Two green peppers chopped fine,
One well-beaten egg,
One-half cup of fine crumbs,
Two teaspoons of salt,
One teaspoon of paprika.
Mould into croquettes and then dip in flour, then in beaten egg and
roll in fine crumbs. Fry in hot fat, serve with cream sauce.
BRAISED CELERY
Scrape and thoroughly clean the coarse outside branches of celery, cut
into inch pieces and then parboil gently for fifteen minutes. Drain.
Now place two tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and add one and
one-half cupfuls of the prepared celery. Cover closely and cook until
tender, shaking occasionally to prevent sticking to the pan. Season,
and when ready to serve cover with espaniole or brown sauce made from
stock.
To make sauce: Place two tablespoonfuls of fat in an iron frying pan
and add four tablespoonfuls of flour; work to a roux, browning well.
Now add one and a half cupfuls of stock and bring to a boil. Cook for
five minutes and then strain and return to the saucepan and season.
Use a bouillon cube to make the stock if none of the regular stock is
on hand.
BAKED BABY LIMA BEANS
These tiny limas are most delicious when baked like the ordinary navy
bean. Wash one-half pound of beans well and then look over carefully
and discard all bruised or damaged ones. Soak overnight in cold water.
In the morning wash again and then place in a saucepan and cover with
cold water. Bring to a boil and then turn into a colander and let
the cold water run on them, then place in a saucepan and cover with
boiling water and cook for twenty minutes. Turn into a baking dish and
add
One cup of stewed tomatoes,
One onion, minced fine,
One green pepper, minced fine,
One teaspoon of salt,
One tablespoon of paprika,
One-half cup of salad oil,
Four tablespoons of syrup.
Add sufficient water to cover beans one inch deep. Mix well and bake
for two hours in a slow oven.
STRING BEANS, ITALIAN STYLE
Soak one cupful of dried string beans and then cook until tender or
use 1 quart of green snap beans.
Then add
Two onions minced fine,
One green or red pepper minced fine.
When tender drain well and season with
One teaspoonful of salt,
One teaspoonful of paprika,
Three tablespoonfuls of grated cheese.
CARROTS A LA BRABANCONNE
Pare carrots cut in slices and then cook until tender. Drain and then
place a layer of carrots in a baking dish. Sprinkle with fine bread
crumbs and salt and paprika and then sift two tablespoons of grated
cheese over each layer. Repeat this until the dish is full and then
cover with one and one-half cupfuls of cream sauce. Sprinkle with
grated cheese and fine bread crumbs. Bake in a hot oven for twenty
minutes.
BABY LIMA BEAN CROQUETTES
Baby lima beans should be soaked overnight. In the morning look over
carefully and then discard all bruised and damaged beans. Place in a
saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for five
minutes. Turn into a colander and rinse under cold water and then
return to the saucepan. Cover with boiling water and cook until
tender, then add
Two onions, minced fine,
One fagot of soup herbs.
Cool and then drain the beans well, then mash fine, pile in a dish and
set in the icebox until needed.
CREAMED MUSHROOMS
Use both caps and stems. Peel and then parboil for three minutes and
drain. Use three-quarters pound of mushrooms. Now make a cream sauce
of
Three cups of milk,
One-half cup of flour.
Dissolve the flour in the milk and then bring to a boil. Cook slowly
for ten minutes and then add the prepared mushrooms and
One onion, grated,
One-half cup of finely chopped parsley,
Two teaspoons of salt,
One teaspoon of paprika,
Three tablespoons of butter.
Heat to a boiling point and then simmer slowly.
CORN FRITTERS
One-half can of crushed corn,
One egg,
One-half cup of water,
One teaspoon of salt,
One teaspoon of paprika,
One grated onion,
One tablespoon of baking powder,
Two cups sifted flour.
Beat to mix and then fry in hot fat. Drain. This amount will serve six
persons.
BRAISED ONIONS
Parboil and then drain three cups of finely chopped onions. Now place
one-half cup of shortening in a frying pan and add onions. Cover
closely and cook until a light golden brown. Make a border of onions
around a hot platter.
