The Community Cook Book. Unknown

vegetables.

BOILED RICE

      One of the quickest ways of preparing rice is to fill a large kettle with water, allow it to come to a boil; when bubbling vigorously throw in two cups of rice and boil hard twenty-five minutes. Empty into a colander and dash under cold water, which will separate the grains. Season with pepper and salt, heap lightly on a dish and put a lump of butter on top.

ROLLED OATS

      None of the breakfast foods which are so much used are so wholesome as a simple dish of rolled oats or the old-fashioned oatmeal. Served with or without cream and sugar, these are to be highly recommended to persons who are compelled to live indoors a great deal, and are generally relished by those who lead an outdoor life. Although rolled oats is supposed to be a dish quickly prepared, it is better, like oatmeal, for being cooked a long time, and baked for two hours, after being boiled a few minutes, it is very palatable and nutritious.

      SOUPS

      "La soupe fait le soldat." ("The soup makes the soldier.")

BEAN SOUP

      One pint navy beans, soak over night, cook till they are very tender, add some celery and little tomato, salt and pepper to taste, cook all well together. In another saucepan let boil one tablespoonful of butter, add a chopped onion, fry till it is clear. Mix a tablespoonful of flour with a cup of the soup and a little butter, cook a moment or two, add to soup and let all boil ten minutes, add a pinch of red pepper and strain.

BOUILLON

      Twenty-cent beef soup bone, ten-cent knuckle of veal, twenty cents' worth chicken gizzards, seven quarts cold water. After reaching boiling point add one small handful salt; three or four whole peppers, one carrot, one onion, one celery root, one turnip, one parsley root, one bay leaf, two or three whole allspice, one-half can tomatoes. Let boil slowly one day. Strain and skim.

BOUILLON

      Chicken bones, three pounds beef, three quarts water, four whole cloves, one onion, one carrot, two pounds marrow bones, four peppercorns, a bouquet of herbs and one bay leaf, three stalks of celery, juice of a lemon, two tablespoonfuls butter or marrow, one-half cup of sherry, one turnip. Put vegetables in last, spices about one-half hour; brown vegetables in butter or suet; brown a few pieces of meat, to give a good color to the soup, turn into soup digester and cover with cold water. Let it come to a boil, skim, and let it simmer; cover and cook for five hours. Strain in an earthen vessel, cool, remove fat, clear and serve hot in cups.

CORN SOUP

      One can cornlet or corn, one pint cold water, one quart heated milk, two tablespoonfuls butter, one tablespoonful chopped onion, two tablespoonfuls flour, two teaspoonfuls salt, one-fourth teaspoonful white pepper, yolks of two eggs. Chop corn, cook it with the water twenty minutes; melt butter, add chopped onions and cook until light brown; add flour, and when thoroughly mixed add milk gradually. Add this mixture to corn and season with salt, pepper, rub through sieve, heat again. Beat yolk of eggs, put them in soup tureen, and pour soup over them very slowly. When mixed serve immediately.

CREAM OF CELERY SOUP

      A pint of milk, a tablespoonful of flour, one of butter, a head of celery, a large slice of onion and a small piece of mace, a little salt. Boil celery in one pint of water from thirty to forty-five minutes; boil mace, onion and milk together; mix flour with two tablespoonfuls of cold milk. Cook ten minutes. Mash celery in water it has been cooked in and stir in boiling milk. Strain and serve.

CREAM OF CORN SOUP

      Put one pint of milk in a double boiler, add one pint of grated corn, two teaspoonfuls of salt; rub together one tablespoonful of flour and one of butter. Add them to the soup when boiling. Just before serving add one-half pint of whipped cream.

FRENCH PEA SOUP

      Cover a quart of peas with water and boil with an onion till they mash easily. Mash and add a pint of water. Cook together two tablespoonfuls each of flour and butter until smooth but not brown. Add to the peas with one pint of cream and a cup of milk. Season with salt and pepper, strain and serve.

