Part 11

=Italian Tomato Sauce.=—Simmer together for 20 minutes ½ can tomatoes, 6 cloves, 3 sprigs parsley, 1 teaspoon mixed herbs, ½ teaspoon whole allspice, ½ teaspoon peppercorns. Slowly brown 2 tablespoons chopped onion and 1 tablespoon butter until very dark; add 2 tablespoons flour, brown again; add gradually 1 cup rich brown stock, then the cooked tomatoes. Simmer 10 minutes, rub through a sieve and add more seasoning if necessary.

=Hollandaise Sauce.=—Cream ½ cup butter; add gradually 2 beaten egg yolks; stir well. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, dash each of salt and cayenne. Add ½ cup boiling water, and stir over boiling water till thick as boiled custard. Serve immediately.

=Sauce Tartare.=—Make 1 cup mayonnaise (see Salads). Chop very fine 1 tablespoon each of capers, olives, green cucumber pickle, and parsley. Press in a cloth till quite dry. Blend gradually with the mayonnaise. For fried or broiled fish.

=Maître d’Hôtel Butter.=—Cream 2 tablespoons butter, add gradually ½ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon white pepper, 1 tablespoon each of lemon juice and chopped parsley. Keep very cold. Serve with fried fish or broiled steak.

=Horse-radish Sauce.=—Cream 2 tablespoons butter; add 2 tablespoons fresh grated horse-radish, 1 tablespoon very thick cream, ½ teaspoon lemon juice. Keep very cold.

=Mint Sauce.=—1 cup chopped green mint leaves, ½ cup vinegar, ¼ cup powdered sugar. Mix 1 hour before serving.

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Salads and Cheese

=Mayonnaise.=—Have dishes and ingredients very cold. If summer, set dish in pan of pounded ice. In soup-plate or shallow bowl put yolk 1 raw egg, add ¼ teaspoon salt and dash cayenne, a few drops of Tobasco and a teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, stir with fork till very thick. Add few drops olive oil and stir; add more oil, few drops at a time, until mixture balls on fork. Thin with few drops lemon juice or vinegar, then add more oil. Alternate in this way until 1 cup olive oil is used and dressing is thick and glossy, like a jelly. About 3 tablespoons lemon juice or 2 of vinegar will be needed, according to its acidity. _Always stir in the same direction._ Keep covered and on ice until needed.

=French Dressing.=—Mix ¼ teaspoon salt, dash white pepper, and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Stir for few minutes, then gradually add 1 tablespoon vinegar, stirring rapidly until mixture is slightly thickened and vinegar cannot be noticed. Mixture will separate after about 20 minutes.

=Boiled Dressing.=—3 beaten eggs, 1 cup rich milk, ⅔ teaspoon dry mustard, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 dashes cayenne, 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter, ½ cup vinegar. Cook in double boiler till thick as custard. Strain and keep in cold place.

=Cream Dressing.=—1 cup cream, 1 tablespoon flour, 3 tablespoons vinegar, 2 tablespoons butter, ½ teaspoon powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon dry mustard, whites 2 eggs. Cook in double boiler, stirring constantly, and adding whipped whites just before taking from fire.

=Celery Salad.=—2 bunches celery, 1 tablespoon salad oil, 4 tablespoons vinegar, 1 small teaspoon fine sugar, pepper and salt to taste. Wash and scrape celery; lay in ice-cold water until dinner-time. Then cut into inch lengths, add above seasoning. Stir well together with fork and serve in salad-bowl.

=Chicken Salad.=—Cut cold roast or boiled chicken in small dice, add ½ as much blanched celery cut fine, season with salt and pepper. Mix with French dressing and set away for an hour or more. Just before serving stir in some mayonnaise slightly thinned with lemon juice or French dressing, arrange on lettuce leaves and cover with thick mayonnaise.

=Lobster Salad.=—Tear the meat of lobster into shreds with two forks, and let it get cold. Mix with blanched celery cut in small pieces-¼ celery, ¾ lobster. Mix with mayonnaise. Make cups of small blanched leaves of lettuce, fill with salad, garnish with mayonnaise, capers, and lobster coral. Keep on ice until served.

