A second Dudley book of cookery and other recipes

Put into a saucepan about three-quarters of a pint of water, and allow it to come to the boil. Shake into the boiling water gradually, two large handfuls of the oatmeal (about six large, heaped-up tablespoonfuls) and add half a teaspoonful of salt. Keep on stirring the porridge with a wooden spoon until it is well mixed, then draw the pan to the side of the fire and allow the porridge to simmer for about twenty minutes. Pour into an earthenware or china basin, and serve. OATMEAL GRUEL SOAK for two hours, four ounces of coarse Scotch oatmeal in one pint of water, or half milk and half water ; then strain and boil until it thickens. If too thick add a little more hot milk. The gruel is greatly improved by adding to it a small quantity of cream. ANOTHER RECIPE FOR OATMEAL GRUEL r 1 1WO tablespoonfuls of medium oatmeal, and a ^ pinch of salt. Mix with water into a smooth paste. Put a pint of milk on to boil, and when boiling pour over the paste, mixing both together. Then boil for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, and strain. A little cream added improves the gruel. % HOW TO MAKE GRUEL FROM PREPARED GROATS f 1 1 AKE two large tablespoonfuls of the groats -L and mix with a little cold water or cold milk until it forms a thin paste. Pour over this a pint of boiling milk, and keep stirring. Place the pan on the fire, and allow the gruel to boil until it thickens. A little cream added before serving is a great improvement to the gruel. % RICE GRUEL T>UT one ounce of ground rice into a pint of water — or half water and half milk — and let it cook for forty minutes. Sweeten to taste, and add a little cream, if liked. TO KEEP BUTTER FRESH T) UTTER can be kept perfectly sweet and cool -L* by being wrapped in a damp muslin cloth and placed in a shallow dish containing a little fresh cold water, the cold is produced by evaporation, the cloth absorbing the water. The muslin cloth should be previously steeped in water to remove all soap, etc. % TO KEEP MUSHROOMS T3RESERVED mushrooms — tinned or bottled — once opened, should be kept covered with salt water or vinegar. They will thus keep good for several days. All tinned provisions should be removed from the tins the moment they are opened and placed in bottles, or china, or glass, covered dishes. HOW TO BOTTLE MUSHROOMS rriAKE one to two pounds of very small button mushrooms, rub them with a dry cloth, trim off the stalks and peel them ; then put them in a basin and sprinkle over with plenty of fine salt (large button or cup mushrooms are treated in a similar manner, but the red portion and the stalks should be removed). Those mushrooms which are black round the stalks are unsuitable for preserving in bottles. Pour sufficient white wine vinegar, well diluted, over the mushrooms, and bring them slowly to the boil. Shake them while in the pan ; pour off the liquid and drain the mushrooms on sieves or a cloth ; boil them a second time with a fresh lot of diluted vinegar. As soon as boiling point is reached, remove the pan from the fire and bottle when cool with enough vinegar to keep the mushrooms covered. Cork and seal.