Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-16

Seasonable Dishes and How to Prepare
Them.

Seasonable Dishes and How to Prepare
Them.
For many a long day the fast Of Lent was
looked on as a popish institution and as such
heartily condemned. though in point of fact it
was fully ~ much of sanitary as a religious
measure. fact realized at the reformation.
when eating of fish was advised. if not actually
ordered by law, at certain seasons for some
years after ''papistry" had been driven from
our land; fasting and feasting departing to-
Gether during Cromwelrs rule, only to reappear,
the former especially. III marvelously modified
! form. with the return of the Stuarts
proof that hygiene had fully as much to do
with church feasts religion is shown by their
dates. the two chief and most rigid ones COM
| ing III spring and autumn. precisely the time
when almost everyone finds their health be-
coming matter for consideration.
WORD AS TO Soups.
Soup means stock ufeat of course in some
shape or form, even if the mistress be so eco
| nonical as to Use the liquor joints or poultry
my have been boiled in and the bones and
scraps from the latter also. But meat is not a
| necessity. and many delicious soups can be
made without the smallest particle Stock of
course. Is sine qua H"e. and should be made
as follows: Boil some dried peas in sufficient
water. with pepper, salt. onions. carrots and
| otner vegetables that may be handy. until thew
are all but in mash. when they must be
strained Oft and the stock cleared like any other
soup.
For Juienne maigre. take carrot turnip.
leek, and an onion. all cut in tiny strips, and
| Try them lightly in a little good oil: take an
F., equal weight of lettuce, chervil sorrel and
celery also cut in strips; give them. too, a toss
IN the pan. and place them with the other vege-
tables in a dehcately clean stewpan: pour on
suihclent vegetable stock made and cleared as
above, bring it all to the boil then draw it
| aside and let it all simmer slowly together for
a few minutes. Have ready some bread cut in
I thin slices; lay these at the bottom of the tur-
cen and pour the hot soup on them. If in sea-
son. young peas or French beans may be added
TO the other vegetables.
The same vegetable stock can be used for
potage la Condo, Garbure magre, PURGE aux
tomatoes; and perfect crowd of delicious
soups, which, if We ever think of. we lump as
that horrid soup maigre We had at that inn at
so and so.'
Fish stock made by boiling any coarse kind
OF fish. or fish trimmings, with vegetables, sea-
soning, aud bouquet garni, serves as the
foundation for various fish soups and stews for
1t can either be strained and cleared or else
boiled till the fish, &c, will all pass through
fine sieve.
For soup a celery PURGE is delicious. Strain
the hquor from quart of oysters. which will
do for sauce or may be fried sticking two or
three together. IT they are small, before Dip
ping them into the coru-meal or cracker -crumbs
Add to the Oyster-iquor enough water to make
three quarts. Clean and cut into halt-inch
lengths all the white portion OF three punches
of celery. except the roots. Boil the celery in
the oyster-water until it has boiled to rags
Then rub it through a seve and return it to the
saucepan. Let 1t boil up, and add cupful of
flour smoothly blended with one cupful of
sweet tIyn nr thraa inoaG ca1f aud
pepper to TASTE strain and serve. The puree
should be about as thick rich cream. II it
becomes too thick or too thin in boiling a little
more milk, or milk and -four blended. may be
added to bring 1t to the right consistency.
OTHER PALATABLE DISHES.
Lobster croquettes are delicate entree, and
can be made of the canned lobster as we'll as
of fresh. Strain off all the liquor, and chop
the lobster fine; soak one or two slices of
bread in water, remove the crust and squeeze
dry; mix well with the lobster. seasoning with
salt, pepper and the juice of a small lemon
Mix to paste with well-beaten egg. Mold
into the usual croquette shape dip in beaten
egg and then in grated bread-crumbs, and fry
in boiling fat.
dainty dish for a Lenten dinner may be
made with two or three good-sized carrots
Scrape them and cut them into strips Put
them in a saucepan with one cupful of boil
ing water two ounces of butter, a chopped
or twice until the butter is melted. then cover
closely. and let it set on the stove or range
where the carrots will steam without burning
Blend smoothly heaping tablespoonful Of
flour in half cupful of water, and when the
carrots are done, which will be in about an
hour half stir in the blended -four and let
all boil up few minutes before serving,
A palata3le dish of salt fish for breakfast
or luncheon is prepared with crackers. OF
course the fish must be soaked as directed
ahnvp---a p1a q nfolyi
six pilot crackers and put them to soak in cold
| water. In the morning mince the fish fine and
drain the crackers dry. Stir together with
three well-beaten eggs and quart of milk a
piece OF butter the size of an egg and the graf
| ed rind and part Of the juice of an orange. Put
it in an earthen baking-dish, well buttered, and
| bake an hour.
| Boiled salt Goldfish is delicate dish enough if
| properly prepared. Salt Goldfish is to be had
| boned and put up in small boxes but in anv
case it should be soaked over night in tepid
| water, with the skin side upward. Change the
| water in the morning and soak two or three
hours longer. Then scrape and clean thor
| oughiy. and put in a kettle of tepid water
| enough to well cover it, and then set where it
will heat to the scalding point but not boil
| Let it cook for hour-two will do it no
| harm-but do not let the water boil at any
time. Remove all the bone and dark skin,
and serve with egg sauce, or, as it is usually
called, drawn butter, made after the French
| method.
TREATMENT OF FRESH FISH.
To prepare fresh fish great care is necessary
in cleaning. One washing is usually sufficient
| for allowing fresh fish to lie in water any length
of time after cleaning impairs their flavor All
fish for boiling should be put into cold water
except salmon, which loses its color unless put
into boiling water. Add tablespoonful of salt
and one of vinegar to every two quarts of water
when boiling fish. This improves the favor,
and also keeps the flesh firm. In boiling fish
whole do not cut off the head or tail. 4 large
by threading trusting needle, tying the end
needle through the middle of the fish, drawing
the string up tight and fastening it around the
tail
Toasted paddock is nice dish, and can be
made by taking few haddocks, rub them thor
oughly with salt. and hang them no for twenty
four hours in the open air by the head; then
skin them, dust them with -four, and broil or
toast over a clear fire.
you have no fish kettle keep ON hand a large
square OF cheese cloth; lay the fish, after clean
ing, in the cloth laid on long plate and you
can manage to cook it very well. To clean the
fish pour little hot water over the scales to
loosen them, scrape them of, remove the gills,
cut OF the fms and the hard white part running
along the backbone. Put it into your kettle in
cold water, seasoned with a tablespoonful of
| salt and a gill of cider. When the water grows
hot allow FIVE minutes for every pound Of fish.
Send to table in a large dish garnished with
parsely and scraped horse-radish. Mustsrd
IAh Ia. ID