Chapter VI: Introduction (5)

Decorate a greased mould with raisins, and pour the mixture into the mould.

Cover with greased paper, and steam for two hours.

Serve with sweet or wine sauce.

Macaroni Pudding.

_Ingredients_--½ lb. of macaroni.
¼ lb. of sugar.
1 or 2 eggs.
1 quart of milk.

_Method._--Break the macaroni into pieces and put them into a saucepan of boiling water.

Boil for twenty minutes, and then strain off the water.

Pour in the milk; add the sugar, and simmer gently for ten minutes.

Beat up the eggs and stir them in.

Put the mixture into a buttered pie-dish and bake for about thirty minutes.

Eastern Pudding.

_Ingredients_--1 lb. of figs (cut in small dice).
¼ lb. of suet.
½ lb. of bread-crumbs.
2 eggs.
The grated rind of a lemon.
1 wineglass of brandy.
3 oz. of sugar.

_Method._--Put the figs, suet, bread-crumbs, and grated lemon rind into a basin.

Mix it with the eggs, well beaten, and the brandy, adding a little milk if necessary.

Boil in a greased basin for two hours.

Ground-Barley Pudding.

_Ingredients_--1 tablespoonful of ground barley.
½ pint of milk.
1 tablespoonful of moist sugar.
1 egg.

_Method._--Mix the barley smoothly with the milk.

Put it into a saucepan with the sugar, and bring to the boil, stirring all the time.

Then let it simmer for fifteen minutes.

Remove from the fire, and beat in the yolk of the egg.

Whip the white up stiffly, and stir in lightly.

Pour the mixture into a buttered pie-dish, and bake for fifteen minutes.

Steamed Semolina Pudding.

_Ingredients_--3 oz. of semolina.
1 pint of milk.
2 eggs.
2 oz. of moist sugar.
A little flavouring essence.

_Method._--Boil the semolina in the milk, with the sugar, until quite soft.

Then add the flavouring essence and the yolks of the two eggs.

Beat the whites up stiffly and mix them in lightly.

Pour the mixture into a greased pudding-mould, and steam for one hour.

Albert Puddings.

_Ingredients_--4 oz. of flour.
4 oz. of butter.
4 oz. of castor sugar.
2 eggs.
A few drops of vanilla flavouring.

_Method._--Work the butter to a cream in a basin, and beat in the flour, sugar, and eggs smoothly.

Add the flavouring essence.

Put the mixture into well-greased cups and bake for about half an hour.

Serve with sweet sauce.

Pearl-Barley Pudding.

_Ingredients_--1 oz. of pearl barley.
1 pint of milk.
2 oz. of moist sugar.

_Method._--Put the barley to soak in cold water all night.

Then pour away the water and put the barley into a pie-dish.

Add the sugar and milk; and bake in a moderate oven for three hours.

Baked Lemon Pudding.

_Ingredients_--1 pint of milk.
3 oz. of bread-crumbs.
1 egg.
3 oz. of moist sugar.
The juice of a lemon and half the rind, grated.

_Method._--Put the crumbs into a basin.

Boil the milk with the butter and sugar, and pour it over the crumbs.

Stir in the egg, well beaten; add the lemon rind and juice.

Pour it into a greased pie-dish, and bake in a moderate oven until set.

West-of-England Pudding.

_Ingredients_--3 tablespoonfuls of sago.
6 small apples.
1 quart of milk.
3 oz. of moist sugar.

_Method._--Soak the sago in cold water for an hour.

Then simmer it in the milk, with the sugar, for twenty minutes.

Peel and core the apples.

Place them in a buttered pie-dish, and pour the sago over them.

Bake in a moderate oven for about one hour.

Pancakes.

_Ingredients_--½ lb. of flour.
2 eggs.
1 pint of milk.
Some lard, or dripping, for frying.

_Method._--Put the flour into a basin, add to it a pinch of salt.

Make a well in the middle and put the two eggs into it; mix them smoothly with the flour; and add the milk very gradually.

Melt the lard, or dripping.

Well season a small frying-pan, about the size of a cheese plate.

Put into it a teaspoonful of the melted fat, and let it run well over the pan.

Then pour in enough batter to cover the pan thinly, and fry it brown, shaking the pan occasionally to keep it from burning.

Then toss it on to the other side; and, when that is fried, turn it on to kitchen paper.

Sprinkle with sugar and lemon juice and roll it up.

Keep it hot while the remainder of the batter is fried in the same way.

If the maker cannot toss the pancakes well, they may be turned with a broad-bladed knife. If they are fried in a larger pan, more fat must be used.

Railway Pudding.

_Ingredients_--¼ lb. of flour.
2 oz. of castor sugar.
2 eggs.
½ pint of milk.
2 teaspoonfuls of baking powder.

_Method._--Mix the flour, sugar, and baking powder in a basin.

Beat the eggs well with the milk, and mix the pudding with them.

Pour into a well-greased Yorkshire-pudding tin; and bake for about thirty minutes.

When done, turn out and cut into squares.

Dish in a circle, with a little jam, or treacle, on each.

Poor Knight's Pudding.

_Ingredients_--Some small square slices of stale bread.
Castor sugar.

_Method._--Fry the bread in hot fat (_see_ French Frying).

Drain on kitchen paper.

Dish in the form of a wreath, the one leaning on the other, and put a little jam on each.

Gooseberry Fool.

_Ingredients_--1 quart of gooseberries.
¾ lb. of moist sugar.
½ pint of water.
1 pint of milk or cream.

_Method._--Take the tops and stalks from the gooseberries, and boil them with the sugar and water until soft.

Rub them through a hair sieve.

Mix in the milk, or cream, gradually; and serve on a glass dish.

Apricot Pudding.

_Ingredients_--¼ lb. of finely-chopped suet.
½ lb. of bread-crumbs.
3 eggs.
8 tablespoonfuls of apricot jam.
1 glass of sherry.
2 oz. of sugar.

_Method._--Put the suet, bread-crumbs, and sugar into a basin, and mix with the eggs, well beaten, apricot and sherry.

Put the mixture into a greased pudding-mould and boil for two hours.

Stale-Bread Pudding.

