Vegetarian cookery

Put two ounces of powdered white sugar into a saucepan, over a slow fire ; when beginning to melt, stir it with a wooden spoon till getting black ; set it in a rather cool oven, upon a trevet, for about twenty minutes ; pour a pint of cold water upon it, and let it dissolve. Keep it in small bottles in a cool, dry place, to use as required. It will not keep more than a few weeks. No. 208. — Oiled or Clarified Butter, Put any quantity of butter in a clean saucepan, over a clear, slow fire ; watch it carefully, and when melted, take off the scum from the top ; let it stand two or three minutes to settle ; then pour the clear butter through a fine sieve into a basin, leaving the sediment at the bottom of the pan. Butter, thus purified, will supply the place of olive oil, and is frequently preferred, either for salads or frying. No. 209. — Brown Thickening. Put the butter, which should be either fresh or clarified, into a saucepan, over a slow, clear fire ; when melted, stir in with a wooden spoon two ounces of browned flour, constantly stirring it till quite smooth and of a yellowish light brown. This must be done very carefully and patiently ; if it be put on too hot a fire, and done too quickly, it will become bitter ; or if it should have any burnt smell or taste it will spoil everything it is put into. A large table-spoonful will generally be sufficient to thicken a quart of sauce. Keep it covered in an earthen jar for use : it will keep well a fortnight in summer, and longer in winter. The BROWNED FLOUR is easily prepared, by spreading some flour on a tin, or flat dish, and placing it in a Dutch oven before a moderate fire, turning it frequently till equally browned. The WHITE THICKENING for white soups and sauces is prepared as above, using fine flour without being browned, stirring it over a clear, slow fire a quarter of an hour, but not allowing it to brown. Keep it covered in a jar. No. 210. — Spinach for Colouring. Take any quantity of spinach, pound it in a mortar to extract the juice, squeeze it through a thin cloth, put it in a saucepan over a slow fire, and when just ready to boil, take it off and strain it. By stirring in a small quantity of this juice, it will give any sauce or soup a green colour. No. 211. — Curry Powder. Three ounces of coriander seed ; three ounces of tumeric ; one ounce each of black pepper, mustard, and ginger ; half an ounce each of mace, cloves, and lesser cardamoms, and quarter of an ounce each of cumin seed and Cayenne pepper. Put the ingredients in a cool oven all night ; pound them in a marble mortar ; rub them through a hair sieve, and keep in a bottle well corked. No. 212. — Mushroom Powder. Wipe the mushrooms quite clean ; dry them in a Dutch oven before the fire, but not too near, till perfectly crisp and dry ; then pound them in a mortar, and sift the powder through a fine sieve. Keep it in a dry place in glass bottles, well corked. No. 213. — To Dry Mushrooms. Take ofiF the ends of the stalks ; wash the mushrooms, and boil them for a moment in water ; well drain, and lay them between two cloths till the water is absorbed, and put them on sheets of paper in a cool oven to dry. Keep them in paper bags in a dry place. No. 214. — Seasoning Powder.