The hearthstone; or, Life at home

468 THE hearthstone; or, life at home. Made with oysters or sweetmeats of any kind omelets are a very popular entree or side-dish for dinner. With ham, kidneys or any kind of meat they are proper only for breakfast dishes. Asparagus Omelet. — Steam and cut up fine the asparagus, in quantity about a pint, then beat the yolks of five and the whites of three eggs lightly; add two spoonfuls of cream, mix all, fry in omelets and serve hot. Cauliflowers may be served in the same way. Buttered Eggs. — Four new-laid eggs, two ounces of butter. Procure the eggs new-laid, if possible; break them into a basin and beat them well ; put the butter into another basin, which place in boiling w^ater, and stir till the butter is melted. Pour that and the eggs into a lined saucepan ; hold it over a gentle fire, and, as the mixture begins to warm, pour it two or three times from the saucepan into the basin and back again, that the two ingredients may be well incorporated. Keep stirring the eggs and butter one way until they are hot, without boiling, and serve on hot buttered toast. If the mixture is allowed to boil, it will curdle, and so be entirely spoiled. Stuffed Eggs. — Boil your eggs hard and carefully remove the shells. Cut off the small end of each egg, and pick out the yolks. Put these latter in a pan, into which put grated crackers, celery seeds, butter, pepper and salt. Rub well together. Carefully stuff the eggs again, and replace the small ends previously removed. Stand them in a soup-plate or pan, and grate crackers over and around them, and add any of the yolks that may have been left of the stuffing. They make a delicious and rich dish. Pickled Eggs. — Boil one dozen fresh eggs fifteen minutes ; put them in cold water to cool ; take off the shells and place them in a jar; cover them with good vinegar; these are good in spring, with fish or cold meat. Poached Eggs. — Eggs for poaching should be perfectly fresh, but not quite new-laid ; those that are about thirty-six hours old are the best for the purpose. If quite new-laid, the white is so milky it is almost impossible to set it ; and, on the other hand, if the egg be at all stale, it is equally difficult to poach it nicely. Strain some boiling water into a deep, clean frying-pan ; break the egg into a cup without damaging the yolk, and when the water boils remove the pan to the side of the fire, and gently slip the egg into it. Place the pan over a gentle fire and keep the water simmering until the white looks nicely set, when the egg is ready. Take it up gently with a slice, cut away the ragged edges of the white, and serve either on toasted bread or on slices of ham or bacon, or on spinach, etc. A poached egg should not be overdone, as its appearance and taste will be quite spoiled if the yolk be allowed to harden. When the egg is slipped into the water, the white should be gathered together to keep it a little in form, or the cup should be turned over it for onehalf minute. To poach an egg to perfection is rather a difficult operation ; so, for inexperienced cooks, a tin egg-poacher may be purchased, which greatly facilitates the manner of dressing eggs. It consists of a tin plate with a handle, with a space for three perforated cups.