_Ingredients_--½ lb. scraps of bread.
1 quart of boiling milk.
2 eggs.
2 oz. of sugar.
¼ lb. of currants.

_Method._--Soak the bread in cold water until soft.

Squeeze it quite dry, and beat up with a fork.

Pour the boiling milk over.

Stir in the sugar and eggs, well beaten.

Then stir in the currants.

Bake in a pie-dish for two hours.

Baked Plum Pudding.

_Ingredients_--¼ lb. of finely-chopped suet.
¾ lb. of flour.
¼ lb. of raisins, stoned and chopped.
¼ lb. of currants.
2 oz. of candied peel.
2 oz. of moist sugar.
1 egg.
2 teaspoonfuls of baking powder.
1 gill, or more, of milk.

_Method._--Put all the dry ingredients into a basin, and mix with the egg and milk; it must be quite stiff.

Bake in a greased baking-tin for one hour.

For serving, cut into squares, and dust them over with castor sugar.

Treacle Pudding.

_Ingredients_--1 lb. of flour.
¼ lb of finely-chopped suet.
¼ lb. of treacle.
½ oz. of ground ginger.
1 egg.
2 oz. of moist sugar.
1½ gill of milk.
1 teaspoonful of baking powder.

_Method._--Put the dry ingredients into a basin.

Mix with the treacle and the egg well beaten with the milk.

Boil in a greased basin for four hours.

The egg may be omitted, if liked.

Plum Pudding.

_Ingredients_--¼ lb. of finely-chopped suet.
¼ lb. of currants.
¼ lb. of raisins, stoned and chopped.
6 oz. of flour.
6 oz. of bread-crumbs.
2 oz. of candied peel.
3 oz. of sugar.
1 gill of milk.
2 eggs.
½ teaspoonful of baking powder.

_Method._--Put the dry ingredients into a basin, and mix with the eggs and milk, well beaten together.

Boil in a cloth or basin for four hours.

Windsor Pudding.

_Ingredients_--2 oz. of semolina.
1 oz. of candied peel.
½ pint of milk.
¼ lb. of treacle.

_Method._--Mix the milk smoothly with the semolina.

Then put it into a saucepan and stir until it thickens.

Add the treacle and candied peel; pour it into a pie-dish.

Bake for about thirty minutes.

Spring Pudding.

_Ingredients_--1 pint of gooseberries.
½ pint of milk.
4 oz. of moist sugar.
Slices of bread-and-butter.

_Method._--Stew the gooseberries with a very little water and the sugar for ten minutes.

Dip the bread into the milk, and lay a slice at the bottom of a pie-dish.

Put a layer of gooseberries on it.

Then another slice of bread-and-butter and more gooseberries.

Continue in this manner until the dish is full.

Bake gently for one hour.

Gingerbread Pudding.

_Ingredients_--½ lb. of flour.
½ lb. of treacle.
¼ lb. of finely chopped suet.
3 teaspoonfuls of ground ginger.
½ teaspoonful of baking powder.
2 oz. of candied peel.
1 egg.
A little milk.

_Method._--Put the dry ingredients into a basin.

Mix with the egg, well beaten, treacle and milk.

Boil in a greased basin for three hours.

Economical Bread Pudding.

_Ingredients_--½ lb. of scraps of bread.
¼ lb. of finely-chopped suet.
¼ lb. of currants.
3 oz. of moist sugar.
1 egg.

_Method._--Soak the bread in cold water until soft; squeeze it quite dry.

Beat it up with a fork.

Add to it the suet, sugar, and currants, which should be well washed and dried.

Mix with the egg, well beaten.

Boil in a greased basin for an hour.

Economical Ginger Pudding.

_Ingredients_--½ lb. of scraps of bread.
¼ lb. of finely-chopped suet.
2 oz. of moist sugar.
2 tablespoonfuls of treacle.
3 teaspoonfuls of ground ginger.

_Method._--Soak the bread in cold water until quite soft.

Squeeze it dry, and beat with a fork until quite fine.

Add the suet, sugar, and ginger, and mix with the treacle.

Boil in a greased basin for an hour.

Economical Fig Pudding.

_Ingredients_--½ lb. of scraps of bread.
¼ lb. of finely-chopped suet.
½ lb. of figs.
1 egg.
3 oz. of moist sugar.

_Method._--Soak the bread in cold water until quite soft.

Squeeze it dry.

Add to it the suet, sugar, and figs, chopped small, and mix with beaten egg.

Boil in a greased basin for one hour.

Economical Lemon Pudding.

Make like preceding recipe, substituting the grated rind and juice of two lemons for the figs.

Currant Pudding.

_Ingredients_--3 eggs.
The same weight of sugar, flour, and bread-crumbs.
Suet, currants, minced apples.
A little grated lemon rind.
A little milk.

_Method._--Chop the suet finely, and add to it the sugar, flour, bread-crumbs, minced apple, currants, and grated lemon rind.

Mix with the eggs, well beaten, and a little milk.

Boil in a greased basin for three hours.

Plain Cold Cabinet Pudding.

_Ingredients_--1 tablespoonful of flour.
1½ tablespoonful of arrowroot.
1 wineglass of sherry.
A few raisins.
3 stale sponge cakes.
1 pint of milk.
2 oz. of sugar.

_Method._--Put the milk to boil with the sugar.

When boiling, stir in the flour, mixed with a little cold milk.

When it thickens, add the arrowroot, also mixed smoothly with milk.

Boil for three minutes, stirring all the time.

Then add to it the sherry.

Cut the raisins in two and stone them.

Decorate a plain round tin with them.

Break up the cakes and put some pieces in the tin.

Pour in some of the thickened milk, then some more pieces of cake, and more milk.

Continue in this way until the mould is full.

Set it aside until quite cold.

Then turn it out, and serve with jam.

Cornflour Pudding.

_Ingredients_--2 tablespoonfuls of cornflour.
1 pint of milk.
2 tablespoonfuls of castor sugar.
1 egg, if liked.

_Method._--Put the milk on to boil.

Put the cornflour into a pie-dish with the sugar.

Mix smoothly with a little cold milk.

Pour on it the boiling milk, stirring quickly until it thickens.

Add the egg, well beaten, and a little flavouring essence.

Bake in a pie-dish for about thirty minutes.