=Salmon Salad.=—Remove bones and skin from can salmon. Drain off liquid. Mix with French dressing or thin mayonnaise; set aside for a while. Finish same as lobster salad. Other fish salads may be prepared in same manner.

=Tomato Salad.=—Pare with sharp knife. Slice and lay in salad-bowl. Make dressing as follows: Work up saltspoon each of salt, pepper, and fresh made mustard with 2 tablespoons of salad oil, adding only a few drops at a time, and, when thoroughly mixed, whip in with an egg, beaten, 4 tablespoons vinegar; toss up with fork.

=Cucumber and Onion Salad.=—Pare cucumbers and lay in ice-water 1 hour; do same with onions in another bowl. Then slice them in proportion of 1 onion to 3 large cucumbers; arrange in salad-bowl, and season with vinegar, pepper, and salt.

=Potato Salad.=—Make ½ amount of boiled dressing given; when cold, thin with vinegar or lemon juice, and add 2 tablespoons onion juice. Pour over diced boiled potatoes while hot. When cold serve with watercress or field salad, garnishing with diced pickled beets and sliced hard-boiled egg.

=Potato and Egg Salad.=—Hard boil 3 eggs 30 minutes; shell and cut fine with silver knife. Boil 3 or 4 potatoes. Dice while hot, mix with cut eggs and add French dressing. Let stand till cold. Serve on bed of watercress with more French dressing or boiled dressing thinned with vinegar.

=Cold Slaw.=—Prepare ½ quantity boiled dressing. While hot pour over 1 quart shaved cabbage, cover closely; set away till cold. Red cabbage may also be used.

=Cheese Straws.=—Roll out pie crust, 5, very thin. Sprinkle with grated sharp cheese and a dust of cayenne, fold in three, roll out, and dust a second time with cheese. Fold, roll out quite thin, cut in fine strips or straws with jagging-iron, lay on flat pans and bake in very moderate oven.

=Welsh Rarebit.=—Select richest and best American cheese, the milder the better, as melting brings out strength. To make 5 rarebits, take 1 pound cheese, grate and put in tin or porcelain-lined saucepan; add ale (old is best) enough to thin the cheese sufficiently, say about a wine-glass to each rarebit. Place over fire, stir until it is melted. Have slice of toast ready for each rarebit (crusts trimmed); put a slice on each plate, and pour cheese enough over each piece to cover it. Serve while hot.

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Eggs

=Soft and Hard Boiled Eggs.=—For soft boiled drop into boiling water and boil 3 to 3½ minutes. A better way is to have water boiling in a saucepan. Take from fire, add eggs quickly, cover, and let stand off fire away from drafts from 8 to 10 minutes, according to freshness of eggs.

Hard boiled eggs should be simmered at least 20 minutes. This gives mealy yolks, which digest more readily than sodden ones.

=Poached Eggs.=—Toast small slice of bread for each egg; trim and lay on hot platter. Have frying-pan partly filled with salted water. When simmering, carefully break in 1 egg at a time. Baste with the water until white is firm, take up with skimmer, trim edge of white and slip on toast.

=Scrambled Eggs.=—Beat together 4 eggs, ½ cup cream or rich milk, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper. Turn into hot buttered pan, stir till set. Serve on toast.

Chopped boiled ham or other cold meat may be mixed with the eggs before cooking.

=Omelet.=—Break 3 eggs in bowl; add 1 teaspoon cold water. Beat with fork till mixed. Add ½ teaspoon salt. Turn into very hot buttered pan, shake and stir till eggs begin to set. Let form, fold and turn out on hot platter.

=Fancy Omelets.=—Finely chopped cooked meats, vegetables cut fine, chopped parsley, etc., may be added to plain omelet and dish named according to what is added, as ham omelet, omelet with peas, etc.

