CHAPTER 1.

CASSELL'S VEGETARIAN COOKERY.

BY A.G. PAYNE, B.A.

* * * * *

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CASSELL'S

Book of the Household.

A Valuable and Practical Work on Every Department of Household Management.

_With Numerous Illustrations_.

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EVERY HOUSEKEEPER, is CASSELL'S BOOK OF THE HOUSEHOLD. Here we find the

most varied information and the soundest of advice. The household, its

members and their family life, are considered and discussed; children and

their training, health and disease, food and clothing, furnishing,

furniture, and household mechanics. The arrangement and treatment of these

various subjects are admirable, and the book is certainly a most valuable

and practical manual of household management."

The _Queen_ says: "A BOOK SO HANDY AND PRACTICAL OUGHT TO BE ADOPTED BY

EVERY WELL-ORDERED FAMILY. Its plan is so comprehensive, it will include

every part of the house and its requirements, and all the members of the

family and their mutual relations, duties, and responsibilities."

The _Weekly Dispatch_ says: "We do not know of any more practical or more

valuable work on household management. It is worth its weight in gold."

The _Scotsman_ says: "The first volume has appeared of a book which

promises to be of great and extensive utility. It is A CYCLOPAEDIA OF

INFORMATION ON ALL QUESTIONS CONNECTED WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF A HOUSEHOLD,

and does not enter into comparison with books that treat merely of

provisions for the table. Various hands have evidently been employed in

working up the various sections, and every subject is dealt with in a

thoroughly competent style. The book is admirably appointed in every

respect, and contains many illustrations, all of the most useful character,

and beautifully printed. EVERY ONE WHO HAS TO DO IN ANY WAY WITH THE

MANAGEMENT OF A HOUSEHOLD WILL FIND THIS BOOK INVALUABLE."

The _Liverpool Mercury_ says: "CASSELL'S BOOK OF THE HOUSEHOLD is another

book, of a class of which many have been issued, and good books too; but

this one, by the thoroughness and comprehensiveness of its arrangement,

will go far to render the housewife who possesses it independent of all the

rest.... Many a housewife will find the articles interesting enough to be

taken up at any leisure hour."

The _Glasgow Herald_ says: "The work promises to be the most complete thing

of the kind in existence, and even the first volume by itself is a perfect

household encyclopaedia."

CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED, _Ludgate Hill, London_.

* * * * *

SAVES TIME, TROUBLE, AND EXPENSE.

ASK YOUR GROCER FOR GRIDLEY & CO'S ISINGLASSINE.

"PURE, NUTRITIOUS AND WHOLESOME."

_Arthur Hill Hassall_

_E. Godwin Clayton_

A SIXPENNY PACKET WILL MAKE 1 QUART OF BRILLIANT JELLY.

NO BOILING OR SOAKING REQUIRED. TO BE HAD OF ALL GROCERS

_THREE GOLD MEDALS AWARDED._

HIGHEST TESTIMONIALS.

* * * * *

The London Vegetarian Society,

THE MEMORIAL HALL, FARRINGDON STREET, E.C.

President--A.F. HILLS, Esq.

Treasurer--ERNEST BELL, Esq., M.A.

Secretary--MAY YATES.

THE LONDON VEGETARIAN SOCIETY is established for the purpose of advocating

the total disuse of the flesh of animals (fish, flesh, and fowl) as food,

and promoting instead a more extensive use of fruits, grains, nuts, and

other products of the vegetable kingdom; and also to disseminate

information as to the meaning and principles of Vegetarianism by lectures,

pamphlets, letters to the Press, &c.; and by these means, and through the

example and efforts of its Members, to extend the adoption of a principle

tending essentially to true civilisation, to universal humaneness, and to

the increase of human happiness generally.

Members adopt in its entirety the Vegetarian system of diet. Associates

agree to promote the aims of the Society, but do not pledge themselves to

its practice.

SUBSCRIBERS ARE ENTITLED TO THE FOLLOWING ADVANTAGES:

ONE SHILLING PER ANNUM.--Minimum Subscription.

FIVE SHILLINGS PER ANNUM.--Tickets for Four Monthly Receptions, Four

Debates, and Four Conversaziones at half-price, and be entitled to receive,

free by post, copies of all new literature published by the Society under

6d.

TEN SHILLINGS PER ANNUM.--Tickets for Four Monthly Receptions, Four

Debates, and Four Conversaziones, and to receive, free by post, copies of

all new literature published by the Society under 1s.

ONE GUINEA PER ANNUM.--Tickets for Four Monthly Receptions, Four Debates

and Four Conversaziones, and to receive, free by post, all new literature

published by the Society under 2s., and copies of the _Vegetarian_, _The

Hygienic Review_, and the _Vegetarian Messenger_.

* * * * *

POOR MAN'S FRIEND AND PILLS.

DR. ROBERTS' OINTMENT CALLED POOR MAN'S FRIEND Will Cure WOUNDS and SORES

of every description

DR. ROBERTS' ALTERATIVE PILLS For DISEASES of the BLOOD and SKIN.

_Of all Chemists, or of the Proprietors_, BRIDPORT, DORSET.

* * * * *

[Illustration]

THE "RAPID" COOKERY STEAMER.

TO FIT ANY SAUCEPAN.

_From 1s. each._

OF ALL IRONMONGERS.

* * * * *

_NEW AND ENLARGED EDITION._

A YEAR'S COOKERY.

Giving Dishes for Breakfast, Luncheon, and Dinner for every Day in the

Year, By PHYLLIS BROWNE. Cloth gilt, 3s. 6d.

To the New Edition of this popular book (which has already attained a sale

of upwards of Twenty Thousand Copies) additional pages have been added on

Food for Invalids.

CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED, _Ludgate Hill, London_.

* * * * *

_Price_ 2s. 6d.

A HANDBOOK FOR THE NURSING OF SICK CHILDREN. By CATHERINE J. WOOD.

"Miss Wood's book is succinct, clearly written, and goes straight to the

heart of each detail in a thoroughly business-like fashion."--_Health_.

CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED, _Ludgate Hill, London_.

* * * * *

_THE LARGEST, CHEAPEST, AND BEST COOKERY BOOK._

1,280 pages, royal 8vo, cloth, 7s. 6d.; roxburgh, 10s. 6d.

CASSELL'S

Dictionary of Cookery.

ILLUSTRATED THROUGHOUT.

CONTAINING ABOUT 9,000 RECIPES.

"CASSELL'S DICTIONARY OF COOKERY is one of the most thorough and

comprehensive works of the kind. To expatiate on its abundant contents

would demand pages rather than paragraphs."--_The Times_.

"One of the most handsome, practical, and comprehensive books of

cookery."--_Saturday Review_.

"It seems to us that this book is absolutely what it claims to be--that is,

the largest and most complete collection of the kind ever produced in this

country; an encyclopaedia, in fact, of the culinary art in all its

branches. It is a dictionary which should be in every household, and

studied by every woman who recognises her true mission in the

world."--_Christian World_.

"CASSELL'S DICTIONARY OF COOKERY is not only full of solid and valuable

information as to the best method of preparing food in an endless variety

of forms, but it will enable a housekeeper to grasp principles on which

food may be cooked to the greatest perfection. It supplies the reason why

one method is right and another wrong. An estimate of the cost of each

recipe is given, which is valuable information. The recipes themselves are

given in terms intelligible to the meanest capacity."--_Athenaeum_.

"CASSELL'S DICTIONARY OF COOKERY contains about 9,000 recipes, and is

preceded by a treatise on the Principles of Culinary Art and Table

Management, which will simply be found invaluable not only by cooks, as

those most interested in such instructions, but by every mistress of a

household, large or small.... The woodcuts dispersed through the pages not

only illustrate some of the various species of fish, game, fruit,

vegetables, and herbs to which the recipes refer, but serve to make the

directions for carving more intelligible, while the coloured plates

represent appetising dishes elaborately garnished, or fruit tastefully

arranged, with several less inviting pictures of 'bad and good joints of

meat' contrasted with each other side by side."--_Morning Post_.

"The best Cookery book extant. We know of no equal, either in the

arrangement of its contents, the number of its recipes, or the elegance of

its illustrations."--_York Herald_.

"Being complete, it tells us how to dress a table for the smallest dinner,

but what I value more in it is that it reminds us of the simplest and

cheapest of dishes, and gives their cost. There are more shilling or

sixpenny preparations in this book than those of greater cost."--_Western

Morning News_.

CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED, _Ludgate Hill, London_.

* * * * *

CASSELL'S

VEGETARIAN COOKERY.

* * * * *

CROSSE & BLACKWELL'S PICKLES, SAUCES, FLAVOURING ESSENCES,

_PARISIAN ESSENCE FOR GRAVIES_,

Grated Parmesan Cheese in Bottles,

PURE LUCCA OIL,

Malt Vinegar and Table Delicacies,

_ARE SOLD BY ALL GROCERS_.

CROSSE & BLACKWELL,

Purveyors to the Queen,

SOHO SQUARE, LONDON.

* * * * *

CASSELL'S VEGETARIAN COOKERY.

A MANUAL OF _CHEAP AND WHOLESOME DIET_.

BY

A.G. PAYNE, B.A.

AUTHOR OF "CHOICE DISHES," ETC.

[Illustration]

CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED:

_LONDON, PARIS & MELBOURNE_.

1891.

* * * * *

For Puddings, Blanc-Mange, Custards, CHILDREN'S AND INVALIDS' DIET, _And

all the Uses of Arrowroot_,

BROWN & POLSON'S CORN FLOUR

HAS A WORLD-WIDE REPUTATION, AND IS DISTINGUISHED FOR _UNIFORMLY SUPERIOR

QUALITY_.

NOTE.--Purchasers should insist on being supplied with BROWN & POLSON'S

CORN FLOUR. Inferior qualities, asserting fictitious claims, are being

offered.

* * * * *

80th THOUSAND, _price_ 1s.; _post free_, 1s. 3d.

CASSELL'S SHILLING COOKERY.

This new and valuable Work contains 364 pages, crown 8vo, bound in limp

cloth.

"This is the LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE WORK on the subject of cookery

ever yet published at the price."--_Christian Age_.

"Housekeepers WILL SAVE MANY SHILLINGS if they follow the practical

suggestions and excellent advice given."--_Bazaar_.

"CASSELL'S SHILLING COOKERY is certainly the cheapest manual for the

kitchen we have ever received. There are 360 pages of recipes, the book is

serviceably bound, and should prove a treasure to any young wife."--_Weekly

Times and Echo_.

CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED, _Ludgate Hill, London_.

* * * * *

PREFACE.

