The new century cookery book

Select about half a pound of small French beans, prepare them, and boil till tender in salt water ; drain and let cool. Melt about one and a half ounce of butter in a saute-pan, add the beans, season with a pinch of pepper, a pinch of nutmeg (grated), and a pinch of caster sugar. Toss well over the fire until the beans are thoroughly hot, sprinkle with a little finely chopped parsley, and serve as directed. 1375. Flageolets a la Foulette. — H pint French flageolet beans, 1^ oz. butter, ^ gill white sauce, 1 teaspoonful chopped parsley, pepper and salt, 1 tablespoonful cream. Put the flageolets in a stewpan, with a little salt and half an ounce of butter, add a quart of water, and cook till tender (if preserved flageolets are used, boil only for a couple of minutes). Drain in a colander, and put them while hot in a saute-pan with one ounce of butter ; toss over the fire for a few minutes, then add the white sauce, chopped parsley, and cream. Season with pepper and salt. Mix well by tossing, not stirring. Cook for a few minutes longer. Dish up, and serve hot. 1376. Haricot Beans. — \ pint haricot beans, 2 oz. streaky bacon, 1 teaspoonful chopped parsley, H oz. dripping or butter, Jr gill stock or gravy, pepper and salt. Soak the beans for twelve hours ; put them in as much cold water as will cover them, and boil for two hours, or until they are soft ; drain the water from them, melt the butter or dripping in the saucepan, fry in it the bacon cut into small dice ; put in the cooked beans, and enough salt and pepper to season, and the chopped parsley ; moisten with the stock or gravy, place the pan on the fire or in the oven and reheat. Shake the pan occasionally to prevent the beans burning. Serve on a hot dish. 1377. Laitues braisees au Jus.— 6 lettuces, 6 slices fatbacon, 1 small onion, parsley and herbs, about 1 gill of stock (brown), 1 gill demi-glace sauce (No. 237), salt and pepper. Choose the lettuces of even size (not too large), take off the greenest leaves, pare, parboil, cool, press out the water, but keeping them in shape. Lay them in a buttered saute-pan, season with salt and pepper, cover with slices of bacon, slices of onion, a few sprigs of parsley, and some savoury herbs, if handy, and, say, half a bayleaf, a sprig of thyme, and a sprig of marjoram. Moisten with stock. Set to boil, and braise in the oven for about an hour and a quarter. Take out the lettuces, strain on a sieve, pare, shape them neatly, and dish up. Remove fat &c. from the liquid. Add the demi-glace, reduce well, strain, and sauce over the lettuces. 1378. Fains de Laitues. — 8 firm cabbage lettuces, 2 oz. butter, | oz. flour, 3 eggs, ^ gill rich gravy, Jr gill double cream, ^ gill Madeira sauce (No. 237 a), salt, pepper, nutmeg. Trim and wash the lettuces. Boil fa*t till tender in slightly salted water. Drain, squeeze out the moisture, and chop them very finely. 4G0