Harper's cook book encyclopædia

i lb. of almonds, dry them well in a soft cloth, cut them into quarters, put them on a baking sheet in a cool oven, and let them remain until quite hot through and lightly browned. When they are nearly ready, put 1⁄2 lb. of sifted sugar into a copper pan, without any water, and move it about with a wooden spoon. When it is melted and begins to bubble, stir in the hot almonds gently, so as not to break them. Have ready the mould which is to be used, slightly but thoroughly oiled, and spread the paste all over it about a quarter of an inch thick. This is the difficult part of the operation, as the nougat hardens very quickly. The pan in which it is prepared should be kept in a warm place, to prevent it stiffening before the mould is finished. It is a good plan to spread out a piece for the bottom of the mould first, and put that in its place, then pieces for the sides. Care must be taken, however, to make these pieces stick closely together. A cut lemon dipped in oil is a great assistance in spreading the paste. When the nougat is firmly set, turn it out carefully, and serve on a stand filled with whipped cream or as required. Time to boil the sugar, till it is well melted. Nouilles. See Noodles. Nuts. — The following recipes calling for nuts will be found under their respective headings : Nut Bars. See Candy. .. Cream. See Creams. .. Fruit Cake. See Cakes. .. Layer Cake. See Cakes. Oatmeal. — Oats are rich in fleshforming and heat-giving qualities, and serve as a nutritious and excellent diet when the occupation is not sedentary. The outer husk of oats, unlike wheat, is poor in albumenoid matters, so that oatmeal is better than whole oats as food. Oatmeal is remarkable for its large amount of fat. In consequence of a peculiar quality of the gluten which oats contain, oatmeal does not admit of being baked into a light fermented bread. It. has sometimes been alleged against oatmeal that when it is employed as the sole food, without milk or animal diet, it causes heat and irritability of the skin, aggravates skin diseases, and sometimes gives rise to boils. If so, it is very rarely that circumstances render necessary for any length of time such an exclusive consumption of oatmeal. Oatmeal Crisps. See Bread. Oatmeal Gruel. See Gruel. Oatmeal Porridge. See Porridge. Olla Podrida. — Put iJ/2 lbs. of beef or veal into a soup-pot, with a gallon of cold water, i % lbs. of dried pease, one good slice of raw, lean ham, and any scraps of game or poultry that you may have at hand. Set the pot on the back of the stove, cover it closely, and let it simmer slowly for an hour ; then skim, and add salt to the taste. Return the pot to the fire, and, after cooking for another half-hour, pour off the broth, which is to be served separately from the other ingredients. Now add as many more vegetables as you like, peeled, cut up, and properly prepared, and, stirring constantly to prevent burning, let the mass cook until every vegetable is done through. The meat, vegetables, and broth are all to be served separately — that is to say, on different dishes — but all are eaten together. The vegetables used vary with the season ; tomatoes give tone to the dish in summer, parsley in the spring, but cabbage is never admitted at any season. Okra Soup. See Soups, .. and Rice. See Vegetables. .. and Tomatoes. .. Boiled. .. Fried.