The present work, though written upon strictly vegetarian principles, is by

no means addressed to vegetarians only. On the contrary, we hope that the

following pages of recipes will be read by that enormous class throughout

the country who during the last few years have been gradually changing

their mode of living by eating far _less_ meat, and taking vegetables and

farinaceous food as a substitute.

Where there are thousands who are vegetarians from choice, there are tens

of thousands who are virtually vegetarians from necessity. Again, there is

another large class who from time to time adopt a vegetarian course of diet

on the ground of health, and as a means of escaping from the pains

attendant on gout, liver complaint, or dyspepsia.

The class we most wish to reach, however, is that one, increasing we fear,

whose whole life is one continual struggle not merely to live, but to live

decently.

It may seem a strong statement, but we believe it to be a true one, that

only those who have tried a strictly vegetarian course of diet know what

real _economy_ means. Should the present work be the means of enabling

even one family to become not only better in health but richer in pocket,

it will not have been written in vain.

A.G. PAYNE.

* * * * *

SOLIDIFIED JELLY.

[Illustration]

By Royal Letters Patent in Great Britain and Ireland, 1888 Patented in the

Dominion of Canada, 1889. Patented in France, 1889. N. S. Wales, 1889.

Victoria, 1889. Other Foreign Rights reserved.

CHELSEA TABLE JELLIES,

The Inventor and Patentee, in introducing this high-class article of food,

begs to warn the Public that the great success and enormous demand the

CHELSEA TABLE JELLIES have obtained in Great Britain has brought many

imitators on the Market. A few Stores and Grocers are offering same to the

Public, no doubt for the purpose of wishing to appear cheaper, or for

making extra profit. The favour for the CHELSEA TABLE JELLY has been

obtained solely upon the merits of the article, and it is held to be the

greatest invention of the kind, bringing within the reach of all classes

this hitherto almost unobtainable luxury. This has been fully endorsed by

the unsolicited testimony of high-class British journals.

The article is put up in cardboard boxes, in quantities to make 1/2-pints,

pints, and quarts of jelly, and the following are some of the flavours:

Lemon, Orange, Vanilla, Calves' Feet, Noyeau, Raspberry, Punch, and

Madeira. It should not be confounded with the ordinary fruit Jelly, which

is a totally different article, _this being a pure Calves' Feet jelly_,

superseding the use of gelatine in packets for jelly purposes--this latter,

as will easily be seen, being now a thing of the past. On each box is

printed a public analyst's report, also full directions for use.

_The following advantages are claimed over all other Calves Feet

jellies_:--

1. It is less than one-third of the price of bottled jellies, and superior

in quality.

2. It never gets mildewed or corky.

3. It never fails to set or jellify.

4. Its extreme simpleness of preparation, only requiring to be melted by

the addition of hot water, no flavouring or other matter being required.

5. It will keep good for any time until made up, when it will keep good

longer than other jellies.

6. The largest quantity can be made in a few minutes.

For persons suffering from dyspepsia or any other ailment, it will also be

found to be a great boon, as it can be cut and eaten in the solidified

state with great satisfaction. On sea voyages and excursions of any kind

it will be found invaluable.

_BEWARE OF SPURIOUS IMITATIONS, and ask only for the_ WALTER ROBERTSON

CHELSEA TABLE JELLY.

ARTICLES OF MERIT ARE OFTEN PIRATED BY UNPRINCIPLED TRADERS.

To be had of all GROCERS, STORES, and CONFECTIONERS.

_CERTIFICATE OF ANALYSIS_.

Sample of CHELSEA TABLE JELLY. Received 1888.

_I certify that the following are the results of the analysis of the above

samples_:

I have examined a sample of Chelsea Table jelly, and find it to be a

mixture of Calves' Feet jelly and sugar; it is undoubtedly nutritious and

wholesome.

It is superior to other samples that I have analysed, as it in much firmer

and keeps well.

It is clear and bright, and has evidently been carefully manufactured from

pure materials.

It has a pleasant flavour, and is of excellent quality.

_(Signed)_ R. H. HARLAND, F.I,C., F.C.S.

Laboratory, Plough Court, 37, Lombard Street. _Public Analyst_.

Copy of Testimonial received August 26th, 1891 (_unsolicited_).

59, Windsor Road, Southport. _August 25th_, 1891.

GENTLEMEN,--I may inform you that I have tried other makers of jellies, but

have found none to equal yours in excellence of quality. I have mentioned

this fact frequently to Mr. Seymour Mead and to my friends. I am also

deeply indebted to you from the fact that a little niece of mine was fed

almost exclusively on your Calves' Feet Jelly for a period of three months,

and who, when she refused to take other things, always took most willingly

to your jellies.

Yours respectfully,

W, ROBERTSON & Co. M. T. HANSON.

_This and others may be inspected at the Works, Chelsea, London._

INVENTORS AND SOLE MANUFACTURERS (WHOLESALE ONLY):

WALTER ROBERTSON & CO., CHELSEA, LONDON, S.W., ENGLAND

* * * * *

CONTENTS.

PAGE.

CHAP. I.--Soups 17

II.--SAUCES 44

III.--RICE, MACARONI, OATMEAL 60

IV.--EGGS AND OMELETS 78

V.--SALADS AND SANDWICHES 96

VI.--SAVOURY DISHES 108

VII.--VEGETABLES, SUBSTANTIAL 122

VIII.--VEGETABLES, FRESH 137

IX.--PRESERVED VEGETABLES AND FRUITS 152

X.--JELLIES (VEGETARIAN) AND JAMS 158

XI.--CREAMS, CUSTARDS, AND CHEESECAKES 165

XII.--STEWED FRUITS AND FRUIT ICES 171

XIII.--CAKES AND BREAD 177

XIV.--PIES AND PUDDINGS 182

* * * * *

E.F. LANGDALE'S

PRIZE MEDAL.

Flavouring Essences and Domestic Specialities

FOR PIES, PUDDINGS, SOUPS, GRAVIES, ICES, &c.

_Prepared direct from Herbs, Fruits, and Spices, gathered in their bloom

and freshness._

Specially awarded Prize Medals, Great International Exhibition,

London, 1851 and 1862.

(Recommended for all the Recipes in this work.)

_"E.F. LANGDALE'S" should always be insisted upon.

They are Purest, Best, and Cheapest._

Essence Lemon.

Strong Essence Vanilla.

Purified Essence Almonds

Essence Noyau.

" Raspberries.

Essence Ginger.

" Orange.

" Ratafia.

" Celery.

" Strawberries.

* * * * *

E.F. LANGDALE'S

Fruit Pudding, Blancmange, and. Custard Powders

MAKE DELICIOUS PUDDINGS, CUSTARDS, & BLANCMANGE.

_In 2d. and 6d. Packets. Sold everywhere._

ALMOND.

LEMON.

VANILLA.

RASPBERRY.

PINE APPLE.

RATAFIA.

STRAWBERRY.

NECTARINE.

CHOCOLATE, &c.

* * * * *

E.F. LANGDALE'S

Prepared Dried English Herbs, &c.

Garden Mint.

Savoury.

Parsley.

Sage.

Lemon Thyme.

Basil.

Mixed Sweet Herbs.

" Soup "

Tarragon.

_Celery Seeds. Celery Salt. Herbaceous Mixture._

E.F. LANGDALE'S REFINED JAMAICA LIME JUICE AND PURE LEMON JUICE.

Distilled Tarragon and Chill Vinegar for Salads and Sauces.

* * * * *

Sole Agent for

J. Delcroix & Cie. Concentrated Parisian Essence,

FOR BROWNING GRAVIES, &c. (_See pages 20, 22._) Which should always be

bought with their Name. As used by all _Chefs_.

J. DELCROIX & CIE. Pure Green Vegetable Coloured Spinach Extract. _Perfectly

Harmless_.

J. DELCROIX & CIE. Brilliant Extract Cochineal for Tinting Ices, Pies, &c.

* * * * *

E. F. LANGDALE'S "Essence Distillery,"

72 & 73, HATTON GARDEN, LONDON, E.C. Estab. 1770.

Pamphlets, Recipes, &c., post free. All the above can be obtained of any

leading Grocer. We will send name of nearest Agent on receipt of post

card.

* * * * *

INTRODUCTION.

We wish it to be distinctly understood at starting, that the present work

is purely a cookery-book, written on the principles generally adopted by

vegetarians; and as, until quite recently, there seemed to be in the minds

of many some doubt as to the definition of vegetarianism, we will quote the

following explanation from the head of the report of the London Vegetarian

Society:--"The aims of the London Vegetarian Society are to advocate the

total disuse of the flesh of animals (fish, flesh, and fowl) as food, and

to promote a more extensive use of pulse, grains, fruits, nuts, and other

products of the vegetable kingdom, thus propagating a principle tending

essentially to true civilisation, to universal humaneness, and to the

increase of happiness generally."

We have no intention of writing a treatise on vegetarianism, but we

consider a few words of explanation necessary. Years back many persons

were under the impression that by vegetarianism was meant simply an

abstention from flesh-meat, but that fish was allowed. Such, however, is

not the case, according to the rules of most of the Vegetarian Societies of

the day. On the other hand, strictly speaking, real vegetarians would not

be allowed the use of eggs and milk; but it appears that many use these,

though there are a considerable number of persons who abstain. There is no

doubt that the vegetable kingdom, without either milk or eggs, contains

every requisite for the support of the human body. In speaking on this

subject, Sir Henry Thompson observes:--"The vegetable kingdom comprehends

the cereals, legumes, roots, starches, sugar, herbs, and fruits. Persons

who style themselves vegetarians often consume milk, eggs, butter, and

lard, which are choice foods from the animal kingdom. There are other

persons, of course, who are strictly vegetarian eaters, and such alone have

any right to the title of vegetarians."

In the following pages will be found ample recipes for the benefit of

parties who take either view. In questions of this kind there will always

be found conflicting views. We have no wish or desire to give opinions,

but consider it will be more advisable, and probably render the book far

more useful, if we confine ourselves as much as possible to facts.

The origin of vegetarianism is as old as the history of the world itself,

and probably from time immemorial there have been sects which have

practised vegetarianism, either as a religious duty, or under the belief

that they would render the body more capable of performing religious

duties. In the year 1098, or two years prior to the date of Henry I.,

there was a strictly vegetarian society formed in connection with the

Christian Church, which lived entirely on herbs and roots, and the society

has lasted to the present day. Again, there have been many sects who, not

so strict, have allowed themselves the use of fish.

