Chapter 4

2 oz. of wheatmeal, 1 oz. of rolled oatmeal, 1 egg, 1/2 oz. of oiled butter, 1/2 lb. small sago, 3 eggs, 1 large Spanish onion, 1 dessertspoonful of mixed powdered herbs, 1 oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, and a little milk if needed. Swell the sago over the fire with as much water as it will absorb; when quite soft put into it the butter to melt, and, when melted, mix in the oatmeal and wheatmeal. Grate the onion, and whip up the eggs; mix all the ingredients together, not forgetting the herbs and seasoning. The whole should be a thick porridgy mass; if too dry add a little milk. Butter a pudding basin, pour into it the mixture, place a piece of buttered paper over it, tie a pudding cloth over the basin, and steam the haggis for 3 hours.

HERB PIE.

1 handful of parsley, 1 handful of spinach, and 1 of mustard and cress, 2 lettuce hearts sliced fine, 2 small onions, and a little butter, 3 eggs, 1 pint of milk, and 1/2 lb. of Allinson fine wheatmeal. Chop all the vegetables up finely, and mix them with a batter made of the milk, meal, and eggs; season it with pepper and salt; mix well; pour the mixture into a buttered pie-dish, place bits of butter over the top, and bake it for 1-1/2 hours.

HOT-POT.

2 lbs. of potatoes, 3/4 lb. of onions, 1 breakfastcupful of tinned tomatoes, or 1/2 lb. of sliced fresh ones, 1 teaspoonful of thyme, 1-1/2 oz. butter, pepper and salt to taste. Those who do not like tomatoes can leave them out, and the dish will still be very savoury. The potatoes should be peeled, washed, and cut into thin slices, and the onions peeled and cut into thin slices. Arrange the vegetables and tomatoes in layers; dust a little pepper and salt between the layers, and finish with a layer of potatoes. Cut the butter into little bits, place them on the top of the potatoes, fill the dish with hot water, and bake the hot-pot for 2 hours or more in a hot oven. Add a little more hot water if necessary while baking to make up for what is lost in the cooking.

LEEK PIE.

1 bunch of leeks, 1 lb. of potatoes, 1/2 teaspoonful of herbs, a little nutmeg, 1 pint of milk, pepper and salt to taste, 8 oz. of Allinson fine wheatmeal, 3 eggs, 1 oz. of butter. Cut up into dice the potatoes and leeks, parboil them in 1 pint of water, adding the herbs, butter, and seasoning; place the vegetables in a pie-dish, make a batter with the milk, eggs, and meal, pour it over the vegetables, mix all well, and bake the pie 1-1/2 to 2 hours in a moderate oven.

LENTIL PIE.

1/2 lb. of lentils, 1 lb. of potatoes, 1 lb. of tomatoes, 1 Spanish onion, 1 heaped-up teaspoonful of herbs, 3 hard-boiled eggs, 1-1/2 oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. Have the lentils cooked beforehand. Peel, wash, and cut into dice the potatoes and onion, and fry them in the butter until nearly soft. Scald and slice the tomatoes, and mix the fried vegetables, lentils, tomatoes, herbs, and seasoning well together. Turn the mixture into a pie-dish, and pour over as much water or vegetable stock as may be required for gravy. Quarter the eggs and place them on the top. Cover with a short crust, and bake the pie for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

LENTIL RISSOLES.

1/2 lb. of lentils, 1 finely chopped onion, 1 breakfastcupful of breadcrumbs, 1 breakfastcupful of tinned tomatoes, 1-1/2 oz. of butter, 2 eggs, pepper and salt to taste, some raspings, butter, vege-butter or oil for frying. Pick and wash the lentils, and boil them in enough water to cover them; when this is absorbed add the tomatoes, and if necessary gradually a little more water to prevent the lentils from burning. Fry the onion in 1-1/2 oz. of butter, mix it with the lentils as they are stewing, and add pepper and salt to taste. When the lentils are quite soft, and like a pureé (which will take from 1 to 1-1/2 hours), set them aside to cool. Mix the lentils and the breadcrumbs, beat up one of the eggs and add it to the mixture, beating all well together. If it is too dry, add a very little milk, but only just enough to make the mixture keep together. Form into rissoles, beat up the second egg, roll them into the egg and raspings, and fry the rissoles a nice brown in boiling butter or oil. Drain and serve.