Swiss Pudding.

_Ingredients_--2 lb. of apples.
½ lb. of bread-crumbs.
3 oz. of moist sugar.
A little grated lemon rind.
1 oz. of butter.

_Method._--Peel, core, and slice the apples.

Put a layer of them into a buttered pie-dish.

Sprinkle them with crumbs, lemon rind, and a little sugar, and put small pieces of butter about them.

Put some pieces of apple on the top; sprinkle them also with crumbs, lemon rind, sugar, and butter.

Continue in the same way until the dish is full.

Bake until the pudding is nicely browned.

For serving, it may be turned out of the dish.

Brown-Bread Pudding.

_Ingredients_--1 loaf of brown bread.
1 gill of double cream.
The rind of 1 lemon.
3 oz. of castor sugar.
1 gill of milk.
4 eggs.
A few drops of essence of vanilla.

_Method._--Remove the crust from the loaf, and rub the crumb through a wire sieve.

Put five ounces of the crumbs into a basin with the sugar and grated lemon rind.

Boil the milk, pour it over the crumbs, and add the vanilla essence.

Whip the cream to a stiff froth, and mix it with the pudding, adding also the yolks of the eggs.

Beat the whites of two eggs to a stiff froth, and stir them in lightly.

Put the mixture into a well-greased mould, and steam for an hour and a half.

Diplomatic Pudding.

_Ingredients_--¼ pint of sweet jelly.
1 pint of milk.
½ oz. of gelatine.
2 sponge cakes.
2 oz. of ratafias.
1 whole egg, and 4 yolks.
2 oz. of sugar.
A little flavouring essence.

_Method._--Soak the gelatine in a little milk.

Break the sponge cakes and ratafias, and put them into a basin.

Boil the milk with the sugar.

Beat the eggs, and pour the milk on them.

Strain it into a jug, and put it to stand in a saucepan of boiling water, and stir until the custard coats the spoon.

Then melt the gelatine, add it to the custard, and pour it at once over the cakes.

While the mixture cools, pour a little jelly, coloured with cochineal, into a plain round tin.

When it is set, place a jam-pot, or a smaller tin, on it, and pour some jelly round the sides.

When it is quite firm, pour some boiling water into the jam-pot, or tin, and remove it quickly.

When the custard and cakes are cold, but not set, add the essence, and pour into the mould.

When quite firm, dip the tin in hot water for a second or two, and turn it on to a glass dish.

Pease Pudding.

_Ingredients_--1 pint of split peas.
Pepper and salt.

_Method._--Soak the peas overnight.

Tie them in a bag or cloth, leaving room for them to swell.

Cook them with the meat with which they are to be served.

Then drain them in a colander.

Mash them with pepper and salt, and press them into a shape in a vegetable-dish.

Hominy Porridge.

_Ingredients_--1 pint of milk or water.
3 tablespoonfuls of flaked hominy.

_Method._--Mix the hominy smoothly with the milk or water.

Stir and cook over the fire for ten minutes.

Hominy Pudding.

_Ingredients_--3 tablespoonfuls of flaked hominy.
1 pint of milk.
2 tablespoonfuls of sugar.

_Method._--Mix the hominy with a little cold milk, and make the remainder boil.

Then stir in the hominy and cook until it thickens.

Add the sugar, pour into a greased pie-dish, and bake for about half an hour.

If liked, one or two eggs may be added to the pudding, with a little flavouring essence.

Note.--The _flaked_ hominy is the best for general purposes, as the
_granulated_ takes many hours boiling before it is properly cooked.

VEGETABLES.

The rules for cooking vegetables are very simple, and easily remembered. All vegetables, with the exception of old potatoes, are put into boiling water. Green vegetables must be boiled with the lid off the saucepan, as the steam would discolour them, and the water must _boil_, _not simmer_. Salt is added, in the proportion of one tablespoonful to every two quarts of water. If the water is very hard, it may be necessary to add a little piece of soda. The lime in hard water discolours green vegetables, and the use of soda is to throw this down. Do not, however, use soda, unless obliged, as too much of it will destroy, to some extent, the flavour of the vegetables. Peas must be boiled gently, as rapid boiling would break their skins. Haricot beans must be boiled gently, for the same reason. Root vegetables take longer to cook than fresh ones. Old potatoes must be put into warm water, as they require gradual cooking, and must be boiled gently, until tender. With that exception, all the others must be put into boiling water. Carrots, turnips, and parsnips are generally cooked with the meat with which they are served, as their flavour is thereby improved.

To Boil Potatoes.

If boiled in their skins, scrub them perfectly clean, and put them into a saucepan with sufficient warm water to cover them.

Sprinkle them with salt and boil them gently for half an hour or more, until very _nearly_ tender, but not quite.

Then pour the water away.

Peel the potatoes, replace them in the saucepan, sprinkle salt upon them, cover them with a cloth, and put the lid on the saucepan.

Let them stand by the side of the fire to finish cooking in their own steam.

Care must be taken that the potatoes cooked in this way are free from disease. One tainted potato would destroy the flavour of the others.

If cooked without their skins, pare them thinly and treat them in the same manner, pouring off the water when they are very nearly tender, and finish cooking them in their own steam.

If the potatoes are good and are cooked according to these directions, they will be perfectly dry and flowery.

To Steam Potatoes.

Put the potatoes into the steamer, and sprinkle them with salt.

Keep the water in the saucepan underneath quickly boiling the whole time the potatoes are cooking.

If the potatoes are cooked in their skins,[*] peel them when very nearly tender, and put them back in the steamer to finish cooking.

Steaming is one of the simplest and best ways of cooking potatoes. If the potatoes are good and the water is kept briskly boiling, this method cannot fail to be successful.

[*] This should only be done when untainted by disease.

To Cook New Potatoes.

Put the potatoes into boiling water with some salt, and boil gently for twenty minutes or more, according to their age.

When very nearly tender pour off the water, cover them with a cloth, and set the saucepan by the side of the fire, and finish cooking in their own steam.

Baked Potatoes.

Choose nice potatoes, not too large, and scrub them perfectly clean.

Bake them in a moderate oven for about an hour.

Brussels Sprouts.

Trim them nicely and put them in boiling water, adding salt in the proportion of a tablespoonful to every two quarts of water.