Again, there are those who adopt a vegetarian course of diet on the ground

of health. Many maintain that diseases like gout and dyspepsia would

disappear were vegetarian diet strictly adhered to. On the other hand, we

have physicians who maintain that the great cause of indigestion is not

eating enough. An American physician, some years ago, alleged he had

discovered the cause, his argument being that the more work the stomach had

to do the stronger it would become, on the same principle that the arm of a

blacksmith is more powerful in consequence of hard work. Of one thing we

are certain, and that is, there will always be rival physicians and rival

sects; but the present work will simply be a guide to _those who require,

from whatever cause, a light form of diet_. Perhaps the greatest benefit

vegetarians can do their cause--and there are many who think very strongly

on the subject--is to endeavour to take a dispassionate view. Rome was not

built in a day; and if we look back at the past history of this country,

during the last half-century, in regard to food, we shall see that there

have been many natural changes at work. Waves of thought take place

backwards and forwards, but still the tide may flow. Some fifty years ago

there was, undoubtedly, a strong impression (with a large number of

right-minded people) that plenty of meat, beer, and wine were good for all,

even for young children. The medical profession are very apt to run in

flocks, and follow some well-known leader. At the period to which we

refer, numbers of anxious mothers would have regarded the advice to bring

up their children as vegetarians and teetotallers as positive cruelty.

This old-fashioned idea has passed away.

One great motive for adopting a course of vegetarian diet is economy; and

here we feel that we stand on firm ground, without danger of offending

sincere opinions, which are often wrongly called prejudices. To a great

extent, the majority of the human race are virtually vegetarians from

necessity. Nor do we find feebleness either of mind or body necessarily

ensues. We believe there are tens of thousands of families who would give

vegetarianism a trial were it not for fear. Persons are too apt to think

that bodily strength depends upon the nature of the food we eat. In India

we have a feeble race, living chiefly on rice. On the other hand, in

China, for bodily strength, few can compare with the Coolies. For many

years in Scotland the majority lived on oatmeal, while in Ireland they

lived on potatoes. We do not wish to argue anything from these points, but

to bring them forward for consideration. Probably, strength of body and

mind, as a general rule, depends upon breed, and this argument tells two

ways--it does not follow that vegetarians will be necessarily strong, and

will cease to be cruel; nor does it follow that those who have been

accustomed all their lives to eat meat will cease to be strong should they

become vegetarians. As we have said, the great motive that induces many to

give vegetarianism a trial is economy; and if persons would once get rid of

the idea that they risk their health by making a trial, much would be done

to advance the cause.

Another great reason for persons hesitating to make a trial is the

revolution it would create in their households. Here again we are beset by

difficulties, and these difficulties can only disappear gradually, after

long years of patience. We believe the progress towards vegetarianism must

of necessity be a very slow one. No large West End tradesman could

possibly insist upon his whole establishment becoming vegetarians because

he becomes one himself. We believe and hope that the present work will

benefit those who are undergoing a slow but gradual change in their mode of

living. This is easiest in small households, where no servants are kept at

all, where the mistress is both cook and mother. It is in such households

that the change is possible, and very often most desirable. In many cases

trial will be made gradually. The great difficulty to contend with is

prejudice, or, rather, we may say, habit. There are many housekeepers who

feel that their bill of fare would instantly become extremely limited were

they to adopt vegetarian ideas. There are few better dinners--especially

for children--than a good basin of soup, with plenty of bread; yet, as a

rule, there are few housekeepers who would know how to make vegetarian soup

at all. In our present work we have given a list of sixty-four soups. At

any rate, here is no lack of variety, as small housekeepers in this country

are not famed for their knowledge of soup making, even with gravy-beef at

their disposal.

On looking down this list it will be observed that in many cases cream--or,

at any rate, milk--is recommended. We can well imagine the housekeeper

exclaiming, "I don't call this economy." This is one point about which we

consider a few words of explanation necessary. We will suppose a family of

eight, who have been accustomed to live in the ordinary way, are going to

have a vegetarian dinner by way of trial. Some soup has to be made, and

one or two vegetables from the garden or the greengrocer's, as the case may

be, are going to be cooked on a new method, and the housekeeper is

horrified at the amount of butter she finds recommended for the sauce.

People must, however, bear in mind that changes are gradual, and that

often, at first starting, a degree of richness, or what they would consider

extravagance, is advisable if they wish to _reconcile others_ to the

change. In our dinner for eight we would first ask them how much meat

would they have allowed a head? At the very lowest computation, it could

not have been decently done under a quarter of a pound each, even if the

dish of meat took the economical form of an Irish stew; and had a joint,

such as a leg of mutton, been placed upon the table, it would probably have

been considerably more than double. Supposing, however, instead of the

meat, we have three vegetables--say haricot beans, potatoes, and a cabbage.

With the assistance of some really good butter sauce, these vegetables,

eaten with bread, make an agreeable meal, which, especially in hot weather,

would probably be a pleasant change. Supposing, for the sake of argument,

you use half a pound of butter in making the butter sauce. This sounds, to

ordinary cooks, very extravagant, even supposing butter to be only one

shilling per pound. Suppose, however, this half a pound of butter is used

as a means of going without a leg of mutton? That is the chief point to be

borne in mind in a variety of recipes to follow. The cream, butter, and

eggs are often recommended in what will appear as wholesale quantities,

but, as a set-off against this, you have no butcher's bill at all. We do

not maintain that this apparently unlimited use of butter, eggs, and

occasionally cream, is necessary; but we believe that there are many

families who will be only able to make the change by substituting "_nice_"

dishes, at any rate at first starting, to make up for the loss of the meat.

It is only by substituting a pleasant kind of food, that many will be

induced even to attempt to change. Gradually the living will become

cheaper and cheaper; but it is unwise to attempt, in a family, to do too

much at once.

There are many soups we have given in which cream is recommended; for

instance, artichoke soup, bean soup, cauliflower soup, and celery soup.

After partaking of a well-made basin of one of these soups, followed by one

or two vegetables and a fruit pie or stewed fruit, there are many persons

who would voluntarily remark, "I don't seem to care for any meat." On the

other hand, were the vegetables served in the old-fashioned style, but

without any meat, there are many who would feel that they were undergoing a

species of privation, even if they did not say so--we refer to a dish of

plain-boiled potatoes and dry bread, or even the ordinary cabbage served in

the usual way. Supposing, however, a nice little new cabbage is sent to

table, with plenty of really good white sauce or butter sauce, over which

has been sprinkled a little bright green parsley, whilst some crisp fried

bread surrounds the dish--the cabbage is converted into a meal; and if we

take into account the absence of the meat, we still save enormously. The

advice we would give, especially to young housekeepers, is, "Persuasion is

better than force." If you wish to teach a child to swim, it is far easier

to entice him into shallow water on a hot summer's day than to throw him in

against his will in winter time.

Another point which we consider of great importance is appearances. As far

as possible, we should endeavour to make the dishes look pretty. We are

appealing to a very large class throughout the country who at all cost wish

to keep up appearances. It is an important class, and one on which the

slow but gradual march of civilisation depends. We fear that any attempt

to improve the extreme poor, who live surrounded by dirt and misery, would

be hopeless, unless they still have some lingering feeling of this

self-respect. For the poor woman who snatches a meal off

bread-and-dripping, which she eats without a table-cloth, and then repairs

to the gin-shop to wash it down, nothing can be done. This class will

gradually die out as civilisation advances. This is seen, even in the

present day, in America.

Fortunately, there is plenty of scope in vegetarian cooking not merely for

refinement, but even elegance. Do not despise the sprinkle of chopped

parsley and red specks of bread-crumbs coloured with cochineal, so often

referred to throughout the following pages. Remember that the cost of

these little accessories to comfort is virtually _nil_. We must remember

also that one sense works upon another. We can please the palate through

the eye. There is some undoubted connection between these senses. If you

doubt it, suck a lemon in front of a German band and watch the result. The

sight of meat causes the saliva to run from the mouths of the carnivorous

animals at the Zoo. This is often noticeable in the case of a dog watching

people eat, and it is an old saying, "It makes one's mouth water to look at

it." In the case of endeavouring to induce a change of living in grown-up

persons, such as husband or children, there is perhaps no method we can

pursue so efficacious as that of making dishes look pretty. A dish of

bright red tomatoes, reposing on the white bosom of a bed of macaroni,

relieved here and there by a few specks of green--what a difference to a

similar dish all mashed up together, and in which the macaroni showed signs

of dirty smears!

We have endeavoured throughout this book to give chiefly directions about

those dishes which will replace meat. For instance, the vast majority of

pies and puddings will remain the same, and need no detailed treatment

here. Butter supplies the place of suet or lard, and any ordinary,

cookery-book will be found sufficient for the purpose; but it is in dealing

with soups, sauces, rice, macaroni, and vegetables, sent to table under new

conditions, that we hope this book will be found most useful.

As a rule, English women cooks, especially when their title to the name

depends upon their being the mistress of the house, will often find that

soups and sauces are a weak point. Do not despise, in cooking, little

things. Those who really understand such matters will know how vast is the

difference in flavour occasioned by the addition of that pinch of thyme or

teaspoonful of savoury herbs, and yet there are tens of thousands of

houses, where meat is eaten every day, who never had a bottle of thyme at

their disposal in their lives. As we have said, if we are going to make a

great saving on meat, we can well afford a few trifles, so long as they are

trifles. A sixpenny bottle of thyme will last for months; and if we give

up our gravy beef, or piece of pickled pork, or two-pennyworth of bones, as

the case may be, surely we can afford a little indulgence of this kind.

A few words on the subject of fritters. When will English housekeepers

grasp the idea of frying? They cannot get beyond a dab of grease or butter

in a frying-pan. The bath of boiling oil seems to be beyond them, or at

any rate a degree of civilisation that has not yet passed beyond the limit

of the fried-fish shop. The oil will do over and over again, and in the

end is undoubtedly cheaper than the dab of grease or butter thrown away.

There are hundreds of men who, in hot weather, would positively prefer a

well-cooked vegetable fritter to meat, but yet they rarely get it at home.

Fruit fritters are also very economical--orange fritters, apple fritters,

&c., because the batter helps to make the dish _a meal_.

Those who have practised vegetarianism for many years will probably be of

opinion that we have not called sufficient attention to the subject of

fruit and nuts. This is not because we do not believe in their usefulness,

but because we think that those who are _changing_ their mode of living

will be far better enabled to do so without discomfort by making their

chief alterations in diet in the directions we have pointed out. There is

moreover little or no _cookery_ involved in these articles.

Of the wholesomeness of fresh fruit all are agreed; and as people become

more advanced vegetarians, the desire for fruit and nuts will follow in due

course. In future years, as the demand increases, the supply will

increase; but this is a question of time. Lookers-on often see more of the

game than the players. It is not because the sudden change might not be

beneficial, but because sudden changes are only likely to be effected in

rare instances, that we have taken the view we have. Prejudice is strong,

and it would be very difficult to persuade persons, unless they had been

gradually brought to the change, to regard nuts in the light of food. To

suggest a meal off Brazil nuts would to many have a tendency to put

vegetarianism in a ridiculous light, and nothing kills so readily as

ridicule.

