Choice cookery

stamp out the same number of rounds with a fancy 2 inch cutter, stamp the centres out of the latter with a fancy 1 inch cutter. Paint over the top of the large rounds with beaten egg, then place on the top of those the smaller rounds with the centres removed, paint the top again with egg, and bake 15 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the oysters as follows : Put the butter into a saucepan and melt it, add the flour and stir until smooth, then add the cream and liquid from the oysters, salt, pepper, cayenne, and lemon juice, boil three minutes ; this should be a thick white sauce resembling whipped cream. Beard the oysters, and drop them into boiling water for half a minute, divide into two or three according to size, add to sauce with the grated cheese and one hard-boiled egg chopped very fine ; with this fill each of the pastry cases, cover alternately with the chopped lobster, white and yolk of egg, and parsley. VEGETABLES. No. 64. DRESSED ARTICHOKES (GLOBE). 6 artichokes 2 tablespoonfuls minced lean ham 2 tablespoonfuls minced fat bacon Pepper, salt Yolks of 3 eggs £ pint good brown stock 1 doz. button mushrooms A dessertspoonful minced parsley 1 small onion or shallot A dust of sweet herbs A little grated lemon rind £ oz. glaze Trim the artichokes, and put them into a pan, with plenty of boiling water, and containing about 1 teaspoonful of salt to each quart ; boil 40 minutes ; lift them out to drain ; meanwhile, prepare a forcemeat as follows: — Put the mushrooms, ham, bacon, parsley (minced), with herbs, lemon rind, and seasoning, into a frying-pan, fry 5 minutes; stir in the yolk, remove the centres from the artichokes with a small knife, fill with the forcemeat, put them into a saucepan, pour round the stock, and simmer slowly 10 minutes ; dish carefully ; add to the gravy J oz. glaze, reduce to onethird by fast boiling, strain over the artichokes, and serve. This gravy may be thickened if liked. No. 65. JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES A LA CREME. Wash the artichokes and peel them, boil them 15 minutes in plenty of water containing a little salt, lemon juice, and butter ; drain them, and pour over melted butter, with £ pint of cream stirred into it. Serve hot. 4 5 No. 66. ASPARAGUS A LTTALIENNE. Pick and wash the asparagus carefully, tie up in bundles of about fifteen heads, and cut the stalks evenly about seven inches long ; throw these into a pan with plenty of boiling water containing a teaspoonful of salt to each quart, and a pinch of soda ; boil 15 to 20 minutes, lift out and drain on a towel; dish on a fried crouton or a thick slice of buttered toast. Pour over the stalk ends a little white Italian sauce (page 197), and serve the remainder in a tureen. The asparagus may be prepared and cooked as above, and served with a white or melted butter sauce. No. 67. FRENCH BEANS A LA PARISIENNE. 1 to 2 lbs. of beans 1 dessertspoonful chopped parsley A dust of sweet herbs A few drops of lemon juice 2 oz. butter 1 teaspoonful flour 1 tablespoonful of cream A dust of nutmeg A small onion or shallot, minced