The paper-bag cookery manual

Always cook the vegetables on the same day on which they are prepared and wanted for table. Vegetables of strong flavour, which include almost every kind of green vegetable, are not recommended to be cooked in a paper-bag, they should be cooked in a large quantity of water, sufficient to well cover the articles to be cooked. The water in which they are cooked must be well seasoned with salt. About a teaspoonful to every quart of water is the average proportion used. As a much smaller quantity of water is used by the paper-bag system than by the ordinary way, the liquor in which vegetables have been cooked is valuable and should be made use of. Vegetable Marrow. Peel thinly one or two vegetable marrows, cut each in half longways, and remove the seedy portion ; then cut into three or four pieces, place these in a well - buttered “Express” bag, with sufficient seasoned water, and close up the bag securely. Put it on a grid in a moderately heated oven and cook for about 18 minutes. Stuffed Vegetable Marrow. Peel a good sized vegetable marrow, cut it in half lengthways, remove the seeds from the centre, then cut each half crossways. Prepare a stuffing in the usual way with two tablespoonfuls of finely chopped beef suet, two tablespoonfuls of chopped ham, one teaspoonful of chopped parsley, two tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs, and bind with a beaten egg. Fill the cavities of the marrow with the prepared stuffing, sprinkle over a few bread crumbs, and distribute a few tiny bits of butter on top. Place the prepared marrow in a well buttered paper-bag with very little water or stock, fold in and fasten the ends well, place on a grid shelf or trivet in a well heated oven, and cook for about 40 minutes ; slit the bag open, take out the marrow, dish up neatly, and serve hot. Cucumber can be cooked in the same way. Fried Bananas. Choose firm, not over ripe, bananas, peel them, and cut each in half lengthwise ; dip in milk and then in seasoned oatmeal. Brush over the inside of a paper-bag with clarified butter or olive oil. Put in a layer of thinly cut bacon, and over these the bananas, sprinkle a little clarified butter over the bananas, close up the bag and fasten with clips ; bake on a grid shelf for about 15 minutes. Take up the bananas, season them lightly with Cayenne or paprika pepper, dish up, garnish with slices of fried bacon and slices of lemon, and serve. Bananas with Bacon. This makes an excellent breakfast dish. Take six bananas, not over ripe, peel them, and cut each in half lengthways ; season with salt and pepper, and put each half on a slice of streaky bacon. Place these in a well buttered paper-bag, fasten the ends securely as above directed, and bake in a hot oven for about 12 minutes or longer ; it will not spoil. Bananas and Cream. Put six green bananas, together with half a gill of cold water, into a well buttered “Express” bag, place it on a wire grid into the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Unfasten the bag, peel the bananas and put them on a hot dish. Pour over half a gill of cream mixed with one yolk of egg ; season with salt and pepper, and serve. Broad Beans.