The Skilful Cook Part 107

1 pint of milk.

2 oz. of grated cheese.

Pepper and salt.

_Method._--Boil the rice gently in the water for half an hour, then add the milk and cheese and boil gently for half an hour more.

Stewed Normandy Pippins.

_Ingredients_--1 lb. of pippins.

1 quart of water.

6 oz. of lump sugar.

_Method._--Soak the pippins in the water.

Then stew them with the sugar for one hour or more until quite soft.

Place them on a gla.s.s dish and pour the syrup over them.

ODDS AND ENDS.

Croutons of Bread for Soup.

Cut stale bread into small dice, fry them in a little b.u.t.ter, or in a large quant.i.ty of fat (_see_ French Frying), a golden brown colour.

Drain on kitchen paper and serve on a folded napkin.

Toasted Bread for Soup.

Cut toasted bread into small dice, put them on a baking-tin and place them in a quick oven for a few minutes. Serve on a folded napkin.

Bread-crumbs.

These are best made by rubbing stale bread through a wire sieve, or the crumb of stale bread may be dried in a slow oven and pounded for crumbs.

Browned Bread-crumbs.

These can be made from white crumbs, which should be put on a baking-tin and baked a golden brown colour in the oven; or the crusts of stale bread can be dried in a slow oven and pounded. Raspings can be used, but they should be rubbed through a wire sieve.

Browned Crumbs for Game.

Put white crumbs into a frying-pan with a little b.u.t.ter, and stir until they are lightly browned.

Macedoine of Vegetables.

Cut carrots and turnips into fancy shapes with a dry cutter, boil them separately, cooking the turnips five minutes and the carrots fifteen.

Mix them with nicely boiled green peas and French beans. In the winter Moir's _Macedoine_ of Cooked Vegetables, sold in tins, will be found very convenient.

Pickle for Meat.

_Ingredients_--1 lb. of salt.

6 oz. of brown sugar.

1 oz. of saltpetre.

1 gallon of water.

_Method._--Put the salt, sugar, and saltpetre into a large saucepan with the water.

Put it on the fire, bring it to the boil, and let it boil for five minutes.

It must be kept well skimmed.

Strain it into a large tub or basin.

When the pickle is quite cold, meat can be put into it.

Fried Parsley.

Choose nice green parsley, wash and dry it, and pick it from the stalk; put it into a wire spoon or basket, and fry in hot fat (_see_ French Frying). It must be removed directly it is crisp or it will discolour; drain it on kitchen paper, and sprinkle it with salt. Parsley that has been frozen will turn black in frying.

Rendering down Fat.

_Ingredients_--4 lb. of any fat, cooked or uncooked.

_Method._--Cut the fat into small pieces.

Put it into a large saucepan and cover with water.

Boil for one hour with the lid on the saucepan, that the steam may whiten the fat.

Then remove the lid, and boil steadily until the water has evaporated, and the fat melted out of the pieces.

Stir occasionally to prevent the fat sticking to the bottom of the saucepan and burning.

When the fat is ready, let it cool a little, and then strain it.

The pieces should be well pressed to squeeze out all the fat.

This fat may be used for frying, or plain cakes and pastry.