Cookery for every household

1 tea-sp. flour or cornflour. Salt. White pepper. Cook the asparagus as directed in Recipe 148. Cut oS the tender tips, reserve them for serving in the soup, and rub the remainder of the asparagus through a sieve. Melt the butter in a small lined saucepan, stir in the flour, and mix smoothly. Then pour on the milk, and stir until boiling. Add the sieved asparagus and the points, simmer a few minutes until all is thoroughly blended, and season to taste. Probable cost, 6 d. to 9 d. 2501. Barley Milk Soup (Stove Barley) 2table-sps. pearl barley. I 2 pts. milk. 2 oz. butter. 1 pt. cold water. | Salt to taste. Wash the barley in several waters, then put it into a double saucepan with the water, milk, and butter, and cook it with plenty of water round it for 3 or 4 horn’s, or until quite soft and creamy. Then add salt to taste and pepper if wished. A large jar placed in a saucepan of boiling water may be used for the cooking if no double cooker is available. Note. — This is an excellent soup for children, and one that is almost a universal favourite. It is also very good for invalids, when the barley may be strained out if considered too heavy. Probable cost. Id. 2502. Celery and Rice Soup lpt. light stock or broth. 2 or 3 sticks white celery. £ oz. butter. | cup milk or 1 or 2 table-sps. cream, ltea-sp.rice. Seasoning. Well wash and brush the celery, and cut it in small pieces. Put it into a saucepan with the stock, a piece of butter about the size of a walnut, and the rice well washed. Cook slowly, stirring now and again, until the ingredients are quite soft. Then rub as much as possible through a fine sieve and return to the saucepan to re-heat. Add the milk or cream, and season to taste. Serve with small strips of toast or with a dry rusk. Time to cook, 20 to 30 minutes. Probable cost, 6 d. 2503. Chicken Broth 1 a chicken. 2 pts. cold water. Salt. 1 tea-sp. rice, fine bar- ley, or fine tapioca. 1 tea - sp. chopped parsley. Take half a chicken or the inferior parts of one, reserving the white parts for serving separately. Wash the joints thoroughly, cut the meat in small pieces, and break up the bones. Remove any fat or soft grease, but not the skin. Put all into a deep saucepan, add the water, which should be sufficient to cover the meat, &c., and season with salt. Cover with the saucepan lid, and bring slowly to the boil. Then simmer from 4 to 5 hours, removing the scum from time to time and adding more water if necessary. When all the goodness is extracted from the chicken, strain the liquid through a fine strainer and, if possible, stand till cold. Carefully remove all grease from the top, and return the broth to a saucepan. Bring to the boil, sprinkle in the tapioca, barley, or rice well washed, and simmer until this is cooked. Add the chopped parsley a minute or two before serving. Note. — A richer broth may be made by pouring it slowly on to the beaten yolk of an egg. A more savoury broth may be made by adding a few small pieces of vegetable when making the stock. Or small pieces of cooked chicken may be served in the broth, if a more substantial dish is required. When economy has to be studied, the meat used may be half chicken and half veal ; the flavour of the chicken will still predominate. Time to cook, 3 to 4 hours. Probable cost. Is. to Is. 6 d. 2504. Essence of Chicken 1 chicken, or part of one.