In conclusion, it will be observed that from time to time we have used the

expression, "if wine be allowed." There is no necessary connection between

vegetarianism and teetotalism, but it would be affectation to deny the fact

that they are generally connected. Of the numerous arguments brought

forward by the advocates of vegetarianism, one is that, in the opinion of

many who speak with authority, a vegetarian diet is best adapted to

those--of whom, unfortunately, there are many--who, from time to time, have

a craving for more stimulant than is beneficial to their health. Many

medical men are of the opinion that large meat-eaters require alcoholic

stimulant, and that they can give up the latter more easily by abstaining

from the former. This is a question for medical men to decide, as it does

not properly come into the province of the cook.

We have repeatedly mentioned the addition of wine and liqueurs; but when

these are used for flavouring purposes it is not to be regarded in the same

light as if taken alone. There is a common sense in these matters which

should never be overlooked. The teetotaler who attended the Lord Mayor's

dinner, and refused his glass of punch with his turtle-soup, would be

consistent; but to refuse the turtle-soup itself on the ground that a

little wine, probably Madeira, might have been added, would proclaim him to

be a faddist. It is to be regretted that in the present day so many good

causes have been injured by this ostentation of carrying ideas to an

extreme. Practically, where wine is used in cookery, it is added solely

for the peculiar flavour, and _the alcohol itself is evaporated_. To be

consistent, the vast majority of teetotal drinks, and possibly even stewed

fruit itself, would have to be refused on the same ground, viz., an almost

infinitely small trace of alcohol. We think it best to explain the reason

we have introduced the expression, "if wine be allowed." In each case it

is used for flavouring, and flavouring purposes only. We know that with

some persons a very small amount of stimulant creates a desire for more,

and when this is the case the small quantity should be avoided; but in the

case of the quantity being so infinitely small that it ceases to have this

effect, even if not boiled away as it really is, no harm can possibly

arise. Where wine is added to soups and sauces and exposed to heat, this

would be the case. On the other hand, in the case of tipsy-cake, and wine

added to _compote_ of fruit, this would probably not be the case. A great

distinction should be drawn between such cases. It will be found, however,

that in every case we have mentioned the addition is altogether optional,

or a substitute like lemon-juice can be used in its place.

VEGETARIAN COOKERY

CHAPTER 1.

SOUPS.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS.

There are very few persons, unless they have made vegetarian cookery a

study, who are aware what a great variety of soups can be made without the

use of meat or fish. As a rule, ordinary cookery-books have the one

exception of what is called _soup maigre_. In England it seems to be the

impression that the goodness of the soup depends upon the amount of

nourishment that can be compressed into a small space. It is, however, a

great mistake to think that because we take a large amount of nourishment

we are necessarily nourished. There is a limit, though what that limit is

no one can say, beyond which soup becomes absolutely injurious. A quarter

of a pound of Liebig's Extract of Meat dissolved in half a pint of water is

obviously an over-dose of what is considered nourishment. In France, as a

rule, soup is prepared on an altogether different idea. It is a light,

thin broth, taken at the commencement of the meal to strengthen the

stomach, in order to render it capable of receiving more substantial food

to follow. Vegetarian soups are, of course, to be considered from this

latter point of view.

We think these few preliminary observations necessary as we have to

overcome a very strong English prejudice, which is too apt to despise

everything of which the remark can be made--"Ah! but there is very little

nourishment in it." Vegetarian soups, as a rule, and especially the thin

ones, must be regarded as a light and pleasant flavouring which, with a

small piece of white bread enables the most obstinately delicate stomach to

commence a repast that experience has found best adapted to its

requirements.

The basis of all soup is stock, and in making stock we, of course, have to

depend upon vegetables, fruit, or some kind of farinaceous food. To a

certain extent the water in which any kind of vegetable has been boiled may

be regarded as stock, especially water that has boiled roots, such as

potatoes; or grains, such as rice. It will not, however, be necessary to

enter into any general description as to the best method of obtaining

nutriment in a liquid form from vegetables and grain, as directions will be

given in each recipe, but a few words are necessary on the general subject

of flavouring stock. In making ordinary soup we are very much dependent

for flavour, if the soup be good, on the meat, the vegetables acting only

as accessories. In making stock for vegetarian soups we are chiefly

dependent for flavour on the vegetables themselves, and consequently great

care must be taken that these flavourings are properly _blended_. The

great difficulty in giving directions in cookery-books, and in

understanding them when given, is the insuperable one of avoiding vague

expressions. For instance, suppose we read, "Take two onions, one carrot,

one turnip, and one head of celery,"--what does this mean? It will be

found practically that these directions vary considerably according to the

neighbourhood or part of the country in which we live. For instance, so

much depends upon where we take our head of celery from. Suppose we bought

our head of celery in Bond Street or the Central Arcade in Covent Garden

Market on the one hand, or off a barrow in the Mile End Road on the other.

Again, onions vary so much in size that we cannot draw any hard-and-fast

line between a little pickling onion no bigger than a marble and a Spanish

onion as big as a baby's head. It would be possible to be very precise and

say, "Take so many ounces of celery, or so many pounds of carrot, but

practically we cannot turn the kitchen into a chemist's shop. Cooks,

whether told to use celery in heads or ounces, would act on guess-work just

the same. What are absolutely essential are two things--common sense and

experience.

Again, practically, we must avoid giving too many ingredients. Novices in

the art of cooking are, of course, unable to distinguish between those

vegetables that are absolutely essential and those added to give a slight

extra flavour, but which make very little difference to the soup whether

they are added or not. We are often directed to add a few leaves of

tarragon, or chervil, or a handful of sorrel. Of course, in a large

kitchen, presided over by a Francatelli, these are easily obtainable; but

in ordinary private houses, and in most parts of the country, they are not

only unobtainable but have never even been heard of at the greengrocer's

shop.

In making soups, as a rule, the four vegetables essential are, onion,

celery, carrot and turnip; and we place them in their order of merit. In

making vegetarian soup it is very important that we should learn how to

blend these without making any one flavour too predominant. This can only

be learnt by experience. If we have too much onion the soup tastes rank;

too much celery will make it bitter; too much carrot often renders the soup

sweet; and the turnip overpowers every other flavour. Again, these

vegetables vary so much in strength that were we to peel and weigh them the

result would not be uniform, in addition to the fact that not one cook in a

thousand would take the trouble to do it. Perhaps the most dangerous

vegetable with which we have to deal is turnip. These vary so very much in

strength that sometimes even one slice of turnip will be found too strong.

In flavouring soups with these vegetables, the first care should be to see

that they are thoroughly cleansed. In using celery, too much of the green

part should be avoided if you wish to make first-rate soup. In using the

onions, if they are old and strong, the core can be removed. In using

carrot, if you are going to have any soup where vegetables will be cut up

and served in the soup, you should always peel off the outside red part of

the carrot and reserve it for this purpose, and only use the inside or

yellow part for flavouring purposes if is going to be thrown away or to

lose its identity by being rubbed through a wire sieve with other

vegetables. With regard to turnip, we can only add one word of

caution--not too much. We may here mention, before leaving the subject of

ingredients, that leeks and garlic are a substitute for onion, and can also

be used in conjunction with it.

As a rule, in vegetarian cookery clear soups are rare, and, of course, from

an economical point of view, they are not to be compared with thick soups.

Some persons, in making stock, recommend what is termed bran tea. Half a

pint of bran is boiled in about three pints of water, and a certain amount

of nutriment can be extracted from the bran, which also imparts colour.

For the purpose of colouring clear soups, however, there is nothing in the

world to compare with what French cooks call _caramel_. Caramel is really

burnt sugar. There is a considerable art in preparing it, as it is

necessary that it should impart colour, and colour _only_. When prepared

in the rough-and-ready manner of burning sugar in a spoon, as is too often

practised in English kitchens, this desideratum is never attained, as you

are bound to impart sweetness in addition to a burnt flavour. The simplest

and by far the most economical method of using caramel is to buy it

ready-made. It is sold by all grocers under the name of Parisian Essence.

A small bottle, costing about eightpence, will last a year, and saves an

infinite loss of time, trouble, and temper.

By far the most economical soups are the thick, where all the ingredients

can be rubbed through a wire sieve. Thick soups can be divided into two

classes--ordinary brown soup, and white soup. The ordinary brown is the

most economical, as in white soups milk is essential, and if the soup is

wished to be very good it is necessary to add a little cream.

Soups owe their thickness to two processes. We can thicken the soup by

adding flour of various kinds, such as ordinary flour, corn-flour, &c., and

soup can also be thickened by having some of the ingredients of which it is

composed rubbed through a sieve. This class of soups may be called Purees.

For instance, Palestine soup is really a puree of Jerusalem artichokes;

ordinary pea soup is a puree of split peas. In making our ordinary

vegetarian soups of all kinds, as a rule, all the ingredients should be

rubbed through a sieve. The economy of this is obvious on the face of it.

In the case of thickening soup by means of some kinds of flour, for

richness and flavour there is nothing to equal ordinary flour that has been

cooked. This is what Frenchmen call roux.

As white and brown roux are the very backbone of vegetarian cookery a few

words of explanation may not be out of place. On referring to the recipe

for making white and brown roux, it will be seen that it is simply flour

cooked by means of frying it in butter, In white roux each grain of flour

is cooked till it is done. In brown roux each grain of flour is cooked

till it is done brown. We cannot exaggerate the importance of getting

cooks to see the enormous difference between thickening soups or gravy with

white or brown roux and simply thickening them with plain butter and flour.

The taste of the soup in the two cases is altogether different. The

difference is this. Suppose you have just been making some pastry--some

good, rich, puff paste--you have got two pies, and, as you probably know,

this pastry is simply butter and flour. Place one pie in the oven and bake

it till it is a nice rich brown. Now taste the pie-crust. It is probably

delicious. Now taste the piece of the pie that has not been baked at all.

It is nauseous. The difference is--one is butter and flour that has been

cooked, the other is butter and flour that has not been cooked.

* * * * *

One word of warning in conclusion. Cooks should always remember the good

old saying--that it is quite possible to have too much of a good thing.

They should be particularly warned to bear this in mind in adding herbs,

such as ordinary mixed flavouring herbs, or, as they are sometimes called,

savoury herbs, and thyme. This is also very important if wine is added to

soup, though, as a rule, vegetarians rarely use wine in cooking; but the

same principle applies to the substitute for wine--viz., lemon juice. It

is equally important to bear this in mind in using white and brown roux.

