War Rationing ‘Salmon Baked’

In the First World War food rationing Victory Cookery  Book, 1918, Dorothy Peel makes a 340g/12oz. tin of salmon stretch to 4 dishes, feeding a total of up to 12 people.  Here I give you the first dish.  So good and so simple.

In the words of Granny Dot:

‘Cheese is an important part of these dishes, but must be omitted when it is scarce.’

‘(1) Salmon Baked (for three Persons)

Materials – Best pieces of salmon, white sauce, pepper, a few drops of lemon juice, a little grated cheese or crumbs.

Method.- Place the pieces of salmon in a fireproof dish, previously lined with white sauce.  Add pepper to taste and lemon juice, cover with white sauce and sprinkle with grated cheese, and bake in a hot oven until brown.

The dish should be placed in another containing water white cooking.’

Ingredients
110g tinned salmon
2/3rd pint/400mls white sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp chopped parsley
seasoning, to taste
2 tbsp grated cheese
2 tbsp breadcrumbs (optional)

1.  Butter a small heat proof dish (about 15cm circumferance) or 3 ramekins.
2.  Mix the tinned salmon with the white sauce, lemon, parsley and seasoning.
3.  Sprinkle cheese and breadcrumbs on top.
4.  Bake in a hot oven of at least 180 degrees C for 5-10 minutes until lightly browned.
5.  Serve with salad (we had a tomato salad with white balsamic vinegar and Maldon Sea salt) and bread and butter perhaps, or just have as is.