Cookery book and general axioms for plain cookery

Method : — Mix the flour and salt together in a basin, and make a well in the centre. Break the egg into another basin, and if good, put it into the centre of the flour ; stir in enough milk to make the mixture a smooth batter, beat it well, then add the rest of the milk, and set it aside to swell. Cut the meat into nice pieces. Melt some dripping in a baking-tin or pie-dish ; pour the batter in, and then put in the meat, and bake in a quick oven at first, and then more gradually, to cook the meat, for about 1 hour. More fat can be added while cooking, if it appears dry. N.B. — (1) The meat retains its juices better if left whole. (2) Batter is lighter when the tin and fat have been made hot before putting it in. (3) Too much salt has the same effect on batter as it has on pastry, bread and cakes, making it heavy. FRUIT BAKED IN BATTER. A pound of any fresh fruit (not too acid, or it will curdle the batter) can be used instead of the meat, or figs, currants, raisins, or dates. PANCAKES. Ingredients : — 4 oz. flour. 1 egg- \ pint milk. A pinch of salt. Lard, castor sugar and a lemon or orange. d 2 Method : — Make the batter in the usual way, and set it aside as long as possible. Melt a piece of lard (about the size of a small nut) in a small frying-pan, and pour about lialf-a-teacup of batter in, raising the pan a little, or the cake will not be of equal thickness. Cook it over a moderate fire, and when browned on one side turn it carefully with a knife, or by tossing, and brown the other side also. Turn it on to kitchen paper, and roll it up. Repeat this until the batter is finished, and serve nicely on a hot dish with sugar and lemon, or orange juice to taste. They should be eaten at once. N.B. — (1) Lard or clarified fat is better than butter for frying pancakes with ; they are liable to stick with the latter. (2) They are sometimes preferred crisp, and served flat, not rolled ; more lard is then required, a hotter fire, and less batter for each cake. GRUEL. Ingredients: — 1 flat tablespoonful coarse oatmeal. 1 pint boiling water. A pinch of salt. Method: — Have the boiling water ready in a small saucepan, add the salt and sprinkle in the oatmeal. Stir until it boils again, and simmer very gently about one hour , stirring occasionally ; then strain and serve with sugar or more salt, according to taste, and a little butter if allowed. It is almost a jelly when cooked in this way, and most nourishing. If patent groats or fine oatmeal is used it will not require so long cooking. N.B. — A thin piece of orange or lemon rind improves the flavour very much, and when acids can be taken, a little of the juice makes it much more palatable. HARICOT BEANS. Ingredients : — 1 pint haricot beans. 1 oz. butter. £ teaspoonful salt. 1 tablespoonful chopped parsley. 3 pints boiling water. A little dripping. Salt and pepper to taste. Method : — Soak the beans overnight in cold water, and then strain them, and let them stand for a day or two, if possible. Put them into a saucepan with the boiling water and dripping, and I teaspoonful salt, and simmer gently two hours, or until quite soft. Drain the beans in a colander, return them to the saucepan with the butter, paisley, salt and pepper. Stir them over the fire five minutes, and serve in a hot vegetable dish.