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BAILEY ALLEN
/B E R K E L E Y ^i
LIBRARY
I UNIVMSITY OF
V CALIFORNHA J
THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
AGRICULTURE
BEQUEST
OF
ANITA D. S. BLAKE
MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
MRS. ALLEN'S COOK
BOOK
BY
IDA C. BAILEY ALLEN
Editor "Housewives' Forum," Pictorial Re*ui&vu
Formerly Editor "Three Meals a Day,'' Good Housekeeping
Lecturer for Chautauqua and the Westheld
Domestic Science Schools
WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY
PROFESSOR LEWIS B. ALLYN
Formerly Chemist of the Westfield Board of Health
Food Editor of The McClure Publications
ILLUSTRATED FROM PHOTOGRAPHS BY
T L ALLEN AND A. E. SPROUL
BOSTON
SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
Copyright, 1917
BY SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY
(INCORPORATED)
AGRICULTURE
GIFT
printers
J. rAEKHJLL & CO., BOSTON, U.S.A.
/9
AGRIC.
LIBRARY
TO
MY HUSBAND
WHOSE FAITH AND CONSTANT HELP IS A
NEVER FAILING SOURCE OF INSPIRATION
159
PREFACE
* *
Each year brings me thousands of letters from house-
wives all over the country, as well as from Canada and
Mexico, and many from the old world. Some of them
contain requests for recipes, but the majority ask for
help in solving home problems of finance, the prepara-
tion of food, the saving of time and energy, and the
institution of the balanced ration as a means toward
economy and better family health. Many others ask
about proper service, and what foods should be com-
bined; but not a few contain a little heart-break, and
many of them end in this wise, " If I had only been
taught how to cook, and how to do housework when I
was a girl, instead of growing up in ignorance and selfish-
ness, how much easier my life would be now, and how
much more effective I should be as a mother, a wife
and a housekeeper ! "
In presenting this book the burden of my message is:
Let every mother realize that she holds in her hands the
health of the family and the welfare and the progress of
her husband. It is she who helps to make brain and
brawn. There is no magic in the work she does. There
are no mortars and pestles, there are no test tubes and
Bunsen burners. Her chemicals are foods pure and
simple, her equipment, bowls and pans, kettles and a
range. With these aids she must evolve a good family
health, and in so doing contribute to the health and wel-
fare of the nation.
It is a wonderful thing to be a woman ; it is a wonder-
ful thing to be a wife, but most of all it is wonderful
to be a mother, and the woman who realizes her priv-
ileges and knows that her daily work is not drudgery,
but that it is constructive in the truest sense of the word,
and who does this work with love and pride in her heart,
is fulfilling the highest destiny that a woman can have.
If I were to make a plea, I should ask that every
PREFACE
woman in this country, whether she has the vote, or
whether she is merely depending upon personal influence,
should try her utmost to introduce courses in domestic
economy in every school in both city and country, in
every prison and in every reformatory.
If I were to put forth a request, it would be that every
woman in this country make herself a " pal " and friend
of her daughters and her sons, and that from little baby-
hood up she teach them the interesting processes of home
work and cookery, so that there will be a sound founda-
tion for the homes that are to come and an already es-
tablished knowledge that will make possible glorious
home partnership and splendid health for the genera-
tions that are to be.
The author wishes to acknowledge her indebtedness to
the Ladies' Home Journal, Pictorial Review, Good House-
keeping, the Delineator, Country Gentleman, the Boston
Cooking School Magazine, the North American, and the
Ohio State Journal for their kindness in allowing re-
prints of her various articles which have been published
in their columns, and for the privilege of reproducing
photographs which have been used from time to time in
their pages.
IDA C. BAILEY ALLEN.
INTRODUCTION
A well rounded dietary is the only sensible one. While
we should eat to live instead of reversing the process,
care in selection and judgment in preparation make our
dietetic choice a matter of pleasure and profit as well as
of duty.
The chemical composition of the body requires foods
of similar composition. The author of this book in a
delightfully simple manner has presented the problem so
that, generally speaking, the body may extract from the
foods the maximum amount of building and fuel mate-
rial with the least expenditure of dynamic energy.
The housewife who studies these chapters cannot fail
to find suggestions adaptable, economical and hygienic.
It will, of course, be understood that no class of food
performs a strictly simple function. For example, while
proteins are building foods, they also furnish a consider-
able amount of heat or energy. Likewise, fats and oils
furnish energy and, to some extent, assist in tissue-build-
ing. In other words, any food is likely to react outside
its own class.
Mrs. Allen has expressed in popular terms a simple,
workable outline of food combination, well adapted to
the needs of the housewife. If her book is carefully fol-
lowed, the dietary of the average family will be much
improved, cost decreased, and a general gain in health
experienced.
LEWIS B. ALLYN.
Food Editor of The McClure Publications
Contents
Chapter
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
PART I
THE EVERYDAY CHEMISTRY OF FOOD AND COOKERY
THE DIET IN SPRING, SUMMER, FALL AND WINTER
THE CHILDREN'S MEALS
THE PROBLEM OF THE DINNER PAIL .
THE FINE ART OF COMBINING FOODS .
SEASONINGS
Page
I
27
40
50
54
66
VII THE EQUIPMENT AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE KITCHEN 74
VIII RANGES AND THEIR OPERATION .... 85
IX THE SHORT-CUT PREPARATION OF MEALS . . 96
X THE SERVICE OF HOME AND COMPANY MEALS . 116
XI THE CHAFING DISH 123
PART II
I MEASUREMENTS ....... 131
II BEVERAGES 133
III FRUITS 144
IV CEREALS 159
V EGGS AND SAVORY EGG DISHES . . . . 170
VI YEAST BREADS 188
VII QUICK BREADS * 218
VIII APPETIZERS 233
IX SOUPS 240
X FISH 269
XI THE FRYING OF FOOD 300
XII MEATS 316
XIII SAVORY SAUCES . 388
XIV POTATOES . 397
XV VEGETABLES 408
xii Contents
Chapter Page
XVI THE EDIBLE WEEDS . . . . . . 447
XVII SALADS AND How TO MAKE THEM . . . 453
XVIII SANDWICHES . . 498
XIX DESSERTS 510
XX SWEET SAUCES 555
XXI FROZEN DESSERTS 562
XXII CAKE 583
XXIII COOKIES, CUP CAKES AND LITTLE CAKES . . 607
XXIV ICINGS AND FILLINGS 620
XXV PASTRY 630
XXVI THE MAKING OF CANDIES 644
XXVII CHEESE . . . . . ... . 66 1
XXVIII INVALID COOKERY AND SERVICE . . . . 674
XXIX CANNING, PRESERVING AND PICKLING . . . 687
INDEX . 725
List of Illustrations
Mrs. Allen in Her Own Kitchen Frontispiece
FACING PAGE
Table Set for Home Breakfast 36
After-Dinner Coffee Service 36
An Adequate Fireless Cooker 80
A Group of Ice -Cream Moulds 80
An Adequate Steamer 112
Table Set for Informal Chafing Dish Supper. . . . 126
Ways to Serve Oranges . . 146
Ways to Serve Strawberries 146
Curried Eggs in Chafing Dish 178
Swedish Timbales . 178
General Utility Wheel-Tray Set for Afternoon Tea Service. 216
Smoked Salmon Canape 234
Peanut Butter Canape 234
Making Soup Stock 252
Lamb Chops . 252
Baked Oysters on the Half Shell 270
Tomatoes Stuffed with Shrimps 270
Cold Boiled Salmon with Mayonnaise 294
Fish, Ready to Boil 294
Rice with Onion and Peppers en Casserole .... 326
Casserole of Lima Beans and Beef ...... 326
Table Set for Formal Luncheon 344
Baked Pork Chops with Apples 360
Baked Sausage with Broiled Sliced Apples .... 360
Chicken Pot Pourri ......... 374
Chicken Mousse Loaf 374
Baked Potatoes and Potato Rack 398
French Frying Potatoes 398
xiv List of Illustrations
FACING PAGE
Table Set for Home Dinner . . . . . . 424
An Asparagus Cooker 438
An Improvised Asparagus Cooker 438
Tomato Cream Salad 468
Tomato and Sardine Salad ....... 468
The Picnic Lunch 500
Steamed Christmas Pudding 534
Rhubarb Pudding with Banana Decoration .... 534
Summer Fruit Cup ......... 564
Ways to Serve Pineapple 564
Colonial Sponge Cake . . . . . . ! . . 598
Walnut Cake . 598
Dropped Nut Cookies . 618
Frosted Ginger Nuts 618
Cheese and Nut Balls 664
Macaroon Bisque . . . . . ... . 664
Wheel-Tray Set for Invalid Luncheon . . . 684
Table Set for Formal Christmas Dinner .... 706
MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
CHAPTER I
THE EVERYDAY CHEMISTRY OF FOOD AND
COOKERY
THE BALANCED RATION
Every housewife is the mistress of the destiny of her
family. In the foods which she prepares and serves
she has the power to build strong, healthy bodies, the
bedrock of brilliant minds, to furnish energy for work
and life, and to create a reserve against worry and dis-
ease. Within her hands she holds the glorious manhood
and splendid womanhood of to-morrow.
The balanced ration furnishes the solution of the
house-mother's difficult problem in providing the right
food for the needs of her family. As usually explained
the problem of the balanced ration seems so difficult,
technical, and obscure, that the average woman, although
anxious to place her cookery on a scientific basis, be-
comes appalled by the host of technical terms and numer-
ical calculations and finally abandons all attempt at
science and falls back into the old routine of unscientific
cooking. Nevertheless the problem is really simple, and
can be worked out for each individual family by the ex-
penditure of a little time and thought at no extra cost,
for the balanced ration tends to reduce the food bills.
But first, what is the balanced ration? It is simply
the correct combination into meals of the proper amounts
of food and the proper food constituents in such ways
as to please both the eye and the palate, appease the
hunger, furnish each section of the body the food re-
quired for energy, and allow for the storing-up of re-
serve force against the time of need.
Our bodies are made of many different elements,
which, in conjunction with water, combine to form flesh,
bone, blood, and so on. But each time a motion is made,
a thought flashed in the brain, or even a word spoken, a
2 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
small part of the body tissue is broken down or ex-
hausted. This waste is carried off through the pores of
the skin and by the excretory organs, but there Nature
pauses. She cannot mend a break without material, and,
just as the plumber needs solder, she requires food to re-
pair the wornout tissues. As the body is so complex,
a wide variety of foods is needed in order that there
may be sufficient material to repair each part. This is
one reason why human beings crave variety in their food
and thrive best upon a mixed diet.
The housewife, in working out her food problem, may
classify foods in the following six groups of constituents :
1. Proteins, or Muscle- Makers as beef, lean pork,
mutton, poultry, lamb, veal, game, cheese, nuts, milk,
eggs, fish, dried peas, dried beans, lentils and milk soups.
2. Carbohydrates, or Fuels including starches and
sweets.
A. Starchy Foods as potatoes and all starchy veg-
etables, macaroni, spaghetti, noodles and the like, cooked
and prepared cereals, bread, muffins, biscuits, crackers,
bananas, cocoa, corn starch and tapioca puddings, cereal
puddings and so on.
B. Sweets as cakes, frostings, candies, rich pre-
serves, jellies, rich breads (as coffee cake), cookies,
sweet puddings, stewed fruit, honey, maple syrup and
other sugary foods.
3. Fats, or Reserve-Force Foods as fat ham, pork,
bacon, fat fish, sausages, cream soups, full milk cheese,
cream cheese, olive-, corn- and peanut-oil, ripe olives,
mayonnaise and all salad dressings, rich gravies and
sauces, rich pastry, most nuts, suet puddings, fritters and
all foods cooked in fat, sweet chocolate, ice cream made
with cream, mousse, parfaits and Bavarian creams.
4. Minerals and Acids as cucumbers, corn, toma-
toes, cabbage, celery, egg plant, spinach and all greens,
salad plants, prunes, figs, rhubarb and all dried and fresh
fruits.
5. Bulky Foods, or Cleansers as all mineral foods,
coarse breads, woody vegetables, gritty cereals and bran
foods.
6. Liquids, or Dissolvent Foods as water, stock and
milk soups, broths, tea, coffee, skimmed milk, whey, but-
CHEMISTRY OF FOOD AND COOKERY 3
termilk, fruit drinks, gelatines, water ices, frappes, sher-
bets and watery fruits and vegetables.
While this classification is only a general one, it is
sufficiently accurate and practical to enable any house-
wife to place her cookery on a scientific basis without
any trouble or abstruse calculations. All foods contain
certain properties, as proteins possess a small proportion
of heat-giving properties, while most carbohydrates con-
tain a trace, or more, of protein. For convenience's sake
in planning a balanced ration each food must be grouped
according to its predominating characteristic, for the un-
derlying principle in the preparation of food lies in cook-
ing properly the ruling constituent, as protein in proteins,
starch in carbohydrates, and so on, at the same time
retaining as much of the total food value as possible.
In arranging meals the principal or main dish should
usually be a protein food a roast, baked eggs, a rare-
bit, or any food from the muscle-making group. Then
come the carbohydrates (starches and sugars), the fats
(as butter, olive oil and the like), the minerals (in the
form of fresh fruits or vegetables) and the bland and
" filling foods," listed under the dissolvent or bulky
group (as stock soup, gelatine, apples, and so on).
If the wrong foods are prepared and served, it is al-
most as easy to starve in the midst of plenty, as when
there is nothing to eat, and Nature creates a feeling of
dissatisfaction which results in a constant appetite, or
a craving, for the lacking food. A mother was utterly
discouraged because she could not seem to provide her
athletic boy of fifteen with enough to eat. One night,
after eating ten slices of bread and butter, three helpings
of potato salad, six slices of cake, and three dishes of
preserves, he was rummaging in the pantry a half hour
after supper for " something to eat." She finally de-
cided that he was not being supplied with the right kind
of food, so she studied dietetics and the balanced ration,
and instituted scientific meals. The boy's appetite be-
came normal almost at once. He was starving on starch,
while all his healthy young muscles demanded their por-
tion of protein.
A meal often leaves a craving sense of incompleteness,
caused by a similarity in flavor in all the foods served.
4 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
A small quantity of any of the vividly seasoned foods
furnishes an appetizer. For convenience the foods suit-
able for use in this way may be termed " esthetic foods,"
and include all condiments, pickles, green olives, chili
sauce, ketchup, crystallized ginger, green peppers, pimen-
toes, sour oranges and fruits, tart jellies, lemon juice,
wintergreen and peppermint candies and so forth. The
esthetic touch may be added to any course desirable, al-
though it relieves monotony if it appears midway of
the meal. If the esthetic touch is added properly, the
whole meal assumes point and every food fits into its
niche.
In planning any meal the bulky group of food constitu-
ents must predominate in quantity; starches should ap-
pear second, the proteins third, sweets fourth and fats
fifth, while the liquid group should be sufficient to act as
a dissolving agent. In general, two starches should
figure in a meal, one protein, one fat besides butter, at
least one bulky food, one mineral, or more if desirable,
one sweet, and a dissolvent besides water. If foods are
apportioned in this way, in quantities of the usual " help-
ing," suited to the occupation and age of each member
of the family, second portions will seldom be requested;
when each part of the body is receiving adequate nourish-
ment, less food is needed.
The food of each meal should be suitable for the needs
of each member of the family. Briefly, the man at hard
labor and the active boy from twelve years up require
hearty foods that " stick to the ribs " usually meaning
those consuming a long time in digestion ; the housewife,
active school girls from twelve years on, and men at
sedentary occupations need lighter food or that more
easily digested; while children from four to eight and
old people need a fair quantity of simple food. Children
under four demand small quantities of easily digested
foods, supplemented by plenty of minerals and milk,
while the child from eight to twelve may eat the usual
family meal in quantities suited to his growth and ac-
tivity. No matter whether the income is large or small
the balanced ration can always be maintained. Jt must
be borne in mind that beyond a certain point the cost of
CHEMISTRY OF FOOD AND COOKERY- 5
food is for flavor and luxuries rather than for the neces-
sities of diet.
A day's menu for a family, consisting of a father at
clerical work, a mother who acts as housekeeper, an 'ath-
letic son, a girl of ten, and a child of four, might be as
follows :
Breakfast
Coddled Apples, B, 4, 5, 6
Cracked Wheat, A, 5
Light Cream, 3
Baked Eggs, i
Popovers, A, and Butter, 3
Coffee (for grown-ups), 6
Luncheon or Supper
Cream of Tomato Soup, i, 6
Escalloped Cheese, i
Bread, A, and Butter, 3
Lettuce Salad, with Shredded Peppers and Oil Dressing, 3, 4, 6
Steamed Whole Wheat Pudding, A Raisin Sauce, B
Tea, 6
Dinner
Clear Soup, 6
Lamb with Gravy, i, 3 Boiled Rice, A
Cabbage Slaw, with Minced Mint, 3, 4
Baked Parsnips, A
Sliced Oranges in Jelly, B, 4, 5
Tea, 6
The numbers following each item refer back to the
table of food constituents, proteins being called i ;
starches A ; sweets B ; fats 3 ; minerals 4 ; bulky foods 5
and liquids 6. Some of the foods may be included in
two or more classifications; in this case several numbers
appear after each item.
These menus are roughly balanced, and approximate
dietetic standards in so far as is practicable. A sufficient
quantity of sugar is added in preparing coddled apples to
classify them as sweet (B), but at the same time they are
mineral (4), ballast (5), and liquid (6). Cream of
tomato soup is at once a protein (i), because of the milk
it contains, and a dissolvent (6), because it is a liquid.
A knowledge of cookery and familiarization with the
6 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
table of food constituents given above will enable anyone
to classify all foods in their relation to the balanced
ration.
In these special menus each food constituent appears
in correct proportion, and every member of the imagin-
ary family can obtain from them the foods suited to his
or her needs. The. cracked wheat at breakfast is suffi-
ciently bulky to " stand by " the athletic son, who will
doubtless eat steadily through the meal. The father and
mother will eat smaller quantities because they are not
so active and burn less energy, while the girl of ten will
probably be satisfied with a choice of either eggs or
cereal. The four-year-old child should be given either
eggs or cereal, but not both. Milk 'is also needed, if the
cereal serves as his main dish. As he is too young to
eat hot breads, a slice of bread and butter may be sub-
stituted for the popovers. The same common sense dis-
posal may be made at the other meals.
PROTEINS, THEIR PREPARATION AND PLACE
IN THE MENU
The part which the proteins should play in the balanced
ration is the most serious consideration in arranging a
diet. If insufficient protein is taken, the body cannot
grow or build up the wornout parts ; while, if too much
is taken, the result is serious disease. As a matter of
fact many of the so-called degenerative diseases are
traced to too much protein in the diet. So the selection
of protein foods involves considerable thought. Another
cause for thought is that many foods analyze a large
proportion of protein that is not digestible and we live
upon what we digest, irrespective of what we eat.
Mushrooms, for example, contain a certain amount of
protein, but it is in such form that the body cannot
digest it all. The outer layers of certain grains contain
considerable protein, yet, as it cannot be assimilated, the
nutritional value of this part of the grain is chiefly in the
mineral matter which is also present. As these foods
contain a large amount of waste material, they are also
of value as " ballast " in the diet.
The following foods may be roughly classified as pro-
teins :
CHEMISTRY OF FOOD AND COOKERY 7
Beef, poultry, game, pork, lamb, mutton, veal, cheese,
nuts, milk, eggs, fish, dried beans, peas, lentils and milk
soups.
All dishes which consist largely of any of these foods
also belong to this classification, so that the possibilities
of presenting protein in the diet are considerable. Many
housewives have the idea that only savory dishes, suitable
for the main portion of a meal, are proteins, but this
idea is erroneous. Any of these foods, whether in a
sweet, a salad, or a soup, is a protein. For instance,
dried lima-bean soup, chicken salad, escalloped beef,
baked egg custard, cheese souffle, or nut croquettes are
all proteins, and if they are not so considered in the
menu, the body may rebel and become heir to the ills
attending a diet too rich in protein. This is not difficult
when the common error of serving meat three times a
day is made. It is obvious that with so wide a variety
of protein foods from which to choose there should be
no trouble in planning menus in which meat figures but
once a day.
The statement is frequently made that the protein
value in three eggs, three ounces of cheese, two ounces of
salted peanuts, or a pint of milk equals that in five ounces
of meat. While this may be true, it is impracticable
to serve many of these meat substitutes uncombined, for,
unless they are supplemented by some food which serves
as ballast, they do not contain a bulk equalling that of
meat. Most people feel that the satisfying of hunger
consists in eating until the stomach is full, and this
cannot be done on a concentrated diet, as overeating
and illness result. If the cheese is escalloped with
coarse crumbs, the peanuts hash-browned with potatoes,
the eggs creamed and served on toast, the milk solidified
into junket or enforced with oatmeal or whole wheat
crackers, the ballast will be supplied and the body satis-
fied. The reason that meat substitutes are not more
generally used is probably because most women fail to
grasp this point, and a single trial of the so-called sub-
stitutes, plain or not properly combined, convinces them
that " their family would rather have meat " and they
turn back to their former ways.
The selection of protein best suited to the menu de-
8 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
pends largely upon the family. The more digestible
types are advisable for those doing light work, the
" heartier," or less digestible foods for those of greater
activity.
The digestibility of a few more common foods may be
noted roughly as follows:
QUICKLY DIGESTED SLOWLY DIGESTED
(One to three hours) (Three to five hours)
Milk Pork in all forms
Broiled -tripe Veal in all forms
Turkey Nuts in all forms
Broiled chicken, lamb chops Cheese in all forms
and steak Mushrooms
Broiled, poached, scrambled Pot-roast of beef
and coddled eggs Casserole dishes
Baked custard Hard-cooked and fried eggs
Broiled trout, halibut and sal- and omelets
mon Stews
Boiled cod, halibut and salmon Fried meats of all kinds
Salt codfish, baked or creamed All "made dishes" of meats
Oysters, raw or baked in shell Fried fish of all kinds
Boiled beef Mackerel, sardines, canned sal-
mon, and all fat fish
Lentils, peas and beans
This raises the most important point in connection
with proteins their cookery for it is possible to make
a food that is otherwise digestible difficult of digestion by
improper cooking, and to make those so-called " indi-
gestible " much more palatable and nutritious by the
right treatment. To a considerable extent perfect diges-
tion depends on perfect cooking, and on the same con-
sideration hinges the greatest possibility for absorption
of nutriment. Food that is not digested is wasted ; a
human machine clogged with the wastes of indigestion
is inefficient. However, in searching for digestible
foods any tendency to " pamper " or " spare " the diges-
tive organs of a normal person should be avoided. The
whole body needs exercise the stomach, liver and in-
testines, as well as the legs and arms, and, while they
should not be overloaded, they should not be given a
diet of eggs, milk and predigested foods on which they
will become weakened.
The cooking of all protein foods is alike in that they
should neyer be subjected to high temperatures, as this
CHEMISTRY OF FOOD AND COOKERY 9
has a hardening effect on the protein element, making
it indigestible. If an egg, for instance, is boiled or
poached in rapidly boiling water for four minutes, the
white becomes opaque and leathery, while, if the time
is slightly increased and the egg is immersed in water
just below the boiling point, it becomes perfectly cooked,
having a jellied, translucent appearance.
It may be given, then, as a rule, that eggs should al-
ways be cooked at the lowest possible temperature. If
eggs are to be hard-cooked, the only way to avoid the
unpleasant chemical changes brought about by the usual
prolonged cooking is to put them on in cold water, bring
them slowly to the boiling point, boil rapidly for ten min-
utes, then plunge at once into cold water to stop all fur-
ther cooking. This is the only case when an egg, as a
protein food, should be boiled. Scrambled eggs, as usu-
ally served, are leathery and indigestible, because they
are turned into melted butter in a pan so hot that the
eggs are not only coagulated immediately, but are fried
as well. Properly, the mixture should be turned into a
cold, thick frying pan, the lump of butter added, and the
whole cooked so gently that the result is creamy. Fried
eggs and omelets should also be cooked slowly. A per-
fectly fried egg cannot be prepared under five minutes,
while an omelet of fair size needs ten. Custards and
desserts of all kinds, containing eggs, should be sur-
rounded by boiling water while cooking, as this keeps
the temperature below boiling point. Otherwise they
will " curd," or, in other words, the eggs will cook in
lumps.
Fish consists of a considerable proportion of protein,
yet there is probably no other food so maltreated. The
majority of people " do not care for fish," but in how
many cases is it ever served other than fried or boiled?
If the former method is used, the delicate flavor and tex-
ture is usually overcome by the hot fat ; if the latter, the
fish is " cooked to death." If fish must be fried, let it
be in deep fat. The high heat will immediately coagu-
late the outside protein cells, preventing the escape of
juices, while the cold fish will reduce the temperature
sufficiently to carry on the process slowly. In boiling
(a misleading term) fish should be started in water just
io MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
at boiling point; for, as the protein of fish is soluble in
cold or merely warm water, it will otherwise be lost.
If it be wrapped in a cloth and the complete cooking car-
ried on at simmering-point (as with the boiled eggs), the
fish will present a " jellied " appearance, be very tender
and remain whole. If boiled rapidly, it is not only
" cooked to pieces " but the breaking open causes the
loss of both flavor and part of the protein. In boiling,
the fish should be subjected to high heat only long enough
to seal the outside. The same rule also applies to plank-
ing. In no case should the process be hurried.
Meats may be cooked in various ways, boiling, broil-
ing, stewing, pot-roasting, braizing, roasting and casserol-
ing being the most common. " Boiled beef," properly
prepared, is one of the juiciest and most digestible of
meats, but, like fish, it must never be actually boiled.
Again, though different in appearance, meat contains
practically the same protein as eggs and fish, and, if
boiled, becomes tough and leathery. The protein of
meats, like that of fish, is soluble in cold water, so they
should always be plunged into boiling water to seal, or
" sear," the pores, in order to preserve the protein, then
simmered gently till done. In this way the juices will be
retained and the meat become tender and gelatinized.
In preparing a five-pound piece it will be necessary to
increase the time of cooking about an hour over the
old method. The fireless cooker is a successful medium
for preparing tough meats, because it necessitates a slow
process. The resulting stock will be thin and rather
" flat," because the flavors have been retained in the
meat, which is of first importance. In stewing, on the
other hand, the meat and liquor are of equal importance ;
so the meat is immersed in cold water, and brought
slowly to the simmering point, in order to make the broth
of strong flavor. In this way the juices are divided be-
tween the meat and the broth, making the stew more
palatable. Casserole cooking is merely baking a stew in
an earthen dish. Pot-roasting is modified boiling, the
meat being first browned or seared all over in fat to keep
in the juices, then added, with the vegetables and spices,
to boiling water sufficient to cover it half over. It should
never boil.
CHEMISTRY OF FOOD AND COOKERY II
In broiling or pan-broiling, meat should be subjected
to heat sufficient to sear it quickly, then turned immedi-
ately to sear the other portions, lest the juices escape.
As most meat for broiling is cut crosswise, the fibers con-
taining the meat fluids are left exposed. Unless the
searing be quick and complete, these juices will escape,
the result being a flat, tasteless meat. If, however, the
searing is thorough, and the meat is turned frequently,
the juices run back and forth in the fibers, which expand
with the heat until the meat assumes a puffy appearance.
In roasting, meat is exposed to a very hot heat till seared,
all over, then finished at a lower temperature.
Cheese is another protein that requires careful cook-
ing. It consists largely of casein, the protein of milk,
and, like all the other foods in this group, is rendered
indigestible by high temperatures. This is the reason it
disagrees with many. If baked, it should always be set
in a pan of hot water ; if in a rarebit or cheese sauce, it
should be cooked in a double boiler ; either method keeps
it below the boiling point. In case it is to be added to
soup or macaroni, the dish should be fully prepared be-
fore the addition, the heat being sufficient to melt the
cheese. If served plain, it should be finely shaved, or
cut in small pieces, and some bulky food should always
accompany it.
Dried peas, beans and lentils should always be soaked
several hours before cooking, thoroughly rinsed, and
then simmered until tender. Again, it takes slow-cook-
ing to make the protein digestible. A little baking soda,
added while cooking, aids in softening the husks and
overcoming the gases that frequently attend the eating
of dried vegetables.
CARBOHYDRATES AND FATS
THEIR PREPARATION AND PLACE IN THE
MENU
Just as the protein builds muscle, the carbohydrate ful-
fills the great mission of acting as fuel for the body,
thus providing heat and activity and energy for work.
Without this food constituent, the body would become
12 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
lazy, chilly and inert, while oxidation digesting
could not take place.
The list of carbohydrates which includes both
starches and sugars is extensive. The following foods
may be listed as starches : All vegetables which contain
a noticeable amount of starch and sugar, ^s white pota-
toes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, beets, melons,
sweet corn, and squash ; all cereals, both ready-to-eat and
cooked, including rice, samp, macaroni, spaghetti, ver-
micelli and noodles ; bread, all muffins, biscuits and crack-
ers; bananas and corn starch; arrowroot, cereal and
tapioca . puddings. Sugars include all foods made very
sweet : as cakes, most pies, f rostings, candies, rich pre-
serves, stewed fruits, jellies, sweet puddings, rich breads
(as coffee cake), cookies, Barbadoes or other molasses,
honey and maple and corn syrup.
iThis classification must not be misunderstood, for it is
only general in scope. Most carbohydrate foods contain
some protein and some fat. A cake made from eggs
w r hich contain both protein and fat will contribute
a proportion of both constituents to the dish.
Starches in the raw state are largely indigestible and
cannot be absorbed by the body. Thorough cooking
converts the starch into a sweet substance similar to
sugar and renders it digestible. In case the cookery is
incomplete, as in half-cooked cereals, the starch, instead
of being used in the body, goes through the digestive
canal, irritating the stomach and intestines and fre-
quently causing accumulations of gas. Just as plain
starch cannot be prepared for laundry purposes without
the addition of boiling water to burst the grains, so is
this addition necessary in cooking all starchy foods, un-
less they contain a large amount of water in themselves.
For this reason cereals cannot be cooked without the
medium of water or other liquid, while potatoes, which
are composed of considerable water, can be cooked either
with or without water.
Cereals are the cheapest and most nourishing of the
fuel foods. As they consist of approximately three-
fourths starch, they are distinctly carbohydrates, al-
though oats, wheat, rye and corn contain about ten per
\
CHEMISTRY OF FOOD AND COOKERY 13
cent of protein, and even rice, though mostly starch, has
eight per cent of protein.
Bread, both ordinary white and whole wheat, contains
so large a percentage of starch that it must be classi-
fied as a carbohydrate. Bread has a place peculiarly
its own in the diet, but when enormous quantities are
consumed at a meal it denotes one of two things it
is eaten through custom or because the meal is unbal-
anced.
In considering sweets, the place of pure molasses,
honey and maple syrup should be noted. They are
wholesome foods, and a meal supplemented by warm
biscuits and honey, or browned mush and syrup, instead
of the usual heavy dessert, is not only more wholesome
but more enjoyable. Pure candy deserves a place in the
diet, and, when properly used, may supplement the menu.
Sugar is a source of quick energy, and, often, a little
plain candy or sugar water acts as a restorative in cases
of fatigue. If a stick of candy is occasionally given to
the child after school, with coarse oatmeal crackers, so
that he will not eat too rapidly, he is furnished with
quick energy in an absolutely harmless form. But if
candy is eaten just before a meal, the appetite is sated
by the sweet, and the regular food may be refused.
Stewed fruits, either dried or fresh, jellies and pre-
serves, may be considered as sweets on account of the
sugar they contain. A little thought shows that the too
frequent supper of bread and butter, cookies, cake, pre-
serves and tea, served so largely in country towns, is
made up mostly of carbohydrates. Yet in many famil-
ies it is served the year through. In most households
the tendency is towards too much carbohydrate, which
is liable to bring about auto-intoxication and obesity. Up
to a certain point the body needs starch, but when an
oversupply begins to be stored up as fat, the danger
of obesity begins.
FATS
Fat is an important food constituent for it is the great-
est source of latent or reserve energy, yet there is prob-
ably no other item of the diet so generally disliked.
14 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
From the time a child is old enough to be given meat he
generally refuses even to taste the fat, and the mother,
instead of coaxing him to eat, often cuts off the " offend-
ing " morsel, little realizing that she is depriving her child
of a great essential of his food.
In the fat, or reserve force, group we find the fol-
lowing foods : fat ham, pork, bacon, fat fish, sausages,
cream, butter, oleomargarine, cream soups, rich cream
cheese, olive-, corn- and peanut-oils, mayonnaise, and all
salad dressings, almonds, peanuts and other nuts, rich
gravies, ripe olives, hard or cream sauce, all kinds of
rich pastry, suet puddings, fritters and all grease-cooked
foods, chocolate, ice cream, mousses, Bavarian creams
and parfaits.
Fats must always be broken up or emulsified before
they can be digested. The normal body is so. constituted
that it does not crave large quantities at a time. So fats
are generally served in combination olive oil being cut
by lemon -juice or vinegar in a French dressing, butter
spread on bread, eggs served with bacon, cream with
shortcake and apple sauce with fat pork, Nature always
calling for a balance.
As fat is the last food constituent to be acted upon
by the digestive organs, it may be readily seen why this
becomes the reserve force element of the body. Any
food cooked in it cannot be digested until Nature has
broken up the fat cells. An omelet, fried eggs, fried
steak, doughnuts, croquettes and the like are not easily
available for the body's use until the fat has been acted
upon. Pastry, cake and suet puddings rich in fat are
equally slow of digestion, for the fat is so blended about
the grains of flour and other ingredients that it must first
be dissolved before they can be utilized. Foods cooked
in fat remain in the digestive tract from one to two hours
longer than is ordinarily necessary. This overtaxes the
whole system, and, if such foods are eaten persistently,
results in pallor, eruptions on the face, and a general air
of lassitude. This does not mean that fried foods should
be excluded from the diet, but that they should be served
in moderation.
In health all fats in reasonable amounts are digestible
in the following order : good butter, cream, olive oil, pea-
CHEMISTRY OF FOOD AND COOKERY 15
nut- and corn-oils, oleomargarine, beef fat, and the vari-
ous pork products.
In frying, fats are usually heated to the smoking point,
when they break up and some of the products evolved
are irritating to the intestinal canal. This is why burned
butter is unwholesome, and why doughnuts and other
foods fried in lard heated to the smoking-point are in-
digestible. Animal fats smoke at a much lower temper-
ature than do vegetable oils. For this reason the veg-
etable product is a much better medium for frying.
Olive oil is the best, prepared vegetable cooking oils come
second, while lard and beef fat are the least desirable.
In various experiments carried on to ascertain whether
deep-fat frying or sauteing (frying in a small amount of
fat) is preferable, the former method has proved to be
the more economical, and the products more digestible,
because approximately one-fourth less fat is absorbed
into the foods. To be fried in deep fat, foods must con-
tain enough egg instantly to coagulate them (as fritters),
cfr else be coated with a thin layer of egg or dissolved
gelatine (as croquettes). The surface is then instantly
sealed, and the fat will not be absorbed to any great ex-
tent.
MINERAL, ACID AND BALLAST FOODS
Mineral, acid and ballast foods are so closely connected
that they really belong to the same group, and are sepa-
rated only for convenience in planning the balanced
ration. They include all bulky, watery vegetables, as
onions, corn, cucumbers, carrots, cauliflower, celery, egg-
plant, radishes, spinach, and all greens ; asparagus, string
beans, salad plants, prunes, figs and rhubarb; all fresh
fruits, coarse breads, cereals made from undenatured
food products, as whole wheat meal, oatmeal, home
ground cornmeal and brown rice.
The term " minerals " is so little understood that the
importance of this constituent in the diet is usually over-
looked or left to take care of itself. The body averages
seven pounds of mineral matter, five-sixths of which is
found in the bones, the remainder being distributed
throughout the tissues, where it performs important du-
ties in assisting to oxidize, or burn, the food, carry off
i.6 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
carbon dioxide (the by-product of oxidation) giving life
to the nervous system and pliability to the muscles. In
fact life cannot be carried on without mineral, and, just
as there is crop failure if land lacks phosphorus or some
other necessary constituent, the body droops, grows pale
and finally ill, if deprived of any of these minerals.
Lime, for instance, is essential to digestion, and, strangely
enough, has a great affinity for sugar. In case many
sweets are eaten and not enough lime, the body begins to
call on its own store to combine with the sugar, gradually
the lime is sapped from the teeth, and decay is apt to be-
gin. Life itself cannot be carried on without iron, for
the little red corpuscles of the blood cannot refresh,
or reorganize, the body without it. When iron is defi-
cient, pallor, lassitude and, finally, anemia may set in.
The body cannot lack any one mineral and expect the
others to carry on their work effectively. But if a bal-
anced diet is used and the vegetables and fruits are care-
fully prepared, the body will be supplied with all the
mineral matter necessary. On such a diet little thought
need be given to the matter of minerals and salt will be
the only one which will have to be added.
As all vegetables contain a variety of minerals, it is
somewhat difficult to classify them as being rich in any
particular one.
Lime is found in all cereals and predominates in brown
rice, as well as in radishes, apples and spinach ; while
iron has a definite place in apples, lentils, strawberries,
cabbage, spinach and string beans.
It will be noticed that in classifying cereals the word
" undenatured " is prefixed to wheat, oatmeal, cornmeal
and brown rice. When a cereal is " denatured," one or
more of its valuable elements have been removed. When
wheat is made into white flour, a portion of the mineral
is sacrificed. A similar loss is sustained when the heart
and outer husks are removed from corn. Rolled oats
and polished rice suffer in like manner. In this way
the body is really deprived of several of the most im-
portant food elements, and, if these special denatured
foods predominate in the diet, mineral starvation results=
Too much emphasis cannot be laid on the necessity of
supplying minerals in the diet for prospective mother-
CHEMISTRY OF FOOD AND COOKERY 17
hood. The body is then taxed to the utmost to supply
not only itself, but the food essences needed for the new
life. In this case, as with the child, the diet should be
over-rich in minerals, as, otherwise, the bony structure
of the coming baby will suffer, while the mother will be
robbed of her own supply of body minerals to give to
the child. The decay of the teeth of the pregnant mother
is largely due to the lack of lime and phosphorus in the
diet.
Fruits, like vegetables, are both mineral and ballast
foods. They also convey to the body various acids which
are combined with minerals in such a way as to play an
important part in maintaining health. As digestion
transforms these acids into alkalis, they cause the blood
to become alkaline and the urine less acid. The differ-
ing flavors of fruits are due to these acids, in part, but
more to the presence of small numbers of little bodies
which almost elude investigation. While these are of
no great nutritive value, they give the fruits pronounced
flavor and make them valuable stimulants to the appetite
and aids to digestion, because they excite the digestive
juices.
Fruits in their raw state have a much greater tonic-
value, but as they are indigestible to many people, it is
often necessary to cook them. Unless the liquor or
medium in which they are prepared is served with them,
they suffer great nutritive loss. The skins should be
retained as far as possible, as many of the mineral salts
are found just beneath the surface and are lost when the
fruit is pared. Whether raw or cooked all fruits should
be served with less sugar than is the usual custom.
Fruit drinks offer an opportunity to introduce acids and
salts into the system; any fruit, from peaches to grape-
fruit, is adaptable, either alone or in combination. Again,
these drinks should not be served too sweet, or the direct
value is thwarted. Uncooked, acid fruits, however,
should not be served in combination with starchy foods,
as they frequently cause indigestion. Many a person
has suffered for years from flatulence through eating
both raw, acid fruit and cereal for breakfast.
Figs, prunes and bananas should be classed as food
fruits, rather than mineral fruits. Both figs and prunes
18 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
contain so much sugar that they are listed under carbo-
hydrates, although their mineral content is high. Both
are ballast foods and very laxative. The banana is
largely starch, so it also is classified under carbohydrates.
As it is almost impossible in the north, to obtain bananas
fully ripened, they should be served cooked, as other-
wise, the starch is often indigestible. In any case the
outer surface should be scraped off until the banana be-
comes slippery.
To manufacture foods that are 'concentrated, so
that the body may acquire its nourishment without deal-
ing with bulk, has been the subject of many experi-
ments. But it has been proved that the body must have
bulk in order to stimulate the digestive organs to suffi-
cient activity, and to clear or " sweep out " the intestines.
Most vegetables and fresh fruits contain so much cel-
lulose that they are invaluable as ballast foods. Favor-
ite refreshments a century ago were apples and nuts.
This is a perfect combination, as the bulk of the apple
satisfies the appetite and prevents the eating of too
many nuts. If heeded, this simple rule of using bulk to
supplement concentrated foods will do much towards
producing better health. Bulky cereals, as whole-wheat
meal, corn- and oatmeal, are splendid ballast foods, and,
in cases of auto-intoxication or constipation, should be
used to replace ordinary flour in making bread. All of
the ballast foods should be used freely in either case.
The dissolvent group includes several of the foods
classed under minerals and bulk, as well as others which
contain an abundance of liquid. Under this heading we
find watery fruits and vegetables; gelatines, water-ices,
frappes and sherbets; buttermilk, skimmed milk, fruit
drinks, tea, coffee, water and stock and milk soups.
About two-thirds of the body's weight is due to water.
Approximately four and a half pints are given off each
day in the waste and exhaustion, a portion of which is
actually manufactured in the body tissues, the remainder
coming from food and drink. Roughly speaking, in or-
der to maintain the fluid balance for a day, at least two
quarts of liquid should be taken by an adult, besides
that contained in the food. In case the diet is over-
heavy in meat and protein, more will be needed to carry
CHEMISTRY OF FOOD AND COOKERY 19
off urea and other products of protein waste than when
it is largely vegetarian or balanced.
THE CALORIES AS A BASIS OF FOOD VALUES
To the average housewife the modern literature on
food, with its terms and calculations far removed from
her experience and knowledge, reads so much like a text-
book of mathematics, that at the mere mention of " calor-
ies " she metaphorically " throws up her hands " and
banishes all further thought of scientific cookery. As a
matter of fact many of the discussions of food, which
involve the question of calories and the resulting calcu-
lations, are absolutely impracticable for ordinary use and
overlook certain fundamental conceptions in the question
of dietetics. For example, through the experience of
years housewives have built up a series of food combina-
tions which, when examined according to scientific
standards, prove to be properly balanced in regard to
the various foodstuffs and to have the approximate num-
ber of calories to provide a sufficient diet. We find, for
example, meat is served with potatoes almost universally,
an approximate balance of foodstuffs, or rather a start
towards that end. In other words the experience of the
household has shown that certain combinations and cer-
tain amounts of food keep the family in health and fur-
nish the necessary material for repair of the body and
for growth. What the scientists have been doing in the
past generation has been to check up practice and place
it upon a formal basis so that rules for diet might be
formulated.
Now to make it possible to eliminate guess-work from
cookery and dietetics and enable us to figure out the
whys and wherefores of the customs of the kitchen with
absolute accuracy it was necessary to invent new terms.
So it came about that " calorie " appeared. There is
nothing especially complicated about this term and any
housewife, in spite of her doubts and apprehensions, can
easily acquire all the fundamental conceptions which it
needs to add to her considerations in diet. " Calorie " is
simply a term of measurement to show how much value
a food has in the work the body has to do. The house-
wife, through practice, is entirely familiar with a gas
20 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
bill made out in terms of " feet " and probably with an
electric light bill in terms of " kilowatts " ; also that the
automobile is said to have so much " horse power."
Few of us could give an accurate definition of these
terms, but we accept them as the measure of our gas or
of our electric light bill, or of the power of the car,
without much thought or consideration. So a calorie
is a similar unit of measure, only this time applied to our
food. If a scientist is asked for the meaning of the
term he will say that " it is the amount of heat which
will raise the temperature of so much water so many
degrees." He would, however, probably speak more pre-
cisely and say the amount of heat which will raise a
pound of water four degrees Fahrenheit, but all one
needs to know to apply the knowledge " calorie " repre-
sents to the household is that each food contains so many
calories and we must have about so many of them in
our daily diet.
In short, calorie means heat and in this definition we
see again that science is merely verifying an ancient
tradition based on the knowledge gained from experi-
ence. " Cool as a cucumber " is a phrase as old as the
hills, but the new science of food values proves its ac-
curacy. The cucumber is cool lacks heat for it
takes a pound to supply seventy calories. Then we all
know the nursery rhyme, " Pease porridge hot," and
science shows that it is hot, for dried peas supply us with
1655 calories per pound. And " pease porridge cold,
pease porridge in the pot nine days old " is merely an-
other way of saying that the heat units are all there after
nine days.
But these facts need in no way confuse us, for it is en-
tirely unnecessary and impracticable to figure out exactly
and absolutely the calorie content of each article of diet
and the amount of total for the day. The most efficient
results will be attained by fixing firmly in the mind the
general proportions and general values of the different
articles of food and checking up the family ration,
roughly, from time to time. The principles of the bal-
anced ration set forth in the preceding pages are, as a
matter of fact, entirely sufficient for the introduction of
scientific cookery into the household, but a notion of
CHEMISTRY OF FOOD AND COOKERY 21
the caloric basis of " food values " is doubtless a help
in understanding the problem most thoroughly.
As we need so many feet of gas to run the oven in
the gas stove for baking, so we need so many calories
of food value to run our bodies each day. Perhaps it
is easier to understand the application of the calorie if
we consider that a large slice of bread, a large potato,
an ordinary pat of butter, a shredded wheat biscuit, two
ordinary graham crackers, or a small lamb chop each
furnishes approximately one hundred calories in the
daily ration. With these measures as a basis it is not
so difficult to understand what is meant by saying that
the average adult needs from 2500 to 3000 calories in
the food of his daily ration. -We all know from experi-
ence and observation that a woman neither requires nor
eats as much food as a man and her requirements have
been estimated at about two-thirds that of the man. An-
other way of figuring is that the body needs so many
calories for so much weight, and this brings the same
result for a woman on the average obviously weighs
less than a man. So children require less food than the
adult and so on. The requirements for food which the
scientists have laid down simply put into mathematical
form the facts most of us have known and put more or
less into practice.
A rough estimate of food requirements is about as
follows :
A man without work 2450 calories
A man doing moderate work 3000 calories
A man doing hard work.... from 3400 to 5500 calories
At first glance it may appear that there is not the ex-
pected difference between the requirements of a man
doing little work and one doing a great deal. But we
must remember that the largest part of our food is used
up in the unconscious activities of the body. Even when
we are asleep the body is using up the energy derived
from the food so that the unconscious demands require
a considerable supply of food in themselves. Another
vagary of the bodily mechanism is that brain work re-
quires little or no energy from our food. This is why
professional men should limit their food intake far
below that of the day laborer.
22 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Perhaps the matter of the amount of food required
may be summed up by saying that the average man needs
from three to four pounds of food a day this, of
course, including bulky foods of a low caloric value
proportioned according to the principles of the bal-
anced ration. For it is not sufficient that the food total
the 2000 or 3000 calories required ; they must be propor-
tioned properly among proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
Most of the dishes which appear on our tables combine
the foodstuffs in some proportion or other. One has
only to glance at a steak, for example, to realize that it
must contain fat in addition to the protein which is its
preponderating element. It is now believed that the
food elements should appear in about the following pro-
portions: i6f% protein, 25% fat, and the balance, or
5^2 %j carbohydrates. In other words we should eat
half as much again fat as protein and two and a half
times as much carbohydrates as fat. The principal point
of difference is about the protein, some authorities con-
tending that eight per cent of protein in the diet is suffi-
cient.
But in estimating the demands for the three foodstuffs
it should be remembered that all the food which we take
in is not available, only about three-quarters of the pro-
tein, for instance, being used in the body, so that a cer-
tajn excess beyond the theoretical requirements is prob-
ably desirable.
From the foregoing we may estimate the daily food
demands as follows :
DAILY FOOD REQUIREMENTS
Adult of Total Carbo-
150 pounds calories Protein Fat hydrates
At rest in bed 1800 300 450 1050
Slight activity 2200 366 550 1284
Light work 2600 433 650 151?
Moderately hard work 3000 500 750 1750
Very hard work 3400-5500 566-916850-1350 1984-3234
Children require more food in proportion to their
weight than adults. Their requirements are about as
follows :
Age o- 6 months 400- 800 calories
CHEMISTRY OF FOOD AND COOKERY 23
6-12 months 800 calories
2 years 900 calories
4 years 1200 calories
8 years 1400 calories
12 years 1600 calories
The following table gives, roughly, the approximate
constituents of the principal foods. In calculating food
values it is necessary to know that an ounce of protein
produces about 120 calories ; and an ounce of carbo-
hydrates about the same, while an ounce of fat produces
over twice as much, or approximately 260 calories.
TABLE OF FOOD VALUES
Calories per Calories
Food pound as Calories Calories of Carbo-
purchased of Protein of Fat hydrates
BEEF
Brisket 1165 235 930
Chuck rib 755 305 450
Flanks 1185 365 820
Porterhouse steak .. mo 375 735
Sirloin steak 985 325 660
Tenderloin 1330 320 1010
Plate 1200 255 945
Ribs 1 1 10 280 830
Round 745 375 37O
Rump 1065 300 765
Forequarter 905 280 625
Hindquarter 950 315 635
Soup stock 170 no 60
Heart 1160 310 850
Liver 555 395 x IO 5
Tongue 545 275 170
Roast, cooked 1620 435 1 185
Round, cooked 840 540 300
Corned 1270 280 990
Tripe 270 225 45
Dried 780 5*5 26 5
VEAL
Breast 645 300 345
Leg 585 3oo 225
Cutlets 705 395 3io
LAMB
Leg 1130 310 820
Chops, cooked 1470 360 mo
Roast, cooked 900 385 515
MUTTON
Leg 900 225 675
Roast, cooked 1420 490 930 ....
MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
TABLE OF FOOD VALUES Continued
Calories per
Calories
Food
pound as
Calories
Calories
of Carbo-
purchased
of Protein
of Fat
hydrates
PORK
Fresh ham
. . 1520
280
1240
....
Chops
1340
260
1080
....
Pigs' feet
.. 365
80
285
Ham, smoked ....
, , 1670
285
1385
....
Bacon
2685
185
2500
....
Sausage
. . 2125
250
1875
....
POULTRY
Chicken, broiler. .
. . 295
250
45
Fowls
775
270
505
....
Turkey
. . 1075
330
745
....
FISH
Bass
. . 200
165
35
....
Catfish
.. 9i5
225
690
....
Cod
.. 165
163
2
....
Eel
.. 580
290
290
....
Haddock
.. 165
163
2
Halibut
. . 470
300
170
....
Mackerel
.. 365
225
140
....
Salmon
000
275
325
....
Lobster
. . 150
00
60
....
' EGGS
. . 720
260
460
....
BUTTER
. . 3605
20
3585
....
CHEESE
American
. . 2055
500
1495
Cottage
. . 510
400
35
75
Neufchatel
. 1520
365
1130
25
Roquefort
. . 1700
440
1210
50
MILK
. . 325
65
165
95
CEREALS
Barley, pearled . . .
. . 1650
60
IO
1480
Buckwheat flour. .
. . 1620
120
35
1465
Cornmeal
. . 1545
I4O
170
1235
Oatmeal
1860
300
290
1270
Oatmeal, boiled
.. 285
50
10
225
. Rolled oats
. . 1850
320
270
1260
Rice
. . 1630
150
10
1470
Wheat flour, entire
1675
260
80
1335
Wheat flour, graham. 1670
260
90
1400
Wheat flour, white
. . 1650
2IO
40
1400
Macaroni
.. 1665
260
30
1375
Spaghetti
1660
230
15
1415
Bread, brown ....
. . 1050
IOO
75
875
Bread, corn
. . 1205
150
190
865
Bread, rye
.. 1180
175
25
980
Bread, white
.. 1215
175
50
990
CHEMISTRY OF FOOD AND COOKERY 25
TABLE OF FOOD VALUES Continued
Calories per
Food pound as
purchased
CAKE
Baker's 1370
Coffee 1625
Fruit 1760
Gingerbread 1670
Sponge 1795
Sugar cookies 1920
Doughnuts 2000
PIE
Apple 1270
Mince 1335
Squash . . 840
CANDY 1600
CORN STARCH 1675
SUGAR 1860
VEGETABLES ,
Asparagus, cooked . . 220
Beans, Lima, green. 255
Beets, cooked 185
Cabbage 125
Carrots 160
Celery 70
Corn, green 180
Cucumbers 70
Onions, cooked .... 190
Parsnips . ... 240
Peas, green 255
Potatoes 310
Potatoes, boiled.... 440
Spinach, cooked . . . 260
Tomatoes 105
Turnips 125
APPLES 220
BANANAS 300
CRANBERRIES 170
ORANGES 170
PRUNES 255
STRAWBERRIES 175
NUTS
Almonds, edible part 3030
Chestnuts 1125
Cocoanut, prepared. 3125
Peanuts, edible 2560
SOUPS
Beef 120
Bouillon, canned ... 50
Chicken, canned.... 100
Pea, canned ....... 235
Calories
Calories
Calories
of Carbo-
of Protein
of Fat
hydrates
1 20
180
1070
125
300
1 200
IOO
400
1260
IOO
390
1180
no
440
1245
125
435
1360
130
870
IOOO
60
400
810
no
500
725
50
300
490
1600
1675
...
...
1860
40
135
45
60
10
185
45
40
IOO
25
IO
00
20
10
130
15
5
50
18
16
146
13
8
49
18
77
95
25
16
70
8
177
35
5
270
50
5
385
40
170
50
17
16
72
17
5
103
5
IO
205
17
17
366
7
23
140
12
5
163
20
235
17
23
135
4IO
2275
345
1 2O
225
780
125
2375
625
500
1600
460
85
15
20
40
5
5
70
5
. 25
70
30
135
26 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
But it is not sufficient that the diet contain the neces-
sary number of calories, properly distributed among the
proteins, carbohydrates and fats,, that there should be a
sufficient bulk to insure the normal functioning of the
bowels, and a proper amount of water and minerals, for
scientists have discovered that certain mysterious sub-
stances, vitamins, are also necessary and vital to health.
What these substances are we do not know, but they ap-
pear to be present in fresh foods, as meat, eggs, milk,
and vegetables, and removed in the processes of manu-
facture of many foods. It is necessary, therefore, that-
fresh foods be included in the diet to provide these sub-
stances; another argument in favor of the balanced
ration.
CHAPTER II
THE DIET IN SPRING, SUMMER, FALL, AND
WINTER
If a family is fed a ration regulated according to the
principles of balance, and deluged with the three other
great foods sunlight, air, and water seasonal evils
associated with foods will amount to little, and the fam-
ily will be immune to many of the ills which arise when
the principles of dietetics and hygiene are neglected.
But in many families custom so largely regulates the
menu according to wrong principles that spring fever
and the like are very real conditions.
The usual winter diet, for example, consists of greasy
foods, such as sausages, fried bacon, roast pork and pork
chops too many sweets, pie and rich cake with a
scarcity of fruits and vegetables, and so is responsible
for the ills associated with spring. The over-fed body
rebels against the cloying diet, impoverished blood shows
itself in anemia and blotched skin, pale cheeks are the
guiding posts to tired stomachs, and the weary liver
manifests itself in overpowering sleepiness. The old-
time disease, " spring fever," tinges the beauty of the
early spring days with melancholy sickness and ill-
temper.
A late March visit to a city school showed vividly the
general tone of the system at this season, where proper
dietetic principles had been neglected. The building was
situated in a good locality, and the children were from
well-to-do families. The pinched, wan faces, dull eyes,
yellow skins of the pupils and the general atmosphere of
lassitude which prevailed throughout the building was
appalling. " I cannot do anything with them," said the
discouraged teacher. " They will not respond ; they are
either too tired or too lazy." " Spring fever," or, more
scientifically, the ills of spring, had gripped the children
in a relentless grasp and showed its insidious presence
27
28 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
in auto-intoxication, or the poisoning of the body through
its own waste.
These ills are mainly due to improper diet. In the
spring the hearty winter foods must be forgotten, and
replaced by lighter dishes, rather than by adding the lat-
ter to meals already too heavy. A well known physician
once remarked, " In treating disease diagnosis comes
first, diet second, and medicine last." So the house-
mother must learn not only how to get her family well,
but how to prevent illness due to improper food. Un-
fortunately the housewives who have attained this knowl-
edge, or apply it to every-day living, are few and it
takes the doctor with attendant medicines to bring the
family into a normal state. His bill, by the way, goes
into the family budget, an unnecessary item, blamed to
the high cost of living! Such phrases as "biliousness,"
" gas in the stomach," " face broken out," " paleness,"
" anemia," " constipation," " touch of rheumatism,"
" colds," are conditions which are closely related to diet,
as the house-mother who understands the importance of
diet in disease is aware.
If the body acquires the habit of eating over-hearty
foods in winter, a change of diet, like the gradual transi-
tion from winter to summer clothing, should be made
slowly. This not only accustoms the body to a new
regime, but possesses the added advantage of bringing
about the change so insensibly that all danger of dis-
agreeable comment from the family is obviated. It must
always be borne in mind that, while a person is well and
active, the same relative amount of food is needed by the
body throughout the year, and that the difference be-
tween winter and summer diet, for example, lies not in
quantity, but in judicious substitution.
Of all the digestive organs the liver is the busiest. It
has been named the " clearing house of the body," for it
is there that much of the cleansing of the blood is done
and the body poisons or toxins are, so to speak, strained
out, and the blood purified. Moreover, it is the great
storehouse for sugar or " glycogen " and prepares other
food stuffs for assimilation. Now the usual winter diet
is excessively sweet and starchy hot breads, griddle
cakes, quantities of potatoes, too much cocoa, macaroni,
THE DIET 29
rice, rich puddings, pies and cakes, cereals loaded with
sugar, all of them good in their place, but, as a general
rule, used indiscriminately. For instance, mince pie, a
rich and hearty food, is the frequent dessert of a heavy
dinner, whereas, to preserve the dietetic balance, it
should be used to supplement a scanty meal. The ex-
cess food causes the digestive organs to overwork
(thereby breaking down), the liver is called upon to do
extra work in storing up the sweets, and a headache
frequently results. When it is understood that very
heavy food, eaten out of place, tires the organs, it may
easily be seen why too much starch or sweet finally
clogs the liver, causing the secretion of bile to accumulate,
and bringing about biliousness, auto-intoxication, and
indigestion.
" Gas in the stomach " usually indicates a tired condi-
tion or a lack of pepsin in the gastric juice. A blotched
face usually follows, whereas the latter condition often
accompanies anemia. Constipation, of all ills, is per-
haps the most prevalent. The word may be translated
in two ways, either as a lack of bowel movement without
cathartics, or in the sense that the intestinal movement
goes on without carrying off the entire waste. Just as
an iron pipe becomes filled with rust and the stream of
water constantly decreases, the large intestine can be
lined with waste that is never thoroughly cleared away.
This is the usual type of spring constipation, and it car-
ries with it extreme lassitude and intestinal indigestion,
because the poisons which remain in the intestines are
becoming re-absorbed, thereby enabling the body to poi-
son itself. When an individual is in this condition, he
becomes a prey to every passing breeze and change of
temperature, often contracting a severe cold or the
" grippe ! "
All of these unwell conditions can be alleviated, and
nearly always prevented, if the correct foods appear upon
the spring table - not when the April sun shines hot
upon the waking earth and the insidious poisons have
begun to work, but by mid-March when the body first
feels the change. Nature has provided for this exigency
in the most satisfactory way, for along with the warm
days come the spring foods, until, by early April, the
30 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
markets are replete with the tempting greenery of the
season.
Ballast or bulky foods are those which should be used
to replace the cathartics and physic of the medicine chest.
Under this heading we find the fresh green vegetables,
spinach, cowslips, dandelions being the most efficacious
of them all. Spinach has been termed by the French
" the broom of the stomach " because it is so bulky that
it sweeps through the alimentary tract, stimulating the
secretion of the juices, scraping the walls and carrying
all waste away. Spinach once a day for a week or more
will bring about immediate results. It will soon pall
upon the appetite, if it is always served in the same way,
but any housewife with imagination (wherein lies the
secret of good cookery) can make it into so many seduc-
tive dishes, that a complaint will not be heard. As plain
" greens/' creamed, poured upon toast, and surmounted
with poached eggs, scuffled, in salad (either combined
with other vegetables or with eggs), boiled with ham,
or scalloped with salt fish it can be used for any meal
in the day. It is a great mistake to consider foods suit-
able only for certain occasions, for all foods are so
adaptable that they can be prepared in diverse ways for
breakfast, luncheon or dinner, and whereas, for example,
the family may refuse spinach for dinner, they will wel-
come it for breakfast because it is a novelty!
This same group of ballast foods includes lettuce, ro-
maine and watercress all known as salad plants.
Watercress has been used since great antiquity as a
spring salad and tonic, for the old Greek had, in a way,
a greater faith in diet than we have to-day.
All of these greens contain the mineral craved by the
worn-out tissues. Iron, potassium, calcium, sulphur,
phosphorus, all these and many more are contained in
all growing things. It is due to Nature's wonderful
alchemy that so many minerals can be eaten at once, for
were a like amount to be taken in the form of medicine,
severe illness and, sometimes, death would follow.
Spinach is the richest in iron of any vegetable, carrots
follow, while dandelions, beets, salad plants and all veg-
eatables contain certain amounts. Watercress furnishes
sulphur, whereas cauliflower, onions and cabbage are
THE DIET 31
rich not only in sulphur, but phosphorus. Butter is usu-
ally adopted as a seasoning for vegetables, but, when-
ever possible, olive oil should be substituted.
There is no more refreshing way to serve vegetables
than in a salad, and in the springtime, when the body
needs natural tonics, no other dressing should be used
than olive oil and lemon juice. Use three tablespoon-
fuls of oil and a tablespoonful of lemon juice, well-
mixed, and add a dash of salt and pepper. This will
dress salad for six people. Olive oil, however, may be
rather prohibitive because of its high cost. If it is im-
possible to afford it, peanut oil may be substituted.
A green salad may replace the main course at a lunch-
eon, if cheese, eggs, or nuts are combined with it. Cream
cheese, for instance, can be put through the potato ricer
and sprinkled over it cream cheese may be served with
any green salad. Sliced hard-cooked eggs may accom-
pany cress or cooked spinach, and nuts are delicious
with any cabbage or celery combination. In such cases
the meal should commence with a simple soup, and a
good way to introduce an excess of mineral into the
spring diet is to prepare a cream of lettuce, cress, or spin-
ach soup. These may have as a foundation any clear
soup stock the vegetable, together with rice, should b,e
simmered in it, hot milk added when they are soft, and
the whole strained and thickened with egg. Such a soup
is a perfect adjunct to a luncheon. Entire-wheat-meal
bread or rolls should accompany the salad,* and the des-
sert may consist of an egg and milk pudding with a
simple cookie or cake.
But Nature's tonics include not only vegetables but
fruits as well. The citrous group, including the grape-
fruit, orange and lemon, are wholesome and palatable.
As a general rule the lemon is used in beverages in
this case it should be very tart or, better still, be left
unsweetened. A baked lemon is not unpalatable, and
may be eaten with a spoon, and lemon juice may be used
in any case as a substitute for vinegar. In lemon jellies,
in salad dressings, poured over other fruits, served in
black coffee, in pineapple puddings, and in other ways,
lemon juice may be served to the family.
Rhubarb, while it is really a vegetable, is served as a
32 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
fruit in so many ways that it need never become a mo-
notony. As a gelatine, baked with raisins, stewed,
cooked in cubes, and dressed with oil and lemon juice,
or in the form of dumplings or shortcake, it is delicious.
Pineapple appears the first of May and its juice is a
splendid tonic. About the second week in May straw-
berry season is at its height. Of all the world-spanning
fruits it is the foremost, carrying with it refreshed
vitality and a satisfied appetite.
All of these spring fruits and vegetables should be sup-
plemented by at least two quarts of water daily to aid
the kidneys in eliminating waste, and by the use of whole
wheat meal bread made of unrobbed wheat to stimu-
late the action of the intestines.
THE SUMMER DIET
The sultry nights, scorching noons and long, languorous
days of mid-summer produce a relaxed condition in the
whole body and this torpor must be overcome before
food can be digested. The fundamental principle under-
lying the summer diet is the toning up of the digestive
organs to the point where they will respond quickly to
food. There is no better stimulant than a hot soup or
Bouillon, served without cream. Either will whip the
cells of the stomach into action, stimulate the gastric
juices and pave the way for assimilation of solid food.
One means of cooling the body is through evaporation.
When perspiration is profuse, evaporation is increased,
and when a cup of hot, clear soup is served, it not only
starts the gastric juices, but induces perspiration. If
preceded by the soup, a salad, punch or ice will not pro-
voke disturbance, because the stomach juices are already
at work and the languid condition has been overcome.
Ice cream and iced drinks are gastronomically pleas-
ing, no doubt, and during the actual moment of eating
produce a passing sensation of coolness. However in
reality there is no type of food more heating, because the
stomach is chilled and digestion is consequently retarded ;
the sudden cold checks the flow of perspiration, causing
waste products, ordinarily expelled through the pores, to
be retained, and metabolism, or the burning of the tis-
sues, is thereby increased, because the body machinery
THE DIET 33
is clogged. Besides all this, most ices and cold drinks
are dependent upon ice cream, chocolate, or cream in
varying degrees as a basis, and are highly sweetened to
suit the popular taste. Cream and chocolate are not
heating foods, but sugar in any form is a heat producer,
so, in addition to the clogging of the system, most so-
called cooling creams and drinks become heating agents,
because of their constituents. The increase of heat does
not mean that the temperature of the body rises above
normal, but simply that the sensation of heat becomes
more pronounced. In rare cases, however, the sudden
chill, or the accession of an over-abundance of heating
food, will produce a severe attack of indigestion, with
a consequent rise of temperature.
Meat is heating because it contains certain stimulating
juices is a quick fuel and during assimilation causes
a greater breaking down of tissue than any other food.
A meat substitute contains all the elements of meat, with-
out being stimulating and heating. Under this heading
may be mentioned eggs, nuts, cheese, fish and milk, or
combinations of foodstuffs such as macaroni with cheese
sauce, or potato and nut salad with oil dressing. In or-
der to be efficacious any substitute dish must contain
both protein and fats, which are the principal constituents
of meat. For instance, a salad of cottage cheese
(which is made of skimmed milk) must be supplemented
with an olive oil dressing in order to be a satisfactory
meat substitute. The average active family should have
a small amount of meat once a day, because the system
craves variety. The most acceptable meats for summer
use appear in lighter form, as boiled ham or tongue,
chicken in various ways, chops, veal, or pressed corned
beef and meat loaves. The balance of the meal should
consist largely of fresh vegetables with bread, butter
and a sweet.
Every meal, in addition to meat, or meat substitute,
should be enlivened by green and fresh vegetables. For
convenience green vegetables may be termed those which
are served raw including lettuce, cress, escarole, ro-
maine, celery, new dandelions and radishes, while under
the head of fresh vegetables may be grouped all the
remaining products of the garden. Green vegetables
34 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
should be served raw, as salads not the usual mayon-
naise-drenched, nut-sprinkled salad of the American
home, but the deliciously seasoned, oil-absorbed dish of
the French. It is an easy matter to buy a prepared
dressing at the groceries to pour it over a dish of wet
leaves and call it a salad. It is another matter to pre-
pare it so that the family longs for it. The reason that
Mary will not eat lettuce, or John romaine, is not usually
because of the food, but of the faulty preparation. Any
green salad must be carefully dried, the French dress-
ing poured over it, and then mixed, or " fatigued " as the
French say, until it is so thoroughly mixed that the leaves
look wilted. Then only will the salad fulfil its mission.
Fresh greens dressed in this way are usually suitable for
breakfast, luncheon or dinner, while a salad of mixed
vegetables, of fish, eggs, potatoes, or meat should be
served only as the main dish at luncheon or dinner. A
mayonnaise or a heavy cream dressing has no place
with the salad of an otherwise heavy meal. There is
no better summer food than olive oil but it must be
used as a part of, rather than as an addition to, a meal,
as otherwise the excess fat will upset digestion. Fresh
vegetables should be stewed in as little water as possible,
so that the liquid may serve as sauce, and be seasoned as
needed, with salt, pepper and olive oil, or butter.
During the winter season hot breads have a certain
place in the diet, but in summertime they should be fore-
gone as they are liable to cause auto-intoxication. When
they are used, they should be of a lighter variety, as
baking powder biscuits, or whole wheat gems. There
is, however, no better time for the introduction of de-
licious yeast breads than during this time of automobile
luncheons and picnics, and occasionally rasin and nut
bread, a loaf of graham or rye, or old-fashioned Johnny-
cake will often retrieve an otherwise scanty meal.
For the summer dessert there is no food so suitable
as fruit, and, if rightly prepared and served in a variety
of ways, it will never become tiresome. When the day
is exceptionally warm, a fruit ice has a place in the
menu because it introduces both water and fruit juice.
When an ice cream is to be served, it should be used in
a menu scanty in fat, as otherwise it will be overheating.
THE DIET 35
If iced drinks must be used, let them be of acid qual-
ity, as lemonade, orangeade, pineapple punch, or rasp-
berryade, rather than heavy iced-coffee or chocolate.
Ginger ale is a good summer drink because it is so pep-
pery that it acts as a stimulant although too much,
like an overabundance of spice, will cause the stomach
muscles to become so relaxed that they refuse to respond
except to stimulus.
In planning the summer diet, the housekeeper must
lay aside all tradition of the particular foods suitable
for each meal, and when asparagus is in season, for in-
stance, serve it creamed for breakfast, or introduce let-
tuce as a breakfast salad, while poached eggs for lunch,
or macaroni and cheese at dinner may prove acceptable.
In other words the summer diet must not be stereotyped
rather it should be so lenient that the foods may con-
form to the weather, and the housewife should be con-
versant with food values in order to plan the meals ac-
cording to rough dietetic standards.
Meat is by no means the most expensive item in the
living budget, and the housewife living on a limited in-
come will find it difficult to plan summer meals within
her allowance when the bills for green stuffs and fruits
are high. However, menus can be planned to suit every
pocketbook, and, while it may not be possible to purchase
fresh fruits and vegetables when they first appear, they
soon drop to a normal figure. A young wife who was
living for the first time in a city flat displayed with pride
her garden ! She was fortunate enough to possess a
back porch, about eight feet square; the ingenious hus-
band had constructed two shelves on the porch floor and
on each of the shelves were placed boxes of earth in
which cress, lettuce and radishes were growing. " I
simply had to have salad," remarked the girl, " and as we
can't afford to buy it we've grown it here and it's such
fun," she added.
A woman who is really interested will contrive to
feed her family on the right food under all circumstances.
THE FALL AND WINTER DIET
Diet in the winter differs from that of any other sea-
son. It is a time of brisk winds, snow and ice, and the
36 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
colder the weather the greater oxidation there is in the
body. The fact that food is to the body as coal to the
furnace means no more to the majority of educated
housewives than the falling of a rain drop, for the truth
that food makes warmth and heat, activity in little bodies,
and the energy of great minds does not seem real.
People who exist in warm rooms and live at low rates
of speed can eat hot-house foods in a hot-house at-
mosphere, but those who really revel in the cold weather
are buoyed up by a wholesome winter diet to all vicissi-
tudes of wind and storm. Those who keep warm when
the thermometer hovers near zero are not necessarily
swathed in heavy flannels, muffled with scarfs and bur-
dened with furs they may be those whose rosy cheeks,
bright eyes and springing step denote correct feeding
and adequate digestion. Right feeding in winter does
not concern itself with quantity but rather with furnish-
ing a sufficient amount of nourishment with a minimum
of waste. The individual who eats too much cannot util-
ize the surplus, and it must be passed off, partly digested,
as waste from the skin, kidneys and bowels. This over-
exerts the waste channel and much of the energy gained
from the food is used in eliminating waste. The vitality
is thereby lowered and the individual becomes " run-
down " and is subject to colds, grippe, and indigestion.
More complete digestion and less waste is the efficient
fundamental of the winter diet.
Fuel foods are meats, starches, sweets and fats. Meat
makes muscle, enriches the blood and furnishes heat, and,
for most of us, it is a necessity in the winter diet.
Starches and sweets are fuel or activity foods, their
mission being to create quick energy. When a sudden
heat is desired, the housewife adds a little kindling to
the dying fire. Where the vitality is lowered a cup of
cocoa, or a little rice with melted jelly, will restore en-
ergy, because it adds kindling to the body flame. But,
like the fire of light wood, it is soon consumed, and the
inertia again appears. Starch is to the diet as kindling
to the fire; it produces a quick heat, then burns itself
out. Prodding the body to greater activity on a diet
of starch is as criminal as beating a horse that is old and
weak, yet it is a common practice in many homes !
f
"I/
1*
**
TABLE SET FOR HOME BREAKFAST
AFTER-DINNER COFFEE SERVICE
THE DIET 37
Besides meat to make muscle and energy, starch to
furnish quick energy, and fat to afford reserve force,
the body needs, in winter as in summer, the eliminating
qualities of fresh fruits, and uncanned or fresh veg-
etables to cleanse the blood and keep the waste channels
awake and active. In England the cranberry is more
generally used and appreciated for this purpose than is
the case in this country. In northern countries the cran-
berry is gathered as a precious winter food, dried on
long strings, and used as an antidote to the overmuch fat
demanded by the rigorous winter. Like the greens of
the spring diet the cranberry, through its citric acid and
iron, has a definite and neglected place in the winter
menu.
Oranges, lemons and grapefruit may also be added to
the list of the winter's tonic fruits, any one containing
a well defined amount of citric acid. Whenever they can
be obtained, grapes are an unequaled winter fruit, bring-
ing tartrates of soda, potash, phosphoric acid, lime,
magnesia and iron to the body in such form as to be al-
most immediately assimilated into the blood. It is need-
less to state that when canned, made into jelly or mar-
malade, grapes, like all the preserved fruits, lose their
efficiency as tonic fruits and become sweets-.
As in the diet for the rest of the year, the fresh veg-
etable has a definite place in the winter menu. The term
signifies not only green vegetables, but all that are not
canned, as beets, carrots, turnips, parsnips, oyster-plant,
onions and cabbage. None of these lose their salts and
acids when taken from the ground, although the water is
somewhat evaporated, causing a withered appearance.
Of the green vegetables peculiar to the winter season,
celery is generally available. As it contains a generous
proportion of salts or minerals it is peculiarly valuable
as a blood food. Watercress may be found under the ice
in all northern brooks a bountiful provision of Nature
to supply phosphorous and sulphur in sufficient quanti-
ties. Lettuce, endive and parsley can be obtained
throughout the year in city markets and are valuable as-
sets to the winter menu. In the country stores they can-
not be secured, but there is no reason why any housewife
with a scrap of land at her disposal cannot raise them in
38 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
hot beds. In case this is not feasible they may be grown
in window boxes.
As lettuce or endive do not need much sun or demand
much heat, it is always possible to find a suitable window
for them. Parsley, to be of rich green, needs sunlight.
An attractive way to grow it is to obtain a wooden paint
bucket, bore half inch holes in the sides, fill the bucket
with rich earth, and plant the seeds in the holes. When
hung in a sunny kitchen window the seeds will germi-
nate in about two weeks the final result being not only
a delightful seasoning for the winter foods, but a real
ornament to the room.
Mince pie, sausages, griddle cakes, roast pork, oatmeal,
doughnuts, pork and beans and suet puddings, all have
a certain niche in the winter menu but they must be used
in proper combination. Sausage is a fuel food, for ex-
ample, and should not be used in a menu otherwise re-
plete with fat. To illustrate, a luncheon of sausage,
fried potatoes, bread and butter, and suet pudding would
give indigestion as all contain a large amount of fat.
When used properly, sausages should appear in a menu,
which would eliminate the large amount of the fat, as
mashed potatoes and another vegetable, and a plain
dessert.
If possible, the winter meal should be commenced with
something hot, as a cup of soup, or a little hot, spiced
grape juice, because they stimulate the digestive juices
to greater activity. It must be remembered, however,
that it is necessary to work in an extra amount of fuel
food to overcome the wearing away of the tissues
through oxidation, yet this must be done in such a way
that nausea will not be produced. A meal consisting of
starch and sugar is sure to bring, sooner or later, a sick
headache in its wake. -Any woman who is guilty of
serving the typical New England supper of white bread,
an economical supply of butter, cake, cookies, preserves
and tea, has only to remember the frequent early morn-
ing headaches in her family to prove this statement.
Both sugar and fats must be introduced generously into
certain of the foods, the remainder of the menu consisting
of other elements. Cabbage will take up one-third of its
weight in fats, mashed potatoes one-half, baked potatoes
THE DIET 39
three-fifths, and peas one-fourth. When the family
seems to lack energy, add extra olive oil or butter to the
vegetables, then turn back and add some more! If the
family seems tired, a quick energy food is probably
needed, but do not urge more food, prepare cocoa or
apple sauce, or some other food, making it sweeter than
usual, and do not demur when son " loads " his cereal
with sugar. He needs it or he would not do it. Let the
children make taffy Sunday afternoons, they crave the
sugar, but keep careful watch lest the inborn tendency
toward a " sweet tooth " is not abnormally developed.
CHAPTER III
THE CHILDREN'S MEALS
There is no part of household economy so generally
neglected as the children's meals, particularly from the
time when liquid diet is supplanted by solid food up to
the beginning of school days. When a seedling is first
set in the earth, it is carefully shielded from the hot rays
of the sun and watered regularly till the roots are well
grounded. Then the shield is removed and gradually
the plant grows, until, with proper care, it reaches per-
fection. The way of children is the same ; when the
little one is weaned and taught to eat solid food up
to maturity his diet needs supervision ; but the first six
years, great formative period of health, are the most
critical of all, for just as the plant wilts in the hot sun
and shrivels, from lack of water, so may the little child
fade if the correct diet is not provided.
As children grow irregularly they demand, at different
periods, various kinds of food for building purposes
yet at all times enough of each element must be provided
to insure the even growth of all parts of the body. Up
to the age of eighteen months, the child has eaten little
except milk, bits of stale bread, some hard crackers, a
morsel of rice, a little beef juice, or, occasionally, part
of an egg and some orange juice. He has not been par-
ticularly active and, therefore, has demanded little
starch, the milk-sugar, with starch from bread, sufficing
to meet his need, as he is occupied with the business of
growing. He now commences to be more active, both
bodily and mentally, and needs more starch, or activity-
making food, to replace the energy he so freely gives off.
This is best supplied in the form of cereal or bread.
At the same time the pliable little bones are withstand-
ing great weight in proportion to their strength and need
foods that make them firm and we/11-formed. Minerals
are the elements needed and, for the convenience of the
40
THE CHILDREN'S MEALS 41
mother and the digestion of the child, they may be pro-
vided under the great head, cereals. Not the ordinary,
steam-cooked, predigested article of commerce, but the
well-prepared, old-fashioned, undenatured cereal. Mush,
made from the whole corn, heart and all, brown rice, not
polished with talc, oatmeal, whole wheat mush, made
from the entire grain these are the cereals that make
blood and bone, brain and brawn, because they contain
all the wholesomeness of Mother Earth. They include
more than minerals for bone and starch for energy ; they
include, as analysis shows, a goodly percentage of protein
for tissue building. But in themselves they are not a
perfect food for they lack fat, the great element which
gives to the body reserve force, needed in stress of dis-
ease that is why they are always combined with good
milk or light cream. As they are rich in starch they
should not be served with sugar, since that gives to the
body too much carbohydrate.
Up to the time the child is six months old, Nature has
not provided a specific digestive juice to act upon any
carbohydrate other than milk-sugar. Why, then, when
a. child begins to run about, should his system be sated
with sweets when it is not necessary to growth? Babies
of two years and less cry for candy, children, not old
enough to differentiate in flavors, demand sugar on their
cereal ; this is abnormal, the latent sugars in fruits,
breads, healthful crackers and cookies being sufficient
for the need. A child will not know what candy is un-
less taught, and if adoring relatives are instructed that
no sweets or other foods are to be given, other than those
in his dietary, he will always be ready for his meals and
can digest them properly.
As he can eat but a small amount at a time, he should
be fed often, needing five feedings a day, from eighteen
months up to two years and a half, and four from two
and a half up to three and a half years. He is then ready
to go on a three-meal ration, though, if he shows a
tendency to be hungry between times, it is far better
to establish a regular period for the luncheon than to
allow promiscuous nibbling.
The ideal way to feed children is away from the family
table, a suitable meal being provided for them. A low
42 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
nursery table and chairs of kindergarten height are often
used for this purpose, lending a note of comfort and
" grown-up " air to meal-time that always has a good
effect. In the average American home where little help
is kept this is not usually practicable as it entails extra
work for the mother. It may be adopted, however, at
supper-time in order to observe an early bed hour.
As children always want exactly what grown-ups have,
it is difficult to feed them a strict ration, unless the elders
of the family are willing to sacrifice so that the children
will not see rich and tempting foods. The mother must
also be clever enough to know the value of substitution.
Every small boy will tease for coffee, " just like daddy,"
and it will often be given him before he is three, the
mother never realizing that she is fostering nervousness
and a necessity for artificial stimulation. The child
should not be allowed to taste tea or coffee, being given,
instead, a cup " like father's," full of " cambric tea," or
brown bread coffee slightly sweetened, and, knowing no
difference, he will be contented and happy. Make the
child's food look as much like the family's as possible.
He should not be asked what he wants to eat, as his
taste is undeveloped and he always wants an impossibil-
ity. He should be taught to eat anything placed before
him, provided care is taken not to serve too much, or he
will overeat. From the first he should be trained to
chew his food well, or he will eat too fast; moreover,
children should not be left alone at meals, for the same
reason. A grown person should always be at hand to
watch and to carry on conversation, thus interrupting the
business of eating with frequent rests. Another reason
children eat too fast is because food is too fully pre-
pared, nothing being left for them to do but eat it. When
a child is old enough to sit at the table, he is old enough
to be taught good manners and self-help.
As it is one of the great essentials of the diet, water
should be given from birth, but as the child is liable to
use it to " wash down " food, it is not a wise plan to
serve it at meals. Better give him a drink the first thing
in the morning, also in the mid-morning and afternoon,
and an hour after every meal. If he asks for more, he
should be given as much as he craves.
THE CHILDREN'S MEALS 43
In giving children liquids at meal-time, it should be
borne in mind that most of them are foods and should
be treated as such in the dietary. Milk, for instance, is
a protein food and, if it accompanies a meal, the amount
of meat or eggs served should be cut down proportion-
ately, as, otherwise, the meal will not balance. When
cocoa is provided, it should be considered both a starch
(from the cocoa) and a protein (from the milk) and
therefore treated as a factor in the meal. It is a heavy
food and, taken in excess, sometimes clogs the kidneys.
Therefore, it is not a wise breakfast drink, being better
suited to an occasional mid-afternoon lunch or supper.
From the first, Nature provides for the child a' bal-
anced ration. Later, it behooves the mother to plan food
as nearly balanced as she gives the older members of the
family. Whereas it is true that the child has little taste
developed, he often rebels at monotony. Often, the
necessary, every-day foods may be provided in a new
guise, soft gingerbread cookies, in animal shapes, bread
as a " bread man " and " eggs in a nest," instead of
boiled, are all good examples of the way the same food
may be served in different ways. The basis of every
meal for the child should be a protein, a starch, or two,
a fat, and minerals. It is best to limit the portions ac-
cording to the age of the child. From a year and a half
to two years and a half the day's menus may be planned
as follows :
7 A. M. Fresh milk, half a cup ; the yolk of a slightly
boiled egg, one or two thin slices of entire wheat bread
and butter.
ii A.M. A scant half cup of milk and a graham
cracker.
2 P. M. One cupful of chicken, beef, or mutton broth,
one thin slice of toast and a little well-boiled brown rice
with milk.
5. P. M. One or two thin slices of toast, moistened with
hot milk.
This menu may be changed from day to day, two
tablespoonfuls of well-cooked cereal with an additional
half cup of milk being substituted for the egg in the
morning. The juice of half an orange and a thin slice of
bread and butter for the eleven o'clock lunch, a table-
44 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
spoonful of rare, broiled scraped beef, or a small, well-
baked potato and a saucer of junket for the broth at
noon, while two tablespoonfuls of cereal and rich milk
could be used at night. If the child is inclined to be
constipated, a tablespoonful of steamed prunes, or figs,
unsweetened, may be sifted and fed at one meal of the
day. This, with a little orange juice, and the persistent
use of entire-wheat-meal bread will usually overcome
any such tendencies.
From two and a half up to three years the diet may
be gradually increased; the succeeding menus show how
this change may be affected.
7 A. M. A small cup of milk, a poached egg on buttered
toast and a small quantity of sifted cooked prunes, figs
or apple sauce.
ii A. M. A cupful of beef, chicken, or mutton broth
with a whole wheat cracker.
2 P. M. A small slice of rare roast beef or mutton (a
heaping tablespoonful cut up), a small baked potato,
mashed and served with cream or dish gravy, a thin
slice of bread, a small saucer of cereal pudding.
5:30 P.M. Whole wheat crackers and milk and soft
ginger cookies.
For breakfast an undenatured cereal with cream may
replace the egg, for variety. In case this is done, the egg
may be used at supper. The eleven o'clock lunch should
not be eaten unless the child is really hungry. At noon
a little finely divided steak, chop, chicken, or turkey
may be used instead of the beef, but no game, pork, veal,
or fried meats should be allowed.
From three and a half years up to six the diet may
be increased; from then on he will assume the general
family diet. It will be unnecessary to watch quantities
closely, as, if normal, the child's appetite is a fair guide
and he will not overeat if taught to masticate each mouth-
ful thoroughly. The following menus show a variety of
correct combinations.
Breakfast
Cereal with light cream; entire wheat bread and but-
ter; a choice of eggs lightly boiled, poached or scrambled,
varied occasionally by a little well-boiled ham or baked
THE CHILDREN'S MEALS 45
bacon or a few creamed oysters or oyster stew. Fresh
fruit should never be eaten at breakfast, as the acid is
liable to combine with the starch of the cereal causing
gas to form. Hqwever, it may be used as a mid-morn-
ing luncheon, ripe peaches, pears and cantaloupes, seeded
grapes and oranges being suitable ; bananas should never
be used unless baked.
Dinner
A half cup of clear soup, broth, or bouillon, beef, tur-
key, chicken or mutton, roasted or broiled, or a small
quantity of broiled fish; entire- wheat-meal bread and but-
ter, a choice of baked potatoes, boiled brown rice or but-
tered spaghetti, and one of the following vegetables:
stewed celery, stewed spinach, fresh peas, fresh string
beans, lettuce, or any salad green or fresh celery. For
dessert, fruit, gelatine, junkets, cereal puddings, baked
custards or plain cream or water ices are permissible.
Supper
Supper varies greatly with the season of the year. In
winter nothing is more welcome than a simple milk soup,
with buttered entire-wheat-meal toast, fresh or stewed
fruit, and a slice of sponge cake a day old, or a soft gin-
ger or sugar cookie. If eggs are not used at breakfast
time, they may appear at supper, while a dish of wheat
cereal and a glass of milk or cocoa and a baked apple
may often be sufficient. In the summertime great care
should be taken not to feed the child heating food at
night, therefore, the best supper is really fresh milk with
stale bread or crackers and a soft cookie. In case the
child seems to need more nourishment, a well-beaten egg
may be added to the milk and served as an egg-nog, while
cereal (preferably undenatured), cooked with dates or
figs, may be moulded and served cold with a little sugar
or light cream. It should be remembered that when
cereals are served at supper the same rule applies as at
breakfast fresh fruit should not accompany them.
The usual stewed fruit may be varied in many ways,
fruit whips, boiled apples, lightly spiced prunes, dates
flavored with orange juice and steamed figs, offering a
46 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
change. Often, a supper otherwise deficient in protein
may be balanced by the addition of a baked custard con-
taining eggs. It must be kept in mind that none of these
meals will balance unless whole-wheat-meal bread and
undenatured cereals are always used to supply the neces-
sary mineral. They also accomplish another great mis-
sion, that of regulating the bowels through bulk.
In case the child refuses to eat, do not force him
against his will, but examine his mouth, which may be
sore from cutting teeth, and make sure that his digestive
organs and bowels are active. Again, the food may not
be well-cooked and flavored, as the majority of cooks
think that anything will do for a child. If he is simply
irritable and cross, take the food away and do not offer
it again until the next meal.
SCHOOL LUNCHEONS
Mothers are beginning to realize that the school lunch-
eon must consist of something more substantial than
white bread sandwiches made with jam, jellies, or fruit
butters, a slice of cake and a piece of pie. These are all
foods that, rightly used, may have a definite place in the
diet, but they must appear in suitable combination or else
the child will practically be " starving in the midst of
plenty," i.e. be suffering the bad effects of malnutrition,
because of a diet over-filled with starch and sweet, and
lacking in the elements that give stamina and promote
muscular development.
There is a widespread notion that the balancing of the
daily ration can be stretched over the three meals with-
out regard to actual combinations in each menu: that a
lunch consisting of a too large proportion of starch and
scarcity of other foods can be reckoned in at the close
of the day as having furnished a generous share of the
starch needed for the twenty-four hours, the other meals
being made deficient in starch to keep up the general
balance. Theoretically, this may be true, but practically,
it does not work out well, because the body is being con-
stantly torn down, or laid waste, and needs the actual
replenishment of all food elements three times a day.
This does not necessarily mean that large quantities of
food must be consumed at each meal, but rather that
THE CHILDREN'S MEALS 47
smaller portions of each element needed for replenish-
ment should be provided. As a general rule this is not
true with the school luncheon, whether carried by the
child or furnished by the school at small cost. When the
luncheon is carried, this condition is entirely under the
mother's control, but, when it is provided at the school,
it should be controlled by someone who* knows dietetic
values and who can provide a well-balanced meal.
The receptacle in which the luncheon is carried has a
great influence on the food. A papier mache, or leather,
box, for instance, absorbs odors and at the same time im-
parts this accumulation to fresh foods that are packed
in it. The most satisfactory utensil is a tin or granite-
ware pail, or box, that can be scalded and sunned each
day; or a wicker basket that can be washed and aired.
Most school luncheons, in comparison to regular meals,
contain very little nourishment, and mothers frequently
say that the children will not eat what is provided, lay-
ing the responsibility to small appetites. In only too
many cases the decrq&sing desire to eat is due to dis-
agreeable food flavors.
It is impossible to lay down hard and fast menus for
all children, as they differ in their likes and dislikes.
Girls, for instance, enjoy carrying little jars of creamed
meat, or stewed fruit, which necessitates a spoon and
they really anticipate the noon hour with its possibilities
for " make believe " housekeeping. On the other hand,
the average boy says he doesn't " want any frills " and
begs for a compact lunch that can be eaten quickly. Un-
fortunately this is one of the worst features of the
school luncheon, for too rapid eating causes indigestion
and the consequent mental heaviness which is the bane
of school teachers. This can be overcome in a measure
by the mother who need not prepare the luncheon too
completely hard-cooked eggs, for instance, should be
left in the shell, crusts left on the bread and whole fruits
provided, so that it will take the boy a few minutes to
get his food ready to eat. For this same reason, nuts in
the shell should be provided; they cannot be eaten too
quickly and their rich protein is worth working to get.
The general directions for planning the school lunch-
eon should be the same as those for any other meal.
48 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
There should be a meat or its equivalent, enough starch
to correspond to the bread and potatoes eaten at most
meals, something bulky to fill up the chinks, one sweet
and a refreshing food, as fruit. The obvious food for
the main part of the lunch is the sandwich, which may be
varied by different types of bread as well as fillings.
Whole-wheat-meal or bran bread, made with yeast, are
excellent types of bulky foods, which, at the same time,
will supply the child not only with ballast and minerals
and other food principles, but with the vitamins, or life-
giving principles found in the husks of wheat, as well as
in other foods. These breads are richer in general
nutriment than white bread, so, if a sweet filling is to be
used, it will balance to best advantage in this com-
bination.
The following fillings are particularly good for these
breads : Cottage cheese and chopped walnut meats ;
peanut butter and well-drained, stewed prunes; thick
honey and sliced bananas, sprinkled with lemon juice ;
cottage cheese and sliced tomatqes; dates and cream
cheese ; cold welsh rarebit made with milk ; cream cheese
and marmalade; ground dried beef, cooked in a thick
tomato sauce and a little grated cheese. In all of these
cases the butter should be beaten to a cream and spread
out to the edge of the slice. Jf cake or other sweets are
provided, sweet sandwiches should be used sparingly.
In all cases the filling should be moist, but not wet enough
to make the bread soggy; the slices should be cut not
more than a quarter of an inch thick, as, otherwise, the
children will get too much bread for the amount of
filling.
White bread sandwiches should usually have a sub-
stantial filling of meat, cheese, nuts, or eggs ; fish should
not be used, as it imparts odors and is likely to spoil
through conflicting temperatures. If the bread is com-
paratively fresh and moist, thinly-sliced tender meat can
be used if the bread is spread with enough butter to
make the slices cling together. However, in many cases,
it is a better plan to mince the meat and cook it in a
thick white sauce, as this makes a moist filling and at the
same time utilizes meat that cannot be sliced. Whenever
possible, it is a good plan to provide one or two vegetable
THE CHILDREN'S MEALS 49
sandwiches. These may be made of well-dried lettuce
leaves, chopped celery, sliced radishes, spinach mixed
with a little cream cheese, or even well-drained string
beans dressed with a little olive oil and lemon juice.
Fruits, like sliced and sugared peaches, also can be used
as fillings. For meats the variety is unlimited; thin
cakes of broiled hamburg steak; crisp, but not dry,
bacon, and broiled ham, all helping out the usual cold
meats. Whatever the sandwich, it should always be
wrapped in paraffine paper to prevent dryness. Some-
times cold corn bread or muffins can be used to good ad-
vantage, and there are always the quick loaf breads, as
Boston brown bread, nut bread, raisin loaf and whole-
wheat date bread that can fill in an emergency.
Whenever possible, a tid-bit, as radishes, celery, or
ripe olives, should be furnished. Dessert may consist
of some simple cake, preferably of the sponge variety or
wholesome cookies, as the old-fashioned gingersnaps, or
sugar cookies, and the more modern oatmeal cakes.
Stewed fruit may be furnished, or a custard, or a single
portion of cereal pudding, baked in a jelly glass, will
often furnish a welcome change. ' A delicate child that
needs special nourishment should be provided with a hot-
cold bottle for milk, soup, or cocoa.
The following menus are well adapted to the average
child.
1
Whole Wheat Bread and Cream Cheese Sandwiches
White Bread and Tomato Sandwiches
Hard-Cooked Eggs Radishes
, Sponge Cup Cakes Peaches
Creamed Chicken Sandwiches
Boston Brown Bread and Nut Butter Sandwiches
Celery Ripe Olives
Chocolate Gingerbread Grapes
3
Corn Bread with Butter Bacon Sandwiches
Whole Tomatoes with Salt
Baked Custard Pears
CHAPTER IV
THE PROBLEM OF THE DINNER PAIL
Two triangles of pie, a piece of cake, some white bread
sandwiches, spread sparingly with butter, usually put
together with jelly or jam, a dill pickle, and, on rare
occasions, a bit of cheese this is the typical noon lunch
carried by the average workman. If eaten constantly,
this diet, which consists almost entirely of starch and
sweets, is liable to cause ill health and lead {6 disease.
Few realize that dinner-pail meals need greater thought
than those served at the table. Only too often they lack
variety, are unattractively packed, and are made up of
any left-overs that chance to be at hand in the early
morning hours.
The choice of a luncheon receptacle is of great im-
portance ; leather is not to be considered, because foods
absorb the odor ; the ordinary collapsible tin box does
not hold enough for a full meal; papier mdche soon
grows musty, while the usual tin pail is apt to rust. The
most attractive utensil is an enamel dinner pail, fitted
with trays. This may be thoroughly scalded and aired
each day, and, with care, will last indefinitely. The next
best solution is a pasteboard box, fresh daily. These may
be obtained in quantity from any wholesale stationer,
and occupy little storage space. Unattractive packing
often spoils an otherwise good meal. Waxed or paraf-
fine paper is indispensable, as, by its use, foods are not
only kept moist, but are prevented from taking on the
mixture of flavors that permeate a lunch box when the
foods are not carefully wrapped. This may be pur-
chased, inexpensively, by the pound, from the stationer.
Each sandwich should be wrapped in the paper, sepa-
rately, and secured by a rubber band. This makes pos-
sible the introduction of piquant flavors, as onions, horse-
radish, etc. By this means pie, sliced cold meats, cheese
and cake may be kept moist ; even fruit should be wrapped
to keep the odor from escaping.
50
THE DINNER PAIL 51
A large jelly tumbler, or small fruit- jar, may be used
for moist foods, like baked beans, creamed vegetables,
meats and salads, and for cooked cereals, with milk, pre-
served fruit, baked custards or puddings. For such
foods the spoon should not be forgotten, while a small
linen napkin is always a much appreciated luxury.
While the noon lunch should be neatly packed, with
due regard to the order in which the foods will be eaten
for the working man is only too seldom supplied with
a table on which to " spread " his meal it should not
be too " dainty." No hungry man will be satisfied with
a few paper-thin sandwiches, a piece of delicate cake, and
small portions of fruit or pudding. He usually reports
for work by seven in the morning, and the long stretch
of five hours till noon, coupled with actual physical labor,
creates a ravenous appetite that demands quantity. If
care is taken to balance the meal, leaving, however, more
starch and sugar than is usual to re-supply this rapidly
dissipated energy, he will eat less and keep in better
trim than when it is disregarded. As a general rule men
feel that they have " nothing to eat,"* 3 unless meat is pro-
vided ; so, when meat substitutes are given, they must be
planned so that they " look " like a large amount in order
to appease the hungry eyes. At the same time, it should
be borne in mind that many meat substitutes are not so
concentrated as meat, thus making it necessary to pre-
pare a larger amount to provide the same degree of
nourishment.
The season of the year should always be considered
a luncheon of heavy foods, suitable to cold weather,
being unappetizing during the warm summer months.
A man at hard labor always needs substantial foods, but
fruit, vegetable and meat substitutes may be more gen-
erally introduced with the coming of spring they will
largely overcome the usual tendencies toward " spring
fever."
An earnest housewife said, " My husband carries a din-
ner-pail and is dyspeptic ; he has no means of heating the
food. What can I do to make it more digestible ? " The
answer was, " Provide a hot soup by means of a hot-
cold bottle." When, the body is weary the stomach
needs " toning up." The best way to do this is by means
52 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
of a hot soup or drink, as it stimulates the stomach to im-
mediate action. As " hot-cold " bottles may be purchased
from fifty cents up, a little economy will place them
within reach of almost anyone. Occasionally, factories
provide " hot closets," so that coffee or food may be left
there to heat. This makes possible a greater variety of
foods.
There is nothing so jading to the appetite as monotony.
A constant diet of white bread, some kind of pie and
cake, always made by the same recipe, soon gets a man
to the point where nothing " tastes good." The lunch
box offers just as great opportunity for thought and skill
as the finest company meal if imagination is called into
play. Many foods ordinarily served hot are acceptable
when cold; sandwich fillings may be prepared in many
odd combinations and desserts replace the too frequent
pie. A surprise now and then, as salted or cracked nuts,
or a few pieces of candy, mean as much to a grown-up
as to a child.
The following menus contain suggestions for the differ-
ent seasons :
For Fall and Winter
Sliced Meat Loaf Potato Chips
Bread and Jelly Sandwiches Plain Bread and Butter
Baked Apple with Top Milk Gingerbread
Coffee or Cocoa
Stewed Lima Beans in Tomato Sauce
Peanut Butter Sandwiches Bacon Sandwiches
Cranberry Pie Coffee
Welsh Rarebit Sandwiches Creamed Corned Beef Sandwiches
Potato Salad
Date Tapioca with Top Milk Chocolate Cake
Coffee or Tea
Split Pea Soup (Hot-Cold Bottle)
Minced Ham Sandwiches Onion Sandwiches
Indian Pudding with Top Milk A Few Grapes
Coffee or Tea
For Spring and Summer
Brown Rice with Sugar and Top Milk
Peanut Butter and Lettuce Sandwiches
Scrambled Egg Sandwiches
N Stewed Rhubarb Jelly Roll
THE DINNER PAIL 53
Swiss Cheese and Rye Bread Sandwiches Nut and Potato Salad
Strawberries and Sugar Layer Cake
Lemonade
Nut Bread and Creamed Bean Sandwiches
Mutton Salad Sandwiches
Farina Pudding with Crushed Blackberries Spice Cake
Coffee
' Club Sandwich Succotash
Buttered Rolls
New Apple Pie Cocoa
The best gauge of a hungry man's appetite is what
is or is not left over in the pail. There can be no definite
rule given as to quantity the amount needed by various
people differing with the kind of work and individuality.
If the ration is approximately balanced, amounts may
soon be judged.
Occasionally a few slices of cold meat may be in-
troduced, as in the first menu. As these are usually eaten
with the fingers, this should not be done unless there is a
lavatory at hand. When pie is used, it belongs in a
menu that seems deficient in heavy food, as in the second
and last menus. When cereals are used, care should al-
ways be taken to secure the whole grains, such as brown
rice, cracked wheat, and oatmeal, as they are not only
more bulky, but far more nourishing than the denatured
kinds. Fruits, either fresh or dried, should be fully in-
troduced, as they are invaluable tonics and appetizers, and
every menu should contain some one food of marked
flavor to give it point.
To put foods together that harmonize, that are, at the
same time, inexpensive and nourishing is worthy the high-
est effort, for what a man is and does depends largely
upon what he eats.
CHAPTER V
THE FINE ART OF COMBINING FOODS
The question of the proper thing to serve at each meal
is one that confronts every housewife, and often proves
very perplexing. Many women seem to feel that, when
the main dish has been selected, the other foods will take
care of themselves. But no meal can be piled together
helter-skelter, for in planning the menu some one dish
must be selected around which the rest of the meal re-
volves. The main dish, properly speaking, is repre-
sented by the most substantial course, but the meal can
often be made to fit around a special dessert or salad. A
correspondent, for instance, asked for a company dinner
menu in which the dessert might be grape juice jelly, with
whipped cream. Taking into consideration the three fac-
tors that must be observed in planning every meal, no
matter how simple, the dietetic value of the food, pleas-
ing the palate, and satisfying the eyes I sent her the
following menu :
Oyster Bouillon Wafers
Chicken Maryland
Timbales of Green Peppers with Rice Browned Cauliflower
Celery Hearts
Grapejuice Jelly, with Whipped Cream Orange Cakes
Coffee
In this menu the jelly acts as the point of interest; that
is the flavors of the meal reach in it a climax. There is
nothing so unsatisfying as to finish a well-cooked meal
which is so badly planned that it leaves an impression of
monotony. Many a case of overeating and consequent
indigestion may be traced to the combination of too many
foods on the same taste-level. The palate, which is very
sensitive in its search for something distinctive in flavor,
is so continually disappointed that one may unconsciously
keep on eating long after the appetite is satisfied. The
54
THE FINE ART OF COMBINING FOODS 55
term taste-level applies to foods which are made of sim-
ilar ingredients.
I have often heard an old Southern Mammy say that
every white vegetable should have a green or dark one
to balance it at a meal. This rule is not infallible, but,
generally speaking, the white vegetables, as hominy, rice,
potatoes and macaroni, are of a starchy nature, and, to
carry out the balance of the meal, a green vegetable rich
in minerals should be provided. In case one of the more
succulent white vegetables is chosen, like cauliflower,
which will furnish ample mineral, the meal will not taste
well unless either the starchy or the mineral vegetable is
darkened in some way, as browned cauliflower or fried
potatoes. In case a third vegetable is to be added, it
should be of contrasting color, that is potatoes, carrots
and spinach may be used together, or rice, tomatoes and
string beans, but fried potatoes, white turnips, and cauli-
flower, would not be a good combination.
A white fish or meat should be served with a sauce of
contrasting flavor and color. In preparing the gravy for
roast meats, for example, it should be made of a rich
dark brown color; otherwise it will look insipid. Light
meats, such as pork tenderloin, veal cutlets and the like,
are much better when combined with tomato, or some
dark sauce, and, if chicken is to be creamed, the addition
of an egg yolk or two, or some minced parsley or green
pepper, to give color value as well as additional flavor, is
an excellent plan. Very dark foods, such as spinach,
timbales, baked tomatoes and so on, should be combined
with light colored sauces and vice versa. This also ap-
plies to puddings.
The greatest help in planning combinations is to
schedule meals ahead for at least a day, preferably for
the week, leaving one meal blank to take care of the left-
overs. Lack of variety shows very plainly when put
down in black and white.
Every meal must be planned by a pattern or skeleton
menu, whether just for the family or for company. If
these patterns are kept in plain view whenever the menus
are made, there will be little danger of providing unbal-
anced rations. I find it an excellent plan to build up the
meals by aid of skeleton menus, such as the following:
56 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Breakfast
1. Fruit, raw or cooked.
2. Cereal with top milk, only with cooked fruits, or
those partially non-acid, as pears, bananas or melons.
3. Eggs, left-over meat, fish, or, occasionally, a vege-
table, and milk or egg combinations ; potatoes only when
cereal is omitted ; any bread, with butter, cereal beverage
or coffee.
Cocoa should not be served unless the supply of but-
ter is diminished, and the main course is very light. If
desired, the cereal may take a different form, as fried
mush or hominy omelet. In this case any kind of raw
fruit may be served.
Luncheon or Supper
1. Any fruit cocktail, canape, or cream or stock soup,
with crackers. (This course may be omitted.)
2. Any light meat, egg, nut or cheese dish, as scallops,
timbales, croquettes, ramekins, or substantial vegetable
or cereal dishes, combined with proteins; any kind of
bread.
3. A light salad of fruit or vegetables, with boiled,
French, or mayonnaise dressing.
4. A light dessert, as fresh or cooked fruit, whips,
gelatines, or corn starch puddings, accompanied, if de-
sired, with cookies, cake, hot gingerbread, or waffles;
tea.
If a heavy soup, as a bisque, puree, or egg- thickened
soup, is served, the meat course may be omitted. If
potatoes, rice or spaghetti are provided, in addition to
the main course, the dessert should be light. For an
elaborate meal a light vegetable, such as green peas, may
accompany the main course. If desired, a substantial
meat, fish or vegetable and nut salad may be substituted
for the second and third courses. A fruit salad may be
the dessert. Neither milk nor cocoa should be served
unless needed to supply a scanty protein allowance. A
heavy dessert is allowable only when needed to give bal-
ance to the meal. If deficient in protein, an egg custard
may be used ; if lacking in fat, an almond pudding, but-
terscotch pie and so fort!].
THE FINE ART OF COMBINING FOODS 57
Dinner
1. Any fruit or fish cocktail, canape, or stock soup and
crackers. (This course may be omitted.)
2. Any substantial meat or fish, baked, boiled, braized,
fried, broiled, stewed, or en casserole. A choice of white
or sweet potatoes, rice, hominy, or macaroni. One or
two other vegetables.
3. Any vegetable salad with French dressing, or one
of its derivatives, or with very fat meats, an orange or
grapefruit salad, with French dressing ; a green vegetable,
as celery or radishes, may be substituted. If the salad
is of fruit, it may be supplemented with crackers or sweet
biscuits, and act as dessert.
4. A light dessert, as junket, gelatine, whip, fruit cup,
baked oranges, baked stuffed apples with heavy meats.
Heavier desserts, as pies, puddings, tapioca cream and so
forth, with light meats. Only tart desserts with fish.
Coffee.
If fish is served as a separate course, it should precede
the meat, and be in the form of timbales, croquettes,
ramekins, or small portions of broiled or boiled fish, with
or without sauce.
As appetite craves change, the essential in planning ap-
pealing meals is to combine a variety of foods so that
they harmonize. Nature is a trustworthy teacher.
Years ago she taught the good old combination of pork
and beans, bread and cheese, pork and apple sauce, be-
cause they tasted well together her pupils not realiz-
ing that these foods supplemented each the other.
To prepare foods that " taste good," look well and are
digestible it is a good plan to follow the infallible rule of
" enough but not too much," as well as to consider the
esthetic beauty and appearance of the combination. Con-
servatism too often stands in the way of the average
housewife, many serving the same dishes year in and
year out, that their mothers served before them. How-
ever, the women are not entirely at fault, the habits of the
men contributing a large share towards the existing nar-
rowness. The New Englander is starved without his
breakfast doughnuts ; the Southerner without his corn
pone, and the Westerner without his wheat cakes, regard-
58 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
less of the fact that the meal may contain dishes of equal
stability and nutrition.
Another reason why women get into " ruts " is because
too many men seem to like monotony being satisfied
with frequent repetitions of a few good dishes, often ridi-
culing any attempt toward growth and betterment in the
family menu. The man who growls over the " high cost
of living " is too often the one who demands the same
old foods !
Breakfast is usually the most neglected of the three
meals, actual scantiness of food, combinations which are
indigestible, and hasty service leading to frequent mid-
morning indigestion and consequent " grouchiness."
One of the greatest mistakes perpetrated in most house-
holds is the serving of an acid fruit with a cereal or
cream. Some cast-iron stomachs can stand this combina-
tion, but often it brings about fermentation with accom-
panying gas. When a cereal is to be served, the fruit
should be bland, as bananas, peaches, apples, dates, stewed
figs or prunes, not only because it is the correct thing
to do, but because it " tastes good." In this case the
heavier part of the meal should be scheduled accordingly
and contain foods of marked flavor. If scrambled eggs,
for instance, follow a bland fruit, and cereal with cream,
the effect is flat; while, on the other hand, if a little
dried beef or bacon is cooked with the eggs, or if they
are made into an omelet with tomato sauce, the whole
meal gains point. However, if the meal starts with an
acid, like oranges, pineapple or grapefruit, the main por-
tion may be heavier and somewhat bland. Plain scram-
bled eggs should be suitable in this case and might be
accompanied by fried potatoes (to give substantiality)
and corn muffins, as no cereal is served. Fish never
should be served for breakfast, unless preceded by an
acid fruit, or accompanied by an acid sauce. Potatoes
or hominy should never be served when a cereal appears,
as all are starches, and, therefore, too similar in texture
and taste. When steak and potatoes are served, for in-
stance, the cereal should be omitted. When cereal is
used, plain bread and butter, biscuits or rolls should be
prepared, while cereal muffins may be used when the
cereal is omitted. In other words care should be taken
THE FINE ART OF COMBINING FOODS 59
not to repeat similar flavors. When fried foods, like frit-
ters or griddle cakes, are used, an acid fruit should ap-
pear, not only because it tastes better, but because the
acid assists in breaking up the fat in which they are
usually cooked.
For example, examine the following winter breakfast
menu :
Sliced Oranges
Ham and Eggs Creamed Potatoes
Hot Biscuits and Maple Syrup
Coffee
The orange acid cuts the ham fat, the potatoes are
moist and act as a sauce to the ham, while the syrup adds
a sweet note without which the meal would be incom-
plete.
As the weather grows warmer, heavy dishes should be
partially replaced by foods Nature has provided. Let-
tuce, cress, asparagus and rhubarb, as well as the early
fruits, have a definite place in the spring breakfast.
To illustrate :
Stewed Rhubarb
Broiled Mackerel Baked Potatoes
Corn Muffins Coffee
Brown Rice Brown Sugar Syrup
Creamed Asparagus on Toast
Strawberry Shortcake Coffee
In the first menu the acid rhubarb cuts the fat mackerel
and gives the sour flavor that fish demands ; corn muffins
are used instead of cereal, while baked potatoes supply
the needed bulk to satisfy the appetite. In the second
menu the brown rice, which is not denatured and, there-
fore, substantial, is used instead of the meat, as the as-
paragus on toast is served in a milk sauce, and syrup is
served with the cereal instead of milk in order to avoid
repetition of flavor ; while the fruit is combined with the
hot bread into a shortcake.
Luncheon, or supper, as the lightest meal of the day,
offers great opportunity for unusual combinations, not
only of foods purchased for the purpose, but of left-
overs. The fall and winter seasons call for hot soups,
60 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
escallops and warm desserts, while spring and summer
suggest dishes of light and cooling character.
A good combination for one meal is not enough ; it
is the ensemble of the day that leaves a feeling of com-
plete satisfaction. The character of luncheon depends
somewhat upon the occupation of those who are to eat it.
Active bodies need heavy foods, so in winter, when pro-
vision is to be made for children and hungry men, " rough
and ready " dishes may be utilized, as beans, peas and
lentils ; the thick soups, Indian pudding, hot gingerbread,
etc. Whenever a light main dish is served, the dessert
should be heavy, while a heavy main course calls for a
light dessert. Plum pudding, for instance, is out of place
after a substantial dinner, but may be used to advantage
as a luncheon dessert.
Heavy salads fit better into the light luncheon than in
any other place, and often form the main dish, while a
fruit salad is always acceptable in place of dessert.
When a meat soup is served, the main dish should be
largely vegetarian, as a potato or nut salad, a cheese
souffle, or eggs. In case the main dish is cold the dessert
should be hot, as an apple shortcake, while a hot main
dishj like stewed lentils, calls for a cold dessert, as
jellied peaches and cake. In other words, delicious-
ness of combination depends upon contrast in tempera-
ture as well as flavor. Cream soups are in place only
at luncheon or supper, because they are so heavy that
they partly satisfy the appetite. To this end they should
be counted as having actual food value while the clear
dinner soup is used more as a stimulant. A cream soup
is always bland m taste, and should be followed by some
strong-flavored dish of firm texture ; for instance, creamed
chicken is too similar in texture to harmonize. Toasted
ham sandwiches, croquettes or salads give a better effect.
The following luncheon menus illustrate this point :
Fall and Winter
Cream of Lima Bean Soup Croutons
Nut and Potato Croquettes Nut Sauce
Orange and Date Salad Ginger Cookies
Tea
THE FINE ART OF COMBINING FOODS 61
Clear Meat Soup
Baked Cheese Celery Hot Toast
Mince Pie
Spring and Summer
Veal and Egg Salad Warm Biscuits
Shredded Pineapple Sponge Cake
Iced Tea
Halibut Loaf Peas Potato Chips
Lettuce and Radish Salad
Cream Cake Raspberry Lemonade
The perfect winter dinner commences with soup, which
starts the gastric juices, preparing the stomach for the
balance of the meal. As a general rule any clear soup is
in order, made, however, from meat stock of different
flavor from the meat to be served. Meats lacking in
flavor, like veal or young chicken, should be preceded by
tomato, cress, celery or some other soup of distinct flavor.
Oyster bouillon, for instance, is too bland to serve with
veal; on the other hand, heavy meats, like beef, pork or
mutton, need delicate soups, as lettuce or green pea.
Whipped cream should never be served in a dinner soup,
as it adds too much to the already large amount of fat.
When the weather grows warm, it is permissible to
commence the meal with a fruit cup, in which case fruit
should not appear again on the menu. Iced soups and
bouillons are in good taste during this season.
In planning the main portion of the meal, one rule is
inviolate potatoes, rice and spaghetti should never ap-
pear in the same meal, because they are too similar.
When two vegetables are to be served, one should be
green, like asparagus or string beans, and one of more
plebeian character, like onions or beets.
Fat meats need fresh vegetables and tart flavors to
" cut them " ; beef and pork can stand the standard vege-
tables, while game needs harmonizing foods.
The following lists of foods that may be served to-
gether are necessarily incomplete, but they will undoubt-
edly act as a guide to any thinking housewife who desires
to make her meals harmonious:
What to Serve ivith Beef: If roasted, pot-roasted,
boiled or braised, use mashed, whole browned, baked or
62 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
boiled, new potatoes,; for steak use mashed or French
fried potatoes. Other vegetables may be onions, squash,
Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, string
beans, spinach, corn, dandelion greens, celery, peppers and
carrots. All plain salad plants, with French dressing,
may be used, as cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, cabbage,
beets, onion or green pepper salad, the vegetables either
separate or in combination. For desserts choose light
dishes, such as fruit tarts, fruit cups, small dumplings,
small portions of cereal or bread pudding, layer cake,
fruit whips, small portions of Spanish cream or corn
starch pudding, made with water (not milk).
What to Serve with Lamb or Mutton: With roast
mutton use the same vegetables as with roast beef. With
roast lamb use rice, mashed or whole-boiled new potatoes,
green peas, string beans, fresh lima beans, sliced toma-
toes, summer squash, Bermuda onions, diced white tur-
nips or asparagus. With boiled or braised mutton or
lamb use boiled white or sweet potatoes, yellow or white
turnips, oyster plant, onions, string beans, spinach, Brus-
sels sprouts, ten-minute cabbage, carrots or cauliflower.
Use any salad plants, with plain French dressing, or cel-
ery, chives, or fines herbes, sliced tomatoes, bananas,
tart oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, green pepper, boiled
chestnuts, or pimentoes, in combination with a salad
plant. The dessert should be distinctive in flavor, and
may include anything made of fruit, coffee jelly, with
nut cookies, sponge cake or plain layer cake put together
with raspberry jam, any light fruit ice, as apricot ice,
bread puddings with fruit flavor, boiled caramel custard,
caramel Spanish cream, and steamed snow puffs with
grape juice sauce.
What to Serve with Veal: Use mashed, boiled, new,
or browned potatoes, diced white turnips, all kinds of
greens, beets with orange sauce, peas, string beans, ten-
minute or escalloped cabbage, German carrots or aspara-
gus. Use any salad plant with French dressing plain or
combined with chopped chives, fines herbes, pickled car-
rots, sliced tomatoes, green peppers, celery, pimentoes,
tomato jelly or shredded new cabbage. The desserts may
be the same as for lamb or mutton.
What to Serve with Pork and Goose: Mashed, boiled
THE FINE ART OF COMBINING FOODS 63
or baked white or sweet potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower,
oyster-plant, turnips, apple sauce, stewed tomatoes. For
salad use any of the salad plants, with French dressing,
singly or in combination, or with green peppers, celery,
shredded cabbage, sliced tart apples, grapefruit or tomato
jelly. The desserts should be light, consisting either of
fruit or fruit cups, simple fruit dumplings, or fruit whips
or gelatine.
