Reform Cookery Book Part 12

NOTE.--This can be best cooked in double boiler, as it is very ready to catch the pan.

Vegetable Mould.

Cut finely about 6 ozs. each of turnip and carrot, and 3 ozs. shallots, and stew till just tender in stock or gravy to barely cover. Steaming is better, as the vegetables should not be broken down. Add some cooked cauliflower cut small, a cupful of cooked green peas or French beans, and 3 or 4 tomatoes sliced and cooked. Mix in 2 ozs. bread crumbs, and the same of cooked savoury rice, semolina, or tapioca, and cook a little longer.

Press into a dish--an oval cake tin does very well. When cool turn out, see that it is neat, and brush all over with glaze. Garnish with slices of hard-boiled egg and

Tomato Aspic.

This jelly comes in useful in many ways. Take 1 tin tomatoes and rub through a sieve. Make up with clear stock or water to 1 pint--2 breakfastcupfuls. Have 1/6-oz. Agar-agar (Vegetable Gelatine) soaked for an hour in cold water, pour off the water, add to the tomato pulp, and put all in enamelled saucepan along with any additional flavouring required.

Salt and white pepper will do nicely, but a blade of mace, some mixed herbs, and a few Jamaica peppercorns may be used. Add also the whites and sh.e.l.ls of two eggs, unless you have a number of egg sh.e.l.ls, in which case the whites may be dispensed with. Whisk steadily over the fire till it boils, then draw to the side and allow to simmer gently for 10 minutes. Pour twice through jelly-bag. The second time run half on to a flat ashet or some plates. Colour the rest with a little carmine and put to set also. When used as a garnish, stamp out in pretty shapes, and arrange with the red and amber alternating. For

Glaze

dissolve 2 tablespoonfuls of the clear tomato aspic in saucepan. Add 1/2 teaspoonful "Marmite," or 1 teaspoonful "Carnos" extract, mix thoroughly, and boil up. Allow to get nearly cool, but not beginning to set, and then brush over the mould with it.

Mock Calf's Foot Jelly.

Prepare according to directions given for tomato jelly, and just before straining add amount required of a good extract. One oz. "Marmite"--or 2 teaspoonfuls--or 1-1/2 ozs. "Carnos" to a pint of tomato jelly, would be a good proportion. Stir till dissolved. Strain and mould in the usual way.

It may of course be prepared without extract, by making a good strong stock.

Vegetables may be used or not at discretion. The liquor strained from haricots, brown beans, or German lentils, with vegetable gelatine, in the proportion of 1/8-oz. to the pint, makes a delicious jelly. Care must be taken to see that none of the pulp gets through. Clarify and strain very carefully.

Legumes en Aspic.

Get an equal quant.i.ty of red, white, and green vegetables--say young carrots, tomatoes, turnips, cauliflower, green peas, French beans, &c. Have each cooked "to a turn" separately, and the carrots and turnips cut into neat shapes, cauliflower in tiny sprigs, &c. Arrange the vegetables as neatly as possible in a mould, and fill up with tomato jelly. When set, turn out and garnish with slices of fresh tomato and lemon.

It is not necessary to have a number of different vegetables for this dish.

Any one or two of them will do quite well. The mould might be decorated with slices of beetroot or hard-boiled eggs.

Tomato and Egg Savoury.

Boil hard 4 eggs, cut in half, and remove yolks. Divide 4 good-sized, firm, ripe tomatoes in halves, and scoop out some of the pulp, leaving a nice case. Put the half whites inside the tomato sh.e.l.ls and fill with the following mixture:--In a saucepan melt 2 ozs. b.u.t.ter, add tomato pulp, 1 oz. fine crumbs, the yolks rubbed through a sieve, a teaspoonful extract, salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice. Mix well and make quite hot. Fill in the little cups, piling it up cone-wise, and serve on a bed of aspic.

Raised Haricot Pie.