Put in a little sugar, or, if the water is hard, a little piece of soda the size of a pea.

Boil them quickly, with the lid off the saucepan, from ten to twenty minutes, according to the size and age of the sprouts.

When tender, drain them quite dry in a colander.

Dry the saucepan and put them back with a little butter, pepper, and salt.

Shake them over the fire for a minute or so, and then serve on a hot dish.

To Boil a Cauliflower.

Soak it in salt and water to draw out any insects, and trim off the outside leaves.

Put it, with the flower downwards, into a saucepan of boiling water with salt in it, and cook from twenty to thirty minutes, according to its age.

Drain it on a sieve or colander.

If liked, it may be served with white or French sauce poured over it (_see_ Sauces.)

Green Peas.

Put them into plenty of boiling water, with a little sugar and a sprig or two of mint.

Boil gently with the lid off the saucepan for twenty minutes or more, according to their size and age.

Drain them in a colander.

Then put them into a saucepan with a little piece of butter, a teaspoonful of castor sugar, pepper and salt, and shake them over the fire for a minute or two.

French Beans.

Remove the strings and cut the beans into slices.

Put them into plenty of boiling water, with salt in the proportion of one tablespoonful to every two quarts of water, a little sugar, or, if the water is hard, a small piece of soda about the size of a pea.

Boil quickly for fifteen minutes or longer, according to their age.

Drain in a colander.

Then put them into a saucepan with a small piece of butter, pepper and salt, and shake them over the fire for a minute or two.

Spinach.

Pull off the stalks and wash the spinach well in several waters to remove all grit.

Put it into a saucepan without any water but that which adheres to the leaves, and sprinkle a little salt over it.

Cook with the lid off the saucepan until quite tender, stirring it occasionally.

Drain it in a colander, and wring it dry in a cloth.

Then chop it, or rub it through a wire sieve. The latter method is preferable.

To dress it, mix it in a saucepan over the fire with a little butter, pepper, and salt; a little cream may be used also, care being taken not to make the spinach too moist to serve.

Press it into shape, as a mound or pyramid, in a vegetable dish, and garnish with fried _croutons_ of bread.

Asparagus.

Cut the asparagus all the same length, and scrape the white part lightly.

Tie it together and put it in boiling water, to which salt has been added, in the proportion of one tablespoonful to two quarts of water.

Add also half an ounce of butter.

Boil gently with the lid off the saucepan for half an hour, until the green part is tender--very young asparagus will not take so long.

Dish on toast; if liked, French or white sauce may be poured over the green ends.

Jerusalem Artichokes.

Peel them, and throw them into boiling water, with salt in the proportion of one tablespoonful to every two quarts of water.

Boil gently with the lid on the saucepan for about fifteen or twenty minutes, until quite tender.

They may be served plain, or with French or white sauce poured over them.

They should be sent to table quickly, or they will be discoloured.

Carrots.

Scrape them and put them into boiling water with salt in it, in the proportion of one tablespoonful to every two quarts of water.

Boil gently with the lid on the saucepan until they are quite tender.

New carrots will take about twenty minutes, old ones an hour or more, according to their age and size.

When they are served with boiled meat, they are generally cooked with it. New carrots are sometimes boiled in second stock.

When tender, they are put on a hot vegetable dish, the stock is rapidly boiled down to a glaze, and poured over them.

Turnips.

Boil according to directions given for cooking carrots. Turnips generally take about half an hour; but the time depends on their age and size. If liked, they may be rubbed through a wire sieve, and mashed with butter, pepper, and salt.

Parsnips.

Cook like carrots. They may be served plain, or rubbed through a wire sieve and mashed with butter, pepper, and salt.

Haricot Beans.

Soak them overnight.

Put them into boiling water with a small piece of butter and a small onion.

Boil gently from three to four hours until quite tender.

Drain them, and before serving shake them over the fire with a little butter, pepper, and salt.

Spanish Onions.

First blanch them by putting them into cold water and bringing it to the boil.

Then throw away the water.

Rinse the onions, sprinkle some salt over them, and put them into fresh water.

Boil gently from two to three hours, until perfectly tender.

Drain them, and serve, if liked, with French, Italian or white sauce.

Spanish onions are sometimes boiled in stock, or milk which is afterwards used to make the sauce.

Celery.

Clean the celery thoroughly, and tie it in bundles.

Put it in boiling water, milk, or stock, with a little salt and butter, and simmer gently for twenty minutes or more, until quite tender.

Dish on a piece of toast.

If liked, a sauce may be made with the liquor in which the celery has been cooked, and poured over it.

Vegetable Marrows.

Peel the marrows thinly, and cut them in quarters, removing the seeds.

Put them in boiling water, with salt in the proportion of one tablespoonful to every two quarts of water, and boil gently until tender.

They may be served, if desired, with French or white sauce poured over them.

Marrows are very nice when boiled in milk; the milk can afterwards be used to make the sauce.

Cabbage.

Take off the outer decayed leaves, and soak the cabbage in salt and water, to draw out any insects. If very large, cut into quarters.

Put into boiling water, to which salt should be added, in the proportion of a tablespoonful to every two quarts of water. If the water is hard, a piece of soda the size of a bean should be added.

Boil quickly--with the lid off the saucepan--for half an hour, or more, until tender.

Drain well in a colander before serving.

Broad Beans.

Put them, when shelled, into boiling water, to which salt should be added in the proportion of a tablespoonful to every two quarts of water.

Boil gently, from fifteen minutes to half an hour, according to their size and age.

When tender, pour the water away, and shake them in the saucepan over the fire, with a little butter or dripping, pepper, and salt.

Tomatoes.

These are better baked than boiled: boiling destroys their flavour.

Put them on a baking-tin, greased with butter or dripping.

Sprinkle over them a little pepper and salt, and cover them with a greased paper.

Put them in a moderate oven, for about ten minutes or a quarter of an hour.

Seakale.

Tie it in bundles, and put into boiling water, with a little butter, and also some salt, in the proportion of a tablespoonful to every two quarts of water.

Boil, with the lid off the saucepan, until the seakale is tender.

Drain, and serve on toast. French or white sauce may be poured over it.

