How to Cook in Casserole Dishes
Part 4
Sprinkle a few browned bread crumbs over the top and serve at once.
CHOPPED VEAL
1 lb. chopped veal 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) butter 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) flour ¾ pint (1½ cups) gravy or stock Seasoning salt, pepper, lemon juice, and mace Toast points and cut lemon
Put the butter into a fireproof dish, and when quite hot add the flour and brown it, then add the stock; boil for five minutes, then add the veal and seasonings.
Heat through but do not boil. Serve garnished with toast points and cut lemon.
The gravy or stock may be made by stewing the veal bones with a carrot, turnip, onion, sprig of parsley, and a strip of lemon rind for one hour.
COTTAGE PIE
Some cold potatoes Some cold chopped meat A little dripping A little gravy Salt and pepper to taste
Rice the potatoes or rub them through a sieve; butter a fireproof dish, put in alternate layers of potatoes and meat, add a little pepper, salt, and gravy to each layer; continue this until the dish is full, and have a good layer of potatoes for the top; mark the top with a fork, and put on a few pieces of butter or dripping.
Bake a nice brown color and serve hot.
MACARONI RAGOUT
½ package macaroni 2 tablespoonfuls chopped cooked ham 1 tablespoonful chopped cooked meat or tongue 1 oz. (4 tablespoonfuls) grated cheese Salt, pepper, and dust of red pepper 2 tablespoonfuls cornstarch ½ pint (1 cup) milk 1 oz. (1 heaping tablespoonful) butter ½ teaspoonful meat extract 1 tablespoonful chopped parsley.
Break the macaroni into inch lengths, then boil it in plenty of boiling salted water until tender; drain and keep hot.
Mix the cornstarch with a little cold milk till smooth; boil the remaining milk, stir in the cornstarch, meat extract, seasonings, chopped parsley, cheese, chopped ham, chopped meat or tongue; allow to cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pile the macaroni mixture in a buttered casserole and pour over it the cornstarch mixture.
Put in the oven to brown over and serve hot.
CREAMED DRIED BEEF WITH MACARONI
½ lb. sliced dried beef ¼ lb. macaroni 4 hard cooked eggs cut in rings 1 pint (2 cups) milk 4 ozs. (4 tablespoonfuls) butter 4 ozs. (4 tablespoonfuls) flour Salt and paprika to taste
Break the macaroni into inch lengths, then throw it into boiling salted water, allow to cook for forty minutes, then drain and keep hot.
Melt the butter in a casserole, then fry the beef until slightly browned, then remove the beef, stir in the flour, and cook for eight minutes; add the seasonings and the beef.
Arrange the macaroni on a hot casserole, pour over the beef, and garnish with the eggs.
MUTTON HASH
Some cold mutton 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) butter 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) flour 1 celery stalk Bunch sweet herbs ½ pint (1 cup) stock 1 small onion 2 parsley sprigs Salt and pepper Some mashed potatoes
Melt the butter in an earthenware pan, and when quite hot, brown the onion sliced, then the flour; add the stock, which may be made by stewing the bones with one onion, carrot, turnip, and a blade of mace; when boiling, add the celery, herbs, parsley, pepper, and salt; simmer for half an hour, then add the mutton, taking care to remove the fat; allow this to simmer for half an hour.
Serve hot with mashed potatoes.
PORK PIE
Some cold pork ½ package macaroni 1 tablespoonful chopped parsley Salt and pepper to taste 4 ozs. (1 cup) grated cheese 1 onion ½ pint (1 cup) cream 1 egg Some pastry
Cut the meat into neat pieces; boil the macaroni in boiling salted water for half an hour, then drain it; mix the pork with the macaroni, add the cheese, the onion and parsley chopped fine, cream, salt and pepper to taste; butter a fireproof pie-plate, line it with pastry, fill it with the mixture, cover it with pastry, brush it over with the egg well beaten, and bake in a hot oven for half an hour.
Serve hot.