=Orange or other Sweet Omelet.=—Separate and whip whites and yolks of 3 eggs. Pour yolks over whites, add grated rind of orange and 1 tablespoon of orange juice, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar. Mix and cook as above.

=Omelet Soufflé.=—Break 6 eggs into separate cups; beat 4 of the yolks, mix with them teaspoon flour, 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, very little salt; flavor with extract lemon or any other flavors that may be preferred. Whisk the whites of the 6 eggs to firm froth; mix them lightly with yolks; pour the mixture into a greased pan or dish; bake in quick oven. When well risen and lightly browned on the top it is done; roll out in dish, sift pulverized sugar over and send to table. You can also pour some rum over it and set it on fire, as for an omelet _au rhum_.

=Plain and Fancy Baked Eggs.=—Butter small stoneware dishes. Carefully break egg in each. Add salt, pepper, and bit of butter. Bake in oven till white is set.

May be varied by buttering dish and adding chopped parsley or ham, soaked bread crumbs, chopped onions, or a little stewed tomato.

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Vegetables

=Hints on Cooking Vegetables.=—First—Have them fresh as possible. Summer vegetables should be cooked on same day they are gathered. Second—Look them over and wash well, cutting out all decayed or unripe parts. Third—Lay them, when peeled, in cold water for some time before using. Fourth—Always let water boil before putting them in, and continue to boil until done.

_Turnips._—Should be peeled, and boiled from 40 minutes to an hour.

_Beets._—Boil from 1 to 2 hours; then put in cold water and slip skin off.

_Spinach._—Boil 20 minutes.

_Parsnips._—Boil from 20 to 30 minutes.

_Onions._—Best boiled in 2 or 3 waters, adding milk the last time.

_String Beans._—Should be boiled 1½ hours.

_Shell Beans._—Require an hour.

_Green Corn._—Boil 20 or 30 minutes.

_Green Peas._—Should be boiled in little water as possible; boil 20 minutes.

_Asparagus._—Same as peas; serve on toast with cream gravy.

_Winter Squash._—Cut in pieces and boil 20 to 40 minutes in small quantity of water; when done, press water out, mash smooth, season with butter, pepper, and salt.

_Cabbage._—should be boiled from 1 to 2 hours in plenty of water; salt while boiling.

=Asparagus on Toast.=—Have stalks of equal length; scrape lower ends; tie in small bunches with tape. Cook 20 to 30 minutes, according to size. Dip 6 or 8 slices dry toast in asparagus liquor, lay on hot platter, place asparagus on them, and cover with a white or drawn butter sauce; in making sauce use asparagus liquor and water or milk in equal quantities.

=String Beans.=—Top and tail the beans, and strip off all strings carefully; break into short lengths and wash. Boil in salted water until tender—from 1½ to 3 hours. Drain, season with butter, salt, and pepper.

=Kidney Beans, Brown Sauce.=—Cook 1 pint fresh shelled beans in salted water till tender. Drain; shake in saucepan with 1 teaspoon butter 3 minutes. Add 1 cup brown sauce (see Sauces), and simmer 5 minutes.

=Beets, Cream Sauce.=—Wash and boil beets till tender. Rub off skins and slice or dice. To 1 pint add 1 cup white sauce (see Sauces); simmer 5 minutes. Other root vegetables may be finished same way.

=Boiled Cabbage.=—Strip off outer leaves, cut in quarters, cut out stalk. Soak in salted water 1 hour. Drain. Have kettle of rapidly boiling water. Add ½ teaspoon baking soda and cabbage. Cover and keep at galloping boil. Unless very old, cabbage will be done in 1 hour. Press out all water; season well; put in hot dish.

=Carrots and other Root Vegetables.=—Scrape or pare carrots, parsnips, turnips. Dice and cook gently in unsalted water till tender. Drain and reheat in seasoned butter, 1 tablespoon to 1 pint, or in a drawn butter or white sauce. In early summer, when roots are small, water should be salted. Onions should also be boiled in salted water, then finished as here directed.

