Page:Australian enquiry book of household and general information.djvu/49

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LL vegetables should be laid in cold water once they are cleaned and ready for the fire. Let them stand at least half an hour, or longer; for this reason, it is always best to impress upon a servant the necessity of preparing the vegetables for the dinner some time beforehand. They should be allowed plenty of water in which to boil, and care must be taken not to overdo them, as it spoils their color and appearance. A piece of soda, half the size of a bean, should be added to a gallon of water, for boiling green vegetables. Hard water is bad for any green things; it spoils their color. They should be put into boiling water, with a handful of salt, and when they sink it is a sign they are done. Then take them up and drain thoroughly. Potatoes should be put into cold water; also turnips, carrots, and similar hard vegetables. Cabbage when cooked can be chopped fine, a small piece of butter added with pepper and salt, and then press it into a basin or mould of some sort, and turn out on to a dish. This makes a nice breakfast dish served with poached eggs.

To Boil Potatoes.—In boiling potatoes in their jackets or skins, if you put them into hot water instead of cold as is done with them peeled, you prevent them bursting or cracking when done. Directly they are done they should be strained and set over the fire a minute or so to dry, that is, to draw the moisture from them. For mashed potatoes let them boil two or three minutes over to ensure their being soft, and then break up with a fork and mash with a proper masher, or, if you have not one, the end of the rolling pin or a bottle will do very well. A teaspoonful of butter or dripping should be added, pepper, if liked, and the least little drop of milk if they are very dry. Potatoes should never be patted down flat in the dish. For the centre of a dish of cutlets the simplest and best way is to press them into a buttered mould or basin, and just before serving turn out on to the dish and arrange the cutlets round neatly, the bones turned up. Sweet potatoes mashed with chopped eschalots and parsley are very nice.

Stoved Potatoes.

Ingredients: Ten or twelve potatoes, one bunch young eschalots, salt, pepper, two cups sweet milk.

Mode: Peel and cut the potatoes into slices or quarters, put them into a saucepan with the eschalots cut up, pepper and salt, and the milk. Cover with a close lid and let it cook slowly stirring occasionally to prevent burning. It will be done in about half-an-hour, when it can be served with cutlets, chops, steak, etc., or it makes an excellent dish for children, with bread and butter.

Time: Half-an-hour.

Potato Rissoles. Ingredients: One pint well-mashed potatoes, one tablespoonful parsley, one teaspoonful butter, half cup warm milk, flour, one egg.

Mode: Take the potatoes and add to them the parsley (finely chopped),