Seakale is sometimes boiled in milk, which should afterwards be used to make the sauce.

Mushrooms.

Peel the mushrooms; rinse them to remove any grit, and cut off the ends of the stalks.

Put them on a greased baking-tin, with the stalks upwards, and put some little bits of butter on each mushroom, with a little pepper and salt.

Cover them with buttered paper, and bake them in a moderate oven from ten to twenty minutes, until tender.

Serve on a hot dish, with the gravy poured over them.

Stewed Mushrooms.

Peel and rinse the mushrooms, and cut off the ends of the stalks.

Stew them gently in water, stock, or milk, until quite tender, adding pepper and salt to taste.

Then thicken the gravy with a little flour, and let it cook well, stirring carefully.

Before serving, stir in a little cream or butter.

Fried Potatoes.

Take thin peelings of potatoes, and twist into fancy shapes, or cut the potatoes into thin slices.

Dry them well in a cloth, and drop them into hot fat (_see_ French Frying) until quite crisp, and of a light brown colour.

Remove them with a fish-slice or colander-spoon, and drain them on kitchen paper.

Tomato Farni.

_Ingredients_--6 or 8 ripe tomatoes.
1 oz. of butter.
½ oz. of flour.
1 gill of stock or milk.
1 dessertspoonful of chopped parsley.
1 dessertspoonful of chopped cooked ham.
1 dessertspoonful of grated Parmesan cheese.
A few button mushrooms, chopped.
A few drops of lemon juice.
Some white and browned bread-crumbs.
Pepper and salt.

_Method._--Melt the butter in a small stewpan.

Mix in the flour smoothly.

Then add the stock or milk; stir and cook well.

Then mix in sufficient white bread-crumbs to make the mixture stiff.

Add the parsley, mushrooms, cheese, ham, lemon-juice, pepper, and salt.

Scoop out the top of each tomato.

Pile a little of the stuffing on each, and sprinkle a few browned bread-crumbs over.

Put them on a greased baking-sheet, and cook them in a moderate oven for about a quarter of an hour.

Cauliflower au gratin.

_Ingredients_--1 cauliflower.
1 oz. of butter.
1 oz. of flour.
1 gill of water.
2 tablespoonfuls of cream.
2 oz. of grated Parmesan cheese.
Pepper, salt, and a little cayenne.

_Method._--Boil the cauliflower; remove the green leaves.

Place it, with the flower upwards, in a vegetable-dish, and press it into an oval shape.

Melt the butter in a small stewpan.

Mix the flour in smoothly.

Add the water; stir and cook well.

Then add the cream, and one ounce of Parmesan cheese, pepper, salt, and cayenne.

Pour the sauce over the cauliflower.

Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese over it, and brown, either with a salamander or in a quick oven.

Potato Croquettes.

_Ingredients_--2 lb. of potatoes.
2 oz. of butter.
2 eggs.
Pepper and salt.
Some white bread-crumbs.

_Method._--Boil the potatoes, and rub them through a wire sieve.

Mash them well with the butter, pepper, and salt.

Mix in one egg, well beaten.

Flour the hands very slightly, and form the mixture in balls, or any other shape preferred.

Brush them over with beaten egg, and cover them with crumbs.

Slightly mould them again when the crumbs are on them.

Fry in a frying-basket, in hot fat (_see_ French Frying).

Garnish with fried parsley.

Salsify Patties.

_Ingredients_--Some patty-cases, made as for oysters.
½ lb. of salsify.
1 oz. of flour.
½ pint of milk.
2 tablespoonfuls of cream.
A few drops of lemon juice.
Pepper and salt.
A little cayenne.

_Method._--Cook the salsify in milk or water until tender.

Then cut it into small pieces.

Melt the butter in a small stewpan, mix in the flour smoothly.

Then add the milk; stir and cook well.

Mix in the cream and let it boil in the sauce.

Then add the lemon juice, seasoning, and salsify.

Fill the patty-cases with the mixture, and put a lid on each.

Tomatoes au gratin.

_Ingredients_--1½ lb. of tomatoes.
1 pint of bread-crumbs.
2 oz. of butter.
Pepper and salt to taste.

_Method._--Slice the tomatoes, and put a layer of them in the bottom of a pie-dish.

Cover them with crumbs; sprinkle with pepper and salt, and place small pieces of butter on them.

Then put another layer of tomatoes, covering them in the same way with crumbs.

Use up all the tomatoes and crumbs in this way, letting the last layer be of crumbs.

Bake in a quick oven for about twenty minutes.

Mashed Potatoes.

_Ingredients_--1 oz. of butter to every pound of potatoes.
1 tablespoonful of cream, if possible.
Pepper and salt to taste.

_Method._--The potatoes should be well cooked, and be dry and floury.

Put them quickly through a wire sieve.

Mix them well in a saucepan with the butter, cream, and seasoning.

Make them quite hot.

Heap them in a mound-like form in a vegetable dish, and smooth over with a knife.

Mashed Potatoes (a plainer way).

Add to the potatoes, while in the saucepan, some butter or dripping.

Season with pepper and salt.

Beat with a fork until perfectly smooth and free from lumps.

Where economy must be studied, nice beef dripping will be found an excellent substitute for butter.

Potato Balls.

Form some mashed potatoes into balls.

Brush them over with beaten egg.

Put them on a greased baking-tin, and bake in a quick oven until brown.

Serve garnished with parsley.

This is a nice way of using up cold potatoes.

Flaked Potatoes.

Rub some nicely-cooked floury potatoes through a wire sieve into a hot vegetable dish. This must be done quickly, that the potatoes may be served quite hot.

Rice for a Curry.

Well wash some Patna rice. Throw it into plenty of quickly-boiling water with salt in it, and boil until the rice is nearly cooked, but not quite. This will take from eight to ten minutes. Strain the rice on a sieve and pour hot water over it, rinsing it well. Then put it in the saucepan again, cover it and let it stand in a hot place to finish cooking in its own steam.

SOUPS.

These are very valuable preparations, and are useful to the poor as well as to the rich, as many of the most nutritious soups are the cheapest. Pea soup, haricot soup, and lentil soup are all rich in nourishment, and may be made at a trifling cost, stock not being _necessary_ for their manufacture. The boilings from meat, when not too salt, may be used with advantage in making these soups; but if this is not available, they may be made quite well with water; and, if carefully prepared, will have all the flavour of a meat soup.

