The Century Cook Book Part 38

=CREAMED POTATOES=

Cut cold boiled potatoes that are a little underdone into dice or into slices one eighth of an inch thick. Put them in a saucepan with enough milk or cream to cover them, and cook until the potatoes have absorbed nearly all the milk; then to every two cupfuls of potato add one tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter, one half teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper, and, just before serving, a teaspoonful of parsley chopped very fine; or a white sauce may be made, using cream, if convenient, and the potatoes placed in it just long enough to heat them; or a cream sauce may be poured over hot boiled potatoes; then sprinkle with parsley.

=BROILED POTATOES=

Peel and cut the potatoes lengthwise into slices one quarter of an inch thick. Broil them on both sides over moderate heat until tender; spread each slice with b.u.t.ter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve very hot.

Or, use cold boiled potatoes. Dip each slice in melted b.u.t.ter; sprinkle with pepper and salt and broil three minutes on each side.

=BAKED POTATOES=

Select large potatoes of uniform size and shape. Wash and scrub them with a brush. Bake them in a hot oven about an hour, or until soft; press them to see if done, but do not pierce them with a fork; when soft break the skin in one place, and serve at once on a napkin. They become watery if kept.

=STUFFED POTATOES=

Select potatoes of equal size and shape, wash and scrub them well and bake them. While they are still hot cut a piece off the top of each, and with a spoon scoop out the potato, leaving the skin unbroken. Mash and season the potato, using a little hot milk and beating it well to make it light. Fill the potato skins with the mashed potato, letting it rise a little above the top of the skin. Place a piece of b.u.t.ter on the top of each, and put them in the oven to get well heated and slightly brown the tops; or cut the baked potatoes in two, lengthwise, and when the skins are filled, smooth the potato even with the skin; brush them with egg and set in the oven to glaze. (See ill.u.s.tration.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: STUFFED BAKED POTATOES. (SEE PAGE 204.)]

=POTATOES BAKED WITH MEAT=

Pare the potatoes, and place them in the dripping-pan with the meat one hour before the meat is to be removed. Baste them with the drippings, and turn so all sides will be browned.

=LYONNAISE POTATOES=

Put one and a half tablespoonfuls of b.u.t.ter in a frying-pan. When melted add a scant tablespoonful of chopped onion; let it slightly color, then add two cupfuls of cold boiled potatoes cut into dice. Stir until the potato has absorbed all the b.u.t.ter, and become slightly browned; then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley. Mix well, and serve very hot.

=FRIED POTATOES=

Cold boiled potatoes are sliced, then put into a saute-pan with b.u.t.ter, and cooked until browned on both sides. If rolled in flour they will form a crisp crust. Raw potatoes are sliced or cut into any shape, and put into cold water for half an hour. They are then well dried on a napkin, and immersed in hot fat until done. Too many must not be put in the basket at once, as it cools the fat (see frying, page 72). Fry them to an amber color; then drain, and place them on a paper in the oven until all are done. Serve them at once, as they lose their crispness if kept.

=FRIED POTATO b.a.l.l.s AND STRAWS=

To make b.a.l.l.s use a potato scoop; press it well into the potato before turning it. To make straws cut the potato into slices lengthwise, and then into strips, making each one about one eighth of an inch thick.

Slices or strips cut with a fluted knife are good forms for fried potatoes. Fry the potatoes in hot fat, using a basket. Fancy fried potatoes are used to garnish any broiled meat dish. There are many kinds of cutters to give different shapes to potatoes.

=SARATOGA POTATOES=

Cut the potatoes with a plane into slices as thin as paper if possible.

Let them soak in cold water for a little time to wash out the starch; then put them into fresh water with a piece of ice to thoroughly chill them. Drain a few of the slices at a time, dry them on a napkin; put them in a frying basket and immerse them in smoking-hot fat. Keep them separated, and remove as soon as slightly colored. Turn them into a colander to drain, and sprinkle them with salt. When the second lot are fried turn those in the colander onto a paper in the open oven, and so on until all are done. Saratoga potatoes should be perfectly dry and crisp. They may be used hot or cold, and will keep for some time in a dry place. If wanted hot, place them in the oven a moment before serving.

