Boil 4 ozs. macaroni and drain. Butter a pie-dish and put in half the
macaroni. Scald 4 or 5 tomatoes in boiling water for a few minutes, when
the skin will come off easily. Boil 2 eggs hard and slice. Have 2 ozs.
cheese grated, and sprinkle half of it over the macaroni, then put half of
the eggs and half the tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, and a little
grated onion (I keep an old grater for the purpose). Take 8 or 10
medium-sized flap mushrooms, if to be had, clean and trim, removing the
stalks. Add a layer of them, and repeat as before, but put the mushrooms
before the tomatoes. Cover the top thickly with bread-crumbs. Make a stock
with the trimmings of mushrooms and tomatoes. Put dessertspoonful butter in
saucepan, stir in _half_ teaspoon flour, same of made mustard, and
perhaps a little ketchup. Add the stock--there should be about a
teacupful--stir till it boils, and pour equally over the pie. Dot over with
bits of butter, and bake one hour in fairly brisk oven.
In case this pie may be voted rather elaborate by some, I may say that it is
excellent with several of the items left out. The eggs, mushrooms,
cheese--any one of these, or all three may be dispensed with, and what may
be lost in richness and flavour will be compensated in delicacy and
digestibility. Any of this pie that is left over may be made into cutlets,
so that one can have a second dish with little extra trouble.
NOTE.--When fresh tomatoes are not to be had tinned ones will do.
Tomato and Rice Pie.
Wash well a teacupful good rice--Patna is best for this dish as it does not
become so pulpy as the Carolina--and put on with cold water to cover and a
little salt. Allow to cook slowly till it has absorbed all the water. Add
a little more if too dry, but do not stir. Peel 1 lb. tomatoes, cut in 1/2
inch slices and put a layer in buttered pie-dish. Put in the rice--or as
much of it as wanted--sprinkle with curry and seasoning to taste. Put rest
of tomatoes on top, more seasoning, and layer of bread-crumbs. Put plenty
of butter on top and bake 3/4 hour.
_Note_.--Tinned tomatoes may be used when fresh ones are not at hand.
Any of the dishes with tomatoes, rice, &c., may have grated cheese or
hard-boiled eggs added at discretion, and in this way the several dishes may
be varied and adapted to suit different tastes and requirements.
Casserole of Rice.
Wash well 6 ozs. whole rice and drain. Melt in saucepan 2 ozs. butter or
1-1/2 ozs. Nut Butter. Put in rice with as much white stock or water as
will cover it, a little salt, pinch mace if liked, and allow to simmer very
slowly or steam in double boiler till quite soft. Stir well, and if too
stiff add a little more water, but it must not be 'sloppy.' Beat well till
quite smooth and set aside to cool. Butter plain mould and line with rice
nearly an inch thick. Fill in with any savoury materials, such as tomatoes,
mushrooms, onions, celery, fried slices of carrot, lentils, &c. An hour
before dinner cover with buttered paper and steam. Turn out on hot dish,
cut a round off the top, and either serve as it is with garnish and sauce,
or brush over with beaten egg, sprinkle with fine crumbs, and brown in brisk
oven.
Vegetable Goose.
Put 2 teacupfuls crumbs in basin and pour boiling water or milk over. Let
soak for a little, then press out as much moisture as possible. Add
dessertspoonful grated onion, teaspoonful chopped parsley, pinch herbs or
mace, salt, white pepper, 1/2 teaspoonful "Extract," and some mushroom
ketchup. Mix all well, and add a beaten egg to bind. If too stiff add a
little milk, stock, or gravy. Put in flat well-buttered baking-tin, and
bake for about an hour, basting occasionally with butter or vegetable fat.
Serve with fried tomatoes or any suitable sauce.
Celery Souffle.
This is exceedingly good if nicely made and served. Clean 1/2 lb. white
crisp celery and cut small. Simmer in enamel pan or steam with as little
milk as possible till tender, then boil rapidly to reduce the liquid. Rub
through a sieve and set aside to cool. Beat 1 oz. fresh butter to a cream
and add yolks of 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well in, also barely 1 oz.
grated cheese and seasoning to taste. Mix well. Beat whites of 3 eggs
quite stiff and mix in very lightly. Butter souffle tin and tie band of
buttered paper round, to come 2 inches above the rim. Fill in mixture--not
more than three-fourths full, and steam very gently in barely an inch of
water for 1 hour. Turn out on _very_ hot dish and serve immediately,
or slip off paper band and pin hot napkin round. If allowed to stand any
time it will be quite flat before serving. A rather daintier if more
troublesome way is to fill small souffle cases three-fourths full with the
above mixture. Sprinkle a little grated Parmesan cheese and celery, salt on
the top, and bake in hot oven 10 minutes. Arrange tastefully on hot napkin.
NOTE.--Very dainty souffle cases are now to be had in white fluted
fire-proof china. These can come straight to table without any trouble of
swathing with napkins, paper collars, and the like.