The Book of Household Management Part 15

THE PARSNIP.--This is a biennial plant, with a root like a carrot, which, in nutritive and saccharine matter, it nearly equals. It is a native of Britain, and, in its wild state, may be found, in many parts, growing by the road-sides. It is also to be found, generally distributed over Europe; and, in Catholic countries, is mostly used with salt fish, in Lent. In Scotland it forms an excellent dish, when beat up with b.u.t.ter and potatoes; it is, also, excellent when fried. In Ireland it is found to yield, in conjunction with the hop, a pleasant beverage; and it contains as much spirit as the carrot, and makes an excellent wine. Its proportion of nutritive matter is 99 parts in 1,000; 9 being mucilage and 90 sugar.

PEA SOUP (GREEN).

142. INGREDIENTS.--3 pints of green peas, 1/4 lb. of b.u.t.ter, 2 or three thin slices of ham, 6 onions sliced, 4 shredded lettuces, the crumb of 2 French rolls, 2 handfuls of spinach, 1 lump of sugar, 2 quarts of common stock.

_Mode_.--Put the b.u.t.ter, ham, 1 quart of the peas, onions, and lettuces, to a pint of stock, and simmer for an hour; then add the remainder of the stock, with the crumb of the French rolls, and boil for another hour. Now boil the spinach, and squeeze it very dry. Rub the soup through a sieve, and the spinach with it, to colour it. Have ready a pint of _young_ peas boiled; add them to the soup, put in the sugar, give one boil, and serve. If necessary, add salt.

_Time_.--2-1/2 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 9d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ from June to the end of August.

_Sufficient_ for 10 persons.

_Note_.--It will be well to add, if the peas are not quite young, a little sugar. Where economy is essential, water may be used instead of stock for this soup, boiling in it likewise the pea-sh.e.l.ls; but use a double quant.i.ty of vegetables.

WINTER PEA SOUP (YELLOW).

143. INGREDIENTS.--1 quart of split peas, 2 lbs. of s.h.i.+n of beef, tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs of meat or poultry, a slice of bacon, 2 large carrots, 2 turnips, 5 large onions, 1 head of celery, seasoning to taste, 2 quarts of soft water, any bones left from roast meat, 2 quarts of common stock, or liquor in which a joint of meat has been boiled.

_Mode_.--Put the peas to soak over-night in soft water, and float off such as rise to the top. Boil them in the water till tender enough to pulp; then add the ingredients mentioned above, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring it occasionally. Pa.s.s the whole through a sieve, skim well, season, and serve with toasted bread cut in dice.

_Time_.--4 hours. _Average cost_, 6d. per quart. _Seasonable_ all the year round, but more suitable for cold weather. _Sufficient_ for 12 persons.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PEA.]

THE PEA.--It is supposed that the common gray pea, found wild in Greece, and other parts of the Levant, is the original of the common garden pea, and of all the domestic varieties belonging to it. The gray, or field pea, called _bisallie_ by the French, is less subject to run into varieties than the garden kinds, and is considered by some, perhaps on that account, to be the wild plant, retaining still a large proportion of its original habit.

From the tendency of all other varieties "to run away" and become different to what they originally were, it is very difficult to determine the races to which they belong. The pea was well known to the Romans, and, probably, was introduced to Britain at an early period; for we find peas mentioned by Lydgate, a poet of the 15th century, as being hawked in London.

They seem, however, for a considerable time, to have fallen out of use; for, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, Fuller tells us they were brought from Holland, and were accounted "fit dainties for ladies, they came so far and cost so dear." There are some varieties of peas which have no lining in their pods, which are eaten cooked in the same way as kidney-beans. They are called _sugar_ peas, and the best variety is the large crooked sugar, which is also very good, used in the common way, as a culinary vegetable. There is also a white sort, which readily splits when subjected to the action of millstones set wide apart, so as not to grind them. These are used largely for soups, and especially for sea-stores. From the quant.i.ty of farinaceous and saccharine matter contained in the pea, it is highly nutritious as an article of food.

PEA SOUP (inexpensive).

144. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of onions, 1/4 lb. of carrots, 2 oz. of celery, 3/4 lb. of split peas, a little mint, shred fine; 1 tablespoonful of coa.r.s.e brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste, 4 quarts of water, or liquor in which a joint of meat has been boiled.

_Mode_.--Fry the vegetables for 10 minutes in a little b.u.t.ter or dripping, previously cutting them up in small pieces; pour the water on them, and when boiling add the peas. Let them simmer for nearly 3 hours, or until the peas are thoroughly done. Add the sugar, seasoning, and mint; boil for 1/4 of an hour, and serve.

_Time_.--3-1/2 hours. _Average cost_, 1-1/2d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ in winter.

_Sufficient_ for 12 persons.

POTATO SOUP.

I.

145. INGREDIENTS.--4 lbs. of mealy potatoes, boiled or steamed very dry, pepper and salt to taste, 2 quarts of stock No. 105.

_Mode_.--When the potatoes are boiled, mash them smoothly, that no lumps remain, and gradually put them to the boiling stock; pa.s.s it through a sieve, season, and simmer for 5 minutes. Skim well, and serve with fried bread.

_Time_.--1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 10d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ from September to March.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

II.

146. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of s.h.i.+n of beef, 1 lb. of potatoes, 1 onion, 1/2 a pint of peas, 2 oz. of rice, 2 heads of celery, pepper and salt to taste, 3 quarts of water.

_Mode_.--Cut the beef into thin slices, chop the potatoes and onion, and put them in a stewpan with the water, peas, and rice. Stew gently till the gravy is drawn from the meat; strain it off, take out the beef, and pulp the other ingredients through a coa.r.s.e sieve. Put the pulp back in the soup, cut up the celery in it, and simmer till this is tender.

Season, and serve with fried bread cut into it.

_Time_.--3 hours. _Average cost_, 4d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ from September to March.

_Sufficient_ for 12 persons.

III.

(_Very Economical_.)

147. INGREDIENTS.--4 middle-sized potatoes well pared, a thick slice of bread, 6 leeks peeled and cut into thin slices as far as the white extends upwards from the roots, a teacupful of rice, a teaspoonful of salt, and half that of pepper, and 2 quarts of water.

_Mode_.--The water must be completely boiling before anything is put into it; then add the whole of the ingredients at once, with the exception of the rice, the salt, and the pepper. Cover, and let these come to a brisk boil; put in the others, and let the whole boil slowly for an hour, or till all the ingredients are thoroughly done, and their several juices extracted and mixed.

_Time_.--2-1/2 hours. _Average cost_, 3d. per quart.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

_Seasonable_ in winter.

[Ill.u.s.tration: POTATOES.]

THE POTATO.--Humboldt doubted whether this root was a native of South America; but it has been found growing wild both in Chili and Buenos Ayres. It was first brought to Spain from the neighbourhood of Quito, in the early part of the sixteenth century, first to England from Virginia, in 1586, and first planted by Sir Walter Raleigh, on his estate of Youghal, near Cork, in Ireland. Thence it was brought and planted in Lancas.h.i.+re, in England, and was, at first, recommended to be eaten as a delicate dish, and not as common food. This was in 1587. _Nutritious Properties_.--Of a thousand parts of the potato, Sir H. Davy found about a fourth nutritive; say, 200 mucilage or starch, 20 sugar, and 30 gluten.

PRINCE OF WALES'S SOUP.

148. INGREDIENTS.--12 turnips, 1 lump of sugar, 2 spoonfuls of strong veal stock, salt and white pepper to taste, 2 quarts of very bright stock, No. 105.

_Mode_.--Peel the turnips, and with a cutter cut them in b.a.l.l.s as round as possible, but very small. Put them in the stock, which must be very bright, and simmer till tender. Add the veal stock and seasoning. Have little pieces of bread cut round, about the size of a s.h.i.+lling; moisten them with stock; put them into a tureen and pour the soup over without shaking, for fear of crumbling the bread, which would spoil the appearance of the soup, and make it look thick.

_Time_.--2 hours.