Cookery for every household

Cook the flageolets as directed in Recipe 610, and drain off a ny remaining water ; or use the remains of cold cooked flageolets. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and cook the two together for a minute or two. Then draw the saucepan to the side of the fire and pour in the milk or water. Any water drained off the flageolets should be used and the quantity made up with milk. Stir until boiling, add the flageolets and seasoning and make all thoroughly hot. Then stir in half the cheese, but do not boil again. Pour the mixture into a well-greased fireproof dish, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on the top and brown quickly in the oven or under the grill of a gas stove. Note. — Haricot beans may be prepared in the same way. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. Probable cost, 8 d. Haricot Beans (Haricots Blancs) These are the dried seeds of the kidney or French bean. The pods are allowed to fully ripen and then the seeds are dried. They form a very valuable food because they are cheap, nourishing, and easily cooked. They will keep for months in a cool dry place, and are useful to fall back upon when fresh vegetables are not obtainable. Haricot beans should always be soaked for several hours before cooking in order to soften them, and then they must be thoroughly cooked, or else they will be found difficult of digestion. They can be made more digestible by having the skins removed, but this is somewhat troublesome. There are both red and white haricot beans, and both kinds can be cooked in the same way. The white are the more common, and more popular than the red. 613. Haricot Beans, To Prepare and Cook Wash the haricot beans and let them soak in cold water overnight to soften them. Next day, throw away any beans that are floating on the top of the water and drain the others. Put them into a saucepan with fresh cold water to cover them, an onion stuck with 2 or 3 cloves, and if liked a bunch of herbs. If the water is very hard it is a good plan to add a little dripping or fat as well, as this helps to soften the beans. Or, greasy stock, such as the water in which a piece of mutton or bacon has been boiled, provided it is not too salt, may be used instead of plain water. Put the lid on the pan, bring the beans quickly to the boil and then allow them to simmer slowly until tender. The time will vary according to the age and size of the beans used, from 2 hours or longer. If the water boils away during the cooking, add more cold water. When ready, drain the beans, reserve the water in which they, were cooked, and remove the onion and bunch of herbs. The beans are now ready to be served in any way required. Some people remove the skins in order to make them more digestible, and this can be done by pinching the bean between the thumb and finger when the inside will slip out, but unless it is for some special dish this is somewhat troublesome and is apt to break the beans. Notes. — The water that is drained off the beans should either be used for making a sauce or be put into the stock pot. A double saucepan is excellent for cooking haricot beans, only longer time will be required. Time to cook, about 2 hours. 614. Haricot Beans with Butter (Haricots Blancs au Beurre) J lb. haricot beans. | 1 dessert-sp. chopped pars- White pepper and salt. | ley. 1 oz. butter.