boil vinegar with pickles in bell metal do not let them stand in it one
moment after taken from the fire, and be sure that your kettle is well
scoured before using. Keep pickles in glass, stoneware, or wooden pails.
Allow a cup of sugar to every gallon of vinegar; this will not sweeten
the pickles, but helps to preserve them and mellows the sharpness of the
vinegar. Always have your pickles well covered with vinegar or brine.
MOTHER'S DILL PICKLES
Examine the cucumbers carefully, discard all that are soft at the ends,
and allow them to lay in water overnight. In the morning drain, and dry
them with a clean towel. Then put them in a wooden pail or jar, along
with the dill, putting first a layer of dill at the bottom then a layer
of cucumbers, a few whole peppers, then a layer of dill again, and so on
until all are used, and last lay a clean, white cloth on top, then a
plate and a stone to give it weight, so that the pickles will be kept
under the brine. To a peck of cucumbers use about a cup of salt.
Dissolve the salt in enough cold water to cover them. You may add one or
two tablespoons of vinegar to the brine. If the cucumbers are small, and
if they are kept in a warm place, they will be ready for the table in
five or six days. If salt pickles have turned out to be too salty, just
pour off the old brine and wash the pickles and then examine them
closely, and if they are spoiled throw them away. Lay those that are
sound in a clean jar and pour over them a weak solution of salt water,
into which put a dash of vinegar. Always examine the pickles weekly.
Take off the cloth, wash it, and remove all the scum that adheres to the
pail, and lay a clean cloth over the pickles again. Do not use more than
a cup of salt in the new brine, which must be thoroughly dissolved. You
will find among Salads a nice recipe wherein salt pickles are used. (See
"Polish Salad," or "Salad Piquant.") It is a good way to make use of
pickles in winter that have become too salty for ordinary use.
DILL PICKLES FOR WINTER USE
Take two or three dozen medium-sized cucumbers and lay them in salt
water overnight. Wipe each one dry, discarding all that are soft and lay
them in a wooden vessel (which is better than a stone one) along with
grape leaves and green grapes, if you can get them, whole peppers, or
one or two green peppers, a few bay leaves, a few pieces of whole
ginger, a few cloves and a stick of horseradish sliced upon top of all.
Use plenty of dill between each layer. Boil enough water to cover the
pickles. Use about one pound of salt to six quarts of water, and one cup
of vinegar. If you wish to keep them all winter, have your barrel closed
by a cooper.
GREEN DILL TOMATOES
Select small firm green tomatoes, follow recipe for Dill Pickles, using
the green tomatoes in place of the pickles.
SMALL DILL PICKLES
Select pickles of from two to three inches in length and scrub well with
a small brush. Pack in layers in Mason jars, a layer of pickles, a layer
of dill and a few mustard seeds, placing a bay leaf and a piece of alum
the size of a pea on the top of each jar.
Let one cup of vinegar, two cups of water and one tablespoon of salt
come to a boil. Pour boiling hot over the pickles and seal.
TEUFELSGURKEN (HOT PICKLES)
Pare large, green cucumbers, cut each one lengthwise, take out the seeds
with a silver spoon and then cut each piece again so as to have four
pieces out of one cucumber. When all are pared salt well and let them
remain in the salt for twenty-four hours or more; then dry each piece,
put in layers in a stone jar with whole white and black peppercorns,
small pickling onions, which have been previously pared and salted
overnight, pieces of horseradish, a few bay leaves, a little fennel,
caraway seeds, a few cloves of garlic (use this sparingly) and also some
Spanish pepper (use very little of the latter). Have a layer of the
spices at the bottom of the jar. A handful of mustard seed put on the
top layer will be an improvement. Boil enough pickling vinegar to cover
well. Add a cup of sugar to a gallon of vinegar, boil and pour over hot.
Boil again in three days and pour over the pickles after it gets cold,
and in two days pour off the vinegar and boil again and pour over the
pickles hot. Boil three times altogether.
