I can remember Mum always making this for a Tupperware party or the latest party plan event at one of the neighbour’s houses. That and cheese/kabana/pickled onion on a toothpick stuck in an orange or finger sandwiches or a homemade dip with crackers. I don’t think this spread resembles chicken in any way but it does resemble the taste of the stuffing and that’s pretty yummy. Its really easy to do with things that most people have on hand and its a pleasant change to the range of supermarket dips available.
‘Mock’ foods originated in World War II when households were rationed to regulate household consumption. You can read more about it here from the Australian War Memorial
website. Housewives soon became inventive in their recipes, inventing ‘mock’ dishes such as mock brains, mock goose, mock fish. You name it. I can remember Mum making an apple pie once using choko and it didn’t taste too bad considering I hated choko. When there was no choice, you made do with what you had.
Mock Chicken Spread
(Recipe from “Day to Day Cookery” – my high school Home Economics text book)
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 tsp butter, for frying
- 1 tomato, skinned and chopped (although I didn’t skin mine)
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
- 1 beaten egg
- 1 tbs grated cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- Fry onion in butter until soft but not brown.
- Add tomato and herbs and simmer until tomato has softened.
- Remove from heat and add beaten egg, grated cheese, salt and pepper and stir until mixture thickens.
- If mixture is still ‘watery’ add 1 tbs dried breadcrumbs.
- Serve with crackers or on sandwiches.
Thanks Amanda for the opportunity to guest blog on the Time Worn Tucker series. I look forward to reading more of these fabulous recipes.