In making stock for meat soups, it must be borne in mind that in order to extract the juices from the meat it must be put into _cold_ water, which should be heated very gradually, and only allowed to _simmer_. In this way a rich stock is procured, as all the virtue of the meat is drawn into the water. Boiling would produce a poor and flavourless stock, as the extreme heat applied, by hardening the albumen, would tend to keep in the juices of the meat instead of drawing them out.

In making stock from bones, the method to be pursued is quite the opposite. Bones must be boiled, otherwise the gelatine in them will not be extracted; simmering would be of little use. The gelatine can only be thoroughly extracted when they are boiled at higher pressure than is possible in ordinary cookery. Bones contain so much gelatine that after they have been once used in stock they should be broken up in pieces and again boiled, so that the gelatine from the _inside_ may also be extracted.

An economical cook will often make excellent stock for soup from bones alone, with the addition of suitable vegetables for flavouring.

First Stock for Clear Soup.

_Ingredients_--4 lb. of shin of beef, or 2 lb. of shin of beef and 2 lb. of
knuckle of veal.
5 pints of water.
2 carrots.
2 turnips.
1 onion.
The white part of a leek.
1 dozen peppercorns.
1 sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram.
A bay leaf.
Pepper and salt.

_Method._--Cut the meat into pieces about one inch in size.

Break up the bone and remove the marrow.

Put bones and meat into a stockpot with the cold water.

Let them soak for half an hour.

Then put the pot on the fire; add some salt and pepper to it, and gently simmer the contents for half an hour.

Next put in the vegetables sliced, and the herbs tied together.

Simmer for 4½ hours longer, skimming occasionally.

Strain into a clean pan, and set aside to get cold.

White Stock.

This may be made by the directions in the preceding recipe, using white meat instead of beef; knuckle of veal is considered the stock meat for white soup. Knuckle of veal and a rabbit make excellent stock.

Very good economical white stock may be made by using bones only in making the stock, and no meat; use a ham-bone, if possible, with the others, as this gives a nice flavour.

Second Stock.

Take any scraps of cooked or uncooked meat; any bones, cooked or uncooked, to make second stock. Allow one pint of water to every pound of meat and bones, and vegetables in the same proportion as for first stock. The bones should be broken up. Boil gently until all the virtue is extracted from the meat, bones, and vegetables. The contents of the stockpot should be emptied into a pan every night, and the stock strained from the meat, bones, and vegetables. These should be looked over, and the bones, meat, &c., which are of no further use removed; the remainder should be set aside to use with fresh stock material. Bones may be boiled for a very long time before the gelatine will be perfectly extracted.

Second stock, when cold, should be a stiff jelly, in consequence of the gelatine contained in the bones.

White Stock from Bones uncooked.

_Ingredients_--4 lb. of uncooked bones, with a ham-bone, if possible,
amongst them.
5 pints of water.
2 carrots.
2 turnips.
1 large onion.
Half a head of celery.
1 sprig of parsley.
Thyme, marjoram, and a bay leaf.
1 blade of mace.

_Method._--Break up the bones and put them with the vegetables, sliced, into a stockpot with the water; boil gently for five hours, adding pepper and salt to taste. Then strain into a clean pan.

Clear Soup.

_Ingredients_--2 quarts of first stock.
¾ lb. of gravy beef.
The white and shell of one egg.

_Method._--Remove _all_ the fat from the stock. If it is in a jelly, take off as much as possible with an iron spoon, and remove the remainder by washing the top of the stock with a cloth dipped in very hot water.

Scrape the beef finely and soak it in two tablespoonfuls of cold water to loosen the juices.

Put the stock in a stewpan and add the beef to it, the white and shell of the egg, and a very tiny piece of each kind of vegetable used in making the stock.

Whisk over the fire until the stock begins to simmer.

Then leave off stirring and let it well boil up.

Remove it from the fire and put it on one side for a crust to form.

Tie a clean cloth to the four legs of a chair turned upside down.

Pour some boiling water through it into a basin, to ensure it being perfectly clean.

Then put a clean basin underneath and pour all the contents of the stewpan on to the cloth. The first time the soup runs through it will be cloudy, because the filter made by the beef and egg will not have settled at the bottom of the cloth.

Take the soup away; put a clean basin under the cloth, and pour the soup slowly through.

If this is carefully done the soup will be quite brilliant the second time of straining, and will not require to go through the cloth again.

Julienne Soup.

This is a clear soup with shred vegetables served in it.

Scrape some carrots and take thin parings of them.

Cut these into very thin strips.

Take some thin slices of turnip and cut them into strips of the same length.

Boil the turnips for five minutes, and the carrots for fifteen minutes.

Consommée au Royal.

This is clear soup with a savoury custard in it.

Savoury Custard.

_Ingredients_--1 whole egg.
1 yolk.
½ gill of clear soup.
Pepper and salt to taste.

_Method._--Beat the eggs and soup together and strain them into a greased gallipot.

Cover them with buttered paper and steam very gently for a quarter of an hour until the custard is firm.

Let it cool, then turn it out. Cut into thin slices.

Stamp into dice or diamonds and serve them in the clear soup.

If the custard is not very gently steamed it will be full of holes, and useless for this purpose.

Consommée à la Princesse.

Serve small _quenelles_ (see _Quenelles_ of Veal), made in teaspoons, and nicely poached, in the clear soup.

Friar Tuck.

Make one quart of clear soup boiling hot. Beat two eggs well. When the soup is quite boiling, strain the eggs through a pointed strainer into it.

Celery Soup.

_Ingredients_--2 quarts of second stock.
4 heads of celery.
4 oz. of flour.
½ pint of cream or good milk.

_Method._--Wash the celery well and cut it in pieces.

Simmer it in the stock for half an hour or more until quite tender.

Make a thickening of the flour; pour it into the soup and boil, stirring, for three minutes.

Then rub through a sieve.

Put it into the saucepan again.

Add the cream, stir and let it boil up.

Serve with fried _croutons_ of bread.

Oyster Soup.

