Chapter 10

Heat the milk. Brown the fat in a saucepan, add the flour, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Then add the hot milk and stir until the sauce thickens. Chop the whites of the hard-cooked eggs into small pieces, and mix them with the white sauce. Arrange the toast on a platter and pour the sauce over it. Put the hard-cooked egg yolks through a sieve or a ricer and sprinkle them on top of the white sauce. Serve hot.

66. SCALLOPED EGGS.--A quantity of carbohydrate is added to eggs when they are scalloped, for the white sauce and the cracker crumbs that are used in this dish supply this food substance. The cold meat that this dish requires and that should be well chopped into small pieces may be left-over from roasted, stewed, or even broiled meat. As this provides an additional amount of protein, the dish on the whole serves as an excellent substitute for meat with carbohydrate added.

SCALLOPED EGGS (Sufficient to Serve Six)

2 c. milk 2 Tb. fat 1/2 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper 2 Tb. flour 1 c. cracker crumbs 4 hard-cooked eggs 1 c. chopped cold meat

Heat the milk. Brown the fat in a saucepan, add the salt, pepper, and flour, and mix well. To this add the hot milk. Cook until the sauce thickens, stirring constantly. Grease a baking dish and place in it 1/3 cupful of the cracker crumbs. Over the crumbs arrange two of the eggs sliced thinly, and on the top of the eggs put half of the meat. Repeat by adding a layer of 1/3 cupful of the crumbs, the remaining eggs sliced, and the remainder of the meat. Pour the white sauce over all and arrange the remaining 1/3 cupful of crumbs on top. Bake in a moderate oven for 1/2 hour. Serve hot from the baking dish.

67. INDIVIDUAL BAKING DISHES FOR EGG RECIPES.--Although the directions given in the preceding recipe for scalloped eggs state that this recipe is baked in a baking dish, it is not necessary that one large dish of this kind be used, for, if desired, individual baking dishes may be substituted. In fact, any recipe for which a large baking dish would ordinarily be used may be baked in the small dishes used for a single serving, and eggs prepared in this way are especially attractive. Such dishes are also used for the baking of custards or the molding of jelly and blanc mange. Since they prove very useful and find so much favor, it is advisable for every housewife to add a few of them to her supply of utensils and to become familiar with the varieties that can be secured and the proper way to use them.

Dishes of this kind may be purchased in both cheap and expensive varieties and in plain or fancy styles, being made of white porcelain, of glass, or of the brown ware so much used for large baking dishes and casseroles and having a white glazing on the inside.

68. When such dishes are used as a means of adding variety to the cooking and serving of eggs, they should be placed in the oven in a shallow pan containing enough hot water to come nearly to the top of them. The object of this plan is to keep the temperature uniform. As long as the dishes are surrounded by water, the food to be cooked will not attain a greater heat than 212 degrees Fahrenheit, because the surrounding water cannot reach a higher temperature. Food cooked in this way will be found to be baked much more evenly and to be of a better consistency than food that is subjected to the high temperature of the oven. Most of the recipes that follow, while they can be baked in large baking dishes if desired and then served from the dish, are designed particularly to be used in individual baking dishes.

69. BAKED EGGS IN CREAM.--A dish that is particularly desirable for breakfast, but that may be served for luncheon, is made by baking eggs in cream according to the accompanying recipe. Besides being very appetizing, this dish is high in food value because of the addition of the cream and fat. Crisp toast served with eggs prepared in this way is very delightful.

BAKED EGGS IN CREAM (Sufficient to Serve Six)

6 eggs 1 Tb. butter 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 3/4 c. cream

Grease six individual baking dishes and break an egg into each. Put a small piece of butter on top of each egg and season with salt and pepper. Pour over each egg two tablespoonfuls of cream. Place the baking dishes in a shallow pan of hot water and bake until the eggs are as hard as desired. Serve hot.

70. SHIRRED EGGS WITH HAM.--An excellent way in which to utilize scraps of ham is to combine them with eggs to make a dish that may be served in place of meat. This dish, besides being high in food value, is very tasty because of the flavor of the ham and the fact that it is quite highly seasoned.

