Reform Cookery Book (4th edition) · Chapter 2Part 2
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Asparagus Soup.
Take a bunch tender asparagus. Set aside the tops. Blanch stalks in salted boiling water for a minute or two, then drain and simmer till tender in a little milk and water. Pulp through sieve and add to White Soup when boiling. Cook the tops separately in salted boiling water. Drain and add to soup in tureen. Tinned asparagus makes very good soup. It requires little or no cooking, only to be made quite hot. Pulp stalks and put in tops whole.
Clear Soups.
It is unnecessary to give every recipe in detail for these also, if a rich clear stock has been prepared according the directions, page 11. These of course may be varied according to taste or convenience, and all the ingredients specified are by no means indispensable. Some may be left out and others added as they are at hand or in season. When celery is not to be had celery seed or celery salt gives a good flavour. A hasty stock may be contrived at anytime with chopped onions, shred carrot, and some lentils—green or yellow or both. The vegetables should be lightly fried in a little butter, the lentils scalded or washed well, and all boiled together for an hour or even less with the required quantity of water. Strain without any pressure. Then a still more hasty stock can be had with any of the excellent "Extracts" which are on the market. Their flavour will be appreciated by all, and the fact that they are manufactured from pure, wholesome cereals—barley, chiefly, I believe—should go a long way to commend them to those who have no favour for the uric acid products of "Animal" Extracts.
Well, then, if a good, clear stock is prepared, all that is necessary to convert it into
Clear Soup a la Royale
is to prepare a savoury custard with two yolks and either a cup of stock, diluted "Extract," or milk. Steam in shallow, buttered tin, cut in small squares, diamonds, &c., and put in tureen along with the boiling stock.
Julienne Soup.
Cut different vegetables—carrot, turnip, celery, &c., in thin strips about 1 inch long, boil in salted water, and add to boiling clear stock.
Spring Vegetable Soup.
Have an assortment of different young vegetables comprising as many distinct and bright colours as possible—green peas, French beans trimmed and cut diamond-wise, cauliflower in tiny sprigs, carrots, turnips, cooked beetroot stamped in fancy shapes or cut in small dice, and leeks, chives, or spring onions shred finely. Cook the vegetables separately, drain, and add while hot to boiling clear stock in tureen.
Thick Soups.
Most of the thick soups are so well-known that they need not be repeated here. Suffice it to say that they will gain both in purity and flavour by substituting vegetarian stock for that usually made by boiling meat, ham bones, and the like. Great care should be taken with such soups as lentil, split-pea, potato soup, &c., to avoid a coarse "mushy" consistency. This can be done by rubbing the peas, &c., through a sieve when cooked, and adding such vegetables as carrot, turnip, onions, &c., finely chopped, to the strained soup. Perhaps, however, I ought to give at least one typical recipe for
"Reform" Pea Soup,
and if nicely made it will be quite possible to allure some unsuspecting victims who have always declared they never could or would touch pea soup, into asking for another helping of "that delicious—ahem—what-do-you- call-it-soup."
Have ready a good-sized-soup pot with amount of water required boiling fast, and into this throw 1/2 lb. split-peas for every 2 pints water. The "Giant" variety is best as they are BO easily examined and cleaned. Rub in a coarse cloth to remove any possible dust or impurity. This is much better than washing or scalding, as the peas "go down" so much more quickly when put dry into the fast boiling water. Such a method will seem rather revolutionary to those who have been accustomed to soak peas over night, but a single trial is all that is needed to convince the most sceptical. Add 1/2 lb. onions, cut up-these may first be sweated for 10 minutes with a little butter in covered pan. Simmer gently but steadily 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Rub through a sieve and return to saucepan. When boiling add some turnip in tiny dice and some carrot in slices as thin as sixpence, also finely chopped spring onion, leeks or chives, according to season, and a little finely minced parsley five minutes before serving. Stock may of course be used for this soup, but is not at all necessary. With stock or even a little extract, a very good lentil or pea soup may be made at a few minutes' notice by thickening with
"Digestive" Pea Flour
or lentil flour, as the case may be. Such soups can be taken by those of weak digestion. No vegetables should be added in that case, or if so they should be strained out.
Mulligatawny Soup.
