The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-14
A MALTREATED VEGETABLE.
By Marion Harland.
TCopvrightl

OOWn IN the potion Oh nef canulQ
,oul the average housekeeper of the mid
ale and northern states despises rice as a
vegetable. She has decided idea that
1t is good for sick people, shadowy no
ton that eaten with milk, it is not amiss
upon the nursery table, and a sort of
patroni2ing respect for rice pudding
as stand by on wash-day and while the
house cleaning fever is at its height.
Culinary education of higher order
than she is likely to gain in her ordinary
walk of life is required to induce her to
give the respectable edible equal foot
ing with beans, parsnips and onions,
much less the tyrant potato, who holds
his insolent own upon palace, and upon
cottage, tables.
We are less inclined to intolerance
with our housewives ignorance because
she knows next to nothing of what she
despises. Rice, as graylsh paste, sticky
and insipid,or watery and repulsive, does
not commend itself to eye or palate.
The extreme probability is that our critic
has never been fortunate enough to see
"a dish of this most valuable of vegeta-
bles properly cooked and served. Yet,
as with making tea and toast, and wash
ing dishes, the right way is so simple
that the wayfaring cook, though fool,
ought never to err therein. That she
does, in every ninety-nine and a-half-
out of every hundred cases, is one of the
enigmas of the American kitchen which
l despair of solving in the course Of one
short life
have already entered protest
against the popular Judgment of what
l have called our gentle cereal" It
gives me genuine satisfaction to reit-
crate it upon page that viii fall under
lthe eye of half-a-million readers. L
hereby beg for a fair examination of it's
merits and careful test OF these by means
of few of the many methods known at
the South and abroad for bringing out
the best qualities of what is the main
food of one-t third of the human race"
TO BOIL RICE.
Wash. and pick over q cup of raw rice,
and pour clear water upon it in a fine col
ander. Have ready three quarts of wa
ter slightly salted and brought to a fast
boil, and drop the rice into the bubblng
pot, by the loose handful. Boil, uncov-
cred, and hard for twenty minutes;
when soft, turn into the colander, shake
up gently and set in the open oven to dry
for two minures before dishing it. Never
touch it with spoon while in cooking.
STEAMED RICE.
Wash carefully half-a-cupful of raw
rice. and turn into farina-k kettle; add
ed, and cook closely covered, until each
grain is tender, white and puffy, keeping
the water in the outer kettle at furious
boil. In half an hour, or so, all the wa
ter in the inner boiler should be alb
sorbed by the rice. Dry, as in last recipe,
and serve plain, or dressed according to
some one of the following methods:
BUTTERED RICE
Heat a tablespoonful of butter in a
saucepan, but do not let it brown. Add
Tablespoonful Of onion juice, and a
little pepper and salt, cook one minute
and pour upon the rice tossing this with
fork to let the butter penetrate. A
great spoonful Of NParmesan cheese
makes it yet more savory.
OR,
Pour over the hot, dry rice a generous
cupful of strained tomato-sauce, into
which has been stirred a great spoonful
of Parmesan cheese.
OR,
Add to a cupful of chicken or other
gravy, half-cupful of finely minced
meat, season well and pour upon the rice
when dished.
RISSOTTA
Is a favorite Italian luncheon-dish
and good everywhere.
Heat two tablespoonfuls Of butter in a
saucepan with a teaspoonful Of onion
juice, and when it begins to hiss turn
in half cupful of raw rice which has
been washed, then dried in hot colan- |
der. Stir. off and on for fifteen minutes.
adding at the end of five a quarter
cupful of boiling water. When the quar-
hour is up, pour in a quart of boiling |
water and cook fast for another quar- |
ter. If the water is not all absorbed nv
then, drain it off, pour in half a cupful |
OF strained tomato sauce, seasoned with
pepper, salt, pinch of mace, and twice
as much grated lemon-peel. Simmer ten
minutes longer and dish Pass Parmesan |
cheese for those who like it.
Don't be alarmed by the foreign name
and unusual treatment Try nv rissotta |
and let me know the result