SHIRRED EGGS WITH HAM (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1/2 tsp. prepared mustard 1/4 tsp. pepper 1 c. chopped ham 6 eggs 1/4 tsp. salt 1 Tb. butter

Grease six individual baking dishes. Mix the mustard and pepper with the ham, and then divide this mixture as evenly as possible into the baking dishes. Break an egg on top of the ham in each dish, season with salt, and put a small piece of butter on each. Place the dishes in a shallow pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven until the eggs are well set or hardened. Remove from the oven and serve at once.

71. EGG SOUFFLE.--If a delicate dish for children or invalids is desired, egg souffle will answer the purpose very well. This dish is light in character, but it is high in protein and to most persons is very delightful. It is more attractive if baked in individual baking dishes, but it may be baked in a large baking dish and served directly from the dish. To improve the flavor of egg souffle and make it a more appetizing dish, tomato sauce is often served with it.

EGG SOUFFLE (Sufficient to Serve Eight)

1 c. milk 2 Tb. fat 2 Tb. flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1 Tb. chopped parsley 4 eggs

Heat the milk. Brown the fat in a saucepan, add to it the flour, salt, and parsley, and mix well. Pour in the hot milk, stir constantly until the sauce thickens, and then remove from the fire. Separate the eggs and add the well-beaten yolks to the sauce, stirring rapidly so that the egg will not curd. Beat the whites stiff and fold them carefully into the sauce. Turn into well-greased individual baking dishes until they are about two-thirds full, place in a shallow pan of hot water, and bake until firm when touched with the finger. Serve at once in the dishes in which they are baked, because they shrink when they are allowed to cool.

72. The tomato sauce that is often served with egg souffle is made as follows:

TOMATO SAUCE

1 1/2 c. strained stewed tomatoes 2 Tb. fat 1/2 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper 2 Tb. flour

Force enough stewed tomatoes through a sieve to make 1 1/2 cupfuls of strained tomato. Heat the strained tomato and to it add the fat, salt, and pepper. Moisten the flour with a little cold water and add it to the hot tomato. Cook for 5 minutes. Serve over the souffle.

73. Alpine Eggs.--It is rather unusual to combine cream or cottage cheese with eggs, so that when this is done, as in the accompanying recipe, a dish that is out of the ordinary is the result. If not a sufficient amount of cottage cheese is in supply to serve for a meal, it may very well be used for this dish. Otherwise, cream cheese serves nicely.

ALPINE EGGS (Sufficient to Serve Six)

2 10-cent pkgs. cream cheese or 1 c. cottage cheese 2 Tb. finely chopped parsley 1/8 tsp. paprika 6 eggs 1 Tb. butter 1 1/2 tsp. salt

Grease six individual baking dishes. Break up the cheese with a fork and sprinkle a layer on the bottom of each dish. Break an egg in each dish over the cheese. Season with salt. Sprinkle a layer of cheese on top of the egg, and over that put chopped parsley, paprika, and a small piece of butter. Place the baking dishes in a shallow pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven until the eggs are set. Remove from the oven and serve at once.

74. Clipped Eggs.--The chief value of clipped eggs is their appearance, which, as will be observed in Fig. 17, is very attractive. This dish adds much to the breakfast tray of an invalid or will tempt the appetite of a child who does not feel like eating. But in addition to being attractive, this dish is high in food value, for in this respect it is exactly equivalent to a poached egg on toast or a plain egg served with a piece of toast to which is added a small amount of butter.

CLIPPED EGGS (Sufficient to Serve Six)

6 pieces toast 3 Tb. butter 6 eggs 1/2 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper

Butter the toast with some of the butter. Separate the whites and yolks of the eggs without breaking the yolks. Beat the whites stiff, and put a mound of the beaten white on top of each piece of buttered toast. Make a hole in the center of the mound of egg white and drop the unbroken yolk into it. Season each with salt and pepper and bits of the remaining butter. Place in a hot oven and bake until the yolk is set and the white slightly browned. Serve hot.

