Before leaving the soup question, let me say that the cream of tomato is made by heating two cupfuls of canned tomatoes to the boiling point, then straining, and after adding a good-sized pinch of soda, which must be stirred in well, poured slowly on to the milk foundation, prepared in another vessel. This must be served immediately, as it is not so good when allowed to stand.
[Ill.u.s.tration: TOSSING UP A SALAD]
DELECTABLE GARNISHES
Instead of always serving the ordinary crackers, teach the child how to prepare some simple little extras for nice soups. Plain square crackers spread with b.u.t.ter, salted and then browned in the oven will taste quite different; another time let her grate the least bit of cheese over before the toasting. Or she can take stale bread, cut in long narrow strips, spread with b.u.t.ter, season with salt and pepper and bake a light brown in a slow oven. Croutons, too, are a welcomed variety, made by cutting bread in half-inch cubes, dipping in melted b.u.t.ter and frying crisp. A few of these are scattered on top of each plate of soup just before sending to the table. Such extras require but little time, yet they mark the experienced cook; and if our small maid has been paying due attention to her directions (and consequently getting good results in her work,) she ought now to be so interested that she will be eager to try every new dish suggested and desirous of making the greatest possible number of dishes out of each particular kind of food.
Now let us review and see what we have out of the odds and ends that we found that we had on hand to start with, and what a luncheon it would make. We should have either a soup or the stuffed peppers for a first course, salad for a second, and the cheese crackers served with a small quant.i.ty of jam or preserves for a finish! Quite a nice meal, and one we need not hesitate to set before an unexpected guest. Besides, from any reasonable quant.i.ty of left-overs there would probably be enough for four people.
CHAPTER IV
Fish, Fresh and Dried
Fresh fish, in the first place, must be absolutely fresh. They will have little odor, the eyes will be full and clear, and the flesh firm. They are usually delivered from the market cleaned and scaled, but they should be washed with cold water, and sprinkled with salt if not used immediately.
SMELTS, TROUT AND PERCH
Smelts, trout, perch and other small fish, are fried whole, while the larger kinds are cut in pieces called fillets. After washing, drying and seasoning with pepper and salt, each piece should be dipped in finely rolled, dried bread or corn meal, and laid on the bread-board. When all through, beginning with the first, dip each one in well-beaten, seasoned egg, and then in the crumbs again, taking pains to have them covered completely. Lay back on the board to dry before cooking. Heat a half cupful of lard in a skillet until smoking hot, then put in the fish and fry on one side until brown. Turn carefully to avoid breaking, and brown on the other side, but do not turn more than once, and watch to keep from burning. Many cooks use flour or rolled crackers for covering the fish, but the bread crumbs do not hold as much grease, and the fish always seem to fry better than when dipped in anything else. When cooked a deep, rich brown, lift out on to brown paper to drain, and then slip on to a hot platter and send to the table at once, garnished with slices of lemon, parsley or water cress.
HALIBUT
A halibut steak is fine when, after washing thoroughly, it is put in a dripping pan, seasoned with salt and pepper, covered with boiling water and cooked in the oven until done,--from twenty minutes to half an hour.
While it is cooking, our little maid can prepare her favorite white sauce, only now she must add a cupful of strained tomatoes and season with red pepper. When the fish is ready, she must serve it on a hot platter, covered with the hot sauce. A steak of this kind usually weighs about two pounds, and is ample for four or five people.
WHITE, WEAK AND BLUE FISH
White fish, weak fish, blue fish and similar kinds I like best when large enough to have the bones first removed and the fish then spread, skin down, on a wire broiler, or an oak plank. Spread with a little b.u.t.ter and seasoned with pepper and salt, it may be cooked in a gas stove or before a hot fire. This will take from twenty to thirty minutes. When thoroughly done and browned on top, garnish with roses of mashed potato, lemon or parsley, and serve immediately,--right on the plank if desired. Any left over can be picked into small pieces, and worked up with an equal amount of cold mashed potato, into cakes, to be fried for breakfast.
There are many kinds of smoked and canned fish that make specially appetizing dishes for breakfast or luncheon. They should always be kept in the house, with other shelf supplies, and will prove "a friend in need."
FINNAN HADDIE
Finnan Haddie can be served in several ways. After washing and wiping off with a cloth, it can be b.u.t.tered, seasoned with salt and pepper and either broiled or fried. Or it is even better if boiled first for five minutes (put on it cold water), then picked into small flakes and stirred into our little maid"s standby, white sauce. After cooking five minutes longer, it should be served on rounds of hot b.u.t.tered toast, garnished with parsley.