BAKED BEANS WITH SALT PORK
Soak the beans--one pound--over night or early in the morning, and at
noon place in a kettle and cover with water. Bring to a boil and drain
off the water. Cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for fifteen
minutes. Drain. Now add
One can of tomatoes,
One cup of chopped onions,
One-half cup of syrup,
One pound of salt pork cut in pieces,
Two tablespoons of salt,
One tablespoon of paprika.
Add sufficient water to cover beans one inch deep. Mix well and then
cover the pot closely and bake in a slow oven for four hours.
LIVER DUMPLINGS
Parboil four ounces of liver until tender, and then put through a
food chopper. Either beef, pork or lamb liver may be used. Mince three
onions very fine. Place four tablespoons of fat in a frying pan and
add onions and liver. Cook gently until onions are tender and then
lift and turn into a mixing bowl and add
One and one-half cupfuls of dry mashed potatoes,
Two teaspoonfuls of salt,
One teaspoonful of paprika,
One-half teaspoon of thyme,
One and one-half cupfuls of sifted flour,
One teaspoonful of baking powder.
Mix thoroughly and then add
One egg,
Four tablespoons of potato water.
Work to a smooth well-blended mass and then rub your hands with salad
oil and then form this mass into balls. Cook for twenty minutes in
boiling salted water. Lift with a skimmer on a napkin to drain. Serve
with either onion, tomato or creamed sauce, or the dumplings may be
rolled in flour, browned quickly in hot fat and served at once.
SCALLOPED CORN
Place in a mixing bowl
Three-quarters cup of crushed can corn,
One-half cup of fine bread crumbs,
One tablespoon of grated onion,
Two tablespoons of finely minced parsley,
One tablespoon of butter,
One teaspoon of salt,
One-half teaspoon of paprika,
Three tablespoons of flour,
One egg,
Three-quarters cup of milk.
Mix well and then turn into a well-greased baking dish and bake for
thirty minutes in a moderate oven.
RABBITS
FRICASSEE OF RABBIT
Place the rabbit in a saucepan and add
One quart of boiling water,
One large onion with two cloves stuck in it,
Fagot of soup herbs.
Bring to a boiling point and cook gently until the meat is tender. The
gravy may be thickened with cornstarch.
Season with pepper, salt and finely minced parsley.
To make a rabbit pie place the fricasse of rabbit in a baking dish and
cover with a crust. Bake for thirty-five minutes in a hot oven.
FRIED RABBIT
Prepare and cook the rabbit as for fricasse and when the meat is
tender lift to drain. Cool. Dip in beaten egg and then roll in fine
bread crumbs and fry until golden brown in hot fat. Use the liquid for
gravy.
SOUR RABBIT
Cut the rabbit and then place in a china bowl and add
One cupful of chopped onions,
One bunch of potherbs,
One teaspoonful of sweet marjoram,
Six cloves,
Five allspice,
Two bay leaves.
Now cover, using a mixture of two parts vinegar and one part water.
Set in a cool place for three days, turning the rabbit over every day,
then put in a casserole dish or stewing pan and cook until tender.
Thicken the gravy. Serve potato dumplings with this dish, or it may be
eaten cold.
RABBIT PIE
Clean and prepare a pair of rabbits for cooking; cut into suitable
pieces. Brown quickly in hot fat; lift to a baking dish and add one
quart of hot water.
Two large onions, minced very fine,
Salt and pepper to taste.
Cook very slowly until tender, thicken the gravy and add one cupful
of sour cream, then cover the top of the baking dish with mashed and
seasoned sweet potatoes, one inch thick. Brush with syrup and dust
lightly with cinnamon, and dot with bits of butter. Bake until
slightly brown.
CUSTARD SAUCE
One cup of milk,
Two tablespoons of cornstarch.
Stir to dissolve and bring to a boil, cook for three minutes and then
add
One-quarter teaspoon of nutmeg,
Five tablespoons of sugar,
Yolk of one egg.
