The Rural cook book

Sportsman's Trout. — Take two fresh young trout, clean, wash and then wipe dry. Use one-half teaspoon of salt and two or three dashes of pepper over the fishes. Put in a pan to fit and fill to the level with cream. Bake a light brown, when the fish will have absorbed the cream. CHAPTER III. MEATS. I bid the dinner table; upon my ample breast Three times a day the housewife puts out her very best. Three times a day they gather—old grandpa at the head. Thrice daily offers up his thanks for life and daily bread. Then bow the knives they clatter and how my load grows light, And how the housewife's goodly fare doth disappear from sight. I am the dinner table, and while my timbers stand I'll still remain headquarters for our good household band. Elaborate instructions for marketing are usually given under this head, but the farm housekeeper meets with different conditions. If meat is locally slaughtered it is likely to be much better in quality than that from the great packing centers. In pork particularly she has a great advantage over her town sisters. It should be remembered that in beef and mutton many of the cheaper and tougher cuts are nutritious and well flavored, but they need careful preparation, and especially long slow cooking. Tough meat should never be roasted, broiled or fried ; it should be cooked gently in a closed vessel, with such seasonings as will best develop flavor. There are still some cooks who prepare meat hastily in slightly thickened water, and then wonder why the family dislikes stews. With long, slow cooking in a casserole or closed vessel, and a proper admixture of herbs and seasoning, the humble stew becomes a delicious ragout. Bacon, Cold Roast. — Select a square piece weighing three or four pounds, soak it over night. The next morning put it on to boil, allowing it to simmer very gently three-quarters of an hour to the pound; then let it go cool in the water in which it was cooked. When cold drain, remove the skin, rub the fat well with sugar, pour over it some cider vinegar, and roast in the oven until brown. When cold cut into thin slices ; it should be tender and delicate in flavor. Beef, Braised. — Procure a piece of four pounds, make incisions in it an inch and a half apart, and stuff them with a dressing made of two tablespoonfuls of linely-minced onion, three tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of sweet basil, a half teaspoonful of thyme, a half teaspoonful of pepper and two teaspoonfuls of salt. Dredge a tablespoonful of flour over the meat, lay three thin slices of bacon in the bottom of a deep pan, place the meat in, lay three more slices of bacon over the top, cover with a well-fitting lid and shut up in a moderate oven to brown. After it has been cooking for two hours add two carrots (or four small ones), one turnip, three stalks of celery, four salsifies and one onion, all sliced. Add also three tablespoonfuls of tomato catsup, one minced green pepper, a teaspoonful of salt. If no green pepper is at hand use a few shreds of red pepper pod. A coffeecupful of boiling water should be added with the vegetables. Fit the cover on closely again and leave in the oven for another hour, or until both meat and vegetables are tender. To serve, place the meat on a hot platter and arrange the vegetables by the spoonful about it; there should be just gravy enough to hold the vegetables together.