If we make the soup too thick we spoil it, and it is necessary to add water

to bring it to its proper consistency, which, of course, diminishes the

flavour. The proper consistency of any soup thickened with roux should be

that of ordinary cream. Beyond this point the cooked flour will overpower

almost every other flavour, and the great beauty of vegetarian cookery is

its simplicity, it appeals to a taste that is refined and natural, and not

to one that has been depraved.

* * * * *

STOCK.--Strictly speaking, in vegetarian cookery, stock is the goodness and

flavouring that can be extracted from vegetables, the chief ones being

onion, celery, carrot, and turnip. In order to make stock, take these

vegetables, cut them up into small pieces, after having thoroughly cleansed

them, place them in a saucepan with sufficient water to cover them, and let

them boil gently for several hours. The liquor, when strained off, may be

called stock. It can be flavoured with a small quantity of savoury herbs,

pepper, and salt, as well as a little mushroom ketchup. It can be coloured

with a few drops of Parisian essence, or burnt sugar. Its consistency can

be improved by the addition of a small quantity of corn-flour. Sufficient

corn-flour must be added not to make it thick but like very thin gum. In a

broader sense, the water in which rice, lentils, beans and potatoes have

been boiled may be called stock. Again, the water in which macaroni,

vermicelli, sparghetti, and all kinds of Italian paste has been boiled, may

be called stock. The use of liquors of this kind must be left to the

common sense of the cook, as, of course, it would only be obtainable when

these materials are required for use.

BROWN AND WHITE THICKENING, OR ROUX.--It is of great importance for

vegetarians always to have on hand a fairly good stock of white and brown

roux, as it is a great saving both of time and money. As roux will keep

good for weeks, and even months, there is no fear of waste in making a

quantity at a time. Take a pound of flour, with a spoonful or two over;

see that it is thoroughly dry, and then sift it. Next take a pound of

butter and squeeze it in a cloth so as as much as possible to extract all

the moisture from it. Next take a stew-pan--an enamelled one is best--and

melt the butter till it runs to oil. It will now be found that, although

the bulk of the butter looks like oil, a certain amount of froth will rise

to the top. This must be carefully skimmed off. Continue to expose the

butter to a gentle heat till the scum ceases to rise. Now pour off the

oiled butter very gently into a basin till you come to some dregs. These

should be thrown away, or, at any rate, not used in making the roux. Now

mix the pound of dried and sifted flour with the oiled butter, which is

what the French cooks call clarified butter. Place it back in the

stew-pan, put the stew-pan over a tolerably good fire, but not too fierce,

as there is a danger of its burning. With a wooden spoon keep stirring

this mixture, and keep scraping the bottom of the stew-pan, first in one

place and then in another, being specially careful of the edges, to prevent

its burning. Gradually the mixture will begin to turn colour. As soon as

this turn of colour is perceptible take out half and put it in a basin.

This is the white roux, viz., flour cooked in butter but not discoloured

beyond a very trifling amount. Keep the stew-pan on the fire, and go on

stirring the remainder, which will get gradually darker and darker in

colour. As soon as the colour is that of light chocolate remove the

stew-pan from the fire altogether, but still continue scraping and stirring

for a few minutes longer, as the enamel retains the heat to such an extent

that it will sometimes burn after it has been removed from the fire. It is

important not to have the mixture too dark, and it will be found by

experience that it gets darker after the stew-pan has been removed from the

fire. When we say light chocolate we refer to the colour of a cake of

chocolate that has been broken. The inside is the colour, not the outside.

It is advisable sometimes to have by you ready a large slice of onion, and

if you think it is dark enough you can throw this in and immediately by

this means slacken the heat. Pour the brown roux into a separate basin,

and put them by for use.

In the houses of most vegetarians more white roux will be used than brown,

consequently more than half should be removed if this is the case when the

roux first commences to turn colour. When the brown roux gets cold it has

all the appearance of chocolate, and when you use it it is best to scrape

off the quantity you require with a spoon, and not add it to soups or

sauces in one lump.

ALMOND SOUP.--Take half a pound of sweet almonds and blanch them, _i.e._,

throw them into boiling water till the outside skin can be rubbed off

easily with the finger. Then immediately throw the white almonds into cold

water, otherwise they will quickly lose their white colour like potatoes

that have been peeled. Next, slice up an onion and half a small head of

celery, and let these simmer gently in a quart of milk. In the meantime

pound the almonds with four hard-boiled yolks of egg, strain off the milk

and add the pounded almonds and egg to the milk gradually, and let it boil

over the fire. Add sufficient white roux till the soup becomes of the

consistency of cream. Serve some fried or toasted bread with the soup. It

is a great improvement to add half a pint of cream, but this makes the soup

much more expensive. The soup can be flavoured with a little white pepper.

N.B.--The onion and celery that was strained off can be used again for

flavouring purposes.

APPLE SOUP.--This is a German recipe. Take half a dozen good-sized apples,

peel them and remove the core, and boil them in a quart of water with two

tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs; add the juice of a lemon, and flavour it

with rather less than a quarter of an ounce of powdered cinnamon; sweeten

the soup with lump sugar, previously having rubbed six lumps on the outside

of the lemon.

ARTICHOKE SOUP.--Take a dozen large Jerusalem artichokes about as big as

the fist, or more to make up a similar quantity. Peel them, and, like

potatoes, throw them into cold water in order to prevent them turning

colour. Boil them in as little water as possible, as they contain a good

deal of water themselves, till they are tender and become a pulp, taking

care that they do not burn, and therefore it is best to rub the saucepan at

the bottom with a piece of butter. Now rub them through a wire sieve and

add them to a pint of milk in which a couple of bay-leaves have been

boiled. Add also two lumps of sugar and a little white pepper and salt.

Serve the soup with fried or toasted bread. This soup can be made much

richer by the addition of either a quarter of a pint of cream or a couple

of yolks of eggs. If yolks of eggs are added, beat up the yolks separately

and add the soup gradually, very hot, but not quite boiling, otherwise the

yolks will curdle.

ASPARAGUS SOUP.--Take a good-sized bundle (about fifty large heads) of

asparagus, and after a thorough cleansing throw them into a saucepan of

boiling water that has been salted. When the tops become tender, drain off

the asparagus and throw it into cold water, as by this means we retain the

bright green colour; when cold cut off all the best part of the green into

little pieces, about half an inch long, then put the remainder of the

asparagus--the stalk part--into a saucepan, with a few green onions and a

few sprigs of parsley, with about a quart of stock or water; add a

teaspoonful of pounded sugar and a very little grated nutmeg. Let this

boil till the stalks become quite tender, then rub the whole through a wire

sieve and thicken the soup with a little white roux, and colour it a bright

green with some spinach extract. Now add the little pieces cut up, and let

the whole simmer gently, and serve fried or toasted bread with the soup.

N.B.--SPINACH EXTRACT.--It is very important in making all green vegetable

soups that they should be of a green colour, such as the one above

mentioned--green-pea soup, &c., and that we get a _good_ colour, and this

is only to be obtained by means of spinach extract. Spinach extract can be

made at home, but it will be found to be far more economical to have a

small bottle of green vegetable colouring always in the house. These

bottles can be obtained from all grocers at the cost of about tenpence or

one shilling each. Such a very small quantity goes such a long way that

one bottle would probably last a family of six persons twelve months. As

we have said, it can be made at home, but the process, though not

difficult, is troublesome. It is made as follows:--A quantity of spinach

has, after being thoroughly washed, to be pounded in a mortar until it

becomes a pulp. This pulp is then placed in a very strong, coarse cloth,

and the cloth is twisted till the juice of the spinach is squeezed out

through the cloth. The amount of force required is very considerable and

is almost beyond the power of ordinary women cooks. This juice must now be

placed in a small enamelled saucepan, and must be heated till it becomes

thick and pulpy, when it can be put by for use. It will probably be found

cheaper to buy spinach extract than to make it, as manual labour cannot

compete with machinery.

BARLEY SOUP.--Take two tablespoonfuls of pearl barley and wash it in

several waters till the water ceases to be discoloured. Put this in a

saucepan with about two quarts of water, two onions sliced up, a few

potatoes sliced very thin, and about a saltspoonful of thyme. Let the

whole boil gently for four or five hours, till the barley is quite soft and

eatable. Thicken the soup very slightly with a little white roux, season

it with pepper and salt. Before serving the soup, add a tablespoonful of

chopped blanched parsley.

N.B.--When chopped parsley is added to any soup or sauce, such as parsley

and butter, it is very important that the parsley be blanched. To blanch

parsley means to throw it for a few seconds into boiling water. By this

means a dull green becomes a bright green. The best method to blanch

parsley is to place it in a strainer and dip the strainer for a few seconds

in a saucepan of boiling water. By comparing the colour of the parsley

that has been so treated with some that has not been blanched, cooks will

at once see the importance of the operation so far as appearances are

concerned.

BEETROOT SOUP.--This soup is better adapted to the German palate than the

English, as it contains both vinegar and sugar, which are very

characteristic of German cookery. Take two large beetroots and two

good-sized onions, and after peeling the beetroots boil them and mince them

finely, adding them, of course, to the water in which they were boiled, or

still better, they can be boiled in some sort of stock. Add a very small

quantity of corn-flour, to give a slight consistency to the soup, as well

as a little pinch of thyme. Next add two tablespoonfuls of vinegar--more

or less according to taste--a spoonful of brown sugar, and a little pepper

and salt.

BEAN SOUP, OR PUREE OF RED HARICOT BEANS.--Put a quart of red haricot beans

into soak overnight, and put a little piece of soda in the water to soften

it. The next morning put the beans on to boil in three quarts of water,

with some carrot, celery and onion, or the beans can be boiled in some

stock made from these vegetables. After the beans are tender, pound them

in a mortar, and then rub the whole through a wire sieve, after first

removing the carrot, celery and onion. Add a teaspoonful of pounded sugar

and about two ounces of butter. Fried or toasted bread should be served

with the soup. If the soup is liked thin, of course more water can be

added.

BEAN SOUP, OR PUREE OF WHITE HARICOT BEANS.--Proceed exactly as in the

above recipe, only substituting white haricot beans for red. It is a great

improvement to add a little boiling cream, but of course this makes the

soup much more expensive. Some cooks add a spoonful of blanched, chopped

parsley to this puree, and Frenchmen generally flavour this soup with

garlic.

BEAN SOUP, GREEN.--Boil a quart of ordinary broad-beans in some stock or

water with an onion, carrot and celery. Remove the skins when the beans

are tender and rub the beans through a wire sieve. Colour the soup with a

little spinach extract--(vegetable colouring, sold in bottles)--add a

little piece of butter, a little powdered sugar, pepper and salt. The

amount of stock or water must depend upon whether it is wished to have the

puree thick or thin. Some purees are made as thick as bread sauce, while

some persons prefer them much thinner. This is purely a matter of taste.

