The Ideal cook book

Dissolve the isinglass in the water, strain through muslin, set it again on the fire with the rind of the half lemon cut very thin, and the sugar ; let it simmer gently until well flavored, then take out the lemon peel, and stir the milk to the beaten yolks of the eggs; pour the mixture back into the saucepan, and hold it over the fire, keeping it stirred until it begins to thicken ; put it into a deep basin and keep it moved with a spoon until it is nearly cold, then pour it into the molds which have been laid in cold water, and set it in a cool place till firm. ‘This we can recommend for invalids, as well as for the table generally. 930. Water Gruel.—Ingredients—A large spoonful of oatmeal, water, salt and a little piece of butter. Rub smooth the oatmeal with two spoonfuls of water and pour itinto a pint of water boiling on the fire; stir well and boil quickly. In a quarter of an hour strain it off and add the salt and butter when eaten ; stir until the butter is thoroughly incorporated. 931—Effervescing Gruel.—Ingredients—Half a breakfast cupful of thin water gruel, 1 tablespoonful of sifted white sugar, a saltspoonful of carbonate of soda, juice of a lemon. Mix the soda and sugar well together and then put into the S1cK ROOM COOKERY. . 261 gruel, stirring thoroughly; have ready the lemon juice, strained, mix it in and drink immediately while it is effervescing and as hot as possible. 932. Barley Gruel—Ingredients—4 oz. of pearl barley, 2 qts. of water, a stick of cinnamon, sugar to taste. Wash the barley, boil it in the water with the cinnamon till reduced toa quart ; strain and return to the saucepan with remaining ingredients, keep on the fire about five minutes, stirring all the while. Pour into a jug and when wanted warm up again. 933. Hominy (1). Wash it in two or three waters, pour boiling water on it and let it soak for at least ten hours; then put it into a stewpan, allowing two quarts of water to one quart of hominy, and boil it slowly four or five hours, or until it is perfectly tender ; then drain it, put itintoadeep dish, add salt and a piece of butter and serve as a vegetable with meat. 934. Hominy (2). Put some water on the fire, and when it boils add a little salt ; drop in gradually the hominy, and boil fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring well all the time with a wooden spoon ; serve with milk orcream. If preferred it may be boiled in milk inthe same way. It also makes excellent puddings cooked in the same way as rice or tapioca, but it should be well soaked before cooking ; it may also be formed into shapes and served with jam or custard. 935. Ege Gruel.—Ingredients—Yolk of one egg, 1 tablespoonful of sugar, 24 of a cupful of boiling water, white of the egg. Beat the yolk of the egg with the sugar till very light; on this pour the boiling water, on the top put the white of the egg beaten to a stiff froth with a little sugar. 936. Custards—Ingredients—1 qt. of milk, 1 stick of cinnamon, the rind of a lemon, a few laurel leaves or bitter almonds, sugar to taste, the yolks of 8 eggs, the whites of 4, Boil the milk with cinnamon, lemon rind, laurel leaves and sugar ; well whisk the yolks with the whites of four eggs, adding a little milk, then strain into a dish. When the milk boils, take it off the fire and strain it; then stir the eggs into it; return the whole to the saucepan and set it on the fire again, stirring [illustration: The Dominion Cook Book.] constantly; let it come to the boiling point, then take itoffthe fire, pour it intoa large jug, and continue stirring it until it is nearly cold. It should now have the consistency of thick cream, and is ready for being poured into custard glasses; when the glasses are filled, grate a little nutmeg over them..