Part 4 (2/2)

-TOMATO BASKETS---Tomato baskets are charming accessories for holding vegetable salad, chicken, shrimps, cold beans, asparagus tips, shredded celery, cuc.u.mbers cut in cubes and minced peppers. Choose firm, smooth tomatoes, not too large and as nearly one size as possible. Dip for half a minute in boiling water, skin and set in ice box to chill. Cut out pulp and seeds, dress the cavity with salt, pepper, oil and vinegar, then fill with the salad, seasoned with French dressing or mayonnaise.

Handles of watercress may be attached to these baskets. Set on lettuce or cress, as desired.

-TRIANON SALAD---Cut one grape fruit and two oranges in sections and free from seeds and membrane. Skin and seed one cup white grapes and cut one-third cup pecan nut meats in small pieces. Mix ingredients, arrange on a bed of romaine and pour over the following dressing: Mix four tablespoons olive oil, one tablespoon grape juice, one tablespoon grape vinegar, one-fourth teaspoon paprika, one-eighth teaspoon pepper and one tablespoon finely chopped Roquefort cheese. This dressing should stand in the ice-box four or five hours to become seasoned.

-CREAM DRESSING---Mix one-half level tablespoon each of salt and mustard, three-quarters level tablespoon of sugar, one egg slightly beaten, two and one-half tablespoons of melted b.u.t.ter, three-quarters cup of cream, and heat in a double boiler. When hot add very slowly one-quarter cup of hot vinegar, stirring all the time. When thickened strain and cool.

-FRENCH DRESSING---For party of six five tablespoons of oil and three of vinegar, juice of half lemon, two drops tabasco, tablespoon of salt, slice of onion, and boil for three minutes and ready for service. Strain and bottle and put in ice box, shake before using each time.

-SALAD DRESSING---When making salad for a large family take quart bottle with a rather wide mouth, put in one-half cup of vinegar, one and one-half cups of olive oil, two level teaspoons of salt and one-half level teaspoon of pepper; cork the bottle tightly and shake vigorously until an emulsion is made. The proportion of vinegar may be larger if not very strong and more salt and pepper used if liked. Use from the bottle and shake well each time any is used.

Instructions for Preparing Poultry Before Dressing.

To serve poultry tender and delicate; it should be kept some hours after being killed before boiling or roasting. Poultry intended for dinner should be killed the evening before. When poultry has ceased to bleed, before picking put it into cold water, in a vessel large enough to completely cover it. Then take out and soak in boiling water for a few minutes. Pick it, being careful to take out all the small feathers. When cleaning the inside of poultry or game be sure not to break the gall bladder, for it will give a bitter taste to the meat. Be equally careful not to tear the intestines near the gizzard, as it will make the inside dirty and spoil the whole bird.

POULTRY AND POULTRY DRESSINGS

-BOHEMIAN CHICKEN---Select a young and tender chicken and prepare as for frying or broiling. Place in a frying pan a pat of b.u.t.ter and place on the fire. Beat to a smooth, thin batter two eggs, three spoonfuls of milk and a little flour, season, dip each piece of the chicken in this batter and fry a rich brown in the heated b.u.t.ter.

-CHICKEN A LA TARTARE---Have a chicken dressed and split down the back; it should not weigh over two and a half pounds. Put one quarter cup of b.u.t.ter in a frying pan with a teaspoon of finely minced parsley, half a teaspoon of salt and a little pepper. Brown each half of the chicken in the b.u.t.ter and on both sides. Take up the chicken, brush the inside over with an egg beaten with one tablespoon of cold water, lay in a dripping pan and dust over the egg half a cup of fine bread crumbs mixed with the same amount of minced cooked ham. Set in a hot oven and finish cooking.

Serve on a hot dish with sauce tartare. The chicken will cook best if laid in a wire broiler resting on the dripping pan.

-CHICKEN BROILED IN PAPER---Split a chicken and let it soak for two hours in oil mixed with parsley, sliced onion, cloves, salt and pepper.

Put each half in papers, enclosing all the seasoning and broil over a very slow fire. When done take off the paper, bacon, etc., and serve with sauce a la ravigotte.

-CHICKEN CROQUETTES---Stir a pint of fine chopped chicken into a cup and a quarter of sauce made of one-third cup of flour, three tablespoons of b.u.t.ter, a cup of chicken stock and one-fourth cup of cream, season with a few drops of onion juice, a teaspoon of lemon, one teaspoonful celery salt and pepper. When thoroughly chilled form into cylindrical shapes, roll in egg and bread crumbs and fry in deep fat. Serve surrounded with peas and figures stamped upon cooked slices of carrot. Season with salt, paprika and b.u.t.ter.

-CHICKEN CROQUETTES---Take two chickens weighing about two pounds each, put them into a saucepan with water to cover, add two onions and carrots, a small bunch of parsley and thyme, a few cloves and half a grated nutmeg, and boil until birds are tender; then remove the skin, gristle and sinews and chop the meat as fine as possible. Put into a saucepan one pound of b.u.t.ter and two tablespoonfuls of flour, stir over the fire for a few minutes and add half a pint of the liquor the chickens were cooked in and one pint of rich cream, and boil for eight or ten minutes, stirring continually. Remove the pan from the fire, season with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg and a little powdered sweet marjoram, add the chopped meat and stir well. Then stir in rapidly the yolks of four eggs, place the saucepan on the fire for a minute, stirring well, turn the ma.s.s onto a dish, spread it out and let it get cold. Cover the hands with flour and form the preparation into shapes, dip them into egg beaten with cream, then in sifted breadcrumbs and let them stand for half an hour or so to dry; then fry them a delicate color after plunging into boiling lard. Take them out, drain, place on a napkin on a dish and serve. The remainder of the chicken stock may be used for making consomme or soup.

-CHICKEN CROQUETTES WITH FISH FLAVOR---The foundation of all croquettes is a thick white sauce which stiffens when cold, so that mixed with minced fish, chicken or other compounds it can be easily handled and shaped into pears, cylinders, ovals, etc. When cooked the croquettes should be soft and creamy inside. This sauce is made as follows:--

Scald in a double boiler one pint rich milk or cream. Melt in a granite saucepan two even tablespoons b.u.t.ter, then add two heaping tablespoonfuls cornstarch or flour, and one tablespoon of flavor.

When blended add one-third of the hot cream and keep stirring as it cooks and thickens. When perfectly smooth put in all the cream. The sauce should be very thick. Add the seasoning, a half teaspoonful of salt, a half teaspoonful celery salt, white peppers or paprika to taste, then the meat.

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