PUFFS OF MEAT
1 cupful diced roast meat 2 eggs ½ pint (1 cup) milk 1 teaspoonful baking powder 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) flour Salt and pepper to taste
Beat up the eggs, add them gradually to the flour, then add the milk, meat, salt and pepper, and powder. Divide into buttered cocottes, and bake in a hot oven.
Serve hot.
RÉCHAUFFÉ OF BEEF
Some slices of cold roast beef, rare if possible 1 oz. (1 heaping tablespoonful) butter 3 tablespoonfuls red currant jelly 1 wineglassful sherry wine Salt and red pepper to taste
Melt the butter and red currant jelly in a casserole, then add the wine and the seasonings.
When thoroughly hot, add the beef cut in small, neat, rather thick slices. Heat it through, but do not let it boil.
SOUFFLÉ OF VEAL
1 pint (2 cups) cold cooked chopped veal 2 ozs. (2 heaping tablespoonfuls) butter 2 ozs. (2 heaping tablespoonfuls) flour 1 pint (2 cups) milk 4 eggs 2 tablespoonfuls chopped parsley Salt and pepper to taste
Blend the butter and the flour in an earthenware dish over the fire, add gradually the milk, stir till it thickens, and cook for five minutes. Then add the veal, parsley, and the seasonings.
Remove from the fire and add the eggs well beaten. Pour into a well-buttered casserole and bake in the oven until nicely browned, it will take twenty or twenty-five minutes.
Serve hot.
SURPRISE POTATOES
5 large potatoes 1 lb. cold meat 3 mushrooms 2 heaping tablespoonfuls (2 ozs.) butter ½ tablespoonful chopped parsley Salt and pepper to season
Peel and chop the mushrooms, and cook them in one tablespoonful of the butter. Cut the meat into small pieces, add it to the mushrooms, season nicely, and heat thoroughly. Choose five large, even-sized potatoes, wash and dry them; make a small incision in each, place in a hot oven, and bake until soft.
Cut each potato into half lengthways, scoop out most of the center, and rub through a sieve. Season with salt and pepper, add the remainder of the butter and the parsley; replace some of this mixture in the potato skin, leaving a hollow in each.
Fill this center cavity with the meat preparation. Place the halves of potato together again, lay them in small fireproof dishes, and put in the oven to reheat.
TONGUE RAMEQUINS
1 cupful diced cooked tongue 1 firm lettuce 2 pickled walnuts 1 hard cooked egg Seasoning of salt and pepper Some chopped aspic jelly
Chop the tongue, hard cooked egg, crisp lettuce leaves, and walnuts; then mix them together, seasoning them with a little salt and pepper. Divide into white china ramequins and decorate the top with chopped aspic jelly.
Serve very cold.
TONGUE STANLEY
A few slices cold tongue Some poached eggs A few chopped pistachio nuts Some good white stock or sauce Salt and pepper to season
Cut the slices of tongue half an inch in thickness, then trim them neat and round. Lay these rounds in small fireproof dishes, season with salt and pepper, place a poached egg on each piece of tongue, pour over some good white stock or sauce, heat in the oven, and serve decorated with chopped pistachio nuts.
TURKEY EN CASSEROLE
The remains of a turkey 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) butter 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) flour 1 pint (2 cups) stock 1 bay leaf 3 sprigs parsley 1 small onion 1 wineglassful port wine Salt and pepper to taste
Put the bones and trimmings of the turkey, the onion, and herbs, with water to cover, into an earthenware pan.
Let these simmer for one hour. Melt the butter, stir in the flour smoothly, and fry it carefully a good brown. Then strain in the stock, stirring it well all the time.
Let it boil, then season it carefully and add the wine. Cut the turkey into neat pieces, put it into a casserole, strain over the gravy, cover, and put the casserole either in the oven or on the stove.
Let the meat heat gently, being careful that it does not _boil_, or it will become hard and tough.
Serve in the casserole.
VEAL RAMEQUINS
1 lb. diced cooked veal ¼ lb. cooked ham or tongue 1 tablespoonful chopped parsley 6 cooked button mushrooms 4 tablespoonfuls white sauce 2 eggs Salt and pepper to taste 1 cupful rice Some stock Tomato sauce
Cook the rice in some boiling stock till tender, then drain it. Line some small buttered ramequins with it.