=PUFFED OR SOUFFLe POTATOES=

Peel the potatoes; cut the sides square, and trim off the corners, so as to give an oval shape. With one even cut slice them one eighth of an inch thick the length of the potato; they must be all the same size and shape. Soak them in cold water for half an hour; dry them on a napkin, and fry them in fat which is only moderately hot until they are soft, but not colored. Remove and place them on a sieve to drain and cool.

Then immerse them in hot fat, when they will puff into b.a.l.l.s. Toss the basket, and remove any that do not puff. Sprinkle with salt, and serve them on a napkin, or as a garnish. Holland potatoes best suit this purpose; it is impossible to get the same result with most of the other varieties.

=SWEET POTATOES=

Wash and scrub the potatoes; put them in boiling water, and cook until they can be pierced with a fork; then pour off the water. Cover the pot with a cloth, and draw it to the side of the range to let the potatoes steam for ten minutes. Peel them before serving.

=BAKED SWEET POTATOES=

Wash and scrub the potatoes without breaking the skin. Bake until soft; then break the skin in one place, and serve at once.

=BROWNED SWEET POTATOES=

Cut cold boiled potatoes into slices one quarter of an inch thick.

Sprinkle them with salt and pepper; spread with b.u.t.ter, and sprinkle with sugar. Place them in a hot oven to brown.

=SWEET POTATO CROQUETTES=

Follow the rule for potato croquettes given on page 202.

=SWEET POTATO PUReE=

Mash thoroughly the boiled potatoes, and season them well with salt, pepper, and b.u.t.ter; add enough hot milk to moisten them. Serve it the same as mashed white potato; or put it in a pudding-dish, brush the top with egg, and brown it in the oven. Serve with it a tomato sauce, and use as a luncheon dish. Either boiled or baked potatoes may be used.

=STEWED TOMATOES=

If fresh tomatoes are used remove the skins by placing them in boiling water a few minutes; they will then peel off easily. Cut them in pieces, and stew in a granite-ware saucepan until tender. To one quart of tomatoes add one teaspoonful each of salt and sugar, one quarter teaspoonful of pepper, and a tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter. Thicken with a teaspoonful of cornstarch wet in cold water, or with one half cupful of cracker or bread-crumbs.

=SCALLOPED TOMATOES=

Season a can of tomatoes with one teaspoonful of salt, and one quarter teaspoonful of pepper. Spread a shallow baking dish with a thin layer of bread-crumbs; pour in the tomatoes, sprinkle over them a tablespoonful of sugar, and a few drops of onion juice. Cover the top with a cupful of bread-crumbs which have been moistened with a tablespoonful of melted b.u.t.ter. Bake in a hot oven for fifteen minutes. Serve in the same dish.

=STUFFED TOMATOES=

Select large, firm tomatoes; do not remove the skins; cut a small slice off the stem end, and scoop out the inside. Fill them with a stuffing made as follows: Put one tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter in a saucepan; when hot add one tablespoonful of onion chopped fine. Let it color slightly; then add three quarters of a cupful of any minced meat, chicken, or livers, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, one cupful of bread-crumbs, the pulp taken from the tomatoes, one teaspoonful of salt, one quarter teaspoonful of pepper, and also an egg if desired. Stir it over the fire until it is consistent. Dust the inside of the tomatoes with salt and pepper, and fill them, letting the stuffing rise half an inch above the tomato, and place a piece of b.u.t.ter on it. The above amount of stuffing is enough for eight tomatoes. Cut slices of bread one half inch thick into circles the size of the tomatoes; dip them quickly in water, and place in a baking-pan. Place a tomato on each piece of bread, and bake in oven about fifteen minutes, or until the stuffing is browned. A brown sauce may be served with this dish. The meat may be omitted from the stuffing if desired. If convenient it is better to use oil instead of b.u.t.ter with tomatoes.