BEAN SOUP FROM FRENCH BEANS.--This is an admirable method of using up

French beans or scarlet runners when they get too old to be boiled as a

vegetable in the ordinary way. Take any quantity of French beans and boil

them in some stock or water with an onion, carrot, or celery for about an

hour, taking care, at starting, to throw them into boiling water in order

to preserve their colour. It is also a saving of trouble to chop the beans

slightly at starting, _i.e._, take a bunch of beans in the left hand and

cut them into pieces, say an eighth of an inch in thickness. Boil them

till they are tender, and then rub the whole through a wire sieve. Add a

little butter, pepper and salt, and colour the soup with spinach

extract--(vegetable colouring, sold in bottles). Serve toasted or fried

bread with the puree, which should be rather thick.

CABBAGE SOUP.--Take a white cabbage and slice it up, and throw it into some

stock or water, with some leeks and slices of turnip. Boil the whole till

the vegetables are tender, flavour with pepper and salt. This is sometimes

called Cornish broth, though in Cornwall a piece of meat or bones are

generally boiled with the vegetables. As no meat, of course, is used, too

much water must not be added, but only sufficient liquor must be served to

make the vegetables thoroughly moist. Perhaps the consistency can best be

described by saying that there should be equal quantities of vegetables and

fluid.

CARROT SOUP.--If you wish this soup to be of a good colour, you must only

use the outside, or red part, of the carrot, in which case a dozen large

carrots will be required. If economy is practised, half this quantity will

be sufficient. Take, say, half a dozen carrots, a small head of celery,

and one onion, and throw them into boiling water for a few minutes in order

to preserve the colour. Then drain them off and place them in a saucepan,

with a couple of ounces of butter to prevent them sticking and burning, and

place the saucepan on a very slack fire and let them stew so that the steam

can escape, but take care they don't burn or get brown. Now add a quart or

two quarts of stock or water and boil them till they are tender. Then rub

the whole through a wire sieve, add a little butter, pounded sugar, pepper,

and salt. The amount of liquid added must entirely depend upon the size of

the carrots. It is better to add too little than too much, but the

consistency of the soup should be like ordinary pea soup; it does not do to

have the soup watery. If only the outside parts of carrots are used, and

this red part is thrown, at starting, into boiling water to preserve its

colour, this soup, when made thick, has a very bright and handsome

appearance, and is suitable for occasions when a little extra hospitality

is exercised. The inside part of the carrot, if not used for making the

soup, need not be wasted, but can be used for making stock, or served in a

dish of mixed vegetables on some other occasion.

CAULIFLOWER SOUP.--Take three or four small cauliflowers, or two large

ones, soak them in salt and water, and boil them in some water till they

are nearly tender. Take them out and break the cauliflower so that you get

two or three dozen little pieces out of the heart of the cauliflower,

somewhat resembling miniature bouquets. Put the rest of the cauliflower

back into the water in which it was boiled, with the exception of the green

part of the leaves, with an onion and some of the white part of a head of

celery. Let all boil till the water has nearly boiled away. Now rub all

this through a wire sieve, onions, celery, cauliflower, and all; add to it

sufficient boiling milk to make the whole of the consistency of pea soup.

Add a little butter, pepper, and salt; throw in those little pieces of

cauliflower that had been reserved a minute or two before serving the soup.

It is an improvement to boil two or three bay-leaves with the milk, and

also a very great improvement indeed to add a little boiling cream. Fried

or toasted bread should be served with the soup.

CELERY SOUP.--Take half a dozen heads of celery, or a smaller quantity if

the heads of celery are very large; throw away all the green part and cut

up the celery into small pieces, with one onion sliced, and place them in a

frying-pan, or, better still, in an enamelled stew-pan, and stew them in a

little butter, taking great care that the celery does not turn colour. Now

add sufficient water or stock, and let it all boil till the celery becomes

quite tender. Let it boil till it becomes a pulp, and then rub the whole

through a wire sieve. Next boil separately from one to two quarts of milk

according to the quantity of celery pulp, and boil a couple of bay-leaves

in the milk. As soon as the milk boils add it to the celery pulp, flavour

the soup with pepper and salt; serve fried or toasted bread with the soup.

It is needless to say that all these white soups are greatly improved both

in appearance and flavour by the addition of a little cream.

CHEESE SOUP.--Light-coloured and dry cheese is necessary for this somewhat

peculiar soup, but the best cheese of all is, undoubtedly, Gruyere. Grate

half a pound of cheese and spread a layer of this at the bottom of the

soup-tureen. Cover this layer of cheese with some very thin slices of

stale crumb of bread. Then put another layer of cheese and another layer

of bread till all the cheese is used up. Next take about two

tablespoonfuls of brown roux, melt this in a small saucepan, and add two

tablespoonfuls of chopped onion. Let the onion cook in the melted roux

over the fire, and then add a quart of water, and stir it all up till it

boils, adding pepper and salt and a few drops of Parisian essence (burnt

sugar) to give it a dark brown colour. Now pour the boiling soup over the

contents of the soup-tureen, and let it stand a few minutes so that the

bread has time to soak, and serve.

CHERRY SOUP.--Like most soups that are either sweet or sour, this is a

German recipe. Put a piece of butter, the size of a large egg, into a

saucepan. Let it melt, then mix it with a tablespoonful of flour, and stir

smoothly until it is lightly browned. Add gradually two pints of water, a

pound of black cherries, picked and washed, and a few cloves. Let these

boil until the fruit is quite tender, then press the whole through a sieve.

After straining, add a little port, if wine is allowed--but the soup will

be very nice without this addition--half a teaspoonful of the kernels,

blanched and bruised, a tablespoonful of sugar, and a few whole cherries.

Let the soup boil again until the cherries are tender, and pour all into a

tureen over toasted sippets, sponge-cakes, or macaroons.

CHESTNUT SOUP, OR PUREE OF CHESTNUTS.--Take four dozen chestnuts and peel

them. This will be a very long process if we attempt to take off the skins

while they are raw; but in order to save time and trouble, place the

chestnuts in a stew-pan with a couple of ounces of butter. Place them on a

slack fire and occasionally give them a stir. Heat them gradually till the

husks come off without any difficulty. Having removed all the husks, add

sufficient stock or water to the chestnuts, and let them boil gently till

they are tender. Then pound them in a mortar and rub them through a wire

sieve. Add a very little brown roux, if the soup is to be brown, and a few

drops of Parisian essence (burnt sugar), or a little white roux and a

little cream if the soup is to be white. Add also a little pepper and

salt, sufficient butter to make the puree taste soft, and a little powdered

sugar. Fried and toasted bread should be served with the soup.

COTTAGE SOUP.--Fry two onions, a carrot and a turnip, and a small head of

celery cut up into small pieces, in a frying-pan, with a little butter,

till they are lightly browned. Then put them in a saucepan, with about two

quarts of water and a tablespoonful of mixed savoury herbs. Let this boil

till the vegetables are quite tender, and then thicken the soup with two

ounces of oatmeal or prepared barley. This must be mixed with cold water

and made quite smooth before it is added to the soup. Wash a quarter of a

pound of rice, and boil this in the soup, and when the rice is quite tender

the soup can be served. Some persons add a little sugar, and dried

powdered mint can be handed round with the soup, like pea soup.

CLEAR SOUP.--Make a very strong stock by cutting up onion, celery, carrot,

and a little turnip, and boiling them in some water. They should boil for

two or three hours. Add also a teaspoonful of mixed savoury herbs to every

quart, and colour the stock with a few drops of Parisian essence. Strain

it off, and, if it is not bright, clear it with some white of egg in the

ordinary way. Take only sufficient corn-flour to make the soup less thin

or watery, but do not make it thick. A tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup

can be added to every quart.

COCOANUT SOUP.--Break open a good-sized cocoanut and grate sufficient of

the white part till it weighs half a pound. Boil this in some stock, and

after it has boiled for about an hour strain it off. Only a small quantity

of stock must be used, and the cocoanut should be pressed and squeezed, so

as to extract all the goodness. Add a little pepper and salt, and about

half a grated nutmeg. Next boil separately three pints of milk, and add

this to the strained soup. Thicken the soup with some ground rice, and

serve. Of course, a little cream would be a great improvement. Serve with

toasted or fried bread.

ENDIVE SOUP, OR PUREE.--Take half a dozen endives that are white in the

centre, and wash them very thoroughly in salt and water, as they are apt to

contain insects. Next throw. them into boiling water, and let them boil

for a quarter of an hour. Then take them out and throw them into cold

water. Next take them out of the cold water and squeeze them in a cloth so

as to extract all the moisture. Then cut off the root of each endive, chop

up all the white leaves, and place them in a stew-pan with about two ounces

of butter. Add half a grated nutmeg, a brimming teaspoonful of powdered

white sugar, and a little pepper and salt. Stir them over the fire with a

wooden spoon, and take care they don't burn or turn colour. Next add

sufficient milk to moisten them, and let them simmer gently till they are

tender; then rub the whole through a wire sieve, add a little piece of

butter, and serve with fried or toasted bread.

FRUIT SOUP.--Fruit soup can be made from rhubarb, vegetable marrow,

cucumber, gourd, or pumpkin. They may be all mixed with a little cream,

milk, or butter, and form a nice dish that is both healthful and delicate.

GREEN PEA SOUP.--(_See_ PEA.)

GREEN PEA SOUP, DRIED.--(_See_ PEA.)

HARE SOUP (IMITATION).--Take one large carrot, a small head of celery, one

good-sized onion, and half a small turnip, and boil these in a quart of

water till they are tender. Rub the whole through a wire sieve, and

thicken the soup with some brown roux till it is as thick as good cream.

Next add a brimming saltspoonful of aromatic flavouring herbs. These herbs

are sold in bottles by all grocers under the name of Herbaceous Mixture.

Flavour the soup with cayenne pepper, a glass of port wine (port wine dregs

will do), dissolve in it a small dessertspoonful of red-currant jelly, and

add the juice of half a lemon.

N.B.--Aromatic flavouring herbs are exceedingly useful in cooking. It is

cheaper to buy them ready made, under the name of Herbaceous Mixture. They

can, however, be made at home as follows:--Take two ounces of white

peppercorns, two ounces of cloves, one ounce of marjoram, one ounce of

sweet basil and one ounce of lemon-thyme, one ounce of powdered nutmeg, one

ounce of powdered mace, and half an ounce of dried bay-leaves. The herbs

must be wrapped up in paper (one or two little paper bags, one inside the

other, is best), and dried very slowly in the oven till they are brittle.

They must then be pounded in a mortar, and mixed with the spices, and the

whole sifted through a fine hair-sieve and put by in a stoppered bottle for

use.

