Shall I tell you of three little dinners and how to make them grow?
Give ear, then, and you may hear. The first shall have a foundation of
tomato soup. Now please don't make a wry face and begin to say unkind
things about tomato soup having a past until you have heard me
through; for I want to tell you of an economical and really delicious
way of making this soup that is not known to every one. Just at this
season almost all housekeepers will be sure to have on hand two or
three kinds of cooked vegetables, little scraps of each I mean. Now,
suppose the list to comprise three new potatoes, boiled, half a cupful
of string beans and about the same quantity of green peas; to these,
or to any others which you may prefer to use, should be added two raw
onions finely minced and a handful of chopped parsley. Put them into a
saucepan with two ounces of butter, a sprinkling of pepper and salt,
and, after they have simmered for ten minutes, add a can of tomatoes.
Season then with a teaspoonful of whole allspice, a tablespoonful of
sugar, and more pepper and salt if need be, and cook slowly for half
an hour. At the end of that time strain through a fine hair sieve,
put back on the stove and thicken with a scant teaspoonful of
cornstarch mixed with a teaspoonful of melted butter. Have little
sippets of fried bread in the soup tureen, pour the soup over them and
serve. And there you have a soup possessed of all the flavors that
make a tomato soup worth the eating, while it has none of the
heaviness of soup made with a rich stock.
And the next dish for dinner No. 1 shall be of dainty little lamb
chops broiled to a turn. Have in the centre of the platter a mound of
mashed potato, lean the chops against it, and serve in this way.
With the chops serve string beans. Boil them till tender in salted
water, drain them and put into a saucepan with two ounces of butter
and two tablespoonfuls of cream to a quart of beans. Cook them for
three minutes and send to the table very hot.