My mother's cook book

While the leeks are boiling, mix together in a saucepan placed over the fire, the butter and flour, to which add the stock by degrees, and let all cook for two minutes, after which season with the pepper, throw in the nutmeg and one ounce of the cheese. FRENCH OR STRING BEANS. "3 When the leeks are done take them from the boiling water, drain them, and place them upon a gratin-dish. Pour over them half of the sauce from the saucepan, sprinkle over with the remainder of the cheese and placing the dish in a quick oven let all become slightly browned. When browned remove the dish from the oven pour around the leeks the remaining sauce and serve. Note. — ^When a silver gratin-dish is not available, an ordinary flat dish may be used, with the consideration that it must be something that will not be injured by the heat and also that the preparation must be served in the same dish in which it is baked, French or String Beans. — Provide : One quart of beans, two ounces of butter, one saltspoonf ul of pepper, one dessert spoonful of salt, one grain of cayenne. First string the beans observing always to begin at the stem end of the pod when the strings will strip easily downward. Lay them flat upon a board and with a sharp knife cut them through the centres lengthwise, when they must be gathered into small bunches of equal size and secured with a piece of twine. Place the bunches now into a saucepan two-thirds full of boiling water in which the salt has been disolved and boil them for twenty minutes if the beans are very young, but if older they will require quite half an hour to become tender. When done drain off the water, and transferring each little bunch to a vegetable dish and cutting the strings arrange them neatly therein. Melt the butter, season it with the cayenne and pep per and pour it over all just before serving. VMGETABLRS. Note, — String beans are sometimes served cut in small squares and with a sauce of melted butter and milk, seasoned with salt and pepper. Stewed Tomatoes. — Provide : two quarts of fresh tomatoes, two ounces of butter, two milk crackers, onehalf teaspoonful of pepper, one half teaspoonf ul of salt. Put the tomatoes into a saucepan two-thirds filled with boiling water and let them boil until the skins begin to crack and curl. Take them from the water, drain them in a cullender, and when thoroughly drained, dry the bottom of the cullender and rub the tomatoes through it. Return them to the saucepan and let them stew slowly for one hour when the butter, pepper and salt must be added and just before serving stir in the crackers which must have been crushed fine with a rolling pin preparatory to using. Note — ^Canned tomatoes may be prepared also in this way except that having already been cooked in the process of canning they require only to be drained, made fine, and thoroughly heated. Stewed Celery. — Prepare : one head of celery, two ounces of butter, one ounce of flour, three gills of milk, one-half teaspoonful of pepper, one teaspoonful of salt Wash the celery thoroughly, cut it into inch-lengths when it should be put into a saucepan, covered with boiling water and cooked until tender, the length of time for which depends entirely upon the age and quality of the celery. When tender the water must be poured off, the milk and flour mixed together in a bowl, which season with the pepper and salt and povirin^ it over the celery, return the BOILED BEETS. "5 saucepan to the fire, stirring all until the milk boils, when the butter must be added and the stew served hot. Boiled Beets, — Provide : six medium sized beets, one-half pint of vinegar, one blade of mace, one-half teaspoonful of white peppercorns, one-half teaspoonful of black peppercorns, one ounce of butter, one teaspoqnful of salt. .