LENTIL TURNOVERS.

6 oz. of lentils, 6 oz. of mushrooms, 1 English onion chopped very fine, 1 ounce of butter, 1 dessertspoonful of lemon juice, pepper and salt to taste. Pick and wash the lentils, and cook them in only as much water as they will absorb. Peel, wash, and cut up the mushrooms, chop fine the onion, and fry both in the butter. Add them to the lentils now cooking; also the lemon juice and seasoning. When the lentils are quite soft, the whole should be a fairly firm pureé. Let it cool, and meanwhile make a paste of 6 oz. of Allinson fine wheatmeal and 2 oz. of butter or vege-butter and a little water. Roll the paste out thin, cut into squares of about 4 inches. Place some of the lentil mixture in each, moisten the edges, turn half over, and press the edges together. Bake for 15 minutes in a floured tin, and serve with brown sauce, vegetables, and potatoes.

LENTILS (CURRIED), AND RICE.

1 breakfastcupful each of lentils and rice, 1 lb. of fresh tomatoes or 1/2 a tinful of tinned ones, 1 dessertspoonful of curry, 3 eggs, well beaten, 2 oz. of butter, some breadcrumbs, and salt to taste. Roast the rice in a frying-pan in half of the butter until browned; then set it over the fire with 1-1/2 pints of water and the lentils, picked and washed. When tender set them aside to cool a little. Scald and skin the tomatoes, cut them into slices and place them in a buttered pie-dish. Smooth the curry with 1 spoonful of water; add the curry, the eggs, and salt to the cooked rice and lentils, and mix all well. Spread all over the tomatoes, scatter breadcrumbs over the top, cut up the rest of the butter in pieces and place them here and there over the breadcrumbs. Bake the savoury for 3/4 of an hour to 1 hour.

LENTILS (POTTED), FOR SANDWICHES.

1/2 lb. of lentils, 1 English onion, 1/2 a cupful of tinned tomatoes, 1 blade of mace, 1 oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. Pick and wash the lentils, and set them over the fire to cook, only just covered with water, adding the mace, pepper, and salt. Chop fine the onion and fry it a nice brown in the butter; add the fried onions and tomatoes to the lentils, stir them sometimes to prevent burning, and let the lentils cook gently until they have become soft and make a fairly firm purée. If too dry, add a little more water as may be required. When they are done remove the mace and turn the lentils out to get cold. Then use for making sandwiches with very thin bread and butter.

MINESTRA.

1 breakfastcupful of potatoes cut into small dice, 2 breakfastcupfuls of flagolet beans, onions, carrots, and celery mixed (the latter cut up small), 1/4 lb. of rice, 2 oz. of butter, 2 oz. of grated Parmesan cheese, pepper and salt to taste. Boil the vegetables in 1 quart of water until quite tender, add the rice, also pepper and salt, and cook all together gently until the rice is soft, adding more water if necessary. Before serving add the butter and cheese, stir a few minutes, and serve.

MUSHROOM CUTLETS.

1/4 lb. of mushrooms, 1/2 teacupful of mashed potatoes, 1 teacupful of breadcrumbs, 1 small onion, 2 eggs, 2 oz. of butter, a little milk, 1 teaspoonful of finely chopped parsley, 1/2 teaspoonful of herbs. Peel and cut up the mushrooms, chop up the onion, and fry them in 1 oz. of butter. Mix the mushrooms and onion with the breadcrumbs, 1 egg well beaten, add also pepper and salt to taste; if necessary add a little milk to make it into a paste; shape the mixture into cutlets, dip them in the other egg well beaten, and fry them in the rest of the butter. Serve with tomato sauce.

MUSHROOM PIE.

