Harper's cook book encyclopædia

of mace, two or three shallots, and two cloves may be stewed with the tomatoes, but most lovers of tomatoes prefer that they should retain their distinctive character, and consider that tomato sauce is spoiled if it is flavored with other ingredients. Tomatoes vary so much in size and juiciness that it is difficult to give the exact quantity of liquor required for them. It should be remembered, however, that the sauce should be of the consistency of thick cream, and that if it is too thick a little more gravy should be added ; if too thin, it should be boiled down very quickly for a short time. Time to simmer the tomatoes, about an hour. See also Sauces for other recipes of tomato sauce. Tomatoes, Stewed (Portuguese way). — Slice half a dozen ripe tomatoes, season with pepper and salt, and put little pieces of butter here and there upon them. Mince two onions finely, sprinkle them over the tomatoes, cover the saucepan closely, and steam them for a quarter of an hour. Afterwards pour a quarter of a pint of good brown gravy over them, stir frequently, and let them simmer gently until done enough. Have ready ¾ lb. of freshly boiled rice. Stir this in with the tomatoes, and mix the ingredients thoroughly. Turn the whole upon a hot dish, and send a little more brown sauce to table in a tureen. Time, about one hour to stew the tomatoes. Tomatoes, Stewed Whole. — Take six or eight ripe tomatoes of medium size. Remove the stalks, and arrange the fruit in a stewpan in a single layer. Pour over them as much good brown gravy as will reach to half their height, stew them gently until they are done enough, and turn them over carefully once or twice that they may be equally cooked. Thicken the gravy with a little flour and butter, season with pepper and salt, and let it boil two or three minutes after the thickening is added. Serve Tomatoes, Stuffed VEGETABLES Turnips, Boiled the tomatoes very hot with the sauce round them. Time to stew, twenty to twenty-five minutes. Tomatoes, Stuffed, Garnished with Ham. — Wash six medium-sized tomatoes, not too ripe, and about of the same size. Make a small opening from the stem side, and with a coffeespoon remove all the seeds ; drain them well ; sprinkle the inside with half a salt-spoonful of salt, and have the following stuffing prepared : Put in the chopping-bowl ¾ lb. of lean ham, cooked ; chop it, and add one pint of coarse white crumbs, two table-spoonfuls of chopped parsley, one mediumsized white onion, chopped fine, two cloves of garlic, chopped very fine ; add one salt-spoonful of salt and one of black pepper, and two table-spoonfuls of butter divided in six lumps. Mix everything well ; take care that the butter is evenly divided so each tomato gets the same quantity of it. Fill up the tomatoes as full as possible, about half an inch over ; sprinkle a little of the white bread-crumb on the top, and place them in a small baking-pan, where you have put one gill of olive oil or clarified butter. Bake the tomatoes for twenty minutes in a moderate oven, basting twice. Serve them very hot, with a crown of sliced ham prepared as follows : Cut very thin 1 lb. of lean ham, cooked. Put in a small saucepan two gills of good broth, one gill of Madeira ; add one teaspoonful of flour and one of butter, previously mixed together ; boil for a few minutes to reduce to half the quantity.