Cookery for every household

Parsley may be dried and powdered in the same way as other herbs, but, if it is required for garnishing, the following method should be adopted. Choose large curly parsley, and let it be freshly gathered. Remove from it all the larger stalks, dividing it into small sprays suitable for garnishing. Wash these carefully until free from all grit, then plunge them into a saucepan of boiling water, slightly salted, and let them remain a minute or two. ( The simplest way of doing this is to use a wire frying basket.) Then shake the parsley as dry as possible, spread it out on a sheet of paper, and dry on the rack above the fire or in a very cool oven. Then store in a wide-mouthed bottle, or in a tin box between layers of wax paper. When wanted, soak the required quantity in warm water for a minute or two, then shake out and use. 3052. Parsley, To Chop Wash the parsley well to get rid of all the earth. Pick it from the stalks, put the heads into a cloth, and squeeze them quite dry. Then put them on a chopping board, with a sharp dry knife cut them across, and then chop as finely as possible. In chopping, hold the point of the knife steady on the table, and keep working the handle quickly up and down. Unless the parsley is very finely chopped, it is most irritating to the throat. If a lighter green is wanted, put the chopped parsley in the corner of a towel, and squeeze it in cold water, then wring dry. Instead of a knife, the “ Lightning ” mincer may be used for chopping, it does the work very quickly. Lightning Chopper 3053. Parsley, To Fry (Persil Frit) The parsley should be very fresh and green. Wash it carefully and pick it, leaving the stalks about an inch long. Let it lie between the folds of a cloth until dry, and then put it into a wire frying basket. Have ready on the fire a saucepan of boiling fat (see French Frying, p. 248) deep enough to cover the parsley. Plunge the parsley into this for a second or two, and lift it out. The moisture in the parsley will make the fat bubble up, and if kept in too long will make the fat come over the sides of the pan. When the fat becomes quite still, plunge the parsley in again for a second or two, and it will be ready. It ought to be quite green and crisp. Turn out on to kitchen paper and drain well. Note. — This is used as a garnish for fried dishes, such as fried fish, rissoles, croquettes, &c. 2 lbs. apples. 1£ pts. vinegar. 1 lb. brown sugar. 1 table-sp. salt. 1 dessert-sp. ground ginger. Chutney 1 oz. garlic. £ lb. tamarinds. | lb. mustard seed. 5 or 6 shallots. 1 or 2 chillies. Use good sour baking apples, peel, core, and slice them and put them into a lined or earthenware saucepan with the vinegar. Boil until the apples are soft, then add the sugar, salt, ginger, and mustard seed, and the other ingredients chopped. Allow the mixture to cool, then let it stand in a warm place near the kitchen fire for several days, to let the mustard seed swell. Store in jars or bottles, covering them in the same way as jam. This chutney will keep well and is very good. 3055. To Make Mustard