Old carrots may be used for this dish, and are really better than the new ones. Pare and cut into dice, and simmer in salted water until tender, but not pulpy. Drain, return to the fire, and for one pint of carrots add one teaspoon of minced parsley, a grating of loaf sugar, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of b.u.t.ter and the juice of half a lemon. Heat through, shaking the dish now and then, so that each piece of the vegetable will be well coated with the mixture or dressing.
SIMMERED CARROTS
Wash, sc.r.a.pe and slice one quart carrots roundwise. Put them in a saucepan with one tablespoon of b.u.t.ter or drippings, three tablespoons of sugar and one teaspoon salt. Cover closely and let simmer on a slow fire until tender.
FLEMISH CARROTS
Sc.r.a.pe, slice and cook one quart of carrots in one quart of boiling water to which has been added one teaspoon of salt, until tender; drain.
Heat two tablespoons fat, add one small onion, brown lightly, add the carrots, season with one teaspoon of sugar, one-quarter teaspoon of salt, one-eighth teaspoon of white pepper and shake well over the fire for ten minutes, add one and one-half cups of soup stock, cover and simmer for one-half hour, then add one teaspoon chopped parsley and serve hot.
CARROTS WITH BRISKET OF BEEF
Salt and pepper two pounds of fat brisket of beef and let stand several hours. Wash and sc.r.a.pe two bunches of carrots and cut in small cubes.
Place in kettle with meat, cover with boiling; water and cook several hours or until the meat and carrots are tender, and the water is half boiled away. Heat two tablespoons of fat in a spider, let brown slightly, add two tablespoons of flour and gradually one cup of carrot and meat liquid. Place in kettle with meat and carrots and boil until carrots become browned.
COMPOTE OF CARROTS (RUSSIAN STYLE)
Make a syrup of one cup of sugar and one cup of water by boiling ten minutes. To this syrup add two cups of carrots diced, which have previously been browned in two tablespoons hot fat or b.u.t.ter. Cook all together until carrots are tender. Brown in oven and serve.
CORN ON THE COB
Free the corn from husks and silk; have a kettle of water boiling hard; drop the corn into it and cook ten minutes (or longer if the corn is not young). If a very large number of ears are put into the water they will so reduce the temperature that a longer time will be needed. In no case, however, should the corn be left too long in the water, as overcooking spoils the delicate flavor.
CORN OFF THE COB
Corn is frequently cut from the cob after it is cooked and served in milk or b.u.t.ter; but by this method much of the flavor and juke of the corn itself is wasted; It is better to cut the corn from the cob before cooking. With a sharp knife cut off the grains, not cutting closely enough to remove any of the woody portion of the skins. Then with a knife press out all the pulp and milk remaining in the cob; add this to the corn; season well with salt, pepper and b.u.t.ter; add a little more milk if the corn is dry; cook, preferably in the oven, for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally. If the oven is not hot, cook over the fire.
SUCCOTASH
Mix equal parts of corn, cut from the ear, and any kind of beans; boil them separately; then stir them lightly together, and season with b.u.t.ter, salt, and pepper and add a little cream if convenient.
CANNED CORN
To one can of corn take one tablespoon of b.u.t.ter, one-half cup milk; sprinkle one tablespoon of flour over these; stir and cook about five minutes, until thoroughly hot. Season to taste and serve hot.
DANDELIONS
Wash one peck of dandelions; remove roots. Cook one hour in two quarts of boiling salted water. Drain, chop fine; season with salt, pepper and b.u.t.ter. Serve with vinegar.
STUFFED CUc.u.mBERS
Cut four cuc.u.mbers in half lengthwise; remove the seeds with a spoon, lay the cuc.u.mbers in vinegar overnight; then wipe dry and fill with a mixture made from one cup pecans or Brazil nuts chopped, six tablespoons of mashed potatoes, one well-beaten egg, one teaspoon of salt, two tablespoons of chopped parsley, one saltspoon of white pepper, dash of nutmeg and two tablespoons of melted b.u.t.ter. Bake in a b.u.t.tered dish until tender. Serve hot with one cup of white sauce, dash of powdered cloves, one well-beaten egg, salt and pepper to taste.
FRIED CUc.u.mBERS
Daintily prepared fried cuc.u.mbers are immeasurably superior to fried egg plant and are especially nice with boiled chicken.