Beat to blend and then cool.
CARAMEL SAUCE
One cup of brown sugar,
Four tablespoons of water,
One tablespoon of butter.
Place in a frying pan and cook until caramelled, then add one and
one-half cups of water. Bring to a boil and then add four tablespoons
of cornstarch dissolved in five tablespoons of water. Stir until the
mixture thickens and cook for five minutes, then add one teaspoon of
vanilla and use.
FRUIT SAUCE
Place in a saucepan
One cup of crushed fresh fruit,
One cup of brown sugar,
One cup of water.
Cook until the fruit is soft and then cool. Rub through a fine sieve
and then add
Three tablespoonfuls cornstarch
dissolved in
Three tablespoons of water.
Bring to a boil and cook for five minutes.
SWEETENED CREAM SAUCE
Place in a saucepan
Two cups of milk,
Four tablespoons of cornstarch.
Dissolve the cornstarch in cold milk and bring to a boil. Cook for
five minutes and then add
One-half cup of sugar,
One-half teaspoon of nutmeg,
One well-beaten egg.
Beat to mix.
VANILLA SAUCE
Place in a saucepan
One-half cup of sugar,
One-half cup of white corn syrup,
One-half cup of water,
Two tablespoons of cornstarch.
Stir to dissolve and then bring to a boil and cook three minutes. Now
add
One tablespoon of vanilla extract.
LEMON SAUCE
Place in a saucepan
Grated rind of one lemon,
Two cups of water,
Four tablespoons of cornstarch.
Dissolve the starch and then bring to a boil. Cook slowly for five
minutes and then add
One cup of sugar,
Juice of two lemons.
Beat to thoroughly mix and then serve.
SABOYON SAUCE
Place one-half cup of sugar in a saucepan and add the yolks of two
eggs. Cream until light and fluffy and then add one teaspoon of
vanilla extract and one-half teaspoon of almond extract. Heat one-half
cup of milk to the boiling point and then pour over the eggs and
sugar. Stir continually over a slow fire until the mixture is just
below the boiling point. Remove and add stiffly beaten whites of two
eggs and serve on pudding.
SWEET SPICED BLACKBERRY SAUCE
Place in a saucepan
One cup of well-cleaned blackberries,
One cup of sugar,
One cup of water,
and the following spices tied in a little piece of cheesecloth:
One-half teaspoon nutmeg,
One teaspoon cinnamon,
One-quarter teaspoon allspice.
Cook slowly until the fruit is soft and then rub through a fine sieve
and thicken with
Three tablespoons of cornstarch
dissolved in
One-quarter cup of cold water.
Bring to a boil and cook for five minutes, cool and serve.
CHERRY SAUCE
One-half pound of stoned cherries,
One-half cup of sugar,
One cup of water.
Bring to a boil and then cook slowly until the cherries are soft. Now
add two tablespoons of cornstarch, dissolved in one-half cup of cold
water. Bring to a boil and then cook for five minutes. Cool and use.
PUDDING SAUCE
One-half cup of white syrup,
One-half cup of water,
One small bottle of maraschino cherries, cut in bits,
One tablespoon of cornstarch.
Dissolve the starch in water and add the syrup and cherries. Bring to
a boil and cook for five minutes. Serve.
CHOCOLATE SAUCE
One-half cup of sugar,
One cup of water,
Seven level tablespoons of chocolate,
Two level tablespoons of cornstarch.
Dissolve the starch and chocolate in the sugar and water and bring to
a boil. Cook for five minutes.
MAKING A CHOCOLATE SAUCE USING COCOA
One cup of syrup,
One cup of water,
One-half cup of cocoa,
Two tablespoons of cornstarch,
One teaspoon of cinnamon.
Place in a saucepan and stir until the starch is dissolved and then
bring to a boil. Cook for five minutes and then cool and add one
tablespoon of vanilla. Use the same as sauce made with chocolate.
FRUIT CUSTARD SAUCE
Place in a saucepan
One and one-half cupfuls of cold stewed fresh fruit,
One cup of milk,
Four level tablespoons of cornstarch.
