Chapter 3. The slice which had been cut from the top of the celery

before this was scooped out, is tied on to the stuffed celery and this is put into a pot with the gravy, mixed with Madeira or red wine and stewed slowly 1½ hours until tender, turning several times. Cut each celery in half, pour dressing over and serve.

No. 60—“GARDI AND FINOCCI” AS VEGETABLES.

This is a southern species of thistle and is prepared like Stuffed Root Celery, No. 59. You can prepare this vegetable without stuffing, by cooking it tender in salt water, and stewing a few minutes in a savory wine dressing.

No. 61—MIXED OR LEIPZIG VEGETABLES.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

1 lb. of asparagus 1 small head of cauliflower 30 small, young carrots ½ lb. of morels or fresh champignons 12 crabs 4 qts. of water 3 tbsps. of salt ¼ lb. of butter 2 tbsps. of flour 1 pinch of pepper Salt to taste

Preparation: The asparagus is peeled and cut into 1½ inch pieces, cauliflower is cleaned and broken into small roses, morels or fresh champignons brushed well. If you use morels, put them over the fire in lukewarm water and let them get hot, stirring gently, then strain. Repeat this process until all sand is removed. Asparagus and cauliflower are cooked until tender in salt water. The carrots are scraped and stewed until tender in butter and ¼ pt. of bouillon. The crabs are washed, brushed and cooked in boiling salt water, then the meat is picked out, the coral broken fine and stewed in 2 tablespoonfuls of butter and 1 pt. of vegetable liquor from cauliflower and asparagus. The flour is mixed with a little water and stirred in and all this is cooked ½ hour, then seasoned with salt and pepper and strained. The crab sauce is added to the carrots, the asparagus, cauliflower, morels and crab meat added, heat it over the fire, put into a dish with a little butter over top and serve very hot.

Remarks: This is a very fine dish and it may be prepared from canned vegetables.

No. 62—CHAMPIGNONS.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

2 lbs. of fresh champignons ⅛ lb. of good butter Salt to taste 1 tbsp. flour ½ pt. of cream ¼ pt. champignon liquor 2 tbsps. lemon juice 1 pinch of pepper

Preparation: The fresh champignons must be hard and white. Remove the brown skin, trim off the roots and wash them. The butter is heated and the champignons put in, season with salt and pepper and gradually pour on ¼ cup of water, stew until tender. Stir the flour with the cream, add to the mushrooms and stew a few minutes.

Remarks: If you take canned champignons, take ¼ pt. of cream and ¼ pt. of champignon liquor.

No. 63—CHAMPIGNON PUREE.

The preparation is the same as given under No. 62. The champignons are chopped fine and while preparing them, add ½ teaspoonful of meat extract.

Remarks: May be served on toasted bread.

No. 64—TRUFFLES IN BROWN DRESSING.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

½ lb. of fresh truffles ⅛ lb. of butter 1½ tbsps. of flour 1 pt. of strong bouillon 1 tsp. of meat extract 1 wineglassful of Madeira or red wine Salt to taste 1 pinch of pepper ½ tsp. lemon juice

Preparation: The truffles are put into cold water so the dirt will dissolve, then brushed in lukewarm water. Put them on the fire with butter, gradually add the bouillon, cover the pot and cook slowly until tender. When done, take them out, peel them carefully and cut them up into 6 to 8 parts. The rest of the butter is browned, flour and the truffle peelings added, and the bouillon in which the truffles were boiled. Season with meat extract, Madeira, salt, pepper, sugar and lemon juice. Cook a nice, brown dressing of this, strain, put the truffles in and stew a few minutes. Serve on toast.

Remarks: This may be used for stuffing.

No. 65—TRUFFLE PUREE.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

⅓ lb. of truffles ½ pt. of good bouillon ⅛ lb. of butter 1½ tbsps. of flour 5 tbsps. of Madeira or red wine Salt to taste 1 pinch of pepper ¼ tsp. of sugar ¼ tsp. of lemon juice ½ tsp. of meat extract

Preparation: The truffles are cleaned and the dressing is prepared from the peelings of the truffles, according to No. 64. The truffles are chopped very fine, put into the strained dressing and seasoned. Then put into shells or small porcelain dishes or serve on cutlets or scrambled eggs.

No. 66—MORELS.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

2 lbs. of morels 1 piece of butter as large as an egg ½ tbsp. flour ½ tsp. of meat extract ½ pt. morel liquor ½ cup of cream Salt to taste 1 pinch of pepper 1 tsp. of finely chopped parsley

Preparation: The morels are cleaned well and put on the fire with lukewarm water and let them get hot, stirring gently, then strain. Repeat this until all sand is removed. The last water is boiled down to ½ pt. The butter is browned with the flour, the morel liquor is added and the meat extract, and then cooked slowly for 15 minutes. Put in the cream and season with salt and pepper. Now put the morels into the dressing, cook, put in a piece of butter and the parsley.

