Reform Cookery Book Part 9

The following I have had given me as the original recipe for "Esau's pottage," but I think it must be more elaborate than that set before the hungry hunter.

One pint lentils and 2 quarts water boiled 2-1/2 hours, then add 1/2 lb.

onions, 2 lbs. tomatoes, a little thyme and parsley. Cook all together 3/4 hour longer and add 3 oz. b.u.t.ter and 1 oz. grated cheese just before serving.

Dahl.

Wash well 1/2 lb. rice and allow to swell and soften in just as much water or stock as it will absorb. Cook 1/2 lb. red lentils with stock or water, some grated onion, pinch herbs, little curry powder, and any other seasoning to taste. Make a border of the rice, pile the lentils high in the centre, and garnish with slices of hard-boiled eggs. The lentils are best steamed, as they can thus be thoroughly cooked without becoming mushy or burnt.

Mushroom and Tomato Pie.

For a fair-sized pie get 3/4 lb. medium-sized flap mushrooms, the meadow ones are best, and 1 lb. good firm tomatoes, remove the stalks from the mushrooms and wipe with a piece of clean flannel dipped in oatmeal or salt.

Unless very dirty, it is best not to wash them, as that somewhat spoils the flavour. Pare and put a layer in pie-dish, along with slices of tomato, pared and free from seeds. Put a little bit of b.u.t.ter on each, dust with salt and pepper, and repeat till the dish is heaped up. Cover with a good, rough puff paste, and bake till the paste is ready, about an hour. No water should be put in, but the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs of the mushrooms and tomatoes should be stewed in a little water, and this gravy may be added with a funnel after the pie is ready.

Mushroom and Tomato Patties.

For these we require some richer puff paste. Prepare and trim a small quant.i.ty of tomatoes and mushrooms. Cut rather small and cook gently, with a little b.u.t.ter and seasoning, for 10 or 15 minutes. Allow most of the moisture to evaporate in cooking, as this is much better than mixing in flour to absorb it. When the pastry cases are baked, fill in with the mixture. Good either hot or cold. If baked in patty pans, the mixture should be cold before using. Line in the tins with puff paste, half fill, brush edges with egg or water, lay on another round of paste, press edges together and bake.

Vol-au-Vent.

A delicious vol-au-vent is made with exactly the same filling as above.

Mushroom Pie.

Put on stewpan with a piece of "Nutter" or other good vegetable fat. Cut up one large Spanish onion very small, add to fat and brown nicely. Cover with water and stew along with the contents of a tin or bottle of white French mushrooms (including the liquid), also pepper and salt to taste. Stew till the mushrooms are tender, then take out and chop. Dish along with other contents of saucepan, and when cool add a cup of brown bread crumbs, and one beaten egg. Cover with puff paste or short crust and bake. Serve with brown sauce.

Shepherd's Pie.

Mushrooms same as for mushroom pie, but covered with nicely mashed potatoes, adding pepper and salt to the latter. Beat well and cover, stroke with a fork, and brown in the oven.

BREAKFAST DISHES--Porridge.

"The halesome parritch, chief o' Scotia's food."

In these days of tea and white bread it is to be feared that the "halesome parritch" is now very far removed from the honoured place of chief, and it must be more than a coincidence which connects the physical degeneracy of the Scottish working people with the supplanting of the porridge-pot by the tea-pot. Even in rural districts there is a great change in the daily fare, and there too anaemia, dyspepsia, and a host of other ills, quite unknown to older generations, are only too common. Certainly many people have given up porridge because they found it did not suit them--too heavy, heating, &c.--but we must remember that all compounds of oatmeal and water are not porridge, and the fault may lie in its preparation. It is a pity that any one, especially children and growing youths, should be deprived of such valuable nutriment as that supplied by oatmeal, and before giving it up, it should be tried steamed and super-cooked. It is only by steaming that one can have the oatmeal thoroughly cooked and dextrinised, while of a good firm "chewable" consistency, and not only are sloppy foods indigestible, but they give a feeling of satiety in eating, followed later by that of emptiness and craving for food. The custom, too, of taking tea and other foods after porridge is generally harmful.

Now for the method by which many, who have long foresworn porridge, have become able again to relish it, and benefit by it. Make porridge in usual way, that is, have fast boiling water, and into that sprinkle the oatmeal smoothly, putting about _twice_ as much oatmeal in proportion to the water as is usual. Boil up for a few minutes, add salt to taste, and turn into a pudding bowl or steamer. Cover closely and put in large pot with about one inch water or in a steam cooker and steam for five to twelve hours. Eat with stewed prunes, figs, &c., or with b.u.t.ter or nut b.u.t.ter--almond cream b.u.t.ter is both delicious and wholesome. A mixture of wheatmeal and oatmeal, or wheatmeal itself, may be found to suit some better than oatmeal alone. I heard recently of a hopeless dyspeptic who recovered health on a diet composed almost entirely of porridge made of three-parts whole wheatmeal to one of oatmeal. I may add that one must be careful to take a much smaller quant.i.ty of this firm, super-cooked porridge, as it contains so much more nutriment in proportion to its bulk.

Porridge made with Scotch Rolled Oats also will be found easier of digestion by some than ordinary oatmeal porridge. This also is best steamed and super-cooked.

Health Foods.

Granose. The Ideal "Staff of Life."

A kernel of wheat is acknowledged to const.i.tute a perfect food, and Granose consists of the entire kernels of choice wheat, prepared by unique processes, so as to afford the most digestible food ever prepared.

Granose is equally beneficial from infancy to old age, in good or ill health. It is a royal dainty, and should take a prominent place on every table.

Granose Flakes, 7-1/2d. per packet.

Granose Biscuits, 7-1/2d. "

Protose. The Standard Nut Meat.

Palatable to the taste, resembling chicken in fibre and flavour, but perfectly free from the tissue poisons that abound in animal flesh.

"Chemically it presents the composition of animal tissue, beef or mutton."--_Lancet_.

Protose is prepared from the best grains and nuts, and is perfectly cooked. It tastes good, promotes health and vigour, and imparts great staying power.

Price:--1/2 lb. tin, 8d.; 1 lb., 1/-; 1-1/2 lb., 1/4

Bromose. The Rapid Flesh-Former.

A combination of predigested nuts and cereals. No better food for consumptives, the "the too-thin," and all who desire the best physical condition.

30 Tablets in box, 1/6

_Full List of our Health Foods sent post free on application._

For One s.h.i.+lling we will send you Samples of 12 of our Health Foods, and Cookery Book.

The International Health a.s.sociation, Ltd.,

Stanborough Park, Watford, Herts.

The name Plasmon distinguishes our preparations of milk-alb.u.men from all other foods.

One Pound of PLASMON contains the entire nourishment of 30 pints of fresh milk.

Most foods are deficient in proteid, which is required to support life.

PLASMON should be added to all foods because it supplies this element.

Foods mixed with PLASMON are therefore more nouris.h.i.+ng than any others.