Time.--1 hour. Average cost, 1s. 2d. per quart. Seasonable from June to September.
Sufficient for 4 persons.
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THE CUCUMBER.--The antiquity of this fruit is very great. In the sacred writings we find that the people of Israel regretted it, whilst sojourning in the desert; and at the present time, the cucumber, and other fruits of its class, form a large portion of the food of the Egyptian people. By the Eastern nations generally, as well as by the Greeks and Romans, it was greatly esteemed. Like the melon, it was originally brought from Asia by the Romans, and in the 14th century it was common in England, although, in the time of the wars of "the Roses," it seems no longer to have been cultivated. It is a cold food, and of difficult digestion when eaten raw. As a preserved sweetmeat, however, it is esteemed one of the most agreeable.
EGG SOUP.
128. INGREDIENTS.--A tablespoonful of flour, 4 eggs, 2 small blades of finely-pounded mace, 2 quarts of stock No. 105. Mode.--Beat up the flour smoothly in a teaspoonful of cold stock, and put in the eggs; throw them into boiling stock, stirring all the
time. Simmer for 1/4 of an hour. Season and serve with a French roll in the tureen, or fried sippets of bread. Time. 1/2 an hour. Average cost,11d. per quart.
Seasonable all the year.
Sufficient for 8 persons.
SOUP A LA FLAMANDE (Flemish). I.
129. INGREDIENTS.--1 turnip, 1 small carrot, 1/2 head of celery, 6 green onions shred very fine, 1 lettuce cut small, chervil, 1/4 pint of asparagus cut small, 1/4 pint of peas, 2 oz. butter, the yolks of 4 eggs, 1/2 pint of cream, salt to taste, 1 lump of sugar, 2 quarts of stock No. 105.
Mode.--Put the vegetables in the butter to stew gently for an hour with a teacupful of stock; then add the remainder of the stock, and simmer for another hour. Now beat the yolks of the eggs well, mix with the cream (previously boiled), and strain through a hair sieve. Take the soup off the fire, put the eggs, &c. to it, and keep stirring it well. Bring it to a boil, but do not leave off stirring, or the eggs will curdle. Season with salt, and add the sugar.
Time.--24 hours. Average cost, 1s. 9d. per quart. Seasonable from May to August.
Sufficient for 8 persons.
CHERVIL.--Although the roots of this plant are poisonous, its leaves are tender, and are used in salads. In antiquity it made a relishing dish, when prepared with oil, wine, and gravy. It is a native of various parts of Europe; and the species cultivated in the gardens of Paris, has beautifully frizzled leaves.
II.
130. INGREDIENTS.--5 onions, 5 heads of celery, 10 moderate-sized potatoes, 3 oz. butter, 1/2 pint of water, 1/2 pint of cream,
2 quarts of stock No. 105.
Mode.--Slice the onions, celery, and potatoes, and put them with the butter and water into a stewpan, and simmer for an hour. Then fill up the stewpan with stock, and boil gently till the potatoes are done, which will be in about an hour. Rub all through a tammy, and add the cream (previously boiled). Do not let it boil after the cream is put in.
Time.--2-1/2 hours. Average cost_,1s. 4d. per quart. Seasonable from September to May.
Sufficient for 8 persons.
114
Note.--This soup can be made with water instead of stock. SOUP A LA JULIENNE.
[Illustration: STRIPS OF VEGETABLE.]
131. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of carrots, 1/2 pint of turnips, 1/4 pint of onions, 2 or 3 leeks, 1/2 head of celery, 1 lettuce, a little sorrel and chervil, if liked, 2 oz. of butter, 2 quarts of stock No. 105.
Mode.--Cut the vegetables into strips of about 1-1/4 inch long, and be particular they are all the same size, or some will be hard whilst the others will be done to a pulp. Cut the lettuce, sorrel, and chervil into larger pieces; fry the carrots in the butter, and pour the stock boiling to them. When this is done, add all the other vegetables, and herbs, and stew gently for at least an hour. Skim off all the fat, pour the soup over thin slices of bread, cut round about the size of a shilling, and serve.
Time.--1-1/2 hour. Average cost, 1s. 3d. per quart. Seasonable all the year.
Sufficient for 8 persons.
Note.--In summer, green peas, asparagus-tops, French beans, &c. can be added. When the vegetables are very strong, instead of fry-
ing them in butter at first, they should be blanched, and afterwards simmered in the stock.
SORREL.--This is one of the spinaceous plants, which take their name from spinach, which is the chief among them. It is little used in English cookery, but a great deal in French, in which it is employed for soups, sauces, and salads. In English meadows it is usually left to grow wild; but in France, where it is cultivated, its flavour is greatly improved.
KALE BROSE (a Scotch Recipe).
132. INGREDIENTS.--Half an ox-head or cowheel, a teacupful of toasted oatmeal, salt to taste, 2 handfuls of greens, 3 quarts of water.
Mode.--Make a broth of the ox-head or cowheel, and boil it till oil floats on the top of the liquor, then boil the greens, shred, in it. Put the oatmeal, with a little salt, into a basin, and mix with it quickly a teacupful of the fat broth: it should not run into one doughy mass, but form knots. Stir it into the whole, give one boil, and serve very hot.
Time.--4 hours. Average cost, 8d. per quart. Seasonable all the year, but more suitable in winter. Sufficient for 10 persons.
LEEK SOUP. I.
133. INGREDIENTS.--A sheep's head, 3 quarts of water, 12 leeks cut small, pepper and salt to taste, oatmeal to thicken.
Mode.--Prepare the head, either by skinning or cleaning the skin very nicely; split it in two; take out the brains, and put it into boiling water; add the leeks and seasoning, and simmer very gently for 4 hours. Mix smoothly, with cold water, as much oatmeal as will make the soup tolerably thick; pour it into the soup; continue stirring till the whole is blended and well done, and serve.
Time.--4-1/2 hours. Average cost, 4d. per quart. Seasonable in winter.
Sufficient for 10 persons.
115
II.
COMMONLY CALLED COCK-A-LEEKIE.
134. INGREDIENTS.--A capon or large fowl (sometimes an old cock, from which the recipe takes its name, is used), which should
be trussed as for boiling; 2 or 3 bunches of fine leeks, 5 quarts of stock No. 105, pepper and salt to taste.
Mode.--Well wash the leeks (and, if old, scald them in boiling water for a few minutes), taking off the roots and part of the heads, and cut them into lengths of about an inch. Put the fowl into the stock, with, at first, one half of the leeks, and allow it to simmer gently. In half an hour add the remaining leeks, and then it may simmer for 3 or 4 hours longer. It should be carefully skimmed, and can be seasoned to taste. In serving, take out the fowl, and carve it neatly, placing the pieces in a tureen, and pouring over them the soup, which should be very thick of leeks (a puree of leeks the French would call it).
Time.--4 hours. Average cost, 1s. 6d. per quart; or, with stock No. 106, 1s. Seasonable in winter.
Sufficient for 10 persons.
Note.--Without the fowl, the above, which would then be merely called leek soup, is very good, and also economical. Cock-a-leekie was largely consumed at the Burns Centenary Festival at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, in 1859.
[Illustration: LEEKS.]
THE LEEK.--As in the case of the cucumber, this vegetable was bewailed by the Israelites in their journey through the desert. It is one of the alliaceous tribe, which consists of the onion, garlic, chive, shallot, and leek. These, as articles of food, are perhaps more widely diffused over the face