Chafing dish and casserole cookery

Trim and wash a small, firm cauliflower and cook it in plenty of fast-boiling slightly salted water till tender. Drain and let it get cold. Next press out the moisture, using a clean dishcloth or napkin for the purpose, then rub the cauliflower through a fine sieve. Melt an ounce of butter in a stew-pan, put in the cauliflower purée and stir over the fire for a few minutes, season with salt, pepper and grated nutmeg, and add a gill of well reduced beschamel sauce. Cook the whole for ten minutes, stirring frequently. Incorporate the yolks of two eggs, and when this is done remove the pan from the fire. Whisk to a stiff froth two whites of eggs. Add them to the mixture and fill up eight or ten small mousse or china entree cases, previously buttered. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for about fifteen minutes in a fairly hot oven. Dish up, garnish with crisp parsley and serve. Note. — If liked, one or two ounces of finechopped ham or tongue can be added to the above mixture before it is baked. This will make the dish more tasty, especially if served as an entrée. 78 Casserole Cookery Carrots h la /Iftaitre fc’lbotel. Wash and scrape one or two bunches of young carrots, cut them lengthwise into quarters, and boil in salted water till tender. Drain them and put them in a casserole with 1 oz. of butter ; sautg them quickly over the fire ; add a dessertspoonful of finely chopped parsley and a teaspoonful of lemon juice. Shake the pan over the fire for some minutes. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of castor sugar. Just before serving add a teaspoonful of liquefied meat glaze or meat extract. Turnips au Gratin. Peel thinly eight or nine medium-sized young turnips, cut them into slices, and wash them. Drain them thoroughly. Melt two ounces of butter in a stew-pan, when hot put in turnips and stir over a brisk fire, season with pepper and salt, moisten with a little stock and cook till tender. Rub half through a sieve as purge. Arrange the slices on the purge in a well buttered gratin or pie dish. Sauce over with a well reduced béchamel sauce, sprinkle the surface with fine bread-crumbs and grated cheese, adding a few tiny bits of butter here and there. Bake in a sharp oven for about ten minutes, long enough to nicely brown the top. Spinacb Souffle. I (SoufflS d’Epinards au Gratin.) Pick, wash and boil a pound of freshly picked spinach, drain it and rub through a fine sieve. Melt an ounce of butter in a small stew-pan, stir in halfounce of flour, cook it whilst stirring, but do not let it take colour, add a little stock or water and work vigorously with a wooden spoon over the fire till it resembles a smooth paste ; next add half-gill of cream, work again, and lastly put in the spinach purge. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. When thoroughly mixed stir in half-ounce of grated cheese. Butter a large china souffig case, sprinkle the inside with grated cheese, and fill with Casserole Cookery 79 the mixture. Cover the top with grated cheese mixed with an equal quantity of fresh breadcrumbs. Place a few tiny bits of butter on top of each, and bake in a very hot oven for about fifteen minutes. Dish up and serve at once. Cauliflower au Gratin* (Chou-fleur au gratin.)