The Rural cook book

French Fried Potatoes.— Old potatoes are better for this, .or the little yellowish potatoes that German cooks use for potato salad. These contain more gluten. Peel very thin and cut in long thin strips lengthwise. Let them stand in cold salted water for two or three hours. Drain and wipe dry; put into a wire basket and fry in very hot, deep fat until brown. Take out and lay on a piece of manila paper to absorb the fat; dust with salt and serve. Another way to fry potatoes is to put a little olive oil in a deep frying pan; when very hot add sliced cold boiled potatoes. Cover, and cook until a golden brown, turning once. Drain, put in a hot vegetable dish and sprinkle with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Still another way, that the French chef delights in, is to chop cold boiled potatoes, then season lightly with salt, pepper and onion juice. Put a couple of tablespoonfuls of olive oil or good drippings in the frying pan, turn in the potatoes, press into a solid cake and cook slowly until crusty and brown on the under side. Turn on to a hot platter, with the brown side upper-most. Potatoes au Gratin. — Peel and cut into dice half a dozen potatoes, crisp in cold water, then drain, and boil until tender. Drain the water off, put the potatoes in a baking dish, season with pepper and salt, stir a tablespoonful of butter through the pieces, pour over them half a cup of milk, cover the top with grated cheese, bake quickly and serve hot. Potato Chowder. — Wash and pare four large potatoes. Cut them into small dice. Chop fine one-quarter of a pound of ham and one goodsized onion. Slowly fry the ham and onion together until a light brown, then in a saucepan put alternate layers of the ham and diced potato, well with salt and pepper. Add one tablespoonful of finely- chopped parsley and one pint of boiling water, cover and simmer slowly until the potatoes are tender, which will take about twenty minutes. In a second saucepan thicken two cupfuls of milk with one tablespoonful of butter, and one tablespoonful of flour, simmer for a moment, add it to the chowder and let cook for two minutes longer. Potato Dumplings .—Boil six large potatoes and mash, seasoning with one-half teaspoonful salt. Place on a board. Add to this one egg and one-half cupful flour; knead into a dough. Roll out into strips, one-half inch thick, and cut into inch lengths. Sprinkle the pieces with flour, so that they are quite dry. Place enough of the dumplings in a saucepan of boiling water to allow them freedom to swim, and allow them to boil about eight minutes. Remove the dumplings from the water, with a perforated spoon, to a hot frying pan, in which one cupful bread crumbs have been browned in about two tablespoonfuls butter. All of the dumplings can be placed in the pan at the same time. They should be stirred from time to time, until nicely browned, keeping a small fire under the pan. Serve hot. German Sour Potatoes. — Boil four good-sized potatoes. When done and cold, skin, and cut into cubes. Place these in a bowl and add salt and pepper to taste. Now mix in another bow] half a pint of sweet oil and four tablespoonfuls of sweet cider vinegar, one good-sized onion, grated fine and sprigs of parsley finely chopped. Mix these together well and pour over the potatoes. Now place the empty bowl on top of the full one and shake up and down until well mixed. Garnish the dish with lemon slices, cut in halves.