Asparagus and Cheese

Recipe No. 549 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Vegetables. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Asparagus — 35 pounds*
• Salt — as needed
• Water, boiling — as needed
• Butter, melted — 8 ounces (¼ No. 56 dipper)
• Flour, sifted — 6 ounces (½ No. 56 dipper)
• Salt — 2 ounces (4 mess kit spoons)
• Pepper — as needed
• Mustard, dry — as needed
• Milk, evaporated — 6—14½ ounce cans
• Cheese, chopped — 2 pounds (2 No. 56 dippers)
• Bread, toasted — 100 slices

Directions

Key ingredients

Evaporated Milk · Mustard

1. Remove and discard the tough lower ends of the asparagus stalks. Wash remainder of stalks thoroughly.
2. Stand stalks upright in deep kettle. Add boiling salted water. Cover and heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain.
3. Heat 2 quarts (2 No. 56 dippers) asparagus liquid to boiling point.
4. Mix melted butter, flour, salt, pepper and mustard together. Add hot liquid; stir until smooth. Heat to boiling point; boil 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Add milk; reheat to boiling point. Remove from heat.
5. Add cheese; stir until cheese is melted.
6. Add asparagus and heat. Serve on toast.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Asparagus — 2 lb 12¾ oz Salt — to taste Water, boiling — to taste Butter, melted — ⅔ oz Flour, sifted — ½ oz Salt — about 1 tsp Pepper — to taste Mustard, dry — to taste Milk, evaporated — ½ can (14½ oz) Cheese, chopped — 2½ oz Bread, toasted — 8 slices

3 to 4 No. 10 cans asparagus may be substituted for the 35 pounds fresh asparagus. Fresh asparagus may be broken into 1 inch pieces before cooking. Cook the tougher parts first and add the tender tips the last 15 minutes of cooking. Use any remaining asparagus liquid in soups.

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 549, Vegetables. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.