Mrs. Roundell's Practical cookery book

I think these “ salted beans have more flavour than the tinned ones, or than “ those that come from Madeira in the ■winter.” In the South of France French Beans are gathered when ripe, strung into the shape of large wreaths, and dried in the sun. But this cannot be done here. When French Beans are in perfection in England the sun is not powerful enough to dry them, and if dried indoors they only wither and decay. Preserved Flageolets for Second Course.— Blanch half a pound of green flageolet beans in boiling salt and water. Drain them after five minutes’ boiling, and give them a douche of cold water from the tap, and drain this off. Let the Flageolets cool while you fry two ounces of finely-minced onion in an ounce of butter over a low fire till turning brown. Then put in the Flageolets, turn them about with the butter and onions for a minute, and moisten with warm broth and tomato pulp in equal proportions sufficient to cover them. Simmer now gently till the Flageolets are tender, skimming off the butter as it rises. Lastly, stir in two tablespoonfuls of grated Parmesan, and serve with short-paste biscuits. [Wyvem.] For the biscuits see Spinach. Haricot Beans. — These beans, the dried and matured beans of the pods eaten in a green state as Scarlet Runners, ought to be far more used than is at present the case, for they are very nutritious and extremely wholesome. The kind known as the White Soissons should be selected. Haricots need to be soaked in cold water for many hours ; twelve, sixteen, even twenty-four hours are often required, and plenty of water must be used. When the Haricots have been sufficiently soaked drain them well, and put them on in enough cold salted water to cover them. Let them boil gradually, and after they have come to the boil draw the pan to the side of the fire and let the Haricots simmer slowly till they are perfectly soft. This process may take from two to three hours. Be careful not to add more salt, or the beans will crack. When they are cooked, strain them in a colander, and they can then be served in various ways. The water in which Haricot beans have been boiled and stewed is full of nourishment ; it is probably the best form of eau de cuisson. It may even be used for the broth called crèmes au pot, when meat is disliked, and it makes the best basis for mulligatawny. Haricots in Gravy. — Soak a pint of Haricots as above, then stew them slowly for two hours in broth, and serve with a clear gravy. Or lay a pint of well soaked and boiled Haricots in the gravy of a leg or a shoulder of roast mutton. In this case Sir HARICOTS IN GRAVY Henry Thompson says that with a good supply of the gravy from the joint, and a little salt and pepper, some persons think that “ the Haricots are by no means the worst part of the mutton.” Haricots with Butter. — When thoroughly cooked and strained put the Haricots in a pan with an ounce of butter, and two tablespoonfuls of melted butter which has been mixed with broth. Add salt and pepper, the juice of half a lemon, and one teaspoonful of minced parsley. Toss one pint of beans in this till they are well mixed and quite hot. Haricots may be served a la maitre d’hotel by stirring them, when quite soft, into half a pint of good parsley-andbutter sauce to one pint of Haricots.