HOTCH-POTCH.--Cut up some celery, onion, carrot, turnip, and leeks into

small pieces and fry them for a few minutes in about two ounces of butter

in a frying-pan, very gently, taking care that they do not in the least

degree turn colour. Previous to this, wash and boil about a quarter of a

pound of pearl barley for four or five hours. When the barley is tender,

or nearly tender, add the contents of the frying-pan. Let it all boil till

the vegetables are tender, and about half an hour before the soup is sent

to table throw in, while the soup is boiling, half a pint of fresh green

peas--those known as marrowfats are best,--and about five minutes before

sending the soup to table throw in a spoonful (in the proportion of a

dessertspoonful to every quart) of chopped, blanched parsley--_i.e._,

parsley that has been thrown into boiling water before it is chopped.

Colour the soup green with a little spinach extract (vegetable colouring

sold in bottles by all grocers). The thinness of the soup can be removed

by the addition of a small quantity of white roux.

JARDINIERE SOUP.--Cut up into thin strips some carrot, turnip and celery,

add a dozen or more small button onions, similar to those used for

pickling, and also a few hearts of lettuces cut up fine, as well as a few

fresh tarragon leaves cut into strips as thin as small string. Simmer

these gently in some clear soup (_see_ CLEAR SOUP) till tender; add a lump

of sugar, and serve.

N.B.--The tarragon should not be thrown in till the last minute.

JULIENNE SOUP.--This soup is exactly similar to the previous one, the only

exception being that all the vegetables are first stewed very gently, till

they are tender, in a little butter. Care should be taken that the

vegetables do not turn colour.

LEEK SOUP.--Take half a dozen or more fine large leeks, and after trimming

off the green part, throw them into boiling water for five minutes, then

drain them off and dry them. Cut them into pieces about half an inch long,

and stew them gently in a little butter till they are tender. Add three

pints of milk, and let two bay-leaves boil in the milk, flavour with pepper

and salt, and add a suspicion of grated nutmeg. Thicken the soup with a

little white roux and take the crust of a French roll. Cut this up into

small pieces or rings. The rings can be made by simply scooping out the

crumb, and cutting the roll across. When the leeks have boiled in the milk

till they are quite tender, pour the soup over the crusts placed at the

bottom of the soup-tureen. Some cooks add blanched parsley. Of course,

cream would be a great improvement.

LENTIL SOUP.--Take a breakfastcupful of green lentils and put them to soak

in cold water overnight. In the morning throw away any floating on the

top. Drain the lentils and put them in a stew-pan or saucepan with some

stock or water, and add two onions, two carrots, a turnip, a bunch of

parsley, a small teaspoonful of savoury herbs and a small head of celery.

If you have no celery add half a teaspoonful of bruised celery seed. You

can also add a crust of stale bread. Let the whole boil, and it will be

found that occasionally a dark film will rise to the surface. This must be

skimmed off. The soup must boil for about four hours, or at any rate till

the lentils are thoroughly soft. Then strain the soup through a wire

sieve, and rub the whole of the contents through the wire sieve with the

soup. This requires both time and patience. After the whole has been

rubbed through the sieve the soup must be boiled up, and if made from green

lentils it can be coloured green with some spinach extract--(vegetable

colouring, sold in bottles). If made from Egyptian (red) lentils, the soup

can be coloured with a few drops of Parisian essence (burnt sugar). In

warming up this soup, after the lentils have been rubbed through a sieve,

it should be borne in mind that the lentil powder has a tendency to settle,

and consequently the saucepan must be constantly stirred to prevent it

burning. In serving the soup at table, the contents of the soup-tureen

should be stirred with the soup-ladle before each help.

LENTIL PUREE A LA SOUBISE.--This is really lentil soup, made as above,

rather thick, to which has been added a puree of onions, made as

follows:--Slice up, say four large onions, and fry them brown in a little

butter, then boil them in some of the broth of the soup till they are

tender. Rub them through a wire sieve and add them to the soup.

MACARONI SOUP (CLEAR).--Take some macaroni and break it up into pieces

about two inches long. Boil them till they are tender in some salted

water, drain them off and add them to some clear soup. (_See_ CLEAR SOUP.)

MACARONI SOUP (THICK).--Take an onion, carrot, a small head of celery and a

very small quantity of turnip; cut them up and boil them in a very small

quantity of water for about an hour. Then rub the whole through a wire

sieve, add a quart or more of boiling milk, throw in the macaroni, after

breaking it up into pieces two inches long, and let the macaroni simmer in

this till it is perfectly tender. The soup should be thickened with a very

little white roux, a bay-leaf can be boiled in the soup; a small quantity

of cream is a great improvement. Fried or toasted bread should be served

with it.

MILK SOUP.--Milk soup, as it is sometimes called in Germany, very much

resembles English custard. It is made by putting a quart of milk on the

fire and thickening it with two yolks of eggs and a little flour, and

sweetening it with sugar. The soup is flavoured with either vanilla,

lemon, laurel leaves, pounded almonds, cinnamon, chocolate, &c. As a soup,

however, it is not suited to the English palate.

MOCK TURTLE, IMITATION.--Take an onion, carrot, small head of celery, and

some turnip, and boil them till they are tender in some stock. The water

in which some rice has been boiled is very well suited for the purpose.

Add also to every quart a brimming tablespoonful of mixed savoury herbs.

Rub the whole through a wire sieve, thicken it with brown roux till it is

as thick as cream; add a few drops of Parisian essence--(sold in bottles by

all grocers)--to give it a dark colour. Add a wineglassful of sherry or

Madeira, or, if the use of wine be objected to, the juice of a hard lemon.

Flavour the soup with a little cayenne pepper, and serve some egg forcemeat

balls in it, about the size of small marbles.

MULLIGATAWNY SOUP.--Take four large onions, cut them up and fry them brown,

with a little butter, in a frying-pan, with a carrot cut up into small

pieces; add to this a quart of stock or water, and boil till the vegetables

and onions are tender; then rub the whole through a wire sieve and add a

brimming teaspoonful of Captain White's Curry Paste and a dessertspoonful

of curry powder, previously mixed smooth in a little cold water; thicken

the soup with a little brown roux. Some persons would consider this soup

too hot; if so, less curry powder can be used or more water added. If you

have no curry paste, cut up a sour apple and add it to the vegetables in

the frying-pan. If you have no sour apples, a few green gooseberries are a

very good substitute. Boiled rice should be served on a separate dish with

this soup, and should not be boiled in the soup at starting.

ONION SOUP.--Cut up half a dozen onions and throw them for a few minutes

into boiling water. This takes off the rankness. Drain off the onions,

and chop them up and boil them till they are tender in some milk that has

been seasoned with pepper and salt and a pinch of savoury herbs. Take a

small quantity of celery, carrot and turnip, or carrot and turnip and a

little bruised celery seed, and boil till they are tender in a very little

water; rub through a wire sieve, and add the pulp to the soup. The soup

can be thickened with white roux, ground rice, or one or two eggs beaten

up. The soup must be added to the eggs gradually or they will curdle.

ONION SOUP, BROWN.--Take an onion, carrot, celery, and turnip, and let them

boil till quite tender in some water or stock. In the meantime slice up

half a dozen large onions and fry them brown in a little butter, in a

frying-pan, taking care that the onions are browned and not burnt black;

add the contents of the frying-pan to the vegetables and stock, and after

it has boiled some time, till the onions are tender, rub the whole through

a wire sieve, thicken with a little brown roux, adding, of course, pepper

and salt to taste.

OX-TAIL SOUP, IMITATION.--Slice off the outside red part of two or three

large carrots, and cut them up into small dice not bigger than a quarter of

an inch square. Cut up also into similar size a young turnip, and the

white, hard part of a head of celery. Fry these very gently in a little

butter, taking care that the vegetables do not turn colour. Make some soup

exactly in every respect similar to that described in Imitation Mock

Turtle. Throw in these fried vegetables, and let the soup simmer gently by

the side of the fire, in order for it to throw up its butter, which should

be skimmed off. In flavouring the soup, add only half the quantity of wine

or lemon juice that you would use were you making Mock Turtle.

PALESTINE SOUP.--(_See_ ARTICHOKE SOUP.)

PARSNIP SOUP.--Prepare half a dozen parsnips, and boil them with an onion

and half a head of celery in some stock till they are quite tender. Then

rub the whole through a wire sieve, boil it up again, and serve.

Sufficient parsnips must be boiled to make the soup as thick as pea soup,

so the quantity of stock must be regulated accordingly. This soup is

generally rather sweet, owing to the parsnips, and an extra quantity of

salt must be added in consequence, as well as pepper. In Belgium and

Germany this sweetness is corrected by the addition of vinegar. This, of

course, is a matter of taste.

PEAR SOUP.--Pare, core, and slice six or eight large pears. Put them into

a stew-pan with a penny roll cut into thin slices, half a dozen cloves, and

three pints of water. Let them simmer until they are quite tender, then

pass them through a coarse sieve, and return the puree to the saucepan,

with two ounces of sugar, the strained juice of a fresh lemon, and half a

tumblerful of light wine. Let the soup boil five or ten minutes, when it

will be ready for serving. Send some sponge-cake to table with this dish.

PEA SOUP, FROM SPLIT DRIED PEAS.--Take a pint of split peas and put them in

soak overnight in some cold water, and throw away those that float, as this

shows that there is a hole in them which would be mildewy. Take two

onions, a carrot, a small head of celery, and boil them with the peas in

from three pints to two quarts of water till they are tender. This will be

from four to five hours. When the peas are old and stale even longer time

should be allowed. Then rub the whole through a wire sieve, put the soup

back into the saucepan, and stir it while you make it hot or it will burn.

In ordinary cookery, pea soup is invariably made from some kind of greasy

stock, more especially the water in which pickled pork has been boiled. In

the present instance we have no kind of fat to counteract the natural

dryness of the pea-flour. We must therefore add, before sending to table,

two or three ounces of butter. It will be found best to dissolve the

butter in the saucepan before adding the soup to be warmed up, as it is

then much less likely to stick to the bottom of the saucepan and burn.

Fried or toasted bread should be served with the soup separately, as well

as dried and powdered mint. The general mistake people make is, they do

not have sufficient mint.

PEA SOUP, FROM DRIED GREEN PEAS.--Proceed as in the above recipe in every

respect, substituting dried green peas for ordinary yellow split peas.

Colour the soup green by adding a large handful of spinach before it is

rubbed through the wire sieve, or add a small quantity of spinach extract

(vegetable colouring sold by grocers in bottles); dried mint and fried or

toasted bread should be served with the soup, as with the other.