SMOKED FISH
Smoked halibut, salmon and sturgeon can all be bought in small pieces (even as little as half a pound), and are most inviting when cut into thin slices and made hot in a skillet with just enough b.u.t.ter to keep them from burning.
SALT COD
But in talking of dried fish, we must not forget our old favorite, creamed codfish. As the boxed codfish is always so salty, it is necessary, after picking it carefully apart and removing the bones, to let it soak in cold water for half an hour, then drain. Put half a cupful of fish on in a stewpan, cover with cold water and let come to a boil. Pour this off immediately, cover with fresh boiling water, and let gently simmer for ten minutes. While it is cooking, our small maid should rub to a smooth paste one tablespoon of flour and one tablespoon of b.u.t.ter. Then adding one cup of milk and one well-beaten egg to the codfish, she next puts in the paste, and continues to stir for five minutes more while it is cooking. It should then be served on rounds of hot toast.
[Ill.u.s.tration: CREAMED CODFISH AND COFFEE FOR FATHER"S BREAKFAST]
SALT MACKEREL
Salt mackerel should be covered with cold water and left skin side up to soak over night. For breakfast, dry in a cloth and broil, with the flesh side toward the fire, or else brown in a hot pan with a little b.u.t.ter, and serve on a hot platter garnished with slices of lemon.
I have purposely avoided giving recipes calling for frying in deep fat, as there is always more or less danger of an inexperienced child meeting with an accident in handling any quant.i.ty of melted lard, but mothers who wish to use it will find that fritters, fish and other things when cooked that way get a nice color and really take up less fat than when fried (sauted) in the more common style.
CHAPTER V
Simple Meat Dishes
Here let me put in a few words about some easy ways of cooking meat. The recipes are simple, but everything depends on your getting in plenty of seasoning, cooking as directed, and--not burning. Be sure to have veal, lamb and pork well done, as no one likes these rare or even pink, but study the family taste about the length of time to cook beef. I have purposely omitted the ordinary dinner meats (I couldn"t tell you everything in one little book!), but if you learn to make what I _do_ tell you about, you will certainly become a good cook.
PAN-BROILED LAMB CHOPS
Lamb chops are particularly nice pan-broiled. First sc.r.a.pe off any fine particles of bone, trim off superfluous fat, and then place in a hissing hot skillet. Turn often until well seared, to prevent escape of juices, and cook until brown, about ten minutes. Serve on a hot platter, season with salt and pepper, dot with b.u.t.ter, and garnish with parsley, peas, or a ring of mashed potatoes.
PORK CHOPS
Pork chops need to be thoroughly cooked, and after washing, I always parboil ten minutes first in a covered frying pan, then season with salt and pepper and brown in fat. They are often served with tomato sauce.
[Ill.u.s.tration: VEAL CUTLET AS REED BIRDS]
VEAL CUTLETS
The veal for this purpose, sometimes called Mock Reed Birds, should be sliced thin, then cut in four-inch squares. Spread lightly with b.u.t.ter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and scatter with finely minced parsley and celery, or either one alone. Roll each piece up tightly and tie with a piece of white string. Place "birds" in a hot skillet with a little water and melted b.u.t.ter, cover and simmer for twenty minutes, then brown in b.u.t.ter or fat as preferred. Serve on rounds of hot b.u.t.tered toast, with brown gravy.
BEEF STEW (BROWN)
Take one pound of round steak, cut in small pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put a little suet in a hot kettle, or melt two tablespoons of b.u.t.ter, and add a couple of slices of dry onion, turning frequently until brown, then put in the meat. Stir to keep from scorching until well seared on all sides, cover with boiling water, and set on the back of the stove to simmer for at least three hours. As it boils down, allow to brown before filling up again, and have the meat covered with the broth when done. Thicken with two tablespoons of flour stirred to a smooth paste in half a cup of cold water. Add more salt then if necessary. Send to the table in a covered dish, and serve with mashed potatoes.
SOUTHERN BAKED HAM
When there is going to be company, baked ham is one of the nicest kinds of meat that can be had. Take either a small end or half a ham, as needed, and soak several hours in cold water. Wash well and put on in a kettle with cold water to cover and boil slowly, allowing at least twenty minutes to the pound. After boiling half an hour, remove one-third the water, and fill up with fresh boiling water, and keep covered until done. Then set aside and allow to cool in the liquor. When cold, lift out, trim off the brown skin, cover the fat with brown sugar, stick with whole cloves, and bake brown--about twenty or thirty minutes.