Cookery for every household

Choose a firm, straight cucumber, cut a block from 2 to 2£ inches in length, and with a sharp knife score the skin down in narrow strips, but not too deeply. Then remove every alternate strip of peel, giving the piece of cucumber a dark and fight green striped appearance. Now cut it in half lengthwise and slice each piece as thinly as possible. Arrange these pieces in scallop form round a dish by pinching them slightly together. This is one of the prettiest forms of decoration for a cold dish, and especially so when the scallops of cucumber are stuck into a border of aspic. 1315. Lobster Coral Remove the coral from a lobster and wash it carefully. Place it on a piece of paper, and dry in a slow oven without allowing it to lose its colour. Then rub it through a hair sieve, and use this pretty red powder for decorating fish and little savoury dishes. 1316. Macedoine of Vegetables for Garnish Cut a carrot and turnip into J inch dice, or with small vegetable cutters cut them into fancy shapes or balls. The red part only of the carrot should be used. Mix them in about equal proportions with green peas, flageolet beans, French beans cut in \ inch lengths, and small pieces of cauliflower. The vegetables should be cooked separately, and well drained before being put together. When prepared, heat them with a little butter and a seasoning of pepper and salt. The vegetables must be mixed very lightly so as not to break them. A little bechamel sauce may be used instead of butter for moistening, or if to be served cold, mix with a little mayonnaise sauce. Sometimes the vegetables instead of being mixed together are placed in separate heaps around the meat, and they then give a good effect of colour. Note. — Macedoine of vegetables may be bought ready prepared in tins or in bottles. 1317. Profiteroles Choux pastry. I Grated Parmesan. Chicken forcemeat. I Seasoning. Make half the quantity of choux pastry as given in Recipe 1450. It must be unsweetened and nicely seasoned with white pepper and salt. Sometimes a little grated Parmesan is added. Put the mixture into a forcing bag with a plain pipe of about J inch in diameter. Hold the bag perpendicularly and squirt out small pieces on a greased and floured tin. The pieces should not be larger than a small walnut and must be placed a little distance apart. Let them stand for 10 minutes, then with a small brush coat them over with beaten egg, or with yolk of egg and water. Bake in a moderate oven until a golden brown and quite dry. Prepare a nice chicken or other savoury mince and add to it a little grated Parmesan. Slit the profiteroles open at one side and fill them with the mince. Return them to the oven for a few minutes. Serve with soup or as directed. 1318. Rice Socle A rice socle is used for mounting a cold entree and to give it a raised appearance. It is not meant to be eaten. Take the quantity of rice required, wash it well, put it into a saucepan, well cover it with cold water and cook it until perfectly soft. The water must be absorbed and the rice form a thick paste. Then pound it in a mortar, form it into the shape desired, and allow it to cool. The moulding may either be done with the hands, or the rice may be pressed into a mould. If the socle is required for a hot entree, it should be brushed over with beaten egg and browned in the oven. Note