_Ingredients_--2 dozen oysters.
1½ pint of white stock.
2 oz. of butter.
2 oz. of flour.
1 teaspoonful of anchovy sauce.
A few drops of lemon juice.
Pepper and salt.

_Method._--Beard the oysters and cut them in two.

Put the beards into the stock and simmer them in it for a few minutes.

Melt the butter in another stewpan; mix in the flour smoothly; pour in the stock; stir and boil well.

Add the cream and let it boil in the soup.

Strain the oyster liquor and scald the oysters in it.

Put them in the soup and add the anchovy sauce and lemon juice.

Haricot Soup.

_Ingredients_--1 pint of haricot beans.
1 onion.
2 quarts of water.
1 pint of milk.
½ oz. of dripping.
Pepper and salt to taste.

_Method._--Soak the beans over night in cold water.

Boil them with the onion, dripping, pepper and salt, in three pints of water, from three to four hours, until quite soft.

Rub them with their liquor through a wire sieve.

Add the milk, and make the soup hot, stirring it over the fire until it boils.

Serve with fried _croutons_ of bread.

Note.--This soup is much improved if it is rubbed through a _hair_
sieve after it has been through the wire sieve.

Green Pea Purée.

_Ingredients_--2 pints of shelled peas.
A large handful of pea-shells.
2 or 3 leaves of spinach.
2 or 3 sprigs of parsley.
A few young onions.
A sprig of mint.
A small piece of soda.
1 lump of sugar.
3 pints of second stock.
2 tablespoonfuls of arrowroot.
Pepper and salt to taste.

_Method._--Wash the shells well, and put them, with the peas and other vegetables, into boiling water, to which is added the soda and the sugar.

When quite tender, drain off the water, and put the vegetables into the stock, which should be made boiling.

Let it boil up.

Then rub through a hair sieve.

Make the soup hot; thicken with arrow-root; and, in serving, add, if liked, a little cream, or glaze.

Potage à l'Américaine.

_Ingredients_--3 pints of second stock.
2 tablespoonfuls of crushed tapioca.
8 good-sized tomatoes.

_Method._--Put the stock into a stewpan on the fire to boil.

When boiling, stir in the crushed tapioca.

Stir and cook for about ten minutes, until it is transparent.

Rub the tomatoes through a hair sieve.

Add them to the stock.

Boil for about two minutes and the soup will be ready to serve.

Cream may be added if liked.

Onion Soup.

_Ingredients_--6 Spanish onions.
3 oz. of butter.
2 quarts of water.
3 oz. of flour.
½ pint of milk or cream.
Pepper and salt to taste.

_Method._--Peel the onions, and cut them in slices.

Fry them in the butter, but do not let them discolour.

Then boil them in the water until quite soft.

Rub them with their liquor through a hair sieve.

Put this _purée_ into a stewpan on the fire to boil.

When boiling, stir in a thickening of the flour.

Stir and cook well.

Then add the milk or cream, pepper, and salt, to taste.

Let the soup boil up, and it is ready.

Serve with fried _croutons_ of bread.

Tapioca Cream.

_Ingredients_--1½ pint of white stock.
1 oz. of crushed tapioca.
2 tablespoonfuls of cream.
The yolks of 2 eggs.
Pepper and salt to taste.

_Method._--Put the stock into a stewpan on the fire to boil.

When boiling, sprinkle in the crushed tapioca.

Stir and cook well for about ten minutes.

Beat the yolks lightly with the cream, and strain them.

Let the stock cool a little, and then add two or three tablespoonfuls of it gradually to the eggs and cream.

Pour the eggs and cream into the stock, and stir over the fire until the eggs thicken like custard.

Care must be taken that the stock does not boil after the eggs are in it, as that would curdle them.

Palestine Soup.

_Ingredients_--3 lb. of Jerusalem artichokes.
2 quarts of stock; or the liquor mutton or veal has been
boiled in.
1 onion.
1 turnip.
½ head of celery.
½ pint of cream, or good milk.
Pepper and salt to taste.

_Method._--Peel and cut the artichokes and other vegetables into slices.

Boil them in the stock until tender.

Rub through a hair sieve.

Add the cream, and boil it in the soup.

Add pepper and salt; and serve with fried _croutons_ of bread.

Potato Purée.

_Ingredients_--1 lb. of potatoes.
1 onion.
1 stick of celery.
1½ pint of white stock.
½ pint of cream or milk.
Pepper and salt to taste.

_Method._--Peel the potatoes, and cut them, as well as the onion and the celery, into thin slices.

Put them in the stock, and simmer gently until tender.

Rub through a tammy-cloth or hair sieve.

Add the cream to the soup, and make it hot.

Serve with fried _croutons_ of bread.

Egyptian Purée or Lentil Soup.

_Ingredients_--1 pint of Egyptian lentils.
1 good-sized onion.
Carrot and turnip.
3 sticks of celery, or one dessertspoonful of celery seed
tied in a piece of muslin.
2 quarts of water, or liquor from a leg of mutton.
Pepper and salt.

_Method._--Wash the lentils thoroughly.

Then boil them in the water with the vegetables, cut in small pieces, from two to three hours, stirring occasionally; when quite cooked, rub through a wire sieve; season to taste.

Make the soup hot in a stewpan, stirring all the time.

Serve with fried _croutons_ of bread.

Note.--This soup is much improved if it is rubbed through a hair
sieve, after it has been through the wire sieve.

Pea Soup.

Make according to directions given in preceding recipe, substituting split peas for lentils.

Calf-tail Soup.

_Ingredients_--4 calves' tails.
1 carrot.
1 turnip.
1 onion.
1 sprig of thyme, parsley, and marjoram.
A little celery.
1 small clove of garlic.
1 dozen peppercorns.
4 oz. flour.
2 quarts of stock.
Salt.

_Method._--Cut the tails into joints.

Put them into a stewpan, with the water; when it simmers put in the vegetables, &c., and cook very gently for four hours.

Remove the pieces of tail, and let the stock get cold.

Then remove the fat, and thicken the stock with the flour.

Serve with the pieces of tail in it. A wineglass of sherry may be added if liked.

Ox-tail Soup.