Mix together the veal, ham, or tongue cut into strips, the parsley, sauce, seasonings, the mushrooms chopped, yolks of eggs, and whites of eggs well beaten; divide this mixture into the prepared dishes.
Cover and steam for twenty minutes. Serve hot with tomato sauce.
VEGETABLE RECIPES
“_The Gods sent not corn for the rich men only_”
ASPARAGUS AU GRATIN
½ pint (1 cup) asparagus tips 10 small dinner rolls 1 gill (½ cup) white sauce 1 tablespoonful grated cheese 1 egg yolk 1 tablespoonful cream Few drops lemon juice Salt, pepper, paprika, and grated nutmeg to taste
Cut the tops from the rolls, scoop the soft part of the crumb, and place them in the oven to get dry and crisp. Boil the asparagus tips in boiling salted water till tender, then drain. Canned asparagus tips may be used, but do not boil them. Heat the sauce in a fireproof dish, add the cheese, seasonings, yolk of egg, cream, and asparagus tips.
Cook for five minutes. Fill up the rolls with this mixture, sprinkle with grated cheese, and dish on a folded napkin in an au gratin dish.
BAKED BEANS
4 cupfuls beans ½ lb. salt pork 1 heaping teaspoonful mustard 1 tablespoonful salt 4 tablespoonfuls molasses or sugar 1 onion, if liked
Soak the beans in cold water (soft water preferred) over night. In the morning wash and rinse them thoroughly, then parboil them until they are soft enough to pierce with a darning needle. Change the water while parboiling, always using boiling water for cooking and rinsing. Drain, put one-half of the beans into a bean pot; add the mustard, salt, and sweetening.
Score the pork and place it on the top of the beans, cover with the remaining beans, and then cover the whole with boiling water.
Put the lid on the bean pot and bake in a slow oven for eight hours.
Uncover the last hour of cooking.
To score pork, cut the pork rind into squares.
BAKED CABBAGE
1 firm cabbage 2 eggs Salt and pepper 2 heaping tablespoonfuls chopped cooked bacon 2 tablespoonfuls milk 1 tablespoonful butter
Trim the cabbage and boil it till tender in plenty of boiling salted water. Press out all the moisture, chop it fine, and press it again.
Now add the butter, milk, bacon, seasonings, and the eggs well beaten.
Mix and turn into a buttered fireproof dish, and bake till well browned on the top.
Small pieces of butter dotted about on the surface are an improvement and hasten the browning operation.
BAKED ONIONS
12 medium sized onions 1 pint (2 cups) milk 2 tablespoonfuls fine tapioca 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) butter 1 tablespoonful chopped parsley Salt and pepper
Peel the onions and boil them till tender in boiling salted water. Drain and place them in a buttered casserole; pour in the milk mixed with the tapioca, then add the butter, parsley, salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for half an hour. Serve in the casserole.
BAKED PARSNIPS
6 parsnips Salt and pepper 4 ozs. (½ cup) melted butter
Peel and wash the parsnips and cut them in two lengthways. Steam them for one hour. Remove them from the fire, put them into a buttered earthenware dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, pour the melted butter over them, and set in the oven to bake slowly till perfectly tender and brown.
BEANS WITH ONIONS
1 pint (2 cups) cooked beans 3 large chopped onions 2 ozs. (2 heaping tablespoonfuls) butter 1 oz. (1 heaping tablespoonful) flour Salt and pepper to taste ½ pint (1 cup) water or stock
Melt the butter in a fireproof dish, then fry the onion in it till a light brown color, sprinkle in the flour, salt and pepper, then stir in the cooked beans and the water or stock.
Bake till thoroughly hot and serve with roast meat.
BRAISED ONIONS
4 Spanish onions 2 sheep’s kidneys 1 cupful (½ pint) brown gravy Salt and pepper to taste
Wipe and skin the kidneys, then slice them finely, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Peel the onions, scoop out the center portion, and fill with the kidneys. Place them in a casserole, add the gravy, and cook slowly for about two hours. Serve hot.
