Roasts are among the most popular of vegetarian dishes. In the home,
in sanitariums and in our vegetarian restaurants they are always in
demand. Except soups there are no dishes that we are so often asked to
give the recipes for as our roasts. We always plan to have left-overs
that will be good for them, as the proper combination of different
ingredients is very satisfying, and richer flavors are often developed
by reheating foods.
When we start to make a roast, we gather up the suitable ingredients:
for instance, a few baked beans or mashed lentils, a little cold boiled
rice, some tomato macaroni, a nut cutlet or two, perhaps one or two
croquettes, a spoonful or so of tomato, some boiled onions, a few
peas or string beans or baked peanuts, may be a little corn, and the
vegetables strained out of a soup from the day before; throwing them
one after another into a pan. Then we often add a handful of nut meats,
chopped or whole, a little sage, sometimes sliced celery or chopped
onion, occasionally a little browned flour; never potatoes unless an
infinitesimal quantity. Then we scatter over some coarse bread or
zwieback crumbs or granella and pour on consommé, broth or gravy, some
soup we happen to have, or water, and add one or more beaten eggs,
according to the number and size of the loaves; just enough to hold the
ingredients together. The eggs may be omitted, but we are more sure
that the roast will turn out of the tin well without being too solid,
by using them; then, too, they add to the nutritive value of the roast.
Mix well, but not to pastiness, adding more crumbs or liquid as
required to make a rather soft mixture. Allowance must be made for the
swelling of the crumbs, if they are very dry, and the thickening of
the eggs. More salt may be necessary but not much if the foods were
seasoned before. The roast should not be as salt as the gravy that is
to be served with it.
When of the desired consistency put the mixture into well oiled molds
or brick shaped tins, taking care that the corners are well filled.
Brush the tops with oil or melted butter or pour a little thin cream
over. Bake in a moderate oven in a dripping pan or covered baker
without water until the roast is well heated through and the eggs
set, then pour boiling water into the baker, cover and bake for an
hour or so longer. Remove from oven, let stand a few minutes, invert
on platter, lifting mold carefully, garnish, and send to table with a
suitable sauce. Some of the meaty flavored sauces are most appropriate.
The pieces of nut meat in the roast add much to the pleasure of
masticating it. Roasts may be warmed over by setting in pan of hot
water in the oven.
=Cutlets of Roast=
Cut cold roast into not too thin slices. Egg and crumb, or flour
only. Bake or broil and serve with or without a sauce. Some such
accompaniment as stewed onions or carrots is enjoyable. Cutlets may be
served on a bed of pilau.
Below are given the ingredients of a few roasts that were made in a
small institution at different times.
=No. 1=
Some macaroni strained out of the soup from the day before, a little
nutmese à la crême, some trumese cutlets, hard boiled eggs, a little
nutmese, sage, crumbs, eggs, consommé. The nutmese was put in the
center of the loaf in a layer.
=No. 2=
Stewed red kidney beans ground, egg macaroni ground, dry zwieback
ground, a few nuts, eggs, consommé, nutmese in layers. Served with
Sauce Imperial.
=No. 3=
Baked peanuts, rice, garlic, a little melted butter, savory tomato
gravy (made with tomato, Chili sauce, bay leaf and a little cream) a
very little sage, eggs, crumbs, soup.
=No. 4=
Macaroni, rice, peas purée, trumese cutlets, some trumese in tomato,
and nutmese, laid in the center of the loaf. Sage, eggs, crumbs, soup.
=Brazil Nut and Lentil Roast=
3 cups coarse, dry bread crumbs
3 cups mashed lentils (1½ cup before cooking)
1½ cup chopped Brazil nut meats
2 teaspns. salt
2 cups hot water
Mix all ingredients, using more or less water according to dryness of
crumbs. Press into brick shaped tin or any convenient mold; brush with
oil or cover with thin cream. Bake in moderate oven until well heated
through, then set in pan of hot water, cover and finish baking. Serve
with sauce 6, 9, 10, 16 or 17. Flavorings of onion and browned flour,
or of sage may be used if desired.
Rice and stewed lentils are good ingredients for the foundation of a
roast.
=Black Walnut Roast=
5 cups medium dry bread crumbs
2 cups coarse chopped black walnut meats
1½ teaspn. sage or winter savory
1½ teaspn. salt
2½ cups hot water
Bake as Brazil nut and lentil roast. Serve with sauce 16, 17 or 45.