Ham au Gratin

2 tbspn butter, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 chopped onion, 1/2 cup sour cream, 7&1/2 oz can mushrooms, 1/2 cup grated sharp cheese, 15 oz can asparagus tips, 1 tbspn mustard, 2 cups cubed ham, 1/2 cup grated cheese.

Method: Fry onion in butter in a frypan until tender, stir in next 7 ingredients. Pour into a greased 3 pint casserole and sprinkle with last 1/2 cup cheese. Place under griller for 5 minutes until browned and heated through.

Source: contributed by Dora Zacher in Blyth Recipe Book: Favourite Tested Recipes of the Blyth Trinity Lutheran Ladies Guild (Blyth Womens Guild, 1972), p.5.

Jellied Plum Pudding

1/2 lb prunes, 2 cups water, small stick cinnamon, 3 tspn gelatine, extra 1/2 cup cold water, 4 oz chopped dried figs, 3 oz seedless raisins, 1/2 cup sugar, juice of 3 oranges and 2 lemons, 3 tbspn sweet sherry, 2 oz chopped glace cherries, 2 oz chopped blanched almonds.

Method: Place prunes, cinnamon stick and water in saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer until tender. Remove stones and chop prunes. Reserve 3/4 cup hot prune juice. Soften gelatine in extra cold water and dissolve by pouring on reserved hot prune juice. Combine prunes and gelatine with all remaining ingredients, mix well, pour into 3 pint pudding mould. Chill until set, overnight if possible.

Source: contributed by Vera Hentschke in Blyth Recipe Book: Favourite Tested Recipes of the Blyth Trinity Lutheran Ladies Guild (Blyth Womens Guild, 1972), p.25.

source

Glazed Ham

Plumrose shoulder ham

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 desspn corn flour

white vinegar 1 desspn

pineapple rings

pineapple juice

2 tspn french mustard

Method: Fasten pineapple rings to ham with tooth picks. Mix other ingredients together and pour over ham, bake 20-30 minutes in moderate oven. Basting frequently.

Source: contributed by D. Frances in S.C.N.H. [Southern Cross Nursing Homes] 1st Floor Cook Book No. 2 (?North Plympton; n.d.), p.79.

Christmas Carrots

2 cups sliced fresh carrots

1/2 cup water, or beef stock

1t cornflour

3T sauterne

1T chopped parsley

1T butter

1t lemon juice

Salt and black pepper to taste

Method: Boil the carrots over medium GAS flame till tender but crisp in the water or beef stock approx. 5-8 minutes. Add the butter, lemon juice, parsley and pepper. Blend the cornflour with the sauterne, and stir into the carrots. Mix and boil for 3 minutes over medium GAS flame.

Source: 1979 Christmas Cookery with Gas from the Home Service Department South Australian Gas Company ([Adelaide]: South Australian Gas Company, 1979), p.4

[t = teaspoon; T = tablespoon]

Christmas Turkey, Belle Vue

1 No. 50 turkey, baked and cold

1 large stick celery, finely chopped

2 kg apples, finely chopped

1 tsp. gelatine, dissolved in

1/2 cup water

salt and pepper

1 litre mayonnaise

Method: Carefully remove legs and breasts of turkey. Carve the breasts into thin serving slices. Fill cavity of turkey with salad made from celery, apples, mayonnaise, salt and pepper mixed together. Replace legs and carved sliced breasts. Secure in position by brushing with gelataine [sic]. Decorate with slices of pineapple, orange, walnut pieces and glace cherries. (Serves 6-8).

Source: Windsor Wonderful Recipes with compliments Windsor Poultry Service, 14 Sturt Street, Adelaide 5000 (Adelaide, n.d.), p.12.

Christmas Pudding - Cold

1 lb. lady fingers

1/2 lb. shelled almonds

1/2 lb. crystallised cherries

1 pint hot milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 lb. macaroons

1 pint sherry wine

2 tablespoons flour

1 quart cream, whipped stiff

1 egg

Method: Soak the macaroons in the wine. Blanch and chop the almonds, not too finely. Make a custard by mixing sugar and flour with the egg until very light, add gradually to the hot milk, and let cook in double boiler until very thick, stirring constantly. Cool, add almonds, cherries and the cream whipped very stiff. Line glass bowl with lady fingers, cut in halves. Add the custard, macaroons, cream, putting cherries all through the bowl. Pile cream on the top and decorate with cherries.

Source: The Possum Cookery Book in Aid of Miss Minda - Telethon (Brighton: Minda Home Auxiliary, n.d. [1960s - post 1963]), p.60.

Christmas Biscuits

1 lb. butter

1 lb. ground rice

5 eggs

1 lb. sugar

2 lb. SR flour

pinch salt

Method: Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time, then ground rice, sift flour and salt, add, mix well. Divide mixture into three. First: add 2 teaspoons lemon juice, a few drops essence lemon. Second: 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 dessertspoon cold water, 2 tablespoons coconut. Third: 3 dessertspoons extract malt, 3 dessertspoons Golden Syrup. Put through a biscuit forcer and bake in moderate oven about 10 to 15 minutes.

Source: Memory Lane Cookbook (Rotary Club of Naracoorte, 1986), p. 103.