MUSTARD PICKLES
Choose small cucumbers or gherkins for this purpose. Reject all that are
specked or misshapen. Wash them thoroughly; drain off all the water, and
allow them to lay in a tub overnight, thickly salted. In the morning;
wipe the pickles carefully. Lay them in a stone jar or a wooden bucket,
in this way: Put in a layer of pickles. Cut up a few green or red
peppers; put a few pieces in each layer, also a few cloves (remove the
soft heads) and a tablespoon of mustard seed, and one bay leaf, no more.
Then proceed in this way until the pickles are used. Then take half a
pound of the very best ground mustard, tie it in a cloth loosely (use
double cheese-cloth for the purpose), and lay this mustard-bag on top of
the pickles. Boil enough white wine vinegar in a bell metal kettle to
just cover them; add a cup of sugar for every gallon of vinegar, this
does not sweeten them, but tends to preserve them and cut the sharpness
of the vinegar. If the vinegar is very strong, add a cup of water to it
while boiling; it should not "draw" the mouth, but be rather mild. See
that the pickles are well covered with the vinegar, and pour the vinegar
hot over the pickles and mustard. If the vinegar does not completely
cover the pickles, boil more and add. Lay a plate on top of all to keep
the pickles under the vinegar, and when cold tie up. Look them over in a
few weeks, if you find any soft ones among them, boil the vinegar over
again, and pour it over them hot.
SALT PICKLES
(For immediate use.) Take nice, large cucumbers, wash and wipe them; lay
them in a jar or wooden pail, sprinkle coarse salt over each layer, and
add dill, whole peppers and grape leaves, if you have them, also a very
few bay leaves. Cover with water up to the brim and lay a piece of rye
bread in the jar; it will help to quicken the process of souring. Cover
with a plate and put a clean, heavy stone on top of the plate, in order
to keep them well covered with the brine. Set them in a warm place, say
back of the kitchen stove, for the first three days. They will be ready
to use in a week.
SALZGURKEN
Take half-grown cucumbers; lay them in water overnight, then wipe each
one dry and reject all that are soft at the ends. Lay a layer of
cucumbers in a new barrel or wine keg (a small vinegar barrel is best),
then a layer of the following spices: Fennel, dill, bay leaves, a few
whole peppers; then cover with grape and cherry leaves, and begin again
with a layer of cucumbers and fill in alternate layers until all are
used. Then boil enough salt and water to just cover them, test the
strength of the water by laying an egg in it, if it rises the water has
enough salt in it, if not, add more salt. Pour this over the cucumbers
when cold. Get a cooper to tighten up the barrel, and roll it in the sun
and allow it to stay there for two weeks, turning over the barrel once
each day.
DELICIOUS MUSTARD PICKLES (SENFGURKEN)
Take about two dozen large, yellow pickles, pare them with a silver
knife (to prevent them from turning dark), and cut lengthwise. Now take
a silver spoon and remove all the seeds and soft inner pulp. Cut into
strips about as long as your finger; sprinkle salt over them, and so on,
until they are all cut up, then put in a wooden pail or large china bowl
overnight. At the same time take about two quarts of small pickling
onions, scald them with boiling water, remove the skins, also with a
silver knife, and salt the same as you did the pickles. In the morning
take a clean dish towel and dry each piece and lay them in a stone jar
in the following manner: First a layer of pickles then a layer of
onions, and then some horseradish, sliced, between the layers; a few
whole peppers, a very few bay leaves, and sprinkle mustard seed,
allspice and whole cloves between each layer. Remove the soft little
heads of the cloves to prevent the pickles from turning dark; cover all
with the best white wine vinegar; put a double cheese-cloth filled with
mustard seed on top. In two weeks pour off the vinegar carefully and
boil, and let it get perfectly cold before pouring over the pickles
again. You may pack them in small glass jars if you prefer.
