The handy dictionary of cookery

Note. — Sea kale should be cooked as soon as possible after it is cut. It should be quite white and crisp ; it is best kept in a dark place till wanted. Sea kale is said to be very wholesome and well adapted for weak stomachs, being easily digested. In season from February to June. Sea Pie. Take one pound of scraps of meat, cut them into neat pieces and dip them in flour; pepper and salt. Scrape and slice a carrot ; peel a turnip rather thickly and cut it into slices, also a stick of celery and an onion prepared {see Onions). Put the meat and vegetables into a saucepan with just enough cold water to cover them. Place it on the fire, let it come to the boil ; add a good pinch of pepper and salt. Put into a basin half a pound of flour, a quarter of a pound of finely chopped suet, and a quarter of a teaspoonful of baking powder. Mix them well together. Make into a stiff paste with cold water ; form it into one lump ; roll it out on a floured board about the size of the top of the pan ; place it on the top of the meat to fit the pan ; put a lid on the saucepan. Stew gently one and a half hours. Now and then, while it is cooking, loosen the crust from the side of the pan. Serve the meat and vegetables on a dish, and the crust on the top. Short Bread. Put into a bowl twelve ounces of flour, four ounces of rice flour, four ounces of fine sugar, eight ounces of butter, two ounces of minced almonds. Mix with the hands until you have a smooth dough. Form it into an oval shape with the palms of the hands. Ornament with candied peel. Bake in a moderate oven. {Another way.) Cream two ounces of butter with the hand ; add to it a quarter of a pound of flour, one ounce of fine sugar, and form them into a paste with the hands. Turn it out on to a floured board ; roll it to one-third of an inch in thickness, and cut into oval shapes. Bake on a greased tin a pale brown in a moderate oven. {Another way.) Mix well together one pound and a quarter of flour, one teaspoonful of baking powder, and half a pound of fine sugar, rub in half a pound of butter ; add three well-beaten eggs, and a few drops of essence of lemon. Divide into four; mould into a round then into an oval shape, pinch round the edges with the thumb and forefinger, put a piece of candied peel on the top, and bake in a slow oven. > Snow Eggs. Put into a clean pan one pint of milk, half an inch of cinnamon stick, bring it to the boil Beat up the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, shape them with two tablespoons dipped into hot water; drop them into the boiling milk, allow them to remain a few seconds, then carefully turn them over to poach on the other side. Lift them out on to a sieve. Remove from it the cinnamon stick ; pour it over the beaten yolks of four eggs, stirring it carefully all the time ; return it to the pan to thicken ; do not allow it to boil, but pour it into the pan for a few seconds, then back into the basin ; repeat this till it is thick. This process thickens it gradually all through, as the bottom of the pan gets much hotter than the top. Pour the custard into a dish to cool. When it is set place the white of egg with the point inwards on it, round the dish, sprinkle over it some pink sugar, and serve cold. Snow Pancakes.