The "Queen" cookery books: Entrees

instead of rounding it. A hot rice border is made in two ways : either the rice is plainly cooked, and piled loosely round the dish, as for curry, or it is moulded. For this latter boil the rice in the usual way, till tender, but do not dry it; then press it tightly into a well buttered mould, cover it with a buttered paper, place another paper folded in the bain-marie pan, set the mould on this, and poach it in the bain-marie for half an hour or so, and then turn out. If to be used cold, cook some milk or stock in a well buttered pan (this prevents any risk of sticking), and when this is hot, but not boiling, put in the rice (allowing 2oz. of Carolina rice to the half pint of liquid), bring to the boil, then keep it at simmering point from thirty to forty-five minutes, till it has absorbed most, if not all, of the liquid, and is soft and plump, but not cooked to a pap. It should be covered with a buttered paper, and the lid of the pan kept on whilst cooking, being careful that it does not catch. When done, add to it a teaspoonful of cold water, or milk, and pour at once into a border mould previously well rinsed in cold water, and leave it till cold before turning it out. This is all the better for being iced. Another way to make rice border, or a centre for any dish, is to put therice on with cold water enough to cover it well, and! blanch it, then rinse in cold water, and return it to the pan with more cold water, cover with a butteredi paper, bring to the boil, and then simmer it very slowly in the oven, or at the side of the stove, for two and a half to three hours, adding a little more water now and again, as required. When cooked and quite dry, pound it till quite smooth, and work it to a ball with your hands dipped in cold water (to avoid its sticking), dry well on a clean cloth, and press it tightly into a well buttered plain mould, and weight it down firmly till perfectly cold, when it can be turned out and used, or cut to any desired shape. The first method given can also be used cold, but must be turned out whilst hot. Breadcrumbs {Savoury). — Any odds and ends of stale bread should be put into the oven (carefully sorting the crumb from the crust), and thoroughly dried, without, however, letting it' colour; it is then crushed to a powder, sifted, and stored in widemouthed bottles tightly stoppered. These crumbs will be found far nicer for crumbing purposes than freshly made ones. When freshly grated crumbs are advised, they are often mixed with cheese, palt, pepper, parsley, &c. The usual proportions are loz. of freshly grated Parmesan cheese to 4oz. of breadcrumbs, and a plentiful seasoning of coralline pepper, salt, and minced parsley, to taste.