Bread Soup.
Save your crusts for several days for this soup. Break about half a pound of them into small pieces, and lay in an open oven to dry, while you skim your soup-stock; add an onion, and put over the fire to boil. Cook gently half an hour; strain; return to the kettle, and when it boils again put in the crusts. Cook slowly twenty minutes, stir, and beat the bread to a porridge, add seasoning and a little minced parsley, and boil one minute.
Lobster Croquettes.
1 can of preserved lobster; 2 eggs; 2 tablespoonfuls of butter; ½ cup fine crumbs; yolks of two hard-boiled eggs—pounded, then worked into the butter; juice of half a lemon; salt, cayenne pepper, a pinch of mace, and one of lemon-peel; beaten yolks of 2 raw eggs.
Mince the meat; work in the warmed butter and pounded yolks, the seasoning, raw eggs—at last, the crumbs. Make into oblong balls or rolls; roll in flour, and fry in sweet lard. Drain upon clean paper, rolling each croquette lightly upon it, and dish. Pass cream crackers and sliced lemon with these excellent croquettes, and make a separate course of them.
Braised Grouse.
Clean thoroughly, washing out the inside in soda and water, and then rinsing and wiping. Truss, but do not stuff the birds; tie them in shape. Cover the bottom of a saucepan with slices of fat salt pork; lay the grouse upon these; sprinkle minced onion and parsley over them with pepper, salt, and a little sugar. Cover with more pork, and pour in a large cupful of soup-stock, or other broth. If you cannot spare this, put butter and water, although it is not so good. Cover very closely; simmer one hour; turn the birds, and cook—always covered—until tender. Dish the grouse; strain the gravy; thicken with browned flour; boil up, and pour into a boat. Partridges, wild pigeons, and tough chickens may be cooked in this way—also ducks.
Salsify Fritters.
Wash, scrape, and grate the roots, letting them fall from the grater into a batter made of two eggs, half a cup of milk, flour enough for thin batter, and a little salt and pepper. It should be like raw fritters when mixed. Drop, by the spoonful, into the hot fat. As fast as they are fried throw into a hot colander, set over a bowl in the oven. Eat hot.
Sweet Potatoes.
Indian Meal Pudding.
4 beaten eggs; 1 quart of boiling milk; 2 scant cups white “corn-flour,” or very fine meal; ½ cup of wheat flour; 1 scant cup powdered sugar; 1 tablespoonful butter; a little salt; 1 tablespoonful of cream of tartar, and half as much soda sifted twice through the flour; ½ teaspoonful mixed cinnamon and nutmeg.
Boil the milk; stir in the meal, flour, and salt. Boil fifteen minutes, stirring up well from the bottom. Put into a bowl, and beat hard for three minutes. When cold add beaten eggs and sugar, with the spice. Whip long and thoroughly. Bake in greased cups or muffin-tins, in a steady oven. When done, turn out, and eat with butter and powdered sugar.