PEA SOUP, GREEN (FRESH).--Take half a peck of young peas, shell them, and

throw the peas into cold water. Put all the shells into a quart or more of

stock or water. Put in also a handful of spinach if possible, a few sprigs

of parsley, a dozen fresh mint-leaves and half a dozen small, fresh, green

onions. Boil these for an hour, or rather more, and then rub the whole

through a wire sieve. You cannot rub all the shells through; but you will

be able to rub a great part through, that which is left in the sieve being

only strings. Now put on the soup to boil again, and as soon as it boils

throw in the peas; as soon as these are tender--about twenty minutes--the

soup is finished and can be sent to table. If the soup is thin, a little

white roux can be added to thicken it; if of a bad colour, or if you could

not get any spinach, add some spinach extract (vegetable colouring, sold by

all grocers), only take care not to add too much, and make the soup look

like green paint.

POTATO SOUP.--Potato soup is a very good method of using up the remains of

cold boiled potatoes. Slice up a large onion and fry it, without letting

it turn colour, with a little butter. Add a little water or stock to the

frying-pan, and let the onion boil till it is tender. Boil a quart or more

of milk separately with a couple of bay-leaves; rub the onion with the cold

potatoes through a wire sieve and add it to the milk. You can moisten the

potatoes in the sieve with the milk. When you have rubbed enough to make

the soup thick enough, let it boil up and add to every quart a saltspoonful

of thyme and a brimming teaspoonful of chopped blanched parsley. This soup

should be rather thicker than most thick soups.

When new potatoes first come into season, and especially when you have new

potatoes from your own garden, it will often be found that mixed with the

ordinary ones there are many potatoes no bigger than a toy marble, and

which are too small to be boiled and sent to table as an ordinary dish of

new potatoes. Reserve all these little dwarf potatoes, wash them, and

throw them for five or ten minutes into boiling water, drain them off and

throw them into the potato soup whole. Of course they must boil in the

soup till they are tender. A little cream is a great improvement to the

soup, and dried mint can be served with it, but is not absolutely

necessary.

PUMPKIN SOUP.--Take half or a quarter of a moderate-sized pumpkin, pare it,

remove the seeds, and cut the pumpkin into thin slices. Put these into a

stew-pan, with as much water or milk as will cover them, and boil gently

until they are reduced to a pulp. Rub this through a fine sieve, mix with

it a little salt, and a piece of butter the size of an egg, and stir it

over the fire until it boils. Thin it with some boiling milk which has

been sweetened and flavoured with lemon-rind, cinnamon, or orange-flower

water. It should be of the consistency of thick cream. Put toasted bread,

cut into the size of dice, at the bottom of the soup-tureen. Moisten the

bread-dice with a small quantity of the liquor, let them soak a little

while, then pour the rest of the soup over them, and serve very hot. Or

whisk two fresh eggs thoroughly in the tureen, and pour the soup in over

them at the last moment. The liquor ought to have ceased from boiling for

a minute or two before it is poured over the eggs.

RHUBARB SOUP.--This is a sweet soup, and is simply juice from stewed

rhubarb sweetened and flavoured with lemon-peel and added either to cream

or beaten-up yolks of eggs and a little white wine. It is rarely met with

in this country.

RICE SOUP.--Take a quarter of a pound of rice, and wash it in several

waters till the water ceases to be discoloured. Take an onion, the white

part of a head of celery, and a turnip, and cut them up and fry them in a

little butter. Add a quart of stock, or water, and boil these vegetables

until they are tender, and then rub them through a wire sieve. Boil the

rice in this soup till it is tender, flavour with pepper and salt, add a

little milk boiled separately, and serve grated Parmesan cheese with the

soup.

RICE SOUP A LA ROYALE.--Take half a pound of rice and wash it thoroughly in

several waters till the water ceases to be discoloured. Boil this rice in

some stock that has been strongly flavoured with onion, carrot and celery,

and strained off. When the rice is tender rub it through a wire sieve,

then add some boiling milk, in which two or three bay-leaves have been

boiled, and half a pint of cream, till the soup is a proper consistency.

Serve some egg force-meat balls with the soup.

SORREL SOUP.--Take some sorrel and wash it very thoroughly. Like spinach,

it requires a great deal of cleansing. Drain it off and place the sorrel

in a stew-pan, and keep stirring it with a wooden spoon. When it has

dissolved and boiled for two or three minutes, let it drain on a sieve till

the water has run off. Next cut up a large onion and fry it in a little

butter, but do not brown the onion. Add a tablespoonful of flour to every

two ounces of butter used, also a teaspoonful of sugar, a little grated

nutmeg, also a little pepper and salt; add the sorrel to this, with a small

quantity of stock or water, then rub the whole through a wire sieve, and

serve. In some parts of the Continent vinegar is added, but it is not

adapted to English taste.

SAGO SOUP.--Take two ounces of sage, and having washed it very thoroughly,

put it on to boil in a quart of stock strongly flavoured with onion,

celery, and carrot, but which has been strained off. The sage must boil

until it becomes quite transparent and tender. Flavour the soup with a

little pepper and salt, a quarter of a nutmeg, grated, about half a

teaspoonful of powdered sugar, and a teaspoonful of lemon juice from a hard

lemon.

SEA-KALE SOUP.--This makes a very delicious soup, but it is somewhat rare.

Take a bundle of sea-kale, the whiter the better. Threw it into boiling

water, and let it boil for a few minutes, then take it out and drain it;

cut it up into small pieces and place it in a stew-pan with about two

ounces of butter, add a little pepper and salt and grated nutmeg; stir it

up until the butter is thoroughly melted, but do not let it turn colour in

the slightest degree. Add some milk, and let it simmer very gently for

about half an hour. Rub the whole through a wire sieve, and add a small

quantity of cream. Serve with toasted or fried bread.

SCOTCH BROTH.--Take two or three ounces of pearl barley, wash it, and threw

it into boiling water, and let it boil for five or ten minutes. Then drain

it off and threw away the water. This is the only way to get pearl barley

perfectly clean. Then put on the barley in some stock or water, and let it

boil for four hours, till it is tender. Then add to it every kind of

vegetable that is in season, such as onion, celery, carrot, turnip, peas,

French beans, cut up into small pieces, hearts of lettuces cut up. Flavour

with pepper and salt and serve altogether. If possible add leeks to this

soup instead of onion, and just before serving the soup throw in a brimming

dessertspoonful of chopped blanched parsley to every quart of soup. A

pinch of thyme can also be added.

SPINACH SOUP.--Wash some young, freshly gathered spinach, cut it up with a

lettuce, and, if possible, a few leaves of sorrel, and throw them into

boiling water. Let them boil for five minutes, drain them off, and throw

them into cold water in order to keep their colour. Next take them out of

the water and squeeze all the moisture from them; then melt two ounces of

butter in a stew-pan, and add two tablespoonfuls of flour. When this is

thoroughly mixed together, and begins to frizzle, add the spinach, lettuce,

&c., and stir them round and round in the stew-pan till all is well mixed

together. Then add sufficient water or vegetable stock to moisten the

vegetables (add also a pinch of thyme), and let it boil. When it has

boiled for about twenty minutes add a quart of milk that has been boiled

separately, flavour with pepper and salt, and serve.

TAPIOCA SOUP.--Clear tapioca soup is made by thickening some ordinary clear

soup (_see_ CLEAR SOUP) with tapioca, allowing about two ounces of tapioca

to every quart. The tapioca should be put into the soup when it is cold,

and it is then far less likely to get lumpy. Tapioca can also be boiled in

a little strongly flavoured stock that has not been coloured, and then add

some boiling milk. Tapioca should be allowed to simmer for an hour and a

half. Of course, a little cream is a great improvement when the soup is

made with milk.

TOMATO SOUP.--This is a very delicate soup, and the endeavour should be to

try and retain the flavour of the tomato. Slice up an onion, or better

still two shallots, and fry them in a little butter, to which can be added

a broken-up, dried bay-leaf, a saltspoonful of thyme, and a very small

quantity of grated nutmeg, Fry these in a little batter till the onion

begins to turn colour, and then add a dozen ripe tomatoes from which the

pips have been squeezed. Moisten with a very little stock or water, and

let them stew till they are tender, then rub the whole through a wire

sieve. The consistency should be that of pea soup. Add a little butter to

soften the soup), and flavour with pepper and salt.

TURNIP SOUP.--Cut up some young turnips into small pieces, throw them into

boiling water, let them boil for a few minutes, take them out and strain

them, and put them into a stew-pan with about two ounces of fresh butter;

add a little salt and sugar. Let them stew in the butter (taking great

care that they don't turn colour) till they become soft, then add

sufficient boiling milk to moisten them, so that when rubbed through a wire

sieve the soup will be of the consistency of pea soup. Serve fried or

toasted bread with the soup.

VEGETABLE MARROW SOUP.--Take a large vegetable marrow, peel it, cut it

open, remove all the pips, and place it in a stew-pan with about two ounces

of fresh butter. Add a brimming teaspoonful of powdered sugar, a little

grated nutmeg, and pepper and salt. Keep turning the pieces of vegetable

marrow over in the butter, taking care that they do not at all turn colour.

After frying these pieces gently for five or ten minutes, add some boiling

milk, and let the whole simmer gently till it can be rubbed through a wire

sieve. Care must be taken not to get this soup too thin, as the vegetable

marrow itself contains a large quantity of water. Season with pepper and

salt, and serve fried or toasted bread with the soup.

VEGETABLE SOUP.--(_See_ JARDINIERE SOUP.)

VERMICELLI SOUP.--Take a quarter of a pound of vermicelli and break it up

into small pieces, throw it into boiling water, and let it boil for five

minutes to get rid of the dirt and floury taste, then throw it immediately

into about a quart of clear soup. The vermicelli must be taken from the

boiling water and thrown into the boiling soup at once. If you were to

boil the vermicelli, strain it off, and put it by to add to the soup, you

would find it would stick together in one lump and be spoilt.

VERMICELLI SOUP, WHITE.--The vermicelli must be thrown into white soup

instead of clear soup. (_See_ WHITE SOUP.)

WHITE SOUP.--Just as in ordinary white soup the secret of success is to

have some strongly reduced stock, so in vegetarian white soup it is

essential that we should have a small quantity of liquid strongly

impregnated with the flavour of vegetables. For this purpose, place an

onion, the white part of a head of celery, and a slice of turnip in a

stew-pan with a little butter, and fry them till they are tender without

becoming brown. Now add sufficient water to enable you to boil them, and

let the water boil away till very little is left. Now rub this through a

wire sieve and add it to a quart of milk in which a couple of bay-leaves

have been boiled. Thicken the soup with a little white roux, add a

suspicion of nutmeg, and also, if possible, a little cream. Flavour with

pepper and salt. Serve fried or toasted bread with the soup.