The housekeeper's companion

Succotash. — Take of dried sweet corn and white beans, one quart of dried sweet corn to one or two of beans. Put the beans to soak in a basin with water to cover them; rinse the corn in cold water, and put them in a basin with water to cover it, let them remain until the next day; within two hours of dinner time, pour the water from the beans, pick out any imperfections, and put them with the corn, with the water in which it is soaked, into a dinner-pot; cut a pound of nicely corned pork in thin slices, put it to the corn and beans, and put over them hot water, rather more than to cover them, add a very small red pepper, or a saltspoonful or cayenne, and cover the pot close; set it where it will boil very gently, for an hour and a half, then put it in a deep dish, add a bit of butter to it and serve. The pork may be scored, and not cut up, if preferred, and served in a separate dish. To Boil Salted or Corned Beef. — Wash the brine from a piece of corned beef and put it in a pot of hot (not boiling) water, take off the scum as it rises, then try if it is tender; let it boil gently. When it is done, take it up and press it between two plates. Cabbage, or spinach, or some other greens, are generally boiled with salt beef; put down the beef in time that it may be done before it is time to boil the vegetables, and set it to press while the vegetables are boiling. To Prepare the Cabbage. — Take off the discolored outside leaves, and cut each head in four; look well between the leaves to see that no insects are secreted; wash the quarters, and put them in the water in which the meat was boiled; set it over the fire and let it boil fast for three quarters of an hour; if you wish the potatoes boiled with it, choose large, equal sized ones, and put them in with the cabbage; when they are done take the potatoes into a covered dish, put the cabbage into a cullender, press out all the water. If you wish to have the meat hot, after pressing it, put it into the pot ten minutes before taking up the vegetables. Serve the cabbage and potatoes in covered dishes, and the meat on an oval dish. Parsnip Stew. — Cut half a pound of fat salt pork or bacon in slices, and a pound of beef or veal in bits, put them in a dinner-pot with very little water. Scrape some parsnips, and cut them in slices an inch thick, wash and put them to the meat; pare and cut six small sized potatoes in halves. Cover the pot close and set it over a bright fire for half an hour; then dredge in a tablespoonful of wheat flour, add a small bit of butter, and a small teaspoonful of pepper, stir it in, and set it over the fire to brown for fifteen minutes. Take the stew into a dish and serve. Lamb. — To Choose Lamb. — The vein in the neck of a forequarter of a lamb will be a fine blue, if it is fresh; if it is of a green or yellowish color it is stale. The hind-quarter first becomes tainted under the kidney. A fore-quarter includes the shoulder, neck and breast. The pluck is sold with the head, liver, heart and lights. The melt is not used with us. The fry contains the sweet-breads, skirts, and some of the liver. Lamb may be hashed, stewed, roasted, fried, broiled, or made in a pie, the same as veaL