_Ingredients_--1 ox-tail.
3 quarts of stock.
1 carrot, 1 turnip, and 1 onion.
Half a head of celery.
1 slice of ham.
1 sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram.
2 bay leaves.
3 cloves.
Pepper and salt.
2 oz. of butter.
1 wineglass of sherry.
A few drops of lemon juice.
4 oz. of flour.

_Method._--Cut the ox-tail into joints.

Fry them in the butter, with the vegetables, cut in pieces.

Put the tail and vegetables into a large saucepan with the stock, pepper, salt, and cloves.

Boil for very nearly four hours.

Then strain the stock.

Remove the pieces of tail, and put them on one side.

When the stock is quite cold, remove the fat perfectly and put the stock in a stewpan on the fire to boil.

When it boils, stir in a thickening made of the flour.

Stir, and cook the flour well.

Then add the sherry and lemon juice. Serve with the pieces of tail in it.

Sheep's-head Soup.

_Ingredients_--1 sheep's head.
3 quarts of water.
1 large carrot.
1 large turnip.
1 large onion.
1 sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram.
1 head of celery.
4 oz. of flour.
1 teaspoonful of minced parsley.
2 tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs.
1 egg.
Pepper and salt.

_Method._--Split open the head, and clean it thoroughly.

Remove the tongue and brains, and blanch the head by putting it into cold water and bringing it to the boil.

Throw the water away, and rinse the head well.

Put it into a large saucepan with the three quarts of water and the vegetables, cut in small pieces.

Boil gently for five hours.

Then strain into a basin, and rub the meat and vegetables through a wire sieve.

When cold, remove the fat from the stock, and add the pulped vegetables and meat.

Make the soup hot, and stir in a thickening made of the flour.

Boil the flour well, stirring all the time.

Serve the soup with forcemeat balls in it.

_To make the Forcemeat Balls._--Boil the tongue and brains separately.

Chop them up; mix them with the bread-crumbs, pepper, salt, and the minced parsley, and bind with the egg.

Make into balls, and roll them in flour; place them on a greased baking-sheet and bake until brown.

Put them in a soup-tureen, and pour the soup over them.

Tapioca Soup.

_Ingredients_--2 oz. of tapioca.
4 pints of second stock.

_Method._--Wash the tapioca well, and throw it into the stock when boiling.

Simmer gently for half an hour, stirring occasionally.

Ox-cheek Soup.

_Ingredients_--1 ox-cheek.
Some cold water, allowing 1 pint to every pound of meat and
1 quart over.
2 carrots.
2 turnips.
2 onions.
Half a head of celery.
1 sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram.
2 bay leaves.
Pepper and salt.
Flour.
If possible, a ham-bone.
A few drops of lemon juice.

_Method._--Cut up the cheek, and put it with the bone and vegetables into a stockpot to boil gently for five hours, skimming occasionally.

Then strain the stock into a clean pan and set it aside to get cold.

When cold, carefully remove all the fat.

Put the stock into a stewpan on the fire to boil.

When boiling, stir in a thickening made of the flour, mixed smoothly with cold water. Use one ounce of flour to every pint of stock.

Stir and boil the flour in the stock for three minutes.

Add to it a squeeze of lemon juice, and serve the soup with neat pieces of the cheek, about one inch in size, in it.

The remains of the cheek may be reboiled, with fresh vegetables, to make a plain second stock.

Giblet Soup.

_Ingredients_--2 sets of goose or 4 sets of duck giblets.
¼ of a head of celery.
1 carrot.
1 turnip.
1 onion.
2 cloves.
1 blade of mace.
1 sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram.
2 quarts of second stock.
A few drops of lemon juice.
Pepper and salt.

_Method._--Clean the giblets thoroughly, and cut them in pieces.

Put them into a saucepan, with the vegetables sliced, and the stock, and simmer gently for two hours.

Then take out the best pieces of giblet, trim them neatly, and set them aside.

Simmer the soup for half an hour longer.

Then add to it a thickening of flour, using one ounce of flour to every pint of stock.

Boil and cook the flour well, and add pepper and salt to taste.

Strain the soup into another saucepan.

Add to it the lemon juice, and, if liked, two glasses of Madeira wine; also the pieces of giblet.

Make it quite hot, and it is then ready for serving.

Milk Soup.

_Ingredients_--4 potatoes.
2 onions.
2 oz. of butter or dripping.
3 tablespoonfuls of semolina.
1 pint of milk.
2 quarts of liquor from meat.
Pepper and salt to taste.

_Method._--Slice the potatoes and onions; add them to the meat liquor, with the butter and pepper and salt to taste, and boil gently for one hour.

Then rub the soup through a wire sieve.

Put it into the saucepan again, and, when boiling, shake into it the semolina and cook for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the semolina is cooked the soup is ready.

If this soup is used for children, water may be substituted for the meat liquor if the latter is not available.

Bonne Femme Soup.

_Ingredients_--2 lettuces.
2 leaves of sorrel.
4 sprigs of taragon.
2 sprigs of chervil.
Half a cucumber.
2 pints of white stock.
The yolks of 3 eggs.
¼ of a pint of cream.
The crust of a French roll.
½ oz. of butter.

_Method._--Wash the lettuce, taragons, and chervil well, and shred them finely.

Peel the cucumber, and shred it also finely.

Melt the butter, and gently _sauté_ the vegetables in it for five minutes, taking care they do not discolour.

Boil the stock in another saucepan, and, when boiling, pour it on to the vegetables.

Simmer gently until the vegetables are quite tender.

Beat the yolks of the eggs with the cream, and when the stock has cooled a little strain them through a hair sieve into it.

Put the stewpan by the fire, and stir until the eggs thicken, taking care that the stock does not boil, as that would curdle them.

Add pepper and salt to taste, and the soup is ready.

The crust of the French roll should be served in the soup; it should be baked in the oven and then cut into fancy shapes.

Turnip Soup.

_Ingredients_--1 quart of stock, or the boilings from mutton.
2 lb. of turnips.
1 large onion.
½ pint of cream, or good milk.
2 large slices of bread.
Pepper and salt to taste.

_Method._--Put the bread to soak in a little cold stock.

Pare the turnips and onions, and cut them in pieces.

Boil them gently in the stock, adding (when well soaked) the bread.

When the turnips are cooked, rub the soup through a wire sieve.