Handbook of domestic science and household arts for use in elementary schools

Poached Egg. — In a saucepan, put a muffin ring. Cover it with boiling water. Add a pinch of salt. (Why ?) Into this ring carefully drop an egg. If the yolk breaks, reject it. At once set the pan to one side, and let the egg cook until the yolk has set and the white is translucent and a firm jelly. This will be in about fifteen minutes. In the meantime get ready pieces of toast somewhat larger than the rings. Moisten the crust with hot water, spread with butter. Lift and drain the eggs carefully with a skimmer, placing them on the square of toast. Remove the ring and garnish with a bit of green. Mutton From what animal is mutton obtained ? What parts of the sheep are cooked ? How ? Should it be well done or rare ? What sauce is served with it ? AVhat vegetables may be boiled with it ? Which will take the longer to cook ? At what temperature is albumen coagulated ? What objection to immersing the leg of mutton at once in water 165° F? What should we do? Why? Write recipes. Recipe for Boiled Mutton. — The fat of mutton is apt to be strong. Therefore trim off a part of it. Put the leg in enough boiling water to cover it. Let it boil fifteen minutes. Put the pot to one side and let it simmer for a length of time depending upon the size, allowing fifteen minutes to the pound. Half an hour before it is time to take off the meat, add a carrot and a turnip, cutting each into thick slices. In the meantime make ready chopped parsley or capers and a white sauce (see white sauce in Starchy Foods, and egg sauce in chapter on Fish). Put the mutton on a warm dish, smear it evenly and smoothly with white sauce, and sprinkle over it the chopped parsley. Garnish with the vegetables and serve with caper sauce. Shall we throw away the water ? Why not ? What does it contain besides the extraction of the meat ? What can we do with it ? For an individual recipe for boiled mutton, give the children each a small chunky piece, and cook as indicated in the full recipe given above, using the individual white sauce given in the chapter on Starchy Foods. Care should be taken to see that the meat is always just covered with water and no more. Recipe for an Economical Soup. — Add to such water the left overs that have been accumulating in the stock pot, viz., bones (these must be broken up), gravy, spoonfuls of vegetables, pieces of meat. Let this compound simmer for five or six hours. Strain into a bowl and leave uncovered to cool. Eemove the grease, and use as stock with rice or vegetables for soup. Recipe for Floating Island. — Put in a double boiler one cup of milk. Scald, but do not boil. Take it from the fire, adding it slowly, stirring all the time, to the slightly- beaten yolk of two eggs, to which a tablespoonf ul sugar and quarter of a saltspoon of salt have been added. Replace on the fire, stirring constantly until it is smooth and creamy. If it begins to grain, put the pan in cold water and beat vigorously with a Dover egg-beater. Eeturn to the fire. When it coats the spoon, strain it into two cold cups and add ten drops of vanilla. Beat to a stiff froth the white of the egg, divide it between the two custards, and set in the oven for a moment to brown.