Cheese Bean Roast

Recipe No. 558 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

• Beans, kidney, dry — 7½ pounds (4¾ No. 56 dippers)
• Water — as needed
• Cheese, cheddar — 12½ pounds

Onions, chopped — 1½ pounds (1½ No. 56 dippers)

• Fat, melted (for frying) — 12 ounces (½ mess kit cup)
• Eggs, beaten — 50 eggs (2½ No. 56 dippers)
• Salt — 1½ ounces (3 mess kit spoons)
• Pepper — ¼ ounce (1 mess kit spoon)
• Paprika — as needed
• Bread crumbs, soft — 2½ pounds
• Tomato sauce — 2 gallons (8 No. 56 dippers)

Directions

1. Wash beans. Cover with water; soak 4 hours.
2. Cover and heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer until tender. Drain.
3. Grind cooked beans and cheese together.
4. Fry onions until tender.
5. Combine bean mixture, onions, beaten egg, salt, pepper and paprika; mix well. Add bread crumbs; mix lightly.
6. Place in greased baking pans. Bake in moderate oven (350° F.) 40 to 50 minutes or until set.
7. Prepare tomato sauce (recipe No. 508).
8. Cut roast into squares; serve with tomato sauce.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Beans, kidney, dry — 9⅔ oz Water — to taste Cheese, cheddar — 1 lb Onions, chopped — 2 oz Fat, melted (for frying) — 1 oz Eggs, beaten — 4 eggs Salt — about ¾ tsp Pepper — a pinch Paprika — to taste Bread crumbs, soft — 3¼ oz Tomato sauce — 2½ cups

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 558, Vegetables. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.