Manual for army cooks

Care must be taken while boiling the hominy that it does not burn ; it is better to boil it on the back of the stove where the heat is not great ; when necessary to replenish with water add boiling water carefully. When hominy has been boiled as directed above, it should, when cold, be an agglutinated, moist mass and free from water. An earthen vessel is the best for boiling hominy, as it answers for keeping the hominy in after it is cooked. Cold boiled hominy may be fried in butter, beef dripping, or lard. When put into the frying pan season with pepper and salt, stir occasionally until it is heated throughout, then press it down lightly, and fry it until the under side is browned. When done put a hot dish bottom up on the pan, turn over pan and dish and remove the pan, leaving the hominy in the dish, the brown crust uppermost. CRACKED WHEAT. One heaping teaspoonful of salt to one quart of wheat. Cover the wheat with cold water and let it soak over night in a cool place. In the morning put the wheat, Avith the water it was soaked in, into a pot. Cover closely and cook gently until soft, stirring it frequently to prevent scorching. It should cook in from one to one and one-half hours. If necessary to replenish the water add boiling water carefully. When cooked it should be a moist mass. J Hot milk may be used instead of water, to be added as evaporation takes place. It is safest, in order to prevent scorching, to cook it in a double boiler. HOMINY GRITS. Hominy grits may be prepared and cooked in the same manner as cracked wheat. It may be baked as follows : To a pint of boiled hominy grits, cold, add two eggs well beaten ; a small piece of butter and sufficient boiled milk to make a moderately thin mass. Put into a baking dish, and bake thirty minutes. FRIED GRITS. Wash one pint grits in cold water. Cover with two quarts tepid water and soak over night. In the morning put it in a boiler and boil one hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a square mold and put away to cool. When cold, cut into slices, dust each slice with flour, and fry in fresh dripping until a light brown. INDIAlSr-MEAL MUSH. 1 cup Indian meal. 3 quarts boiling water. 1 tablespoonful salt. To prevent the meal from lumping, mix it with sufficient cold water to make a thin batter, then gradually pour in the batter so as not to reduce the water below the boiling point, stirring it in with a wooden spoon or round stick. Cover closely and let it cook gently from one to two hours, stirring frequently or continuously, to prevent scorching. The mush should be made thick. When finished, if too thick, add boiling water carefully. Cold mush may be cut into slices from one-half to three-quarters of an inch thick, and fried brown on both sides in hot beef dripping, lard, or butter. Before frying, eacli slice may be dipped into beaten egg (salted), then into bread or cracker crumbs.