What to Serve with Poultry: Mashed, roasted or
boiled white or sweet potatoes, cauliflower, Brussels
sprouts, winter or summer squash, chestnuts, mushrooms,
corn, peas, string beans, celery, raw or cooked, green
peppers stuffed with vegetables, cranberry sauce or jelly.
Asparagus should be used with broiled chicken. The
salads may be the same as those given for lamb with the
addition of asparagus salad. The desserts may be some-
what heavier in character, although fruit and fruit des-
serts are always correct. If desired, they may take the
form of ice creams or Bavarian creams, while simple
steamed puddings and small portions of well-flavored
custards, and simple shortcakes may be used.
What to Serve with Corned Beef: Boiled potatoes,
white or sweet, parsnips, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauli-
flower, turnips, beets, carrots, and any kind of greens.
For salads select any of those to be served with beef.
The dessert should be " homey," such as warm ginger-
bread, apple pie, or doughnuts and cheese.
What to Serve with Game: As game is somewhat
light, the accompanying vegetables are usually elaborate.
Among those suitable are white or sweet potato cro-
quettes, celery plain, au gratin, or creamed, sweet potato
glace, stuffed, broiled or fried tomatoes, creamed spinach,
peas in timbale cases, peppers stuffed with boiled rice,
escalloped cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts.
Ripe olives, barberry or black or red-currant jelly may
be provided. The salads should be plain, preferably of
a combination of salad plants with fines herbes. Other-
wise, choose celery, tomato or a tart fruit salad. The
dessert should be simple, including only a fruit ice with
sponge cakes, a fruit tup, baked stuffed apples, or some-
thing that will carry out the general idea of naturalness
which should surround a game dinner.
64 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
What to Serve with Fish: Plain boiled potatoes dusted
with parsley, roast potatoes, French fried or white or
sweet potato croquettes ; onions, stuffed green peppers,
tomatoes, stewed, broiled, fried or baked ; ten-minute cab-
bage, turnips, celery, pickled beets, pickled carrots, any
kind of greens. Use any of the salads designated for veal.
Only dessert with a fruit foundation or flavor should
be used.
Fruit salads are much out of place in the dinner menu,
unless they figure as the last course, when they are served
with crackers, cheese and coffee. They are naturally
sweet, and, when followed by a dessert, the palate is apt
to become clogged with sweet. As a general rule sweets
and savories do not mix, although occasionally they can
be blended, as currant sauce with ham, orange fritters
with duck, or pineapple or orange and celery salad with
game. These exceptions must, however, be introduced
with sparing hand, as they often strike a wrong note
that sets the whole meal askew.
The heavy salad, swathed with mayonnaise or boiled
dressing, is entirely out of place at dinner because it over-
loads the menu with fat. Only salads of green vegetables
should be selected, like lettuce, pepper and cauliflower,
tomato and cress, cabbage and celery, etc., French dress-
ing with variations alone being suitable.
Dessert depends entirely on the rest of the meal.
Fruit, either fresh or cooked, is always acceptable with
fish or fat meats ; pies and steamed puddings are suitable
when the meat course is light, as chops or cold meat.
Old-fashioned desserts, like doughnuts and cheese and
Indian Pudding, should be used with meats like corned
beef or pork. A country housewife remarked, " Some-
how a corned-beef dinner and ice cream don't keep com-
pany!" This is somewhat a matter of sentiment, but
more of the combinations of flavors. Ordinary flavors
do not combine with those of the more delicate type. The
two types clash, and do not " harmonize " any more than
walking shoes do with evening dress. Each has its place,
but they must" be differentiated. The following menus
are illustrative : '
THE FINE ART OF COMBINING FOODS 65
Fall and Winter
Tomato Soup
Pot Roast of Beef Horseradish Sauce Macaroni
Brussels Sprouts Onions
Romaine Salad
Baked Apple Dumplings Lemon Sauce
Coffee
Celery Soup
Casserole of Duck and Mushrooms Brown Rice
Green Peppers, Stuffed with Tomatoes and Corn
Dressed Lettuce
Caramel Bavarian Cream Honey and Almond Cake
Coffee
Spring and Summer
Onion Soup
Veal Loaf Tomato Sauce Mashed Potatoes
Spinach
Salad of Watercress and Lettuce
Jellied Rhubarb Drop Cookies
Coffee
Broiled Chicken Cream Sauce
French Fried Potatoes ^ Stewed Peas
Lettuce, Radish and Olive Salad
Marshmallow Ice Cream Lady Fingers
Coffee
CHAPTER VI
SEASONINGS
As a general rule typical American cookery is liable to
be flat and uninteresting, not necessarily because of the
use of poor ingredients, but because the average house-
wife does not understand the importance of good season-
ing. The thing that starts the digestive juices " makes
the mouth water " is the delicious aroma arising from
food well-cooked and seasoned, and this savor cannot be
obtained by salt and pepper alone. Besides, the use of
too much of these " stand-bys " has a bad effect on the
body, the excess salt irritating the mucous membranes,
and pepper having an injurious action on the blood and
liver.
During the warm weather it is not at all difficult to
obtain the enticing food-flavors that make eating some-
thing more than a necessity for Nature is bountiful; gar-
den, market and roadside combining to furnish a variety
of herbs. Years ago when everyone had a kitchen gar-
den the herb corner was the special care of the house-
wife, for she realized that not only the savoriness of her
meats and soups depended upon herbs, but frequently the
charm of her cakes and confections as well. Moreover,
though she may not have known it, she was unwittingly
supplying her family with some of Nature's best medi-
cines.
If possible, herbs, like all other foods, should be used
fresh. Even in winter, some of them can be grown in
the house in window boxes and others may be obtained
from large markets throughout the year. Further, it is
an easy matter to put up, or dry, almost any of the herbs.
To preserve them so that they will be fresh enough to use
at any time, even as garnishes, arrange alternate layers
of salt and sprigs of the desired herb (parsley, dill, sage,
mint, etc.) in wide-mouthed jars and keep them well
66 '
SEASONINGS 67
covered with salt, in a cool place. Dill, parsley, celery
tips, mint, sage, thyme, marjoram and other herbs can
also be put up in cold water, like cranberries or rhubarb.
Select fresh, green sprigs, finse well and put them into
jars which have been thoroughly scalded and then cooled.
Let cold water run from the faucet into the jars for at
least ten minutes so that all the air will be dislodged, then
seal with a rubber band and cap as usual.
Herbs may be dried in two ways : They should be free
from dirt; if necessary, they can be washed and thor-
oughly dried before the actual process of evaporation
begins. Pick off the sprigs and lay them on clean papers
in a warm room where no sweeping will be done for at
least two days. Turn occasionally till thoroughly dry
and store in tightly-closed tin boxes, for the savor is best
preserved if the herbs are kept dark and the receptacle is
air-tight. The second method is more rapid; place the
sprigs on brown paper and dry, either in a slow oven or
on wire trays which may be suspended on pulleys above
the stove. In country districts these trays are invalu-
able for drying corn, lima beans and other vegetables, as
well as fruit. To freshen dried herbs, place in a little
warm water for a few minutes.
There are times when a food needs the enlivening
touch of sour, or sweet-sour, pickles. -For sauce to serve
with lamb or fish, capers are usually suggested, but they
are rather expensive and may be substituted by nasturtium
seed, which can be used plain, as a relish, in salads, or
as a decoration for salads or canapes. Cucumber pickles
of medium size may be sliced lengthwise, very thin, spread
out in fan-shape and used to garnish baked beans. Finely
chopped, they add a good note to boiled or mayonnaise
dressing, or they may be added direct to a salad.
Pickled string beans, or flowerets of cauliflower, are de-
licious with ham or tongue. Olives may often be used
to give variety, either with salads or sandwiches, or in
various cooked dishes, as creamed shrimps or salmon.
There are times when plain or spiced meat or fish ab-
solutely palls. When this occurs, it is a good plan to
introduce a tart flavor or a sour sauce. Beef a la mode
is a good example of a commonly known tart meat. It
is often advisable to add a little vinegar or lemon to
68 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
boiling meat or fish ; a dash of vinegar is indispensable
when cooking kidneys, and sour cream may be added to
the gravy of different meat dishes, or may be made into
a delicious fish sauce when a faint tart flavor is desired ;
plain sliced lemon is delicious with tongue.
Tomatoes, which are acid and at the same time very
pungent, may be called upon for tart sauces, and are in-
valuable for seasoning casseroles and soups. However,
it should not be repeated too often, for the spice of sea-
soning lies in frequent change. Certain meats demand
a sweet-sour flavor; cider when added to boiled ham be-
ing an example, or thin slices of ham baked in grape
juice is another. Tongue with raisin sauce shows still
a third possibility. Sometimes a bit of sweet will help a
meat more than anything else, a few grains of sugar either
plain or caramelized greatly improving veal or a brown
beef stew and other meats.
To Caramelize Sugar
Put the sugar in a smooth frying pan, set it over a
slow heat and let it gradually melt until the color of
maple syrup; it will then be very hot and if combined
with a liquid, no matter if it is boiling, it will harden and
must be cooked in the liquid again until melted, before
being used.
A seasoning that every one can have, yet which few
appreciate, is the onion. Unless it is to appear in a stew,
or is very finely minced, only the juice should be used,
as this is the one means by which the flavor can be evenly
diffused. To obtain the juice, select a large onion but
do not peel it. Cut off the top and scrape the surface
with a spoon till the juice is exhausted, slice off another
layer and proceed as before till the necessary amount is
obtained. A clove of garlic, if peeled and rubbed around
the edge of a salad bowl, gives an especially subtle flavor,
but garlic must be used sparingly as it is the strongest of
all flavors. Onion- and celery-salts are very useful in
quick-time cookery, a dash of celery salt frequently re-
deeming a plain soup, a dish of creamed fish or meat;
onion salt helping many, many a soup, sandwich, or a
meat dish.
SEASONINGS 69
There are many commercial sauces which greatly help
to make ordinary fare " different," but, as a general rule,
they are thought rather expensive. However, consider-
ing the time they last, the ultimate expense is small. A
half teaspoonful of Worcestershire, if added to a French
dressing, will liven any simple salad, and besides being
well adapted to plain service with meat, it is particularly
good when added to certain soups, to gravies, such as
those from hamburg steaks and veal chops; or to shell-
fish, or cheese rarebits. " Kitchen Bouquet " gives color
and flavor to any anemic-looking broth or gravy and to
some vegetable sauces. The various ketchups are espe-
cially useful, tomato lending itself to French dressing,
soups, sauces and gravies, while walnut- and mushroom-
ketchups are especially good for seasoning sauces for
fame. Tabasco adds a live note to vegetable, meat or
sh soups and is invaluable in clam, oyster, crab, or mush-
room cocktails. Even a grating of lemon or orange rind
sometimes gives just the note that is needed to raw oy-
sters or clams.
There is no greater incentive for variety in seasoning
than to have the ingredients well-assembled. Chefs
realize this to such degree that many of them cook with
an herb tray at hand. These are divided into compart-
ments, each being filled with a different kind of dried or
powdered herb. In the household, however, it is not prac-
ticable to adopt this plan, because, when exposed to the
air, herbs soon lose much of their savor, and in home
cooking comparatively small amounts are used. A wicker
basket with a handle may be kept near the stove and in
it may be placed small jars of the different dried herbs
most in use, whole cloves, bay leaves, mace and other
spices, celery seed, the various commercial sauces, as well
as shakers of paprika, cayenne, salt, and a mixture of
seven parts salt to one of pepper, ready for use. These
should be clearly labeled on the top of each can when a
glance will show just what is needed and often suggest
blends of seasoning that would otherwise not be thought
of.
Following are a few suggestions for inexpensive sea-
sonings.
70 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Bouquet of Herbs
A small bundle of fresh or dried herbs containing a
sprig each of parsley, sage, marjoram, chervil and thyme.
Use in the stock pot, for pot-roasting, and in boiling fish
and spaghetti. If the leaves are loose, tie in a bit of
cheesecloth.
Fines Herbes
A combination of herbs minced together; made up of a
teaspoonful of parsley and a half-teaspoonful each of
marjoram, savory, chervil and a little sage. Sprinkle
over broiled, or planked, fish, place in the fold of an
omelet, strew over shirred eggs, or serve with lettuce or
romaine. Dried herb leaves may be used if freshened
in warm water. Use in stuffing for baked cabbage or
game.
Mint
Use fresh in mint sauce, cabbage and mint salad,
drinks, as orange mintade and angel tip, orange and mint
salad, fruit cocktails, hot or iced tea, or lemonade ; fresh,
or dry, in a casserole of duck, apple jelly or gelatine,
canned or dried pea soup and with peas.
Bay Leaves
Use sparingly in meat soups, bisques made of had-
dock and cod, or stewed tomato ; cream of tomato or
celery soup. Boil with veal, ham, game and fish. Use
in warm water. Use in stuffing for baked cabbage or
meat or fish and in brown and tomato sauces.
Parsley
Use sparingly, fresh, or dried and freshened; with
omelets, shirred eggs, and chopped meat, mushrooms,
broiled tomatoes, buttered potatoes, in butter sauce for
fish, in soups and salads.
Dill
Use fresh, or dried and freshened; in egg salad, plain
salads, creamed soups and on broiled fish.
SEASONINGS 71
Dried Mushroom Trimmings
Use as a basis for mushroom soup, mushroom sauce,
and in cream or brown sauce for oysters, veal, fish,
chicken and any place where a mushroom flavor is de-
sirable.
Sage
Use fresh or dry with beef, ham, or pork, and chopped
meats; sifted into cornmeal mush for frying, and oc-
casionally with cabbage ; string beans or spinach cooked
with salt pork ; also in bread dressings for pork, beef or
ham.
Thyme and Marjoram
Use with light meats, as turkey, broiled squab, pan-
cooked chicken and fish ; in bread dressings ; and with
boiled beans.
Tarragon
When fresh, mince and sprinkle on plain salads, or
sparingly on broiled fish. Use fresh or dry in making
tarragon vinegar. Use in chicken, fish and veal salads.
Horseradish
Use with heavy meats, mixed with a little vinegar and
sugar, or as a sauce made with stock and crumbs; beat
into butter and spread on broiled or planked fish ; use in
sandwiches; add to pickled beets, or beet and cabbage
salad. Dried horseradish may be freshened and used in
the same way.
Mixed Pickle Spice
Use a teaspoonful in making two quarts of soup stock,
boiling mutton, fish, corned beef, ham, or tongue, mak-
ing tomato soup, pickling beets, cauliflower and carrots
for immediate use. To use, tie loosely in cheesecloth.
Whole Cloves
Use in making soup stock, sweet-sour sauces, baked
carrots, boiled beans, spiced beets, boiling fish, and bak-
ing ham in cider or grape juice, coddled apples or pears
and spiced punch.
72 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Mustard
Sprinkle sparingly on lettuce to be dressed at the table,
in mustard sauce, for potatoes, beef and so on; combine
minced ham and tongue for sandwiches, and add occasion-
ally to cheese dishes.
Mace
Use sparingly with spiced beef, oysters, veal ; in mayon-
naise for shell-fish, occasionally in sauce tartare, French
oyster soup, escalloped oysters, sauce for asparagus, po-
tato croquettes. Use in rich cookies, berry pie and pound
cake to produce the old-fashioned flavor.
Nutmeg
Use very judiciously as the flavor is pronounced ; with
spinach, mushrooms, or in place of mace. It may be
combined with pickled beets or carrots, also sweet pota-
toes ; stuffed baked potatoes, escalloped fish. Grate over
custard pie, or junkets, use in custards, any apple dish,
occasionally with cooked peaches or pears, or whenever
a blend of spices is desired.
Stick Cinnamon
Use with pickle spice, in boiling corned, or spiced,
beef, ham, smoked, or fresh, tongue, occasionally with
fish, and in making court bouillon. A little is delicious
with chocolate, either hot or iced, or in chocolate corn
starch pudding, or chocolate frappe. It combines well
with boiled apples, escalloped pears, either fresh or dried,
stewed figs, or prunes.
Ground Cinnamon
Use in apple and squash pie, doughnuts, apple rolls,
Dutch apple cake, in the syrup for basting baked apples,
currantade, spice cakes, cinnamon toast, cinnamon loaf,
etc.
Caraway Seed
Use with pork sausage; in red cabbage salad, for
caraway vinegar, in old-time seed cakes, rye and sweet
breads.
SEASONINGS 73
Coriander Seed
Use in candies ; sparingly sprinkled on cookies ; ground,
in cakes, sweet rolls or bread.
Curry
Use with meats which need livening; as soup meat,
boiled chicken, sweetbreads, etc., or as a sauce for ham,
tongue, or fish, or in boiled or mayonnaise dressing, to be
used with veal, lamb, or vegetables. Serve curried rice,
or potatoes with m chicken, veal, or lamb, either plain or
creamed. Curry sauce may be used with quickly-boiled
cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, or onions.
Celery Tips
Use for celery soup, bouillon, in sauce for fowl, for
creaming oysters, lamb, or chicken, in making chicken
jelly, boiling veal for loaf ; in potato soup and oyster stew.
Cheese
Cheese in various forms may be used to give variety
in flavoring. The most commonly used with meats, eggs,
soups and spaghetti is Parmesan, but to be wholly satis-
factory, this must be bought in bulk form and grated;
it is also less expensive this way than in bottles. How-
ever, American cheese may be used to good advantage
in a similar way. It is a good plan to save all rinds and
bits of cheese, dry them in a current of air and grate
them for use as needed.
CHAPTER VII
THE EQUIPMENT AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE
KITCHEN
CHOOSING THE UTENSILS
The kitchen is a most interesting room, and, in the
hands of a skilful woman, can be made the most attrac-
tive in the house. But rest assured that it will not be at-
tractive arid loved, if, three times a day, it is the scene
of nerve-racking attempts to cook without adequate tools.
There are always a certain number of pots and pans that
are indispensable ; bowls, of various sizes, are needed ;
wire utensils, others of wood and various other little con-
veniences; beyond this the list swells towards luxury.
It is not a good plan to furnish the kitchen in " one
ware " for the various kinds on the market all have dif-
ferent uses. If one is buying for durability, a partial
aluminum equipment is a good investment; this costs
more than other wares, but seems to wear almost in-
definitely. It will not break or chip, has no seams or
joints in which bacteria may collect; any indentures may
easily be straightened out by light hammering; it is light
and easily cleaned. For large utensils, like a teakettle,
stock pot, etc., aluminum is invaluable. However, only
guaranteed wares should be selected.
Enamelware of standard quality is always satisfactory,
but, unfortunately, it is difficult to ascertain the best
grades, as price is no indication. I purchased a large
amount of enamelware at a high price, only to find it
chipping within a month ; later securing a cheaper grade
which has been in constant use for five years. The safest
way to buy enamelware is to get one piece and try it
out by putting some water in it, boiling it up, and then
dashing it in cold water; if it can stand this vigorous
treatment you may be sure it is good. This brings up the
question of " seconds " ; buying them is always a gamble,
74
THE EQUIPMENT OF THE KITCHEN 75
for though unpopular shapes or job lots are often so
classed, and may give satisfaction, the next lot might
chip in a minute.
Although sometimes called " old-fashioned," tinware
still has a place in the kitchen. Not in the line of pots
and stew-pans, perhaps, for it has a tendency to discolor
boiling liquids, but for the dishpan, bread tins, layer,
sheet, and loaf cakepans. For durability only heavy well-
tinned ware should be purchased, and, whereas this costs
more than the thin, stamped variety, it is worth the
extra expense. Iron, too, still has a usage it is the
best possible medium for the old-fashioned pot roast
while an iron skillet, when properly heated, is more satis-
factory than any other, kinrl An iron frying kettle, that
fits the stove, is preferable to other types, because it is
not easily overturned.
Now that we have finally learned to adopt our grand-
mother's method of oven cookery, earthenware or glass
baking utensils are indispensable, not only because they
develop delicious flavors, and are really time-savers, but
because they are attractive enough to use as serving
dishes. The varieties of these articles are innumerable
pie plates, casseroles, baking dishes, custard cups
the selection varying with one's pocketbook. However,
earthenware is sometimes a " delusion and a nare,"
cracking with the first cooking and, like enamelware,
should be tested. Before using put them to boil up in a
kettle of cold water, let come slowly to boiling point, then
cool in the water. If they crack with this process, the
manufacturers will replace them if they are not " sec-
onds." It is always advisable to include a few china,
glass, or earthenware bowls for beating eggs, etc., but
the mixing bowls should be of enamel or aluminum as
they are lighter to handle and more durable. In fact, for
actual practicability, there is no better utensil for mixing
than a saucepan, because of its handle.
This brings up a very important point in the purchasing
of equipment that of making each utensil do the double
duty of saving space in storing and extra handling, and
at the same time be durable and adapted to the con-
venience of each individual housekeeper.
Glass fruit jars with screw tops, in pint and quart
76 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
sizes, are excellent for storing supplies, while jelly jars
with covers are useful for spices, etc. They are also par-
ticularly good for the ice-box, as they can be covered,
a glance sufficing to show the amount and condition of
foods.
The choice of utensils depends, somewhat, on the
rest of the furnishings ; for instance, if a kitchen cabinet
is to be used, it will not be necessary to provide a mould-
ing board or sugar bucket.
One should also consider the shape of the utensil; for
example, food will boil more quickly in a broad and shal-
low sauce-pan. The edges should be rounded rather than
angular to permit quick cleansing, and all double boiler
tops should be provided with handles.
The following lists, while not cast iron, represent a
necessary equipment for good work. The luxuries
a double roasting pan, a steamer, bread mixer, ice-cream
freezer, etc. may be slowly acquired. One clever
woman put away, into a jar, twenty-five cents every week,
from the housekeeping money, towards new utensils.
Her kitchen became a model of convenience, and with its
pretty scrim curtains, white paint, pale green walls, red-
cushioned rocker and shiny utensils, developed into the
most attractive room in the house.
t
Aluminum
i teakettle (with double i salt dredge
boiler top) i flour dredge
i stock pot (12 quarts)
Aluminum or Enamelware
1 four-quart kettle and cover i one-quart double boiler
2 two-quart kettles and cov- i one-pint double boiler
ers 2 nine-inch pie plates
i one-pint sauce pan i funnel
half-pint sauce pan i four-quart bowl for bread
roasting pan for fish (10 i two-quart bowl
or 12 inches long) i one-quart bowl
seven-inch omelet pan 2 pint bowls
hand basin 2 half-pint bowls
two-quart double boiler i triple utensil
Earthen- and Glass-ware
6 pint fruit jars i teapot
6 jelly tumblers with covers i two-quart casserole
THE EQUIPMENT OF THE KITCHEN 77
6 quart fruit jars
i lemon borer
I one-quart baking dish
I two-quart baking dish
6 custard cups
i bean pot and cover
i butter jar
Steel and Iron
I eleven-inch frying pan
i frying kettle
i double chopping knife
1 meat knife
2 common steel forks
3 plated knives
3 plated tablespoons
plated teaspoons
paring knife
bread knife
can opener
Tinware
1 colander 2
2 layer cake pans
i sheet cake pan i
1 brick cake pan i
2 nine-inch pie-plates i
2 bread pans i
2 muffin tins (6 muffins i
each) i
2 measuring cups i
I pint cup 3
i grater, four sides
i apple corer
pan-cake turner
corkscrew
wheel egg-beater
three-prong ice pick
pair scissors
dish scraper
food chopper (medium
size)
scale
roasting pan (sixteen
inch)
biscuit cutters (2 different
sizes)
garbage can
sink scraper
dust pan (long handled)
half-pint ladle
bread-box
cake-box
flour can
milk pans (if there is no
separator)
Wire
frying basket, to fit kettle
broiler for steak
toaster
small strainer
cake rack
Woodenware
i potato masher
i flour sieve, wheel type
i dish drainer
i egg whip
moulding board
rolling pin
meat board
bread board
small chopping bowl
large wooden spoon
spatula-style spoon
small spatula-style spoon
vegetable brush
corn broom
sink brush
i stovebrush
floorbrush
scrubbrush
stepladder and chair com-
bined
mop and handle
sugar bucket
dry mop
ironing board
long-handled scrubbrush
78 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Miscellaneous Ware
4 linen dish towels 4 cheesecloth bags for let-
4 coarser dish towels tuce, etc.
2 knit dish cloths I electric, gas, or alcohol flat
6 Turkish hand towels iron
3 coarse floor cloths i wash board (glass)
i dustless duster i wash boiler (copper bot-
6 washable holders with slip torn)
covers i scrubbing pail
i fire extinguisher
THE KITCHEN FURNISHINGS
AND THEIR ARRANGEMENT
The test of a well-planned kitchen is the amount of in-
telligent work that can be accomplished in it in the least
possible time. Is the kitchen too large, therefore, neces-
sitating much walking to and fro ? Is it located near the
pantry and storerooms? Where is the refrigerator, or,
in case no ice is used, where is the cold storage for food ?
Is the sink of comfortable height ? Are the cooking
utensils arranged in the best possible position for use?
Is the lighting good? Is it a cheerful room, or the most
dingy in the household? These are a few of the ques-
tions that must be met when a really practicable kitchen
is to be planned.
Attractive surroundings have an inspiring effect upon
any housekeeper and, in spite of her smothered longings
and bravely unuttered desires,, the possessor of a dingy
kitchen often longs for a prettier room and, when it is
realized that the average woman spends fully a third of
her time in the kitchen, it seems quite as reasonable to
expend a little money for paint and furnishings for her
workshop as for a new cement walk or fence, or attrac-
tive office fixtures for the man of the house.
Since the wall serves as background for the room the
finish should be unobtrusive. Whenever possible it will
be found most satisfactory to paint the walls with a pre-
pared oil paint rendering them washable with soap and
water; they can be renewed every other year. For a
dark kitchen with a northern exposure, a light buff is a
cheery color, while, in a bright sunny room, a soft green
will absorb the light and rest the eyes. The wainscot
and mop-board may be painted in a slightly darker shade
of the same color, while, if the chairs, table legs and
THE EQUIPMENT OF THE KITCHEN 79
wood about the sink are to be done, it is a good plan to
use a darker shade as it is less liable to show soil. If it
is necessary to paper the walls, choose a washable paper
or one with a tiled design in blue and white ; this gives a
clean appearance, and, if the latter is coated with a white
varnish, it can be washed as necessary and will last for
several years. Another good plan is to put on an oil-
cloth wainscot papering above it.
The most sanitary finish for the ceiling is plain white-
wash, because it can be renewed frequently, but, if the
ceiling is in too bad condition to be left unpapered, the
whitewash may be used over any light paper. The best
finish for the kitchen floor is usually dictated by the con-
dition of the floor itself. When it is old and seamed,
there are but three solutions first, a plain floor which
must be scrubbed or mopped ; second, an oiled floor ; third,
a good floor paint with a coat of hard varnish. If oil is
to be used good results can be obtained from any stand-
ard preparation which costs about seventy-five cents a
gallon. As these oils are usually made of crude paraffine
with the wax fused into them they will present a hard
surface rather than the sticky result obtained when boiled
linseed oil is used. All things considered the best floor
paint is the old-fashioned floor yellow, either prepared
with the varnish in it, or with a coat of varnish applied
after the coat is dry. A good grade of such paint costs
about two dollars a gallon, but this amount will cover
approximately four hundred square feet. Two coats
should be applied. When there are children in the house-
hold, they will, of necessity, spend much of their
time in the kitchen with the house-mother. In this case
the floor should have a linoleum or cork covering to add
to its warmth. If this is rubbed over occasionally with
a little floor oil or wax, it will last much longer and will
be more easily cleaned. Rag, cork or grass rugs should
be placed before the sink and entry door.
The question of convenient size for a kitchen is fre-
quently raised, and whether OF not it should be large or
small depends on the type of family. However, the ideal
kitchen is small and compact and should be used only for
the preparation of the meals. A visit to a Pullman
kitchen is an eye-opener in regard to compactness and
8o MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
efficiency. In a small, well-planned kitchen, every inch
of wall space has literally its use and the time saved in
preparing the meals in the small space is just as much as
that which would be spent in walking about a too large
room in quest of this or that. At the same time a limited
working space necessitates constant clearing away, thus
acting as a check upon any tendency to work in a muss
and proving in the end a real time-saver.
But everyone cannot have a kitchen which acts only as
a workshop. If the house-mother has several children
and does her own work, she will appreciate an ample
kitchen, well-arranged, because it will be large enough to
take in the children and their toys without having them
underfoot. All the cooking apparatus should be together
as in an invisibly divided room, while the sewing machine,
the children's play box and a comfortable chair or two
should be placed on a good-sized rug in another part of
the room. Whether or not there should be a pantry is an
open question which depends largely on the size of the
kitchen. If the room is small, or if it is to act as the
only sitting room of a maid, a well-planned pantry will
prove a great convenience. The shelving should be open.
A kitchen cabinet should be provided, if possible, but if
it is not, a series of well-placed shelves should be put
about fifteen inches apart above the cooking table, the low-
est being wide enough to accommodate the mixing bowls
and heavy utensils. The shelf above may be used for
spices and flavorings, cereals and small quantities of meal,
all of which may be stored in large glass jars. All of
the receptacles should be labeled, the labels themselves
being varnished on; measuring cups, spoons, egg-beat-
ers, etc., may be hung from hooks along the shelves, or
on the table ends. Both table and shelves should be zinc-
covered, although oilcloth may be used. A shelf should
be adjusted beneath the table, about fifteen inches from
the floor, and, if a cleat is nailed around it, it may be
used for kettles and other utensils. With this arrange-
ment it will be possible to accomplish a large amount of
cookery without leaving the table, except to go to the
stove. This brings up the greatest disadvantage of
doing the mixing in the pantry. The stove is, of neces-
sity, in the kitchen, thus entailing many extra steps.
AN ADEQUATE TIRELESS COOKER
A GROUP OF ICE-CREAM MOULDS
THE EQUIPMENT OF THE KITCHEN 81
However, this can be partially overcome if an electric
plate, or one-burner gas stove, is placed at the right-
hand end of the cooking table. If this is done, salad
dressing, custards, many a pudding, vegetable or soup can
be cooking while other dishes are being prepared on the
table. It will also be found most inconvenient to have
the preparation table or a kitchen cabinet in the pantry
unless the sink also Is placed there.
Both the cooking table and the sink should be made of
convenient height for comfortable work without un^ue
stooping, and a revolving stool that may be adjusted as
desired, should be provided so that the housekeeper can
sit during part of the work. If the table is too low, raise
it by means of blocks of wood. If possible, a porcelain
sink should be chosen. Needless to say, all the plumbing
should be open and the utensils used in dish washing,
together with some ammonia, a scouring soap, steel wool
and a soapdish attached to the faucets should be grouped
around the sink. If the sink cannot be adjusted to cor-
rect height, which varies with the woman, buy a galvan-
ized iron pan or rack and set the dishpan upon it to raise
it to correct height. If possible, drain boards or shelves
should be on each side of the sink, but this is not always
practicable.
After scraping and stacking the dishes, they should be
placed upon a shelf, or, in lieu of that, a wheel tray, at
the right of the sink. The dishes should be washed and
placed to drain on a dish dryer at the left of the sink.
Frequently, the cooking table may be placed at the left
of the sink, if there is no drain board.
As far as possible all the cooking dishes should be
washed up as fast as they accumulate, and, if a woman
plans right, she will have very few pots and pans to
wash after the meal is completed. If she is going to have
company, she will certainly plan an oven or steamer-
meal to avoid any last-minute cookery. Frequently, the
cooking dishes, if there are only a few, can be quickly
washed up before the meal is served. In clearing the
table the dishes should, as far as possible, be stacked,
the previous scraping, if done with a rubber dish scraper,
being but the work of a few moments. The dishes
should then be washed in the following order: Glass,
82 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
silver, small china, large china dishes, then the cooking
utensils, if there are any left.
The range should be set as near as possible to the cook-
ing table; again the question of correct height must be
considered, for there is no better way to prevent back-
ache than not to have it. In selecting any range, whether
for wood, coal, or gas, choose one simple in design and
easy to clean. Whatever the fuel 'used in the winter,
either gas, electricity or kerosene should be used during
the summer. Stoves of these types are not expensive,
and the cost will be retrieved in the fuel saved during
two summers' use. An adequate fireless cooker is of the
greatest assistance, whatever the fuel.
It is not necessary to buy the most expensive ice-box,
but rather one of convenient size, large enough to con-
tain a hundred pounds of ice and made narrow so that it
will fit into any house. There should be few trimmings,
an ice-box does not belong in the parlor ! The ideal
refrigerator has a side compartment for ice the cool-
ing surface being greatly in excess of that where the ice
is put in top. However, if the former is not available,
the latter will be much better than none and should have
side-doors, as this makes it possible for the iceman easily
to fill the box. If the compartment opens at the top, he
might drop the ice in and crack or bend the zinc lining.
Several insulations are used, an air layer, mineral wool
and charcoal being the most common. Charcoal is used
in the better refrigerators and furnishes the most cold-
tight insulation, because it is firmly packed in and cannot
settle, as does the mineral wool. Any cracks in the lining
should be repaired at once, lest the moisture work into the
space. The air-space insulation is used only in the
cheaper ice-boxes ; whatever the material, it is not giving
good service unless it keeps the refrigerator at an even
temperature of forty degrees Fahrenheit, provided the
ice compartment is kept filled and the doors tightly closed.
Any refrigerator that contains moist-cold is inadequate,
as moisture promotes bacterial growth. Try putting
some matches in your refrigerator for a few days ; if
they will light on removal, the refrigerator is doing good
service.
The inner lining may be of zinc, enamel, porcelain or
THE EQUIPMENT OF THE KITCHEN 83
glass. Zinc is used in the cheaper grades, and,' when it
becomes black, may be covered with two coats of flat
white and one of bathtub enamel; this is not only easier
to clean but enables one to see the contents better. Glass
and porcelain are both excellent linings, but the price may
be prohibitive to the average person. The shelves should
be adjustable, and of wire ; no wood, not even under the
ice-tray, should be used in the interior construction. The
inner parts should furnish the smallest of lodging places
for bacteria, as they will get in anyhow and can be con-
trolled only by the even cold, which retards their growth.
If possible, the refrigerator should have several compart-
ments, as this is of great assistance in keeping the foods ;
butter, cream and milk, for instance, should be kept
alone. Meats, and all other foods, should be covered, as
they absorb odors.
Then there is the question of the drain pipe. In many
cases it has direct connection with a sewer and is a
breeder of disease, as germs collect and grow. Better
use the old-fashioned pan.
And the question of ice. In the first place be sure it is
pure for, if taken from contaminated waters, typhoid
may develop. The ordinary snow ice, containing air bub-
bles which hold the germs, is especially to be avoided.
Although, of course, ice is always washed before placing
in the refrigerator, a piece of cheesecloth laid underneath
will catch much of the sediment and aid in keeping the
drain pipe clean.
It is more economical to replenish with a large piece of
ice rather than small ones, and it also keeps the box
cooler. As it hinders radiation the basis of refriger-
ation the wrapping of ice should always be avoided.
The range, the sink, the cooking table or kitchen cabi-
net, the stool and the ice-box, together with a suitable
place for the receiving of soiled dishes furnish the back-
bone of the kitchen equipment. To this should be added
a comfortable rocking chair, if the size of the room war-
rants it, and a commodious shelf for cook books, recipe
files and a file of menu cards. A slate put in a con-
spicuous place should be adopted on which to chart out
the day's menu, at least three meals in advance, and a
calendar memorandum card will make short work of the
84 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
notation of each day's supplies as they come in. It is an
easy matter to make up the household accounts each week
from this pad. A good spring scale is a necessity, a
wheel tray is a great asset, one of the best types being in
wood-colored finish with two trays ; this can be folded if
desired, and may be used in any room in the house, as a
tray for the invalid, tea tray, or even for piazza refresh-
ments.
The best place for the dishes is in a small pantry or
passageway between the kitchen and dining room.
Needless to say these shelves should be closed in tightly.
However, all the cooking dishes, bowls, earthenware,
cooking glass, etc., should be grouped near the cooking
table.
No kitchen can be arranged according to set rule. But
generally speaking the following order should be fol-
lowed as closely as possible : Both sink and stove should
be near windows. A shelf or table for stacking soiled
dishes should be at the right of the sink and a shelf, or
drain board, at the left. If the room is very small and
must act as the laundry as well, the preparation table or
kitchen cabinet may be dispensed with and set-tubs, with
white enamel tops, may replace it. A group of shelves
should be placed above the tubs, so that the cooking
materials may be properly grouped. The ice-box belongs
at the left of this cooking table. The china shelves
should be as near the sink as is convenient. A zinc-cov-
ered shelf, or lightweight zinc-covered, or porcelain
topped table should be placed beside the stove. If there
is not room for this, the wheel tray can be called into
requisition.
The correct placing of the utensils is a point that de-
serves emphasis. The knives belong where the paring is
to be done and may be slipped into leather pockets on the
wall. The chopping knife belongs near the chopping
bowl, the cooking spoons at the place where they will be
needed and not in some obscure drawer. The frying
pans belong near the stove and should be hung at correct
height, not stowed away in some cupboard just because
there happens to be one. In other words, common sense
must assist in arranging the kitchen and grouping the
utensils.
CHAPTER VIII
RANGES AND THEIR OPEEATION
The kitchen range is the power plant of the home, and
as such should be the first article of household equip-
ment purchased and should be kept in as good condition
as the piano or the silver. No range, whether for coal,
kerosene, gas, or electricity, will take care of itself, and
the housewife should be as familiar with its moods, good
points and possible bad points as a pianist is familiar with
the black and white keys of the piano.
THE COAL RANGE
An adequate coal range must cook steadily, bake
evenly, and broil unsmellingly and do it without con-
suming its weight in coal every day! It should be eco-
nomical of fuel, bake evenly all over the oven, simple and
easy to operate, durable and very plain, so that it may
be cleaned easily. To be truly economical a range should
demand the use of but two hods of coal a day and as the
weather grows warm of even less, provided, of course,
that the housewife understands its operation.
The fire-box should be in proportion to the size of the
range, so that an unnecessary amount of coal will not be
consumed, as is the case when it is too large, and so that
the heat may be delivered where it belongs, which cannot
be done if it is too small. The sides should be perpen-
dicular so that ashes will not lodge against the fire-brick.
The grate bars should be durable, but should not be so
heavy that the supply of air which reaches the fire
through them is insufficient. On the other hand, if they
are too light, they will warp quickly. The side draft
should open below the grate bars into the chamber
between the ash pan and grate, so that the air will be
made warm before it strikes the burning coals ; therefore
causing them to burn out instead of dying out, thus
affecting a considerable economy in fuel.
The surface of the range should be plain and smooth,
8s
86 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
and there should be comparatively little nickel trimming.
A polished steel top, which may be washed instead of
blackened, can be obtained with any range for about three
dollars extra. This insures a clean cooking surface;
means fewer black-bottomed cooking utensils to wash,
and as it takes about fifteen minutes to polish the top of
the range, it will effect considerable saving of time during
the year. Too much cannot be said about the necessity
of keeping the range bright and shining, for it is truly the
heart of the kitchen.
In case a home is not permanent, a leg range will prove
to be the best purchase, as it is more easily moved than
one of the cabinet type; whichever is chosen, a good-
sized zinc square should be placed underneath it to catch
possible drippings of fat, and so on.
In purchasing a range, always ascertain first whether
or not the stove is insulated, so that the heat will be
reflected against the surfaces where it is desired ; in other
words, retained in the range rather than unduly thrown
'off into the kitchen. Be sure that the oven is large
enough and, if possible, select a range that has a drop
door rather than one of the hinge type. Be sure that
there is an adequate supply of heat flowing around the
oven, as otherwise it will not " bake well." The dampers
must fit tight in order adequately to control the fire.
Cheaply constructed ranges will frequently have loose-
fitting dampers to prevent pinching or binding at the
rough edges. The stove should be constructed so that
broiling can be conducted directly over the live coals
rather than over a lid on the top of the .stove, so that the
smoke may be carried up the chimney.
The problem of the ashes and their removal is one of
the greatest with which the housewife has to contend in
kitchen cleanliness. If the range is being installed per-
manently in a home, it will be an untold convenience to
have an ash chute put into the range, whereby the ashes
are conducted directly to the basement. This is, perhaps,
expensive, but will pay in the end, over and over again.
In emptying the ashes from the ordinary range, it will be
found that they will not fly if they are thoroughly
dampened, and, if the ash pan is emptied faithfully every
day, very little muss will result.
RANGES AND THEIR OPERATION 87
To Build a Fire and Operate the Coal Range. Close
all. the dampers, except the oven dampers; remove the
covers from the top of the stove and brush the soot and
ashes into the fire-box. Turn over the grate in order to
dump the ashes into the ash pan. Scrape off anything
which has been spilled on the bottom of the oven. Put a
very thin layer of coal on the bottom of the fire-box,
leaving plenty of air spaces between the pieces. On this
put a layer of crumpled newspaper or shavings, filling the
fire-box about one-third full. On this lay, crosswise,
pieces of kindling, being sure that they reach the corners.
Take care that the fuel is arranged loosely in order to
allow free passage of the air. Light the fire by applying
a lighted match between the bars of the grate to the
paper or shavings. When the wood is burning well, add
two shovelfuls of coal, not too large, and, when that has
burned, add more coal. By this method the coal ignites
both below and above the wood, and a thicker fire-bed is
obtained in a shorter time than by the usual method. If
the stove is to be blackened, it should be done as soon as
the fire is lighted.
When the fire is well started, close the oven dampers
and half close the lower damper, and, when it is burning
well, the lower damper may be entirely closed and the
chimney damper half closed.
For an even hot fire, be sure that all the ashes are
shaken out, and keep the fire-box three-fourths full of
coal. The lower front and chimney dampers should be
opened, but the oven and check dampers should be
closed. When the coal is beginning to ignite, the
dampers should be closed. Such a fire is of the type that
is used for ironing, and is good for two or three hours
without the addition of more coal. If the irons are put.
on to heat while the fire is getting into this condition,
considerable time may be saved.
To direct the heat to the oven, the oven and chimney
dampers should be opened and the others closed, but to
get good results from the oven, no matter how expensive
the range may be, it must be cleaned frequently on top
and undernea'th. If there is a vacuum cleaner in the
house, it can be used for this purpose, as well as for the
stove-pipe.
88 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
As different stoves have different dampers, it is impos-
sible to give special directions for the management of a
fire that can be used with any range. However, a gen-
eral rule is to open all the dampers when building a fire
and to close the oven damper when the coal is burning:
well.
To check the fire somewhat, open the slide in the
check damper; and to cool it quickly, open the check
damper itself, keeping the other dampers closed.
In very cold weather and to save time, it is a good plan
to keep the fire over night, although this necessitates the
use of a little more fuel than is needed when the fire is
built fresh every morning. To do this, the fire-box
should be filled with coal; the check damper should be
opened, and the other dampers closed. In the morning,
the fire should be shaken down thoroughly and fresh coal
added a little at a time.
Like everything else, the stove will do better work if
the fire is rested occasionally. For instance, if baking is
to be done at supper time, close all the dampers after hav-
ing built up a good fire after dinner, and leave them closed
until about half an hour before time to put the food into
the oven.
GAS AND COMBINATION RANGES
When it is necessary to heat the kitchen during the
cold months by means of the coal range, the best possible
purchase is a combination coal and gas range. These
come equipped for either natural or artificial gas. How-
ever, as it is somewhat easier to cook with gas, it is a
good plan to select a combination range that consists of a
gas stove with a coal heater attachment. This can be
run on a hod of coal for a day and a night, and can be
equipped with a water-front. This coal attachment is
approximately the size of a laundry stove, and can be
used for boiling clothes, heating fiatirons, cooking vege-
tables, and carrying on the various cooking processes
which are adapted to the top of the stove. The gas
equipment can be used for all quick work, baking, and
during the summer when the saving of heat is an item.
This type of range is usually equipped with a gas kindler,
which insures the quick ignition of coal.
RANGES AND THEIR OPERATION 89
The combination range, which burns both natural gas
and coal, is frequently equipped with a general oven,
which can be used with either fuel. Care, however, must
be taken in selecting a range of this type to be sure that
it will give adequate service. This type is especially good
for use in severe weather when natural gas fluctuates.
No matter what kind of a range is being selected, it
should be of good cooking height, so that the housewife
will not have to bend over unduly while doing her work.
Gas and electric ranges, which are of the newer school,
can be found in many makes of the right height, but coal
ranges, unfortunately, are more usually made low, prob-
ably because they always have been ! In selecting a gas
range, purchase one that has a high oven and drop oven
doors, the oven preferably being finished with aluminized
paint. There are two or three types of ranges on the
market which have a direct heat action, so that the food
can be put into a cold oven, thereby effecting considerable
gas saving. Most of the better ranges come equipped
with self-lighters, but if this is not provided with the
range, it can be put on for $2.50 extra. There should be
no waste space, no excess trimming to clean, and the
burners should be of a type that are easily cleaned.
Like the coal range, it needs daily attention. All food
that is spilled should be cleaned off at once, the oven kept
clean, the airholes free, while the zinc plate underneath
the top burners needs daily attention. If the range is
rubbed off occasionally with a suitable oil, it will not
rust, or " liquid veneer " may be rubbed on weekly to keep
it clean and shiny. Blacking and stove enamel are not
satisfactory for use on the gas range. The oven will
not rust if the door is left open while the oven is cooling.
If a solid top is provided, it should be of polished steel
for sanitary reasons. Combination gas ranges and fire-
less cookers are on the market ; some of them give excel-
lent service, but care should be taken to select one of un-
doubted repute, as the cheaper type is not always depend-
able.
Operating the Gas Stove. The amount of the gas bill
depends upon the thoughtfulness and common sense of
the cook and the brains of the woman who plans the
meals. Gas, rightly used, is the most cleanly and eco-
90 MRS. .ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
nomical of fuels ; when used without intelligence, it is one
of the most expensive.
The oven should not be lighted until the food is nearly
ready to be put into it, eight minutes with two burners
is usually sufficient to make it very hot, five or six will
give a medium heat. When roasting meat, the economi-
cal housewife will plan to cook her potatoes and pudding
in the same oven, or better still will roast her meat in the
broiler, and have all the oven space for other foods.
Or if she is to have a broiled steak for dinner, she will
take advantage of the hot oven above to cook a shortcake
or bake her biscuits. Vegetables are delicious when baked
and can often be cooked at the same time with the pie or
cake or baked apples. In other words, she will take
advantage of all the heat, not allowing any to be wasted.
When " boiling " meat, as it is usually termed, the ket-
tle should be placed over the " simmerer " or small
burner, where it will remain at the right temperature and
cook slowly if potatoes are boiling, advantage can be
taken of the steam, a colander set over the kettle and
some other vegetables or dessert cooked by the steam that
is usually wasted.
If the family is small, it will be found a great economy
to purchase a set of triple utensils (three separate parts
which fit together), which can be put over one gas burner.
By this means three articles can be cooked at once by the
same amount of heat, a saving of labor and fuel. A
steam cooker of square design can be obtained with sev-
eral shelves. In one of these, with the use of one burner
to heat the water, can be cooked a pot roast, vegetables,
potatoes, pudding and brown bread for a family of six,
all at the same time!
Double boilers and all kettles should be shallow, with
broad bottom, so that the foods may be quickly heated.
A standard toaster should be purchased, so that it will
not be necessary to heat the broiling oven to make a slice
of toast, and a sheet iron plate, to set over a burner, will
be found a great convenience in heating flat-irons as well
as cooking. By using such a plate the heat is diffused
over a wider space, and instead of keeping two irons hot,
three or four can be heated on it by the same amount of
gas.
RANGES AND THEIR OPERATION 91
For the housekeeper using a gas plate, a perforated
iron disc, with cover fitting over it, furnishes an adequate
oven for a small family. A pan of biscuits, baked apples
or potatoes, and the finishing of an omelet are among its
possibilities.
KEROSENE RANGES
Whether or not gas or electricity may be obtained, the
housewife need not use the coal range, unless she wishes
to do so, for several excellent kerosene ranges are on the
market, which are economical of operation, clean and
quick. Each has its own method of operation, but the
general principles of cookery applied to the gas range
may be used in the operation of the kerosene stove, such
as oven and steamer meals and the like.
COOKING BY ELECTRICITY
There are two styles of electric ranges: the cabinet
type and the single oven type. In the former the oven
is elevated to a comfortable working height; in the latter
the oven is low, necessitating stooping. If there is plenty
of room in the kitchen the cabinet range will prove the
best selection, but when space is limited, as in small
apartments, the single oven type can be used; moreover
this type of range is somewhat less expensive.
There are two kinds of electric range units, or heaters,
the open coil unit, or radiating type and the enclosed coil
unit, or contact type.
In the former, the cooking units, or hot plates, or as
they are sometimes called, lids, disc heaters, or elements,
are exposed in such way that the time necessary to bring
them to cooking heat is only about three and a half
minutes. At the same time they are rather hard to clean
and great care must be taken that foods do not boil over
upon them or that grease is not spilled in the units, be-
cause it is difficult to clean them thoroughly without in-
jury. In the second type of range, the heating units are
enclosed, the top of the range being like that of the ordi-
nary coal range in appearance, with discs, or lids, which
may be lifted for cleaning as needs be. Because of this
covering it takes a little longer to bring the units to the
cooking point, approximately four and a half to five
92 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
minutes. On the other hand, the solid top retains the
heat and the amount of current needed to carry on the
cooking is less than in the open coil unit, and therefore
equalizes the extra time needed in bringing the units to
cooking heat over the three minutes necessitated by the
open coil units.
Notwithstanding extra care the open coil unit is liable
to oxidize, or rust, necessitating an occasional renewal of
units after four or five years' use. On the other hand,
the enclosed coil unit cannot oxidize or rust so rapidly as
the open coil, and therefore has longer life. Electric
ranges equipped with the open coil units are less expen-
sive than those of the enclosed coil units, so in the end,
notwithstanding a possible renewal of units, if the open
coil type is purchased, the cost will be approximately the
same.
Every electric range should be provided with a broiler
pan that fits the oven, preferably of enamel, for if the
broiler pan does not fit in the oven cleats, the pan may be
chipped and the oven dented, should the pan happen to be
put in carelessly. In every oven there should be a shelf
equipped with a baffle plate of sheet metal, placed directly
over the bottom heat unit, to insure an even distribution
of heat In selecting an electric range the following
points should be carefully noted
The oven should have rounded corners and be ade-
quately ventilated and equipped with a drop door.
The range should be of comfortable cooking height,
the selection varying from thirty-one to thirty-five inches.
There should be no waste space.
The oven should be easy to clean and free from cracks.
There should be no parts left unfinished, because of the
liability of rusting and the difficulty of cleaning.
The range should be finished complete in japan, with
nickel trimming and white splashers, which act as danger
signals for dirt.
The electric range needs as much care as a range of
any other type/ All water should be wiped off as soon
as it is spilled. Grease should be immediately cleaned
off, and there should be waged a constant war on rust.
The oven should be refinished every six months with
aluminized paint, which anyone can apply. This may be
RANGES AND THEIR OPERATION 93
obtained from any hardware store, where full directions
for its use will be given.
The electric range has several distinct advantages over
the coal and gas types. It is absolutely accurate, and,
when once established, the cooking time never varies. A
loaf of bread that will bake in fifty minutes to-day will
bake in exactly the same time to-morrow, provided the
current is managed in the same way. In order to give
the units time to come to cooking heat, it is necessary to
think ahead a little more when using an electric range.
It will take an oven from thirty to forty minutes to reach
baking temperature, and because of this slowness, it is
not possible to put many foods into the cold oven, as can
be done in many gas ranges.
The oven which is insulated to retain heat makes pos-
sible many economies. , After once being heated, it can be
kept hot with a small amount of current, just enough to
supply the heat lost by radiation, and advantage can be
taken of all the latent heat, even after the current is
turned off, in the drying of bread crusts, parsley, celery
tips, etc. It is an interesting fact that the shrinkage of
meat in the electric oven is less than when either gas or
coal is used, probably because the meat is seared over
more quickly on account of the direct top heat, and there-
fore the juices are retained in greater amount. Also, the
electric oven furnishes the cleanest heat, for because of
the ventilator no fumes collect and there is, of course, no
danger of tainting the food as there is with coal, or ordi-
nary gas. Probably the point that appeals to most
women about the electric range is that there is prac-
tically no heat coming from it, so that the kitchen does
not become over-heated. This is true, not only with the
oven, but with the top of the range with regard to the
heat units. At the same time there is no dust, dirt,
burned matches, and rare possibility of fire. Certainly
there is no danger of the baby's being burned !
The cost of operation depends entirely upon the cook-
ing rate for current in the city where the range is used.
Careful figures show that the average family will con-
sume approximately 125 killowatts per month. At the
present writing over 3,500 central stations or electric
light companies, are giving a cooking rate of five cents or
94 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
less per killowatt hour to their customers. The cost of
operation, as with any range, depends largely on the care-
fulness of the housewife. If care is taken to reduce the
current when possible, to take advantage of latent heat,
and to turn off the current as soon as the cooking is fin-
ished, the cost of operating, when current sells for two
cents per killowatt hour, will be aproximately the same
as gas, when the latter sells for ninety cents per thousand
cubic feet, or coal when the latter sells at from $7.50 to
$9.00 per ton.
As with the gas or coal range, the utensils have con-
siderable to do with the economical running of the elec-
tric range. Aluminum furnishes the quickest medium of
transferring heat. A clover-leaf (or triple) utensil,
whereby three foods can be prepared at one time, over
one unit ; an adequate steamer, flat-bottomed utensils and
a goodly equipment of casseroles and oven dishes will be
found great conveniences. Methods for steaming and
for preparing meals in the oven are given in the chapter,
the Short-Cut Preparation of Meals, and may be applied
to the electric range as well as to that of any other type.
Some ranges are equipped with automatic cooking at-
tachments for turning on and off the current. These
have a certain appeal and work for a limited time, but
they are liable to get out of order.
The average housewife is confused by the terms used
by the " trade." A little study of the following defini-
tions of terms frequently used in connection with the
sale, operation and demonstration of the range will pre-
vent confusion.
Unit. The name given to the electric heater used
.either in the oven or on the cooking top. It is sometimes
called " the hot plate," " disc," " element," etc.
Switches. The controlling mediums by which the
units are turned on or off.
Fuses. The protecting plugs located near the con-
trolling switches. These are so constructed that any ex-
cess current or abnormal condition will cause them to cut
off the current' automatically. In other words, they are
an automatic safeguard.
Main Switch. The heavy or large switch installed in
the wire leading to the range.
RANGES AND THEIR OPERATION 95
Pilot Light. An indicating lamp that burns only when
the current is on; usually placed at or near the main
switch.
Socket. A term applied to a lamp socket, or outlet, on
the side of the range, to which may be attached an electric
iron, toaster, or any auxiliary apparatus.
Lead Wires. Two or three wires projecting from a
part of the body of the range to which the main entrance
wires are attached.
Service. A general term applied to meters, switches
and wiring installed by the central station.
Killowatt Hour. The number, of watts (measures of
current) consumed by an electric heater during an hour.
All rates are figured on the killowatt hours consumed,
just as gas is figured on the cubic foot.
Terminals. Equipment for connecting heating units to
wires terminals come in two forms and are called plugs
or connections.
CHAPTER IX
THE SHORT-CUT PREPARATION OF MEALS
A great deal has been said and written about efficiency
in the household, waste motions and a useless expendi-
ture of energy, but, whereas women are willing to do the
housework in quicker time, the number of hours which
are being spent in actual cookery are not greatly lessened
and, in many instances, have really increased along with
the taste of the public for greater variety and more
elaborate meals.
There are several reasons why an undue amount of
time is spent in the kitchen. One is because the majority
of women do not understand the methods and general
proportions upon which all recipes are based, and, having
little fundamental knowledge, their work lacks freedom
and ease ; a second reason is because most housewives fail
to plan out their meals for at least a day or two ahead.
This planning is absolutely necessary, as, otherwise, there
is a frequent repetition of the same cooking process dur-
ing the day, duplicate dishwashing and a double amount
of fuel is used. It may not seem possible to plan out the
meals in advance ; properly speaking it is better to sched-
ule them for even a week ahead, leaving luncheon or sup-
per blank to allow for the utilization of left-overs. This
week's schedule can be posted in the kitchen, or may be
kept on file at the desk; the meals for each day being
copied off on the kitchen slate.
This planning ahead makes possible systematic market-
ing twice a week, or, in case one lives a long distance from
the market, once a week. It saves the daily annoyance
of grocer, butcher and vegetable man, clears the mind of
the unnecessary details which confuse most women, and
makes possible a more economical spending of the house-
hold allowance. At the same time it is possible to tell
at a glance just what supplies one needs, for instance,
96
SHORT-CUT PREPARATION OF MEALS 97'
from the vegetable cellar, or the storeroom, one trip suf-
ficing to get together the vegetables or other food for
several meals, while a glance is sufficient to show exactly
what foods of like nature are to be prepared for three
meals at a time, thereby making possible the saving of
cooking processes.
The following table shows the best way in which to
work out the weekly planning of meals. By arranging
the meals in columns any duplicate foods and flavors are
instantly noted, for mistakes have a way of staring out at
one, when put down in black and white.
If I were to give any specific rule for the use of left-
overs, I should say control them; for instance, if rice is
being cooked, plan to prepare enough so that there will
be an ample supply left over for rice cakes for the next
day; steam enough potatoes at one time for two meals;
cook enough macaroni for one day's luncheon, and for
the next day's dinner soup, and the like. These instances
may be multiplied indefinitely.
But it is not necessary to confine this combining of
processes to left-overs ; there are many foods that can be
made in quantity, which will keep for some time, thus
obviating the constant repetition of the cooking process.
Good examples of these are mayonnaise, boiled and
French salad dressings ; pie crust for two or three bak-
ings ; baked pastry shells enough for two or three weeks ;
several loaves of fruit cake and so on.
The accomplishment of quick work is somewhat a mat-
ter of environment, for upon the general orderliness of
the room depends the ability of the brain to think rapidly
and to good purpose. No matter how hurried one may be
there is no excuse for working in a clutter. The best
possible method is to wash up the cooking dishes as fast
as they are used, being careful not to duplicate utensils
unless absolutely necessary; stack up the dishes, do not
heap them in the sink, which means that they will have
to be taken out again before washing. Learn to do two
or three articles at a time, planning the work so that the
same utensil may be used over without washing. For
instance, a double boiler could be used for heating milk
for junket, for making custard, and then for boiled salad
dressing, without being washed. It takes brain to think
98
MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
2
TUESDAY
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ioo MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
ahead in this way, but it is planning of this sort that helps
to relieve the monotony of housework.
Before commencing to prepare any dish, be sure that
all the ingredients are at hand ; then read the recipe
through to the end, because the way a dish is combined
has a marked influence on the result. If a cake is being
made, prepare the pan, stand the shortening to soften
and in the meantime get together the remaining ingre-
dients, making one trip to the ice-box for milk, eggs
and butter, then sit down and quickly put the cake to-
gether. If by any chance the kitchen is inconveniently
arranged, collect the ingredients together on a tray and
put them within easy reach of the working table. Sift
enough flour for the different dishes at once ; if several
are being made, prepare all the pans together at the same
time, and, by the way, cut out, in some spare moments,
enough cake-pan linings and little squares of paper for
oiling pans to last for weeks.
Try to prepare foods which may, as far as possible,
have the same cooking medium. If brown bread is to be
steamed, the rest of the dinner should be steamed along
with it. If a casserole is to be made, do the rest of the
cooking for the meal in the same oven. If the fireless
cooker is at work, use it to the limit.
One of the greatest difficulties of most young house-
wives is how to prepare the various dishes for a meal so
that they will all be done at the same and proper time.
One long-suffering young husband confided to me that it
took five hours for them to eat their first dinner, there
were such long waits between the courses ! The meal
should be planned so that there are not more than one
or two dishes calling for a great deal of preparation in
each menu. When the meal is planned, sit down and
think out the dish which it will take the longest time to
cook, get that started and then take the other dishes in
rotation, remembering to allow time enough for cold
dishes to become thoroughly chilled. Find out just how
long it will take to set the table, and plan between the
processes to do "this so accurately that nothing will be
forgotten.
The best time to prepare the evening dinner is largely
in the morning when it is necessary to be in and out of
SHORT-CUT PREPARATION OF MEALS 101
the kitchen, and the time to start the luncheon is while
clearing away the breakfast. It may not seem possible
to carry on so many things at once, and, at first, the
young housekeeper will find it difficult, but it is only by
learning to do several things at a time, dove-tailing them
together, that she can learn to accomplish a great deal in
a given time. No woman should be a slave to her work
and yet every man has the right to come home to a dainty,
rested and attractive wife. The only way in which this
can be done is by planning the meals ahead and by sys-
tematic work. %
PRINCIPLES OF FIRELESS COOKING
Whatever the type of cooker, there are several under-
lying principles which must always be heeded in the
carrying on of successful fireless cookery: First, all
utensils to be used for boiling, pot roasting or stewing
must be equipped with tightly fitting covers. Second,
any food to be boiled must be cooked for at least ten
minutes before putting into the cooker. Third, if
radiators are not used the food must be placed in the
cooker while still boiling. Fourth, the cooker must be
thoroughly cleansed with soap and water, and dried and
aired before each cooking process, as, otherwise, the
odors of stale food will affect the cooked product. Sixth,
when two radiators are used the length of time to be
allowed is the same for baking as in a coal range ; for
pot-roasting or braising a trifle longer. Seventh, without
the radiators the time for boiling, simmering or stewing
is doubled.
Eighth, foods to be cooked without radiators should be
in quantities of at least two quarts, to make possible the
retention of heat, otherwise a vessel of boiling water
should be put in the cooker at the same time to form the
necessary amount of heat.
The Possible Saving of Fuel. The question is often
asked whether or not the fireless cooker is really practi-
cal. If intelligently used, there can be no doubt about it.
From the standpoint of economy in money the saving is
considerable, especially when used to supplement a gas
or oil range. When gas is eighty cents per thousand
cubic feet, for instance, the maximum costs per hour for
102 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
operating the burners are as follows : a large top burner,
i]/2 cents; a small top burner, i l /z cents; the oven, 3 cents
a burner, or 6 cents when both are used, A good sized
pot roast should be cooked on a range from five to six
hours. The cost, with the burner reduced almost half,
would be from three to four cents. If prepared in the
cooker, the cost is reduced to the length of time it takes
to heat the radiators. It takes about three cents worth
of gas to make medium-sized loaves of bread, yet they
can be done in the cooker with no further expenditure
than the Cheating of the radiators. Boiled cabbage with
salt pork is a cheap dish when the ingredients are con-
sidered, but it becomes decidedly more expensive when
the cost of the oil or gas is taken into account. The
same is true of casserole dishes, baked beans, coddled
apples, old-fashioned baked peaches and apple sauce, or
stewed dried fruits and vegetables.
The cost, then, of cooking by the tireless simmers down
to the length of time needed to heat the radiators and to
carry on any preliminary preparation. The following
table is adapted to gas range heat, but in using oil, alcohol,
coal or wood equally good results may be obtained by in-
creasing about one-half the length of time for heating the
radiators. The most accurate method for testing the
heat of the radiators is by a fireless thermometer, but, if
one is not at hand, a little flour sprinkled on the stones
will give the approximate heat.
Time Table for Heating Radiators
Boiling 12 minutes, flour pale tan color, thermometer 250.
Radiators of this temperature should be used for boiling cereals,
meats, fish, vegetables and fruits.
Slow baking, or faster boiling
... 15 minutes, flour light brown, thermometer 325 to 350.
Suitable for casseroles, macaroni and cheese, escalloped cab-
bage, sponge cake, fruit cake, steamed puddings, etc.
Quick baking. .18 minutes, flour brown, thermometer 375 to 400.
Suitable for bread, loaf cakes, baked potatoes, and other baked
vegetables, baked beans, biscuits, fish, meat loaves, etc.
Roasting. .20 minutes, flour dark brown, thermometer 425 to 450.
Suitable for roasting all kincfs of meat.
When two radiators are to be used, the most econom-
ical way to heat them is to place one on top of the other,
SHORT-CUT PREPARATION OF MEALS 103
reversing their positions twice during the heating process.
It takes half as long again as is necessary to heat one
stone. In case the article to be cooked is to be brought to
boiling point, the best way to do it is to place it on top of
a heating stone, so that the one burner will accomplish
both objects. The heating stones may be used to keep
things hot for dinner when a hot closet is not available,
and many a food which must be re-heated to insure keep-
ing, as soup stock, may be done at this time. In camps
and summer cottages the fuel used in heating the stones
may do double duty in heating water for dishes, a bit of
washing, or the baby's bath.
CHOOSING FIRELESS UTENSILS
As in all types of cooking the choice of utensils has
much to do with success. The best results are obtained
by the use of aluminum and glass. In all cases where
boiling is carried on the covers must fit tight; the triple
utensil is indispensable, for it makes possible the cookery
of three things at a time with one radiator. For baked
beans, escallops and casserole dishes the covered glass
casseroles are invaluable. At the same time still more
dish washing is avoided. If the saving of money is no
object, economy of time appeals to most women, while to
others a cool kitchen is of paramount importance. It is
possible absolutely to control the heat in the cooker so that,
when anything is put in, one need not fear that it will
burn, provided it is left the right length of time. Foods
that are boiled, stewed or braised will not be harmed by a
little over-cooking, but foods that are baked, as bread, cake
and the like, must be removed at the end of the necessary
time, or they will burn, for the fireless cooker, when used
with the heated radiators, is merely the old Dutch oven
brought up to date. If the general principles of range
cookery are understood, a few attempts will suffice to
give the actual time needed in cooking various foods.
HOW TO USE THE COOKER
The following points, however, may prove helpful to
the inexperienced. The obvious way to cook cereals is
over night. They should be brought to the boiling point,
boiled fifteen minutes, and put into the cooker together
104 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
with a vessel of boiling water, boiling prunes, figs, apple
sauce, or any other food which demands all-night cook-
ery. No radiators are needed. In cooking tough meats,
as fowl, rolled flank and the like, better results are
gained by using one radiator at 250 and cooking over
night; or for day cooking allow six to seven hours with
the radiator heated to 325. Allow four hours for boil-
ing steamed pudding or breads, in quart-sized moulds ;
two hours for pint moulds. In this case the pudding
moulds should be set into the utensil, half-filled with
cold water, brought slowly to boiling point and boiled
for ten minutes, before putting into the cooker. Allow
one hour, with two radiators, for baking potatoes, an
hour and a half for cooking onions or turnips or cabbage,
fifteen minutes to the pound with two radiators for roast-
ing beef or lamb, and twenty minutes to the pound for
pork and veal. For soup stock, stews, corned beef and
pot roasts of any desired meats, allow from five to six
hours. One hour is sufficient to bake three-quarter-
pound loaves of bread, twenty-five minutes for biscuits,
from fifty minutes to an hour for a medium-sized loaf of
cake, and the same length of time as is allowed in the
oven should be given to pies.
If a very large loaf of cake is to be baked, better re-
sults will be obtained if the second stone is not put in
place for fifteen minutes after the cake is started. All
articles to be baked or boiled must be set upon a wire
trivet, rather than upon the stone itself, to prevent lia-
bility of scorching. 4
The fireless cooker is just as capable of retaining cold
as it is heat. To this end it is invaluable for the freezing
of mousses or parfaits that is ices which can be pre-
pared without stirring. To a quart mould of mousse,
four pounds of cracked ice and an equal amount of salt
should be added. Once packed in a fireless utensil and
put in the cooker, it may be entirely forgotten till serv-
ing time, as there will be no necessity for repacking.
About four pounds less ice is needed when the fireless is
used. It may also be used to equal advantage for pack-
ing cream that is to be moulded or even kept over night.
There is no doubt but that too much magic has been
ascribed to the fireless cooker, for there are times when
SHORT-CUT PREPARATION OF MEALS 105
it is much more convenient and quite as inexpensive to
cook by the ordinary methods. It is often said, for in-
stance, that the whole meal can be put in to cook and that
the housewife can leave for an afternoon of shopping or
pleasure and will find her dinner ready on her return.
This can be done only if foods suited to this kind of
cookery are used, and they must be grouped according to
the length of time it takes the " longest " one to cook. To
illustrate : It would not be possible to put in a pot roast of
beef, potatoes and peas at the same time, for the potatoes
and peas would be sadly over-cooked by the time the meat
was done. In this case cabbage, cooked by a method de-
manding long cookery, could be served as a vegetable, the
potatoes would have to be fried at the last minute, or re-
heated in some other way, rather than being prepared in
the cooker, and the dessert could be a pudding, as steamed
whole wheat, with dates, demanding about five hours'
steaming.
It is not necessary to have a separate list of recipes for
fireless cooking. All casseroles, stews, soups, all vege-
tables needing long-stewing or baking, all fruits, both
dried and fresh, needing long cooking, all cereals, all
braised and boiled meats, or fish, and all steamed breads
or puddings are well adapted to this method.
CASSEROLE COOKING
Most American housewives understand too little about
the possibilities of cooking in the oven. The mind turns
instantly to the casserole and the tougher cuts of meat,
but these by no means exhaust the resources of the oven.
There is no better way to make a chicken or other tender
meat " go far " than en casserole ; there is no more de-
licious way to cook fish, game, both dried and fresh
vegetables, puddings, many cereals, and dried and fresh
fruits, than in the oven.
Utensils
There are many utensils adapted to oven cookery, the
most familiar being those of earthenware, which can be
obtained for almost any price, and in many desirable
shapes and sizes. If these are plunged into a kettle of
cold water, brought slowly to the boil, and then boiled for
io6 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
five minutes before using, they will give good service;
otherwise, they are apt to crack. The old-time Boston
bean pot is an excellent utensil for cooking meats which
are cut 'in comparatively small pieces, as well as fruits
and dried vegetables, while the old-fashioned blue-and-
white stew-pot, which can be obtained in almost any size,
is especially suitable for use in large families, and is in-
expensive. Attractive utensils of this kind are made of
the new cooking glass; they are durable and very prac-
tical. At the same time they are the most easily cleaned
of all oven- ware and the cooking can be carried on in a
fourth less time than usual.
Whereas it is necessary to use a covered casserole for
all long processes, various open dishes are especially
adapted to' the cookery of quickly-prepared foods. An
earthen or glass baking platter, for instance, makes pos-
sible the preparation, without odor, of fish and many
meats and vegetables ; nor do they need special attention
after they are in the oven. As the food should be served
in the dish in which it is cooked, this is a real saving in
dish washing. The ramekin, little sister of the casserole,
is not only inexpensive, but is particularly useful for indi-
vidual service, not only of savory dishes and vegetables,
but of desserts. The family may tire, for example, of
creamed corn, but if it is combined with a little left-over
veal or chicken, well-seasoned, strewed with bread crumbs,
and served en ramekin, it becomes a ",new dish." The
youngsters may often rebel at such a plebeian dessert as
bread pudding, but if prepared in ramekins with a little
meringue, topped with currant jelly, it becomes " some-
thing new."
Time of Cookery
Most women seem to think that casserole cooking
necessitates a great deal of trouble in preparation, and a
long time in the oven. The time consumed depends en-
tirely upon the article of food. Boston baked beans, for
example, take about eight hours in a very slow oven ; a
three-and-a-half-pound chicken, cut as for fricassee, takes
about an hour and a half in a moderate oven, but it needs
no attention while cooking, and when it is removed is
ready to be put on the table. If a coal stove is used, the
oven is ready for a casserole dish at almost any time of
SHORT-CUT PREPARATION OF MEALS 107
the day. If gas, electricity or kerosene is burned, the
oven can be made to do double duty if some other dishes,
which need a like temperature, are prepared at the same
time. To illustrate : If a casserole of lamb is to be served
for a six-o'clock dinner, it would be put in at four o'clock,
and a pan of baked apples, and the carrots, parsnips or
other vegetables could be cooked along with it. As any
casserole can be prepared in the morning for cooking
for the evening dinner, or the day before if the dinner is
at noon, this is a great preventive of last minute work.
MENUS FOR OVEN MEALS
The following are two menus for luncheon and dinner,
which may be termed " oven meals," as nearly all the
foods can be cooked in the oven with the same heat.
A " Company " Luncheon
Baked Oysters in Shell
Casserole of Veal, Mexican Style
Buttered Potatoes
Tomatoes in Aspic, with Lettuce and Mayonnaise
Coddled Pears with Whipped Cream
Sponge Cakes
Bon-bons Coffee
A Home Dinner
Clear Tomato Soup
Casserole of Duck, Chicken, Lamb or Beef
Baked Potatoes
Sliced Onions in Broth
Salad of Shaved Cabbage, Shredded Peppers and Romaine .
Peach Tapioca with Meringue (in ramekins)
Coffee
In the first menu the veal needs about an hour and a
half's cooking ; the potatoes an hour's ; the coddled pears
two hours'; the sponge cake twenty minutes' and the
oysters ten minutes'. Obviously the pears can go in
first, the veal following, the sponge cakes can be baked as
soon as they are put together. There will then be room
for the potatoes, and the oysters can be put in " at the
last minute."
In the second menu the duck and tapioca should be put
in at the same time, the onions a half hour later, the
io8 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
potatoes following about an hour before dinner is to be
served.
Thickening the Casserole
If desired, any meat casserole can be thickened with
rice, ground dried bread crumbs, barley, macaroni, or
spaghetti. The amount of raw rice to use to a quart of
liquid is one-fourth of a cupful; the amount of crumbs,
from a half to three-fourths of a cupful, according to
the dryness of the bread, and of raw macaroni or spaghetti
about a cupful. In some cases it is advisable to incor-
porate the vegetable with the meat; for instance, a plain
chicken casserole can be made in which the asparagus is
combined with the chicken, being arranged in layers and
thickened with rice. In case an especially abundant dish
is desired, plenty of carrots, turnips and onions, together
with beef, the whole being thickened with barley, is es-
pecially satisfactory.
Much has been said about the desirability of the cas-
serole as a cooking medium for tough meats. Therein
lies one of its greatest possibilities, for the meat benefits
not only by the long cooking, but by the steam which is
generated in the tightly-closed utensil. However, the
liquid surrounding the meat should never boil ; unless it is
kept at a gentle simmer, the result will be disappointing.
In case the casserole seems too dry, a little stock or water
may be added from time to time during the cooking.
Left-Overs and Casseroles
( Perhaps the woman who has learned to cook by im-
agination will find. the casserole more useful than the one
who cooks altogether by recipes, for the larder often con-
tains various left-overs and odd vegetables which will fit
into a delicious casserole, better than into any other dish.
For instance, the woman who uses ham often finds scraps
left over from cutting, bits of meat which have adhered
to the bone, and the end which is unavailable for slicing.
Often, she will utilize these strips for sandwiches,
creamed ham, or an omelet for breakfast or luncheon,
whereas they could be made into a much more substantial
dish well-suited to a home dinner. I discovered this
while keeping house on a farm ten miles from a railroad,
when ham was a staple weekly article, and the garden in
SHORT-CUT PREPARATION OF MEALS 109
summer and the vegetable-cellar in winter were my chief
assets. I used to oil my largest bean-pot with ham fat,
put in a layer of sliced turnip, then a little minced ham,
some parnsips, and more ham, a layer of sliced raw
potatoes, some minced onions and shredded cabbage, in-
terspersing every layer with ham, a sprinkling of flour
and a little salt and pepper. Sometimes a few parboiled
beans were added, the ingredients depending upon the
season of the year. The whole was barely covered with
ham liquor, or stock, and baked very slowly for at least
three hours.
Not long ago I tested a recipe in which beef tongue
was used, but found myself confronted with the root end
for utilization. Into the casserole went these bits of
meat, together with some chopped carrots, minced onion,
chopped green pepper, tomato, salt, pepper, a few spices,
dry bread crumbs for thickening and a little of the tongue
liquor. It was good casserole, but one truly inspired by
imagination and necessity !
Suitable Casserole Combinations
It is impossible to give all the combinations of meats
and vegetables that are suitable to casserole use, but, as a
general rule, it may be stated that the heavier vegetables
of pronounced flavor, such as tomatoes, onions, carrots,
turnips, parsnips and the like may be used with such
heavy meats as beef, pork and ham, while the lighter
vegetables peas, asparagus, string beans and corn
are better suited to meats like chicken, pigeons, lamb,
veal and guinea-fowl. This does not mean that onions,
tomatoes and green peppers should be entirely omitted
from the casseroles of lighter meats, but that they should
be used more sparingly, only to assist in creating the fillip
which will whet the appetite.
Seasoning Casseroles
The seasonings have a great deal to do with the success
of the casserole whenever a " made dish " is being pre-
pared. The touch of mint in the casserole of duck, for
instance, lifts the dish into the epicurean. However,
those who do not like highly-seasoned dishes will find the
casserole of inestimable help in plain cookery. A fowl
i io MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
disjointed as for plain fricassee, salted and peppered,
rolled in flour, browned or not, according to whether a
white or brown result is desired, packed in the casserole,
covered with hot water, and baked for three to four
hours, according to the age, makes possible a dish in
which all the chicken flavor is retained, and which de-
mands almost no attention from start to finish. A three-
pound chicken prepared by the same method will cook to
.perfection in fifty minutes to an hour in a glass cas-
serole.
Few people are conversant with the delicious flavor of
properly cooked fish, because it is usually fried. More-
over, most American housewives are prone to accept fish
which is tainted. Just as soon as women realize that they
control, by the law of supply and demand, the sale of
absolutely pure food, the smell of strong fish will dis-
appear from our markets and homes. The woman who
lives at some distance from the market cannot usually
procure fresh fish unless she is fortunate enough to have
a sportsman in the family, but for her there are many
varieties both salted and smoked. Properly treated, they
are almost as good as when fresh. Salt cod, smoked
halibut and salmon lend themselves admirably to casser-
ole cookery. Salt mackerel, white fish, bloaters, as well
as cod, salmon and halibut, can be used to most excellent
advantage in the low, open casseroles, sometimes known
as au gratin dishes, or on fireproof platters.
Cooking Vegetables en Casserole
It is sometimes advisable to cook turnips, parsnips,
salsify, or chestnuts en casserole. In this case they
should be prepared as for boiling, arranged in the cas-
serole, covered with boiling stock, and cooked till tender,
about three hours for the chestnuts and two for the vege-
tables. The latter should be cut in thin slices before
cooking, and should be covered with beef stock, while
the chestnuts should be cooked in chicken or veal stock.
Cooking Fruits en Casserole
A specialty of a well-known tea-room is old-fashioned
red apple sauce, served with whipped cream. It is rich
and of beautiful color, as, much unlike ordinary apple
SHORT-CUT PREPARATION OF MEALS in
sauce as can be imagined. Inquiry brought forth the
fact that it was baked in the bean-pot, sliced apples and
sugar being put in alternately, a little water added, and
the whole cooked at least eight hours in a slow oven or
fireless cooker. Pears and peaches may be cooked in a
similar way, only, instead of being sliced, they should be
pared, halved and the seeds removed, and they should
not be stirred during the cooking. The various dried
fruits may also be baked to good advantage. They
should be washed thoroughly, soaked over night in water
to cover, the proper amount of sugar added, together
with any desired flavoring, and the baking done very
slowly, the time varying from three to six hours, accord-
ing to the quantity. Figs need lemon juice and rind, and
may be served half cold from the casserole with a deco-
ration of marshmallows.
Various dishes well suited to casserole cookery will be
found in the chapters on meats, fish, fruits and vegetables.
COOKING BY STEAM
The reduction of heat means the reduction of fuel.
Every time a food can be adapted to top-of-the-stove-
cookery, instead of the oven, there is a distinct saving,
whether the cooking be by gas, kerosene or electricity.
With gas and kerosene stoves cheap in price, and with
gas plates and small kerosene stoves still cheaper, there is
no excuse for any woman saying, " I cannot afford this
kind of cookery." As a basis there must be two burners
for a small family of three or four members, more
burners for the large family. But here, as in everything
else connected with the furnishing of the kitchen, too
much space and too large quantities lead to carelessness,
and, in this case, waste of fuel.
The equipment for the cookery may be as inexpensive as
one desires, but, if possible, it pays to buy the best quality
in everything. The first purchase should be an adequate
steamer, the size depending upon the family, but it should
be large enough to make possible the cookery of several
things at a time. There is nothing better in this line than
the old-fashioned square cooker, equipped with shelves
and a whistle which tells when water is needed. This
cooker or steamer can be found in any large house-fur-
H2 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
nishing store, from about five dollars and upwards, ac-
cording to the grade of materials used. There are less
expensive steamers, round in shape, which are equipped
with shelves, and which can be used with good results, if
one is careful to put the food demanding longest cookery
on the bottom shelf, and the one which will be done first
on the top shelf to make removal easy. Then there is a
good combination, aluminum steamer, which consists of
a base that can act as a roasting pan, a top with shelves
on which the steaming is done, and a lid on which cookies
can be baked. For short time steaming this gives ex-
cellent results, but it is not so good in the cookery of
things demanding a long time, because the base-pan is
shallow, so that the water evaporates quickly.
These utensils are adapted only to steaming, which
means that the oven must be used for baking. There is,
however, a steamer on the market in which either one of
these processes may be carried on. It is a pressure
cooker, made of iron or cast aluminum and fitted with a
cover which clamps tightly into position. It is equipped
with a valve, which makes possible the emission of steam
before removing the lid, thus avoiding the possibility of
even a slight scald, and it is so constructed that there is
no danger of an explosion, no matter how much steam is
generated, for when the pressure reaches twenty-five
pounds, an automatic spring valve releases the steam. It
takes only a few moments to bring this to the temperature
of the oven, and bread, cake, meat, or whatever is to be
baked, may be put in a pan, set on a rack and completed
as in the oven, for the heavy heat makes .possible an even
radiation. In pot-roasting or braising, the meat is simply
seared in a little extra fat, put on the rack, and a very
little water, plus the other desired seasonings, is added.
For soup stock it is invaluable, only in this case, as in all
others, where water is added, care must be taken not to
put in too much, as there is very little evaporation. In
case it is desirable to steam a pudding and two or three
vegetables at once, a small amount of water is put in the
bottom, the rack is adjusted, and the pudding in its mould,
together with the vegetables in their various utensils, may
be put in the cooker together. When the water is once
boiling, the gas-flame may be reduced one-half. Some-
AN ADEQUATE STEAMER
SHORT-CUT PREPARATION OF MEALS 113
times one desires to pot-roast veal or lamb. In this case
the meat is started at the proper time and the other vege-
tables are added according to the time it will take them
to cook.
The general type of utensils best suited to cookery by
steam, or in these improvised ovens, is the one which will
absorb the heat most quickly, or the one which, when the
heat is once absorbed, will hold it longest. Aluminum is
the best example of the first type, and the new glass cook-
ing ware of the second. This glassware may be used for
almost anything which is to be steamed : for instance, pos-
sibly peas are to be cooked in this way they can be put
into a glass utensil suited to the service, a little water, a
few grains of sugar and a bit of butter may be added,
and the whole steamed, covered or not, as desired. Pos-
sibly swordfish is to figure as the main dish of a dinner.
In this case the fish may be put in a suitable utensil,
dotted with butter, a little salt and pepper, and a dash of
lemon juice may be added, and the whole steamed until
tender and flaky, about thirty minutes for fish cut three-
quarters of an inch thick. If closely covered, other things,
no matter how delicate, may be cooked in the same steamer
with it, without absorbing the odors. If one only thinks,
it is surprising to find how many foods may be steamed to
good advantage.
Most of us, when preparing a cereal, correctly start it
over the direct heat, and, after fifteen minutes, set it into
a double boiler to cook the remaining time, usually from
one to four hours, according to the kind that is being
cooked. At the same time it is necessary to replenish the
cooking water frequently. There is no reason why the
cereal cannot be started as usual, the cooking being com-
pleted in the steamer along with some prunes, steamed
apple sauce, an old fowl which demands long cookery to
make it tender, a meat loaf or fish for the next day, or
even some potatoes for the supper salad. There is no
better way to save time and expense in cookery than to
learn to do two or more things at once.
In case a stove is not equipped with a warming closet,
the steamer may be used for this purpose whenever hot
dishes are needed, and, if some members of the family or
guests are late in coming to a meal, the foods may be kept
H4 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
hot in the steamer, with no more deterioration than in a
hotel steam table.
It is not necessary to use specific recipes for steam
cooking, any of those which are in ordinary use being
adaptable, with this exception. In steaming puddings in-
stead of baking them, it is necessary to add a little more
flour or bread crumbs, according to the type of puddings
to be made. Oftentimes, if one desires a brown dish, as
in making escalloped tomatoes or fish, the actual cookery
may be accomplished in the steamer, the dish being set
for a minute or two under the gas flame to brown over.
However, the demand for this browned appearance is
largely esthetic, and may be gained by strewing over a
few fried bread crumbs, or the dish may be garnished
with a little finely- minced parsley, a few sprays of water-
cress, a little sliced, hard-cooked egg, some finely-minced
celery with tips, a few slices of tomato, some pickles cut
fan-shape, a whole olive or two, etc., according to the
kind of dish that is being prepared.
The following tables give a list of suggestions center-
ing around standard recipes of foods that may be
steamed :
Fruits: Apples, pears, peaches, cherries, blueberries,
blackberries, raspberries. If the fruit is desired whole,
make a sugar syrup of one cupful of sugar to one-half
cupful of water, boiling them together for five minutes.
Pour this over the prepared fruit and steam until tender.
Liquid, or powdered, spices, or lemon juice may be added
as desired. Brown sugar is delicious with pears. If the
fruit is desired broken up, it should be occasionally stirred
during the cookery.
Meats: Old fowl, steam five hours and remove the
skin before slicing. Chicken, brown in fat and steam an
hour. Shoulder of lamb, brown in fat and steam an
hour and a half. It should be boned and rolled. Pork
chops, brown quickly in fat and steam an hour. Rump of
veal, brown together with onions and carrots, and steam
an hour and a half to two hours, etc. All seasonings
should be added when the meat is put in to steam, and, if
possible, the meat should be in a covered utensil. All
kinds of meat loaves may also be steamed.
Fish: Salmon, haddock, codfish, lake trout, sword-
SHORT-CUT PREPARATION OF MEALS 115
fish, or bluefish. The thicker fish, as salmon, may be
cut in steaks, seasoned and cooked, dotted with bits of
butter, as described, or whole fish of more than three
pounds may be laid in the utensil together with a tea-
spoonful of pickle spice, a little vinegar, salt, pepper and
water, and may be cooked in this. All kinds of fish
loaves may also be steamed.
Vegetables: Corn in the husk, peas, beans, succotash,
corn in milk, spinach and other greens, with or without
bacon or salt pork, turnips in broth, if desired, carrots,
carrots and peas combined, whole tomatoes, summer
squash, winter squash, cauliflower, cabbage, etc. The
vegetables should be seasoned before putting on to cook,
with the exception of green corn.
Desserts: All kinds of fruit bettys, tapioca, corn
starch and cereal puddings, cottage pudding, bread pud-
ding, all kinds of custard mixtures which it may be de-
sirable to solidify. Chocolate puffs made of any good
chocolate-cake mixture plus a little more flour, all kinds
of fruit dumplings, and the usual boiled puddings made
of stale cake, stale bread, suet, etc.
Breads: Boston brown bread and all allied mixtures,
as steamed corn meal bread, steamed whole wheat and
date bread, prune bread, steamed nut bread, etc.
CHAPTER X
THE SERVICE OF HOME AND COMPANY MEALS
SERVING HOME MEALS WITHOUT A MAID
It is not necessary to possess wealth in order to set
an attractive table. The background is the table itself.
If it has a polished top, it is often more convenient to
use runners or doilies, instead of tablecloths. They may
be used at all three meals, although to be strictly correct
they should appear only at breakfast, luncheon or supper.
If doilies or runners are used, the table-top should be
waxed, not varnished, as the former finish is more dur-
able, may be easily renewed, and does not show the marks
of hot dishes or liquids that may be spilled.
Runners should be from twelve to eighteen inches in
width, and should be long enough to extend to the edge
of the table. In setting the table for four, two runners
are used. In setting the table for six, a long runner is
placed lengthwise of the table, and two shorter ones are
laid across it.
Choosing the Linen
All-white doilies and runners are more satisfactory
for hard use than colored ones. If doilies are to be used
constantly, choose several sets alike, so that if some of
the pieces are soiled there will be fresh ones of the same
design to replace them. For practical use a center doily,
about eighteen inches, and plate doilies, from nine to
twelve inches in diameter, are all that are necessary.
Small doilies may be provided for the tumblers, if desired.
For dinner it is customary to use a full-sized cloth
over a silence cloth. But the woman who has to count
laundry should feel at liberty to use on the dinner table
whatever covering she wishes. It is surely easier to wash
out a doily at a time than a whole tablecloth. But if a
cloth effect is desired, a yard, or a yard and a quarter
square of plain linen or damask may be bought ready-
116
HOME AND COMPANY MEALS 117
made, or may be fashioned at home, and used for the din-
ner table. In case colored squares are desired, there is
nothing prettier than the Japanese cloths, which may be
obtained from fifty cents up.
The China, Silver and Glass
There is some excuse for cheap dishes, but there is no
excuse for handleless cups, and cracked or nicked plates
and saucers, for, besides being unsightly, they are un-
sanitary and carriers of disease. Dishes are only a back-
ground for food, so quiet, simple patterns should be
chosen. Well-polished glass lends an atmosphere to the
table that almost nothing else can give, and unpretentious
glass dishes may be made to look very attractive. Plain
tumblers for water may be obtained almost anywhere for
five cents apiece, and small glass bowls and cream pitch-
ers, small dishes for relishes, lemonade cups and simple
sherbet glasses may be purchased at correspondingly low
prices.
The silver should be the best one can afford, but no
matter how beautiful it may be the whole effect of the
table will be marred, if it is not well-polished. It takes
considerable time to clean silver, if it is allowed to be-
come tarnished; but if it is always washed in water con-
taining a little ammonia, and if badly tarnished pieces are
cleaned at once, the discoloration is not difficult to re-
move. In case the plate wears off, any article may be re-
plated at a reasonable price.
Setting the Table
The table service is greatly facilitated by placing all
the silver used by each individual at his or her place.
The various articles should be arranged in the order of
use, the spoons and knives at the right, and the forks at
the left in the order of use from outside toward the
plate. If space is limited and the meal is informal the
teaspoons may be placed above the plate but this is not
strictly " good form." Salt and pepper shakers should
be provided for each two people. Water glasses belong
at the tips of the knives, and butter dishes, or bread and
butter plates with butter spreaders, should be placed just
ii8 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
above the forks. The napkins should be folded square,
and laid at the left of the forks.
How to Cook and Serve
In case the mother cooks and serves the meal, as much
food as possible should be placed on the table without
overcrowding and without mixing the various courses.
For instance, suppose that breakfast consists of fruit, un-
cooked cereal and cream, ham, potatoes, muffins and cof-
fee. The fruit should be served individually, or else be
put on the table as a centerpiece, and the bowls of cereal
may be set just above each plate. Before the family is
called to breakfast the butter should be served, and the
coffee cups be put in the handiest position for use. If
the table is not crowded, the breakfast plates may stand
at the left of the father's place; the serving knife and
fork for the ham, and a tablespoon for the potatoes
should be placed at the right. If a polished table is used,
asbestos mats, covered with linen slips, or woven grass
mats, should be placed wherever hot dishes are to be put.
After the cereal and fruit .have been eaten, the dishes
may be cleared onto a large tray and carried into the
kitchen. On the same tray the pot of coffee, the pota-
toes, ham and muffins may be brought back to the dining
room. A tray rest, such as used in all hotel dining rooms,
will be found a great convenience in case an empty serv-
ing table is not at hand. According to this plan a mother
would need to make but one trip to the kitchen during
breakfast.
Dinner is usually a hearty meal, but it can be served
in the same general way. Suppose that the menu con-
sists of soup, pot-roast, spaghetti, onions, celery, apple
dumplings with lemon sauce and coffee. In this case
the water should be poured, the butter served, and the
bread placed on the table, as well as the crackers for the
soup. The soup plates may stand before the mother, if
the soup is to be served at the table, or may be filled and
brought in just before the meal is announced. The din-
ner plates should stand 'at the father's left, or may be
placed individually ready for the soup plates. The serv-
ing utensils for the meat and vegetables should be placed
at the father's right.
HOME AND COMPANY MEALS 119
After the completion of the soup course, the soiled
dishes should be removed, as described, and the main
portion of the dinner brought in. After this is eaten,
the soiled dishes should be removed, the glasses filled
and the dessert served. The coffee service may be ar-
ranged on a tray, which may be set directly on the table.
On first thought it may seem too much of a task to serve
a meal in courses, but it must be borne in mind that the
dishes have to go to the kitchen anyway, and it is much
easier to clear them away a section at a time, scraping
and stacking them when the tray is being unloaded, than
to attempt to untangle the heap of dishes that are piled
helter-skelter on a table that is not cleared during the
entire meal.
In case it is desirable to serve with more formality,
and there is no maid, no woman should assume the task
alone. The place of the mother is at the table, not only
because of the effect she has on the children, but because
of the selfishness that she is likely to inculcate in case she
insists on waiting on them. It is an easy matter to train
the older children to wait on the table, provided a few
simple directions are heeded.
SERVING COMPANY-MEALS WITH A MAID
In case the meal is to be served by a waitress, it is cus-
tomary to have on the table the following articles, when
the meal is announced : At each plate the silver should
be laid for the various courses up to the dessert, the forks
on the left, the knives, spoons and oyster forks, if used,
on the right in the order of use from the outside toward
the plate. If used, the bread and butter plates with the
spreaders, laid horizontally across, should be at the tips
of the forks, and each should contain a roll, or one or two
thin slices of bread and a pat of butter. Bread and but-
ter plates are not used at a formal dinner or very formal
breakfast or luncheon. The water glasses (or goblets
for a dinner) should stand at the tips of the knives, the
nut dishes and individual salts and peppers, if used,
above the plates, the napkins (folded over once) at the
left with the place cards upon them, and the service plates
should be set between the forks and knives, like them
an inch from the edge of the table. The glasses should
120 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
be filled three- fourths full, and the first course should
be in position on the service plate when the meal is
announced. If a set of salts and peppers is provided for
each two guests, they should be placed within easy reach
of both. The relishes, such as celery and olives, are
usually passed by the maid with the appropriate courses.
It is no longer permissible to place them upon the table
around the centerpiece.
The meal is served largely from the pantry, only the
meat, the dessert, if desired, and the coffee, if the hostess
wishes, being served at the table. In serving, the wait-
ress passes all foods to the left, places all foods to the
right, and, when removing a course which is to be im-
mediately replaced by the following, she takes up the
empty plate with the left hand and sets down the next
course with the right hand. When the main course is
served, the simplest method, after the carving utensils
have been brought in and the meat placed, is to put before
each guest a warmed plate replacing the service-plate.
One extra plate should be at hand, and, as soon as the host
has apportioned the service on the plate before him, the
waitress should remove it, replacing it with the empty
plate, place the filled plate before the first guest to be
served, bringing back the empty plate to the host. The
procedure is as before till all are served.
The first person to be served when the second course
is placed is the lady at the right of the host. On serv-
ing the succeeding course the next lady should have the
preference, and so on. In this way no lady is served
last all the time. If desired, the ladies may all be served
first, and then the men, but this method causes confusion,
and is not often used.
Vegetables, gravy and other accessories should be
passed on a small, doily-covered tray, or the dishes may
be held in the hand if a napkin, or serving mitt, is pro-
vided. Between courses the waitress should replenish
the water glasses, butter balls and anything else neces-
sary. If extra silver is needed, it should be laid at the
right of each guest but never passed on a dish containing
a portion of food. Before serving dessert the table should
be entirely cleared of everything except water glasses,
decorations and favors, should be crumbed by means of
HOME AND COMPANY MEALS 121
a fringed napkin and plate, the water glasses filled, and
the dessert served either from the pantry or by the hos-
tess, according to the method described ; however, if de-
sired, a pile of plates may be set at the hostess's left,
the waitress placing an empty plate in front of the hostess,
replacing it when filled with another plate from the pile,
and serving the guests in rotation.
The coffee may follow the dessert, or be poured by the
hostess in the drawing-room. Finger-bowls should be
served last on doily-covered plates which are not used
for any other purpose. They are placed either at the
right of, or directly in front of, the guests.
SERVING COMPANY-MEALS WITHOUT
A MAID
In case the service is without a maid the procedure
must of necessity be simplified. The meal should be of
such a character that the foods can stand in the warm-
ing-oven and do not need any last-minute cooking. The
individual places should be set as described. At the host's
place should be laid the carving-knife and fork and gravy
ladle; at the place to his left should be laid spoons for
serving the various vegetables.
If this is done by a second person, it will greatly sim-
plify the host's work at the table. Silver for the des-
sert may in this case ONLY be laid above the plate. The
service-plate should be dispensed with except for the
soup. In this case the soup and service plates should be
removed together, as there may be confusion in passing
if the service plate is used for the meat course. The
salad may be arranged in a large bowl and dressed by
the hostess at the table. The relishes may be on the
table, as well as a plate of bread. Extra butter balls,
water and whatever replenishings may be needed should
be within easy reach on the buffet or wheel-tray. If there
are guests, great care must be taken to avoid giving the
impression that the hostess is " waiting on them." To
this end the service should be from the table as far as
possible and the older boys and girls should be called to
wait upon the table. This plan works well, especially if
there are two to do it It is astonishing how service of
this kind develops greater interest in home life and deeper
122 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
appreciation of the mother. Before dessert the table is
cleared and crumbed and the dessert is served by the
hostess.
Coffee may follow, being poured at the table. It al-
ways takes longer to serve a meal without a maid, if
time is taken between courses to stack up the soiled dishes
in proper form for dish-washing, but in the end this is a
great time-saver, and it certainly means much to go into
a kitchen that looks fairly tidy after the serving of a
company meal. So the waits between courses are justi-
fied.
The service for a formal breakfast is as described in
this section. However, whereas candles are usually used
at a formal dinner and sometimes at formal luncheons,
if the room is dark and the weather dreary, they are out
of place at a breakfast. Bouillon cups may be used at
both breakfast and luncheon but not at a dinner.
For breakfasts and luncheons a handsome set of doilies,
or runners, may be used, but at a dinner the table should
be entirely covered with a cloth. Medium-sized Madeira,
or other fancy, napkins may be used at breakfasts or
luncheons, but only napkins of large size and of a type
to harmonize with the cloth should be used at a dinner.
CHAPTER XI
THE CHAFING DISH
A woman is always at her best when performing some
house-wifely rite, and over the chafing dish, with its
many opportunities for skill and grace, she is supreme.
But being really graceful depends considerably upon the
arrangements. In the first place the chair should be
high, for it is impossible to stir with ease, unless one's
hands are near the top of the dish. A piano-chair is al-
ways practical as it can be turned up to just the right
height. A hassock should also be provided.
The chafing dish itself should be set upon an uncov-
ered tray to avoid all danger of fire from the lamp, and
damage from boiling water. Just before setting in place
the lamp should be filled and covered (to prevent evapora-
tion). The ordinary lamp will hold about a quarter of
a cupful enough to burn a half hour. Extra alcohol
should be in the filler, or, if one is not at hand, a covered
pitcher may be used. As to the fuel, only pure grain or
denatured alcohol is suitable, wood alcohol being very un-
satisfactory because of its disagreeable odor.
The cooking utensils should be placed at the right of
the tray, as one of the essentials of the success of chafing
dish cookery lies in noiselessness. Only wooden spoons
should be used for stirring; these may be obtained in
olive or apple wood, fashioned in attractive design, and
sell at almost any price. However, the regulation silver
chafing dish spoon and fork should be used for the serv-
ice.
Along with the spoons should be set a salt and pepper
shaker, whatever other seasonings are used, as Worces-
tershire, or tabasco sauce, celery salt, etc., for no ex-
pert at the chafing dish ever seasons by measure (it looks
too unprofessional) ; an extra napkin to be used in case
of accident, and a spoon and fork to use for testing, if
123
124 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
one is not sure of the seasoning. Matches, too, should
be provided.
All the ingredients should be prepared beforehand and
set within easy reach upon the dining table, or upon a
small table or wheel tray. If the latter is used, it will
facilitate the service of the whole meal, for a chafing dish
affair is always informal and the guests can pass up their
soiled dishes to be stowed away on one of the empty
trays.
The chafing dish is not suited to elaborate cookery, but
rather to quickly prepared mixtures, like eggs, oysters,
cheese, etc., and to rechauffes, that is, re-heated cooked
meats, fish and vegetables. However, for anything that
is to be prepared, all ingredients should be measured and
set in pretty receptacles. For instance, if hard-cooked
eggs are to be sliced, it should be done beforehand. If
chicken or fish is to be creamed, it should be diced, cheese
sliced or shaved, as the case may be, oysters carefully
washed and freed from the shell; butter made up into
balls containing just a tablespoonful ; flour measured,
etc. If this is accurately done ahead in the quiet of the
kitchen, all danger of failure is overcome, as nothing will
be forgotten, and it will not be necessary to have a
recipe in evidence this always betrays the amateur!
Anything that can be cooked in a double boiler, or be
prepared in a saucepan, is adapted to the chafing dish,
although frying should not be attempted because of the
disagreeable odor. As the chafing dish is primarily used
so that foods can be served at once, and very hot, it also
seems out of place to prepare dishes that must be ar-
ranged upon platters for service. The hot-water pan cor-
responds to the bottom of the double boiler, and the
blazer to the top. Both should be supplied with handles.
Other attachments are often used, as a toaster or a
broiler, but they are not at all necessary.
As the chafing dish is limited to informal occasions,
it is generally used only in the following instances : Sun-
day night tea, after-theater suppers, buffet luncheons, or
as the hot course -at a luncheon when there is no maid in
attendance. The usual accompaniments are little rolls
or biscuits, dainty sandwiches that harmonize with the
dish to be prepared, a suitable salad, and a simple dessert.
THE CHAFING DISH 125
If the salad is of fruit, it is often used in place of a sweet.
A drink also is indispensable, the selection depending on
the balance of the meal ; tea, coffee, chocolate, cocoa,
ginger ale, and fruit beverages of all kinds are in order.
Unless a definite first course is provided, as a bouillon or
fruit cup, a few hors d'ocuvres should be passed to occupy
the guests until the chafing dish creation is prepared.
These may include olives, radishes, celery sticks, canapes,
tiny, open fish sandwiches (one slice of bread only being
used) and pimentoes in various forms.
The following menus show how these meals may be
planned :
Menus for Sunday Night Suppers
I
Creamed Oysters (Chafing Dish)
Olive Sandwiches Cheese Sandwiches
Salted Nuts Sweet Pickled Pears
Celery, Date and Orange Salad Mayonnaise
Charlotte Russe Chocolate Cake
Coffee
II
Halved Peaches sprinkled with Almonds
Devilled Lobster (Chafing Dish) Little Buttered Rolls
Salted Nuts Candied Ginger
Cream Cheese and Olive Salad
Chocolate Frappe Angel Cake
Raspberry Punch
III
Green Pepper Canapes
Eggs Poached in Creamed Asparagus (Chafing Dish)
Brown Bread and Butter Sandwiches
Radishes Olives
Strawberry, Pineapple and Orange Salad Cheese Sticks
Hot Chocolate Whipped Cream
Menus for After-Theater Suppers
I
Chillaly (Chafing Dish) Brown Bread and Butter Sandwiches
Lettuce Celery, Walnut and Olive Salad
Baked Figs Sponge Cake
Ginger Ale
126 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
II
Chicken d la King (Chafing Dish) Hot Toast
Salted Nuts Olives
Waldorf Salad Unsweetened Wafers
Pineapple Lemonade
III
Bouillon (Chafing Dish)
Creamed Halibut (Chafing Dish) with Pimentoes
^ Olive, Grapefruit, Celery and Endive Salad
Whipped Cream Cake Coffee
Menus for Chafing Dish Luncheons
I
Cream of Celery Soup Wafers
Chicken and Mushrooms (Chafing Dish) Saratoga Chips Rolls
Tomato, Cucumber and Lettuce Salad
Cherry and Pineapple Fruit Cup Little Nut Cakes
Coffee
II
Grapefruit Cocktail
Oyster and Celery Bisque (Chafing Dish) Crackers
Salted Nuts Olives
Stuffed Egg and Pimento Salad
Graham Bread Sandwiches Little Rolls
Little Apple Tarts Cream Cheese Balls
Tea
III
Cream of Chicken Soup Croutons
Spanish Omelet (Chafing Dish) Little Rolls
Banana, Pineapple and Nut Salad Cheese Sticks
Eclairs Coffee
The chafing dish is usually adopted when there is no
maid in attendance, and, because of this, food for the en-
tire meal is often placed on the table at once.
The first course is in position when the guests are called
to the table, the chafing dish, with ingredients, is set in
place, with a pile of serving plates beside it. The salad,
arranged on a platter or in a bowl, is set at the place op-
posite, the plates being at the left of it while the dessert
(unless an ice) is served individually, and set at the right
of each guest ; the'hors d'ceuvers and plates of sandwiches,
cake, etc., are set where it is convenient. Extra butter
and a carafe or pitcher of water are also on the table, while
the service for coffee, tea, or any other drink to be served
A
THE CHAFING DISH 127
is arranged on a tray and set either before one of the
guests, or stands in readiness on the buffet for the
hostess. After the chafing dish has been removed tea
or 'coffee is usually made at the table.
If a chafing dish luncheon is being given and a maid
is in attendance, the ingredients and plates are brought
in by the maid. The hostess serves directly to the plates
which are passed by the attendant. In cases where a
maid is not employed the menu should be simple, the first
course being in position when the meal is announced, the
second consisting of the article that is to be prepared.
In this case it is permissible to have the chafing dish on
the table from the first, although it should be removed
with the soiled dishes after the course is finished.
To be successful a chafing dish affair should not include
more than ten guests in fact six is a more convenient
number for the chafing dish has not been made that
will serve more. If a larger group is to be accommo-
dated, the tables should be enlarged, and a friend invited
to preside over a second chafing dish.
A study of the chapters in this book which are devoted
to left-over meats, eggs, cheese, souffles, vegetables and
fish will suggest many dishes that can be easily made in
the chafing dish.
PART TWO
CHAPTER .1
MEASUREMENTS
There is no such thing as " good luck " or " bad luck "
in cooking, if the recipe measurements are absolutely ac-
curate and the housewife understands the range. Al-
though many authorities advocate measuring out before-
hand all ingredients needed for the dish to be prepared,
any practical woman will readily see that this makes
necessary the use of too many measuring utensils and
dishes. It is much better always to keep standard half-
pint measuring cups in the sugar and flour cans, tea-
spoons in the salt jar or tea cannister, and tablespoons in
the coffee can, corn starch jar and so on. During the
average morning's cooking it should not be necessary to
use more than two extra measuring cups, one for ingredi-
ents not already provided with cups, the other for fats
and liquids. There should also be a teaspoon and a
tablespoon each for dry and liquid ingredients.
The equipment for accurate measuring is as follows:
One standard half -pint tin or aluminum measuring cup;
one standard half-pint glass measuring cup ; one standard
half-pint pitcher cup (for use in making mayonnaise,
and the like), each divided into thirds and quarters ; one-
quart aluminum or tin cup divided into quarters, and
standard tablespoons and teaspoons.
To measure a cupful of any dry ingredient, fill it full
and level off the top with a knife, taking care not to pack
it in. A spoonful should be measured in the same way
it should never be " rounded," unless specified. To
measure half an ordinary teaspoonful, fill it level, scrap-
ing it off, and divide the contents into halves lengthwise.
Flour, confectioner's sugar, baking soda and any other
ingredient which is liable to lump should be sifted before
measuring, while mustard, baking powder, etc., which
settle from standing in the can, should be stirred to
lighten.
132 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
A cupful, or spoonful, of any liquid is as much as the
utensil will hold without running over. All fats, as but-
ter, oleomargarine, lard or drippings, are packed down
and leveled before measuring. When they are to be
melted, it is specified in the recipe. Sixteen tablespoon-
fuls, level, of anything, will fill a half-pint cup. In pre-
paring a portion of a recipe this rule will be found a great
help.
CHAPTER II
BEVERAGES
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL
TEA
Good tea can be made only in a pot of china, silver or
earthenware, as tea contains a decided acid and bitter
substance, which is liable to combine with the metal of
other receptacles, producing an unpleasant flavor and an
unwholesome beverage. The problem in making tea is to
bring out the stimulating principle therein, as well as the
fragrant oil, and to avoid the development of the tannic
acid. This can only be done by pouring boiling water
over the tea, as water which is merely simmering does not
develop the flavor. Tea should not stand on the leaves
more than five minutes.
MAKING TEA
The easiest way to make tea in a pot is to measure the
tea into a tea ball, which may be hung to the nozzle of the
tea pot by the chain to which the ball is attached. At
the end of five minutes the ball may be quickly lifted from
the infusion and the leaves easily emptied into the garb-
age can, for nothing stains a white porcelain sink more
quickly than tea and tea leaves. This tea-ball method is
a real short cut, for it saves the washing of a strainer
and a second pot into which the infusion must be strained,
if the water is poured directly on the loose tea leaves.
Needless to say the tea pot must be thoroughly washed
and scalded. Tea should never be boiled.
The proportion of tea for each cup varies with the
brand, but half a teaspoonful of good tea should be
ample.
133
134 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Iced Tea
6 teaspoonfuls tea cupful syrup stock or sugar
teaspoonful whole cloves to taste (if desired)
i sliced lemon I quart boiling water
Put the tea in a crock or pitcher, pour over the boiling
water and let stand, covered, five minutes in a warm
place. Then strain it on to the cloves, lemon and sweet-
ening, stir and let cool. Serve with a thin slice of lemon
to each glass. Iced tea should be made stronger than
ordinary tea, to allow for the ice dilution.
Afternoon Tea
i teaspoonful tea Sliced lemon
Candied or Maraschino cher- Whole cloves
ries Boiling water
Lime drops
Measure the tea into the tea ball, put the cup with the
desired flavoring (two cherries to a cupful), three cloves,
one lime drop, or one slice of lemon, and pour over boil-
ing water, allowing the ball to remain in until the tea is of
the desired strength. Two cupfuls of tea may be made
at a time without refilling the ball.
COFFEE
Coffee must be made as carefully as tea, in order to
develop the fragrant flavor without overdeveloping the
caffeine and tannin. To this end it should be made as
quickly as possible and without much cooking. The best
method is as the coffee tasters make it, the next, perco-
lating or filtering. Old-fashioned boiled coffee is the
least desirable method.
There are two essentials in making good coffee first,
an absolutely clean utensil; second, a generous quantity
of a pure brand of coffee unmixed with chicory. Given
these, no matter if the vessel be a tomato can or a silver
urn, the result will be perfect, if care is used. Coffee
should never be allowed to stand on the grounds after it
is finished.
A moderate amount of well-made coffee, without cream
or sugar, is a mild stomach stimulant, as well as slightly
laxative. It has, however, a distinct influence on the
nervous system, sometimes leading to general nervous-
BEVERAGES 135
ness, tremulousness, loss of sleep and dizziness. In some
cases actual indigestion may be traced to it, as caffeine
acts adversely on some people, retarding digestion and
causing flatulence with a consequent " sinking heart "
sensation. Children are especially susceptible to these
influences and should never be allowed to drink coffee.
There are several kinds of powdered coffee on the mar-
ket, which may be dissolved in boiling water, and, if a
really good brand is chosen, this is a satisfactory and
economical method.
Coffee (Coffee Taster's Method)
To make the best coffee it should not .be boiled.
Allow a tablespoon ful of medium-ground coffee to
each person. Put it in a heated enamel pot, and pour
over it a coffee cupful of boiling water for each table-
spoonful used. Bring to the boil and then let stand four
minutes where it will keep hot, but not boil. Then add
a dash of cold water to settle it. Coffee made according
to this recipe contains a minimum amount of caffeine
and tannin.
Percolator Coffee
Put the coffee in the percolator, pour in one cupful
cold water to two tablespoonfuls miedium-ground coffee
for each cup to be made and put on the glass top. Set
on the sheet-iron plate over the fire, bring to boiling
point, and let boil from three to five minutes, according
to the strength desired.
After-Dinner Coffee
Increase the amount of coffee one-half, and make either
by the coffee filter or percolator method.
Cereal Coffee
3 pounds whole wheat 3 tablespoonfuls molasses
i pound whole barley 3 tablespoonfuls butter
i cupful ground chicory
Roast the wheat and barley until brown, stirring often.
When as dark as a coffee berry, add the butter and molas-
ses, stirring it until all is absorbed and the grains separate.
Remove from the oven and, when cold, add the chicory.
136 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Grind in a coffee mill. To make, use 2 tablespoon fuls
of "coffee" to each person and ij cupfuls cold water.
Boil an hour, and serve with sugar and cream or milk.
COCOA AND CHOCOLATE
Cocoa
Cocoa, as directed on package 3 cupfuls milk
i cupful sugar teaspoonful salt
3 cupfuls water
Mix the sugar, salt and cocoa together, thoroughly ; add
the water, and boil five minutes. Add milk, boil up once,
then beat with the Dover egg-beater, and serve. In mak-
ing cocoa for children or invalids do not boil up the bev-
erage bring the milk just to a scald and combine with
the boiled cocoa and water.
Hot Chocolate
2.\ squares (ounces) chocolate Few grains salt
i cupful sugar ii cupfuls boiling water
3i cupfuls milk
Shave the chocolate and add to the milk. Place over
hot water and scald until the chocolate is melted. Add
the water, sugar and salt and cook one hour. Beat well
with an egg-beater and serve in chocolate cups with
whipped cream, or 2 marshmallows to each cup.
Creole Chocolate
1 quart milk, scalded cupful sugar
2 squares (ounces) chocolate \ teaspoonful vanilla
I inch stick cinnamon Few grains salt
I cupful boiling water I cupful whipped cream
Scald the milk with the cinnamon. Melt the chocolate,
add the water, and, when smooth, add to the milk with
the salt and sugar. Cook at least an hour over hot water,
add vanilla, " mull " or beat with an egg-beater, and
serve in chocolate cups with whipped cream.
. COLD DRINKS
There is no reason why any household cannot enjoy
a wide variety of cold drinks with but little expense and
trouble, and without patronizing the soda fountain to
BEVERAGES 137
an undue extent. It takes but little time to make up a few
syrups which may be kept in sterilized bottles for use as
needed. Plain syrup stock, that is a syrup of sugar and
water, should always be kept on hand both in winter and
summer, as it provides a rich, smooth sweetening for any
drink, hot or cold, besides saving considerable time in
preparation when it is needed. In other words, it is a
" short cut " to have syrup enough for instant use in
making a number of lemonades, or whatever the drink
may be, instead of stopping to boil it each time.
Plain Syrup Stock
2 quarts water 6 pounds sugar
Boil together five minutes. Can hot in sterilized jars.
Allow i tablesftoonful to a person in sweetening any fresh
fruit drink.
Chocolate Syrup
3 pounds cocoa (not rich in 2 pounds granulated sugar
fat) , i quart warm water
Dissolve the cocoa in a pint of cold water ; dissolve
the sugar in the warm water, add the dissolved cocoa,
bring to boiling point and can hot in sterilized jars.
Chocolate Milk Shake
Use J cupful of the syrup to f cupful of milk.
Use 3 tablespoon fuls syrup, -J cupful milk, I table-
spoonful cream and i well-beaten egg.
Coffee Syrup
i$ quarts strong coffee 3 pounds sugar
Make the coffee very strong i pound coffee to if
quarts of water. Clear and strain; combine with the
sugar and bring to boiling point. Can hot in sterilized
bottles. It will keep indefinitely.
Use 2 tablespoon fuls of the coffee syrup to f cupful
milk.
Iced Coffee
Use 3 tablespoonfuls of the coffee syrup to i table-
spoonful cream and J cupful milk.
138 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Coffee Egg Shake
Use 3 tablespoonfuls of coffee syrup, i well-beaten egg,
I tablespoonful cream and \ cupful milk.
Pineapple Syrup
I pint bottle preserved pine- i* pounds sugar
apple juice or a pint of 3 cupfuls water
canned pineapple juice
Dissolve the sugar in the water; add the pineapple juice
and bring to boiling-point. Can hot in sterilized bottles.
This will keep indefinitely.
Use 3 tablespoonfuls of pineapple syrup juice, -J lemon
and J cupful ice water.
Vanilla Syrup
3 pounds sugar 2 tablespoonfuls vanilla ex-
ii quarts water tract
Dissolve the sugar in the water. Boil five minutes, add
the vanilla and can hot in sterilized bottles.
Use 2 tablespoonfuls of vanilla syrup to J cupful milk.
Malted Milk Egg
Use I tablespoonful malted milk dissolved in I table-
spoonful desired syrup, I well-beaten egg and \ cupful
milk.
Lemon Syrup
6 large lemons . 6 pounds granulated sugar
2 J quarts cold water
Grate the lemon rind into the sugar, add the lemon
juice, and let stand, covered, five or six hours. Then add
the water, stir till dissolved, strain, and can hot in steril-
ized jars. This will keep a month in a cold place.
Lemonade
Use 4 tablespoonfuls of the syrup to f cupful water.
Orangeade Syrup
6 large oranges 2^ quarts cold water
i large lemon 6 pounds sugar
Grate the rinds into the sugar, add the fruit juices and
BEVERAGES 139
cover. Let stand six hours, then add the water, stir un-
til dissolved, and strain. Can hot in sterilized jars.
This will keep four weeks in a cold place.
Use 4 tablespoonfuls of syrup to f cupful water and I
teaspoonful fresh lemon juice.
Orangeade
2 cupfuls sugar I quart water
I cupful orange juice i cupful lemon juice
Boil the sugar and water ten minutes with the orange
rinds. Remove the rinds, chill the syrup, add the fruit
juices and dilute to taste. Serve very cold with a bit of
orange or mint as a garnish. This makes ten small
glasses.
Raspberry or Loganberry Ade
1 quart can home-preserved i cupful sugar
raspberries or loganberries 2 cupfuls water
Juice 2 lemons Ice water
Boil together the sugar and water for ten minutes.