BROWNED POTATOES
12 potatoes 4 ozs. (½ cup) melted butter 1 onion ½ teaspoonful black pepper
Peel the potatoes and boil them in boiling salted water until they are nearly, though not quite, done.
Take up, drain, and cut each potato in halves lengthways; put flat side down on a hot buttered earthenware pan, set into the oven, baste with the melted butter having the onion juice and black pepper in it, till the potatoes are brown and quite tender.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH CHEESE
1 box Brussels sprouts ½ pint (1 cup) rich cream 1 teaspoonful salt ½ cupful grated Parmesan cheese
Trim the sprouts and boil them in boiling salted water till they are perfectly tender, drain thoroughly, and let get quite cold.
Mix the cream and salt together, then dip each sprout into it; arrange them in a buttered shallow earthenware dish, sprinkle the cheese over them, and bake in a hot oven for six minutes.
Serve hot.
CANDIED SWEET POTATOES
4 sweet potatoes 1 tablespoonful butter ½ pint (1 cup) molasses Salt and pepper
Select yellow sweet potatoes, peel them, and slice them lengthways. Steam with the butter, salt and pepper, and a little water.
When tender drain off the water. Put the potatoes into an earthenware baking dish, pour over the molasses, and bake in a hot oven until the molasses candies over the potatoes.
CARROTS À LA POMPADOUR
2 cupfuls cooked sliced carrots 2 cupfuls cooked sliced potatoes 2 heaping tablespoonfuls (2 ozs.) butter 2 heaping tablespoonfuls (2 ozs.) flour ½ pint (1 cup) cream ½ pint (1 cup) milk 2 tablespoonfuls grated cheese Salt and pepper A few browned bread crumbs
Butter a fireproof dish, then put in the carrots and then the potatoes on the top. Blend the butter and flour together in a saucepan over the fire, add gradually the milk, cream, cheese, salt and pepper, and stir till it boils.
Pour over the potatoes, sprinkle the browned bread crumbs on the top. Bake in a hot oven for ten minutes.
CAULIFLOWER AU GRATIN
1 cauliflower 1 pint (2 cups) white sauce 3 tablespoonfuls grated cheese 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) butter Salt and pepper
Wash and trim the cauliflower and boil it in boiling salted water till tender. When done, drain well and shape it neatly. Mix two tablespoonfuls of the grated cheese with the white sauce. Butter an au gratin dish and put in it three tablespoonfuls of the sauce. Upon this place the cauliflower, head upward.
Cover with the sauce, which has been nicely seasoned, and sprinkle the surface with fine bread crumbs and the rest of the cheese. Place the butter in pieces here and there on the top, and bake for a quarter of an hour.
COLCANNON
6 cupfuls boiled cabbage 3 cupfuls mashed potatoes 3 ozs. (3 heaping tablespoonfuls) butter Salt and pepper to taste ½ pint (1 cup) milk
Mix the cabbage, potatoes, half of the butter, milk, and the salt and pepper together with a fork.
Put the mixture into a buttered earthenware baking dish, place the rest of the butter on the top, and bake for three-quarters of an hour in a fairly hot oven.
Serve hot, alone or with meat of any kind.
CORN PUDDING
12 ears sweet corn 1½ pints (3 cups) milk 4 eggs 4 ozs. (4 heaping tablespoonfuls) sugar Salt and pepper to taste
Cut the corn from the cob, rejecting the hull. Put the corn into a deep buttered earthenware dish, add the milk, sugar, salt and pepper, and the eggs well beaten.
Bake in a moderate oven for two hours.