Stir to dissolve the starch and then bring to a boil, stirring
constantly. Cook for five minutes, and add one well-beaten egg and
three-quarters of a cup of sugar; beat hard and then cook for two
minutes.
CHOCOLATE SAUCE
Place four ounces of chocolate, cut into fine pieces, in a saucepan
and add one pint of water and one and one-half cups of sugar. Stir
until the sugar is dissolved and then bring to a boil, cook for ten
minutes and then add
Six tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, dissolved in
One-half cup of water,
One teaspoon of cinnamon.
Bring to a boil and stir continually and cook for five minutes. Cool
and then add one tablespoon of vanilla. Place in a fruit jar and store
in a cool place. This sauce is used for puddings, pastries, cakes, ice
cream, sundaes and chocolate sodas.
ORANGE SAUCE
Juices of two oranges,
One-quarter cup of sugar,
One tablespoon of cornstarch,
Two tablespoons of water,
Yolks of two eggs.
Dissolve the starch in the water. Add the orange juice and cook until
thick, about five minutes. Add sugar and yolks of eggs. Remove from
fire. Cool and fold in the beaten white of one egg. Use yolk of egg
left over for the mousse.
FRUIT WHIP
Whites of two eggs,
One glass of apple jelly.
Beat, using a Dover egg-beater, until it forms into a stiff meringue.
This amount will serve about ten people liberally.
One-half of this recipe for ordinary family.
DESSERTS
BANANA FRITTERS
Cut four bananas in half; now then place in a bowl
One-half cup of milk,
One-half cup of flour,
One teaspoon baking powder,
One teaspoon of sugar,
One teaspoon of shortening,
Pinch of salt,
Yolk of one egg.
Beat to mix and then dip banana in batter. Fry golden brown in hot
fat. Serve with vanilla or fruit sauce.
CRANBERRY JELLY
One quart of cranberries,
One cupful of water.
Cook until the berries are soft and then put through the colander or a
coarse sieve. Return to the saucepan and boil for three minutes, then
add
Two cupfuls of sugar,
Pinch of salt.
Stir until sugar is dissolved and then boil for ten minutes. Rinse a
mould with cold water and then pour in the cranberries and let cool.
LEMON MARMALADE
Cut one lemon into slices and then remove the seeds and put through
the food chopper. Add one and one-quarter cups of water. Bring to a
boil and cook slowly until the lemon rind is very soft. This usually
takes about one hour. Now add one and one-half cups of sugar and
stir to dissolve the sugar. Cook until thick like marmalade. Place an
asbestos mat under the saucepan to prevent scorching. Stir frequently.
Use level measurements; they conform to pounds and ounces and give
satisfactory results.
ORANGE JELLY
Juice of three oranges,
One-half cupful of sugar,
One-half cupful of water,
Two tablespoonfuls of syrup from a bottle of maraschino cherries.
Boil the sugar and water for five minutes and then cool and add the
strained orange juice and the maraschino cherry syrup. Now soak two
level tablespoonfuls of gelatine in one-half cupful of cold water for
thirty minutes and then place in hot water bath to heat. Stir until
dissolved and then strain into prepared orange mixture. Now rinse
custard cups in cold water and pour in the gelatine and set aside
to cool and mould. To serve: Unmold on a saucer and serve with fruit
whip.
COFFEE CUSTARD, PARFAIT STYLE
One and one-half cupfuls of cold coffee,
One cupful of evaporated milk,
One-half cupful of cornstarch.
Place in a saucepan and dissolve the starch in the coffee and then add
the milk. Bring to a boil and cook slowly for ten minutes. Remove and
add
One cupful of sugar,
One teaspoonful of vanilla,
Yolk of two eggs.
Beat to blend thoroughly and then partly cool and pour into stem
glasses, filling nearly to the top. Set on ice to chill. While
chilling place the white of two eggs and one-half glass of currant
jelly in a bowl. Now use a Dover egg-beater and beat until it holds
its shape. When ready to serve pile high on the coffee custards and
garnish with maraschino cherries.
