PREPARATION OF LEFT-OVER BEEF

72. As has been shown, meat is both an expensive and a perishable food. Therefore, some use should be made of every left-over bit of it, no matter how small, and it should be disposed of quickly in order to prevent it from spoiling. A point that should not be overlooked in the use of left-over meats, however, is that they should be prepared so as to be a contrast to the original preparation and thus avoid monotony in the food served. This variation may be accomplished by adding other foods and seasonings and by changing the appearance as much as possible. For instance, what remains from a roast of beef may be cut in thin slices and garnished to make an attractive dish; or, left-over meat may be made very appetizing by cutting it into cubes, reheating it in gravy or white sauce, and serving it over toast or potato patties. Then there is the sandwich, which always finds a place in the luncheon. The meat used for this purpose may be sliced thin or it may be chopped fine, and then, to increase the quantity, mixed with salad dressing, celery, olives, chopped pickles, etc. An excellent sandwich is made by placing thin slices of roast beef between two slices of bread and serving hot roast-beef gravy over the sandwich thus formed. Still other appetizing dishes may be prepared from left-over beef as the accompanying recipes show.

73. MEXICAN BEEF--An extremely appetizing dish, known as Mexican beef, can be made from any quantity of left-over beef by serving it with a vegetable sauce. Such a dish needs few accompaniments when it is served in a light meal, but it may be used very satisfactorily as the main dish in a heavy meal.

MEXICAN BEEF

Brown the butter, add the chopped onion, and cook for a few minutes. Then add the chopped peppers, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and celery salt. Cook all together for a few minutes and add the thinly sliced roast beef. When the meat has become thoroughly heated, it is ready to serve.

74. COTTAGE PIE.--A very good way to use up left-over mashed potatoes as well as roast beef is to combine them and make a cottage pie. In this dish, mashed potatoes take the place of the crust that is generally put over the top of a meat pie. If well seasoned and served hot, it makes a very palatable dish.

To make a cottage pie, cover the bottom of a baking dish with a 2-inch layer of well-seasoned mashed potatoes. Over this spread left-over roast beef cut into small pieces. Pour over the meat and potatoes any left-over gravy and a few drops of onion juice made by grating raw onion. Cover with a layer of mashed potatoes 1 inch deep. Dot with butter and place in a hot oven until the pie has heated through and browned on top. Serve hot.

75. BEEF PIE.--No housewife need be at a loss for a dish that will tempt her family if she has on hand some left-over pieces of beef, for out of them she may prepare a beef pie, which is always in favor. Cold roast beef makes a very good pie, but it is not necessary that roast beef be used, as left-over steak or even a combination of left-over meats, will do very well.

Cut into 1-inch cubes whatever kinds of left-over meats are on hand. Cover with hot water, add a sliced onion, and cook slowly for 1 hour. Thicken the liquid with flour and season well with salt and pepper. Add two or three potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices, and let them boil for several minutes. Pour the mixture into a buttered baking dish and cover it with a baking-powder biscuit mixture. Bake in a hot oven until the crust is brown. Serve hot.

76. BEEF HASH.--One of the most satisfactory ways in which to utilize left-over roast beef or corned beef is to cut it into small pieces and make it into a hash. Cold boiled potatoes that remain from a previous meal are usually combined with the beef, and onion is added for flavor. When hash is prepared to resemble an omelet and is garnished with parsley, it makes an attractive dish.

To make beef hash, remove all skin and bone from the meat, chop quite fine, and add an equal quantity of chopped cold-boiled potatoes and one chopped onion. Season with salt and pepper. Put the mixture into a well-buttered frying pan, moisten with milk, meat stock, or left-over gravy, and place over a fire. Let the hash brown slowly on the bottom and then fold over as for an omelet. Serve on a platter garnished with parsley.

77. FRIZZLED BEEF.--While the dried beef used in the preparation of frizzled beef is not necessarily a left-over meat, the recipe for this dish is given here, as it is usually served at a meal when the preceding left-over beef dishes are appropriate. Prepared according to this recipe, frizzled beef will be found both nutritious and appetizing.

FRIZZLED BEEF

(

Sufficient to Serve Four

)

Brown the butter in a frying pan and add the beef torn into small pieces. Allow it to cock until the beef becomes brown. Add the flour and brown it. Pour the milk over all, and cook until the flour thickens the milk. Serve over the toast.

MEAT (PART 1)

EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

(1) (a) What is meat? (b) What substance in meat makes it a valuable food?

(2) (a) What do protein foods do for the body? (b) How does meat compare in cost with the other daily foods?

(3) What harm may occur from eating meat that is not thoroughly cooked?

(4) (a) Describe the structure of meat, (b) How do the length and the direction of the fibers affect the tenderness of meat?

(5) (a) How may gelatine be obtained from meat? (b) What use is made of this material?

(6) (a) Describe the two kinds of fat found in meat, (b) What does this substance supply to the body?

(7) (a) What is the value of water in the tissues of meat? (b) How does its presence affect the cookery method to choose for preparing meat?

(8) (a) What are extractives? (b) Why are they of value in meat?

(9) (a) Name the ways by which the housewife may reduce her meat bill, (b) How should meat be cared for in the home?

(10) Give three reasons for cooking meat.

(11) (a) Describe the effect of cooking on the materials contained in meat, (b) How does cooking affect the digestibility of meat?

(12) What methods of cookery are used for: (a) the tender cuts of meat? (b) the tough cuts? (c) Mention the cuts of meat that have the most flavor.

(13) (a) How should the temperature of the oven vary with the size of the roast to be cooked? (b) Give the reason for this.

(14) Describe beef of good quality.

(15) In what parts of the animal are found: (a) the cheaper cuts of beef? (b) the more expensive cuts?

(16) (a) Name the steaks obtained from the loin, (b) Which of these is best for a large family? (c) Which is best for a small family?

(17) Describe the way in which to broil steak.

(18) (a) What is the tenderloin of beef? (b) Explain the two ways of cooking it.

(19) (a) Name the various kinds of roasts, (b) Describe the roasting of beef in the oven.

(20) (a) What cuts of beef are most satisfactory for stews? (b) Explain how beef stew is made.