Lessons in cooking through preparation of meals

Rub the plank thoroughly with salt and put in the broiler under the gas to heat. When well heated place the steak on it, baste with i T butter, dust with pepper, and place under the flame, having it turned high at first, Brown first one side, then the other, lower the flame and cook from 8 to 12 m, according to the thickness of the steak. Mash 4 good sized boiled potatoes, add ^ c hot milk, i t salt and 2 T butter, beating very light. Put them into a pastry bag having a star tube at the end. When the steak is done, remove from the oven and press the potatoes through the tube, making a border of roses all around the plank. Drain liquor from i can of peas, heat with %. c water, season with i T butter, i t sugar and ^ t salt, and pour around the steak inside the potato border. Serve at once. Grapefruit, Date and Nut Salad Remove the pulp of 2 grapefruit, cut into pieces about i inch long, add y^ c dates stoned and cut into small pieces and y2 c nut meats. Cover with salad dressing, page 29, and serve on a lettuce leaf. Maple Bavarian Cream Soak 2 T gelatine in 2 T cold water. Boil 3^ c maple sugar with ^ c water for 5 m, then slowly pour into the beaten yolks of 2 eggs, stirring constantly. Cook over hot water until the mixture coats the spoon. Remove from the fire, add the gelatine and stir over ice water until the mixture begins to thicken, then fold in the stiffly beaten whites of 2 eggs and the whip from ^ c cream. Turn into a wet mould and chill. Preparing the Meal Immediately after breakfast make the Bavarian cream, then prepare the salad and set in a cool place until needed. An h before dinner time wash and pare the potatoes and cook in boiling salted water. Also wash the celery and put on to cook. Open a can of peas, drain liquor from them and place peas in a sauce pan to be heated. Prepare the steak for broiling and heat the plank. Finish the celery soup, drain and mash the potatoes, keeping hot until needed. Broil the steak, and heat the peas. Serve the soup and 244 i^jiSSONS IN COOKING when finished remove the planked steak from the oven, make a border of the potato roses, pour the peas around the steak and serve the dinner. Sunday Lesson 151 FRICASSEED OYSTERS — WAFERS BREAD AND BUTTER PINEAPPLE SPICE CAKES COCOA Fricasseed Oysters Drain and reserve the liquor from i pint of oysters. Pick over the oysters carefully, removing any bits of shell, etc., that may be found. Heat the Uquor, strain and add enough milk to make 2 c of liquid. Melt 4 T butter, add 5 T flour and when thoroughly blended add the liquid slowly. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, then place over hot water, add i t salt, 2 T lemon juice, i T chopped parsley and the oysters. Cook until the oysters become plump and the gills begin to curl, then add slowly I well-beaten egg. Cook a minute or so longer, then serve at once on wafers. Cocoa Three c milk, i c water, 2 T cocoa, 2 T sugar, i t cornstarch, ys, t salt, I t vanilla. See p. 13 if necessary. Preparing the Meal About 20 m before supper prepare the fricasseed oysters. While the sauce is cooking make the cocoa, cut the bread and butter, place some cakes on a plate, open a can of pineapple and place all on the table. Finish the oysters and serve the supper. MARCH MENUS 245 CHAFING DISH SUPPER FOR EIGHT PEOPLE