GALATIN A LA MELBA
Cut a slice of sponge cake. Place on a fruit saucer and pour over it
three tablespoons of syrup from a jar of peaches and then place two
halves of peaches on the cake and top off with whipped cream and a
maraschino cherry.
MINT GELATINE
Shred the leaves of a bunch of mint and place in a saucepan; add
one-half cup of water and cook slowly for ten minutes. Now drain and
add
One-half cup of sugar,
Three-quarters cup of vinegar.
Stir to thoroughly dissolve and then place one tablespoon of gelatin
to soak in one-quarter cup of cold water for ten minutes and add the
hot mint preparation. Strain and add two drops of green vegetable
coloring into it, and then pour into a pan to mould. Cut into blocks
and serve with the meat.
PASTRY
Now it all rests with the cook as to whether we are going to have a
cut of pastry that fairly melts in your mouth or a tough doughy mass
that is unfit for food.
Any little housewife may turn out delicious, flaky pastry if she will
but follow directions carefully. First of all, let us study for a
minute just what pastry is. It is a mixture of flour, shortening and
water. Each grain of flour is thoroughly coated with shortening and
then mixed to a dough with the water. Do I hear you say "Well I know
that?" Surely you do. But do you know the real knack of putting it
together? For here is the real rub. The minute you knead or squeeze
pastry that is the moment you make it tough.
THE REAL SECRET
Sift
Three cups of flour,
One teaspoon of salt,
Three teaspoons of baking powder,
together twice, and then cut or rub into this two-thirds cup of
shortening. If you cut it in, use your griddle-cake turner or spatula
and chop it in rather coarse. Now mix to a dough with one-half cup of
ice-cold water, using the cake-turner to mix the water in; just keep
chopping and turning over until the mixture is formed into a ball of
dough. Do not knead or pat with the hand. You cannot hurt this dough
if you will just mix it as a man does when mixing mortar with a hoe.
Keep working it back and forth, chopping it each time until well
mixed. This amount will make the tops and the bottoms for two pies.
To roll the dough, divide it into four parts and then lift one piece
on a slightly floured board and roll out the dough, working the
rolling pin to and from you and turning the dough as often as
necessary to secure the size and shape desired.
Should the dough tear, or not come to the desired shape, just fold it
into squares or oblongs and then roll again.
Place on the tin and then trim the edges. Proceed in the same manner
with the top crust, and then when ready to place on the pie, fold from
corner to corner, making a bias fold and then cut quarter-inch gashes
with a knife in centre to allow steam to escape. Lift and cover the
pie and then trim to shape. Now do not form the trimmings into a ball,
but lay them one piece upon the other in a pile and flatten them with
the rolling pin. Roll and fold into shape, and roll as desired.
You can re-roll pastry as often as desired by this method. Keep in the
mind the fact that kneading or squeezing the pastry forms it into a
sticky mass. This method will give you a delicious, flaky crust. You
may spread two tablespoons of shortening upon the top crust and then
fold and roll. Fold again and roll; then use as desired.
Sufficient pastry may be made at one time to last for two or three
days. Just wrap the dough in wax-paper so that it does not dry out.
Various fillings may be used. Fresh or canned fruits, custards, mince
meat, etc. If you use fresh fruits place
One-half cup of sugar,
Three level tablespoons of cornstarch,
in a bowl and rub between the hands to thoroughly mix and then use
this by sprinkling over the fruit. This will prevent the juice from
boiling out of the pie while it is cooking and it will form into a
jelly when cold.
To use canned fruit, drain the fruit free from the liquid and then cut
into thin slices. Measure the liquid and then add
Four level tablespoons of cornstarch,
Eight tablespoons of sugar,
to each cupful. Dissolve the starch and sugar in the cold liquid and
then bring to a boil. Cook for three minutes and then add the prepared
fruit. Cool before placing in the pastry.
To prevent the lower crust from becoming soggy just before putting
in the filling, brush it well with a good salad oil, or shortening,
taking care that each part is covered. This will give you a tender,
flaky lower crust.
