The Century Cook Book Part 18

1 tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter.

2 quarts of water.

1/2 teaspoonful of sugar.

1 tablespoonful of flour.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Let the peas or beans soak over night in three quarts of cold water. Put the soaked peas or beans into a saucepan with two quarts of water and a ham-bone, if you have it, otherwise it may be omitted. Let simmer for four or five hours, or until the peas or beans are perfectly soft. (Add more water from time to time, if necessary.) Then pa.s.s them through a sieve; add to the pulp enough stock, or milk, or water to make a soup of the consistency of cream. Put it again into a saucepan on the fire; season, and add a roux made of one tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter and one tablespoonful of flour cooked together; dilute the roux to smoothness with a little of the soup before adding it to the pot.

The roux will hold the particles of peas or beans in suspension. Without it they are liable to precipitate.

An onion may be boiled with the peas or beans if desired.

Serve croutons on the soup, or pa.s.s them.

=BLACK-BEAN SOUP=

2 cupfuls of black beans.

Brown stock.

Brown roux.

Bouquet of herbs, made of a sprig of parsley, a sprig of thyme, one clove.

4 peppercorns, 1 onion.

Egg b.a.l.l.s.

Thin slices of lemon.

Force-meat b.a.l.l.s.

White of hard-boiled egg.

1/4 cupful of sherry or red wine.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Soak two cupfuls of black beans over night. Put the soaked beans into a saucepan with a bouquet of herbs, and cover them with cold water. Let them boil slowly until tender, which will take several hours, adding more water if necessary. When the beans are very soft remove the bouquet, drain off the water, and pa.s.s the beans through a puree sieve.

Add to the pulp enough brown stock to make a soup of the consistency of thin cream. Place it again on the fire and add a brown roux made of one tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter and one tablespoonful of flour, cooked together until brown; dilute it to smoothness before adding and cook it with the soup for five minutes. This will prevent the soup from separating.

Season with salt and pepper. Strain it through a sieve into the tureen; then add thin slices of lemon, egg b.a.l.l.s, and force-meat b.a.l.l.s, allowing one of each to each portion of soup; add also the white of one hard-boiled egg cut into small dice, and one quarter of a cupful of sherry or red wine.

This resembles mock-turtle soup.

=CALF'S-HEAD OR MOCK-TURTLE SOUP=

Make a brown roux by putting in a saucepan one tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter, let it brown, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and let that brown; then add, slowly at first, one and a half or two quarts of water in which a calf's head has been boiled, white wine instead of vinegar being used in the boiling (see boiled calf's head, page 175). Add three or four strained tomatoes and simmer for one half hour. Skim off any fat and season with salt and pepper. Add some pieces of boiled calf's head cut in pieces one half inch square, a few egg b.a.l.l.s, two or three tablespoonfuls of sherry, and a few very thin slices of lemon.

=FISH STOCK=

Put into the soup-pot a tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter or of drippings. Add a tablespoonful each of chopped onion, carrot, and turnip. Fry them without browning, then add fish-bones, head, and tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs, a stalk of celery, sprigs of parsley and of thyme, a bay-leaf, a tomato or a slice of lemon. Cover with water, and simmer them for an hour or more. Season with salt and pepper. Strain.

When this stock is used for soup, make a roux of one tablespoonful each of b.u.t.ter and flour, add a cupful of milk or cream, and add this amount to each pint of the fish stock.

=OYSTER SOUP=

Scald a quart, or twenty-five, oysters in their own liquor. As soon as they are plump, or the gills curl, remove them (oysters harden if boiled). Add to the liquor a cupful of water. Make a roux of one tablespoonful each of b.u.t.ter and flour, dilute it with the liquor, and when it is smooth add a cupful of scalded milk or cream. Season with pepper, salt, if necessary, and a dash of cayenne or paprica; then add the oysters, and as soon as they are heated serve at once. In oyster houses finely shredded cabbage with a French dressing is served with oyster soup, and is a good accompaniment when served for luncheon.

Oysters should be carefully examined, and the liquor pa.s.sed through a fine sieve before being cooked, in order to remove any pieces of sh.e.l.l there may be in them.

=CLAM SOUP=

Remove the clams from the sh.e.l.ls as soon as they have opened (see clam broth, page 95). Put them in a warm place, until the juice is prepared.

Add a cupful of hot milk to a quart of juice, and thicken it with a roux made of one tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter and one tablespoonful of flour; then add the clams, chopped fine, season, and bring the soup again to the boiling-point and serve. Two spoonfuls of whipped cream served on each plateful of soup is an improvement to the dish.

CREAM SOUPS

=ONION SOUP=

(A VERY SIMPLE SOUP QUICKLY MADE)

Slice two or three large onions; fry them in a tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter or drippings until they are soft and red, then add three tablespoonfuls of flour, and stir until it is a little cooked. To this add slowly a pint of boiling water, stirring all the time, so it will be smooth.

Boil and mash three good-sized potatoes. Add to them slowly a quart of scalded milk, stirring well so it will be smooth. Add the potato and milk mixture to the onion mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Let it get very hot, and pa.s.s it through a strainer into the tureen. Sprinkle over the top a little parsley chopped very fine, and a few croutons. The soup will be better if stock is used instead of water to dilute the onion mixture.

=POTATO SOUP=

Boil and mash three or four potatoes.

Make a roux of one tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter, one half tablespoonful of flour, and one teaspoonful of chopped onion, letting the onion cook in the b.u.t.ter a few minutes before adding the flour. When the roux is cooked add to it a pint of milk, making a thin, white sauce. Add this to the mashed potato and pa.s.s the whole through a strainer. Return it to the fire for a few minutes to heat and blend it. Season it with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle on the soup, when it is in the tureen, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and a few croutons.

If the soup is too thick, add a little more milk or a little hot water.

The roux prevents the milk and potato from separating, and also gives it smoothness. The soup can be made richer by using more milk, and stirring into it, just before serving, the beaten yolks of two eggs. This soup may also be made of sweet potatoes.

=TOMATO BISQUE=

1/2 can of tomatoes.

1 quart of milk.

2 tablespoonfuls of b.u.t.ter.

1 tablespoonful of corn-starch.

1 teaspoonful of salt.

1/2 saltspoonful of pepper.

1 saltspoonful of soda.

Dash of cayenne.

Stew the tomatoes until very soft; then pa.s.s them through a fine sieve or strainer. Put the strained tomatoes into a granite-ware saucepan, and add one saltspoonful of soda; when it has ceased foaming add the b.u.t.ter, a small piece at a time; if put in all at once it will show an oily line; add salt, pepper, and cayenne.

Put the milk into a double boiler, and stir into it a tablespoonful of corn-starch which has been mixed with a little of the cold milk, to make it smooth; let it scald for ten minutes, or long enough to cook the corn-starch; then pour the milk into the tomatoes, beat well together, and serve at once.