The handy dictionary of cookery

Bake six good-sized potatoes, remove the skins, pass them through a sieve, put them into a saucepan with one ounce of butter, a little salt and pepper, a grate of nutmeg, and the yolks of three eggs. Stir all over the fire until they leave the pan sides clean ; turn them out on to a plate to get cool. Put a little flour on a board and on the hand. Take a broad-pointed knife, dip it in flour ; form the potato mixture into oblong shapes to resemble a pear ; fry them on both sides a delicate golden-brown colour. Place a piece of parsley stalk in the top of each one ; dish them neatly, and pour over a good cream sauce made as follows : — Melt in a pan one ounce of butter, stir into it one ounce of flour. When this is done add a quarter of a pint of cream and the same of milk ; stir to boiling ; add a little finely chopped parsley. Potatoes, Boiled. Wash and brush the potatoes well, but do not break the skins. Throw them into boiling water. In two minutes draw the saucepan to the side of the fire, and do not allow the water quite to reach boiling-point again. The first plunge into boiling water hardens the outside of the potato, and the subsequent application of heat causes the starch grains to swell, until they at length burst the outer skin, and a mealy potato is presented as the result. Potatoes should be chosen as nearly of one size as possible in order that they may be equally cooked. When they are quite soft drain from them the water; cover them with a cloth ; allow them to stand in a warm place to dry. Then remove the skins and serve hot. The virtues of a potato are to be mealy when boiled, and to mash readily into a smooth purée. This shows that the starch granules are in a healthy condition, and that they absorb water and burst the envelopes of glutinous matter which the heat has coagulated. Potatoes are valuable as a preventive against scurvy, containing lime, salts of potash, &c. Those grown on a light sandy soil are said to be the most mealy. Preserved Orang’es. Put twelve sweet oranges into a jar, cover them with cold water, cook slowly fifteen minutes; pour away the water, add clean fresh water, return them to a cool oven ; cook till soft. Cut them up into small pieces ; put them in a pan with their weight in sugar, also the juice. Boil twenty minutes, or till it sets. Pour into jars, cover with tissue paper brushed over with white of egg. Prunes, Shape. W ash half a pound of prunes ; put them into a pan with eight lumps of sugar, and enough water to cover them. Cook them slowly over the fire till they are soft ; take out the stones, crack them, put the kernels into the fruit and juice. Melt half an ounce of gelatine in a pan with the juice of one lemon, and just enough water to cover it. Strain it to the prunes. Stir all over the fire till thick ; pour into a wetted mould till cold ; turn out, and serve with whipped cream. Pudding*, Albert.