Toasted Carrots, a World War II U.S. rationing recipe

I'm continuing my exploration of WWII recipes, in particular about rationing.  Previously I tried Cuban Corn, which worked out well and was tasty.  Click here to view that post.

I'm still working from Prudence Penny's Coupon Cookery.  I'm intrigued by the vegetable recipes, mostly because they look good but simple.  I imagine a busy mom trying to manage the family and household and possibly a job while her husband was off fighting the war.  She would need simple recipes that were still providing a healthy diet.

Coupons are the ration stamps.

This time I tried Toasted Carrots on page 73.  It is a very basic, simple recipe.  I wanted to try it and take it to a family event.  So I did most of the prep at home but the last bit at another kitchen just before serving. 

Toasted Carrots

6 carrots
2 tablespoons butter or shortening
1 1/4 cups corn flakes, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
dash paprika

 

It doesn't get much simpler than this.

Roll whole cooked carrots in melted butter; then in cornflakes seasoned with salt, pepper, and paprika.

Place under broiler set moderately low for 10 minutes, turning frequently.

 My Notes

I was serving four people, so instead of 6 large carrots, I used what I considered the baby carrot equivalent of 6 large carrots.

That looks like six enthusiastic carrots, no?

 Then I steamed the carrots until they were tender.

While they were steaming, I crushed the corn flakes until they were finely crushed.  I wanted small bits, not big flakes, so I really put in the time to crush them well.

Fine!

Then I mixed the corn flakes with the spices in a bowl that had a lid.  The carrots went in one container, the corn flake mix in another, and the butter on the side.  This all traveled to the other house.

Corn flakes with spices.

Once there, I melted the butter in the microwave, rolled the carrots a few at a time in the butter, then in the corn flake mixture, then placed them on a sheet to go under the preheated broiler.  I kept this up until all were coated and ready to broil.

I was pleased that I had enough of the coating to cover all the pieces.

Having so many little carrots made it difficult to turn them "frequently."  The solution was to shake the pan every few minutes so the carrots rolled a little.  I'm not sure that made a difference, but I did try.  

I think they broiled for about 10 minutes, but basically I pulled them once they started looking browned and crisp in a few places.  They all went into a serving bowl and onto the table.

Shaken, not turned.  I pulled them when the crumbs got dark.

The Verdict

The carrots were well-received.  Everyone had some, some had seconds.  The family whose house it was wanted to keep all the leftovers, so they did.  

They were a very basic side dish.  But the tender carrots, the crunchy crust, and the very light spicing made them good.  They went well with the roast beef and garlic mashed potatoes. (And the Cuban corn.)

I think I would increase the paprika a bit, but hey, you do what's right for your taste buds.  Everyone thought they were just fine.  

Success!  Such a quick and easy dish to make.  I think the hardest part was crushing the corn flakes, and I had plenty of time to do that while the carrots were steaming.  

I found it interesting that the instructions call for six carrots but make no mention of cutting them up.  My mental image was serving each person a whole carrot, but I believe they assumed you would cut them up.  So it was possibly appropriate to have used the baby carrots instead. 

 

Cuban Corn, a World War II U.S. rationing recipe

I've been exploring World War II cooking ideas, especially those relating to food rationing and the ration coupons that went along with it.

One interesting book is titled Coupon Cookery by Prudence Penny.  The subtitle is "The New Book of Ration-Revised Recipes and Menus Including a Handy Changeable Table of Point-Values For All Foods..."  Yes, the book includes a table that helped a family plan how to track their coupons and use them efficiently before they expired.  It is in the chapter called "How to S-T-R-E-T-C-H A POINT."

Published in 1943, so no ISBN.

There are all sorts of tips for shopping with ration stamps (coupons), how to calculate your family's budget.  Throughout the book are cute and sometimes silly cartoons and poems along with the chapters that emphasize the need to be frugal, avoid waste and hoarding, while still feeding your family a healthy diet.  There are "Penny Tips" that point out, for example, ways to achieve speed or better flavor.

On page 72, there is a recipe for "Cuban Corn," basically a casserole that can be a side dish or, as the Penny Tip notes, be "a good main dish for meatless days."

Cuban Corn

2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
Dash cayenne
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 cups canned or fresh corn
1 chopped onion
1 tablespoon fat
1 dozen chopped ripe olives
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup grated cheese

 Add flour and seasonings to corn.  Brown onion in fat and add.  Add olives and thoroughly combine all ingredients.  Put mixture in a casserole; pour hot tomato sauce and the grated cheese over the corn.

Place in 350 degree oven until mixture is well heated and the cheese is melted.  If fresh corn is used, cook slightly before combining with other ingredients.

My Notes

I think it is the use of chili powder and cayenne that makes this "Cuban."  My experience with reading recipes from the 1940s is that savory seasoning use was often limited salt, pepper, garlic powder or salt, and not much else.  Anything beyond that was pretty exotic!  People's palettes were accustomed to what I might consider "bland."  (This could be my biased opinion, but I don't see much evidence to think otherwise.)

First I started the oven preheating.

I used olive oil for the fat.  

Since I chose to use canned corn and my cans were 15 1/4 ounces each, I used one full can (1 1/2 cups) and topped off to two cups with the other can.  These were drained before measuring.

I mixed the corn with the flour and seasonings in a big bowl, then browned the onion and chopped the olives, and mixed everything in the bowl.

Corn, flour, and seasonings combined.

With onions and olives, too.

Once the mixture was poured into the 7" x 11" glass casserole - so I had set the oven to 325 degrees F, -  I heated the tomato sauce for 1 minute in the microwave and poured it over.  

Spread it throughout the dish.

 

Distribute the tomato sauce throughout, too.

I chose to use a mixture of cheeses: asiago, parmesan, provolone, and fontina, which were already shredded and mixed.  My impulse was to just put on a lot, which would have been more than one cup, but I restrained myself and followed the recipe.

Okay, that should be enough cheese!

It heated in the oven for 15 minutes; at this point the tomato sauce was bubbling and the cheese was melted.  I could smell the chili powder as it baked.

Bubbly, melted, and done!

Then I took it to a family event and reheated it in the microwave for a few minutes before serving.

The Verdict

It certainly was easy to assemble.  Perfect for that busy day when you want a hot dish but have little spare time. 

In general, everyone thought it was fine as a side dish.  It went well with the beef main course and garlic mashed potatoes side.  

I think we all agreed that it wasn't overspiced or too spicy at all; in fact, I think it could have used more spicing.  Not just more chili powder but more salt and pepper.  It had bothered me to pour straight tomato sauce from the can onto the dish.  I had really wanted to add some seasoning to it, too.  

I'm not sure if that "dash" of cayenne made a difference.  A couple of shakes of Tabasco sauce would have been an improvement.

The one person who really dislikes olives (that was my mistake for picking a recipe that included them) said she couldn't taste them.  That was a relief on my part.

The cheese added a nice chewy and flavorful aspect to the dish.

So while it was a fine side dish, it wasn't spectacular.  I would do it again but I would increase the spices.

The leftovers were good as a side dish with raviolis and then as a filling in an omelette.

Unsurprisingly, the leftovers look just like they did on the first day!

Success, especially if you like mildly-spiced food.