Just before the pie is ready to put into the oven brush it well with a
wash of egg and milk, using
Yolk of one egg,
One-half cup of milk,
Two teaspoons of sugar.
Stir to dissolve the sugar and mix in the egg. Then wash the pie. This
will keep a week in a cool place.
The correct temperature to bake a pie is 300 to 350 degrees
Fahrenheit. This means a moderate oven. Too much heat will brown the
crust before the filling inside has had the time to cook. Custard
pies--this includes those made of eggs, milk, lemon meringes, sweet
potato and pumpkin--require a slow oven--250 degrees Fahrenheit.
PASTRY FOR CUSTARD PIE
The most important point in the custard pie is the crust, which will
either make or mar the pie. So to begin with, the pastry should be
light and delicate. To make pastry for custard pie place in a bowl
Three cups of flour,
One teaspoon of salt,
Three teaspoons of baking powder,
Two tablespoons of sugar.
Sift to mix and then rub in one-half cup of good shortening, and then
mix to a dough with one-half cup of ice water. When mixing the pastry
to a dough, it is important that it should be cut and folded together
much after the method used in cutting and folding the whites into a
cake. Care at this point in making the pastry will prevent it from
becoming tough. Now wrap the pastry in wax or parchment paper and
place on the ice to thoroughly chill for two hours. Now if the pastry
is made either the day before or early in the morning and then allowed
to blend, it will be delightfully light and flaky.
Now to prepare for the pie: This amount of pastry will be sufficient
for two large pies, one custard and one lemon, for variety. The
trimmings can be made into little tarts, turnovers or cheese straws.
Divide the pastry into two parts and then roll out one part on a
lightly floured board until sufficiently large to fully cover the pie
tin.
Now fold carefully in half and then in quarters and lift on the pie
plate and open covering the pie plate, easing on the pastry. Trim the
edges and then roll out the trimmings into a long narrow strip. Cut
into strips three-quarters inch wide and then brush the edge of the
pastry on the pie plate with water and add this narrow strip as a
reinforcement to build up the edge. This will prevent the custard
overflowing.
Now brush the pastry in the bottom of the pie plate with melted
shortening, taking care to thoroughly coat the entire surface with
the shortening. Then pour in the prepared custard. Reserve about one
tablespoon of the custard to brush the pastry around the edges. Place
in a slow oven and bake until the custard is firm in the centre.
To test if custard is baked, gently insert a silver knife into the
custard, taking care that the knife does not pierce the crust.
Brushing the pastry with the shortening before pouring in the custard
prevents the moisture from soaking into the crust.
TO MAKE THE MERINGUE
Beat the whites of two eggs in a bowl, which is free from grease,
until stiff, and then cut and fold into the stiffly beaten whites of
the two eggs
One-half cup of pulverized sugar,
Three tablespoons of cornstarch.
Sift the sugar and cornstarch to thoroughly mix and then carefully cut
and fold into the whites of eggs.
On just how careful you are in cutting and folding this mixture will
determine the success of your meringues. After the whites are beaten
stiff they are full of little air bubbles, which if stirred break down
and become watery and then the entire mixture becomes flat and tough.
To prevent this, sprinkle the prepared sugar over the stiffly beaten
white of egg and then with a spoon cut down through the centre and
fold over; turn the bowl half-way around, then cut and fold again.
Repeat this until sufficiently mixed, then place on the hot pie,
sprinkle with granulated sugar and place in the oven to brown. Open
the oven door and let stand for a few minutes, then remove to a place
free from drafts where it will cool slowly, so as to prevent a sudden
shrinking of the meringue, due to a sudden chill.
To make cocoanut pie, add one-half cup of cocoanut to the custard pie
just before putting in the oven.
PEACH CUSTARD PIE
Crush a sufficient number of pared peaches to measure one cup. Place
in a mixing bowl and add
One-half cup of sugar.
Now place in a saucepan
Three-quarters cup of milk,
Two tablespoons of cornstarch.