Cookery for every household

Put the lentils into a basin and wash them well in cold water, removing any discoloured ones which float on the top of the water. Then pour over them the 2f pints of cold water or meat boilings, cover the basin with a plate and let them soak overnight. Next day strain off the liquid and reserve it for making the soup. Prepare the vegetables and cut them in thin slices. Melt the fat in a saucepan, add to it the lentils and sliced vegetables and stir them over the fire until the fat is absorbed. Next pour on the liquid in which the lentils were soaked, stir well for a few minutes and let all come to boiling-point. Add the bunch of herbs and seasoning to taste. Allow the soup to simmer slowly for at least 2 hours, or until the lentils are quite soft and pulpy. Stir the soup occasionally to prevent it sticking to the foot of the pan and burning. If it should become too thick whilst cooking, add more water or a little stock. When well cooked, rub through a wire sieve or colander into a basin. Rinse out the saucepan and return the soup to it to reheat. Add the milk, and more seasoning if necessary ; bring to the boil a.nd simmer a few minutes. Serve with fried or toasted croutons of bread. Notes. — The water in which a piece of ham or salt meat has been boiled does admirably for making this soup, provided it is not too salt. Or a ham bone may be boiled in the soup to give it flavour. If time does not permit of soaking the lentils, the soup may be made without this pre- liminary preparation, but it will take a longer time to cook. The soup may be made richer by the addition of 1 or 2 table-spoonfuls of cream. It is not absolutely necessary to sieve this soup, but a much smoother preparation is obtained by doing so. Time to cook, 2| hours. Probable cost, 6d. to 8 d. Quantity, 2 pints. 56. Lentil Soup from Lentil Flour Make in the same way as pea soup from pea flour. See Recipe 64. 57. Lettuce Soup (Potage de Laitues) 2 lettuces. 3 or 4 spring onions. A handful of spinach. 2 oz. butter. 1 egg. 2 pts. light stock or meat boilings. 1 dessert-sp. crushed tapioca. Pepper and salt. First prepare the vegetables. Cut any hard stalk from the lettuce and remove any soft or discoloured leaves. Wash the leaves well and let them lie in cold water for half an hour. Wash and pick the spinach, removing the stalks. Cut the root and most of the green off the onions and wash them in cold water. Then drain the vegetables and cut them all in thin slices or shreds. Melt the butter in a saucepan, put in the sliced vegetables and stew over a slow fire about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and simmer slowly for 20 minutes. Sprinkle in the tapioca and cook until quite transparent, seasoning to taste. Beat up the egg, put it in the soup tureen and pour the hot soup on to it, stirring all the time. Serve with fried croutons of bread. Grated cheese may be handed separately. Note. — A cupful of hot milk and 1 or 2 yolks of eggs may be added instead of the whole egg. Time to cook, f to 1 hour. Probable cost. Is. Quantity, about 2 pints. 58. Neapolitan Soup (Potage Crdme Napolitaine) Make in the same way as Portuguese soup (Recipe 65), adding small pieces of cooked macaroni instead of the rice, and a little grated cheese. 59. Onion Soup (Brown), 1 (Soupe aux Oignons)