Mock Duck

[angie999]

A couple of weeks ago, I said I would cook this dish and post a report. Well, here it is.

The Recipe

Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves 4 (generously)

1lb sausagemeat
8 oz cooking apples, peeled and grated
8 oz onions, grated
1 teaspoon chopped sage, or 1/2 teaspoon dried sage

Spread half the sausagemeat into a flat layer in a well greased baking tin or shallow casserole. Top with the apple, onion and sage. Add the rest of the sausagemeat and shape this top layer to look as much like a duck as possible. Cover with well greased paper and bake in the centre of a moderately hot oven (190-200 degrees C)

Variations

The sausagemeat I used came from the supermarket in a 500g pack, so a bit more than 1lb.

I used one large Spanish onion and one large Bramley apple which I did not weigh, but which seemed to work out right.

I have never grated an onion before and I found that doing so seemed to produce a lot of liquid and not much substance, so I very finely chopped about 2/3 of it instead. Not sure this was right.

And I am not that fond of just sage, so I used dried mixed herb, which does contain it.

I also added just a little sea salt and several good twists of black pepper to the onion and apple layer.

Result

It sliced quite well and looked a bit like duck on the plate. I don't think it tasted much like duck, but the onion and apple masked the taste of the pork, while the herbs left a distinctly savoury impression. Overall, it would have been a cheap and filling meal for four (but there were only two of us, so plenty left over). Maybe a bit on the heavy side.

It would certainly go with any potato dish and most other winter vegetables.

My husband had some cold next day and said it tasted much the same as it had hot.

Could try?

Onions were sometimes in short supply in wartime Britain. I wonder if anyone ever substituted a finely chopped leek? Worth a try.

Also, the sausagemeat cost a bit more than 1lb of reasonable quality sausages. If I was to make it again, I might buy sausages with a bit coarser texture, like Cumberland sausage, and take the meat out of the skins.

Any Good?

Interesting, but not really likely to become a household favourite.

Recipe from:

We'll Eat Again, (a collection of recipes from the war years) Marguerite Patten OBE, Hamlyn (in association with the IWM) 2004 (first published 1985)

[morse1001]

Very interesting article. My mother used to use some of the old war time receipes after the war. My favorite was adding a handful of oatmeal to mince. still do it today!

[Maywalk]

You can find quite a few WW2 recipies on my Home Front website Angie.

http://www.memorylanehf.oddquine.co.uk

Cheers Maywalk.

[von Poop]

Here's a thread I hadn't noticed before, I might just have to try Mock duck.
Though I'm more tempted to find out what Maywalk's 'Vinegar cake' works out like.
WW2 RECIPES
Sounds... 'interesting'.

Cheers,
Adam.

[Gotthard Heinrici]

We'll change your name to "Delia Poop". you're not from Norwich are you??

[von Poop]

No, but I have been known to drink nearly as much as the blessed Delia...

[Zoya]

Last year, we had a Home Front Sunday, when I made recipes from rationed ingredients, Woolton pie and Yorkshire 'cheese' tarts.

“Woolton” pie was an adaptable dish of vegetables, created at the Savoy Hotel in London, which was one of a number of recipes commended to the British public by the Ministry of Food during the Second World War to enable a nutritional diet to be maintained despite shortages and rationing of many types of food. It was named after Frederick Marquis, 1st Lord Woolton (1883-1964), who became Minister of Food in 1940.

For the filling:
2lb of seasonal vegetables (carrots, leeks, swede, potato, cauliflower etc.)
salt & pepper to season
1 tablespoon vegetable extract, or 2 oxo cubes
1oz oatmeal
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley, or herb of choice*
For the pastry crust:
2oz cooked mashed potato
1oz available fat2oz grated cheese
2oz oatmeal
4oz ‘national’ (wholemeal) flour

1. Peel and chop vegetables and boil until nearly tender.
2. Strain and reserve 3/4 pint of the stock water.
3. Arrange vegetables in a large pie dish.
4. Add the vegetable extract/oxo cubes and oatmeal to the stock, and simmer until thickened.
5. Pour the sauce over the vegetables, and add the chopped parsley and salt and pepper.
6. For the potato crust, mix the potato and the fat.
7. Add the cheese, oatmeal and flour and mix with water to a stiff dough.
8. Roll out and cover the pie.
9. Bake at gas mark 3, 325°F, 170°C for 30 minutes.
10. Serve with gravy and available vegetables.

Yorkshire 'Cheese' Tarts

For the pastry:
4oz ‘national’ flour2oz margarine
1oz sugar*
For the filling:
1.5 oz sugar
2oz margarine
1 tablespoon dessicated coconut (and a teaspoon for sprinkling)
1.5 oz currants or raisins
1-2 teaspoons of flour
half an egg, beaten
1 tablespoon of jam (optional)

1. Rub together the fat and the flour for the pastry.
2. Add the sugar and enough cold water to make a soft dough.
3. Cover and chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
4. For the filling, beat together the sugar and margarine.
5. Add the currants/raisins and coconut, and bind with the egg.
6. Add a small amount of flour to stop it curdling.
7. Roll out the pastry, cut into rounds, and place in a greased pastry tin.
8. If using the jam, divide equally between the tarts.
9. Cover with the filling, and sprikle with a little reserved coconut.
10. Bake at gas mark 3, 325°F, 170°C for 20 minutes until golden brown.
11. Serve warm with custard, or eat when cold.

The tarts were really nice, I'd def. make them again, we all liked them, but the pie was really bland! Using oatmeal to thicken the gravy isn't something I'd do again, I don't think

Nice to have an excuse to be a bit 'girly' on here!

[Warden_D]

What ho everyone,

I had a go at making a Mock Duck / Turkey / Chicken and even made a little video of my efforts.

MySpaceTV Videos: Mock turkey Christmas dinner by Harry

Enjoy

Harry