1-1/2 lbs. of mushrooms, 1-1/2 lbs. of potatoes, 1 Spanish onion, 1 oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, 1 teaspoonful of mixed herbs, and 3 hard-boiled eggs. Peel and wash the mushrooms, and cut them into 2 or 4 pieces, according to their size. Peel and wash the potatoes, and cut them into pieces the size of walnuts; parboil them with 1 pint of water, and turn them into a pie-dish with the water. Chop up the onion, and cook the mushrooms and onion for 10 minutes with the butter in 1/2 pint of water, adding the herbs and seasoning. Mix all well in the pie-dish, quarter the eggs, and place them on the top, cover with a short crust, and bake the pie for 3/4 of an hour to 1 hour.

MUSHROOM SAVOURY.

4 ounces of Allinson plain rusks 3 eggs, 1 pint of milk, 2 oz. of butter, 1 lb. of mushrooms, 1 small onion chopped fine, and pepper and salt to taste. Crush the rusks and soak in the milk; add the eggs well whipped. Peel, wash, and cut up the mushrooms, and fry them and the onion in the butter. When they have cooked in the butter for 10 minutes add them to the other ingredients, and season with pepper and salt. Pour the mixture into a greased pie-dish, and bake the savoury for 1 hour. Serve with green vegetables, potatoes, and tomato sauce.

MUSHROOM TARTLETS.

1/2 lb. of mushrooms, 1 oz. of butter, 1 small English onion, 1 tablespoonful of vermicelli broken up small, pepper and salt to taste. Peel and wash the mushrooms and cut them up; chop up the onions very fine, melt the butter in the frying-pan and fry the mushrooms and onion in it, adding pepper and salt to taste; a good deal of liquid will run from the mushrooms, stir into it the vermicelli, which let cook in the juice until tender; let the mixture cool, line some tartlet tins with Allinson wholemeal crust, fill with the mixture, cover with crust, and press the edges well together; bake in a moderate oven.

MUSHROOM TART AND GRAVY.

1 lb. of mushrooms, 1/2 lb. of Allinson fine wheatmeal, 4 oz. of butter or Allinson frying oil, pepper and salt to taste. Pick and wash the mushrooms, remove the stalks, dry them and cut them into pieces; make pastry with the meal, 3 oz. of the butter, and a little cold water; roll it out, line a large plate and heap the mushrooms upon it, dredge well with pepper and salt, and cut the rest of the butter into bits to be scattered over the mushrooms; when you line the plate, keep a little of the paste, cut this into thin strips and lay them in diamond shape across the pie; bake the pie 3/4 hour in a moderate oven.

The Gravy.--The stalks of the mushrooms, 4 eschalots chopped very fine, 1 teaspoonful of Allinson cornflour, 3 bay leaves, 1/2 oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. Fry the stalks and eschalots in the butter, then gently cook them in 3/4 pint of water for 1/2 hour, adding seasoning and the bay leaves; strain, return the sauce to the saucepan, and thicken it with the cornflour.

MUSHROOM TURNOVERS.

1/2 lb. of medium-sized mushrooms, 1 oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. For the pastry, 1/2 lb. of Allinson fine wheatmeal, 3 oz. of butter (or 3 tablespoonfuls of Allinson frying oil). Make the pastry of the meal, butter, and a little water; pick and wash the mushrooms, cut them up in small pieces dredge them with pepper and salt, and fry them in the butter for 5 to 10 minutes. Roll the paste out, cut it in squares of about 4 inches, and place as much mushroom on each as it will conveniently hold. Press the edges of each square together, folding them in triangular shape, and bake them in a moderate oven for an hour. Serve with brown gravy.

OATMEAL PIE-CRUST.

4 oz. each of medium oatmeal and Allinson fine wheatmeal, and 2-1/2 oz. of vege-butter or butter. Make the crust in the usual way with cold water. It will be found beautifully short, very tasty, and more digestible than white flour pastry.

ONION TART.

