French dishes for American tables

442. Puree of French Chestnuts. Remove the shells from two pounds of French chestnuts, put them in a frying-pan on the fire, with an ounce and a half of lard. Turn them over in the pan every now and then, and when you see that the species of skin which covers them is softened, and may be removed without difficulty, take them off the fire, for the purpose of doing so. Then put them in a saucepan, with a quart of consomme (stock, Art. 1), and, when the chestnuts are perfectly soft, drain them, press them through a sieve, heat them again with four ounces of butter, a pinch of salt and sugar, and serve. 443. Puree of Artichokes. Take the under part of ten artichokes, from which all leaves have been removed. Boil them in water and a little salt, drain them, and put them in a saucepan with a tablespoonful of flour, a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and a glass and a half of consomme (stock, Art. 1). Boil twenty minutes, press through a sieve. Heat again on the fire, and serve as a vegetable, or garnish to meat or poultry. 444. Puree of Jerusalem Artichokes. Scrape and wash fifteen Jerusalem artichokes, boil them until tender in a pint of consomme (stock, Art. 1). Drain them, press them through a sieve, put them in a saucepan, with two ounces of butter, a pinch of salt and pepper, and, when hot, serve. 445. Jerusalem Artichokes au Gratin. Prepare and cook some artichokes exactly as for cauliflower au gratin (Art. 363). 446. Puree of Green Peas. Wash a quart of green peas, which put in a saucepan on the fire, with three pints of water, very little salt and pepper, half an ounce of ham, an onion cut in slices, and boil until soft. Then press them through a sieve, heat them again on the fire, adding four ounces of butter, a pinch of sugar, and serve. CHAPTER VI. EGGS. 447. Poached Eggs. Put in a flat saucepan three pints of water, a tablespoonful of vinegar, and two pinches of salt. When the water boils, break your eggs into it, and let them poach two or three minutes ; lift them out with a skimmer, and serve each egg on toast. 448. Fried Eggs. Heat an ounce of butter in a frying-pan, break into it eight eggs, fry three or four minutes, lift them out with a skimmer ; serve plain, or with broiled ham or bacon cut in very thin slices. 449. Eggs sur le Plat. Butter well the bottom of a dish, in which break eight eggs ; put them in a hot oven for four or five minutes, and serve. 450. Scrambled Eggs. Break a dozen eggs into a moderate-sized flat saucepan into which you have put two ounces of butter, a pinch of salt and white pepper, and half a glass of milk, stirring all together with a wooden spoon. When the eggs are thickened to a proper consistency, serve very hot. 451. Scrambled Eggs with Peas. Same as foregoing, adding half a pint of boiled peas. 452. Scrambled Eggs with Asparagus. Proceed as for the foregoing, and, instead of peas, add the green ends of a bunch of asparagus. 453. Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes. Proceed as for scrambled eggs (Art. 450), adding a quarter of a can of tomatoes, from which you have drained the liquid. 454. Scrambled Eggs with Truffles. Proceed as for scrambled eggs, adding a small box of chopped truffles.