=Stewed Corn.=—Husk corn. Draw sharp knife down center of each row of grains; press out pulp with back of knife. To 1 pint add ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon sugar, dash pepper, ½ cup cream or rich milk. Heat and simmer 10 minutes.

=Corn Pudding.=—To 1 pint scraped corn pulp add 4 beaten eggs, 1 pint milk, 1 teaspoon salt, ⅓ teaspoon pepper. Mix, bake in moderate oven till set in center.

=Fried Egg Plant.=—Wipe the egg plant, cut in ¼—inch slices, soak in salted cold water 1 hour. Dip each slice in beaten egg and fry in butter until inside is very soft, outside brown.

=Fried Onions.=—Peel (holding onions and hands under water to prevent tears), wash and cut crosswise so as to form undivided rings. Flour them, fry 5 or 6 minutes. Drain, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve with beefsteak.

=Fried Potatoes.=—Pare raw potatoes; cut thin as wafers with sharp knife or patent slicer. Soak 20 minutes in cold water; dry on towel. Throw a handful at a time in kettle of smoking-hot fat; skim out fast as browned and drain on unglazed paper. Sprinkle with salt.

=Fried Potatoes, 2.=—Cut cold boiled potatoes in thick slices, season and sauté in a little hot fat in a frying-pan.

=Mashed Potatoes.=—Boil potatoes in salted water; while hot put through ricer or mash with fork till smooth. Season with salt and pepper; to 1 pint add 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons hot milk. Beat till light, heap in hot dish.

=Baked Potatoes.=—Scrub potatoes of same size. Bake in very hot oven until tender. Press till skin breaks slightly, serve hot with butter.

=Potato Croquettes.=—Mix together 1 pint hot mashed potato, 1 teaspoon salt, ⅓ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon onion juice, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, yolks 2 beaten eggs. Stir over fire till mixture leaves sides of saucepan. When cool, shape into croquettes, dip each in beaten egg, roll in crumbs, and fry brown in deep kettle of smoking-hot fat.

=Lyonnaise Potatoes.=—Heat 1 tablespoon butter in frying-pan. Add 1 tablespoon chopped onion. When pale brown add 1 pint diced boiled potatoes, seasoned. Shake till butter is absorbed; potatoes should not color. Add 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and take up.

=Creamed Potatoes.=—To 3 cups diced boiled potatoes add 1 pint cream sauce (see Sauces), more seasoning if necessary, and simmer 10 minutes. Or, season cold sliced potatoes, cover with milk, and stew till milk is reduced one half, then add a little butter.

=Stewed Squash.=—Pare small squash, remove seeds, boil in salted water till tender. Drain, mash, season, and stir over slow fire till quite dry. Add butter and seasoning to taste.

=Stewed Tomatoes.=—Scald and skin tomatoes, remove hard ends and cut up. Stew in agate saucepan till tender, add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste, also 1 teaspoon butter to each pint. If liked, thicken with fine crumbs or with a little flour dissolved in cold water.

=Stuffed Tomatoes.=—Choose large tomatoes; cut off stem ends and take out centers. Fill with stuffing (see Stuffings), lay on buttered baking-pan, and bake in hot oven 30 minutes. Peppers, summer squash, large ripe cucumbers, onions, and egg plant may be prepared in same way.

=Panned Tomatoes.=—Cut firm tomatoes in halves. For 4, heat 1 tablespoon butter in frying-pan. Dip tomatoes in flour, put cut side down in pan, cover, and cook over hot fire until browned. Transfer to hot dish, sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour in pan, stir, add 1 cup milk; stir till thickened, season, boil 1 minute, and pour round tomatoes.

=Mashed Turnips.=—Pare and dice turnips, boil in unsalted water till tender. Mash, adding salt, pepper, and butter to taste. If cut small they will cook in less time and be less odorous.