Cool, add the raspberry, which should be quite liquid,
turn in the lemon juice and let stand two hours to ripen.
Dilute with ice water to desired strength, and serve with-
out straining. The amount of water to be added depends
upon the richness of the fruit. Usually this amount will
make sixteen to twenty small glasses.
Pineapple Lemonade
2 cupfuls hot water i can grated pineapple
i cupful sugar Juice 3 lemons
4 cupfuls ice water
Make a syrup by boiling the sugar and water ten min-
utes. Cool. Add the pineapple and lemon juice.
Strain, add the ice water and serve in lemonade glasses.
This makes sixteen to twenty glasses.
Ginger Sorbet
1 pound candied ginger Juice 2 oranges
2 cupfuls sugar 2 quarts water
i cupful lemon juice
Chop the ginger fine, add it to the water and sugar and
boil fifteen minutes. Cool, and add water to make it
I 4 o MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
ten cups; add the fruit juice and serve either in glasses
half-filled with crushed ice, or diluted with ice water. A
cupful of cooked rhubarb juice, or one of strong tea, is
a great addition. This will make sixteen small glasses.
Rhubarbade
i pound diced rhubarb Juice i orange
i cupful sugar Juice 2 lemons
i cupful water i quart ice water
Bit of ginger root
Bake the first four ingredients till the rhubarb is soft
and pink. Strain, add the fruit juices and ice water,
chill and serve. This makes from twelve to sixteen small
glasses.
Turkish Punch
I quart canned apricots 2 cupfuls canned apple juice
I cupful sugar or cider
I cupful water Juice i orange
Juice i lemon
Rub the apricots through a coarse sieve. Boil the
sugar and water together for ten minutes and add to the
apricots. When cool, follow with the other fruit juices.
Let stand two hours to ripen, and dilute with ice water,
or serve in punch cups half-filled with crushed ice and
accompanied by straws. This makes twenty small punch
cupfuls.
Varsity Punch
Juice 8 oranges 3i cupfuls sugar
i cupful lime juice 5 cupfuls water
i large can shredded pine- Ice water
apple
Boil the sugar and the water together for ten minutes.
Chill, pour it over the fruit and lime juice and let stand
two hours. Dilute to taste with ice water. This serves
forty guests.
Picnic Punch
i can grated pineapple i quart grape, currant, logan-
3 cupfuls boiling water berry or strawberry juice
i cupful freshly-made tea i bottle Apollinaris
Juice 6 lemons i quart sugar and i pint
Juice 10 oranges water simmered together 5
minutes
BEVERAGES 141
Cook the pineapple twenty minutes in the boiling water
and strain. Cool, add the remaining fruit juices, the tea
and the cooled syrup. Add the Apollinaris just before
serving. It is better to make the punch a few hours
.ahead and let it stand, closely covered, on ice to chill and
ripen. At serving-time, add the Apollinaris and water
to dilute to the strength desired. Strawberries, mint
leaves, or slices of banana are often added as a garnish.
This serves fifty guests.
Grapefruit Punch
i quart water Juice i lemon
1 1 cupfuls sugar i cupful shredded Mara-
i pint grapefruit juice schino cherries
i cupful bits grapefruit pulp Shaved ice
Boil the sugar and water together for ten minutes.
Cool, add the fruits and fruit juices and let stand an hour
to ripen. Serve in glasses half-filled with shaved ice.
If necessary, use additional sugar. This amount will
fill twenty small punch glasses.
Grape Punch
i pint grape juice 2 quarts water
Juice 2 lemons i cupful sugar
Juice 2 oranges i cupful halved and seeded
i cupful cut oranges Tokay grapes
Boil the sugar and water together for ten minutes.
Cool, add the fruit juices and fruit and either serve with
cracked ice, or iced in a punch bowl. This amount serves
twelve guests.
Cranberry Punch
i quart cranberries Juice 7 lemons
Juice 4 oranges i pint can shredded pineapple
4 quarts water Granulated sugar
Boil the cranberries in one-half the water for thirty
minutes ; sift, add two-thirds as much sugar as cran-
berry juice to the remaining water and boil five minutes.
Chill both mixtures, combine, add fruit juices and pine-
apple and serve with cracked ice. This amount will serve
forty guests.
142 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Cranberryade
i pint cold water Juice 2 lemons
i pint cranberries I cupful sugar
Cook the cranberries in the water until they burst.
Add the sugar and boil one minute ; cool, strain, add the
lemon juice and dilute with cold water to the desired
strength. This amount will serve from eight to ten
guests.
Apricot Punch
I quart can apricots ii cupfuls sugar
I quart boiling water Juice 2 lemons
Chop the apricots very fine and add the juice to them.
Boil together the sugar and water for ten minutes ; add to
the apricots and let cool. Then add the lemon juice and
dilute with ice water or cracked ice to the desired
strength. This serves twenty guests.
Hot Grape Juice
For each cupful of grape juice allow a clove and a half-
inch stick of cinnamon bark. Heat barely to boiling
point, remove the spice, and serve with plain toasted
crackers.
Colonial Fruit Punch
I quart of canned red cher- i quart bottle Apollinaris
ries Sugar to sweeten, about i
i cupful orange juice cupful dissolved in i quart
1 cupful lemon juice boiling water
2 sliced bananas
Dissolve the sugar in the boiling water and cool the
mixture. Combine with the cherries and fruit juices;
chill and, just before serving, add the bananas and Apol-
linaris.
Fruit Punch
2 cupfuls sugar i pint strawberry syrup
i cupful water Juice 5 lemons
I cupful tea Juice 5 oranges
i quart Apollinaris i can grated pineapple
Ice water to make ii gallons i pint Maraschino cherries
Boil the sugar and water ten minutes. Add tea, fruit
juices, pineapple and syrup. Let stand thirty minutes.
BEVERAGES 143
Strain, and add ice water to make ij gallons of liquid.
Turn into a punch bowl over a large piece of ice and
add the cherries and Apollinaris. This serves fifty people.
Tolland Cup
To each service allow from two to three tablespoonfuls
of maple syrup, and f cupful coffee of medium strength.
Let stand to become very cold. Serve in tall, slender
glasses, garnish with whipped cream, sweetened with
maple syrup, and sprinkled with scraped maple sugar.
CHAPTER III
FRUITS
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL
PREPARING FRESH FRUITS FOR SERVING
Unless fruit is freshly picked and is free from dust and
from all possible contamination, it should always be thor-
oughly washed before serving. This includes bananas,
Oranges, grapes and all fruits. The easiest way to wash
the larger fruits is to put them in a colander and rinse
them thoroughly in cold water ; then drain them on paper
towels. This should be done as soon as they come into
the kitchen. Blackberries, strawberries and raspberries
should be put in the colander, rinsed quickly, and then
hulled, care being used to rid the fruit of all possible in-
sects.
Oranges to be Eaten with a Spoon
The fruit should be cut in halves crosswise and, if
these do not stand level, a thin slice of skin may be cut
from the ends. The pulp around the edge should then
be loosened by a curved grapefruit knife, which makes
the process very quick. The membrane between the sec-
tions should be loosened until it is tender, and, if there
is much pith in the center, it should be removed.
Oranges Flower Fashion
Cut down the skin in quarters, and then in eighths, to
within an inch of the blossom end; then strip down in
points and fold them over.
Orange Sections on a Strip of Peel
Cut an inch band around the 'orange crosswise through
the center, remove the remaining skin, cut the strip and
open out the sections.
144
FRUITS 145
Oranges au Naturel
Separate the orange into sections, arrange around a
mound of sugar, or an individual plate, separating the sec-
tions with a few cluster raisins. Allow five sections to
a person.
To Obtain Orange and Grapefruit Sections for Fruit Cups
and Salads
Pare the fruit with a sharp knife till the juice runs
and then cut out each section separately with a sharp
knife. This is a quick method, and when it is used there
is not only less waste but the pulp is kept whole and in
perfect condition. These sections are called " carpels."
Sliced Oranges, Pullman Fashion
Pare the oranges with a sharp knife, slice thin cross-
wise, and arrange in glass dessert dishes with a little
sugar between each slice. Chill thoroughly. If desired,
some sweetened pineapple juice, or the juice from other
canned fruit, may be poured over the orange slices, and
the whole well-chilled. Cocoanut may be sprinkled over
the serving if to act as a dessert.
Oranges en Casserole
Select thin-skinned Florida oranges, cut in halves,
scoop out the seeds, fill the centers with sugar, arrange
the halves in a glass casserole, pour in a cupful of water,
and place a bit of butter on each half. Cook, covered, in
a moderate oven till the skins are tender, about two
hours. Then uncover to brown.
Orange Compote
6 navel oranges 2 cupfuls granulated sugar
i lemon 2 cupfuls apricot juice
i cupful water
Separate the oranges into sections without breaking
the membrane. Make a syrup of the water, sugar, apri-
cot and lemon juice, boiling five minutes, or until it
threads. Add oranges, cover and cool. Chill at least
an hour before serving.
146 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
To Prepare Grapefruit
Wash and cut the grapefruit in halves crosswise ; cut
around the outer edge of the pulp with a grapefruit knife.
Snip the connecting cellulose with sharp scissors, and re-
move it with the center membrane, leaving the sections of
pulp whole and in their places.
If desired sweet, fill the centers with sugar and let
stand two hours before serving. If to be served without
sugar as a luncheon appetizer, add a drop of tabasco
sauce and a raw oyster.
Grapefruit, Filled with Tokay Grapes
Allow half a grapefruit to twelve Tokay grapes for
each person. Loosen the grapefruit pulp, cutting the
membrane and lifting it out as directed. Halve and seed
the grapes. Add as much sugar to the grapefruit as is
desired. Heap on the Tokay grapes and set aside for
two hours occasionally " basting " the grapes with the
grapefruit juice, as it accumulates.
Bananas with Lemon Juice
Wash and dry the bananas. Cut the ends off square
and split the fruit in halves lengthwise. Divide the pulp
in the skin into convenient mouth fuls, sprinkle with lemon
juice and then plentifully with powdered sugar. Serve
from the skins.
Baked Bananas with Raisins
Peel the bananas and split lengthwise. Place in a
baking dish, sprinkle the banana lightly with sugar and
a little lemon juice, add a few raisins and water barely
to cover the bottom of the dish. Cover and bake till
tender, about twenty minutes, basting every five minutes
with the water in the pan.
Baked Bananas with Cranberry Syrup
Peel the bananas and leave them whole. Place in a
baking dish and- put a bit of butter on each. Bake in
a moderate oven twenty-five minutes, basting often with
a little cranberry syrup. Serve with additional syrup as
a sauce.
WAYS TO SERVE ORANGES : FLOWER FASHION, ON A STRIP
OF PEEL, SLICED WITH COCOANUT AND CHERRIES,
ORANGE CLUB SANDWICH AU NATUREL
WAYS TO SERVE STRAWBERRIES: STRAWBERRIES AU NATUREL,
STRAWBERRY CUP, STRAWBERRY BASKET,
STRAWBERRY FANCHONNETTE.
FRUITS 147
Fried Bananas
Peel the bananas and cut in slices lengthwise and then
crosswise. Brown gently in bacon fat and serve with
broiled or baked bacon, or with lamb. If desired, they
may be browned in butter or a good vegetable oil. In
the latter case they should be slightly salted, and, if de-
sired, may be lightly sprinkled with sugar, and a few
drops of lemon juice.
Pineapple au Naturel
i ripe pineapple Powdered sugar
Dissect the pineapple into sections by means of a fork,
separating around each " eye." It will be dissected easily
into wedge-shaped pieces. Make mounds of powdered
sugar on individual plates by packing it into a small after-
dinner coffee cup or timbale mould; surround with the
pineapple sections, and serve garnished with leaves of
the pineapple. To eat, use the ringers, dipping the fruit
into the sugar.
Sweetened Pineapple
Pare the pineapple and remove the eyes with the pine-
apple scissors, then grasp the crown of the pineapple
firmly and shred down the pulp with a silver fork, leav-
ing the core. Sprinkle liberally with granulated sugar,
add a dash of lemon juice if desired, transfer to a covered
glass jar and let chill a few hours before serving. If
the pineapple is not very juicy, add a little warm water
with the sugar.
Pineapple and Fruit, Fresh or Half-Frozen
I large pineapple i pint sliced oranges, sliced
Sugar to taste bananas, sliced pears or
halved strawberries
Cut off the crown of the pineapple. Pare away the
base so that it will set even, and with a knife and strong
spoon scoop out the pulp. Then separate it from the
core. Add this pulp to the other fruit, sweeten to taste,
put in a covered jar, and pack in three parts of ice to
one part of salt. Let stand an hour. When ready to
serve turn into the chilled pineapple shell and garnish the
base with pineapple leaves.
148 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Frosted Grapes
Select large Malaga or Tokay grapes. After washing
and drying rub them lightly with egg white, applying it
with the ringers. Sift granulated sugar over them so
that they are " frosted " and set in a draft of air to dry.
Use as a garnish for fruit cups, grape sherbet, etc.
Strawberries au Naturel
Make mounds of the sugar by packing it into small
timbale moulds and turning out into the center of small
plates. Brush the berries to remove any grit (do not
wash unless absolutely necessary) and do not remove
the hulls. Place in a circle around the sugar and eat with
the fingers.
Strawberries Italian
Hull the berries, rinse with cold water and arrange
in a jar in layers with sugar to sweeten. Add a little
warm water to start the juice and the juice of half a
lemon to a quart of berries. Let chill several hours be-
fore serving.
To Prepare Blackberries, Loganberries and Raspberries
Hull and rinse, arrange in layers with sugar to sweeten,
add a little warm water to start the juice and chill for
two hours.
To Serve Peaches
The quickest method for removing the skins is to scald
the fruit with boiling water. If to stand any length of
time before serving, sprinkle with sugar and a few drops
of lemon juice to prevent discoloration.
Another method, when the peaches are large, is to re-
move the skins, cut the fruit in halves lengthwise, take
out the stones, heap the centers with powdered sugar and
serve the two halves on a small plate.
Halved Stuffed Peaches
Select large ripe peaches, peel them, and cut in halves,
allowing one peach to each person. Sprinkle lightly with
powdered sugar and lemon juice, and fill the centers of
FRUITS 149
each with chopped, blanched almonds and raspberry jam.
Serve with or without whipped cream.
Baked Rhubarb
cupful raisins I pound rhubarb, about 2
I cupful boiling water cupfuls cut in i-inch pieces
I cupful sugar
Do not skin the rhubarb. Combine it with the raisins
and water, and bake in a covered dish till the rhubarb
is soft and pink. Add the sugar halfway of the cooking.
Coddled Pears
Select a dozen winter pears, wash thoroughly and place
in an open stewpan with a cupful and a half of light
brown sugar, two and one-half cupfuls of water and the
rind of a lemon. Stew very slowly uncovered, turning
often, for about two hours. Replenish the water if neces-
sary. Remove the pears and cook the syrup down to a
thick consistency. Add a tablespoonful of lemon juice
to it and pour over the pears.
Apples with Cheese
Select apples of marked flavor and good color. Serve
well-polished, passing Neufchatel or cream cheese. The
apple is to be sliced, the cheese spread upon it and eaten
by means of the ringers. This is a typical Italian dish.
Broiled Apples
Pare the apples and core them, cut in thick, crosswise
slices, dip in crumbs and melted butter, and broil gently
until they are tender.
West India Baked Apples
Large tart apples Sugar
Bananas Cinnamon
Wash apples, remove cores and cut slices off the base so
that they will rest evenly. Peel the bananas and insert a
piece in place of the apple cores. Dust with cinanmon,
place a spoonful of sugar on top, and set in baking dish,
containing a little water, to bake. Cook in a moderate
oven, basting occasionally, till tender. Serve cold.
I 5 o MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Baked Apple Sauce
8 apples i cupful water to cover par-
1 cupful granulated sugar tially
Wash, pare and core the apples. Cut in eighths. Place
in a baking dish or casserole with the sugar and water,
cover and bake till deep red in a slow oven. This will
take about three hours.
Apples Baked in Maple Syrup
6 apples i cupful maple syrup
Bananas i cupful water
Lemon peel
Core the apples, and insert in each a piece of banana.
Set the apples in a baking dish ; add the syrup, lemon
peel and water, cover and bake gently until tender, basting
occasionally. Remove the ipples, boil down the syrup
till it threads, pour over the apples and serve very cold
with soft custard or whipped cream flavored with maple
syrup.
Coddled Apples
6 medium-sized rosy apples cupful sugar
2 cupfuls boiling water Few peelings orange rind
Wash the apples and simmer slowly until tender in a
syrup made of the other three ingredients, turning the
apples often so that they will cook evenly. When done,
transfer to a platter, and boil down the syrup until it is
thick and dark. Pour over the apples. Serve very cold
with plain or whipped cream, or boiled custard. Remove
the orange rind before the syrup is boiled down.
Apple Cups with. Rice
6 rosy apples i cupful soft custard, if de-
i cupful sugar sired
i cupful boiled brown or un-
coated rice
Wash the apples, cut off the tops, and with a small
sharp teaspoon remove the centers forming cups. Cook
gently in a syrup of 2 cupfuls of water to i cupful of
sugar, until tender. Carefully shape and fill the centers
with boiled rice. Pour over the syrup from the apples,
FRUITS 151
which has been simmered until thick. Cool and serve
with whipped cream.
Apples, Cranberry Style
Select perfect apples, core them and fill the spaces with
cranberry conserve or jelly. Bake gently, basting fre-
quently with a syrup made of equal parts of sugar and
water. When tender, transfer to a serving-dish and pour
over them the syrup which should be thick enough to jelly.
Chill the apples, and serve with whipped cream flavored
with sifted cranberry sauce ; use one-fourth cupful of this
to one cupful of heavy cream, sweetened to taste.
Stewed Plums with Chestnuts
i* cupfuls sugar ii cupfuls boiled chestnuts
2& lemons 2 dozen purple plums
ii cupfuls water
Boil the sugar and water together for ten minutes ; then
add the lemon, sliced thin, and the plums, cooking gently
till they are tender. Remove the plums and cook down
the syrup one-half. In the meantime remove the shells
from the chestnuts, add to the syrup when it is done and
pour over the plums. Serve very cold.
Fruit Cups or Cocktails
Fruit Cups or Cocktails may be made of almost any
fruit in combination with one or two others, if properly
sweetened and flavored. As the portions should be small,
not more than two tablespoonfuls of fruit and juice to
a person, the fruit cocktail can often be made of materials
which are on hand. In many instances, as with currants
and other fruits which are very acid, the smoothness
of the cocktail depends upon a little preliminary cooking.
For instance, to make a cocktail of a cupful of currants,
a few raspberries and a little mint, sugar, in proportion
to the acidity of the currants, should be combined with
them together with a little tepid water, not more than two
tablespoonfuls, and the whole gently cooked for about
five minutes. If this is done, the fruit may be kept for
several days, the raw raspberries and a trace of mint be-
ing added at least two hours before serving time so that
the flavors may become blended. It is a good plan to put
152 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
the cocktail together in a glass jar early in the day and
let it stand next to the ice till serving-time. If raw fruits
entirely are to be used, they should be allowed to stand
in a syrup made of a cupful of sugar to a half cupful of
water to insure smoothness of flavor. Many fruits are
greatly improved by the addition of a little lemon juice
not enough to make the cocktail sour, but just a dash
to heighten the natural flavor. Various combinations of
fruits, suitable to use in cocktails, are :
1. Blackberries and sugar syrup (as above) with nut-
meg and lemon juice to season.
2. Red raspberries, diced oranges and sugar syrup.
3. Shredded fresh pineapple, with stoned cherries and
sugar syrup, or diced oranges and syrup, with or without
a trace of mint.
4. Small cubes or tiny balls of watermelon, diced pine-
apple, syrup and lemon juice to taste.
5. Cubed canteloupe, with sugar syrup, nutmeg and
lemon juice to taste, if desired.
6. Blackberries, syrup and diced banana.
7. Diced peaches, syrup, minced angelica, a few stoned
cherries and a little diced orange.
Grapefruit Cup No. I
Remove the pulp from three large grapefruit. Cut
each section in thirds, or halves, according to size.
Sprinkle with sugar and chill. Serve plain or with a
garnish of mint leaves, with one tablespoonful of grape
juice poured over each serving.
Grapefruit Cup No. II
3 grapefruit $ cupful seeded and quar-
6 Maraschino cherries, tered Malaga grapes
shredded I tablespoonful lemon juice
6 tablespoonfuls sugar
Peel the grapefruit and remove the sections, cutting
each one in thirds ; add the sugar, grapes and lemon juice
and let stand, covered, one hour in a cold place to ripen.
Pour into frappe glasses and decorate with shredded cher-
ries.
FRUITS 153
Grapefruit Cup No. Ill
2 large grapefruit 4 tablespoonfnls candied gin-
Granulated sugar ger
4 canned-pear halves
Prepare the grapefruit and cut the pulp in small pieces.
Sweeten and add the other ingredients and let stand in
a cold place to chill. Serve in glass cups, and sprinkle
with a little extra ginger for a garnish.
Orange Mint Cocktail
6 oranges cut into sections, i tablespoonful lemon juice
all membrane being re- 6 sprigs mint
moved Powdered sugar
3 tablespoonfuls fresh mint,
minced
Mix together the orange sections, minced mint and
lemon juice with sugar to sweeten. Let stand at least
two hours in a cold place, then divide into six cocktail
glasses, or small sherbet glasses, and garnish each serving
with a sprig of mint.
Prune and Orange Cup
18 cooked prunes 3 oranges
Halve the oranges and remove the pulp with a spoon.
Remove the stones from the prunes and cut the prunes in
thirds. Mix with the orange pulp; add a little sugar if
necessary and let chill. In the meantime wash the orange
shells well and dry them. Re-fill with the mixture, and
serve on plates covered with paper doilies.
Watermelon Cup
To each pint of watermelon balls (made with a French
potato scoop) add J cupful of sugar, -J tablespoonful
lemon juice, six minced Maraschino cherries, and six
cooked raisins. Let stand to become very cold and serve
in frappe glasses.
Banana Cup
6 ripe bananas 6 tablespoonfuls powdered
2 grapefruit (pulp and juice) sugar
2 oranges 6 candied cherries
i 5 4 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Peel the bananas and form into tiny balls with a
French potato cutter. Remove the pulp from the oranges
and grapefruit, cut in bits and add to the balls with all
available fruit juice. Add the sugar and let the mixture
stand until well-chilled ; serve in high sherbet cups. Gar-
nish with the cherries. Use the banana pulp remaining
from the balls toward a dessert for the next day. (See
Banana Bavarian Cream.)
Summer Fruit Cup
Let slices of peeled peaches, bits of prepared pineap-
ple, stoned cherries, white grapes, seeded and skinned, and
orange juice, stand in their own juice and syrup to half
cover, until thoroughly chilled. Serve in tall glasses, as
an appetizer, with a few spoonfuls of any fruit sherbet
or water-ice.
Fig Fruit Cup
2 cupfuls cooked figs, cut i tablespoonful lemon juice
into bits I cupful quartered marsh-
i cupful peaches, cut into mallows
bits
Mix thoroughly. Let stand in a cold place two hours,
and serve with or without whipped cream. Use only as
a dessert.
Cantaloupe Cup
Wash small melons, cut in halves crosswise, scrape out
the seeds, scoop out the pulp with a spoon. To each
cupful of pulp add an equal quantity of shredded pine-
apple, J cupful of currant or raspberry jam, i tablespoon-
ful lemon juice, a grating of nutmeg and sugar to taste.
Let stand, covered, for two hours in the ice-box. Re-
fill the shells and serve individually, each on a grape leaf.
If desirable, the fruit may be chilled in an ice-cream
freezer with one-quarter as much salt as ice.
It should not be allowed to remain more than two hours
as it will turn to ice.
Fruit Soups
Fruit soups are made of sifted, stewed fruit, sweetened,
thickened with corn starch, arrowroot or tapioca to the
FRUITS 155
consistency of a cream soup, sweetened to taste while
hot, and flavored with a dash of lemon juice, or a little
spice. They are then chilled and served in tiny bowls,
or bouillon cups, as appetizers, or in glasses as informal
desserts or for the children's supper.
General Directions for Fruit Soups
Currants, cherries, raspberries, blueberries and grapes,
as well as rhubarb and strawberries, may be used. As
much water again may be added over that generally used
in the plain stewing of fruit. A tablespoonful of corn
starch or arrowroot, dissolved in a little cold water, should
be used to thicken each pint of liquid. Sugar and a few
grains of salt may be added to taste. A tablespoonful
of pearl tapioca, or a half tablespoonful of quick tapioca,
should be used to each cupful and a half of " soup " if
this thickening is chosen.
DRIED FRUITS
During the winter months, when fresh fruits are ex-
pensive and, in some cases, not to be obtained, the dried
fruit fills the breach, offering in great variety the miner-
als and acids that are necessary to sustenance. It is not
generally known that during the process of evaporation
all fruits undergo a slight chemical change increasing the
amount of sugar which they contain. The reason that
dried fruit sauces frequently taste insipid is because this
latent sugar is entirely ignored, the sauce being sweet-
ened until the tart fruit flavor is entirely overcome.
Prunes, for instance, contain a large percentage of sugar,
almost identical with cane sugar, yet the majority of
housewives add an excess amount ,of sweetening, and
then say that " Their family will not eat prunes." Really
good cooking consists in developing natural flavors, and
well-cooked dried fruits are redolent with their own de-
liciousness. Just as lemon juice is frequently added to
brighten fresh pineapple, or orange juice to strawberries,
the evaporated fruits are often made more sparkling by
the addition of other flavors. Ground cinnamon or cloves
may be occasionally used with prunes, ginger root or
candied ginger with pears, while orange and lemon rind
156 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
and juice, or a little tart jelly, are additions to all varie-
ties.
General Directions for Cooking Dried Fruits
The dried fruits in common winter use are pears,
peaches, apricots, prunes, loganberries, strawberries and
figs, while dates have a definite place in combination with
other materials. Only the sun- or home-dried varieties
should be used. Because of the tough skin, it is usually
necessary to soften and cook them before they appear in
any way. First of all, they must be washed thoroughly,
then submerged in warm water for twelve hours in a cov-
ered utensil. At the end of this time they will have swol-
len to their original shape, and, although uncooked, are
already tender. The cooking may be done in three ways
in the double boiler, in a crock in the oven, or in the
fireless cooker. In any case the water in which they are
soaked serves as the liquid, the seasoning, as orange rind
or spice, is put in at the beginning of the process; the
liquid must not boil, and the sugar is not added until the
last half hour. As a general rule, not less than two
hours should be allowed for cooking prunes, apricots and
peaches, while pears and figs are improved by three or
four hours' time. Loganberries may be cooked in an
hour. Like most of the dried fruits, prunes and figs are
laxative, partly because of their coarse skin, and partly
because of marked purgative properties.
Stewed Prunes
i pound prunes Rind of half an orange
Water to cover about 3 cupful sugar (if desired)
cupfuls
Wash the prunes, brush and soak over night in cold
water to cover; in the morning add the orange rind and
bring very slowly to boiling point, then set back on the
range and let cook slowly for two hours. Add sugar, if
desired, after an hour and a half of cooking. Or, after
reaching boiling point, put in a double boiler and let cook
three hours.
FRUITS 157
Thickened Prunes
1 cupful prunes il tablespoonfuls corn starch
2 cupfuls water or arrowroot or 2 table-
i cupful sugar spoonfuls quick tapioca
Few grains salt A few shavings of orange
rind
i tablespoonful lemon juice
Wash the prunes and soak for twenty-four hours in
two cupfuls of water. Add the orange rind and salt, and
cook the prunes until nearly tender. Add the sugar and
finish cooking. Skim out the prunes from the syrup.
There should be one and one-half cupfuls of liquid left.
If there is not, add boiling water to make up the balance.
Thicken with the corn starch dissolved in a little cold
water, and let boil up. Add the lemon juice. Remove
the stones from the prunes. Add the prune syrup to the
fruit and serve hot on French toast, or ice cold, plain or
with whipped cream.
Pickled Prunes
1 pound small prunes i teaspoonful allspice
Juice and rind two lemons 2 peppercorns
4 blades mace 2 cupfuls sugar
2 teaspoonfuls whole cloves i cupful vinegar
Wash the prunes and put on to cook in one quart of
water. Add the lemon rind, and the spices tied in a cloth,
and simmer for two hours, replenishing the water as it
evaporates. Add the sugar and cook an hour longer, turn
in the vinegar and lemon juice and boil for five minutes.
Cool and serve with game, poultry or roast lamb.
Baked Figs
i pound pulled or layer figs i cupful sugar
Rind and juice i orange Dash salt
Wash the figs thoroughly and soak over night in water
to cover. Place in an earthen dish, with salt and the
grated orange rind, and bake very gently for three hours.
Then add the sugar, cool, add the orange juice, and serve
with or without whipped cream.
Marshmallow Figs
Wash pulled figs and let stand over night in water to
158 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
cover. In the morning cook in the same water in a
double boiler till tender (or bake, as directed in previous
recipe) ; add a little candied orange peel. When done,
remove and simmer down the syrup directly over the fire.
Cut a slit in each fig, and insert half a marshmallow.
Arrange in high sherbet glasses, pour over the syrup, and
serve very cold, with or without whipped cream.
Stewed Figs
i pound pulled or dried figs i cupful sugar
Juice i lemon
Wash the figs and put in a double boiler top, with cold
water barely to cover. Let stand twelve hours, then
set over hot water and cook gently until tender. Remove
the figs, add the sugar to the remaining liquid and boil
hard for ten minutes. Cool, add lemon juice and pour
over figs.
Stewed Dried Pears
i pound dried pears Juice and rind \ lemon
I cupful brown sugar i quart cold water
Wash the pears; put to soak for twelve hours in the
water to become soft. Then set over a low heat to sim-
mer, cooking with the lemon rind until nearly tender;
sweeten, cook ten minutes longer, cool and add the lemon
juice.
Dried Apricot Jam
1 pound dried apricots Water
2 lemons Granulated sugar
i orange
Soak the apricots over night with the sliced orange and
lemon rind and pulp ; then stew very slowly, until soft, in
the same water barely to cover; sift through a coarse
colander and add two-thirds as much granulated sugar as
apricot pulp. Simmer down very slowly till of the con-
sistency of apple butter or jam, then seal in sterilized
glasses.
CHAPTER IV
CEREALS
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL
GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR COOKING
CEREALS
In preparing cereals put the right amount of boiling
water into the upper part of the double boiler, add a tea-
spoonful of salt to each pint of water and, when this is
boikng rapidly, stir in the necessary amount of cereal
with a fork so slowly that the liquid does not stop boiling,
for if this happens the cereal is liable to fall to the bottom
of the utensil and the grains stick together, causing
lumps. The cereal will have to be stirred occasionally
during the direct cookery, which should last fifteen
minutes. The method of cooking over the direct flame is
used quickly to burst the grains, so that the starch may
come at once in contact with the boiling water and receive
its fair quota of cookery. It may then be set over the
lower part of the double boiler containing boiling water
and be allowed to cook the remaining time designated in
the following table.
If desired, the first cookery may be done at night while
the dishes are being washed, and be finished in the morn-
ing. If a long-time cereal is to be prepared, it may be
entirely cooked the day before, left in the double boiler
with the lid on to prevent the formation of crust, and, in
the morning, a little hot water poured over the top, and
the cereal gradually heated. When it is hot, it may be
gently stirred with a fork and the hot water will slowly
diffuse into the cereal, making it soft but not lumpy.
This same process may be employed in re-heating left-
over cereals for the next day's use.
i6o
MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Kind Quantity Salt Water
cupfuls teaspoonfuls cupfuls
i 2s
2i 2i
ii
Farina
Rolled Oats
Rice Steamed
Brown Rice Steamed
Plain Boiled Rice
Brown Rice Boiled
Whole Oatmeal
Fine Hominy
Coarse Hominy or Samp
Cornmeal
Bran
3!
ii
i|
2
i4
5
4^
3
3
4^
4i
4
3
4
6
3
Time
45 minutes
45 minutes
45 minutes
45 minutes
25 minutes
45 minutes
3 hours
I hour
3 hours
3 hours
5 hours
The many steam-cooked and " partly-cooked " cereals
on the market should be cooked one hour despite the
directions on the package.
Fried Meat Mush
Prepare cornmeal mush by adding a scant cupful of
home-ground cornmeal to a quart of boiling water con-
taining i l / 2 teaspoonfuls of salt. Let it cook slowly for
thirty minutes, then add a generous pinch of sage leaves,
and from one to two cupfuls of minced cold meat beef,
lamb, ham, or veal, left-over cooked sausage or bacon,
or a mixture of them. Pour into a small bread tin or
pound baking powder cans and let stiffen. Unmould, dip
in flour, and fry either in deep fat or in bacon drippings.
Fried Cornmeal Mush
I quart boiling water I teaspoonful salt
Home-ground cornmeal A little sage
Make an ordinary thick mush of the boiling water and
cornmeal. Season with the salt and pour in a shallow
pan to stiffen. Then dip in a beaten egg diluted with half
a cupful of milk ; then in fine dry crumbs, and fry in bacon
fat, or in deep fat. Serve with crisp bacon. Or omit the
sage, fry in deep fat and serve with syrup.
4 cupfuls boiling water
ii teaspoonfuls salt
Light cream
Mush, Hunter's Style
I cupful home-ground corn-
meal
Scraped maple sugar
Add the salt to the water, then gradually sprinkle in
CEREALS 161
the cornmeal. Let cook fifteen minutes over a free
flame ; then forty-five minutes in a double boiler. Serve
with cream and scraped maple sugar.
Hominy and Nut Roll
if cupfuls chopped English I teaspoonful pepper
walnut meats i cupful fine dry bread
I cupful hominy (coarse) crumbs
ii cupfuls milk (scalded) i teaspoonful minced parsley
i hard-cooked egg ii teaspoonfuls onion juice
i teaspoonful salt
Combine the salt and milk and cook until soft in a
double boiler. Chop the egg and walnuts and add with
other ingredients to the hominy. Season well to taste
and form into a six-inch roll. Cover with buttered crumbs.
Dot with bits of butter or oleomargarine and bake one-
half hour in a moderate oven, basting occasionally with 2
tablespoonfuls of butter (or substitute) melted in J/
cup of hot water. Serve very hot with nut sauce.
Fried Hominy
Pour cooked hominy into baking powder cans that are
well-oiled. Let stiffen ; turn out, dip in flour and fry in
beef drippings, bacon or ham fat or deep fat till browned.
Hominy Omelet
3 cupfuls cooked coarse horn- 2 cupfuls well-seasoned
iny or samp thickened stewed tomatoes
Bacon or sausage fat
Melt the fat in a large frying pan, spread in the
hominy, pack it down, and fry gently until well browned.
Then spread half of the tomato mixture on this, fold it
over, slide onto a platter and serve surrounded by the re-
maining tomato. To make this into a substantial supper
or luncheon dish, garnish it with cooked sausages or
bacon.
Plain Macaroni
1 cupful macaroni, broken in I teaspoonful salt
i-inch pieces ii cupfuls white sauce
2 quarts boiling water
Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water twenty
162 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
minutes, or until soft, and drain in strainer; cold water
may be poured over it to keep the pieces from adhering,
but if this is done food value is lost; add to the white
sauce. Re-heat and serve.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Put a layer of boiled macaroni in a buttered baking
dish, sprinkle with grated cheese, add a second layer of
macaroni and cheese, and pour over White Sauce No. 2,
cover with buttered crumbs and bake till the crumbs are
browned.
Macaroni with Tomatoes
I teaspoonful minced onion ii cupfuls sifted stewed to-
i tablespoonful bacon fat matoes
I tablespoonful flour \ teaspoonful salt
i pint boiled macaroni
Cook the onion in the fat until slightly browned. Add
the flour and gradually the tomato and salt, making a
sauce. Stir in the macaroni, an/d re-heat before serving.
One-half cupful of grated cheese is a pleasant and nutri-
tious addition.
Macaroni with Asparagus
2% cupfuls cooked macaroni 4 tablespoonfuls flour
i bunch cooked asparagus 4 tablespoonfuls butter
i cupful asparagus water i teaspoonful salt
i cupful milk 4 teaspoonful pepper
^ cupful buttered crumbs
Make a sauce of the flour, butter, seasonings, aspara-
gus water (saved from cooking the asparagus) and the
milk. Cut the asparagus in inch lengths. Put a layer of
the macaroni in a buttered baking dish, then one of as-
paragus and the sauce, repeating until the dish is filled.
Finish with the crumbs and bake in a moderate oven till
browned.
Macaroni Winchester
2^ cupfuls cooked macaroni i tablespoonful flour
i can of mushrooms, or 4 tablespoonfuls butter
i cupful fresh mushrooms Few grains nutmeg
cut in quarters Buttered crumbs
i cupfuls chicken stock Salt and pepper to taste
Few drops onion juice
' CEREALS 163
Drain and rinse the mushrooms and cut in quarters.
Saute (fry) till soft (about five minutes) in the butter,
and season with a bit of nutmeg. Add the flour and
onion juice to this, and gradually the chicken stock. Let
boil, turn in the macaroni and put in buttered ramekins.
Sprinkle crumbs over the top and bake till brown in a
quick oven.
Macaroni, Brooklyn Style
2\ cupfuls cooked macaroni i teaspoonful minced pars-
2 cupfuls chicken, or any ley
meat stock Few drops onion juice
2 tablespoon fuls flour Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoonfuls butter 6 eggs
Grated cheese
Make a sauce of the butter, flour, parsley and stock as
usual. Add the cooked macaroni, and half-fill buttered
ramekins with the mixture. Very carefully break a raw
egg in each, dust with salt and pepper and a grating of
cheese, and set in the oven till firm. Serve very hot.
Macaroni Custard
3 cupfuls cooked macaroni ii teaspoonfuls salt
2 cupfuls milk teaspoonful pepper
2 eggs i teaspoonful melted butter
Heat the milk, add the butter and seasonings, and pour
onto the eggs, slightly beaten. Put the macaroni in a
baking-dish, pour on the milk mixture, stand in a pan of
hot water, and bake gently till " set " or firm in the mid-
dle. This will take about thirty minutes.
Macaroni on Toast
ii cupfuls macaroni, cut in ii tablespoonfuls flour
inch lengths i teaspoonful salt
ii cupfuls strained tomato \ teaspoonful pepper
juice i cupful cooked meat, diced
ii tablespoonfuls bacon fat Buttered toast
Cook the macaroni in ample boiling salted water until
tender. Make a sauce of the bacon fat, flour, salt, pepper
and tomato juice and let boil. Add the cooked macaroni
and the meat, and serve on toast.
164 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Spaghetti Italian
1 pound spaghetti i can Italian tomato paste
\ cupful olive oil Water
3 cloves garlic Parmesan cheese
Boil the spaghetti, until tender, in salted water, then
drain. In the meantime fry the garlic till yellowed in the
olive oil. Combine the tomato paste with an equal
amount of water, add to the garlic and oil and simmer
until thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour
this sauce over the spaghetti and serve with plenty of
grated Parmesan cheese.
Spaghetti Italian with Meat Sauce
Observe the proportions in the preceding recipe, with
this addition gently fry three veal chops with the oil
and garlic, adding a little salt. Shred the meat and add it
to the tomato sauce.
Spaghetti with Broiled Ham
2\ cupfuls cooked spaghetti i\ cupfuls canned tomato
2 tablespoon fuls ham fat juice
i teaspoonful minced onion i teaspoonful Worcestershire
I tablespoonful flour i teaspoonful salt
\ cupful grated cheese Few grains cayenne
Make a sauce by melting the ham fat, and cooking the
onion in it until soft, adding the flour, seasonings, and
gradually the tomato juice. Turn in the spaghetti, add
the cheese, let stand to become very hot, and serve with
thin slices of broiled ham as a garnish.
Spaghetti Garden Style
I pound spaghetti i cupful fresh, or canned,
4 tablespoonfuls butter peas
3 tablespoonfuls olive oil i cupful fresh, or canned,
large onion (sliced) string beans
carrot (diced) I cupful canned tomato juice
turnip (diced) 4 tablespoonfuls grated Par-
stalk celery (diced) mesan cheese
tablespoonful minced pars- Salt and pepper
ley
Fry the onion until yellowed in the oil. Add the butter
and, when melted, all the other vegetables, except the peas
and string beans, if they are canned. Cook the mixture
CEREALS 165
gently until the vegetables are done, then add the canned
peas and beans if they are used. Season to taste and
pour over the spaghetti, which should be boiled and
drained. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with the
cheese.
Spaghetti alia Genoese
1 pound spaghetti 3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoonfuls butter 5 anchovies
3 tablespoonfuls olive oil Grated Parmesan cheese
Boil and drain the spaghetti as usual. In the meantime
prepare a sauce by frying the garlic in the olive oil, and
adding the butter when the garlic is yellow. Bone the
anchovies, shred them and add to the sauce. Pour over
the heated spaghetti, mix well and pass the cheese.
Noodles
2 eggs Water
i teaspoonful salt Flour
Break the eggs in a bowl and add two egg-shells full of
cold water. Stir in the salt and work in sifted flour to
make a dough the consistency of pie crust. Knead a lit-
tle, roll into a large sheet of pasteboard thickness, cover
with a cloth and let dry for thirty minutes. Then roll
like jelly roll and with a sharp knife cut the noodles into
thin strips. Use at once, or dry further if they are to be
stored.
Noodles and Tomato Sauce
Boil the noodles until tender in salted water and turn
the liquid into the stock-pot or use toward a cream soup.
Re-heat the noodles in tomato sauce and serve with
steamed frankfurters, baked bacon or sausages, or ac-
companied with grated cheese.
Creamed Noodles
Boil the noodles in salted water, drain them and re-heat
in White Sauce No. 2, allowing a cupful of sauce to two
and a half cupfuls of cooked noodles.
Noodles in Cheese Sauce
Boil the noodles in salted water till tender, drain, re-
i66 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
heat in cheese sauce and serve with or without a garnish
of bacon.
Fried Noodles No. 1
Drop the freshly made noodles into deep fat hot enough
to brown a bit of bread in a minute. Fry until golden
brown, then drain on crumpled paper.
Fried Noodles No. 2
Plain boil the noodles in salted water, drain and chill
them; chop coarsely and fry until brown in savory drip-
pings. This is a good way to use up left-over noodles as a
vegetable.
Cinnamon Noodles
Boil the noodles in milk. When tender drain, season
with butter, dust them with cinnamon and serve hot with
sugar. Or boil them in salted water, drain, dust with
cinnamon and serve with sugar and light cream.
To Blanch Rice
Put the rice over a hot fire in a large saucepan of cold
water and stir occasionally while it is heating. Let boil
five minutes, then drain, and let cold water from the fau-
cet run through it. The rice is now white and clean, and
the grains do not stick to each other. Then proceed to
boil as usual. However, this is a wasteful method, and
absolutely unnecessary unless coated rice is used.
Buttered Rice
3 cupfuls boiled brown or 1 cupful melted butter
uncoated rice
Add the butter to the rice ; mix well with a fork, set in
the oven to re-heat for a few minutes and serve at once.
Curry of Rice
I cupful brown or uncoated 4 tablespoonfuls butter
rice i teaspoonful curry
i$ teaspoonfuls salt
Boil the rice rapidly in ample salted water to cover.
Drain, reserving the liquor towards a soup, and either
dry the rice in the oven, or steam until dry. Then add
CEREALS 167
the butter and curry, creamed together, stirring it in
lightly with a fork. Serve very hot.
Savory Kice
1 cupful brown or uncoated ij teaspoonfuls salt
rice & teaspoonful pepper
2 tablespoonfuls bacon or ii cupfuls stewed tomatoes
sausage fat 2 cupful grated Parmesan
1 onion . cheese
2 cloves 2 cupfuls soup stock or water
Melt the fat in a saucepan, add the onion stuck with
the cloves and the dry rice, and cook until the fat is
taken up. Then add the tomatoes, the salt, pepper and
liquid and let simmer, until the rice is tender and the
liquid absorbed. Remove the onion. Then stir in the
cheese with a fork, set over hot water for ten minutes to
melt the cheese, and serve very hot.
Rice and Pimentoes an Gratin
I cupful brown rice i cupful sliced or grated
I pint milk (scalded) cheese
I small can pimentoes I teaspoonful salt
(minced) i teaspoonful pepper
Boil the rice until tender. Then combine with the
other ingredients, pour into a well-buttered baking dish,
and bake until browned in a hot oven.
Rice with Onions and Peppers
3 cupfuls boiled brown rice i teaspoonful salt
6 onions i teaspoonful pepper
3 green sweet peppers Paprika
i can fresh mushrooms, 3 tablespoonfuls butter or
quartered (optional) olive oil
i cupful grated American or
Parmesan cheese
Shred the onions and peppers and cook until soft and
yellowed in the fat. Add the mushrooms, if they are
used, when the vegetables are half fried. Then add the
rice and seasonings and cook gently, stirring occasionally,
until all is well-heated through. Press down in omelet
shape, and brown. Sprinkle with the cheese, fold over
and turn onto a hot platter. To make this substantial
i68 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
enough for the main dish of a meal add one cupful of
minced ham.
Risotto alia Milanese
ii cupfuls uncoated rice I onion
3 tablespoonfuls olive oil Soup stock
5 tablespoonfuls butter Grated Parmesan cheese
Slice the onion and fry it slowly in the oil. Add the
butter and, when it is melted, the rice, washed and well-
drained. Fry until the rice is yellowed, stirring con-
stantly, and add two cupfuls of the stock. When this has
been absorbed, add more broth until the rice is done. It
should then be of the consistency of spaghetti. Stir in a
little more butter and two tablespoonfuls of cheese.
Risotto with Crabs or Shrimps
i pound crabs or shrimps 4 tablespoonfuls butter
i cupfuls uncoated rice I clove garlic
3 tablespoonfuls olive oil i stalk celery
i onion, sliced I tablespoonful minced pars-
1 small carrot ley
Salt and pepper to taste Grated Parmesan cheese
Dice the carrot and celery and fry them in the oil, then
add the fish, well-washed and dried, and stir constantly
until they are completely red. Pour over two quarts of
salted water, boil for five minutes and remove the fish,
but do not discard the water. Shell half of the fish and
put them aside. Pound the others well, rub them through
a sieve and mix with the water. Fry the onion in the
butter, add the rice, washed and drained, and, when yel-
low, turn in the fish liquor. When almost done, add the
whole fish, and, just before serving, season with salt and
pepper to taste and dust with the cheese.
Savory of Rice with Nuts
3 cupfuls boiled brown rice cupful broken walnuts
2 cupfuls milk or stock i teaspoonful minced onion
2 eggs slightly beaten i tablespoonful pimentoes
\ teaspoonful salt - 2 tablespoonfuls butter
i teaspoonful pepper Coarse buttered crumbs
Soften the onions and pimentoes in the butter. Add
the stock, seasonings and rice, stir in the nuts and eggs,
CEREALS 169
pour into a well-oiled baking dish and sprinkle with coarse
crumbs, well-mixed with melted butter. Set in a pan of
hot water in a moderate oven and bake forty-five minutes.
Rice Cakes
I cupful brown or uncoated i quart milk
rice (uncooked) i cupful sugar
1 cupful butter Salt to taste
Grated rind and juice of a
lemon
Add the rice and salt to the milk, and cook until the
liquid is absorbed and, the rice is tender, adding more
liquid if necessary. Add the butter, sugar and lemon juice
and rind. Mix thoroughy without breaking the rice ker-
nels. Cool, form into cakes, clip in flour and fry on hot
griddle. Serve with cream or maple syrup.
Sweet Rice Cakes (with Cooked Rice)
3 cupfuls cold boiled brown i egg
or uncoated rice i cupful sugar
Mix the ingredients together in the order given. Form
into flat cakes, roll in flour, and fry on a hot griddle.
Serve with maple syrup, melted jelly, or a fruit sauce.
Moulded Brown Rice
2 cupfuls boiled brown rice \ cupful chopped, candied
(cooled) ginger
\ cupful chopped English Honey whipped cream
walnuts
Combine the rice, nuts and ginger and pack into but-
tered timbale moulds. Let chill, then turn out and serve
garnished with the cream.
CHAPTER V
EGGS AND SAVORY EGG DISHES
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL
Egg cookery may be divided into the following general
groups :
1. Boiled eggs, soft and hard.
2. Poached eggs cooked in water, stock or milk.
3. Eggs shirred in individual dishes surrounded by hot
water.
4. Egg timbales, surrounded by hot water.
5. Fried forms, including plain fried eggs, scrambled
eggs, omelets and egg croquettes.
6. Souffles.
Testing Fresh Eggs
Drop the egg carefully into a deep saucepan full of
cold water ; if fresh, it will sink at once to the bottom ; if
it sways about on one end, nearly upright, but still under
water, it is not fresh, but can still be used. If, however,
the egg promptly bobs up to the surface and floats about,
it is spoiled.
Terms Used in Beating Eggs
Eggs that are slightly beaten are not separated, and are
beaten until a spoonful can be taken up.
Egg yolks are well-beaten when they become thick and
lemon-colored.
Egg whites are beaten dry when they are stiff enough
to remain in the dish as it is turned upside down. They
will then be dead-white in color, like newly-fallen snow.
In beating eggs the most common utensils used are the
wheel egg-beater, or a wire whisk. The wheel egg-beater
costs from ten to twenty-five cents, according to the
quality, and the whisk twenty-five cents. When beating
170
EGGS AND SAVORY EGG DISHES 171
egg whites, the whisk is often employed, as it is possible to
make the whites lighter in this way.
Boiled Eggs
Properly speaking eggs should not be boiled at all
unless for hard cooking, but should be cooked by the old-
fashioned method known as " coddling." To do this,
put the eggs in a thick earthenware utensil, pour over
boiling water, cover and set in a warm place, six minutes
for soft cooking and eight for a slightly firm result.
Hard-Boiled Eggs
Put the eggs on in cold water, bring to boiling point,
boil rapidly for ten minutes and then chill in cold water.
This is the only method whereby a green ring around the
yolk may be avoided.
Poached Eggs
Select a fairly deep frying pan, fill it three-fourths full
of boiling water slightly salted, break the eggs one by one,
gently, into a saucer and slide into the boiling water.
Baste the yolks gently with a little of the water to co'ok
the tops. The water should not boil after the eggs have
been put in but should be kept merely at simmering point.
Cook until the white is firm, then remove the eggs with a
perforated spoon to buttered toast. Dust with salt and
pepper and pour over a little melted butter. Eggs should
be at least two days old to poach successfully.
Eggs Poached in Broth
Eggs are sometimes served in this way to reinforce an
otherwise scanty luncheon or supper. Proceed as di-
rected for plain poached eggs, substituting broth for the
water. Serve the broth and eggs together in bouillon
cups or marmites (covered earthenware cups).
Milk Toast with Poached Eggs
Scald the milk in a flat saucepan, add salt to taste, and
gently break the eggs, one by one, into a saucer. Slip
into the milk and poach as usual, taking care the milk
does not boil. Then have ready buttered toast; set the
eggs on it, pour over the hot milk and serve at once.
172 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Poached Eggs on Tomato Toast
i cupfuls sifted thick stewed 2 tablespoonfuls flour
tomato 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
\ tablespoonful minced onion bacon fat
i tablespoonful minced green \ teaspoonful salt
pepper $ teaspoonful pepper
\ cupful minced cooked ham 6 slices buttered toast
1 teaspoonful sugar i cupful grated cheese
6 eggs
Fry the onions and pepper in the butter till softened.
Add the flour and seasonings and the tomato, gradually.
Let boil up once, strain and add the ham. While re-
heating, poach the eggs, pour the tomato sauce over the
toast, carefully put the eggs in place on the toast, and
sprinkle with salt, pepper and grated cheese.
Egg Benedict
Allow a large round slice of buttered bread or half an
English muffin, split, to each person. On this lay a round
slice of broiled ham. Then place on it a poached egg.
Coat this with Hollandaise sauce, and garnish with a bit
of truffle or cooked mushroom.
Asparagus Eggs
2 cupfuls rich milk i cupful cooked asparagus
2 tablespoonfuls flour cut in inch lengths
2 tablespoonfuls butter 6 eggs
i teaspoonful salt 2 tablespoonfuls grated Par-
Few grains pepper mesan cheese
Make a sauce of the first five ingredients. Add the
asparagus and, when very hot, slip in the eggs very gently
and poach, till set, over hot water. Sprinkle with salt and
pepper, strew with grated cheese, and serve on buttered
toast.
% Plain Egg Timbales
Butter thickly several timbale moulds, then sprinkle
them with a finely chopped mixture of ham, cooked sau-
sage, smoked salmon, or left-over chopped cooked ba-
con and parsley. Very carefully break an egg into each
mould, sprinkle tine tops with a little salt and pepper and
set in a pan three-quarters full of boiling water. Let
them cook gently, until firm, in a moderate oven, keeping
the water at simmering point. It will take about fifteen
EGGS AND SAVORY EGG DISHES 173
minutes. Then unmould on rounds of hot buttered
toast and serve with white or tomato sauce.
Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce
2 tablespoonfuls bacon fat -2 tablespoonfuls flour
i cupfuls strained tomato i teaspoon ful pepper
juice i teaspoonful salt
6 eggs
Make a sauce of the bacon fat, flour, seasonings and
tomato juice. Pour into an earthen baking dish ; break
the eggs singly on a saucer, and slip into the sauce. Dust
lightly with salt and pepper, and bake in a moderate
oven until the eggs are set.
Shirred Eggs
Butter individual baking dishes, and carefully slip in
one or two eggs, as desired. Dust lightly with salt and
pepper, and add a bit of butter. Set the dishes in a pan
of boiling water, and cook the eggs gently in the oven until
they are set. It will take about ten minutes for medium-
soft eggs. They can be cooked directly in the oven with-
out the hot water medium in a shorter time, but they will
not be so digestible.
Shirred Eggs, Creole
Heat a cupful of left-over stewed tomatoes ; add a lit-
tle diced onion and green peppers, cooked until soft and
yellow, and put a tablespoonful of the mixture into the
desired number of individual ramekins. Slip the egg on
this and bake gently, until set. It is not necessary to use
a pan of hot water, as the liquid from the tomato will
prevent too rapid cooking.
Baked Eggs with Creamed Potatoes
2 cupfuls diced potatoes \ teaspoonful pepper
2 cupfuls milk 2 tablespoonfuls grated
2 tablespoonfuls flour cheese
2 tablespoonfuls butter 6 eggs
I teaspoonful salt
Make a white sauce of the butter, flour, milk and sea-
sonings ; add the potatoes, and pour into a shallow, but-
tered baking dish. Break the eggs one by one into a
saucer and slip them carefully upon the mixture; sprin-
174 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
kle lightly with salt and pepper and cheese and set in a
moderate oven to cook. Serve when the eggs are " set,"
which will be in about ten minutes.
Baked Eggs and Mashed Potatoes
Oil a shallow earthen dish with bacon fat. Fill almost
full with mashed potatoes, well seasoned. Make inden-
tations in the potato, pour in a little melted bacon fat, and
brush the top of the mixture with it. Drop an egg into
each hollow and set in the oven to bake until the eggs are
set and the potato is browned.
Eggs a la King
4 tablespoonfuls butter 2 ctipfuls light cream or rich
3 tablespoonfuls flour milk
2 tablespoonfuls minced i cupful fresh or canned
green peppers mushrooms
8 hard-cooked eggs, sliced Few grains paprika
I teaspoonful salt Few grains nutmeg
Toast
Melt the butter, and cook the peppers and mushrooms
in it until soft. Stir in the flour and seasonings and cook
until frothy, then add the cream gradually, stirring con-
stantly. Gently add the hard-cooked eggs. Set over hot
water, let become very hot and serve on buttered toast.
Or, pour into a buttered baking dish, cover with crumbs
mixed with melted butter, and brown in a quick oven.
Curried Eggs
4 hard-cooked eggs I cupful boiled brown rice
i cupful White Sauce No. 2 teaspoonful curry powder
1 tablespoonful minced sweet
green peppers
Make the white sauce, add the curry mixed with a little
cold milk and then the rice and peppers. Let stand to
become very hot and serve garnished with the eggs quar-
tered.
Eggs ail Gratin
8 hard-cooked eggs i teaspoonful salt
3 tablespoonfuls flour It teaspoonful pepper
3 tablespoonfuls butter i cupful grated cheese
2 cnpfuls milk ^ cupful buttered crumbs
Make a sauce of the butter, flour, milk and seasonings
EGGS AND SAVORY EGG DISHES 175
and add the cheese. Slice the eggs crosswise. Butter a
baking dish, and put in a layer of the eggs; cover with
sauce and repeat until all is used. Cover with the crumbs
mixed with 2 teaspoonfuls of melted butter and set in a
hot oven to brown.
Sliced Eggs with Cream Sauce and Olives
8 hard-cooked eggs Bread crumbs
i dozen large olives ii cupfuls White Sauce No. 2
i uncooked egg
Cut the eggs into thick slices, roll in fine dry bread
crumbs, then in beaten egg, then in bread crumbs again.
Fry to a light brown; arrange on a heated platter and
pour over the eggs a rich white sauce, into which has been
stirred the olives, minced.
Stuffed Eggs with Ham
Hard cook the eggs, remove the shells and cut the eggs
into halves lengthwise. Scoop out the yolks, mash and
measure and mix with it half the amount of ham minced
very fine, melted butter to moisten, and made-mustard,
salt and pepper to season. Pack the stuffing back into the
eggs, press the halves together in pairs, roll in thin waxed
paper and twist the ends like bon-bon papers to hold them
firmly in position. Use the balance of the stuffing as a
sandwich filling.
Stuffed eggs can be varied in a great many ways; al-
most any cooked meat, smoked fish, sardines, canned fish,
or cheese, with a high seasoning of tabasco, Worcester-
shire, catsup, etc., being suitable.
Scrambled Eggs
6 eggs 4 teaspoonful pepper
i cupful milk i tablespoonful butter or
i teaspoonful salt bacon fat
Break the eggs into a frying pan and beat with a spoon
till broken. Add the remaining ingredients, beat slightly
to blend, and place over a slow heat to cook, scraping up
as it solidifies. When all is creamy, turn onto hot but-
tered toast, and serve at once.
Scrambled Eggs with Tomato
Substitute thickly stewed, well-seasoned tomato for the
176 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
milk in the preceding recipe, and use bacon fat, if possible.
Scrambled Eggs with Cheese
Before cooking add a half cupful of finely shaved
American cheese to the mixture for scrambled eggs.
Scrambled Eggs with Ham or Dried Beef
Add a half cupful of minced ham, or finely shredded
dried beef, to the mixture for scrambled eggs.
Scrambled Eggs with Asparagus
Add a half cupful or more of diced, cooked asparagus
to the mixture for scrambled eggs.
Scrambled Eggs with Bacon
Dice three or four slices of bacon, fry it, and add to
the mixture for scrambled eggs. Omit the butter, sub-
stituting instead a tablespoon ful of the bacon fat.
Scrambled Eggs with Mushrooms
Saute (fry) a cupful of quartered mushrooms in two
tablespoon fuls of butter, or bacon fat, adding salt and
pepper, and a dash of onion juice. Pour over the mixture
for scrambled eggs and cook as directed, omitting the
butter.
Scrambled Eggs with Onions
Peel and slice six medium-sized onions, and fry until
soft and yellow in three tablespoonfuls of butter. Then
add the mixture for scrambled eggs and cook as directed,
omitting the butter.
Scrambled Eggs with Left-Over Creamed Onions
Add a cupful of creamed onions, with their sauce, to
the mixture for scrambled eggs, omitting the milk. Cook
as directed.
Scrambled Eggs with Green Peppers
Shred three sweet green peppers and fry until soft in
3 tablespoonfuls of butter. Then add the mixture for
scrambled eggs and proceed as directed, omitting the
butter.
EGGS AND SAVORY EGG DISHES 177
Eggs Scrambled Over Hot Water (Individual)
i egg Few grains pepper
i cupful milk i teaspoonful butter or olive
1 teaspoonfnl salt oil
Beat the egg in a double boiler top, add the other ingre-
dients, and cook over boiling water until solidified
about ten minutes stirring occasionally very gently to
allow the uncooked portion from the center to get to the
edges. This is especially good for children or invalids.
Spanish Eggs
6 eggs i teaspoonful sugar
6 stuffed olives i teaspoonful salt
2 tablespoonfuls butter Few grains cayenne
I teaspoonful minced onion \ tablespoonful minced sweet
i teaspoonful capers (op- green peppers
tional) 6 slices buttered toast
i cupful sifted canned to-
mato
Melt the butter, add the onion and pepper, and saute
(fry) till soft. Add the olives, minced, the sugar and
tomato, and, when boiling, season and pour onto the eggs
beaten slightly. Cook as scrambled eggs, and serve on
toast.
Fried Eggs
For frying eggs, keep a pan for that purpose only.
Heat it and put in enough fat (bacon, ham, sausage or
beef, or butter if you have nothing better) barely to cover
the bottom. Break the eggs one by one into a saucer,
slip into the fat, salt and pepper lightly, and fry slowly
until of the desired firmness, removing carefully to a
heated platter with a griddle cake turner.
OMELETS
There are two classes of omelets, the French and the
Puffy, and whereas these are capable of infinite variety
all omelets may be included under these two heads. All
omelets should have a certain per cent, of liquid added to
them. The general proportion of liquid to an egg is a
tablespoonful; either hot or cold water or milk, may be
used. However, there are times when it is necessary to
make eggs go as far as possible, and in this case a fourth
178 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
of a cupful of milk, and a fourth of a tablespoonful of
flour may be allowed for each egg or a fourth of a cup-
ful of White Sauce No. 2 may be used.
Old-time authorities say that the success of an omelet
is largely dependent upon the number of egg yolks that
are used, and that they should number a third more than
the whites to insure a tender result. This is undoubtedly
true in a measure, and when convenient it is a good plan
to add an extra yolk or two because they are rich in fat ;
however, this is by no means necessary, if the omelet is
properly cooked. Baking powder is not needed.
General Directions for Making Omelets
The omelet pan should be thoroughly clean. To an
omelet of medium size allow a tablespoonful of the de-
sired fat butter, bacon, or ham fat, giving a good selec-
tion. Melt this fat in the omelet pan, and tip the pan so
that it is thoroughly oiled, sides and all, but do not let the
fat get very hot. Then pour in the omelet mixture and
let it cook gently, lifting the mixture occasionally with a
spatula or broad-bladed knife, so that the uncooked liquid
portion may precipitate. When this has been done, allow
it to brown on the bottom, and, if possible, set it in the
oven for a moment to make the top firm. Cut at right
angles to the handle, fold over and slip out onto a hot
platter. If a special flavoring is to be introduced, it may
be spread upon half of the omelet before it is folded and
turned out.
If an omelet has to stand some time before serving,
choose one of the puffy varieties that contains flour.
Various types of omelet are suitable for service at the
different meals. Generally speaking, however, it is good
form to serve very simple omelets at breakfast, as plain
French or puffy omelet with a bit of bacon or ham, reserv-
ing the more savory omelets for luncheon or supper.
Sweet omelets may act as dessert at luncheon, or as the
main course at luncheon or supper, if desired, although
this is a little unusual.
Variations of Plain Omelets
Plain, Puffy, French and Swedish Omelets may be
varied by means of sauces in a great many ways, and at
the same time in connection with some left-over they may
CURRIED EGGS IN CHAFING DISH
SWEDISH TIMBALES
EGGS AND SAVORY EGG DISHES 179
furnish the main portion of a meal. The following
variations are among a few that may be used :
Minced or Creamed Ham
Creamed Dried Beef
Left-Over Creamed Chicken
Creamed Oysters
Oysters in Brown Sauce
Stewed Tomatoes
Fried Onions with Fried Green Peppers
Creamed Peas
Creamed Spinach
Left-Over Creamed Asparagus
Bits of Cooked Bacon or Sausage
Creamed or Sauted Mushrooms
Boiled French Omelet
6 eggs 4 teaspoonful pepper
6 tablespoonfuls hot water Garlic (optional)
i teaspoonful salt
Rub the inside of a bowl with garlic. Break the eggs
into the bowl, add the salt and pepper and beat until thick
and light. Add the water, mix well, and turn into a
warm omelet pan containing i tablespoonful of melted
butter. Let set over the heat for a few moments, then
raise the cooked portion so that the uncooked may pre-
cipitate and be cooked. When " set " and brown on the
bottom, roll as jelly roll, beginning at the side next the
handle. If desired, minced ham or parsley, or a thick
sauce may be rolled in the omelet. Omit the garlic, if
desired, or if a sweet rilling is used.
Puffy Omelet
6 eggs About 2 tablespoonfuls butter
6 tablespoonfuls hot water i teaspoonfuls salt
i teaspoonful pepper
Separate the eggs, beat the yolks till lemon-colored, and
the whites until stiff. Add the hot water, and the salt and
pepper to the yolks and fold lightly into the whites.
Turn at once into an omelet pan which should be hot and
well-oiled with the butter. Cook according to the general
directions.
i8o MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Sour Cream Omelet
5 eggs i teaspoonful salt
I cupful sour cream i tablespoonful butter
Paprika
Beat the eggs until very light and frothy. Add the salt,
paprika and cream. Pour into an omelet pan in which
the butter has been melted and cook very gently accord-
ing to the general directions.
Swedish Omelet
4 eggs I teaspoonful pepper
i cupful milk i tablespoonful flour
1 teaspoonful salt
Dissolve the flour in the milk and add the seasonings.
Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks light and add the milk.
Whip the whites stiff, and turn in the yolk mixture.
Keep the mixture light with cakes of white floating about.
Turn into a warm omelet pan well-oiled with a table-
spoonful of butter, and cook gently, according to the gen-
eral directions.
Spanish Omelet
2 tablespoonfuls butter i teaspoonful salt
2 tablespoonfuls chopped red 4 teaspoonful pepper
peppers i tablespoonful chopped
1 tablespoonful chopped on- mushrooms
ion i tablespoonful capers
2 tablespoonfuls flour 5 eggs
i cupful stewed and sifted
tomatoes
Melt the butter, add the peppers and onion and cook
until light yellow. Then stir in the flour, and add the
tomato gradually. Let boil up once, add the seasonings,
mushrooms and capers, and stir gradually into the egg
yolks beaten very light. Cut and fold in the egg whites
whipped very dry, and turn into a frying-pan in which 3
tablespoonfuls of butter have been melted. Cook accord-
ing to the general directions and garnish with parsley, or
if desirable make a double- quantity of tomato sauce and
reserve half to pour around the omelet when completed.
Asparagus Omelet
6 eggs i teaspoonful pepper
1 cupful milk | cupful asparagus cut in
2 tablespoonfuls flour inch pieces
2 tablespoonfuls butter Asparagus tips for garnish-
i teaspoonful salt ing
EGGS AND SAVORY EGG DISHES 181
Make a white sauce of the milk, flour, butter and sea-
sonings. Add the cut asparagus. Separate the eggs;
beat the whites stiff and the yolks till lemon-colored. Stir
the white sauce into the yolks, and fold the whole into
the egg whites, letting flecks of white float on the top.
Finish according to the general directions. Turn onto a
platter and garnish with asparagus tips.
Cheese Omelet
6 eggs I cupful grated cheese
i teaspoonful salt 3 tablespoonfuls hot water
4 teaspoonful pepper
Beat the eggs thoroughly and add the water and season-
ings. Melt a tablespoonf ul of butter in a frying pan, and,
when white and frothy, pour the egg mixture into it.
When the omelet is set and slightly browned on the bot-
tom, sprinkle over the cheese and set it in the oven long
enough to make the top firm, and then fold.
Dried Beef Omelet
I cupful dried beef, shredded J teaspoonful pepper
4 eggs i tablespoonful butter
i cupful milk i tablespoonful flour
Soak the beef twenty minutes in hot water. Drain
well, and mix with the flour, milk, pepper and the egg
yolks well beaten. Add the whites whipped stiff, and
cook according to the general directions.
Friday Omelet
4 medium-sized onions i teaspoonful salt
i cupful canned tomato Dash pepper
\ teaspoonful sugar 5 eggs
i tablespoonful flour 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
3 tablespoonfuls hot water bacon fat
Cut the onions in thin slices and fry, until thoroughly
softened, in the butter. Then add the tomato and season-
ings and, when well blended, the flour, mixed with a little
tomato juice.
Beat the eggs well, add water and seasonings and make
a plain omelet. After standing in the oven to become
" set " spread the vegetable mixture in the fold, roll over
and transfer to a hot platter.
182 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Corn Omelet
4 eggs I teaspoon ful salt
i cupful creamed corn i teaspoonful pepper
1 tablespoonful flour I tablespoonful butter
Heat the corn, thicken with the butter and flour
creamed together and season. Separate the eggs, beat the
whites till dry and the yolks till lemon-colored. Add the
corn to the yolks, and gradually fold this mixture into
the whites. Turn into a warm, well-oiled omelet pan
and cook gently according to general directions. Serve
surrounded with extra creamed corn, if convenient.
Artichoke Omelet
2 medium-sized artichokes I teaspoonful salt
3 tablespoonfuls olive oil 4 teaspoonful pepper
4 eggs 2 tablespoonfuls grated
2 tablespoonfuls water cheese
Clean the artichokes, cut them in slices lengthwise and
fry slowly in the oil, adding the salt and pepper. When
they are tender, pour over the eggs, well-beaten, and mix
with the water and cheese. Cook gently according to
general directions. Serve garnished with spinach, if con-
venient.
Orange Omelet
6 eggs i tablespoonful corn starch
2 tablespoonfuls powdered \ cupful orange juice
sugar Extra powdered sugar
I teaspoonful salt Cocoanut
i tablespoonful lemon juice Sliced oranges for garnishing
Separate the eggs. Mix together the sugar, salt, corn
starch and the lemon and orange juice. Beat the yolks
light, and add this mixture to them. Beat the whites
stiff and dry; fold in the first mixture and turn into a
warm, well-oiled omelet pan. Cook gently according to
general directions. Garnish with the sliced oranges, and
sprinkle with powdered sugar and cocoanut.
Pineapple Omelet
I cupful shredded pineapple 6 eggs
and juice Powdered sugar
I tablespoonful flour Few grains salt
Dissolve the flour and salt in the pineapple. Separate
the eggs, and beat the yolks till lemon-colored, then add
EGGS AND SAVORY EGG DISHES 183
them to the pineapple juice. Whip the whites stiff, fold
them gently into the pineapple and turn the mixture into
a warm omelet pan containing a tablespoon ful and a half
of melted butter. Cook according to general directions.
Sift powdered sugar thickly over it, when done, and serve
with or without extra shredded pineapple.
SOUFFLES
Souffles or, as the name means, " puffed ups " are
properly speaking baked omelets, in which the eggs have
been beaten separately, the air, which has been incorpor-
ated into the whites, being used to puff up the dish.
True souffles will not stand any time after taking from
the oven, and so must be served at once, unless they are
reinforced with bread crumbs, flour or some other starchy
element.
Souffles may be divided into two classes, savory
souffles and sweet souffles.
The simplest form of a savory souffle is called baked
omelet, or omelet souffle. Other souffles may be made by
combining the eggs, with a certain percentage of thickened
sauce and other ingredients, as, for instance, y 2 cupful
White Sauce No. 3, 3 eggs, and 2 cupfuls of minced meat,
vegetables or fish with suitable seasonings. If this pro-
portion is kept in mind, many a left-over can be made into
a suitable luncheon or supper dish with the additional
expense only of the eggs.
General Directions for Cooking Souffles
Whenever possible, souffles should be baked in indi-
vidual glass or earthenware dishes which are well-oiled,
as they are usually made very heavy by the cutting of the
spoon when served from a large dish. The dishes should
be well rubbed with butter, oleomargarine or bacon fat
and should be filled half-full, as the souffle, if properlv
made, should rise to double its bulk. Individual dishes
should be baked in a moderate oven for fifteen mjntites,
and dishes holding enough to serve six should be baked
for thirty minutes. When done the center will feel dry
and firm, like sponge or angel cake.
184 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Baked Omelet, or Omelet Souffle
6 eggs 3 tablespoonfuls hot ham or
i teaspoonful salt bacon drippings or chicken
4 tablespoonfuls cold water fat
or milk ij tablespoonfuls flour
i teaspoonful pepper
Separate the eggs ; beat the yolks until lemon-colored ;
add the flour, pepper and salt, and stir in the liquid. Beat
the whites until dry, pour in the yolk mixture and trans-
fer to a deep baking dish containing the melted hot fat.
Bake in a moderate oven about twenty minutes.
Baked Crumb Omelet or Souffle
4 eggs i J teaspoonfuls salt
i cupful coarse stale bread & teaspoonful pepper
crumbs I tablespoonful hot ham
i cupful milk drippings or bacon fat
Let the crumbs stand in the milk until softened. Sep-
arate the eggs. Beat the yolks until lemon-colored, and
add the seasonings and crumb mixture. Beat the egg
whites until stiffened. Fold iiTthe egg whites, and bake
in a well-oiled dish according to the general directions
for cooking souffles.
Cheese Souffle
4 tablespoonfuls butter or Few grains cayenne
oleomargarine i cupful grated American
3 tablespoonfuls flour cheese
\ cupful scalded milk 3 egga, separated
1 teaspoonful salt
Melt the butter, add the flour, the milk gradually, and
then the seasonings and cheese. Boil up once and add to
the egg yolks beaten until lemon-colored. Cool the mix-
ture and fold in the egg whites beaten stiff. Pour into a
well-oiled baking dish and bake according to the general
directions for cooking souffles.
Potato Souffle
2 cupfuls well-seasoned fluffy 3 eggs
mashed potatoes i teaspoonful powdered pars-
i tablespoonful butter ley (optional)
Few grains mace
Melt the butter in the baking dish; beat together the
EGGS AND SAVORY EGG DISHES 185
egg yolks, potato, mace and parsley. Then fold in the
egg whites beaten stiff. Brown in a quick oven. One-
half cupful of grated cheese may be added to this mixture
if desired.
Souffle of Yellow-Eyed Beans
i pint yellow bean pulp i teaspoonful celery salt
4 eggs Few grains pepper
Few drops onion juice
Beat the egg yolks well. Add the seasonings and com-
bine with the bean pulp. Beat the whites stiff, fold them
into the first mixture, and pile lightly into well-oiled rame-
kin dishes. Bake according to the general directions for
cooking souffles.
Tomato Souffle
1 cupful stewed tomatoes i teaspoonful salt
4 tablespoonfuls flour i teaspoonful pepper
2 tablespoonfuls butter on 5 eggs
savory drippings
Melt the butter, stir in the flour and seasonings, and
gradually add the tomato. Separate the eggs, beat the
yolks well, combine with the tomato and whip the egg
whites till stiff ; fold into them the tomato mixture, turn
into well-oiled ramekin dishes, and bake according to the
general directions for cooking souffles.
Souffle of Spinach
cupful minced cooked spin- i cupful milk
ach 2 tablespoonfuls chopped
2 tablespoonfuls butter raw prunes
2 tablespoonfuls flour 4 tablespoonfuls chopped
\ teaspoonful salt cashew nuts or pecans
Few grains mace' 5 eggs
Make a white sauce of the butter, flour, mace, salt and
milk. Add the prunes, spinach and nuts, and mix well ;
add the egg yolks beaten light, then fold in the stiffly
beaten whites. Pour into a buttered baking dish or
ramekins, and bake according to general directions for
cooking souffles.
i86 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Chicken Souffle
2 tablespoonfuls butter I teaspoonfnl salt
2 tablespoonfuls flour i teaspoonful paprika
I cupful milk 4 teaspoonful celery salt
I cupful chicken stock i teaspoonful powdered pars-
1 cupful soft bread crumbs ley (optional)
3 eggs 2 cupfuls minced chicken
Make a sauce of the butter, flour, milk and stock ; add
the bread crumbs and seasonings, then the chicken, and
pour into the egg yolks well-beaten. Fold in the whites
beaten dry and bake according to the general directions
for cooking souffles.
Halibut Souffle
2% tablespoonfuls butter Few grains cayenne
2 tablespoonfuls flour i teaspoonful scraped onion
2 cupfuls milk (juice)
i cupful bread crumbs Few grains mace
3 eggs 2 cupfuls finely-flaked cooked
i teaspoonful salt halibut
Make a sauce of the butter, flour, milk and seasonings ;
add the crumbs and fish, pour into the egg yolks well-
beaten, fold in the stiffly-beaten whites and bake accord-
ing to general directions. Cooked haddock, codfish or
bluefish may be substituted for the halibut.
Salmon Souffle
Make according to the recipe for halibut souffle, sub-
stituting salmon.
Lobster Souffle
Make according to the recipe for halibut souffle, omit-
ting the onion, and adding the juice of one-quarter of a
lemon. Crabflakes may be substituted for the lobster.
Salt Codfish Souffle
1 cupful shredded salt cod- 3 eggs
fish i teaspoonful minced pars-
2 tablespoonfuls flour ley
2 tablespoonfuls butter, oleo- 2 cupfnls milk
margarine or savory drip- i cupful soft bread crumbs
pings i teaspoonful onion juice
i teaspoonful pepper
Make a white sauce of the butter, flour and milk.
EGGS AND SAVORY EGG DISHES 187
Freshen the codfish, rinse well, then add to the sauce with
the seasonings and crumbs. Separate the eggs, and beat
the yolks light. Stir into the mixture, fold in the whites
beaten stiff, and pour into a well-oiled baking dish. Bake
according to the general directions for cooking souffles.
Plain Lemon Souffle
3 eggs 3 tablespoonfuls powdered
i tablespoonful lemon juice sugar
i tablespoonful butter
Heat a baking dish, first putting the butter in it ; when
the latter melts, tip the dish so that it will oil the sides
thoroughly. Separate the eggs and beat the yolks till
lemon-colored. Add to them the sugar and lemon juice.
Beat the whites stiff and dry, fold in the yolk mixture,
heap into the baking dish, sprinkle with a little additional
sugar, and bake gently until puffy and brown, according
to the general directions for cooking souffles.
Fig Souffle
I cupful finely-chopped, \ tablespoonful lemon juice
cooked figs, and a little Few grains salt
juice 4 eggs
1 cupful sugar Grated lemon rind
2 tablespoonfuls corn starch
Heat the figs, add the corn starch, sugar and salt well-
mixed, and bring to boiling point. Turn in the lemon
juice. Pour this mixture into the egg yolks beaten light,
and fold in the egg whites beaten stiff. Bake according
to the general directions for cooking souffles.
Coffee Souffle
3 tablespoonfuls butter \ cupful _sugar
3 tablespoonfuls corn starch Few grains salt
\ cupful strong black coffee 4 eggs
cupful rich milk or cream j teaspoonful vanilla
Make a sauce of the butter, flour, milk and coffee, add
the salt and sugar, and pour into the egg yolks well-
beaten. Fold in the egg whites whipped stiff, and bake
according to the general directions for cooking souffles.
CHAPTER VI
YEAST BREADS
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL
What constitutes good white bread? On this point
authorities differ, but they are agreed that it should be
baked till the crumb, or inner part, becomes light in tex-
ture, a little moist, but not soggy ; that it should be nutty
and agreeable both to smell and taste ; that it should be
light in color and evenly porous; and that the surface
should be elastic enough to rebound when pressed. The
loaf should rise evenly and not burst at either top or
sides. It should be of uniform, golden-brown color, but
the texture of the crust depends upon whether a milk or
water bread is made. Bread is not good if it tastes or
smells sour, and the crumb of white bread should not be
dark in color. If these requirements are not met, there
is something wrong in the way it is mixed, tended or
baked, or with the yeast, flour or formula.
The Yeast
The first important thing is the yeast. This is made
up of minute plants, the success of the finished loaf de-
pending upon their proper growth ; and just as you coddle
your rubber plant or Boston fern, the yeast plants must
be nurtured until they have grown sufficiently. This may
be judged by the amount the bread has risen. The
growth of yeast, and, therefore, the rising of bread, de-
mands close attention to temperature. Sudden chill is
disastrous to yeast, the growth of which is checked by a
radical drop in temperature. On the other hand, too
great heat also causes unsatisfactory results, because at
any temperature above ninety-five, various undesired or-
ganisms are sure to develop, which will give the bread a
sour flavor. The proper temperature for the growth of
yeast is from seventy to ninety-five degrees Fahrenheit.
188
YEAST BREADS 189
In summer lower temperature is preferable, while in win-
ter, when the flour is cold, higher may be used.
Use of the Thermometer
Many women say that they buy baker's bread because
it is consistently good. The reason for this is that the
baker always uses exact measurements, and fermentation
is produced at a temperature regulated by the ther-
mometer. There is no reason why every housekeeper
should not use a thermometer in making bread as well as
in preparing other foods. The woman who puts her bread
to rise on the radiator, for instance, will find that the tem-
perature will register from a hundred and fifty to two
hundred degrees, and only somewhat lower if a wooden
board is placed beneath the pan. If the bread is put next
the radiator, it becomes too hot on one side, unless turned
frequently, and if put on the back of the stove when the
fire is at all hot, the heat is again directed unevenly. In
hot weather the rising generally takes care of itself, but
the only accurate method that I have ever found for win-
ter use is to raise the bread over warm water. The
dough should be placed in an enamelware bowl which fits
over the top of a large stock-pot. The pot should then
be filled with water at a hundred degrees, just full enough
so that the enamelware pan touches the water when set in
the pot. A lid is then placed over the dough and the
whole set in the fireless cooker. Or if a fireless cooker is
not at hand, the dough may be kept in a warm place just
the same if the water is changed two or three times dur-
ing the rising process.
How to Use Compressed Yeast
Compressed yeast is very inexpensive and produces uni-
form results. However, to do good work it must be
fresh, and should be of an even, light sand color with no
dark streaks ; it should break crisply ; if there is any doubt
about its freshness it should be dropped into a third cup-
ful of tepid water, containing a tablespoonful of sugar.
If fresh, bubbles will come at once to the surface. If
they do not, the yeast should not be used. As compressed
yeast works more rapidly than dry yeast, and as bread can
be made from it with most excellent results without first
190 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
making a sponge, it is the most satisfactory kind to use
when one is near a market and can buy it fresh whenever
wanted. Still, if placed in cold water, compressed yeast
may be kept a few days in the ice-box, or may be buried
in salt, and kept in a cool place.
How to Use Dry Yeast
Those who live at some distance from the grocery will
probably find it more satisfactory to use dry yeast. This
is made of a strong stock yeast, thickened with cornmeal
and dried at a low temperature to prevent fermentation.
The strength is somewhat variable, as the yeast plants
gradually die, so, contrary to customary use, the supply
of dry yeast should be renewed frequently in order to
keep the bread results uniform. In using dry yeast the
bread should always be started with a sponge; the dry
cake should be dissolved in a small amount of tepid water,
then added to the desired amount of lukewarm liquid, and
enough flour to make a soft batter beaten in, about a cup-
ful and a half to a pint of the liquid. When it has risen
till light, the remaining flour and the other ingredients
may be added. The bread recipes in this book have been
standardized for compressed yeast, but dry yeast may be
substituted if this method is used. When strictest econ-
omy must be practised, dry yeast is much less expensive
when transformed into liquid yeast. In using this allow
half a cupful to each pint of liquid to be used in making
the bread.
Varieties of Bread
Bread may be made in such infinite variety that it
seems a great waste of opportunity to confine it wholly to
the usual " white bread." The latter has a definite place
in the dietary, if it is used as a starch, rather than a pro-
tein or mineral food, but white bread is a decidedly un-
stable " staff of life " if used alone. On the other hand
many of the so-called wheat flours, although highly ad-
vertised, are little better, because a large part of the wheat
has also been removed from them. When a real whole-
wheat flour or meal can be obtained one made of un-
denatured or unrobbed wheat bread becomes more than
a starch ; it is a true nerve, blood and bone food. At the
YEAST BREADS 191
same time it is particularly rich in vitamins, the life-giv-
ing principles.
Bran bread also has a place in the diet, for it brings
bulk to help overcome constipation and minerals as a
nerve tonic. Moreover, bran bread at least twenty-four
hours old, toasted until crisp, will be found an excellent
substitute for white bread toast to be used 1 by those
troubled with obesity. Rye bread is easily made and is
a good alternative for whole-wheat bread. Rice bread,
made of brown rice, is substantial, and offers splendid
nutritive properties, especially if combined with raisins or
dates. Rice bread, of uncoated or brown rice and white
flour, is an excellent starch food, and bread of unrobbed
cornmeal, whether in the form of raised brown bread or
in combination with whole-wheat flour and nuts, is a re-
markable protein, starch and nerve food. However, in
making breads of rice and these various meals, it is neces-
sary for best results to use a little white or whole-wheat
flour. The proportion may be varied as desired, but it
should never be less than one-fourth..
White flour is sifted a multitude of times at the mill
until it is of the desired fineness, the husks are discarded
as bran, and the heart, which contains most of the fat, is
sold a's shorts or middlings. Each of these products is a
valuable food for farm stock, the animals being kept in
fine condition on what we discard. Undoubtedly one rea-
son white flour is so popular with the American housewife
is because it keeps longer than flour made with the whole
grain. Any honest miller who grinds up the whole of the
grain will not guarantee the flour to keep more than three
weeks, as the large amount of fat which it contains is
liable to cause rancidity. It is, therefore, necessary to
renew the supply of cornmeal or whole-wheat meal fre-
quently.
Another reason whole-wheat bread and those made of
allied, unrobbed flours are not more frequently used is that
modern housewives are not acquainted with the proper
methods of making them and because they are disap-
pointed in the slightly coarse texture which is liable to
result. This coarseness is really of advantage, as it
makes possible quicker access of the digestive juices, and
thus hasten digestion.
192 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Flour for White Bread-Making
The best flour for white bread-making is that made
from spring wheat as it contains a large proportion of
gluten which makes the dough more elastic than when
pastry or winter-wheat flour is used. At the same time a
little less flour is needed and the loaf is whiter. Winter-
wheat or 'pastry flour contains more starch and is fre-
quently less strong; that is, it does not have equivalent
elastic powers. Bread flour is slightly granular ; pastry
flour is more solid and cakes when pressed in the hand.
Comparison Between Baker's and Home-Made Bread
Many housewives contend that it is cheaper to buy
baker's bread than to make white bread at home. On the
contrary, I make two loaves of bread for four and a half
cents each for materials when flour is at a normal figure.
These loaves are as heavy as those costing ten cents
apiece at the baker's. This leaves a margin of eleven
cents over the cost of baker's bread for the fuel and labor
of baking. As I always bake a pan of apples, a loaf of
gingerbread, or some other food demanding the same
temperature along with the bread, the fuel cost is neg-
ligible. However, if baked alone about two cents' worth
of gas would be used to each loaf. If baked in a coal
range the cost cannot be computed, as the fire is always
lighted.
In a family of six, where there are .four children, an
average of about nine loaves of bread a week will be eaten
if the bread is home-made. This will cost at the utmost
forty-five cents. If baker's bread is provided, more will
be required, but even if it were not, the cost of the bread
would be ninety cents, or forty-five cents more than when
the bread is home-made.
How to Use the Bread Mixer
A good bread mixer should be one of the first acquisi-
tions of a new household, and among the first purchases
for the household already established. I know no one
article, which, for the expenditure involved, will save as
much time, strength, and nervous energy as a good bread
mixer. Then top, the bread will be exactly as good, and
probably more uniform than if kneaded by hand. In
YEAST BREADS 193
making plain white, or whole-wheat, bread, pour in the
warm water or milk, add the shortening, sweetening and
salt, and the yeast dissolved in tepid water. The flour is
then added all at once, exactly three times as much as
there is liquid, and the handle of the mixer is turned for
three minutes. It takes only about six minutes to mix
up two loaves of bread, and there is nothing to be cleaned
up afterward! At the same time less flour is needed than
by the old method. After the bread has risen, cut it down
and form it into loaves with the least possible handling,
not even using a bread-board, but shaping it with the
floured hands. In starting a rich bread like coffee cake,
which needs a sponge, whip up the sponge in a bowl, using
a heavy wire whisk, pour it into the bread mixer, and,
when it has risen, add the flour and other ingredients. If
the weather is very cold, set the pail of the bread mixer
in a warm water bath, as described above.
How to Make a Sponge
Two kinds of sponge are used in making yeast-mix-
tures. The first is made up of the milk or water specified
in the recipe, the proper amount of yeast dissolved in a
little warm water, and twice as much flour as liquid. In
the second the yeast is softened in a little water, and
enough flour is stirred into this to make a soft dough ; this
is kneaded and dropped into the warm liquid which is to
be used in mixing the bread. When this ball of dough
rises to the top of the liquid, the rest of the ingredients
may be added.
General Proportions for a Loaf of Bread
If bread is to be set over night, a fourth of a com-
pressed yeast cake is allowed to each loaf. If it is to be
set in the early morning and baked about two in the
afternoon, a half of a compressed yeast cake should be
allowed to each loaf. A cupful of milk or water, a
fourth cupful of water in which the yeast should be dis-
solved, a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoon ful of butter,
drippings, lard or oleomargarine, and a tablespoonful of
sugar, with from three to four cupfuls of flour are the
proper proportions for one loaf of bread. If a slightly
tough bread is desired, omit the shortening. Milk pro-
i 9 4 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
duces bread of finer texture than water, but bread of the
latter keeps moist longer than that of the former.
Many authorities feel that bread should rise several
times to secure the best flavor. Personally I find that
excellent results may be obtained with two risings for
bread, and only three for rolls, coffee cake and the like.
Baking Bread
Undoubtedly one of the reasons bread is not properly
baked is because the process is often hurried. Loaves of
pound proportions should bake in forty-five minutes to
an hour in an oven at 375 F. for the first three-quarters
of the time. Biscuits and rolls need a hotter oven, about
400 F. at first, baking in about twenty-five minutes.
During the first quarter of the time the bread will rise
somewhat and will color slightly in spots. During the
second quarter it will brown delicately. During the third
quarter the baking is almost done, the last quarter being
needed only to dry out the moisture, when the heat should
be lowered. Bread is done when it shrinks away from
the pan, can be tipped out on the hand, and held without
burning, and when it sounds hollow if tapped. Even the
shape and size of the pan affects the quality of the bread.
If too deep, the bread will be coarse and soggy, if too
shallow and wide, it is liable to. be dark and the crust very
brittle. Round pans should not be used. The best size
is seven and a half inches long by four and a quarter
inches wide, and three inches deep.
Treatment of the Finished Loaf
To produce a teader crust, rub the warm loaf with a
little butter or oleomargarine. To produce a crisp crust,
beat up a little egg white and brush over the loaf when
almost done. To produce a very soft crust, make a paste
of a teaspoonful of corn starch dissolved in a little cold
water and cook in half a cupful of boiling water for a
few minutes. Apply this with a pastry brush shortly
before the bread is done. If the bread is to be sprinkled
with sugar, or sugar, nuts and cinnamon, dredge these
over the paste before returning it to the oven, so that they
will literally cook on. When bread is done, it should
never be turned into a cloth and covered while cooling, as
YEAST BREADS 195
this affects the flavor and makes the loaf soggy. A wire
cake-rack, which allows a free circulation of air, should
be used instead. A stone jar is the best utensil in which
to store the bread. However, cut slices and bits of loaves
should be kept in a separate closed utensil, as they fur-
nish an excellent surface for the growth of mold.
Bread, or spring wheat flour, gives the best results in
the following recipes.
Salt-Rising Bread
4 tablespoonfuls white corn- i teaspoon fnl salt
meal i teaspoonftil sugar
Boiling new milk Bread flour to knead
i pint tepid water
Scald the white cornmeal with the boiling new milk to a
thick batter, and set in a warm place to rise over night.
In the morning it should be somewhat light. To this
sponge add the warm water, the salt and sugar, and
thicken with flour to a medium sponge. Set this in a
warm water bath, and keep the same temperature until
raised light. It will be necessary to change the water
occasionally. Keep it near the stove if possible. When
it is light enough, add flour to knead. Shape at once into
loaves, and when double in bulk bake as usual.
White Yeast Bread (Over Night)
2 loaves at 4-2 cents each
cupful water oo
cupful milk 02
teaspoonful sugar 1
teaspoonful salt k 005
tablespoonful beef drippings J
i cupful tepid water oo
\ compressed yeast cake 01
Bread flour to knead, 6 or 7 cupfuls 05 \
.09
Dissolve the drippings in the hot milk, and pour into a
bowl, add the water, cool till lukewarm. Dissolve the
yeast in the warm water ; add to the milk, with the sugar
and salt. Gradually add flour to make a stiff batter,
stirring vigorously. Turn onto a slightly floured board
and knead ten minutes.
196 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Set to rise in a warm place until double in bulk. Turn
onto a board and form into loaves, with as little kneading
as possible.
Let rise again, and bake about forty-five minutes.
Entire Wheat Bread (5 Hours)
2 cupfuls scalded milk I compressed yeast cake
2 tablespoonfuls sugar or 1 cupful tepid water
Barbadoes molasses Entire wheat flour to knead
2 teaspoon fuis salt
Add the sweetening and salt to the milk. Cool, and,
when lukewarm, add the yeast dissolved in the tepid
water. Stir in flour to make a stiff batter and knead till
elastic. Place in a well-oiled bowl; wipe over the top
with a little melted fat so that a crust will not form, and
let rise until double in bulk. Form into loaves, let rise
again, until nearly double, and bake forty-five to fifty
minutes in a moderate oven. A half pound of seeded
raisins may be added to the dough if desired.
Unkneaded Graham Bread (Over Night)
compressed yeast cake dis- i teaspoonful salt
solved in i cupful tepid i cupful Barbadoes molasses
water 3 cupfuls graham meal
2 cupfuls scalded milk Bread flour
2 tablespoonfuls butter or
drippings
Add the fat, molasses and salt to the milk. Cool until
tepid, then add the yeast and the meal, beating thoroughly.
Beat in bread flour until not quite thick enough to knead,
cover and let stand to rise over night. In the morning
cut down, divide into two or three loaves, turn into well-
oiled bread pans, smooth the top with a knife, and let
stand till double in bulk. Bake an hour in a slow oven.
Gluten Bread (6 Hours)
3 cupfuls tepid water or milk i tablespoon ful butter, or
ii compressed yeast cakes other shortening
I tablespoonful sugar ii teaspoonfuls salt
6 cupfuls gluten flour
Dissolve the yeast in a half cupful of the warm liquid,
combine with the whole amount of liquid and beat in two
cupfuls of the flour. Let stand in a warm place until
YEAST BREADS 197
spongy, about an hour and a half. Then add the sugar,
salt and the shortening, melted, and beat in the remain-
ing flour. If necessary, add more flour until the mixture
is thick enough to knead. Knead until elastic, let rise
till double in bulk, shape into loaves, and, when light, bake
in a moderate oven from fifty minutes to an hour.
Unkneaded Rye Bread (5 Hours)
2 cupfuls rye meal 2 cupfuls .water or milk, in-
2 cupfuls bread flour eluding wetting for yeast
2 tablespoon fuls sugar i tablespoonful melted but-
i compressed yeast cake ter or drippings
Sift together the dry ingredients; add the liquid, which
should be tepid, yeast and shortening. Mix well, place
in well-oiled bread pans, let rise till double in bulk and
bake forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. This makes
one large or two small loaves. If started at eight o'clock,
it can be finished by one.
Rice Bread (6 Hours)
I cupful tepid water i cupful milk
I compressed yeast cake ii teaspoonfuls salt
li tablespoonfuls sugar is tablespoonfuls butter,
1 cupful brown or uncoated drippings, or oleomarga-
rice, cooked to a mush in rine
slightly salted water Bread flour
Dissolve the yeast in the water, and add a cupful of
flour ; let rise until light and spongy, then add the shorten-
ing, melted, the sugar, salt and the milk slightly warmed.
In the meantime the rice should be cooked until very soft,
but not really wet, and should be rubbed through a sieve
into the sponge. Work in flour to knead about 4 cup-
fuls. Cut down and shape into two loaves ; let rise till
light again, and bake forty-five minutes in a moderate
oven.
White Yeast Bread (5 Hours)
2 cupfuls scalded milk or i batter, probably 6 to 8 cup-
cupful water and i cupful fuls
milk i cupful tepid water
I tablespoonful butter, oleo- i teaspoonful salt
margarine, or drippings i compressed yeast cake
Bread flour to make a stiff i tablespoonful sugar
Dissolve the shortening in the hot milk. Pour into a
198 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
bowl, and cool, till lukewarm. Dissolve the yeast in
warm water; add to the milk, with the sugar and salt.
Gradually add flour to make a stiff batter, stirring vigor-
ously with a wire whisk. Turn onto a slightly floured
board and knead until elastic. Set to rise in a warm
place till double in bulk. Form into loaves with as little
kneading as possible. Let rise again and then bake about
forty-five minutes.
Cornmeal and Wheat Bread (5 Hours)
i pint scalded milk ii teaspoonfuls salt
i compressed yeast cake i cupful home-ground corn-
1 cupful tepid water meal
2 tablespoonfuls butter, or White or whole wheat flour
other fat to knead
3 tablespoonfuls sugar, or
Barbadoes molasses
Pour the scalded milk onto the corn meal, fat, sweeten-
ing and salt. When tepid, add the yeast dissolved in the
water, and beat in flour to knead. If desired, a cupful
of chopped raisins, figs, or dates may be added at this
time. .Knead thoroughly, form into two loaves, let rise
till double in bulk, and bake in a moderate oven. The
bread will be coarse-grained, but of nutty flavor, and the
use of the meal effects considerable saving of flour.
Cinnamon Loaf
Reserve some of the dough from plain white bread.
Oil a square cake pan and spread one-half the mixture
into the tin. Sprinkle with 4 tablespoonfuls of sugar,
and i l /2 teaspoonfuls cinnamon mixed together; dot with
bits of butter or oleomargarine. Set a second layer in
place over this, and finish as before. Let rise till double
in bulk, and bake in a moderate oven.
Spiced Bread (5 Hours)
1 cupful scalded milk \ compressed yeast cake
i* tablespoonfuls butter or 2 tablespoonfuls tepid water
oleomargarine 2^ to 3 cupfuls bread flour
2 tablespoonfuls sugar \ teaspoonf ul salt
i teaspoonful cinnamon
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water ; add the shorten-
ing and salt to the scalded milk and mix the sugar a'nd
YEAST BREADS 199
cinnamon with the flour. When the milk is tepid, add the
yeast, then beat in the flour and let rise till double in bulk.
Cut down, spread in an oiled shallow pan, let rise, sprin-
kle with a little extra sugar and cinnamon mixed, and
bake about forty-five minutes in a moderate oven.
Nut Bread (5 Hours)
4 cupful boiling water i tablespoonful butter or
4 cupful milk oleomargarine
I compressed yeast cake, dis- i tablespoonful Barbadoes
solved in 3 tablespoonfuls molasses
tepid water i cupful nut meats chopped
Entire wheat flour to knead
Scald the milk, add the boiling water, molasses and
shortening and cool till tepid. Then add the yeast, and
flour to knead ; set aside to rise till double in bulk. Cut
down, shape into loaves, let rise again and bake an hour
in a very moderate oven.
Bran Bread (Over Night)
i compressed yeast cake 3 cupfuls tepid water
\ cupful tepid water \ teaspoonful soda
\ cupful Barbadoes molasses 5 cupfuls bran
i tablespoonful sugar 5 to 6 cupfuls whole wheat
4 tablespoonful salt or bread flour
Dissolve the yeast in the half cupful of water, pour into
the three cupfuls of water, together with the molasses,
sugar and salt. Mix together the bran, flour and soda,
beat into the liquid, together with enough additional
bread, or whole wheat flour, to stiffen it so that it may be
handled. Knead well, let rise till double in bulk, cut
down, shape into loaves and bake fifty minutes in a
moderate oven.
Date Bread (5 Hours)
\ cupful Barbadoes molasses ii compressed yeast cakes,
i teaspoonful salt dissolved in \ cupful warm
3 cupfuls quartered dates water
3 cupfuls tepid water Entire wheat flour
Put together the molasses, salt, dates, water and yeast.
Beat in the entire wheat flour to knead, and let rise till
double in bulk ; form into three loaves ; let rise again,
and bake fifty minutes in a very moderate oven.
200 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Currant Bread (5 Hours)
2 cupfuls scalded milk i teaspoonful salt
i compressed yeast cake 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
i cupful tepid water oleomargarine
3 cupfuls bread flour 6 tablespoonfuls sugar
3 egg yolks Bread flour to knead
1 cupful washed and dried
currants
Scald the milk and cool till tepid. Add the yeast dis-
solved in the warm water, and three cupfuls of flour, and
set in a warm place to become light. Then add the cur-
rants, salt, sugar and melted shortening, and the egg
yolks well-beaten. Stir thoroughly and beat in flour to
knead. Let rise until double in bulk, shape into two
loaves, and, when light, bake forty to fifty minutes in a
moderate oven.
Swedish Sweet Bread (5 Hours)
2 cupfuls scalded and cooled I cupful butter or oleomar-
milk garine
I compressed yeast cake 6 tablespoonfuls lard
1 cupful tepid water % cupful sugar
3 cupfuls bread flour (for 3 eggs
sponge) Bread flour to knead
i tablespoonful cardamom
seeds
Dissolve the yeast in the tepid water, add to the milk
and beat in the three cupfuls of flour. Let rise till
spongy, add the melted shortening, then the cardamom
seeds, sugar and the eggs well beaten and flour to knead.
Let rise again, shape into long narrow loaves, and bake
fifty minutes in a slow oven.
Yeast Brown Bread
4 cupfuls cornmeal (home- I cupful Barbadoes molasses
ground) i compressed yeast cake dis-
2^ cupfuls boiling water solved in i cupful tepid
2 cupfuls rye or entire wheat water
meal Salt
Scald the cornmeal with the boiling water, then cool,
and stir in the molasses, the rye meal, the yeast dissolved
in the tepid water, and enough extra tepid water to make
a stiff dry batter. Then pour into medium-sized brown
YEAST BREADS 201
bread tins, let rise till light, and bake forty minutes in a
quick oven ; then cover and cook two hours in a slow oven.
Raised Biscuits (5 Hours)
ii cupfuls milk I tablespoonful sugar
2 tablespoonfuls butter, oleo- I teaspoonful salt
margarine or lard 2 cupfuls bread flour
i cupful tepid water Bread flour to knead
i compressed yeast cake
Dissolve the yeast in tepid water; warm the milk till
tepid, combine and beat in two cupfuls of flour. Let
stand until light and spongy, then add the salt, sugar,
the shortening, melted, and flour to knead. Knead until
elastic, let rise till double in bulk, and then shape into
round balls. Set in a well-oiled pan, barely touching,
and, when light, bake in a moderate oven. Brush over
with butter when they are baked.
Raised Graham Biscuits (5 Hours)
1 compressed yeast cake, dis- i teaspoonful salt
solved in I cupful tepid 4 tablespoonfuls sugar
water 3 cupfuls graham meal
2 cupfuls scalded milk Bread flour to knead
1 tablespoonful butter or
oleomargarine
Add the shortening, salt and sugar to the milk. Cool
until lukewarm, then add the yeast and beat in the
graham meal. Add bread flour to knead ; work over
till very elastic, and then set to rise till double in bulk.
Then cut down, shape into biscuits, set in a well-oiled
pan, scarcely touching, and let rise till double in bulk.
Brush over lightly with milk, and bake in a moderate
oven about twenty-five minutes.
Parker House Rolls (5 Hours)
2 cupfuls scalded milk i compressed yeast cake, dis-
3 tablespoonfuls butter or solved in i cupful tepid
oleomargarine water
2 tablespoonfuls sugar si to 6 cupfuls bread flour
i teaspoonful salt
Add the shortening, sugar and salt to the milk ; when
lukewarm, add the dissolved xeast and beat in 3 cupfuls
of flour. Cover and let rise until spongy. Then add
202 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
flour to knead, and let rise again. Toss on a floured
board, and roll out to one-third inch in thickness. Shape
with biscuit cutter. . Brush with melted butter, crease each
round with a knife across the center to form a hinge,
fold over, and press the edges together. Place in an
oiled pan one inch apart, let rise and bake in a hot oven
from fifteen to twenty-five minutes.
French Rolls (6 Hours)
i cupfuls tepid water I teaspoonful salt
ii compressed yeast cakes About 6 cupfuls bread flour
Dissolve the yeast in ^ cupful of the water, and add
flour to make a stiff dough. Knead thoroughly, shape
into a ball and make two cuts on the top. Set in a small
saucepan of tepid water, cut side up, and when the ball
swells and floats remove with a skimmer to a mixing
bowl containing the remaining water and the salt. Stir
in flour to make a dough stiff enough to knead about 2
cupfuls and let stand till double in bulk. Shape into
pointed rolls and bake, when light, in a moderate oven.
Glaze with a paste made of one teaspoonful of corn starch
dissolved in cold water and boiled up once. This should
be applied just before the rolls are done.
Swedish Rolls
Use the recipe for Parker House or Sweet Rolls. Roll
to one-quarter inch thickness, spread with softened but-
ter, sprinkle with 2 tablespoonfuls of sugar mixed with
J teaspoonful cinnamon, J cupful raisins finely chopped,
and 2 tablespoonfuls of chopped citron or orange peel.
Roll up like jelly roll and cut in three-quarter inch pieces.
Place the pieces in a pan close together, flat side down ;
let rise and bake. When the rolls are taken from the
oven, brush over with white of egg slightly beaten, and
diluted with J teaspoonful water. Return to the oven
to dry the egg.
Sweet Rolls (5 Hours)
1 4 cupfuls tepid milk 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
cupful tepid water oleomargarine
i compressed yeast cake i egg
i cupful sugar Bread flour
i teasooonful salt
YEAST BREADS 203
i
Dissolve the yeast in the water, add to milk with the
salt and beat in 2^ cupfuls of flour. When light, in about
an hour, add the sugar, shortening, melted, egg, and flour
to knead. Let rise, and shape like small Parker House
rolls ; let rise again and bake in a moderate oven.
Hot Cross Buns
Prepare the mixture for Sweet Rolls, add f cupful of
thoroughly cleaned currants and ^ teaspoonful of cinna-
mon, if the flavor is liked. At the end of the second ris-
ing cut out in good-sized rounds, J inch thick. Place
these in oiled pans, let them rise until double in bulk and
bake in a moderate oven. Just before they are done
brush them over with a corn starch glaze and when cool
fashion a cross on each of confectioner's frosting, put on
by means of a pastry bag and tube.
Almond Biscuits
Prepare the mixture for sweet rolls. Instead of shap-
ing it like Parker House rolls, cut it into rounds a fourth
inch in thickness, brush them over with melted butter, and
sprinkle thickly with chopped blanched almonds. Set to
rise. Do not let them touch each other, and bake in a
moderate oven. They should be crusty all over and sug-
gest the German rusk.
Cocoanut Rusks
Make according to the recipe for sweet rolls, shaping
the dough for the final rising with a biscuit cutter. Bake
as directed. When cool, spread roughly with a little
plain confectioner's frosting and shredded cocoanut.
Nuts may be substituted for the cocoanut.
Clover Leaf Rye Biscuits (5 Hours)
1 cupful rye meal I cupful milk scalded and
5 cupfuls bread flour cooled
2 tablespoonfuls sugar i compressed yeast cake, dis-
2 tablespoonfuls butter, oleo- solved in i cupful tepid
margarine or drippings water
I teaspoonful salt
Mix together the dry ingredients. Rub in the short-
ening with the finger tips. Dissolve the yeast, add it to
the milk, and stir into the first mixture. Beat well, cover
204 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
and let rise till doubled in bulk. Stir down and form into
small balls with the fingers, putting them together into
oiled muffin pans to form clover leaves. Let rise till light,
and bake.
Orange Rolls (5 Hours)
i cupful milk I teaspoon ful salt
ii compressed yeast cakes, 3 egg yolks
dissolved in I cupful warm i cupful orange juice
water f cupful chopped candied
ij cupfuls bread flour orange peel
1 cupful sugar Bread flour to knead
4 tablespoonfuls melted but-
ter or oleomargarine
Scald the milk; when tepid add the yeast, beat in the
flour and let rise till spongy. Then add the other ingredi-
ents in the order given, and let rise again. Shape into
little balls, set on a floured board, cover lightly and let
rise till puffy. Shape into pointed rolls, let rise, slash
and bake. Just before they are done brush over with a
corn starch paste made of one teaspoonful of corn starch,
dissolved in J cupful cold water and allowed to boil, and
sprinkle with candied orange peel, chopped fine.
Little Currant Rolls (6 Hours)
2 cupfuls scalded milk i cupful dried, washed cur-
I compressed yeast cake, dis- rants
solved in i cupful warm ij teaspoonfuls salt
water 2 egg yolks
24 cupfuls bread flour 2 tablespoonfuls butter, oleo-
i cupful sugar margarine or drippings
Bread flour to knead
Cool the scalded milk till lukewarm. Then add the
yeast, and beat in 2.\ cupfuls of bread flour. Cover and
set aside in a warm place to become light. Flour the
currants, beat the egg yolks light, melt the shortening, and
add them with the sugar and salt to the raised dough.
Work in flour to knead. Knead till elastic, and let rise
again till double in bulk. Shape as Parker House rolls,
and, when risen, make three parallel cuts on top of each
roll. When done, brush over with the whites of the
eggs diluted with one tablespoonful cold water, and f
teaspoonful vanilla. Sprinkle with sugar and return to
the oven to " set " for a few seconds.
YEAST BREADS 205
Clover Leaf Rolls (5 Hours)
I cupful milk i compressed .yeast cake dis-
i tablespoon ful sugar solved in 2 tablespoonfuls
i tablespoon ful salt warm milk
3 tablespoonfuls melted but- i cupfuls bread flour
ter, oleomargarine or drip- i egg well-beaten
pings Bread flour to knead
Scald the milk. When lukewarm, add the dissolved
yeast, sugar, salt and the ij cupfuls of flour. Beat well,
and set to rise. When light, add the remaining ingredi-
ents with flour to knead. Knead well, and let rise a sec-
ond time. Then shape into balls the size of an English
walnut, and put three together into each division of oiled
muffin pans, oiling the sides of the balls with butter where
they adhere, before placing in the pans. When double
in bulk, bake in a hot oven, and, when done, brush over
tops with slightly-beaten egg white. Return to the oven
to " set " the glaze.
English Muffins (5 Hours)
i compressed yeast cake \ cupful melted butter or
1 cupful tepid water oleomargarine
2 cupfuls milk i tablespoonful sugar
i egg white Bread flour to make a stiff
i teaspoonful salt batter
Scald the milk, add the salt and sugar and, when tepid,
the yeast dissolved in the warm water. Beat in flour to
make a batter, about 2 cupfuls, and let rise till spongy.
Then add the shortening, egg white well-beaten and
flour to make a stiff batter. Let rise till double in bulk,
drop by spoonfuls into warm, well-oiled muffin pans, fill-
ing them two-thirds full, then sprinkle the tops with sugar
and bake at once in a moderate oven, or cook as usual in
muffin rings on a griddle.
Cornmeal Muffins Raised with Yeast (6 Hours)
1 cupful home-ground corn- I compressed yeast cake dis-
meal solved in i cupful tepid
5 cupfuls bread flour water
2 tablespoonfuls bacon fat I teaspoonful salt
i cupful scalded and cooled 2 tablespoonfuls sugar (op-
milk tional)
Mix together the dry ingredients and rub in the short-
206 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
ening with the finger tips. Dissolve the yeast, add to the
milk and stir into the first mixture. Beat well, cover and
let rise till doubled. Then stir down, drop into well-oiled
muffin pans, let rise till double in bulk and bake about
thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven. If to be started
at night for breakfast, use half the quantity of yeast.
Kaised Squash Muffins (6 Hours)
i cupful stewed and sifted I tablespoonful butter, oleo-
squash margarine or drippings
3 tablespoonfuls sugar I compressed yeast cake
ii cupfuls scalded milk Bread flour to knead
i teaspoonful salt
Mix together the sugar, salt and squash, and the short-
ening melted in the hot milk. Cool till tepid and add the
yeast dissolved in J cupful of tepid water. Add bread
flour to make a stiff batter, set aside and let rise (about
four hours) ; cut down and drop into well-oiled muffin
pans, filling them half full. Let rise till nearly double in
bulk, and bake about thirty minutes in a moderate oven.
If desired, flour may be added to knead, the mixture be-
ing shaped into biscuits or loaves of ordinary bread.
Stewed and sifted pumpkin may be substituted for the
squash.
Hominy Muffins (5 Hours)
i cupful cooked hominy, dry 2 tablespoonfuls butter, oleo-
i| cupfuls milk margarine or drippings
1 cupful sugar 4 cupfuls bread flour
% teaspoonful salt i compressed yeast cake, dis-
2 well-beaten egg yolks solved in i cupful warm
milk
Scald the milk, and add to it the hominy, salt, sugar
and shortening. Cool till tepid, add the yeast, and the
egg well-beaten. Then whip in the flour a little at a time ;
set to rise, and when double in bulk drop into well-oiled
gem-pans, half filling them. Let rise again till the pans
are full, and bake in a moderate oven. Serve hot.
Raised Oatmeal Muffins (6 Hours)
i pint scalded milk i compressed yeast cake
i cupful rolled oats i cupful tepid water
k cupful butter or drippings 2 cupfuls bread flour
i teaspoonful salt 2 cupfuls entire wheat flour
i cupful sugar
YEAST BREADS 207
Add the sugar, salt, oatmeal and shortening to the milk.
Let stand until lukewarm ; dissolve the yeast in the warm
water, add to the first mixture, then gradually beat in the
flour. Set in a warm place to rise, and when double in
bulk beat again, and half fill well-oiled muffin pans. Let
rise till light, and bake in a moderate oven.
Raised Rice Muffins (Over Night)
i cupful cooked brown or 4 tablespoonfuls butter or
uncoated rice, dry oleomargarine
if cupfuls milk 4 cupfuls bread flour
i cupful sugar i compressed yeast cake, dis-
1 teaspoonful salt solved in i cupful warm
2 well-beaten egg yolks milk
Scald the milk and add it to the rice, salt, sugar and
shortening. Cool till tepid, add the yeast, and the egg
well-beaten. Then beat in the flour a little at a time ; set
to rise and, when double in bulk, drop into well-oiled
gem-pans, half filling them. Let rise again till the pans
are full, and bake.
Raised " Sally Lunn " (5 Hours)
i cupful scalded milk 4 teaspoonful salt
\ cupful boiling water 2 tablespoonfuls sugar
i compressed yeast cake, dis- 2 eggs
solved in i cupful tepid \ cupful butter or oleomar-
water garine
3i cupfuls bread flour i cupful lard
Cool the milk and water till tepid; add the dissolved
yeast and i^ cupfuls of bread flour. Beat well, cover
and set in a warm place to become light. Melt the butter
and lard, add to the sponge with the salt, sugar, eggs well-
beaten, and the remaining flour. Beat thoroughly, turn
into well-oiled shallow pans, cover, let rise and bake.
Pretzels (5 Hours)
i$ cupfuls tepid milk 4 tablespoonfuls butter or
I compressed yeast cake oleomargarine
\ cupful warm water i cupful sugar
2i cupfuls bread flour, for i egg
sponge Chopped, blanched almonds
Brown sugar
Dissolve the yeast in the water, add it to the milk and
beat in the flour. Let rise until spongy, add the melted
208 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
shortening, then the sugar and egg and flour to knead.
Let rise again, then form into rolls about twelve inches
long and one inch in diameter, and bring the ends towards
the middle of the dough, pressing them into it about one
inch apart. Bake in a moderate oven ; when nearly done,
brush over with melted butter, and sprinkle with brown
sugar and chopped almonds. Return to the oven to
brown.
Old-Time Hot Short Rolls (1798)
2 cupfuls tepid milk 2 tablespoonfuls butter
i compressed yeast cake, dis- 2 beaten eggs
solved in i cupful of the About 6 cupfuls bread flour
milk i cupful sugar
i teaspoonful salt
Take out J of a cupful of the milk and dissolve the
yeast in it; add to the milk, with the butter, sugar, salt
and eggs. Add flour to make a light dough, about 2 cup-
fuls, and let rise till spongy. Beat in the remaining flour,
knead well, and let rise till double in bulk (about three
hours). Shape into finger rolls, let rise again, and bake
in a quick oven.
German Coffee Cake (5 Hours)
2 cupfuls scalded milk i cupful sugar
1 2 compressed yeast cakes Juice and grated rind i lemon
1 cupful tepid water About $ cnpf uls bread flour
2 eggs or 4 egg yolks Blanched almonds, sugar, and
i teaspoonful salt cinnamon
i cupful melted butter or
oleomargarine
Scald the milk, and, when cooled, add the yeast dis-
solved in the tepid water and 2 cupfuls flour to make the
batter. Let rise till light and spongy, then add the other
ingredients in the order given, the eggs well-beaten, and
flour to make a dough that can be kneaded. Knead till
elastic, then set aside till light. Cut down and put into
pans in sheets an inch and a half thick. Let rise till
double in bulk, brush over the top with melted butter or
egg white, and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon mixed
together, and blanched almonds. Bake about one-half
hour in a moderate oven.
YEAST BREADS 209
Almond Ring
2\ cupfuls scalded milk 6 tablespoonfuls sugar
ii compressed yeast cakes i cupful washed and halved
i cupful warm water raisins
cupful bread flour cupful halved blanched al-
3 egg yolks monds .
4 tablespoonfuls butter or Bread flour to knead
oleomargarine Corn starch glaze
I teaspoonful salt
Scald the milk and cool until tepid. Soften the yeast
cake in the warm water, add to the milk, beat in the flour
and set in a warm place to become light. Then add the
raisins, salt, sugar and shortening (melted) and the egg
yolks well-beaten. Stir thoroughly and beat in flour to
knead. Then let rise again, and, when double in bulk,
cut down and shape into two long rolls. Oil a cookie
sheet and shape these rolls into circles. Let rise again,
bake until about done in a moderate oven, then brush
over with the corn starch glaze made by dissolving a
teaspoonful of corn starch in a fourth cupful of cold
water and bringing it to boiling point. Sprinkle with the
almonds and a little granulated sugar, then replace in the
oven to set the glaze and finish cooking.
