Sweet and Sour Carrots

Recipe No. 578 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

• Carrots, medium size — 25 pounds
• Salt — as needed
• Water, boiling — as needed
• Butter, melted — 1½ pounds (¾ No. 56 dipper)
• Flour, sifted — ½ pound (½ No. 56 dipper)
• Lemon juice — ½ pint (¼ No. 56 dipper)
• Sugar, granulated — 6 ounces (¼ mess kit cup)
• Salt — as needed
• Pepper — as needed

Directions

1. Scrub carrots thoroughly and scrape to remove outer layer of skin. Cut into quarters; if long, cut into two pieces. Add rapidly boiling salted water, allowing only enough water to cook the carrots so there will be
2. approximately 2 quarts (2 No. 56 dippers) liquid left on the carrots when cooked.
3. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Drain.
4. Mix melted butter and flour together; stir until smooth. Add the 2 quarts (2 No. 56 dippers) carrot liquid. Heat to boiling; boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add carrots.
5. Remove from heat and add lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper.
6. Serve immediately.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Carrots, medium size — 2 lb Salt — to taste Water, boiling — to taste Butter, melted — 2 oz Flour, sifted — ⅔ oz Lemon juice — 1¼ tbsp Sugar, granulated — ½ oz Salt — to taste Pepper — to taste

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 578, Vegetables. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.