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Recipes:
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PREFACE
"A hasty
plate of soup"
The best soups are made with a blending of many flavors. Don't be afraid of
experimenting with them. Where you make one mistake you will be surprised to
find the number of successful varieties you can produce. If you like a spicy
flavor, try two or three cloves, or allspice, or bay leaves. All soups are
improved by a dash of onion, unless it is the white soups, or purees from
chicken, veal, fish, etc. In these celery may be used.
In nothing so well as soups can a housekeeper be economical of the odds and ends
of food left from meals. One of the best cooks was in the habit of saving
everything, and announced one day, when her soup was especially praised, that it
contained the crumbs of gingerbread from her cake box!
Creamed onions left from a dinner, or a little stewed corn or tomatoes, potatoes
fried or mashed, a few baked beans--even a small dish of apple sauce -- have
often added to the flavor of soup. Of course, all good meat gravies, or bones
from roast or fried meats, can be added to the contents of your stock kettle. A
little butter is always needed in tomato soup.
Stock is regularly prepared by taking fresh meat (cracking the bones and cutting
the meat into small pieces) and covering it with cold water. Put it over the
fire and simmer or boil gently until the meat is very tender. Some cooks say,
allow an hour for each pound of meat. Be sure to skim carefully. When done take
out meat and strain your liquid. It will frequently jelly, and will keep in a
cold place for several days, and is useful for gravies, as well as soups. |
