Second World War Rissoles

How to make Second World War Spam rissoles:

During the Second World War Spam or similar "mystery meat,"or "bully beef," made up a percentage of the housewife's meat ration. It proved to be a very useful ingredient for quick and easy dishes like these rissoles. Cooks serving troops in the field used this recipe using much larger quantities.


For troops, these were a welcome change from MREs. Wrapped in waxed paper, 2 rissoles made a complete meal in the field. See the November 11, 2010 blog for a discussion of "Spam."

Ingredients

12oz corned beef or Spam finely diced
2 cups cold mashed potatoes
2 cups cooked mixed vegetables such as carrots, corn, peas, beans.
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt and pepper
1 teaspoon of dried mixed herbs
2 tablespoonfuls of Worcestershire Sauce

Method

- Mix all ingredients

- Shape into 1/2 cup patties.
- Bake in a hot oven.
400 degrees for 40 minutes

Australian Troops at a World War II Jungle Kitchen and
 Aid Station


Too Light - By One Rissole: A World War I Observation
During the night before my Division (21st) attacked on October 4 1917, my unit was in the tunnel under the road at "Clapham Junction," near Hooge. Rations having failed to arrive, each man was given a rissole and a packet of chewing gum. We went over about 6 a.m., and despite severe losses, managed to push our line forward 1,300 yards. When we were back in "rest" dug-outs at Zillebeke, our officer happening to comment on our "feed" prior to the attack, my mate said : "Yus. Blikin' good job for old Jerry we did not have two rissoles a man - we might have shoved him back to Berlin!"
Comment by C. Hartridge, 92 Lancaster Street, S.E 1 from <www.firstworldwar.com> 

Australians were raised in culture where military duty was an expectation. Australians were continuously involved in wars some somewhere on the planet for the past 120 years. From the Boer wars in the late 1800's and early 1900's, the two world wars,  Malayan  Guerrilla warfare from 1947 to 1960, Korea, Vietnam and so on today in Iraq and Afghanistan . My military training started in high school and continued into officer training school where I served as a small arms instructor. I left as a senior sargent and headed for the USA.