This dish is fine with smoked salmon or scrambled eggs.

Remarks: Canned or dried morels are prepared the same way. If you use canned morels, then utilize the liquor in the can. Dried morels are soaked in water for 2 to 3 hours.

No. 67—MUSHROOMS.

Edible Boletus.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

2 lbs. of mushrooms ¼ lb. of butter ½ tbsp. of flour 1 medium-sized onion ½ pt. of sour cream Salt to taste 1 pinch of pepper 1 tbsp. of parsley

Preparation: Mushrooms must be firm, they are brushed and very dark ones only are peeled. The lighter colored ones do not need to be peeled. They are cut up into equal pieces. The butter is heated, the mushroom pieces put in with the whole peeled onion and stewed for 15 to 20 minutes. The dish must be covered. Strew the flour on, stirring lightly, add the sour cream, ¼ teaspoonful of meat extract, salt and pepper, and lastly the parsley, stew 2 minutes and serve.

No. 68—CHANTERELLES.

Another Species of Mushrooms.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

2½ lbs. of chanterelles 2 qts. of water 2 tbsps. of salt ¼ lb. of butter ½ tbsp. of flour Salt to taste 1½ tbsps. of finely chopped parsley 2 tbsps. of cream 1 pinch of pepper

Preparation: The chanterelles are cleaned, washed, but not left in water; cook them 1 minute in 2 qts. of boiling salt water, drain in a colander. Heat the butter, put in the chanterelles with flour, salt and pepper and stew 2 minutes, then add the cream and parsley and serve at once.

No. 69—OLIVES AS VEGETABLES.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

60 olives ¼ lb. of butter, scant 1 tbsp. of flour 1 pt. of bouillon ¼ tsp. of meat extract Salt to taste 1 pinch of pepper ½ tsp. parsley ¼ pt. of cream

Preparation: The stones are taken out and the olives cooked tender in the bouillon; to this add 1 tablespoonful of butter. The rest of the butter is melted, flour stirred in, then the olives, bouillon, cream and meat extract. Season with salt and pepper, stew for 15 minutes and add the chopped parsley.

No. 70—STUFFED OLIVES.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

36 olives ½ lb. of finely ground chicken 1 egg Salt and pepper to taste 4 tbsps. of cream ¼ tsp. of lemon juice 1 tbsp. of butter ½ pt. of Madeira sauce

Preparation: The preserved olives are scooped out and stuffed with cooked chicken, which has been ground fine and mixed with egg, butter, salt, pepper and lemon juice. One-half pint of Madeira sauce is prepared. See under Gravies and Dressing, No. 25. The stuffed olives are put in and cooked until tender.

No. 71—FILLED OR STUFFED OLIVES WITH CHAMPIGNONS.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

The preparation is the same as given under No. 70. One-half pound of champignons, which have been cooked until tender in butter, are stirred into the dressing.

Remarks: This is a fine dish to serve at parties:

No. 72—ROASTED CHESTNUTS.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

1 lb. of sweet chestnuts ¼ lb. of fresh butter 1 lb. of salt

Preparation: The skins are rubbed off and the chestnuts slit with a sharp knife. Into an iron frying pan or spider put ⅓ of the salt, place the chestnuts on the salt in one layer and cover them with the rest of the salt. Put the pan into a medium hot oven and bake them scarcely ½ hour, then take them out and place them on a napkin to eat with fresh butter.

No. 73—CHESTNUT PUREE.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

1½ lbs. of chestnuts ⅛ lb. of butter 1 tbsp. of flour ½ pt. of bouillon ¼ pt. of cream 4 tbsps. of red wine Salt to taste 1 pinch of pepper 1 tbsp. of sugar 1 tsp. of chopped parsley

Preparation: The chestnuts are taken out of the outer shell, then hot water poured on and the inner skin pulled off. Cook them in bouillon until tender and strain. Heat the butter, stir in the flour, stew a few minutes, add the chestnuts and stir in cream, red wine, salt, pepper, sugar and parsley. Let it get hot, stirring briskly, arrange mound-shaped and serve.

No. 74—FRIED CHESTNUTS.

Quantity for 6 Persons.

1 lb. of chestnuts ¼ lb. of butter 1 pinch of salt 1 tbsp. fine sugar

Preparation: Shell the chestnuts, scald them and pull off the inner skin. Brown the butter and after the chestnuts are cooked slightly in water, put them into the hot butter, add salt and sugar and fry them light brown, shaking frequently. Serve them with roast goose stuffing or as a garnish with cabbage.