Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-01
SOUP AS AN ART
PLAIN RECIPES THAT ARE NOT
WIDELY KNOWN.
Chestnuts and Lettuce May Be Press
ed into the Service of the
Soup Kettle.

Soups, common as they are. are, as we
all know to our sorrow, often most imper-
fectly prepared. The authorities of today
tell US that soups contain little or no nutri-
ment, and that they are mainly of use as
stimulants. Notwithstanding these learned
folk, good soup Is not to be despised.
The well-made stock provides the founda-
tion of so many other varieties, and it Is
essential to keep it constantly on hand.
Every housewife can make it, or consult
any cook book If she not, SO space need
not be given to it here, although it is the
basis of the first soup.
Consomme royale.-Break two eggs into
bowl and mix them thoroughly with half
a glass of milk, then strain into buttered
saucepan. Place the saucepan in a fiat pan
half filled with water and cook in a moder-
ate oven for one-haif hour Set aside I'M
III cold, then turn out of the saucepan and
cut out into little squares. Serve in consomme,
allowing three pintss of the soup, which,
with the quantity of egg given, is enough
Tor eight persons.
Cream of corn.-Grate sufficient guam
t1ty of sweet green corn to yield one pint
OF pulp. Put the cobs in three pints of
water and let them boil slowly for one-half
hour. Remove the cobs and add the corn,
and continue boiling very slowly until it is
quite soft, then press through sieve, sea-
son and return to the fire. Rub three table
spoonfuls of butter and two of -four to-
gether until smooth and stir them into
the soup, and continue stirring until
it thickens. Add one pint of milk heated
to the scalding point, let all cook for one
minute. then move the pot to the side OF
the stove. Add the well-beaten yolks of
two eggs and serve Immediately.
Puree of canned peas.-Press one can Of
fresh peas through a fruit press and add
the pulp to one quart of milk which has
been previously placed in a double boiler
and heated to the boiling point. Rub one
tablespoonful I. !. OF butter to cream and add
to 1t two tablespoonfuls of -four which stir
until 1t becomes smooth. Add the mixture
to the milk and peas and stir constantly
until it thickens. Season with salt and pep
per and serve at once.
Okra, creole style-Make one quart Of
chicken stock and add to 1t four large
okras cut in slices and cook for one
hour. At the end of that time add one cup
full of tomatoes and boil for fifteen minutes
longer. Scald twenty-five oysters in their
own liquor, strain and throw them into the
soup, with one tablespoonful of chopped
green pepper. Let scald for an instant and
serve.
PURGE of chestnuts-Boil one pound of
chestnuts for ten minutes, then peel
and skin them and put in saucepan
with one quart of white stock. Add a
quarter of a pound of butter, season to
taste with salt and white pepper, and let
all boil for thirty minutes. Rub through a
flne sieve and serve scalding hot To pre-
pare the white stock place a large knuckle
completely cover with cold water and let II
come slowly to a boil. AS 1t heats watch
carefully and remDve all the scum which
rises TO the surface When no more can
be detected put in two large scraped car
rots. whole; one white turnip, peeled: one
large white onion, one parsley root and a
rev leaves of celery. Boil very slowly for
SIX hours. then strain and stand aside to
become cold. Remove every particle of
grease from the surface and stand aside
until needed.
Cream of lettuee.-Wash carefully the
leaves of three good-sfzed heads of crisn
lettuce. drain and chop them into bi+s-
Ihen place them in a saucepan with
quarter of a pound o. butter and COOK for
hVe minutes, stirring meanwhile. Add two
quarts of white stock, for which the recipe
has already been given, season with salt
ana pepper and dash or two of nutmeg
ana throw in bouquet consisting of four
branches or parsley, one branch of soup
celery, one bay leaf, lone sprig of thyme.
and two cloves and quarter of pound of
raw rice Cover the saucepan tightly and
| cook for three-quarters Of an hour. Re
move the bouquet and strain through a fine
sieve. Return to the saucepan, which has
been thoroughly cleansed, and let it heat
thoroughly without boiling, stirring 1t gem
tly with wooden spoon. Pour in one pint
OF sweet cream and stir slowly until 1t be-
comes scalding hot, then pour into tureen
before it bois.
PURGE Of clams.-Few people realize how
much more delicious is the soup made from
prepare puree at its best select large. fat
CLANS and for three pints of soup allow
one bunch, or twenty-five. Cut off the necks
or hard portions and put them in stew
pan with three-fourths of a pint of cold wa
ter Allow them to stew slowly for one
hour Strain and add the concentrated Juice
to three pints of milk. Stand over the fire
and stir occasionally until it reaches the
scalding point, when thicken with one
quarter of a pound of butter rubbed to
smooth paste with two tabiespoonfuls of
flour. Stir evenly and slowly until it bols
then throw in the soft parts of the clans
which have been chopped fine and passed
through a grinder. Let all cook together
for two minutes, season with salt and
white pepper and serve.
Chicken gumbo a la creole.-No soup
known to the epicure excels in delicacy and
richness this one of southern renown. The
following recipe has been tested again and
again and can be relied upon to give perfect
satisfaction. Make a good chicken stock
and to one quart add quarter of a can of
tomatoes, one-quarter of a pound of lean
ham cut into dice, one-quarter of can Of
corn, one bay leaf and one onion cut into
bits. Let all cook slowly for two hours
then strain and add a dozen okras sliced
and the meat Of two crabs. Return to the
fire and let stew until the okras are well
cooked Season to taste add twenty-five
oysters and serve Instantly they are scalded
THE SILENT POOL