The household cook book

PICKLED NASTURTIUMS.— Leave about 1 inch of stem on when they are picked; let them soak in strong brine for 3 days; drain, and soak them in cold water 1 day; draili, put in jars, and pour on boiling vinegar to cover; they need no spices. They can be used in a month, and will serve instead of capers if desired. The Nastuktium is a native of the east. It belongs to the same family as the cresses. The leaves are sometimes added to salads. The flowers can be steeped in vinegar, thus forming nasturtium vinegar. PICKLED ONIONS.— (1) Take nice onions, peel them, put into boiling water, and let them stew until quite clear; then remove them quickly, put them between cloths to dry, and then put them in glass jars. Take good vinegar, put in ginger and whole peppers, bring to a boil, and when cold pour over the onions, and tie up closely. (2) Select button onions, cover with scalding hot brine, and leave 36 hours; drain, put in jars, and cover with vinegar, jwured on hot, and spiced as desired. PICKLED OYSTERS — Take 1 quart oyster liquor, 7 tablespoons good vinegar, 1 teaspoon each of allspice and white pepper, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 blades of mace; into this put 1 quart of oysters, and simmer 5 minutes; take them out, boil the liquor, skim it, and pour it over the oysters; can them while hot if you wish to keep them some time. PICKLED PARSLEY — Prepare a brine and thoroughly wash selected parsley in it; drain, shake dry, put into glass jars, cover with cold vinegar, containing 1 tablespoon of chopped horseradish to the quart, and tie up. It can be used for garnishing. PICKLED PEPPERS — Take large green ones, and extract the seeds through a slit cut in the side, but leaving them whole; then put them in a strong brine for 2 days, changing it once; then put them in cold water for 1 day; drain, and pour on boiling hot, a solution of -g vinegar and ^ water; when cold, drain them, put into jars, and cover with strong cider vinegar, boiling hot. Tie uj) when cold. They are sometimes filled, before being put into the jars, with a stuffing made of cabbage head, chopped fine, seasoned with salt and white mustard seed mixed in well; then sew up, put in jars, and cover with cold spiced vinegar. PICCALILLI — Slice one peck of green tomatoes, add 1 cup salt, cover with water and let stand 24 hours; then drain through a sieve, add 4 green peppers and 8 onions and chop fine; cover with vinegar and scald; drain off, add 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon each of cloves and allspcie, and 2 ounces of white mustard seed, and cover with cold vinegar. GREEN TOMATO PICKLES.-Slice 1 peck of green tomatoes and let stand over night with a little salt sprinkled between them; h the morning put them into weak vinegar and scald ; remove the tomatoes and when cold put in jars. Take strong cider vinegar to cover, add 1 cup sugar, 4 green peppers, mustard and spice to taste, bring it to a boil, and pour over the tomatoes. RIPE TOMATO PICKLES.— Use the small yellow plum tomatoes; prick them with a coarse needle, pack in jars, and cover with hot cider vinegar, spiced or not as preferred. Cover close and keep in a cool place.