The Skilful Cook Part 19

Boiled Eggs.

Put the eggs into boiling water, and boil an ordinary sized egg for three minutes; new-laid eggs will take one minute longer. Eggs boiled five minutes will be nearly hard. To make them quite firm, boil them steadily for ten minutes. To make them mealy, boil them for an hour.

Poached Eggs.

Eggs for poaching should be perfectly _fresh_, or they will not keep a nice shape.

Let the water be quite boiling; add to it a little salt.

Break the eggs into cups, and slip them gently into the boiling water.

As soon as the white is nicely set, remove them with a fish slice.

Trim the eggs neatly, and serve them on hot b.u.t.tered toast.

An egg-poacher will be found very convenient for cooking eggs this way.

Fried Kidneys.

_Ingredients_--A few kidneys.

A little b.u.t.ter or dripping.

A little flour.

Some gravy.

Pepper and salt.

_Method._--Split open the kidneys lengthwise.

Flour them and fry them slowly in the b.u.t.ter or dripping for about four minutes.

Dish them on pieces of toast.

Pour the gravy into the pan; stir and boil for a minute, and then strain round the kidneys.

Kidneys Toasted.

_Ingredients_--Some kidneys.

Toasted bread.

_Method._--Split open the kidneys lengthwise.

Toast them before a clear fire; when the gravy ceases to drop red they will be sufficiently cooked.

A _hot_ dish should be placed under them to catch the gravy.

Place the toast on the dish and put the kidneys on it, and sprinkle over them a little pepper and salt.

Stewed Kidneys.

_Ingredients_--2 or 3 kidneys.

pint of nice gravy.

1 dessertspoonful of flour.

Pepper and salt to taste.

Lemon juice.

_Method._--Mix the flour smoothly with the gravy.

Put it into a stewpan, and boil well for three minutes.

Put in the kidneys cut in slices, and simmer gently for about fifteen minutes.

Add a squeeze of lemon juice; pepper and salt to taste.

Serve on a piece of toast, and pour the gravy over.

Stuffed Kidneys.

_Ingredients_--3 or 4 kidneys.

oz. of b.u.t.ter.

Half a shalot, chopped finely.

1 dessertspoonful of parsley.

1 tablespoonful of bread crumbs.

A few drops of lemon juice.

A little cayenne.

Pepper and salt.

_Method._--Toast or broil the kidneys and split them open.

Fry the shalot in the b.u.t.ter.

Mix in the bread crumbs and parsley; add lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and salt.

Lay a little of the stuffing in each kidney and fold it over.

Serve very hot.

Kidneys a la Tartare.

_Ingredients_--A few kidneys.

pint of Tartare sauce.

_Method._--Split the kidneys open, and toast or broil them nicely.