Practical household cookery

Take a sheep's head, split in two, pick the brains out and put them in a basin to steep in cold water ; soak the head in boiling water for five or ten minutes, wash it well, then put it in a stewpan with two quarts of cold water ; boil ; skim it very carefully, then add the same quantity of vegetables and " bouquet garni " as in No. 2 broth ; simmer for about three hours, put the head on a hot dish, skim off the fat, strain the broth through a sieve, and serve with a few slices of bread and some of the vegetables, or better still, with some pearl barley or rice cooked in a muslin bag with the broth. The sheep's head is very good eaten hot with either a sharp or tomato sauce. Remarks on Macaroni and Paste of all Descriptions, AND how to Cook Tt. All pastes such as macaroni, vermicelli, spaghetti, tagliatelH, &c. &c., can he served with broth, and one can always obtain a good soup with them at a few minutes' notice. Likewise paste can also be served as a luxury by different modes of preparation. The custom in Italy is that, whenever paste or rice is served as a made dish, it takes the place of soup. Although, as I have said before, paste can be served in many different ways, the mode of its cooking is always the same. Amongst the several sorts and qualities imported to this country, those from Naples and Genoa are the best ; and for boiling purposes (that is to say, for soups) those from the latter place are preferred. The time taken for cooking varies according to the age and size of the paste ; vermicelli from Naples may be cooked in five minutes, while Genoa macaroni (if old) may take half an hour. Tlie only way of boiling paste is to plunge it in plenty of boiling salt water, and never on any account soak it beforehand. As a future guidance in boiling all kinds of paste, I will describe the proper mode of cooking, say, one pound of macaroni. Put three quarts of water and a tablespoonful of salt in an ordinary saucepan, on a good fire. When the water boils fast, immerse the macaroni, and cover the saucepan for ten minutes ; after this take the lid oS and try now and then if the macaroni is cooked by a slight pressure between finger and thumb ; as soon aa it yields to the pinch, stop the boiling at once by pouring a pint of cold water into the saucepan ; strain the water through a D colander, as the macaroni is now cooked and ready for use. Note. — All descriptions of paste should be eaten as soon as cooked. 81. PLAIN MACARONI SOUP. Cut in pieces of about two inches long half a pound of macaroni cooked and strained as described in the previous remarks, and put it in a soup- tureen, then pour one quart of boiling broth over, and serve with grated cheese apart. Shred carrots, haricot beans, french beans, green peas, or any other vegetables can also be added in small quantities to this soup, provided they have been properly cooked in salt water and glazed in a stewpan with good gravy beforehand. The mode of preparing other kinds of plain paste soup is exactly the same as this. 82. MACARONI SOUP (SARDE). Peel and slice an onion in small dice ; put these into a stewpan with one ounce and a half of butter and two ounces of leg of veal, also cut in small dice. Fry the lot to a nice brown coloui*, then add five ripe tomatoes, previously peeled and passed through a sieve ; moisten with three pints of good broth ; season with salt and pepper, and boil for half an hour. Meantime cook and strain as described one pound of macaroni ; put it in a stewpan with an ounce of fresh butter and one and a half of grated cheese ; toss this up well together on the fire ; then pour it into the other stewpan with the broth ; stir, and serve. This soup can be varied by using other kinds of paste, and substituting chicken, mutton, or game for veal.