The Southern cook book of fine old recipes

1 pint navy beans x/4 pound fat salt pork 1 teaspoon mustard % teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon molasses % cup boiling water 1% tablespoons sugar Cover beans with cold water and soak for at least 12 hours, then change water and cook at slightly below boiling point until skins burst. To test beans take a few and expose to cold air, if shells burst they are done. Then drain and add pork, cut it in small strips and stick it in beans with tip exposed. Mix mustard, sugar, salt, pepper and water enough to cover beans. Bake in pot slowly, for six or seven hours removing lid for last hour to brown and crisp. Hopping John 1 cup cooked rice 2 tablespoons butter 2 cups dried peas a/4 pound pork Salt, pepper and butter Soak peas overnight. The next day, cook peas until soft, being careful to keep them •-whole during the cooking. Cook the piece of pork with the peas to add flavor. When peas are cooked sufficiently, there should be only a small quantity of liquor left on them. Mix the cooked rice and peas together, season with salt, pepper and butter and serve with bread and butter. Salsify (Oyster Plant) Wash and scrape the oyster plant £hd immediately place in cold water with a little vinegar to prevent discoloring. Cut in pieces % inch wide and cook in boiling water until soft. Dip strips in beaten egg, sprinkle with salt, roll in cracker crumbs and fry in butter , until brown. Egg Plant Pare egg plant, cut in slices. Sprinkle with salt, cover and let stand 1 hour to draw out juice. Dip in beaten eggs, then in bread crumbs. Fry in deep fat. To Cook Okra Wash well and trim stem end, leaving enough of the pod to keep the juices in so that the mucilage does not come out. Cover with boiling water and boil gently until tender. When half done add a little salt. When ready to serve, drain, pour into a hot dish and add melted butter sufficient to season. Lemon juice or vinegar can be added if desired. Fried Okra Select small, tender pods. Boil until tender, drain, season with salt and pepper, roll in egg, then in cracker crumbs. Fry in deep hot fat. Candied Carrots 6 medium sized carrots % cup water 1 cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons butter Boil carrots, scrape and cut them in strips as you would potatoes for French frying. Mix the other ingredients in a baking dish and warm to make a syrup. Place the carrots in this syrup so that it* covers them entirely and bake until candied. Fried Squash Cakes Slice the squash very thin, being certain to slice it across. Place the slices in salt water, wipe them dry, sprinkle with salt and pepper dip in flour, in beaten egg, and then in cracker crumbs. Repeat the process twice and then drop into pot of deep hot fat for frying. When they have been cooked through, drain on crumpled brown paper and serve. Corn Fritters 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder V<2 teaspoon salt 1 egg % cup milk y% tablespoon butter 1 cup drained crushed corn Mix the dry ingredients, gradually adding the milk and the well beaten egg, beat thoroughly and then add the melted butter and corn. Drop by spoonsful into hot deep fat and fry until well browned. Drain on brown paper. Fruit Fritter Batter 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon sugar J/2 teaspoon salt 2 eggs well beaten % cup milk