75. LEFT-OVER EGGS.--It is not a difficult matter to utilize eggs in any form in which they may be left over, for they combine readily with many other foods. For instance, left-over hard-cooked eggs may be sliced or chopped and used to garnish dishes of vegetables, meat, fish, or salads. Eggs cooked in this way may also be stuffed according to the recipe given in Art. 63, or they may be crushed and mixed with seasoning for sandwiches. If any soft-cooked eggs remain after a meal, they should be hard-cooked in order to be used to the best advantage. Left-over omelet or scrambled, poached, or fried eggs may be chopped and added to soups, sauces, or gravies, or combined with small pieces of meat or fish and used with crumbs and white sauce to make a scalloped dish.

Even uncooked eggs that are taken from the shells, but that cannot be used at once, need not be wasted if proper care is given to them to prevent the formation of a hard crust over their surface. Such eggs should be put into a dish that will allow as little of the surface as possible to be exposed and should be covered with cold water and kept in a cool place. When they are desired for use, the water should be poured off carefully so as to prevent the loss of any of the egg.

BREAKFAST MENU

76. So that a definite idea may be formed of the student's progress in cookery, there is here presented a breakfast menu that is to be prepared and reported on at the same time that the answers to the Examination Questions are sent. This menu is practical and it may be easily prepared, as all the dishes it contains have already been considered.

MENU

Sliced Bananas Cream of Wheat Graham Muffins Butter Puff Omelet Coffee

In most homes, breakfast is a meal that is gathered together with as little thought and preparation as possible. The reason for this is that the housewife feels that she does not wish to rise early enough in the morning to prepare an elaborate menu. Breakfast, however, should be the most attractive meal in the day, because it is one that gives to each member of the family the right start for the day and sustains him until luncheon time. In most cases, a cup of coffee and a slice or two of toast do not start one with a cheerful attitude, nor do they contain sufficient food value to nourish the individual properly. With a little forethought and planning, certain foods may be partly prepared for breakfast the day before. If this is done, the time required for the actual preparation of the breakfast need not be greatly increased. For example, in the accompanying menu, the cream of wheat may be cooked the evening before, the materials for the graham muffins measured, and even the pan in which they are to be baked greased, and the materials for the omelet collected and measured. If all this is done, the preparation necessary in the morning will consist merely of slicing the bananas, reheating the cream of wheat, preparing the coffee, baking the muffins, and making the omelet. While the coffee and cream of wheat are heating or cooking, the oven will be heating, so that when the muffins are mixed it will be ready to bake them; and while these are baking the omelet may be prepared. When this is done, all will be ready to serve.

EGGS

EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

(1) Give a brief description of the physical structure of an egg.

(2) (_a_) Why are eggs an important article of diet? (_b_) For what foods may they be substituted?

(3) (_a_) Mention the food substances that are found in an egg, and give the percentage of each one. (_b_) What food substance is lacking in eggs, and how may it be supplied?

(4) What is the chief food substance in: (_a_) an egg white? (_b_) an egg yolk?

(5) Discuss briefly the digestibility of eggs.

(6) (_a_) Of what value is the grading of eggs? (_b_) What points are considered when eggs are graded?

(7) (_a_) What conditions affect the quality of eggs? (6) Mention the agencies that render the quality of eggs inferior and explain how they work.

(8) How can the quality of eggs be determined: (_a_) in the market? (_b_) in the home?

(9) (_a_) What is the common commercial means of preserving eggs? (_b_) How is it beneficial to the housewife?

(10) (_a_) Mention the various ways by which eggs may be preserved in the home. (_b_) Explain the preservation of eggs with water glass.

(11) When may the shells of eggs be washed?

(12) (_a_) What is the preferable method of breaking an egg? (_b_) Explain how the yolk and the white of an egg may be separated.

(13) (_a_) For what purposes are eggs beaten? (_b_) With what kind of egg beater should egg yolks or whole eggs be beaten?

