Creamed Peas

Recipe No. 611 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

• Peas — 40 pounds*
• Salt — as needed
• Water, boiling — as needed
• Flour, sifted — 6 ounces (½ mess kit cup)
• Salt — 2 ounces (4 mess kit spoons)
• Pepper — as needed
• Mustard, dry — as needed
• Butter, melted — 8 ounces (¼ No. 56 dipper)
• Milk, evaporated — 6—14½-ounce cans

Directions

Key ingredients

Evaporated Milk · Mustard

1. Shell peas; wash in cold water.
2. Barely cover peas with boiling salted water. Heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer until tender. Drain and reserve liquid.
3. Mix flour, salt, pepper, mustard and melted butter together. Add a small amount of liquid; stir until smooth.
4. Heat 2 quarts (2 No. 56 dippers) liquid to boiling point. Add flour mixture slowly. Heat to boiling point; boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. Reduce heat; add milk and simmer about 5 minutes.
6. Add peas and continue simmering until peas are heated through, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Peas — 3 lb 3¼ oz Salt — to taste Water, boiling — to taste Flour, sifted — ½ oz Salt — about 1 tsp Pepper — to taste Mustard, dry — to taste Butter, melted — ⅔ oz Milk, evaporated — ½ can (14½ oz)

3 No. 10 cans peas may be substituted for the 40 pounds fresh peas.

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 611, Vegetables. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.