CHOW-CHOW
Take pickles, cauliflower, beans, little onions and a few green and red
peppers. Cut all up fine, except the onions; salt well overnight, drain
off next morning and put in a large jar. Now mix one gallon or more of
best pickling vinegar with a pound of ground mustard (wet the mustard
with cold water before using). Put in a bag the following spices:
Cloves, whole peppers and mustard seed. Boil the vinegar and spices and
then throw over pickles boiling. Add a tablespoon of curry powder, and
when cold tie up, having previously put a cloth with mustard seed over
all.
CUCUMBERS IN OIL
One hundred medium-sized cucumbers, sliced thin lengthwise, add one pint
salt, let stand overnight, drain thoroughly in morning, add two pints of
sliced onions, then add dressing, consisting of four tablespoons of
black mustard seed, four of white mustard seed, two of celery seed,
one-half pint of best olive oil, one-half pint of white vinegar. Put
cucumbers and onions into this, add one teaspoon of powdered alum,
dissolved in a little warm water, add enough vinegar to cover it well,
let stand three weeks before using.
SWEET PICKLES
Soak five hundred tiny cucumbers in salt water for twenty-four hours,
using one-half of a cup of salt to four quarts of water. Drain, pour hot
water over them and drain very dry. Take two ounces of cloves, heads
removed, four sticks cinnamon; tie these spices in a bag and heat with
three pounds of brown sugar and one pint of cider vinegar slowly, nearly
to the boiling-point, add the pickles and remove from the stove. Put in
glass jars and cover with vinegar.
MIXED PICKLES
Wash one quart of large cucumbers, cut in cubes, one quart of small
cucumbers left whole, one quart small silver-skinned onions, one quart
small green tomatoes chopped coarse, two red peppers chopped fine, one
large cauliflower broken in small pieces; pour over them a weak brine
solution made of one quart of water and a cup of salt. Let stand
twenty-four hours; bring to a boil in same solution, drain and make the
dressing.
*Mixed Pickle Dressing.*--Mix six tablespoons of mustard, one tablespoon
of turmeric, one cup of flour, two cups of sugar and two quarts of
vinegar. These ingredients must be thoroughly mixed and then cooked
until thick. Stir in the pickles; heat thoroughly; empty into glass jars
and stand away until needed.
PICKLED CAULIFLOWER
Separate flowerettes of four heads of cauliflower, add one cup of salt,
and let stand overnight. Place in colander, rinse with cold water and
let drain. Tie one-quarter of a cup of mixed pickle spices in a thin
bag and boil with two quarts of vinegar and two cups of sugar, throw in
the cauliflower, boil a few minutes and pour to over flowing in
wide-mouthed bottles or cans. Cork or cover and seal airtight.
PICKLED BEANS
Remove the strings and cut one pint of wax beans into one inch pieces;
wash and cook in boiling salt water (one teaspoon of salt to one quart
of water), until tender, but not soft. Drain beans and save the water in
which they were cooked. Reserve enough of this bean liquor to fill cans,
add one-half cup of sugar and one cup of vinegar, let just cook up add
the drained beans, cook all together and pour boiling hot into the cans.
Seal at once. Use as a salad or sweet sour vegetable.
PICKLED ONIONS
Pour hot salt water over the onions, which should be small and perfectly
white. Peel them with a silver spoon (a knife would injure their color),
and let them lay in a salt brine for two days. Then drain the onions and
boil enough vinegar to cover them. Throw the onions in the boiling
vinegar and let them boil only a few minutes. Take from the fire and lay
them in glass jars, with alternate layers of whole white peppercorns and
a few cloves (removing the soft heads, which would turn the onions
black), a stick of horseradish sliced, and mustard seed and dill (used
sparingly). When the jars are filled heat the vinegar and add a cup of
sugar to a gallon of vinegar. Cover the jars to overflowing with the
vinegar, and seal while hot.