=Ragout of Vegetables.=—Parboil 1 carrot, 1 turnip, 2 potatoes, 2 ears of corn, 1 cup of lima beans, and the same of peas, 1 onion, and with them ¼ pound of fat salt pork. Drain off the water and lay aside the pork. Slice carrots, turnips, potatoes, and onion. Put into a saucepan with a cup of some good meat soup before it has been thickened. Season well; cut the corn from the cob and add with the peas, beans, and a sliced tomato as soon as the rest are hot. Stew all together ½ hour. Stir in a great lump of butter rolled in flour. Stew 5 minutes, and serve in a deep dish.

=Dried Sweet Corn.=—Soak 1 pint overnight. Drain, add fresh cold water, and cook slowly. When tender drain, add ½ cup rich milk, 1 tablespoon butter, salt and pepper to taste, simmer 10 minutes.

=Boiled Rice.=—Wash 1 cup rice through several waters till water runs off clear. Have at least 4 quarts rapidly boiling water in kettle. Add rice and 1 tablespoon salt. Boil _at a gallop_ until rice is tender—this takes 12 to 20 minutes according to kind and age of rice. Drain, set colander over boiling water for 10 minutes or more to steam. Each grain will be distinct yet tender.

=Macaroni.=—Have a large kettle nearly full of rapidly boiling salted water. Break macaroni into 2 or 3 inch lengths, drop into the water, and boil as directed for rice until tender, which will take from 30 to 45 minutes. Drain, then pour cold water through the colander to remove pastiness. Reheat in a little butter, or in a white, brown, or tomato sauce. Before sending to table, sprinkle thickly with grated cheese or stir the cheese through it.

Spaghetti, vermicelli, or any of the forms of paste may be prepared in the same way.

Pickles, Etc.

Use glass bottles for pickles, also wooden knives and forks in preparation of them. Fill bottles 3 parts full with articles to be pickled, then fill bottle with vinegar. Use saucepans lined with earthenware, or stone pipkins, to boil vinegar in.

=Chow Chow.=—1 quart large cucumbers, 1 quart small cucumbers, 2 quarts onions, 4 heads cauliflower, 6 green peppers, 1 quart green tomatoes, 1 gallon vinegar, 1 pound mustard, 2 cups sugar, 2 cups flour, 1 ounce turmeric. Put all in salt and water one night; cook all the vegetables in brine until tender, except large cucumbers. Pour over vinegar and spices.

=Pickling Cauliflowers.=—Take whitest and closest cauliflowers in bunches; spread on earthen dish, cover them with salt, and let stand 3 days to draw out all the water. Then put in jars, pour boiling salt and water over them, let stand overnight; then drain with a hair-sieve, and put in glass jars; fill up jars with vinegar; cover tight.

=Piccalilly.=—1 peck green tomatoes, sliced; ½ peck onions, sliced; 1 cauliflower, 1 peck small cucumbers. Leave in salt and water 24 hours; then put in kettle with handful scraped horse-radish, 1 ounce turmeric, 1 ounce cloves (whole), ¼ pound pepper (whole), 1 ounce cassia-buds or cinnamon, 1 pound white mustard seed, 1 pound English mustard. Place in kettle in layers, and cover with cold vinegar. Boil 15 minutes, constantly stirring.

=Pickled Red Cabbage.=—Slice it into a colander, sprinkle each layer with salt; let it drain 2 days, then put into a jar, pour boiling vinegar enough to cover, put in a few slices of red beet-root. Choose purple red cabbage. Those who like flavor of spice will boil it with the vinegar. Cauliflower cut in bunches, and thrown in after being salted, will look red and beautiful.

=Tomato Catsup.=—1 gallon tomatoes (strained), 6 tablespoons salt, 3 tablespoons black pepper, 1 tablespoon cloves, 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 2 tablespoons allspice, 1½ pints vinegar; boil down one half. 1 peck tomatoes will make 1 gallon strained.