(14) (_a_) With what kind of utensil should egg whites be beaten? (_b_) Why should egg whites not be allowed to stand after beating?

(15) (_a_) What is the effect of heat upon an egg? (_b_) Why are eggs cooked in the shell better if they are cooked at a temperature lower than boiling point? (_c_) Cook an egg by boiling it rapidly for 20 minutes. Cook another egg according to the directions given in Art. 52. Remove the shells while the eggs are warm, compare the texture, and report the differences.

(16) (_a_) When eggs are used in a mixture that is to be cooked for a long time, when should they be added? (_b_) What can be substituted for some of the eggs in a mixture that requires eggs for thickening?

(17) (_a_) What point should never be overlooked in the serving of eggs that are intended to be served hot? (_b_) Why should spongy egg dishes be served immediately after cooking?

(18) (_a_) How should dishes that have contained eggs be washed? (_b_) Why is such care necessary?

(19) (_a_) What precautions should be taken in the making of a puff omelet? (_b_) Mention some of the things that may be used to give variety to omelets.

(20) (_a_) What are the advantages of individual baking dishes? (_b_) State how these should be put in the oven and explain the object of this plan.

REPORT ON MENU

After trying out the menu given in the text, send with your answers to the Examination Questions a written report of your success in making it. On your report simply write the name of the food and describe its condition by means of the terms specified in the following list:

Cream of Wheat: thin? thick? properly seasoned? smooth? lumpy?

Graham Muffins: light? heavy? texture coarse? texture fine? even brown color on crust? well flavored?

Puff Omelet: light? heavy? underdone? overdone? even brown on bottom? tough? tender? properly seasoned?

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VEGETABLES (PART 1)

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IMPORTANCE OF VEGETABLES AS FOOD

VARIETY IN VEGETABLES

1. As understood in cookery, VEGETABLES refer to plants or parts of plants that are used as food. Vegetables may consist of the entire plant, as, for example, the beet; the stem, as asparagus and celery; the root, as carrot and turnip; the underground stem, or tuber, as the white potato and onion; the foliage, as cabbage and spinach; the flower of the plant, as cauliflower; the pods, which hold the seeds of the plant or the seeds themselves, as peas and beans; or that which in reality is fruit, although for table use always considered a vegetable, as the tomato and eggplant.

2. Because of this large assortment, vegetables afford the greatest possible variety in flavor, appearance, texture, quality, and food value. They therefore assume a place of very great importance in the diet of individuals and in the plans of the housewife who has all the meals to prepare for her family. In fact, there is scarcely a meal, except breakfast, at which vegetables are not served. For dinner, they form a part or all of each course in the meal, except, perhaps, the dessert, and occasionally they may be used for this.

Although two or more vegetables are nearly always served in even a simple meal, the use of vegetables in most households is limited to those few varieties which are especially preferred by the family. As a rule, there are a number of other vegetables that would be very acceptable if prepared in certain appetizing ways. An effort should therefore be made to include all such vegetables in the dietary, for they may be used to decided advantage and at the same time they afford variety in the meals. The constant demand for variety in this food makes acceptable new recipes for the preparation of the vegetables already known and information for the use of the unfamiliar kinds.

3. Great variety also exists in the flavor of vegetables, which they derive from their volatile oils; that is, the oils that evaporate rapidly on exposure to the air. In some cases, the flavor is disagreeably strong and must be dissipated, or driven away, in order to make the vegetables agreeable to the taste and to prevent them from disagreeing with those who eat them. In others, the flavor is very mild, so that unless the vegetables are properly prepared the flavor may be almost lost. When the principles relating to the cooking of vegetables are thoroughly understood, little difficulty will be experienced in preparing them so that the flavor is dissipated or retained as the case may require.

