Cookery for every household

583. Tomatoes au Gratin (Tomates au Gratin) 3 or 4 tomatoes. I 2 table-sps. grated cheese. 3 table-sps. bread-crumbs. | 1 oz. butter. Salt, pepper. Put the tomatoes into a basin, cover them with boiling water and let them stand a minute or two. Then lift them out, dry them and remove the skins. Cut them in slices, keeping them on a plate, so as not to lose any of the juice, and season well with pepper and salt. Mix the bread-crumbs and grated cheese together and grease a small pie dish or fireproof dish. Put first a layer of the tomatoes at the foot of the dish, then some of the bread-crumbs and cheese, more tomatoes and so on, arranging them in layers until all are used up. The last layer should be the bread-crumbs and cheese. Lay the butter in small pieces on the top and bake in a moderate oven. Note. — There are different ways of preparing this dish — the cheese may be omitted and simply the bread-crumbs used, or a few chopped mushrooms, a finely chopped shallot, and a little parsley may be mixed with the tomatoes. Time to bake, 15 to 20 minutes. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. 584. Stewed Tomatoes (Tomates au Jus) \ lb. tomatoes. I 1 oz. butter. | tea-sp. sugar. | Salt, pepper. Wipe the tomatoes and remove the stalks. Place them for a minute in a basin of boiling water, then lift them out and peel them carefully with a sharp knife, commencing at the stalk end. Now cut the tomatoes in slices or quarters, removing the hard piece from the inside, and put them into an enamelled or earthenware saucepan. Season with pepper, salt, and a little sugar, put the lid on the pan and stew slowly until tender. Add the butter and serve in a hot dish. Note. — A little finely chopped onion or shallot may be added if wished. Time to stew, 15 to 20 minutes. Sufficient for 2 or 3 persons. 585. Stuffed Tomatoes, 1 (Tomates Fareies) 1 table-sp. good sauce or gravy. J tea-sp. dried herbs. A few browned breadcrumbs. 5 round croutons of fried bread. 5 medium -sized tomatoes. 2 table-sps. bread-crumbs. 2 table-sps. chopped ham or tongue. 1 tea-sp. chopped parsley. 1 shallot. 1 oz. butter. Salt, pepper. Wipe the tomatoes with a cloth, remove the stalk and cut a round piece neatly out of the top of each. With the end of a tea-spoon, scoop out the soft part from the inside, and put it into a basin. Be very careful whilst doing this not to break through the skin of the tomatoes, and do not make the sides too thin. Season the insides with pepper and salt and turn the tomatoes upside down on a plate to drain. The soft part from the inside must be strained or rubbed through a sieve and kept for moistening the stuffing. The best meat to use for stuffing tomatoes is ham, tongue, or chicken, but any nicely cooked Stuffed Tomatoes