FoodNet

Manual for army cooks

1896

Page 61 · 5 recipe records on this page

Presented as published in 1896. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Poisonous mushrooms are found in. woods, low, damp ground, in shady places, and upon putrefying substances. Some species emit an agreeable, others a fetid, odor. The color of the gills in some is either red, green, blue, yellow, or orange-red. In others the top, gills, and stalks are dead white. In all poisonous mushrooms there is the absence of the delicate salmon color found in the edible species. The flesh in some is soft and watery, in others it has an acid or a bitter taste. Some on being bruised assume a bluish tint or exude an acrid milky juice. The seeds or spores are generally angular. The above rules for- determining the edible and the poisonous mushrooms are a safe guide provided the mushrooms are quite fresh ; but if they have been gathered for several hours they may have so changed in color that it might be impossible to form a cor- rect opinion of them. Furthermore, if a person does not know the difference between a yellow and a salmon color, the result of his judgment might be disastrous. Finally, if a white peeled onion is cooked with mushrooms and turns black, or if a silver spoon used for stirring them while cooking turns black, it is safest not to eat them. Whenever there is the least doubt of their quality, do not use them. MANUAL FOR ARMY COOKS. 139 BAKED MUSHROOMS. Prepare tlie muslirooms as directed for stewing. Put tliem into a greased tin or earthen baking dish, gills uppermost. Put a piece of butter, beef drip- ping, or lard, preferably butter, around the stems, and season with j)epper and salt. Put the dish into the oven and bake in a uniform heat. Exercise care that they do not burn. Bake from twelve to fifteen minutes, basting frequently. Serve in the baking dish. FRIED MUSHROOMS. Prepare the mushrooms as directed for stewingBaked Mushrooms. Heat in a frying pan enough dripping or butter to thinly cover the bottom ; put in the mushrooms and fry both sides a golden brown. When cooked, put them into a hot dish and keep Avarm, and make a gravy as follows : Heat in the frying pan about half a cupful of stock or gravy, then stir in one or two tablespoonfuls of blended browned flour; keej) stirring until it comes to a boil ; season with pepper, salt, and pour it over the mushrooms. STEWED MUSHROOMS. Select mushrooms of uniform size. Wipe them clean with a soft cloth; peel, commencing at the edge and finishing at the tojj ; cut off the lower jjart of the stem ; put them into a tin or earthen vessel and half cover them with cold water, and stew gently for fifteen minutes, frequently stirring to prevent burning. Season with jjepper and salt. When the stew is done stir into it one or more tables]30onfuls of dripping or butter, previously cut into small pieces, and rolled in flour; stir three or four min- utes. Do not let it boil. 140 MANUAL FOR ARMY COOKS. SALAD DRESSING. 3 tablespoonfuls oil. 1 teaspoonful mustard. Yolk of 1 egg. 5 to f teaspoonful salt. 1 tablespoonful vinegarSalad Dressing. Rub together the oil and egg ; it is better to first beat the egg ; then rub in the mustard, then the salt, and lastly the vinegar, gradually. A few grains of cayenne pepper may be added. A boiled Irish potato (mashed fine) may be substituted for the yolk of the egg. If the oil and egg or potato do not mix well, a few drops of vinegar will facilitate the jDrocess.