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Wash the tails and cut into short lengths. Brown the pieces in fat, put them into a large kettle, cover with water, add a bay leaf and simmer until the meat is tender enough to fall off the bones. Strain off the broth, and to it add diced vegetables, such as a mixture of onions, carrots, turnips, and potatoes, and cook slowly until the vegetables are tender but not broken. Chop up the meat and serve in the soup. Season to taste.

Boil the vegetables in the ham liquor until they are tender. Then add the milk and ham. When heated, season to taste with salt and pepper.

With wheat.–Follow the recipe above but instead of the vegetables listed use 2 cups of cooked cracked or whole-grain wheat, 2 cups of diced raw carrots, and a slice of onion. Add more milk or ham liquor if needed.

Beef, calf, lamb, and hog liver vary considerably in price, but all can be prepared in tasty ways. Liver has a delicate flavor if properly handled. Scald or pour boiling water over lamb and hog liver before cooking, and drain. Beef and calf liver do not require scalding. Do not overcook liver; use moderate heat and cook only long enough to change the color.

Fried with bacon.–Lay strips of bacon in a cold or moderately hot frying pan, and cook slowly, turning frequently. As soon as the bacon is done, drain on paper to take up the fat, and keep hot. Sprinkle slices of liver with salt, pepper, and flour and cook in the bacon fat at moderate heat until the liver is lightly browned. Serve surrounded by the crisp bacon on a hot platter.

Scalloped with potatoes.–Sprinkle 1 pound sliced liver with salt, pepper, and flour. Brown lightly in fat, and cut into small pieces. Pare and slice 6 or 7 potatoes. Put a layer of the potatoes into a greased baking dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add some of the liver, together with a few slices of onion, and continue until all are used, making the top layer potatoes. Cover with milk, put on a lid, and bake for about an hour in a moderate oven (350° F.), or until the potatoes are tender. At the last remove the lid and allow the potatoes to brown on top.

Cooked rice, macaroni, or noodles may be used instead of potatoes.