GREEN TOMATO PICKLE (FRENCH PICKLE)
Wash thoroughly a peck of green tomatoes, eight large white onions and
six green-bell peppers. Remove the seeds from the peppers. Slice all the
vegetables very thin. Put them in a stone jar; sprinkle a pint of salt
over them, add a pint of cold water. Cover them with a napkin and let
stand overnight.
In the morning put as much of the pickle as it will hold in a colander;
let cold water run over; drain the vegetables a moment, then turn them
from the colander into a large preserving kettle. Repeat the process
till all are in the kettle. Then add a quart of cider vinegar, a half
pint of tarragon vinegar, a pound of granulated sugar, a half pound of
yellow mustard seeds, four bay leaves, an ounce of stick cinnamon
(broken in short lengths), six whole cloves and stand the kettle over a
slow fire and let the whole simmer for an hour with the cover of the
kettle drawn back two inches. Stir the mixture frequently. At the end of
the hour put the pickle in a stone crock or in glass jars.
PEPPER MANGOES
Take large green peppers; extract the seeds and core with a penknife,
being careful not to break the peppers. Chop up one head of cabbage
after boiling it in salt water. When cold add one cup of mustard seed,
two tablespoons of grated horseradish, one nutmeg grated, one clove of
garlic grated, a pinch of ground ginger, one dozen whole peppercorns,
half a tablespoon of prepared mustard, one teaspoon of sugar and half a
teaspoon of best salad oil. Lay the peppers in strong salt brine for
three days; then drain off the brine and lay them in fresh water for
twenty-four hours. Fill the peppers with the above mixture, sew or tie
them up with strong thread, pack them in a large stone jar and pour
scalding vinegar over them. Repeat this process three times more, at
intervals of three days. Then tie up the jar and set it away in a cool,
dry place for three months.
PICCALILLI
Take one-half peck of green tomatoes, three red peppers, chopped; put in
one cup of salt. Let stand overnight, then strain off the water. Five
chopped onions, one pound of brown sugar, one-quarter ounce of allspice,
and whole cloves put in a bag; one bunch of celery, one-half ounce of
mustard seed. Cover with vinegar and boil three hours.
PREPARED MUSTARD
Rub together one teaspoon of sugar, saltspoon of fine salt and one
tablespoon of best salad oil. Do this thoroughly. Mix two tablespoons of
ground mustard with vinegar enough to thin it. Then add to the mixture
of sugar, and if too thick, add a little boiling water.
BEET AND HORSERADISH RELISH
Take three cups of cold, boiled beets, grate and add one-half cup of
grated horseradish; season with one-quarter teaspoon of pepper, one
teaspoon of salt and two tablespoons of sugar. Add all the vinegar the
horseradish and beets will absorb, and place in covered jar or glass and
it is ready for use. Will keep a long time.
CABBAGE, BEET AND HORSERADISH RELISH
Take two quarts of boiled beets chopped, two quarts of cabbage chopped,
one cup of grated horseradish, mix with two cups of sugar and two
teaspoons of salt, add cold vinegar to cover, and place in gallon jar.
PICKLED BEETS
Take two pounds of cold, boiled beets, slice, place in crock in layers,
sprinkle with one teaspoon of salt, one-eighth teaspoon of pepper, one
teaspoon of brown sugar, one teaspoon of caraway seed, if you like, and
cover with one pint of vinegar.
Cold, hard-boiled eggs may be placed in the vinegar, and sliced over the
beets for decorations. The eggs will be red.
PICKLED RED CABBAGE (HUNGARIAN STYLE)
Select a medium-size, very hard head of red cabbage. Remove the outer
leaves and cut the stalk off close to the head. Then cut the cabbage in
quarters and take out the heart close to the leaves.
With a very sharp, thin-bladed knife cut the cabbage in shreds as fine
as possible.