MIXED VEGETABLE SOUP

      Fifteen-cent soup bone, three quarts water, half a small cabbage cut very fine, three large potatoes, two good-sized carrots, two turnips, one medium-sized onion, three teaspoonfuls salt, one-half teaspoonful pepper, a little celery and green pepper. Put on in cold water with all vegetables except potatoes. Cook very slowly one hour. Do not cover closely. At the end of one hour add potatoes and cook an hour longer. Put in two or three tomatoes when potatoes are added, if liked.

MOCK BISQUE

      One-half can tomatoes strained, one quart milk, one-third cup butter, one tablespoonful cornstarch, one teaspoonful salt, one salt-spoon pepper, heat milk in double boiler. Mix smoothly one tablespoonful butter, cornstarch and seasoning, add hot milk slowly. Boil ten minutes and add remainder of butter and strained tomatoes. Serve immediately.

MUTTON BROTH

      Remove pink skin from mutton, also fat; have the meat from the neck. Cover well with water, let boil slowly, cook until meat becomes ragged. One tablespoonful rice.

OYSTER SOUP

      Put about fifty oysters in a colander and drain. Pour over them a pitcher of cold water, and then put them into a hot kettle. Let stand covered for a few minutes. Add one pint of water. Rub together a tablespoonful of butter and one of flour; add a little of the soup to make a smooth paste. Put this with a quart of milk into the soup kettle with oysters, and stir till it begins to thicken. Add a teaspoonful of salt, and pepper to taste.

POTATO SOUP

      To one gallon of water add six large potatoes chopped fine, one teacupful rice, butter the size of an egg, one tablespoonful flour. Work butter and flour together and add one teacupful sweet cream just before taking from the fire. Boil one hour.

TOMATO BOUILLON

      One quart tomatoes, one tablespoonful onion minced, one tablespoonful parsley minced, one tablespoonful lean ham minced, one tablespoonful butter, one pint water, six whole peppercorns, four whole cloves, one bay leaf, salt-spoon paprika, one egg, one tablespoonful sugar. When the whole mixture has thoroughly boiled, add sugar and salt to taste; brown the onion and parsley in the butter, add to the other ingredients; boil all ten minutes, then strain and cool; when perfectly cold stir in the white of one egg, then beat thoroughly with Dover beater, place on stove and stir constantly (to prevent egg from cooking) until the mixture comes to a boil. Stand a few minutes on the back of the stove, strain very carefully through a sieve covered with a cheese-cloth wrung out in hot water. Serve hot. This will serve five persons.

TOMATO SOUP

      To one quart of tomatoes add one pint of water, one tablespoonful sugar, one teaspoonful salt, six cloves and a little pepper; let boil ten minutes. In another saucepan put one tablespoonful butter. When it boils, add a chopped onion and some parsley, and let fry about five minutes, then add one tablespoonful flour previously mixed with water; boil all for ten minutes, strain and serve.

VEAL BOUILLON

      Two knuckles of veal, four quarts of cold water, one onion, one stock celery, one bay leaf, twelve cloves, one teaspoonful salt, one blade mace, one pinch pepper. Put veal in soup kettle with cold water and salt. Simmer gently four hours. Cut up the vegetables and add with spices and simmer one hour longer. Strain, cool, remove fat, reheat and serve with teaspoonful whipped cream on each cup.

      FISH

      "Fools lade water, and wise men catch the fish."

BAKED WHITE FISH

      Clean and prepare the fish. Make a stuffing of one cupful of cracker crumbs, one teaspoonful chopped parsley, one teaspoonful chopped onion, two tablespoonfuls chopped suet or bacon or one large tablespoonful butter, one-third teaspoonful salt, two teaspoonfuls chopped pickles, one-quarter teaspoonful pepper. If a moist stuffing is desired, add one-quarter cup milk. Bake fifteen minutes to a pound, allowing ten or fifteen minutes if the fish is unusually large.

CODFISH BALLS

      Boil and mash as many potatoes as desired, using about one-half pound of soaked and drained codfish to a pound of potatoes. Have fish picked apart, and after soaking and drying mix thoroughly with potatoes, adding, for one-half pound of codfish, one tablespoonful butter, yolks of two eggs, one-half teaspoonful salt and a dash of pepper. Make into balls, dip in beaten egg and bread crumbs and fry in hot fat.

FINNAN HADDIE

      Boil