1 lb. of Spanish onions, 1 lb. of English onions, 4 oz. of butter, 3 eggs, 1/2 pint of cream, pepper and salt to taste, 1/2 lb. of Allinson fine wheatmeal. Slice the onions, and stew them with 1-1/2 oz. of butter without browning them. When tender let the onions cool, mix with them the eggs, well beaten, and the cream, also the seasoning. Make a paste with the meal and the rest of the butter, line with it a baking-tin, keeping back a small quantity of the paste; pour the mixture of onions, eggs, and cream into the paste-lined tin, cut the rest of the paste into thin strips, and lay these crossways over the tart, forming diamond-shaped squares; bake the tart in a moderate oven until golden brown.

ONION TURNOVER.

2 medium-sized Spanish onions, 1 oz. of butter (or Allinson frying oil), 3 eggs, pepper and salt. For the pastry, 6 oz. of Allinson fine wheatmeal, 2-1/2 oz. of butter or oil. Chop the onions fine, boil them a few minutes in a little water, and drain them; stew them in the butter for 10 minutes, adding the seasoning beat up the eggs and mix them well with the onions over the fire, remove the mixture as it begins to set. Have ready the pastry made with the meal, butter, and a little cold water, roll it out, place the onions and eggs on it, fold the pastry over, pinching the edges over, and bake the turnover brown. Serve with gravy. This is a Turkish dish.

POTATO PIE.

Slice potatoes and onions, stew with a little water until nearly done, put into a pie-dish, flavour with herbs, pepper, and salt, add a little soaked tapioca and very little butter, cover with short wheatmeal crust, and bake 1 hour. To make a very plain pie-crust use about 2 oz. of butter or a proportionate quantity of Allinson frying oil to 1 lb. of wheatmeal. Roll or touch with the fingers as little as possible, and mix with milk instead of water. Eat this pie with green vegetables.

POTATO AND TOMATO PIE.

2 lbs. of potatoes, 2 lbs. of tomatoes, 3 hard-boiled eggs, 1 oz. of vermicelli or sago, 1 Spanish onion, 1 dessertspoonful of thyme, 1 oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. For the crust, 1/2 lb. of Allinson fine wheatmeal, 3 oz. of butter, and as much cold water as needed. Boil the potatoes in their skins, and when nearly soft drain, peel, and cut them into pieces, scald and skin the tomatoes and cut them into pieces also. Mix them with the potatoes in a pie-dish. Chop up roughly the onion, and boil in about 1 pint of water, adding the butter and the vermicelli or sago. Cook until soft. Add pepper and salt, and mix all with the potatoes and tomatoes. Sprinkle in the thyme, and mix all the ingredients well. Quarter the eggs and place the pieces on the top of the vegetables. Make the crust, cover the dish with it, and bake the pie from 3/4 of an hour to 1 hour. The crust looks better if brushed over with white of egg before baking.

POTATOES AND MUSHROOM STEW.

1-1/2 lbs. of potatoes, 1 Spanish onion, 1/2 lb. of mushrooms, 1 oz. of butter, pepper and salt, and 1 teaspoonful of Allinson cornflour for thickening. Peel, wash, and cut into pieces the potatoes; chop up the onion, and set both over the fire with 1 pint of water, the butter and seasoning; let cook until the potatoes are about half done. Meanwhile skin, wash, and cut into pieces the mushrooms, add them to the other ingredients, and let all stew together until tender. Thicken the liquid with the cornflour, boil up, and serve.

QUEEN'S APPLE AND ONION PIE.

3 breakfastcupfuls of Allinson breadcrumbs, 3 eggs, 1-1/2 lbs. of apples, 2 lbs. of Spanish onions, 2 oz. of butter, 1/2 teaspoonful of spice, pepper and salt to taste, and a little hot milk; cut into slices the onions and apples, stew them gently (without adding-water) with 1 oz. of the butter, the spice and seasoning until quite tender. Mix the breadcrumbs with the eggs, well beaten, and enough hot milk to smooth the breadcrumbs; butter a pie-dish with 1/2 oz. of butter, place a layer of breadcrumbs in your dish, a layer of apple and onion, repeat this until your dish is full, finishing with breadcrumbs. Place the rest of the butter on the top in little bits, and bake the pie for 1 hour. Serve with brown gravy.