WAYS TO USE STALE BREAD
" It's only a slice of bread," we say as we scrape it
into the waste can, but most housewives do not know that
a generous sized slice is approximately equal in caloric
value to a saucerful of rice, a small handful of almonds,
a good-sized cube of cheese, an egg, a cupful of a nourish-
ing stock or vegetable soup, a dozen oysters, a serving of
codfish, or a slice of lean beef !
It does not seem as though much was being wasted
when we throw away the crusts from sandwiches, or the
end of the loaf, but when we realize that a single slice of
bread wasted every day in every home in America, totals
625,000 Ibs. a day, at a national cost of $50,000 daily, we
can see that in that one item alone, a great deal of money
can be saved.
In preparing crumbs the bread should be dried in a slow
oven, then put through the medium-sized knife of the
food chopper.
210 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Whole wheat and rye bread crumbs should be kept
separate for use in escalloping meats and vegetables and
in thickening soups. White bread crumbs may be used
for escallops, fish loaves, etc., where a more dainty flavor
is desired, as well as for crumbing croquettes, and in mak-
ing puddings, etc., while crumbs from sweet breads may
be used in escalloping fruits and in making puddings and
fritters.
In utilizing buttered toast or bread, keep it separate
from the unbuttered slices, as the extra fat is liable to
make the crumbs turn stale within a few days. The
crumbs should be stored in jars with perforated tops,
which will prevent rancidity and staleness.
Bread Breakfast Cereal
3 ctipfuls broken bits dried 3 cupfuls boiling water
white bread, or equal parts teaspoonful salt
of white and whole wheat
bread
Boil gently for ten minutes, stirring with a wire whisk
or fork. Serve with milk and sugar.
Bread and Nut Cereal
Steamed brown bread (stale) Chopped nut meats
Dry the brown bread thoroughly and then grind into
coarse crumbs. Add one- fourth as many nut meats and
serve with milk and a little salt, as the main dish for a
simple luncheon or supper. Serve plain without nut-
meats for breakfast.
Bread and Tomato Soup
1 cupful diced turnip 2 tablespoonfuls sausage,
2 onions, chopped ham, or bacon fat
2 stalks celery, chopped, or \ Salt and pepper to taste
teaspoonful celery seed ii cupfuls crumbled dry
2 cupfuls canned tomato bread crusts
i quart water
Combine the vegetables, tomato and water and cook
gently until the vegetables are tender, about an hour, re-
plenishing the water to keep the amount as at first. Rub
through a sieve, add the fat and crusts and simmer gently
for ten minutes, stirring with a whisk, then season to
taste.
YEAST BREADS 211
Toast and Onion Soup
12 medium-sized onions ij quarts any good soup-
12 slices stale or dry bread stock
toasted Grated, dry cheese
Slice the onions and fry them slowly, till soft and yel-
lowed, in any good cooking fat. In the meantime toast
the bread and put two slices in each soup plate. Put the
onions on this, pour over the broth, which should be boil-
ing hot, and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Crumbled
bread crusts may be used for this soup if they are first
toasted in the oven.
Scrambled Eggs with Crumbs
li cupfuls coarsely crumbled. \ teaspoonful salt
dry crusts of bread j teaspoonful pepper
3 tablespoonfuls ham, bacon 4 eggs
or sausage fat 1 cupful milk or water
Fry the crumbs in the fat till light brown, then beat
together the eggs, liquid and seasonings, and pour into
the crumbs. Stir over a slow fire till set.
Shirred Eggs with Crumbs (Individual)
Rub ramekins or shirred-egg dishes with ham or bacon
fat, put in each one a tablespoonful of coarse, dry bread
crumbs and a tablespoonful of milk, or tomato sauce.
Break carefully an egg into each dish, dot with a bit of
bacon fat and dust with salt and pepper; bake until set
in a moderate oven, about ten minutes.
Bread Crumb Omelet
i cupfuls crusts entire wheat \ teaspoonful pepper
bread, dried and crumbled 4 eggs
i cupful milk i tablespoonful ham, bacon,
ii teaspoonfuls salt or sausage fat
Cook the bread and milk together gently to form a
paste. Then add the seasonings. Separate the eggs,
beat the whites till stiff and the yolks till lemon-colored.
Pour -the bread mixture into the yolks, combine with the
whites and pour into an omelet pan in which the fat has
been melted. Cook as usual, setting the omelet in the
oven to make the top firm. If desired, the fat may be
dissolved in a glass or earthenware baking dish, the
212 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
omelet mixture poured in and the cookery carried on
completely in the oven.
Bread and Nut Loaf
ii cupfuls chopped English teaspoonful sage
walnuts, black walnuts, or i teaspoonful salt
mixed nut meats 3 tablespoonfuls melted oleo-
ij cupfuls cooked hominy margarine
grits * ij cupfuls ground whole
i large egg wheat bread crumbs, dried
1 teaspoonful pepper
Combine the ingredients in the order given, pack into
a well-oiled, brick-shaped pan which has been lined with
paper and bake slowly for forty-five minutes. Serve with
peanut butter sauce, or a plain white sauce.
Bread and Ham Timbales
2 cupfuls minced ham i cupfuls milk
2 eggs separated I teaspoonful salt * *
ii cupfuls dried bread crusts i teaspoonful pepper
crumbled i teaspoonful scraped onion
Combine the crumbs and milk and cook to a paste.
Add to the ham, together with the seasoning and the egg
yolks. Fold in the whites, beaten stiff, transfer to tim-
bale moulds or small custard cups, which have been oiled
with ham fat, set them in a pan of hot water and cook
until set, like custard, about twenty-five minutes in a mod-
erate oven. Turn out and serve with white or tomato
sauce, or peas.
Bread and Cheese Pudding
i$ cupfuls crumbled, dry 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
bread crusts oleomargarine, melted
2 eggs I pint milk
i teaspoonful salt ii cupfuls chopped American
Few grains paprika cheese
i teaspoonful pepper
Scald the crumbs in the milk ; beat together the other
ingredients. Pour over the hot milk, transfer to a well-
oiled baking dish, set in a pan of hot water, and bake
until firm in a moderate oven.
YEAST BREADS 213
Bread Savory
6 onions 2 eggs, slightly beaten
3 cupfuls milk I teaspoonful salt
ii cupfuls dried, crumbled I teaspoonful pepper
entire wheat bread crumbs 2 tablespoonf uls ham fat
cupful minced ham or
shredded smoked beef
/
Slice the onions thin and cook, till soft and yellow, in
the fat. Then add the other ingredients in the order
given, pour into a baking dish rubbed with a little ham
fat and cook gently until set.
Brown Bread Biscuits
4 tablespoonfuls any good i teaspoonful salt
cooking fat 3 teaspoonfuls baking pow-
I cupful boiling water der
i cupful ground whole wheat, -k cupful grated cheese, or
rye, or oatmeal bread ground nut meats, if de-
crumbs sired
i cupful bread flour
Melt the fat in the hot water and pour onto the crumbs.
Cool till tepid, then work in the flour, salt and baking
powder mixed; pat out as any biscuit dough, shape in
small rounds, brush lightly with milk and bake in a quick
oven. If desired, the cheese or nuts may be worked into
the dough, making the biscuits very substantial. In this
case they should be served with a vegetable salad as the
main course at luncheon or supper.
Bread, Tomato and Cheese Stew
li cupfuls coarse stale bread i quart can tomatoes
crumbs I cupful grated cheese
i onion chopped i teaspoonful salt
3 tablespoonfuls bacon, ham, \ teaspoonful pepper
or sausage fat
Fry the crumbs and onion in the fat, then mix the sea-
sonings with the tomato; put a layer in the bottom of a
sauce pan, sprinkle on some of the bread mixture and
then some cheese, continuing till all is used. A cupful
of any good broth may be added, if convenient. Let sim-
mer gently for about ten minutes.
214 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Bread and Meat Pie
2 cupfuls minced meat, any ii cupfuls coarsely crumbled,
kind dry bread crumbs
2 cupfuls gravy, or brown cupful ground dry bread
sauce, well-seasoned crumbs
Few grains mace 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
oleomargarine
Put the meat, coarse bread crumbs and sauce in a well-
oiled baking dish in alternating layers. Top with the fine
bread crumbs, mixed with the fat melted. Bake until
brown in a moderate oven.
Bread and Egg Salad
3 hard-cooked eggs i cupful chopped mixed
i cupful diced stale bread pickle
1 cupful olive, peanut, or i| cupfuls shredded let-
corn oil tuce or cabbage
6 pickled onions, minced, or Salt and pepper to taste
i tablespoonful scraped on-
ion
Put the bread and oil in the salad bowl and toss till
the oil is almost absorbed, then add the eggs, chopped
coarsely, and the other ingredients in the order given,
together with a little of the pickle vinegar, if the salad
is not sufficiently tart and moist. To this may be added
a cupful of flaked, cooked fish, as salmon, bluefish, sar-
dines, etc., or a cupful of diced ham or veal, or a half
cupful of broken nut meats, or a cupful of chopped beets.
If this is done, it will be necessary to increase the amount
of oil by a tablespoonful and a half.
Bread Jelly
2 cupfuls broken bits dried 2! cupfuls boiling water
white, sweet, or white and teaspoonful salt
whole wheat bread mixed i cupful sugar
& teaspoonful nutmeg Juice and grated rind i lemon
Simmer together the bread, water and salt until it is
thoroughly blended, stirring with a wire whisk ; it will
take about twenty minutes. Then add the sugar and nut-
meg and, when tepid, the lemon. Turn into moulds
rinsed with cold water, let stand till firm and serve with
cream or milk and sugar, with any cold, foamy fruit sauce,
or with stewed fruit. If desired, quartered dates, halved
YEAST BREADS 215
raisins, bits of figs, or some chopped nut meats may be
added to the mixture when it is taken from the heat.
Egoless Bread Pudding
i cupful ground bread | cupful brown sugar or corn
crumbs, any kind syrup
ii cupfuls boiling water I teaspoonful mixed spice, or
I cupful mixed dried fruits, the grated rind 4 orange
as raisins, dates, etc. 3 cupfuls milk
teaspoonful salt
Pour the boiling water over the crumbs, add the other
ingredients in the order given and bake in a moderate
oven till firm and brown, about an hour. Serve with
cream, or milk, or with an orange sauce.
Steamed Bread and Jam Pudding
I egg, slightly beaten & teaspoonful soda dissolved
4 tablespoonfuls butter, or in a teaspoonful of hot
oleomargarine, melted water
\ cupful bread flour Scant half cupful raspberry,
1 cupful ground crumbs, any strawberry, or apricot jam
kind i tablespoon ful orange mar-
malade
Mix the ingredients in the order given, pack into a well-
oiled pudding mould and steam for an hour and a half.
Serve with hard fruit sauce.
Bread and Suet Dumplings
f cupful ground bread i cupful brown or white
crumbs (any kind) sugar
| cupful chopped suet i egg
Rind i lemon, grated teaspoonful salt
i teaspoonful nutmeg
Mix the ingredients in the order given and tie snugly
in small floured pudding cloths, allowing a tablespoonful
to a dumpling. Boil rapidly for thirty minutes and serve
with lemon sauce. To make savory dumplings omit the
sugar, nutmeg and lemon, and boil them in soup stock.
Use only in a menu otherwise deficient in fat.
Crumb Tea Cake
2 tablespoonfuls good cook- i egg
ing fat, melted if cupfuls flour
I cupful sugar i* teaspoonfuls baking pow-
teaspoonful orange extract der
i cupful milk , I teaspoonful salt
.
216 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Put all these ingredients together in a bowl, beat well
with a wire whisk and spread in a small, well-oiled drip-
ping pan ; cover the top with the following mixture of in-
gredients combined in the order given: two tablespoon-
fuls butter or oleomargarine, } cupful ground bread
crumbs (any kind), 3 tablespoonfuls sugar, 2 teaspoon-
fuls cinnamon. Press this slightly into the dough. Bake
the cake as usual and serve warm.
Bread Fritters
1 cupful milk, scalded 9 slices stale bread
2 tablespoonfuls sugar Egg white and fine bread
i teaspoonful salt crumbs for rolling
i teaspoonful vanilla
Pour the milk over the bread, add the sugar, salt and
vanilla and let stand till the bread has taken up the milk,
stirring occasionally to break up any crusts. Take up the
mixture in tablespoons, pressing out any excess milk,
then roll in slightly-beaten egg white diluted with the
milk that has been pressed out, then in the fine crumbs.
Fry in deep fat hot enough to brown a bit of bread in
forty counts. Serve with any desired sweet sauce.
Buttermilk Bread Muffins
I cupful dried ground bread 2 tablespoonfuls Barbadoes
crumbs molasses
1 cupful bread flour I teaspoonful salt
2 cupfuls bran 2 cupfuls buttermilk
i egg teaspoonful soda
Put together the dry ingredients, then combine the egg,
slightly beaten, the molasses, buttermilk and soda. Pour
into the dry ingredients, transfer to well-oiled gem-pans
and bake about twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven.
Bread Croustades, or Bread Boxes
Slice off the crusts from a loaf of stale bread, making
the cut slices very thin; then cut the loaf in slices two
inches thick, and hollow these out by means of a sharp
knife and spoon to form boxes or shells. Brush these
lightly with melted butter or oleomargarine, and brown
them in a hot oven, or fry them in deep fat hot enough
to brown a bit of bread in forty counts. Use for
GENERAL UTILITY WHEEL-TRAY SET FOR AFTERNOON
TEA SERVICE
YEAST BREADS 217
creamed chicken or other meats ; creamed lobster, or any
desired fish, or creamed vegetables.
Large bread croustades may be made in a similar way
by using the entire loaf. These act as holders for
creamed meat or fish, fried oysters, or a vegetable.
Croutons
Cut stale bread in half inch strips, then crosswise into
half inch squares, and fry lightly in butter or oleomar-
garine, or toast in a hot oven. Serve with soups.
CHAPTER VII
QUICK BREADS
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL
There is almost no type of cookery in which there are
so many failures as in the making, of quick breads, and
yet there is no food that ought to be more carefully made
because it is generally served at breakfast when the di-
gestive organs are not yet toned up. If the hot bread
is not properly cooked, and therefore easily assimilated,
it is frequently the cause of indigestion.
It is by no means necessary to be glued to a recipe
in this regard, if one can keep in mind the general
proportions of liquid, baking powder, flour and shorten-
ing for making breads of this type. Generally speaking
these proportions are as follows :
Griddle Cakes. Two-thirds as much liquid as flour ;
a teaspoonful of baking powder to each cup of flour ; a
tablespoonful or less of butter or other shortening to each
pint of liquid and one or two eggs to three cupfuls of
flour.
Muffins. The general proportions are: A cupful of
milk, 2 cupfuls of flour, 3 teaspoonfuls baking powder,
and from one to three tablespoonfuls of shortening.
Sour Milk Muffins. Observe the above general pro-
portions substituting a half teaspoonful of soda for 'each
cupful of sour milk, buttermilk, or sour cream. If the
milk is not very sour, it may be neutralized by the addi-
tion of one-fourth teaspoonful of soda, and baking pow-
der may be added to the mixture in two-thirds the usual
quantity.
Baking Powder Biscuits. The general proportions are
half as much liquid as flour, from one to two tablespoon-
fuls of shortening to each cup of flour and two teaspoon-
fuls of baking powder to each cupful of flour.
218
QUICK BREADS 219
In adding any grain or meal to a plain muffin recipe,
use f cupful in place of a cupful of the flour. The liquid
may remain the same as indicated, as the grain will swell
enough to take it up. Sugar and salt may be added as
desired, but a word must be said for the unsweetened, or
simply slightly sweetened, breakfast bread. We Ameri-
cans are liable to demand a cake rather than a bread,
and then wonder why we are conscious of the existence
of that organ called the liver !
Baking Quick Breads
The oven should be hot (375 degrees F.) for all baking
powder biscuit mixtures and all muffins. Popovers need
a slow oven (about 300 degrees F.) to allow for the full
expansion of the air which is the only leavening agent.
Quick loaf breads demand a heat of 350 degrees F. which
should be greatly lessened during the last quarter of the
baking time.
The pans should be slightly warmed and very well oiled
with lard or beef drippings.
Steaming Quick Breads
Moulds the size of pound baking powder cans should
be steamed an hour and a half. Large moulds, the size
of a three-pound lard pail, should be steamed four hours.
Always start the mould with the water cold and bring
gradually to boiling point so that the mixture will heat
evenly throughout. Count the steaming from the time
that the water commences to boil.
Cooking Griddle Cakes
If possible, use an aluminum or soapstone griddle, or
even one of steel and do not oil it, simply rub it off oc-
casionally with a bag containing salt. Cakes baked in
this way are light and digestible. However, if a fried
flavor is especially liked, the griddle may be oiled easily
by means of a swab or cloth tied onto a skewer. Drip-
pings, lard, or bacon fat may be used, or any of the veg-
etable oils, but butter or oleomargarine burn too quickly
to be adopted.
Mix the griddle cake mixture in a pitcher and pour
out to the desired size on the griddle, which should be
220 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
almost smoking hot. Test the ungreased griddle with a
bit of the dough. The cakes are ready to turn when
they are full of bubbles. They should be turned only
once.
Choice of Ingredients for Quick Breads
Always use bread flour; butter or oleomargarine may
be used interchangeably. Bacon fat may be used in corn-
meal and gingerbread mixtures, while drippings or lard
may be introduced in any recipe if desired, although the
flavor will not be quite so good. Skimmed milk may be
used instead of whole milk, but in this case the shorten-
ing should be increased three-fourths of a tablespoonful.
The baking powder may be either a phosphate or a cream
of tartar powder. An alum powder has no place in any
household.
Baking Powder Biscuits
2 cupfuls bread flour 2 tablespoon! uls butter, oleo-
4 teaspoonfuls baking pow- margarine or drippings
der About I cupful milk or water
i teaspoonful salt
Mix and sift the dry ingredients. Work in the shorten-
ing with the finger tips, and add the wetting. Keep as
dry as possible. Toss onto a slightly floured board, and
pat to one-half inch in thickness ; shape with a biscuit
cutter, tucking under the edges so that there will be no
" remnants," place on a well-oiled pan with the edges
scarcely touching and bake about fifteen minutes in a
quick oven.
Quick Cinnamon Rolls
Follow the recipe for Baking Powder Biscuits, patting
the mixture into oblong shape ; spread lightly with melted
butter or oleomargarine, sprinkle with a half cupful of
sugar, mixed with a teaspoonful of cinnamon, roll up, cut
in crosswise slices like a jelly roll, and bake in a quick
oven.
Orange Roll Biscuits
Follow the recipe for Baking Powder Biscuits. Pat
the mixture into oblong shape, spread lightly with melted
butter, and strew over one-fourth cupful of granulated
sugar and a half cupful of finely-chopped, candied orange
peel. Roll up as in making Quick Cinnamon Rolls, cut
QUICK BREADS 221
in slices, bake and put a spoonful of orange icing on the
top of each one. Use with coffee as a dessert, or for
afternoon tea.
Quick Rolls
2k cup fuls bread flour I egg beaten light in a cup,
i teaspoon ful salt the cup being then filled
3i teaspoonfuls baking pow- with milk
der 2 teaspoonfuls sugar
4 tablespoonfuls butter or
oleomargarine
Sift together the dry ingredients ; work in the shorten-
ing with the finger tips, keeping the mixture coarse.
Then moisten with the milk and egg mixture and pat out
to one-fourth inch thickness on a floured board. Cut in
rounds, brush each one with melted butter, and crease
each round with a case knife. Fold over and bake in
a quick oven.
Savory Bolls
Follow above directions, spreading the cut rounds with
devilled ham or peanut butter.
Walnut Bolls
Follow the directions given for Quick Rolls, adding to
the mixture cupful of chopped English walnut meats.
Marmalade Balls
Follow the directions for Quick Rolls. Cut into thick
biscuit rounds, put a teaspoonful of marmalade or jam
on each, fold the edges over, and place folded side down
on an oiled baking pan. Brush with milk and dust with
granulated sugar. Bake in a quick oven.
Cream of Tartar Biscuit
1 cupful milk i teaspoonful soda
2 tablespoonfuls butter, but- \ teaspoonful salt
terine or drippings Bread flour probably 2 cup-
2 teaspoonfuls cream of tar- fuls
tar
Melt the fat and add it to the liquid. Sift the salt,
cream of tartar, soda and i cupful of the flour together.
Add the liquid and enough flour to make a soft dough
222 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Roll out to one-half inch thickness and cut in rounds.
Bake about twenty minutes in a quick oven.
Sweet Cream Biscuits
ii cupfuls heavy sweet cream 2\ teaspoonfuls cream of tar-
I teaspoonful salt tar
1 teaspoonful soda Bread flour to roll, about 2\
cupfuls
Sift together a cupful of the flour with the remaining
dry ingredients. Stir this into the cream with enough
additional flour to roll Pat out to one-half inch in
thickness, shape with a small cutter and bake fifteen min-
utes in a hot oven.
Dumplings
2 cupfuls bread or whole \ teaspoonful salt
wheat flour i tablespoonfuls shortening
4 teaspoonfuls baking pow- I cupful milk and water in
der equal parts
Mix the dry ingredients, and work in the shortening
with the finger tips. Add the liquid gradually. Toss
on a floured board and pat out to one-half inch in thick-
ness. Shape with a biscuit cutter, place in a colander or
steamer, set over boiling water or the liquid designated
and steam twelve minutes. Serve at once.
Butter Cakes, New York Style
2! cupfuls bread flour i teaspoonful salt
i$ cupfuls buttermilk or sour i egg yolk
milk tablespoonful melted butter
i teaspoonful soda
Sift together the dry ingredients three times. Make a
hole in the center and pour in J cupful of the buttermilk
mixed with the egg yolk, beaten, and the melted butter.
Stir well until the liquid is all taken up, and then add the
remaining buttermilk. Turn onto a floured board and
work until the elasticity seems to have disappeared. Pat
out to three-quarter inch in thickness, and cut into bis-
cuits two and one-half inches across. Set aside in a cool
place for two or three hours, or less time if necessary,
and then fry very slowly on a griddle, as in cooking Eng-
lish muffins.
To serve : Split while hot, and spread generously with
butter.
QUICK BREADS 223
Yorkshire Pudding
li cupfuls milk 2 eggs
ii cupfuls flour teaspoonful salt
Mix the salt and flour, and add the milk gradually,
beating well to form a smooth paste, then add the eggs,
beaten, whipping thoroughly. Cover the bottom of a pan
with some of the beef fat from roasting beef and pour
in the pudding mixture one-half inch deep. Bake twenty
minutes in a hot oven, basting, after well-risen, with some
of the fat from the pan in which the meat is roasting.
Break in squares for serving, as cutting makes it heavy.
Soft Gingerbread
i cupful Barbadoes molasses 3 cupfuls bread flour
I cupful sugar I teaspoonful soda
I cupful boiling water I teaspoonful salt
3 tablespoonfuls melted lard, i| teaspoonfuls ginger
sausage or bacon fat
Melt the fat in the water, add the molasses and sugar
and beat in all the dry ingredients sifted together ; bake
in a sheet in a dripping pan, thirty minutes in a moderate
oven.
Plain Griddle Cakes
3 cupfuls bread flour 2 tablespoonfuls melted but-
4 teaspoonfuls baking pow- ter or other fat
der 2 tablespoonfuls sugar
i teaspoonful salt 2 cupfuls milk
i egg
Mix the dry ingredients. Beat the egg light, add the
milk, and pour slowly onto the first mixture, beating con-
tinuously. Add the shortening, and fry as in the general
directions.
French Pancakes
Make as plain griddle cakes, the size of a saucer.
Spread with jelly or jam, roll up and sift with powdered
sugar.
Bread Crumb Griddle Cakes
i cupful fine dry bread $ teaspoonful salt
crumbs i tablespoonful sugar
2.\ cupfuls sour milk or i teaspoonful melted lard or
buttermilk dripping
cupful bread flour i egg, optional
i teaspoonful soda
224 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Soak the crumbs in the milk for three-quarters of an
hour, then add the flour and other dry ingredients sifted
together, and the egg and shortening. Fry as in the gen-
eral directions.
Cornmeal Griddle Cakes
t cupful home-ground corn- 2 tablespoonfuls sugar
meal ij cupfuls milk
li cupfuls bread flour i egg
4 teaspoonfuls baking pow- 2 tablespoonfuls melted
der shortening
\ teaspoonful salt
Mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt
and sugar. Beat the egg light, add the milk and stir into
the dry ingredients, with the melted shortening. Fry as
in the general directions.
Entire Wheat Meal Griddle Cakes
3 cupfuls entire wheat meal 3 teaspoonfuls baking pow-
1 cupful bread flour der
2 cupfuls milk i teaspoonful salt
i egg
Beat the egg light. Add the milk, then the baking pow-
der and salt mixed with the meal and flour. Fry accord-
ing to the general directions.
Rice Griddle Cakes
2^ cupfuls hot boiled brown teaspoonful salt
or uncoated rice 2! cupfuls milk
2i cupfuls flour 2- eggs
5 teaspoonfuls baking pow-
der
Stir the salt and milk into the hot rice; cool, then add
the egg yolks well-beaten and the flour sifted with the
baking powder. Fold in the egg whites beaten stiff and
dry. Fry according to the general directions. These are
delicious with melted currant jelly. Hominy may be sub-
stituted for the rice.
Green Corn Griddle Cakes
I cupful green corn pulp i tablespoonful melted butter
(scraped from cobs) or other fat
I egg, beaten light i cupful bread flour
\ teaspoonful salt i teaspoonful baking powder
i cupful milk
QUICK BREADS 225
Mix in the order given, drop by teaspoonfuls on a hot
griddle, and fry according to the general directions.
Popovers
ii cupfuls bread flour i egg
1 teaspoonftil salt I teaspoonful melted butter
1 4 cupfuls milk or other fat
Sift the salt and flour together ; pour the milk in a mix-
ing-bowl, and beat the flour mixture in slowly, stirring
thoroughly to make a smooth batter. An egg-beater gives
good results. Add the egg, beaten light, and the melted
shortening, beat hard for two minutes, half fill deep gem-
pans, well heated and oiled, and bake fifty minutes in a
slow oven.
Waffles
ij cupfuls bread flour I cupful milk and 3 table-
2 teaspoonfuls baking pow- spoonfuls melted butter
der i teaspoonful salt
1 cupful rich, sweet cream, or 2 eggs
Sift together the dry ingredients. Add the egg yolks,
beaten and mixed with the milk, the melted butter, if it be
used; lastly, fold in the egg whites, beaten dry. Have
both sides of the waffle iron hot and well-oiled. Put a
tablespoon ful of the mixture in each compartment and let
down the top. When the mixture is baked on one side,
turn the iron to brown the other side. Remove- the cooked
waffles with a fork.
Twin Mountain Muffins
2 tablespoonfuls butter or i cupful milk
oleomargarine 2 cupfuls bread flour
2 tablespoonfuls sugar 3 teaspoonfuls baking pow-
i teaspoonful salt der
Melt the butter and add the sugar and egg ; sift the
baking powder with the flour, and add to the first mix-
ture, alternating with the milk. Bake in well-oiled gem-
pans twenty-five minutes.
Blueberry Muffins
Add one and one-half cupfuls of blueberries to the flour
in the preceding recipe and proceed as directed.
226 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Date Muffins
2 cupfuls bread or whole I cupful quartered dates
wheat flour 4 tablespoonfuls melted but-
3 teaspoonfuls baking pow- ter or oleomargarine
der ii cupfuls milk
1 teaspoonful salt i egg
Mix the dates with the flour, baking powder and salt.
Put the egg and milk in a bowl, beat together, add the
flour mixture and the melted shortening, beat well, and
bake twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven.
Bran Muffins
2 tablespoonfuls Barbadoes i egg (well-beaten)
molasses , i tablespoonful melted butter
I teaspoonful soda or other shortening
1 teaspoonful salt i cupful bread flour
2 cupfuls sour milk 3 cupfuls bran
Mix the ingredients in the order given. Beat well, and
bake thirty minutes in well-oiled gem-pans.
Eggless Johnny Cake
i cupfuls home-ground i cupful milk
cornmeal i cupful water
2\ cupfuls bread flour \ teaspoonful salt
$ cupful sugar (optional) 2 tablespoonfuls melted beef,
6 teaspoonfuls baking pow- oleomargarine, bacon fat,
der or drippings
Mix together the dry ingredients. Stir in the milk and
water, add the melted fat and bake in a well-oiled drip-
ping pan in a quick oven.
Quick Corn Muffins
i cupful home-ground corn- i teaspoonful salt
meal i egg
1 cupful bread flour \\ cupfuls milk
2 tablespoonfuls sugar 3 tablespoonfuls melted ba-
i tablespoonful baking pow- con fat
der
Measure the bacon fat in an enamel mixing-bowl or
stew-pan and melt it. Add the other ingredients in the
order given ; beat thoroughly and bake in well-oiled muffin
pans for twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven.
QUICK BREADS 227
Graham Muffins
i cupful graham meal I teaspoonful salt
1 cupful bread flour i cupful milk
2 tablespoonfuls sugar i egg
3 teaspoonfuls baking pow- I tablespoonful melted butter
der or other fat
Mix together the dry ingredients, add the milk grad-
ually, the egg well-beaten and the shortening. Bake in
hot, oiled gem-pans twenty minutes, or pour into a well-
oiled mould and steam three hours, serving it as a pudding
with molasses sauce.
Quick Rice Muffins
2 cupf uls bread flour i egg
i cupful cold, cooked brown 2 tablespoonfuls melted but-
or uncoated rice ter or other fat
3 teasQOonfuls baking pow- teaspoonful salt
der 2 tablespoonfuls sugar
I cupful milk
Mix together the salt, flour, sugar and baking powder.
Rub in the rice with the finger tips, add the egg well-
beaten, the milk and the shortening. Beat thoroughly
and bake in well-oiled hot gem-pans for thirty minutes in
a quick oven.
Cereal Muffins
Substitute any kind of left-over, cold, cooked cereal
for the rice in the preceding recipe, and proceed as di-
rected.
Entire Wheat Muffins
if cupf uls entire wheat meal teaspoonful soda
or flour i egg
teaspoonful salt i teaspoonful cream of tartar
i tablespoonful sugar I tablespoonful melted butter
i cupful milk or other fat
Mix together the milk, salt, sugar and egg, slightly
beaten. Stir in the flour mixed with the soda and cream
of tartar. Beat well, add the shortening, transfer to
well-oiled muffin pans and bake about twenty-five minutes
in a moderate oven.
228 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Eye Muffins
I cupful sour cream and 2 tablespoonfuls sugar
1 cupful sour milk i teaspoonful salt
or 2 eggs
2 cupfuls sour milk and i cupful rye meal
i teaspoonful melted butter i cupful bread flour
i teaspoonful soda
Mix together the sour milk and cream. Add the soda
dissolved in a teaspoonful of warm water. Mix to-
gether the sugar, salt, meal and the flour and add to the
mixture. Stir in the eggs, well-beaten, and bake twenty-
five minutes in a quick oven.
Currant Nut Muffins
3 tablespoonfuls melted but- 3 teaspoonfuls baking powder
ter or oleomargarine i cupful currants
2j tablespoonfuls sugar i cupful broken walnut meats
1 egg i cupful milk
2 cupfuls bread flour
Combine the ingredients in a bowl in the order given,
and beat well. Drop into well-oiled mufHn pans and bake
twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven.
Apple Muffins '
I cupful butter or oleomar- 2 cupfuls chopped apple
garine I cupful milk
6 tablespoonfuls sugar 2 cupfuls bread flour
i teaspoonful salt 3 teaspoonfuls baking powder
i egg
Cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, and then
the egg well-beaten. Sift together the flour, salt and bak-
ing powder, and add the apple. Add alternately to the
muffin mixture with the milk, and bake twenty-five to
thirty minutes in a moderate oven.
Sour Milk Spider Corn Cake
ii cupfuls sour milk or but- 3 teaspoonfuls baking pow-
termilk der
i teaspoonful soda i tablespoonf ul sugar
il cupfuls home-ground I teaspoonful salt
cornmeal I egg
i cupful bread flour li cupfuls sweet milk '
Mix the dry ingredients together and then pour in the
sour milk, mixed with the soda and half of the sweet
QUICK BREADS 229
milk. Beat well, stir in the egg well-beaten and pour into
a heavy frying pan, containing two tablespoonfuls of
melted drippings. Pour in the mixture, gently add the
remaining milk but do not stir. Bake thirty minutes in
a moderate oven. To be perfectly successful this cake
should contain a custard layer in the center. ' It is de-
licious served with currant jelly, as a hot supper dish.
Corn Cake
ii cupfuls bread flour 2 tablespoonfuls baking pow-
'\\ teaspoonfuls salt der
2 tablespoonfuls sugar i or 2 eggs
ij cupfuls milk 2 tablespoonfuls melted but-
ii cupfuls home-ground ter or bacon fat
cornmeal
Sift the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar and baking powder
together. Add the eggs well-beaten, the milk and shorten-
ing. Pour into oiled muffin pans and bake twenty-five to
thirty minutes in a moderate oven.
Quick " Sally Limn "
\ cupful sugar 2 cupfuls bread or pastry
3 tablespoonfuls melted but- flour
ter or oleomargarine I cupful milk
2 eggs 3 teaspoonfuls baking powder
i teaspoonful salt
Beat the eggs and sugar together until creamy. Sift
together the flour, salt and baking powder and add alter-
nately to the mixture with the milk. Add the melted
shortening last and bake in a large cake pan in a quick
oven.
Quick Entire Wheat Meal Bread
34 cupfuls whole wheat meal 2 teaspoonfuls cream of
2 tablespoonfuls sugar tartar
2 cupfuls milk I tablespoonful melted but-
1 teaspoonful soda ter or oleomargarine
2 eggs
Mix together the dry ingredients. Beat the eggs light,
add the milk and stir into the mixture. Beat thoroughly
and bake in two small bread tins in a slow oven about fifty
minutes.
230 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Quick Graham Bread
3 cupfuls graham meal i teaspoonful soda
J cupful sugar or Barbadoes 2 teaspoonfuls cream of tar-
molasses tar
i teaspoonful salt 2 eggs
1 cupful, flour 2 cupfuls milk
Mix together the meal, sugar and salt. Sift in the
flour, soda and cream of tartar. Mix well, add the eggs
beaten light, and the milk, gradually. Beat thoroughly
and bake in a bread pan or two-dozen muffin pans.
Ginger Graham Bread
2 cupfuls sour milk i cupful fine entire wheat
cupful molasses flour
2 teaspoonfuls soda dissolved 3 cupfuls graham meal
in i tablespoonful boiling i egg
water i teaspoonful salt
2 teaspoonfuls ground ginger
Mix together the milk, molasses, soda, salt and ginger.
Add the egg unbeaten, and whip in the flour and meal
gradually. Bake in two small bread pans in a moderate
oven for fifty minutes. A cupful of nutmeats may be
added if desired. Let stand at least twenty-four hours
before using.
Prune Bread
1 cupful home-ground corn- i cupful milk
meal I cupful chopped raw prunes
2 cupfuls graham meal i teaspoonful soda
* cupful Barbadoes molasses 2 teaspoonfuls baking pow-
I teaspoonful salt der
Mix together the dry ingredients and prunes. Add the
soda to the molasses and the baking powder to the meal.
Mix the milk and molasses, turn into the first mixture,
beat well, and pour into well-oiled baking powder cans;
steam one and a half hours.
Quick Nut Bread
3 cupfuls entire wheat meal i tablespoonful sugar
\ cupful bread flour, i cupful chopped hickory
I teaspoonful salt nut, English walnut, or
3! teaspoonfuls baking pow- black walnut meats
der 2\ cupfuls milk
Mix together the meal, bread flour, salt, baking
QUICK BREADS 231
powder, sugar and nut meats. Beat in the milk. Turn
into two well-oiled bread pans, and bake in a moderate
oven about forty-five minutes.
Boston Brown Bread
1 cupful graham meal 2 cupfuls sour mik or butter-
I cupful rye meal milk
2 cupfuls home-ground corn- I cupful Barbadoes molasses
meal I teaspoonful soda
1 teaspoonful salt
Mix together the sour milk and molasses ; add the soda,
dissolved in a tablespoonful of warm water, and beat in
the meal. Divide into three-pound baking powder tins,
well-oiled, and steam for one and a half hours. A few
raisins may be added with the meal if desired.
Suet Corn Bread
4 cupfuls home-ground corn- I cupful Barbadoes molasses
meal i teaspoonful soda
2 cupfuls graham or whole 2 teaspoonfuls salt
wheat flour 3 cupfuls sour milk, or but-
1 cupful finely ground suet termilk
Mix the dry ingredients, except the soda, and rub in
the suet with the finger tips. Add the soda to the mo-
lasses, combine with the sour milk, and beat into the
mixture. Pour into well-oiled moulds, filling them two-
thirds full, cover and steam for four hours. A cup-
ful of stoned, quartered raw prunes or raisins may be
added.
French Toast
12 slices of white bread (24 I egg
hours old) I teaspoonful sugar
3 cupfuls milk Few grains of salt
Let the bread stand in the milk, egg, sugar and salt
for a few minutes to become soft. Then fry on a hot
griddle, well-oiled with beef drippings, lard or a vegeta-
ble cooking oil. Fry quickly, so that the toast will be
crisp on the outside and soft inside.
Cornmeal Crackers
2 cupfuls home-ground corn- 2 cupfuls boiling water
meal 2 tables.poonfuls melted but-
2 teaspoonfuls salt ter or other fat
232 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Mix the cornmeal and salt and beat it slowly into the
boiling water. Add the fat and spread the mixture in
a large dripping pan, keeping it thin. Bake until crisp
in a quick oven and cut in squares for serving.
Cinnamon Toast
White bread, 24 hours old Cinnamon
Powdered sugar Butter
Cut the bread in one-fourth inch slices, trim off the
crusts and toast quickly, so that it will be crisp on the
outside and soft on the inside. Spread with butter, and
sprinkle thickly with powdered sugar, mixed with cin-
namon, using 2 tablespoonfuls of cinnamon to a cupful
of powdered sugar. This should be kept made up in a
sugar shaker. Cut the toast in triangles or strips and
serve after standing in the oven a moment or two so
that the sugar and butter may become blended.
CHAPTER VIII
APPETIZERS
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL .
The success of a " company " meal depends largely
upon the accessories; hors d'ceuvres, or relishes, and
dainty appetizers are to a luncheon or dinner like the
trimming to a dress, retrieving the plainness and lending
an artistic finish that the finest meal cannot attain if
they are omitted. Unfortunately, most housewives have
the impression that caviar, anchovy paste and other ex-
pensive ingredients are needed to prepare these tidbits,
but in reality the most ordinary materials, skilfully com-
bined, are quite as savory, and much more acceptable
because they have the home touch. Whereas there is no
appreciable difference between hors d'oeuvres and rel-
ishes, the more elaborate types like canapes, fish cock-
tails, or raw oysters are used to begin a meal, other
simpler types, like fringed celery and stuffed olives, be-
ing passed between the courses.
The appetizers used to commence a meal are as fol-
lows: Grapefruit, fruit cups, raw oysters, or clams,
fish cocktails, vegetable cocktails and hot or cold can-
apes. As a general rule, it may be said that the fruit,
fruit cups and vegetable cocktails are more suitable to
warm weather meals, canapes, and the various fish ap-
petizers being more adaptable to the colder months.
Canapes should be served on small plates covered
with doilies. A dessert or ramekin fork should be pro-
vided for the service. Raw oysters, or clams, on the
shell should be served on beds of shaved ice in deep
plates with a garnish of lemon points, radish roses or
with a wine glassful of a suitable sauce in the center of
each plate. Tiny sandwiches should be passed with them.
Fish cocktails may be served in wine glasses, or in cups
233
APPETIZERS 235
sweet green peppers and onions, mixed with a little
French dressing. Set an egg-half on each slice, sprinkle
over the riced egg yolk and top each egg-half with a
slice of stuffed olive.
Peanut Butter Canapes
6 buttered toast rounds Narrow strips of green and
Peanut butter red peppers
Thick mayonnaise dressing,
or well-moistened cream
cheese
Spread the toast rounds lightly with peanut butter,
and place alternately on them the strips of red and green
peppers, pressing them firmly into place. Pipe the may-
onnaise or cheese around the edge, by means of a pastry
bag and tube.
Peanut Canapes
Cut rounds of bread and brown them in deep fat.
Spread lightly with cream cheese, moistened with mayon-
naise or cream, sprinkle thickly with chopped peanuts,
put half a stuffed olive in the center of each, and put
wreathes of parsley sprigs around the edges.
Tomato Canapes
6 slices bread Pepper
6 slices tomato Paprika
i Neufchatel cheese 2 tablespoonfuls powdered
Stiff mayonnaise parsley
Salt
Cut six slices of bread in round shapes, and toast or
fry. Spread lightly with well-seasoned cream cheese,
and set over it a slice of tomato. Sprinkle with salt and
pepper. Pipe around each tomato slice a ring of mayon-
naise, studded with mayonnaise roses, and pile three
tiny balls of cream cheese, rolled in the parsley, on each
tomato slice.
Hot Oyster Canapes
i$ cupfuls cream 2 dozen oysters (cut in
4 tablespoonfuls fine, soft halves)
bread crumbs 2 tablespoonfuls minced pep-
i* tablespoonfuls butter pers
Few grains red pepper f cupful quartered mush-
Few grains nutmeg rooms
Toast rounds
236 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Melt the butter, add the mushrooms and peppers and
saute (fry) till softened. Add the cream, crumbs and
seasonings, and, when hot, the oysters. Stir until the
edges begin to curl, then serve on well-buttered toast
rounds.
Mushroom Canapes
6 round bread croustades Nutmeg
6 large mushrooms 3 tablespoonfuls minced ham
1 tablespoonful butter I teaspoonful green pepper,
Salt and pepper minced
2 tablespoonfuls thick cream
Prepare six shallow bread croustades, and either toast
or fry them. Remove the skins from the mushrooms and
scoop out the gills. Chop the stems, add the peppers
and saute, till softened, in the butter. Then add the
cream and ham, season and pile lightly into the inverted
mushroom caps. Bake five minutes in a quick oven, set
in the croustades and serve individually.
Oyster Cocktail (Individual)
6 small raw oysters i drop tabasco
k tablespoonful tomato Few grains salt
catsup i teaspoonful celery,
i tablespoonful vinegar or chopped fine
lemon juice i teaspoonful fine Worces-
Grated orange rind tershire
Mix the ingredients, chill thoroughly and serve.
Baked Oysters on the Half Shell
Allow six oysters to a person. Place the oysters on
the half shell in a dripping pan, lay a tiny bit of bacon
on each one and bake in a moderate oven till the oysters
curl, about five minutes. Serve garnished with a slice
of lemon decorated with strips of pimento, fringed celery
and parsley.
Crab Flake Cocktail
5 well-shaped green peppers 6 tablespoonfuls catsup
6 tablespoonfuls lemon juice i tablespoonful horseradish
I teaspoonful cur-ry powder I teaspoonful Worcester-
il cupfuls crab flakes cut in shire
inch lengths Lettuce hearts
Cut the peppers in halves, crosswise, scraping out the
seeds and core, rinse in cold water, dry and fill with a
APPETIZERS 237
sauce made of the catsup, lemon juice, etc. Place on a
bed of lettuce hearts, arrange on individual plates, and
dispose the flakes on the leaves around the base of each
cup.
Clam Cocktail (Individual)
6 Little Neck clams I tablespoonful tomato cat-
k tablespoonful lemon juice sup
i teaspoonful grated horse- Few drops Worcestershire
radish i teaspoonful celery salt
i drop tabasco Few grains curry powder
1 tablespoonful grapefruit
juice
Discard the hard heads of the clams and wash the
clams carefully to remove any grit. Mix together the
sauce ingredients, add the clams, cover and let stand one
hour in a cold place before serving.
Clam and Grapefruit Cocktail
24 Little Neck clams Dash tabasco
Carpels from 2 grapefruit Grating orange rind
2 tablespoonfuls shredded i teaspoonful Worcester-
red and green peppers shire
i tablespoonful lemon juice Few grains curry powder
i teaspoonful salt
Wash the clams thoroughly. Cut the carpels from the
grapefruit and separate into four pieces each. Put the
ingredients together in a bowl, mix, cover and chill
thoroughly. Serve in lemon or green pepper cups.
Scallop Cocktail
I teaspoonful chopped pars- I teaspoonful salt
ley I teaspoonful French mus-
i teaspoonful scraped onion tard
i teaspoonful olive oil 2 tablespoonfuls tarragon
10 drops tabasco sauce vinegar
i teaspoonful Worcestershire \ cupful tomato catsup
ii cupfuls small scallops I tablespoonful grated horse-
6 green pepper or hollowed radish
tomato cups
Cook the scallops for five minutes in salted boiling
water. Drain, chill and halve them ; mix together the
balance of the ingredients, add the scallops and divide
in six portions into the cups.
238 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Tuna Fish Cocktail, in Orange Cups (Individual)
6 large flakes tuna fish i tablespoonful grapefruit
tablespoonful lemon juice juice
i teaspoonful grated horse- Grated orange rind
radish Few grains celery salt
i drop tabasco
Mix the sauce ingredients together; scoop out halves
of small oranges, line with fringed wax paper, pour in
the sauce and add the tuna fish; place individually on
doily-covered plate; surround with tiny parsley sprigs,
and sprinkle with minced parsley. Use the orange pulp
for a shortcake or orange jelly.
Sardines, Italian Style
For each serving allow :
I canned pimento 2 sardines
i of a shredded green pepper i slice lemon
Lay the pimento on a small plate, place the 2 sardines
upon it, sprinkle with the pepper, and top with the lemon
slice, covered lightly with minced parsley. Pass olive oil
to use with the lemon.
Tuna Fish-Balls
I cupful tuna fish, pounded i tablespoonful minced cap-
I tablespoonful finely minced ers
chow chow Stiff mayonnaise
i tablespoonful lemon juice Powdered parsley
Mix together the first five ingredients with enough
mayonnaise to make them adherent ; form into small balls
and roll in the parsley. Use as an hors-d'oeuvre.
Calla Lillies
Cut canned pimentoes in halves and prepare pointed
pistil-like forms of cream cheese moistened with French
dressing and highly seasoned with salt, pepper and Wor-
cestershire sauce. Roll these in the pimento pieces and
chill before serving.
Sardine Celery Sticks
Select tender celery; trim the ends square and fill the
grooves with sardine paste made according to the proper-
APPETIZERS 239
tions given for making tuna fish-balls ; only substituting
sardines for the tuna fish. Chill and cut in two-inch
strips.
VEGETABLE COCKTAILS
Cucumber Cocktail (Individual)
2 tablespoonfuls chopped cu- I tablespoonful minced eel-
cumber ery
1 teaspoonful grated horse- I teaspoonful minced chives
radish I teaspoonful minced rad-
ishes
Put together with a little strong celery stock, a dash
of salt and pepper, and mayonnaise, or sour cream salad
dressing to moisten. Chill for an hour.
Grapefruit and Tomato Cocktail
2 tablespoonfuls chopped to- I teaspoonful olive oil
mato 2 teaspoonfuls minced green
i tablespoonful shredded peppers
grapefruit pulp Grapefruit juice and mayon-
1 tablespoonful lemon juice naise to moisten thor-
Dash of salt and pepper oughly
Combine and serve.
Aspic Cocktail
2 tablespoonfuls minced to- \ teaspoonful pickled chives
mato Few drops tabasco sauce
i tablespoonful minced eel- French dressing and mayon-
ery naise to moisten thor-
I tablespoonful aspic jelly oughly
cut in bits
Combine and serve.
CHAPTER IX
SOUPS
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL
CREAM SOUPS
The making of a cream soup may be an arduous task,
or but the work of a few moments. If one starts every
time with raw materials, cream soups will be events, rather
than everyday occurrences. But it is, after all, but a
step from white sauce to cream soup. The latter is made
up of a combination of white sauce, with half the quan-
tity of vegetable puree, that is, sifted, cooked vegetable
pulp, plus a little of the vegetable liquid, water, or soup
stock. Occasionally, cream soups are made which con-
tain finely minced veal, chicken, cooked chestnuts, or
fish, instead of a vegetable.
There is no greater aid to forehandedness in the
kitchen than to cook part of the food one day for the
next; in preparing vegetables, for instance, enough may
always be prepared so that there will be some on hand for
a cream soup for the next day's luncheon. Nearly all
vegetables, even pumpkin and squash, may be used in
this way. Some of the liquor in which they are cooked
should always be reserved, if possible. But if it is not, a
little water may be added, together with the desired sea-
sonings, and the whole sifted and combined with the right
amount of cream sauce, made in the proportion of one
tablespoonful of butter, one tablespoonful of flour, one-
third teaspoonful of salt, one-eighth teaspoonful of pep-
per, and one cupful of milk.
The usual allowance of soup for each person is a scant
three-fourth's cupful. With this general proportion it is
an easy matter to calculate the amount needed for any
number of people. In many cases the left-over vege-
tables will be improved by twenty minutes further cook-
240
SOUPS 241
ing in water or their own liquor, since in order to make
really good cream soup they must be so soft that they
will pass easily through a sieve. However, in making
cream of asparagus, or celery soup, very little of the pulp
can be rubbed through, as it is so fibrous. In many
cases it is possible to prepare the vegetable stock for a
cream soup two days before it is to be used, provided, of
course, that there is a cool place in which to keep it.
There may be on hand the tips from a bunch of celery,
the outer leaves from a head of lettuce, or the tough ends
from a bunch of asparagus. Any one of these will form
the vegetable foundation for a cream soup, but possibly
this will not fit into the next day's menu. In this case
they should be cooked until tender, a little salt added to
the liquor, strained, poured into a glass jar, covered and
used later. Many a valuable bit of food is given to the
chickens, or finds its way into the garbage can, just be-
cause one fails to look ahead.
Properly speaking, cream soups should always contain
sifted vegetables, meats or fish, but they are more " fill-
ing," if occasionally the vegetable is chopped fine, or put
through the food chopper, and allowed to remain in the
soup, as with onions, watercress, green corn, or spinach.
This should not be done, however, if the soup is to be the
first course of a well-conducted meal, while peas and lima
beans must always be sifted, as, otherwise, the flavor will
not be propery distributed. Corn starch or arrowroot,
as well as tapioca, may be used to thicken cream soups,
although flour gives the most satisfactory flavor. In
using the two former, the same method in making the
white sauce may be followed as with the flour, but if
tapioca is used it should be allowed to cook in a double
boiler with the milk until clear, the length of time de-
pending upon whether the old-fashioned pearl or quick-
cooking tapioca is used. The proper proportion is one
tablespoonful of pearl tapioca or one-half tablespoonful
of quick tapioca to each cupful of soup. In case it is
advisable to enrich the soup, it may be poured upon
beaten egg yolks, or slightly-beaten eggs. If these are to
act as thickening agents the soup should be placed in a
double boiler, returned to the heat, and stirred for two or
three minutes. In using canned vegetables for soup-
242 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
making the liquor should be discarded, whenever possible,
as this may impart a " canned " taste to the soup, but
it should be replaced by the same amount of water. If
the milk is a little old, also in case of tomatoes and as-
paragus, a few grains of baking soda should be added to
the cooked vegetables before combining with the white
sauce. A small amount of cream, or undiluted evapor-
ated milk, may be added for richness. Croutons, toasted
crackers, hot, buttered toast-sticks of either graham or
white bread, heated whole wheat. or oatmeal crackers and
pulled bread are all suitable accompaniments to a cream
soup. Occasionally it is advisable to add a little extra fat
to the menu, and this may be done in the form of a
whipped cream garnish for the soup.
PUREES AND BISQUES
Purees, properly speaking, are made from heavy vege-
tables, like dried beans, dried peas, and, occasionally,
from potatoes and chestnuts. The vegetables must be
simmered in water or stock until tender. In case of dried
beans or peas this will take from four to five hours.
The pulp is then sifted and returned to the liquor, and
the whole is thickened with butter, oleomargarine, drip-
pings or other fat and flour, which have been creamed to-
gether. The puree, before thickening, should be almost
as thick again as a cream soup, therefore it is necessary
to add but little thickening.
In making bisques the fish should be cooked in water
or stock from twenty to thirty minutes; if oysters or
clams are used they should be cooked in their own liquor
for three minutes ; the seasoning should then be added,
the right amount of hot stock or milk combined with the
fish, and the whole should be thickened with butter or
other fat and flour rubbed together. A few crackers or
dry bread crumbs may be added to bisques for thickening
if desired.
CLEAR SOUPS
Any dinner is greatly improved by the addition of a
hot, clear soup, plain or containing a little spaghetti, rice,
or a few mixed vegetables, or even left-over shredded
lettuce leaves, or finely-shredded cabbage.
SOUPS 243
The best type of soup to use as a stimulant is one of
those which has a meat-stock foundation. However,
these soups must not be confused in food value with
heavy chowders or cream soups, and should be classed
as accessories instead of foods. Many people object to
these soups on the ground that " they are just so much
water/' while, as a matter of fact, they are stimulating,
and if well-seasoned become indispensable. The foun-
dation of them is a soup stock, and whereas this can be
made from soup bones, a little meat and a few vegetables,
it can also be made from scraps which accumulate about
the house and which can be put into the stock-pot.
When the weather grows warmer, it is inadvisable to
keep a stock-pot going unless one has a cool place in
which to store the stock, and unless the family is large,
for stock made from a mixture of foods should not be
kept more than two days. Of course, if there are some
chicken bones on hand, the trimmings and bones from
lamb chops, or other scraps of meat and bone, they may
be combined with a little onion, some celery tips or seed,
some mixed whole spice, and made into soup-stock to be
used within a short time, but, barring this, the house-
keeper with a small family must rely upon meat extracts,
or bouillon cubes, with a well-made white or brown soup
stock for occasional use.
If carefully seasoned, the meat used in making
stock may be used in rechaufees or salads. The de-
sired vegetables should be added from day to day,
for if they are added when the stock is first made,
it will not keep well. Add the vegetables raw or
cooked, or the combination of vegetables to be served in
the soup, to one-fourth as much water as there is to be
soup. If it happens to be raw cabbage, it should be
rapidly boiled for ten minutes; if raw celery, onions,
green pepper, or carrots, thirty-five minutes, the water
being replenished as fast as it boils away. Extra sea-
soning may be added in the shape of a little mixed-
pickle spice tied in a cloth or put in an aluminum tea-
ball, so it may be easily removed, or bay leaf, some celery
salt, and so on as may seem advisable. This may be
added to the heated stock.
If beef extract or bouillon cubes are to be used, the
244 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
vegetables should be added to as much water as there is
to be soup. When cooked, the extract or cubes should
be added. By using the water in which the vege-
tables are boiled all the minerals are saved. The neces-
sary amount of beef extract varies according to the
brand. The correct proportion of bouillon cubes is one
to each cupful of water. By this method soups of many
different flavors may be made from one kind of stock,
or from prepared meat extracts or bouillon cubes.
At the same time, many left-overs may be utilized.
Soups of this nature should be served mainly as a fillip to
the appetite and an aid to the digestion, for they have
little actual food value. They do, however, gently stimu-
late the digestive juices.
Directions for Starting the Stock-Pot
The term " stock-pot," unfortunately, is little under-
stood in America, but it really means that the soup kettle
becomes the clearing house for all available savory scraps
which may accumulate in any household. These include
not only bones, meat scraps, bits of vegetables, left-over
cereals, rice, celery-tips, turnip tops, stray lettuce leaves
and the like, but also the parings from various well-
scrubbed vegetables, as onions, carrots, potatoes and the
like, an occasional lemon rind, etc. On first thought it
may seem that the stock-pot is a rather unsavory adjunct
and many a housewife may sniff in disgust at the thought
of vegetable parings in her soup. However, the skins of
vegetables contain a large part of the mineral matter
needed to assist in many bodily functions. When this is
discarded in the paring, just so much nutrition is lost,
but when parings from well-scrubbed vegetables are put
in the stock-pot, another step toward better health is
taken.
The ideal stock-pot is light in weight, preferably of
aluminum, and should have a tight-fitting cover, for
every whiff of odor that escapes means loss of nutrition
and savor. To begin stock-making purchase a soup bone
and a pound of beef. Crack the bone, cut the meat in
cubes and brown it, and add two quarts and a half of
cold water. Bring slowly to boiling point, and then
add a chopped carrot, skin and all, two onions, chopped,
SOUPS 245
and the peeling, two bay leaves, a few celery tops and a
teaspoonful of mixed pickle spice. Add to this, when
half done, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer four hours,
then strain; cool uncovered, then cover and remove the
fat the following day, when it may be clarified. The
stock is then ready for use in making sauces, gravies,
meat-flavored dishes, etc., and is an excellent foundation
for any kind of soup. Bits of left-over vegetables, or
rice, macaroni, celery, onion salt, etc., may be used to
vary it from day to day.
The stock-pot should not be kept constantly simmering
on top of the stove, as is popularly supposed, but should
be thoroughly scalded and aired every day. The next
morning, any remaining stock, together with the ac-
cumulation of the previous day's foods, should be put in
the stock-pot, together with enough cold water to make
the amount about two quarts, and additional vegetables,
or peelings from scrubbed vegetables, and seasonings as
may seem necessary. Water from boiled vegetables, or
from boiled rice, potatoes or macaroni may be added.
This should be simmered for at least two hours, then
strained, cooled, and the fat removed. It may also be
cleared if desired.
To Clear Soup Stock
To clear soup stock, add to each quart of stock the
crushed shells of three eggs ; mix thoroughly and heat to
boiling point, stirring all the time. As the liquid becomes
heated the egg coagulates and collects the fine particles
floating in the stock. Let it boil vigorously for five
minutes, add a little cold water, as for coffee, let it cool
slightly, skim and strain through a cheesecloth spread
over a colander.
To this soup stock various vegetables may be added,
such as carrots, turnips cut in narrow strips, whole string
beans, canned peas, chopped cabbage, small sections of
cauliflower, etc., or it may contain rice, barley or tapioca,
any one of which may be cooked in the liquor, thickening
it slightly. However, when many vegetables or much
cereal is added, the soup ceases to be merely an accessory,
and becomes a food, although at the same time it does not
'lose its stimulating qualities.
246 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
\
CLEAR SOUPS AND SOUP STOCK
Beef Bouillon
3 pounds lower round of 3 cloves
beef 3 quarts cold water
I sprig parsley I onion, minced
i cupful minced celery, or I small carrot, minced
I teaspoonful celery salt 5 peppercorns
i bay leaf I tablespoonful salt
Cut the meat in inch pieces, and let stand in cold water
for an hour. Cover, bring slowly to boiling point and
remove any scum that may arise. Let simmer for three
hours, then add the vegetables, spices and seasonings and
simmer an hour longer, replenishing the water as neces-
sary to keep the quantity about two quarts. Strain, cool,
remove the fat, and clear the bouillon, as directed.
Consomme
3 pounds lower round beef cupful sliced onion with
I pound marrow bone peel
1 quart chicken stock 3 quarts cold water
2 pounds knuckle of veal I tablespoonful salt
i cupful diced carrots \ teaspoonful peppercorns
\ cupful shredded celery tips 3 cloves
i cupful diced turnips 2 sprigs parsley
i sprig each marjoram and Bit of bay leaf
thyme, if convenient
Cut the beef in cubes ; brown half of it in the marrow.
Put the balance in cold water; add the veal cut in
pieces, the bones cracked, and the browned meat, and
let stand an hour. Heat slowly to boiling point, and sim-
mer three hours, removing the scum as necessary. Then
add the vegetables, seasonings and chicken stock and
cook one and one-half hours longer, very slowly. Strain,
cool, remove the fat and clear, as directed above.
Brown Soup Stock
5 pounds shin or shank of I teaspoonful celery seed, or
beef 2 stalks minced celery
4 quarts cold water J cupful diced carrots
i teaspoonful peppercorns J cupful sliced onion
5 cloves 4 cupful diced turnips
\ bay leaf i tablespoonful salt
I sprig each summer savory 2 tablespoonfuls beef drip-
and marjoram, if conven- pings
lent
SOUPS 247
Cut the meat from the bone and brown it in the beef
drippings. Crack the bone, add to the water, with the
meat, and bring slowly to boiling point. Simmer about
four hours, removing the scum as necessary, as fast as
it rises. Then add the vegetables and seasonings and
simmer an hour longer. Strain, cool, remove the fat and
clear as directed above.
White Soup Stock
4 pounds knuckle of veal or Blade of mace
I large fowl 2 quarts cold water
i tablespoonful salt i teaspoonful peppercorns
I onion 2 stalks celery
Cut the meat in small pieces ; put the meat, bone, and
water together, and heat gradually to boiling point, skim-
ming often. Add the seasonings midway of the cooking.
Simmer four or five hours ; replenish the water as it
evaporates. Strain and cool ; if the scum has been care-
fully removed and the soup is strained through a double
thickness of cheesecloth, the stock will be quite clear.
For transparent stock, however, clear as directed.
Vegetable Soup Stock
I carrot 2 turnips
i medium-sized onion I tablespoonful sugar
Outside stalks and leaves of 4 tablespoonfuls olive oil
a head of celery 2 quarts cold water
i cupful canned tomato i apple, cored but not pared
i teaspoonful salt i cupful chopped cabbage,
Few grains cayenne (optional)
Wash the vegetables thoroughly. Chop the carrot and
turnip fine, peeling and all. Chop the celery, and
slice the onion, but do not remove the peel. Core the
apple and cut it in pieces. Then caramelize the sugar
a dark brown, add to it the oil and the carrot, celery,
onion and turnip, and cook till slightly browned, shaking
occasionally. Then add the water, tomato, apple and
seasonings and simmer one hour, well covered. Strain,
cool and clear if desired.
Tomato Bouillon
1 pint boiling water 2 tablespoonfuls minced car-
2 tablespoonfuls minced rot
onion i teaspoonful salt
248 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
i teaspoonful pepper Bit of bay leaf
1 teaspoonful Worcester- 4 cupfuls boiling water
shire 2 teaspoonfuls beef extract,
2 cupfuls canned tomato or i quart beef stock
Combine the pint of boiling water, onion, carrot and
tomato and simmer, uncovered, twenty minutes. Dis-
solve the extract in the quart of boiling water, add to the
tomato mixture, season and put through a fine strainer.
To make the bouillon very clear, strain through cheese-
cloth.
Celery Bouillon
i 3-pound knuckle of veal 2 quarts cold water
i tablespoonful salt I teaspoonful peppercorns
i onion Bit of bay leaf
Outer stalks head celery
Wipe the meat and cut it in small pieces. Put the
meat, bone, water, seasonings (except the salt), and the
celery, chopped (leaves and all), in the soup kettle, and
bring gradually to boiling point. Simmer four hours, re-
plenishing the water as it evaporates. Add the salt after
two hours' cooking. Strain and let stand until the fat
can be removed. Then clear as usual, re-heat and add a
spoonful of cooked, diced celery to each serving.
COLD SOUPS
Jellied Canned Consomme
Dilute the consomme as directed on the can, using
three-fourths the quantity of cold water. Take the re-
maining amount of water needed, and add to it one
tablespoonful of granulated gelatine to each pint of con-
somme. Let this stand until softened, dissolve it over
steam, and stir it into the cold consomme. Pour into a
shallow pan rubbed lightly with olive oil and let stand
until solidified; cut in cubes for serving. If desired, a
little lemon juice may be added before the consomme
solidifies.
Jellied Chicken Bouillon
5 cupfuls well-seasoned i cupful cold water
chicken broth Few slices lemon rind
2 tablespoonfnls granulated
gelatine
SOUPS 249
Skim the fat absolutely from the broth and clear it as
directed. Add the lemon rind to the broth, and bring
gradually to boiling point. Add the gelatine dissolved in
the cold water and strain through a cloth wrung out of
cold water into a shallow pan rubbed lightly with olive
oil. Let stiffen, cut in cubes and serve in bouillon cups.
Iced Veal Bouillon
5 cupfuls well-seasoned veal i cupful cold water
stock Few slices lemon rind
5 tablespoonfuls quick-cook-
ing tapioca
Skim the fat absolutely from the stock. If necessary,
clear it as directed. Then add the tapioca and lemon
rind, and cook gently until former is clear. Remove the
rind, season the bouillon, if necessary, and pour into a
pan rubbed lightly with olive oil. Let stiffen, cut into
cubes, and serve piled in bouillon cups.
SUBSTANTIAL STOCK SOUPS
Baked Bean Soup
2 cupfuls cold baked beans i tablespoonful sugar
i can tomatoes 3 tablespoonfuls flour
i onion, sliced 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
5 cupfuls stock- or water beef drippings
Put the beans, tomato, onion and water together, and
simmer until soft. Thicken with the flour and fat
creamed together, rub all through a sieve, add the sugar,
season to taste and serve with croutons,
i
White Bean Soup
i cupful white pea beans Salt and pepper
i quart any meat stock . 4 tablespoonfuls flour
i onion, diced 2 tablespoonfuls butter, ba-
il carrot, diced con, ham, or sausage fat
Bit bay leaf
Soak the beans over night, then rinse and boil up quickly
in water containing a little soda. Rinse again, and stew
slowly till soft in 2 quarts of water, adding i teaspoonful
salt and a bay leaf, the onion and the carrot. Sift through
a coarse sieve into the meat stock, re-heat, thicken with
250 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
the flour and fat rubbed together, season more highly if
necessary, and serve with croutons or hot crackers.
Tomato Stock Soup
4 cupfuls brown soup stock & cupful flour
2 cupfuls canned tomatoes 2 tablespoonfuls onion, diced
i teaspoonful peppercorns 2 tablespoonfuls carrot, diced
Bit of bay leaf 2 tablespoonfuls celery, diced
2 cloves Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoonfuls butter or
drippings
Cook the onion, carrot and celery in the fat for five
minutes ; add the flour, peppercorns, bay leaf and cloves,
and cook three minutes. Then add the tomato, cover and
simmer three-quarters of an hour. Add the stock,
heated, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Swedish Cabbage Soup
i pint finely chopped cabbage % cupful chopped celery, if
Bit of bay leaf convenient, or
Few grains mace 1 teaspoonful celery seed
1 quart veal stock I tablespoonful minced car-
Salt and pepper rot
2 tablespoonfuls drippings I tablespoonful minced onion
A few bits of veal
Melt the drippings. Cook the vegetables in them for a
few minutes, then add the stock and bay leaf. Simmer
for twenty-five minutes, replenishing the Stock as needed ;
season to taste with salt, pepper and mace, and serve with
the vegetables in it. The bits of veal may be omitted if
desired.
Mock Turtle Soup (Old Virginian)
\ calf's head, scraped and 3 hard-cooked eggs
cleaned 1 inch stick cinnamon
I pound round steak i blade mace
I pound neck mutton 5 cloves
1 small onion 10 peppercorns
2 tablespoonfuls chopped car- i bay leaf
rot I sprig parsley
2 tablespoonfuls chopped tur- i tablespoonful walnut cat-
nip sup
2 tablespoonfuls chopped i tablespoonful tomato cat-
celery sup
i tablespoonful lemon juice i cupful flour
4 tablespoonfuls butter Salt and pepper to taste
Wash, scrape and clean a calf's head. Split it in
1
SOUPS 251
halves, using the extra half for some other dish. Soak it
two hours in cold water, then boil gently for an hour in
three quarts of water. Separate the meat from the
bones ; cut the beef and mutton in cubes and fry the meat
and vegetables in J cupful beef drippings till browned.
Combine 'with the stock, adding water to make about
three quarts, and put in the spices. Simmer gently four
or five hours, then strain and cool. Remove the fat, heat
and thicken with the butter and flour cooked together;
add the catsups, salt and pepper to taste, and serve with
the hard-cooked eggs, chopped, and forcemeat balls.
Clear Vegetable Soup
i quart clear brown soup cupful canned peas
stock 2 tablespoonfuls string beans
i cupful carrots, cut in nar- (whole)
row strips I tablespoonful narrow strips
i cupful turnips, cut in nar- of onion
row strips
Cook the vegetables in boiling salted water, simmering
them down until only a little liquid remains. Add them,
liquid and all, to the soup stock, and heat to boiling point
before serving.
Italian Soup
i quart meat stock i cupful carrot straws
i pint canned tomato i cupful onion, chopped
i cupful cooked lima beans i cupful cooked cabbage
i cupful raw uncoated rice Salt and pepper
Cook the rice in the stock and tomato till tender. Add
the remaining ingredients, season and serve with or with-
out Parmesan cheese.
Chestnut Soup
i pint Italian or American 2 tablespoonfuls flour
chestnuts 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
I pint water oleomargarine
i teaspoon ful salt i tablespoonful minced pars-
teaspoonful sugar caramel- ley
ized Salt, pepper and mace to
A little lemon rind taste
i quart veal stock
Blanch the chestnuts, peel and chop them ; then add to
the water the lemon rind, salt and sugar, and cook until
tender, replenishing the water as needed. Then sift, add
I
252 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
to the stock, thicken with the flour and butter creamed
together, season and sprinkle each serving with a little
of the parsley.
CREAM SOUPS WITH STOCK
Cream of Chicken Soup
4 cupfuls chicken stock 2 tablespoonfuls pearl or i
well-seasoned tablespoon ful quick-cook -
2 cupfuls milk ing tapioca
2 tablespoonfuls flour Salt and pepper
1 egg yolk optional Few grains mace
2 tablespoonfuls butter or
oleomargarine
Soak pearl tapioca over night, if used. Drain ; put the
soup stock in a double boiler top and when hot add the
tapioca (either kind), and cook till clear. Make a white
sauce of the fat, flour and milk. Combine the mixtures,
season and pour onto the beaten egg yolk. Return to the
heat for two minutes to cook the egg, but do not let it
boil.
Cream of Celery Soup
4 cupfuls celery leaves and i slice onion
tips Bit of bay leaf
i cupful diced celery 3$ tablesroonfuls flour
4 cupfuls white stock 2.\ tablespoonfuls butter or
1 cupful light cream (or oleomargarine
undiluted evaporated milk) Sprig parsley
2 egg yolks (optional)
Simmer the celery leaves, tips and seasonings in the
white stock for forty-five minutes. Cook the diced
celery till tender in 2 cupfuls water. Drain the celery,
adding the liquor to the stock. Thicken with the flour
and fat rubbed together, add the cream, strain, season to
taste, add the celery and re-heat. Pour onto the beaten
egg yolks, if used, and serve at once.
Cream of Cress Soup
2 bunches of watercress, or 3 tablespoonfuls butter or
i quart chopped cress oleomargarine
\ tablespoonful minced Few grains pepper
onion i egg yolk (optional)
3 tablespoonfuls uncoated Tips of cress
. rice 4 cupfuls white stock
MAKING SOUP STOCK
fe
LAMB CHOPS; RIB CHOPS; FRENCH CHOPS; LOIN CHOPS;
BREADED LOIN CHOPS
SOUPS 253
I cupful cream or rich milk % teaspoonful Worcestershire
teaspoonful salt sauce
Few grains nutmeg Whipped cream (optional)
Pick off the tips of the cress for garnishing. Chop the
balance, stems and all, fine. Fry the onion in the fat till
softened. Add the stock, cress and rice and simmer
closely covered until the rice is soft. Rub through a
sieve. There should be three cupfuls of soup. Mix
together the egg, if used, and the cream, add to the soup,
season, re-heat and bring slowly to boiling point, stirring
constantly. Do not let it boil. Serve at once.
Thick Cauliflower Soup
i cauliflower Drop dumplings
1 quart veal or chicken stock I pint milk
2 tablespoonfuls minced Salt and pepper
onion 3 tablespoonfuls butter or
i stalk celery, or oleomargarine
\ teaspoonful celery seed 3 tablespoonfuls flour
i teaspoonful sugar Bit of bay leaf
Stew the cauliflower for twenty-five minutes, then
break it in pieces, chop it, or rub it through a coarse col-
ander, reserving a pint of tiny flowerets. Melt the fat,
add the onion and celery, chopped, and the bay leaf and
cook slowly for ten minutes ; then remove the " bay," add
the flour and stock and the cauliflower and sugar; then
turn in the milk, season to taste with salt and pepper, and
drop in the dumplings. Cook for ten minutes longer,
then serve. This is substantial enough for a supper dish.
Soup a la Crecy
I cupful sifted, cooked car- 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
rot pulp drippings
3 cupfuls white soup stock i slice onion
i cupful cream or milk i bay leaf
i tablespoonful flour i tablespoonful catsup
i teaspoonful salt, or more & teaspoonful pepper
as desired Stalk celery
Few grains mace
Cut the carrots in dice, cook till soft and put through
a potato ricer. Cook the onion, celery and bay leaf in
the stock for twenty minutes. Rub together the flour
and butter, add to the stock and let it boil up. Add the
carrot pulp and seasonings, and stir in the cream and
254 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
strain. An egg yolk, slightly beaten, may be added with
the cream, if desired.
Onion Soup
i cupful carrot, diced ij quarts white stock
i stalk celery i cupful rich milk or light
8 tablespoonfuls butter or cream
oleomargarine i egg yolk (optional)
1 tablespoonful flour Parmesan cheese
2 branches parsley i cupful sliced onion
Toasted croutons Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the carrot, celery, parsley and onion in the butter
until softened, then add the flour and stock and simmer
for twenty minutes. Heat the cream, combined with the
egg yolk (if used), add to the soup and cook for two
minutes, stirring vigorously. Strain and serve with the
croutons buttered lightly, and sprinkle with Parmesan
cheese.
Cream of Veal Soup
3 cupfuls veal stock (well ' i egg yolk (optional)
seasoned) 2 tablespoonfnls flour
ii cupfuls rich milk 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
2 tablespoonfuls quick-cook- drippings
ing tapioca Salt and pepper to taste
Add the tapioca to the veal stock, well seasoned, and
cook until clear. Make a sauce of the butter, flour and
milk, add to the soup, season to taste, then pour onto the
egg yolk, slightly beaten, if used. Return to the heat and
stir for two minutes, but do not let it boil.
Cream of lettuce Soup
Outer leaves 2 heads lettuce Few grains pepper
i tablespoonful minced onion i egg yolk (optional)
3 tablespoonfuls uncoated 3 cupfuls white stock
rice i cupful milk or cream
3 tablespoonfuls butter or \ teaspoonful salt
oleomargarine Few grains nutmeg
Saute (fry) the onion in the butter till soft; add the
stock, lettuce (shredded) and rice, and simmer until the
latter is soft. As- the liquid from the stock will evap-
orate, add water to make it three cupfuls. Add the milk
or cream, and rub through a sieve onto the beaten egg
yolk, if used. Season, return to kettle and re-heat, but
do not boil. Serve with crisped crackers.
SOUPS 255
Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 cupful dried mushrooms, Salt and pepper to taste
soaked in i pint cold water 2 tablespoonfuls flour
2 tablespoonfuls minced creamed with
onion i tablespoonful butter
1 cupful butter i cupful cream or evaporated
4 cup fuls milk or white milk
stock Few grains nutmeg
2 egg yolks (optional)
Soak the mushrooms over night in cold water. Drain,
but reserve the liquor. Chop the mushrooms, add the
onion and saute (fry) in the butter till softened. Add
the mushroom liquor, and simmer until soft. Make a
sauce of the milk and the 2 tablespoonfuls of flour^
creamed with the butter. Combine with the mushroom
liquor, strain, and add the cream, heated and combined
with the egg yolks, if used. Season and serve without
boiling.
Cucumber Soup
3 large cucumbers i cupful milk
3 tablespoonfuls butter or 3 cupfuls veal or chicken
oleomargarine stock
\ teaspoonful onion juice I teaspoonful salt
3 tablespoonfuls flour i teaspoonful pepper
k teaspoonful mace i cupful light cream
i egg yolk (optional) ,
Peel and slice the cucumbers, fry in the butter for ten
minutes, add the flour and cook three minutes ; then,
gradually, add the stock and milk, allowing it to boil
up thoroughly. Rub through a sieve, re-heat, season,
and add the cream scalded. Beat the egg yolk -light,
transfer to a tureen, and pour the soup into it.
CREAM SOUPS WITHOUT STOCK
Tomato Bisque
2 cupfuls canned tomatoes i slice onion
2 ter.spoonfuls sugar 3 tablespoonfuls flour
1 teaspoonful soda i teaspoonful salt
4 cupfuls milk & teaspoonful pepper
2 tablespoonfuls butter or
bacon drippings
Scald the milk with the onion. Cook the tomato with
256 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
the sugar fifteen minutes. Melt the fat, add the flour,
and then the milk, gradually, boiling it up once. Add
the soda to the tomatoes, rub through a sieve, combine
the mixtures, add the seasonings, and serve without re-
heating.
Cream of Spinach Soup
I quart uncooked spinach or i tablespoonful flour
i cupful cooked spinach 2 cupfuls milk
Bit of bay leaf i teaspoonful salt
i cupful water, containing Few grains nutmeg
I teaspoonful salt 4 teaspoonful pepper
1 tablespoonful butter
Wash the spinach and cook in the salted water with
the bay leaf, till very soft, or simply add the cooked
spinach to the water. Rub through a sieve. Make a
white sauce of the butter, flour, milk and seasonings ;
combine the mixtures and serve garnished with whipped
cream if desired.
Split Pea Soup
li cupfuls split peas Few celery leaves
2 quarts cold water 3 tablespoonfuls bacon, beef
i tablespoonful sugar or ham drippings
I pint milk 3 tablespoonfuls flour
onion, minced Salt and pepper to taste
Soak the peas over night in water to cover ; drain, add
to the cold water with the sugar, onion and celery leaves,
and cook slowly until the peas are perfectly soft; add
the milk, thicken with the fat and flour mixed together,
and rub through a sieve. Re-heat, season and serve with
buttered toast.
Lentil Soup
i cupful dried lentils 3 pints water
1 small onion, chopped 3 tablespoonfuls flour
A few dried celery leaves if 3 tablespoonfuls drippings or
convenient bacon fat
2 teaspoonfuls sugar Salt and pepper to taste
2 cupfuls milk
Soak the lentils over night in cold water to cover.
Wash, drain and simmer till soft in the water, about two
hours, adding more water as it evaporates to keep it
always that amount. Combine the onion and celery and
fry in the drippings. Add to the lentils and cook half
SOUPS 257
an hour longer. Mix the sugar and flour together, stir
in cold water to make a paste and add to the lentils. Let
boil, add the milk, heated, season with salt and pepper,
rub through a sieve and serve.
Cream of Asparagus Soup
2 bunches asparagus or i can I cupful hot cream or evapo-
asparagus rated milk
2 tablespoonfuls butter 2 cupfuls hot milk
5 tablespoonfuls flour I teaspoonful salt
i quart boiling water Few grains nutmeg
2 egg yolks (optional)
Remove the tips from the asparagus, and cook the
stalks in the boiling water till soft, about thirty minutes.
Make a white sauce of the butter, flour and milk, and. add
the seasonings to it. Combine the two and strain, sifting
through the asparagus pulp. Beat the egg yolks, if used,
and add to them the hot cream, then pour into the soup
mixture, and let stand till hot, stirring constantly. Use,
the tips for salad or serve them in the soup as a sub-
stantial dish.
Cream of Celery Soup (Without Stock)
4 cupfuls celery leaves and i slice onion
tips Bit of bay leaf
I pint milk 3 tablespoonfuls flour
i pint water 25 tablespoonfuls butter or
Sprig parsley oleomargarine
Put the celery, parsley, bay leaf and onion on to cook
in the water, simmering until tender, and adding water as
it evaporates to keep it always one pint. Drain and add
the milk. Then rub the butter and flour together and
thicken the soup. Let boil up and serve with croutons
and a tablespoonful of grated cheese to each serving if
desirable.
Rich Cream of Celery Soup
Tips and coarse stalks from i pint rich milk
a head of celery i egg
i quart cold water \ cupful cooked brown rice
i slice lemon Salt and pepper to taste
Bit of bay leaf
Cook the celery, onions and bay leaf in the water for
an hour. There should be one pint of celery stock. Add
258 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
the milk, boil up, strain, turn in the rice and let simmer
five minutes, then turn onto the egg, slightly-beaten, and
let stand two minutes, stirring constantly. A half cupful
of cooked celery cubes may be added, if desired.
Cream of Green Pea Soup
1 can peas 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
2 teaspoonfuls sugar oleomargarine
2 cupfuls cold water 2 tablespoonfuls flour
2 cupfuls milk I teaspoonful salt
1 teaspoonful onion juice & teaspoonful pepper
Drain the peas from the liquor, add the sugar and
cold water and simmer twenty minutes. Rub through a
sieve, re-heat and thicken with the flour and butter
creamed together. In the meantime, scald the milk, sea-
son, add the onion juice and combine.
Pumpkin or Squash Cream Soup
4 cupfuls milk 4 tablespoonfuls flour
2 cupfuls boiling water 4 tablespoonfuls butter or
cupful chopped celery oleomargarine
1 teaspoonful paprika ii teaspoonfuls salt
il cupfuls sifted pumpkin or Whipped cream (if desired)
squash pulp Minced parsley
2 tablespoonfuls minced
onion
Heat the milk in a double boiler, add the pumpkin,
water, onion and celery and cook twenty minutes.
Thicken with the flour and butter creamed together with
the seasonings, and stir constantly until slightly thick-
ened. Cook ten minutes, strain and serve. A garnish of
whipped cream, sprinkled with parsley, may be used.
Cream of Oyster-Plant Soup
1 bunch oyster plant 2" cupfuls scalded milk
i cupfuls boiling water i cupful scalded cream or
2 tablespoonfuls butter or evaporated milk
bacon drippings 2 egg yolks (optional)
2 tablespoonfuls flour * I teaspoonful salt
Few grains mace 4 teaspoonful pepper
Scrape the oyster plant, drop at once into water con-
taining a little salt and a few drops of vinegar. Then
drain, plunge into the boiling water, and let boil till ten-
der. Rub through a sieve (there should be 2j cupfuls)
SOUPS 259
and then combine with the milk. Thicken with the flour
and butter rubbed together, season, and pour onto the
egg yolk, slightly beaten, if it is used. Add the cream,
and re-heat.
Chives Soup
i cupful chopped chives 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
Outer leaves 2 heads lettuce drippings
(shredded) $' teaspoonful salt
3 cloves i teaspoonful pepper
Bit bay leaf Few grains nutmeg
3 tablespoonfuls uncoated I pint milk
rice
Melt the butter, add the chives and lettuce and cook
till coftened. Add the cloves, bay leaf, rice and water,
and boil till the rice is very soft. There should then be a
pint of liquid. Add the milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg,
let boil up once, rub through a sieve and serve.
Cream of Potato Soup
3 large potatoes teaspoonful pepper
4 cupfuls milk 2 tablespoonfuls flour
i small onion 2 tablespoonfuls drippings or
ii teaspoonfuls salt butter
Boil the potatoes till soft, and then drain and mash.
Cook the onion in the milk. When the potatoes are
mashed, add the scalded milk, and the salt and pepper.
Rub it through a sieve. Melt the drippings, add the
flour and a little of the soup. Add this to the soup and
let boil up once.
Cream of Bean Soup
i cupful pea beans i pint milk
i sprig parsley ii teaspoonful salt
1 slice onion i teaspoonful pepper
Bit bay leaf 2 tabjespoonfuls butter or
2 tablespoonfuls flour bacon or ham drippings
2 quarts water ' i teaspoonful soda
Soak the beans over night, parboil, and then cook
until tender, with the seasonings in the 2 quarts of water
containing the soda. Rub through a sieve, add the milk,
let boil up and thicken with the flour and fat rubbed
together.
260 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Cream of Corn Soup
& teaspoonful soda i pint boiling water
i can corn I slice onion
i pint milk 2 tablespoonfuls drippings
Blade of mace or butter
3 tablespoonfuls flour ij teaspoonfuls salt
Few grains pepper J teaspoonful sugar
Make a white sauce of the fat, flour, seasonings and
milk. Chop the onion, add the corn and water and sim-
mer twenty minutes. Rub through a sieve and combine
with the white sauce. Serve very hot with toasted
crackers or popped corn.
PUREES
Black Bean Puree
i cupfuls black beans 2 hard-cooked eggs
Small piece ham (about 3 cloves
a half pound) i teaspoonfuls salt
4 tablespoonfuls minced ^ teaspoonful pepper
onion i teaspoonful mustard
2 stalks celery, or a i teaspoonfnl lemon juice
Few dried celery leaves 3 tablespoonfuls flour
4 tablespoonfuls bacon or
ham fat
Soak the beans over night in water to cover. Drain,
add 2 quarts of boiling water and -J teaspoonful soda, and
boil gently till tender, about four hours, adding the ham
the last hour, with the celery, cloves and onion, which
should be fried in half the bacon fat. Mix the other
seasonings with the flour, rub with the remaining fat and
thicken the soup mixture. Then press through a sieve,
add the lemon juice and the hard-cooked egg, chopped
fine, and serve with entire wheat or rye biscuits.
Peanut Puree
i quart milk 2 tablespoonfuls flour
i cupful peanut butter, or i teaspoonful celery seed
pounded peanuts i teaspoonful onion juice
I bay leaf i teaspoonful paprika
i teaspoonful salt i cupful cold milk (extra)
Cook the peanut butter, milk, bay leaf and seasonings
in a double boiler top until boiling hot, and the peanuts
SOUPS 261
are soft. Mix the flour and cold milk together thor-
oughly. Add to the soup ; set over hot water and cook
fifteen minutes. Strain and serve.
Lima Bean Puree
li cupfuls lima beans i teaspoonful pepper
1 quart boiling water 2 cupfuls milk
2 tablespoonfuls minced 4 tablespoonfuls butter or
onion bacon fat
2 tablespoonfuls minced car- & cupful flour
rot i cupful cream or rich milk
i tablespoonful minced pirn- ij teaspoonfuls salt
ento 2 tablespoonfuls tomato cat-
Bit of bay leaf sup
Soak the beans over night, then drain, rinse and put
on to cook with J teaspoonful soda in the water. When
half done, drain again, and put on to cook in i quart of
water with the onion, carrot, pimento and bay leaf.
When the beans are tender, remove one cupful ; rub the
balance through a sieve, make a sauce of the milk, bacon
fat and the flour ; combine the mixtures, season, add the
cream and the whole beans and re-heat. Serve with but-
tered toast. There should be a quart of the puree after
the beans are sifted through. If the amount is short,
add water to make up the balance. If a thinner soup
is desired, add an extra pint of water ; in this case a pint
of sliced, blanched potatoes are an addition.
Chestnut Puree
I pint Italian or American i slice onion
chestnuts (blanched and 3 tablespoonfuls butter
shelled) 4 tablespoonfuls flour
I quart soup stock Dash nutmeg
i pint rich milk Salt and pepper
Sprig parsley i or 2 eggs
Boil the chestnuts till soft enough to sift. In the
meantime scald the onion and parsley in the milk. Then
remove ; add the chestnuts to the soup stock which should
preferably be chicken, and thicken with the butter and
flour rubbed together. Beat the eggs light, add to the
milk, combine the mixtures and let them come barely to
boiling point. Season and serve immediately.
262 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
FISH BOUILLONS AND SOUPS
Cream of Oyster Soup
\ pint oysters i pint cold water
I cupful minced celery leaves li pints milk
1 slice onion i teaspoonful salt
Bit of bay leaf t? teaspoonful pepper
Few grains mace 2 tablespoonfuls butter
2j tablespoonfuls flour i cupful cooked celery
Wash the oysters thoroughly, then chop fine; add the
celery leaves, onion, bay leaf and cold water and simmer
gently for twenty minutes. Rub through a sieve, add
the milk, scalded, and thickened with the flour and butter
rubbed together, and let stand to blend for a few minutes,
but do not boil. Season to taste, add the celery and serve
at once.
Fish Bisque
2 cupfuls cooked \\jhite fish, teaspoonful salt
(any kind), minced fine i teaspoonful chopped pars-
I tablespoonful butter or ley
bacon drippings i quart chicken stock
i tablespoonful Worcester- i tablespoonful flour
shire sauce \ cupful cracker or fine dry
I pint hot milk bread crumbs
Make a sauce of the butter, flour, milk and seasonings ;
add the fish and crumbs ; combine with the stock, boil up
once and serve.
Oyster Bouillon
I quart oysters A bit of mace
i quart water Salt and pepper to taste
A few celery leaves Whipped cream
Wash the oysters and chop them fine. Add the liquor,
strained, and the other ingredients. Simmer for ten
rninutes ; then strain through a double thickness of
cheesecloth, and serve in cups garnished with a spoonful
of whipped cream to each serving, and sprinkled with
shredded pimento.
Clam Bouillon
\ peck clams i cupful whipped cream
z\ cupfuls cold water
Scrub the clams thoroughly, changing the water several
SOUPS 263
times. Place in a kettle with the water, cover, and steam
until the shells open. Strain through double cheesecloth,
cool and clear, if desired. Serve very hot, with or with-
out whipped cream.
Fish. Broth or Court Bouillon
(For cooking trout or other delicate small fish)
i pounds any white fish Salt and pepper to taste
2 quarts cold water \ teaspoon ful celery salt
2 tablespoonfuls minced Bit of bay leaf
onion I sprig parsley
2 tablespoonfuls minced car- 3 cloves
rot
Cut the fish in small pieces, add the other ingredients
and let come to a boil. Skim, and simmer an hour and a
half. Strain, season, and use as desired.
Cream of Salmon Soup
4 can salmon (i cupful) \ teaspoonful onion juice
1 quart milk 2 teaspoonfuls minced pars-
2 tablespoonfuls flour ley
1 teaspoonful salt i teaspoonful pepper
2 tablespoonfuls butter or
oleomargarine
Scald the salmon with boiling water. Put in a double
boiler with the milk and cook until the latter is scalded.
Rub together the flour, salt, butter and pepper. Stir into
the milk mixture, and, when thickened, serve with crou-
tons. Sprinkle each plateful with a little parsley before
sending to the table, if convenient.
French Oyster Soup
i pint oysters 2i tablespoonfuls flour
i pint cold water 2\ tablespoonfuls butter or
Sliced onion oleomargarine
Stalk celery Salt and pepper to taste
Dash mace 2 egg yolks
3 cupfuls milk
Wash the oysters, chop fine, add the onion, celery and
water and simmer twenty minutes. Scald the milk, and
thicken with the butter and flour rubbed together. Add
the oyster stock, straining out the oysters, then season
with mace, and salt and pepper as needed, and pour onto
the beaten egg yolks. Re-heat, but do not boil.
264 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Cream of Scallop Soup
i pint scallops I teaspoonful salt
i pint milk i teaspoonful pepper
3 tablespoonfuls flour i teaspoonful lemon juice
3 tablespoonfuls butter or i cupful light cream or
drippings evaporated milk
i tablespoonful minced onion i pint cold water
Chop the scallops fine. Melt the butter, add the scal-
lops and onion and cook till yellowed, then add the
cold water, re-heat and simmer for twenty minutes. Mix
the flour with a little of the milk, and add to the remain-
der, which should be scalded. When thick, combine the
mixtures, heat the cream and add with the seasonings.
Strain and serve. Omit the cream if desired.
Cream of Clam Soup
i pint clams 4 teaspoonful mace
i pint cold water 4 tablespoonfuls butter
i pint milk 4 tablespoonfuls flour
i teaspoonful onion juice Salt and pepper to taste
I stalk celery I egg yolk (optional)
Wash the clams, discard the hard parts and chop the
soft parts fine. Add cold water to them and simmer
twenty minutes. Skim if necessary ; scald the celery
with the milk and make a white sauce of the butter,
flour, milk and seasonings. Add this to the beaten egg
yolk, if used, return to the heat to " set " like a soft cus-
tard, add to the clams, and serve without re-heating.
Corn and Oyster Soup
1 can corn i teaspoonful pepper
2 tablespoonfuls minced pirn- 8 large oysters
entoes 2 cupfuls milk
I slice onion 2 tablespoonfuls butter
2i cupfuls water 2 tablespoonfuls flour
teaspoonful salt Dash mace
Stew the corn, onion and water for twenty minutes.
Make a sauce of the butter, flour and milk, and add the
seasonings,: Add the corn mixture, rub through a sieve,
and add the pimentoes and oysters. The latter should
be washed well, cut in quarters, and steamed till their
edges curl.
SOUPS 265
Oyster Stew
i quart of oysters 4 cupfuls milk
i pint boiling water 2! tablespoonfuls butter
I teaspoonful salt i teaspoonful pepper
Wash each oyster separately and put in a sieve; set
this over a pan containing the boiling water, cover and
steam until the edges curl. In the meantime scald the
milk, heat the tureen and put the butter and pepper and
salt in it ; when the milk is scalded, turn it into the tureen ;
add the oysters and the water over which they have been
steamed. Serve at once.
Celery and Oyster Stew
4 cupfuls celery leaves and f cupful cooked spaghetti
coarse outer stalks 2i tablespoonfuls butter
I quart milk I pint small oysters
i pint water i cupful cooked diced celery
i slice onion Salt and pepper to -taste
Few grains mace
Cook the onions and celery in the water, adding
enough, as it evaporates, to keep it always a pint. Drain
when tender, and add the milk and spaghetti. Clean the
oysters and steam over the receptacle, in which the diced
celery is being cooked, to conserve all the juices. (This
amount of liquid should be very small.) Add the butter
gradually to the milk mixture, season, turn in the celery
and oysters and serve at once.
CHOWDERS
Salmon Chowder
I can salmon 3 crackers, split
3 tablespoonfuls butter or 3 potatoes
drippings 2* slices onion
i teaspoonful salt 4 teaspoonful pepper
3 cupfuls milk 3 tablespoonfuls flour
Scald the salmon, remove the bone, and flake the flesh
fine. Pare the potatoes and slice thin. Fry the onion in
the fat, add the flour, and cook three minutes. Add 2
cupfuls of boiling water and the potatoes, and cook until
tender, about fifteen minutes. Add the seasonings, the
salmon and the milk. Boil up once and serve garnished
with split crackers dipped in hot milk.
266 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Corn Chowder
1 can corn i onion, sliced
4 cupfuls potatoes, sliced 4 cupfuls hot milk
2 slices salt pork 2 tablespoonfuls bacon or
ii teaspoonfuls salt ham drippings
i teaspoonful pepper 3 tablespoonfuls flour
Cut the pork in small pieces and try out (or use 2
tablespoonfuls butter or drippings instead) and add the
onion, cooking until it is soft. Strain the fat into a stew-
pan. Add the potatoes with 2 cupfuls of boiling water,
and cook until the potatoes are soft; combine with the
corn and milk. Rub together the drippings, flour and
seasonings until well-blended, and add to the chowder.
Heat to boiling point, taking care it does not burn.
Serve garnished with moistened split crackers.
White Kidney Bean Chowder
I cupful white kidney beans ii teaspoonfuls salt
i teaspoonful soda i teaspoonful pepper
i can corn 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
1 cupful tomato juice sausage fat
2 quarts boiling water Cracker or dry bread crumbs
Soak the beans^ over night ; drain and rinse and bring
to boiling point with the soda, and cold water to cover.
Drain and rinse again, then add to the boiling water, and
simmer slowly until the beans are nearly done. Then
season, add the tomatoes and corn, and, when the beans
are tender, stir in cracker or bread crumbs to thicken.
Add more water if the evaporation is appreciable.
Vegetable Chowder
i cupful chopped carrot 2! teaspoonfuls salt
1 cupful chopped onion Few grains cayenne
2 cupfuls chopped cabbage i tablespoonfuls sugar
i cupful diced celery 4 tablespoonfuls bacon fat
1 pint tomato juice or drippings
2 quarts cold water I tart apple, chopped
I cupful chopped turnip
Scrub and prepare the vegetables, leaving on the peel-
ings. Caramelize the sugar a dark brown. Add to it the
drippings, and the carrot, celery, onion, cabbage and tur-
nip. Cook till slightly browned, shaking occasionally.
Then add the water, the tomato juice, apple and season-
SOUPS 267
ings and simmer one hour, well covered. Serve with
steamed whole wheat dumplings and grated cheese.
Mexican Chowder
1 pint boiled Mexican beans i cupful diced celery
2 quarts beef stock I tablespoonful minced pars-
i pound noodles ley
Salt and pepper i cupful minced onion
Cook the noodles, celery and onions in the beef stock.
Add the beans, let become very hot, season to taste, and
serve with corn bread.
Green Corn and Lima Bean Chowder
i quart green corn kernels 2 onions (small)
i quart shelled lima beans 2 quarts boiling water
i quart sliced potatoes 4 tablespoonfuls flour
i quart milk Salt and pepper to taste
i pound salt pork
Cut the salt pork in small pieces and try out the fat.
Add the onion, sliced, and cook gently until it is soft,
then turn in the water and add the lima beans. Boil
gently for about forty minutes. Then season, add the
sliced potatoes, cook ten minutes, and turn in the corn.
Cook ten minutes more. Add the milk and water to
make up that lost in evaporation. Thicken with the flour
dissolved in a little milk, let boil and serve with hot
crackers. Dumplings may be steamed over the chowder
if desirable. If more convenient, the milk may be
omitted, and a quart of stewed and strained tomato be
used in place of it. If this is done, a teaspoonful of
sugar should be added.
Codfish Chowder
i$ pounds codfish 4 slices salt pork
i pint sliced potatoes i pint milk
i cupful sliced onion i quart boiling water
4 tablespoonfuls flour Salt and pepper
Try out the salt pork, add the onions and cook slowly
until they are yellowed. Then add a quart of boiling
water, and the fish cut in small pieces. Cook until the
latter is nearly done, then turn in the potatoes. When
they are tender, add the milk and the flour dissolved in a
268 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK v
little cold water. Season to taste, and serve garnished
with thick water crackers moistened in milk.
Salt Codfish Chowder
i pound salt codfish 2 cupfuls tomato juice
1 2 cupfuls sliced potatoes 2 cupfuls milk
i teaspoonful powdered 2-i cupfuls water
thyme i cupful diced onion
Dash pepper i stalk celery, diced
Freshen the fish and cut it in small pieces. Place in a
kettle with the potato, onion, seasonings and water, and
simmer for twenty-five minutes. Then add the tomato,
and the milk (which should be previously heated).
Serve at once with crisped crackers. Do not re-heat.
CHAPTER X
FISH
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL
There are a few staple ways of cooking fish change
being made by the different seasonings and sauces that
are served with them. Breakfast fish should always be
cooked simply, as broiled or panned, and be served with
a garnish of bacon, a few oysters, cress or lemon. For
luncheon, fish is usually prepared in any of these ways,
and is embellished with some sauce, or is cooked en
casserole, in ramekins, fried or boiled, while small fish
are sometimes baked. Any one of these methods is
suitable for the fish course at a dinner, but if fish is to
constitute the main course, a large one should be chosen
and usually baked, served en casserole, planked or boiled,
while the sauce should be simple. Chowder is used for
the home luncheon, supper or dinner.
CLEANING AND DRESSING FISH
If the fish must be scaled, first dip it in boiling water,
and then begin at the tail and scrape with a blunt knife.
Clean, and draw as soon as the fish is taken from the
water. After removing the entrails be very sure that no
particles remain close to the backbone. Wash the fish
quickly all over, drain it, and let it stand upon the ice, if
possible until time to cook it. However, as the fish
odor is liable to permeate the ice-box, wrap the fish closely
in oiled paper, and lay it on the ice. If fish is frozen, it
must first be thawed out in cold water, then cooked at
once.
Boning fish is a simple process that need not take long,
if one works rapidly and with concentration. At the
same time boned fish is certainly much safer to eat, and
far more enjoyable, than fish with the bones left in it.
269
270 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
To remove the bones, begin at the tail end, slip the
knife, which should be thin and sharp, between the flesh
and the bones working up the backbone. Do this on both
sides. If the fish is small, like flounder or sole, each
side forms one fillet; if large, like shad or bluefish, the
fish is not separated, but is stuffed or broiled or cooked
as may be desired. Fillets of halibut are made from hali-
but steak, which are cut crosswise of the fish, and which
separate naturally into four sections. Haddock and cod
are also sliced and separated in the same manner.
The fat of red-blooded fish is distributed evenly
throughout the flesh, making them moist and rich ; to this
end they are best not fried, but should be cooked by some
other method which will not introduce excess fat.
White-blooded fish are dry in texture because the fat is
collected in certain portions, so they should be cooked by
methods which introduce fat, as baking in milk or brais-
ing ; if frying is to be done, these fish are well adapted to
it. Olive oil is the best frying fat, clean beef drippings
being the next choice. Lard is very unsatisfactory unless
deep fat frying is to be done.
FRYING FISH IN DEEP FAT
The most satisfactory way to fry small fish, or fillets of
fish, is in deep fat. To prepare the small fish, clean them,
remove the fins and sever the backbone to keep them from
curling up. Rub with flour, dip in slightly-beaten egg,
diluted with a fourth cupful of water to each egg, and roll
in fine dry bread crumbs. Place in a frying basket so that
they do not touch and fry in deep fat, hot enough to brown
a bit of bread in a minute and a half. Drain at once on
crumpled paper. Fillets of fish should be floured, egged
and crumbed in the same way. If it is desirable to intro-
duce the flavor of lemon juice or onion, or a spiced flavor,
the fish should be sprinkled with the seasonings and
allowed to stand half an hour before frying.
SAUTEING FISH
Whole fish may be sauted, or fried, in a spider, but this
method is best adapted to fish steaks. In this case the
fish should be seasoned, dipped in flour, fine cornmeal,
BAKED OYSTERS ON THE HALF SHELL
TOMATOES STUFFED WITH SHRIMPS
FISH 271
cracker dust, or fine dry bread crumbs, and fried in
just enough fat barely to cover the bottom of the pan, first
on one side then on the other. Bacon, sausage and ham
fat are well adapted to this purpose, if a savory flavor is
desired.
BROILING FISH
Fish that are not too thick are suitable for broiling. To
do this, rub a fish broiler with olive oil or butter. Re-
move the head of the fish, split down the back so that it
will lay flat, and brush with melted butter or olive oil.
Place in the broiler and near the heat for a few minutes to
sear it quickly, then cook more gently, turning occasionally
from side to side. A fish weighing a pound and a half
requires about twenty minutes. If too high a heat is
used, the juices will be drawn off, making it tough and
dry. After broiling, fish are often spread with a little
creamed butter, either plain, or into which some flavor
has been beaten. In case the fish is very thick, like
pickerel or mackerel, it may be put flesh-side up in the gas
broiling oven, a dripping pan being set under the fish
broiler a few thin slices of bacon or salt pork being put
over the fish to baste it. In this case put the fish some
distance from the flame. Some of the best fish suited to
broiling are mackerel, bluefish, large trout of all kinds,
perch, pompano, whitefish, fresh herring and bass.
BOILING FISH
Whereas boiling is an easy way of cooking fish it is
liable to be unsatisfactory, because so much of the flavor
is lost in the cooking water, and it is a difficult matter to
cook the fish thoroughly without causing the slices to
break. The best method is to have the water moderately
warm, put in the fish, bring it quickly to boiling point to
sear the fish, and simmer gently until the flesh separates
easily from the bones five minutes to the pound for thin
slices, from eight to ten for thicker. The fish should be
tied in a well-oiled cheesecloth to preserve the shape, or,
in case of a long, whole fish, it may be coiled up in a fry-
ing basket. The best utensil, however, is a rack which
fits into the fish kettle, for the fish cooks in better shape
and is easier to remove than from any other utensil. The
272 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
cooking water should contain a half teaspoonful of lemon
juice or vinegar, and a half teaspoonful of salt to each
quart of liquid. Bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, and the
like, may be added if desired. The best medium for boil-
ing fish is in fish broth or court bouillon, as the flavor is
then not wasted, the liquid finally being used for a bisque
or clear bouillon.
After boiling, the fish should be well drained, and, if
the sauce is not to surround it, may be dressed for service
on a platter, and garnished plentifully with cress, parsley,
radishes or lettuce hearts, with slices of lemon either plain
or spread on one half, with finely-chopped peppers or
pimentoes, and the other half with minced parsley.
Potato balls tossed in melted butter, stuffed peppers or
tomatoes, or sliced cucumbers are often served on the
same platter. If the fish is white, a tomato sauce is suit-
able. If a fish of marked flavor is used, like tuna or
salmon, a plain bread sauce is excellent. A blend of fish
flavors is delicious, so a sauce of some other fish is often
used.
In case the boiled fish are small, like brook trout or
smelts, any of the flavored butters, Hollandaise, or drawn
butter sauce may be used.
The fish best adapted for boiling are cod, haddock, hali-
but, bass, whitefish, carp, flounder, salmon, pike, pickerel,
perch and trout of all kinds.
STEAMING FISH
It is more satisfactory to steam fish than to boil them.
This is easily done if they are wrapped securely in but-
tered manila paper, or a paper cooking bag, or merely
laid on a well-oiled plate. Allow ten minutes to the
pound for steaming.
TO BAKE FISH
Almost all varieties may be baked, although the method
of baking depends on the kind. Fish of moderate size
should be roasted whole, the dressing being rich, rather
moist and well seasoned.
For roasting or baking the head and tail may, or may
not, be left on, but the fins must be removed, and the
FISH 273
eyes, if the head is retained. Stuff rather sparingly, lest
the dressing swell and break open the fish, and gash the
skin along the back so that it will not crack in cooking.
Strips of salt pork or bacon are laid along the back, and
frequent basting with hot water, to which a little butter,
or other fat has been added, will prevent dryness. Allow
fifteen minutes to the pound.
If one does not own a rack that fits the fish-pan, strips
of cotton cloth, about six inches wide, laid lengthwise of
the pan, with the fish upon it will aid in transporting it to
the platter. Among the fish that may be baked whole are
mackerel, bluefish, small salmon, trout, pickerel, bass,
whitefish, haddock and perch. The sauce should be sim-
ple, like drawn butter, caper, or ordinary egg sauce.
Fish, like halibut, tuna, large salmon and cod, are cut
in steaks or fillets for baking. They may be placed in a
pan with a strip of bacon or salt pork on each, or, in lieu
of this, a teaspoonful of sausage, ham or bacon fat. A
few drops of lemon juice should be sprinkled over and a
little salt and pepper. Set in a hot oven two or three
minutes, then add a little hot water, and bakeitill tender
about twenty-five minutes basting once or twice.
Serve sprinkled with minced parsley and accompanied by
a cold slaw, sauce tartare, or any of the sauces designated
for boiled fish.
Halibut with Oysters
Broil halibut steak and sprinkle lightly with lemon
juice. Heat oysters in butter until they curl. Season
with salt and pepper and pour over the fish. Garnish
with parsley or cress. For six people use two pounds of
halibut and a pint of oysters.
Fillets of Halibut
6 halibut fillets \ cupful soft bread crumbs
2 chopped pimentoes cooked in
i cupful chopped string beans J cupful milk or cream
1 cupful fish stock i teaspoonful lemon juice
2 cupfuls pounded halibut \ teaspoonful salt
Pimento figures i teaspoonful pepper
2 eggs separated
Remove the skins from the fillets ; season the fillets
well with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the pimento
274 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
and beans. Set in a well-oiled baking dish some dis-
tance apart. Combine the remaining ingredients accord-
ing to the order in which they are given, adding the egg
whites, well beaten, at the last. Pile this mixture high
on the fillets, set the pimento figures in place, surround
them with the stock, and bake twenty minutes in a quick
oven. Remove to a hot serving platter and strain off
the liquor in the pan. There should be ij cupfuls.
Thicken this with 2 tablespoonfuls of butter and I table-
spoonful of flour creamed together, add two tablespoon-
fuls of lemon juice, and pour onto 2 slightly-beaten egg
yolks. Return to heat over hot water and stir until
thickened. Sprinkle the fillets with the minced pimentoes
and parsley and serve surrounded with the sauce.
Baked Crumbed Halibut, Haddock or Codfish
2 pounds sliced halibut, had- \ teaspoonful lemon juice
dock or codfish Salt and pepper
i green pepper or pimento Buttered crumbs
1 onion
Dust the fish lightly with salt and pepper and sprinkle
with the lemon juice. Lay in an enamelware dripping
pan or on a baking-platter. Bestrew with the onion and
pepper chopped fine, and sprinkle on the buttered crumbs.
Pour in a little water or milk and bake in a moderate
oven until the fish is tender and the crumbs are brown
about thirty-five minutes for slices an inch thick.
Baked Fillets of Halibut, Haddock or Codfish
Wipe dry the desired number of halibut, haddock, or
codfish fillets. Arrange in a well-buttered baking pan
or platter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and a few
drops of lemon juice. Brush over with melted butter
and barely cover the bottom of the pan with hot water.
Set in a hot oven and bake till tender, about thirty
minutes. Serve with parsley or egg sauce.
Casserole of Halibut
2 pounds halibut "- 4 potatoes, quartered
6 small onions 2" teaspoonfuls salt
I cupful carrots cut in little \ teaspoonful pepper
strips Boiling water
4 tablespoonfuls butter I cupful tomato juice
i cupful crumbs
FISH 275
Remove the skin and bones from the fish. Brown the
onions and carrots in butter. Put a layer of fish in the
casserole, then some carrots and onions and 2 table-
spoonfuls of crumbs. Add more fish, vegetables and
crumbs, repeating till all are used. Barely cover with
the tomato juice and boiling water, add the seasonings
and set the potatoes on top ; cover, and bake from forty-
five minutes to an hour.
Baked Fish Chops
2^ cupfuls cold, flaked cod, i teaspoonful salt
halibut or haddock Few grains pepper
3 tablespoonfuls butter or Few grains nutmeg
oleomargarine 2 drops tabasco sauce
6 tablespoonfuls flour i teaspoonful minced pars-
I cupful hot milk or cream ley
\ teaspoonful onion juice 1 teaspoonful Worcestershire
i tablespoon ful lemon juice sauce
i cupful fish stock
Boil the fish, remove the bones and skin and flake the
flesh fine. Make a sauce by melting the butter, adding
the flour and, gradually, the hot milk; when boiling add
the fish stock and the remaining ingredients. Combine
with the fish, cool, and shape into cutlets. Roll in fine
dry crumbs, mixed with \ cupful melted butter or other
good fat to ij cupfuls crumbs. Place in an oiled drip-
ping pan and bake till brown. Serve with creamed
peas, tomato or egg sauce, around a mould of mashed
potatoes or boiled brown rice.
*
Baked Haddock, Halibut or Codfish Slices
Dust slices of the desired fish with salt and pepper.
Lay in a baking pan or dish and sprinkle with a little
vinegar and a few drops of onion juice; and put a slice
of bacon, or a teaspoonful of bacon or sausage fat, or
drippings, on each slice. Set in a hot oven and, when
beginning to brown, add hot water to cover the bottom
of the pan. Bake till tender, about twenty minutes.
Breaded Codfish
Two pounds fresh codfish, cut three-quarters of an
inch thick shaped into pieces suitable for serving.
Sprinkle with lemon juice, a few drops of onion juice
276 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
and a little horseradish, and let stand thirty minutes.
Then drain, dip in fine dry crumbs, in slightly-beaten egg
diluted with milk, and then in crumbs again, and fry
about five minutes in deep fat. Drain on crumpled
brown paper, and serve with green pepper sauce.
Baked Tile Fish with Dressing
2 pounds tile fish Tomato bread dressing
Lay the fish in a dripping pan. Dust with salt and
pepper, cover with the dressing and bake forty-five
minutes in a moderate oven, basting occasionally with a
little bacon fat dissolved in hot water.
Fried Scallops
Clean the desired number of scallops by rinsing thor-
oughly in cold water. Plunge in boiling water, well-
salted, and simmer until they begin to shrink. Drain,
dry, roll in flour, egg diluted with J cup of milk to each
egg, then in fine bread crumbs, and fry in fat hot enough
to brown a bit of bread in two minutes. Drain on brown
paper and serve with tomato or tartare sauce.
Devilled Scallops
i pint scallops 4 tablespoonfuls drippings or
I tablespoonful minced onion bacon fat
i tablespoonful lemon juice i cupful tomato pulp
\ teaspoonful Worcestershire i teaspoonful salt
i tablespoonful Parmesan i teaspoonful minced pars-
cheese ley
4 tablespoonfuls flour
Wash and drain the scallops. Roll in flour and the
melted fat, add all the other ingredients and turn into a
well-oiled baking dish; bake for twenty-five minutes.
Serve with boiled brown or uncoated rice.
Scallops an Gratin
i quart scallops Salt and pepper
I pint soft crumbs mixed Cream or rich milk, about I
with cupful
i cupful melted butter \ cupful dry crumbs, mixed
4 tablespoonfuls green pep- with 2 tablespoonfuls melt-
per, minced ed butter
Wash the scallops, cover with water and bring quickly
FISH 277
to boiling point. Drain. Butter a baking-dish, put a
layer of crumbs in the bottom, add a layer of scallops,
sprinkle with minced peppers, and season with a little
salt and pepper, repeating until the dish is rilled. Pour
over enough cream to moisten, sprinkle on the dry
crumbs, and bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven.
Escalloped Fish
3 cupfuls flaked fish, cooked i teaspoonful onion juice
2 cupfuls milk I teaspoonful celery salt
2 tablespoonfuls butter 4 teaspoonful pepper
2 tablespoonfuls flour Salt as needed
1 cupful buttered crumbs
Select any white fish, as haddock, cod or halibut. Boil
and flake in pieces, taking care to remove all skin and
bones. Make a white sauce of the milk and butter, flour
and seasonings and stir the fish into it. Pour into a well-
oiled baking dish, sprinkle with the crumbs, mixed with
two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, or oleomargarine,
and set in a quick oven to brown.
Creamed Fish on Toast
3 cupfuls cooked haddock or 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
cod flaked oleomargarine
2 cupfuls milk 2 tablespoonfuls flour
\ teaspoonful salt i teaspoonful onion juice
& teaspoonful pepper Bit of bay leaf
Buttered toast
Scald the bay leaf in the milk and remove it. Make a
white sauce of the butter, flour, milk and seasonings.
Add the fish, let stand to become very hot, and serve on
buttered toast.
Matelote of Haddock
(From the French)
2 pounds haddock i tablespoonful lemon juice
6 tablespoonfuls butter or i cupful white grape juice,
oleomargarine or
6 small onions i cupful very weak vinegar,
4 tablespoonfuls flour slightly sweetened
i spice bag il cupfuls rich soup stock
I teaspoonful salt i teaspoonful pepper
Slice the fish and remove the skin. Slice the onions
278 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
and fry them in the butter with the fish till browned.
Then add the flour, the seasonings, the liquid and the
spice bag (i clove, bit bay leaf and a few celery leaves
tied in a cloth). Simmer thirty minutes, add more sea-
sonings, if necessary, and serve garnished with toast
points.
Oyster Chops
I cupful steamed oysters i teaspoonful parsley
i cupful cooked veal I teaspoonful salt
4 tablespoonfuls butter or Few grains cayenne
oleomargarine i tablespponful lemon juice
6 tablespoonfuls flour Few grains nutmeg
Steam the oysters. Chill, cut in small pieces and mix
with the veal cut in bits. Make a sauce of the butter,
flour, cream and seasonings. Add the oyster mixture,
chill and form into chop shapes. Dip in egg, diluted
with melted butter, then in well-buttered crumbs and
bake in a dripping pan until brown.
Oyster Loaves
12 French rolls Grating lemon rind
1 pint oysters Few grains mace
2 tablespoonfuls butter Salt and pepper to taste
1 cupful thick cream
Cut the tops from the rolls, scoop out the crumbs and
brush thoroughly both inside and out with butter. Set
in a hot oven to brown. Fry the coarse crumbs in the
butter. Remove the oyster muscles, then place the
oysters in a saucepan, with the fried crumbs and season-
ings. Shake over the heat until the oysters begin to
curl, add the heated cream and serve very hot in the rolls,
accompanied by fried crumbs.
Oyster Filling for Patties
2 tablespoonfuls butter Yolks 2 eggs
2 tablespoonfuls flour Dash of cayenne
I cupful milk or cream Dash of mace
Steam the oysters and cut each one into four pieces.
Make a white sauce of the butter, flour and cream, add
the seasonings and remove from the fire. When a little
cooled, add the beaten yolks', stirring vigorously; place
again over the heat, and stir until thickened, then add the
oysters. Serve, in hot pattie-shells, or bread croustades.
FISH 279
Panned Oysters
Wash the desired number of oysters thoroughly.
Place in a frying pan with a generous lump of butter.
Dredge lightly with salt and pepper, and cook gently
over a moderate heat until the edges curl about five
minutes and serve on buttered toast.
Saute Oysters, with Celery
teaspoonful salt i teaspoonful horseradish
1 pint oysters Crumbs
2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice I cupful white sauce
Few drops Worcestershire \ cupful minced celery
6 slices toast
Clean the oysters and marinate (let stand) in the
lemon juice, Worcestershire and horseradish half an
hour. Drain, sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip in fine
dry crumbs and saute (fry) in butter. When the edges
curl, remove to slices of hot buttered toast, pour around
the white sauce, and sprinkle with the minced celery.
Tiny Oyster and Mushroom Pies
i pint small oysters Few grains mace
\ pound fresh mushrooms Few drops onion juice
1 cupful milk \ teaspoonful salt
2 tablespoonfuls butter Few grains pepper
2 tablespoonfuls flour Flaky pie crust
Wash the oysters, cut the mushrooms in small pieces,
fry till softened in the butter, and add the flour and the
milk. Season. Let boil, and drop in the oysters; put
the mixture in six small ramekins. Set over rounds of
the pie crust and bake quickly.