=Walnut Catsup.=—Take green walnuts before the shell is formed (usually in a proper state early in August). Grind them or pound them in an earthen or marble mortar. Squeeze out the juice through a coarse cloth, and add to every gallon of juice 1 pound of anchovies, 1 pound salt, 4 ounces cayenne pepper, 2 ounces black pepper, 1 ounce each ginger, cloves, and mace, and the root of one horse-radish. Boil all together till reduced to half the quantity. Pour off, and when cold bottle tight. Use in 3 months.

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Beverages

=Boiled Coffee.=—For 4 heaping tablespoons ground coffee allow 1 quart freshly boiling water and ½ white 1 raw egg. Mix the egg white with 3 tablespoons cold water, beating with fork. Add coffee and stir till well wet. Scald coffee-pot, put in prepared coffee. Pour in boiling water, cover spout, and boil 5 minutes. Pour in quickly ¼ cup cold water, let stand 3 minutes to settle. Strain into hot pot or have strainer on table.

=Coffee for Six Persons.=—Take 1 full cup ground coffee, 1 egg, a little cold water; stir together, add 1 pint boiling water, boil up; then add another pint boiling water, and set back to settle before serving.

=French Coffee.=—1 quart water to 1 cup very fine ground coffee. Put coffee grounds in bowl; pour over about ½ pint cold water and let stand for 15 minutes; bring remaining water to a boil. Take coffee in bowl, strain through fine sieve, then take French coffee-pot, put coffee grounds in strainer at top of French pot, leaving water in bowl. Then take boiling water and pour over coffee very slowly. Then set coffee-pot on stove 5 minutes; _must not boil_. Take off and pour in cold water from bowl that coffee was first soaked in, to settle. Serve in another pot. The French, who have the reputation of making the best coffee, use 3 parts Java, 1 part Mocha.

=Vienna Coffee.=—Equal parts Mocha and Java coffee; allow 1 heaping tablespoon of coffee to each person, and 2 extra to make good strength. Mix 1 egg with grounds, pour on coffee ½ as much boiling water as will be needed, let coffee froth, then stir down grounds and let boil 5 minutes; then let coffee stand where it will keep hot, but not boil, for 5 or 10 minutes, and add rest of water. To 1 pint cream add white of an egg, well-beaten; this is to be put in cups with sugar, and hot coffee added.

=Tea.=—Water for tea should be freshly heated and just boiling. Teas are of differing strengths, but a safe rule is 1 teaspoon dry tea to ½ pint boiling water. Scald tea-pot; put in dry tea and cover for 1 minute. Add boiling water, cover closely. Let stand 3 to 6 minutes, strain off into second hot pot. A wadded cozy will keep tea hot for a long time off the fire.

=Cocoa.=—The usual rule is 1 teaspoon cocoa to each cup. Mix dry cocoa with little cold water, add scalded milk or boiling water, and boil 1 minute.

=Chocolate.=—1 square unsweetened chocolate, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons hot water. Grate chocolate, boil all together till smooth, add gradually 1 pint scalded milk, cook in double boiler 5 minutes. Some like to add 1 teaspoon vanilla. It can be made stronger by using more chocolate.

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Cookery for the Sick

Always prepare food for the sick in the neatest and most careful manner. In sickness the senses are unusually acute, and far more susceptible to carelessness, negligence, and mistakes in the preparation and serving of food than when in health.

=Corn Meal Gruel.=—Mix 1 tablespoon corn meal, ½ teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons cold water. Add 1 pint boiling water, simmer slowly 1 hour. In serving bowl put 2 tablespoons cream, 1 lump sugar, strain in gruel, stir for a moment, and serve.

Flour and arrowroot gruel is made in the same way, but cooked only 10 minutes.

Farina gruel is made with milk and cooked 1 hour in double boiler.

Boil oatmeal gruel 1 hour and strain.

=Barley Water.=—Wash 2 tablespoons pearl barley, scald with boiling water, boil 5 minutes, strain. Add 2 quarts cold water, simmer till reduced ½. Strain, add lemon juice to taste. Good in fevers.

=Wine Whey.=—Scald 1 cup milk, add 1 cup wine, cook gently till it wheys. Strain through cheese-cloth.