Our meat ration for 2 adults for one week would now equate to £7.46, excluding ham or bacon, see War Diary Rations page. 1/7th of this would have had to be taken in corned beef and/or Spam, equating to £1.80 for us both, leaving £5.76 for the week. I doubt we would even use that now.
Anyway, using 400g of Lidl stewing steak £2.59, 1 onion 7p, 1 stock cube 15p, a large carrot and 2 medium potatoes, estimated around 15p, cornflour for thickening the gravy 1p = £2.97.
The meat and onion were slowly simmered for 1 1/2 hours before the diced carrot was added. 10 minutes later the diced potato went in. When everything was cooked, it was strained, saving the juices for gravy.
The mixture was divided between two dishes and a handful of peas and sweetcorn added to both (around 10p) along with 1/2 a ladle of thickened gravy:
This brings the total at the moment to £3.07. One was covered and added to the freezer. The other in the war (would have had its topping put on and cooked to eat the same day if fuel was short which it often was).
Pastry could be added, or scones to make a savoury cobbler. We will share one, once topped, for our main meal. The other, including saved gravy, will be thawed, have a topping put on and eaten another day.
So then, without the topping each dish cost £1.53 ish for two adults. Half each of this, with a topping, will fill us.
It looks very appetising. Do you always thicken your gravies etc with cornflour?
ReplyDeleteLong before I was diagnosed as Coeliac I did because that was what my mother did.
It has often occurred to me that if food companies used more cornflour as thickening more of their products could be gluten free.
Cafes could also do this and cornflour is easier to make sauces with as it doesn't go lumpy!
I love making 2 meals out of very little.
I heard a wonderful expression for bits left in the fridge the other day, “fridge rubble”. I think it might have been on Joy's blog. Sue
Gravy and sauces where possible. Have used arrowroot and potato starch in the past but food can’t be boiled very well afterwards.
DeleteAnother meal that looks delicious, I rather fancy a cobbler topping...
ReplyDeleteAlways nice or a suet crust?
DeleteGreat value and they look absolutely delicious. It's fascinating how things have changed in such a short time (comparatively).
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It is although with the current price of meat, a lot of people seems to be eating less.
DeleteLooks lovely. I don't like winter, however, the good thing about it is the nice warming, cheap and filling stews we can make!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the link to the helpful blog you gave me.
I found the blog quite interesting.
DeleteLooks very tasty, I am looking to stretch the pennies even further, I shall have a look at your wartime diaries.
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