Remove the husk and silky fibre, cover with boiling water (the flavor is improved by adding a few of the clean inner husks) and cook, if young and tender, from 10 to 15 minutes. Try a kernel and take up the corn as soon as the milk has thickened and the raw taste is destroyed.
SALADS.
FRENCH DRESSING.
3 tbsps. of olive oil.
1/4 tsp. of salt.
1 tbsp. vinegar.
1/2 ssp. of pepper or speck of cayenne.
Mix these ingredients together and serve. This makes a particularly good dressing for lettuce or vegetable salads.
SALAD DRESSING.
1/2 cup vinegar.
1 tbsp. sugar.
1/2 tsp. salt.
1/2 cup cream.
2 eggs.
1/2 tsp. mustard.
A speck of cayenne pepper.
Beat the eggs well, mix the sugar, salt, mustard and pepper together, add to the beaten eggs, then add the vinegar. Place the saucepan on the range in a pan of boiling water. Stir constantly until the dressing becomes thick and light. Take from the fire and turn into a cold bowl at once to prevent curdling. Beat the cream to a thick froth and stir it into the cold dressing. (When cream is not available use the same quant.i.ty of milk, previously thickened to the consistency of cream with a little cornstarch, add a tsp. of b.u.t.ter; when cold, add to the dressing.)
MAYONNAISE DRESSING.
1/2 pt. of olive oil.
1 tsp. mustard.
1/2 tsp. salt.
Yolks of 2 uncooked eggs.
1 tbsp. lemon juice.
1 tbsp. vinegar.
1/2 tsp. sugar.
A speck of cayenne.
Put the yolks of the eggs into a cold bowl, stir in the dry ingredients, beat well, using a silver or small wooden spoon. Then add the oil, drop by drop. When the mixture gets so thick that it is difficult to stir, add a few drops of the vinegar to thin it. Continue stirring in the oil and vinegar alternately until all are used, when it should be very thick; add the lemon juice last and beat for a few minutes longer; a cupful of whipped cream may be stirred into this dressing before using. (The following rules must be observed in order to insure success: (1) to beat the yolks and dry ingredients until thick; (2) to add the oil only in drops at first; (3) always beat or stir in one direction, reversing the motion is apt to curdle the dressing.)
LETTUCE SALAD.
Choose crisp, fresh lettuce, wash clean, let it remain for a little time in cold or ice water, drain thoroughly, break or tear the leaves into convenient pieces, dress with a French or cooked dressing; serve at once, cold.
POTATO SALAD.
1 pt. cold boiled potatoes.
1/2 tsp. salt.
1/2 cup cooked dressing. Or the French dressing, as given.
1 tsp. finely chopped onion.
1 sp. pepper.
Cut the potatoes into pieces about the size of dice, mix the seasonings with the potatoes, turn into a dish in alternate layers of potatoes and dressing, having a little dressing on top. Garnish with parsley, and allow to stand at least an hour in a cold place before serving, so that the potatoes may absorb the seasoning. (Cold boiled beets cut into cubes may be added in alternate layers with the potatoes in this recipe, using a little more dressing.)
TOMATO SALAD.
Peel the tomatoes (without scalding) and put them on ice until very cold, have crisp leaves of lettuce which have been washed and dried.
When ready to serve, cut the tomatoes in halves, place one-half on a leaf of lettuce (the curly leaves being the best), on this put a tbsp.
of mayonnaise or cooked dressing, and serve immediately.
CABBAGE SALAD.
Cabbage or celery may be used as a salad by cutting rather fine, allowing it to get cold and crisp, and serving with a cooked or French dressing. Indeed almost any vegetable may be used for a salad. String beans, asparagus, cauliflower, which have been cooked, are suitable for salad, either alone or in combination with nasturtium, cress, hard boiled eggs, etc.
CHICKEN SALAD.
One pint each of cold boiled or roasted chicken and celery. Cut the chicken into 1/4-inch dice, sc.r.a.pe, wash and cut the celery into dice, put the celery in a napkin and lay on the ice for 10 or 12 minutes; season the chicken with vinegar, salt, pepper and oil (or the French dressing-oil may be omitted if the flavor is not agreeable, subst.i.tuting cream or melted b.u.t.ter). Add the celery to the seasoned chicken, add half the dressing (using either a cooked or mayonnaise), heap in a dish, add the remainder of the dressing, garnish with the tiny bleached celery leaves or small curly lettuce leaves. (A few capers and a hard boiled egg may be used as a garnish if desired.)
In summer the chicken may be served on a tender lettuce leaf, adding a spoonful of dressing, and serving very cold.
FRUIT SALAD.
4 oranges.
1 cup water.
1/4 package gelatine.
4 bananas.
Juice of 2 lemons.
1-1/2 cup sugar.
Dissolve the gelatine in the water, add the sugar and lemon juice, strain and pour over the oranges and bananas, which have been peeled and sliced and placed in alternate layers in a mould. Set away to cool. When needed, turn out and serve. Garnish with Malaga grapes, cherries, currants, or any suitable fruit.
CEREALS.
All cereals require thorough cooking, because of the starch in them, also to soften the woody fibre. No matter what the cereal product may be, it should be cooked not less than three-quarters of an hour, and better if cooked longer.