingredients that you could almost make entirely from your own garden if it's the right time of year and if you have chickens. The tortilla/omlette you can make anytime with potato, onions and eggs.

Anytime we sit down to a wartime meal and I'm just not sure how it's going to go, I will announce that this is a wartime meal and so lets see how it goes! So far so good.

I am starting to think ahead to the coming of spring and planting my vegetable garden. I am hoping the weather will continue to improve. Less rain and wind would be nice for time spent in the garden, it is more inspiring and relaxing. This has been a cold wet winter and I am looking forward to it being over. I delight in the new spring daffodils which are popping up now and baby lambs, the singing of the tui has been more regular and that always brightens my day. I love Tui.

I hope you all have a blessed week. 

Love, Fiona

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6