Oyster Pasty
i quart oysters 4 tablespoonfuls butter or
i pint rich milk or cream oleomargarine
i cupful cooked diced celery 4 tablespoonfuls flour
i cupful cooked peas i4 teaspoon fuls salt
& teaspoonful mace i teaspoonful pepper
Short biscuit paste
Wash the oysters carefully. Make a sauce by melting
the fat, adding the flour and seasonings and, gradually,
the milk. Steam the oysters over a half cupful of water
until plump add this liquor to the sauce, then the
280 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
oysters, peas and celery. Line a dish with the paste, cut
one-quarter inch thick pour in the oyster mixture,
put on a crust of the biscuit paste, cut a hole in the top,
and bake about twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven.
Fried Oysters
i quart oysters Salt and pepper
Dried bread crumbs 2 egg whites
Wash the oysters and drain on paper toweling.
Add -J cupful cold water to the egg whites beaten slightly
together; dust the oysters with salt and pepper, roll in
crumbs, egg white, and crumbs again and fry forty sec-
onds in fat hot enough to brown a bit of bread in that
length of time. Drain on crumpled brown paper and
serve with sauce tartare or in a bread croustade with
white sauce.
Escalloped Oysters
1 quart oysters -k teaspoonful paprika
2 teaspoonfuls minced pars- 4 cupfuls soft bread crumbs
ley I cupful butter
i cupful minced celery 2 cupfuls cream or milk
i teaspoonful salt cupful dry, buttered crumbs
Wash the oysters. Butter a baking dish and put in a
thin layer of the crumbs. Add a layer of oysters, sprin-
kle with a little seasoning, parsley and celery, dot with
bits of the butter, and repeat until dish is full, leaving
the last layer oysters. Add the cream, cover with the
buttered crumbs, and bake thirty minutes in a hot oven.
There should not be more than three layers of oysters.
Devilled Oysters with Brown Rice
i pint oysters Salt and paprika
3 cupfuls cooked brown rice ^ cupful butter
1 cupful grated cheese cupful bread crumbs mixed
2 minced green peppers with i tablespoonful melted
butter
Butter a baking dish and put in a layer of the cooked
rice ; cover with oysters, sprinkle with the cheese, salt,
pepper and minced peppers and add half the butter cut
in bits. Repeat and cover the top with buttered crumbs.
Moisten with oyster liquor, if necessary, and bake thirty
minutes in a moderate oven.
FISH 281
Devilled Oysters
1 quart oysters % teaspoonful salt
2 tablespoonfuls olive oil i teaspoonful paprika
1 tablespoonful made mus- i teaspoonful curry
tard Buttered crumbs
2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice
Let the oysters stand thirty minutes in the seasonings.
Then dip in the crumbs and bake till brown in a very hot
oven. Serve garnished with bacon.
Brown Oysters
I pint oysters Few grains mace
1 tablespoonful minced onion 6 tablespoonfuls flour
2 tablespoonfuls minced car- i cupful cream or rich milk
rot i teaspoonful salt
I sprig parsley Few grains cayenne
4 tablespoonfuls butter Buttered toast
Wash the oysters, and steam over a cupful of hot
water. Fry the onion and carrot till yellow in the butter,
add the flour, then, gradually, the liquor over which the
oysters were steamed. Strain this mixture. Have the
parsley minced fine and add it with the seasonings and
oysters. Let it become very hot, turn in the cream,
scalded, and serve on buttered toast, or pour over boiled
brown or uncoated rice.
Savory Clams
i pint clams 6 slices bacon cut in dice
1 cupful cream or milk i teaspoonful salt
2 tablespoonfuls butter or Few grains pepper
bacon drippings J cupful minced celery
2 tablespoonfuls flour I cupful fine crumbs
Clean the clams and separate the hard and soft paHs,
chopping each rather coarse. Add the hard parts to the
butter and cook for three minutes ; add the flour, season-
ings and, gradually, the milk and the soft parts of the
clams. Turn into well-oiled ramekin dishes or scallop
shells, sprinkle with minced celery, cover lightly with the
crumbs, and then place a very little piece of bacon on
top of each. Bake twenty minutes (or until brown) in a
hot oven.
282 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Clams Saute on Toast
i quart clams Dash pepper
i cupful butter I teaspoonful Worcestershire
Salt, if needed sauce
4 tablespoonfuls flour
Remove the heads from the clams. Wash the clams
and cut in halves. Roll in the flour, season and fry in the
butter about seven minutes. Serve on toast.
Clams a la Creme
I pint clams Few grains pepper
1 cupful cream or milk 1 teaspoonful Worcestershire
2 tablespoonfuls butter sauce
3 tablespoonfuls flour I stalk celery
teaspoonful onion juice Buttered toast
i teaspoonful salt
Clean the clams, remove the heads and separate the
hard and soft parts, chopping each rather coarse. Add
the hard parts to the butter, cooking them three minutes,
then turn in the flour and seasonings. In the meantime
scald the celery with the milk, remove it, and add the
milk to the clams. Then add the soft parts and let stand
ten minutes over hot water to cook. Serve on buttered
toast.
To Open Lobsters
Separate the tail from the body, and twist off the large
and small claws. Then cut the thin shell on the inside
of the tail, and remove the meat. Split this lengthwise
through the center and take out the intestinal vein, which
is sometimes red, sometimes white or even black. Then
draw out the body of the lobster from the main part, dis-
carding the lungs, stomach and liver. Save the coral,
pull off the wooly gills, then pick out the meat that lies
between the body bones.
If the lobster is small, cut the claws with the scissors
and remove the meat ; if large and tough it will be neces-
sary to break them. The small claws and tips of the
large claws may be reserved for garnishing.
To Boil Lobsters
Have the water boiling rapidly, and allow a handful
of salt to a gallon of water. Enough water should be
allowed to cover the lobster. Drop in the lobster and
FISH 283
let boil hard for a few minutes, then more gently, allow-
ing twenty minutes in all for a medium-sized lobster.
Broiled Live Lobster
If possible, order the lobster dressed at the fish mar-
ket; pull off the small claws and put the lobster in a
broiler, well-oiled with olive oil. Broil from eight to
ten minutes on the flesh side, then turn and broil half the
time on the shell side. Break open the large claws and
pour over melted butter before serving.
If necessary to dress the lobster at home, use a heavy,
pointed knife and make a sharp, deep cut throughout the
whole length of the lobster, beginning at the mouth.
Spread open and remove the stomach and the intestinal
vein.
Baked Live Lobster
Put the lobster fat and the meat from the body in a
bowl, mix this with an equal quantity of soft bread
crumbs, a tablespoonful of minced green peppers, a half
teaspoonful of lemon juice and a little salt and pepper.
Replace in the body shell, lay the lobster in a pan and
put four narrow strips of thinly-sliced bacon over the
lobster. Bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven.
Buttered Lobster
Meat from a two-pound lob- 4 tablespoonfuls hot butter
ster i tablespoonful minced pars-
i teaspoonful Worcestershire ley
sauce i teaspoonful paprika
I teaspoonfnl mustard i teaspoonful vinegar
i teaspoonful salt
Put the seasonings together in a saucepan, add the but-
ter and lobster and saute (fry) till very hot. Serve* on
buttered toast, or in browned pointed rolls.
Lobster Savory
i cupful lobster meat i tablespoonful ham
1 cupful chopped mushrooms (chopped)
2 tablespoonfuls butter I tablespoonful carrot
3 tablespoonfuls flour (chopped)
I teaspoonful salt 2 tablespoonfuls celery
Few grains pepper (chopped)
i teaspoonful parsley '$ teaspoonful minced onion
ii cupfuls brown soup stock 2 cloves
284 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Melt the butter, add the vegetables and flour, and cook
until browned, then add the stock slowly. Boil till the
vegetables are tender, strain and 1 add the lobster meat.
Serve in timbale cases, or in bread croustades.
Lobster Farci
z\ cupfuls boiled lobster Yolks 2 hard-cooked eggs
ii cupfuls cream or milk I teaspoonful salt
3 tablespoonfuls butter i tablespoonful chopped oars-
3 tablespoonfuls flour ley
\ teaspoonful nutmeg Whites 2 hard-cooked eggs
Few grains cayenne -k teaspoonful Worcestershire
6 tablespoonfuls bread sauce
crumbs
Make a white sauce of the butter, the milk, flour and
the seasonings. Remove from the heat and add the
parsley, minced, and the egg yolks, mashed. Stir in the
lobster meat, and the egg whites cut in small cubes.
Have the lobster shells washed and dried. Cut off the
sides of the body shells one-half inch. Fit the body and
tail-pieces together, put in the mixture^ cover with but-
tered crumbs, and bake till brown.
Lobster Cutlets
2 cupfuls chopped lobster i teaspoonful lemor juice
meat i egg yolk ,
\ teaspoonful salt i teaspoonful finely-chopped
Few grains cayenne parsley
Few gratings nutmeg i cupful thick white sauce
Mix the ingredients in the order given. Shape in the
form of cutlets, crumb and fry as croquettes. (See
chapter on frying.) Make a cut at the small end of each
cutlet and insert in each the tip of a small claw. Serve
around a mound of parsley, with sauce tartare.
Lobster, Chafing-Dish Style
2* cupfuls boiled lobster meat . 3 hard-cooked egg yolks
ii cupfuls cream or milk i teaspoonful salt
2 tablespoonfuls butter i tablespoonful chopped
ii tablespoonfnls flour parsley
Few grains cayenne Dash celery salt
Few grains nutmeg
Make a white sauce as follows mash the egg yolk
and mix with the flour. Melt the butter, stir in the flour
FISH 285
mixture and seasonings, and add the cream gradually.
Add the parsley and lobster meat cut in dice. Let boil
and serve very hot on buttered toast.
Stewed Eel
i eel (about one pound) I cupful sifted canned toma-
i onion, sliced toes
1 tablespoonful minced pars- I cupful peas
ley Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoonfuls olive oil
Fry the onion in the oil, and when of a golden color
add the parsley. Wash and dry the eel and cut it in
pieces, about two inches long. Add the eel to the onion
together with the tomatoes and a little salt and pepper
and the peas, if they are fresh. Otherwise put them in
just before serving. Cook slowly until the eel is tender.
Baked Stuffed Smelts
12 large smelts 4 tablespoonfuls soft bread
2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice crumbs
teaspoonful minced onion \ teaspoonful minced parsley
2 tablespoonfuls chopped 4 tablespoonfuls butter
mushrooms Hot milk or cream to moisten
Remove the heads, tails and fins and clean the fish.
Wash thoroughly, dredge with sak and pepper, and stuff
with a dressing made of the onion, mushrooms, crumbs,
parsley, etc. Set on a well-oiled baking platter, sprinkle
with lemon juice and cover. Bake eight minutes in a
quick oven. Uncover, place buttered crumbs on top, and
bake until the crumbs are browned. Serve with Hol-
landaise, mousseline or sauce tartare.
Baked Mackerel in Milk
Dress and split a mackerel. Lay it on a baking plat-
ter and dredge it with flour, salt and pepper ; dot with bits
of butter and add hot milk nearly to cover. Bake until
tender about twenty-five minutes.
Baked Stuffed Bluefish
Clean the bluefish and dredge inside and out with salt
and pepper. Prepare a well-seasoned bread or cracker
stuffing, and lay the fish in a well-oiled pan, preferably on
a fish rack. Dot with bits of butter, sprinkle lightly with
286 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
flour and bake nearly an hour in a hot oven, for a fish of
medium size. Pour in a cupful of hot water containing
a little butter or drippings. Baste frequently with this.
Serve with Hollandaise sauce or lemon butter.
Fish Stuffing
2 cup fuls soft bread crumbs $ teaspoonful onion juice
i cupful melted butter, oleo- i teaspoonful minced parsley
margarine or savory drip- | cupful chopped celery (if
pings convenient)
I teaspoonful salt Hot water to moisten
1 teaspoonful pepper
Mix the ingredients in the order given. A half cup-
ful or more of stewed tomato may be used instead of the
water if desired.
Fried Fillets of Flounder or Sole
Clean the fish and cut lengthwise into fillets. Dust
with salt and pepper, roll and fasten with wooden tooth-
picks. Dip in fine dry crumbs, in egg and crumbs again,
and fry. in fat hot enough to brown a piece of bread in
two and one-half minutes, and drain. Serve with
tomato, Hollandaise, shrimp sauce, or sauce tartare.
Baked Sole
Clean the fish and split lengthwise. Marinate (let
stand) for twenty minutes in a tablespoonful of lemon
juice, a teaspoonful of Worcestershire and a half tea-
spoonful of onion juice for each two pounds of fish, and
then dust thickly with buttered crumbs. Set in a baking
pan ; dot with more butter, pour a little water in the
pan and bake gently for twenty minutes in a moderate
oven. Serve with parsley sauce and potato balls.
Fillet of Sole, Greek Style
3 cupfuls creamed spinach I cupful cheese, sliced thin
2 pounds sole, split and 4 tablespoon fuls butter
cleaned Salt and pepper
i cupful milk
Make a thin layer of the spinach in the bottom of a
shallow, well-oiled baking dish or low casserole. Place
the sole on this, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and pour
the milk around it. Then cover with the cheese, dot
FISH 287
with butter, dredge sparingly with salt and pepper and
set in a hot oven for twenty-five minutes. The cheese
will melt, forming a most delicious sauce.
Planked Shad a la Easter
Heat a plank of the desired size and rub thoroughly
with olive oil, then lay the fish, cleaned and split down
the back, on it. Brush over with oil and dredge with
salt and pepper. Bake about twenty-five minutes in a
hot oven, basting frequently with melted butter. This
can be done under the gas flame if desired, taking care
not to burn the plank.
Decorate with hot, moulded brown or uncoated rice,
bundles of cooked asparagus, slipped through rings of
green pepper, turnip cups of cooked turnips, hollowed
out and filled with peas, radish roses and slices of lemon
decorated with halved, stuffed olives.
Planked Mackerel
Split the fish down the back and remove the bones.
Heat a plank of the desired size in the oven, rub thor-
oughly with olive oil and then lay the fish on it, flesh-
side up. Dredge the fish with salt and pepper, sprinkle
with a little lemon juice, and bake till tender, about
twenty-five minutes in a hot oven, basting frequently
with melted butter. Have prepared a generous quantity
of Duchess potatoes (about I quart) and pipe through a
pastry bag and tube around the fish. Brush over with
slightly-beaten egg yolk and return to the oven to brown.
Decorate further with stuffed green peppers, or tomatoes,
with radish roses, and with broiled bacon strips alternating
with lemon slices on the fish.
Almost any fine-grained fish may be planked.
Trout Baked in Milk
Dress the fish as usual, removing the head, fins and
tail. Place on a buttered baking platter, dredge with
flour, allowing one tablespoon ful to each fish, and
sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dot with bits of butter
and smother the fish with unheated thin cream. Place in
the oven and bake until tender about twenty minutes.
The fish will absorb much of the cream. The remainder
288 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
will be thickened by the flour and can be served with the
fish as a sauce.
Trout a la Game Club
Prepare the trout as usual, but do not remove the
heads or tails. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, wrap in
cheesecloth and plunge into boiling fish broth and sim-
mer until tender, from fifteen to twenty-five minutes, ac-
cording to the size of the fish. Serve whole on heated
plates with lemon butter and a garnish of watercress.
By this process the beautiful fish markings are preserved.
To Boil Crabs
Plunge the crabs into boiling water containing a table-
spoonful of salt and a little vinegar to each two quarts.
Boil from ten to fifteen minutes, or until they turn red.
To Dress Crabs
Cool the boiled crabs and remove the spongy substance
and the small piece at the lower part of the shell, which
is called " the apron." Then pick the meat from the
bones and use as desired.
Devilled Crabs
To each cupful of crab meat allow two tablespoonfuls
of melted butter, two tablespoonfuls soft bread crumbs,
one or two egg yolks, a teaspoonful of minced parsley,
a half teaspoonful of lemon juice, and salt and pepper
to taste. If it seems dry, moisten with a little milk or
white stock. In the meantime wash the shells, trim into
shape and heap with the mixture. Sprinkle with dry
bread crumbs, mixed with a little melted butter, and
brown in a moderate oven.
Crab Meat Cakes
3 cupfuls crab meat \ teaspoonful salt
i small egg i teaspoonful pepper
\ tablespoonful flour Paprika to taste
Mix the ingredients together in the order given, form
into flat cakes, roll in flour and fry gently on a well-
oiled griddle. Serve with a rich white sauce.
FISH 289
Crab Meat Timbales
2 cupfuls flaked crab meat, 4 tablespoonfuls melted but-
freed from shell ter
3 eggs I teaspoonful salt
1 cupful soft bread crumbs I teaspoonful pepper
2 teaspoonfuls lemon juice I teaspoonful minced parsley
Beat the egg yolks well, and add to the crab meat with
all the other ingredients as mentioned. Mix thoroughly,
then fold in the egg whites, beaten stiff. Bake in well-
oiled timbales or custard cups, set in hot water, for thirty
minutes unmould and serve with white sauce contain-
ing chopped olives.
Fried Soft Shell Crabs
Pull back the skin (which will later harden into shell)
and remove the soft spongy substances ; then replace the
skin, dip the crab, legs and all, into flour, dust with a
little salt and pepper, then roll in egg and fine bread
crumbs, as for croquettes, and fry golden brown in fat
hot enough to brown a bit of bread in two minutes.
White Fish Loaf
2 pounds halibut, cod or had- Grating lemon rind
dock i-i teaspoonfuls salt
2 or 3 eggs separated i teaspoonful butter or oleo-
li cupfuls soft bread crumbs margarine melted
li cupfuls milk 1 teaspoonful pepper
Boil the fish with a bit of bay leaf till tender. When
cool, remove the skin and bones and flake with a fork
into bits. Cook the bread crumbs and milk together to a
paste. Add to the fish with the remaining ingredients,
the eggs being separated; add the yolks without beating,
and fold in the egg whites, beaten stiff. Pack into a
well-buttered brick-shaped tin with the bottom lined with
paper. Stand in a pan of water and bake forty-five to
fifty minutes. Let stand a while before unmoulding.
Serve hot with egg, bread, or Spanish sauce.
Tuna Fish a la King
4 tablespoonfuls butter I teaspoonful salt
3 tablespoonfuls flour 2 cupfuls rich milk
2 tablespoonfuls green pep- ii cupfuls diced mushrooms
per (minced) Toast
2i cupfuls tuna fish, flaked Few grains paprika
coarse
290 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Melt the butter and cook the peppers and mushrooms
in it till soft. Then stir in the flour and salt and cook
till frothy. Add the milk gradually, stirring constantly,
and when boiling point has been reached add the fish.
Let become very hot and serve on buttered toast.
Flaked Fish Cakes
2! cupfuls hot boiled uncoat- i tablespoonful melted butter
ed rice i cupful fish flakes
1 teaspoonful minced parsley i teaspoonful onion juice
2 teaspoonfuls salt Few grains pepper
8 slices bacon Hot milk or cream to moisten
Mix together the rice, fish, seasonings and butter;
moisten as needed with milk, form into flat cakes and dip
in flour. Try out the fat from the bacon in the oven,
cooking until the bacon is crisp and brown. Fry the
cakes in the hot fat, and serve a slice of bacon on every
patty. Tomato or cream sauce may be used with these
if desired.
Fish-Balls
1 cupful salt codfish i egg
2i cupfuls mashed potato 2 teaspoonfuls parsley
2 tablespoonfuls cream i tablespoonful butter
4 teaspoonful pepper
Pick the codfish into bits and let simmer thirty min-
utes. Prepare the potato as usual, add the fish, egg,
parsley, butter and pepper and the cream, if more mois-
ture is needed. Shape into flat cakes, egg and crumb, as
usual, and fry in deep fat. Serve garnished with broiled
bacon.
Salmon Klopps
2 cupfuls cooked, or canned, \ teaspoonful lemon juice
salmon, minced i teaspoonful onion juice
\ teaspoonful celery salt 2 eggs
i teaspoonful parsley
Mix the ingredients in the order given, adding the eggs
unbeaten. Form into balls the size of a walnut, and
poach in water just at simmering point. When firm, re-
move to toast and serve with a cream sauce.
FISH 291
Salmon Loaf
I can salmon i cupful melted butter or
3 eggs oleomargarine
1 cupful soft bread crumbs \ teaspoonful salt
2 teaspoonfuls lemon juice & teaspoonful pepper
I teaspoonful minced parsley
Scald the salmon. Remove the skin and bones, and to
the fish add the yolks of the eggs, well beaten, and all in-
gredients in the order given. Mix well and fold in the
egg whites, beaten stiff. Bake in a buttered pan well-
covered, and set in pan of hot water for thirty-five min-
utes, or steam for an hour. Serve either hot or cold,
with creamed peas or sauce 'tartare.
Creamed Salmon on Toast
1 can salmon 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
2 cupfuls milk bacon fat
2 tablespoonfuls flour \ teaspoonful salt
1 teaspoonful onion juice i teaspoonful pepper
Buttered toast
Scald the salmon. Remove the skin and bones and
flake the fish fine with a fork. Melt the fat, and stir in
the flour and milk, gradually. Let boil, stirring con-
stantly, add th salmon and seasonings and let become
very hot. Serve on buttered toast.
Japanese Shrimps
2 cupfuls cooked shrimps i teaspoonful onion juice
2 tablespoonfuls butter i| cupfuls milk
1 4 tablespoonfuls flour Buttered crumbs
1 tablespoonful chopped pi-
mentoes
Break the shrimps into bits. Add the pimentoes to the
butter and cook till soft, then add the flour and milk to
make a white sauce. Turn in the shrimps, and season
to taste; turn into individual baking dishes and cover
with the buttered crumbs. Bake in a quick oven, and
serve with radish and lettuce salad.
Tomatoes Stuffed with Shrimps
6 medium-sized tomatoes Pulp from the tomato
1 5 cupfuls shrimps, quar- i cupful cream
tered \ cupful soft bread crumbs
2 tablespoonfuls butter Salt and paprika to taste
2 slices onion, diced
292 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Cut the tomatoes in halves crosswise, and remove the
pulp. Dust the halves with salt and pepper and
drain. Melt the butter and brown the onion in it lightly.
Add the tomato pulp and cook till reduced one-half.
Add the other ingredients, then the shrimp, and pack into
the tomato halves. Cover with buttered crumbs. Bake
thirty minutes in a moderate oven, and serve on buttered
toast rounds, or garnished with additional shrimps.
Shrimp Pie
2\ cupfuls shrimps 2 cupfuls milk
2 cupfuls thinly-sliced cooked 4 teaspoonful salt
potato \ teaspoonful pepper
i cupful peas 2 tablespoonfuls butter
4 anchovies Short biscuit crust
3 tablespoonfuls flour
Cut the shrimps in small pieces, mince the anchovies
and butter a baking dish. Put in a layer of the shrimps,
then one of potato and one of peas; sprinkle with some
of the anchovies, salt and pepper and flour, then repeat
until all is used and pour over the milk heated to scald-
ing point. Set on the crust slashed to let out the steam,
and bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven.
SALT AND SMOKED FI^H
Salt and smoked fish deserve a more prominent place
in every household menu. In the first place they are
digestible foods; second, they are cheaper than ordinary
fish because they contain more nutriment in proportion
to the weight and have no waste. At the same time the
various varieties may be kept on hand and are always
ready for use when needed.
It is a mistake to freshen dried fish too long, salt
mackerel and codfish, only if very salt, necessitating
soaking over night. Herring and salmon, as well as
bloaters, simply need scalding. Finnan haddie should be
allowed to soak for an hour in cold water before using.
Browned Codfish on Biscuit
i pound salt codfish Salt and pepper
3 tablespoonfuls bacon or 2 cupfuls boiling water
beef drippings Baking powder biscuit
5 tablespoonfuls flour
FISH 293
Soak the codfish an hour in warm water. Drain, re-
move the bones, and separate the fish into large flakes.
Dry and roll in flour. Fry in the drippings until tender
and brown. Then add the remaining flour, toss the fish
about, and pour in the water. Let boil, season to taste,
and serve on the biscuit, split and buttered.
Creamed Codfish
pound salt codfish i egg yolk
1 4 cupfuls white sauce Dash pepper
Mashed potatoes or boiled
brown or uncoated rice
Soak the fish an hour in warm water to cover. With
the fingers remove the bones. Drain the fish, cut it in
small pieces, add the white sauce and cook until tender.
Combine with the beaten egg yolk just before serving.
Pour into a border of the potato or rice and garnish with
parsley minced fine.
Creamed Codfish with Hard-Cooked Eggs
Add three sliced hard-cooked eggs to the preceding
recipe.
Coddled Codfish
1 pound salt codfish, flaked i tablespoonful butter or
3 eggs oleomargarine
2 cupfuls milk Few grains pepper and salt
Buttered toast
Freshen the codfish for an hour in warm water.
Drain, flake, add to the milk with the butter, and bring
slowly to scalding-point. Beat the eggs with a little pep-
per and salt, and pour the milk mixture into them. Re-
turn to a double boiler and cook until the eggs become
" set," stirring gently once during the process. Then
serve on toast.
Codfish Batter Cakes
i cupful shredded codfish 3 egg yolks
i cupful flour 2 egg whites
cupful water i teaspoonful melted butter
Freshen the codfish. Put the flour in a bowl, add the
water gradually, beating well, and then the codfish.
Beat the egg whites and yolks separately, fold them in,
294 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
add the butter, and drop by small tablespoon fuls into
fat hot enough to brown a bit of bread in one and one-
half minutes. Drain on brown paper, and serve with
white, tomato or Spanish sauce.
Fried Salt Codfish
^
Salt codfish Salt pork
Soak the fish for two hours in warm water, then drain.
In the meantime try out several slices of salt pork, and
cook until they are crisp. Remove them from the fat,
and put in the fish. Fry to a light brown on each side,
about five minutes, and serve on a hot platter.
Hash-Browned Codfish
I tablespoonful butter or ba- Dash pepper
con drippings \ cupful flaked salt codfish
I tablespoonful flour 2 cupfuls chopped cold
I cupful milk boiled potatoes
i tablespoonful parsley
Make a sauce of the fat, flour, milk and pepper. Stir
in the fish, which should be previously freshened and
add the potatoes. Turn into a hot frying pan containing
a tablespoonful and a half of bacon fat, press in the
mixture, cover and set in the oven to bake until a rich
crust is formed. Serve accompanied with cooked bacon,
or an egg or tomato sauce.
Salt Codfish, with Baked Eggs
1 cupful salt codfish (flaked) 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
2 cupfuls milk bacon fat
2 tablespoonfuls flour Dash pepper
Grated cheese 6 eggs
Freshen the codfish an hour in warm water, then make
a white sauce of the flour, butter and milk. Add the
fish, season to taste with pepper, pour into a shallow
baking dish, and gently break the eggs, one by one, into
a saucer and slip them onto the fish mixture. Sprinkle
with the cheese. Set into a hot oven and bake till the
eggs are firm from ten to fifteen minutes.
COLD BOILED SALMON WITH MAYONNAISE
FISH, READY TO BOIL
FISH 295
Devilled Herring
2 cupfuls smoked, boneless 3 tablespoonfuls butter
herring, diced 3 tablespoonfuls flour
cupful diced celery 2 cupfuls tomato juice
1 teaspoonful mustard I cupful buttered crumbs
2 tablespoonfuls minced i teaspoonful Worcestershire
green peppers sauce
1 teaspoonful curry I tablespoonful minced onion
Cut the herring in dice and scald. Melt the butter and
fry the celery, onion and pepper in it till yellowed. Add
the fish and seasonings, mix well, and gradually pour in
the tomato. Let boil, and turn into buttered ramekins,
cover with the crumbs, and bake till brown in a moderate
oven.
Broiled Salt Mackerel
Freshen the mackerel over night in cold water. Rinse
and dry thoroughly on paper toweling, and place in a well-
oiled broiler directly over the coals. Broil for twelve
minutes, transfer to a hot platter, and serve with lemon
butter and sliced lemon.
Salt Mackerel in Milk
Soak a salt mackerel over night in cold water. Rinse
and dry on paper toweling, then place in a baking pan.
Dredge thickly with flour, dot with bits of butter and al-
most cover with milk. Bake until the mackerel is tender,
about twenty-five minutes, then remove gently to a platter.
Use the remaining milk in the pan for a sauce.
Broiled Smoked Salmon
For six persons allow ij pounds of salmon, cut J inch
thick. Scald, drain, dry well and broil very slowly from
ten to twelve minutes. Transfer to a hot platter, and
spread a little butter over the top. Re-heat in the oven
for a moment and serve. This is a delicious tidbit to
serve with eggs.
Casserole of Smoked Salmon
2 pounds smoked salmon 6 quartered potatoes
4 small onions i teaspoonful pepper
i cupful canned peas (if con- 4 tablespoonfuls butter or
venient) drippings
Bit bay leaf I cupful rich milk
A little lemon peel Dried bread crumbs
296 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
If the salmon is very salt, scald it with boiling water,
then cut it in pieces suitable for serving. Chop the
onion. Place the fish, potatoes, onion (and peas if
used) in alternate layers in the casserole, sprinkling the
crumbs, which should be stirred in the melted butter,
throughout the mixture. The bay leaf and lemon peel
should be placed in the middle. Cover the mixture with
boiling water, or soup stock, and bake slowly for an
hour, adding the milk just before serving.
Smoked Salmon (Chartreuse)
ij cupfuls brown or uncoat- i tablespoonful lemon juice
ed rice i teaspoonful pepper
2 teaspoonfuls curry powder \ teaspoonful onion juice
2 tablespoonfuls butter f cupful milk
2\ cupfuls flaked, smoked 2 tablespoonfuls flour
salmon 2 tablespoonfuls butter
Scald the salmon. Boil the rice as usual and stir
lightly into it the curry powder, creamed with two table-
spoonfuls of the butter. Make a thick sauce of the but-
ter, flour and milk and add the fish, lemon juice, pepper
and onion juice. Line a well-buttered bread pan with the
rice. Pack in the fish mixture, put a layer of rice over
the top, and steam or bake in the oven for thirty min-
utes. Serve with creamed peas.
Devilled Smoked Salmon
1 pound smoked salmon 2 cloves
4 tablespoonfuls olive oil Bit bay leaf
2 tablespoonfuls vinegar 6 peppercorns
Pour a marinade made of a mixture of all the ingre-
dients over the salmon and let stand for several hours.
Then fry the slices in a good salad or cooking oil, and
serve at once, garnished with sliced lemon.
Turban of Smoked Salmon with String Beans
I pound, or il cupfuls minced 2 eggs
salmon (smoked) I tablespoonful minced pars-
I cupful soft bread- crumbs ley
I cupful milk \ teaspoonful onion juice
4 tablespoonfuls butter
Scald the salmon, then mince very fine. Cook the
crumbs and milk together to a smooth paste, add the but-
FISH 297
ter, parsley and onion juice, and turn into the fish. Beat
the egg yolks till lemon-colored, add to the mixture and
fold in the whites, beaten stiff. Turn into a well-oiled
ring mould, surround with boiling water, and bake until
firm, about twenty-five minutes. Unmould, fill the cen-
ter with well-seasoned string beans and serve with a
white or egg sauce.
Smoked Halibut, Pilau
1 pound smoked halibut i cupful stewed tomato
| cupful brown or uncoated i tablespoonful minced onion
rice 3 tablespoonfuls butter or
2 cnpfuls water or soup drippings
stock i teaspoonful salt
Scald the halibut, then drain and simmer gently till
tender. Remove the bones, flake the fish and re-heat
in the fat. In the meantime cook the rice, salt and onion
together in the water or stock, and when almost done
turn in the tomato. Cook until dry, pour onto the plat-
ter, turn the fish over it, and serve very hot.
Smoked Halibut Ramekins
i cupful shredded, smoked 3 eggs
halibut I tablespoonful minced onion
li cupfuls milk i tablespoonful minced pars-
1 tablespoonful butter ley
i tablespoonfuls flour Grated cheese
Pepper to taste Bread crumbs
Make a sauce of the milk, butter, flour and pepper.
Add the halibut, which should be scalded, the onion,
parsley and eggs, slightly beaten. Put into buttered
ramekins, sprinkle with buttered bread crumbs and
strew with the cheese. Set in a pan of hot water and
bake for twenty minutes in a moderate oven.
Smoked Halibut en Creme
2 cupfuls flaked, smoked hal- 2! tablespoonfuls flour
ibut Pepper
2j cupfuls milk 3^ tablespoonfuls minced pi-
2 tablespoonfuls butter mentoes
Scald the halibut. Melt the butter, turn in the pimen-
toes, and cook till softened, then add the flour and milk
to make the sauce. Add the halibut with pepper to taste,
let become very hot and serve in a wall of mashed pota-
298 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
toes, on a bed of plain boiled macaroni, or with potato,
or plain rice croquettes.
Casserole of Smoked Halibut
ii pounds smoked halibut 6 quartered potatoes
3 small onions i teaspoonful pepper
i cupful carrots cut in strip? i cupfuls tomato juice
Boiling water 4 tablespoonfuls butter or
Bread crumbs drippings
Brown the carrots and onions in the fat, and parboil
the potatoes for five minutes, then drain and rinse them.
Scald the fish and cut in pieces suitable for serving.
Put a layer in the casserole, then some crumbs and vege-
tables, more fish, etc., continuing until all is used.
Barely cover with the tomato juice (drained from canned
tomatoes) and water, cover, and bake for an hour.
Finnan Haddie, Baked in Milk
Soak finnan haddie in hot water to cover for one hour.
Place on a baking pan or platter, sprinkle plentifully with
flour, dot with butter and add a dash of pepper. Cover
with hot milk and bake until tender, about twenty-five
minutes, in a hot oven.
Broiled Finnan Haddie, with Cream Sauce
Soak the finnan haddie for twenty minutes in warm
water. Drain and dry thoroughly. Brush with melted
butter and broil until brown on both sides. Place on a
heated platter, dot with butter and serve, after re-heating
an instant in the oven.
Finnan Haddie, with Tomatoes
i pounds finnan haddie 2 tablespoonfuls minced
2 tablespoonfuls flour green pepper or pimentoes
3 tablespoonfuls butter 3 tablespoonfuls minced
Dash pepper onion
2 cupfuls tomato juice
Scald the finnan haddie, and then boil it gently for
thirty minutes. Flake into large bits, carefully remov-
ing all the bones. Melt the butter in a saucepan, fry the
onion and pepper in it until softened, add the flour and,
gradually, the tomato juice. Let it boil, add the fish, and
FISH 299
when it becomes very hot serve with plain boiled and
seasoned macaroni, spaghetti or noddles.
Finnan Haddie, with Puffed Potato
2\ pounds finnan haddie Strips of bacon, or pimentoes
3 cupfuls mashed potato Milk
1 egg
Scald the finnan haddie to freshen it, dry thoroughly
and brush with melted drippings. Then broil. Cut in
pieces suitable for serving. Have ready three cupfuls
of well-seasoned mashed potato, beaten until creamy,
whip in the egg yolk, and one egg white beaten stiff, pile
onto the fish, brush lightly with milk and garnish with
pimento strips, or thin slices of bacon. Set in a hot oven
until the bacon is cooked and the potato browned. Serve
at once. The garnish may be omitted.
Finnan Haddie, Newburg
2 cupfuls bits of broiled fin- 2 tablespoon fuls green pep-
nan haddie pers (minced)
2 cupfuls milk I tablespoonful pimentoes,
2 tablespoonfuls flour minced
i teaspoonful salt 3 hard-cooked eggs
Few grains red pepper i teaspoonful lemon juice
4 tablespoonfuls butter or
oleomargarine
Cook the peppers and pimentoes, until softened, in the
butter, then add the flour, hard-cooked egg yolks, and,
gradually, the milk. Then turn in the finnan haddie and
egg whites, sliced. Let stand to become very hot. Add
the lemon juice and serve on buttered toast, or boiled
brown rice.
CHAPTER XI
THE FRYING OF FOOD
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL
FATS SUITABLE FOR FRYING
Several fats may be used for frying, the ideal being a
vegetable oil; olive oil gives the best results, but as this
is too expensive for the average purse, any of the pre-
pared cooking oils are next best, while lard and beef fat,
and odds and ends of household scraps, follow in the
order given. Butter or oleomargarine should never be
used for frying, as either burns at too low a temperature.
A mixture of two-thirds lard and one-third home-ren-
dered beef fat gives excellent results, and is used by
chefs the world over, because it produces a rich brown
color unequalled by any other fat.
Rendering or Trying Out Beef Fat
To try out beef fat for frying, cut it in small pieces
and let it stand over night in cold salted water. Then
drain, add a cupful of cold water to each two pounds of
fat, and cook gently on the back of the range or in the
oven, until the fat is clear, all bubbling has ceased, and
the " scrapple/' or " crackling," is crisp and brown. It
may then be strained through a cloth into a clean pail or
can, allowed to stiffen, and be kept indefinitely in a cool
place.
Clarifying and Preparing Left-Over Fats
Mutton fat may also be used in the frying kettle, pro-
vided that it is soaked for twenty-four hours in cold
salted water, the latter being changed every few hours to
wash out the " wooly taste."
To prepare fat from corned beef, the soup kettle, etc.
for frying, let it rise to the top of the liquid and solidify.
Then remove it to the fat pan, add a little baking soda
300
THE FRYING OF FOOD 301
and cold water barely to cover, and let it cook slowly
until the water has evaporated; or the water may be
omitted, the soda and slices of raw potato being added
to the fat instead. When the potato has become brown
the fat will be clarified. Most of the odors and flavors
of the meats and vegetables pass off in the steam from
the water or from the water of the potato.
Using Savory Fats
Ham, chicken, bacon and sausage fat should not be
put into the frying kettle, but be reserved for sauteing or
frying in a skillet.
To Try Out Chicken Fat
Remove all particles of flesh and bits of blood from
the chicken fat. Let the fat stand for an hour in cold,
salted water. Then drain from the water, put in an
open pan, and try out slowly in the oven, pouring off the
melted fat as fast as it accumulates. t Goose fat may be
treated in the same way.
Utensils for Deep-Fat Frying
Several utensils are needed for deep-fat frying. A
frying basket and a substantial deep iron or steel
kettle, with a wide bottom to allow a generous heat-
ing expanse, so that it is not necessary to set
the kettle directly over the fire, are the essentials.
The kettle should be heavy enough so that it can-
not be easily tipped, and deep enough so that all pos-
sibility of " boiling-over " fat will be avoided. The
utensil should be kept for one purpose, as, despite the
most scrupulous care, it will become permeated with fat,
thus imparting a disagreeable flavor to any food boiled
in it.
When to Fry in Deep Fat
Deep- fat frying is used ^for various foods ; croquettes,
fish-balls, thin meats, like veal steak or chops or chicken,
small fish, as oysters, smelts or brook trout, fritters,
doughnuts, fried cakes, and several vegetables as well
can be cooked in it with much less trouble and better re-
sults than in the skillet. It is necessary to know the
exact time each must cook before attempting this method.
302 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Croquettes, which are always made of cooked ingre-
dients, as chicken, potato, salmon, etc., simply need to be
browned, and re-heated in the hot fat. When it is of
the right temperature, they can almost be immersed and
then be immediately lifted out when they will be
brown, crusty and hot. Uncooked mixtures, like dough-
nuts, fritters, and fried cakes, must be cooked more
slowly, as, otherwise, the very hot fat will cause a crust
to form before they have risen properly, and the ex-
panding gases will burst through the crust, causing the
food to " soak fat." Potatoes for French frying need a
still longer time, while raw meats cannot cook under five
to seven minutes.
The old-fashioned " smoke test " to ascertain the readi-
ness of fat for cookery is not satisfactory, as any fat that
smokes is burned, and, therefore, broken up. It is be-
cause of this fact that fried food disagrees with so many.
The term " when the fat boils " is still in common usage ;
but fat itself cannot boil; it is the water within it that
becomes hot, generates steam, and causes the fat appar-
ently to " boil." That is why, when wet potatoes are
submerged in it, the fat rises as in boiling, and, unless
the kettle is sufficiently deep, effervesces over the sides
to the heat and may cause a fire. The only easy kitchen
test for the temperature of fat is with a bit of bread.
The length of time which is consumed in browning the
bread determines the readiness of the fat for each par-
ticular food. The time must be measured by the clock
to insure success in using this method. The following
table gives the exact time needed to brown the bread in
testing for each food :
Time Table for Frying in Deep Fat
Croquettes and Oysters 40 seconds
Doughnuts, Fritters, etc. i minute
Small Fish I minute
French Fried Potatoes i minutes
Raw Meat 2 minutes
How to Prevent the u Soaking of Fat "
In order to prevent " soaking fat ' all foods cooked in
deep fat should contain, or else be coated with, some al-
buminous substance, such as egg or milk. As heat has
THE FRYING OF FOOD 303
the power of hardening albumen at once (as in the fry-
ing of eggs) a coating is immediately formed through
which the fat cannot penetrate, if it is of the right tem-
perature.
Egging and Crumbing Croquettes
In making croquettes it is customary to prepare the
mixture, form it into any shape desired, roll it in crumbs
or flour, then in egg whites and water (J cupful of water
mixed with an egg white will cover six croquettes) and
again in crumbs or flour. (A half tablespoonful of
gelatine, softened and dissolved in a half cupful of boil-
ing water, may be substituted for the egg.) With egg,
dry, sifted bread crumbs are used, while flour or meal is
combined with milk as either will absorb the excess
liquid. Either combination forms a delicious thin crust,
through which the juices of meat, for instance, cannot
escape, any more than the fat can enter. Care must be
taken absolutely to cover every part of the croquette
with the coatings, or the fat will enter at the exposed
part and cause the croquette to burst.
How to Fry Foods in Deep Fat
One or two eggs are always added to the batter for
doughnuts or fritters ; this acts just as the egg with which
the croquette is coated, and keeps out fat. If the dough
is too short, however, fat will be absorbed. Drop the
batter by tablespoonfuls into the hot fat. Meats or
small fish should be " coated " according to the direc-
tions given for croquettes. French fried potatoes, fish,
meat and croquettes should be placed in the frying
basket before being lowered into the fat, as by this means
several articles can be cooked at once, and be quickly re-
moved when done. Doughnuts and fritters should be
slipped directly into the fat without aid of the basket, and,
as they should rise immediately to the surface, they can
be readily removed with a long-handled fork. It is
never necessary to " turn " a fritter or doughnut, as
when they are " done " on one side, the heavier weight
of the uncooked dough on the top will cause them to turn
over without assistance. In frying, no article should
touch another, as steam will be created at the point of
304 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
contact, which will cause the crust to burst. No matter
what the food, it should always be drained on crumpled
brown paper or paper toweling before serving.
With the right care, fat will last as long as a drop
remains. When nearly cold, it should be put through
a fine strainer or cloth into a clean can ; after being used
several times, it will not color the foods well and, when
cooked, they will have a slightly unpleasant taste. It
must then be clarified. This is done just as the left-over
fat is prepared for the frying kettle by heating with
the sliced raw potato and soda.
It may seem on first thought that deep-fat frying is
more troublesome than in the ordinary skillet. When it
is considered how quickly the foods cook, and how much
easier it is to prepare them in this way, instead of stand-
ing over the hot stove to watch the skillet, and when the
saving in fat is recalled, any housewife will adopt this
method if she must fry at all
Various fires have resulted from careless handling of
the deep-fat kettle, but just as many fires can occur from
the fat-laden spider ; and any careful housewife, whether
she fries, or broils or cooks in any way, will have at
least a pail of sand in her kitchen to meet such an emer-
gency. This will quench any fire from burning fat
or oil, or blazing paper, and this little timely precaution
in the kitchen may be the means of avoiding serious acci-
dent and saving hundreds of dollars' worth of property.
CROQUETTES
Shaping Croquettes
Croquettes should bevnade rather small, as they will
then heat through while the outside is browning. A
good standard measurement is a rounded tablespoonful
of the mixture to a croquette. In shaping, first make
them into balls, having the mixture as soft as it can pos-
sibly be handled and cuddling, rather than pressing, it
into s*hape. Roll these balls lightly in flour or fine
crumbs. When all have been formed into balls, start at
the beginning again and give them any shape desired,
either cylindrical, in the form of cutlets, or pyramids.
THE FRYING OF FOOD 305
Then egg and crumb. If they are allowed to stand a few
minutes after < the first shaping, they can be easily
handled.
General Recipe for Croquettes
2 cupfuls finely-minced meat % cupful White Sauce No. 3
or fish Seasoning to taste
1 egg yolk
Put together in the order given. Form into balls, or
whatever shape may be desired, egg and crumb, and fry
as directed.
Potato Croquettes
2 cupfuls hot riced potatoes Few drops onion juice
2 tablespoonfuls butter I egg yolk
i teaspoonful salt I teaspoonful minced parsley
i teaspoonful pepper Milk, or cream, to moisten,
\ teaspoonful celery salt if necessary
Few grains cayenne
Mix the ingredients in the order given and beat thor-
oughly. Shape into balls. Egg and crumb, and fry as
in general directions.
Potato and Ham Croquettes
Prepare the mixture as for Potato Croquettes, and add
I cupful of finely-minced ham. Egg, crumb and fry as
in general directions.
Potato Croquettes en Surprise
Prepare the mixture as for Potato Croquettes, em-
bedding in the center of each a small piece of cooked sau-
sage. Egg, crumb and fry as in general directions.
Potato and Nut Croquettes
Prepare the mixture as for Potato Croquettes, and
add f cupful of chopped peanuts, black walnuts or
hickory nuts. Egg, crumb and fry according to general
directions.
Potato and Cheese Croquettes
Prepare the mixture as for Potato Croquettes, and add
to it J cupful of grated American cheese. Egg, crumb
and fry as in general directions.
306 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Sweetbread Croquettes
I cupful finely-chopped cook- i egg yolk
ed sweetbreads Few grains mace
i cupful chopped, cooked Few drops onion juice
mushrooms teaspoonful lemon juice
i cupful thick white sauce Salt and pepper to taste
Mix the ingredients in the order given. Egg, crumb
and fry as in general directions.
Meat and Apple Croquettes
i pound chopped raw meat, li teaspoonfuls salt
any kind i teaspoonful pepper
i tart apple Flour
1 egg
Peel the apple and grate it. Mix it with the meat, the
egg, and seasonings and form into small, flat croquettes.
Roll these in flour and fry in deep fat hot enough to
brown a bit of bread in two minutes. Drain on crumpled
paper and serve garnished with parsley.
Sweet Potato Croquettes
2! cupfuls riced sweet po- i well-beaten egg
tato i teaspoonful salt
2 tablespoonfuls butter 3 tablespoonfuls chopped al-
2 tablespoonfuls milk or monds (optional)
cream Few grains pepper
Mix the ingredients in the order given, shape and cook
according to general directions.
Corn Croquettes
I can corn 4 teaspoonful pepper
i green pepper, minced i cupful butter or oleomar-
tablespoonful parsley, garine
minced 6 tablespoonfuls flour
i teaspoonful salt
Remove the core and seeds from the pepper; then
mince it. Let it boil two minutes, drain and add to the
corn with the seasonings. Heat the mixture to boiling
point and thicken with the fat and flour rubbed together.
The exact amount of flour varies with the wetness of
the corn. Chill the mixture and form into balls, egg and
crumb and fry according to general directions.
THE FRYING OF FOOD 307
Egg Croquettes
6 hard-cooked eggs I tablespoonful pounded sar-
2 tablespoonfuls butter dines or anchovies
i tablespoonful minced onion I teaspoonful salt
6 tablespoonfuls flour i teaspoonful pepper
I cupful white soup stock
Hard cook the eggs, then cool and chop them. Cook
the butter and onions together for three minutes, then
add the flour and stock. Let boil, turn in the anchovies
and season. Add the eggs, cool, shape like eggs, egg and
crumb and fry according to general directions.
Lentil Croquettes
i cupful lentils Few stalks celery
i cupful cooked brown or i teaspoonful minced parsley
uncoated rice i teaspoonful onion juice
I egg yolk i teaspoonful pepper
i teaspoonful salt Grating of nutmeg
Soak the lentils over night. Wash thoroughly, drain,
add the celery, cover with boiling water and cook until
the centers are tender. Drain well again and press
through a colander. Add the rice, the egg and other sea-
sonings. Cool and form into balls, and cook according
to general directions.
Cheese Croquettes
3 tablespoonfuls butter ii cupfuls chopped American
\ cupful flour cheese
I cupful milk % teaspoonful salt
1 egg $ teaspoonful paprika
Make a white sauce of the butter, flour, salt, paprika
and milk. Mix together the cheese and the egg, add to
the sauce and cook until the cheese is melted, then chill.
Shape into balls, egg, and fry according to general direc-
tions.
Tuna Fish Croquettes
2 cupfuls flaked tuna fish 2 teaspoonfuls lemon juice
I cupful White Sauce No. 3 teaspoonful salt
Few grains cayenne
Add the sauce to the fish with the lemon juice, salt and
cayenne. Cool thoroughly, then shape, egg, crumb,
and cook according to general directions.
308 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Serve with white sauce containing sliced stuffed olives
and a chopped hard-cooked egg.
Shad Roe Croquettes
i pair shad roe i teaspoonful salt
1 egg i teaspoonful pepper
3 tablespoonfuls melted but- Cracker crumbs
ter
Simmer the shad roe for twenty minutes in water to
cover, containing two cloves, a bit of bay leaf and a sliced
onion. When tender, pick in bits with a fork, and mix
with the butter, salt, pepper and egg, unbeaten, adding
the crumbs as necessary to thicken. Serve with horse-
radish sauce.
Salmon Croquettes
2 cupfuls cold flaked salmon teaspoonful salt
i cupful White Sauce No. 3 2 tablespoonfuls minced
Few grains cayenne green pepper (optional)
I teaspoonful lemon juice
Add the 2 tablespoonfuls of minced green pepper (op-
tional) and the sauce to the salmon, then the seasonings.
Cool and shape, egg and crumb, and cook according to the
general directions. Serve with peas, white sauce, or egg
sauce.
Oyster Chops
i cupful steamed oysters i teaspoonful parsley
i cupful cooked veal I teaspoonful salt
3 tablespoonfuls butter Few grains cayenne
6 tablespoonfuls flour Few grains nutmeg
I cupful cream or undiluted I tablespoonful lemon juice
evaporated milk
Steam the oysters, chill, cut in small pieces and mix
with the veal, minced. Make a sauce of the butter, flour,
cream and seasonings. Add the oyster mixture, chill
and form into chop shapes, egg, crumb and cook accord-
ing to the general directions.
- Halibut Chops
2\ cupfuls cold flaked halibut teaspoonful lemon juice
3 tablesooonfuls butter i teaspoonful salt
6 tablespoonfuls flour Few grains pepper
ij cupfuls hot milk Few grains mace
i teaspoonful onion juice i teaspoonful minced parsley
THE FRYING OF FOOD 309
Make a sauce by melting the butter, and stirring in
the flour and hot milk. Add the seasonings, and the re-
maining ingredients. Combine with the fish, cool, shape
into cutlets, egg, crumb and fry according to the general
directions for croquettes.
Serve with creamed peas, tomato or egg sauce around
a mould of mashed potato.
Veal Croquettes
2 cupfuls chopped, cooked teaspoonful onion juice
cold veal i egg yolk
i teaspoonful salt I cupful White Sauce No. 3
i teaspoonful pepper made with stock
Few grains cayenne
Mix the ingredients in the order given. Cool, form
into the desired shape, egg and cook according to the gen-
eral directions.
Chicken Croquettes
ii cupfuls chopped cooked Salt
chicken Paprika
i cupful White Sauce No. 3 Celery salt
i egg yolk i teaspoonful lemon juice
Combine the chicken and sauce and season to taste;
stir in the egg yolk and let chill. Form into cutlet
shapes, egg, crumb and fry according to the general di-
rections.
Plain Rice Croquettes
\ cupful uncoated or brown \ teaspoonful salt
rice 2 egg yolks
i cupful boiling water i tablespoonful butter
i cupful scalded milk
Wash the rice, add to the water with the salt, cover
and steam until the rice has absorbed the water. Then
add the milk, cover and steam until the rice is soft. Re-
move from the heat, add the egg yolks and butter, and
cool. Shape into balls, egg, crumb, and fry according
to general directions. Or, form into nest-shape, fry and
put a cube of jelly in each croquette, arrange on a folded
napkin and garnish with parsley.
310 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Sweet Rice Croquettes
1 cupful uncoated rice 3 tablespoonfuls butter
24 cupfuls milk I cupful sugar
% teaspoonful salt i cupful figs cut in small
2 egg yolks pieces
Cook the rice in milk in a double boiler until tender and
dry about an hour. Stir in the butter, sugar and figs
with a fork, add the egg yolk, beaten, and cool. Then
form into balls, egg and crumb, and fry according to the
general directions. Serve with fresh sliced peaches or
peach sauce.
Dried Peach and Rice Croquettes
% cupful uncoated rice I cupful liquid in which it
4 cupful boiling water was cooked
4 cupful dried peach pulp 4 teaspoonful salt
and Grating lemon rind
Add the rice to the water with the salt, cover and steam
until the water has been absorbed; then add the fruit,
fruit juice and lemon rind ; stir lightly with a fork, cover
and steam until the rice is done. Cool, form into cro-
quettes, egg, crumb and fry according to the general direc-
tions.
Banana Croquettes
3 bananas I orange or lemon
Powdered sugar
Cut the bananas in halves crosswise, making the ends
square. Place in an earthen bowl and squeeze the juice
of half an orange or a lemon over them. Sprinkle with
powdered sugar, cover and let stand thirty minutes.
Drain, egg, crumb and fry according to general direc-
tions. Serve with hot lemon or cold orange sauce.
FRITTERS AND DOUGHNUTS
Batter for Fritters
i cupful flour . 2 eggs
k teaspoonful salt 4 teaspoonful melted butter
I cupful milk
Mix the salt and flour, and add the water gradually,
beating with an eggrbeater ; stir in the egg yolks, beaten
THE FRYING OF FOOD 311
till lemon-colored. Add the butter and then the egg
whites, beaten stiff. This may be kept over night if the
egg whites are not added.
Apple or Peach Fritters
Apples Powdered sugar
Batter for fritters
Pare and core the apples and cut in rings crosswise.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and let stand for twenty
minutes, then dip in the batter. Fry in deep fat, accord-
ing to the general directions. Drain on crumpled brown
paper and dust with powdered sugar. If desired, three
apples may be pared, cored and cut into bits, then stirred
into the batter and fried. Peaches may be used in the
same way.
Banana Fritters
4 bananas i tablespoonf ul grated orange
Powdered sugar rind
tablespoonful lemon juice Batter
Remove the skins from the bananas. Scrape off the
white cellulose, cut in halves lengthwise, and cut the
halves in two pieces crosswise. Sprinkle with the pow-
dered sugar, lemon juice and orange rind. Cover and let
stand thirty minutes. Then dip in the batter, fry in deep
fat, and drain on brown paper. Sprinkle with powdered
sugar.
Prune Fritters
I cupful flour 2 egg whites
i teaspoonful salt i teaspoonful melted butter
cupful water I cupful stoned and halved
3 egg yolks cooked prunes
Mix together the dry ingredients, beat in the water,
then the egg yolks, well-beaten, and the butter. Add the
prunes, then the well-whipped egg whites, and fry in deep
fat, hot, according to general directions. Drain on brown
paper, dust with powdered sugar and serve with a thick-
ened prune sauce. This is an excellent way to utilize left-
over prunes.
312 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Sponge Banana Fritters (Miss Bruso)
1 cupful flour 3 bananas
2 teaspoonfuls baking pow- i teaspoonful salt
der i egg
3 teaspoonfuls powdered cupful milk
sugar i tablespoon ful lemon juice
Mix and sift the dry ingredients. Beat the egg well,
add the milk and combine with the dry ingredients. Beat
till smooth. Put the bananas through a potato ricer and
add with the lemon juice. Fry according to general
directions for fritters, drain on paper and serve with
lemon or orange sauce.
Cranberry Fritters (To Serve with Turkey)
1 cupful flour i cupful cranberries cooked
2 teaspoonfuls baking pow- in syrup
der i teaspoonful salt
ii tablespoonfuls powdered i egg
sugar 2 tablespoonfuls milk
i tablespoonful lemon juice
Mix and sift the dry ingredients. Beat the egg well,
add the milk and turn into the dry ingredients. Beat
until smooth, then add the cranberries and the lemon
juice. Fry in deep fat according to the general directions
for fritters, and drain on crumpled brown paper. Dust
with sifted powdered sugar, and serve with cranberry
syrup.
Graham Drop Fritters
cupful graham flour i teaspoonful salt
cupful bread flour 2 tablespoonfuls Barbadoes
2i teaspoonfuls baking pow- molasses
der i cupful milk
1 egg
Mix the dry ingredients; stir together the milk, mo-
lasses and the egg, well-beaten. Pour into the first mix-
ture, beat thoroughly and fry in deep fat according to
general directions. Drain on brown paper. Serve with
cheese sauce as a substantial dish ; for dessert with melted
jelly; or for breakfast with maple or brown sugar syrup.
Corn Fritters
ij cupfuls flour i egg
2 teaspoonfuls baking powder i cupful canned corn pulp
\ teaspoonful salt
THE FRYING OF FOOD 313
Mix together the dry ingredients, add the egg, well-
beaten and mixed with the corn pulp. Fry in deep fat
according to the general directions for fritters and drain
on crumpled paper.
Clam Fritters
2 cupfuls flour i teaspoonful salt
4 teaspoonfuls baking pow- i egg
der i pint clams
Clean the clams and cut them in half-inch pieces. Mix
together the dry ingredients, then add the egg, well-
beaten and mixed with the clams. Fry in deep fat ac-
cording to the general directions for fritters.
Ball Fritters
4 tablespoonfnls butter or f teaspoonful lemon juice
oleomargarine Grating lemon rind
\ cupful boiling water 2 eggs
1 cupful flour Few grains mace
Melt the butter in the water, then add the lemon juice
and flour, cooking over a slow heat until the mixture
leaves the sides of the pan and clings to the spoon. Cool,
add the lemon rind, and the eggs one by one, then drop by
teaspoonfuls into fat hot enough to brown a bit of bread
in sixty seconds. Serve with maple syrup or caramel
sauce.
Sweet Milk Doughnuts
f cupful sugar ii teaspoonfuls salt
2 eggs and i egg yolk 2! teaspoonfuls cream of tar-
i cupful milk tar
2" tablespoon fuls butter or i i teaspoonful soda
tablespoonful drippings 5 cupfuls bread flour
i teaspoonful cinnamon
Beat the eggs, then add the sugar, creaming well, and
the milk. Have the flour, cinnamon, soda and cream of
tartar well-mixed together, and pour the first mixture into
it, beating well. Add the butter, melted, then take out a
little at a time, toss on a floured board, knead slightlt, roll
to one-quarter inch in thickness and cut into rings. Fry in
deep fat according to the general directions.
314 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Sour Milk Doughnuts
4i cupfuls bread flour i teaspoonful ginger
ii teaspoonfuls salt I cupful sugar
i teaspoonful soda i cupful rich sour milk
i teaspoonful nutmeg i egg
Mix together the dry ingredients, add the sugar and
egg, well-beaten together, and the sour milk. Mix thor-
oughly, toss on a floured board and knead slightly. Roll
out to one-quarter inch thickness, cut in rings and fry in
deep fat according to the general directions.
Raised Doughnuts (From Bread Dough)
3 cupfuls bread dough 2 eggs
3 tablespoonfuls melted but- i teaspoonfnl cinnamon
ter I teaspoonful nutmeg
I cupful sugar
When the dough is ready to be formed into loaves, add
the ingredients and blend with the hand. Let rise till
doubled in bulk, then roll into a thin sheet and cut into
rings. Let stand on floured board till doubled, then fry
in deep fat, according to the general directions. Drain
on paper and roll in granulated, or sifted powdered, sugar.
Raised Doughnuts (Mrs. Kennedy)
4 tablespoonfuls butter or | teaspoonful salt
oleomargarine i teaspoonful nutmeg
cupful sugar i yeast cake, dissolved in
i egg cupful tepid water
1 cupful scalded milk 4^ cupfuls bread flour
Cool the milk till tepid. Add the yeast and \\ cupfuls
of the flour. Let rise till spongy, then add the. sugar,
salt, egg and nutmeg, and the remaining flour, beating it
in well. Let rise three hours, cut down, turn on a floured
board, roll out, shape, let rise till double (about one
hour), and fry in deep fat according to general direc-
tions. Drain on paper, and roll in powdered or granu-
lated sugar.
- Swedish Timbales
2 eggs \ cupful milk
i cupful flour i teaspoonful salt
i teaspoonful sugar i tablespoonful olive oil
Mix in the order given, but do not separate the eggs ;
THE FRYING OF FOOD 315
beat the mixture as little as possible. The timbale iron
must be heated in the kettle of deep fat, drain it, wipe on
clean paper and dip into the batter, which should be in
a large cup or pitcher. Hold the iron there till a coating
of the batter adheres to it, then put it back in the fat and
cook till crisp and light brown. Drain on paper.
CHAPTER XII
MEATS
HOW TO BUY MEATS
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL
As meat plays such an important role in the menus of
most households, every housewife should have a thorough
understanding of how to buy meats, not only that she may
thus be able to spend economically but also that she may
serve the most wholesome foods. The complaint is often
made that meat is too high, but the butcher is seldom
charging more than a reasonable price. His cost of doing
business has increased rapidly during recent years he
has to pay higher wages as well as deliver his packages,
which were formerly carried home by the purchasers.
All these " extras " count and if we demand this service we
must be prepared to share our part of the cost.
There are three grades of meat good, second best and
poor. The first is sold mostly to hotels and clubs, as it is
very heavy and expensive. The second is carried in first
class markets and is of the same quality as the first but
from lighter cattle. The third is sold only in the cheap
markets. The cheapest grades do not contain so much
nourishment as the better beef, for low-priced cattle are
usually fed on brewers' grains, cotton-seed meal and the
like, which fatten the cattle but produce soft, flabby flesh,
which shrinks to a greater extent in cooking than the bet-
ter grades. Besides, there is as much bone in a poor ani-
mal as in a fat one, so that in buying cheap grades one
pays for a larger percentage of bone. Good beef has firm
fat, tinged with pink, and the meat is interwoven with
threads of fat. Poor beef has a very yellow fat and the
meat is lean and scraggy, and even the porterhouse is
tough.
316
MEATS 317
Meat is cut in different ways in different sections of the
country, but the underlying principles are the same. A
side of beef is always divided into a forequarter and
hindquarter, the latter containing the loin, from which
the highest priced steaks and roasts are cut. It is an
easy rule to remember that meat is most expensive in the
center of the animal and cheaper at the extremities, for the
latter are toughened through muscular action. Most peo-
ple- do not like the cheap cuts because they are unable to
make them tender through cooking, and they therefore
buy steaks and roasts. This excess demand makes steaks
and roasts unduly high in price in comparison with the
food value which they furnish. Most people overlook the
fact that most of the inexpensive cuts have little waste,
so that besides costing less per pound the meat goes twice
as far. The waste from a two-pound sirloin steak, for
instance, averages about three-quarters of a pound. In
France, all cuts of beef are frequently sold at one price,
because it is almost impossible to dispose of the so-called
better cuts on account of their greater amount of waste.
Too many housewives buy in unnecessarily small quan-
tities veal cutlet to-day, a small roast of beef to-mor-
row, chops after that, and so on something different for
every day. If one can afford to do so, this practice may
be followed, but if one's means are limited, it is far better
to buy in quantities sufficient for three days at a time.
It is not necessary always to prepare the meat the same
way, for the butcher will gladly cut it for different uses.
Take a chuck rib weighing fourteen and a half pounds
as an illustration. Properly cut this piece of beef would
provide two and a half pounds of soup meat, three
pounds of beef for a pot-roast, a five-pound roast from
the eye-piece, and four pounds of bone and fat. The
bone is useful for soup stock and the fat can be rendered
for cooking. At average prices the housewife would save
about thirty-five cents by buying the entire chuck rib.
Most of the corned beef comes from the plate part
of the hind quarter. There is more waste to the cheaper
cuts of corned beef than to those of higher price, because
they contain more bone and a larger proportion of fat.
Five pounds of corned beef from the navel, when boned,
will only produce two and three-quarter pounds of clear
318 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
meat, so that the actual cost is more than if the best cut
had been bought in the first place.
It often pays to corn beef at home. In case one buys a
quantity of meat at a time, as when purchasing a chuck
rib or the aitch bone sold in the east part of it can be
put into brine, or, if one wants a cheap cut, fresh meat
can be bought the butcher will bone it and the
bones can be used for stock, instead of throwing them
away, as is done when they have been corned.
To Corn Beef
To corn beef, dissolve rock salt in water until it will
float a raw potato. Plunge in the meat, weight it, cover
and let stand in a cool place from two to four days, ac-
cording to the degree of saltness desired.
The Cheaper Cuts
Brisket is equally good corned or fresh, although it
contains considerable bone, a six-pound piece giving three
pounds of meat to pot-roast, two and a half pounds of
bone for stock, and a half pound of fat to render for
cooking.
A good cook prepares fresh brisket, slicing it when it
is done, and pouring over the stock in which it is cooked,
letting the meat drink it up. This is served with a horse-
radish sauce and plenty of mashed potato, sprinkled with
fried onions. Potato pancakes may be served instead of
the mashed potato.
Another inexpensive cut is flank steak. This can be
scored and fried and served with a tomato sauce, or it can
be made into " blind duck." To do this it should be
stuffed with chopped onions and potatoes, well-seasoned
with salt, pepper and sage, tied securely and braised. Or
it can be used for beef roulades, with vegetables, in a
stew, or boiled and made into a pie. It is clear meat with
no waste, when well trimmed.
Flank Fat and Kidneys
Flank fat can be rendered with practically no waste
and sells for about the same price as suet. It is not
economy to buy very cheap fat, for it contains so much
meat fiber that is waste. In fact it always pays to pur-
MEATS 319
chase meats that are well trimmed, at a higher price per
pound than to buy cheaper grades that contain a great
deal of waste.
Kidneys are an inexpensive article and they may appear
on the table in a variety of forms.
The Rump and Round
The rump weighs about twelve pounds and furnishes a
fine pot-roast or corned beef, with soup stock from the
bones.
The round is divided into two parts, the top and bottom,
which are generally cut up into steaks, those from the top
being the best. The bottom cuts, however, if cut from
good beef, are tender. They will " go further " if cooked
en casserole, or rolled up and braised like a " blind duck "
and served with plenty of gravy. A thirty-pound round
cuts up into about twenty pounds of steak, the balance
going into chopped meat and trimmings. When chopped
meat is offered for sale at a low price, it almost certainly
contains a high percentage of fat, and sometimes a great
deal of water, for it is just as easy to " plump " beef as
chicken or oysters. It is more economical to pay a little
more and get honest meat. If he butcher will not let you
see his meat chopped, it is wise to grind the meat at home.
The Horseshoe of Beef
The horseshoe is a small piece of clear meat which
weighs about two pounds and a half and which makes an
excellent pot-roast or stew.
The Leg of Beef
The leg weighs about nineteen pounds and contains
about five and a half pounds of meat and fourteen pounds
of bone. Thus it does not pay to buy the entire piece, as
it is much cheaper to purchase the clear meat with as
much bone as is needed. This meat makes an excellent
shank stew, which, to be perfect, should be accompanied
by marrow balls.
A shin cut from the forequarter can also be used in a
similar way. The forequarter chuck is not cheap as it
contains so much bone, the amount increasing as it goes
320 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
into the shoulder blade, but it makes good stew or boiled
beef.
Beef Hearts, Tripe and Liver
Beef hearts are rarely kept in the average market but
they furnish a good food at low cost. They average
about three and a half pounds and can be stuffed and
potted, or braised with vegetables. They also make ex-
cellent mince meat.
Tripe usually sells at a low price and it can be used in
many ways. Beef liver is cheap, too, and, if the outer
membrane is stripped off and the veins cut out, it can be
scalded, dipped in flour and fried so that it will be as ten-
der as calves' liver.
Variations in Prices
The season of the year makes considerable difference
in the price of meats. From May to October the round
and sirloin cuts are more in demand and, therefore, cost
more. Because of this rib roasts drop in price, especially
as few housewives cook roasts in summer, preferring
steaks. In the fall corned beef jumps in price because
the purchasers do not know that it can be boiled and
pressed and served cold in summer with a crisp salad.
Lamb goes up from March to May, while, if spring lamb
is late, it is dear until July. Then is the time for the
woman who has to be economical not to buy lamb, yet
they are the very ones who do.
Buying and Cutting Lamb
As is the case with beef, there are three grades of lamb.
Good lamb is not very heavy. If the leg joints are stiff,
the lamb is fresh, and the fat should be firm and white.
The joints of fresh lamb can be easily separated to show
the knuckle, while mutton is usually splintered at the
joint. An eight and a half pound forequarter will fur-
nish two and a half pounds of stew meat, one and a quar-
ter pounds of breast, four shoulder chops, which are ex-
cellent either pan--broiled or en casserole, and two pounds
from the rack. Besides this there are enough trimmings
for a barley stew, for instance. If desired, the chuck, or
shoulder, can be bought separately and boned, rolled and
dressed for roasting or braising; or the chuck and the
MEATS 321
breast can be purchased together, filled with a bread
dressing and braised, or the shoulder can be raised off for
a casserole, the four chops under the shoulder cut out,
and the neck and bones used for a stew. Even a small
family can dispose of a shoulder of lamb in this way
and this is economical purchasing if the woman of the
household is willing to cook.
The whole hindquarter of lamb weighs about eight
and a quarter pounds and furnishes eight loin or kidney
chops, a six-pound roast, and a lamb kidney, besides some
trimmings.
The " pluck " includes about a pound and a half of
liver and a half pound of heart.
Buying and Cutting Veal
Veal is divided like lamb and is becoming the most
expensive of all meats. The shoulder and breast may
be stuffed with a bread or potato and onion dressing.
The neck is used for stew and the rump for pot-roasting
or braising. The leg weighs about eleven pounds and
contains about eight pounds of solid meat and three of
bone. The fillet is cut from the leg and then cut up for
roasting or into cutlets. The balance is used for stew or
casserole. A large family can dispose of the whole leg of
veal, but as comparatively few use the knuckle, or end of
the leg, the butcher is compelled to charge a large price
for the cutlets in order to make any profit.
Pork Products
Good bacon is firm and does not cook away, because it
is from hogs fattened with corn ; hams should be plump
and round. Thin hams indicate poorly fed animals.
Shoulder pork chops should be purchased to a larger ex-
tent than is the case, as they average four cents less a
pound than those of the loin and contain more meat. A
loin of pork for roasting averages two cents a pound less
than when cut into chops and contains a third bone waste.
On the other hand a fresh shoulder of ham, if well cut,
is a cheaper roast and may be boned and stuffed to good
advantage, while a fresh ham, although it is heavy, con-
tains very little waste and is delicious.
322 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Poultry
In buying chicken or other poultry, the housewife
should always demand the very best quality, or the so-
called " fatted " chicken, for in the end it is the cheapest.
The fatted chicken of three and a half pounds, for in-
stance, contains as much meat as the cheaper grade of
four and a half pounds, as in the latter the bones and
waste more than make up for the extra pound and the
meat is not nearly so good.
The same rule applies to turkeys. A housewife should
never over-buy, that is, secure more than she realty needs.
This is a mistake which most people make and the result
is that many cannot afford to have turkey, when if they
would buy a small turkey of the very best quality, paying
perhaps a few cents more per pound, the cost would really
not be top expensive for the average housewife. In most
cases where a woman needs a five pound chicken the tur-
key need not be heavier than seven or eight pounds, as it
contains more meat in proportion than a chicken.
How to Know Fresh or Young Chickens
In a young chicken of good quality the eyes will be
bright and the feet smooth and rather soft, while a fowl,
or older chicken, will have rough feet and, often, spurs,
and the eyes will be dull. By opening the bill and smell-
ing of the mouth, one can determine somewhat the fresh-
ness of a bird. Also by feeling of the bone on the under
part of the chicken between the legs. If it is soft and
pliable the chicken is young and tender.
Buying on the Basis of Calories
In the foregoing pages on purchasing the terms
" cheap " and " inexpensive " have been used to designate
foods which are low in cost. But the conception of food
furnished by the calorie changes the meaning of the
terms. From this viewpoint a food is cheap in accord-
ance with the number of calories which it furnishes. It
may be said once- for all that probably few households
will ever purchase all their foods on the calorie basis, for
taste and custom will be the leading factors in determin-
ing the articles which appear on the table. The applica-
tion of calories to purchasing, however, throws light on
MEATS 323
the possibilities of economy and is of the utmost import-
ance when the household budget is limited, as purchasing
on this basis will prevent undernutrition although the
same amount of money is expended as when the foods
were bought on the basis that the lowest cost foods were
the cheapest. For instance, tripe is a food often pur-
chased by the poor because it is cheap, but the figures
show that at the prevailing prices only from thirty to
forty calories can be purchased for a cent, while in brisket
of beef one gets over fifty calories for a cent. Pigs' feet
at fourteen cents a pound give but twenty-six calories
for a cent, while turkey at forty cents a pound supplies
the same number of calories for a cent. Yet the house-
wife " economizes " by purchasing tongue, which supplies
but twenty odd calories for a cent and " cannot afford "
roast lamb which, even from the more costly hindquarter,
furnishes nearly fifty calories for a cent.
The following table based on prices current for one
week, indicate the value of foods on the basis of calories.
Of course as prices fluctuate the number of calories would
be increased or diminished, but the proportions would
remain approximately the same.
Calories for $0.0 1
Article of Food (one cent)
Porterhouse steak 30
Sirloin steak and roast 26
Rump steak 22
Brisket of beef 53
Corned beef 71
Veal cutlets 14
Leg of veal 19
Loin of veal 24
Lamb, f orequarter 64
Lamb, hindquarter 45
Lamb, chops 36
Mutton, loin 63
Mutton, f orequarter 68
Pork chops 61
Bacon 90
Tripe 30-40
Pigs' feet 26
Liver 43
Tongue 22
Turkey 26
Chicken, broiled 7
Fowl 26
324 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Calories for $0.01
Article of Food (one cent)
Fish
Cod 13
Haddock 10
Halibut 12
Salt mackerel 26
Oysters 8
Finnan haddie 15
Herring 62
In this connection it is worthy of note that the ideal of
makers of rations for armies and institutions is one hun-
dred calories for one cent, this, of course, including all
the food.
GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR COOKING MEATS
Broiled tender meat is the most digestible of any way in
which it may be served, if properly prepared. The
broiler should be slightly oiled with a good vegetable oil
or butter, and the meat put in and seared at once, then
turned immediately so that it will be seared on the other
side and the juices retained. It should be turned from
time to time during the cookery. When done, the meat
should present a slightly puffy appearance, due to the
distention by heat of the encased juices. The salt or
other seasonings should be added after the meat has been
broiled.
Pan-Broiling
Pan-broiling may be adopted when it is not possible to
broil over direct heat. In this case a heavy skillet should
be heated until smoking hot, and the meat should be put in
without any extra fat, the fat from the edges of the chops
or steak, or whatever is being cooked, giving out enough
so that the meat will not stick. Turn the meat at once,
as in ordinary broiling, and then at a minute or two in-
tervals until it is done.
. Oven Roasting
There is really no such thing now-a-days as the roast-
ing of meat, unless it is cooked before an open fire, or
under the gas flame. Meat is usually baked in the oven,
for true roasting is really just another form of broiling,
MEATS 325
should be heated at first to 425 and after the first
fifteen minutes reduced to 375. By this means the meat
is seared at once, so that the juices cannot escape, and,
as in the case of broiled meat, the roast will not look thin
and scraggy when done, but should appear a bit puffy.
Salt should be added before the meat is put on to cook,
and the roast, whatever the kind, should be thoroughly
sprinkled with flour, some being allowed to fall upon
the bottom of the pan, so that the gravy will automatically
thicken itself. Unless a double roaster is used the meat
should be basted occasionally with a little hot water, in
which has been melted a teaspoonful of oleomargarine,
butter or drippings to a cupful of water. If a double
roaster is used, a little water should be put in the bottom
of the pan as soon as the flour is browned.
Roasting Under the Gas Flame
To roast under the gas flame light the burners five
minutes before the meat is to be cooked. Put the meat in
a dripping pan, and dust it with salt, pepper and flour.
Set the pan on the broiler three notches from the bottom
of the oven, reducing the gas burners half, and, as soon
as the meat is seared, turn it over. When brown on all
sides, baste every ten minutes with a cupful of water in
which has been dissolved a tablespoonful of butter or
oleomargarine. The time of cooking depends upon the
meat.
Boiling
So-called " boiled meat " is one of the most digestible
ways in which meat can be served, yet there is no method
less understood. The meat should be plunged into a ket-
tle containing enough boiling water almost to submerge
it, then be covered closely, set on the back of the range,
and allowed to simmer until tender. Simmering means to
keep it just below the boiling point. When half done it
may be salted. Meat cooked in this way is tender enough
to be cut with a fork, is sweet and delicious, and will be
done fully an hour sooner than can be accomplished with
rapid boiling. Besides all this there is less shrinkage,
therefore more meat.
.326 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Stewing
Stewed meat is prepared differently from boiled meat.
In this case it is cut into small pieces, " handsome mouth-
fuls " an old book terms it, put into cold water, covered,
and brought slowly to boiling point. It is then allowed to
simmer until nearly done, when the vegetables and sea-
sonings are added. Lastly the stew is thickened. The
reason that boiling water is used for the boiled meat is to
seal or " sear " the meat pores by extreme heat, so that
the meat juices may be preserved. In stewing, cold water
is used so that the slow heat will draw out the juices and
flavor.
Pot-Roasting
In this case the meat is seared or browned all over in
drippings and is then placed in a deep kettle containing a
few diced vegetables as onions, carrots, etc., with water
to one-third cover, and allowed to simmer till tender,
It is most important that it be closely covered, for every
bit of escaped odor means that just so much savor is lost
from the meat. If necessary, weight on the cover with
a flat-iron or brick.
Braising
Braising is the intermediary process between pot-roast-
ing and roasting. To accomplish this the meat is first
browned in hot beef drippings, then placed on a thick bed
of vegetables in a kettle containing a small amount of
water. This is covered, set in the oven, and cooked until
tender, turning once during the process.
En Casserole
Cooking en casserole is a combination of stewing and
braising. In this case the meat is usually browned, then
put into the casserole with vegetables, rice, crumbs, or
macaroni, water or stock covered, and slowly cooked in
the oven until tender. It should not boil.
Making Gravy
Enough flour should be sprinkled on the bottom of the
roasting pan to thicken the amount of gravy that is de-
sired. The proportion is a tablespoonful and a quarter
RICE WITH ONION AND PEPPERS EN CASSEROLE
CASSEROLE OF LIMA BEANS AND BEEF
MEATS 327
of flour to each cupful of stock. This flour should be
slightly browned before the water is added to the pan,
and if in the basting the flour is scraped up it' will grad-
ually mix so that with the removal of the excess fat and
addition of a very little liquid the gravy will be made.
However, in making lamb or pork gravy it will be neces- N
sary to pour- off a great deal of the fat, and considerable
water will have to be added. If the liquid is evaporated
to such an extent that there is not enough left for gravy,
which, by the way, will not occur if a little is added from
time to time during the cooking scrape up the drip-
pings in the pan with a spoon. If some more flour is to
be added, stir it directly into these drippings, working
quickly, and using a wire whisk. Then gradually pour
in the water, which should be boiling. If this is done
properly, there will be no necessity for straining the
gravy. If desirable to make it of a dark color, add a
drop or two of " Kitchen Bouquet," salt and pepper to
taste, or any other seasonings should then be added.
Good gravy should not be greasy, but smooth and par-
take of the flavor of the meat.
Aspic Jelly
The easiest way to make aspic jelly when there is bouil-
lon or consomme on hand is to heat a pint of the liquid,
and add to it a half tablespoonful of vinegar and a table-
spoonful of granulated gelatine dissolved in a little cold
water. Pour into a shallow pan and let stiffen. Cut in
cubes and save as a garnish for cold meats or salads.
In case there is no good soup stock a quick aspic may
be made by using the same proportions of canned con-
somme and vinegar or by boiling a pint of water with a
half teaspoonful of pickle spice and the vinegar, adding
two bouillon cubes and the gelatine and finishing as
directed.
BEEF
Roast Beef
Wipe the meat with a damp cloth ; dust with salt and
pepper and place on a rack in the dripping pan, or
directly on the bottom of a double roaster if one is used.
328 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Dredge the meat with flour, allowing about three table-
spoonfuls to fall upon the bottom of the pan. Set the
meat in a hbt oven, and put on the lid, if the double roaster
is used, and let it stand until seared all over so the juices
may be retained, and until the flour has become a little
brown. Then reduce the heat and bake the meat until
tender. If a dripping pan is used, baste the meat every
ten minutes with hot water containing a little butter or
beef drippings, but if a double roaster is used, pour in
water barely to cover the bottom and it will not be neces-
sary to baste the meat. To roast beef rare allow from
eight to ten minutes to the pound; if well done, from
eighteen to twenty minutes per pound.
Beef Roasted Under the Gas Flame
See general directions for roasting by this method and
allow fifteen minutes to the pound.
Braised Beef
3 pounds lower round of i cupful diced carrot
beef i cupful diced turnip
2 tablespoonfuls beef drip- i cupful diced onion
pings J cupful diced celery (op-
2 teaspoonfuls salt tional)
i teaspoonful pepper i teaspoonful pickle spice
Flour
Sprinkle the meat with the salt and pepper, dredge the
flour and brown in the drippings. Transfer to a large
casserole, arrange the vegetables around and on top of it,
sprinkle on the spice, add a cupful and a half of boiling
water, cover closely and bake for four hours. Serve with
a sauce made from the liquid remaining in the casserole.
Plain Boiled Beef
Plunge the meat into rapidly-boiling, salted water, then
reduce the heat and let the meat simmer very gently until
done. This will take about four hours for a five-pound
piece of round, or -fresh brisket. The meat should be so
tender that it almost falls to pieces. Drain well, and
serve with horseradish sauce, a garnish of shredded let-
tuce and slices of sweet pickles, or sliced hard-cooked
eggs. Or garnish with hard-cooked eggs and serve with
MEATS t 329
a French dressing made of olive oil and tarragon vinegar
and seasoned with onion juice or onion salt.
Beef a la Mode
5 pounds round of beef i teaspoonful mace
3 cupfuls water I slice onion
1 cupful vinegar I slice carrot
2 tablespoonfuls salt 2 slices lemon
i teaspoonful peppercorns 6 cloves
\ tablespoonful poultry sea- 2 sprigs parsley
son ing
Put all the ingredients together except the meat. Boil
up once and then simmer for thirty minutes. Strain over
the meat. Cover, and let stand for twenty-four hours,
turning occasionally. Then remove the meat, drain and
sear all over in beef drippings, together with three slices
of lemon, half cover with boiling water containing \ tea-
spoonful salt and the strained marinade, drained from the
meat, and simmer gently until the meat is tender about
four hours. Serve with a sauce made of the thickened
liquid and garnished with slices of lemon, potato or rice
croquettes and small boiled onions.
Beef Smothered with Onions
1 dozen small-sized onions Beef drippings
5 pounds round, or sticking Salt and pepper
piece, of beef
Sear the meat in the drippings until brown. Then re-
move. Dust the meat well with salt and pepper ; place it
on a rack in a kettle, pile the onions on top and add one
cupful of water, or just enough to keep the meat from
sticking. A closely-covered heavy kettle should be used.
Cook until very tender, replenishing the water to keep it
always the original amount; this will take from four to
five hours. Serve with gravy made from the liquid left in
the pan.
Jellied Beef
5 pounds sticking piece of I cupful stock
beef i tablespoonful vinegar
2 cupfuls boiling stock 2 teaspoonfuls salt
4 tablespoonfuls granulated J teaspoonful pepper
gelatine, dissolved in i teaspoonful onion juice
Simmer the meat till tender, in water to half cover
330 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
about four hours. Chop fine, add the softened gelatine
to the boiling stock, season and stir until dissolved. Add
to the meat, pour into two bread pans, wet in cold water,
and press into shape. Chill and slice.
Spiced Jellied Beef
5 pounds shin of beef, thick Sage
portion Thyme
Salt Mace
Pepper
Simmer the meat gently till it falls to pieces and cut
from the bone. Reduce the liquid to one cupful, chop the
meat fine and season to taste. Add the liquor and pack
into a bread pan, weighting it down. Let stand over night
to stiffen, and serve in thin slices with potato salad.
Corned Beef or a " Boiled Dinner "
Rinse the corned beef in cold water, tie or skewer into
shape, cover with cold water, and heat slowly to boiling
point; remove any scum and simmer the meat until ten-
der, about four hours for a five-pound piece. Remove
from the water, keep hot and cook the potatoes and tur-
nips in the liquid. The potatoes should be left whole and
the turnips should be sliced crosswise. Cook the carrots,
cabbage, beets, etc., apart in some of the corned beef
water, allowing one hour for the boiling of the pared car-
rots, one hour for the cabbage, one hour for new beets
four hours for old ones. Serve on a very large platter,
the meat in the center and the vegetables grouped around
it. Garnish with parsley.
Boiled Pickled Beef Tongue
Wipe the tongue, place in a kettle containing cold water
to half cover, and bring slowly to boiling point. Remove
the scum and simmer the tongue until tender, about two
and one-half hours, or when the skin curls back. Half
cool in the water, then remove the outer skin and bones
before it is cold.
Beef Tongue, German Style
Cook a fresh beef tongue until tender, and remove the
skin when half cooled. Prepare a sauce as follows :
MEATS 33i
1 cupful vinegar Few grains salt
2i cupfuls water 3 tablespoonfuls flour
2 tablespoonfuls sugar i tablespoonful butter
I cupful raisins
Put the first four ingredients together ; add a little salt,
thicken with the flour and butter rubbed together, and
boil ten minutes. Cut the meat in slices; pour over the
sauce and garnish the dish with fried egg plant or summer
squash, or French fried sweet potatoes.
Potted Beef Tongue
I fresh beef tongue Beef drippings
I cupful carrots, cubed Sprig of parsley
i cupful celery, minced, or Bit of bay leaf
\ teaspoonful celery seed Thyme
I cupful turnips (diced) Boiling water or stock
Salt and pepper
Trim a fresh beef tongue. Prepare the carrots, celery,
and turnips and brown with the tongue in the drippings ;
season with salt and pepper, add a sprig of parsley, the bay
leaf and thyme and then place in a crock, or casserole, the
vegetables below and over the meat. Add boiling water
or stock to touch the bottom of the meat, and simmer very
gently for two and one-half hours. Partially cool the
tongue, remove the skin, and serve hot with a vegetable
gravy made of the residue in the crock ; or on a bed of
spinach.
Jellied Tongue
I pickled beef tongue Bay leaf
2\ tablespoonfuls granulated 3 hard-cooked eggs
gelatine 6 cucumber pickles, sliced
i quart boiling clear, well- thin
seasoned stock 2 tablespoonfuls capers
\ cupful celery, if convenient Salt and pepper
\ teaspoonful pickling spice
Boil the tongue until it is very tender, seasoning the
stock highly with salt, pepper, bay leaf, and one-half tea-
spoonful of pickle spice. Then remove the skin from
the tongue and return it to the water in which it was
cooked, to cool partly. Trim off the inedible portions,
remove any globules of fat that may have adhered and
cut the tongue in thin slices. In the meantime cover
the gelatine with cold water, and, after letting it stand for
332 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
five minutes, add it to the boiling stock, which should be
cleared and free from fat. Pour a little of this mixture
into a round mould, or bowl, and, when it is slightly set,
dispose on this a design of hard-cooked eggs, fastening it
in place with a few drops of the jelly mixture. Further
decorate with thin slices of the pickle overlapping. Then
fill the mould with the tongue, thinly, sliced, "and the egg
and seasoning arranged in layers ; pour the gelatine mix-
ture in to fill these spaces and let stand until set. Un-
mould and serve garnished with cress and hard-cooked
egg. If desired, the egg and pickle, etc., may be en-
tirely omitted, in which case it is a quick matter to pre-
pare the dish.
Brown Beef Stew
3 pounds shin of beef 2 quarts water
2 onions I green pepper (if conven-
1 carrot ient)
2 cupfuls sliced potatoes Salt and pepper
I white turnip
Remove as much meat as possible from the bone, and
cut it in small pieces. Crack the bone, taking care to re-
move all the splinters. Brown both the meat and bone in
beef drippings, and add the onion cut in rings; fry the
latter to a delicate brown, and add the water (which
should be cold), and the vegetables. Bring slowly to
boiling point, and simmer until the meat is tender abou^
three hours. Remove the bones, take off any meat adher-
ing to them, and remove the fat from the broth. Then
add the potatoes, which should be parboiled for five
minutes, season with salt and pepper and cook until
the potatoes are tender. Thicken, just before they are
done, with flour dissolved in water a scant half table-
spoonful to each cup of broth. Serve on a deep platter,
with buttered spaghetti, noodles or dumplings.
Casserole of Beef
3 pounds beef, from chuck i$ cupfuls spaghetti broken
or round in small pieces
i cupful carrots, chopped 2 teaspoonfuls salt
i cupful turnips, chopped \ teaspoonful pepper
$ cupful onions, chopped Boiling water
Drippings
MEATS 333
Cut the meat in pieces suitable for serving. Brown in
the drippings with the vegetables, then place in a casserole
together with the seasonings and spaghetti. Cover with
boiling water, and bake gently from three to four hours.
Short Ribs of Beef en Casserole
3 pounds short ribs of beef I teaspoonful sugar
6 onions i pint tomatoes
I carrot i cupful brown rice
4 tablespoonfuls beef drip- Grating of nutmeg
pings Salt and pepper
Melt the beef drippings, fry the onions slightly and add
the beef to brown it. Arrange in a casserole in layers
with the carrot, chopped, the rice, tomatoes and season-
ings; cover with boiling water and bake from three to
four hours in a slow oven. The water should be replen-
ished as needed although the dish should be only moist
not soupy when done.
Curried Beef en Casserole
3 pounds bottom round beef i cupful sliced onion
6 tablespoonfuls flour 3 cupfuls beef stock
i teaspoonfuls curry pow- i tablespoonfuls vinegar
der i4 teaspoonfuls salt
6 tablespoonfuls beef drip- i cupful grape juice
pings
Cut the meat in two-inch cubes and roll in the flour and
curry until well mixed. Melt the drippings in a frying
pan, add the onion and cook till yellowed, then brown the
meat. Add any remaining flour, toss about, turn in the
stock, let boil up once, transfer to a casserole, cover and
cook slowly for two and one-half hours. Season. Add
the vinegar and grape juice just before serving.
Casserole of Lima Beans, with Beef
I pint dried lima beans I teaspoonful pepper
i teaspoonful soda 2 onions
i pound stew beef chuck or i cupful stewed tomatoes
round 3 tablespoonfuls flour
i teaspoonfuls salt 2 tablespoonfuls drippings or
Few grains mace bacon fat
Boiling water
Soak the beans over night, drain, cover with fresh boil-
ing water, add the soda and parboil. Drain again. Cut
334 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
the beef in inch cubes, brown it with the onions in the
drippings and roll in the flour and seasoning. Place in
a casserole in layers with the beans and tomatoes alternat-
ing. Barely cover with boiling water and cook two and
one-half hours in a slow oven, replenishing the water if
necessary.
Broiled Steak
Trim off the superfluous fat. With some of the fat rub
the broiler ; and then broil the steak over a clear fire, turn-
ing every ten seconds for the first minute, to sear the sur-
face so that the juices will not escape. After this turn
occasionally until well-cooked on both sides. Steak cut
one inch thick will take from five to six minutes, if liked
rare, and from eight to ten minutes if well done. Remove
to a hot platter, spread sparingly with butter, or oleomar-
garine, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Pan-Broiled Steak
Wipe the steak with a damp cloth. Heat a frying pan
smoking hot, place the steak in it, and turn at once, so that
it will be seared all over. Turn every few seconds until
done five to six minutes for a steak one inch thick,
when desired rare; from eight to ten if well done.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, spread with bits of butter
or oleomargarine and set in the oven to become hot. A
very little hot water may be added to the drippings in the
pan, allowed to boil, and be poured around the steak.
Planked Steak
Wipe, remove extra fat and pan-broil a boned porter-
house, or short rump steak, cut one and one-half inches
thick, for seven minutes. Then place on a buttered plank
and surround with Duchess potatoes put through a pastry
bag and tube, brush this over with beaten egg, diluted
with milk, and place in the oven to brown.
Garnish with sauted mushrooms, stuffed peppers, car-
rot and beet balls, cauliflower with mousseline sauce,
string beans and Bermuda onions.
Round Steak Italian
Purchase round steak cut one and one-half inches thick.
Pound till one inch thick, sprinkle with a tablespoonful
MEATS 335
of olive oil and a few drops of vinegar, cover and let
stand for a few hours. Then broil as usual. This treat-
ment will make the fiber tender.
Braised Stuffed Steak
2 pounds whole slice round 8 small onions
steak cut 4 inch thick Boiling water
2 cupfuls stale bread crumbs 2 .tablespoonfuls beef drip-
Salt and pepper pings
2 tablespoonfuls melted but- \ teaspoonful poultry sea-
ter soning
Trim the meat into oblong shape. Make a dressing
of the crumbs, butter and poultry seasoning, adding boil-
ing water to moisten and salt and pepper to taste. Spread
over the meat. Roll up like jelly roll and tie in position.
Melt the drippings in a frying pan, and brown the meat
all over. Transfer to a casserole, add the onions and
seasonings, pour in water to half cover, and bake gently
in the oven until the meat is tender, about two hours.
Serve with a gravy made from the liquid left in the cas-
serole.
Potted Steak
2i pounds bottom round \ teaspoonful pepper
steak i cupful tomato juice
6 onions, medium size 2 cupfuls green peas
i cupful diced turnips I teaspoonful salt
Cut the steak in pieces suitable for serving, dip in flour
and brown well in drippings. Add the onions, turnips,
tomato juice and seasonings, and barely cover with boil-
ing water. Simmer until tender, about two and one-half
hours, replenishing the water, if necessary, and serve gar-
nished with the peas.
Swiss Steak
2\ pounds round steak, cut 2 Bacon fat
inches thick 6 onions.
I cupful flour I cupful button mushrooms
\\ cupfuls sifted canned to- \\ teaspoonful salt
mato i teaspoonful pepper
Put the steak on a board, and pound in as much flour
as it will take up, probably the three-fourths cupful desig-
nated. Sear the meat on both sides in a frying pan,
transfer to a casserole or earthen baking dish, cover with
336 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
boiling water and the tomato. Peel the onions, and place
around the meat. Add the mushrooms and seasonings
and let simmer about two hours.
Beefsteak Pie
2 pounds round steak Thyme
I lamb's kidney, parboiled Bit of bay leaf
I onion, minced 2 tablespoonfuls butter
tablespoonful parsley, i cupful boiling water
minced Flour
1 teaspoon ful pepper Salt and pepper
Short biscuit crust
Cut the steak in thin strips, dust with salt and pepper
and roll it in flour. Dice the kidney, and roll the bits in
flour. Arrange the two meats in alternate layers in a
deep baking dish, sprinkling the seasonings and onion in
between. Then pour over the boiling water, which
should moisten it. If there is not enough water to do
this, add a little more as judgment may dictate. Dot
with butter. Cover with the crust, which should be
slashed to allow the steam to escape, and bake for two
hours in a very slow oven.
Beef Birds
2 pounds any cheap cut of Grating lemon rind
steak Boiling water
1 pound bacon or salt pork, Salt and pepper
sliced thin 4 cupful rich milk
Flour
Cut the steak in two-inch squares, then pound until thin.
Lay a small strip of the bacon or pork on each piece, roll
up and skewer with a toothpick. Dust with salt and pep-
per, and dredge with flour. Saute (fry) lightly in bacon
fat, transfer to a casserole, add the lemon rind, and partly
cover with boiling water. Let cook gently till almost ten-
der (about two hours), season, thicken, if necessary, and
add the milk. Serve on toast in a border of mashed
potatoes or brown rice.
Chili Con Carne
2 pounds round or vein steak 3 tablespoonfuls flour
2 pods dried Chili peppers i clove garlic, minced
3 slices salt pork Salt to taste
3 tablespoonfuls chili powder
MEATS 337
Try out the fat from the salt pork. Cut the steak in
small pieces and brown in the salt pork fat ; add to this the
flour and garlic. In the meantime discard the seeds from
the pepper pods, soak the latter in a pint of warm water
until soft, then scrape out the pulp into the water and
discard the skins. Add this liquid to the meat and sim-
mer for about two hours, or until the meat falls to pieces.
Hot water may be added as needed, though con carne
should not be soupy. Serve with boiled uncoated rice.
Tenderloins Stanley
6 small tenderloins of steak 2 bananas (baked or fried)
1 cupful horseradish sauce i quart mashed potato
6 stuffed baked peppers
Pan-broil the tenderloins ; place in the oven to keep hot,
and make a gravy of the drippings in the frying pan. Ar-
range the meat on a hot planter. Place a tablespoonf ul of
the sauce on each piece, surmount with a third of a baked
or fried banana, and garnish the platter with the peppers
and the mashed potato, either in. fluffy spoonfuls, or
shapped into cones with an ice-cream scoop, and dusted
with powdered parsley.
Hamburg Steak
2 pounds ground steak (from 4 teaspoonful pepper
bottom round) cupful soft bread crumbs
cupful sliced onion 2 tablespoonfuls drippings
I teaspoonful salt
Fry the onion till yellowed in the drippings. Add to
the steak, crumbs and seasonings, mixing well together.
Return to the frying pan, and cook slowly ten minutes ;
then invert into a second frying pan, or onto a plate, and
then back into the first pan, and brown the other half.
Serve very hot with gravy made of the drippings in the
pan.
Baked Macaroni Hamburg
pound macaroni or spa- 2 or 3 onions (minced)
ghetti Salt and pepper
I can of tomatoes Grated cheese
I pound hamburg steak
Boil the macaroni. Drain and place a layer in the
bottom of a well-oiled baking dish. Sprinkle this with
338 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
some of the Hamburg steak, a little salt and pepper, bits
of beef drippings or any other fat at hand, then the onion,
and lay on the canned tomato, and some grated cheese.
Continue in this way until all is used, and bake in a mod-
erate oven for an hour.
Chopped Beef, Italian
ii pounds chopped beef teaspoonful Worcestershire
1 green pepper, minced sauce
2 onions, minced 2 tablespoonfuls drippings
Salt and pepper Tomato conserve or catsup
Fry the onions and pepper in the drippings. Then mix
with the meat, seasoning ' well, and cook as Hamburg
steak, or shape into flat cakes. Just before serving,
spread lightly with Italian tomato conserve and a little
butter, and let stand in the oven to re-heat.
Hamburg Roast with Macaroni
2 pounds round steak i cupful hot water stock or
2 ounces beef fat milk
i teaspoonful salt i teaspoonful onion juice
i teaspoonful pepper i beaten egg
i$ tablespoonfuls flour i cupful sifted canned to-
i cupful cooked macaroni mato
i cupful bread crumbs
Grind the meat and fat. Cook the bread crumbs in the
hot liquid until pasty, add to the meat, and stir in the sea-
sonings and egg. Shape into an oblong loaf. Roll in
crumbs and set in a dripping-pan in a hot oven. When
well-browned, reduce the heat and cook forty minutes.
Make a gravy from the drippings in the pan by stirring
into them one and one-half tablespoonfuls of flour and
adding gradually the tomato. Let boil and stir in the
macaroni. Let stand to become very hot, pour around the
loaf and serve.
Kidneys, Creole Style
2* beef kidneys i cupful boiling water or
4 tablespoonfuls flour stock
4 tablespoonfuls bacon fat li teaspoonfuls salt
1 cupful tomato juice 4 teaspoonful pepper
2 tablespoonfuls onion Buttered toast
2 tablespoonfuls minced
green pepper
MEATS 339
Remove the fat from the kidneys and let the latter
stand over night in cold water to cover, containing a
little baking soda. Drain, dry and saute (fry) in bacon
fat with the pepper and onion. Then add the flour, toss
about and pour in the tomato, and stock ; add the season-
ings. Simmer till tender, either over direct heat or in
the oven, and serve on buttered toast.
Devilled Kidneys
2 beef kidneys 2 tablespoonfuls vinegar
2 cupfuls water 2 tablespoonfuls flour
Bit of bay leaf Salt and pepper to taste
Soak the kidneys for an hour in cold water, then re-
move any strings and cut the meat in small pieces. Heat
the water, bay leaf and vinegar, add the flour moistened
with cold water, and, when the sauce is boiling, season it
to taste with salt and pepper. Put the kidneys in the
sauce and simmer till tender, about twenty minutes.
Serve with well-seasoned boiled macaroni, or noodles.
Beef Balls with Spinach
ii pounds ground beef i teaspoonful lemon juice
i cupful bacon, chopped fine I teaspoonful salt
i cupful milk or stock i teaspoonful pepper
1 cupful soft bread crumbs Beef drippings
ii cupfuls well-seasoned 2 tablespoonfuls flour
stock
Cook the milk and crumbs together to a paste; add
the bacon, meat, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and one-
half teaspoonful of onion juice if desired. Form into
egg-shaped balls, roll in flour and saute (fry) till slightly
browned in the drippings. Remove to a casserole. With
the drippings remaining in the frying pan and the flour
and stock, make a thick gravy, pour around the balls, and
bake thirty minutes in a slow oven. Serve on a bed of
spinach, and garnish with toast points.
Beef Balls en Casserole
2 pounds ground beef I teaspoonful salt
i tablespoonful minced onion i teaspoonful pepper
1 teaspoonful minced parsley i cupful sifted canned to-
2 slices fat bacon or salt mato
pork, ground I cupful stock or water
i egg i teaspoonful salt
340 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
i teaspoonful pepper 2 tablespoonfuls grated
I cupful cooked macaroni cheese
Mix together the beef, bacon, egg and seasonings ; form
into balls and roll in flour, and brown lightly in drippings.
Add a tablespoonful of flour to the frying pan, and when
frothy add the tomato and water to make a sauce. Add
the macaroni, sprinkle in the cheese and pour into a cas-
serole. Set the balls on top, cover and bake forty-five
minutes to an hour in a moderate oven.
TRIPE
Broiled Tripe
I pound honeycomb tripe i cupful melted drippings
(pickled) Salt and pepper
Fine cracker or dry bread
crumbs
Cut the tripe in pieces suitable for serving, and simmer
twenty minutes in water to cover. Drain, season, dip in
crumbs, then in drippings and in crumbs again, and
cook in a well-oiled broiler five minutes, cooking the
smooth side of the tripe first for three minutes. Place on
a hot platter, rough side up ; season, spread sparingly with
butter and place in the oven to become very hot.
Tripe Fried in Batter
Cut the pickled tripe in suitable pieces for serving,
wash it and simmer gently for twenty minutes in water to
cover. Drain, wipe dry, sprinkle with salt and pepper,
brush over with melted butter or drippings, dip in batter
and fry in fat hot enough to brown a piece of bread in
three minutes. Serve with Chili sauce, or piccalilli or
chow-chow.
BATTER FOR TRIPE
I cupful flour Few grains paprika
ii teaspoonfuls baking pow- J cupful water
der. i egg well-beaten
I teaspoonful salt i tablespoonful vinegar
Mix in the order given and beat well before using.
MEATS 341
Curried Tripe (Miss Armsby)
ii pounds tripe (fresh) I teaspoonful brown sugar
1 small onion (sliced) Salt and pepper to taste
6 tablespoonfuls flour 6 tablespoon fills butter or
2 teaspoonfuls curry powder oleomargarine
2 cupfuls tripe liquor
Put the tripe on to boil in cold water ; bring to boiling
point, remove, scrape and rinse. Cut in small pieces.
Return to the saucepan, cover with cold water, add the
onion, bring to boiling point and simmer not less than two
and one-half hours. Reserve two cupfuls of the water
the tripe was cooked in, and thicken with the fat and
flour creamed together. Season with the curry, sugar,
salt and pepper, pour this over the tripe and serve in a
wall of boiled brown or uncoated rice.
Tripe Creole
i pound pickled tripe 4 cloves
1 cupful sliced onions i pint canned tomatoes
2 green peppers Salt and pepper
Bit of bay leaf 2 tablespoonfuls butter
2! tablespoonfuls flour
Boil the tripe gently for twenty minutes, then drain,
cut in small pieces and put in a kettle with the onions,
sliced, the peppers, chopped, tomatoes, all the other sea-
sonings and a cupful of boiling water. Simmer for two
hours ; season highly with salt and pepper, and thicken
with the flour dissolved in a little cold water. Serve in a
border of buttered and seasoned spaghetti.
Frizzled Dried Beef
1 pound dried beef 2 cupfuls milk
2 tablespoonfuls butter or J teaspoonful pepper
other fat 2 hard-cooked eggs
2 tablespoonfuls flour Buttered toast
Pick the beef in small pieces, and remove the tough
strings. Melt the fat in a saucepan, add the beef and
cook till browned, then stir in the flour, mix well, and add
the milk gradually. Let boil, season more if necessary
and serve on toast with a garnish of the eggs, chopped.
342 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Thick Oxtail Soup
2 oxtails, separated in sec- 4 potatoes
tions Salt and pepper to taste
6 onions Cold water
2 carrots Beef drippings
i cupful canned tomatoes
(optional)
Brown the meat in the beef drippings; then- remove
the meat, add the onion and carrots, sliced, to the drip-
pings, and cook until yellowed. Combine the oxtail and
fried vegetables with two quarts of cold water. Bring to
boiling point and simmer slowly until the meat is almost
tender. Then add the potatoes, sliced thin, season to
taste and finish cooking. Thicken with 6 tablespoonfuls
of flour dissolved in a little cold water. Or, add J cupful
of rice when the stew is half done and omit the potatoes.
If desired, this may be baked in the oven in a bean pot or
large casserole.
LAMB
Roast Leg of Lamb
Remove the outside fat, then place the meat in a drip-
ping pan and dredge with salt, pepper and flour. Bake
in a hot oven, basting with hot water as soon as the flour
is browned ; then dredge with more flour and baste again
when brown. Baste every fifteen minutes afterward till
the meat is done from one and one-half to one and
three-quarter hours according to the size of the roast.
Lamb Roasted Under the Gas Flame
See general directions for roasting by this method and
allow twenty minutes to the pound.
Crown Roast of Lamb or Mutton
If a crown roast of lamb or mutton is desired, it is best
to order it put together from the butcher. It is made of
two strips of chops fastened together at the sides. The
bones should be trimmed as in making French chops, and
the ends should be covered with strips of salt pork, as,
otherwise, while roasting they become blackened.
Dust the meat with salt and a little pepper, set in a hot
oven for fifteen minutes, then reduce the heat and add a
MEATS 343
little hot water, as in the roasting of any meat. Baste
every ten minutes with the drippings, and bake nine min-
utes to the pound. For serving, fill the hollow center with
pofato straws, Saratoga chips, buttered peas, or a puree
of chestnuts, and cover the tops of the bones with paper
frills.
Boiled Leg of Mutton
Trim off the excess fat and remove the bone, fill in the
cavity with a bread or potato and onion stuffing and
skewer it into shape. Dredge well with flour and tie
in a cloth to aid in keeping the shape. If very
old mutton (and of strong flavor), start to cook in
cold water to take out the disagreeable taste other-
wise put on in boiling water, and simmer until tender
two hours for a seven-pound leg, three for ten
pounds. Serve on a bed of minced boiled carrots, or of
chopped spinach, and pour over a caper sauce. The lamb
broth may be used for soup, or for a lamb stew made of
the remnants of the meat.
Braised Leg of Mutton
Brown a leg of mutton all over in the braising pan. Add
a cupful each of chopped carrot, onion, turnip and celery,
and water to half cover. Cover closely anjl simmer gently
till half done (about one and three-quarter hours) ; then
season, add more water if necessary and finish cooking.
Serve with a thickened gravy made from the liquid in the
pan. It will take a six-pound piece three hours to cook.
Stuffed Forequarter of Lamb
Order a forequarter of lamb, trimmed and the bones
cracked. Prepare a well-seasoned bread stuffing ; dust the
meat with salt and pepper ; lay the stuffing on the flank end
and skewer it into shape. Place in a dripping pan. Dust
thoroughly with flour, allowing about three tablespoonfuls
to fall on the bottom of the pan, and bake, allowing fifteen
minutes to the pound, and basting occasionally with a lit-
tle hot water. If desired, a little sliced onion may be
tucked into the folds before the meat is roasted.
Breaded Forequarter of Lamb
Bpil a forequarter of lamb in salted water, cool it, and
344 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
remove the meat from the bones. Pack into a pan two
inches deep, and press hard over night. In the morning
cut in squares, or diamonds, roll in well-buttered crumbs,
and bake in the oven till browned, or egg and crumb, a"nd
fry as croquettes. Serve accompanied by a brown, to-
mato, or cream sauce, or with peas.
Lamb Pasty
3 pounds lamb, cut from the 3 cupfuls boiling water
neck 6 tablespoonfuls flour
Bit of bay leaf I cupful peas, if desired
ii cupfuls French potato 4 tablespoonfuls butter or
balls, or diced potatoes drippings
i teaspoonful onion juice Salt and pepper
i tablespoonful tomato Short biscuit crust ,
catsup
Cut the lamb in " handsome mouthfuls." Roll in flour,
saute (fry) slightly in the drippings and place in a cas-
serole or braising dish. Add the bay leaf (tied in bit of
cheesecloth) and boiling water, and let simmer until ten-
der about two hours, adding one and one-half teaspoon-
fuls of salt at the end of an hour. Remove the bay leaf,
add the onion juice and catsup and the potato balls.
Stir in the peas, thicken with the flour and butter rubbed
together, season to taste, bring to boiling point and set the
crust quickly in place. Bake until browned, about twenty
minutes, in a hot oven.
Broiled Chops
Wipe the chops with a damp cloth, remove the tough
outside skin, and arrange on a well-oiled broiler. Place
over a glowing bed of coals or under a gas-broiler and
turn every ten seconds until the chops look " puffy " and
the fat is clear in appearance. Then sprinkle with salt
and a bit of pepper, dot with bits of butter, and set in the
oven to melt the butter. Serve at once.
Pan-Broiled Chops
Wipe the chops with a damp cloth and remove the
tough skin. Heat a frying pan very hot, put in the chops
and turn at once. Turn every ten seconds until they are
brown and the fat is clear-looking. Cook thin chops five
minutes. When done, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and
MEATS 345
spread sparingly with butter. Set in the oven for a
minute, and serve very hot. A little boiling water may be
added to the drippings in the pan, and the gravy poured
around the chops.
Lamb Chops with Peas
Pan-broil lamb chops, as directed. To the gravy left in
the pan add the desired amount of boiled fresh or canned
peas. Let stand to become thoroughly hot and to absorb
the meat flavor.
Baked Lamb Chops
Select any type of lamb or mutton chops cut one-half
inch thick. Trim them into shape, and saute (fry) lightly
on either side. Then pile well-seasoned mashed potatoes
on each chop, brush over with well-beaten egg, and finish
in the oven. Serve with brown or tomato sauce
Stuffed Lamb Chops
6 good-sized lamb chops J cupful grated cheese
(loin) i teaspoonful onion juice
i-i cupfuls soft bread crumbs teaspoonful celery salt
Milk Few grains pepper
i teaspoonful minced parsley
If possible, select chops from the loin and bone and
roll them. Make a dressing of the other ingredients,
moistening with milk as is necessary ; pan-broil the chops
lightly, browning the under side and seasoning them as
they cook. Then cover with the stuffing and bake for
five minutes in a hot oven, when the stuffing should be
brown. Serve on toast with a brown sauce made from
the drippings in the pan and a little stock made from the
bones and trimmings.
Breaded Lamb Chops
Wipe and trim the chops, sprinkle with salt and pepper
and dip in crumbs, egg, and crumb again ; fry in deep fat
from five to eight minutes and drain. Serve with tomato
sauce, or stack around a mound of mashed potatoes,
fried potoato balls, boiled brown or uncoated rice, boiled
samp, or green peas. Never fry but four at a time,
and allow the fat to re-heat between the fryings. After
346 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
testing the fat for the temperature, put in the chops, and
place the kettle on the back of the range, so that the sur-
face of the chops may not become too brown while the
inside is still underdone.
Baked Mutton Chops
6 shoulder, or blade, mutton 2 tablespoonfuls flour
chops ii tablespoonfuls butter or
2 tablespoonfuls minced drippings
onion 2 cupfuls stock
4 tablespoonfuls minced car- cupful grated horseradish
rot i tablespoonful lemon juice
Bit of bay leaf Buttered crumbs
2 cloves
Trim the chops, removing the superfluous fat. Plunge
into the boiling stock and simmer with the spice and vege-
tables forty-five minutes. Then make a sauce of the
stock and the other ingredients, pour it into a baking dish,
set the chops over it, dust them with buttered crumbs and
salt and pepper, and bake in a hot oven till browned.
Mutton Chops en Casserole
6 mutton chops I pint stock
I onion i cupful mushrooms
i small carrot . I tablespoonful flour
i turnip 2 tablespoonfuls drippings
Salt and pepper
Chop or dice the vegetables ; saute the chops on both
sides, then the vegetables, in the fat. Add the flour to the
vegetables, mix lightly, and put in the casserole. Put in
the chops, add the stock and simmer in the oven until soft.
Add the mushrooms when nearly done, and season with
salt and pepper.
Lamb Stew
2! pounds shoulder or back 3 onions
of lamb 2 teaspoonfuls salt
1 cupful thinly sliced carrots i teaspoonful pepper
2 cupfuls diced potatoes Flour
i cupful peas Worcestershire sauce
\ cupful diced celery (op- Tomato catsup
tional)
Cut the meat in cubes and roll in flour. Arrange in
layers, alternating with the vegetables in a kettle, and
sprinkling on the salt and pepper. Pour over boiling
MEATS 347
water to cover and simmer gently for two hours. Add
the peas just before the dish is to be served, seasoning it
to taste with Worcestershire and catsup. If desired,
the celery may be omitted, and turnips or parsnips used
to replace it.
Lamb Fricassee
Boil a shoulder of lamb in salted water, then drain and
cut off the meat in suitable portions for serving. Roll
these in flour, season with a little salt and pepper and
brown quickly in beef drippings or a combination of beef
drippings and sausage fat. Make a gravy from the stock
in which the shoulder was boiled, adding to it minced
mint or capers, and season it highly with Worcestershire
or tomato catsup.
Casserole of Lamb
2i pounds of lamb cut from 4 tablespoonfuls uncoated
the neck rice
1 cupful sliced onions 2 cupfuls stewed tomatoes
2 tablespoonfuls drippings I teaspoonful salt
Few grains nutmeg i teaspoonful sugar
Few grains pepper
Cut the lamb in pieces, roll in flour and brown with the
onions in the drippings. Add the tomato and seasoning
and put in a casserole with the rice sprinkled between
each layer. Barely cover with boiling water, and bake,
covered, in a slow oven for two or two and one-half
hours. The rice should absorb the water. If it seems a
little dry, add water as needed.
VEAL
Roast Veal
Purchase a fillet of veal or a roast from the loin. Bone
the meat, fill in the cavities with bread stuffing, well-sea-
soned with onion and celery salt, and skewer into shape.
Place in a baking pan, dredge with salt, pepper and flour,
and lay thin strips of salt pork over the meat. Put in a
hot oven and bake until the flour is brown, then reduce
the heat and cook until done, allowing twenty minutes to
the pound, basting frequently with some of the water in
the pan. Water should be added to the pan as soon as the
348 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
flour is colored. Make a gravy from the drippings in the
pan.
Veal Roasted Under the Gas Flame
See general directions for roasting by this method and
allow twenty-three minutes to the pound.
Veal Stew
4 pounds knuckle of veal I teaspoonful salt
3 quarts cold water I pint stewed tomatoes
2 minced onions I cupful diced celery
1 teaspoonful peppercorns i teaspoonful sugar
2 cloves i cupful brown rice
Bit of bay leaf Dumplings
Wipe the meat, crack the bones and put the meat on to
cook in cold water. Bring to the boiling point, add the
spices tied in a cloth and the onions. When half done,
add the salt. When the meat is tender, strain off the
liquor. Cut the meat in cubes and set aside. Add the
celery, tomato and rice to the liquid, of which there
should be two quarts, turn in the meat and cook until the
rice is done. Serve with steamed dumplings, made either
of white or entire wheat flour.
Fricasseed Veal
Select a shoulder of veal. Simmer until tender, then
cut in pieces suitable for serving, sprinkle with salt and
pepper, roll in flour and brown in drippings. Serve on
toast or split biscuits with a gravy made from the liquor
in which the veal was cooked.
Veal Pie
2 pounds veal cut from the 3 tabtespoonfuls bacon fat or
knuckle drippings
I cupful cooked peas, if con- 4 tablespoonfuls flour
venient Short biscuit crust
3 cupfuls well-seasoned stock
Cut the veal in small pieces. Roll in flour and fry till
well-browned in the fat. Cover with stock, add a slice of
carrot and one onion and simmer until tender. Then add
the peas, and thicken with the flour dissolved in a little
cold water. When boiling, pour into a baking dish, set
the crust in place, and bake about twenty-five minutes in a
moderate oven.
MEATS 349
Veal and Oyster Pie
ii pounds veal from the pint oysters
knuckle 2 tablespoon fuls bacon fat
cupful minced cooked ham 3 tablespoon fuls flour
2 cupfuls well-seasoned stock Short biscuit crust
Cut the veal in small pieces ; roll in the flour and saute
(fry), until well-browned, in the bacon fat. Cover with
the stock, add a slice of carrot and one of onion and sim-
mer till tender. Then add the ham and the oysters,
which should be well washed, thicken with the flour re-
maining from the veal, and pour into a baking dish,
rubbed with the bacon fat. When boiling-hot, set the
crust in place. Bake about twenty-five minutes in a
moderate oven.
