Cookery for every household

with the prepared ham, onion, and celery. Put on the lid, and cook these over the fire for a few minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, and being careful that the contents do not burn. Add half the stock or water, the bunch of herbs and a little salt, and simmer slowly for one hour. Then add the rest of the stock, and cook one hour longer, or until the carrots are quite soft and pulpy. Rub the soup through a fine sieve, rinse out the saucepan, and return it to reheat, adding more meat boilings or a little water if the puree is too thick. Break the cornflour smoothly with the milk, add them to the soup, and stir over the fire until boiling. Add a pinch of nutmeg and other seasoning to taste and simmer 5 or 10 minutes longer. Serve with croutons of toast, or a dish of well- boiled rice may be handed separately. Notes. — One dessert-spoon of fine tapioca may be used for thickening the soup instead of the cornflour. A richer soup may be made by adding 1 gill of cream instead of the milk. Time to cook, 2 horns. Probable cost, 8d. to 10d Quantity, 2 pints. 38. Carrot and Lentil Soup | lb. lentils. 5 pts. cold water. 2 large red carrots. 2 onions. 2 oz. dripping or bacon fat. A small bunch of herbs. Salt. Pepper. A pinch of sugar. 1 tea-cupful boiled rice. Wash the lentils and if time permits allow them to soak overnight in some of the water. Prepare the carrots and the onions and cut them both in small pieces. Melt the fat in a saucepan, put in the prepared carrot and onion and fry them a few minutes over the fire. Then add the lentils along with the water in which they were soaked and the remainder of the water. Bring to the boil, and add the bunch of herbs, pinch of sugar, and seasoning to taste. Simmer slowly until the lentils and vegetables are quite soft, stirring occasionally. When ready, rub as much as possible of the soup through a sieve or colander and return it to the saucepan to reheat. Add the cooked rice just before serving, or a dish of plainly boiled rice may be served separately. Time to cook, 1| to 2 hours. Probable cost, 5d. Quantity, 3 to 4 pints. 39. Cauliflower and Lettuce Soup (Potage de Choufleur et de Laitue) 1 large cauliflower. 1 small lettuce. 1 qt. meat boilings or second white stock. 1 oz. crushed tapioca. 1 oz. butter or dripping. 1 dessert-sp. chopped parsley. White pepper and salt, i pt. hot milk. Use the white part only of the cauliflower. Cut it in small pieces, wash in cold water, and scald in boiling water 5 or 10 minutes. Put the stock into a saucepan and bring it to the boil, drain the cauliflower and add it to it, and simmer slowly until tender, about half an hour. Then add the milk, the butter broken in small pieces, and the lettuce washed and cut in fine shreds. Sprinkle in the tapioca and cook all together for 10 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Season to taste and add the parsley at the last. Serve with toast cut in dice. D Notes. — Broccoli may be used in the same way as cauliflower. Whole rice may be used for thickening instead of tapioca, but it will require a longer time to cook. It must be well washed and put into the stock along with the cauliflower. Or it may be cooked separately and then added. Time to cook, J to 1 hour. Probable cost, 8 d. to I Od. Quantity, 2 pints. 40. Celery Soup, Brown (Soupe au Ceteri)