A year's cookery

Broth on Toast. — Cut a slice of stale bread about half an inch thick ; take off the crust and toast lightly on both sides. Lay the toast in a soup-plate, pour over a cupful of any hot soup, set in the oven for a few minutes, and serve hot. A Poached Egg laid in half a pint of hot clear soup furnishes a very agreeable meal for an invalid. SOLID FOODS. Fish. White flat fish are generally regarded as most suitable food for invalids, being less rich, and consequently more digestible than round fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and cod. As a rule, the simpler modes of cooking are to be preferred to the more elaborate ones, and rich sauces are to be avoided. Boiling, broiling, and frying are the processes most frequently approved. When fish is to be boiled, only a small quantity of water (enough to cover) should be used ; much water makes the fish insipid. If the fish can be boiled in stock instead of water, so much the better ; when fish is filleted, the bones may be used to make a little stock for this purpose. Well-boiled fish is almost always acceptable. Fried fish, too, is very good. It need not be in the least greasy if plenty of fat is used, if the fat is made quite hot, and if the fish be laid on grease paper before being served. Oysters are frequently recommended for the use of invalids. When fine and fresh, they are best eaten raw, with pepper and lemon-juice, and a little brown bread-and-butter. Or, to make variety, they may be prepared as follows : — Boast Oysters. — Wash the shells well, then lay them, deep shell downwards, on the bar of the stove, or on the shovel placed on the coals over a clear fire. When the shells open the oysters are done. Have ready pepper, lemon -juice, and thin brown bread-and-butter, and serve immediately in the shells. When there is an open fire in the sick-room, an invalid will sometimes quite enjoy having oysters cooked thus in his presence, and they can be served quite hot. Stewed Oysters. — Open half a dozen oysters carefully, to save as much as possible of the oyster broth. Put with the latter enough milk to cover the oysters ; then scald the oysters in the milk and broth, and remove them from the fire the moment the broth begins to boil. Strain off the oysters, and thicken the sauce with a level dessertspoonful of flour for every gill of liquor. Stir and cook well, and add a tablespoonful of cream and a little pepper. Mince the oysters, stir them into the sauce, cover closely, and cook gently by the side of the fire for three minutes, but on no account let the preparation boil. Oysters thus prepared may, if liked, be served on toast. Scalloped Oysters. — Prepare three oysters according to the above recipe, reducing every ingredient proportionately. Take a scallop shell, butter it inside and line it with fine bread-crumbs. Put in the mixture, shake bread-crumbs over the top, and make hot in the oven. Serve in the shell. A sole, daintily cooked, is almost invariably welcomed by a con¬ valescent. A variety of recipes for cooking the same will be found on referring to the Index. Meats.