Chop up 2 apples and 1 Spanish onion and stir over the fire with 2 ozs. butter till quite brown, but not burnt. Add 1 oz. flour (and if wanted somewhat thickened, one or two spoonfuls "Digestive" lentil or pea flour), 1 teaspoonful curry powder, and a cupful of milk, previously mixed together. Stir till smooth and boil up, then add some good stock—brown would be best—and simmer for half an hour longer, removing the scum as it rises. Serve with boiled rice, handed round on a separate dish.
Hotch-Potch.
This soup is to be had in perfection in the summer months when young, tender vegetables are to be had in great variety and abundance. The more different kinds there are the better, but care must be taken to give each just the proper amount of cooking and no more, or the result will be that by the time certain things are done, others will be mushy and insipid. Bring to boil the necessary quantity of clear stock—water will do. Have ready a cupful each of carrots and turnips in tiny dice—the smaller ends of the carrots being in thin slices—a cauliflower in very small sprigs, one or two crisp, tender lettuces finely shred, cupful green peas, some French beans trimmed and cut small, a dozen or so of spring onions, 2 tablespoonfuls each of lentils and rice, and any other seasonable vegetable that is to be had. Add each in their turn to the boiling stock, the time required being determined by age and condition. If very young and fresh, the carrots will require only 30 to 40 minutes, the turnips and spring onions rather less, and the cauliflower less still. French beans require about 20 minutes, peas and lettuce 15 minutes, while the rice and lentils should have about half an hour. Much must be left to the discretion of the cook, but one point I would emphasise is, don't over-boil the vegetables. There seems to be an idea that a safe rule for vegetables is the more you cook them the better, but the fact is they lose in flavour and wholesomeness every five minutes after they are done. This is why "second day's" soup so often disagrees when the first has been all right. A few slices of tomato may be added. They should be fried in a little butter, cut small, and added shortly before serving, also some chopped parsley.
Winter Hotch-Potch.
This also may be very good. All the vegetables will require much longer cooking. Some will not be available, but in their place will be celery, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, leeks, &c. Dried green peas, soaked for 12 hours, can be used, or a good canned variety, and I may say that many delicious vegetables are now to be had in tins, or, better still, in glass jars.
Scotch Broth.
For this wash well a cupful good fresh pot barley, bring to boil in plenty of water, pour that off and put on with clean cold water. Simmer for 2 hours and then add a selection of vegetables given for Hotch-Potch.
Mock Cock-a-Leekie
or Leek Soup (maigre) is an excellent winter soup. Take a dozen or more crisp fat leeks—flabby, tough ones are no use—trim away all coarse pieces, chop up the tender green quite small and simmer in covered pan with a little butter. Add to quantity required of either white stock or plain white soup, which should be boiling. Shred down the white of the leeks, fry in a little more butter, and add twenty minutes later. Cook till quite tender. If stock is used, some well-washed rice should be added about 30 minutes before serving. If white soup is prepared, it is best to cook the leeks thoroughly before adding, then merely bring to boil and serve.
Green Pea Soup.
This is a delicious summer soup. Have a clear stock made with fresh green vegetables, such as lettuce, green onions, spinach, bunch parsley, sprig mint, &c., the shells wiped clean and about half of the peas—about 2 lbs. will be needed—reserving the finest. Rub through a sieve, return to saucepan and bring to boil. Add remainder of peas, boil 15 minutes, and pour into tureen over an ounce or so of butter. Some may prefer cream in place of butter, in which case add just before serving, and do not allow to boil up.
Mock Hare Soup.
Prepare a rich well-flavoured brown stock, rubbing through the greater part of the German lentils, &c., to make it of a thick creamy consistency. The flavour will be best if such vegetables as carrot and onion are sliced and fried brown before boiling. Toast two tablespoonfuls oatmeal and one of flour to a light brown, mix with it a teaspoonful ground Jamaica pepper and smooth with a little cold water. Add to the boiling soup and stir till it boils up again. Mushroom ketchup, a few fried mushrooms, some piquant sauce, "Extract," &c., &c., may be added or not at discretion.
German Lentil Soup.
