Cookery for every household

Time to cook, 10 to 15 minutes. Onions (Gignons) The onion belongs to the lily tribe, the bulb being the part which is edible. The leek, shallot, chives, and garlic all belong to the same family. Onions The onion has wonderful medicinal properties; it contains a pungent volatile oil which is rich in sulphur, besides other valuable minerals. Not only is it a valuable adjunct in cookery for flavouring purposes, but cooked and served by itself it is one of the healthiest vegetables we have, being both purifying to the blood and soothing to the nerves. When the strong taste of onions is objected to, this can often be remedied by scalding them first in boiling water to which a small piece of washing soda has been added ; and people who find them indigestible as a rule can generally take them if they have been treated in this way. The larger onions imported from Spain and Portugal are much milder in flavour than our own and are more suitable for serving as a vegetable. 517. Boiled Onions with White Sauce (Oignons a la Creme) 2 or 3 Spanish onions. J pt. white sauce. First cut the root and top of the onions, remove all the brown skin, and if very large cut them in halves. Then blanch them by putting them into a saucepan of cold water, bringing it to the boil, and throwing the water away. Rinse the onions, and put them into a saucepan of freshly boiling water, salted in the proportion of one dessertspoonful to one quart, allow them to cook until they feel quite tender when pierced with a fork or skewer. The time will depend on the size of the onions. Then drain off every drop of water. If time permits it is better to return the onions to the saucepan after draining, and to dry them slowly by the side of the fire for a few minutes. Unless they are well drained the liquid which runs from them will dilute the sauce and make a watery mess at the foot of the vegetable dish. Arrange the onions in a hot vegetable dish, make the sauce boding hot and pour it over them, coating them well. Note. — Other sauces may be used instead of the white sauce, the dish changing its name accordingly. Time to boil, H to 2 hours. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. 518. Stewed Onions (Oignons au Jus) 4 or 5 Bermuda onions. 3 gills brown stock, ltable-sp. tomato ketchup 1 oz. butter or dripping. 1 tea-sp. cornflour. Seasoning. Cut the root and top off the onions and remove all the brown skin. Put them into a saucepan with cold water to cover them and a little salt, bring to the boil and boil quickly for 5 minutes. Then drain and rinse with cold water. Now put the onions into a stewpan with the stock and butter, add a little salt if necessary and stew slowly by the side of the fire until tender. Mix the cornflour into a smooth paste with the tomato ketchup or other flavouring sauce, add it to the stock in the pan, stir it well in and cook a few minutes longer. Lift the onions on to a hot dish and pour the sauce over. Time to stew, 1J to 2 hours. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. 519. Baked Onions, 1 (Oignons au Four) 3 or 4 Spanish onions. I 1 or 2 oz. butter or drip- | pt. milk. 1 ping. Salt, pepper.