Meat Substitutes

Upon meat and the savors derived from it has dependence always been placed to make food palatable and appetizing.

With meats taken from us, free fats in disfavor, condiments disallowed, what can we do in the way of preparing dishes that will not only supply the body needs, but also meet the demands of often wrongly educated palates? Surely we would feel quite helpless and find the problem too great. However, a practical study may enable us to "find a way".

Three-Fold

In preparing meat substitutes we must think of (1) broths, (2) entrees, and (3) gravies. These foods must be appetizing, the broths with something of the same savory appeal to the palate as have the meat juices; the entrees must supply the necessary amount of tissue building element, and the gravies, while palatable, must be free from excess of grease especially superheated fats.

A Natural Tonic

(1) Broths and Soups: Vegetables properly prepared yield the most delicious and appetizing flavors. In fact, vegetable bouillon may be so like the ordinary meat broth in its savor that many could scarcely be persuaded of the absence of all meat extract in its preparation. Moreover, such vegetable broths are rich in the mineral salts and vitamines so essential. For the invalid they will have all the advantages of an appetizer and tonic without the contamination of animal wastes and purin stimulation.

Soup Stock

The vegetables cut up without paring should be put to cook in cold water and allowed to simmer two or three hours. In this way the mineral matter, vitamines, and much of the protein pass into the broth, the temperature not being high enough to destroy the vitamines. In boiling vigorously for more than thirty minutes a greater risk is run of destroying the vital elements.

The most important part of the nourishment being near the skin, a most delicious vegetable broth can be made by using simply the parings of potatoes and other vegetables. These having been thoroughly cleansed, may be used to excellent advantage in the preparation of broths and soup stock. No fat should be added but, after straining or pressing through a colander, seasoning in the way of salt, celery salt, a bay leaf, or a pinch of thyme may be added. Any combination of vegetables may be used with good results. (See recipes for soups, Chap. XXII.) Vegex is a factory prepared vegetable extract which makes, when added to boiling water, a very nice bouillon comparable to that prepared from bouillon cubes. (See recipe 34,' Chap. XXII).

The Essential

(2) Entrees: The essential for these dishes as meat substitutes is first, and most important, that they contain a relatively high proportion of protein. In this way only can they replace flesh food, which usually contains 30% or more of the nitrogenous element. Often dishes are served as meat substitutes which contain a very small percentage of protein, and are in reality starchy rather than nitrogenous foods. Something more than the taste must be considered if we are rightly to supply the body demand. However, the flavor cannot be ignored and the dish to be a success must satisfy the palate as well. For foods that, because of their large protein content, are good meat substitutes, see table, Chapter VI (An Ample Supply Of Protein Is Important).