QUEEN'S ONION PIE.

3 lbs of Spanish onions, 3 breakfastcupfuls of Allinson breadcrumbs, 3 eggs, 3 oz. of butter, 1 teaspoonful of mixed herbs, 1 tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, pepper and salt to taste, and a little hot milk. Stew the onions in 2 oz. of butter, adding the herbs and seasoning. Prepare the breadcrumbs in the same way as for "Queen's Onion and Apple Pie," place the onions and breadcrumbs in layers as in the previous recipe, and bake 1 hour.

QUEEN'S TOMATO PIE.

8 breakfastcupfuls of Allinson breadcrumbs, 3 eggs, 2 lbs. of tomatoes, 2 finely chopped onions, 1/2 oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, a little boiling milk; 1 dessertspoonful of finely chopped parsley. Cut the tomatoes into slices, and stew them gently with 1 oz. of the butter, the onions and seasoning for 10 minutes, then add the parsley. Soak the breadcrumbs with enough hot milk to just moisten them through, add the eggs beaten up. Grease a pie-dish, place in it first a layer of breadcrumbs, then one of tomatoes and so on until full, finishing with breadcrumbs. Put the rest of the butter in little bits on the top of the pie, and bake it until lightly brown.

SAVOURY CUSTARD.

1 quart of milk; 6 eggs, 6 oz. of grated cheese, Parmesan is the best, but any kind of cooking cheese can be used; 1/2 a saltspoonful of nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste. Heat the milk; meanwhile whip the eggs well, and mix the cheese and seasoning with them. Mix well with the hot milk, pour the mixture into a buttered pie-dish, and bake in a moderately hot oven until set. Serve with green vegetables and potatoes.

SAVOURY CUSTARD (Another way).

1 quart of milk, 6 eggs, pepper and salt to taste, 1 tablespoonful each of finely chopped parsley and spring onion. Proceed as above; mix the herbs and onion with the custard, and bake until set.

SAVOURY FRITTERS (1).

1 teacupful of mashed potatoes, 1/2 lb. of breadcrumbs, 1 large English onion, 2 eggs, 1 oz. of butter, 1 teaspoonful of powdered sage, 1/2 saltspoonful of nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste. Chop the onion up fine and fry it brown in the butter. Whip up the eggs and mix both ingredients with the breadcrumbs; add the mashed potatoes, herbs, and seasoning, and mix all well together. Form into fritters, dredge with flour, and fry them a nice brown. Serve with vegetables, potatoes, and sauce.

SAVOURY FRITTERS (2).

12 oz. of onions, 6 oz. of breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoonful of dried sage, 2 eggs, 1-1/2 oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. Chop the onions up small and fry them in the butter, or oil a nice brown, then add the sage to them. Mix a third of the onions with the breadcrumbs, add the eggs well beaten, pepper and salt; mix all well, form into fritters, and fry in butter or oil. The remainder of the onions place round the fritters on the dish. Serve with apple sauce.

SAVOURY PICKLED WALNUT.

1/2 lb. of Allinson bread, 1 pint of milk, 3 eggs, 4 pickled walnuts and the vinegar to taste, 1 tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, 1 teaspoonful of powdered mixed herbs, 1 grated English onion, 2 oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. Soak the bread in the milk, add the parsley, herbs, onion, eggs and seasoning. Mash up the pickled walnuts, dissolve part of the butter on the stove and add both to the other ingredients; mix all well. Butter a pie-dish with the rest of the butter, pour in the mixture, and bake.

SAVOURY PIE.

6 oz. of haricot beans, 1/2 lb. of onions, 1 lb. of tomatoes, 1/2 lb. of parboiled potatoes, 2 hard-boiled eggs, 1 teaspoonful of herbs, 4 oz. of butter, 1/2 lb. of fine wheatmeal, pepper and salt to taste. Have the beans boiled the previous day, place them in a pie-dish, chop up the onions and boil them in a little water until soft, cut the potatoes in small dice, slice the tomatoes, cut up the eggs, and mix all the ingredients thoroughly in the pie dish, adding the herbs, 1 oz. of butter, and seasoning. Pour over the mixture 1 pint of water, and let it cook for 1 hour in the oven. Make a paste of the wheatmeal, the rest of the butter and a little cold water, cover the vegetables with it, and bake the pie 1 hour in a moderate oven.