Scald 1/2 lb. German lentils for a minute in boiling water, drain and put on with quantity of boiling water required. Fry some onions, celery, and tomatoes—if to be had—in a little butter till brown, and add. Simmer about 2 hours, and rub through a sieve. Add a little ground rice, cornflour, &c., to keep the pulp from settling to the bottom. A little milk or cream or ketchup may be added if liked.
Butter Peas Soup.
Cook butter peas as for stew, [Footnote: See page 35. [Butter Peas or "Midget" Butter Bean, below]] pulp through a sieve and add to quantity of liquid required, which may be white stock or milk and water, and should be boiling. Add a small white cauliflower, cut in tiny sprigs (or any tender fresh vegetables cut small and parboiled separately). Simmer till cauliflower is just cooked, add some chopped parsley, and serve.
Mock Turtle Soup.
Prepare a quantity of strong, clear, highly-flavoured stock of a greenish-brown colour. The colour can be obtained by boiling some winter greens or spinach along with the other things. A few chopped gherkins, capers, or chillies will give the required piquancy. Have 4 ozs. tapioca soaked overnight, add to the boiling stock and cook gently till perfectly clear. Some small quenelles may be poached separately and put in tureen.
Tomato Soup.
When this soup is well made it is a general favourite, but it must be well made, for it is impossible to appreciate the greasy, yellow, dish-water-looking liquid which is sometimes served in that name.
Put in a saucepan 2 ozs. butter, and into that shred finely 1/2 or 1 lb. onions. Add half or more of a tin of tomatoes or about 1 lb. fresh ones sliced, and a cup of water or stock. Simmer very gently for an hour and rub through a wire sieve, pressing with the back of a wooden spoon to get all the pulp through. Everything should go through except the skin and seeds. Return to clean saucepan with stock or water, and two tablespoonfuls of tapioca, previously soaked for at least an hour. Stir till it boils and is quite clear. This soup may be varied in many ways, as by substituting for the tapioca, crushed vermicelli, ground rice, cornflour, &c. Some chopped spring onions, chives or leeks, added after straining are a great improvement, also chopped parsley, while many people like the addition of milk or cream.
"We live not upon what we eat, but upon what we digest."
We come now to consider the middle courses of dinner in which lies the crux of the difficulty to the aspirant who wishes to contrive such without recourse to the flesh-pots. This is where, too, we must find the answer to those half-curious wholly sceptical folks who ask us, "Whatever do you have for dinner?" Most of them will grant that we may get a few decent soups, though no doubt they retain a sneaking conviction that at best these are "unco wersh," and puddings or sweets are almost exclusively vegetarian. But how to compensate for that little bit of chicken, ox, or pig—no one now-a-days owns to taking much meat!—is beyond the utmost efforts of their imagination. Of course we can't have everything. When a "reformed" friend of mine was asserting that we could have no end of delicacies, one lady triumphantly remarked "Anyhow, you can't have a leg of mutton." That is true, but then we must remember that it's not polite to speak of "legs," especially with young ladies learning cooking. Liver or kidneys are not particularly nice things to speak about either, and I am sure if we reflected on what their place is in the economy of the body, we should think them still less nice to eat.
But joking apart, there is a growing tendency to get as far away as we can from their origin in the serving of meat dishes. The old-time huge joints, trussed hares, whole sucking pigs, &c., are fast vanishing from our tables, and the smart chef exerts himself to produce as many recherche and mysterious little made dishes as possible. Not a few of these are quite innocent of meat, indeed, that is the complaint urged against them by those who believe that in flesh only can we have proper sustenance. But little research is needed, however, to show that apart from flesh foods there are immense and only partially developed resources in the shape of cereals, pulses, nuts, &c., and, it is to these that we must look for our staple solid foods. In a small work like this it is impossible to do much more than indicate the lines upon which to go, but I shall try to give as many typical dishes as I can, and to suggest, rather than detail, variations and adaptations.
We must first study very briefly the various food elements, and learn the most wholesome and suitable combination of these. In an ordinary three-course dinner we must arrange to have a savoury that will fitly follow the soup and precede the sweets. Thus, if we have a light, clear, or white soup, we shall want a fairly substantial savoury, and if the soup has been rather satisfying it must be followed by a lighter course.
The lightest savouries are prepared mostly from starch foods, as rice, macaroni, &c., while for the richer and more substantial we have recourse to peas, beans, lentils, and nuts.
