Cookery for every household

The black salsify or scorzonera is the finer of the two. Americans call it the oyster plant, as when cooked it has a distinct flavour of oyster. A very good mock oyster soup can be made from salsify, also mock oyster patties. Besides the recipes given below, salsify is very good fried (see Pried Celery, Recipe 470), or served au gratin (see Recipe 455). It may also be cooked according to any of the recipes given for cooking parsnips. 564. Salsifis with White Sauce (Salsifis a la Sauce Blanche) 1 ib. salsifis. Boiling water. [ Lemon juice. 2 oz. dripping. Salt. I \ pt. white sauce. Choose the salsifis not too large and nice and firm. Wash it well in cold water, cutting about an inch off the end of the stalk and scraping the rest of it very lightly. Tie the pieces in bundles with tape and throw them into cold water to which a little vinegar or lemon juice has been added to prevent discoloration. Put into a lined saucepan enough boiling water to cover the salsifis and add the dripping, a little salt, and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Drain the salsifis and put it into this and simmer slowly until tender. When it is easily pierced with a fork or skewer it is ready. Lift it out, drain off every drop of water, and serve in a hot dish with the white sauce (see Recipe 673) poured over. Note. — Other sauces may be used, such as hollandaise, bechamel, veloute, &c. Time to cook, 30 to 40 minutes. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. 565. Scalloped Salsifis \ doz. roots salsifis. Bread-crumbs. 1 gill white sauce. Butter. Celery salt or a little fresh celery. Cook the salsifis according to directions given above, cut it in thin slices, and mix with it a little celery salt, or a small piece of fresh celery finely chopped. Grease about J doz. scallop shells and sprinkle them with bread-crumbs. Put in a layer Scalloped Salsifis of the prepared salsifis with a little white sauce over, then some more salsifis and more sauce. Sprinkle the tops with bread-crumbs and lay on one or two small pieces of butter. Bake in the oven until nicely browned on the top. Garnish each scallop with a sprig of parsley and a small slice of fresh lemon. Serve them hot. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Scarlet Runners This is a variety of the kidney bean. It is not so fine in quality as the French bean, which belongs to the same family, but it is very much more moderate in price. Scarlet runners may be cooked in the same way as French beans (see p. 131), but longer time will be required, and as the pod is somewhat tough they are almost invariably sliced. Sea-kale (Chou de Mer ou Chou Marin) This is a very delicate vegetable and one which is easily digested. The taste is like that of asparagus, or of a very young cauliflower. Dining cultivation sea-kale is earthed up in the same way as celery in order to whiten the sterna and leaf stalks. Besides the recipes given below, it may be cooked according to any of the directions given for cooking celery. It is also very good served cold with whipped "cream or with vinaigrette or mayonnaise sauce. 566. Sea-kale with Cream Sauce (Chou de Mer a la Creme) 1 lb. sea-kale. I 1 dessert-sp. flour. 1 oz. butter. Seasoning. | 1 or 2 table-sps. cream.