Louis' every woman's cook book

Cut the white parts of six leeks, one stalk of celery, and one onion into small strips about an inch long. Put them in a saucepan with a piece of butter the size of an egg. Cook slowly and stir occasionally. Let it cook for about ten minutes, but do not let it change colour. Moisten with two quarts of good chicken broth, and when it comes to a boil, skim off well. Then add a pint of potatoes, cut the size and shape of a dime, and onequarter of a cup of rice. Let the whole boil until tender, When Served. Guests. Remarks. and lastly add half of a breast of a cooked fowl, cut in small strips like the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Dried prunes, previously cooked in water, and cut in small pieces, may be added if desired. When Served. Guests. Remarks. ESSENCES ESSENCE OF MUSHROOM ^ Pound one pound of fresh mushrooms (white ones preferred) to a pulp. Mix well with the whites of three eggs and a half of a stalk of celery (cut up). Then add three quarts of chicken broth, and let it boil slowly for an hour. Strain through a cloth and season with salt and pepper. Serve in cups. Add bread croutons if served in plates. Do not use tin pans to cook this essence. It will turn very dark in that kind of a vessel. Agate saucepans, or tin-lined copper saucepans should be used. ESSENCE OF TOMATOES ^ Cut up two quarts of fresh ripe tomatoes, and put them in a saucepan with the whites of three eggs, one-half a carrot, an onion, and a few wings, necks, and gizzards of chicken, also a pound of knuckle of veal, finely chopped. Mix the whole thoroughly, and add two quarts of chicken stock. Let it come to a boiling point. Stir it up carefully occasionally, and then move it to a part of the stove where it will continue to boil slowly for at least an hour. Season with salt, pepper, and a tablespoonful of sugar. Strain through a soup-cloth carefully. When served hot, in soup-plates, put a slice of toasted French bread in each plate. Omit the crouton if served in cups. In warm weather it may be served cold. ESSENCE OF CELERY ^ This is very simple to prepare. Wash two stalks of celery. Chop very fine, and then put it into two quarts of white stock or chicken broth. Let it boil for about half an hour and then strain it. Season to taste. Serve in cups or in soup-plates with toasted slices of French bread. When Served. Guests. Remarks. ESSENCE OF CHICKEN AND CLAMS ^ Mix an equal quantity of strong chicken broth and clam broth. Serve in cups, with whipped cream. ESSENCE OF BEEF ^ Mix two pounds of lean beef, finely chopped, with the whites of two eggs. Then add three quarts of plain stock. Let it boil down to three pints. Strain through a soup cloth and serve in cups. BEEF TEA ^ Chop three pounds of lean beef very fine. Put it in a stone jar with a narrow mouth. Add one tumbler of water, and hermetically close the jar. Stand the jar in a saucepan filled with boiling water, deep enough to reach three-quarters of the height of the jar. Keep the water boiling for at least two hours. This will be long enough to extract all the juice that is in the beef. Strain through a cloth, and skim off the fat. BEEF JUICE ^