4. The food value of vegetables varies as much as do their form and flavor, some of them having almost no food value, others having a great deal, and the remainder varying between these two extremes. The housewife who wishes to provide economically for her family and at the same time give them food that is best suited to their needs, should learn as much of the composition and food value of the various kinds of vegetables as possible. If, besides acquiring this knowledge, she learns a variety of ways in which to prepare each kind, she will find that it is possible to substitute vegetable dishes for the more expensive foods. For instance, it is often possible to substitute a vegetable dish for a meat dish several times a week, but the composition of the vegetable dish must be such that it will really take the place of the meat dish.

5. That it is possible for adults to live on vegetables alone has been proved by vegetarians; that is, persons who exclude meat from the diet. They have shown that all the elements necessary to build and maintain the human body are contained in vegetables, fruits, and cereals, and also that these elements are in such quantity that it is not necessary to supply them in any other way. Even if it is not desired to use such foods exclusively, as much use should be made of them as possible, for they average a lower cost than the high-protein foods, such as eggs, meat, and milk. The use of vegetables, however, need not be restricted to adults, for when properly prepared they may be included to advantage in the diet of very young children. In fact, children should be trained to eat vegetables of all kinds, for such training not only will enable each one to grow up with a correct appreciation for all edible things, but will make the preparation of meals easier for the housewife.

6. Vegetables should receive great care in their preparation, whether the method involved is simple or complicated. Any of the methods of cookery that call for the application of heat may be applied to them, and in many cases they are served without cooking, merely dressing or seasoning being added. Good vegetables may be ruined by improper preparation, while those which are in excellent condition may be improved by the application of the correct methods in their preparation. Vegetables that are inexpensive but highly nutritious should be used when it is necessary to practice economy, because, when they are properly prepared, they form a valuable addition to a meal.

7. All varieties of vegetables are grown almost universally. This fact, together with the facts that they mature at different times during the season, according to the climate in which they are grown, and that most varieties can be conveniently shipped, makes the season in which certain fresh vegetables can be obtained much longer than it formerly was. For instance, very early in the season, long before it is possible to have beans, peas, and other vegetables in the North, they are shipped from the extreme South, and as the season advances, they mature farther and farther north. Therefore, they may be constantly supplied to the northern markets until the time when they mature in that locality.

8. In order not to waste vegetables and to have them in the best possible condition when they are desired for preparation, every housewife should realize that the selection and care of vegetables are also important matters to consider. The selection must be learned by familiarity with them, as well as practice in buying, and the housewife must be guided by the suitability of the vegetables and the money she has to spend for them. The care that must be given to them is determined by the kinds that are purchased, some requiring one kind of care in storage and others entirely different attention.

STRUCTURE, COMPOSITION, AND FOOD VALUE

9. STRUCTURE OF VEGETABLES.--Although vegetables vary greatly in composition and consequently in food value, they are similar so far as physical structure is concerned. In general, they consist of a skeleton framework that is made up of cellulose. Their digestible part is composed of tiny cells having thin walls that confine the actual food material in the form of a liquid or semiliquid. As the vegetables grow old, the cellulose material and the cell walls gradually toughen, with the result that old vegetables are less easily made tender than young ones and are not so agreeable to the taste as those which have not grown hard. The total food value of vegetables, as well as of cereals, meats, and, in fact, all foods, varies with the quantity of water and cellulose they contain. Therefore, the vegetables that contain the least coarse material are the ones that have the highest food value.

10. The green color that characterizes many vegetables is due to a substance called _chlorophyl_. This substance is essential to the normal growth of plants and is present in the correct amount in only those which are properly exposed to the sunlight. Sufficient proof of this is seen in the case of vegetables that form heads, as, for instance, cabbage and head lettuce. As is well known, the outside leaves are green, while the inside ones are practically white. Since it is exposure to the light that produces the green color, a vegetable or plant of any kind can be bleached by merely covering it in order to keep out the sunlight. This procedure also enables the plants to remain more tender than those which have been allowed to grow in the normal way and become green. For instance, the inside leaves of a head of lettuce are always very much more tender than the green outside leaves. In fact, the center of any kind of plant, that is, the leaves and the stem that appear last, are more tender, possess a lighter color, and have a more delicate flavor than the older ones.