Mrs. Roundell's Practical cookery book

“Wyvern’s” Broad Beans a la Bourgreoise.— Having boiled and skinned the Beans, turn them into a stewpan over a slow fire with a tablespoonful of fresh butter. Mix with BROAD BEANS A LA BOURGEOISE them a tablespoonful of flour, and moisten with some of the water in which the Beans were boiled. Season with pepper and salt, and, when nice and creamy, serve. Broad Beans with Custard Sauce. — When the Beans are about three-parts grown shell enough of them to fill a quart measure to the brim. Put a half-gallon stewpan on the fire two-thirds filled with water, season this with a dessertspoonful of salt, and put into it half an ounce of fresh butter. Let it come to the boil, then put in the beans, and boil them till the skin parts easily from the bean when pressed gently between the finger and thumb. Then drain them in a colander, saving -the eau de cuisson in which they have been cooked, pour cold water over the beans, and then pinch them out of their skins. Next, melt an ounce of butter in a quart stewpan, mix in, over a low fire, one ounce of flour, and when well cooked, yet not coloured, stir in by degrees three-quarters of a pint of the eau de cuisson. Bring to the boil, take off the fire, add a coffeecupful of the broth into which three yolks of eggs have been mixed, stir well, put in the beans, and set the pan in the bainmarie. Warm up when required, but do not let the sauce boil. add a tablespoonful of minced chervil and parsley, and serve as hot as possible in a very hot dish. [Wyvern.] It is difficult to judge the quantity of salt required in boiling Broad Beans, as so much depends upon their age. Half an ounce of salt to two quarts of water is the usual allowance. French Beans.— These Beans are eaten in two stages of their existence, first as French Beans, when quite young, with tender pods and seeds unformed ; and in the second as Flageolets, when the seeds are nearly ripe. French Beans are at their best when young enough to eat untouched except by boiling. Stringing them then lets out the flavour. But stringing— that is, peeling off the fibre or string which goes all round the pod — is necessary when the French Beans are not very young. It is a great mistake to slice them. I When strung, plunge them into plenty of boiling water, which has been only slightly salted. The pan must not be tinned. Let the French Beans boil quickly in the uncovered pan till they sink to the bottom. When they are tender, drain them only slightly, as a little of the eau de cuisson is an improvement They ought to be tender enough to break when butter, if used, is stirred in at the last moment. For a second-course dish cream can be added to the butter, but it makes a rich dish and must be used with judgment. Serve the dish very hot. French Beans can be cooked in a variety of ways, but surely it is a mistake to conceal their own flavour by adding onion, parsley, or cheese. They are, however, very good when served with a tablespoonful of maitre d'hotel butter, stirred into them just at the last, or sautes. French Beans Sautes. — After the French Beans are boiled turn them into a saute-pan with just enough butter to moisten them, stir gently over a slow fire and let them absorb the butter, dust a very little salt over them, and serve.