The Rural cook book

Pickled Mangoes. — Young musk, or nutmeg melons are needed for the purpose. Through a slit in the side of the melon extract all the seeds with the fingers without breaking the fruit. In case the patience gives out, a plug can be cut out, saved and replaced, but it is better to make only the slit Keep the melons in strong brine for three days, then drain them and let them remain in pure water for 24 hours. Heat slowly in vinegar, in which alum has been dissolved, until the melons are green. For a gallon of vinegar a piece of alum half the size of a hickorynut will be wanted. The following is the recipe for the stuffing, given in an old cook book: One handful of horseradish scraped; two handfuls of English mustard seed, two teaspoonfuls of chopped garlic, one teaspoonful of ground nutmeg and mace, one dozen whole peppercorns, one teaspoonful of ground ginger, half a tablespoonful of ground mustard, one teaspoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of celery seed and one tablespoonful of olive oiL Fill the greened mangoes through the slit with the mixture. Sew up the slit, or tie the melon securely so that it will not open. Pack the mangoes in a big stone jar and pour scalding vinegar over them. After two days, drain off the vinegar, scald and return it to the jar, and repeat twice at interval! ef two days. The mangoes will be ready for use in four or five months. Minced Pickle. — Chop half a peck of green tomatoes, cover them with two-thirds of a cupful of salt and let them stand for a day and a night Then scald half a gallon of vinegar with a lablespoonful of pepper, a tablespoonful and a half each of ground mustard, allspice, cinnamon and cloves and half a cupful of white mustard seed. Add to the tomatoes two onions chopped fine and four large green peppers denuded of seeds and cut into rings. Turn the vinegar over the mixture and boil steadily 20 minutes; then, bottle. Mixed Pickle. — Three hundied small cucumbers, two heads of cauliflower, one of cabbage, six green peppers with seeds taken out, three quarts small onions and two quarts small beans. Cut the cabbage and the cauliflower in small pieces, and put all in a brine strong enough to bear up an egg. Let them remain 24 hours, then rinse and drain thoroughly. Place on the stove two gallons of vinegar, add a large root of horseradish, grated, two ounces each of mustard seed and black pepper, one teaspoon cayenne, and one ounce of turmeric Let it boil and pour over pickles in a jar. When cold mix in one cupful of mustard wet with cold vinegar. Mixed Pickle No, 2. — One-half medium-sized head of cabbage, four celery roots, four tablespoonfuls grated horseradish, six large green tomatoes, one large or two small Spanish onions, 1^ quart of vinegar, one-fourth teaspoonful of powdered aluin. Chop all the vegetables and mix them together. Put a layer about two inches thick in the bottom of a jar, sprinkle it with a table spoonful of salt, then another layer of vegetables and salt, and so on until all is used. Allow it to stand 24 hours, then drain, and press out all the liquor ; cover with boiling water, allow it to stand 10 minutes, then press with the hands until entirely dry. Add to one quart of vinegar 34 teaspoonful of alum, and stir until dissolved. Put a layer of the pickles two inches thick in the bottom of a jar, sprinkle with mustard seed, black pepper, and the grated horseradish ; then another layer of pickle, and so on until used. Pour the vinegar over, let it stand two days, and it is ready for use. Mock Olives. — Two quarts of green plums, IJ^ lablespoonful mustard seed, ZYi tablespoonfuls salt, two quarts vinegar. Place the plums in a stone jar with mustard seed and salt; turn the vinegar into a preserving kettle, bring to a boil and pour over plums. Cover closely.