Brown Veal en Casserole
3 to 4 pounds knuckle of veal I teaspoonful salt
I tablespoonful sugar i teaspoonful pepper
i onion I cupful cream or rich milk
.1 quart boiling water 3 tablespoonfuls butter or
3 tablespoonfuls flour oleomargarine
A little lemon rind
Cut the veal in pieces suitable for serving. Caramelize
the sugar and, when dark, add the onion, stirring until
coated. Add the boiling water and meat. When boiling
rapidly, cover closely, put in the oven and cook till tender,
about two hours. Then add the seasonings, the butter
and flour rubbed together, and boil up once. Serve sur-
rounded with boiled brown or uncoated rice, either plain
or curried.
Veal Fricandelles
2\ cupfuls cooked or raw 2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice
veal, ground I teaspoonful salt
i cupful ham, minced (op- i tablespoonful tomato cat-
tional) sup (optional)
\ cupful milk \ teaspoonful pepper
\ cupful soft bread crumbs Bacon fat
ii cupfuls well-seasoned 2 tablespoonfuls flour
stock i teaspoonful minced pars-
i tablespoonful minced ley
green peppers
Cook the crumbs and milk to a paste. Add it to the
veal, ham, pepper, lemon juice, catsup, parsley and sea-
sonings and mix well. Make into egg-shaped balls, roll
350 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
in flour and saute (fry) in bacon fat till light brown.
Transfer to a casserole, and pour over a gravy made from
the fat left in the frying pan, the flour and the stock.
Cook in a moderate oven till done, thirty minutes for the
cooked meat, and an hour for the raw. Serve on toast
points, garnish with parsley, and surround by gravy.
Pressed Veal
Order a knuckle of veal, sawed through the bone. Boil
it in salted water containing a half teaspoonful of pickle
spice, until the meat is tender. Drain and cool it, chop
the meat fine, season it with additional salt and pepper
and a little lemon juice if the flavor is liked. Boil down
the liquor to one cupful, mix with the meat and pack into
a bread pan which has been rinsed with cold water. Put
a second pan on top of the meat, weight and chill.
Veal and Pork Loaf
I pound ground veal Few grains mace
i pound ground pork i teaspoonful poultry season-
I cupful soft bread crumbs ing
i cupful hot milk i teaspoonful onion juice
i egg I tablespoonful minced pars-
ik teaspoonfuls salt ley
$ teaspoonful pepper
Cook the crumbs and milk to a paste. Add to it the
other ingredients, mix well, pack into a well-oiled pan, and
bake an hour in a moderate oven.
Pot Koast of Veal
i small shoulder of veal, 2 teaspoonfuls salt
boned and rolled \ teaspoonful pepper
ij cupfuls finely-sliced car- Beef drippings
rots i pint boiling soup stock
3 cloves 2 onions
i teaspoonful peppercorns
Dust the meat with salt and pepper, and brown it in the
drippings; transfer to a heavy kettle, add the slices of
onion and carrot to the drippings and cook until yellowed.
Then pour over the meat, with the other ingredients, and
cook gently until the meat is tender from three to four
hours. Thicken the gravy as usual. Season, if desired,
with a drop or two of tabasco sauce.
MEATS 351
Veal with. Anchovies
2 pounds veal cutlet I onion, sliced
4 anchovies 3 cloves garlic, chopped
i teaspoonful ground clove Scant half cupful vinegar
i teaspoonful ground cinna- 2 tablespoonfuls ground salt
mon pork
1 teaspoonful nutmeg I tablespoonful flour
3 tablespoonfuls butter
Combine the butter and salt pork in a frying pan.
When hot add the meat and onion, and when the meat is
a golden color add all the other ingredients except the
vinegar ; cook slowly for ten minutes. Dust with salt and
pepper, pour over the vinegar with an equal quantity of
water, cover and simmer, adding more water if necessary.
When almost done, thicken the sauce with the flour mixed
with a little cold water, return the meat and finish cook-
ing.
Baked Veal Chops
2 pounds veal chops Crumbs
i pound bacon teaspoonful Worcestershire
Bit of bay leaf sauce
Boil the chops gently for five minutes in water contain-
ing a little sugar and a bay leaf. Drain thoroughly, dip
in melted bacon fat, sprinkle with the Worcestershire and
salt and crumbs; set in a baking pan, and place a small
piece of bacon on each chop. Bake in a hot oven until the
bacon begins to crisp, then add a little water to the pan,
and cook more slowly till the chops are tender. This
will take about thirty-five minutes.
Breaded Veal Cutlets
Simmer the cutlets five minutes in boiling water, con-
taining a teaspoonful of sugar to each pint of water.
Drain, dry, dip in fine crumbs, then in slightly-beaten egg,
diluted with cold water (one-fourth cupful to an egg),
then again in crumbs. Plunge into fat hot enough to
brown a bit of bread in three minutes, and fry till brown.
Drain on crumpled paper, and serve with tomato or Creole
sauce.
Veal Steak, Italian
Veal steak Salt and pepper
I teaspoonful sugar i clove
Bit of bay leaf Onion, sliced
352 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Slice veal steak thin, and cut in individual servings.
Boil five minutes in water to cover, containing one tea-
spoonful sugar, a bit of bay leaf, one clove, and a slice of
onion to each pint of water. Drain, dust with salt and
pepper, and dip in crumbs, egg, and crumbs again and
cook in deep fat hot enough to brown a bit of bread in
three minutes. Serve with sliced lemon.
Veal Mexican Style
2 pounds veal, sliced 4 inch Beef drippings
thick f cupful minced cooked
\ cupful chopped chives ham
I tablespoonful minced pars- Salt
ley Pepper
Cut the veal in pieces suitable for serving and dip them
in flour. Melt the beef drippings and fry the veal in
them; when half done, sprinkle with the chives, parsley
and ham, season with salt and pepper and finish, cooking
slowly.
LIVER
Broiled Liver and Bacon
Scald the bacon, drain and set in a baking pan in a hot
oven to cook. Scald the liver, let stand five minutes in
the water, then pull off the outer membranes and remove
the tough veins. Dip in the bacon fat and broil from
five to six minutes, according to the thickness, turning
from side to side. Add salt and pepper, and serve gar-
nished with the bacon.
Fried Liver and Bacon
Cover with boiling water slices of liver cut one-half
inch thick; let stand five minutes to draw out the blood,
drain, wipe and remove the thin outside skin and veins.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip in flour and fry in the
fat remaining from baked bacon.
Fried Liver with Onions
Prepare the liver for frying as in the preceding recipe.
For a pound of liver, peel and slice six onions. Fry them
gently until done in bacon fat, remove from the fat and
MEATS 353
cook the liver in it. Put the liver on a platter, spread
the onions over it and dust lightly with salt and pepper.
Liver with Olive Sauce
ii pounds liver Salt and pepper
2 cupfuls soup stock 4 cupful chopped olives
4 teaspoonful lemon juice 2 hard-cooked eggs
1 tablespoonful flour Grated rind i lemon
Cut the liver in pieces suitable for serving, then scald
with boiling water, allowing it to stand five minutes.
Drain, dip in flour and fry slowly in bacon or beef drip-
pings till tender, seasoning during the cooking. Trans-
fer to a platter, then add the flour and drippings in the
pan, follow with the soup stock, and, when it is boiling
and smooth, add the olives, lemon and seasonings if neces-
sary. Pour over the meat, and sprinkle with the egg,
chopped fine.
Liver en Casserole
2 pounds liver i cupful bacon fat
I cupful diced carrot \ cupful flour
i cupful green peas 3 cupfuls boiling water
1 cupful diced celery I teaspoonful salt
2 tablespoonfuls minced \ teaspoonful pepper
onion \ tablespoonful lemon juice
Slice the liver in pieces suitable for serving and let
stand five minutes in boiling water. Drain the liver and
dredge thickly with the flour, then fry in hot bacon fat
until browned. Add any remaining flour and transfer to
a casserole in alternate layers with the vegetables. Add
the boiling water and seasonings, cover and cook slowly
one and one-half hours. Serve with boiled brown rice
and a crisp green salad.
Liver a la McAlpin
ii pounds liver 4 tablespoonfuls butter or
1 pint canned tomatoes chicken fat
2 shredded green peppers 3 tablespoonfuls flour
2 onions, sliced I teaspoonful salt
4 teaspoonful pepper
Order the liver sliced moderately thin. Scald it with
boiling water, and peel off the tough skin and membrane.
Then dip the liver in flour, fry it quickly in butter or
chicken fat, salting it while cooking. Remove the liver
354 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
and set in a warm place. Put the onions and the green
peppers into the drippings, and fry until they are soft;
then add the flour, and the tomato and seasonings. Stir
constantly until thick and cook for about ten minutes.
Transferee liver to a platter, pour over the sauce and,
in serving, garnish with parsley.
Calves' Hearts Smothered with Onions
Clean the hearts thoroughly, then slice crosswise in
inch pieces. Peel eight medium-sized onions and cut into
rings. Put a half cupful of beef drippings in a deep
frying pan or heavy kettle and brown the heart and
onions together. Add a bit of bay leaf, two or three
cloves and a fourth cupful of celery leaves, or diced cel-
ery, dredge over a fourth cupful of flour and add water
to half cover about 3 cupfuls. Cover closely and sim-
mer for an hour and a half.
SWEETBREADS
To Prepare Sweetbreads
Soak the sweetbreads for an hour or more in cold
water. Then remove and simmer in water containing a
little vinegar and salt for twenty minutes. Plunge into
boiling water to harden. Then remove the tubes, skin
and bits of fiber, taking great care not to break the sweet-
breads. However they are to be served, this is always
the preliminary preparation.
Broiled Sweetbreads Y
Split the sweetbreads lengthwise, dust with pepper and
salt, brush with melted butter and broil until lightly
browned. Serve with mushroom or yellow Bechamel
sauce.
Sweetbread Timbales
ii cupfuls minced cooked Few grains pepper
sweetbreads i teaspoonful minced parsley
cupful bread crumbs 2 egg yolks
i cupful milk I tablespoonful melted but-
teaspoonful salt ter
Cook the crumbs and milk together to a paste, combine
MEATS 355
with the other ingredients, adding the egg yolks, unbeaten,
and folding in the egg whites whipped stiff at the last.
Turn into well-oiled timbale moulds ; stand in a pan con-
taining boiling water and bake until firm, about twenty-
five minutes, in a moderate oven. Serve hot with but-
tered peas or asparagus tips.
Sweetbread and Mushroom Kamekins
2 cupfuls diced, cooked i egg yolk
sweetbreads i teaspoonful minced pars-
I cupful diced, canned ley
mushrooms Few grains mace
ii cupfuls White Sauce Buttered crumbs
No. 2
Combine the ingredients in the order given, transfer
the mixture to buttered ramekins, and bestrew with the
buttered crumbs. Bake until brown in a moderate oven.
Breaded Sweetbreads
Split the parboiled sweetbreads in halves lengthwise ;
dust with salt and pepper and sprinkle with lemon juice.
Dip in fine dry bread crumbs, then in egg, and crumbs
again, as in making croquettes and fry, until browned, in
deep fat hot enough to brown a bit of bread in forty
seconds. Serve with sauce tartare.
Sweetbreads, Lenten Style
i pair sweetbreads i cupful flour
\ pint oysters 4 tablespoonfuls butter
1 teaspoonful pepper li cupfuls cream
2 shredded hard-cooked eggs I teaspoonful salt
i cupful cooked peas Few grains mace
teaspoonful onion juice Buttered crumbs
i teaspoonful soy sauce
Parboil the sweetbreads and cut each into three slices
lengthwise. Wash the oysters, drain the peas and shred
the eggs. Dip sweetbreads and oysters, first in melted
butter, then in flour. Butter a baking dish. Lay in first
a thin layer of oysters, then two slices of sweetbreads, a
few peas, and repeat until all are used. Mix the season-
ings with the cream. Pour over, add a sprinkling of but-
tered bread crumbs and set the dish in hot water in a
moderate oven till browned. It will take about thirty
minutes. Pass olives and celery with it.
356' MRS. ALLEN'S' COOK BOOK
PORK
Roast Boned Shoulder of Pork
Order a shoulder of pork boned. Stuff the opening
with a well-seasoned bread dressing and skewer or sew
it in place. Then score the skin for carving, and sprinkle
liberally with flour, salt and pepper. Set in a moderate
oven and roast until perfectly tender, about three hours,
twenty-five minutes to the pound. When it is nearly
done, place tomatoes, stuffed with the dressing, in the
pan one for each person and cook till they are ten-
der. Then remove the tomatoes and meat, and make a
gravy of three tablespoon fuls of the fat in the pan, three
tablespoonfuls of flour and ij cupfuls of water, or broth.
Tart apples may be substituted for the tomatoes.
Roast Pork
Roast loin of pork or fresh ham may be substituted
for the shoulder in the preceding recipe.
Old-Fashioned Pork Pie
3 pounds blade pork Salt and pepper
\ cupful sliced onion I pint sliced potato
Bit of bay leaf Short biscuit crust
Cut the pork in pieces suitable for serving. Brown
with the onions, add the bay leaf and water barely to
cover, and simmer till nearly tender about thirty min-
utes. Oil a baking dish, add the potatoes and season-
ing to the meat, and thicken to the desired consistency
with a little flour dissolved in cold water. Cover with
the crust cut into rounds, and bake in a moderate oven
until the crust is browned.
Pork Chops Saute*
Dust the chops with salt and pepper and pan-broil until
brown on each side. Dust with flour, barely cover with
water, and simmer till tender about thirty minutes.
Season to taste with salt, pepper and a trace of sage.
Pork Chops en Casserole
2 pounds pork chops, or i teaspoonful salt
fresh ham cut in pieces \ teaspoonful pepper
for serving Dried bread crumbs
2^ cupfuls sliced yellow tur- i chopped apple
nips Boiling water or stock
i cupful diced celery Powdered sage
MEATS 357
Dust the chops with salt, pepper and a little sage, roll
thickly in crumbs and brown on either side in drippings.
Put a layer of the turnips, apples and celery mixed in
the casserole, then the chops, and repeat until all is
used. Add the seasonings, and water or stock nearly to
cover, set the lid in place, and cook one and one-half
hours in a moderate oven. If too moist, add dried crumbs
to thicken when done.
Baked Pork Chops, with Apples
Dust the chops. with salt, pepper and a little sage, then
roll them in finely-ground bread crumbs and place in a
dripping pan. Set half of a cored apple on each one and
bake about thirty minutes in a moderate oven. When
the crumbs are slightly browned, a little water should
be added to the pan.
Sliced Pork Creole
Select a two and one-half pound piece of fresh ham,
cut about one-half inch thick. Trim off the extra fat,
put the ham in a hot frying pan and cook it ten minutes,
or until browned. Then add two sliced onions, a cupful
of stewed tomato and a shredded green pepper and cook
for five minutes longer. Add four tablespoonfuls of
flour, rubbing it well into the meat, and barely cover with
boiling water. Season and cook, covered, the balance of
half an hour. When the time is almost up add two cup-
fuls of boiled spaghetti. Serve surrounded by the
spaghetti.
Boiled Ham
If a small ham is desired, select a boned shoulder, or
butt end of a whole ham. Otherwise use a whole ham.
Scrub well with cold water containing a little baking
soda and put on to cook in cold water containing a table-
spoonful of mixed pickle spice, if the flavor is desired.
Bring to boiling point and simmer until the ham is per-
fectly tender, about three hours for a ten-pound ham.
Let it cool in the water. Pare back the skin, but do not
remove it. Slice as much ham as is needed, fold the
skin over the 'cut surface and wrap the ham in paraffine
paper.
358 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Pan-Broiled Boiled Ham
Slice boiled ham thin, put a little ham fat and a dust-
ing of sugar in a frying pan, and brown the ham in it.
Virginia Baked Ham
A small, rather lean ham \ teaspoonful ground cinna-
6 cloves mon
k teaspoonful celery seed 10 peppercorns
Sugar i quart sweet cider
Boiling water Beaten egg
Wash the ham thoroughly, sprinkle with soda, scrub-
bing it all over the surface, rinse in cold water and place
in a kettle with the clove, celery seed, cinnamon and pep-
percorns and a quart of sweet cider; cover with boiling
water and simmer till tender, four or five hours. Remove
from the water, pare off the skin and sprinkle the ham
with sugar; brush over with beaten egg, then cover with
ground bread crumbs, stick in cloves at even intervals
and brown in the oven. Trim the meat from the bone
end, and decorate the latter with celery leaves and curls.
Serve with currant sauce.
Ham Roasted with Grape Juice
A lean ham Bay leaf
i cupful sliced carrots 10 peppercorns
i cupful sliced onions 6 cloves
Thyme Grape juice
Scrub the ham with soda water, then soak it for twelve
hours. Remove the end bone. Put in the bottom of a
roasting-pan the carrots, onion, thyme, a bay leaf, pep-
percorns and cloves. Set on the ham, pour over a pint
of grape juice and cover the pan closely for twelve hours.
Then wrap the ham in heavy paraffine paper, or encase
in a prepared paper bag, cover with a thick paste of flour
and water and roast for three hours in a hot oven. Then
make a hole in the paste and pour in slowly by means of
a funnel the grape juice in which the ham has stood to
season. Put some- paste over the hole and close it, and
let it roast an hour longer. When done, remove the
paper carefully to preserve all the juices, .dust the ham
with sugar and brown it and serve plain or with grape
sauce.
MEATS 359
Braised Ham
A boned and rolled shoulder 2 inches stick cinnamon
of ham i cupful sliced onions
2. cupfuls diced carrots 2 tablespoon fuls sugar
i cupful diced turnip I cupful grape juice
Celery leaves 6 cloves
Soak the ham over night in cold water containing a
little soda. Bring to boiling point and discard the water.
Caramelize the sugar in the braising pan, add the onion,
and when well-coated put in the vegetables and grape
juice. Set the ham in place in the pan, nearly half cover
with boiling water, cover and bake gently in the oven
till tender. Then remove the skin, dust with crumbs and
a sprinkling of sugar, brown quickly and serve with grape
juice sauce.
Pot-Eoast of Ham
Order a shoulder of ham boned and rolled. Soak for
twenty-four hours in water to cover. Then melt three
tablespoonfuls of fat in a kettle, add a cupful of sliced
onions and a cupful of diced celery, cooking until soft-
ened. Turn in the ham and brown it thoroughly.
Barely cover with boiling water and simmer gently for
about four hours ; remove the meat, then add the desired
number of pared potatoes and boil them. Skin the ham,
dust thickly with crumbs and brown in a hot oven. Sur-
round with the potatoes, garnish with celery and make a
thickened sauce of equal parts of ham stock and sifted
canned tomato to accompany it. Thicken with crumbs.
Pan-Broiled Ham with Cream Sauce
Freshen thin slices of ham for ten minutes in boiling
water. Drain thoroughly and place in a hissing-hot fry-
ing pan, cooking first on one side, then on the other,
until the edges of the fat are browned. Add 2 tablespoon-
fuls of flour to the fat remaining in the pan after the ham
has been removed ; turn in slowly two cupfuls of milk
stirring constantly; add a dash of pepper and let boil.
Surround the ham with this sauce and garnish with bits
of parsley.
360 MRS. ALLEN S COOK BOOK
Planked Ham, Easter Style
3 pounds sliced ham, cut 3 i inch stick cinnamon
inches thick Duchess potatoes
i cupful white grape juice Stuffed tomatoes
1 cupful boiling water Parsley
2 cloves
Soak the ham over night in cold water. When ready
to cook it, drain well and place in a baking dish with the
grape juice, water and spice. Cover and cook gently
till almost done. Then drain and place on a well-oiled
hot plank. Put the tomatoes around the ham, set in the
oven and bake for fifteen minutes. Then pipe on Duchess
potatoes with a pastry bag and tube, brush over with
slightly-beaten egg yolk, diluted with a little milk, brown
quickly and garnish with parsley.
Baked Ham in Milk
2 pounds ham sliced I inch i tablespoon ful butter
thick Milk
Flour Pepper
Soak the ham an hour in warm water; drain, place on
a baking platter, sprinkle thickly with flour, season with
pepper, cover with milk and dot with bits of butter.
Bake until the ham is tender about forty-five minutes.
Fried Ham with Milk Gravy
Cut the ham a quarter of an inch thick. Heat a fry-
ing pan and put in it a little of the fat trimmed from the
ham. When this is melted, fry the ham rather slowly
in it and make a gravy by adding a tablespoonful and a
half of flour to the drippings in the pan and slowly a
cupful of milk for a cupful of gravy.
SAUSAGES
Baked Sausages
Gently prick the sausages and place them on a rack in a
pan. Cook in a -moderate oven until they are tender,
which will take about twenty-five minutes. They will not
burst by this method, and the sausage fat will not be
burned, and, therefore, can be used for many culinary
purposes.
BAKED PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES
BAKED SAUSAGE WITH BROILED SLICED APPLES
MEATS 361
Simmered Sausages
Prick the sausages with a fork. Put in a frying pan
with water to half cover, and simmer until they are
browned and the water is almost evaporated; turn oc-
casionally during the process ; then make a gravy of the
liquid, thickening it with flour as usual.
Farm-House Sausages
Prick the sausages with a fork, and boil ten to fifteen
minutes, according to the size. Complete the cooking
by sauteing until browned. Pare and core tart apples,
cut into rings one-half inch thick, dip in egg and crumbs
and fry slowly in the sausage fat until soft. Serve with
the sausages.
Baked Sausage Potato
1 pound fresh sausage meat i onion sliced
2 quarts raw, sliced* potato Flour
Milk
Rub a baking dish with drippings. Put in a layer of
raw potatoes, dust with flour and add a little onion, then
a layer of sausage. Continue until all is used, then barely
cover with the milk, and bake in a slow oven from two
to two and a half hours.
Potatoes Stuffed with Sausage
Select potatoes of medium size, pare them and cut off
the tops lengthwise to form covers. Scoop out the cen-
ters, fill with sausage meat,, and replace the covers, fas-
tening them in place with toothpicks ; dredge the potatoes
with salt and pepper and place in a pan containing a little
meat broth ; bake about an hour and a quarter until ten-
der, basting occasionally with, the broth. Serve with
milk gravy.
BACON
Fried Bacon
If the bacon is to be sliced at home, be sure that it is
chilled, and that the knife is sharp. Have the frying pan
hot. Put in the bacon and turn almost at once. Whether
or not it is to be cooked crisp depends upon the variety,
362 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
but in any case it should be drained on crumpled paper
before serving. Generally speaking crisped bacon is more
digestible than that which is fat and moist. It should
be cooked so slowly that the bacon fat does not burn.
Baked Bacon
Cut off the bacon rind and lay the bacon on a rack in
a pan ; bake until crisp about twelve minutes. Drain
the fat into a jar and keep for cooking purposes.
POULTRY AND GAME
How to Clean Poultry
If the birds have not been cleaned and drawn at the
butcher's, it will be necessary for the housewife to at-
tend to these details, which need not be irksome or dis-
agreeable, if she knows how to do it.
First of all remove the pin feathers with a pair of broad
tweezers. Then singe the bird by means of a little
alcohol which has been poured into a saucer and lighted ;
or if this is not at hand twist up some newspaper into
thick strips and use this. The bird should be turned con-
stantly so that it will be thoroughly singed in every part.
The head should then be removed, and the crop, attached
to the gullet and the windpipe, may be drawn out of the
neck opening. It isnot usually necessary to make a slit
in the neck. The neck should be cut off about two inches
so that the skin may be folded back to present a neat
appearance when the bird is cooked. The neck trim-
mings should be saved towards making stock.
The tendons should then be removed from the legs, for
these harden on cooking and form the flinty, disagreeable
substance with which we 'are all familiar in the "drum-
sticks." Make an inch slit lengthwise through the skin
below the knee joint at one side; on laying open this
skin, the tendons, which are shiny white cords, will be
revealed. Slip a skewer or nail under each one and pull
them out.
Then make a two-inch opening near the vent, insert
two fingers, and gently loosen the entrails. When every-
thing is loose, grasp gently the hardest substance the
MEATS 363
gizzard and pull it out. Everything else will come
with it. Be careful not to press anything too hard and
then there will be no muss, and no danger of breaking the
gall bladder. When this has all been done, insert the
hand and remove the spongy substances which lay under
the breast in cavities, and the kidneys which will be found
a little more than half way down the backbone in similar
cavities. Then let cold water run through the bird until
it is thoroughly cleaned. If the bird does not seem white
on the outside, scrub it off with a little soap and water.
This treatment is usually advocated only for goose, but
it improves all poultry, unless they are freshly killed.
If a bird looks wizened, let it stand for a few minutes in
water to plump up. This treatment is especially good
for cold-storage birds.
Dressing Birds for Broiling
Remove the head and pin feathers, singe, and draw the
tendons, as described. Then with a sharp, heavy knife
split the bird down the back, through the backbone; the
entrails can then be easily removed. If there is ample
time, scrape away the flesh from the breastbone and lift
that out, and carefully scrape away the rib bones and
remove them. This makes the bird much easier to eat
and more sightly. The legs should also be separated at
the second joint.
Preparing Birds for Fricassee
Clean, draw and remove the tendons, as directed. It
is not at all difficult to prepare the bird for a fricassee
if the knives are sharp. Cut off the legs at the first joint,
using a sharp knife, then separate them at the second
joint. This is easily done if the legs are bent. Then
cut off the wings and disjoint them. Separate the breast
from the back ; divide the back into four pieces, slit down
the breast cutting it in two. If desired the breast halves
may be subdivided. This makes 'the white meat go far-
ther
Trussing and Stuffing Poultry
First put a little stuffing in the neck and around at the
sides where the crop has been. Then fold over the skin
364 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
to the back and secure it with a small skewer ; then put in
enough stuffing through the incision made in drawing
the chicken to fill it three-fourths full. If too much is
put in, the stuffing will swell and the bird will burst.
First, however, the oil bag should be removed. To do
this, cut around it with a sharp knife, and, after removing,
tuck the tail into the opening, and sew it up with light-
weight twine and, if possible, a curved surgical needle
which can be kept for the purpose. Pinion the wings at
the side of the bird. Then take a long trussing kneedle
thread it with lightweight string, pass it through the
wing and directly through the bird and through the other
wing and then back again, making the two stitches about
one-half inch long. Tie the string in a bow-knot so that
it can be easily removed when the bird is done. Fasten
the legs in the same way. This takes but two or three
minutes and is infinitely superior to the old-fashioned
way of wrapping a bird around with yards of string.
When the bird is not to be stuffed, great care should
be taken not to make a long incision in cleaning it, the
ends of the drum sticks being tucked into the incision be-
fore the bird is trussed.
The Giblets and Feet
If a chicken is being used, the feet should be saved.
Skin them and put them on to cook with the giblets. To
prepare the giblets, wash the heart and cut it in two,
lengthwise. Cut off the gall bladder from the liver;
this is an unmistakable green sack, and great care must be
taken not to break it, as it contains a very bitter sub-
stance. Cut through the thick part of the gizzard, empty
it and pull out the inside tough skin. Rinse the liver;
put on to cook with the tips of the wings, the feet and
the trimmings from the neck in a quart of boiling water.
Use this stock instead of water in making the gravy.
Serve the giblets, chopped fine, in the gravy, if desired.
If this is not desirable, chop the giblets, and the next day
make a gravy for them from the stock and transfer with
this sauce to ramekins ; break an egg into each ramekin.
Dot with salt and pepper and shir.
MEATS 365
STUFFINGS FOR BIRDS
Bread Stuffing
2 cupfuls soft bread crumbs I tablespoonful finely-minced
i cupful any good cooking onion
fat I teaspoonful finely-minced
I teaspoonful salt parsley or
i teaspoonful pepper \ teaspoonful dry parsley, if
convenient
Combine the ingredients and moisten to a paste with
hot water. To vary this dressing add a half cupful of
minced white celery leaves or stock, or moisten it with
half a cupful of sifted canned tomato. Sage, thyme, or
poultry seasoning may be added to taste, or a little finely-
minced, left-over, cooked bacon or sausage may be added.
Prune Stuffing
cupful unsweetened cooked Boiling water to moisten
prunes cut into bits I teaspoonful curry powder
1 cupful English walnut \ teaspoonful savory
or hickory nut meats \ teaspoonful thyme
2 cupfuls soft bread crumbs | teaspoonful marjoram
i teaspoonful salt 2 tablespoonfuls butter,
i teaspoonful pepper melted
i tablespoonful onion, minced
fine
Mix the ingredients in the order given, making the
dressing rather moist.
Chestnut Stuffing
Shell and blanch fifty French chestnuts or two quarts
of American chestnuts. To do this, split each nut^with a
knife ; put on in cold water, bring to the boiling point and
boil one minute. Drain, add a little butter (about 2 table-
spoonfuls), stir and shake over the fire, then remove the
shells and skins together. Chop the nuts fine, add 3
tablespoonfuls butter, one tablespoonful salt, \ teaspoon-
ful pepper, i tablespoonful of minced parsley, \ tea-
spoonful of powdered thyme and a cupful of stale whole
wheat bread crumbs. Add water for moistening if neces-
sary.
3 66 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Potato and Walnut Stuffing for Goose
3 cupfuls fresh mashed po- I teaspoonful poultry season-
tatp ing
i onion grated ii teaspoonftils salt
I cupful walnut meats i tablespoonful butter
1 teaspoonful pepper \ cupful milk
i egg
Mix in the order given and use at once.
Peanut Stuffing for Duck
2 cupfuls whole wheat bread 3 tablespoonful s melted pea-
crumbs nut butter
i cupful peanuts, chopped \ teaspoonful onion juice
Salt and pepper Few grains paprika
Hot cream to moisten
Mix the ingredients in the order given.
Malaga Stuffing
2i cupfuls soft bread crumbs i egg (if desired)
3 tablespoonfuls melted but- i cupful halved and seeded
ter or oleomargarine Malaga grapes
\ teaspoonful salt Boiling water to moisten
& teaspoonful pepper
Combine the ingredients in the order given, making
the stuffing rather moist.
Steamed Chicken
Dress the chicken as for roasting, but do not stuff it.
Truss as directed and brown the chicken all over in
drippings, melted chicken fat, or bacon fat if the flavor
is liked. Dust with salt and pepper. Place on a platter
or in a pan that will fit into a steamer and steam until
tender about an hour and a quarter for a three or four
pound chicken. Fowl may be prepared in this way, but
it will be necessary to steam it for four hours. In this
case lay two or three small pieces of bacon on the breast
of the fowl.
Roast Chicken
Dress, stuff and truss the chicken as directed. Rub
lightly with butter or oleomargarine and dust thickly
with flour, and a little salt and pepper. Place on a rack
in a dripping pan, or in a double roaster, allowing a little
of the flour, about 2.\ tablespoonfuls, to fall on the bot-
MEATS 367
torn of the pan. Place in a hot oven and let stand until
the flour in the pan is colored a light brown. Then add
boiling water barely to cover the bottom of the pan, to-
gether with some bits of butter, a little melted chicken
fat, some drippings or some bacon fat, if the flavor is de-
sired. Baste the chicken with this mixture and replenish
the liquid if it evaporates too fast. Roast a five-pound
chicken one and one-half hours, or allow eighteen min-
utes to the pound.
Reduce the heat after the flour is browned, as, other-
wise, the chicken will be dry, instead of juicy and tender.
The drippings in the pan, with a little hot water, which
may be added slowly to them, will make a gravy of suf-
ficient thickness without adding any more flour. Salt
and pepper, hot milk, hot cream, a little cooked celery,
or a dozen small oysters may be added to the chicken
gravy.
Chicken or Duck Roasted Tinder the Gas Flame
See general directions for roasting by this method, and
allow twenty minutes to the pound.
Broiled Chicken
Dress the chicken as directed. Then sprinkle with
salt and pepper, place in well-oiled broiler, flesh side up,
and broil five minutes. Turn to brown the skin. Place
in a dripping pan with a little stock, and dot with bits of
butter. Cover with a second pan and set in a hot oven
twenty minutes. Serve on a hot dish with a sauce made
from the drippings, if desired.
Chicken Stew, with Dumplings
Remove all the meat that remains on the framework
of broiled, fricasseed or roast chicken. Add to the bones
6 cupfuls cold water (for one chicken) or 10 cupfuls for
two. Turn in any remaining gravy, bits of skin, etc.,
add one-half a small onion, minced, for the first quantity,
and a few dried celery leaves, and bit of bay leaf.
Cover closely and bring slowly to boiling point, then sim-
mer for two hours. Strain, remove the fat and add \ cup-
ful of brown or uncoated rice, the bits of chicken and a
cupful of peas if convenient. Boil till the rice is almost
368 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
tender (about fifteen minutes), season and set dumplings
on top of the stew to cook. Boil twelve minutes longer,
and serve at once.
Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot-Pie
i (3-pound) fowl i cupful cream
i cupful fat salt pork, diced Salt and pepper to taste
3 cupfuls boiling water Short biscuit crust
4 tablespoon fuls flour
Clean and disjoint the fowl. Heat a small iron pot
and put the salt pork in it. Try out the fat, then toss
in the chicken, and cook until well-browned. Add the
water, cover and let simmer over the heat or in the oven
till tender. Season, add the flour and cream, blended,
let boil up once and set the paste in position in a casserole
as follows : Cut a strip two inches wide and line the in-
side of the casserole. Pour in the chicken mixture, set a
round cover in place over the top of the boiling liquid,
and pinch the two edges together ; set in the oven, and
bake till light brown. Invert on a platter, and serve
surrounded with buttered peas or asparagus tips.
Potted Chicken
Select a fowl weighing from four to six pounds. Singe
and clean, then brown all over in beef or bacon drippings.
Slightly fry an onion, a cupful of celery tips and diced
stalks and a half cupful of carrots ; add the chicken, and
a little boiling water; put in two cloves, six peppercorns,
a teaspoonful of salt, a bit of bay leaf, and simmer until
tender about four hours, replenishing the water as
needed. Serve with a gravy made from the stock, thick-
ened with cooked brown or uncoated rice.
Chicken Fricassee
Dress, clean and cut up a fowl according to the general
directions. Put the pieces in a kettle with 4 tablespoon-
fuls of drippings ; let them brown slightly on both sides,
but take care they do not burn. When slightly browned,
add enough boiling water to cover, salt and pepper and a
bouquet of herbs. Simmer until tender, about three hours
for a fowl, and one and one-half hours for chicken.
Make a sauce of 2 tablespoonfuls of butter or oleomar-
MEATS 369
garine and 4 tablespoonfuls of flour. Add to it slowly
2 cupfuls of the liquid in which the chicken was cooked.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange toast or
split biscuits on a hot dish, place the chicken on the bread
and pour over the sauce. A border of boiled brown or
uncoated rice may surround the chicken if the toast or
biscuits are not used.
Fried Chicken
Select a young chicken. Disjoint and cut up as for
fricassee. Roll each piece in flour and brown in a frying
pan in equal parts of lard and butter, dusting the chicken,
as it cooks, with salt and pepper. Turn only once. This
browning process should take about twenty minutes, and,
after this length of time, the meat should be cooked
through. Then place the chicken in a pan, or on a plat-
ter, dot with a little extra butter and steam it for an hour.
This will make it very tender.
Make a gravy of the drippings in the frying pan ; add
additional flour, if judgment so dictates, and use thin
cream or rich hot milk as the liquid.
Plain Chicken Casserole
Dress and disjoint a chicken, according to the general
directions. Roll in flour, dust with salt and pepper, pack
in a casserole, and barely cover with boiling water.
Cook gently until the chicken is tender, about one and
three-quarter hours. Serve plain with the resulting
gravy or add a half cupful of sweet or slightly sour
cream to the gravy, together with a little extra thickening
to make up for the dilution. Fowl may be used in the
same way, if four hours are allowed for the cooking.
Chicken Casserole, Southern Style
i 3-pound chicken I tablespoon ful minced on-
4 tablespoonfuls beef drip- ion
pings 4 cupful flour
I tablespoonful minced pars- ii cupfuls sifted stewed to-
ley matoes
i tablespoonful minced car- i* teaspoonfuls salt
rot I teaspoon ful pepper
i tablespoonful minced tur- Few grains cayenne
nip 2 to 3 cupfuls boiling stock
3 shredded green peppers
370 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Dissect the chicken, roll in flour and brown it in the
beef drippings, together with the vegetables. Put the
chicken in layers in the casserole, sprinkling the vege-
tables and the flour, mixed with the seasonings, between
each layer. Then pour over the tomato puree and stock
to cover, put on the lid and bake an hour and a half to
two hours in a moderate oven.
Chicken Casserole, Spanish Style
I 2- or 3-pound chicken or 2 sweet peppers
fowl i cupful sifted canned tomato
I cupful finely-chopped i tablespoonful butter
tongue Salt to taste
i cupful brown or uncoated
rice
Dissect the chicken as in the general directions, ar-
range in a kettle, almost cover with water and simmer till
tender. Then remove the skin, replace the chicken in
the broth, add the tongue, the rice, the sweet peppers,
boiled and minced, and a teaspoonful of salt. When the
rice is tender, add the tomato and butter, and serve in a
border of additional rice.
Chicken Pot Pourrie
1 4-pound fowl i teaspoonful salt
4 tablespoonfnls minced ham 4 cupfuls stock or water
2 tablespoonfuls minced 2 cupfuls stewed tomatoes
onion i cupful spaghetti
i shredded green pepper or i teaspoonful pepper
pimento
Clean and disjoint the fowl. Melt 4 tablespoonfuls of
butter or fresh drippings in a frying pan, add the onion,
ham and fowl and cook until the latter is browned.
Then put in a large casserole with the pepper, stock or
water, t*he spaghetti and the tomato. Cover closely and
bake gently till tender, about two hours. Season to
taste with salt and pepper.
Chicken Maryland
Disjoint two broilers, or " frys," or a three- or four-
pound roasting chicken, as for fricassee. Roll in melted
bacon drippings or butter, season with a little salt and
pepper, then roll in flour and place skin side up in a
MEATS 371
dripping pan. Put a small strip of salt pork or bacon on
each piece, set in a quick oven and, when the flour begins
to brown, add a little water to the pan. Baste every ten
minutes, and, after the chicken is well-browned, cover it.
A double roaster is excellent for this purpose. Cook
until the meat is tender, from forty-five minutes to an
hour, and serve with White Sauce No. 2, made with
equal parts of milk and cream.
Chicken Italian
1 fowl 2 cupfuls tomato pulp
6 green peppers Salt and pepper
2 onions 3 tablespoonfuls olive oil
Boil the fowl till tender, then disjoint and skin it.
Shred the peppers and onions and cook, till softened, in
the olive oil. Add to the tomato pulp, season, and pour
very hot over the chicken.
Boned Chicken a la Royale
Dress a large chicken, fill with stuffing d la Royale.
Truss, and lay on strips of bacon or salt pork. Place in
a deep baking dish or casserole in the oven, pouring
around a pint of consomme. Baste frequently, and,
when almost done, remove the cover and let the chicken
brown. Strain the sauce, thicken as for gravy, add |
cupful of fresh mushrooms sauted. Serve with a gar-
nish of the remaining stuffing baked in small timbales.
Chicken Stuffing a la Royale
4 cupfuls bread crumbs I teaspoonful thyme (pow-
2 cupfuls minced ham dered)
i cupful dried mushrooms, \ teaspoonful sweet mar-
soaked and chopped joram
i tablespoonful minced pars- i teaspoonful onion juice
ley 2 egg yolks
Milk to moisten i cupful melted butter
il teaspoonfuls salt Grating nutmeg
i teaspoonful pepper
Put together in the order given ; moisten with milk,
and use.
Cold Chicken Glace
Boil a chicken or young fowl, until tender, in salted
water containing a little celery seed, bit of bay leaf, slice
372 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
of onion and a little lemon peel. Cool, disjoint and re-
move the skin. Cook down the broth to one-fourth the
original amount, when it will have the consistency of a
sauce. While still warm, dip the chicken pieces in it,
drain and set away to cool in the refrigerator. The
chicken will then be covered with a thin shining gelatine,
which gives a glossy, inviting effect. Serve arranged on
a bed of watercress.
Chicken Mousse Loaf
4 cupfnls chopped, cooked 2 tablespoonfuls granulated
chicken gelatine, dissolved in
2 cupfuls boiling chicken 4 tablespoonfuls cold stock
stock, well seasoned
Add the gelatine to the boiling stock and stir until dis-
solved. Add the chicken. Then prepare the second mix-
ture consisting of
1 cupful heavy cream 21 tablespoonfuls granulated
2 cupfuls chicken stock gelatine, dissolved in
4 tablespoonfuls cold stock
Add the gelatine to the boiling stock, and, when partly
set, fold in the cream, whipped stiff.
In the bottom of an oval mould rubbed lightly with
olive oil, arrange a poinsettia blossom with petals cut f rOm
pimentoes and a slice of hard-cooked egg yolk as a cen-
ter, and parsley as a stem, fastening it in place with
melted gelatine. When " set " pour in an inch layer of
the cream mixture, let almost stiffen, and add a layer of
chicken, continuing until all is used. At serving time
unmould on a large platter, garnished with lettuce and
parsley, and surround with cups hollowed from beets,
rilled with salad dressing.
Roast Duck
Dress and clean the duck as in general directions.
Stuff with apples, pared and cored, to absorb the flavor.
Truss, place on a rack in a dripping pan with two thin
slices of salt pork on the breast. Dredge the duck and
the bottom of the pan with flour. When this is brown,
add a half cupful of hot water. Baste every fifteen
minutes until done. It will take from one to one and
one-quarter hours for a domestic duck, thirty minutes for
MEATS 373
a wild duck. Sprinkle with salt and pepper during the
last fifteen minutes of cooking. Make a brown gravy as
for other roasts. This stuffing is not to be eaten. If an
onion flavor is desired, place onions in the bird instead
of apples. If the stuffing is to be eaten, use a plain prune,
peanut, malaga or walnut and potato stuffing.
Smothered Duck
i 2- or 3-pound duck 3 tablespoonfuls flour
i small minced onion Stock to half cover duck
Salt -and pepper i pint green peas
I minced sage leaf Soy sauce
4 tablespoonfuls butter or Sprinkling of dried mint
drippings
Dress the duck, dredge with salt and pepper, place the
onion and sage inside the body and partially roast the
bird. Set in a deep baking-dish or casserole, and half
cover with hot stock, using about four cupfuls. Thicken
with butter and flour rubbed together, season, if neces-
sary, and. add the peas and a trace of mint. Let bake or
stew till tender, about thirty minutes longer. Season
with soy sauce. Serve with hominy croquettes and sour
cabbage.
Brown Duck
1 3-pound duck Bit of bay leaf
2 tablespoonfuls minced 3 tablespoonfuls flour
onion i cupful mushrooms
4 tablespoonfuls beef drip- Stock
pings
Dress and disjoint the duck. Dredge with salt and
pepper, and brown with the onion in the drippings. Add
the bay leaf, half cover with good soup stock and sim-
mer until almost tender about two hours. Then add
the mushrooms cut in bits, and finish cooking. Thicken
with the flour diluted in a little cold water, and serve
very hot.
Roast Goose
Scrub the goose on the outside with soap and water,
and rinse thoroughly. Then dress as in general direc-
tions, rinsing well, and hang up for a few hours to drain.
Season the inside with a little powdered sage, salt and
pepper. If desired, it may be stuffed, although this is
not customary with a young goose. After trussing place
374 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
on a rack in the pan and cook an hour ; then pour off the
fat in the pan and dredge the bird with flour, sprinkle
with salt and pepper and lay slices of salt pork along the
breast. When the flour is browned, baste the goose
often with salted hot water, dredging with flour each
time as well. Cook until the joints separate easily
from one and one-half to three hours. If the goose is a
year or more old, it should be steamed until nearly ten-
der, then floured and browned.
In making the gravy pour off most of the fat in the
pan, then make as usual ; the chopped, cooked giblets are
an addition. If dressing is to be used, the most satisfac-
tory is of potato and walnuts.
Roast Turkey
Dress and truss the turkey according to general direc-
tions. Use any desired stuffing plain stuffing with
celery, or one containing chestnuts. When trussed, rub
the turkey all over with a mixture of equal parts of but-
ter and flour. Place on a rack in a dripping pan and
set in a double roaster. Bake according to general direc-
tions, basting every fifteen minutes. Allow three hours
for a turkey weighing eight to ten pounds.
Boiled Turkey
i turkey Grated rind I lemon
6 cupfuls bread crumbs cupful chopped suet
i teaspoonful sage i egg
i teaspoonful thyme i teaspoon fuls salt
1 teaspoonful marjoram Pepper
2 anchovies or sardines, Boiling water
chopped
Make a dressing of the above ingredients. Stuff the
turkey, leaving space for the filling to swell ; sew it up,
truss it and wrap in cheesecloth. Set to cook in boiling
salted water barely to cover and simmer until tender
two hours for a young turkey and four for an old one.
Serve with oyster or celery sauce.
Boiled Turkey with Oyster Forcemeat
Prepare a turkey for boiling, as in the preceding recipe,
substituting oyster forcemeat for the dressing men-
tioned. Finish as directed and serve garnished with
oyster forcemeat dumplings.
CHICKEN POT POURRI
CHICKEN MOUSSE LOAF
MEATS 375
Oyster Forcemeat Dumplings
i small loaf stale bread, ij teaspoonfuls salt
grated J cupful melted butter, or
i pint oysters, well-drained other fat
Grated rind i lemon 3 eggs
Few grains nutmeg A little cream or undiluted
i teaspoonful pepper evaporated milk to moisten
Chop the oysters fine, add to the grated crumbs to-
gether with the other ingredients and mix very thor-
oughly. This is sufficient to stuff a small turkey and to
allow for a few small dumpKngs. To prepare these,
make the mixture into egg-sized balls and poach them in
the turkey liquor for twenty minutes before the bird is to
be served.
Broiled Squabs
Truss the squabs according to general directions ; dust
with salt and pepper, and pour over a little melted butter.
Broil flesh side to the heat until browned, then turn and
broil the skin side. Finish the cooking in the oven,
which will take about twenty-five minutes.
Serve on slices of toast moistened with the residue
from the pan, and spread lightly with tart currant, or
barberry, jelly.
Casserole of Stuffed Pigeons
Allow a pigeon to each person. Stuff with brown or
wild rice boiled with a bit of bay leaf and highly seasoned
with onion juice and celery salt. Truss the pigeons,
roast them till well-browned in a hot oven, then transfer
to a casserole ; pour over the drippings from the baking
pan, half surround with stock, cover and bake gently for
an ,hour, then remove the birds, thicken the remaining
stock and season it with tart currant jelly.
Pigeon Pie
3 pigeons, dressed and split i cupful peas
Bit of bay leaf 3 cupfuls boiling water
i cupful diced celery i cupful cream
6 tablespoonfuls flour 4 tablespoonfuls butter
Salt pork Short biscuit crust
Dress and split the pigeons, dredge with flour, saute
(fry) slightly in salt pork fat and place in a casserole or
braising dish. Add thf bay leaf, celery and boiling
376 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
water. Bring all to boiling point and let simmer until -
tender, about one and one-half hours, adding 2 teaspoon-
fuls of salt at the end of an hour. Thicken with the
butter and flour rubbed together, add the peas and let
boil. Turn in the cream, scalded, season to taste, pour
into a baking dish, and set the crust quickly in place.
Bake until browned.
Woodchuck, Clover Style
After removing the pelt, place the animal on ice for
twenty-four hours, then dress as rabbit. That is, split
the body lengthwise (including the head) and carefully
remove all the organs, especially the little bunches or
" kernels " under the forepaws, which will otherwise
impart a strong flavor to the game. Stand thirty minutes
in cold, salted water, then drain, wipe dry and sprinkle
liberally with salt and pepper and a dash of curry. Stuff
with prune dressing and sew carefully into shape. The
animal is now ready to <k truss." To accomplish this
successfully, cut the sinews under both front and hind
paws, bending the forepaws backward and the hindpaws
forward, pinning each securely into position by means of
skewers. Tie a string around the animal's neck, then
catch it on the first set of skewers, pass around the body
and fasten securely on the second set. Wrap in cheese-
cloth, and plunge into spiced boiling water to cover, sim-
mering it one hour.
The water should contain :
i slice of onion I tablespoonful vinegar
i bay leaf i teaspoonful salt
A 2-inch stick cinnamon
. Remove the cheesecloth and place the woodchuck in a
baking pan, and dredge with J cupful flour, allowing part
of it to fall upon the pan. Insert a narrow strip of bacon
along the back. When the flour browns, baste every ten
minutes, for an hour, with 3 cupfuls of hot water, con-
taining ^ cupful of- butter, and a few spices.
Remove the skewers and string ; lay the woodchuck on
a bed of clover blossoms and leaves (as that is the favorite
food of the little animal) and garnish with strips of
bacon and lemon slices, alternately on back, bits of
pimentoes in the eye sockets and a slice of lemon in the
MEATS 377
mouth. Serve with the gravy from the baking pan, fur-
ther seasoned with J cupful of stuffed olives, sliced, 2
tablespoonfuls minced cooked onion, and J cupful sliced
cooked carrots. The flavor is delicious a cross be-
tween duck and squirrel, yet more delicate than either.
Planked Guinea Chicken
1 2-pound guinea chicken I tablespoonful minced pars-
24 cooked asparagus tips ley
4 green pepper rings , i tablespoonful minced pim-
Duchess potatoes ento
3 lemon slices
Singe the guinea chicken, remove the pin feathers and
split the chicken down the back, removing the entrails.
Wash well and dry. Dust with salt and pepper. Put
the plank in the oven to become hot, then partly broil the
guinea chicken; brush the plank over with butter, set the
chicken on it, skin side up, and finish cooking in a hot
oven. Altogether, it will take from thirty-five to forty-
five minutes. Prepare the asparagus tips, putting six in
each pepper ring. Pipe Duchess potatoes about the
chicken in ribbons and rosettes, with a pastry bag and
tube, brush with slightly-beaten egg yolk diluted with a
little milk and brown quickly in the oven. Set bundles
of asparagus in place, two on each side, and make
wreaths of parsley and cranberries cooked in syrup at
either end. Cover half of each lemon slice with minced
parsley and the remaining half with pimento, and place
on the breast of the chicken.
Squirrel Stew
2 gray squirrels, cleaned and I cupful minced carrots
disjointed i cupful brown or uncoated
2 onions diced rice
i green pepper, shredded 2 tablespoonfuls flour
i cupful diced celery Salt and pepper
Put the squirrels on to simmer in two quarts of boiling
water, adding water as it evaporates to keep the amount
constant. When tender remove the meat from the bones,
crack the bones and return them to the broth to cook an
hour longer. Dice the meat, dust it in the flour and set
aside. Saute (fry) the vegetables in butter or oleomar-
garine until soft and yellowed ; add to the broth with the
378 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
rice, a teaspoonful of salt and a little pepper ; cook until
the rice and vegetables are done. Then add the floured
squirrel meat and let it boil about three minutes.
Casserole of Squirrel
2 gray squirrels cleaned and il cupfnls celery, diced
disjointed I cupful diced tart apple
1 cupful brown or uncoated Salt and pepper
rice Flour
2 green peppers, minced
Roll the squirrel sections in the flour, and lay in the
casserole; sprinkle with salt and pepper and lay on the
rice and some of the vegetables and apple. Continue in
this way until all is used, cover with boiling water, and
bake gently until the meat is tender, renewing the water
occasionally as is necessary. The exact length of time
cannot be given, as it depends upon the age of the squir-
rel.
Pheasant with Oysters
2^ cupfuls cold, cooked 3 tablespoonfuls flour
pheasant, diced 3 tablespoonfuls butter
i tablespoonful minced 2 cupfuls cream or rich milk
green pepper Salt and pepper to taste
i pint small oysters, steamed
Fry the green pepper in the butter, gently, until soft,
then add the flour, seasonings, and gradually the cream
to make a sauce. Stir in the pheasant, add the oysters
and serve on buttered toast, with boiled brown or wild
rice.
Kabbit Pie
i large rabbit Boiling stock
i cupful minced onion Mace, salt and pepper
i cupful minced celery 2 tablespoonfuls drippings
Flour Short biscuit crust
Dress the rabbit (see Woodchuck, Clover Style) and
boil until tender in salted water containing a little vine-
gar. Then drain and roll in as much flour as it will take
up. Melt the drippings in a frying pan, add the onion
and celery and brown the meat. Add stock barely to
cover; season to taste with mace, salt and pepper and
pour into a well-oiled baking dish. Cut the crust in
rounds, set in the boiling liquid and bake until the crust is
'done about twenty-five minutes.
MEATS 379
Hasenpeffer
Dissect a large rabbit (see Woodchuck, Clover Style) ;
wash well and put it in a crock with i^ cupfuls sliced
onions, ij teaspoonfuls salt, teaspoonful pepper and 3
teaspoon fuls pickle spice. Cover with weak vinegar and
let stand three days in a cool place. Then drain, add water
barely to cover and simmer until tender. Rub together
a tablespoonful of flour and a tablespoonful of butter or
drippings for each cupful of liquid and thicken the meat
with it. Add a dash of sharp vinegar and more season-
ings if necessary.
Sometimes the flour is omitted and the mixture is
thickened with crumbled gingersnaps.
LEFT-OVER MEATS
Hash
Chop the meat fine, but do not put it through the food
chopper ; add half as much chopped cold, cooked potato
and a tablespoonful of sraped onion to each two cupfuls
of the hash mixture. Season to taste with salt and pep-
per and moisten with milk or gravy. Turn the mixture
into a heated frying pan containing sufficient melted drip-
pings to prevent sticking. Press down flat and cook
slowly until browned on the bottom. Fold over like an
omelet for serving.
Hash Timbales
Generously oil timbale moulds, or custard cups, with
savory drippings, then dust them thickly with fine, dry
bread crumbs. Pack in hash prepared according to the
preceding recipe, dust with crumbs and bake twenty min-
utes in a hot oven. Tip out on a hot platter and serve
surrounded with tomato sauce.
Baked Ham Hash
ij cupfuls chopped ham 4 tablespoonfuls chopped
2 cupfuls chopped cooked green peppers
potato 2 cupfuls milk
2 cupfuls chopped celery Salt and pepper
2 tablespoonfuls chopped
onion
380 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Mix all the ingredients together and turn into a frying
pan containing a tablespoonful of melted fat. Cover
and bake for half an hour in a moderate oven. Then
fold, as in making an omelet, and serve plain, or with a
tomato or cream sauce.
Beef and Tomato Pie
4 cupfuls chopped cooked Onion juice to season
beef Mashed potatoes
I pint well-seasoned stewed Dry bread crumbs (white
tomatoes or whole wheat)
Oil a baking dish with savory drippings, put in a layer
of the tomato mixed with the onion juice, then a few
crumbs and then a layer of meat. Continue in this way
until all is used ; then pile on the potato, roughly. Brush
with milk and cook in a moderate oven for thirty min-
utes.
Beef -Balls with Rice
3 cupfuls cooked beef, teaspoonful salt
minced Few grains pepper
1 cupfuls soft bread crumbs i egg
cupful gravy or stock \ teaspoonful onion juice
Cook the crumbs and gravy until pasty; combine all the
ingredients, let chill, form into balls, roll in flour and
brown in beef drippings. Serve on a bed of boiled
brown or uncoated rice, with tomato sauce.
Creamed Corned Beef
2 cupfuls diced corned beef 2'i tablespoonfuls flour
2 cupfuls milk Stalk celery
2 tablespoonfuls butter or I slice onion
drippings \ teaspoonful pepper
I teaspoonful salt
Scald the milk with the celery and onion. Remove the
vegetables, rub the flour and fat together and thicken the
milk. Add the meat and seasonings, re-heat and serve
on toast. A cupful of peas is an addition.
Escalloped Corned Beef
3 cupfuls coarsely-chopped \ cupful flour
corned beef 2? cupfuls milk
i chopped onion i teaspoonful salt
i cupful chopped celery Few grains mustard
3 tablespoonfuls butter or \ cupful buttered dry bread
drippings crumbs
MEATS 381
Fry the onions and celery in the butter till softened;
stir in the flour and seasonings and gradually add the
milk to make a sauce. Combine with the corned beef,
transfer to a well-oiled baking dish, cover with the
crumbs and bake until browned in a moderate oven.
Creamed Tongue
2j cupfuls diced, cooked I teaspoonful onion juice
tongue i teaspoonful lemon juice
2 tablespoonfuls minced pi- 2 cupfuls milk
mentoes -| teaspoonful salt
2- tablespoonfuls flour H teaspoonful pepper
2 tablespoonfuls butter or
oleomargarine
Melt the butter, add the pimentoes, and, when softened,
the flour, seasonings and, gradually, the milk. Add the
meat. Let stand over hot water till very hot, then serve
in a border of boiled brown or uncoated rice.
Casserole of Pork Roast
6 cupfuls cold pork, cubed i teaspoonful Worcester-
2 onions shire sauce
1 pint stewed tomatoes 2 teaspoonfuls sugar
2 cupfuls cooked brown or Boiling water
uncoated rice
Cut the onions fine. Add the pork, tomatoes, rice and
seasonings and cover with boiling water. Stew for a few
minutes, turn into a casserole, cover and bake one and
one-half hours in a slow oven.
Veal in Ramekins
1 pint cooked veal, cut in 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
cubes oleomargarine
2 cupfuls cooked celery, cut Bay leaf
in cubes Grating of lemon rind
1 cupful celery stock i tablespoonful tomato
ii cupfuls milk catsup
Few drops onion juice Buttered crumbs
2 tablespoonfuls flour Salt and pepper
Scald the bay leaf and lemon rind with the milk.
Cook the celery till tender, and add J cupful of the liquor
to the milk. Make a white sauce of this with the butter
and flour. Add the celery, meat and seasonings. Pour
into well-oiled ramekins, cover with buttered crumbs, and
bake till brown.
382 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Rechauffe of Veal
3 to 4 cupfuls diced cold veal \ cupful canned tomato
3 cupfuls stock or half gravy juice
and water i teaspoonful onion juice
4 tablespoonfuls flour Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoonfuls butter or
drippings
Melt the butter, stir 'in the flour, gradually, then the
stock and tomato. Add the veal, and the onion juice and
seasonings. Let stand to become very hot and serve on
split baking powder biscuits, or in a border of boiled
brown or uncoated rice.
Forcemeat-Balls
i cupful cooked veal, pound- I teaspoonful minced pars-
ed ley
3 tablespoonfuls cream or i teaspoonful minced shallot
melted butter 2 hard-cooked egg yolks
1 cupful fine soft crumbs i egg white
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the crumbs in the cream till smooth. Add to
the pounded veal with the other seasonings and the egg
yolks, make into little balls, roll in slightly-beaten egg
white and poach in boiling, salted water. Calves' brains
blanched and boiled as sweetbreads may be used in place
of the veal. Serve in soup.
Liver Terrapin
2 cupfuls cooked liver, either i teaspoonful minced pars-
fried or boiled ley
2 tablespoonfuls butter i hard-cooked egg
! teaspoonful salt i tablespoonful flour
i teaspoonful poultry season- teaspoonful paprika
ing i teaspoonful mustard
i cupful chopped olives i cupful liver stock
i teaspoonful lemon juice
Rub the egg yolk smooth with the butter, flour and
seasonings, add the hot stock, let boil up once, and add
the liver cut in one-quarter inch cubes, the chopped olives,
parsley and lemon juice. Pour into ramekins, cover
with buttered crumbs and bake until brown. Garnish
with parsley, and egg whites cut in rounds.
MEATS 383
Liver in a Potato or Rice Border
Prepare liver terrapin, as in the preceding recipe. In-
stead of baking it in ramekins, pour the liver in the
sauce into a border of mashed potato, or boiled brown
or uncoated rice, or boiled hominy.
Rice and Meat Loaf
2 cupfuls any chopped cooked 3 tablespoonfuls butter or
meat drippings
cupful stock or gravy zk cupfuls cold, boiled,
3 tablespoonfuls flour brown or uncoated rice
Seasonings to taste
Add the stock to the meat, heat and thicken with the
fat and flour rubbed together. Season to taste. Oil a
bread pan, thoroughly, line it with the rice, packing it in
tight, press in the meat and cover with the rice. Set in
the oven and bake until firm about thirty minutes.
Serve with tomato sauce.
Minced Lamb or Mutton with Tomato
3 to 4 cupfuls minced mutton 3 tablespoonfuls flour
2 cupfuls canned tomatoes I teaspoonful sugar
1 cupful gravy, stock, or Salt and pepper to taste
boiling water
Mix the meat, flour, salt, pepper and sugar. Add the
tomato and gravy and let come to a boil. Pour into a
well-oiled baking dish and cover with buttered crumbs,
or flakes, and dot with butter. Bake thirty minutes in a
moderate oven.
Chop Suey
\\ cupfuls diced cooked veal i tablespoonful sugar, cara-
or pork melized
8 medium-sized onions, i tablespoonful olive oil
chopped i pint meat broth
2 cupfuls chopped celery i cupful uncoated rice, boiled
4 sweet peppers, chopped i cupful soy sauce
Salt to taste
Combine the caramelized sugar, meat, vegetables, olive
oil and broth and simmer until the vegetables are tender,
and the mixture is thick ; then stir in the boiled rice and
the soy sauce, taste the mixture and add salt as needed.
If the pork is fat, the olive oil may be omitted.
384 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Turkey Trot
2 cupfuls turkey meat, cut in ij tablespoonfuls butter
dice i cupful mushrooms
2 cupfuls brown soup stock, 2 tablespoonfuls sliced olives
or gravy Grated rind i lemon
2 cloves \ teaspoonful Worcestershire
4 peppercorns sauce
2 tablespoonfuls flour Salt and pepper to taste
Brown the mushrooms in the butter, add the flour,
peppercorns and cloves and, gradually, the soup stock.
Let boil up, add the olives, lemon rind and Worcester-
shire ; turn in the meat and let stand ten minutes over hot
water to season. Add salt and pepper as needed. Serve
on toast.
Chicken Wiggle
2 cupfuls rich milk ij cupfuls diced cooked
2 tablespoonfuls butter chicken
$ cupful peas cupful boiled brown or
1 teaspoonful salt uncoated rice
Buttered toast \ teaspoonful pepper
2 tablespoonfuls flour
Melt the butter, add the flour and seasonings and,
gradually, the milk to make a sauce. Let boil, stirring
constantly, and add the other ingredients. Stand over
hot water to become well heated and serve on hot but-
tered toast.
Individual Italian Chicken Pies
Butter individual chicken-pie dishes ; fill with alternat-
ing layers of cooked chicken and cooked ham with an oc-
casional sprinkling of chopped cooked pimento. Moisten
well with chicken gravy. Cut rounds of soft bread to fit
the baking dishes, butter them, lay a slice over the chicken
mixture, and sprinkle thickly with grated cheese. Bake
till brown in a moderate oven.
Chicken Loaf
3 cupfuls minced cooked i teaspoonful minced parsley
chicken \ teaspoonful onion juice
i cupful soft bread crumbs 3 eggs
\ cupful milk 2 tablespoonfuls melted but-
I teaspoonful salt ter
i teaspoonful pepper
Cook the crumbs in the milk till pasty. Add to the
MEATS 385
chicken with the seasonings, butter and parsley. Sepa-
rate the eggs, beat the yolks light, add to the chicken and
then fold in the egg whites, beaten stiff. Turn into a
well-oiled, buttered mould and set in a pan of hot water;
bake until firm (forty-five minutes) in a moderate oven.
Serve hot with creamed peas, asparagus, or Bechamel
sauce, or cold and sliced.
Minced Chicken, Italian
3 cupfuls diced cooked f cupful mushrooms cut in
chicken quarters or left whole
4 teaspoonful onion juice 4 tablespoonfuls flour
2 cupfuls canned tomato I teaspoonful salt
juice H teaspoonful pepper
4 tablespoonfuls butter or Few grains paprika
oleomargarine
If fresh mushrooms are used, separate the caps from
the stems, and cut the stems in pieces. Saute (fry) the
caps in butter, adding salt and pepper and a dash of nut-
meg; then remove to keep warm. Add the stems and fry
five minutes in the butter, add the onion, flour and sea-
sonings, and gradually the tomato. Let boil, turn in the
chicken and, after becoming very hot, serve on toast with
the mushroom caps as a garnish.
Chicken Savory
ii cupfuls diced, cooked i teaspoonful parsley
chicken i cupful chopped mushrooms
2 tablespoonfuls butter or ij cupfuls brown stock
savory drippings i tablespoonful ham
3 tablespoonfuls flour 2 tablespoonfuls carrot
1 teaspoonful salt i teaspoonful minced onion
Few grains pepper 2 cloves
Melt the butter, and add the vegetables and flour. Cook
until brown, then add the stock, and boil till the vege-
tables are tender. Strain and add the chicken meat.
Serve in Swedish timbales or bread croustades.
Chicken Klopps
2 cupfuls cold chicken, i teaspoonful chopped pars-
chopped fine ley
1 teaspoonful celery salt 3 eggs unbeaten or
i teaspoonful onion juice 4 egg whites
Buttered toast
386 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Mix the ingredients in the order given. Form into
round balls and poach in water just at simmering point.
When firm, remove the klopps to the toast and serve with
Bechamel or mushroom sauce.
Creamed Chicken with Asparagus
2 cupfuls diced cooked 4 teaspoonful pepper
chicken 2 cupfuls light cream
i cupful asparagus tips 2 tablespoonfuls flour
i teaspoonful salt 2 tablespoonfuls butter
Make a white sauce of the butter, flour, cream, pepper
and salt. When boiling, stir in the chicken and aspara-
gus, and, when very hot, serve in timbale cases, on toast,
in croustades, or in pattie shells.
Chicken and Celery in Rolls
is cupfuls diced cooked \ tablespoonful flour
chicken I tablespoonful butter
cupful cooked diced celery i egg yolk
1 cupful cream i teaspoonful salt
Dash paprika Vienna rolls
Make a sauce of the flour, butter and cream. Add
the seasonings and turn in the chicken and celery. Pour
onto the egg yolk well beaten, and set over hot water to
thicken (about two minutes) ; serve in the rolls, heated,
and hollowed to represent boxes. Take the crumbs that
are removed and fry them in butter. Serve with the
chicken.
Chicken a la Martin
2 cupfuls cooked chicken, i teaspoonful pepper
diced 3 tablespoonfuls flour
i cupful small oysters, 2 cupfuls light cream or rich
steamed and halved milk
I tablespoonful green pep- i teaspoonfnl salt
per, minced \ cupful minced celery
i cupful butter or oleomar- Buttered toast
garine
Cook the celery and green pepper in the butter, till
softened. Stir in the flour, and add the cream to make
a sauce. Let boil, season, and add the chicken. Just
before serving stir in the oysters and serve on buttered
toast.
MEATS 387
Chicken a la King
4 tablespoon fuls butter 24 cupfuls chicken, diced
3 tablespoonfuls flour I teaspoonful salt
3 tablespoonfuls minced 2 cupfuls light cream
green pepper 2 can mushrooms
j tablespoonful minced pi- Few grains paprika
mentoes Buttered toast
Melt the butter, and cook the peppers in it till soft;
then stir in the flour and seasonings. Gradually add the
cream, stirring constantly. When it has reached the
boiling point, set over hot water and add the chicken and
mushrooms. Serve on hot buttered toast.
CHAPTER XIII
SAVORY SAUCES
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL
There are three types of sauces which are essential to
good cookery, the most common being white sauce, which
is made thin, medium thick, or thick according to one's
liking. The second is brown sauce, made with soup
stock and often, reinforced by vegetable puree, or sifted
vegetable-pulp and juice. The third type consists of a
foundation sauce made according to the formula for
either white or brown sauce, and further thickened and
enriched by egg yolks. Occasionally it is advisable to
omit the milk in making a white sauce and substitute
water, and an extra amount of butter, as in making
drawn butter sauce. Again, a dish may demand a tart
sauce when capers or pickled nasturtium seeds may be
added to the drawn butter sauce, as for fish or boiled
lamb. Sometimes a dish will be greatly enhanced by the
addition of a sauce made with chicken- or veal-stock ac-
cording to the formula of white sauce.
White Sauce
White sauce may be made according to three different
methods, although I use but one and find it quicker, and, ii
the directions are carefully carried out, it combines the
advantages of the other two methods. It should never
be necessary to strain white sauce. If lumpy, careless-
ness in the making is the cause. It is a great saving ot
time to make the sauce without lumps, and without heat-
ing the milk- in a- separate utensil, as the process is not
only shortened, but the time of washing a strainer and
a separate saucepan is saved.
The following are the formulas for the three kinds of
white sauces, all being made in the same way.
388
SAVORY SAUCES 389
Thin White Sauce No. 1
For use in creaming vegetables.
i tablespoonful butter Few grains pepper
i tablespoonful flour I cupful milk
1 teaspoonful salt
Medium Thick White Sauce No. 2
For use in creaming meats, fish, eggs, in making
creamed vegetable sauces for meats, and in certain scal-
loped dishes :
2. tablespoonfuls butter Few grains pepper
2 tablespoonfuls flour i cupful milk
i teaspoonful salt
Thick White Sauce No. 3
For use in binding together croquettes, certain scal-
loped dishes and fish and meat loaves.
4 tablespoonfuls butter i teaspoonful pepper
cupful flour I cupful milk
1 teaspoonful salt
Barely melt the butter in a smooth saucepan or double
boiler top. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour
and seasonings, preferably with a wire whisk. Then re-
turn to the heat and add the cold liquid a little at a time,
stirring all the while. Be sure that the sauce thickens
with each addition of liquid before adding any more;
otherwise, it is liable to be lumpy. Let come to a boil
and then set over hot water for ten minutes. If the ar-
ticle to be creamed is added at this time, the whole will
become thoroughly hot at the end of the ten minutes.
Therefore this final cooking is not a waste of time.
In making thick sauce, ^chicken- or veal-stock, or half
milk and half oyster liquor, may be substituted, according
to the intended usage. Cream sauce may be made by
substituting thin cream for the milk in any of the for-
mulas. Be careful not to heat the butter too hot or it
will break up. This is Why it should be removed from
the fire when the flour is added. However, in order to
cook the flour thoroughly, it is necessary to let the sauce
stand over boiling water for the ten minutes as directed.
Oleomargarine may be substituted for the butter if de-
sired. In this case, increase the amount of salt a little.
Or, use half oleomargarine and half butter.
390 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Brown Sauce
Brown sauce is used whenever it is advisable to add to
a dish a combination of seasonings that are not very deli-
cate. Many authorities assert that in making brown
sauce the butter or other fat and the flour should be
heated until very brown, and that the stock should be
added just as the milk is poured in when making white
sauce. However, I do not find this method satisfactory
or advisable, for the fat must always be heated to de-
composing point, which makes it hard to digest. A much
better plan is to keep on hand a small quantity of browned
flour. To prepare this, spread the flour in a shallow pan
and let it stand in a slow oven until the edges begin to
turn a reddish-brown tint. Stir this, and continue heat-
ing until the whole is of a reddish-brown color. This
not only assists in coloring the sauce, but also gives a rich
nutty flavor.
The proportions to be observed in making brown sauce
are the same as those for making white sauce with this
exception : in making a thin brown sauce use a tablespoon-
ful and a half of the browned flour to a tablespoonful of
fat and a cupful of well-seasoned brown soup stock.
When the sauce is done, add not more than three drops
of " Kitchen Bouquet " to a cupful of soup stock to give
it more color if desired.
If a vegetable flavor, such as onion or celery, is to be
added to the sauce, it may be done in two ways. In the
case of the white sauce, it is preferable to add onion in
the form of onion juice (not onion extract), or if this is
not desirable, add half an onion to the sauce when the milk
is partly in, and remove it just before serving. Celery
tips may be used in the same way. The second method
of adding vegetables should preferably be used only in
making brown sauce, and when the fat used is other than
butter. The vegetables should then be fried gently in
the fat until almost tender. Then the other ingredients
should be added according to the directions given.
The following suggestions give the proportions of in-
gredients, and the uses for various modified sauces,
based upon the general directions for the white and
brown sauces already described.
SAVORY SAUCES 391
Bechamel Sauce
4 tablespoonfuls butter i cupful cream
4 tablespoonfuls flour Salt and pepper to taste
i cupful chicken stock
Use with chicken timbales, boiled mushrooms, savory
rice croquettes, and the like.
Yellow Bechamel Sauce
Make according to above directions and stir in just
before serving two egg yolks diluted with two table-
spoonfuls of cream. Use with rice timbales, sliced
breast of chicken, panned oysters, cauliflower, and so on.
Bechamel Sauce with Mushrooms
ii cupfuls brown or chicken \ tablespoonful minced
stock onion or
4 tablespoonfuls flour i teaspoonful onion juice
4 tablespoonfuls butter cupful cut mushrooms
1 cupful cream
Saute (fry) the mushrooms and onions in butter until
softened (about five minutes). Then add the flour and,
gradually, the stock. Let boil hard ; add the cream, sea-
son and serve.
Drawn Butter Sauce
4 tablespoonfuls butter 1 teaspoonful salt
2 tablespoonfuls flour Few grains pepper
i cupful boiling water
Use with fish or asparagus.
Caper Sauce
Make drawn butter sauce, and add J cupful capers
with their liquor, or the same quantity of pickled nas-
turtium seeds. Use with fish or lamb.
Brown Mushroom Sauce
4 tablespoonfuls fat 3 drops Kitchen Bouquet
4 tablespoonfuls flour \ cupful sauted mushrooms
1 tablespoonful onion juice Salt and pepper to taste
2 cupfuls brown soup stock
Use with steak or re-heated beef.
Horseradish Sauce
Add one-quarter cupful grated horseradish, one tea-
392 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
spoonful powdered sugar, one-fourth teaspoonful mus-
tard,- and a tablespoonful of vinegar to one cupful of
brown sauce. Use with beef, ham or tongue.
Tomato Sauce
4 tablespoonfuls drippings i cupful sifted canned to-
or bacon fat matoes
| teaspoonful mixed pickle i cupful brown soup stock
spice 4 tablespoonfuls flour
1 teaspoonful sugar
Tie the spice in a bit of cheesecloth and remove before
serving.
Olive Sauce
2 cupfuls rich brown stock i teaspoonful minced onion
2 tablespoonfuls butter or i clove
other fat Salt and pepper
2-J tablespoonfuls flour 6 tablespoonfuls stuffed
Bit of bay leaf olives (sliced)
Melt the butter, add the onion, bay leaf and clove, and
cook till the onion is soft. Remove the bay leaf and
clove, add the flour slowly, then, gradually, the stock.
Let boil up. Add the olives and let become very hot.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Brown Olive Sauce
ij cupfuls brown stock 1 teaspoonful Worcester-
3 tablespoonfuls butter or shire sauce
drippings Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoonfuls browned i cupful sliced stuffed olives
flour
Melt the butter. When browned, stir in the flour.
Then add the stock gradually. Let boil, add the Wor-
cestershire, seasonings and the olives and serve very hot.
Spanish Sauce
i tablespoonful butter or i teaspoonful salt
drippings i teaspoonful pepper
ii tablespoonfuls flour i tablespoonful capers
i tablespoonful chopped ii cupfuls stewed and strain-
onion ed tomatoes
i tablespoonful chopped pep-
pers
Melt the butter, add the peppers and onion and cook
until light yellow. Then stir in the flour and add the
SAVORY SAUCES 393
tomato gradually. Let boil up once, add the seasonings
and capers and serve. A few chopped mushrooms are
an addition.
Celery Sauce for Chicken Fricassee
2 tablespoonfuls flour i teaspoonful minced parsley
2 tablespoonfuls butter I cupful cream or milk
i cupful chicken liquor 1 teaspoonful salt
i cupful minced celery Few grains pepper
1 cupful celery liquor
Melt the butter, add the flour and stir constantly for
three minutes; add the chicken liquor, celery liquor, and
the cream or milk heated. Cook ten minutes, and add
the minced celery, parsley and seasonings.
Green Pepper Sauce
3 green peppers 2 cupfuls milk
4 tablespoonfuls butter Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoonfuls flour
Chop the peppers fine, then fry in the butter till
softened. Add the flour and gradually the milk. Sea-
son to taste.
Egg Sauce
2 tablespoonfuls butter 3 tablespoonfuls flour
1 teaspoonful salt I teaspoonful pepper
i| cupfuls hot water I teaspoonful minced parsley
2 teaspoonfuls capers i teaspconful lemon juice
2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
Melt the butter, add the flour and seasonings and,
gradually, the hot water. Let boil up once ; add the
eggs, capers, lemon juice and parsley and serve very hot.
Asparagus Sauce
4 hard-cooked egg yolks 4 cupful creamed butter
i teaspoonful salt i teaspoonfuls lemon juice
Dash pepper
Mash the yolks, add the seasonings, and enough butter
to make it creamy. Spread over the stalks when the heat
will melt it sufficiently to cover thoroughly.
Grape Juice Sauce (For Planked Ham)
Reserve some of the liquor in which the ham was
baked there should be one cupful. Add ^ cupful
394 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
grape juice and a cupful halved raisins, bring to boiling
point and thicken with 2 tablespoonfuls of corn starch
dissolved in a little cold water.
Creole Sauce
2 tablespoonfuls minced 2 tablespoonfuls dried mush-
onion rooms
3 tablespoonfuls minced 6 stuffed olives
green pepper i cupful brown stock
2 tablespoonfuls butter or Salt and pepper to taste
savory drippings 2 tablespoonfuls flour
1 cupful canned tomato
j uice
Cook the onion and pepper with' the fat for five min-
utes. Add the flour and, when blended, the tomato and
stock. Add the mushrooms, which should be soaked
and chopped, and let boil five minutes. Stir in the olives
and season highly to taste.
German Parsley Sauce
J cupful melted butter i tablespoonful vinegar
2 tablespoonfuls minced pars-
l *y
Mix in the order given and serve very hot on potatoes.
Parsley Sauce for Fish
4 tablespoonfuls melted but- I cupful boiling water
ter 2 tablespoonfuls vinegar
i tablespoonful corn starch Few grains salt and pepper
4 tablespoonfuls minced pars-
ley
Melt the butter, stir in the corn starch and gradually
add the vinegar and the boiling water. Season and, just
before serving, stir in the parsley.
Oyster Sauce
i pint oysters i lemon
1 teaspoonful mace i cupful cream
3 tablespoonfuls flour Few grains salt and pepper
2 tablespoonfuls butter
Wash the oysters and steam them ; remove the muscles,
and cut the oysters in quarters. Melt the butter, add
the flour and mace and, gradually, the cream. Let boil
SAVORY SAUCES 395
up. Add the oysters with the lemon juice and a little
salt and pepper. Serve without re-heating.
Shrimp Sauce
Substitute halved cooked shrimps for oysters in the
preceding recipe.
Mint Sauce
1 cupful finely-chopped mint i tablespoonful powdered
leaves sugar
i cupful vinegar
Add the sugar to the vinegar; when dissolved, pour
over the mint and let stand thirty minutes in a warm
place to infuse.
Nut Sauce
1 tablespoonful butter Few grains pepper
2 tablespoonfuls peanut but- i| cupfuls soup stock
ter 1 cupful chopped nut meats
ii tablespoonfuls flour ^ teaspoonful salt (if needed)
Melt the butter, add the peanut butter, and, when soft,
add the flour, then the stock, stirring constantly. Let
boil up once, add the seasonings and nut meats, and
serve.
Mousseline Sauce
8 tablespoonfuls butter 2\ tablespoonfuls lemon juice
3 egg yolks \ teaspoonful salt
i cupful heavy cream Few grains paprika
Cream four tablespoonfuls of the butter, beating the
egg yolks in thoroughly, one at a time. Add the cream,
salt and pepper, set over hot water and cook until it
thickens, stirring constantly. Then beat in the lemon
juice and the rest of the butter in small pieces, using a
wire whisk. Do not re-heat.
Cheese Sauce
3 tablespoonfuls butter 2 cupfuls milk
4 tablespoonfuls flour i cupful chopped cheese
Few grains cayenne i teaspoonful salt
i teaspoonful mustard
Melt the butter, add the flour, and then the milk and
seasonings. When boiling, add the cheese, and cook till
it is melted.
396 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Flemish Sauce
$ cupful minced carrot I teaspoonful peppercorns
2 tablespoonfuls butter ii cupfuls soup stock
2 tablespoonfuls flour i cupful cream
I tablespoonful minced onion i tablespoonful cucumber
I tablespoonful minced pars- pickle
ley \ tablespoonful horseradish
4- teaspoonful mace
Simmer the carrots thirty minutes. Then melt the
butter, add the flour, stirring constantly, the onion, mace,
peppercorns and stock. Boil gently for half an hour,
add the cream, re-heat and strain. Add the drained
carrots, the parsley, pickle and horseradish, and addi-
tional seasoning, if necessary, and serve hot.
Bread Sauce
I cupful fine soft bread I tablespoonful butter
crumbs ij cupfuls milk
i teaspoonful salt I slice onion
\ teaspoonful paprika 2 cloves
Put the crumbs, seasonings (the clove stuck in the
onion), and the milk together in a double boiler top.
Cook thirty minutes, remove the onion, add the butter
and beat well.
Hollandaise Sauce
1 cupful weak vinegar 4 egg yolks
2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice Salt and cayenne pepper to
I cupful chicken stock taste
i cupful butter
Bring the vinegar, lemon juice, chicken stock and but-
ter to boiling point. Pour onto the egg yolks, slightly-
beaten, set over hot water like a custard and stir until as
thick as mayonnaise, using a wire whisk. Season to
taste.
Sauce Tartare
I cupful mayonnaise % cupful minced chives, gher-
kins, parsley and capers
Combine and serve. Boiled salad dressing may be sub-
stituted for the mayonnaise.
CHAPTER XIV
POTATOES
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL
In selecting potatoes, choose those of regular shape,
medium size and with a smooth skin. A bushel of very
large or knobby potatoes will not yield as much edible
material as the same quantity of smaller ones, because
they do not pack in so closely. Potatoes should be stored
in a cool, dry place, although they must not be allowed
to freeze. When sprouts appear, they should be rubbed
off, as the starch of the potato is'their food the potato
or " tuber " being a storehouse of starch for the nurture
of the sprout.
Whereas the potato is a valuable food and has a most
important place in the menu, it is not adapted to muscle
growth, and, consequently, is not fitted to occupy the
place of importance in the diet. Potatoes are approxi-
mately made up of one-quarter starch, three-quarters
water, and cellulose or woody fiber, with a trace of min-
eral matter that these hold in suspension. They are also
especially rich in vitamins. In preparing them all of the
nourishment possible must be preserved. The two best
methods for accomplishing this are by baking or steam-
ing.
However potatoes are to be cooked, two rules must be
observed first, scrub them well ; second, do not break
the skin unless necessary to remove bad spots.
Baked Potatoes
A potato to be baked to perfection demands a hot oven
then the result will be mealy. An oven that is too cool
means a soggy, waxy potato that is indigestible.
In using a coal oven for this purpose put the potatoes
on the upper grate near the fire-box where the hot air can
circulate freely about them, or, better still, purchase a
397
398 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
potato rack so that they can be more easily removed.
Let them remain in the oven about forty-five minutes, or
until " mellow," when pressed with the fingers. In
using a gas oven the same rules must be observed, taking
care that the oven is not too hot. If the skins are liked
very soft, rub each potato lightly with butter, bacon fat
or oleomargarine before baking. When done, remove at
once from the oven for just as long as they stand the
steam is re-condensing and making them soggy break
open the top of each potato with a fork to let the steam
escape, and serve wrapped in a napkin in a vegetable
dish.
Baked Potatoes, Rocky Mountain Style
Bake large potatoes according to the preceding direc-
tions. Slit lengthwise and crosswise of the potato, as in
making a Maltese cross ; lay open, dust the pulp with
salt and plenty of paprika and insert a cube of butter,
mixing the seasonings with the potato in the shell.
Baked Stuffed Potatoes
Select large shapely potatoes, scrub well and bake.
Cut in halves lengthwise, scoop out the pulp, mash, sea-
son with salt, butter and cream, and then re-fill the skins.
Brown in a quick oven.
Adolph's Stuffed Potatoes with Ham
Select good-sized potatoes. Bake until mealy, then cut
a thin slice lengthwise from the top and scoop out the
pulp ; for the contents of every six potatoes allow J cup-
ful minced ham, I teaspoonful parsley (minced), 2 table-
spoonfuls cream, I teaspoonful salt, -J teaspoonful pep-
per, 2 well-beaten eggs and 2 tablespoonfuls butter.
Beat till fluffy, refill the skins and brown quickly in the
oven.
Steamed Potatoes
To steam potatoes, scrub well, leave the skins on, set
in a steamer top over boiling water, or simmering meat,
cover closely and cook about forty-five minutes for pota-
toes of medium size. The potato loses none of its nour-
ishment when cooked in this way.
BAKED POTATOES AND POTATO RACK
FRENCH FRYING POTATOES
POTATOES 399
Boiled Potatoes
When boiling potatoes it is better to leave the skins on,
as pared potatoes lose most of the mineral salts, which
lie near the surface. Old, or poor potatoes, however,
should be soaked an hour in cold water to freshen, and
then be pared very thinly. They should be dropped into
rapidly boiling salted water, partly covered, brought
quickly to boiling point again and be allowed to bubble
gently until tender when pierced with a metal skewer or
steel fork. If they are soft on the outside before the
centers are done, add a cup of cold water. This will
drive the heat inside and they will be tender throughout.
Drain at once, sprinkle lightly with salt, and shake gently
over heat till mealy.
New Potatoes with Creamed Eggs
Steam or boil new potatoes. Prepare two cupfuls of
white sauce, and add to it four chopped hard-cooked
eggs ; place the potatoes on a platter, pour the sauce over
and around them, and serve very hot.
Hungarian Potatoes
8 potatoes 2 tablespoonfuls drippings
2 small onions Paprika and salt
2 tablespoonfuls butter Boiling water
Pare and slice the potatoes. Slice the onions and fry in
the fat till soft and yellow. Then add the potatoes,
a dash of salt and paprika and barely cover with boiling
water. Simmer until they are tender, and the water has
boiled away. Then allow them to brown.
Buttered Potatoes
Pare the potatoes and cut them in fourths ; place in a
baking pan or casserole with a little water in the bottom,
pour over melted butter and bake till tender, basting oc-
casionally with the liquid. It will take about forty-five
minutes.
Potatoes O'Brien
3 cupfuls diced raw potatoes 3 tablespoonfuls diced green
I onion, minced pepper
i tablespoonful diced sweet Salt and pepper
red pepper
400 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Melt enough good cooking fat in a frying pan to barely
cover the bottom. Put in the onion and pepper and cook
gently for two or three minutes. Then add the potatoes
and fry slowly until browned on all sides. Drain on
crumpled paper, dust with salt and pepper and serve.
Mashed Potatoes
Steam or boil six large potatoes in salted water until
tender. Drain, remove the skins if they have been kept
on, dry the potatoes over heat by shaking vigorously, and
put them through a potato ricer. Add 2 tablespoonfuls
of butter, I teaspoonful salt, -J teaspoonful pepper and J
cupful of hot milk. Beat all together until creamy.
Serve hot.
Duchess Potatoes
3 cupfuls hot mashed pota- 2 well-beaten egg yolks
toes, well-whipped Hot milk
2 extra tablespoonfuls but-
ter
Add the butter and egg yolks to the mashed potatoes ;
then whip in enough hot milk to make the potatoes go
easily through a pastry tube. Shape as desired, brush-
ing over the mixture with a little beaten egg white
diluted with milk. Brown in a hot oven.
Browned Pimento Potato
3 cupfuls riced boiled pota- i* teaspoonfuls salt
toes i teaspoonful pepper
i cupful hot milk I pimento finely minced
4 tablespoonfuls butter
melted in milk
Put the ingredients together in the order given, and
beat till very light with a wire whisk ; place in a buttered
baking dish, brush over the top with beaten egg yolk and
brown in a quick oven.
Hash-Browned Potatoes
3 cupfuls cooked potatoes, 6 tablespoonfuls milk
chopped fine 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
I teaspoonful salt drippings
i teaspoonful pepper
Combine all the ingredients except the butter. Melt
the latter in a frying pan, add the potato mixture, and
POTATOES 401
smooth down, pressing it in shape. Cook for a moment
over a quick fire and then slowly for twenty minutes,
watching carefully that it does not burn. Then fold as
an omelet, pressing the parts together. Turn onto a
heated platter, and serve garnished with parsley and
bacon, if it is to serve as a substantial dish.
Hash-Browned Potatoes with Ham
3 cupfuls chopped potatoes i cupful milk
i cupful chopped ham Few grains salt and pepper
Mix together the potatoes, ham, milk and seasonings.
Put 3 tablespoonfuls of drippings into a frying pan, melt
and, when hot, pack in the potato mixture. Cover and
cook slowly until the milk is absorbed and the mixture
is brown on the bottom ; fold over and turn as an omelet.
Hash-Browned Potatoes with Nuts
Use the proportions included in Hash-Brow r ned Ham
Potatoes, substituting chopped peanuts for the ham.
Curried Potatoes
i small onion, peeled and is teaspoonfuls salt
sliced i teaspoonful curry powder
4 tablespoonfuls butter I tablespoonful lemon juice
6 cold boiled potatoes
Melt the butter in a frying pan; add the onion and
cook till yeltow and soft. Cut the potatoes in slices,
sprinkle with salt and the curry powder. Combine and
shake the pan till well mixed ; then cover and let simmer
ten minutes. Lastly, add lemon juice, mix well with a
fork, and serve very hot. Cooked macaroni may be sub-
stituted for the potatoes.
Potato Omelet
Prepare a quart of mashed potatoes (this takes about
10 medium-sized potatoes) and season well with:
3 tablespoonfuls butter or teaspoonful pepper
bacon fat \ cupful hot milk
i teaspoonful salt
Beat until verv light and fluffy, then spread smoothly
in a frying pan containing one tablespoonful of bacon fait
and cook until well browned. This will take about ten
402 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
minutes. Then fold, turn onto a hot platter, and serve
surrounded with bacon, creamed ham or dried beef.
Potato Puffs
Prepare 3 cupfuls of fluffy mashed potatoes. While
hot, form into balls with the hands and set on a well-oiled
cookie sheet. Beat an egg yolk slightly, add 2 table-
spoonfuls melted butter and brush over each ball.
Sprinkle with parsley and brown in a hot oven.
Potato Scones
ii cupfuls flour 2 teaspoonfuls baking pow-
i cupful butter or oleomar- der
garine i teaspoonful salt
I cupful mashed potato I egg
Sift together the dry ingredients, add the mashed
potato and rub the butter in lightly. Make a soft dough
by adding the egg well-beaten and a little milk if neces-
sary. Divide the dough into three parts and roll each
one into a round cake one-half inch thick. Cut cross-
wise into quarters and bake in a quick oven, or on a hot
griddle. Split and serve hot.
Potato Pancakes
i pound grated raw potatoes 1 teaspoonful baking powder
i finely-chopped raw onion i teaspoonful salt
i egg . A little pepper
i cupful flour
Drop by spoonfuls in hot fat, flattening with a spoon
and browning on each side.
French Fried Potatoes
Wash and pare small potatoes; cut in eighths length-
wise and soak one hour in cold water. Drain from the
water, dry on paper toweling or a cloth and fry in deep
fat hot enough to brown a bit of bread in one minute and
a half. Drain on plenty of crumpled paper, dust with
salt and serve at once.
Potato Straws
Wash, pare and cut potatoes in one-eighth inch slices ;
in turn cut these in one-eighth strips. Let stand one hour
POTATOES 403
in cold water. Drain, dry on paper towels or a cloth and
fry in deep fat hot enough to brown a bit of bread in one
minute. Drain on brown paper and sprinkle with salt.
Escalloped Potatoes
i quart sliced raw potatoes 4 tablespoonfuls butter or
Salt and pepper bacon fat
Flour Scalded milk, about 3 cupfuls
Oil a baking dish with butter or bacon fat and put in a
layer of potatoes; sprinkle with approximately I table-
spoonful of flour, J teaspoonful salt and a little pepper,
and dot with i tablespoonful butter or bacon fat. Re-
peat with a second layer of potatoes and so on until all
is used, and then pour over the hot milk, until it barely
shows through the potato slices. Cover, bake an hour
in a moderate oven and then finish uncovered. It will
take one and one-half hours.
Escalloped Potatoes with Bacon
Prepare escalloped potatoes according to the preced-
ing recipe, omitting the fat. Cut the rind from 6 slices
of bacon and let the bacon stand five minutes in boiling
water. Drain; then place the bacon strips on a rack
over the potatoes twenty minutes before the latter will be
cooked. The bacon fat will trickle into the potatoes.
Serve garnished with the bacon.
Escalloped Cooked Potatoes
I quart sliced cooked pota- 3 cupfuls White Sauce
toes No. 2
Put alternately in layers in a buttered baking dish and
bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven.
Escalloped Potatoes with Cheese
Add one cupful of highly flavored American cheese to
Escalloped Cooked Potatoes, sprinkling it between the
layers.
Lyonnaise Potatoes
3 cupfuls sliced, cold potatoes 4 tablespoonfuls butter, or
4 medium-sized onions other fat
i tablespoonful minced pars- Salt and pepper
ley (optional)
404 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Slice the onions and fry them, until yellowed, in the
fat. Then add the potatoes, dust with salt and pepper,
and cook gently until the fat has been absorbed. Sprin-
kle over the parsley, after the potatoes have been trans-
ferred to a serving dish.
Italian Lyonnaise Potatoes
2 cupfuls cold diced potatoes i cupful diced celery or cab-
2 tablespoonfuls sliced onion bage
2 tablespoonfuls green pep- f cupful tomato juice
per minced, if convenient i tablespoonful flour
2 tablespoonfuls butter
Fry the celery, pepper and onions in the butter until
yellow. Add the flour, and, gradually, the tomato to
make a sauce. Turn in the potato and let cook slowly
ten minutes in the oven. Season with salt and a little
pepper to taste.
French Potato Balls
Pare potatoes, cut out balls with a French vegetable
cutter, boil in salted water till tender, drain, roll in
minced parsley and serve.
Franconia Potatoes
Select potatoes of uniform size. Wash, pare thin,
and drop at once in cold water to prevent discoloration.
Place in a pan in which meat is roasting, and cook until
tender, about forty-five minutes, basting frequently with
the fat in the pan.
Quick Franconia Potatoes
Wash, peel and boil potatoes until tender. Place in a
frying pan with drippings or bacon fat, put in the oven
and brown all over by basting and turning frequently.
Potato Stew with Cheese
1.0 pared and sliced potatoes 2 quarts water
I cupful diced onions 3 tablespoonfuls flour
i pound salt pork I pint milk
i cupful diced celery Salt and pepper
cupful grated cheese
Cut the pork into thin strips and fry until it is browned.
Then add the onions and celery and cook until they are
POTATOES 405
softened; put a layer of potatoes into a soup kettle, and
add a layer of the pork mixture, alternating until all is
used. Add the water and simmer slowly for forty min-
utes. Then turn in the milk, scalded, and add the
thickening diluted with cold water. Let boil and season
to taste ; serve with a spoonful of grated cheese sprinkled
over each serving.
Creamed Potatoes
3 cupfuls cold cooked po- 2 tablespoonfuls butter
tatoes cut in dice 2 tablespoonfuls flour
2 cupfuls milk a teaspoonful salt
I teaspoonful onion juice teaspoonful pepper
(optional)
Make a white sauce of the butter, flour, seasonings and
milk ; add the potato, and let stand to become very hot.
Creamed Lyonnaise Potatoes
1 cupful milk 3 cupfuls cold cooked po-
2 tablespoonfuls flour tatoes, diced
2 tablespoonfuls drippings i teaspoonful salt
3 tablespoonfuls minced i teaspoonful pepper
onion
Fry the onion in the drippings till soft. Add the flour,
then the milk, seasonings arid potatoes. Turn into a
warm omelet pan containing two extra tablespoonfuls of
drippings, press down into shape and cook slowly till
golden brown on the bottom. Turn over and tip out on a
hot platter. Garnish with parsley.
Delmonico Potatoes
3 cupfuls diced potatotes 4 teaspoonful pepper
2' cupfuls milk 3 tablespoonfuls flour
I teaspoonful salt 3 tablespoonfuls butter
i cupful grated cheese
Make a white sauce of the butter, flour, milk and sea-
sonings. Add one-half of the cheese and the potatoes.
Pour into a buttered baking dish, sprinkle ' with the re-
maining cheese and dot with bits of butter. Brown in a
quick oven.
Delmonico Cream Roll Potatoes
3 cupfuls chopped cooked po- 4 tablespoonfuls butter or
tatoes other fat
I cupful white sauce, well-
seasoned
406 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Mix the white sauce with the potatoes. Melt the but-
ter in a frying pan, pack in the potatoes, cover and cook
slowly till all the white sauce has been absorbed. This
may be done in the oven, if convenient. Then brown
quickly on the bottom, fold or roll up, and turn onto a
hot platter.
Creamed Potatoes au Gratin
2 tablespoonfuls butter i teaspoonful salt
2 tablespoonfuls flour i teaspoonful pepper
2 cupfuls milk teaspoonful onion juice
1 teaspoonful minced parsley cupful buttered dry crumbs
2 cupfuls cold boiled pota-
toes, diced
Make a sauce of the butter, flour, seasonings and milk.
When it has boiled, add the parsley and potato and put
in a buttered baking dish or ramekins. Cover with but-
tered crumbs, and set in a quick oven to brown. Serve
garnished with parsley.
Boiled Sweet Potatoes
Wash and scrub the potatoes. Plunge into boiling
water and cook covered until soft, probably twenty-five
to thirty minutes. Never cook dry, woody sweet pota-
toes, as they are decayed.
Steamed Sweet Potatoes
Wash and scrub the potatoes. Steam until tender
about forty-five minutes.
French Fried Sweet Potatoes
Peel the potatoes, then cut into quarters and eighths.
Let stand an hour in cold salted water, then dry on paper
towels. Place in a frying basket and fry in deep fat hot
enough to brown a bit of bread in one and a half minutes.
Broiled Sweet Potatoes
Select well-shaped sweet potatoes and boil or steam
them as directed. Peel, cut in halves lengthwise and dip
in melted butter or other fat till well covered. Place in
a wire broiler and broil on each side over a moderate
heat till well browned. Serve on a hot dish covered with
a paper doily.
POTATOES 407
Browned Mashed Sweet Potatoes
3 cupfuls riced sweet pota- li teaspoonfuls salt
toes Pepper
i cupful butter
Beat well, place in a buttered baking dish and brown
in a quick oven.
Sugared Sweet Potatoes
2j cupfuls mashed sweet po- i tablespoonful sugar
tatoes i egg, well-beaten
i tablespoonful butter Extra butter and sugar
i teaspoonful salt
Butter a baking dish. Beat together the potatoes with
the butter, salt, sugar and egg and pile in the baking dish.
Dot with butter, sprinkle with sugar and bake until
brown in a moderate oven.
Sweet Potatoes with Bacon
Steam sweet potatoes until tender. Peel and place in
a dripping pan in a hot oven with one slice of bacon for
each potato. Cook until the bacon is crisp, and the
potatoes are slightly browned.
Sweet Potatoes Glace
Boil or steam sweet potatoes until tender. Peel and
cut in thick slices lengthwise. Place in a buttered pan,
cover with bits of butter, a thick sprinkling of brown
sugar, and a little cinnamon, and bake until a rich brown.
Maple Sweet Potatoes
Boil or steam long, narrow sweet potatoes in their
jackets. Remove the skins, then cut the potatoes in thin
crosswise slices and brown them quickly in deep fat.
Drain on crumpled paper, and transfer to a shallow bak-
ing dish; dust sparingly with salt and granulated sugar,
and pour over a little maple syrup. Heat quickly in the
oven and serve.
Sweet Potatoes With Peanuts
Cut boiled sweet potatoes into lengthwise slices. Lay
in a well-oiled dripping pan, or baking platter, cover
thickly with chopped roasted peanuts, pour over a little
melted butter and brown in a quick oven.
CHAPTER XV
VEGETABLES
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL
In the chapter on the Balanced Ration the importance
of vegetables in the diet has been explained. Every
family should use them freely, for they are vital for effi-
cient nutrition and good health. To understand the pos-
sibilities of vegetables in the menu and diet, it is neces-
sary mentally to classify them into six groups :
1. Meat Substitutes
2. Starchy Vegetables
3. Bulky Vegetables
4. Vegetables rich in Salts
5. Watery Vegetables
6. Esthetic Vegetables
The group of legumes belongs under the first heading
and includes beans, peas and lentils. Whereas the dried
seeds are a most valuable meat substitute and an all-year
food, the fresh pods or dried fresh pods are no richer in
protein than any other vegetable. Under " starchy vege-
tables " we find the cereals, the two most frequently used
being corn and rice. Polished rice should never be used,
as it is coated with talc. Both it and uncoated rice are al-
most entirely starch, containing only a small amount of
protein, fat and mineral matter. For this reason it should
serve as an accompaniment to meats or other proteins or
as a cereal. Brown rice, on the other hand, contains all of
the grain, and, like home-ground cornmeal, is a splendid
food in itself. The potato should be mentioned here as
a specific example of the starchy vegetable. The sweet
potato is also included in this group.
Asparagus, carrots, spinach, salsify, cabbage, romaine,
beets, swiss chard and dandelion greens and celery are
all bulky vegetables, particularly suitable to use with a
menu of concentrated foods like eggs, or cheese, for they
408
VEGETABLES 409
afford the necessary bulk to help on the intestinal action,
and consequently aid digestion.
This same list really includes the " vegetables rich in
salts " and to it may be added radishes, lettuce, cress,
endives, tomatoes, squash, egg plant and cucumbers,
which contain more or less mineral salts and a large per-
centage of water. Because of these two properties this
group is indispensable, as it affords direct salts to the
blood and water to bathe the body tissues. Under
esthetic vegetables may be grouped those which are essen-
tially used as seasonings, a trace giving a dish the sparkle
necessary to make it out of the ordinary. Radishes have
this property, so have parsley and watercress, but it is
most marked in the green or red pepper.
COMPOSITION OF VEGETABLES
A slight knowledge of the composition of vegetables is
of great help in their preparation. They are made up of
countless little cells, each containing a semi-fluid material
holding the sugar, protein, starch and salts in solution.
The layer next the skin is richest in salts. Knowing this
the thinking housewife will realize that vegetables must
be cooked in such a way as to retain the semi-fluid ma-
terial, and to keep in the salts. So she will always use
boiling water, which has the property of bursting the
starch grains immediately, so holding the nutriment in
the vegetable; preferably she does not pare them at all,
steaming them instead. As the plant grows older the cell
walls harden into woody fiber, necessitating longer cook-
ing, and as soon as the vegetables are taken from the
ground the water commences to evaporate, and they be-
come withered or shriveled, as the case may be.
To overcome this, it is necessary to put them into cold
water, so that they may re-absorb the moisture, remem-
bering that this treatment should be used only when
necessary, as every minute of soaking means a propor-
tionate loss of salts.
HOW TO COOK VEGETABLES
It has been said that " The secret of cooking vegetables
is the judicious production of flavor." If this statement
410 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
is amended to read " the judicious production and reten-
tion of flavor," the secret of the whole, wide field of
vegetable cookery is revealed. Unfortunately American
housewives know only too little about the preparation of
vegetables, their food value and utter deliciousness, and,
whereas the vegetable is easily cooked, it generally ap-
pears in a state of watery tameness and finds conse-
quent disfavor. No matter how the vegetable is to be
served, there are a few fundamental rules which underlie
the cookery.
All boiled vegetables should be started in boiling salted
water. This should be kept boiling rapidly for beans,
onions, cabbage, turnips, carrots, etc., but should be kept
at a gentle boil for cauliflower and asparagus both of
which are broken by too rapid boiling. Peas and as-
paragus contain a high percentage of sugar, so they
should be cooked in as little water as possible, the liquor
being the basis of a sauce to be served with them.
Salted water (a teaspoonful to each two quarts) is used
for all tender vegetables except potatoes, which should
be salted after draining, and shaken gently over the heat
to steam in the seasoning. Tough vegetables, like old
beans or peas, are improved by the addition of a little
baking soda. This makes them soft, but allows much of
the green coloring matter to cook out into the water, re-
sulting in a distasteful color.
All dried vegetables, like peas or lentils, should be
soaked over night to re-absorb the water lost through
evaporation, and this liquid should be discarded. Vege-
tables should always be cleaned before cooking, and, un-
less old, should never be pared. During the boiling
process the cover should be tilted to allow a circulation
of air, which insures' a better color and flavor. All
strong- juiced vegetables, like cabbage, cauliflower and
onions, should be cooked uncovered. This allows the
vapors to be dissipated rather than condensed, the odor
being largely dispelled, and, if a piece of wood charcoal
is put into the kettle, the flavors will be absorbed and all
disagreeable odors overcome. Occasionally vegetables
are so strong in flavor that it is desirable to " blanch "
them. To do this, start in cold water, bring to the boil-
VEGETABLES 4"
ing point, boil ten minutes, drain the water into the stock-
pot, and proceed as usual with fresh boiling water.
Although it is customary to boil vegetables, they may
be prepared in two other ways by steaming or baking.
To steam vegetables, scrub them well, cut out any soft
spots, and place in a steamer, or in a colander fitted over
a kettle and covered, and steam until tender. This takes
a little longer than it will to boil them, but they will be of
delicious flavor. This method can be used for onions,
potatoes, cabbage, corn, cauliflower, carrots, squash, tur-
nips, beets, etc. or the vegetables which are of firm tex-
ture. Many of this same group can be baked in the oven.
In this case set them in shallow pans, containing a little
water to prevent sticking. If vegetables are to be boiled,
use the smallest possible amount of water, and, if it is
not available for a sauce, turn it into the stock-pot. By
steaming, the loss in nutritive constituents is only one-
third as much as in boiling, and the proportion is the
same for baking.
As for seasonings there is nothing better than a
judicious amount of salt and pepper, with plenty of -but-
ter. A particularly good old-fashioned cook, noted for
her vegetable cookery, said, " I always use just as much
butter as I can afford, then turn my back and put in a
little more ! " But when the vegetable is to appear as
the principal dish of a meal, it must be dressed with a
more elaborate sauce, or combined with other foods into
a " hearty dish."
Whereas the vegetable has a clearly defined place in
every dietary, it must be remembered that it is not in
itself an adequate substitute for meat, and must be used
in combination with meat or meat substitutes, in order to
preserve the dietary balance. This does not necessarily
mean that the combination appear directly with' the vege-
table. It may be used in the salad, or any part of the
meal that is convenient.
The following menus illustrate this point :
Escalloped Asparagus Entire Wheat Bread and Buttei
Egg Salad, with Cream Cheese Dressing
Coffee Cream Cake Tea
The asparagus is the principal dish, yet it does not con
412
MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
tain the greatest nutriment ; approximately it gives
bulk and salts and has the property of filling the stom-
ach (known as the satisfying of hunger) ; the egg salad,
cheese, and the entire wheat bread contain the principal
protein of the meal, the cream cheese and butter much of
the fat, and the cake furnishes starch and sweet.
Another menu reads :
Rice, with Tomato Sauce and Baked Bacon
Lettuce Salad Entire Wheat Bread and Butter
Baked Custards Cookies
Generally speaking in this case the fat is supplied by
the bacon and butter, the bulk by the lettuce, the starch
by the bread and rice, and the protein by the bread and
egg and the custards.
Time Table for Cooking Vegetables
Boiling or Baking
Vegetables Steaming
Artichokes (French) 30 to 50 minutes
Artichokes '(Jerusalem) 40 to 50
Asparagus 20 to 30
Lima Beans 40 to 60
String Beans 45 to 60 "
New Beets 30 to 45 60 minutes
Brussels Sprouts 20 to 30
Cabbage 10 to 45
Carrots 20 to 30 40 minutes
Cauliflower 30 to 40
Celery 30 to 40
Celeriac 30 to 40
Corn 7 to 12 "
ICale, Spinach and Endive.... 30 ii hours
Cucumbers 30 i hour (stuffed)
Egg Plant 25 45 minutes
Onions 40 to 60 50 minutes to ii
Oyster Plant 60 hours
Okra 20 to 30
Parsnips 60 ii hours
Peas 20 to 30 '
Radishes : 30
Summer Squash 30 to 35
Winter Squash li hours 2 hours (in
shells)
Turnips 45 to 60 minutes
Tomatoes 15 to 20 " 30 minutes
VEGETABLES 413
Plain Fried Egg Plant
Pare the egg plant and cut it in slices one-fourth inch
thick. Season lightly with salt and pepper, egg and
crumb, as in making croquettes, and fry to a golden color
in fat hot enough to brown a bit of bread in one minute.
Fried Egg Plant, with Creamed Corn
Prepare the egg plant as directed in the preceding
recipe, and serve on a bed of creamed corn.
Mock Mushrooms
3 cupfuls egg plant cut in 4 i teaspoonful salt
inch cubes & teaspoonful pepper
ii cupfuls brown stock Few drops Worcestershire
Few grains nutmeg sauce
2 tablespoonfuls flour Few drops onion juice
2 tablespoonfuls butter
Plunge the egg plant into boiling, slightly-salted water
and cook till tender, about twenty minutes. Make a
brown sauce of the butter, flour, seasonings and the
stock. Drain the egg plant into the stock-pot, add to the
sauce and re-heat.
Stewed Egg Plant
3 cupfuls egg plant cut in ii tablespoonfuls minced sar-
cubes dines
3 tablespoonfuls butter, olive ii cupfuls canned tomato
oil or peanut oil juice
2 tablespoonfuls minced Salt and pepper to taste
onion I teaspoonful minced pars-
Juice and grated rind i lemon ley
Boil the egg plant cubes for twenty minutes. Drain,
add the butter and other ingredients, and simmer until
heated and slightly thickened. Serve very hot.
Stuffed Egg Plant
Cook a good-sized egg plant fifteen minutes in boiling,
salted water to cover. Cut a slice from the top and with
a spoon remove the pulp, taking care not to work too
close to the skin. Chop the pulp and add I cupful of
soft whole wheat bread crumbs. Melt 2 tablespoonfuls
butter, add ^ tablespoonful onion, chopped fine, and cook
five minutes; or use bacon or ham fat instead of butter.
414 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Add to the chopped pulp and bread, season with salt and
pepper, and, if necessary, moisten with a little stock;
cook five minutes, cool slightly and add one beaten egg.
Re-fill the egg plant, cover with buttered bread crumbs
and bake twenty-five minutes in a hot oven. A half cup-
ful of minced ham or a little cooked bacon may be added
if desired.
Baked Stuffed Onions
Remove the skins from the onions and parboil the lat-
ter thirty minutes in boiling salted water to cover. Use
the liquid for soup. Turn upside down to cool, and re-
move part of the centers. Fill the cavities with equal
parts of nuts, chopped fine, stale soft bread crumbs, and
the onion which has been removed, finely chopped, sea-
son with salt and pepper and moistened with cream or
melted butter and a little peanut butter. Place in a but-
tered, shallow baking pan ; sprinkle with buttered crumbs,
and bake in a moderate oven until the onions are soft.
Minced ham, cheese or tongue may be substituted for the
nuts. In this case omit the peanut butter.
Baked Onion Tomatoes
Select large, round tomatoes, and cut in halves cross-
wise. Dust with sage, salt and pepper, and place a large
thin slice of onion, cut crosswise, on each. Put a half
teaspoonful of butter, or savory drippings, on each and
bake in a moderate oven for thirty minutes. The pan
should have a little water in the bottom.
Onions a la Tripe
6 medium-sized Spanish 2 cupfuls White Sauce
onions No. 2
3 hard-cooked eggs, sliced Mashed potatoes, or boiled
3 tablespoonfuls butter, oleo- brown rice
margarine, or beef drip-
pings
Peel the onions, and cut them in one-fourth inch slices.
Fry these gently, until soft and yellowed, in the fat.
Season with salt and pepper. Add the white sauce, the
eggs, and let stand to become very hot. Pile the potatoes
or rice in the center of a chop dish or platter, and pour
the onion mixture over it*
VEGETABLES 415
Baked Onions
Slice Bermuda or Spanish onions about an inch thick ;
place in a casserole or baking dish and dust thickly with
flour ; season with salt and pepper and dot with butter or
bacon or ham drippings. Put a second layer on top, sea-
son and flour in the same way, and almost cover with
boiling water. Cover and cook gently, for an hour and a
half to two hours in a moderate oven. The resulting
sauce may be thinned with a little rich milk or cream, if
'desired, or the onions may be baked in a broth or brown
stock instead of water.
French Fried Onions
Peel large onions. Cut them in slices crosswise about
one-quarter of an inch thick. Then cut the slices so
that the onion will be in strings about three inches long.
Roll these strings in slightly-beaten egg white, diluted
with a fourth cupful of cold water to an egg white and
well-seasoned with salt and pepper, and then toss in fine,
dry bread crumbs. Plunge them in deep fat hot enough
to brown a bit of bread in a minute and cook until golden
brown. Then drain on crumpled paper.
Young 1 Onions in Cream Sauce
Cut off the tops of young onions about three inches
from the bulbs. Boil the onions gently in salted water
until tender, arrange on buttered toast, and pour over a
cream sauce.
Creamed Onions
Peel the onions. Cook uncovered in boiling water
until soft. Then drain and serve with white sauce.
If the onions are small, serve them whole. If large,
chop coarsely with a knife. To be digestible they should
be very soft.
Escalloped Onions
Use left-over cooked onions for this dish. Arrange
them in alternate layers in a well-oiled baking dish, with
White Sauce No. 2, and bestrew with coarse dry bread
crumbs, mixed with 2 tablespoonfuls of melted butter or
oleomargarine to the cupful. Bake thirty minutes, or
until browned, in a moderate oven. If desired, a thinly
shredded green pepper, which has been cooked until soft
416 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
in drippings, may be sprinkled through the onion layers ;
or, grated cheese may be sprinkled on the top of each
layer. In this case the dish is substantial enough for the
main course at luncheon.
Turnips in Beef Broth
Scrub the turnips and cook in boiling water till nearly
done. Then peel, cut in one-half inch slices, and nearly
cover with well-seasoned beef broth. Simmer until ten-
der, when the turnips should have absorbed most of the
broth. Use the remaining liquid as a sauce. If desired,
the turnips after boiling may be sliced, sprinkled with
flour, put in a casserole, covered with broth and baked.
Diced Yellow Turnips
Peel yellow turnips and cut them into small dice ; cook
in boiling salted water until nearly done. Drain, add one
tablespoonful of butter to each cupful of turnips and salt
and pepper to taste.
Buttered Parsnips
Scrub the parsnips thoroughly, and cook in boiling,
salted water until tender. Drain, plunge in cold water
and then remove the skins; cut the parsnips in slices
lengthwise and set in the oven for a few minutes with bits
of butter to become very hot. Sprinkle with salt and
pepper to taste before serving.
Parsnip Cakes
Boil the parsnips until tender. Drain and plunge in
cold water, when the skins will slip oft" easily. Mash,
add a tablespoonful of butter to each cupful of pulp, sea-
son with salt and pepper, shape in small flat round cakes,
roll in flour and fry on a griddle.
Parsnips Baked in Stock
Wash the parsnips, cook till nearly done in salted, boil-
ing water, and remove the skins. Cut in quarters, put in
a baking dish, half cover with well-seasoned stock, and
bake until the stock is absorbed.
f VEGETABLES 417
Creamed Parsnips on Toast
3 medium-sized parsnips 2 cupfuls milk
2i tablespoonfuls flour \ teaspoonful pepper
2 tablespoonfuls butter Buttered toast
teaspoonful salt
Plunge the parsnips in boiling, salted water, and cook
until tender. Remove the skins, and cut the parsnips in
six-inch strips. In the meantime, make a white sauce of
the remaining ingredients. Arrange the parsnips on
toast, pour over the white sauce and serve.
Baked Cauliflower
Soak the cauliflower, head down, in salted water for
thirty minutes. Then boil it. Separate it into branches,
and to each pint allow a cupful of either plain white or
tomato sauce. Mix the cauliflower with this, turn into a
well-oiled baking dish, and re-heat in a moderate oven,
at the same time baking in the oven sufficient bacon for
the family. Serve this as a garnish on the cauliflower, or
substitute small sausages. Mashed potatoes, or potato
croquettes, are a good accompaniment.
Baked Cauliflower and Mushrooms
2 cupfuls diced boiled cauli- Chicken or veal stock, well-
flower seasoned
1 cupful canned or fresh Flour
mushrooms Salt and pepper
2 tablespoonfuls butter
Fry the mushrooms in the butter, until they are
slightly yellowed. Butter a baking dish; put in a layer
of cauliflower, and then one of mushrooms. Sprinkle
with flour, salt and pepper, and continue in this way until
all is used. Cover with the stock, put on the lid and bake
for thirty minutes. Two tablespoonfuls of minced green
peppers may be added to the mushrooms, while they are
being fried.
Cauliflower with Diced Turnips
2 cupfuls turnips, finely diced 3 tablespoonfuls butter
2 cupfuls cauliflower flower- Salt and pepper to taste
ets
Boil the turnips, until nearly tender, in salted water,
then add the cauliflower and continue cooking until all is
418 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
tender it will take about forty minutes altogether.
Drain off the liquor into the stock-pot; season the vege-
tables with the butter, salt and pepper, and serve very
hot.
Cauliflower Pudding
1 small cauliflower 4 eggs
4 tablespoonfuls butter 4 tablespoonfuls grated
ij cupfuls milk cheese
2 tablespoonfuls flour Salt and pepper to taste
Boil or steam the cauliflower till half done, then cut it in
slices and fry in half the butter. Add one-half the milk;
cream together the flour and the remaining butter, add to
the remaining milk as in making white sauce, stir in the
cheese, add the cauliflower and pour into the eggs well-
beaten. Transfer to a buttered mould and bake in an
oven hot at first, then moderate, until firm in the center,
about thirty minutes. Turn out when tepid and serve at
once.
Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts
i pint boiled Brussels sprouts teaspoonful onion juice
i pint blanched chestnuts Brown soup stock about i
Flour cupfuls . .
Salt and pepper
Boil the chestnuts for five minutes, and remove the
shells and inner skins. This is called blanching. But-
ter a baking dish, put in a layer of the sprouts, then one
of chestnuts cut in pieces ; dust on it a little salt, pepper
and flour, and continue in this way until all is used.
