Manual for army cooks

Wash potatoes well, and place in steamer or colander over a kettle of boiling water. Cover and steam until you can pierce with a fork. It takes a little longer to steam than boil, but the potato, being naturally watery, should never be cooked by boiling, if you have conveniences for steaming. When done, remove skins quickly and serve in an uncovered dish. FRIED COOKED POTATOES. Peel and slice cold cooked potatoes. Do not slice them too thin. Put into a frying pan enough lard or beef dripping so that when melted it will just cover the bottom of the pan. When this becomes hot put in the potatoes; season with pepper and salt. Fry gently until they become hot, stirring them frequently. FRIED RAW POTATOES. Wash, pare, and slice the potatoes very thin. They will hold the shape better if cut lengthwise. Lay them in ice-cold water for ten or fifteen minutes. Drain and spread them on a dry cloth ; cover with another dry cloth and press gently to dry each slice. Have brisk, but not a fierce fire. Put into a frying pan enough lard or dripping so that when melted it will float the potatoes ; when this becomes boiling hot drop in the sliced potatoes, a few at a time, so as not to chill the fat. Fry to a light brown; turn if necessary. When cooked, take them up with an egg-beater or skimmer; put them into a colander and shake them an instant to free them from grease. Put them into a hot dish and season with salt. BOILED SWEET POTATOES. Prepare and boil as directed for Potatoes. When cooked, take them out of the pot and dry them in the oven for five minutes. To fry cooked Sweet Potatoes. — Slice them lengthwise and fry as directed for Potatoes. BAKED SWEET POTATOES. Prepare and bake sweet potatoes as directed for Potatoes. They are cooked when mellow throughout. Test by gently pressing them. If the potatoes are old and watery, peel, parboil, and drain them ; put them into a baking pan with a little butter or beef dripping ; sprinkle them with })epper and salt, and bake. They are cooked when a fork will easily pierce the largest. FRIED ONIONS. Peel, slice, and fry the onions brown in butter, beef dripping, or lard; season with pepper and salt. Stir constantly or tliey will burn. BAKED ONIONS. Boil the onions ; put tlieni in a baking pan ; place on top of each, onion pepper, salt, and a piece of butter or dripping ; j^ut into the pan a little of the water in which the onions were boiled, and bake quickly until browned ; baste frequently, and serve very hot. BOILED ONIONS. Onions should be as uniform in size as possible, and should not be boiled in an iron vessel. Peel the onions and lay them in cold salt water for fifteen minutes. Put them into a pot of boiling salt water — enough to cover them. Cover ; boil gently or they will break. They are cooked when a straw can pierce them. When cooked drain and season with butter or dripping, pepper, and salt. The strength of the onions may be reduced by boiling them in two or more waters. STEWED ONIONS.