Hotch-Potch.
- 2 lbs. of lean beef, without bones, and cut into mince-meat.
- 2 onions.
- 2 carrots.
- 2 turnips.
- 2 stalks of celery.
- ½ small cabbage, cut fine.
- 2 potatoes.
- 1 cup of corn.
- Half a can of tomatoes.
- Bunch of sweet herbs, chopped.
- Pepper and salt.
- 2 tablespoonfuls of butter.
Wash, scrape, and slice the vegetables, and put all except the tomatoes into a pot; cover with hot water and boil gently ten minutes. Drain off the water, put a handful of the mixed vegetables, including now the tomatoes, in the bottom of a stone jar. Pepper and salt, strew thickly with the minced raw beef, repeat the order until your materials are all in the jar. Fit a top or a small plate over the mouth; tie down with stout greased paper, set it within the oven, and let it alone for five or six hours, except that you must look, now and then, to see that the paper does not take fire. Prevent this by greasing it abundantly. At the end of this time, turn out the hotch-potch; stir in the butter, and, if needed, additional seasoning through it, and serve in a tureen.
Stewed Pigeons.
Pick, clean, and wash the pigeons, and put into a pot with a cupful of water to keep them from burning, and a tablespoonful of butter for each one. Shut the lid down tightly, and subject to a slow heat until they are of a nice brown—about nut-color. Once in a great while turn them, and see that each is well wet with the liquor. Take them out and cover in a warm place—a colander set over a pot of hot water is best—while you make the gravy. Chop the giblets of the pigeon “exceeding small” with a little onion and parsley. Put into the gravy, pepper and salt, boil up and thicken with browned flour. Return the pigeons to the pot, cover again tightly, and cook slowly until tender. If there should not be liquor enough in the pot to make the gravy, add boiling water before the giblets go in.
This is an admirable receipt.
Potatoes à la Lyonnaise.
Cut parboiled potatoes into dice. Chop an onion and fry it, with a little minced parsley, in good dripping or butter, for one minute. Then put in the potatoes. Stir briskly until they have fried slowly for five minutes. They must never stick to the bottom, nor brown. Sprinkle with pepper and salt, drain free of fat by shaking them in a heated colander, and send up hot.
Kidney Beans.
Soak over night in soft water; next morning cover with lukewarm, and cook slowly for one hour. Salt slightly and boil until tender, but not to actual breaking. Drain very well, stir in a liberal spoonful of butter, pepper, and serve.
English Tapioca Pudding.
- 1 cup of tapioca.
- 5 eggs.
- 3 pints of milk.
- 1 cup of sugar.
- 2 tablespoonfuls of butter.
- ½ lb. of raisins.
- Half the grated peel of a lemon.
- A little salt.
Soak the tapioca for one hour in a pint of the milk; pour into a farina-kettle, surround with warm water, salt very slightly, and bring to a boil. When soft throughout, turn out to cool, while you make the custard. Heat a quart of milk to scalding; pour over the beaten eggs and sugar, this last having been rubbed to a cream with the butter. Mix with the tapioca—lemon-peel and raisins last. Dredge the fruit lightly with flour, and beat all up hard. Bake in a buttered dish one hour—at first covered.
Eat warm, with powdered sugar. It is better for not being too hot.