Cookery book and general axioms for plain cookery

N.B. — (1) If any flavouring is wished for, grated lemon rind is the most wholesome. (2) This is called Invalids’ Cake because there is no fat in it except the oil in the eggs. It is therefore very light and digestible if properly made. If the beating is done with a whisk, it will be lighter. INVALIDS’ PUDDING. Ingredients: — 3 stale sponge-cakes. I pint milk. Sugar to taste. Preserve or any fresh soft fruit. Method : — Slice the cake crossways, and if fresh fruit is used, crush it with a little sugar ; then put layers of cake and fruit or preserve in a small pie-dish, finishing with cake. Pour the milk over (taking care to soak the top layer of cake, or it will be dry) and bake about 20 minutes in a moderate oven. N.B. — A little grated lemon or orange rind, sprinkled on the cake instead of preserve or fruit, is sometimes preferred. SEMOLINA OR HOMINY PORRIDGE. Ingredients : — 1 tablespoonful semolina or hominy. 1 gill milk. 1 gill boiling water. A pinch of salt. Method : — Sprinkle the semolina into the water, add the salt, stir until it boils, and leave it to simmer about 20 minutes, then stir the milk in, and leave it by the side of the fire about ten minutes, but do not let it boil. Serve it poured neatly over a plate, with the edges quite free from droppings, and sprinkle it with castor or grated lump sugar. Hominy Porridge is made in the same way, though it is better soaked as for Hominy Blancmange (page 77). SAVOURY PUDDING. Ingredients : — 4 oz. fine oatmeal or flour. 4 oz. stale bread (scraps). 1 large or two small onions. 1 dessertspoonful sage. 1 teaspoonful sweet herbs (if liked). 1 oz. dripping or suet, or marrow. 1 egg- 1 pint milk. Salt and pepper to taste. A little nutmeg. Method Cut the bread in slices, take off the crust, put the bread m a basin, pour the milk over it, let it soak until quite soft then beat out all the lumps. Shred and chop the' 3uet veiy fine!}, add it to the bread, with the flour or oatmeal' and tlie onions boiled and chopped, sage, herbs, nutmeg, pepper and salt, then the egg well beaten. Melt a little fat in a baking tin (sufficient to cover the bottom), pour the mixture in, and bake about 1 hour in a hot oven. When done cut it in squares and serve like Yorkshire Pudding with pork, duck, or goose. VEGETABLE MARROW SOUP. Ingredients : — 2 lbs. vegetable marrow. 1 large onion (sliced and scalded). 1 oz. butter. 2 oz. flour. 1 teaspoonful sugar. 1 pint milk. 1A pints boiling water. Salt and pepper to taste. Method : — Peel and cut the marrow in squares, put them into a saucepan, add the onion, sugar, butter, and a little salt and pepper; put the lid on, and simmer about 10 minutes; then add the water, stew slowly 20 minutes, or until the vegetables pulp. Mix the flour to a smooth paste with a little milk, add the rest of the milk and stir it into the soup, continue stirring until it boils, season to taste, and serve with small squares of toast. N.B. — (1) Pumpkin or carrots may be used instead of the marrow, but the carrots would require longer cooking before the thickening be added. It is an improvement to rub the soup through a sieve before it is thickened. BEEF OLIVES. Ingredients : — lj lbs. beef steak. 1 pint boiling stock or water. 1 dessertspoonful flour. Forcemeat.