The first set of savouries given are of the lighter description, and are well suited to take the place of the fish course at dinner.
Fillets of Mock Sole.
Bring to boil 1/2 pint milk and stir in 2 ozs. ground rice or 3 ozs. flaked rice. Add 1 oz. butter, teaspoonful grated onion, and a pinch of mace. Add also three large tablespoonfuls of potato which has been put through a masher or sieve, mix, and let all cook for 10 to 20 minutes. As the mixture should be fairly stiff this can best be done in a steamer or double boiler. When removed from the fire add 1 egg and 1 yolk well beaten. Mix thoroughly and turn out on flat dish not quite 1/2 inch thick, and allow to get quite cold. Divide into fillet-shaped pieces, brush over with white of egg beaten up, toss in fine bread crumbs and fry in deep smoking-hot fat. Drain, and serve very hot, garnished with thin half or quarter slices of lemon, and hand round Dutch sauce in tureen.
Fillets of Artichoke.
Boil some Jerusalem Artichokes till tender, but not too soft, cut in neat slices, and egg, crumb, and fry as above.
Chinese Artichokes.
Salsify, Scorzonera, &c., may be done in same way. Serve with Dutch or tomato sauce. A variety is made by simply boiling or steaming in milk and water. Drain, and serve with parsley or other sauce poured over.
Celery Fritters.
Get a good-sized head of well-blanched celery, trim and cut in small pieces, put in salted boiling water for a few minutes, then drain. Into a stewpan, or much better a steamer or double boiler, put 1/2 oz. butter, and into that shred a very small Spanish onion or a few heads of spring onion or shallots. Add the drained celery, one or two spoonfuls milk, salt, white pepper, and pinch mace. Allow to cook till quite tender then pour over a slice of bread free from crust and crumbled down. If the bread is not moist enough add a little hot milk. Allow to stand for a time, then drain away any superfluous moisture. The difficulty is to get this dry enough, and that is why a double saucepan is much better than an open pan, in which it is scarcely possible to cook dry enough without burning. Make a sauce with 1/2 oz. butter, 1/2 oz. flour, and 1/2 gill milk, and when it thickens add the panada, celery, &c. Stir over gentle heat till the mixture is quite smooth and leaves the sides of the pan. Remove from the fire and mix in one or two beaten eggs. Turn out to cool, shape into fritters, and fry as mock sole.
Cauliflower Fritters
are made same as above, with cauliflower in place of celery.
Note.—The eggs in this and mock sole may be left out, though they are an improvement and help to bind the mixture together. Variety can be obtained by varying the seasonings, adding a little lemon juice or Tarragon vinegar, &c., either to the mixture or to the sauce.
Macaroni Omelet.
Boil 2 ozs. short cut macaroni in salted boiling water, and drain. Put 3 dessertspoonfuls flour in a basin, smooth with a little cold milk, and pour a breakfast-cupful boiling milk over it, stirring vigorously all the time. Add one or two spoonfuls of cream—or a little fresh dairy butter or nut butter beat to a cream—2 beaten eggs, teaspoonful minced parsley, same of grated onion, the macaroni, a large cup bread crumbs, seasoning of pepper, salt, &c. Mix very well. Put in buttered pie-dish and bake 30 to 40 minutes in brisk oven. Turn out and serve with brown or tomato sauce. Some grated cheese may be added if liked.
Macaroni Cutlets.
Boil 3 or 4 ozs. macaroni in salted water for 15 minutes. Drain, and stew or steam till very tender along with some shred onion and tomatoes previously fried together, without browning, in 1 oz. butter. If too dry add a very little milk. When quite tender mix in enough bread crumbs to make a rather stiff consistency, also 1 or 2 ozs. grated cheese. Mix well over the fire. Add a beaten egg, pinch mace, and any other seasoning. Mix well again, turn out to cool, form into pear-shaped cutlets, egg, crumb, and fry in usual way.
Macaroni Egg Cutlets
are made by adding 2 finely chopped hard boiled eggs to the above mixture. Add when macaroni is cooked, along with crumbs, raw egg, seasoning, &c.