CURRIED VEGETABLES
2 beets 2 onions 2 turnips 3 carrots 5 potatoes 1 parsnip 1 cupful string-beans 2 celery stalks 2 sweet red peppers 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) flour 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) butter 1 tablespoonful curry powder 1 teaspoonful salt 1 cupful (½ lb.) boiled rice 1 pint (2 cups) stock
Cook all the vegetables, then cut them into dice-shaped pieces. Melt the butter in a casserole, add the onions, and fry them a nice brown color. Stir in the flour and curry powder, add gradually the stock, stir till boiling, then simmer for a quarter of an hour; add the vegetables, season nicely, cover the casserole, and cook slowly for half an hour.
Remove the fat from the top of the vegetables. Place the red peppers cut in strips on the top and serve with the rice.
EGG-PLANT AU GRATIN
1 egg-plant 1 heaping tablespoonful chopped lean bacon 6 chopped mushrooms 2 chopped shallots 1 heaping tablespoonful chopped suet 2 heaping tablespoonfuls (2 ozs.) butter 1 teaspoonful chopped parsley 2 tablespoonfuls bread crumbs 1 tablespoonful milk 2 tablespoonfuls grated cheese 1 egg Some white sauce Seasoning of salt, pepper, paprika, and grated nutmeg
Cut the egg-plant in two lengthways and remove a portion of the interior to make room for the stuffing. Melt the butter in an earthenware pan, stir in the shallots, bacon, mushrooms, suet, parsley, seasonings, one tablespoonful of the cheese, and the egg well beaten. Put this stuffing into the egg-plant. Arrange on a buttered au gratin dish, sprinkle with a mixture of bread crumbs and grated cheese. Bake in a moderate oven for three-quarters of an hour.
Serve hot with white sauce.
ESCALLOPED SWEET CORN
Corn Bread crumbs Salt and pepper Butter Milk
Cut the corn from the cob, put a layer in a buttered earthenware dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cover with fine bread crumbs. Repeat this until the dish is full, having the crumbs on the top; then dot with butter and fill the dish with milk.
Bake in a moderate oven till ready.
LENTILS CREOLE
1 cupful (½ lb.) lentils 3 canned red peppers 2 heaping tablespoonfuls (2 ozs.) butter 1 pint (2 cups) tomatoes 1 onion Salt and pepper
Wash the lentils, then cover with cold water and soak overnight. Drain, cover with fresh warm water, and simmer for half an hour. Bring to boiling point. Again drain, again cover with hot water, and simmer until the lentils are tender.
They are ready when they mash easily between the fingers. Melt the butter in a casserole; add the onion and red peppers chopped fine. Stir and cook until the butter is browned. Add the tomatoes, canned or raw, salt and pepper to taste. Drain the lentils and add them. Cook for half an hour without the cover.
MUSHROOMS AU GRATIN
1 lb. mushrooms 3 heaping tablespoonfuls (3 ozs.) butter 1 tablespoonful grated cheese 2 tablespoonfuls bread crumbs 1 teaspoonful chopped parsley 1 tablespoonful chopped cooked meat Stock to moisten Salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste
Select six large fresh mushrooms from the pound of mushrooms and mince the remainder with the stems. Sauté the latter in the butter for two minutes.
Mix the bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, seasonings, sautéed mushrooms, and stock to moisten. Fill into the large mushroom caps, sprinkle a few bread crumbs over the top, place in a fireproof dish, and bake for a quarter of an hour.
OKRA, RICE, AND TOMATOES
1 quart okra ½ lb. (1 cup) rice ½ can tomatoes 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) butter Salt, pepper, dust of paprika
Wash the rice and boil it in boiling salted water till tender; drain, and add the butter, salt, pepper, and paprika. Cut the okra in slices and cook it in a small quantity of boiling water. When nearly ready add the tomatoes and the rice.
Serve hot in fireproof dishes.
PEAS EN CASSEROLE
2 quarts shelled peas Small bunch parsley 12 tiny white onions ½ pint (1 cup) water 3 heaping tablespoonfuls (3 ozs.) butter ½ teaspoonful powdered mint Salt and pepper to taste
Peel the onions and put them into a casserole, add the peas, butter, mint, water, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for one hour.
Remove the parsley and serve hot.
