Part 6 (1/2)

Prepare a raised pie case [Footnote: See Pastry.], put in half the beans, a layer of sliced tomatoes, and a layer of hard-boiled eggs. Repeat. Put on lid, which should have hole in centre, and bake in a good, steady oven for an hour. Meanwhile, have some strips of vegetable gelatine soaking, pour off the water, and bring to boil in a cupful well-seasoned stock, ”Extract,”

gravy, &c. Stir till gelatine is dissolved, and when the pie is removed from the oven, pour this in. When cold this should be a firm jelly, and the pie will cut in slices. If tomato or aspic jelly is prepared, some of that would save trouble. Melt and pour in.

There are many other toothsome ways of serving haricot and b.u.t.ter beans. In every case they should first be well washed, soaked, and three-parts cooked with stock or water, b.u.t.ter, onions, and seasoning.

Savoury Haricot Pie.

This is made without paste. Put a layer of beans in b.u.t.tered pie-dish, then pieces of carrot and turnip--previously par-boiled--to fill up the dish.

Pour in a little gravy. Cover with a good white sauce, well seasoned with made mustard, chopped parsley, &c., and coat thickly with bread crumbs. Dot over with bits of b.u.t.ter, and bake 30 or 40 minutes.

Many variations will suggest themselves--cauliflower, parsnips, vegetable marrow, sliced tomatoes, beetroot, &c., instead of the other vegetables. Or the same ingredients as in the first haricot pie might be used, with the crumbs instead of pastry.

Haricot Ragout.

Half pound soaked beans boiled till tender in one pint water, with b.u.t.ter and sliced onions. Drain, but keep the liquor. Slice some carrots and turnips thin, fry lightly, and then simmer in the liquor for half-an-hour.

Put a little b.u.t.ter in stewpan, slice and cook two onions in that, with the lid on, stir in a tablespoonful flour, and add the haricots, vegetables, and the liquor. Simmer gently till all are quite cooked, and serve. Some tomatoes or a little extract may be added, and it can be varied in many other ways.

Golden Marbles.

Take nearly a teacupful of haricots pulped through a sieve, and add to this 2 ozs. bread crumbs. Same of mashed potatoes; a shallot finely minced, or a spoonful of grated onion. Beat up an egg and add, reserving a little.

Mix thoroughly, and form into marbles. Coat with the egg, toss in fine crumbs, and fry in smoking-hot fat till golden brown in colour.

Haricot Kromeskies

can be made with the same mixture as for marbles. Some chopped tomatoes, beetroot, or mushrooms may be added. If the mixture is too moist add a few more crumbs; if too dry add a little ketchup, milk, tomato juice, &c. Form into sausage-shaped pieces or small flat cakes. Dip into frying batter, and drop into smoking-hot fat. When a golden brown lift out, and drain on absorbent paper. Serve them, as also the golden marbles, on sippets of toast or fried bread with tomato or parsley sauce.

Haricot Croquettes or Cutlets

are of course made with any of these mixtures. Shape into cutlets, egg, crumb, and fry in the usual way.

There are an immense number more dishes which can be made with pulse foods, for which I have not s.p.a.ce here. There are also a number of new varieties of pulses being put upon the market, which can be used with advantage to vary the bill of fare and enlarge its scope.

Giant Split Peas

are especially good, and might be used in any of the foregoing recipes in place of haricots. One advantage is that they do not require soaking. If scalded with boiling water, drained, and put to cook in fresh boiling water, they will be quite soft in little over an hour.

The best quality of b.u.t.ter beans also need no soaking. After scalding for a few minutes the skins come off quite easily. There is also a new variety called

b.u.t.ter Peas, or ”Midget” b.u.t.ter Beans,

which I can heartily recommend. In appearance they resemble the small haricots, but are much finer and boil down very quickly. They make a very rich white soup, and may, of course, be used for any of the savouries for which recipes are given. Scald with boiling water (or they may merely be rubbed in a clean coa.r.s.e cloth), plunge into more boiling water--the quant.i.ty proportioned to the purpose for which intended, soups, stews, &c.--and simmer till just tender, but not broken down.

Though they can be made up in a host of ways they are perhaps nicest as a simple stew. When just cooked--and great care must be taken not to _over_cook, for much of the substance, as well as the delicacy of flavour, is lost if we do--have a saucepan with some shred onions, sweated till tender, but not in the least coloured, in a little b.u.t.ter. Stir in a spoonful of flour, and when smooth a gill of milk, or the stock from the b.u.t.ter peas. Stir till it thickens and add the peas themselves, and any extra seasoning required. See that all is quite hot, and serve garnished with sippets of toast.