Prepare a raised pie case (see Pastry), put in a layer of cooked haricot or b.u.t.ter beans, a layer of sliced tomatoes, and one of hard-boiled eggs. Put on the lid, which should have a hole in the centre. Bake, and with a funnel fill in with dissolved savoury jelly. This is delicious to eat cold, and is very useful for pic-nics. The same ingredients may also be made into small pies or bridies.

POTTED SAVOURIES.

There is an unlimited variety of these to be had. Any of the savoury mixtures given in previous recipes for stews, sausages, &c., will do, but if to be kept for any length of time, it must be well seasoned, the different ingredients thoroughly blended or pounded together, and the mixture pressed into small jars or gla.s.ses with clarified b.u.t.ter or pure vegetable fat poured over. A little lemon juice and grated lemon rind will give a piquant relish to most of these potted "meats."

Haricot Paste.

This is very good, and is a handy way of using up cold haricots, b.u.t.ter beans, &c. Drain away any sauce, or add as much finely mashed potato or cold boiled rice as will absorb it. Add seasoning to taste--mace, made mustard, ketchup, "Extract," &c. Mix thoroughly and pa.s.s through a sieve to remove skins, stringy portions, &c. Some tomato is always an improvement, and if none has been cooked with the beans, put some in saucepan with a little b.u.t.ter and cook for 10 minutes. Add the haricots, &c., blend together over the fire, and pa.s.s through sieve while hot.

Lentil Paste

is made by using cooked lentils in place of the beans.

Tomato Paste.

Peel and cut small 1/2 lb. tomatoes. Put in saucepan with 1 oz. b.u.t.ter, a teaspoonful grated onion, and seasoning to taste--made mustard, celery salt, lemon juice, ketchup, "Extract," &c. Each or all of these are good. Stir over the fire till the tomato is nearly cooked, then add one egg, and stir round till all is smooth and thick. Add 2 tablespoonfuls bread crumbs or 1 of cold cooked rice, macaroni, &c., previously put through a sieve or masher. Remove to side of fire and stir in 2 ozs. grated cheese. Mix very thoroughly and pot.

Tomato Paste (2).

For immediate use the following is specially good. It may be used as a savoury, and makes a delicious filling for sandwiches. Take some firm, ripe tomatoes, free from skin and seeds, and cut up small. Allow 1 oz. grated cheese to every 4 ozs. tomato--some may prefer more cheese in proportion, but that is a fair average. Put in a strong basin with seasoning--made mustard or pepper, ketchup, a little "Marmite" or "Carnos," &c., and pound to a smooth paste with a wooden spoon. Pa.s.s through a sieve, and it is ready for use.

Brawn for Pic-Nic.

Take a small teacupful lentils, haricots, or b.u.t.ter peas, and rub through a sieve. Cook 2 ozs. flaked rice or semolina in a teacupful boiling stock for about 10 minutes, stirring all the while, and then 1/2 lb. or more of tomatoes sliced and cut small, dessertspoonful grated onion, some finely shred cooked carrot or beetroot, and seasoning. Add the lentils to this and mix thoroughly. Cook for a minute or so, remove from the fire, and mix in 2 finely chopped hard-boiled eggs. Press into a gla.s.s dish. It may be covered with glaze when turned out, or decorated with aspic jelly.

Tomatoes and Mushrooms,

gently baked or steamed together, with b.u.t.ter and seasoning, are also very good as a cold savoury for sandwiches; &c. If rather moist add a little cooked rice, mashed potato, or fine crumbs. Pound together, pa.s.s through a sieve if wished very smooth, and pot as above.

Sandwiches.

A good filling for sandwiches is to be found in any of the "potted meats"

given in the foregoing section. Amongst others are

Egg Sandwiches.

These are usually made with finely chopped hard-boiled eggs. The latter alone may be used, or a little relish of some sort may be added--ketchup, tomato pulp, or chutney. Mix all to a smooth paste before using, and spread very evenly.

Egg Sandwiches (2).

Another very good way is to beat up the eggs a little, add seasoning, &c., put a bit of b.u.t.ter in saucepan, pour in the eggs, and cook gently till set.

Stir all the time. Use when cold.