Plain cookery recipes

Wash the spinach very thoroughly, and remove the coarse stalks ; put it into a rinsed lined pan, with the water that clings to the leaves ; put the lid on the pan, and cook till tender, stirring frequently. When ready, drain on a sieve, then rub it through ; put it into a pan, with a small pat of butter and pinches of pepper and salt ; allow it to heat thoroughly, and pile neatly on a hot vegetable dish. Garnish with tiny croutons of fried bread. VEGETABLES AND SALADS. SALADS. Mayonnaise Dressing. One yolk of egg. Salad oil. Salt, pepper, a little mustard. Malt and tarragon vinegar. Put the yolk of egg and seasonings into a bowl. Add the salad oil drop by drop, stirring all the time. When thick and smooth, thin down gradually with the vinegar. The mayonnaise dressing should be about the consistency of thick cream. Cream Salad Dressing. One hard-boiled yolk of egg. Pinches of pepper, salt, and mustard. Two tablespoonfuls of cream. One dessertspoonful of tarragon vinegar. Sieve the yolk into a bowl, add the seasonings, and gradually work in the cream. Thin the dressing down with the vinegar. French Dressing. One tablespoonful salad oil. | Pinches of pepper and salt. One dessertspoonful vinegar. Mix the oil and seasonings in a bowl, then gradually work in the vinegar. Spring Salad. One lettuce. I Bunch of mustard and cress. Bunch of water-cress. | One tomato. One hard-boiled egg. Wash the green salads carefully, taking care not to bruise the leaves, and drain them well on a cloth. Pour boiling water over the tomato, peel it, and cut it into sections. Cut the egg into neat pieces. Mix the salad with a dressing, and arrange tastefully in a salad bowl. Note. — Any salad in season may be used. Winter Salad. For this salad any cooked vegetables — namely, potato, haricot beans, beetroot, carrot, cauliflower, etc., may be used. The vegetables must be cut into suitable-sized pieces, and tossed in a dressing. Tomato and Celery Salad. Two tomatoes. | Three sticks celery. Peel and slice the tomatoes. Shred the celery into cold water, and allow it to stand for half an hour : this makes the celery curl up. Drain well. Arrange the tomatoes in a circle, pile the celery in the centre, and pour over French dressing. PASTRY, Short Crust Pastry* Eight ounces flour. Four ounces butter. Half a teaspoonful baking- Half a teaspoonful salt. A little cold water ; or, if wished richer, one yolk of egg and water. powder. Sieve the flour, baking-powder, and salt into a dry, cool basin. Put in the butter, and rub it into the flour with the tips of the fingers till the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add sufficient cold water to form a stiff paste. Turn the paste on to a floured board. Knead slightly till free from cracks, then roll it out to the size required. The pastry should be about a quarter of an inch in thickness. Prepare the fruit first. If rhubarb is used, wipe thoroughly with a damp cloth, remove the coarse skin, and cut the rhubarb into lengths of one inch. Apples are peeled, quartered, and cored. Gooseberries and other fruits are washed thoroughly, and the stalks and tops removed. In filling the pie-dish, put in half of the fruit, then add the Fruit Tart. Short crust pastry. Fruit to fill pie-dish. Beaten white of egg and castor sugar to glaze. Sugar to sweeten. 8o