Creole Summer Squash

Recipe No. 639 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

• Squash, summer — 20 pounds
• Salt — as needed
• Water, boiling — as needed
• Onions, chopped — 3 pounds (3 No. 56 dippers)
• Butter or bacon fat — 1 pound (½ No. 56 dipper)
• Tomatoes — ½ No. 10 can
• Sugar, granulated — 2 ounces (4 mess kit spoons)
• Salt — 1½ ounces (3 mess kit spoons)
• Pepper — as needed

Directions

Key ingredients

Bacon Grease

1. Wash squash thoroughly; cut into 1 inch cubes.
2. Add boiling salted water. Cover and heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer about 6 minutes or until tender. Drain.
3. Fry onions in butter or bacon fat until tender.
4. Add cooked squash, tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper; mix well.
5. Cover and heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Squash, summer — 1 lb 9⅔ oz Salt — to taste Water, boiling — to taste Onions, chopped — 3¾ oz Butter or bacon fat — 1¼ oz Tomatoes — 8⅓ tbsp Sugar, granulated — about 1 tsp Salt — about ¾ tsp Pepper — to taste

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 639, Vegetables. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.