Celery Egg Cutlets
are made by adding the hard-boiled eggs to the mixture for celery fritters. Both of these are specially delicious, and this forms an excellent way of using up cold cooked stuff—savoury rice, vermicelli, &c.—so that one can have a dainty savoury with very little trouble. This is of no little importance in an age when so many demands are made upon the time and energy of the average housewife, and one would do well to study while preparing any dish requiring a good deal of care and labour, to have sufficient over to make a fricassee of some sort for another time.
Rice and Lentil Mould
comes in very handy in this way. Put 1 oz. butter in saucepan and shred into it very finely a large Spanish onion or an equal quantity white of small onions or leeks. Cover, and allow to sweat over gentle heat for 10 minutes. Some finely shred white celery along with the onions is a welcome addition, but is not indispensable. Pick and wash well 1/4 lb. yellow lentils and bring to boil in water to cover. Do the same with 3 ozs. rice. The lentils and rice may be boiled together, but are nicer done separately. Add to onion, &c., in saucepan, along with seasoning to taste of curry powder, &c. Some tomato pulp or chutney is very good. Mix lightly so as not to make it pasty. Remove from fire, add a beaten egg, and press into a plain buttered mould. Tie down with buttered paper and steam for one hour. Turn out and serve with tomato sauce. It may also be garnished with slices of hard-boiled egg, beetroot, fried tomatoes, &c.
Kedgeree.
A very good kedgeree is made with much the same ingredients as above. The lentils may be left out, and chopped tomato or carrot flaked (on one of those threesome graters is best) and fried along with the onion, may be used instead. The rice must be boiled as for curry and made very dry. Boil 2 or 3 eggs hard, chop finely, and mix with the other ingredients in saucepan. Make all very hot, and serve piled up on hot dish with any suitable garnish and curry or tomato sauce. A spoonful finely chopped parsley would be an improvement to both this and rice mould. Fried parley and thin slices of lemon make a suitable garnish for this and similar dishes, while parsley fried in fat at a low temperature, 200 degrees, crushed and sprinkled over a mould, cutlets, &c., both looks and tastes good. Any kedgeree that is left over will make excellent cutlets for breakfast, &c.
Macaroni Mould
is made by using cooked macaroni instead of rice in recipe for rice mould.
Macaroni Timbale.
Boil 6 ozs. long pipe macaroni—in as long pieces as convenient—in salted boiling water 20 to 25 minutes, and drain. Have a plain mould—a small enamel pudding basin is best—butter it well, and line closely round it with the macaroni. Fill in with any savoury mixture, such as lentils, tomatoes, mushrooms, celery, carrots, &c. Put more strips of macaroni or a slice of buttered bread on the top. Cover with buttered paper and steam 1-1/2 hours. Turn out and serve with sauce. Garnish suitably, cooked tomatoes, &c.
Roman Pie
Boil 4 ozs. macaroni and drain. Butter a pie-dish and put in half the macaroni. Scald 4 or 5 tomatoes in boiling water for a few minutes, when the skin will come off easily. Boil 2 eggs hard and slice. Have 2 ozs. cheese grated, and sprinkle half of it over the macaroni, then put half of the eggs and half the tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, and a little grated onion (I keep an old grater for the purpose). Take 8 or 10 medium-sized flap mushrooms, if to be had, clean and trim, removing the stalks. Add a layer of them, and repeat as before, but put the mushrooms before the tomatoes. Cover the top thickly with bread-crumbs. Make a stock with the trimmings of mushrooms and tomatoes. Put dessertspoonful butter in saucepan, stir in half teaspoon flour, same of made mustard, and perhaps a little ketchup. Add the stock—there should be about a teacupful—stir till it boils, and pour equally over the pie. Dot over with bits of butter, and bake one hour in fairly brisk oven.
In case this pie may be voted rather elaborate by some, I may say that it is excellent with several of the items left out. The eggs, mushrooms, cheese—any one of these, or all three may be dispensed with, and what may be lost in richness and flavour will be compensated in delicacy and digestibility. Any of this pie that is left over may be made into cutlets, so that one can have a second dish with little extra trouble.
NOTE.—When fresh tomatoes are not to be had tinned ones will do.
Tomato and Rice Pie.