After the cabbage is all finely cut let cold water run over it through a
colander; put the cabbage in a big kitchen bowl or a stone-crock in
layers about two inches thick.
Over each layer place two or three thin slices of red onions, and
sprinkle about four generous tablespoons of salt. Repeat this process
till all the sliced cabbage is in the jar or bowl. Let the last layer be
one of salt.
Pour a pint of cold water over this. Cover it with a plate that fits
closely and lay a weight of some sort on the plate and stand the bowl in
a cool place overnight.
In the morning pour the cabbage, brine and all, in a large colander to
drain; let the cold water from the tap run over it for about five
minutes; then return the cabbage to the receptacle in which it was
salted.
A stone-crock is really the best, as the cabbage will keep in it all
winter. In a kettle or saucepan over the fire add a pint of good cider
vinegar, a gill of tarragon vinegar, a half pint of cold water, a half
pound of granulated sugar, four bay leaves, a level tablespoon of
allspice, a teaspoon of peppercorns and three ounces of stick cinnamon
broken in half-inch pieces.
Let this all boil one minute and while boiling hot pour it over the
cabbage in the jar; place the plate which should be of porcelain, over
it; then put the cover of the jar on and let this stand for twenty-four
hours. Then pour off the vinegar, heat it again till it just boils, pour
it over the cabbage, cover it and put it in a cool place. It will keep
in perfect condition all winter, and is one of the most delicious
relishes known.
SAUERKRAUT
Line the bottom and sides of a clean barrel or keg with cabbage leaves.
Cut into fine shreds one or two dozen large heads of white, crisp
cabbage. Do this on a large slaw-cutter. Now begin to pack: First put in
a layer of cabbage, say about four inches deep, and press down firmly
and sprinkle with about four tablespoons of salt. Put one or two tart
apples, cut up fine, between each layer, or some Malaga grapes (which
will impart a fine flavor to the kraut). When four layers have been put
in, pound with a wooden beetle until the cabbage is quite compact and
then add more cabbage, and so on until all has been salted, always
pounding down each layer. Last, cover with cabbage leaves, then a clean
cloth, a well-fitting board, and a heavy stone, to act as weight on top
of all. It is now ready to set away in a cool cellar to ferment. In two
weeks examine, remove the scum, if any; wash the cloth, board and stone,
wash also the sides of the keg or jar, and place all back again. This
must be done weekly.
CORN RELISH
Boil nine ears of corn and cut from cob; chop fine large head of cabbage
and salt it; chop six green peppers; two tablespoons of white
mustard-seed, three pints of vinegar, one cup of granulated sugar, two
tablespoons of turmeric, two tablespoons of cornstarch, and one
tablespoon of dry mustard. Dissolve cornstarch and mustard in the
vinegar; put on to thicken. Strain salt-water from the cabbage. Mix all
the ingredients and stir in pot of vinegar. Let all get very hot and
seal in pint jars. This is fine as a pickle with cold meats.
MUSHROOM CATSUP
Wash and look over one pint of mushrooms carefully, put them in an
earthen jar with alternate layers of salt. Let stand for twenty-four
hours in a comparatively warm place; put through a fruit press and add
one-fourth ounce of green ginger root cut in small pieces. Measure the
mushroom liquor; to one pint of liquor add one-half ounce of peppercorn
and simmer for forty minutes; then add one-fourth ounce of allspice and
of cloves and one blade of mace and boil for fifteen minutes. Take from
fire and cool. Strain through a cloth, bottle and seal.
TOMATO CATSUP
Cut eight quarts of tomatoes in pieces and stew them until soft; press
through a sieve to remove the skins and seeds; add one head of garlic or
one-half onion, one-half tablespoon of black pepper, one-quarter
teaspoon of red pepper, one-half ounce whole cloves, three-quarters of a
cup of salt and one of cider vinegar; mix thoroughly and boil about
three hours or until reduced one-half. Bottle without straining, then
seal.