POTATOES AU GRATIN
2 lbs. potatoes Salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste 1 egg 1½ pints (3 cups) boiling milk 1 garlic clove ½ lb. grated cheese 2 tablespoonfuls butter
Peel and finely slice the potatoes. Put them into a basin, add half of the cheese, milk, seasonings, and the egg well beaten.
Rub some au gratin dishes with the clove of garlic and then well butter them; divide the mixture into them; sprinkle the rest of the cheese on the top; dot with the butter, and cook in a moderate oven for forty minutes.
POTATO BALLS EN CASSEROLE
1 lb. boiled potatoes 2 heaping tablespoonfuls (2 ozs.) butter 2 heaping tablespoonfuls (1 oz.) grated cheese 2 egg yolks Salt and paprika to taste 1 tablespoonful chopped parsley
Rub the potatoes through a sieve, add the butter, cheese, yolks of eggs well beaten, salt and pepper.
Make into neat balls, lay them on a buttered fireproof dish, brush over with a little beaten egg, mark with a fork, and bake a nice brown color in the oven; pour over them a little melted butter, and sprinkle with the chopped parsley and paprika.
Serve hot.
RICE AND TOMATO PIE
1 lb. tomatoes ¼ lb. (½ cup) rice 1 small onion ½ pint (1 cup) stock 1 heaping tablespoonful (1 oz.) butter or dripping 3 tablespoonfuls bread crumbs 1 tablespoonful chopped parsley Salt, pepper and curry powder to taste
Wash the rice. Bring the stock to the boiling point, then put in the rice and cook it until it has absorbed all the stock.
Butter a casserole. Peel and slice the tomatoes. Put them in layers with the rice in the dish; dust each layer with a little salt, pepper, curry powder, chopped parsley, and chopped onion. Sprinkle a layer of bread crumbs on the top, and put the butter on the top in small pieces.
Bake in a moderate oven for about forty minutes.
SALSIFY EN CASSEROLE
1 bundle salsify 1 pint (2 cups) white sauce 1 teaspoonful anchovy extract 1 teaspoonful lemon juice 1 tablespoonful butter Few browned bread crumbs Salt and pepper
Scrape and wash the roots of the salsify and put it to boil in boiling salted water in which has been squeezed the juice of half a lemon; when tender, drain off the water and cut into half-inch lengths.
Season the sauce with the lemon juice, anchovy extract, salt, and pepper. Toss the salsify in the sauce, turn it into a fireproof dish, put the bread crumbs and the butter on the top, and bake for a quarter of an hour.
STEWED LETTUCE
12 heads of lettuce 1 sliced onion 1 small bunch parsley Salt and pepper ½ pint (1 cup) water 2 ozs. (¼ cup) melted butter
Wash the lettuce, cutting off the stalks at the roots, and put it into an earthenware pan with the onion, parsley, water, salt, and pepper; cook slowly for two hours. By this time the water should have pretty well cooked away, leaving the lettuce fairly dry.
Remove from it the onion and parsley, add the melted butter, and serve hot.
STUFFED PEPPERS
6 sweet green peppers 4 tablespoonfuls chopped cooked ham 4 tablespoonfuls bread crumbs 1 tablespoonful chopped parsley 1 gill (½ cup) tomatoes 1 oz. (1 heaping tablespoonful) butter 1 slice chopped onion Salt and pepper Water or stock
Use peppers of uniform size. Cut a piece off the stem end, and remove the seeds and partitions. Drop them into boiling water and boil for ten minutes.
Mix together the ham, parsley, bread crumbs, tomatoes, onion, butter, salt and pepper, and stuff them into the peppers.
Cover with a few buttered bread crumbs, place in a buttered fireproof dish, pour in a little water or stock, and bake in a moderate oven for three-quarters of an hour.
STUFFED POTATOES
8 large potatoes 2 ozs. (2 heaping tablespoonfuls) butter 3 tablespoonfuls cream A few buttered bread crumbs Salt, pepper, and paprika
Wash and dry the potatoes and bake them in a hot oven. When done, cut off the tops, scoop out the potato, and put it in a bowl, with the butter, cream, and seasonings.