Harper's cook book encyclopædia

away the stalk and the green leaves, and divide a cauliflower into quarters. Put the branches into a little vinegar and water, then put them into a stewpan with some boiling water with a table - spoonful of salt in it, and let them boil until they are done. This may be ascertained by taking a little piece between the finger and thumb, and if, though still firm, it gives way easily, it is sufficiently cooked. Drain the cauliflower and arrange it neatly in a dish. Pour over it a pint of good, melted butter. Time to boil, about twelve minutes. Cauliflowers, Fried. — Boil the cauliflowers till about half done. Mix two table-spoonfuls of flour with two yolks of eggs, then add water enough Cauliflowers au Gratin VEGETABLES Cauliflowers to make a rather thin paste ; add salt to taste ; the two whites are beaten till stiff, and then mixed with the yolks, flour, and water. Dip each branch of the cauliflowers into the mixture, and fry them in hot fat. When done, take them off with a skimmer, turn into a colander, dust salt all over, and serve warm. Cauliflowers au Gratin. — Cleanse, trim, and quarter one or two large cauliflowers. Throw them into boiling water, and let them remain for five minutes ; drain and boil them in plenty of salted water until they are ready. While they are boiling, mix smoothly together in a stewpan I oz. of butter and I oz. of flour, add a quarter of a pint of cold water and a little pepper and salt. Let the sauce boil, and stir it over the fire for ten minutes. Put in with it I oz. of grated Parmesan cheese and one table-spoonful of cream, and take the saucepan from the fire. Cut the cauliflowers into neat pieces ; lay half of these in a tureen, pour a little of the sauce over them, and add the remainder of the vegetables and the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle a large table-spoonful of bread-raspings and another of grated Parmesan over the top, and bake the preparation in a hot oven until it is nicely browned. Serve very hot. Time to brown, a quarter of an hour. Cauliflower, Pain of, with Cream Sauce. — Trim the leaves and wash well a good-sized cauliflower ; put one teaspoonful of salt in four quarts of boiling water, and add half a cupful of flour. This will take off most of the strong odor of the cauliflower, but, above all, will keep it white. Put the cauliflower in the boiling water and cook about thirty minutes ; remove and drain well, so that no water is left. Pass it through a colander. Soak one pint of white bread-crumbs in warm milk, squeeze it well, and pass it also through the colander. Put it in the chopping-bowl with the cauliflower. Add the yolks of three raw eggs, one table-spoonful of butter, a half - teaspoonful of salt, one saltspoonful of pepper ; mix very well together, and finish by adding the three whites of eggs, beaten very stiff. Mix again lightly Butter a quart mould, pour the puree in it, and cover it. Have a saucepan half full of boiling water, so as to reach up to half an inch from the top of the mould. Cook constantly fortyfive minutes. Remove from the water, take the cover off, place a warm, round plate over the mould, and turn it over.