SAVOURY TARTLETS.

4 eggs, 4 oz. grated cheese, 1 oz. of butter, 1 teaspoonful of mustard, 1 gill of cream, pepper and salt to taste. For the crust 6 oz. of Allinson fine wheatmeal, and 2 oz. of butter. Whip up the eggs and add to each egg 1 dessertspoonful of water. Dissolve the mustard in a little water; mix this, the cheese and seasoning with the eggs. Heat the butter in a frying-pan, and when boiling stir in the eggs and cheese mixture, stirring it with a knife over the fire until set. Turn the mixture into a bowl to cool. Meanwhile have ready the paste for the pastry. Rub the butter into the flour, add enough water to make it hold together, mixing the paste with a knife. Roll it out thin, line small patty pans, fill with the egg and cheese mixture. Moisten the edges of the paste in the patty pans, cover with paste, and press the edges together. Bake the little tartlets in a moderately hot oven until done; they will take from 15 to 20 minutes.

SPAGHETTI AUX TOMATOES.

1 lb. of spaghetti, the strained juice of one tin of tomatoes, 1 oz. of butter, pepper and salt. Mix the tomato juice with 1 pint of water and let the liquid come to the boil, throw in the spaghetti, taking care to keep the contents of the saucepan boiling fast; add the butter and seasoning, and cook until tender; time from 15 to 20 minutes. Serve very hot with grated cheese.

SPANISH ONIONS (Stewed).

Cut up lengthways as many onions as may be required, according to number in family. Set them over a fire in a saucepan with a piece of butter the size of a walnut, and 1 teacupful of water; let them stew gently for 1-1/2 hours, when there will be a lot of juice boiled out of the onions. Chop fine a handful of parsley, thicken the liquid on the onions with some Allinson fine wheatmeal, add pepper and salt; let the onions simmer a few minutes longer, then mix the parsley with them, and serve at once with squares of toast. This is a very nice dish for the evening meal.

SPANISH ONIONS AND CHEESE.

This is a very savoury dish and suitable for an evening meal. 1 lb. of Spanish onions, 4 oz. of cheese, a few breadcrumbs, pepper and salt to taste, and 1 oz. of butter. Peel and slice the onions thinly and grate the cheese. Arrange the onions in a pie-dish in layers, sprinkling cheese and a little pepper and salt between each layer. Finish with the cheese, scatter breadcrumbs on the top, cut up the butter into bits and scatter it over the breadcrumbs. Pour a small teacupful of water into the pie-dish, and bake about 2 hours. This is nice eaten cold as well as hot.

SPANISH ONIONS AND WHITE SAUCE.

Choose as many onions of equal size as are required and boil them whole in plenty of water until tender; the time necessary being about 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Then drain them, keeping the water they were boiled in as stock for soup or stew. Make the sauce as follows: 1/2 pint of milk, 1 oz. of butter, 1 heaped teaspoonful of cornflour, pepper and salt to taste. Boil the milk with the butter and seasoning, and thicken it with the cornflour. Boil the sauce up again and pour it over the onions, which should be ready on a hot dish on slices of toast.

SPANISH STEW.

2 lbs. of potatoes, 1 lb. of Spanish onions, 1 lb. of tomatoes, 2 oz. of vermicelli, 1/2 pint of milk, 1 oz. of butter, pepper and salt. Cut up into dice the potatoes and onions, and stew them with the butter and very little water; when they are tender, add the tomatoes cut in slices, and cook the vegetables 10 minutes longer. Add seasoning, the milk and vermicelli, and a little more water if necessary; let the whole simmer for another 10 minutes, and serve.

SPINACH DUMPLINGS.