Pour over the stock, which should be well-seasoned, and
to which should be added the onion juice. Cover and
cook for half an hour in a moderate oven.
Browned Chestnuts
Blanch the chestnuts, as described in the recipe for
Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts. Cut them in pieces,
saute (fry) them lightly in a little butter, and for each
two cupfuls of halved chestnuts allow ij cupfuls of
brown sauce. Simmer together gently, until the chest-
nuts are perfectly tender.
Browned Chestnuts with Mushrooms
Prepare the mixture as described in the recipe for
VEGETABLES 419
Browned Chestnuts, substituting a cupful of boiled and
quartered mushrooms, or canned mushrooms, for one
cupful of the chestnuts.
Chestnut Puree
Blanch the chestnuts. Boil them, until tender, in as
small amount of brown stock as is possible to use without
burning them. Rub through a sieve ; season with butter,
salt and pepper to taste, and serve with game or poultry.
Cauliflower Greens
Save the outer green leaves of cauliflower, boil until
tender in salted water, chop, and season with salt, pep-
per and butter or bacon fat.
Cauliflower au G rat in
i cauliflower Buttered crumbs to cover
i cupful white sauce No. 2
Soak the cauliflower, head down, thirty minutes in
salted water. Boil until tender; sprinkle with salt and
pepper, cover with buttered crumbs, and place in the oven
till brown. Serve surrounded with white sauce, and
sprinkled with grated cheese.
Creamed Cauliflower
Remove the leaves, cut off the stalks, scrub the cauli-
flower, and separate into flowerets, cook until soft in
boiling, salted water. Drain and cut in dice, re-heating
in i-| cupfuls White Sauce No. I. Use the cauliflower
liquor as a basis for soup.
Cauliflower Hollandaise
Boil the cauliflower as in the preceding recipe, serving
with Hollandaise sauce.
Fried Flowerets of Cauliflower
Let the cauliflower stand thirty minutes, upside down,
in cold salted water. Plunge into boiling, salted water,
and boil gently until tender. Cool, separate into flower-
ets, sprinkle with salt and pepper, roll in dried crumbs,
egg and crumbs again, like croquettes, and fry in deep fat
hot enough to brown a bit of bread in forty counts. Drain
420 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
on crumpled paper, and serve piled on a dish covered with
a paper doily. Sprinkle with minced green pepper, celery
and pimentoes.
Brussels Sprouts au G rat in
Remove any wilted outer leaves. Then boil a quart of
Brussels sprouts. Add a pint of White Sauce No. i ;
mix well, and pour into a buttered baking dish. Bestrew
with f cupful buttered crumbs, mixed with 4 tablespoon-
fuls of grated cheese, and brown in a quick oven.
French or Globe Artichokes
Allow one medium-sized artichoke for each person.
Cut half the stems off with the bottom leaves, strip off the
withered outer leaves, and the following layers, until the
leaves begin to feel tender. Then cut these top leaves
across, even. As soon as prepared, drop each artichoke
in cold water containing a little vinegar to prevent dis-
coloration and let soak for half an hour. Wash thor-
oughly and boil until tender in salted water.
Or, if the artichokes are very large, cut them in two
and allow a half to each person. Serve hot with sauce
tartare, white sauce, Bechamel sauce, Hollandaise, French
dressing or drawn butter.
Jerusalem Artichokes
Wash the artichokes, scrape them, and drop them in
acidulated water, as in the directions for preparing
French artichokes. Cook until tender in boiling salted
water, but take care not to overcook them or they will
turn woody. Drain, slice them and dress with salt, pep-
per and butter, or re-heat in a white, or Bechamel sauce,
or serve escalloped according to the directions for Escal-
loped Oyster Plant.
Celery, Club Style
Trim off the tough outer stalks. Pare the celery root
to a point then cut the whole stalk lengthwise into quar-
ters, or sixths, according to the size, and let stand in
cold water to crisp. The white tips should not be re-
moved.
VEGETABLES 421
Creamed Celery
2 cupfuls diced celery 2i tablespoonfuls flour
2 tablespoonfuls butter i cupful milk
teaspoonful salt i teaspoonful pepper
Remove the strings from the outer stalks of celery.
Wash the stalks well with a brush, and cut them into
half-length pieces. Put in a saucepan with a slice of
onion (if desired), and 2 cupfuls of hot water and sim-
mer till tender, about thirty minutes. Drain, reserving
the liquor; make a white sauce of the butter, flour, sea-
sonings, milk and one cupful of the celery liquor. Add
the drained celery and serve very hot.
Celery and Cheese au Gratin
2 cupfuls celery cut in \ inch i cupful rich milk or cream
pieces 2 tablespoonfuls butter
1 cupful, celery stock I cupful grated cheese
2 tablespoonfuls flour I cupful buttered crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the celery in 2 cupfuls of water till tender; re-
serve a cupful of the celery stock and add to the milk.
Melt the butter, add the flour and, gradually, the liquid,
allowing it to boil up once. Add the seasonings; and
celery. Pour half of this into a buttered baking dish,
add one-half the grated cheese, then the remaining celery
and cheese ; cover with the buttered crumbs and brown in
the oven. Garnish with celery tips.
Celery Curls
Cut tender stalks of celery into two-inch lengths.
Fringe each end to within an eighth of an inch of the
center, and drop into ice water to " curl," or fringe out.
Creamed Celery on Ham Toast
Celery sticks, 3 inches long Minced ham
White Sauce No. 2 Buttered toast
Allow six sticks to a person, simmering them till ten-
der in salted water barely to cover. (Do not throw the
liquor away; add it to the stock-pot.) Spread the but-
tered toast with the ham, arrange on a platter, pour over
the cream sauce, and arrange six sticks of celery on each
slice of toast.
422 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Celery Jelly
2 cupfuls chopped celery, i tablespoonful granulated
stalks and leaves gelatine, softened in water
2^ cupfuls water to cover
i slice onion I tablespoonful lemon juice
Bit of bay leaf t teaspoonful sugar
Slice of carrot i cupful diced celery
Bit of thyme
Simmer the chopped celery, onion and seasonings in
the water, adding enough, as it evaporates, to keep it
always a pint. Strain and season it; add the gelatine,
lemon juice and sugar, and, when slightly solidified, stir
in the diced celery. Pour into individual moulds, and
let stiffen. Serve as a garnish to cold meat, or as a salad
with mayonnaise and nuts, or sliced tomatoes.
Fried Celery Tips
Dip tender celery tips in fritter batter, drain, and fry
crisp in deep fat hot enough to brown a bit of bread in
forty seconds. Use as a garnish to chicken.
String Beans with Bacon
6 slices bacon Salt and pepper to taste
3 cupfuls cooked string ij cupfuls milk
beans 2 tablespoonfuls flour
Fry the bacon in a small pan. Reserve 2 tablespoon-
fuls of the fat in the pan, add the flour and, gradually,
the milk, as in making white sauce. Cut the beans in
inch pieces, turn them into the sauce and mix in the
cooked bacon, cut in pieces. Season to taste, and serve
on toast or plain.
String Beans Vinagrette
Boil the beans until tender. Drain, and, while still
hot, pour over vinagrette sauce made as described in
asparagus vinagrette.
IP
Steamed Winter Squash
Cut Hubbard squash in pieces of convenient size to fit
a steamer top or large sieve. Place over boiling water
and steam until tender, about one hour. Scrape the pulp
from the hard shell, put through a potato ricer or sieve,
VEGETABLES 423
and season with butter, salt and pepper, and a trace of
sugar.
Baked Squash
Wash and scrub winter squash. Cut in halves, cross-
wise, scrape out the seeds and pulp, place in a pan con-
taining a small amount of hot water, and bake, until soft,
probably one to one and one-quarter hours. When soft,
scrape from the shell, add i tablespoonful of butter to
each cupful of pulp, -J teaspoonful salt, and -J teaspoonful
of pepper. Mix well and serve hot. If desired sweet,
add brown -sugar to taste.
Baked Stuffed Summer Squash
6 small turban squashes i tablespoonful minced onion
I cupful soft bread crumbs i teaspoonful minced parsley
i cupful any kind cold meat, i green pepper, minced
ham preferred Salt and pepner to taste
Tomato iuice to moisten i tablespoonful melted butter
i cupful tomato pulp
Hollow out the squashes and boil gently in salted water
for thirty minutes. Drain and dry, sprinkle with salt
and pepper, and fill with a stuffing made of the other in-
gredients. If too dry, moisten with tomato juice, cover
with buttered crumbs, place in a baking pan, half cover
with stock and bake in a slow oven until tender about
forty minutes. Serve with a well-seasoned tomato, brown
or white sauce.
Fried Summer Squash
Wash, but do not pare, crook-necked summer squash.
Cut in slices crosswise, and fry according to the direc-
tions for fried egg plant!
Creamed Oyster Plant
Scrape the oyster plant and drop it into water contain-
ing a little vinegar to prevent discoloration. Drain and
boil in salted water until tender about twenty-five min-
utes ; then cut in dice, shake over 2 tablespoonfuls of
flour for each cupful of oyster plant, add a cupful of
milk, a little butter and salt and pepper, let boil up and
serve.
424 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Escalloped Oyster Plant
2 bunches oyster plant i minced green pepper, if
2 cupfuls soft stale bread convenient
crumbs 2 tablespoonfuls minced
i cupful butter or other fat onion
Brown stock
Scrape the oyster plant, boil it until tender, and cut it
in dice ; butter a baking dish, put in a layer of the crumbs,
fried slightly with the butter and green pepper ; then add
a layer of oyster plant, and continue in this way until all
is used. Cover with boiling stock, then with dry bread
crumbs mixed with a little extra melted butter and bake
thirty minutes in a moderate oven.
Old-Fashioned Succotash
i pint red kidney beans (or I i can of corn or 3 cupfuls
pint shell beans) fresh corn cut from the cob
1 pound salt pork Salt and pepper
Soak the beans over night in 'water to cover. In the
morning drain, add more water, salt and a pinch of bak-
ing soda, and cook until tender, about four hours. They
should be kept moist. Then add the corn, season to
taste, let boil up and serve with corn bread. An onion
gives additional flavoring, if desired. If fresh beans are
used, it is not necessary to soak them over night.
Farm Custard
2 cupfuls cooked corn i quart milk
2 cupfuls cooked lima beans, i tablespoon ful butter
chopped 2 1 teaspoonfuls salt
6 eggs teaspoonful pepper
Scald the milk, add the salt and pepper, pour into the
eggs, which should be slightly beaten, and add the vege-
tables. Transfer to a buttered baking dish, set in a pan
of boiling water, and cook gently as any baked custard,
until the mixture is set in the middle. Serve with a
bread sauce. If .desirable, the mixture may be cooked in
individual custard cups, unmonlded upon toast, and
served as timbales. In this case they should be sur-
rounded by the sauce, and a sprig of parsley should be
inserted in each one. Fried bread crumbs may be used
as a further garnish.
426 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Tomatoes Stewed with Onions
6 medium-sized onions I teaspoonful sugar
2 green peppers Salt and pepper
3 tablespoonfuls butter or i pint canned tomato
savory drippings
Slice the onions and shred the peppers, then cook
gently in the fat until softened. Add the tomato, season
and stew gently for twenty minutes.
Mexican Tomatoes
i pint stewed tomatoes 3 tablespoonfuls chopped
1 pint stewed corn peppers
2 tablespoonfuls butter or i teaspoonful sugar
bacon fat I teaspoonful salt
Few grains cayenne 4 teaspoonful onion juice
Melt the butter, add the peppers and cook until soft-
ened. Turn in the tomato and corn, add the remaining
seasonings, and let stand to become thoroughly heated.
Escalloped Tomato with Onions
3 cupfuls canned or stewed 3 tablespoonfuls butter or
tomato other fat
i teaspoonful salt i cupful crumbs, mixed with
i teaspoonful pepper 3 tablespoonfuls melted but-
ii cupfuls cooked onions ter
Butter a baking dish. Add the seasoning to the to-
mato, and put a layer in the bottom of the dish. Add a
layer of onions, then- one of tomato, and continue until
the dish is filled. Dot with bits of butter, between each
layer, and put the buttered crumbs on top. Bake in a
moderate oven from thirty to forty-five minutes.
Escalloped Tomatoes with Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs
Rub a baking dish with butter, oleomargarine or bacon
drippings, and a clove of garlic if the flavor is desired.
Put in alternate layers of stewed and seasoned tomatoes,
and dry whole wheat bread crumbs, making the last layer
crumbs mixed with 2 tablespoonfuls of melted butter,
oleomargarine or bacon drippings to the cupful. Bake
thirty minutes in a moderate oven.
Fried Tomatoes
Select medium-sized tomatoes, wash them, remove the
VEGETABLES 427
stem ends, and cut in thick crosswise slices. Dust with
salt and pepper. Dip in flour and fry until browned in
drippings or bacon fat. Serve with meats, on toast with
white sauce, with a garnish of bacon or fried salt pork,
or slightly sprinkled with sugar.
If desired to fry them in deep fat, egg and crumb as
for croquettes and fry in deep fat hot enough to brown a
bit of bread in a minute. In this case they will brown
more evenly.
Baked Stuffed Tomatoes
Various fillings may be used in preparing baked stuffed
tomatoes as any kind of meat or fish, well-seasoned
crumbs, or creamed corn or celery. The tomatoes should
not be peeled, but merely hollowed out, seasoned with
salt and pepper, and filled level with the stuffing, then be-
strewn with buttered crumbs ; put in muffin pans and
bake about twenty minutes in a moderate oven. They
may be served on buttered toast, with white sauce,
creamed onions or corn, or creamed ham or other meat,
as imagination and the larder may dictate.
Baked Tomatoes with. Bacon
6 well-shaped tomatoes 6 toast rounds
6 thin slices bacon Seasonings
Remove the skins from the tomatoes by means of boil-
ing water. Dust with salt, pepper and sugar, and place
on a baking plate. Cover the bottom of the plate with
hot water; place a piece of bacon on top of each tomato,
and set in a hot oven to cook. It will take about twenty
minutes. Serve on buttered rounds of toast, moistened
with water from the pan.
Fried Cucumbers
Pare the cucumbers, cut them in crosswise slices one-
eighth of an inch thick, and dust with salt and pepper.
Dip theni in flour, then in egg and crumbs as for cro-
quettes, and fry in deep fat hot enough to brown a bit
of bread in a minute. They taste much like oysters.
Creamed Cucumbers
Pare the cucumbers ; cut in strips and then into dice.
Boil gently in salted water until tender (about twelve
428 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
minutes), then drain, and add White Sauce No. 2 (2 cup-
fuls sauce to i-J cupfuls cucumber). Season and serve.
Baked Stuffed Cucumbers
3 small cucumbers Tomato juice to moisten
i cupful soft bread crumbs tablespoonful minced onion
1 cupful cold meat (any I teaspoonful minced parsley
kind) i green pepper, chopped
cupful tomato pulp Salt and pepper to taste
Pare the cucumbers and cut in halves, lengthwise.
Boil gently six or seven minutes in salted water. Drain,
scoop out the seeds, and fill the halves with stuffing made
of the other ingredients. If too dry, moisten with tomato
juice. Cover with buttered crumbs, place in a baking
dish, surround with the cucumber water, and bake in
a slow oven for forty minutes. Serve with a well-sea-
soned brown or tomato sauce.
Celeriac
Pare the bulbs and cook until tender in boiling, salted
water. They may be sliced before cooking if desired.
When tender, drain and dress with salt, pepper and but-
ter, or re-heat in a cream or brown sauce.
Brown Celeriac
2 cupfuls celeriac cubes 2 tablespoonf uls flour
2 cupfuls brown or chicken Salt and pepper to taste
stock i tablespoon! ul tomato
3 tablespoonfuls butter catsup
Wash and scrape the celeriac. Cut in small cubes and
fry until softened in 2 tablespoonfuls of the butter. Add
the stock and simmer until tender. Rub the flour and
remaining butter together, thicken, add the seasonings,
let boil and serve very hot.
Buttered Beets
' Wash the beets and cook whole and unpared in boiling
water until tender, an hour for new beets, four for old.
Drain, plunge into cold water and remove the skins. Cut
in slices, crosswise, add salt and pepper to taste and 2
tablespoonfuls of melted butter to every three cupfuls of
sliced beets. Let become very hot before serving.
VEGETABLES 429
Baked Young Beets with Lemon Juice
Wash the beets and rub them lightly with any fat and
bake in a moderate oven until they are tender. This
will take from an hour to an hour and a quarter for
young beets. Then plunge them in cold water and rub
off the skins ; slice the beets. For each 2 cupf uls allow 2
tablespoonfuls of lemon juice. Pour this over the beets;
dust with salt and pepper and let stand ten minutes in a
warm place to season.
Winter Beets
Soak the beets an hour in cold water, then boil gently
until tender (about three hours). Plunge at once into
cold water, rub off the skins and cut the beets into dice.
To each three cupfuls add 2 tablespoonfuls butter, J tea-
spoonful mustard, 2 tablespoonfuls vinegar, -J teaspoon-
ful sugar and a little Worcestershire sauce. Season with
salt and pepper to taste, and serve very hot.
Pickled Beets with Onions
i pint sliced cooked beets, or i tablespoon ful pickling
i can beets spice
I cupful thinly-sliced onions i pint weak vinegar
I tablespoon ful sugar
Heat the spice, sugar and vinegar to boiling point, pour
over the beets and onions arranged alternately in a deep
dish, and let stand two hours to season.
Mushrooms on Toast
Peel the mushrooms, remove the stems, peel them and
cut in dice. For each half pound of mushrooms melt 3
tablespoonfuls of butter in a frying pan. Add \ tea-
spoonful onion juice, a little salt and pepper and a dash
of nutmeg. Turn in the mushrooms and fry slowly for
about twenty minutes, or until they are soft. Then add
ij tablespoonfuls of flour for each half pound, mix in
thoroughly and add i cupful of light cream, or i cupful
of brown stock. Let simmer for a few minutes and
serve on toast.
Mushrooms with Bacon
i pound mushrooms Buttered toast
i pound bacon sliced thin
430 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Peel the mushrooms ; remove the stems and peel them.
Fry the bacon till crisp, then remove from the pan. Chop
the mushroom stems, coarsely, and fry them together
with the caps in the bacon fat. Season lightly with a sus-
picion of nutmeg. Serve on toast, with a piece or two
of bacon to garnish each serving.
Escalloped Mushrooms
I pound mushrooms Few grains nutmeg
2! cupfuls soft bread crumbs Salt and pepper
i cupful butter Brown soup stock
1 teaspoonful onion juice
Peel the mushrooms, and cut the caps in dice and the
stems' in bits. Butter ramekins, put in a layer of the
crumbs fried slightly in the butter, then one of mush-
rooms, sprinkle with the seasonings, and continue in this
way until all is used. Pour over the stock, heated,
sprinkle the tops with extra dry bread crumbs mixed
with a little melted butter and bake thirty minutes in a
moderate oven.
Steamed Pumpkin
Break open the pumpkin, remove the seeds and strings,
cut the shell in pieces, and steam until the pulp is tender,
about an hour and a half. Scrape from the shell and 'sift.
Fried Pumpkin
Prepare steamed pumpkin as directed in the preced-
ing recipe; spread the desired quantity in the bottom of a
hot skillet containing two tablespoonfuls of melted bacon
or salt pork drippings. Cook gently until browned on
the bottom, and serve garnished with cooked bacon or
salt pork as a breakfast dish, or without, as a vegetable.
Pumpkin as a Vegetable
Cut the pumpkin in large pieces, scrape out the seeds,
and place the sections in a dripping pan containing a
little water. Bake until the pulp is mealy, then scrape it
out of the shells, sift it (as squash), and season well with
salt, pepper, butter, a little sugar and a generous dash
of tomato catsup.
VEGETABLES 431
Peppers Stuffed with Brown Rice
6 medium-sized peppers i teaspoonful Worcester-
2 cnpfuls cooked brown rice shire sauce
1 cupful tomato pulp i cupful sausage meat
2 tablespoonfuls butter i pint White Sauce No. 2
h teaspoonful pepper
Cut the tops from the peppers and scoop out the seeds.
Mix together the rice, tomato, butter (melted), pepper,
Worcestershire, sausage meat, and salt to taste. Fill the
peppers two-thirds full. Place on a baking plate and
put a teaspoonful of butter or bacon drippings on top of
each one. Pour a half inch of water in the dish, and
bake the peppers half an hour (or until tender), basting
with the liquid in the pan. Serve surrounded with the
sauce.
Stuffed Nut Peppers
6 green peppers 1 cupful well-seasoned to-
2 cupfuls soft bread crumbs mato, brown or white
i cupful chopped walnuts ' sauce
Seasoning to taste
Remove the tops from the peppers and scoop out the
cores and seeds. Place in cold, salted water, bring
quickly to boiling point, remove and drain. Mix to-
gether the crumbs and nut meats, moisten well with the
sauce, season to taste with salt and pepper and stuff the
peppers. Sprinkle with buttered crumbs and bake until
tender (about thirty minutes) in a moderate oven, bast-
ing occasionally with hot water containing a little butter.
Green Peas
Shell the peas, and reserve the pods. Put them on to
cook for one-half hour in a quart of boiling water to
two quarts of pods. Use the resulting liquid as a basis
for cream of pea soup.
Cook the peas themselves in boiling water to barely
cover, adding ^ teaspoonful of salt and J teaspoonful of
sugar to a pint of water. Cook from twenty to sixty
minutes, according to the age of the peas, and season well
with butter, just before serving. The liquid should be
of small quantity and act as a sauce.
432 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Creamed Peas
Cook fresh peas as directed in the preceding recipe,
add an equal quantity of rich milk or cream to the liquid
left from cooking the peas and thicken with a table-
spoonful of flour and butter rubbed together to a cup-
ful of liquid. Season to taste.
If canned peas are used, rinse them with cold water,
and re-heat in White Sauce No. 2, using f cupful of the
sauce to a can of peas.
Savory Carrots
6 medium-sized carrots Few grains pepper
i tablespoonful sugar 2 tablespoonfuls minced
1 teaspoonful salt parsley
2 tablespoonfuls melted but- i tablespoonful lemon juice
ter
Scrape the carrots, cut lengthwise, and boil or steam
until tender. Then place in a saucepan with the melted
butter, and add the other seasonings. Let become very
hot and serve.
Glace Carrots
Boil or steam the desired number of carrots; pare and
cut in quarters. Place in a baking dish, dust rather
thickly with granulated sugar and dot with butter, and
add a suspicion of mace. Pour in a little water and bake,
until coated, with the sugar syrup about thirty min-
utes.
Creamed Carrots
Steam or boil the carrots until tender, pare and cut in
dice. Make White Sauce No. 2, add the diced carrots
and serve. If desired, an equal number of peas may be
combined with the carrots.
Carrots en Casserole
3 cupfuls carrots cut in small z cloves
cubes 2 cupfuls strained tomato
2 small onions juice
3 tablespoonfuls butter & teaspoon ful nutmeg
i teaspoonful salt I teaspoonful sugar
& teaspoonful pepper 3 tablespoonfuls flour
i cupful minced ham or ij cupfuls water
corned beef
VEGETABLES 433
Let the carrots stand in cold water at least ten min-
utes. Chop the onions and saute (fry) .with the car-
rot* in butter for five minutes. Add the flour and sea-
sonings, stirring well, then the tomato, ham and water.
When boiling pour into a casserole and bake two hours.
Carrots with Butter Sauce
3 cupfuls chopped or diced 2 tablespoonfuls butter
carrots i teaspoonful sugar
2* cupfuls boiling water Few grains pepper
ii teaspoonfuls salt 2 tablespoonfuls flour
Fry the carrots in butter till a little soft ; add the flour,
seasonings and water. Let boil, then simmer till the car-
rots are tender, about an hour.
Carrot Straws
i pound carrots cut in \ cupful sugar
match-like strips 2 small bay leaves
1 1 cupfuls vinegar (mild) \ teaspoonful whole cloves
I cupful water Grating lemon rind
1 inch stick cinnamon
Boil the carrots, then cook together the vinegar, water,
sugar, bay leaves, cloves and cinnamon. Add the car-
rots and let stand at least twenty-four hours before serv-
ing. Serve plain, dressed with oil, or on lettuce with
salad dressing.
Creamed Cabbage
2 cupfuls shredded cabbage i cupfuls White Sauce
No. i
,v
Shred the cabbage and place in rapidly boiling, salted
water. Cook until tender, about twenty-five minutes;
drain and add to the white sauce. Re-heat and serve.
Quick Cabbage
Chop the cabbage fine. Plunge into boiling, salted
water and boil rapidly for twelve minutes. Season with
pepper and a little butter if desired. Put the cooking
liquid in the stock-pot.
Creamed Cabbage with Peppers
Shred the cabbage and boil twenty-five minutes in
salted water. For each pint of cooked cabbage allow
434 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
ij cupfuls milk, 2 minced green peppers, 2 tablespoon-
fuls minced onion, I teaspoonful salt, -J teaspoonful pep-
per, i tablespoonful flour and 2 tablespoonfuls of b'ut-
ter. Melt the butter and cook the onion and pepper till
yellowed in it. Add the flour, then the milk, gradually,
and, when boiling, the seasoning. Turn in the cabbage,
let become very hot and serve sprinkled with coarse
crumbs of bread fried.
Cabbage au G rat in
3 cupfuls chopped cabbage ii tablespoonfuls butter
i hard-cooked egg I teaspoonful salt
ij cupfuls milk & teaspoonful pepper
i cupful buttered crumbs
Boil the cabbage rapidly in salted water for twenty-
five minutes. In the meantime, make a sauce of the
flour, butter and milk, add the seasonings, stir in the cab-
bage and egg, which should be chopped, and pour into
a well-oiled baking dish. Cover with buttered crumbs
and bake till brown.
Sour Cabbage (Dutch)
I medium-sized head cab- i teaspoonful pepper
bage (3 pounds) li cupfuls sour cream
1 teaspoonful salt cupful weak vinegar
Shred the cabbage fine, wash it thoroughly and put it
in a saucepan with a little hot water. Cover closely and
let it simmer for four hours. At the end of three hours
and a half add the cream, vinegar, salt and pepper, toss
well and let cook till the liquid is absorbed, and the cab-
bage is whitened.
Stewed Cabbage with Dumplings
2 quarts chopped cabbage i teaspoonful salt
i pint chopped tart apple 2 quarts boiling water
8 slices salt pork Dumplings
Cut the salt pork in small pieces ; cook out the fat and
remove the pork. Add the apple and cabbage, sprinkle
with salt, and -pour over the water. Cook for thirty min-
utes, then add the dumplings, cook fifteen minutes longer,
and serve with the salt pork added to the stew.
VEGETABLES 435
Cabbage Rolls
2i cupfuls any left-over Salt and pepper to taste
meat Few grains mace
i egg Cabbage leaves
i cupful soft crumbs soaked
in i cupful milk
Mix together the meat, egg, crumbs and seasonings.
Select large cabbage leaves, scald with boiling water to
wilt them, and place a generous spoonful of the meat
mixture on each. Roll up, sprinkle with salt and place
fold-side down on a rack in a steamer, and steam half
an hour. Serve with white or tomato sauce, or brown
gravy. Large lettuce leaves may be substituted for
the cabbage.
Steamed Stuffed Cabbage
i solid head cabbage i cupful milk
I pound sausage meat i egg
I cupful bread crumbs i teaspoonful mace
Select a well-shaped head of cabbage weighing about
three pounds. Cut a slice off the top and hollow out
the cabbage, leaving a thin shell. Make a stuffing of the
other ingredients, and pack into the cabbage which
should be freshened by standing thirty minutes in cold
water. Then tie in a cloth to aid in preserving the shape
and steam until tender, from ij to 2 hours. Serve with
tomato sauce. Use the cabbage that is scooped out for
salad or quick cabbage.
Devilled Cabbage
Add to a quart of cooked, shredded cabbage, 2 table-
spoonfuls of butter, 2 tablespoon fuls of vinegar, \ tea-
spoonful mustard, \ teaspoonful onion juice and a tea-
spoonful of Worcestershire sauce. A few grains of
sugar and a little salt are an improvement. Serve with
ham or beef loaf.
Hot Slaw
i tablespoonful sugar i egg
I tablespoon fnl flour I cupful milk
i teaspoonful salt \ cupful weak vinegar
Few grains pepper 3 cupfuls shredded cooked
Few grains mustard cabbage
436 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Mix the fjrst six ingredients thoroughly in a double
boiler top ; then add the milk and cook over hot water till
thickened. Add the vinegar, cook a little longer, stir in
the cabbage and serve hot.
Sour Red Cabbage
1 medium-sized head I teaspoonful salt
red cabbage i teaspoonful pepper
2 tablespoonfuls butter or cupful mild vinegar
other fat cupful grape juice
4 tablespoonfuls chopped
onion
Shred the cabbage. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add
the onion and cook until yellowed. Add the cabbage
and let cook slowly twenty minutes over a slow heat.
Then dust in the salt and pepper, add the vinegar and
grape juice, and cook rapidly for fifteen minutes. Serve
hot with meat of any kind.
Stewed Red Cabbage
4 cupfuls shredded cabbage i tablespoonful vinegar
2 cupfuls brown stock I tablespoonful tomato
i tablespoonful finely- catsup
minced onion i tablespoonful flour
\ teaspoonful salt i tablespoonful butter
i teaspoonful pepper
Stew the cabbage gently in the stock and seasonings
till tender (about twenty-five minutes). Then add the
flour and butter creamed together, and bring to a boil,
stirring constantly.
Radish Roses or Tulips
Round radishes may be cut to imitate tulips ; to do this
begin at the root end and make five ^petal-like incisions
through the skin running three-quarters length of the
radish. Slip the knife under these sections and cut down
as far as the incisions extend. Cut a small slice off the
top of each radish. Place in cold water for one to two
hours, and the sections of skin will fold open, leaving
the white center, suggesting a tulip in appearance. Al-
ways leave on one or two tiny radish leaves to act as
handles.
VEGETABLES 437
Creamed Radishes
Red or white radishes may be used. If red radishes
are used, wash them, leave them whole and cook in salted
water until tender. If white ones are used, scrape them
well, cut them in dice and cook in the same manner. To
2 cupfuls of cooked radishes add three-fourths cupful of
White Sauce No. 2, and re-heat.
Plain Boiled Asparagus
Scrape the scales from the asparagus, tie the stalks in
bunches, cut off the tough ends, set the tips upright in
boiling, salted water (or in a steamer or asparagus
cooker), the tips above the water line, cover and cook
gently until tender. Drain, arrange on buttered toast,
and season with a little melted butter and salt and pepper,
or pour over Hollandaise, mousseline, or white sauce.
Boil the tough ends and use the liquid for a cream of
asparagus soup.
Canned Creamed Asparagus
2 cupfuls asparagus, cut in i cupful White Sauce, No. I
inch lengths
Open the can of asparagus, rinse and expose to the air
for thirty minutes. Cut in inch pieces. Add the as-
paragus to the white sauce, heat, without stirring, and
serve on toast.
Asparagus Cooked like Peas
Scrape the stalks and cut off the tough ends. Then
cut the asparagus into dice, add boiling milk to cover, and
simmer very gently over a slow heat, or cook in a double
boiler until tender. This takes about twenty minutes.
Then season with salt, pepper and butter, and serve ac-
companied with buttered toast.
Asparagus Vinagrette
I can asparagus, or 3 tablespoonfuls vinegar
I bunch cooked asparagus 5 tablespoonfuls olive oil
i teaspoonful salt i teaspoonful minced parsley
i teaspoonful paprika Few grains white pepper
i teaspoonful onion juice
Mix the seasonings, oil and vinegar until emulsified.
438 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
If canned asparagus is used, rinse it thoroughly with cold
water; drain and pour over the sauce. Let stand thirty
minutes in a cold place and serve.
Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese
Allow six stalks of asparagus to a person. Steam or
boil as directed then arrange for service individually
in fbundles of six, passed through green pepper rings, ar-
ranged on buttered toast, and dressed with melted but-
ter and grated Parmesan cheese.
Asparagus Loaf
i| tablespoonfuls butter or i cupful minced veal
oleomargarine li cupfuls cooked asparagus,
4 tablespoonfuls flour cut in inch lengths
i teaspoonful salt 4 well-beaten eggs
i teaspoonful pepper 2 cupfuls asparagus tips for
I cupful milk lining mould
Cut the tips from two bunches of cooked asparagus in
three-inch lengths. Select a quart mould about three
inches deep, butter it thickly and cover the bottom with
paper; line the sides with the tips, putting the green tops
pointing downward, and arrange a design of the tips on
the bottom. Then make a sauce by melting the butter,
adding the flour and the milk, slowly, allowing it to
boil. Add the veal, seasonings and asparagus, and, when
boiling, pour onto the eggs. Transfer carefully to the
mould, and set it in a pan. Surround with boiling water"
and cook till firm in an oven so slow that the water will
not boil. Serve with mousseline sauce, or with creamed /
asparagus tips.
Canned Asparagus Timbales
cupful rich milk 4 tablespoonfuls flour
1 teaspoonful salt 2 eggs
Few grains pepper I can asparagus
2 tablespoonfuls butter
Cut off the asparagus tips to the depth of small tim-
bale moulds. Prepare three-fourths cupful of asparagus
cubes from the remaining stalks. Butter the moulds,
then line them with the tips, and, if desired, place a pi-
mento "star" in the bottom of each. Make a sauce of
the butter, flour, milk and seasonings. Add it to the
AN ASPARAGUS COOKER
AN IMPROVISED ASPARAGUS COOKER
VEGETABLES 439
asparagus cubes and the eggs, slightly beaten, pour gently
into the moulds and bake like custard in a pan of hot
water. Serve with cream sauce.
Asparagus Shortcake
Make a plain shortcake mixture and bake in two layers.
Split, butter and put together with a bunch of cooked
asparagus cut in inch lengths and re-heat in ij cupfuls
of White Sauce No. 2. Garnish with quartered, hard-
cooked eggs.
Creamed Lettuce
Select a fine large head of lettuce. Wash carefully
without separating the leaves from the heart, then cut
off the root, just below the white pith. Divide the let-
tuce into six sections, add a little salt and steam until
tender, about fifteen minutes. Serve each portion on
toast covered with White Sauce No. 2.
WilteS Lettuce
3 heads of lettuce ? pound sliced raw ham
3 tablespoonfuls vinegar Few grains paprika
4 drops Worcestershire
sauce
Remove the tough outer leaves of the lettuce ; cut off
the root, leaving enough to hold the leaves together; cut
each head in half and wash thoroughly. Place in a pan
and scald with hot water, removing at once. In the
meantime, fry the ham and cut into bits; drain off the
fat which should be 4 tablespoonfuls. Mix with the
vinegar and seasonings, add to the meat, and pour over
the lettuce. Let stand in a warm place to become well-
seasoned and serve.
Plain Spinach
1 peck spinach i teaspoonful pepper
2 tablespoonfuls butter i teaspoonful nutmeg
i hard-cooked egg Salt to taste
Remove the roots from the spinach. Wash the leaves
in four changes of tepid water, then scald with very
hot water. This sifts any remaining grit to the bot-
tom of the pan. Place in a kettle with ^ tablespoonful
of salt and cook till tender in its own juice, lifting oc-
440 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
casionally to prevent burning. Drain, add the season-
ings and chop fine. Re-heat; arrange in a serving dish,
and garnish with hard-cooked egg to represent a daisy.
Reserve any possible juice for the stock-pot, or towards
a cream soup.
Creamed Spinach
3 cupfuls chopped cooked i cupfuls White Sauce
spinach No. 2
Few grains nutmeg
Combine the spinach, sauce and nutmeg, and re-heat.
Country Pie
li quarts thinly-sliced raw I pint fresh lima beans
potatoes i pint corn pulp
i pound salt v pork cut in small ii teaspoonf uls salt
pieces i teaspoonful pepper
Cook the lima beans half an hour in the smallest pos-
sible amount of water. Put a layer of the salt pork in
the bottom of a deep baking dish or casserole, then add
one of potatoes and a sprinkling of the corn and beans.
Season, and repeat until the dish is filled, finishing with
the salt pork. Moisten slightly with the water in which
the beans were boiled, then cover and bake in a moderate
oven forty minutes. The cover should be removed the
last fifteen minutes so that the pork may brown, and
excess fluid evaporate.
Casserole of Vegetables with Ham
1 pound cabbage I cupful diced celery, or
2 cupfuls carrot cubes i teaspoonful celery seed
2 cupfuls diced turnips Hock end of a ham
I quart canned or stewed to- I cupful brown or uncoated
mato . rice
3 onions, sliced Cloves
Bit of bay leaf 6 peppercorns
Quarter the cabbage and place it with the other veg-
etables and the rice alternately in a crock or deep cas-
serole, putting the "ham end (from which the skin has
been removed) in the middle, together with the spices,
tied in a bit of muslin. Cover with boiling water and
cook very gently for three hours in a slow oven.
VEGETABLES 441
LEGUMES OR DRIED VEGETABLES
Dried peas, beans and lentils are classified as legumes.
They are protein foods, or meat substitutes, and their
place in the dietary is described in the chapter on the
balanced ration.
They are all similar as to content and flavor and in
nearly all cases may be used interchangeably. They
should be soaked over night or for an equivalent time
during the day, thoroughly picked over and washed, and
then boiled. The addition of a little soda at this stage
softens the hulls and makes the legumes more digestible.
All legumes may be boiled in salted water with or with-
out the addition of herbs, onions, or a little garlic. How-
ever, fat should usually be added to reinforce the veg-
etable. This may be in the form of fat ham, fat salt
pork, or bacon, fat corned beef, olive oil or the drippings
from bacon, or sausage. After boiling until soft, any
one may be put in a bean pot, together with molasses or
brown sugar and pepper, and baked.
Different sections grow different legumes. Any
housewife will profit by a visit to a large grocery store
where she can see displayed and purchase legumes of
various kinds. The " Navy or soup bean " is commonly
used, as are lima beans and split peas. But the several
varieties of kidney beans, the many kinds of cow peas,
and soy beans are scarcely used at all, yet they furnish
one of the cheapest sources of protein food that may be
obtained.
The legumes need long slow cooking to render them
digestible. A fireless cooker is excellent for this pur-
pose.
Plain Soy Beans
Soak the beans over night, boil up with a little soda,
drain, and add water to cover. To a pound of beans use
a tablespoonful of salt and a half-cupful of savory drip-
pings. Boil until tender, about eight hours, or cook over
night in the fireless cooker. If desired, a pint of stewed
tomatoes, or four quartered fresh tomatoes and a minced
green pepper may be added to the beans half way of the
cooking. The drippings may be omitted.
442 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Soy Beans with Samp
Soak over night, together, a half pound each of samp
and soy beans. In the morning, drain and rinse, add
a half pound of fat salt pork, cut in dice, cover with boil-
ing water, add a tablespoonful of salt and simmer all
day in a covered utensil. When done, the whole mix-
ture will be rather mushy. Add water as necessary dur-
ing the cooking.
Pried Soy Beans with Samp
Put the left-over mixture of soy beans with samp
into a bread pan, rinsed with cold water. Let stand un-
til stiff, turn out, slice, dip in dry bread crumbs and fry
in savory drippings on both sides. Serve with tomato
sauce.
Cow Peas with Brown Bice
Soak a half pound of cow peas over night; in the
morning, drain, rinse and scald with a little hot water
and soda. Rinse again, cover with water, add a half
tablespoonful of salt and a quarter pound of diced fat
bacon, or ground raw beef. Boil gently for four hours,
adding water as necessary, then add a half pound of
brown or uncoated rice and boil an hour longer.
Roast Pork with Cow Peas
Prepare roast pork as directed in the chapter on meats.
In the meantime a half pound of cow peas should have
been soaked and cooked until soft. They should then be
put in the bottom of the roasting pan underneath the meat
an hour before it will be done, and cooked until the meat
is done and the peas are brown.
Stewed Soup Beans
1 pint soup beans i teaspoonful pepper
2 tablespoonfuls Barbadoes. \ pound salt pork
molasses I pint stewed tomatoes
2 tablespoonfuls sugar 2 onions
i teaspoonfuls salt ~k teaspoonful soda
Soak the beans over night. Drain, parboil, cover with
boiling water, add the soda, the seasonings, the onion,
chopped, and the pork cut in small pieces. Simmer for
VEGETABLES 443
four hours, replenishing the water as needed. They
should be moist, but not wet, when done.
Lima Beans in Tomato Sauce
I pint of dried lima beans ii teaspoonfuls salt
1 teaspoonful soda i teaspoonful pepper
2 tablespoonfuls flour teaspoonful onion juice
2- tablespoonfuls butter or 2 cupfuls stewed and
bacon fat strained tomatoes
Soak the beans over night. In the morning drain, add
the soda, and cover with fresh boiling water ; cook slowly
for an hour. Drain again, add more boiling water and
the salt and cook an hour longer in a double boiler.
Then melt the fat, stir in the flour, add the seasonings
and, gradually, the tomato juice. Let boil up once, pour
over the beans and serve very hot.
Mexican Beans
i cupfuls dried red kidney \ cupful chopped salt pork
beans 4 tablespoonfuls chopped
\ teaspoonful soda onion
1 cupful stewed tomatoes 4 tablespoonfuls chopped
2 teaspoonfuls salt green peppers
i teaspoonful pepper
Soak the beans over night, drain, rinse, cover with
cold water, add the soda and bring to boiling point.
Rinse again. Turn the salt pork into a frying pan, and
fry till crisp, adding the onion and green pepper. Then
turn in the beans, add the salt and pepper, with water to
cover, and simmer until tender about three % hours.
Red Kidney Beans with Spaghetti
i cupful dried red kidney 2 tablespoonfuls minced
beans onion
i teaspoonful salt 2 tablespoonfuls bacon fat
I cupful spaghetti i4 cupfuls tomato juice
Bacon 1 teaspoonful soda
Few grains pepper
Soak the beans over night, drain and stew them in
salted water containing the soda. Cook the spaghetti un-
til tender, and make a sauce by cooking the onion in the
bacon fat until softened, and adding the flour and tomato
juice. Season to taste and add to the spaghetti. Pour
the beans (which should be quite dry) upon a platter,
444 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
surround with the spaghetti, and garnish with cooked
bacon. This is suitable for a dinner dish.
Stewed Red Beans with Salt Pork
2 cupfuls dried red kidney 2^ teaspoonfuls salt
beans 8 slices salt pork
3 tablespoonfttls minced tablespoonful sugar
onion i teaspoonful pepper
i cupful minced carrot I teaspoonful soda
Soak the beans over night, drain, add the soda and hot
water to cover, and boil gently for one hour. Drain
again. Try the fat from the salt pork and set the cooked
pork aside. Add the carrot and onion to the fat, fry
until softened, turn in the beans, add the seasonings and
water to cover, and simmer till very tender and the water
is absorbed, about an hour longer. Serve garnished with
the salt pork.
White Kidney Beans with Tomatoes
ii cupfuls dried white kid- i teaspoonful soda
ney beans 4 slices salt pork
1 tablespoonful minced onion i tablespoonful sugar
2 cupfuls stewed tomatoes ii teaspoonfuls salt
1 teaspoonful pepper
Soak the beans over night, drain them and boil up in
water containing the soda. Try out the salt pork, and
brown the onion in the fat; add the tomato, seasonings
and the beans, barely covering them with water, and cook
in a double boiler until tender about three hours.
Horticultural Bean Loaf
2 cupfuls cooked horticul- 2 eggs
tural beans i teaspoonful salt
3 chopped pimentoes Grating of lemon rind
i cupful bread crumbs Few drops onion juice
cooked to a paste in Few grains pepper
i cupful water
Mix together the beans, pimentoes, crumb paste and
the seasonings ; beat the egg yolks well, add to the mix-
ture and fold in the stiffly-beaten whites. Pile in a well-
oiled bread pan or brick mould, set in a pan of hot water
and cook until firm. Serve surrounded by green pepper
sauce.
VEGETABLES 445
Baked White Kidney Beans
li cupfuls dried white kid- i teaspoonful salt
ney beans i cupful sour cream
i tablespoonful minced i teaspoonful pepper
onion i teaspoonful sugar
i cupful minced ham i teaspoonful mustard
i cupful diced celery teaspoonful soda
Boiling water
Soak the beans over night, add the soda, and stew until
nearly tender. Then mix with the other ingredients, add
hot water nearly to cover and bake an hour and a half
in a moderate oven, uncovering them the last half hour.
i
Boston Baked Beans
i quart pea beans i tablespoonful salt
I teaspoonful soda i teaspoonful pepper
i pound fat salt pork, i cupful canned tomatoes
scalded, or (optional)
cupful bacon drippings cupful Barbadoes molasses
i teaspoonful mustard 2 tablespoonfuls minced
onion
Soak the beans over night in water to cover. Then
wash them well and parboil with the soda in boiling
water, till they are barely tender. Rinse again, put in a
bean pot or casserole, mix in the seasonings, and bury
the pork at the bottom. Cover with boiling water, put
on the lid, and cook slowly for six hours in a moderate
oven. Renew the water as needed and during the last
two hours draw the pork to the surface, score it and let
it brown.
Italian Beans
i cupful Italian Beans i cupful sifted canned to-
Boiling water mato
4 tablespoonfuls olive oil i teaspoonful salt
6 tablespoonfuls grated Few grains pepper
cheese 2 tablespoonfuls minced
i a clove of garlic, minced onion
Soak the beans for four hours in water to cover and
then drain. Fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil
till softened, then add the beans, tossing them about, and
pour in water to cover. Season and boil gently for four
hours, adding water to replenish that lost from evapora-
tion, and turn in the tomato. Let stand to become very
hot, stew with the cheese, and serve as the main dish at
446 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
luncheon or supper. Two minced green peppers may be
fried with the onion, if the flavor is desired.
Stewed Italian Peas
i cupful Italian Peas I teaspoonful salt
1 quart soup stock Few grains pepper
2 tablespoonfuls olive oil i cupful light cream
Grating of lemon rind
Soak the peas over night in cold water, drain, cover
with cold water again, a.dd J teaspoonful baking soda and
bring to boiling point. Drain again, rinse, toss the peas
in the oil, add to the meat stpck which should be boil-
ing, season and simmer till tender about three hours,
replenishing the stock as it evaporates to keep the peas
barely covered. When tender add the cream and the
lemon rind, and serve as the main dish at luncheon or
supper, or as a vegetable accompaniment to a meal light
in meat.
Baked Lentils
2 cupfuls German lentils 2 1 onions, minced
i cupful diced celery i teaspoonful sugar
i cupful stewed tomatoes ii teaspoonfuls salt
4 slices salt pork (diced) i teaspoonful pepper
Soak the lentils over night, then drain and boil up
in water containing a little soda. Drain again, mix with
the other ingredients and pour into a bean pot or cas-
serole. Barely cover with water and bake gently for
four hours, uncovering during the last hour.
CHAPTER XVI
THE EDIBLE WEEDS
Many of the so-called weeds add variety and taste to
the diet and as ballast and mineral foods induce a higher
degree of health. As these weeds are all great pests, it
is needless to say that the more they are cut the less they
propagate, so by their use not only is a food procured
without price, save the labor of gathering, but at the
same time a step forward in eradicating a pest is made.
Dock Root
The leaves of dock root are efficacious in the diet as
greens and the tonic properties which the plant contains
are of value in the great art of keeping well.
Milkweed
Milkweed is one of the most delicious greens and may
be used from the last of May on through the season.
The plant may be recognized as a single stalk with oval-
pointed leaves. Usually it branches into two or three
stalks at the top. It can always be identified by the
white, milky juice found in the stems. Milkweed should
be eaten either when young (about six inches tall) or
when the branches come. In the latter case only the
branches are used, as the stalk grows bitter with age.
When the young stalks are gathered, they may be bunched
and boiled as asparagus and served on toast with either
a butter or cream sauce. In case the branches are used
it is more satisfactory to prepare them as greens, wash-
ing thoroughly, then boiling geptly in a small amount
of salted water for thirty minutes ; then they are drained,
chopped and seasoned with pepper and butter. Oc-
casionally the greens may be heated up in cream sauce or
scalloped with entire wheat bread crumbs, cream sauce
and a little hard-cooked egg. This is a delicious supper
dish.
447 -
448 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Purslane
Purslane or " pusley " in old days was commonly
used as a salad or pot herb, great medicinal virtue being
ascribed to it. One ancient writer said, " Purslane dotii
mitigate the great in al the inward partes of the bodie,
sembably of the head and eyes." While we cannot credit
it with such specific powers, it is certain that along with
the great group of greens it possesses purifying qualities
beneficial to the body. Purslane appears about the mid-
dle of May, growing most prolifically in gardens, veg-
etable patches and corn fields. It is a prostrate, or trail-
ing, plant, one root growing many stems, branching out
and covering a circular surface. The stems are fleshy
and red while the leaves are about the size of the thumb-
nail and almost round. As purslane has little flavor it
tastes rather flat when cooked as greens, unless accom-
panied by a piece of ham, bacon or salt pork. As it is
very succulent it makes a good salad, if it is dressed
raw with oil, vinegar and a high seasoning of salt and
pepper. It may be combined with sliced radishes or
shredded green peppers to good advantage, or strewn
with minced mint, when roast lamb or cold ham is to be
served. It is also frequently used as a garnish.
Narrow Dock
Narrow dock, " curled dock," or " sour dock," for it is
known by various names, is a particularly persistent and
plentiful weed, ready to use from June throughout the
season. It may be recognized easily. The stem is erect,
angular and furrowed, growing from eighteen inches to
two and a. half feet tall and branching from the bottom
up. The leaves are lanced-shaped and pointed, with the
margins strongly shirred. The flowers are drooping
green, inconspicuous clusters growing in circles about the
stem. The leaves only are used, and are always cooked
as greens and seasoned with salt and pepper. As the
name " sour dock " suggests, the flavor is distinctly sour
and for this reason it should be served with a suitable
meat, as beef tongue, ham or corned beef, with which the
flavor will harmonize. Occasionally the chopped cooked
greens are moulded in cups in individual portions, and
served on lettuce as a salad, accompanied by boiled dress-
THE EDIBLE WEEDS 449
ing to which has been added a generous quantity of
chopped, cooked ham. In this case it is sufficiently sub-
stantial to serve as a main dish at luncheon or supper.
Sorrel
Sorrel was always cultivated in old-time gardens, but
it is now seldom found except in the wild state, in stubby
or stony fields and along fence rows. Sorrel may be
used as a salad plant, either alone, dressed simply with
oil and vinegar, or in combination. Potato or egg salad
or shredded cabbage combined with green peppers are
delicious with it, while any kind of fish salad is improved
by the addition of a small quantity. It is also used in
soups, " cream of sorrel " being a favorite in France.
To make this soup, cook a cupful of chopped sorrel in
a tablespoonful of butter, add a little sugar, one-half tea-
spoonful of vinegar, a teaspoonful of salt and two table-
spoonfuls of uncoated rice, then a pint of boiling water.
Let simmer until the rice is soft. Add three cupfuls of
veal or chicken stock and strain. Beat an egg yolk
slightly; add a cupful of light cream and turn into the
soup, stir until it becomes hot, strain and serve.
A combination of dandelion and sorrel as greens is de-
licious, the flavors supplementing each other especially
well.
Plantain
Plantain is a familiar dooryard weed which grows in
nearly all localities. This weed may be used either as a
salad or a green. If it is to figure in a salad, only the
young leaves should be used, and, as the plant is rather
lacking in flavor, a dash of curry powder and Wor-
cestershire sauce may be added to good advantage with
French dressing. An excellent combination consists of
one-half as much shredded plantain as celery, with a dash
of minced green pepper, put together with a French
dressing. As a green it may be used either plain, with
salt pork or ham, or in combination with dandelion and
horseradish, equal parts being used of the plantain and
dandelion and one-third of horseradish. Plantain may
be obtained throughout the season.
450 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Pigweed
Pigweed was formerly cultivated in gardens, like spin-
ach, but it is now found wild in corn fields, vegetable
patches, barnyards and almost everywhere. The leaves
should be gathered young and cooked like any green.
Dandelions
Whereas dandelions are now generally used, they are
usually so unattractively prepared that few people really
like them. When cooked as greens, they should be first
scalded., then cooked, like other greens, slowly in their
own juices, then chopped fine and seasoned well with
salt, pepper and butter. If dandelions are to be served
as a salad, only the most tender plants should be used.
The tiny young leaves of dandelion may be used as
a green with any vegetable salad a simple dressing of
oil, vinegar, salt and pepper being sufficient. Boiled
finnan haddie with a lemon sauce is delicious served on a
bed of dandelion greens, while any left-over greens may
be moulded and served cold with mayonnaise or boiled
salad dressing. Dandelions are also delicious in com-
bination with an equal quantity of spinach.
Cowslip
Cowslip, or marsh marigold, is one of the first greens
to appear and is in season from the last of March through
April. It is always found in moist places and can be
identified by its smooth, dark green leaves, about two
inches in diameter, almost round, save for a deep notch
where they are joined to the stem, and by its brilliant yel-
low flowers, in shape much like a buttercup.
Cowslips 'are always used as greens, and a dash of
nutmeg should be added with the other seasonings. The
dish will be greatly improved if it is bestrewn with a
little hard-cooked egg at serving time. It may be made
into a soup, like a cream of sorrel, a cupful of cooked
and sifted cowslip pulp being substituted for the sorrel,
and a slice of onion and a bit of bay leaf being added
"for the seasoning. Cooked and moulded the cowslip
makes a delicious salad, which should be served with
boiled dressing and small balls of cottage cheese dusted
with paprika.
THE EDIBLE WEEDS 451
Brake Fern
Those whose hearts are steeled against Nature do not
hesitate to cut the curly white fronds of the brake fern
and cook them as greens. The best way to do this is by
steaming, as then the shape is not spoiled, the fronds
being attractive in appearance when cooked and suitable
to serve on toast with a butter or cream sauce.
Mustard
Either white or black mustard is a weed that can be
used to advantage in the diet. It is well known as a
plant growing along roadsides and in any cultivated
ground, being particularly troublesome in grain fields and
pastures. Like all plants mustard is at its best when
young. The leaves may 'be used in combination with
other greens which have a bland flavor, like purslane or
pigweed, as the sharp flavor of the mustard gives them
zest. When very young and crisp, mustard forms a good
salad green and may be dressed either plain or in com-
bination with cabbage, tomatoes, string beans or peas.
A bacon, fish or cheese sandwich is greatly improved by
a few mustard leaves dipped in French dressing. It is
also a good salad accompaniment to cheese dishes or other
foods difficult of digestion, as the sharp flavor stimulates
the digestive organs. As mustard is bulky it is an
excellent laxative.
Nettles
The nettle is another edible plant formerly much used,
but now little known. The tender shoots, plucked be-
fore the plant begins to flower, may be cooked as greens
or made into an old-fashioned dish known as " nettle
porridge " a type of creamed green worth trying. If
gloves are worn while picking, no ill effects from the
nettles will be felt.
Mint
Mint is a weed of possibilities, although it is now little
known save in a sauce. A handful of mint tops added to
green peas when cooking gives a delicious flavor, while
a touch of it is indispensible to dried pea or bean puree.
Finely minced, the leaves may be added to orange fruit
cup and banana salad, while a mint sherbet or quick
mint jelly is delicious. In combination with cabbage,
452 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
cucumbers or tomatoes it makes a delectable salad, while
a sprig added to iced tea or lemonade is refreshing.
Wintergreen
Wintergreen is a plant that is slowly coming into
favor among country folk as a distinct flavoring agent.
In the spring the tiny reddish leaves or " pippins " are
a delicious addition to any fruit salad dressed with a
French fruit dressing. Suitable combinations with win-
tergreen are bananas, pineapple and orange, or apple,
nut and celery. It may be added to dressed cabbage, or
used instead of mint in mint sauce. Wintergreen jelly
is somewhat of a novelty and may be made by adding
one cupful of chopped wintergreen leaves to a cupful
and a half of water which centains a tablespoonful of
vinegar, two of lemon juice, one-half tablespoonful of
sugar, a dash of nutmeg, and a scant tablespoonful of
granulated gelatine dissolved over steam in a little water.
This should be moulded and served as a garnish to cold
ham or lamb, sprays of wintergreen being used to gar-
nish the dish.
Checkerberries
Checkerberries may be used instead of pippins in any
fruit salad, while they are delicious when cooked in sugar
syrup and candied like orange peel.
CHAPTER XVII
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL
Of all the summer foods salads are perhaps the least
understood. To many the word signifies only green,
straggling, frequently bitter lettuce, served with a sweet-
sour apology for something called a dressing. Again, it
means the beloved of the delicatessen store and the church
supper the onion-filled, vinegar-soused, mushy mix-
ture known as potato salad, or it conjures up a palate-pic-
ture of a varied number of fruits besprinkled with marsh-
mallows, swathed in mayonnaise, and finished off with
nuts. Alas, for the mistreated salad ! Correctly made
it is a healthful, nourishing and appetizing adjunct to
the daily meals; improperly prepared, it had better be
omitted from any menu.
Of course, the palate soon tires of a daily diet of any
one salad plant, but when there are so many from which
to make selection, all at about the same price, there is no
excuse for monotony. Of the many plants comparatively
little known, watercress, chicory, romaine, endive, corn
salad and young dandelions offer a wide choice which
may be supplemented by the more common lettuce, cel-
ery and cabbage. Then there are the wild salad plants
as purslane, or " pusley," sorrel, young mustard, mint,
or plantain described in the chapter on edible weeds.
How to Prepare and Crisp Salad Greens
No matter what type of salad is to be made, whether
the plant itself is to form the base, or whether it is to be
used merely as a garnish to the other ingredients, the
salad plant must be crisp and thoroughly clean. Too
much stress cannot be laid on the necessity of the latter,
for the salad plant is not cooked, and every bit of dirt
453
454 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
must be washed off, as it is a splendid harborage for
disease germs.
The leaves should be entirely separated from the roots,
washed in plenty of cold water, and then rinsed. The
outside leaves should be separated from those that are
more desirable, and should be shredded as a salad green,
or used in soup, for they are too rich in minerals to be
consigned to the garbage can. If ice is at hand, the
washed and drained leaves should be put into cheesecloth
bags, so that they will not fall out and clog the refriger-
ator drain, and be placed next to the ice. Or, if there is
plenty of room, they may be crisped in one of the wire
salad baskets so much used in Italy and recently intro-
duced here. If no ice is at hand, wrap the salad loosely
in paraffine paper, place it in a tightly-covered utensil,
and set it in the coolest possible place. If the weather is
not too warm, the green will keep for two days.
Preparing Salad Ingredients
The preparation of the various salad ingredients de-
mands a little time, but the result is well worth the effort.
A tomato salad, served skin and all, for instance, may be
quickly prepared, but the skin is indigestible, and its re-
moval will not only make the salad more appetizing, but
will lift it above the restaurant level. A good way to
remove tomato skins is to bruise the fruit with the blunt
edge of a knife, when the tomato may be easily peeled.
By this method none of the flavor is lost. A quicker
method is to use boiling water; if properly done, the
flavor is not greatly affected. Put the tomatoes into a
wire basket, plunge them into boiling water and let stand
one minute, and then immerse in cold water. Cabbage
should be shredded fine for salad, rather than chopped.
It is not necessary to use a special shredder for the pur-
pose, a very sharp long knife serving to shave the cab-
bage into tiny shreds. These should be crisped in ice
water, if possible.. There is no foundation for the old-
time idea that cucumbers should always be allowed to
stand for some time in cold, salted water before using.
They should be crisped in plain ice water, but, if they are
hard to digest, they may be placed in a cheesecloth bag
and the juice squeezed out. They will not be crisp,
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 455
treated in this way, but are usually more digestible. Cel-
ery for salad should be cut into small dice ; if properly
prepared, even the outer stalks may be used. The
grooves should be washed with a brush, the strings re-
moved by slipping a knife under them at the root-end,
and pulling toward the top of the stalks; scraping is not
a good method. Two or three stalks should then be put
together. They should be held on a board, and the
stalks be shredded lengthwise, then cut crosswise into
small uniform pieces.
Fish, chicken and other meats should be cut in pieces
about the size of a large pea; if they are too large, the
dressing does not penetrate them; if too small, or if the
meat has been put through the food-chopper, the result
is a pasty mixture, suitable only for sandwich fillings.
When introducing eggs into a mixed salad, slice them,
or separate the whites from the yolks, chop the whites,
coarsely, and mix them with the salad ; rub the hard-
cooked yolk through a coarse sieve or potato ricer, and
sprinkle thickly over the top as a garnish. In making
potato salad it is always better to cut the potatoes small
and combine them, while still warm, with the onion juice,
vinegar and oil ; the other ingredients may be added later.
Parsley, mint, chervil and other herbs should be very
finely minced after being thoroughly washed and then
dried.
Dressing a Salad at the Table
The best way to prepare a green salad, whether it be
plain," with herbs, with a combination of tart fruits, or
with other fresh vegetables, is to dress the salad at the
table. In this case the salad bowl should be roomy.
The high bowl on a standard is quite the newest shape.
In general the bowl should be lined with salad greens, the
other ingredients, if they are used, being arranged at-
tractively among the leaves. The oil and vinegar should
be in cruets and together with the salt, pepper, paprika,
any other desired condiments, and the salad fork
and spoon should be set upon a small tray. To
dress the salad, measure out a half tablespoonful
of oil for each person to be served. Pour it over
the salad, add the salt, pepper and other condiments,
if they are to be used, and toss the salad with the
456 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
fork and spoon until the leaves begin to look a little
wilted, then add one-third as much vinegar as oil for
each person, and mix until it is absorbed. This does not
take long, if done vigorously.
The salad can be greatly varied by using various kinds
of vinegar. Italian vinegar gives an especially smooth,
pungent dressing, while any of the herb vinegars, such as
tarragon, nasturtium, celery, mint and so on (any of
which may be easily made at home) relieve any mo-
notony.
When to Use French Dressing
The question has frequently been asked why it is pref-
erable to dress the salad at the table, rather than to use a
French dressing, which is poured over the salad. The
first method is preferable for delicate greens, because
they then absorb the dressing, but the regulation French
dressing should be used in marinating (combining) vari-
ous salad ingredients, as chicken, veal, potatoes and the
like, which will readily absorb it without becoming
wilted. The proportions of oil and vinegar for French
dressing remain the same as when the salad is dressed at
the table.
The Selection of Salad Oil
The question of oil for salad making is becoming more
of a problem, as large numbers are beginning to appre-
ciate the dietetic and gastronomic value of the salad
dressed with oil. The best uncooked dressings are made
of genuine olive oil, which is unsurpassed in flavor as
well as digestibility. However, this is expensive ;' good
substitutes are peanut-, cottonseed-, and corn-oil. In
using any of these olive-oil substitutes, a little more acid
and slightly higher seasonings should be introduced. A
mixture of one-third highly-flavored Italian olive oil and
two-thirds of any one of the cheaper oils will give an
olive oil flavor at a lower cost. This method is used by
some of the best hotels.
The Choice of Salad Dressings
The character of the salad dressing should be dic-
tated by the place of the salad in the meal. All light
vegetable salads, those occasionally containing a little
tart fruit, and those which are to constitute a separate
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 457
course at a dinner, should be served with French dress-
ing, or one of its derivatives. The same dressing may
be used on luncheon or supper salads, if desired, but
when they are to serve as the main course of the meal, it
is customary to us a mayonnaise, boiled or cream dress-
ing. The best rule to follow in deciding on the dressing
is to keep in mind the actual salad ingredients. If they
are fat and very rich, a boiled dressing should be selected
rather than a mayonnaise, which contains a large quan-
tity of fat. If they are deficient in fat, a mayonnaise
dressing combines well both dietetically and gastro-
nomically. For a fruit salad the dressing may consist
of mayonnaise, either plain or combined with a little
whipped cream, preferably sour, or it may be of a dis-
tinctly sweet type as honey salad dressing.
If a sweet dressing is used, however, the fruit salad
must act as dessert, rather than a separate course. In
most cases it is preferable partially to combine the salad
with a small quantity of French dressing, rather than a
large quantity of heavier dressing.
To sum up the requirements for making a " real "
salad: All the ingredients must be cold, the greens
should be crisp and dry, the salad should be moist, but
not " soupy," and, if a substantial salad is made, it
should be allowed to stand for some time with the dress-
ing mixed through it. The salad plates should be cold,
and the salad itself should be attractively arranged and
garnished, for " the eye does half the eating."
FRENCH AND MAYONNAISE DRESSINGS
French Dressing
3 tablespoonfuls olive oil Few grains paprika
i tablespoonful vinegar Few grains pepper
i teaspoonful salt
Beat thoroughly until emulsified.
French Dressing in Quantity
I cupful olive oil ij teaspoonfuls salt
i cupful vinegar i teaspoonful pepper
Mix together in a screw-top glass jar and shake until
458 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
thoroughly emulsified each time before using. It may
be kept indefinitely.
French Fruit Salad Dressing
3 tablespoonfuls olive oil 4 teaspoonful salt
i tablespoonful lemon juice I tablespoonful powdered
sugar
Combine and beat till emulsified.
California French Dressing
2! tablespoonfuls granulated 2 tablespoonfuls olive oil
sugar 3 tablespoonfuls vinegar
Few grains cayenne pepper teaspoonful salt
Mix the dry ingredients together. Add the oil grad-
ually, blend thoroughly and beat in the vinegar, slowly.
Let stand with the heart of an onion till slightly flavored.
This may be omitted if desired.
English Salad Dressing
i teaspoonful salt I teaspoonful Worcester-
4 teaspoonful pepper shire sauce
1 teaspoonful celery seed 2 tablespoonfuls vinegar
Few drops onion juice 4 tablespoonfuls olive oil
Mix together the salt, pepper, celery seed, onion juice,
Worcestershire and the oil. Let stand to become sea-
soned, and strain. Then slowly beat into it the vinegar
until it is emulsified. Use at once with any plain vege-
table salad.
French Pepper Dressing
5 tablespoonfuls olive oil i teaspoonful Worcester-
2 tablespoonfuls vinegar shire
I teaspoonful salt i teaspoonful curry powder
Few grains cayenne i teaspoonful onion juice
2 tablespoonfuls minced
green pepper
Mix the ingredients in the order given, beat well and
serve at once with plain green salad, string bean, cauli-
flower, beet, tomato or cucumber salad.
Italian Dressing
i teaspoonful salt I tablespoonful tomato con-
fi teaspoonfnls grated onion serve or catsup
4 teaspoonful white pepper i tablespoonfuls vinegar
4 tablespoonfuls olive oil
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 459
Mix the first four ingredients thoroughly; add the
vinegar slowly, then beat in the oil a little at a time.
Use at once.
Radish Dressing
5 tablespoonfuls olive oil teaspoonful salt
I tablespooriful lemon juice Few grains cayenne
i tablespoonful orange juice i cupful radishes (sliced)
i tablespoonful tarragon
vinegar
Mix the ingredients thoroughly, except the radishes,
then add the radishes, and use at once.
Roquefort Salad Dressing
i cupful Roquefort cheese 2 tablespoonfuls vinegar
1 cupful olive oil teaspoonful salt
Dash paprika i teaspoonful pepper
Beat the cheese till creamy, gradually working in the
oil, seasonings and, lastly, the vinegar. Use at once.
Whipped Cream Dressing
3 tablespoonfuls grated ^ teaspoonful mustard
horseradish -k teaspoonful sugar
2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice i teaspoonful cayenne
i tablespoonful tarragon i cupful sweet or sour
vinegar cream (whipped)
i teaspoonful salt
Mix the dry ingredients, vinegar and lemon juice to-
gether. When ready to serve add the whipped cream
slowly, beating constantly.
Cucumber Salad Dressing
Add one cupful of diced and pressed cucumbers to
the preceding just before serving.
Cream Cheese Salad Dressing
\ a cream cheese Few grains paprika
J teaspoonful salt 6 sliced pickled onions
I teaspoonful pepper 5 tablespoonfuls olive oil
2! tablespoonfuls spiced,
pickling vinegar
Cream the cheese till soft, then beat in the other in-
gredients in the order given. Use on cold slaw, toma-
toes, cucumbers or any plain green salad.
460 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Uncooked Sour Cream Dressing
I cupful thick sour cream Few grains white pepper
1 teaspoonful salt i teaspoonful paprika
2 tablespoonfuls vinegar
Mix the ingredients in the order given, and use with
cabbage or tomato salad.
Bar le Due Salad Dressing
3 tablespoonfuls Bar le Due i tablespoonful lemon juice
Jelly & tablespoonful salt
2 tablespoonfuls olive oil
Beat well and use at once.
Currant or Cranberry Jelly Salad Dressing
2 tablespoonfuls currant or 2 tablespoonfuls olive oil
cranberry jelly i teaspoonful salt
I tablespoonful lemon juice
Melt the jelly, add the lemon juice, oil and salt and
beat thoroughly.
Honey Salad Dressing
1 cupful olive oil 2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice
3 tablespoonfuls honey Few grains salt
Beat together until frothy ; use at once.
Quick Mayonnaise
2 egg yolks i teaspoonful mustard
i teaspoonful powdered i cupfuls olive oil
sugar ii tablespoonfuls lemon
I teaspoonful salt juice
& teaspoonful cayenne ii tablespoonfuls vinegar
Measure out the oil into a pitcher. Mix the dry in-
gredients, add the egg yolks, beat till slightly thickened
and add the vinegar and lemon juice, gradually. Use an
egg-beater of the wheel type and beat in the oil a tea-
spoonful at a time. When thick, the oil may be added
much more, rapidly, taking care to beat the mixture thor-
oughly after each addition. When done, a tablespoon-
ful of boiling water should be beaten in. If stored in a
glass jar and covered closely in a cool place, this will keep
indefinitely. Any olive oil substitute may be used in
making this dressing.
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 461
Thousand Island Salad Dressing
i cupful mayonnaise i tablespoonful chopped
5 tablespoonfuls chili sauce chives
i chopped pimento
Combine the ingredients in the order given.
Russian Salad Dressing
1 cupful mayonnaise i teaspoonful chopped
2 chopped pimentoes capers or chow chow
i tablespoonful chopped 3 teaspoonfuls tarragon
chives vinegar
6 tablespoonfuls chili sauce cupful whipped sour cream
The mayonnaise should be very thick. Combine the
ingredients in the order given.
COOKED SALAD DRESSINGS
Cheap Boiled Salad Dressings (1 quart)
6 tablespoonfuls flour 2 tablespoonfuls butter
ii teaspoonfuls mustard 2 eggs
1 tablespoonful salt 2 cupfuls milk
2 tablespoonfuls sugar ii cupfuls weak vinegar
i tablespoonful onion juice
Mix together the flour, mustard, salt, sugar, onion
juice, butter and eggs in a double boiler top; add the milk
slowly so it will not be lumpy, cook over hot water till
thick, stirring constantly, then add the vinegar and stir
until thickened again. This may be kept closely-covered
in a cool place for two weeks.
Rich Salad Dressing
tablespoonfui mustard i cupful milk
i tablespoonful salt i cupful mild vinegar
i tablespoonful sugar i tablespoonful corn starch
i tablespoonful onion juice 3 eggs or 6 egg yolks
(optional)
Mix the dry ingredients together, add the eggs and
onion juice and beat well. Stir in the milk, and cook
over hot water till thick, then add the vinegar, slowly,
beating thoroughly. Strain and cool.
462 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Boiled Oil Dressing (A Mayonnaise Substitute)
2 tablespoonfuls olive oil I cupful olive oil
2 tablespoonfuls flour I teaspoonful salt
2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice i teaspoonful pepper
Boiling water i teaspoonful mustard
i egg yolk, beaten . i egg white
Blend the 2 tablespoonfuls of olive oil, the flour and
lemon juice, in a measuring cup. Fill the cup with boil-
ing water, transfer to a double boiler and cook until
thickened, stirring constantly. Pour into the egg yolk,
beating constantly, and cool. Then gradually beat in the
oil and seasonings, and lastly thin the mixture with the
egg white whipped stiff.
Sour Milk or Buttermilk Salad Dressing
1 cupful sugar 2 eggs, beaten
4 cupful butter li cupfuls sour milk or but-
. i teaspoonful mustard termilk
4 tablespoonfuls flour I cupful weak vinegar
Few grains cayenne 2 teaspoonfuls salt
Melt the butter, add the sugar, flour and seasonings,
then the eggs, beaten, and the milk. Stir over hot water
until thick, then add the vinegar, slowly, stirring con-
stantly till the mixture thickens again. Remove from
the heat, chill and serve.
As this keeps for two weeks in a cool place, several
times the recipe may be made and stored in glass jars.
Peanut Butter Salad Dressing
2 tablespoonfuls peanut but- i tablespoonful tarragon
ter vinegar
i tablespoonful olive oil tablespoonful lemon juice
Dash of paprika i cupful any boiled dressing
Beat thoroughly. Serve with fruit salad.
Curry Dressing
\ tablespoonful salt i tablespoonful flour
1 teaspoonful mustard 3 egg yolks
2 tablespoonfuls sugar 2 tablespoonfuls melted but-
Few grains cayenne ter or oil
6 tablespoonfuls weak vin- i| cupfuls milk
egar \ teaspoonful curry powder
Mix the dry ingredients, add the egg yolks, slightly
beaten, the butter and the milk ; then pour in the vinegar
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 463
slowly, and cook over boiling water until the mixture
thickens, stirring constantly. Strain and cool.
Sweet or Sour Cream Dressing
2 egg yolks or i egg i teaspoonful mustard
\ teaspoonful salt i tablespoonful granulated
Few grains cayenne sugar
4 tablespoonfuls tarragon 2 tablespoonfuls butter
vinegar I cupful whipped cream
(sweet or sour)
Mix together egg yolks and dry ingredients in a
double boiler top. Add the vinegar and cook over hot
water until thickened, then add the butter, bit by bit,
till all is in, and cool the mixture. Fold in whipped
cream just before serving. This is suitable only for fruit
salads.
Cream Honey Salad Dressing
4 yolks i teaspoonful salt
2 cupful honey i cupful olive oil
Juice i lemon i teaspoonful paprika
i cupful slightly sour or
sweet cream
Beat the yolks thoroughly, then pour in the honey,
which should be boiling hot. Cook for a moment, beat-
ing continuously, then fold in the oil, lemon juice and the
cream, beaten stiff. Use only with fruit salads.
VEGETABLE SALADS
Vegetable salads may be made in many combinations,
imagination only being the limit. It is a good plan
to put washed and dry radishes, white or red, pieces of
green peppers which may have been left over, or a
tomato, if there is an extra one at hand, in the salad fyag
or basket, along with lettuce or other salad greens, and
before it is realized the ingredients for a delicious vege-
table salad will be accumulated. Specific recipes are un-
necessary for simple salads of this type. However, the
following suggestions will probably assist the imagin-
ation :
Lettuce, cress and celery.
Cress, tomatoes and cucumbers.
Romaine, sliced radishes and shredded cabbage.
464 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Sliced tomatoes, diced cucumbers and lettuce.
Young dandelions, new onions and cooked beets.
Lettuce, tomatoes and corn.
Romaine, asparagus tips and small, or sliced, radishes.
Peas, sliced shallots, lettuce or cress.
String beans, radishes and lettuce.
Sliced tomatoes, diced cucumbers and lettuce.
Chicory and cucumber.
Escarole, chives and cubes of tomato jelly.
All these may be served with French dressing.
Dressings Which May Be Served with Vegetable Salads
For vegetable salads, French dressing, California
French dressing, English salad dressing, French pepper
dressing, Italian and radish dressing, Roquefort salad
dressing, boiled dressing and mayonnaise are all suitable
for certain meals and may be substituted for the French
dressing mentioned in the list of vegetable salad com-
binations as desirable.
Yellow Tomato and Chestnut Salad
12 yellow tomatoes I cupful sliced blanched
I cupful diced celery chestnuts
Lettuce California French dressing
Remove the tomato skins by means of boiling water.
Cut the fruit in halves and let marinate in the dressing
for half an hour. In the meantime, mix together the
chestnuts and celery, add a little of the dressing and let
stand in a cold place to become seasoned. Arrange nests
of shredded lettuce on individual plates, drain the toma-
toes and arrange them on these nests in shape of a Mal-
tese cross, put a spoonful of the celery and chestnut mix-
ture in the center of the tomatoes, and serve with cream
cheese sandwiches.
Tomato Cheese Salad
Select medium-sized perfect tomatoes. Remove the
skins and chill. When ready to serve, cut each tomato
to represent a flower, marinate fifteen minutes in French
dressing, arrange on lettuce leaves or cress, dispose tiny
balls of cream cheese in the center of each tomato and
pass mayonnaise or boiled dressing.
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 465
Milady's Salad
6 slices tomato Mayonnaise
t cupful diced canned pine- Powdered parsley
apple Lettuce
f cupful diced celery
Arrange the salads individually as follows, put a slice
of tomato on a nest of lettuce leaves, combine the pine-
apple and celery with a little mayonnaise ; put a spoonful
of this mixture on each slice of tomato. Top with extra
mayonnaise, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve very
cold.
Tomato and Sardine Salad
Allow a tomato for each person ; hollow them out and
scallop the edges with a knife. Fill with a dressing
made of equal parts of celery, green pepper and tart ap-
ples put together with mayonnaise. Arrange indi-
vidually in nests of shredded lettuce, pour over a table-
spoonful of French dressing to each serving and stand
three sardines tent-fashion around each tomato.
Tomato Cream Salad
Allow a tomato to each person, hollow out and let
stand in French dressing for half an hour in a cold place.
Then fill with cucumber salad dressing, arrange on let-
tuce and stick tiny straws of cucumber into the cream.
Stuffed Tomato Salad
6 medium-sized firm toma- I cupful minced chicken
toes Mayonnaise
2 cupful minced lettuce Lettuce
stalks
Peel the tomatoes. Remove a thin slice from the top
of each, scoop out the centers, dust with salt and pepper,
and invert the tomatoes in a cool place to drain. Fill
these " cups " with a salad made of the chicken and let-
tuce stalks, moistened with mayonnaise, and arrange on
plates for individual service. Garnish each with a spoon-
ful of mayonnaise and a spring of parsley.
Spanish Tomato Salad
5 tomatoes Lettuce
i Bermuda onion California French dressing
i green pepper
466 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Peel and chill the tomatoes. Slice the onion very thin
crosswise, and shred the green pepper, after removing the
seeds and core, and boil it two minutes. Drain and chill.
Dress the crisped lettuce, arrange in a salad bowl ; slice
and dress the tomatoes, place upon the lettuce, and garnish
with the onion and pepper.
Shamrock Salad
2 large green peppers 2 tablespoonfuls stuffed
i large cream cheese olives
i cupful chopped walnut 2" tablespoonfuls cream
meats Salt and pepper
French or mayonnaise dress- Lettuce
ing
Remove the stem ends from the peppers and scrape
out the seeds and cores. Let the peppers stand in cold,
salted water for two hours, then drain and pack full of
the cheese, nuts and olives creamed together and sea-
soned to taste, and moistened with the cream. Let stand
to become very firm, then slice across in one-quarter inch
pieces; pour over a little French dressing and serve two
slices to each person on a nest of lettuce hearts. Gar-
nish with radish roses, if convenient, and pass mayon-
naise if desired.
Spinach Salad
Cook the spinach as usual, season well with salt, pep-
per, butter and a dash of nutmeg, and pack into cold,
wet individual moulds. Chill, turn out on white lettuce
leaves, and serve with a garnish of hard-cooked eggs and
mayonnaise or boiled dressing.
Spring Salad
I cupful sliced scullions 5 tablespoonfuls French
i| cupfuls sliced, cooked new dressing
beets i bunch watercress
Dredge the scullions with salt and pepper and pour
over 2 tablespoonfuls vinegar and add tablespoonful of
sugar. Let stand one hour in a cold place. Combine the
beets with the French dressing, and add the scullions,
drained. Let stand fifteen minutes ; drain, toss the cress
in this dressing and dispose the salad upon it.
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 467
Oyster-Plant or Salsify Salad
I bunch salsify or oyster i cupful olive oil
plant 2 tablespoonfuls vinegar
i cupful diced celery i tablespoonful onion juice
6 sliced stuffed olives Few grains paprika
i teaspoonful salt Any salad green
Scrub the oyster plant, and steam or boil it. Rub off
the skin and cut the roots into inch lengths. Prepare a
French dressing of the salt, oil, vinegar, onion juice and.
paprika. Marinate the oyster-plant and celery separately
in it for twenty minutes ; then combine, garnish with any
salad green and bestrew with the olives.
Cow Pea or Soy Bean Salad
2.\ cupfuls plain-cooked or French dressing
cow peas, or soy beans Watercress or romaine
1 cupful diced celery, or Sliced tomato (optional)
shredded cabbage
Mix the legume and celery with the French dressing.
Arrange on a bed. of green and garnish with the sliced
tomato.
Romaine, Celery and Pimento Salad
2\ cupfuls shredded celery Romaine
2 pimentoes French dressing
Shred the celery into match-shaped pieces, and let
stand in cold, salted water for an hour to crisp. Drain
thoroughly and add the pimentoes cut into small shreds.
Mix thoroughly with the dressing, and serve on romaine.
Ribboned or Shredded Lettuce
Wash and drain lettuce leaves. Arrange as many as
the hand will hold, one piled upon the other, and grasp
them firmly in the left hand. With a long, sharp knife
cut them across into shreds or ribbons one-quarter inch
wide. Set aside on the ice, or in a tightly-closed pail to
re-crisp.
Radish and New Onion Salad
3 Bermuda onions I head lettuce
2 bunches radishes French dressing
Wash and crisp the lettuce ; peel the onions ; and slice
half the radishes very thin. Marinate them separately
468 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
in French dressing for thirty minutes. Then arrange the
lettuce in a salad bowl, pour over the rest of the dress-
ing and mix well with the radishes and onions. Garnish
with radish roses made from the remaining radishes.
Red Cabbage and Celery Salad
3 cupfuls shredded red cab- 2 cupfuls diced celery
bage Curry or French dressing
1 tablespoonful chopped
chives or Bermuda onion
Let the cabbage and celery crisp separately in cold,
salted water. Drain thoroughly, mix and toss with the
dressing, garnish with celery tips or lettuce and serve
immediately.
Plain Potato Salad
3 cupfuls thinly sliced and ii teaspoonfuls salt
diced boiled potatoes i teaspoonful pepper
2 hard-cooked eggs 5 tablespoonfuls olive oil
i onion (medium sized) 2 tablespoonfuls vinegar
grated Parsley
I cupful diced celery (op-
tional)
Chop the eggs and mix with the potato, celery, onion
and seasonings. Then pour over the oil and toss it in.
Add the vinegar, mix lightly and let stand to become very
cold. Serve garnished with parsley.
Potato Salad (New York)
2\ cupfuls small cooked po- 2 hard-cooked eggs
tato cubes Boiled salad dressing
I cucumber, pared and diced, Oil and vinegar
or Lettuce
i cupful diced celery Salt and cayenne to taste
Dress the cucumber and potato separately with oil and
vinegar, using ij tablespoonfuls of oil to \ tablespoonful
of vinegar. Let stand thirty minutes. Drain them
thoroughly ; dust with salt and cayenne pepper, and toss
together with the eggs, chopped, and salad dressing to
moisten thoroughly. Arrange on lettuce and garnish as
desired with olives or pimento strips, and extra dressing.
TOMATO CREAM SALAD
TOMATO AND SARDINE SALAD
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 469
Peanut and Potato Salad
3 cupfuls diced cooked po- i cupful peanut meats
tatoes Parsley
3 hard-cooked eggs Lettuce
2 cupfuls diced celery or French dressing
shredded cabbage Boiled dressing
Marinate the potato and celery in the French dressing,
then mix half the peanut meats, chopped, with it, and a
tablespoonful of minced parsley. Add a half teaspoon-
ful of onion juice, if desired. Blend with the boiled
dressing, arrange on lettuce leaves, and garnish with the
parsley, egg and remaining nut meats.
Potato and Pimento Salad
3 cupfuls cooked, diced po- I tablespoonful minced
tato onion
2 hard-cooked eggs Boiled dressing
4 tablespoonfuls minced pi- Lettuce, or
mentoes Watercress
Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs. Chop
the whites, and add to the potatoes with three tablespoon-
fuls of the pimentoes and the onion. Sprinkle with salt
and pepper, and moisten with the dressing, which should
be hot. Set away to chill. Serve on lettuce, garnish
with extra dressing, the rest of the pimentoes, and the
egg yolks rubbed through a sieve.
Potato, Egg and Radish Salad
3 cupfuls warm, diced po- 3 tablespoonfuls olive oil
tatoes i tablespoonful vinegar
3 hard-cooked eggs Salt and pepper to taste
I cupful thinly-sliced rad- Boiled salad dressing
ishes Lettuce
Mix the oil and vinegar and a little salt and pepper
with the potatoes, and let stand for at least half an hour.
Reserve one egg yolk, but chop the balance finely and add
to the potato, with the radishes. Moisten thoroughly
with the cooked dressing, arrange on a bed of lettuce
(shredded), pour a little extra dressing on the top and
sift over the egg yolk as a garnish.
470 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Brown Rice Salad
2 cupfuls boiled brown rice 3 tablespoonfuls olive oil
i cupful diced celery I tablespoonful vinegar
i minced green pepper i teaspoonful salt
i tablespoonful scraped teaspoonful pepper
onion Tomato catsup
Lettuce or cress
Mix together the salad ingredients and arrange on the
lettuce. Pour over a little tomato catsup, and garnish
further with parsley, if desired.
Brown Bice and Chicken Salad
Observe the proportions of ingredients as given for
Brown Rice Salad. Add a cupful of diced chicken, and
enough mayonnaise or boiled salad dressing to blend the
salad. Arrange on lettuce and garnish with strips of
pimento. Omit the catsup.
Brown Rice and Nut Salad
Observe the proportions as given for Brown Rice
Salad, adding a cupful of broken English Walnut meats
just before serving, together with mayonnaise or boiled
salad dressing to blend. Omit the catsup.
Macaroni Salad
ii cupfuls macaroni, -broken Mayonnaise or boiled dress-
into pieces ing
ij cupfuls diced celery Lettuce or cress
15 stuffed olives, sliced
Boil the macaroni until tender, and cool it. Combine
with the remaining ingredients, chill and serve on a bed
of the salad green. Garnish with whole olives.
Macaroni and Ham Salad
Add three-fourths cupful of minced ham and a tea-
spoonful of onion juice to the preceding recipe for
Macaroni Salad.
Macaroni Vegetarian Salad
ll cupfuls diced, cooked 3 hard-cooked eggs
macaroni 2 diced tomatoes (peeled)
I cupful diced celery i snappy cheese
cupful peas Boiled dressing
i cupful minced carrots Lettuce
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 471
Combine the macaroni, the vegetables (except the to-
mato), the cheese and two of the eggs, sliced. Mix
lightly with boiled dressing to moisten ; add the tomato
just before serving. Serve on a bed of lettuce with a
garnish of extra dressing, and the third egg sliced.
Poinsettia Salad
2 cans of whole string beans Pimentoes
i head lettuce French dressing
Mayonnaise
Rinse the beans in cold water, then moisten well with
the French dressing, and let stand an hour in a cold place.
Shred the lettuce and make nests of it upon individual
plates; dispose a mound of the beans upon it, and ar-
range a poinsettia flower on the top of each serving cut
from a pimento. Form the centers of the flower with
mayonnaise.
Los Angeles Salad
Cut the celery in thin inch strips, and simmer until
tender in salted water containing a slice of onion and a
bay leaf. Drain, chill and arrange on crisped cress, cel-
ery tips, or lettuce. Dress with French dressing.
Serve with three tiny cream cheese balls, dusted with
paprika, disposed about the edge.
lettuce Salad, with Cheese and Pimento Dressing
1 head lettuce 3 tablespoonfuls minced pi-
2 tablespoonfuls vinegar mentoes
3 tablespoonfuls olive oil i Neufchatel cheese
teaspoonful salt
Wash, drain and crisp the lettuce leaves. Beat to-
gether the vinegar, oil and salt, pour over the leaves and
toss them together, then arrange on a large plate to simu-
late the original head. Sprinkle with the pimentoes, then
sprinkle the cheese over it through a potato ricer, and
serve immediately.
Lenten Salad
2 cupfuls shredded celery Radish roses
cupful radishes, sliced 2 hard-cooked eggs
h cupful broken walnut Boiled or mayonnaise dress-
meats ing
Lettuce
472 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Shred the eggs; mix together the other ingredients,
add the dressing and then the egg. Mix lightly, dispose
on lettuce nests and garnish with additional dressing and
radish roses.
Kidney Bean Salad
i pint cooked kidney beans I tablespoonful minced
i tablespoonful vinegar chives
3 tablespoonfuls olive oil i tablespoonful minced pars-
1 teaspoonful salt ley
2 tablespoonfuls minced teaspoonful pepper
green pepper Lettuce or cress
Mix the ingredients thoroughly; let stand twenty min-
utes to marinate, and arrange on lettuce. Garnish with
green peppers stuffed with cabbage salad, and with pars-
ley and pimento strips.
Fresh Lima Bean Salad
1 quart cooked green lima 4 tablespoonfuls minced
beans green peppers
2 tablespoonfuls minced Sour milk salad dressing
onion Lettuce or cress
Mix the vegetables together, thoroughly, and add the
dressing. Chill, arrange on lettuce and garnish with
parsley, or additional pepper. If a very substantial dish
is desired, a cupful of broken hickory nut or black wal-
nut meats, or four chopped, hard-cooked eggs may be
added ; or a cupful and a half of any minced meat will
make it sufficiently nourishing for the main dish at sup-
per.
Field Salad
Romaine i green pepper, shredded
Chicory i teaspoonful salt
4 tablespoonfuls olive oil i teaspoonful pepper
2 tablespoonfuls vinegar Radish roses or ripe olives
i cupfuls diced celery (optional)
Wash the romaine and chicory thoroughly, and let
crisp. Remove the strings from the celery and cut in
dice, then let stand thirty minutes in cold, salted water.
Arrange in a salad bowl or on individual plates as fol-
lows : First the romaine leaves, then the chicory, plucked
from the stems, and the celery and pepper last on top.
Pour over French dressing made of the oil, vinegar and
seasonings and garnish with the radish roses or olives.
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 473
Endive Ring Salad
6 green pepper rings Roquefort dressing
French endive Lettuce
Cut six green pepper rings. Clean the endive, cutting
the stalks in quarters. Marinate thirty minutes in the
dressing, slip in bundles through the rings, and serve
garnished with the lettuce.
Dandelion and Bacon Salad
i quart young dandelions i tablespoonfuls vinegar
3 strips bacon, cubed Few grains cayenne
Clean the greens thoroughly but do not disturb the
shape. Plunge into boiling water, then at once into cold
water. Let stand twenty minutes. In the meantime fry
the bacon and to three tablespoonfuls of the hot fat add
the vinegar and cayenne. Drain the dandelions, mix well
with this dressing and garnish with the bacon.
Red Cabbage and Pepper Salad
1 handsome red cabbage Boiled salad dressing
2 green peppers minced
Remove the center of the head of cabbage, reserving
the shell for a cabbage bowl. Shred the center very-
fine, and place with the pepper in cold, salted water for
an hour, changing the water three times. Wash the
cabbage shell and wipe it dry. Drain and dry the cab-
bage and pepper, mix with the dressing and pile in the
shell. The cabbage bowl should stand on a doily-cov-
ered plate in a nest of shredded lettuce.
Cabbage and Celery Slaw
3 cupfuls shredded cabbage i teaspoonful minced pars-
li cupfuls diced celery ley
1 teaspoonful onion juice Uncooked sour cream dress-
2 minced pimentoes ing
Freshen both the cabbage and celery in cold water.
Drain thoroughly, add the dressing, onion juice and
pimentoes. Mix well. Serve at once.
Cabbage Salad or Cold Slaw
Shred the desired amount of cabbage fine. Let stand
in cold, salted water till crisp about two hours. Drain,
474 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
dry well on a towel, and mix with French dressing.
Serve garnished with any desired green.
Cucumber and Onion Salad
2 cucumbers 2 tablespoonfuls olive oil
2 Bermuda onions i tablespoonful vinegar
1 tablespoonful minced i teaspoonful salt
parsley Few grains pepper
Lettuce
Slice the cucumbers and onions thin, and let stand
separately in cold water to crisp. Mix together the pars-
ley, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, and beat well.
Drain the vegetables, arrange on lettuce, pour over the
dressing and serve at once.
Moulded Cowslip, Spinach, or Dandelion Salad
2 cupfuls cooked greens, Boiled oil dressing, or
chopped and seasoned with Plain boiled dressing
salt and pepper and a little Lettuce
butter
Pack the greens into timbale moulds, or egg cups,
which have been rubbed lightly with a little olive oil.
Chill. Unmould on individual plates; garnish with the
lettuce leaves and pour over plain boiled dressing, or
boiled oil salad dressing.
Note : Any kind of greens, such as beet tops, young
turnip tops, radish tops, or any of the wild greens men-
tioned in the chapter on Edible Weeds may be used in
this way, if boiled and seasoned.
Celery, Cheese and Green Pepper Salad
2^ cupfuls shredded celery i teaspoonful salt
cupful shredded green Few grains paprika
peppers 2 tablespoonfuls grated Par-
3 tablespoonfuls olive oil mesan cheese
ii tablespoonfuls vinegar Lettuce
Shred the celery and let stand in cold, salted water
until curly. Remove the seeds and core from the pep-
pers, and shred the peppers fine. Let stand in cold,
salted water two hours. Make a French dressing of
the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Drain the celery and
peppers, add the dressing and dispose on crisp lettuce
leaves. Sprinkle with the cheese and serve.
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 475
Celery, Nut and Pepper Salad
2i cupfuls shredded celery i chopped green pepper or
i cupful broken walnut pimento
meats Lettuce or watercress
French dressing Boiled or mayonnaise dress-
ing, if desired
Cut the celery in shreds and let stand an hour in cold
salted water. Drain well, mix with the nut meats and
pepper and toss with French dressing. Let stand ten
minutes to become very cold, and serve on lettuce leaves.
Pass mayonnaise or boiled dressing, if desired.
Celery, Nut and Cranberry Salad
ij cupfuls shredded celery Lettuce
i cupful cranberries 3 tablespoonfuls olive oil
\ cupful walnut meats i tablespoonful vinegar
Salt i tablespoonful cranberry
juice
Cook the cranberries in a little syrup made of equal
parts of sugar and water. Leave the berries whole.
Shred the celery in two-inch lengths, and let " curl " in
cold water two hours. Make a French dressing of the
oil, vinegar, cranberry juice and salt. Mix with the cel-
ery, arrange nests of the lettuce, pile the celery on each,
strew with the cranberries, and sprinkle the nuts, chop-
ped, over the tops.
Beet and Cabbage Salad
I pint shredded cabbage Boiled dressing
1 pint chopped cooked beets Lettuce, cress or celery tips
Shred the cabbage and let stand in cold, salted water to
crisp. Chop the beets. Drain and dry the cabbage, mix
the two together, moisten with boiled dressing, and serve
on a bed of the salad green. A few broken nut meats
may be sprinkled on each serving, if desired, to reinforce
the food value.
Asparagus Salad, Christmas Style
30 stalks cooked asparagus i tablespoonful vinegar
6 hard-cooked egg rings Few grains cayenne
\ teaspoon ful salt Heart leaves of lettuce
2 shredded pimentoes Few drops lemon juice
3 tablespoonfuls olive oil
476 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
To make the egg rings, hard cook the eggs, cool, then
cut in sections crosswise, about one-half inch wide.
Only two rings can be obtained from one egg. Beat to-
gether the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and onion juice,
and pour over the asparagus. Let stand in a cold place
for thirty minutes. Then arrange the stalks in bundles
of five, slipping them through the egg rings and arrang-
ing on lettuce.
Garnish further with pimentoes, which should be
shredded fine. Use the hard-cooked egg yolks for " Old-
Time Cookies."
Asparagus Bundle Salad
30 stalks cooked asparagus Radish and French dressing
2 cupfuls shredded French 6 lemon peel rings
endive or celery Watercress or tender radish
leaves
Marinate the endive thirty minutes in French dressing.
Slip five stalks of asparagus through each lemon ring, and
let stand in the radish dressing thirty minutes. Arrange
the endive on plates, put the asparagus on this, and pour
the remaining radish dressing over each serving. Garnish
with cress or tender radish leaves.
Asparagus Luncheon Salad
2 cupfuls cooked fresh or 2 hard-cooked eggs
canned asparagus (diced) Boiled dressing
2 cupfuls shredded lettuce Lettuce leaves
Mix together the asparagus and shredded lettuce, with
enough dressing to moisten thoroughly. Let chill, ar-
range on lettuce leaves, and garnish with the hard-
cooked eggs and additional dressing.
FRUIT SALADS
Fruit salads, like those made of vegetables, are also
limited only by the imagination. It is not necessary to
have a cut and dried recipe to make salads of this type,
for in any household the odds and ends of any raw or
stewed fruits accumulate, and these may be used up in
this delicious way, in the form of a sweet salad for lunch-
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 477
eon or supper, or may be served with crackers and cheese
as the dessert course at dinner.
It must be kept in mind in preparing salads of this
type that there should be a certain per cent, of hard fruit
introduced, such as apple, diced fresh pineapple, or, in
some instances, a little diced celery. This gives sub-
stance to the salad and relieves the monotonous taste.
The salad should also be slightly tart. To this end it is
better to put it together with French fruit dressing which
contains lemon juice. This is much better in a fruit
salad than vinegar. If the fruit is very sweet it may be
allowed to stand with a little plain lemon juice on it be-
fore arranging for the table. Plain honey salad dress-
ing, honey cream dressing, boiled oil salad dressing,
currant or cranberry jelly dressing, mayonnaise, and Bar
le Due dressing are all suitable for use on fruit salads.
Plain Fruit Salad
Pare oranges and separate into sections. Pare grape-
fruit and separate into " carpels " and shred pineapple
into sections. Dress each one separately with French
fruit salad dressing, and arrange them on lettuce leaves
a grapefruit section, an orange section, and a section
or two of pineapple for each person. Decorate with
shredded Maraschino cherries.
Hawaiian Salad
6 slices Hawaiian pineapple cupful halved and seeded
I cupful diced French endive Malaga grapes
Shredded lettuce
Arrange the pineapple on shredded lettuce. Marinate
the grapes and endive in French fruit salad dressing, and
put a spoonful on each slice of pineapple. Pour over
more French dressing, let stand to become very cold, and
serve with wafers or sweet sandwiches and coffee as a
dessert.
Strawberry Salad
Wash and hull the berries, cut in halves lengthwise,
and let stand thirty minutes in honey salad dressing in a
cold place. Drain, prrange on lettuce leaves and serve
at once.
478 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Elite Fruit Salad
2 lettuce hearts i cupful pecan nuts, chopped
2 bananas, sliced rather coarse
1 cupful Malaga grapes Mayonnaise or honey dress-
( halved and seeded) ing
2 tart apples, diced
Shred the lettuce into pieces the size of a postage
stamp. Peel and halve the grapes, removing the seeds ;
pare and cut the apples into small cubes. Combine and
marinate thirty minutes in a dressing made of 2 table-
spoonfuls olive oil and one tablespoonful lemon juice.
Add the nuts and bananas, drain, and garnish on indi-
vidual plates with tiny lettuce leaves, disposing a spoon-
'ful of dressing on each serving.
Date and Apple Salad
1 cupful stoned and quar- ii tablespoonfuls lemon
tered dates juice
2 cupfuls diced tart apple 3 tablespoonfuls olive oil
pulp i tablesponful powdered
1 cupful English or black sugar
walnuts or peanut meats Lettuce
Few grains salt
Mix together the oil, lemon juice, sugar and salt till
thoroughly emulsified. Pour over the dates and apples
separately. Let stand thirty minutes in a cold place to
season, then toss together, arrange on lettuce leaves, and
sprinkle with the nuts, which should be chopped.
Cherry and Nut Salad
can, or i pint, fresh cher- Shelled peanuts (small), or
ries filberts
Lettuce Mayonnaise or boiled oil
dressing
Stone the cherries, and replace the pits with the nut
meats. Arrange on lettuce leaves and serve with the de-
sired dressing.
Rhubarb and Canned Pear Salad
2 cupfuls diced rhubarb 6 tablespoonfuls chopped
J cupful sugar candied ginger
6 halves canned pears 3 tablespoonfuls olive oil
i teaspoonful sugar i tablespoonful lemon juice
Lettuce Few grains salt
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 479
Put the rhubarb and a half cupful of sugar together in
a casserole and bake until tender, but not broken. Make
a French dressing of the oil, sugar, lemon juice and salt,
mixing it thoroughly. Arrange the rhubarb on the let-
tuce, and pour over a little dressing ; set a whole pear-half
on this, add more dressing, and sprinkle with the ginger.
Prune and Tangerine Salad
30 sections of tangerine or- Walnut meats
anges French fruit salad dressing
18 prunes Lettuce, parsley or celery
Orange juice tips
Soak the prunes for two hours in a little orange juice ;
then remove the stones, replacing them with walnut
meats. Pour French dressing over the orange sections
and let stand for thirty minutes. Drain; arrange indi-
vidually on salad plates, and pile the prunes in the center.
Pour over the drained French dressing and garnish with
the desired salad green.
Alligator Pear Salad
This may be made in a variety of ways, but it is always
necessary to use French dressing, well-seasoned, and a
dusting of cayenne or paprika. The fruit may be cut in
halves lengthwise, the flesh scooped out and mixed with
a third the quantity of minced cress, or minced chives,
some sliced radishes, diced beets, cubed cucumbers, etc.
Or it may be made into a sweet salad. In this case use
French fruit dressing and a dusting of sugar and a little
cinnamon. Serve this with whole wheat bread and but-
ter sandwiches, or omit the cinnamon and accompany the
salad with cinnamon toast.
i
Fresh Pineapple Salad
Remove the skin and eyes from a pineapple. Chip the
pulp into thin, small slices, dress with honey dressing,
and let stand thirty minutes. Serve on lettuce leaves.
Pineapple Salad, Pullman Style
4 slices canned pineapple 12 small pimento strips
1 a snappy cheese French dressing
i head lettuce
480 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Arrange the lettuce in a deep salad bowl. Tuck the
pineapple (diced) and pimento between the leaves, dot
with the cheese, crumbled, pour over the French dress-
ing, and serve after mixing at the table with a salad
spoon and fork.
Porcupine Salad
6 whole canned pears 2 tablespoonfuls grapefruit
i cupful browned and shred- juice
ded almonds Few grains salt
12 large whole cloves Few grains pepper
4 tablespoonfuls olive oil Lettuce
i tablespoonful lemon juice
Drain the pears and stick in two cloves at the small
ends to represent eyes. Place the pears in a dish, and
marinate in a French dressing made of the oil, lemon and
grapefruit juices with seasonings. After thirty minutes
stick the shredded almonds in each pear to represent
quills, and serve on lettuce.
Kumquat and Pear Salad
6 pear halves Bar le Due dressing
12 kumquats Lettuce
Cream cheese balls French dressing
Powdered mint
Marinate the halves of pears thirty minutes in Bar le
Due dressing and the kumquats (cut in quarters length-
wise) the same time in the French dressing. Arrange the
pear halves individually on plates containing lettuce,
with the kumquats radiating like flower petals. Pour the
balance of the Bar le Due dressing over the pears, and
place three tiny cream cheese balls rolled in powdered
mint in the hollow of each pear.
*
Harvest Salad
3 large russet pears 3 tablespoonfuls chopped
il cupfuls celery straws pistachio nuts
3 tablespoonfuls Canton gin- 4 tablespoonfuls olive oil
ger cut in bits - 2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice
6 tablespoonfuls Malaga Few grains salt
grapes, quartered Curly lettuce
i teaspoonful powdered
sugar
Let the celery strips stand two hours in cold, salted
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 481
water to curl. Peel the pears, cut in halves and remove
the cores. Mix together the ginger and grapes with a
little mayonnaise, and fill the cavities of the pears. Ar-
range individually, making a nest of celery on some
lettuce leaves, placing a half pear in the center and
sprinkling with nutmeats. Marinate in a dressing made
of the oil, lemon juice, salt and powdered sugar. Let
stand a few minutes to season, and serve very cold.
Grapefruit Salad
French dressing 2 green peppers-
3 large grapefruit Lettuce
Pare the grapefruit and cut out the carpels. Cut
these in three pieces each, and let stand closely covered,
for ten minutes with the French dressing seasoned with
paprika. In the meantime, remove the seeds and core
from the peppers and shred them fine. Boil one minute,
drain and chill. Arrange the grapefruit on lettuce leaves,
strew with the peppers and serve very cold.
Canned Pear and Orange Salad
ii cupfuls diced canned pears Currant and French fruit
3 oranges, separated into sec- dressings
tions Lettuce
Marinate the pears thirty minutes in the currant dress-
ing; let the oranges stand an equal length of time in the
French dressing. Then arrange the orange sections on a
bed of lettuce, with the pears in the center.
Canned Peach and Nut Salad
Select a large half peach for each person. Let stand
thirty minutes in a little French fruit dressing; drain
and fill the center with chopped figs, dates or prunes
mixed with a little cream. Sprinkle with chopped
cashew nuts, place on lettuce leaves and serve.
Chrysanthemum Salad
6 small oranges 4 tablespoonfuls olive oil
3 tablespoonfuls minced I tablespoonftil lemon juice
mint or parsley leaves Few grains salt
8 tablespoonfuls minced Mayonnaise or boiled oil
celery dressing
2 tablespoonfuls minced pi- Lettuce
mentoes
482 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Peel the oranges and scrape off the outside membrane ;
then cut through the sections to the center, separating
them from the tough skin, but cutting only to within an
inch of the bottom, so that the sections will hang together.
Cut out the separated membranes with the scissors, and
let the oranges stand twenty minutes in a dressing made
of the olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Then drain and
fill the centers with the minced celery and pimentoes,
mixed with the dressing. Arrange individually on let-
tuce leaves, and strew the mint or parsley sparingly over
the center and out on " the petals."
Albany Salad
i can of tangerines, or cupful diced French en-
I cupful tangerine sections dive
i can Muscat grapes, or Lettuce
i cupful seeded and peeled Cress
Muscats or Malagas Honey salad dressing
i . dozen English violets
Combine the tangerines, grapes and endive ; toss in the
honey dressing. Arrange on a bed of lettuce, border
with lettuce and cress, bestrew with violet petals, and
garnish with whole violets.
Cranberry Fruit Salad
Allow one-half a banana, two orange sections, and a
few seeded and halved Malaga grapes to each person.
Peel the bananas, cut in halves, and then in thin slices
crosswise. Set these pieces, slightly separated, on a bed
of shredded lettuce. Place the orange sections on one
side and the grapes on the other, after marinating well
in plain French dressing, and pour cranberry salad dress-
ing over the banana. Serve very cold.
Banana Ball Salad
Bananas Mayonnaise
Chopped peanuts Lettuce
With a French * vegetable cutter, cut balls from the
peeled bananas, allowing six to a person. Roll these in
the mayonnaise, then in the peanuts, and serve on lettuce.
Use the remaining banana pulp for a Banana Bavarian
Cream, or custard.
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 483
Black Susan Salad
Separate oranges into sections, allowing half a large
fruit to a person. Cut figs into dice, mix with an equal
quantity of chopped celery, and moisten slightly with
French fruit salad dressing. Marinate the orange car-
pels with this dressing, then put them on individual
plates, arranging them like black-eyed Susan petals.
Form the centers of the fig mixture, and garnish the
salad with tips of celery.
Banana Boat Salad
Allow a banana for each person. Remove the top to
give the outlines of a boat, and scoop out the pulp with a
French potato cutter. Mix with an equal quantity of
diced canned pineapple, dress with mayonnaise and gar-
nish with banana balls, rolled in shredded candied pine-
apple, and garnish with lettuce leaves and parsley; finish
with a tiny American flag at the " stern."
Apple, Celery and Raisin Salad
2 cupfuls diced, tart apples 2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice
i cupful diced celery I teaspoonful powdered
i cupful raisins sugar
Few grains salt Celery or cress leaves
i cupful olive oil
Stew the raisins in a little water. Mix together the
oil, salt, lemon juice, sugar, and -a tablespoonful of the
raisin juice, beating well. Marinate the apple, celery
and raisins in it for thirty minutes, then serve, gar-
nished with the green.
Waldorf Salad
Large rosy apples Mayonnaise or boiled oil
Celery dressing
Walnut meats Lettuce
Form the apples into cups by cutting off the tops and
scooping out the pulp with a pointed spoon. Drop the
cups into water as soon as made to prevent discoloration,
and cut the removed apple pulp into cubes. Add an
equal quantity of diced celery, and a fourth the quantity
of broken walnut meats. Mix witii the salad dressing
and pile in the cups. Serve individually, each cup set on
484 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
a lettuce leaf. Garnish the top of each cup with a sprig
of parsley and additional dressing.
Autumn Salad
ii cupfuls sliced oranges 2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice
I cupful chestnuts measured 4 tablespoonfuls olive oil
before blanching Few grains salt
i cupful large seeded raisins Endive or lettuce
Blanch the chestnuts, chill and slice them. Soak the
raisins thirty minutes in cold water to cover, then boil
five minutes. Slice the oranges, carefully removing the
membrane, and then combine the three ingredients.
Marinate in a dressing made of the salt, oil and lemon
juice, and serve on a bed of the salad green.
May Salad
2 cupfuls pineapple flowerets il cupfuls halved strawber-
Sections of two oranges ries
2 bananas cut crosswise French fruit dressing
Cream honey dressing
Prepare a bed of lettuce leaves and arrange the salad
as follows: The pineapple in the center, then a ring of
cut strawberry, a ring of banana sections, overlapping,
and points of orange. Pass cream honey dressing.
Frozen Fruit Mayonnaise
I cupful mayonnaise dressing sliced peaches, stoned cher-
i cupful heavy whipped cream ries, etc.
2\ cupfuls mixed fresh and I teaspoonful powdered
candied fruits, such .s sugar
Maraschino cherries, can- i teaspoonful gelatine
died pineapple, oranges, Lettuce hearts
Parsley
Cover the gelatine with cold water and then set it over
steam, then beat it into the mayonnaise. Combine the
mixture with the whipped cream, stir in the fruit and
pour into a mould which has been rinsed with cold water.
Seal carefully, and bury in equal parts of ice and-salt for
four hours. Serve garnished with the lettuce hearts and
parsley.
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 485
Cheese and Nut Ball Salad
i cupful Neufchatel, cream Few grains paprika
or cottage cheese \ cupful English walnut
i cupful chopped stuffed meats, chopped
olives French dressing
3 tablespoonfuls cream Watercress
Mix well, form into balls with butter paddles, and
serve with French dressing on cress.
MEAT SALADS
Ham and Lettuce Salad
i cupful minced ham Few grains each salt, pepper
3 tablespoonfuls olive oil and mustard
i chopped hard-cooked egg i small head ribboned lettuce
I tablespoonful vinegar
Toss together till well-blended and serve with hot but-
tered toast.
Chicken Salad
2.\ cupfuls diced cooked Salt and pepper to taste
chicken Mayonnaise or boiled oil ,
1 cupful diced celery dressing
2 tablespoonfuls olive oil Garnishings
1 tablespoonful vinegar Lettuce
Toss together the celery, chicken, olive oil, vinegar,
salt and pepper, and let stand thirty minutes in a cold
place, then add enough mayonnaise to bind the mixture.
Arrange on a bed of lettuce, spread a little mayonnaise on
the top and decorate with stuffed olives, strips of pim-
ento, bits of capers, radish roses, parsley, or any other
desired garnish.
Chicken Salad, Individual Service
Prepare chicken salad according to the preceding recipe
and arrange for individual service in ramekins, each con-
taining a small heart-leaf of lettuce.
Chicken Salad, Garden Style
2 cupfuls diced chicken 2 hard-cooked eggs
I cupful cooked string beans i tablespoonful vinegar
2" tablespoonfuls olive oil Lettuce, romaine or cress
Mayonnaise or boiled oil '
dressing
486 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Chop the eggs fine, add to the chicken and beans, and
pour on the oil. Toss well, add the vinegar and a little
salt, and let stand half an hour to season ; then bind with
the dressing and serve on a bed of the desired salad
green.
Manhattan Salad
ii cupfuls diced cooked Mayonnaise and French
chicken dressings
i cupful diced celery Lettuce
i cupful diced canned pine- Ripe olives
apple
Combine the first three ingredients with a little French
dressing to moisten, add mayonnaise to bind together,
arrange on lettuce and garnish with the ripe olives.
Salad of Duck, Celery and Peas
2j cupfuls diced cooked duck 2 tablespoonfuls olive oil
I cupful diced celery i tablespoonful vinegar
1 cupful diced cooked pears Salt and pepper
Boiled salad dressing Lettuce
teaspoonful Worcestershire
Mix together the duck, celery and peas ; pour over the
oil, vinegar and Worcestershire, add a little salt and pep-
per, and toss until all is absorbed. Let stand twenty
minutes in a cold place, then moisten, well with the boiled
dressing, and serve on lettuce, cress, or garnish with
celery tips.
Lamb Salad with Asparagus
2 cupfuls cold cooked lamb, 2 tablespoonfuls olive oil
diced i tablespoonful vinegar
i cupful diced celery i teaspoonful salt
I cupful asparagus, diced Asparagus tips
1 teaspoonful pepper Celery tips
& teaspoonful curry powder Mayonnaise or cream dress-
2 hard-cooked eggs ing to moisten
Mix together the lamb, celery and asparagus. Add the
pepper, curry and salt to the olive oil and vinegar, beat
well, and turn into the salad. Moisten with cream
dressing, arrange on a platter, and garnish with hard-
cooked eggs, asparagus tips and celery leaves.
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 487
Turban Salad
6 very small turban squashes Mayonnaise and French
1 cupful diced cooked string dressings
beans, chicken and celery, Watercress, romaine, or let-
mixed tuce
Boil the squash gently until tender in slightly salted
water, drain and hollow to form cups. Pour on French
dressing and let stand one hour to chill. Mix the beans,
chicken and celery with the mayonnaise, fill the cavities
and serve individually, garnished with the desired salad
green. Pass cheese crackers, or crackers and cream
cheese balls.
Tongue and Green Pea Salad
2 cupfuls cold tongue, diced teaspoonful salt
I pint green peas (cooked) -J teaspoonful pepper
1 teaspoonful Worcestershire 2 hard-cooked eggs
sauce Boiled or mayonnaise dress-
2 tablespoonfuls oil ing
i tablespoonful vinegar Lettuce
4 teaspoonful curry powder
Mix together the tongue and peas. Add the Worces-
tershire, oil, curry, salt and pepper and toss together.
Add the vinegar, mix, and add enough dressing to make
moist. Arrange on lettuce, " mask " with dressing, and
garnish with hard-cooked eggs.
Veal and Egg Salad
2 cupfuls cooked, diced veal i teaspoonful grated horse-
I cupful diced celery or cab- radish
bage 4 tablespoonfuls olive oil
4 hard-cooked eggs ii tablespoonfuls vinegar
Few grains pepper Lettuce
$ teaspoonful salt Boiled salad dressing
Chop the eggs rather coarse and combine one-half of
them with the veal ; add the celery, horseradish and sea-
sonings, sprinkle with the oil, tossing until it is absorbed,
then add the vinegar, mixing well. Let stand thirty
minutes. Moisten well with dressing and arrange on
lettuce. Cover with more dressing and sprinkle with
the balance of the egg.
488 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
FISH SALADS
Bluefish Salad
1 pint bluefish, flaked Cucumber slices or cups
Salt and pepper Boiled dressing
2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice Lettuce
Separate the remnants of a baked or broiled bluefish
into flakes, being careful to discard all skin and bones.
Season well with salt and pepper, adding lemon juice to
taste, and moisten thoroughly with boiled dressing.
Serve on lettuce or cress, and garnish with sliced
cucumber, or serve in cucumber cups on lettuce hearts,
and garnish with figures cut from red peppers or beets.
Codfish Salad
I pound salt codfish i teaspoonful Worcestershire
& cupful thinly-sliced stuffed sauce
olives 3 tablespoonfuls olive oil
I cupful finely-diced celery i tablespoonful vinegar
i teaspoonful minced parsley Few grains pepper
Boiled dressing Lettuce
Freshen the codfish over night, flake it into bits and
cook gently for thirty minutes. Cool, add the olives, cel-
ery, parsley, seasonings, oil and vinegar and let stand an
hour to marinate. Then toss together with boiled dress-
ing. Arrange on lettuce, and garnish with sliced olives.
Halibut Salad
3 cupfuls boiled, flaked hali- i minced green pepper
but Sour milk salad dressing
I cupful finely-shaved cab- Watercress
bage
Dress the cabbage with French dressing, add it to the
fish with enough sour milk dressing to moisten, and toss
lightly. Arrange in a wreath of cress sprays, studded
with radish roses, pour a little extra dressing over the
fish, and sprinkle with the pepper.
Herring and Potato Salad
I cupful herring cut in dice 4 tablespoonfuls olive oil
3 cupfuls diced potato ^ 3 tablespoonfuls vinegar
1 teaspoonful onion juice Few grains paprika
2 tablespoonfuls minced green Few grains salt
peppers Dressed shredded cabbage
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 489
Make a French dressing of the oil, vinegar, paprika
and salt, and marinate the herring and potato separately
in it for an hour. Then combine, pile upon a platter,
and serve surrounded with shredded cabbage combined
with French dressing. Sprinkle with the peppers, and
garnish witn whole herring.
Lobster Salad
3 cup fuls cold boiled lobster, i tablespoonful vinegar
diced Salt and pepper
1 cupful diced celery Mayonnaise
2 tablespoonfuls olive oil Lettuce
Mix together the lobster, celery, oil and vinegar, and
then add mayonnaise to moisten. Chill, arrange on let-
tuce leaves and garnish with mayonnaise ; dust with pow-
dered parsley.