TOMATO SAUCE (CHILI)
Forty-five large tomatoes, skin and cut into pieces, twenty green
peppers, twenty red peppers, six onions, all cut fine, two tablespoons
of salt, six small cups of vinegar, two cups of sugar. Mix all together
and boil two hours, then add one tablespoon each of ginger, cloves,
cinnamon and allspice, and boil up once. Bottle and seal at once.
*PASSOVER DISHES*
CAKES, PUDDINGS, SAUCES, WINES, ETC.
How to set the table for the service of the "Seder" on the eve of Pesach
or Passover.
Set the table as usual, have everything fresh and clean; a wineglass for
each person, and an extra one placed near the platter of the man who
conducts the seder. Then get a large napkin; fold it into four parts,
set it on a plate, and in each fold put a perfect matzoth; that is, one
that is not broken or unshapely; in short, one without a blemish. Then
place the following articles on a platter: One hard-boiled egg, a lamb
bone that has been roasted in ashes, the top of a nice stick of
horse-radish (it must be fresh and green), a bunch of nice curly parsley
and some bitter herb (the Germans call it lattig), and, also, a small
vessel filled with salt water. Next to this platter place a small bowl
filled with [Hebrew **] prepared as follows: Pare and chop up a few
apples, add sugar, cinnamon, pounded almonds, some white wine and grated
lemon peel, and mix thoroughly. Place these dishes in front of the one
that conducts the seder, and to his left place two pillows, nicely
covered, and a small table or chair, on which has been placed a
wash-bowl with a pitcher of water and clean towel. In some families
hard-boiled eggs are distributed after the seder.
PESACH BORSHT
About three weeks before Pesach take twenty pounds of beet-root, which
must be thoroughly washed and scraped. Place the whole in a six-quart
crock, cover with water. Place the cover on the crock and over this
cover put a clean cloth.
When ready for use the liquor is boiled with any relishes and spices
that are liked and may be used either hot or cold.
Boil as much as required for the meal, for twenty minutes or longer if
desired, and thicken with beaten whole eggs that have been mixed with a
little of the unboiled borsht, add the hot soup and serve. Do not boil
after adding the eggs.
To two quarts of borsht take three eggs.
ROSEL, BEET VINEGAR
Place beets in a stone crock, removing greens. Cover with cold water and
put in a warm place and let stand for three or four weeks or until the
mixture becomes sour. This is used as a vinegar during Pesach and to
make beet soup, Russian style.
RAISIN WINE, No. 1
To two pounds of raisins (cut in half if desired), add three quarts of
cold water. Either place the mixture on a corner of the range and let it
simmer for two or three days or boil it until one-third of the water has
evaporated. A few tablespoons of sugar and a handful of stick cinnamon
can be added if additional sweetness and flavoring are wished. When cold
strain through a fine cloth. The strength of the wine depends largely
upon the quality of the raisins.
RAISIN WINE, No. 2
Take two pounds of raisins, seeded and chopped, one pound of white loaf
sugar, and one lemon. Put all into a stone jar, pour six quarts of
boiling water over all and stir every day for a week. Then strain and
bottle. Ready for use in ten or twelve days.
YOM-TOV SOUP
Take two pounds of ribs of beef and one chicken. Place in a large
cooking-vessel with plenty of water and add a split carrot and onion, a
head of celery, a little parsley root, pepper and salt to taste, and a
pinch of saffron. Let the whole simmer for two hours. The meat is then
removed and can be used as a separate dish.
MATZOTH MEAL KLEIS, No. 1
This is an accompaniment of the Yom-tov soup described above. To each
tablespoon of matzoth meal take one egg. Beat the egg separately, adding
a very little ground ginger, powdered cinnamon, ground almond, pepper
and salt. Now stir in the matzoth meal and make into a paste with
chicken fat or clarified dripping. Form this paste into small balls and
boil them for twenty minutes in the Yom-tov soup.
PALESTINE SOUP