The complete cook book

serve with stale bread cut in dice and fried brown in butter. A cupful of cream added just before serving makes a great improvement. ONION SOUP. Peel and slice twelve medium-sized onions, and fry a light brown in butter. When done put them into a soup pot with one pint of hot sweet milk and one quart of boiling water, one thin slice of breakfast bacon, onehalf teaspoonful of sugar, salt and white pepper to taste. Simmer slowly one hour and strain through a sieve. Add the beaten yolks of three eggs, one tablespoonful of butter and one cup of cream. Let come to boiling point and serve at once. CONSOMME. Two chickens, soaked in cold water and put into a soup kettle, with one small onion with two cloves stuck in it, one bay leaf, one head of celery or a pinch of celery seeds, one sprig of parsley, one piece of mace, one sprig of thyme, one large or two small carrots, two turnips, three quarts of cold water, two tablespoonfuls of butter, and salt to taste. Let boil three or four hours, or until tender. Skim off the fat, strain through a sieve, and put in a cold place to cool. When cold remove the fat, and it will be ready to use. When you haven't chicken two pounds each of veal and beef may be substituted. SPLIT PEA SOUP. Take a two-pound beef bone and one slice of ham. Place in a soup pot and pour over it one gallon of cold water. Now add one pint of split peas or small white beans, two carrots, two turnips, one stalk of celery chopped in pieces, one sprig of thyme, and black and red pepper to taste. Boil for two hours, or until the vegetables are soft, and remove from the fire. Then strain the soup through a sieve and add one teaspoonful of butter and calt to taste, and boil five minutes and serve with toasted bread. 26 The Complete Cook Book. POTATO PUREE. Three or four large Irish potatoes, one quart of water, one pint of milk, one small onion chopped fine, one stalk of celery, one teaspoonful of salt, one-half teaspoonful of white pepper, one-half teaspoonful of celery salt, one-half tablespoonful of flour, two tablespoonfuls of butter and one sprig of parsley. Peel and boil potatoes until very soft, drain and mash and beat light. Add onions and celery to milk; when boiling, add the rest of seasoning and pour on the potatoes. Pour through sieve and put on to boil again. Mix your melted butter and flour together and stir in the puree. Let boil five minutes and serve. If too thick thin out with hot milk. POTATO SOUP. To make potato soup, use the following recipe: Scrub and put into a pan twelve medium-sized potatoes, with just enough water to cover them, and boil gently until they are done. Pour off the water, and when they are dry, peel and pass them through a sieve. Now melt an ounce and a half of butter in a saucepan, slice into it two onions, minced finely, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and a pinch of celery seed. Cover, and let the contents steam gently for fifteen minutes; add the potatoes and enough water to make a smooth, firm batter, then enough milk to reduce to the consistency of cream ; let it boil up once, season with pepper and salt, and serve. This is one of the most delicious yet economical soups that come to table. PUREE OF GREEN PEAS. Obtain one can of American peas. After straining, put them in a saucepan, adding a half slice of raw ham, an onion (small), stuck with a few clovei, cover with one-half gallon of good beef broth (water may be substituted) and let boil for an hour. Then remove the ham and onions and press the soup through a fine sieve; put to boil again, adding one-quarter of a pint of hot cream, season with salt and pepper. Beat the yolk The Complete Cook Book. 27