Cookery for every household

Note. — The butter is a very important item in this dish, and if success is aimed at the quantity must not be stinted. Time to cook, 15 to 20 minutes. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. 570. Spinach with Cream (Epinards a la Creme) Prepare and cook the spinach as in last recipe, finishing it off with | tea-cupful of cream instead of the butter. One or two yolks of eggs may also be added if wished. 571. Spinach with Gravy (Epinards au Jus) Prepare and cook the spinach as in Recipe 569, finishing it off with 4 tea-cupful of good gravy instead of the butter. This is a very good accompaniment to fried sausages or bacon. 572. Spinach for Garnishing 1 lb. spinach. 1 oz. butter. 1 dessert-sp. flour. Pepper and salt. A squeeze of lemon juice. A pinch of nutmeg. Prepare and cook the spinach as in Recipe 569. When well drained, rub it through a fine sieve. Melt the butter in a saucepan, put in the spinach and sprinkle it with the flour. Stir over the fire for a few minutes until the flour is cooked. Then season to taste, and if too stiff add one table-spoonful cream. Note. — This is a somewhat stiff er preparation than Recipe 569, and is more suitable if intended to support an entree. It can also be put into a forcing bag with a fancy pipe and forced out as a garnish for various dishes. 573. Spinach Souffle (Souffle d’Epinards) 1 lb. spinach. 2 table-sps. cream or white sauce. Seasoning. 2 or 3 eggs. 1 table-sp. browned bread-crumbs or grated nuts. Prepare and cook the spinach as in Recipe 569, and when well drained rub it through a wire sieve. Put the spinach puree into a basin, season it with pepper, salt, a squeeze of lemon juice and a tiny pinch of nutmeg, add the yolks of eggs and mix well. Then add about 2 table-spoonfuls of thick white sauce or whipped cream, and last of all stir in the whites of eggs beaten to very stiff froth. Pour the mixture into a well-greased souffle dish, sprinkle the top with fine browned bread-crumbs or grated nuts, and bake in a moderate oven until well risen and firm to the touch. Serve at once. Note. — A little grated cheese may be added to the mixture if wished. Time to bake, about 20 minutes. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. Sweet Potato (Patate) This vegetable is cultivated in hot climates and only occasionally comes into our markets. It resembles the ordinary potato in appearance, except that it is rougher looking. It contains more sugar and less starch than our potato, and is less nourishing and digestible. The sweet potato requires very careful cooking, as it is apt to become moist and sticky. Besides the recipes given below it may be cooked according to most of the directions given for the common potato. 574. Sweet Potatoes, To Boil Wash and brush the potatoes, being very careful not to break the skin. Throw them into a basin of clean cold water and let them lie for a short time. Then cook them in boiling water slightly salted until they can be pierced fairly easily with a skewer. There should only be sufficient water to cover the potatoes, and they must not be allowed to become too soft. When ready, drain, peel them quickly, and then dry them in the oven a few minutes to make them mealy. Serve very hot. 575. Sweet Potatoes, Broiled Sweet potatoes. Butter or dripping. Seasoning.