Home cookery

Simmer the rinds of two lemons in one pint of water for ten minutes, dissolve in it half an ounce of gelatine, add the lemon juice, sweeten to taste. Strain, and let it cool. Whip the whites of two eggs quite stiffly, mix with the strained lemon juice and water, and whisk until it stiffens and becomes spongy. Oranges a la Teneriffe. Simmer the peels of two oranges in half a pint of water for ten minutes, dissolve in it half an ounce of gelatine, strain, and mix with half a pint of orange juice and the juice of one lemon. When cool, add the whites of two eggs beaten stiffly ; whisk well until white and spongy. Pile this sponge on the top of the oranges prepared as below : Simmer three-quarters of a pound of loaf sugar with one and a half pints of water until it forms a syrup. Cook in this syrup six or seven small oranges, which have been peeled and the white parts carefully removed. Cook them until they look clear, basting well with the syrup. Colour with cochineal. Serve them cold in a glass dish with the sponge on the top. ^ Savouries. These little dishes are served after sweets, and can be greatly varied. A really good cook will have but little difficulty in inventing new or slightly different ones. Petites Croutes d'Anchois. Eggs 3 (hard-boiled). Anchovies 3 (boned). Butter oz. (fresh). Little anchovy essence. Cayenne. Biscuit paste or croutons of brown bread. Take the yolks of the eggs and pound them in a mortar with the anchovies, butter, anchovy essence, and cayenne to taste. Rub the mixture through a hair sieve. Put it into a forcing bag with a rose pipe and force it on to either rounds of biscuit paste or brown bread (buttered). Ornament with Montpelier butter, or strips of red and green chilies, or hard-boiled white of egg. Serve for savoury or Hors d'oeuvre. Savoury Biscuit or Biscuit Paste. Flour 2 oz. Butter 2 Essence of anchovy ... ^ teaspoonful. Water (coloured with cochineal) to mix. Cayenne and salt to taste. Rub the butter into the flour ; add anchovy, salt, and cayenne. Mix into a firm paste with the coloured water. Roll out very thinly ; cut into pieces two inches square. Prick well to prevent it blistering, and bake in a moderate oven till crisp. Canapees de Homard. Take three ounces of lobster (chopped finely), pound it with the yolks of two eggs (hard boiled), two ounces of butter, one tablespoonful of Bechamel or white sauce, cayenne, one teaspoonful of anchovy essence, a little carmine, or, if possible, a quarter of an ounce of lobster coral pounded with butter. Pass the mixture through a fine wire sieve. Have ready some brown bread and butter (one and a half inches wide and three and a half inches long). When cold, mask them with the lobster puree, using a bag and large rose pipe. Sprinkle over some hardboiled yolk and white of egg and chopped parsley. Dish in a circle. Fromage à l'Aigburth. Whip three whites of eggs to a firm froth ; stir in lightly one ounce and a half of Parmesan cheese and one ounce and a half of Gruyere or dry Cheddar cheese (grated) ; season to taste with cayenne and salt. Drop small portions into hot fat, and fry a nice golden colour. Dish in a pile ; garnish with fried parsley ; serve hot. Fleur au Parmesan. (By kind permission o/Mrs. A. B. Marshall.)