Plain cookery recipes

Put the beetroot without washing it into a large pan with cold water to cover. Bring quickly to the boil, and boil gently till it feels soft when pressed with the finger. Do not prick with a fork, or the juice will run out and bleach the root. Lift the beetroot from the pan, and leave it to cool slightly, then remove the skin while still warm. Leave till cold, and cut into thin slices. Arrange these on a dish, and put a little vinegar over. Note. — (i.) Beetroot may also be served hot with melted butter. (2.) If wanted to keep, put the slices into a jar and cover with boiling vinegar, cork tightly, and keep in a cold place. Lentils. Half a pound lentils. One ounce butter. A little stock. Pepper and salt. Beetroot. VEGETABLES AND SALADS. Rice. Take the quantity of Patna rice required, wash it thoroughly, put it into a saucepan, cover it with cold water, and bring it to the boil ; skim it, and drain the water off ; rinse the rice, and sprinkle it into a pan of boiling salted water. A few drops of lemon juice may be added to keep the rice white. Boil till tender (about twelve minutes), strain off the water, and rinse the rice well under the hot-water tap to separate the grains. Place it on a cloth and dry it in front of the fire. To boil Cabbage, Greens, Savoys, Sprouts, etc. Remove coarse outer leaves, and soak for half an hour in cold water, with salt and vinegar added to freshen the vegetable and to remove insects and earth ; then rinse very thoroughly, and plunge into boiling salted water. Boil briskly, without a lid, and skim frequently. When tender, drain thoroughly in a colander. Cabbages, greens, and savoys may now be chopped and reheated in a pan, with a small pat of butter and seasonings of pepper and salt. Note. — The water from cabbages, greens, etc., should be thrown out at once. Cauliflower. Remove the coarse outer leaves, wash and boil in the same way as cabbage. Drain very carefully, place in a vegetable dish, and coat with white sauce. Leeks. Remove the roots and the coarse green leaves, split the leeks in two, and wash them thoroughly. Tie them in bundles, and boil in boiling salted water till tender (about forty minutes). Drain them thoroughly, dish on a square of toast, and coat with white sauce. Artichokes. Soak, wash carefully, and peel the artichokes very thinly, keeping them as much under water, in the preparation, as possible, to preserve the colour — a few drops of vinegar in the water aid this. Boil in boiling salted water till tender (about thirty minutes). Drain, dish on toast, and coat with white sauce. Stewed Celery. Wash and scrape the celery very thoroughly, cut it into lengths, and tie it in bundles. Put them in a pan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil, skim, and strain off the water. This blanching removes the strong taste and whitens the celery. Put sufficient milk and water into a pan to almost cover the celery ; add a pinch of salt ; when boiling, put in the celery, and stew till tender (about one hour). Drain thoroughly, dish on a square of toast, and coat with a white sauce. Note. — The liquor in which the celery was cooked may be used for the sauce. Spinach.