The Cook County cook book

VARIATION I. — Use 1 can of asparagus, cut off the tips, and lay them aside. Cut up the stalks, cover with 4 cups of cold milk (or Yi water and Yt. milk), and let cook slowly in a double boiler for Yt. hr.; then strain, pressing the asparagus to extract the flavor. Return to the saucepan, add 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of butter, into which 1 teaspoon of flour has been made smooth, season generously with salt and pepper, add the asparagus tips, 1 cup of milk, and just before serving, 1 tablespoon of whipped cream. A tablespoon of minced onion, fried for 10 minutes in butter, is sometimes added to the stalks while cooking. — Mrs. Roger Rawlings, Chicago Heights, 111. VARIATION II. — 2 qts. of chicken or other white stock, 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 bunches of asparagus, 1 qt. milk, just as much flour as the butter will dissolve. Cut off the heads of the asparagus and set aside, cut up stalks and put in stock to iboil 1 hr. Boil the heads in salted water, melt flour and butter, stir the milk until it cooks; strain stock, stir in butter and milk, and season. Before serving, add the asparagus heads and J4 cup of cream. — Mrs. Joseph, Bartlett, 111. ASPARAGUS CREAM SOUP.— Cut off the ends of the asparagus for about 2 inches, and hoil the rest until tender. Rub the vegetables through a very coarse sieve and salt the pulp. Boil a pt. of milk, mix Yi teaspoon of butter with J4 teaspoon of flour, and stir into the milk. Add the asparagus and boil about 10 minutes, keeping it agitated. Meanwhile boil the ends for about 15 minutes, drain, and place them in a soup tureen. Add 2 tablespoons of creara to the soup and pour it into the tureen without boiling again. Serve at once. — Mrs. C. J. Jeffries, Winnetka, 111. BANANA SOUP. — Rub to a paste with a wooden spoon 8 ripe bananas, sprinkle over these 1 tablespoon of corn starch and a little salt; bring to scalding point 3 pts. of milk, stir into it, slowly, the banana paste and 1 egg, beaten lightly. Let all boil 2 minutes, and serve with croutons. — E. G. Harris, Winnetka, 111. BARLEY BROTH.— Put 2-lb. shin of beef in 1 gal. of water. Add 1 cup of pearl barley, 3 large onions cut up fine, a small bunch of parsley, minced, 3 slices potatoes, a little thyme, pepper and salt to taste. Simmer steadily 3 hrs., stir often, so that meat will not burn. Do not let it 'boil. Always stir soup or broth with a wooden spoon. — Mrs. E. D. Kelley, Winnetka, 111. BARLEY SOUP.— Soak 3 tablespoons of barley for 3 hrs. in cold water. Strain, and put it to cook for 1 hr. in 1 qt. of boiling bouillon; add a J4 pt. of cream, boil and serve. — Mrs. Robert Randall, 908 S. 8th Ave., Maywood, 111. WHITE BARLEY SOUP.— Soak a cup of barley for several hrs. in enough water to cover it; then boil in a qt. of veal stock until tender and clear. Season with a teaspoon of onion juice, a tablespoon of minced parsley, and with celery salt and white pepper to taste. Thicken a pt. of scalding milk with a white roux, pour the hot soup slowly upon this, and serve. — Mrs. Clark Mason, Bensen, 111.