Lobster Salad in Scallop Shells
Prepare Lobster Salad according to the preceding
recipe. Fill small scallop shells with the mixture, pour
a little mayonnaise over the top, and garnish with capers,
figures cut from pimentoes and parsley.
Lobster Mousse
2 cupfuls pounded cooked 2 tablespoonfuls granulated
lobster meat gelatine
2 teaspoonfuls mayonnaise Few grains salt and pepper
dressing 3 cupfuls cooked oyster plant
i cupful heavy cream Additional mayonnaise
Lettuce
Soften the gelatine in water to cover ; then melt it over
steam. Add the seasoning and mayonnaise to the lob-
ster and fold in the cream and gelatine. Pour into a
border mould and chill. Unmould on lettuce leaves and
fill the center with the oyster plant, mixed lightly with
French dressing. Serve with additional mayonnaise.
Crab meat, salmon, or tuna fish may be substituted
for the lobster. In the two last cases one-half table-
spoonful lemon juice should be added to the mixture.
Oyster Salad
1 quart oysters 2 tablespoonfuls green pep-
2 hard-cooked eggs pers or pimentoes
\ cupful minced celery French dressing to marinate
I tablespoonful chopped Mayonnaise
olives or pickles Lettuce
490 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Wash the oysters and steam them till the edges curl.
Cut into small pieces, rejecting muscles, add the chopped
egg whites and other ingredients, and marinate one-half
hour in French dressing. Moisten with mayonnaise, ar-
range on lettuce leaves, and garnish with the riced yolk
of egg and mayonnaise.
Roe Salad
2 cupfuls shad roe, cooked J cupful cut stuffed olives
and diced Mayonnaise
1 cupful cucumber cubes Lettuce
French dressing
Cut shad roe, after cooking, into dice. Let the cucum-
bers crisp in cold water, then drain, mix with the shad
roe, and marinate thirty minutes in French dressing.
Moisten with mayonnaise, dispose on lettuce leaves, and
garnish with mayonnaise and the olives sliced.
Stuffed-Pepper Salad
6 large sweet peppers Boiled oil or mayonnaise
li cupfuls any flaked cooked dressing
fish Lettuce or dandelions
Cut off the pepper tops ; scoop out the seeds and let
the shells stand thirty minutes in cold, salted water.
Moisten the fish with the dressing, drain the peppers, fill
the shells with the salad mixture, and arrange on the
green.
Shrimp Salad
2 cans shrimps, or French dressing
i pint cooked shrimps Cress or lettuce
I cupful diced celery Boiled oil or mayonnaise
1 cupful stuffed olives dressing
Dice the shrimps and let stand thirty minutes with a
little French dressing poured over them. Then add the
celery and olives. Bind with the boiled oil or mayon-
naise , dressing, and arrange in a border of the salad
greens. Garnish with extra dressing and a few halved
stuffed olives if convenient.
Salmon and Green Pea Salad
2 cupfuls fresh or canned i cupful shredded cabbage or
salmon celery
I cupful cooked green peas Boiled salad dressing
Lettuce or cress
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 491
Flake the fish with a fork. Add the peas and cabbage
well-crisped and ample dressing to moisten. Let stand
fifteen minutes to season in a cold place, arrange on a
bed of the green, pour salad dressing over the top and
sprinkle with a few extra peas as a garnish.
Salmon Salad, Tolland
2 cupfuls flaked salmon French dressing
1 cupful chopped stuffed Sour milk salad dressing
olives Lettuce or cress.
i cupful minced celery or
cabbage
Crisp the celery or cabbage in cold water. If canned
salmon is used, rinse it with boiling water. Mix together
the fish, olives and celery, and marinate with French
dressing one-half hour. Then mix with it dressing to
moisten and arrange on lettucte with a garnish of extra
dressing.
Sardine Salad (Individual)
Arrange nests of shredded lettuce or sprigs of cress on
individual plates. Lay in them three sardines for each
person. Pour over Italian dressing, and garnish further
with a sprig of parsley.
To make the salad " go farther " place a spoonful of
cold slaw, made either with French dressing or boiled
dressing, in each nest before laying on the sardines, and
then finish as directed.
Lettuce Salad with Anchovy Dressing
1 hard head of lettuce 4 tablespoonfuls olive oil
2 anchovies 2 tablespoonfuls vinegar
I hard-cooked egg yolk Paprika and salt
I clove garlic (optional)
Arrange the lettuce in a salad bowl and pour over the
dressing made as follows : Wash, dry and bone the an-
chovies, rub them smooth with the garlic and the egg
yolk, mix with the vinegar, then with the oil, and add a
little salt and paprika. Sardines may be substituted for
the anchovies.
Tuna Fish Salad
I pint tuna fish, flaked Vinegar
I cupful diced celery Lettuce
i cupful sliced stuffed olives Boiled dressing
Oil
492 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Pour a tablespoon ful of oil and a half tablespoonful
of vinegar over the fish. Let stand thirty minutes, then
mix with the celery, moisten thoroughly with boiled
dressing, and arrange on the lettuce. Pour a little extra
dressing over the top, and sprinkle with the olives.
Tomato Salad a la Crab Flakes
6 firm tomatoes 3 hard-cooked eggs
i cupful crab flakes 6 sprigs cress
1 tablespoonful minced pars- Lettuce hearts
ley Mayonnaise
Remove the tomato skins. Scoop out the centers,
forming cups, and dust with salt and pepper. Remove
all shell from the crab flakes and toss lightly with one-
half the parsley and mayonnaise. Re-fill the tomato
cups with this mixture, pjace a spoonful of mayonnaise
on top of each, put the hard-cooked egg yolks through a
potato ricer and sprinkle on generously. Garnish fur-
ther with the cress, and set on crisp lettuce leaves dipped
in French dressing.
" Roll Mop " Salad
6 strips of spiced pickled her- Mayonnaise or sour milk sal-
ring ad dressing
3 hard-cooked eggs Lettuce or cress
2 tablespoonfuls minced green
peppers or pimentoes
Chop the eggs, add the peppers and salad dressing
barely to moisten. Form into six rolls as long as the
herring is wide, and roll the herring around them. Ar-
range individually or on a platter in cups made of lettuce
leaves, and garnish each portion with a little dressing.
If desired, these may be arranged on a bed of shredded
cabbage, mixed with French dressing, and garnished
with parsley.
EGG SALADS
Egg- and Tomato Salad
3 hard-cooked eggs French dressing
6 medium-sized tomatoes Boiled salad dressing
2 tablespoonfuls minced green Lettuce
pepper (if convenient)
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 493
Cut the tomatoes into sixths, to within a half inch of
the bottom. Pour over French dressing and let stand
thirty minutes to season. Then fill the centers with the
egg, chopped (reserving one yolk) and mixed with the
salad dressing. Arrange on lettuce nests, pour over the
French dressing that has drained off, and garnish each
tomato with the egg yolk, riced, and the green pepper.
Stuffed Egg Salad
6 hard-cooked eggs Salt and pepper to taste
I tablespoonful melted butter i cupful chopped stuffed
i tablespoonful tomato olives
catsup Boiled oil dressing
Lettuce
Cut the eggs lengthwise in halves. Remove the yolks,
mix with the seasonings and re-pack. Press the halves
together, and arrange in nests of crisp lettuce. Pour
two tablespoon fuls of cooked dressing over each egg, and
French dressing over the lettuce. Sprinkle with the
olives.
Green Pepper and Egg Salad
4 hard-cooked eggs Lettuce
1 cupful diced celery Cream salad dressing
2 green peppers
Separate the whites of the eggs from the yolks, and
chop them. Let the celery stand in cold, salted water,
till crisp. Remove the seeds and cores and chop the
peppers fine. Put into cold water, bring to boiling point
and boil one minute, then drain. Mix the egg, celery and
pepper together, bind with dressing, and dispose on let-
tuce leaves. Garnish with the egg yolks put through a
potato ricer.
Stuffed Egg and Pimento Salad
6 hard-cooked eggs 2 chopped pimentoes, well-
i tablespoonful tomato cat- drained
sup i cupful tart lemon jelly
i tablespoonful flaked sar- Lettuce
dines Mayonnaise dressing
i tablespoonful melted butter ( 3 tablespoonfuls finely-
Salt and pepper to taste . minced parsley
Cut the eggs in halves lengthwise, and remove the
yolks. Mash them and mix in the catsup, butter, sar-
494 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
dines and salt and pepper. Re-fill the whites of the
eggs, and press them together, and dip in the lemon jelly,
which should contain twice as much gelatine as usual.
When the gelatine has commenced to stiffen, dust the eggs
with the chopped pimento and a little finely-minced pars-
ley. Serve in nests of lettuce with mayonnaise dressing.
Egg Salad, Plain
6 hard-cooked eggs Boiled salad dressing or may-
Ribboned lettuce onnaise
Paprika
Cut the eggs in quarters, lengthwise, and arrange in-
dividually in the shape of a Maltese Cross on beds of
ribboned lettuce. Put a spoonful of the dressing in the
center and dust with paprika.
JELLIED SALADS
Jellied May Fruit Salad
6 slices canned pineapple J cupful sugar
I cupful mixed small straw- Juice of one lemon
berries, bits of orange ii tablespoonfuls gelatine
pulp and other seasonable Lettuce
fruits Mayonnaise or honey salad
1 cupful boiling water dressing
Make a gelatine mixture of the lemon juice, boiling
water, sugar and gelatine. Arrange the fruit in individ-
ual moulds, rubbed lightly with olive oil, pour over the
gelatine mixture, and let set. Unmould on the sliced
pineapple, and garnish with the lettuce and dressing.
Jellied Tomato Salad or Tomato Aspic
2 cupfuls tomato juice Few celery leaves
i tablespoonful minced onion I clove
Bit bay leaf Few grains paprika
4 teaspoonful salt Mayonnaise or boiled dress-
i tablespoonful vinegar ing
i tablespoonful granulated
gelatine
Soak the gelatine in one-quarter cupful cold water,
Put together all the other ingredients and simmer ten
minutes. Add the gelatine, stir until dissolved and strain
into moulds rubbed lightly with olive oil. Serve plain on
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 495
lettuce with the dressing, or in combination with cabbage,
celery and nuts, or cucumber cubes.
Jellied Ham, Celery and Tomato Salad
i pint tomato aspic Mayonnaise or boiled dress-
I cupful diced celery ing
i minced green pepper Lettuce
I cupful diced ham
Prepare the mixture for jellied tomato salad, or half
the mixture for tomato bouillon, adding to a pint of the
latter, boiling hot, a level tablespoonful of granulated
gelatine, softened in cold water to cover. Let this mix-
ture stand until it begins to congeal, then stir in
the celery, ham and pepper. Pour into moulds lightly
rubbed with olive oil and let stiffen. Unmould and serve
with a garnish of lettuce and mayonnaise or boiled dress-
ing.
Tomato Tapioca Salad
To one quart of boiling tomato bouillon add a scant
cupful of quick-cooking tapioca. Boil gently until the
tapioca looks clear about fifteen minutes. Pour into
small moulds which have been rubbed lightly with olive
oil and let stiffen. Unmould and serve with a garnish of
cress and boiled oil dressing. If desired, ground nut
meats and a little diced celery may be added to this salad
just before it is poured into the moulds.
Pimento Jelly Salad
i tablespoonful granulated cupful cabbage, shredded
gelatine fine
4 cupful cold water 3 tablespoonfuls sugar
i cupful weak vinegar i cupful diced celery
i cupful boiling water 2 pimentoes cut fine
teaspoonful salt tablespoonful lemon juice
Soak the gelatine in the water five minutes, then add
the vinegar, lemon juice, boiling water, sugar and salt.
Strain, and, when beginning to set, add the remaining in-
gredients. Let set again, chill and serve on lettuce or
cress with mayonnaise. Individual ring moulds may be
used for Christmas serving, with a star of mayonnaise
outlined in each ring of jelly.
496 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Jellied Fruit Salad
\ cupful diced figs \ tablespoonful sugar
\ cupful diced oranges i tablespoonful gelatine dis-
i cupful diced celery solved in 2 tablespoonfuls
i cupful diced apples of water
i cupful boiling water Lettuce
Few grains salt , Mayonnaise or boiled oil
1 tablespoonful lemon juice dressing
\ cupful grape juice
Make a gelatine mixture of the water, lemon juice,
grape juice, sugar and gelatine. Let stand till partly set,
then stir in the fruit and transfer to individual moulds,
rubbed lightly with olive oil. Turn out on the lettuce
and serve with mayonnaise or a bland boiled dressing.
Cranberry Jelly Salad
6 tiny individual moulds of Parsley
cranberry jelly _ Mayonnaise or cream honey
6 rounds canned pineapple dressing
Halved and seeded Malaga
grapes
Prepare a French dressing and marinate the pineap-
ple and grapes separately in it for fifteen minutes.
Then place a pineapple slice on each individual plate,
turn a mould of the jelly onto it, arrange the grapes about
the edge and pour over any remaining dressing. Garnish
with parsley sprigs and pass the mayonnaise.
Cucumber Jelly Salad
2 cucumbers peeled and sliced 2 tablespoonfuls cold water
i teaspoonful onion juice 2 tablespoonfuls vinegar
1 teaspoonful salt i teaspoonful sugar
Few grains pepper Spinach green (optional)
2 cupfuls water i fresh cucumber, cubed
ij tablespoonfuls gelatine dis- Mayonnaise or boiled oil
solved in dressing
Simmer the cucumbers in the water until soft. Add
the seasonings and gelatine and strain. Color, if desired,
with spinach green, and let partially set. When begin-
ning to congeal, stir in the diced cucumber, and pour into
individual moulds rubbed lightly with olive oil. Let
stiffen and serve upon lettuce, with mayonnaise.
SALADS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 497
Celery and Fruit Jelly Salad
I cupful diced oranges 2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice
I cupful diced celery I tablespoonful ginger ale
I cupful diced apples I tablespoonful sugar
I cupful seeded Malaga % tablespoonful gelatine dis-
grapes solved in
i cupful boiling water 2 tablespoonfuls water
Make a gelatine mixture of the last five ingredients,
add the fruit, and pour into individual moulds, rubbed
lightly with olive oil, to stiffen. Serve on heart leaves
of lettuce with mayonnaise.
Jellied Chicken Salad
3 cupfuls bits cooked chicken I cupful string beans
ii cupfuls chicken broth % cupful peas
(well seasoned) cupful lima beans
i tablespoonful gelatine Lettuce
soaked in water to cover Mayonnaise
I teaspoonful lemon juice Capers
1 teaspoonful onion juice ^
Combine the seasonings with the broth, heat it, add the
gelatine and the chicken. Mould in cups rubbed lightly
with olive oil and serve on a mixture of the vegetables,
with a garnish of lettuce, mayonnaise and capers.
Jellied Crab Meat or Salmon Salad
2 cupfuls minced crab meat I cupful boiled salad dress-
or salmon ing
I cupful chicken or veal Salt, pepper and lemon juice
stock to taste
I tablespoonful granulated 4 green peppers
gelatine Lettuce
Select green peppers of even shape. Remove the tops,
and scoop out the cores and seeds. Let the gelatine
stand in a little cold stock, then add the cup of stock
heated to boiling point, the seasonings, and turn in the
crab meat. Fill the peppers, packing the mixture in well
and let stiffen. For serving, cut in slices, arrange on let-
tuce, and place a cross of pimento strips on each side.
CHAPTER XVIII
SANDWICHES
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL
Sandwiches deserve to be more generally used than as
mere adjuncts to the luncheon or picnic basket or acces-
sories to afternoon tea. Made of wholesome bread,
spread with delicious butter, and filled with savory meat,
cheese or nuts, the sandwich affords a perfectly balanced
meal in itself.
To this end sandwiches may be divided into four
classes :
First: The open sandwich or canape, which has been
treated in the chapter on Appetizers.
Second: Substantial luncheon or supper sandwiches,
such as Club Sandwiches.
Third : A dainty sandwich, containing only a bite or
two, used at teas and receptions.
Fourth: The sweet sandwich, which is sometimes
used as a dessert substitute.
Bread is twenty-four hours old before it will slice well
for sandwiches. In making substantial sandwiches for
home meals and for lunch boxes, leave the crusts on and
spread the slice out to the edge with butter then the
crusts will surely be eaten. However, for dainty after-
noon sandwiches, the crusts should be removed. In
making sandwiches with the crusts on, it is easier to but-
ter the loaf, slice by slice, before cutting. But in mak-
ing daintily-shaped sandwiches this means a great waste
of butter, and it is better to shape the bread before
spreading. The butter should be beaten to a cream, as
in making cake, arid in many cases the sandwich filling
may be beaten into the butter to good advantage, thus
making necessary only one spreading. In case great
economy is being practised, a good oleomargarine may
replace butter in sandwich-making.
498
SANDWICHES 499
Occasionally, flavored butters are used in sandwiches
which are to be served with fish, cocktails or salads.
Sandwiches may be served on doily-covered plates or
in the newer sandwich trays or baskets. However,
sweet and savory sandwiches should not be mixed.
Savory sandwiches may be garnished with radish roses,
celery tips, heart leaves of lettuce, etc., whereas sweet
sandwiches may be appropriately garnished with flowers.
In the following recipes many of the substantial sand-
wich fillings may be adapted to small and dainty sand-
wiches, by reducing the quantities, slicing the bread very
thin, and making sure that the filling itself is very smooth
and pasty. The substantial sandwich should be made
coarser in character, as otherwise it is liable to be eaten
too quickly. It is necessary to have a very smooth fill-
ing in order to spread the dainty sandwich smoothly.
After the sandwiches are made they may be kept
moist for some time, if wrapped carefully in paraffine
paper and stored in a tightly closed utensil. Or, they
may be kept even over night, if wrapped in a napkin
wrung out of hot water, and then set in a closed tin box
or jar.
Sweet sandwiches may take the place of cake at many
meals, and they are a good vehicle for utilizing stale
sponge or angel cake which may be toasted ; for the util-
izing of left-over frosting, together with crackers, or for
the making of a quick sweet combination, such as dates
and saltine crackers. These sweet sandwiches are par-
ticularly delicious with hot cocoa or chocolate, or with
a fruit " ade " for the piazza luncheon.
FLAVORED BUTTERS
Lemon Butter
cupful butter Grating of lemon rind
i tablespoonful lemon juice
Cream all the ingredients together.
Watercress Butter
cupful butter i teaspoonful lemon juice
6 tablespoonfuls minced
watercress
Cream all the ingredients together.
500 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Sardine Butter
6 pounded sardines Paprika
i cupful butter I teaspoonful lemon juice
Cream all the ingredients together.
Lobster Butter
i cupful butter Few drops lemon juice
cupful pounded lobster A little paprika
meat Lobster coral to color
Cream all the ingredients together.
Chives Butter
k cupful butter 3 tablespoonfuls finely-minced
chives
Cream together and use.
Pimento Butter
1 cupful butter Few drops Italian vinegar
2 finely-minced sifted pimen-
toes
Cream all the ingredients together.
Toasted Sandwiches
Make a filling of finely-chopped cooked meat, mois-
tened with salad dressing. Spread between slices of
buttered bread, press together in pairs, and toast on each
side. Serve very hot.
*
Toasted Chicken Sandwiches
Cut the bread in full-sized slices, one-quarter inch
thick. Spread lightly with creamed butter, then lay on
thin slices of chicken. Dust lightly with celery salt.
Press the second slices of bread in place and toast on
either side, buttering the toasted surfaces when finished.
Toasted Salmon Sandwiches
Slice the bread one-quarter inch thick, and allow two
full slices to a person. Spread the bread lightly with
butter, or butter substitute, and then put in a thick filling
made of finely-minced canned salmon, mixed with a little
salad dressing or made mustard. Put the two slices
together (do not remove the crusts) and toast on both
sides. -
SANDWICHES 501
Club Sandwiches
Cooked chicken Lettuce
Sliced tomatoes Salad dressing
Broiled bacon Buttered toast
Prepare the toast, place a lettuce leaf on one of the
slices, sprinkle on a teaspoonful of salad dressing, add
the sliced chicken, put on a little more lettuce and dress-
ing, then the bacon and tomato, and more lettuce and
dressing. Finish with the second slice of toast, cut the
sandwich cornerwise, and serve at once, garnished with
tiny lettuce leaves or parsley.
Vegetable Club Sandwiches
2 slices tomato Buttered bread, or
3 green peppers, fried Buttered toast
i cream cheese
Beat the cream cheese with a little sweet milk or
cream, until it is smooth ; then spread it on the bread or
toast. Put on a thin layer of sliced tomatoes, then one of
fried green peppers, salted.
Top with the bread or toast ; serve at once.
Mock Club Sandwich
Hard-cooked eggs Lettuce
Boiled ham Buttered toast
Sliced tomatoes Salad dressing
Shredded pimentoes
Prepare the toast, then place a leaf of lettuce dipped in
salad dressing on the bottom piece ; put a slice of ham in
place, then the tomato; add a little more dressing, then
the egg and pimento. Finish with more lettuce and a
top piece of toast.
Baked-Bean Club Sandwich
Toast and butter two slices of entire wheat, or white,
bread, and on one of them place a lettuce leaf, covered
with boiled salad dressing. Above the dressing spread a
generous filling of cold baked beans, cover with a slice
of tomato with boiled dressing ; add another lettuce leaf,
and replace the second slice of toast. Garnish with a bit
of bacon and a lettuce leaf.
502 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Piquant Sandwiches
Entire wheat bread Salad dressing
Cream cheese Stuffed olives
Peanut butter Lettuce
Spread the bread thinly with a mixture of the cheese
and peanut butter creamed together ; then sprinkle thickly
with the olives, sliced, lay on a lettuce leaf, spread
lightly with salad dressing and top with bread.
Ham and Jelly Sandwiches
Slice cold boiled ham as thinly as possible. Put be-
tween thin slices of buttered bread, spreading one slice
with tart jelly.
Chicken Sandwiches
Chop the chicken fine and add mayonnaise to moisten,
and, if desired, a little finely-chopped green pepper, pim-
ento or celery. Stir this mixture into butter, which
should be beaten to a cream, and spread between slices of
white or entire wheat bread.
Hot Bacon Sandwiches
Broil, or bake, the bacon in the oven until crisp. But-
ter slices of bread, spread lightly with salad dressing and
a little chopped tomato ; dust with salt and pepper, lay on
the sliced bacon, set the remaining bread in place and
serve at once.
Minced Ham and Egg Sandwiches
Minced cooked ham Salad dressing
Hard-cooked eggs Entire wheat bread
Made mustard
Rub equal parts of minced ham and chopped hard-
boiled eggs to a paste. Add a dash of mustard and well-
seasoned mayonnaise, or boiled dressing, to moisten.
Spread upon thinly-sliced bread, and press together in
pairs.
Egg-Salad Sandwiches
Allow one hard-cooked egg to each sandwich. Cut
rather soft bread in one-quarter inch slices, and butter
lightly. Reserve the yolks from three eggs, and chop
the balance with the whites. Mix and season with salad
SANDWICHES 503
dressing and spread thickly upon the bread. Dip crisp
lettuce leaves in French dressing, and place over the egg.
Spread lightly with salad dressing and set the top slices
of bread in place. Rice the egg yolk over the sand-
wiches, and serve at once.
Halibut Salad Sandwiches
Flaked cooked halibut Lettuce or cress
Boiled oil or sour milk salad Radish roses (optional)
dressing
Mix the fish and dressing together to form a paste.
Use full-sized slices of bread, either white or entire
wheat, and spread them lightly with creamed butter.
Spread one-half the slices with the salad mixture, lay on
the lettuce or cress, the leaves of which should be dipped
in French dressing. Top with corresponding slices of
bread and serve at once.
Olive and Egg Sandwiches
3 hard-cooked eggs Buttered white bread
18 stuffed olives Mayonnaise
Chop the eggs fine, add the olives minced, and moisten
to a paste with mayonnaise. Spread between slices of
buttered bread.
Shrimp-Salad Sandwiches
I cupful shrimps Mayonnaise or boiled dress-
i tablespoonful lemon juice ing to moisten.
1 cupful chopped, stuffed
olives
Mince the shrimps very fine ; add the olives, lemon
juice and mayonnaise to moisten; put between slices of
buttered bread, or spread on single slices and leave
uncovered, sprinkling with the chopped olives.
Tart Sardine Sandwiches
6 sardines pounded to a paste i tablespoonful olive oil
2 sour pickles 2 tablespoonfuls vinegar
I sprig parsley Yolks 2 hard-cooked eggs
I teaspoonful made mustard Salt and pepper
Rye bread and butter
Spread thin slices of the bread with butter, then
spread corresponding slices with a mixture of all the
ingredients, and press together.
504 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Banana-Salad Sandwiches
Stale white bread Thinly-sliced banana
Mayonnaise Shredded lettuce
Cut the bread in finger lengths and spread lightly with
the butter. Mix the lettuce with the mayonnaise, and
place on half of the slices of bread ; place sliced bananas
on the other half, and press together in pairs.
Welsh Rarebit Sandwiches
Slice the bread ; spread with butter, and fill with cold
Welsh rarebit, made with milk, and crisp lettuce leaves,
marinated in French dressing. Rye or entire wheat bread
is preferable to white in these sandwiches.
Lettuce Sandwiches
Lettuce sandwiches may be made in a variety of ways.
The most satisfying is to shred the lettuce, then crisp it
on ice. Slice the bread thin, and spread with butter that
has been creamed. Then toss the lettuce in French
dressing that is well seasoned, put between the slices, and
serve at once, before the lettuce wilts.
Spinach Sandwiches
White bread Stiff mayonnaise
ii cupfuls cooked spinach Few grains nutmeg
Creamed butter Salt and cayenne
Press all the juice from cooked spinach and chop the
vegetable fine. Season with salt and cayenne, and a bit
of nutmeg and moisten with the mayonnaise. Cut the
bread very thin, and spread lightly with the butter.
Spread the spinach rather thick on one slice of bread,
cover with the second slice, add more spinach and then a
third slice of bread. Let stand in a cool place till firm,
then cut in slices like a cake. The result will be a green
and white sandwich.
Tea-Room Sandwiches
Sliced ham White bread
bhced tongue Butter
bliced chicken Mayonnaise
Chopped olives Shredded lettuce
Remove the crusts from the bread, which has been cut
SANDWICHES 505
a scant one-fourth inch thick. Spread the slices lightly
with butter, creamed, and lay on a small piece each of
ham, chicken and tongue. Add a layer of chopped
olives, then a little mayonnaise, and top with correspond-
ing slices of bread, buttered. Serve individually with a
garnish of a handful of shredded lettuce, and a little
mayonnaise on top, surmounted with an olive. If de-
sired, the bread may be toasted for these sandwiches.
Onion and Celery Sandwiches
Fry the necessary amount of sliced onions. Butter
slices of bread. For each sandwich spread one slice with
onion and the other with finely-minced celery, mixed
with salad dressing. Dip lettuce leaves in French dress-
ing, and put between the slices.
Heart Sandwiches
Boston brown bread, or Salad dressing
Entire wheat bread Whole pecan nuts
Cream cheese
Cut the bread in heart shapes. Cream the cheese till
soft with a little salad dressing. Spread on the bread,
but do not put the slices together. Instead, press on a
design of the pecan nuts, and serve prettily arranged on
a doily-covered plate.
Green Pepper and Onion Sandwiches
Stale white bread Creamed butter
3 sweet green peppers French dressing
\ Bermuda onion
Remove the seeds and cores from the peppers, and
chop the peppers very fine with the onion. Drain off the
juice, then moisten with dressing and let stand on the ice
till very cold. Cut the bread thin in fancy shapes, spread
with creamed butter, and put together with the pepper
mixture. Serve with Welsh rarebit.
Celery Sandwiches
Stale entire wheat bread Boiled dressing
Crisp celery Creamed butter
Cut the bread in thin, narrow strips and spread lightly
with the butter, creamed. Chop the celery very fine,
506 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
mix with salad dressing, and spread on half of the slices
of bread. Save the dainty, white celery tips and split
the round stems so they will lie flat. Place these upon
slices of bread, so that the leaves will show beyond the
edge, and top with corresponding slices.
Savory Sandwiches
\ cupful cold lamb or veal I teaspoonf ul made mustard
2 tablespoonf uls grated cheese Salt and pepper to taste.
Lettuce leaves dipped in Cream to moisten
French dressing Bread and butter
Mix together the meat, cheese, mustard and season-
ings and cream until smooth. Spread buttered bread
with this mixture, lay on lettuce leaves, and set on cor-
responding slices. Press together and serve at once.
Cheese and Nut Sandwiches
\ cupful butter, creamed i cupful nut meats, chopped
i cupful grated cheese fine
i teaspoonful paprika Graham or brown bread
Mix the ingredients together in the order given.
Spread on thin slices of graham or brown bread, cut in
desired shapes, and put together in pairs. A nasturtium
leaf is a piquant addition to this type of sandwich. In
this case they should be cut round.
Pimento Sandwiches
1 Neufchatel cheese Peanut butter
2 pimentoes Stale entire wheat bread
Salt and pepper to taste White bread
Mayonnaise to moisten
Chop the pimentoes fine, and add to the cheese. Mix
well, season " and moisten with mayonnaise. Cut the
bread in desired shapes, allowing one slice of entire wheat
and one slice of white bread to a sandwich. Spread one
slice with peanut butter, and the other with the cheese
mixture. Press together in pairs and serve.
Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches
Cut rounds of white bread, spread with cream cheese
and s'alad dressing, mixed, place a thin slice of tomato on
top, and cover, or not, as desired, with a second slice of
bread.
SANDWICHES 507
Strawberry Sandwiches
Bread Powdered sugar
Creamed butter Cinnamon.
Sliced strawberries
Butter lightly thin slices of white bread. Cover with
sliced strawberries, sprinkle with powdered sugar and a
little cinnamon, and set the top slices in place. Serve at
once.
Banana and Honey Sandwiches
2 bananas 3 tablespoonfuls thick cream
2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice White or entire wheat bread
Honey
Slice the bananas and marinate in the lemon juice.
Spread the white bread with the cream and honey mixed.
Cover one-half the slices with the bananas, and press on
the top slices.
Pineapple Sandwiches
Cut stale entire wheat bread in very thin slices, then in
finger lengths. Spread generously with creamed butter,
and then with pineapple marmalade. Put together in
pairs, and bake slowly till delicately browned.
Cranberry Sandwiches
Cranberry conserve or jelly Entire wheat bread
Cream cheese Creamed butter
Butter the bread lightly, then spread half the slices
with cream cheese, and the rest with the conserve.
Press two of each kind together, and cut in any desired
shape.
Noisette Cheese Sandwiches
Cut stale nut bread into very thin slices ; spread with
cream cheese and butter beaten together and put together
with orange marmalade ; cut into finger lengths for serv-
ing.
Fruit Cheese Sandwiches
Stoned prunes Brazil nuts or pecans
Seedless raisins English walnuts
Dates Neufchatel cheese
Figs Entire wheat bread
Orange juice
Wash equal parts of prunes, raisins, dates and figs;
508 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
prepare half as many Brazil nuts, pecans and English
walnuts. Put through a food chopper first a little
fruit, then a few nuts ; add a little orange juice, knead
well, and pack into jelly glasses or baking powder tins,
and let stand aside in a cool place. When wanted for
use, set the pan in hot water, loosen the sides with a knife
and take out the mixture. Cut thin and place between
pieces of entire wheat bread, spread with Neufchatel
cheese.
Raisin and Peanut Butter Sandwiches
Measure equal quantities of raisins and peanut butter.
Put the raisins through the medium-fine knife of the
food chopper, and blend with the peanut butter and a
little plain butter. Spread between slices of entire wheat
bread.
Melba Sandwiches
Prepare sandwiches of full slices of white bread
spread lightly with creamed butter, and then with orange
marmalade.. Toast quickly, butter and cut in triangles.
Serve very hot.
Orange Sandwiches
2 tablespoonfuls orange Butter thin crackers
juice About i cupful sifted confec-
1 teaspoonful lemon juice tioner's sugar
Mix together the fruit juices. Stir in the confec-
tioner's sugar and mix thoroughly. Heat butter thin
crackers in the oven till crisp, cool and spread lightly
with the filling. Press together in pairs.
Sweet Chocolate Sandwiches
Stale white bread I cupful chopped walnut
2 tablespoonfuls hot water meats
ij tablespoonfuls cocoa 1 teaspoonful vanilla
Confectioner's sugar
Make an ordinary confectioner's icing from the water,
cocoa, sugar and vanilla, and stir in the walnuts. Cut
the bread in thin slices, shape and spread lightly with the
butter. Put together with the chocolate filling.
SANDWICHES 509
Date Sandwiches
12 saltine crackers 12 dates
i Neufchatel cheese I tablespoonful butter
Cream together the cheese and butter, and spread the
crackers lightly. Split the dates, removing the pits, and
use two dates as a rilling for each sandwich.
Date and Ginger Sandwiches
i cupful stoned dates Ginger syrup and lemon juice
i cupful chopped English to moisten
walnut meats Entire wheat bread
I cupful minced preserved Creamed butter
ginger
Combine the ingredients. Butter entire wheat bread
lightly, and spread with the fruit mixture. Cut in finger
lengths. If desired, fingers of sponge cake may be used.
Sponge Cake Sandwiches
Cut sponge cake into thin slices, and put together with
raspberry jam; cut in triangles, like bread and butter
sandwiches.
Orange Club Sandwiches
Toast slices of stale sponge cake, or plain cake. Fill
with finely-sliced and sweetened orange, mixed with
cocoanut, and a few shredded Maraschino cherries, if
convenient, and serve with a garnish of nuts and marsh-
mallows.
CHAPTER XIX
DESSERTS
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL
We are apt to think of desserts more as accessories
than as foods, and it is because of this that the sweet,
which is so often tacked on at the end of a meal, fre-
quently upsets the digestion.
All desserts have a food value which may be definitely
classified according to the predominating element of
which the dessert is made. For instance, a baked cus-
tard which is composed largely of eggs and milk is a
protein, or muscle-making, dessert, although it of course
contains quick energy in the form of sugar, and fat from
the egg yolks and the milk. Desserts which are largely
made up of starch, like tapioca, corn starch puddings,
etc., may be roughly classified as starches. Those con-
taining a goodly percentage of fat, as suet pudding, may
be known as fatty desserts, whereas gelatines may be
classified as sweets and mineral desserts.
The dessert to be chosen to supplement the meal must
be selected with this idea in mind. A careful study of
the chapter on the Balanced Ration will assist in the
classification pf these desserts. It should be kept in
mind that acid desserts, as a fruit gelatine, should sup-
plement meals rich in fat, or those containing fish.
Cold desserts may be used when the balance of the
meal has been hot, and hot desserts will give the tem-
perature balance to a meal that has largely been cold.
For this reason it is more satisfying to serve a simple hot
pudding, as Baked Indian Pudding, rather than the pro-
verbial sauce and cake at the end of a cold supper.
Jackson Junkets
I quart rich milk I tablespoonful water
4 tablespoonfuls sugar A little salt
i junket tablet, dissolved in Grated nutmeg
DESSERTS 511
Warm the milk with the salt, nutmeg and sugar until
tepid; add the junket tablet and pour the mixture imme-
diately into a serving dish (preferably glass) to solidify.
Just before serving dot with stiffly-whipped cream,
sweetened and flavored with grated apple or raspberry
jam, or serve without cream, using either fresh or canned
fruit instead for a sauce.
Irish Moss Blanc Mange
I scant half-cupful Irish i teaspoonfuls vanilla or or-
nioss ange extract
4 cupfuls milk 4 tablespoonfuls sugar
i teaspoonful salt
k Rinse the moss, then soak it for fifteen minutes in
vv^ater to cover, look it over carefully, rinse again, add to
the milk and cook in a double boiler for thirty minutes.
Add the salt and sugar, straining through a fine sieve ;
flavor, and fill the mould, which should be rinsed in cold
water. Chill, and serve with any fresh or canned fruit
and cream.
CORN STARCH DESSERTS
Plain Corn Starch Pudding
3 cupfuls scalded milk 6 tablespoonfuls sugar
i cupful cold water i teaspoonful 'salt
i cupful corn starch I teaspoonful vanilla
Mix the corn starch, sugar and salt together, dilute
with the cold water, and add to the scalded milk, stir-
ring constantly until it is thick. Then set over hot
water and cook thirty minutes. Add the flavoring, pour
into a mould wet in cold water, and chill.
White Corn Starch Pudding
3 cupfuls scalded milk i cupful cold water
\ cupful corn starch I teaspoonful vanilla or or-
6 tablespoonfuls sugar ange extract
\ teaspoonful salt 2 egg whites
Mix together the corn starch, sugar and salt, and
dilute with the cold water. Add to the scalded milk and
cook directly over a slow heat till thick, stirring con-
stantly. Then place over hot water and cook thirty
512 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat
and pour slowly onto the egg whites, beaten very stiff.
Beat well, turn into a mould or custard cups dipped in
cold water, and chill. Serve with sugared raspberries,
strawberries or peaches, or with a caramel, chocolate or
coffee nut sauce, when fruit is not at hand.
Chocolate Corn Starch Pudding
Make according to the recipe for White Corn Starch
Pudding, adding two ounces (squares) of shaved choco-
late to the milk while it is scalding. Flavor with vanilla.
II desired, the egg whites may be omitted.
Coffee Corn Starch Pudding *
Observe the proportions as given in White Corn
Starch Pudding; scald 2j tablespoonfuls of coffee in the
milk, strain through cheescloth, and complete the cook-
ery as directed.
Lemon Corn Starch Pudding
\ cupful corn starch i teaspoon ful salt
1 cupful cold water i cupful lemon juice
2 cupfuls boiling water Whites 2 eggs
i cupful sugar
Blend the corn starch, salt and sugar with cold water ;
pour into this the boiling water and cook for fifteen min-
utes, then for thirty minutes in a double boiler, stirring
often. Cool a little, add the lemon juice and pour onto
the beaten egg whites, stirring briskly. Mould in indi-
vidual cups, and serve with custard sauce.
Strawberry Corn Starch Pudding
\ cupful corn starch i teaspoonful salt
i cupful strawberries and 2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice
pulp 2 egg whites
2- cupfuls boiling water I cupful sugar
Blend the corn starch with the salt, sugar and straw-
berry juice. Pour onto this the boiling water, let boil up
once, then cook thirty minutes over hot water. Cool a
little, add the lemon juice, then pour the mixture slowly
onto the stiffly-beaten egg whites. Beat briskly ; mould
in individual cups dipped in cold water and serve with
sliced and sugared strawberries.
DESSERTS 513
Raspberry Corn Starch Pudding
Follow the proportions and directions given in Straw-
berry Corn Starch Pudding, substituting raspberries for
the strawberries.
Rhubarb Corn Starch Pudding
Follow the proportions given in Strawberry Corn
Starch Pudding, substituting three cupfuls of stewed or
baked rhubarb for the strawberry juice and the boiling
water, and increasing the sugar to one cupful.
Blueberry Mculd
3 cupfuls stewed blueberries, i cupful corn starch mixed to
well sweetened a paste with
Grating lemon rind I cupful cold water
Heat the blueberries to boiling point, add the corn
starch, and after the mixture has boiled cook over hot
water for thirty minutes. Pour into individual wet
moulds, and let stand till very cold. Serve with whipped
cream, flavored with a little lemon extract.
Blackberry Mould
Follow the proportions given in Blueberry Mould, sub-
stituting blackberries for blueberries ; strain the black-
berries after stewing.
Soft Lemon Fruit Pudding
2 tablespoonfuls corn starch Juice ii lemons
i tablespoonful butter 2 cupfuls boiling water
cupful sugar I sliced banana
Few grains salt i cupful cooked figs, diced
Mix together the corn starch, butter, sugar and salt.
Add the water, boiling rapidly, and stir briskly until the
mixture looks clear; then set over hot water to cook
thirty minutes longer. Half cool, add the lemon juice,
and pour over the fruit in a glass bowl.
Thickened Prunes
1 cupful prunes ii tablespoonfuls corn starch
2 cupfuls boiling water A few shavings of orange
i cupful sugar rind
Few grains salt i tablespoonful lemon juice
514 MRS. ALLEN'S. COOK BOOK
Wash the prunes and soak twelve hours in 2 cupfuls
of cold water. Add the orange rind and salt, and cook
the prunes until nearly tender. Add the sugar and finish
cooking. Skim out the prunes from the syrup. There
should be i^ cupfuls of liquid left; if there is not, add
boiling water to make up the balance. Thicken with the
corn starch, dissolved in a little cold water, and let boil
up once. Add the lemon juiee; remove the stones from
prunes, add the prune syrup to the fruit and serve hot on
French toast, or ice cold with whipped cream.
CUSTARD DESSERTS
Soft Cooked Custard I
2 egg yolks 3 cupfuls scalded milk
2 tablespoonfuls corn starch I teaspoonful flavoring
i cupful sugar i teaspoonful salt
Scald the milk, mix together the egg yolks, salt, corn
starch and sugar and pour the scalded milk into this mix-
ture. Return to a double boiler and cook until it coats
the spoon, stirring frequently. Reserve the egg whites
to use in a cake or whip. When the custard begins to
cool, add the flavoring.
Soft Cooked Custard II
i pint scalded milk 3 egg yolks
1 cupful sugar I teaspoonful flavoring
Salt
Scald the milk; beat the sugar, salt and egg yolks to-
gether until blended. Pour into this the scalded milk.
Cook in a double boiler, stirring constantly, until it coats
the spoon. Remove at once and, when cold, add the
flavoring. If it should be cooked too much or "curdle,"
beat hard with an egg-beater.
Floating Island
4 cupfuls milk 2 egg whites
2 egg yolks I teaspoonful salt
3 tablespoonfuls flour \ teaspoonful vanilla
\ cupful sugar \ tablespoonful powdered
sugar
Mix the egg yolks, flour, sugar and salt together in a
DESSERTS 515
bowl, add the scalded milk, slowly, return to a double
boiler and cook until it coats the spoon, stirring con-
stantly ; when cool, add the flavoring and pour into a
dish. Beat the egg whites light, and add the powdered
sugar. Beat again, place on the custard by spoonfuls to
form " islands," or drop the islands in boiling water and
poach them, if the dessert is to stand any length of time.
Chocolate Floating Island
Observe the proportions given in the recipe for Float-
ing Island, adding 2 ounces (squares) of shaved choco-
late to the milk while it is scalding; sprinkle the
" islands " with shredded cocoanut.
Raspberry Float
Follow the recipe for Floating Island. When beat-
ing the egg whites, add f cupful of crushed raspberries
and 3 cupful of powdered sugar. Heap this float upon
ithe custard.
Strawberry Float
Observe the directions given for making Raspberry
Float, substituting strawberries for the raspberries.
Banana Float
Follow the directions for making Floating Island, be-
strewing the " islands " with very finely-sliced bananas
just before serving.
Orange Rice Custard
3 cupfuls milk % cupful boiled rice
2 eggs i teaspoonful orange juice
i teaspoonful salt Candied orange peel
4 cupful sugar
Scald a few pieces of plain orange peel with the milk
and rice. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar and salt;
remove the orange peel, add the sugar mixture to the
milk, and stir over hot water until thickened. Then take
from the heat and chill. Just before serving beat the
egg whites stiff, add a few grains of salt, a tablespoonful
of powdered sugar and the orange juice. Pile on the
custard, and sprinkle lightly with candied orange peel.
5i6 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Soft Caramel Custard
3 ctipfuls milk, scalded i teaspoonful salt
3 eggs slightly beaten \ teaspoonful vanilla
i cupful sugar
Scald the milk; melt the sugar in a frying pan till
light brown, stirring constantly. Add J cupful of boil-
ing water, and, when dissolved again, pour into the milk.
Then pour the hot mixture onto the beaten eggs, return
to the double boiler and cook until it coats the spoon,
stirring constantly. Add the salt and flavoring when
cool. Serve very cold in glass cups, topping each serv-
ing with flavored whipped cream sprinkled with toasted
shredded almonds if convenient.
Plain Baked Custard
3 cupfuls scalded milk i teaspoonful salt
3 eggs } teaspoonful flavoring
6 tablespoonfuls sugar
Scald the milk ; mix together the eggs, sugar, salt and
flavoring in the custard dish. Pour onto this the
scalded milk, set in a pan of hot water, and bake, until
firm, in a moderate oven. Test with a silver knife; if,
after inserting, the knife comes out perfectly clean, the
custard is done. It will take about thirty-five minutes ;
or it may be cooked in custard cups in the oven, or
steamer top, in twenty minutes.
Baked Chocolate Custard
3 cupfuls milk cupful sugar
3 ounces (squares) chocolate i teaspoonful salt
4 egg yolks I teaspoonful vanilla
Shave the chocolate, add to the milk and cook over
hot water until the chocolate is dissolved, stirring fre-
quently. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar, add to the
milk mixture, turn in the flavoring and salt, pour into the
custard cups, set in a pan, surround with hot water and
bake till almost " set." Remove from the oven, and cover
with a meringue made of three of the remaining egg
whites, 3 tablespoonfuls powdered sugar, and a few
drops of vanilla. Bake slowly ten minutes longer.
DESSERTS 517
Baked Caramel Custard
4 cup fuls scalded milk \ teaspoonful salt
5 eggs I teaspoonful vanilla
I cupful sugar
Caramelize half the sugar until light brown. Add this
gradually to the milk, being careful that the latter does
not bubble up and go over. As soon as the sugar is
melted in the milk, pour the mixture onto the eggs (and
remaining sugar), slightly-beaten together. Add the salt
and flavoring, then strain into a buttered mould. Bake
in a pan of hot water in a slow oven, until a knife, when
inserted, will come out clean. This may be poured into
custard cups and set in a steamer top to cook over hot
water. Then the custards will be done when firm, in
about fifteen minutes.
Baked Custard Renversee
1 cupful sugar, caramelized I quart milk
\ cupful sugar (additional) i teaspoonful salt
5 eggs i teaspoonful vanilla
Caramelize the cupful of sugar and immediately turn
into a three-pint mould. Tip the mould quickly from
side to side, coating it thoroughly with the caramel.
Scald the milk, beat the eggs slightly and add to them
the sugar, salt and vanilla; combine with the milk, pour
into the mould and set in a pan; surround with boil-
ing water and bake slowly about an hour, or until the
custard is " set." When very cold, unmould and sprin-
kle with chopped, browned almonds.
Baked Coffee Custard
3 cup fuls milk 3 eggs
2 tablespoonfuls ground i cupful granulated sugar
coffee \ teaspoonful vanilla
Scald the coffee in the milk, and strain through a cloth.
Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla together, combine with
the milk, pour into custard cups or a mould, and steam
until firm in the center, or bake in a pan of hot water
in a moderate oven. Serve ice cold, with caramel nut
sauce, a fruit sauce, or whipped cream.
518 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Baked Cocoanut Custard
3 cupfuls milk i teaspoonful vanilla
4 cupful cocoanut 3 eggs
4 tablespoonful corn starch 6 tablespoonfuls sugar
Few grains salt
Scald the cocoanut with the milk, then thicken with
the corn starch dissolved in i tablespoonful of cold water.
Beat together the eggs, sugar, salt and flavoring; com-
bine with the milk and pour into custard cups. Set in a
pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven until the
custard is "set"
CEREAL AND BREAD DESSERTS
Fig Bread Pudding
3 cupfuls stale bread crumbs 4 cupful sugar
24 cupfuls milk Grated rind and juice of 4
2" eggs lemon
1 teaspoonful salt ii cupfuls chopped figs
Soak the crumbs and figs in the milk, till softened.
Add the other ingredients, including the eggs, unbeaten,
pour into a buttered baking dish, set in a pan of hot
water, and bake for an hour and a half in a moderate
oven. Serve with hard sauce.
Chocolate Bread Pudding
2 cupfuls stale bread crumbs f cupful sugar
4 cupfuls scalded milk 2 eggs
2 ounces' (squares) chocolate i teaspoonful salt
1 teaspoonful vanilla
Soak the bread in the milk for thirty minutes. Melt
the chocolate over hot water; add some of the hot milk
until it can be poured, then combine with the bread
crumbs. Beat together the salt, sugar, vanilla and eggs.
Add this to the pudding mixture, pour into a buttered
dish, surround with hot water, and bake an hour in a
moderate oven. Serve with cream or lemon, hard or
vanilla sauce.
Lemon Pudding
2 cupfuls stale bread crumbs 2 eggs
3 cupfuls milk I cupful sugar
i tablespoonful flour Few grains salt
I tablespoonful butter Juice and rind i lemon
DESSERTS 519
Scald the crumbs and butter in the milk. Beat to-
gether the eggs, sugar and lemon, and add to the milk
mixture ; pour into a buttered baking dish, surround with
hot water and bake until firm in the center. Serve with
canned red cherries.
Cocoaimt Bread Pudding
ii cupfuls stale bread 3 cupfuls hot milk
crumbs 2 egg yolks
1 1 tablespoonfuls butter i tablespoonful lemon juice
I cupful sugar Grated rind of \ lemon
4 teaspoonful vanilla I cupful cocoanut
Add the crumbs and butter to the milk, stir well and
set aside to cool. Beat the egg yolks, add the sugar,
lemon juice and rind and the vanilla ; combine with the
milk mixture, and bake in a well-buttered pudding dish
in a moderate oven.
Mock Indian Pudding
4 slices of bread J cupful sugar
i egg 2 tablespoonfuls Barbadoes
3 cupfuls milk molasses
1 teaspoonful each of gin- 2 tablespoonfuls melted but-
ger, clove and cinnamon ter or oleomargarine
Crumb the bread and let soak in the milk for twenty
minutes. Scald, add the sugar, molasses, fat and spices,
and pour onto the beaten egg. Put in a buttered pud-
ding dish, and bake one and one-half hours in a slow
oven. Serve with brown sugar sauce.
Sponge Bread Pudding
2 cupfuls stale bread crumbs I teaspoonful soda, dis-
I quart milk solved in
1 cupful sugar' i tablespoonful warm water
Few grains salt \ teaspoonful flavoring
2 eggs
Scald the crumbs in the milk. Separate the eggs, beat
the yolks and whites separately, and add the yolks to the
milk mixture, with the salt, sugar, soda and flavoring.
Fold in the egg whites, pour into a buttered pudding dish,
set in a pan of hot water, and bake gently, until a knife
inserted will come out clean. Serve with melted jelly.
/VT-
520 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Lemon Rice Pudding
i cupfuls cooked rice 3 cupfuls milk
i egg Juice and rind $ lemon
i cupful sugar
Mix in the order given, pour into a buttered pudding
dish, set in a pan of hot water and bake slowly until firm
in the center. Serve hot or cold, with currant jelly
sauce.
Coffee Pudding
i cupful stale cake crumbs i teaspoonful vanilla
I pint milk I or 2 eggs
I pint cold coffee Few grains salt
i cupful light brown sugai
Soak the crumbs in the milk and coffee for an hour,
then stir in thoroughly the sugar, salt and vanilla. Add
the eggs slightly beaten and pour the mixture into a
buttered baking dish. Set in a pan of hot water and
bake until firm in the center. Serve half warm, with
cream.
Peach or Apricot Compote
i cupful uncoated rice I can peaches (or apricots)
Boil the rice and pack it into well-buttered moulds ;
make a sauce of
1 cupful peach or apricot i tablespoonful corn starch
juice 2 tablespoonfuls sugar
2 teaspoonfuls butter I tablespoonful lemon juice
Cook the fruit juice, sugar and corn starch together
till thick; remove from the heat, add the lemon juice and
butter and pour over the unmoulded rice, arranged with
the fruit on a deep platter.
Pineapple Compote
Make as in the preceding recipe, substituting canned
pineapple for the fruit mentioned.
Cereal Pudding
I cupful any cold cooked ce- \ cupful sugar
real \ teaspoonful salt
3 cupfuls scalded milk $ teaspoonful vanilla
i egg
Scald the milk, mix together the egg, sugar, salt,
vanilla and cereal. Pour into a buttered baking dish.
DESSERTS 521
Set in a pan of hot water and cook until " set," or firm,
in the middle, in a moderate oven. Raisins, chopped
figs, stoned dates or a little left-over canned fruit may
be added to this pudding for variety.
Apple Rice
3 cupfuls cold, boiled un- I cupful fine cookie or cake
coated or brown rice crumbs
$ cupful sugar i cupful raspberry jam
Juice and rind 2 lemons 2 tablespoonfuls melted but-
2 cupfuls cold apple sauce ter
Butter a baking dish ; put in a layer of rice, mixed with
the sugar and lemon. Add a layer of apple, then one of
rice, continuing in this way until the dish is filled. Have
the last layer of rice, spread this with the jam, then
add the crumbs mixed with 2 tablespoonfuls of melted
butter, and bake in a moderate oven until browned.
Serve cold with cream.
Peach and Hominy Ramekins
h cupful hominy cooked in 6 cooked, diced peaches
milk 3 egg whites
i cupful candied orange peel 3 tablespoonfuls powdered
i cupful of sugar sugar
i teaspoonful salt Few drops orange extract
Cook the hominy in milk with the orange peel and
salt till the kernels are softened. Then stir in the sugar.
Half-fill buttered ramekins, set a peach in each one, add
a. little more hominy and pile on a meringue made of the
egg whites, powdered sugar and extract. Brown in a
moderate oven, and serve with an orange sauce, if de-
sired. A large baking dish may be used in place of the
ramekins. Plain cooked hominy, left from breakfast,
may be used, if moistened with a little milk.
Creamy Eice Pudding
k cupful brown or uncoated f. teaspoonful salt
rice 4 cupfuls cold milk
cupful sugar
Mix the ingredients together, bring to boiling point,
and cook three hours in a very slow oven. Serve either
plain or with crushed fresh fruit and cream.
522 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
DESSERTS WITH A BAKING POWDER
BISCUIT FOUNDATION
DESSERTS OF A CAKE NATURE
Sweet Shortcake
4 cupfuls flour 3 teaspoonfuls baking pow-
6 tablespoonfuls butter or der
oleomargarine 2 eggs
I cupful sugar I to I cupful of milk
I teaspoonful salt
Mix the dry ingredients together and rub in the fat
with the finger tips. Beat the eggs light, add the milk
and stir into the flour. Beat well, and, if too thick, add
a little more milk. Spread in two layer-cake pans, and
bake in a moderate oven. Split, spread with butter and
the desired fruit, properly sweetened and prepared.
Sweet Fruit Shortcake
Follow the recipe for Sweet Shortcake, putting it to-
gether with strawberries which have been slightly
crushed, sweetened and allowed to stand for at least an
hour; sliced and sugared peaches, slightly flavored with
lemon juice; sliced and sugared oranges, mixed with
cocoanut ; shredded canned pineapple ; stewed sweetened
plums ; slightly crushed and sweetened raspberries ;
sweetened blackberries, or any other desired fruit.
With the raspberries, blackberries, peaches, or straw-
berries, sweetened whipped cream is a suitable accom-
paniment, although any of the foamy cold sauces may be
used, and in case of pineapple a delicious combination is
a cold orange foamy sauce.
Biscuit Shortcake
2$ cupfuls flour i tablespoonful sugar
4 teaspoonfuls baking pow- i cupful milk
der 3 tablespoonfuls butter or
4 teaspoonful salt oleomargarine
Mix the dry ingredients together, thoroughly. Work
in the shortening with the finger tips, and add the milk
slowly. Toss on a floured board, divide in two parts, pat
out and fit into the pans. Bake fifteen minutes in a hot
oven.
DESSERTS 523
Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake
i quart strawberries Biscuit shortcake
i cupful sugar more or Thick cream
less
Make a biscuit shortcake as directed. Split and but-
ter it liberally and fill with halved strawberries which have
been allowed to stand with the sugar on them for at least
an hour. Pile strawberries on the top, and serve warm
with the cream.
Plain Fruit Shortcake
This may be made with the biscuit foundation. Suit-
able fillings are sliced and sugared oranges, baked rhu-
barb, baked apple sauce, stewed blueberries, stewed diced
figs (with orange sauce), stewed dried pears with golden
marshmallow sauce, or a combination of stewed cran-
berries and raisins, well sweetened, and served with
orange sauce.
Fruit Rolls
All fruit rolls have as a foundation a biscuit shortcake.
This should be rolled out into rectangular shape, the
dough being kept about one-quarter of an inch thick. It
should then be sprinkled to within an inch of the edge
with the desired fruit, sweetened. Canned fruit may be
used, but in any case it should be chopped coarsely. The
dough should then be rolled up gently, the ends pinched
together, and the roll placed fold-side down on a well-
oiled baking pan. The top should be brushed with milk,
and the whole baked for half an hour in a moderate oven.
This may be served with cream or a suitable sauce, the
choice depending upon the character of the filling.
Apricot Roll
Make according to the general directions for fruit
rolls, using as a filling canned apricots, with a little addi-
tional sugar, and a grating of orange rind, or well-sweet-
ened, dried, stewed apricots. Serve with lemon sauce.
Strawberry Fruit Roll
Make according to the general directions for fruit
rolls, using strawberries halved or quartered, well-mixed
524 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
with sugar and a few grains of cinnamon. Serve with
strawberry sauce or cream.
Raisin Roll
Make according to the general directions for fruit
rolls, sprinkling the dough thickly with a cupful of
chopped raisins, 2 tablespoonfuls of sugar and i table-
spoonful of cinnamon. Serve with lemon sauce.
Prune Fruit Roll
Follow the general directions for making fruit rolls,
covering the dough with halved stewed prunes. Sprinkle
on a little grated orange rind. Finish as directed.
Baked Fruit Dumplings
Prepare the mixture for Biscuit Shortcake ; roll out
to about one-quarter inch thickness. Cut in four-inch
squares, and on each square place a tablespoonful of
chopped and well-sweetened fruit. Fold up the edges,
press together, place fold-side down in a buttered baking
pan, and bake gently for thirty minutes. Serve with any
desired sauce.
* Baked Apple Dumplings
Prepare as in general directions for Baked Dump-
lings, using apples, sweetened, and flavored with nut-
meg and cinnamon.
Baked Pear Dumplings
Prepare as in general directions for Baked Dumplings,
using sweetened canned, stewed, dried or fresh pears,
with a little candied ginger as flavoring.
Baked Rhubarb and Pineapple Dumplings
Prepare as in general directions for Baked Dump-
lings and use a combination of chopped sweetened raw
rhubarb and canned pineapple, with a little lemon juice,
as a filling.
Baked Strawberry Dumplings
Prepare as in general directions for Baked Dumplings,
and use sweetened quartered strawberries, flavored with
a little cinnamon.
DESSERTS 525
Upside-Down Apple Pie
I quart apples Salt
i cupful sugar I tablespoonful butter or
\ teaspoonful cloves oleomargarine
I cupful boiling water Short biscuit crust
Pare and slice the apples, mix with them the sugar,
cloves, salt and fat and place in a well-oiled baking dish,
with a cupful of boiling water. Cover, set in the oven
and bake for twenty minutes; then place the crust over
the top, and finish baking. Let it cool slightly, then turn
upside down on a platter, and serve with hard or lemon
sauce.
Upside-Down Raspberry and Currant Pie
Make according to the directions for Upside-Down
Apple Pie, using equal quantities of raspberries and red
currants and a few grains of nutmeg.
Upside-Down Peach Pie
Make according to the directions for Upside-Down
Apple Pie, and use sliced and sugared peaches.
Individual Upside-Down Pies
Butter muffin pans thoroughly, and fill with sliced,
sweetened and seasoned fruit. Put on each pan a round
of biscuit crust a little smaller than the diameter of the
pan. Bake about twenty-five minutes.
For serving, remove to individual plates, turning the
pies crust-side down, or, if desired, they may be baked in
ramekins, when they may be served in the dishes.
Steamed Apple Dumplings
8 apples I cupful sugar
i cupfuls cold water \ teaspoonful cinnamon
Pare, core and quarter the apples, put in a saucepan
with the water, and cook rapidly until soft, stirring fre-
quently. Sweeten and add the cinnamon. While this
is cooking, prepare the dumpling mixture as given in
quick breads. Pat out to one-half inch thickness and
shape into rounds. Have the apple sauce boiling hot;
put the dumplings on the surface, cover and cook for
twelve minutes. Serve with lemon sauce.
526 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Cranberry Dumplings
Make a cranberry sauce of I quart of cranberries, i
cupfuls of water, and 2 cupfuls of sugar. Prepare a
dumpling mixture, and finish according to the recipe for
Steamed Apple Dumplings.
Currant Dumplings
Stew together one quart of red currants, -J cupful of
water and ij cupfuls of sugar. When soft and boiling
hard, lay on the dumplings and finish according to
the recipe for Steamed Apple dumplings.
Strawberry Dumplings
Make according to the recipe for Cranberry Dump-
lings, adding J tablespoonful of butter to the strawberry
sauce.
Prune Pudding
2 tablespoonfuls melted but- i cupful raw, pitted prunes
ter or oleomargarine i cupful milk
\ cupful granulated sugar ii cupfuls whole wheat meal
i teaspoonful orange flavor or flour
ing 3 teaspoonfuls baking pow-
i egg der
Beat together the butter^ sugar, flavoring and egg.
Add the prunes to the meal or flour, mix in the baking
powder and add this alternately with the milk to the first
mixture. Bake in a shallow pan, dredge thickly with
powdered sugar, cut in squares and serve with a sauce
made of thickened fruit juice.
Mocha Pudding
$ cupful butter or oleomar- 2^ teaspoonfuls baking pow-
garine der
i cupful sugar 2 egg whites
i cupful strong coffee I cupful broken walnut
i teaspoonful vanilla meats
if cupfuls flour
Cream the fat, and beat in the sugar and vanilla. Sift
together the flour and baking powder, add the nut meats
and then stir in alternately with the coffee into the first
mixture. Lastly, fold in the egg whites, beaten stiff.
Bake in two layers, put together with raspberry jam or
drained canned raspberries and decorate with a cupful
DESSERTS 527
of cream sweetened and whipped solid with a half cupful
of raspberry syrup. Strawberries or loganberries may
replace the raspberries.
Strawberry Meringue
1 cupful sugar I egg yolk
2 tablespoonfuls butter 2 cupfuls sliced strawberries
cupful milk 2 tablespoonfuls confection-
1 cupful flour er's sugar
2 egg whites i teaspoonful lemon juice
ii teaspoonfuls baking pow-
der
Make an ordinary cake mixture of the sugar, butter,
milk, flour, baking powder and egg yolk, and bake in a
layer-cake pan. Let the strawberries stand with sugar
on them for thirty minutes. Pile onto the baked cake,
cover with a meringue made of the egg whites, stiffly
beaten with the confectioner's sugar and lemon juice.
Brown and serve with strawberry sauce.
Cottage Puffs
4 tablespoonfuls butter or \ teaspoonful orange extract
3 tablespoonfuls lard or \ cupful milk
drippings if cupfuls flour
1 cupful sugar 3 teaspoonfuls baking pow-
2 eggs der
Cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, and the eggs,
well beaten. Mix the flour and baking powder, and add
alternately with the milk to the first mixture. Bake in
individual pans and serve with orange sauce.
TAPIOCA DESSERTS
Baked Caramel Tapioca
$ cupful pearl tapioca i teaspoonful vanilla
I cupful light brown sugar i quart boiling water
I tablespoon ful butter 2 egg whites
Few grains salt Vanilla
Soak the tapioca over night, then mix in the baking
dish with the sugar, butter, salt and vanilla, and pour
on the water. Bake two hours in a moderate oven, then
spread a meringue over the top made of the egg whites,
a few grains of salt, 2 tablespoonfuls of brown sugar and
528 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
vanilla. Bake twelve minutes more in a slow oven,
then let stand two hours to solidify, and serve with
brown sugar syrup, either with or without a few chopped
nut meats.
Apple Tapioca
I cupful pearl or \ cupful % teaspoonful salt
quick cooking tapioca 6 tart apples
Cold water to cover I cupful sugar
2,\ cupfuls boiling water 2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice
Soak the tapioca an hour in water to cover. Drain,
add the boiling water and salt and cook in a double
boiler until the tapioca looks clear. Pare and core the
apples, cut in quarters, and place in a baking dish or
casserole. Add the lemon juice and sugar to the tapioca,
pour over the apples and bake or steam until the apples
are soft.
Peach Tapioca
Make according to the directions for Apple Tapioca,
substituting sliced canned or fresh peaches for the apples.
Tapioca Kaisin Pudding
I cupful pearl or \ cupful teaspoonful salt
quick cooking tapioca I cupful raisins
Cold water to cover I cupful light brown sugar
3 cupfuls boiling water Juice and rind ii lemons
Soak the tapioca an hour in water to cover. Drain,
add the boiling water and salt and cook in a double
boiler until the tapioca looks clear. Add the raisins,
sugar and lemon and bake an hour in a slow oven.
Serve with cream.
Lemon Tapioca
\ cupful pearl or J cupful i cupful sugar
quick cooking tapioca i cupful lemon juice
Cold water to cover Grated rind one lemon
3i cupfuls boiling water 2 egg whites
\ teaspoonful salt
Soak the tapioca an hour. Then add to the boiling
water with the salt and lemon rind and cook until clear.
Remove the rind, and turn in the sugar and lemon juice.
Beat the egg whites stiff, fold them lightly in, chill and
serve in sherbet glasses.
DESSERTS 529
Coffee Tapioca
3 ctipfuls coffee 2 eggs
4! tablespoonfuls pearl, or 3 | cupful sugar
tablespoonfuls quick cook- i teaspoonful salt
ing tapioca i teaspoonful vanilla
Heat the coffee in a double boiler. Add the tapioca
(after soaking for an hour in water to cover), and cook
until it is transparent; caramelize J cupful of the sugar,
and add to the tapioca mixture. In the meantime, beat
together the egg yolks, salt and remaining sugar. Add to
the tapioca mixture, and, when thickened, fold in the
stiffly-beaten egg whites. Serve very cold, with or with-
out whipped cream.
Indian Tapioca Pudding
4 tablespoonfuls pearl tapi- 2 tablespoonfuls butter or
oca oleomargarine
4 tablespoonfuls home- 5 cupfuls milk
ground cornmeal 2 teaspoonfuls salt
cupful Barbadoes molasses i cupful chopped candied
1 cupful sugar ginger (optional)
Cover the tapioca with warm water, and let it soak
an hour; scald the milk, add the tapioca, and cook for
fifteen minutes. Mix together the remaining ingre-
dients, stir into the tapioca mixture and cook over hot
water, till thickened and the mixture is beginning to sep-
arate. Turn into a buttered baking dish, and bake for
three hours in a slow oven. Always add an extra cupful
of cold milk at the end of two hours.
Tapioca Cream
\ cupful pearl, or cupful \ teaspoonful salt
quick cooking tapioca I teaspoonful vanilla
2 eggs ' i cupfuls scalded milk
cupful sugar
Soak the tapioca an hour in cold water to cover.
Drain and cook in a cupful of boiling water in
a double boiler until transparent, stirring frequently.
Then add the milk, and pour the mixture gradually
onto the egg yolks and sugar, beaten together. Re-
turn to the double boiler and cook until it thickens,
or coats the spoon. Remove from the heat, and pour
onto the egg whites, beaten stiff. Chill, add salt and
530 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
flavoring. A half cupful of quartered dates may be
added if desired. All milk may be used instead of part
water.
Chocolate Tapioca
3 cupfuls milk & teaspoonful salt
i cupful water teaspoonful vanilla
I cupful sugar I scant cupful quick cooking
4 tablespoonfuls powdered tapioca
cocoa
Heat the milk and water together and add the tapioca.
Stir in the cocoa, sugar and salt well-mixed, and cook the
mixture until the tapioca is translucent. Chill and serve
with light cream.
Moulded Coffee Tapioca
t cupfuls boiling coffee i teaspoonful vanilla
cupful sugar -J cupful broken English wal-
I scant cupful quick cooking nuts, hickory nuts or black
tapioca walnut meats
Few grains salt
Dissolve the sugar and salt in the coffee, add the
tapioca, and cook gently until it is translucent. Stir in
the nuts. Add the vanilla, chill and serve with light or
whipped cream.
FRUIT LOAVES AND " BETTYS "
Brown Betty
3 cupfuls tart apples, chopped Light brown sugar
fine Ground cloves and cinnamon
3 cupfuls soft bread crumbs Butter or oleomargarine
Butter a baking dish or casserole; put in a layer of
apples, sprinkle with the sugar, mixed with the spice, and
cover with crumbs. Repeat until all is used, and make
the last layer of 'crumbs, dotting well with butter and
sprinkling with the sugar mixture. Cover and bake
forty-five minutes in a hot oven, then remove the lid and
brown quickly. Serve half warm, with cream, or hard,
or lemon sauce.
DESSERTS 531
Cherry Betty
2 cupfuls stoned cherries, i cupful sugar
chopped i teaspoonful cinnamon
4 cupfuls soft bread crumbs, 4 tablespoonfuls butter or
or stale cake crumbs oleomargarine
Butter a baking dish and put a layer of cherries in the
bottom; sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon mixed,
dot with butter, put in crumbs and repeat until the dish
is filled, making the last layer buttered crumbs. Bake
covered in a moderate oven for forty minutes. Then un-
cover and let brown, and serve with hard, fruit or a lemon
sauce.
Fruit and Bread Loaves
. Butter a smooth bowl, and fill it with alternating layers
of crumbled buttered white or entire wheat bread, and
hot, sweetened fruit with juice. Let stand several hours
to chill. Unmould and serve with cream and sugar or
rich milk, or extra fruit juice, or crushed and sweetened
fruit. Rhubarb, pineapple, cherries, blackberries and
blueberries may all be used.
Pineapple Bread Charlotte
Butter bread and slice it thin. Arrange in layers in a
well-buttered baking dish, with finely-shredded canned
pineapple and juice which has been heated to boiling point
and made very sweet, and to which has been added a
dash of lemon juice.
Make the last layer bread, and sift powdered sugar
thickly over it. Bake about thirty minutes in a moderate
oven. It may be necessary to cover it while baking lest
the top become too brown. Half cool and serve in slices.
Lady fingers or stale sponge cake may be substituted for
the bread if desired; in this case the pineapple should not
be made so sweet.
STEAMED PUDDINGS
Suet Pudding
4 cupful suet, chopped fine i teaspoonful soda
i cupful sugar I teaspoonful salt
I cupful sour milk 3 cupfuls flour
I cupful raisins, dates or 2 teaspoonfuls cinnamon
figs, chopped fine i teaspoonful cloves
532 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Mix the suet, sugar and milk together. Sift together
the soda, salt and flour. Add 2 cupfuls of flour to the
first mixture ; mix the fruit with the remaining flour and
add with the spices. Turn into a well-oiled and floured
mould and steam four hours. Serve with a hard sauce.
If dates are used, add 2 tablespoonfuls chopped, candied
orange peel, and omit the spice.
French Fruit Pudding
i cupful chopped suet i teaspoonful cinnamon
i cupful Barbadoes molas- i teaspoonful clove
ses $ teaspoonful salt
i cupful sour milk ii cupfuls chopped raisins
ii teaspoonfuls soda I cupful currants
2,\ cupfuls flour
Add the molasses and sour milk to the suet. Stir in 2
cupfuls of the flour sifted with the soda, salt and spices.
Add the fruit combined with the remaining flour, mix
well, pour into a well-oiled and floured mould and steam
four hours.
Christmas Pudding
i cupful chopped suet i teaspoonful cinnamon
i cupful sugar i teaspoonful clove
cupful Barbadoes molasses teaspoonful salt
I cupful sour milk ij cupfuls chopped raisins
i \ teaspoonfuls soda 3 cupfuls chopped currants
i egg i cupful chopped figs
3& cupfuls flour \ cupful chopped candied
\ cupful chopped walnut orange peel
meats
Mix together the flour, spices, prepared fruits and salt.
Combine the soda, sour milk and molasses, add the suet,
sugar and the egg, unbeaten, and then beat in the flour
mixture. Steam in a well-oiled and floured mould for
four hours, then serve garnished with holly surrounded
by portions of hard sauce, sprinkled with chopped pis-
tachio nut meats, and capped with candied cherries.
The pudding will be more attractive still, if blazing
when brought to the table. To accomplish this, pour
over three tablespoonfuls of good brandy, and ignite it
just before sending to the table. This amount will serve
twelve people.
DESSERTS 533
Rich Fruit Pudding
i cupful Barbadoes molasses i teaspoonful soda
4 cupful sugar - teaspoonful clove
I cupful sweet milk teaspoonful nutmeg
I teaspoonful cinnamon I cupful chopped raisins
i teaspoonful ginger I cupful chopped figs
1 cupful chopped dates 32- cupfuls flour
4 cupful candied orange pee! i cupful chopped almonds
i cupful butter or oleomar-
garine
Melt the fat, and combine with the milk, slightly
warmed ; add the soda to the molasses, mix all together,
add the spices, sugar, and gradually beat in 3 cupfuls of
the flour. Mix the fruit and nuts with the remaining
flour, and add to the mixture. Beat well. Pour into a
well-oiled and floured pudding mould, and steam four
hours. Serve with hard sauce.
Hunter's Pudding
pound currants ii teaspoonfuls ginger
i pound raisins I teaspoonful salt
Grated rind lemon i cupful brown sugar
\ pound suet i teaspoonful soda
3 eggs I cupful milk
3i cupfuls flour
Chop the suet fine, and mix into the flour with the soda
and fruit. Add the salt and ginger, rub in the sugar,
and work in the milk and the eggs, well-beaten. Steam
in a well-oiled and floured mould for four hours. Serve
with hard ginger sauce.
Steamed Date Pudding
2. cupfuls entire wheat flour i egg
i teaspoonful salt 2. tablespoonfuls melted but-
2,\ teaspoonfuls baking pow- ter or oleomargarine
der Grated rind and juice of I
4 tablespoonfuls sugar lemon
I cupful shredded dates \ cupful milk
Mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and
dates. Beat the egg light, add to the milk with the
lemon, stir in the flour mixture, beat well, add the melted
butter and turn into well-oilecl and floured pound baking-
powder cans. Steam an hour, and serve with lemon
sauce.
534 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Steamed Graham Pudding
i cupful butter or oleomar- i cupful fine entire wheat
garine, melted flour
cupful Barbadoes molasses ii cupfuls graham meal
4 cupful milk, sweet or sour i teaspoonful soda
I egg i teaspoonful salt
I cupful halved raisins
Mix the ingredients in the order given, stirring well.
Reserve -J cupful of the flour with which to mix the
raisins, adding them last. Turn into a well-oiled and
floured mould, and steam two and one-half hours.
Little Fig Puddings
1 cupful milk 4 eggs
2 cupfuls stale bread crumbs Grated rind and juice i
I cupful sugar lemon
1 teaspoonful salt 4 cupful chopped suet
2 teaspoonfuls baking pow- I cupful chopped figs
der i cupful chopped walnut
I cupful flour meats
Scald the milk and crumbs together, then add the sugar,
salt and lemon, and the egg yolks, well beaten. Mix to-
gether the flour, baking powder, salt, nuts and figs, then
add to the first mixture. Lastly, fold in the egg whites,
well beaten. Turn into individual tin or aluminum
moulds or cups ; set in a steamer top, cover with a piece
of pararfine paper and steam an hour and a half. Serve
with sweetened whipped cream and stewed or preserved
figs. This amount will serve twelve people.
Little Date Puddings
3 cupfuls entire wheat flour i cupful cocoanut
I teaspoonful salt 2 eggs
3^ teaspoonfuls baking 2 tablespoonfuls melted but-
powder ter or oleomargarine
i cupful sugar Grated rind and juice i lemon
I cupful shredded dates i cupful milk
Mix together the dry ingredients; add the dates; beat
the eggs light, mix" with the milk, add the lemon and pour
into the flour mixture. Add the cocoanut and melted
butter, beat thoroughly and turn into well-oiled custard
cups or moulds. Steam an hour, and serve with a lemon
sauce.
STEAMED CHRISTMAS PUDDING
RHUBARB PUDDING WITH BANANA DECORATION
DESSERTS 535
Steamed Cranberry Pudding
I cupful milk 3 tablespoonfuls melted but- f
2. eggs ter or oleomargarine
i teaspoonful salt About 3 cupfuls ground en-
I cupful sugar tire wheat bread crumbs
I cupful cranberries
Beat the eggs with the salt and sugar, add the milk and
butter, and stir in the cranberries with enough crumbs
to make a drop batter. Steam an hour, and serve hot,
with cranberry pudding sauce.
Steamed Blueberry Pudding
ii tablespoonfuls lard I cupful milk
i cupful granulated sugar 3 cupfuls flour
i teaspoonful orange flavor- i cupful blueberries
ing 3 teaspoonfuls baking pow-
i egg der
Cream the lard, beat in the sugar and egg and add the
flavoring. Sift together the flour and baking powder,
add the blueberries, and add alternately with the milk to
the first mixture. Pour into a well-oiled pudding mould
and steam three hours. Serve with fruit, hard, or lemon
sauce.
Snow Puffs
4 tablespoonfuls butter or i cupful flour
drippings if teaspoonfuls baking pow-
cupful sugar der
4 tablespoonfuls milk 2 egg whites
i teaspoonful orange extract
Cream the butter, beat in the sugar and mix and sift
the baking powder with the flour. Add the flavoring and,
alternately, the flour mixture with the milk. Lastly, fold
in the egg whites, whipped dry. Turn into well-oiled
moulds or custard cups and steam thirty-five minutes.
Serve with any preserved fruit sauce and whipped cream,
if convenient.
Steamed Chocolate Puffs
i egg 2 squares (ounces) chocolate
6 tablespoonfuls sugar (melted)
Few grains salt 3 tablespoonfuls melted but-
i teaspoonful cinnamon ter or oleomargarine
ii teaspoonfuls baking pow- i cupful milk
der f i cupful flour
536 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Separate the eggs, beat the yolks, and whip the sugar,
salt and cinnamon into them. Add the chocolate and,
gradually, the milk and the flour mixed and sifted with
the baking powder. Lastly, fold in the egg whites,
beaten stiff. Turn into well-oiled custard cups or moulds
and steam thirty-five minutes. If cooked in a large
mould, this must be steamed an hour. Serve with hard
or foamy sauce.
Steamed Cranberry Puffs
I tablespoonful lard I cupful milk
i cupful granulated sugar if cupfuls flour
i teaspoonful orange flavor- i cupful cranberries
ing 3 teaspoon fuls baking pow-
I egg der
Cream the lard, beat in the sugar and flavoring, and
mix together the flour, baking powder and cranberries.
Add the latter alternately with the milk to the first mix-
ture; turn into well-oiled custard cups and steam for
thirty-five minutes. Serve with a sweet orange sauce.
Steamed Blackberry or Blueberry Puffs
Substitute blackberries or blueberries for the cran-
berries in the preceding recipe.
DESSERTS WITH A CAKE FOUNDATION
Orange Souffle Pudding
Half fill a buttered baking dish or individual ramekins
with bits of stale cake, preferably sponge, gold, or a mix-
ture of plain and fruit cake. Pour over Soft Custard No.
I, which should be cold. Cover this with bits of orange,
and then with a meringue. Bake twelve minutes in a
slow oven.
Fruit Meringues
Cut stale sponge or plain cake in slices or rounds.
Cover with halved and sweetened strawberries, sliced and
sweetened peaches, stewed fresh or dried apricots, or
crushed raspberries sweetened, and top with meringue.
Bake the usual length of time, and serve with soft cus-
tard or a sauce of the fruit, or fruit juice thickened.
DESSERTS 537
Orange Meringues
4 navel oranges i tablespoonful compote
lemon juice
1 cupful water 2 cupfuls granulated sugar
2 egg whites cupful dried apricot or anji
2 tablespoonfuls powdered canned fruit juice
sugar Stale cake
Separate the oranges into sections without breaking the
membrane. Make a syrup of the water, sugar, apricot
and lemon juices, boiling it for five minutes. Add the
oranges, cover and cool. This is orange compote.
Place these orange sections on sliced, stale cake, which
should be well-moistened with the compote juice. Make
a meringue of the egg whites, sugar and a tablespoonful
of the compote juice ; pile over the cake, and brown
slowly, allowing ten minutes ; serve cold, with additional
compote as a garnish or sauce.
Banana Pudding
2 tablespoonfuls butter or I cupful banana pulp, put
oleomargarine through a potato ricer
cupful corn starch 2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice
ij cupfuls boiling water I cupful stale cake crumbs
Few grains salt \ cupful shredded pine-
2 eggs apple
1 cupful sugar
Cream together the butter and corn starch and add to
the boiling water, letting it boil up once. Cook fifteen
minutes over hot water. Beat the egg yolks light, add the
salt and the sugar, mixing well. Remove the skins from
the bananas and put the pulp through a potato ricer.
Butter a baking dish, thickly, and line with stale crumbs ;
then add the egg mixture and banana to the pudding, pour
in the lemon juice, mix and transfer to the baking dish.
Spread a thin layer of pineapple over the top and cover
with a meringue made of the egg whites and 3 tablespoon-
fuls of powdered sugar. Set in a slow oven ten minutes
to brown, and serve either hot or cold with pineapple
sauce.
Cake Pudding
2 cupfuls stale cake crumbs \ teaspoonful any flavoring
1 or 2 eggs 3 cupfuls milk
2 tablespoonfuls sugar Few grains salt
538 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Liet the crumbs stand in the milk ten minutes ; beat
slightly together the eggs, sugar and flavoring; add the
salt and the milk mixture, pour into buttered custard cups
or a pudding dish; stand in hot water and bake till firm
in the center, about thirty minutes. Serve with cream,
or chocolate, fruit or jelly sauce.
Stale cookie crumbs or " left-over " gingerbread may
be used up in this way, or a mixture of the different kinds
of cake and cookie crumbs gives a good result.
Baked Almond Pudding
6 macaroons i cupful shredded almonds
6 lady fingers Few drops vanilla
1 cupful milk i cupful sugar
3 eggs
Pour the scalded milk over the lady fingers and
macaroons. Add the flavoring, sugar, almonds and egg
yolks, beaten until lemon-colored, and combine with the
whites, beaten stiff. Divide into buttered ramekins and
bake in a moderate oven till brown. Serve hot or cold,
with whipped cream and Maraschino cherries.
Baked Gingerbread Pudding
2 cupfuls gingerbread I teaspoonful mixed spices
crumbs i or 2 eggs
$ cupful brown sugar 3 cupfuls milk
Butter a baking dish. Let the crumbs stand in the
milk for ten minutes, then add the sugar and the egg,
beaten together with the spices. Stand in a pan of hot
water and bake for forty minutes in a moderate oven.
Serve with a brown sugar or caramel sauce, if desired.
Date and Nut Pudding (Mrs. W. H. Ralyea)
I cupful walnut meats, 2 tablespoonfuls flour
chopped coarse I teaspoonful baking pow-
i cupful dates, quartered der
Few grains salt 2 eggs
Mix together the dates and walnuts; stir the baking
powder into the flour ; then combine with the dates and
nuts. Add the beaten egg yolks and mix thoroughly.
Then fold in the egg whites, whipped stiff and dry.
Transfer to a shallow baking pan and bake twenty min-
DESSERTS 539
utes in a moderate oven. Cool and cut in squares. Gar-
nish at serving time with whipped cream sweetened and
flavored with vanilla, and a few chopped nut meats, or
some shredded candied cherries.
Fruit Whips and Charlottes
Fruit whips may be made to serve in two ways, either
uncooked or baked. The uncooked whips may be served
as an accompaniment to canned or crushed fruit of a
harmonizing kind, or piled on sponge cake or lady fingers,
and served with boiled custard.
Strawberry Whip
1 1 cupfuls mashed straw- I cupful powdered sugar
berries 2 egg whites
Put the ingredients in a wide bowl, and beat the mix-
ture with a wire whisk until stiff enough to hold its shape.
Serve with whipped cream in tall glasses, or surrounded
with boiled custard, or on cut and sugared strawberries,
or in a bowl lined with lady fingers or strips of sponge
cake.
Easpberry Whip
Make according to the directions for Strawberry Whip,
substituting crushed raspberries for the strawberries.
Apricot Whip
Make according to the directions for Strawberry Whip,
substituting sifted canned or stewed dried apricots for the
strawberries.
Apple Whip
Make according to the directions for Strawberry Whip,
substituting well-sweetened apple sauce for the straw-
berries.
Cherry Whip
Canned cherries 2 tablespoonfuls powdered
2 egg whites sugar
Beat the egg whites and sugar together till nearly stiff,
then add a fourth cupful of the cherry liquor and con-
tinue beating until it will hold its shape. Serve piled on
canned cherries. Ox-heart cherries are best for this pur-
pose.
540 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Tig Whip
5 egg 1 whites 5 tablespoonfuls powdered
I cupful sifted or chopped sugar
fig pulp (from cooked Few grains salt
figs) I teaspoonful cream of tar-
i tablespoonful lemon juice tar
Beat the egg whites stiff; mix together the sugar, salt
and cream of tartar, and beat into the egg whites. Fold
in the lemon juice and fig mixture ; pile lightly into a but-
tered baking dish and bake in a moderate oven about
twenty-five minutes. Serve hot or cold with additional
stewed figs or cream, or sweetened sliced oranges.
Prune Whip
Substitute a cupful of the sifted or chopped pulp from
cooked prunes for the figs in the preceding recipe, and
proceed as directed.
Plain Charlotte Russe Filling
I pint of heavy cream I cupful, sugar
i egg white I teaspoonful flavoring
Whip the cream until solid, and combine with the egg
white, beaten until dry. Stir in the sugar and flavor-
ing. If to be made in the summer, add a scant ^ tea-
spoonful of powdered gelatine, dissolved in cold water and
melted over steam, while whipping.
Chocolate Charlotte Russe Filling
Make as above, adding ij tablespoonfuls of cocoa to
the cream while whipping.
Blackberry Charlotte Russe
Line sherbet glasses with macaroons or lady fingers,
and half-fill with slightly-crushed and well-sweetened
blackberries. Heap with a plain charlotte mixture, and
garnish the top of each serving with a whole blackberry.
Apple Charlotte Russe
i cupful heavy cream 3 tablespoonfuls powdered
i egg white sugar
18 lady fingers i teaspoonful vanilla
Baked apple sauce
DESSERTS 541
Whip the cream until stiff, then beat the egg whites
until dry, gradually whipping in the sugar. Add the ex-
tract, then combine with the cream, folding the mixtures
together. Line glass cups with lady fingers or strips of
sponge or angel cake ; place a tablespoonful of the apple
sauce in the bottom of each cup and fill with the charlotte
mixture. Garnish with shredded Maraschino cherries.
Serve very cold.
Pineapple Charlotte E-usse
Substitute preserved pineapple for the apple sauce in
the preceding recipe, and flavor the cream with orange
extract.
Raspberry Charlotte Russe
6 large, round, sponge cup I cupful raspberry juice and
cakes pulp
i cupful heavy cream Whole raspberries for gar-
I cupful powdered sugar nishing, mixed with I cup-
ful sugar
Hollow the sponge cakes to represent baskets. Pre-
pare the raspberry juice and pulp. Let stand with the
sugar until smooth (J hour), then begin to beat the
cream. When partly beaten, add the powdered sugar
and, gradually, the raspberry. Whip this into the cream
until solid to the bottom of the bowl. Pile lightly into
the sponge-cake " baskets " and garnish plentifully with
raspberries.
May Baskets
i cupful heavy cream i teaspoonful lemon juice
i cupful crushed straw- Deep angel cup cakes
berries Whole strawberries
I cupful powdered sugar Strips of angelica
Add the sugar and lemon to the strawberries. Beat
the cream gradually, whipping in the strawberry mixture.
Hollow out the cakes, and ice them in white ; make han-
dles of the angelica, insert and fill the baskets with the
cream. Serve on lace paper doilies, with a garnish of
whole berries.
542 MRS. .ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR GELATINES,
SPONGES AND BAVARIAN CREAMS
It is not at all necessary to follow cut and dried recipes
in the making of gelatines, if one keeps constantly
in mind the fact that a tablespoonful of powdered gela-
tine, dissolved in a little cold water, is enough to stiffen
a pint of liquid. For a fruit gelatine the fruit flavoring
should be pronounced, and the mixture should be made a
little sweeter than would seem necessary, that is, if it
is tested while hot. The fruit juices should never be
added to a hot liquid. To develop a gelatine into a
sponge, merely reduce one-fourth the amount of liquid
necessary to make a pint, adding, when cool, one or two
well-beaten egg whites ; then whip the whole till frothy,
or add three-fourths cupful of whipped cream to make a
Bavarian Cream.
In adding fruits to a gelatine, they should be stirred
in after the gelatine begins to " set," or to have the con-
sistency of an egg white. However, if the gelatine is to
be moulded, and it is desirable to have a particularly
attractive result, a thin layer of the gelatine mixture
should be poured into the bottom of a mould, and the
mould should be set in cracked ice. When this layer has
stiffened, a layer of fruit shonld be set in place in an
attractive design, and a little more gelatine should be
poured over it. When this has become slightly " set,"
more fruit, nuts, or whatever is to be used, may be put in
position. This process must be continued until the mould
is complete.
A plain lemon or orange gelatine offers a splendid me-
dium for using up odds and ends of fresh or cooked
fruit. To this may be added as fancy and necessity of
balancing the meal may dictate, quartered dates, broken
nut meats, marshmallows, etc.
It is oftentimes a great convenience and just as econom-
ical to use commercially prepared quick gelatine mix-
tures that are put- in packages with all the ingredients
exactly prepared for^instant use. In selecting a gelatine
of this type be sure that it is of undoubted purity, free
from coal tar dye, and flavored with genuine condensed
fruit juices.
DESSERTS 543
TO PREPARE GELATINE MOULDS
The gelatine moulds should be rubbed lightly with
olive oil before the gelatine is put in. This makes the
unmoulding very easy, and obviates the necessity for hot
cloths, dipping the moulds in hot water, and the like.
Lemon Jelly
2 tablespoonfuls granulated 2.\ cupfuls boiling water
gelatine I cupful sugar
1 cupful cold water i cupful lemon juice
Soak the gelatine five minutes in cold water; dissolve
in the boiling water, strain and add to the sugar ; cook, and
add the lemon juice. Turn into moulds and chill. Serve
with custard or stewed or sliced and sweetened fruit.
Orange Jelly
2 tablespoonfuls granulated i| cupfuls boiling water
gelatine I cupful granulated sugar
1 cupful cold water 3 tablespoonfuls lemon juice
ii cupfuls orange juice
Soak the gelatine five minutes in cold water. Dissolve
in the boiling water, and add to the sugar, cool and add
the fruit juices ; pour into mould and let chill.
Orange and Date Jelly
Prepare the mixture for Orange Jelly, add a little nut-
meg and, when beginning to congeal, stir in eight stoned
and quartered dates, and the sections from two oranges.
Coffee Jelly
2 tablespoonfuls granulated \ cupful sugar
gelatine 4 cupfuls boiling coffee
i cupful cold water i teaspoonful vanilla
Soak the gelatine in cold water five minutes. Dissolve
the sugar in the coffee, add to the gelatine, stir until dis-
solved, flavor and turn into a mould to stiffen.
Caramel Coffee Wily
4 cupfuls boiling coffee 2 tablespoonfuls granulated
I cupful granulated sugar gelatine
\ teaspoonful vanilla extract \ cupful cold water
Caramelize J cupful of the sugar, and add to the boil-
544 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
ing coffee. Cook until it is smooth. In the meantime,
soak the gelatine in the cold water for five minutes, dis-
solve in the hot coffee, add the remaining sugar and
vanilla and pour into moulds to chill. Let stand several
hours to become firm. Unmould and serve with whipped
cream.
Cider Jelly
2 tablespoonfuls granulated 4 tablespoonfuls lemon juice
gelatine I cupful sugar
1 cupful cold water 3i cupfuls sweet cider
Soften the gelatine in the water and lemon juice.
Scald a little of the cider (about ij cupfuls), add the
sugar and the gelatine. Stir until dissolved, add the re-
maining ingredients and pour into individual moulds to
chill. Serve with roast ham, turkey, chicken or duck.
Quick Mint Jelly
2 tablespoonfuls granulated i cupful sugar
gelatine I cupful lemon juice
2^ cupfuls boiling water I bunch fresh mint
cupful cold water
Chop the mint and cook rapidly for twenty minutes in
the boiling water, Add the sugar and the gelatine dis-
solved in the cold water ; cool and add the lemon juice.
Strain and color green, if desired, with vegetable color-
ing. Let stand in individual moulds until stiff. Serve
with lamb.
St. Patrick's Pudding
2 cupfuls rich pineapple 2! tablespoonfuls gelatine,
syrup soaked in
i cupful orange juice 3 tablespoonfuls cold water
i cupful lemon juice Few grains salt
Green vegetable coloring
Make a gelatine of the above ingredients, coloring the
mixture green. Place a mould in a pan of ice water and
pour Jn the mixture J-inch deep. When firm, set a
smaller mould of the same design in place and fill with
ice water. Pour gradually the remaining jelly mixture
between the moulds, until it reaches within one inch of
the top of the smaller mould. When stiff remove the
mould and fill the space with a cream made of the follow-
ing ingredients mixed in the order given :
DESSERTS 545
I cupful cream, whipped 3 tablespoonfuls powdered
stiff sugar
I cupful pineapple, diced i tablespoonful lemon juice
\ cupful marrons, diced 2 tablespoonfuls apricot juice
8 marshmallows, quartered
Pour in the remaining gelatine mixture to fill the mould,
let set; unmould, and serve with a garnish of whipped
cream and shamrock leaves cut from angelica or citron.
Spanish Cream
ii tablespoonfuls granulated \ cupful sugar
gelatine Few grains salt
3 cupfuls milk i teaspoonful vanilla
3 eggs
Soak the gelatine in the milk, then scald it; add the
sugar, and beat the egg yolks slightly. Pour on this the
milk mixture, return to the double boiler and cook like a
custard, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat,
add the salt and flavoring and pour onto the egg whites,
beaten until stiff. Then pour into individual moulds pre-
pared as for gelatine. If to be moulded in a large re-
ceptacle, increase the amount of gelatine to if table-
spoonfuls.
Caramel Spanish Cream
\ tablespoonful granulated i cupful boiling water
gelatine I cupful sugar
3 cupfuls milk Few grains salt
3 eggs \ teaspoonful vanilla
Scald the gelatine with the milk. In the meantime,
caramelize one-half the sugar, add the boiling water and
turn into the milk mixture. Beat the egg yolks slightly,
mix with the remaining sugar and the salt, pour in the
milk and return to a double boiler, cooking until thick-
ened, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat, add
the vanilla and the egg whites, whipped stiff, turn into
individual moulds, prepared as directed, and chill. Serve
with caramel almond sauce or light cream.
Strawberry Sponge
i tablespoonful granulated 2 egg whites
gelatine li cupfuls sugar
4 tablespoonfuls cold water 2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice
6 tablespoonfuls boiling ij cupfuls mashed straw-
water berries and juice
546 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Soften the gelatine in the cold water for five minutes,
add the hot water and set over steam until dissolved.
Then add the sugar and, when cooled, the strawberry and
lemon juice. Set in ice water and beat occasionally,
until it begins to " set," then add the stiffly whipped egg
whites and beat till almost stiff. Turn into a mould,
which has been oiled as directed, let chill, unmould and
garnish with sweetened whipped cream and strawberry
halves.
Grape Sponge
2 tablespoonfuls granulated ii cupfuls boiling water
gelatine 2 egg whites
i cupful grape juice I cupful sugar
i cupful lemon juice
Soak the gelatine in cold water to cover for five min-
utes. Then dissolve the sugar in the boiling water, add
the gelatine and stir over hot water until it is dissolved.
Cool, and add the fruit juices. Set in cold water until it
begins to congeal. Beat the egg whites light, add to the
gelatine, beat thoroughly, and set aside to stiffen in a
mould prepared as directed. Serve with whipped cream,
and garnish with candied violets if convenient.
Coffee Sponge Cream
ii cupfuls cold coffee 2 eggs
t cupful milk jt cupful sugar
i| tablespoonfuls granulated 4 teaspoonful salt
gelatine i teaspoonful vanilla
Add the gelatine, one-half the sugar and the milk to the
coffee. Heat in a double boiler, then beat together the
remaining sugar and the egg yolks; combine and cook,
stirring constantly till it coats the spoon. Beat the egg
whites stiff, add the vanilla and salt and pour in the cus-
tard mixture, beating all the time. Turn into a mould,
oiled as directed, and chill. Serve with sliced bananas,
or whipped cream.
Cranberry Sponge
2 tablespoonfuls granulated 2 tablespoonfnls orange juice
gelatine i cupful sugar
\ cupful cranberry syrup li cupfuls boiling water
2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice 2 egg whites
DESSERTS 547
Put the gelatine and cranberry syrup together, letting
them stand five minutes. Dissolve the sugar in the boil-
ing water, add the gelatine mixture and stir over hot
water until the gelatine is dissolved. Cool and add the
fruit juices. Beat the egg whites light, add to the gela-
tine mixture when it has begun to stiffen, and beat all
briskly with an egg-beater, until fluffy and of a pale pink
color. Pour into a prepared mould to stiffen, and serve
surrounded with cranberry syrup containing the berries.
Coffee Sponge
2 tablespoonfuls granulated i teaspoonful vanilla
gelatine 2 egg whites
2 cupfuls strong coffee Few grains salt
1 cupful sugar
Prepare a gelatine mixture of the first three ingre-
dients. When beginning to congeal, add the egg whites
beaten stiff with the vanilla and salt. Whip until cream-
colored and let stiffen in a mould prepared as directed.
Serve with soft custard or cream.
Snow Pudding
2 tablespoonfuls granulated ii cupfuls boiling water
gelatine f cupful sugar
cupful lemon juice 2 egg whites
i cupful orange juice (op-
tional)
Soak the gelatine in cold water to cover for five min-
utes. Add to the boiling water, stir over hot water till dis-
solved, if necessary, and add the sugar; then cool, turn
in the fruit juices, and let " set " until of the 'consistency
of an egg white. Beat the egg whites dry, add to the
gelatine mixture and whip till white and frothy. Pour
into a mould prepared as directed and let stiffen; serve
with a soft custard, made with the egg yolks.
Jellied Apples
ij tablespoonfuls granulated 2 cupfuls sugar
gelatine Juice i orange
cupful cold water Juice i lemon
6 tart apples 2 cupfuls boiling water
Mix together the sugar and boiling water. Add the
apples, quartered, put in a baking dish in the oven, cover-
548 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
ing closely, and bake until pink. Put the apples in a
mould, add the gelatine to the apple juice, cool it and add
the fruit juices, color pink, if desired, with vegetable
coloring, and set aside to become firm in a mould prepared
as directed. Serve with soft custard or whipped cream,
flavored and sweetened.
Jellied Pears
i pound dried pears Juice i orange
I quart cold water 2 tablespoonfuls granulated
i cupful sugar gelatine soaked in
Juice i lemon i cupful cold water
Soak the pears over night in the water, then cook
slowly until tender, in the same water. Remove the pears
and take out the cores, then cut the pulp up coarsely and
return it to the syrup. Sweeten, bring to boiling point
and add the gelatine; cool, add the fruit juices and pour
into a mould prepared as directed. Serve with boiled
custard or whipped cream.
Jellied Dried Apricots
4 cupfuls cooked dried apri- 2 tablespoonfuls granulated
cots and juice, unsweetened gelatine, softened in
1 cupful sugar i cupful water
2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice
Heat the apricots to boiling point, add the sugar and
stew for ten minutes, then add the gelatine ; cool and add
the lemon juice. Turn into a mould, prepared as
directed, let stiffen and serve with apricot whip.
Jellied Prunes
3 cupfuls cooked, stoned i cupful cold water
prunes and their juice 2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice
ii tablespoonfuls granulated Sugar to taste
gelatine
Bring the prunes to boiling point, and sweeten to taste.
In the meantime, soften the gelatine in the cold water and
add it to the prune juice. When cool, stir in the lemon
juice and pour into a prepared mould to stiffen. Serve
with top milk or light cream.
Jellied Figs
Jellied Figs may be prepared according to the preced-
DESSERTS 549
ing recipe by substituting cooked figs with their juice for
the prunes, and adding a tablespoonful of orange juice.
Jellied Strawberries
I cupful strawberry juice 2 tablespoonfuls gelatine,
and pulp soaked in
i cupful halved strawberries 4 tablespoonfuls cold water
i cupful boiling water I cupful sugar
i tablespoonful lemon juice
Add the boiling water to the soaked gelatine. Stir
until dissolved, and add the sugar; cool, and add the
lemon juice and strawberry juice. When beginning to
set, turn in the halved berries, stir gently and pour into a
mould, prepared as directed, to stiffen. Serve with
cream.
Mixed Fruit Jelly
2i tablespoonfuls granu- 6 figs (diced)
lated gelatine 2 whole oranges (in sec-
i cupful cold water tions)
2i cupfuls boiling water I cupful seeded and halved
i cupful sugar Malaga grapes
1 cupful lemon juice i cupful candied cherries,
2 slices canned pineapple halved
(diced)
Soak the gelatine in cold water until softened. Dis-
solve in the boiling water, add the sugar and cool. Then
add the lemon juice and strain the mixture. Oil the
mould as directed, and pour in a little of the mixture ;
when it is slightly stiffened, arrange on it a design of
orange sections, with the grapes and cherries. Pour in a
little more jelly, just enough to set this in place, and,
when stiff, add more fruit. Continue until all is used.
Let stiffen and serve with whipped cream.
Malaga Grape Surprise
2\ tablespoonfuls granu- 2 cupfuls boiling water
lated gelatine i cupful sugar
2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice i cupful seeded and skinned
ii cupfuls grape juice Malaga grapes
i cupful orange juice
Soak the gelatine in cold water to cover five minutes.
Add the boiling water and sugar, stirring until the gela-
tine is dissolved. Cool, and add the fruit juices. Then
550 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
strain and set in a cold place. When beginning to con-
geal, stir the grapes in lightly, and let stiffen in high
sherbet glasses. Serve with whipped cream, sweetened
and flavored with orange.
Grapefruit Gelatine
1 pint boiling water i cupful cold water
2 tablespoonfuls granulated I cupful sugar
gelatine soaked in Juice I large grapefruit
Dissolve the gelatine in the boiling water. Add the
sugar and, when cooled, the fruit juice. Strain, mould
and chill. Serve with meats.
Rhubarb Gelatine
1 quart diced rhubarb 2 tablespoonfuls granulated
2 cupfuls sugar gelatine, dissolved in
2 cupfuls water i cupful cold water
Juice and rind of 2- lemons
Put the rhubarb in a baking dish with the sugar and
water. Cover closely and bake in a slow oven till tender
and pink. Strain, reserving the pulp to serve as a gar-
nish to the gelatine. There should be one quart of liquid.
Add the gelatine, and, when cooled, the lemon juice.
Pour into a mould prepared as directed. Let set, and,
when firm, serve with the sauce.
Plain Bavarian Cream
t cupful sugar I cupful heavy cream
2* egg whites I tablespoonful gelatine,
\ cupful boiling water soaked in
Few grains salt 2 tablespoonfuls cold water
I teaspoonful vanilla
Boil the sugar and water for five minutes ; then add the
gelatine and turn onto the egg whites, whipped stiff, beat-
ing constantly until cold. Then fold in the vanilla and
the cream, whipped stiff, and pour into a mould prepared
as directed. Serve with a caramel or fruit sauce.
Orange-Rice Bavarian
3 cupfuls milk - i cupful uncoated rice
I teaspoonful salt (blanched)
li tablespoonfuls gelatine \ cupful sugar
i teaspoonful orange flavor- \ cupful cold water
ing I cupful heavy cream,
% cupful chopped, candied whipped
orange peel
DESSERTS 551
Scald the milk with the orange peel; add the rice and
salt. Cook until the rice is tender. Then add the sugar
and gelatine which has been soaking in ^ cupful cold
water and has then been dissolved over hot water. Cool
the mixture and flavor. When it begins to set, fold in
the whipped cream, and turn into a mould, prepared as
directed. Chill and serve with fruit compote (mixture
of fresh fruits), well-sweetened.
Strawberry Bavarian Cream
2 cupfuls strawberry juice ij tablespoonfuls granulated
li cupfuls powdered sugar gelatine soaked in
2 cupfuls heavy cream 4 cupful cold water
Dissolve the gelatine over hot water. Add to the
strawberry juice, and let stand until beginning to congeal.
Whip the cream, beating in the sugar-. Combine the
mixtures, folding in the cream, and fill individual moulds
prepared as directed. Let set, and serve, garnished with
whole berries, with cream, or with cold orange sauce.
Raspberry Bavarian Cream
Substitute raspberries for the strawberries in the recipe
for Strawberry Bavarian Cream.
Peach Bavarian Cream
2 cupfuls milk I cupful peach pulp
ii tablespoonfuls gelatine, \ cupful sugar
dissolved in 2 egg yolks
\ cupful cold water 2 egg whites
i cupful cream I tablespoonful lemon juice
Scald the milk, and pour slowly over the egg yolks,
well-beaten and mixed with the sugar ; return to a double
boiler and cook till it coats the spoon. Add the gelatine
and cool. Whip the cream stiff, add the egg whites,
whipped dry, and fold into the custard. Add the peach
pulp, which has been sweetened to taste, and the lemon
juice. Pour into a mould prepared as directed, and let
stiffen. Serve with additional sliced and sugared peaches.
552 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Coffee Bavarian Cream
2i cupfuls rich milk I cupful sugar
4 tablespoonfuls ground Few grains salt
coffee \ teaspoonful vanilla
2 tablespoonfuls gelatine 2 eggs
soaked in i cupful heavy cream
i cupful cold water
Scald the coffee in the milk, and strain through a
cheesecloth. Separate the eggs and beat the yolks
slightly. Beat the sugar into them, add the salt, stir the
mixture into the scalded milk, cooking until thickened
like custard. Add the soaked gelatine and stir until dis-
solved, then set in cold water. Beat the egg whites light,
whip the cream solid, and combine them. When the
custard mixture has begun to congeal, fold in the cream
mixture and the vanilla. Pour into a mould prepared as
directed, and let " set " like gelatine in a cold place.
Maple Bavarian Cream
i cupful maple syrup i tablespoon ful granulated
4 egg yolks gelatine soaked in
i pint heavy cream & cupful cold water
Scald the syrup and pour slowly into the beaten egg
yolks, whipping constantly. Return to a double boiler
and cook until the mixture will coat the spoon like cus-
tard; then add the gelatine. Put in a cool place, and,
when the mixture begins to congeal, fold in the cream,
and let stand till stiff in a mould prepared as directed.
Ginger Bavarian Cream
1 cupful sugar I cupful orange juice and
2 egg whites pulp
i cupful boiling water i tablespoonful lemon juice
Few grains salt ii cupfuls heavy cream
I cupful preserved ginger, i tablespoonfuls gelatine,
chopped fine soaked in
2 tablespoonfuls cold water
Boil the sugar and water for five minutes. Then add
the gelatine and turn onto the egg whites, beaten stiff,
whipping constantly until cold. Then beat the cream
stiff, gradually adding the orange and lemon and finally
the ginger. Fold in the gelatine mixture, and pour the
Bavarian into a prepared mould to stiffen. Serve with
DESSERTS j 553
whipped cream, flavored with ginger syrup, and garnish
with candied cherries and sliced preserved ginger.
Caramel Bavarian Cream
f cupful sugar ii cupfuls heavy cream
2 egg yolks, or i egg I tablespoonful gelatine,
i cupful boiling water soaked in water to cover
i teaspoonful vanilla
Caramelize cupful of the sugar and add to it the
boiling water; when dissolved, turn onto the egg yolks,
slightly beaten and mixed with the remaining sugar, and
cook until thick, like custard. Add the gelatine, and
slightly chill the mixture.
When beginning to congeal, fold in the cream which
has been whipped stiff with the vanilla. Pour into a
mould which has been prepared as directed, and let
stiffen. Serve with a garnish of browned almonds and a
caramel sauce.
Banana Bavarian Cream
ii cupfuls sifted banana I cupful sugar
pulp li tablespoon fuls gelatine
ij tablespoonfuls lemon 1 cupful cold water
juice i cupful heavy cream
I cupful orange juice
Soak the gelatine in cold water for five minutes and
dissolve over hot water. In the meantime, put the
banana through a potato ricer, and heat in a double
boiler. Add the sugar to this, and then the gelatine.
Cool a little and turn in the fruit juices. When begin-
ning to congeal, whip the cream and fold into it. Pour
into individual moulds, prepared as directed, and let
stiffen. Serve with additional whipped cream.
Grape Juice Bavarian Cream
3 tablespoonfuls granulated i cupfuls heavy cream
gelatine Lady fingers
\ cupful cold water Candied violets
i tablespoonful lemon juice Whipped cream for decorat-
i cupful grape juice ing
k cupful boiling water
Soak the gelatine in the cold water for five minutes,
add the boiling water, and, if not dissolved, set over steam
554 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
until liquified. Cool a little, add the fruit juices and
stand in cold water until it begins to congeal, then fold
in the beaten cream. In the meantime, chill a mould.
Line it with lady ringers, turn in the grape mixture, and
let it stiffen. Unmould and garnish with extra cream
and the candied violets.
CHAPTER XX
SWEET SAUCES
ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE LEVEL
Plain Hard Sauce
\ cupful butter \ teaspoonful vanilla
2 cupfuls sifted powdered or J teaspoonful lemon extract
confectioner's sugar
Beat the butter to a cream, and, gradually, .work in the.
sugar and flavoring.
Hard Egg Sauce
Observe the proportions used in the preceding recipe
for Hard Sauce, adding a beaten egg alternately with the
sugar to the mixture.
Hard Peach Sauce
4 cupful butter i egg white
ii cupfuls sifted powdered cupful peach pulp and
or confectioner's sugar juice mixed
Beat the butter to a cream. Gradually add the sugar
and the egg white, beaten stiff and dry, and work in the
fruit, slowly, so that the mixture will not be curdled.
Hard Strawberry Sauce
Observe the proportions used in making Hard Peach
Sauce, substituting ^ cupful of crushed and sweetened
strawberries for the peach pulp.
Hard Apricot Sauce
Observe the proportions for making Hard Peach
Sauce, substituting apricot pulp and juice for the peaches.
Hard Cranberry Sauce
Observe the proportions used in making Hard Peach
Sauce, substituting J cupful of sweetened and sifted
cooked cranberries for the peach juice and pulp.
555
556 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Hard Brown Sugar Sauce
I cupful butter i teaspoonful vanilla
i cupful brown sugar 4 tablespoonfuls rich milk or
cream
Cream the butter, add the sugar, gradually; then the
milk and flavoring drop by drop to prevent separation.
Hard Ginger Sauce
i cupful butter Juice i lemon
li cupfuls light brown sugar \ teaspoonful ginger
Beat the butter to a cream. Work in the sugar and
ginger, and, gradually, the lemon juice. If the latter is
added rapidly, the mixture will separate.
Custard Sauce
I cupful milk \ teaspoonful flavoring
1 egg or 2 egg yolks Few grains salt
2 tablespoonfuls sugar
Scald the milk, mix together the egg and sugar, pour
the milk into this and return to the double boiler, stirring
till it coats the spoon. Cool, add salt and flavoring and
strain if necessary.
Foamy Grape Sauce
2 egg whites \ cupful grape juice
t cupful sifted powdered Juice \ orange
sugar Juice \ lemon
Beat the egg whites stiff; whip in the sugar and fruit
juices and beat well. Serve at once.
Foamy Orange Sauce
Observe the proportions used in making Foamy Grape
Sauce, substituting the juice and rind of a whole orange
for the orange and grape juice mentioned in the Grape
Sauce recipe.
. Hot Foamy Sauce
i teaspoonfuls corn starch i egg white
\ cupful sugar i teaspoonful vanilla
I cupful boiling water
Mix the corn starch and sugar thoroughly. Pour over
this the boiling water and boil five minutes. Then pour
SWEET SAUCES 557
gradually onto the egg white, beaten stiff; add the
vanilla and serve hot.
Strawberry Sauce
i cupfuls powdered sugar ii cupfuls crushed fresh
5 tablespoonfuls butter strawberries, or drained
i egg white . strawberries
Beat the sugar and butter together to a cream ; add the
egg white, beaten stiff, then the berries and beat until
well-blended.
Raspberries, loganberries, or sifted peach pulp may
be substituted for the strawberries.
Hot Foamy Fruit Sauce
t cupful boiling water I tablespoonful lemon juice
i cupful jam (strawberry, I egg white
peach or apricot) i cupful sugar
Boil the water, jam and sugar for five minutes. Add
the lemon juice, then pour gradually onto the well-
beaten egg white, whipping all the time. Serve at once.
Caramel Sauce
i cupful granulated sugar i cupful boiling water
Caramelize the sugar; when melted, add the boiling
water and simmer for thirty minutes. Serve hot or
cold. If desired, 3 tablespoonfuls of chopped hickory
nuts or walnuts may be added.
Caramel Almond Sauce
Make as in the preceding recipe, adding a half cupful
of shredded and toasted almonds, and a few drops of
vanilla.
Marshmallow Golden Sauce
I cupful brown sugar i cupful quartered marsh-
ii cupfuls boiling water mallows
Few drops vanilla
Simmer the sugar and water for twenty minutes.
Then pour onto the marshmallows, beating well. Add
the vanilla and serve at once.
558 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Golden Sauce
i cupful brown sugar 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
I cupful boiling water Few drops vanilla
Simmer the sugar and water for twenty minutes.
Have the egg yolks well-beaten, and turn onto them the
sugar mixture, slowly, beating all the time ; serve hot.
Molasses Sauce
I cupful Barbadoes molasses i tablespoonful vinegar
i cupful hot water
Boil together five minutes and serve.
Maple Sauce
I cupful maple syrup i cupful English walnut
meats
Simmer the syrup till reduced one-fourth. Add the
walnuts and serve hot on ice cream, or ice cold with
baked custard.
Lemon Sauce
I cupful sugar ii tablespoonfuls butter
ii cupfuls boiling water ii tablespoonfuls lemon juice
ii tablespoonfuls corn Few grains nutmeg
starch
Mix the sugar and corn starch together ; add the water
gradually; boil for five minutes, remove from the heat,
and add the remaining ingredients.
Vanilla Sauce
Make according to the directions for Lemon Sauce,
substituting a half teaspoonful of vanilla for the lemon
juice.
Raisin Sauce
Add a fourth cupful of halved raisins to the water in
Lemon Sauce, then proceed as directed.
Lemon Egg Sauce
I tablespoonful flour i cupfuls boiling water
f cupful sugar i egg, well-beaten
ii tablespoonfuls lemon juice
Mix the sugar and flour thoroughly in a saucepan.
Add the boiling water and boil three minutes. Then add
SWEET SAUCES 559
the lemon juice and pour the mixture slowly over a well-
beaten egg. Serve warm.
Pineapple Sauce
i cupful hot water i teaspoonful lemon juice
\ cupful shredded pine- i teaspoonful butter
apple \ tablespoonful corn starch
\ cupful sugar
Mix together the corn starch, butter and sugar. Add
the pineapple and water mixed and boil for five minutes,
stirring constantly. Then add the lemon juice and serve
hot.
Raspberry Sauce
2% cupfuls red raspberries i tablespoonful corn starch
(canned or stewed) dissolved in
i tablespoonful lemon juice i cupful cold water
Sugar to taste
Strain off the raspberry juice, and thicken with the
corn starch. There should be one cupful. Add the
lemon juice, the whole raspberries and sugar, if neces-
sary, and serve either hot or cold.
Hot Strawberry Sauce
1 cupful strawberry juice \ tablespoonful corn starch
tablespoonful lemon juice \ to \ cupful sugar, as needed
Mix the fruit juices and bring to boiling point. Dis-
solve the corn starch in a little cold water, add to the
hot mixture, sweeten as needed, and let boil. Serve hot.
Hot Apricot Sauce
cupful sifted apricot Sugar to make very sweet
pulp about \ cupful
6 tablespoonfuls water i tablespoonful lemon juice
Simmer together the apricot, sugar and water for ten
minutes. Add the lemon juice and serve.
Peach Sauce
2 cupfuls sliced, canned i tablespoonful corn starch
peaches and juice i tablespoonful lemon juice
Sugar to taste
Heat the peach juice, thicken with the corn starch
mixed with a little cold water, add the lemon and sliced
peaches, and sweeten to taste. Serve either hot or cold.
560 MRS. ALLEN'S COOK BOOK
Rich Chocolate Sauce
i cupfuls boiling water ii tablespoonfuls corn
4 cupful sugar starch
6 tablespoonfuls shaved 4 cupful cold water
chocolate or Few grains salt
i cupful cocoa i teaspoonful vanilla
Boil the hot water and sugar five minutes. Mix the
chocolate with the corn starch and cold water. Com-
bine the mixtures, add the salt and boil three minutes
Flavor with vanilla, and serve hot or cold.
The Beating of Cream
Every section of the country has on sale different kinds
of cream, but, generally speaking, light, or single, cream,
is chosen for coffee, or as an accompaniment to cereals,
fruits, or desserts, while heavy, or double, cream is used
for whipping.
When cream is to be whipped, it should be chilled,
placed in a deep pitcher or bowl and beaten quickly with
a Dover egg-beater. Care must be taken not to over-
beat it, or it will turn granular, and almost to butter. A
great many cream whips are on the market, but it would
seem an unnecessary expense to buy one, when the work
can be done so effectively with an ordinary egg-beater.
If the whipped cream does not need to be very stiff, it
may be diluted with one-quarter or even one-half its bulk
of rich milk. Powdered or confectioner's sugar should
be added half way during the beating, and the desired
flavoring during the latter part.
If the cream is to stand any length of time, dissolve
a scant half teaspoonful of powdered gelatine in a little
cold water, steam it over hot water, cool, and stir it
gradually into the cream while whipping. This is a good
plan to follow when making a cream cake.
Flavoring Whipped Cream
Care must be taken not to overflavor the cream.
Maraschino flavoring or a dilution of a little very strong
coffee, instead of the milk, gives a delicious flavor.
Melted chocolate, which has been allowed to cool, may be
stirred in, together with a few drops of 
