Miss Corson's practical American cookery and household management

This form of cooking eggs is a modification of baking them. Small earthen dishes are used, each one holding an egg; the dishes are buttered, an egg put into each one without mixing the white and yolk, and a little salt and pepper dusted over the eggs; the dishes are then placed upon the back of the stove, or in a moderate oven, until the whites of the eggs are set ; the dishes are then sent to the table, and the eggs eaten from them. When the eggs are cooked in the oven, they should be covered with a buttered paper to prevent the browning of the surface. POACHED EGGS WITH HAM. Have ready about a quarter of a pound of cold boiled ham, in one piece, trimmed free from fat ; make a dish of very delicate buttered toast ; break half a dozen eggs into separate cups, without breaking the yolks; put over the fire a frying-pan half full of boiling salted water, add half a cupful of vinegar to it, slip the eggs gently into it without breaking them, and cook them to the required degree; while the eggs are being cooked, grate the ham ; when the eggs are done, take them up on a skimmer, slip each one on a slice of toast, lay a tablespoonful of grated ham on • each egg, and serve them at once. Plain poached eggs are served on toast without the addition of the grated ham. Eggs poached in gravy are very good. RELISHES (HORS-D'ŒUVRES). 255 FRIZZLED BEEF AND EGGS. Put a quarter of a pound of sliced dried beef in a frying-pan over the fire, with milk or water enough to cover it, and let it cook slowly for five minutes ; then pour off the liquid, and add in its place a tablespoonful of butter and six raw eggs ; stir the beef and eggs together over the fire, season them palatably with salt and pepper, and serve them as soon as they are cooked to the desired degree. FRIED EGGS. Usually ham is fried as an accompaniment for eggs, the e^gs being cooked in the pan after the ham is done ; but eggs can be fried in drippings, lard, or butter. Have ready in the frying-pan enough fat to half cover the eggs ; break the eggs in separate cups or saucers, and slip them into the hot fat; "if the eggs are to be cooked hard, either dip the hot fat up over them with a spoon, or turn them entirely over in it without breaking the yolks; when the eggs are cooked to the desired degree, dust over them a little pepper and salt, and serve them. SCRAMBLED EGGS. This is a favorite dish for luncheons or breakfasts. The eggs are broken into a frying-pan containing about a teaspoonful of butter for each egg, and a palatable seasoning of salt and pepper ; the eggs are then stirred over the fire until they are done to the desired degree, and then served hot. The eggs may be scrambled at the table, in a chafingdish. OMELETS. There is an infinite variety of omelets, named from the specjal flavor or seasoning given by any predominating ingredient. The sweet light omelets are used either for breakfast or plain desserts ; the plain omelets are suitable for breakfast and luncheon. In the parsley and fines herbes omelets, the chopped herbs are mixed with the eggs before the omelet is cooked ; grated ham, tongue, and cheese are also mixed in the same way. Separate recipes are given for other omelets, where the special ingredient used is enclosed in the omelet. SARDINE OMELET.