Evening star., 1901-06-01
Table and Kitchen.
"The Onion is the Sheet Anchor of
the Careful Cook"

| very vulgar vegetable are loud in their
praise of the preparation that owes much
of it's deliciousness to the presence, in cum
ming disguise, of this desptsed bulb
| After salt, the onion is the most valuable
| and indispensable favorng substance in
the hands of experienced cook, who
would consider himself Handicapped indeed
without the powerful little ally
The onion, as know it, embraces sew
eral varieties; those which are grown in
| the warmer climates being much miIder
| and sweeter but all possessing a pungent
OIL of an irritating nature. which renders
| them decidedly indigestible when eaten
raw; but as a fiavoring agent condi-
ment a vegetable, they are valuable as
| food.
The Strong Odor.
The pungent volatile oil which gives the
| onion the strong flavor and smell is rich
| in sulphur but the quantity of this oil Is
| minute, and when properly cooked is soon
disspated and the irritating properties so
| far removed to render the vegetable
only slightly laxative. The food value of
the onion is considerably above that of the
turnip
Medicinal Value of the Onion.
1t may not be generally understood that
onions are disinfectants as we'll as preven-
tatives against contagious diseases. They
| readily absorb impurities as well as de-
fend against diseases They are invigorat-
ing and in many instances nature presents
her demand for this class of food through
the craving Of the individual for this ta-
booed little vegetable.
An old-time remedy for colds and one
that was very effectual in producing good
results, was baked or roasted onion.
stewed Onions.
Select the medium-sized silver onions;
peel off the outer skin; let them lie in cold
water half an hour and drain; cover with
boiling water; add teaspoonful of salt
and boil, uncovered, for ten minutes; drain
off this water, cover with fresh, boiling
water; add salt and boil ten minutes longer.
then change the water again and boil until
the onions are tender. They should be
white as snow; do not boil too hard or
cover the saucepan or the onions will be
strong and dark colored. Make a cream
sauce and pour over the onions after care
fully draining them.
Onion F0rci.
Take the large Spanish onions; wash
them trim off the bottoms, but do not peel
them; put them in slightly salted boiling
water, and boil them for an hour. Drain
and remove the centers. If you have rem
nants of cold chicken mince fine with the
iivers; add third as much fine bread
crumbs pepper, salt, beaten egg and cream
or gravy to moiSten. Chop the onion taken
from the centers and mix with the force
meat; then fill the onion shells; cover with
bread crumbs, dot with bits of butter
place in the oven and brown Make a
white sauce, and beaten egg. a little
lemon juice and minced parsley and serve
With the onions. g..
Onions a la POulette.
Select button onions and cook them same
as for stewed onions; when done drain and
serve with yellow sauce made as follows:
Melt two level tabespoonfuls of butter
In saucepan add two level tablespoonfuls
of flour and stir until smooth, then add a
cup of milk or half a cup OF cream and half
cup of chicken broth; cook and stir until
1t boils, then season with pepper and.salt.
Add the onions and heat thoroughly before
serving.
Pickeled Onions.
Choose small button onions of uniform
size. Make brine strong enough to float
an egg; when boiling hot pour it over the
onions and let them stand for twenty-four
hours. Drain and wipe them dry and pack
In large-mouthed pint bottles adding a
small red pepper blade of mace and a
few slices Of horseradish. Fill the bottles
up with white wine or cider vinegar, and
seal closely.
OrmaIOO.
Peel a dozen white onions, cover with
cold water and steep for an hour Then
equal quantity of mashed white potatoes;
add two or three well-beaten eggs about
cup of milk; do not have the mixture too
soft, and salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
hip the mixture until quite light; turn
into baking dish and bake in a quick oven
half an hour. When half done pour a little
melted butter or gravy over the top.
Onion RagOut.
Peel pint of small button onions; take
four large ones, peel them and chop fine
Put half a cup Of butter into saucepan;
when melted and hot, put in the onions
and stir them about until nice brown
add two tablespoonfuls Of -four and shake
them about until thick; then add a CUP Of
gravy or stock salt and cayenne to taste
and level teaspoonful Of m ustard. Cook
gently, stirring so as not to break up the
small onions. until the sauce thickens them,
turn into a heated dish and sarnish with
fried bread crumbs These are made by
pulling the bread from the loaf with a
fork, in pieces about an inch in size and
frying them delicate brown in deep fat.
The bread must be dry Arrange these
pieces around the dish Of onions and dust
lightly with finely minced parsley.
Rhubarb Wine.
Skin, chop and mash the rhubarb to a
pulp. Weigh and allow one quart Of water
and pound of sugar to each pound of
fruit. Mix well together and pour into an
earthen crock or jar. Cover closely with a
piece Of cheese cloth to keep out dust Let
1t ferment We'll stirring 1t up once or twice
a day. When the fermentation ceases.
skim and strain and pour into a cask and
let stand for twenty-four hours then close
the bunghole and stand away for four
months. Then rack off the wine into bot
ties and put them away on their Sides
Cucumber Sauce.
Add half cupful OF grated cucumber to
a cupful of good stiff mayonnaise, chill 1t
on Ice and serve Another way is to crate
the cucumber, removing the seeds; drain
the pulp dry, then season with salt and
cayenne and to cup of pulp add table
spoonful or tarragon vinegar. Cover and
let stand in cold place for several hours
The sauce is improved by adding a table
spoonful of salad Oil in mixing.
Cheese stravws.
Take half cup Of sifted flour. add a
pinch Of cayenne. three ounces Of grated
Parmesan cheese and little salt; mix all
together and moisten with the yolk of
an egg and enough wateryto make a stiff
dough. Knead to smooth dough. Roll
out into very thin sheet, not more than an