Wash well a teacupful good rice—Patna is best for this dish as it does not become so pulpy as the Carolina—and put on with cold water to cover and a little salt. Allow to cook slowly till it has absorbed all the water. Add a little more if too dry, but do not stir. Peel 1 lb. tomatoes, cut in 1/2 inch slices and put a layer in buttered pie-dish. Put in the rice—or as much of it as wanted—sprinkle with curry and seasoning to taste. Put rest of tomatoes on top, more seasoning, and layer of bread-crumbs. Put plenty of butter on top and bake 3/4 hour.
Note.—Tinned tomatoes may be used when fresh ones are not at hand. Any of the dishes with tomatoes, rice, &c., may have grated cheese or hard-boiled eggs added at discretion, and in this way the several dishes may be varied and adapted to suit different tastes and requirements.
Casserole of Rice.
Wash well 6 ozs. whole rice and drain. Melt in saucepan 2 ozs. butter or 1-1/2 ozs. Nut Butter. Put in rice with as much white stock or water as will cover it, a little salt, pinch mace if liked, and allow to simmer very slowly or steam in double boiler till quite soft. Stir well, and if too stiff add a little more water, but it must not be 'sloppy.' Beat well till quite smooth and set aside to cool. Butter plain mould and line with rice nearly an inch thick. Fill in with any savoury materials, such as tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, celery, fried slices of carrot, lentils, &c. An hour before dinner cover with buttered paper and steam. Turn out on hot dish, cut a round off the top, and either serve as it is with garnish and sauce, or brush over with beaten egg, sprinkle with fine crumbs, and brown in brisk oven.
Vegetable Goose.
Put 2 teacupfuls crumbs in basin and pour boiling water or milk over. Let soak for a little, then press out as much moisture as possible. Add dessertspoonful grated onion, teaspoonful chopped parsley, pinch herbs or mace, salt, white pepper, 1/2 teaspoonful "Extract," and some mushroom ketchup. Mix all well, and add a beaten egg to bind. If too stiff add a little milk, stock, or gravy. Put in flat well-buttered baking-tin, and bake for about an hour, basting occasionally with butter or vegetable fat. Serve with fried tomatoes or any suitable sauce.
Celery Souffle.
This is exceedingly good if nicely made and served. Clean 1/2 lb. white crisp celery and cut small. Simmer in enamel pan or steam with as little milk as possible till tender, then boil rapidly to reduce the liquid. Rub through a sieve and set aside to cool. Beat 1 oz. fresh butter to a cream and add yolks of 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well in, also barely 1 oz. grated cheese and seasoning to taste. Mix well. Beat whites of 3 eggs quite stiff and mix in very lightly. Butter souffle tin and tie band of buttered paper round, to come 2 inches above the rim. Fill in mixture—not more than three-fourths full, and steam very gently in barely an inch of water for 1 hour. Turn out on very hot dish and serve immediately, or slip off paper band and pin hot napkin round. If allowed to stand any time it will be quite flat before serving. A rather daintier if more troublesome way is to fill small souffle cases three-fourths full with the above mixture. Sprinkle a little grated Parmesan cheese and celery, salt on the top, and bake in hot oven 10 minutes. Arrange tastefully on hot napkin.
NOTE.—Very dainty souffle cases are now to be had in white fluted fire-proof china. These can come straight to table without any trouble of swathing with napkins, paper collars, and the like.
Celery Cream
is another delicacy well suited to a special occasion. Prepare and cook celery as for souffle, drain and rub through sieve. Have enamelled or earthenware saucepan on the table, rub the bottom with a little butter, and break in 2 large eggs or 3 small ones. Season with white pepper, celery salt, lemon juice, mace, &c., and beat slightly. Take 1/2 gill cream and same of milk, drained from the celery, and add to eggs, &c. Place over a slow fire, or better still, a gas stove turned low, and stir till the mixture thickens, but it must not boil, then add the celery and mix. Have one large timbale mould or 8 to 10 small ones well buttered, fill in with the cream, cover with buttered paper, and steam very gently till set—30 minutes if large mould—10 minutes if small ones. If a large one turn out and fill in centre with tomatoes, mushrooms, &c. If small ones arrange round ashet with baked tomatoes, spinach, green peas, &c., in the centre of the dish.