The school kitchen textbook

Such pieces of meat as have been cooked until they are tender, only need to be looked over carefully and the bones, skin, and gristle removed with some of the fat before chopping them. But meat which you may have occasion to use at home, such as the tough ends of steak and chops, and the harder and poorer parts of roast meat, should be cooked slowly in just water enough to cover until they are tender. They may then be cut fine and used in any of the following ways. The secret of warming over meat is to warm quickly such parts as are already tender, and to make tender by long, slow cooking such as are hard or tough. Care in removing all objectionable portions and a judicious use of seasoning materials are also necessary. The chief objection to hash is the presence of small bones, hard gristle, and skin, in the mixture ; or the greasy, halfbrowned, soggy condition in which it is served. But when carefully prepared it is a savory and palatable dish. It is not necessary to have corned beef for making hash, as many suppose. Fresh beef, if made tender by stewing and seasoning properly, is more wholesome. Hash may be varied by making it into round, flat cakes and browning each side, or by using warm boiled rice instead of potato, with such seasoning as may be desired. Other easy and attractive ways of serving nearly every kind of cooked meat or fish are cottage-pie and scalloped meat. The latter admits of a great variety of combinations, care being taken to use such foods as are palatable when combined. Potatoes are best with beef or fish. Rice, macaroni, oysters, and bread crumbs may be used with mutton, veal, or chicken. Onions and tomatoes improve many kinds of meat. White sauces are best for fish and light meats; brown gravies are best for dark meats ; and tomato or some acid sauce blends well with most combinations. All the bones and scraps of gristle and fat that are not used in the made-over dishes should be covered with cold water and simmered until the bones are clean and the gristle dissolved. Then strain the water; throw the scraps away, and when the liquid is cool, remove the fat and clarify it for dripping ; use the water for gravies with warmed-over meat, or combine it with some vegetable pulp and use it for soups. Recipe, No. 129. Hash One cup tender cooked meat chopped fine, two cups hot mashed potato, one half teaspoon salt, one fourth teaspoon pepper. Mix until there are no lumps. Put two or three tablespoons of hot water into a spider. Melt in one tablespoon of butter or dripping. Put in the hash, and let it simmer slowly till it has absorbed the water and formed a brown crust. Do not stir it. Fold over and turn out on a hot platter. Recipe, No. 130. Minced Meat on Toast Remove the fat and gristle and chop the meat fine. To one cup of meat, add one half teaspoon of salt, a speck of pepper, and one half cup thickened gravy. Heat quickly in a saucepan and pour over slices of toast. Serve hot. LEFT OVERS 207 Recipe, No. 131. Cottage Pie