Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/236

192 Time.—3½ to 4 hours. Average Cost, 6d. without the stock. Seasonable at any time. Sufficient for 2 or 3 persons.

Ingredients.—3 pints of second stock or water, 1 pint of milk, ½ a pint of brown lentils, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 2 strips of celery, a bouquet-garni (parsley, thyme, bay-leaf), 1 oz. of butter, 1 tablespoonful of flour, salt and pepper, 2 tablespoonfuls of cream.

Method.—Wash the lentils, soak them for 24 hours, and when ready to use, drain well. Melt the butter in a stew-panstewpan [sic], put in the vegetables, sliced herbs, and lentils, cover closely and let them steam in the butter for 15 or 20 minutes. Add the stock, salt and pepper, and cook gently for 2 hours, or until tender, then rub through a fine sieve. Return to the saucepan, add the milk and bring to the boil. Mix the flour with a little milk or stock, add it to the soup, stir and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste, add the cream, and serve. Croûtons of fried or toasted bread should be handed separately.

Time.—2¾ to 3 hours. Average Cost, 8d. to 9d. without the stock. Seasonable at any time. Sufficient for 6 persons.

Ingredients.—3 quarts of water, 1 pint of lentils, 1 carrot, 1 strip of celery, 1 oz. of dripping or bacon fat, salt and pepper, 1 tablespoonful of flour.

Method.—Wash the lentils the day before the soup is wanted, strain, and spread on a dish. Cover with another dish and let them remain until ready for use. Slice the vegetables and fry them in the hot fat for a few minutes, as this improves the flavour of the soup. Add the water, and, when boiling, put in the lentils and boil gently for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the lentils are tender. If convenient rub them through a wire sieve, if not, crush them by pressing them at the side of the