Have two quarts of liquor on the bone. When done, remove the bone from kettle; put one can of tomatoes through sieve; add to the liquor; then immediately add one-half teaspoon soda, a small lump butter, one tablespoon white sugar, one heaping tablespoon of flour mixed with a half cup of cream or milk; salt and pepper to taste. After the flour is in let boil up three times, and serve.
VEGETABLE SOUP. MRS. J. S. REED.
One-fourth head cabbage, three large onions, one turnip, three large potatoes, two tablespoons cooked beans; boil all together till tender. Pour off all water; then add one gallon of stock. Add tomatoes, if you like.
VEAL SOUP. MRS. SAMUEL BARTRAM.
Put a veal soup bone over the fire in one gallon of cold water; skim carefully as it comes to a boil; after it has boiled one hour season it with salt and pepper and half teaspoonful (scant) celery seed. In another half hour put in one-half cup rice, one medium-sized potato (cut in dice or thin slices), two good-sized onions (sliced fine); let boil one-half hour longer, and when ready to serve add one egg (well-beaten), one-half cup milk, one tablespoon flour; let come to a boil, and serve.
VEGETABLE SOUP. MRS. G. A. LIVINGSTON.
Three onions, three carrots, three turnips, one small cabbage, one pint tomatoes. Chop all the vegetables, except the tomatoes, very fine. Have ready in a porcelain kettle three quarts boiling water; put in all except tomatoes and cabbage; simmer for one-half hour; then add the chopped cabbage and tomatoes (the tomatoes previously stewed); also a bunch of sweet herbs. Let soup boil for twenty minutes; strain through a sieve, rubbing all the vegetables through. Take two tablespoonfuls butter, one tablespoon flour; beat to cream. Pepper and salt to taste, and add a teaspoon of white sugar; one-half cup sweet cream, if you have it; stir in butter and flour; let it boil up, and it is ready for the table. Serve with fried bread chips or poached eggs, one in each dish.
FISH AND OYSTERS.
"Now good digestion, wait on appetite, And health on both." --MACBETH.
ACCOMPANIMENTS OF FISH. MRS. DELL WEBSTER DE WOLFE.
With boiled fresh mackerel, gooseberries, stewed.
With boiled blue fish, white cream sauce and lemon sauce.
With boiled shad, mushroom, parsley and egg sauce.
Lemon makes a very grateful addition to nearly all the insipid members of the fish tribe. Slices of lemon cut into very small dice, stirred into drawn butter and allowed to come to a boiling point, is a very fine accompaniment.
RULE FOR SELECTING FISH.
If the gills are red, the eyes full, and the whole fish firm and stiff, they are fresh and good; if, on the contrary, the gills are pale, the eyes sunken, the flesh flabby, they are stale.
BAKED FISH.
Take large white fish or pickerel, make a dressing as for turkey, with the addition of one egg and a little onion; fill the fish, wrap close with twine, lay in baking pan; put in one-half pint of water, small lumps of butter and dredge with flour. Bake from three-fourths to one hour, basting carefully.
CODFISH WITH EGG. MRS. E. P. TRUE.
Wash codfish; shred fine with fingers (never cut or chop it); pour cold water over it. Place the dish on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Throw the fish in a colander and drain. Stir a teaspoonful of flour smoothly with water; add two tablespoonfuls of butter and a little pepper; bring to a boil; then throw in the codfish, with a well-beaten egg. When it boils up it is ready for table.
CODFISH WITH CREAM. MRS. E. P. TRUE.
Take a piece of codfish six inches square; soak twelve hours in soft, cold water; shred fine with the fingers; boil a few moments in fresh water. Take one-half pint cream and a little butter; stir into this two large tablespoonfuls flour, smoothly blended in a little cold water; pour over the fish; add one egg, well beaten. Let come to a boil; season with black pepper.