653. +Compote of Pears.+-- Pare and cut 2 dozen medium sized ripe
pears into halves, remove the cores and put the pears in cold water
with the juice of 1 lemon or 2 tablespoonfuls white vinegar; place a
kettle over the fire with 1 pint water, 10 tablespoonfuls sugar, the
juice of 1 lemon, half the rind and boil 3 minutes; remove the scum,
put in the pears and boil till a straw will pierce through them
easily; then pour them in a deep stone bowl, cover with paper and
set aside; when cold drain off the liquor and boil it down to
one-half; then set aside to cool; shortly before serving pile the
pears up high in a glass dish and pour the syrup over them cold. If
large pears are taken use a smaller quantity; if small pears are
chosen use a larger quantity, leave them whole, cut the stems off
half way and pare them.
654. +Compote de Melons.+-- Select 1 large muskmelon (not too ripe),
cut it in half, remove the seeds with a tablespoon, cut the melon
into large pieces, pare off the skin and cut each long piece in two;
put the melon pieces in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and
boil 5 minutes; take them out with a skimmer and lay the melon
pieces on a dish to cool; put a kettle over the fire with 1 pound
sugar and 1 pint water and boil a few minutes; put in the melon and
boil 20 minutes; pour it into a dish, cover with paper and set in a
cool place; when cold drain off the syrup, return it to kettle and
boil slowly 10 minutes; then set aside to cool; pile the melon up
high in a glass dish and pour the cold syrup over it. A piece of
green ginger root or the juice of 1 lemon may be boiled with the
melon.
655. +Compote of Watermelon.+-- Select a nice, ripe watermelon, cut
it in half, then into slices, remove the black pits and cut the red
part into small pieces; take for 1 quart of such pieces 2 cups
sugar, 1 pint water, a piece of green ginger and the juice of 1
lemon; put sugar, ginger and lemon juice over the fire and boil 5
minutes; put in the melon pieces and boil slowly about 20 minutes;
pour into a dish and cover with paper; when cold drain off the
syrup, return it to kettle and boil 10 to 15 minutes; arrange the
melon nicely in a glass dish and pour the cold syrup over it; remove
the ginger before sending to table. The white part of the melon may
be used for preserving. If the melon is a large one part of it may
be used for compote and the other part cut up into slices and
served. A third part may be used as a fruit salad. (See Fruit
Salad.)
656. +Compote of Apples.+-- Choose medium sized tart apples, pare and
cut them into halves, take out the cores, round the edges and lay
them in cold water with lemon juice; boil 1 pound sugar with 1 pint
water and the rind and juice of 1 lemon in a wide, low saucepan; put
in the apples and let them boil 3 minutes; then turn the apples
around, cover the pan and set it on side of stove, where they will
stop boiling; let them stand 10 minutes; then thrust a straw through
them; if it goes through easily they are done; if not, boil them for
a minute longer; remove them from fire and set aside; when cold take
the apples out of the syrup and lay them on a sieve; boil the syrup
down until it thickens; pile the apples up in a glass dish and pour
the syrup over when cold.
657. +Compote de Strelity.+-- Pare, core, cut into quarters and then
into fine slices 12 large pippin apples; boil 1 cup sugar with 1 cup
Rhine wine, 1 cup water, the juice of 1 lemon and 3 ounces finely
sliced citron; put in the apples and boil them for a few minutes;
then set aside to cool; soak 1 ounce gelatine in 1 cup water 20
minutes; add 1 cup boiling water and stir until dissolved; add it to
the apples and boil for 1 minute; then remove from fire; when cold
and beginning to thicken rinse out some small cups or forms with
cold water, sprinkle each one with granulated sugar, fill them 3/4
full of apples and set on ice; boil 3/4 cup sugar with 1/2 cup Rhine
wine and a little lemon juice to a syrup and set it in a cool place
until wanted; in serving turn the apples out of the cups, put them
on a round or oval-shaped dish and pour the syrup over them; or
serve the apples with whipped cream.