Cookery for every household

A sprig of mint. 3 spring onions. 1 lump of sugar. 2 pts. second white stock. 1 lettuce. 1 gill of thin cream. Salt and pepper. Wash the shells well and cut them into pieces. Wash and shred the lettuce, and wash and slice thinly the onions. Put the stock into a saucepan and bring it to the boil. Add the prepared vegetables, the parsley, mint, sugar, and 2 gills of the green peas (1 gill of peas should be reserved and cooked separately to be used as a garnish for the soup). Boil gently until the peas are quite tender, adding more water or stock if the liquid reduces too much. Then rub through a hair sieve or tammy into a basin. Rinse out the saucepan and return the soup to it to reheat. Add the cream, the whole green peas and seasoning, and bring to the boil again. A little chopped chervil may also be added if procurable. Serve with croutons of fried bread or cheese pastry cut in straws (see Recipe 1305). Note. — A few spinach leaves may be cooked in this soup to give colour. Time to cook, about 1 hour. Probable cost, Is. 6 d. Quantity, about 2 pints. 160. Hollandaise Soup (Potage Hollandaise) 1 qt. white stock. 1 oz. butter. 1 oz. flour. 2 yolks of eggs. 1 gill of thin cream. Pepper and salt. I small turnip. 1 carrot. \ a cucumber. 1 tea-sp.chopped parsley or tarragon. A pinch of sugar. A tea-cupful of green peas. Prepare the carrot and turnip, and peel the cucumber. Cut half a tea-cupful of small rounds out of each of them, using a vegetable cutter the size and shape of a pea. Cook these in separate saucepans of boiling water and salt until tender, but not overcooked. Drain when ready. Cook and drain the green peas also. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and mix with a wooden spoon until smooth. Pour in the stock, stir until boiling, and skim if necessary. Draw the pan to the side of the fire, and strain in the yolks of eggs and cream mixed together, stirring constantly. Cook carefully until the yolks thicken, but do not allow the soup to boil again, or it will curdle. Add the chopped parsley or tarragon, a pinch of sugar and seasoning to taste. Put the prepared vegetables into a hot soup tureen, and pour the hot soup over them. Serve with pulled bread or cheese pastry cut in fine straws. Time to cook, \ to f hour. Probable cost, 2 s. Quantity, 2 pints. 161. Lettuce Cream Soup (Potage Creme de Laitues) 2 or 3 lettuces. 2 oz. butter. | pt. bechamel sauce. 1J pt. white stock. 1 gill of thin cream. A little chervil or chopped parsley. Salt. Pull the lettuces to pieces and wash them well. Put them into a saucepan of boiling water with a little salt, boil quickly for 5 minutes, and strain. Then rinse them with cold water, chop them roughly and put them in a saucepan with the butter. Season with salt, put the lid on the pan and cook slowly from 15 to 20 minutes, being careful the contents do not burn. Then add the sauce and simmer for 20 minutes longer. Now rub the contents of the saucepan through a hair sieve or tammycloth, return the puree thus obtained to a clean saucepan and moisten it with the white stock. Stir over the fire with a wooden spoon until boiling, and add the cream and chervil last. Serve with croutons of fried bread. Time to cook, about 1 hour. Probable cost, 2s. Quantity, 2 pints. 162, Macaroni Cream Soup (Potage a la Royale) 2 pts. white stock.