Ladies' Column. RECIPES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 2003, 9 May 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

Ladies' Column. RECIPES.

Pi:a<; and iieans.— ln fact all green, vegetables should be dressed in the samo manner, ? c, keeping the saucepan lid off and not letlinf? the water stop from boiling hard until they are cooked, and be suro to add a good handful of salt with a bit of soda to prevent their losing tbeir frebh appearance. H.utieoT duvns. — Take half n pmt or moro, according to your family ; put them in a basin stilli.Mcnt to hold two quaits of water. Thn will be enough for one pint of beans. Let them stand until the next day and soak, when they will have swollen and drunk nearly all the water ; drain them and set them on the fire with a little salt and plenty of water. Aft^r it has boiled let them simmer gently. You will soon see when they aro ready by trying one. If you have a little meat or beef bones stew with them, adding an onion and sprig of mint. This is a cheap and profitable dish. To Preserve Potatoes.— This is a very excellent method for preserving the potato during tho wink* months, or in fact the wholo yearrouud: Get a copper of water to boil and keep it at that point ; have ready sotne open-vrorked .baskets, into which put your potatoes. Stand them in the copper and let them lemain two minutes. Be sure the water boils and cover 3 tho vegetables. Do not let them boil b6yond this time. Place them to dry on the floor, and they will^ be fit to store away. This process doe 3 not injure the potato nor detract from its virtue, as the germ (which is all it alfects) is so near the skin. When my family were young I fouud it not only economical, but an excollent method to prevent disease or fvods from catching them. If you have no convenience to do many at once put them in cabbage nets and boil them in your cooking vessels. It will reward your trouble.

To KFrr MUniinooMs as Fremi Oxrb. — Get large buttons and wash them with vinegar, lay them on Bieves with the stalks upwards, and sprinkle over them a little salt, let them drain for half an hour, then put them into a pot and stand in a cool oven for an hour ; after this take them carefully out and set them again to drnin. Boil the' liquor that came out of them with two blades of mace till it is reduced to half ; put the mushrooms into a dry jar, and when the liquor is cold pour it over them, again on the top pour rendered Buet, so that it may bo set in a cake ; this will preserve the mushrooms and keep in their ilavor. Tie down wiih bladder, and keep in a dry place. A Vegetable Dinner. — Take two pounds of onions, peeled and sliced thin, three pounds of turnips peeled and out in slicas, and three pounds of potatoes peeled ; boil all together till they are done to a pulp ; mash them in the liquor they were boiled in, and pepper and salt with two ounces of good beef drippings, or cut a quarter of a pound of good beef suet very thin and fry it until the fat ia extracted, and pour it over the vegetables ; this is a very nice dinner for children with a slice of bread, but where men, women, and boys go to work, if possible, get a good rasher of bacon, fry and pour over it. I have known many people who have tried and found it very good as well as satisfying. Or take three or four swedes and two pounds of onions, boil in only suilicient water to cover them, previously Bhcing them very thin ; when done mash them in the same liquor, add pepper, salt and two ounces of butter or good sweet dripping. You can boil potatoes with .the swedes and onions, but they are not so' nice as when boiled with turnips. To Bon. CAinuon. — If there are many outside leaves do not throw them all away, try and see if they are tender by breaking the stalk. If it snaps short they are fit to cook. Woll wash them in two or three waters, thon drain them perfectly dry. Have a saucepan of water boiling fast, into which throw a good handful of salt and a piece of common soda the size of a small marble. Put in all your outside leaves first, let them boil quiokly for ten minutes, then put in the hearts, splitting the stuinp3 in two. Somo people prefer taking them out altogether. Bo sure and do not let the water go off the boil tho whole time, or your cabbage will eat hard and leathery besides losing their color, which spoils both the eating and appearance. Cvumi lowers. — It i 3 great mismanagement when housewives throw the green leaves away and cook only tlie llowcr, as the leaves if properly cooked not only sets off tho inside hut eat well. Have your saucepan of water boiling with salt and soda as for cabbage and prepare your vegetables as follows : Take your knifo and cut out the flower, leaving tho young leaves on ; as thoy will bind and hold it together. Then pare round the stalk and trim the outer leaves. Wash and drain well. Throw the outside leaves and stalks entire into the saucepan and let them boil fifteen minutes very fast ; then put in your llower and let it boil another quarter of an hour ; then tako up your leaves and stalks. After draining them, Btand them in your vegotablo dish and lay the flower inside so as to look as if just taken from the garden.