The "Queen" cookery books: Vegetables

Be careful in lifting it, for the heads break very easily, Asparagus served plain thus is known on menus c 2 as asperges en branches, sauce, rfc., according to the sauce chosen. Asparagus left over from a previous meal is also delicious if the tender part is cut into inch lengths, two or three pieces being dipped together in good frying batter, and dropped into boiling fat till delicately coloured, then well drained, dusted lightly with coralline pepper, and served as pointes d'asperges en beignets, or asparagus fritters. Or lay the cooked asparagus in a well-buttered and crumb-sprinkled piedish, dusting each row, as it is put in, with white pepper, a little salt, and grated Parmesan cheese, finish off with seasoned white breadcrumbs, a squeeze of lemon juice, and sufficient oiled butter to moisten it all, and bake till hot and lightly coloured ; serving it as scalloped A. or A. au gratin. Or cut the green part of the cooked asparagus into pieces the size of peas, and toss these in a pan, with sufficient butter to moisten it, pepper, salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice, over a slow fire till hot, and serve as A. en petits pois. For obvious reasons, unless there is any asparagus left over, it is better, for this dish, to use asparagus sprue (long slender sprouts which run up after the blanching of the asparagus is over), as these have the right flavour, but are cheaper, as they are useless for decorative purposes. Asparagus sprue treated as above and inserted in the folds of a savoury or cheese omelet, makes a delicious and uncommon dish. Aubergine, Brinjal, or Egg Plant (by all of which names this vegetable is known), is one that is every year more often seen, and deserves far more attention than it has hitherto attained. It certainly offers an agreeable change at a season when vegetable changes are hard to discover, and may be cooked in the following ways : A ubergine, baked.— Choose the vegetables as much of a size as possible, wash them and set them on a baking tin in the oven (a moderate one), and bake from one to one and a half hours, turning them now and again whilst cooking. These are excellent with roast meat. They may be roasted also in an American oven in front of the fire, cooking them very slowly, and placing a tiny pat of butter on each as you send it to table. grilled. — Slice the aubergine through in ^in. thick slices, and grill them over a clear fire. When nicely browned on both sides send to table on a hot dish, sprinkled with a little salt, and freshly ground black pepper. stuffed. — Scoop the centre of the fruit out and fill it with any nice mince (such as you would use for stuffed tomatoes), raising it in a dofiie shape and scattering it with browned sifted breadcrumbs, bake for twenty-five to thirty minutes. Or, peel and halve the aubergines, remove the centre, and mince this finely with some chives, parsley, the pulp of a tomato or two (according to the number cooked), minced parsley, the yolk of one or more hard-boiled eggs, some well-washed and boned anchovies minced, a little grated Parmesan cheese, and some crumb of bread scalded either in boiling stock or seasoned boiling water, and squeezed fairly dry. Stuff the aubergine with this mixture, dust with sifted and browned crumbs, sprinkle with oil, set in a baking tin with a little oil and water in it, and bake in the oven.