Peel and slice the cuc.u.mbers lengthwise in about the same thickness observed with egg plant. Lay these slices in salt and water for about an hour, then dip in beaten egg and cracker dust, and French fry in boiling fat, taking care to carefully drain in a colander before serving.
COLD SLAW
Take a firm, white head of cabbage; cut it in halves; take out the heart and cut as fine as possible on slaw-cutter. Cut up one onion at the same time and a sour apple. Now sprinkle with salt and white pepper and a liberal quant.i.ty of white sugar. Mix this lightly with two forks. Heat one tablespoon of goose oil or b.u.t.ter, and mix it thoroughly in with the cabbage. Heat some white wine vinegar in a spider; let it come to a boil and pour over the slaw, boiling. Keep covered for a short time.
Serve cold.
BOILED SAUERKRAUT
Take brisket of beef weighing about two or three pounds. Set it on to boil in two quarts of water, a little salt and the usual soup greens.
When the meat is tender take it out, salt it well and put on to boil again in a porcelain-lined kettle, having previously removed all the bones. Add about a cup of the soup stock and as much sauerkraut as you desire. Boil about one hour; tie one tablespoon of caraway seed in a bag and boil in with the kraut. Thicken with two raw potatoes, grated, and add one tablespoon of brown sugar just before serving. If not sour enough add a dash of vinegar. This gives you meat, vegetables and soup.
Mashed potatoes, kartoffelkloesse or any kind of flour dumpling is a nice accompaniment. Sauerkraut is just as good warmed over as fresh, which may be done two or three times in succession without injury to its flavor.
TO BOIL CABBAGE
Cut a small head of cabbage into four parts, cutting down through the stock. Soak for half an hour in a pan of cold water to which has been added one tablespoon of salt; this is to draw out any insects that may be hidden in the leaves. Take from the water and cut into slices. Have a large stew-pan half full of boiling water; put in the cabbage, pushing it under the water with a spoon. Add one tablespoon of salt and cook from twenty-five to forty-five minutes, depending upon the age of the cabbage. Turn into a colander and drain for about two minutes. Put in a chopping bowl and mince. Season with b.u.t.ter, pepper, and more salt if it requires it. Allow one tablespoon of b.u.t.ter to a generous pint of the cooked vegetable. Cabbage cooked in this manner will be of delicate flavor and may be generally eaten without distress. Have the kitchen windows open at the top while the cabbage is boiling, and there will be little if any odor of cabbage in the house.
FRIED CABBAGE
Cut one medium head of cabbage fine, soak ten minutes in salt water.
Drain, heat three tablespoons of fat (from top of soup stock preferred), add cabbage, one sour apple peeled and cut up, caraway seed to taste, salt, paprika and one-half onion minced. Cover very closely and cook slowly for one hour.
CREAMED NEW CABBAGE
To one pint of boiled and minced new cabbage add one-half pint of hot milk, one tablespoon of b.u.t.ter, one teaspoon of flour, one-half teaspoon each of salt and pepper, one teaspoon finely minced parsley and a generous dash of sweet paprika. The b.u.t.ter and flour should be creamed together before stirring in. Let simmer for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from burning. Serve hot on toasted bread.
HOT SLAW
Cut the cabbage into thin shreds as for cold slaw. (Use a plane if convenient). Boil it until tender in salted fast-boiling water. Drain it thoroughly, and pour over it a hot sauce made of one tablespoon of b.u.t.ter, one-half teaspoon of salt, dash of pepper and of cayenne, and one-half to one cup of vinegar, according to its strength. Cover the saucepan and let it stand on the side of the range for five minutes, so that the cabbage and sauce will become well incorporated.
CARROTS BOILED WITH CABBAGE
Pare the carrots and cut them into finger lengths, in thin strips. Put a breast of lamb or mutton on to boil, having previously salted it well.
When boiling, add the carrots and cover closely. Prepare the cabbage as usual and lay in with the mutton and carrots; boil two hours at least; when all has boiled tender, skim off some of the fat and put it into a spider. Add to this one tablespoon of flour, one tablespoon of brown sugar and one-half teaspoon of cinnamon. Keep adding gravy from the mutton until well mixed, and pour all over the mutton and vegetables.