The Monticellonian., 1906-06-07
NICE ASPARAGUS DISHES.
This Delicate Vegetable May Be Used for Soup and Salad, Creamed
 and with Eggs.

The Ladies World has an inter- esting article by Mary Foster Snider giving direction on how to cook aspar- agus in different ways and make saw ory dishes. Attention is called to the fact that difficulty ts often experienced in properly cooking this vegetable. It is suggested by this writer that if the stalks are cut into equal length and then stood upright in the sauce pan after being immersed in water to two- thirds of the way to the tips so that the latter is cooked by the steam only, there is less danger of over cooking the tips while the butts are not uh- derdone. A half hour cooking is said to be enough by this method, unless the butts are unusually tough. Of course the coarse butts should always be removed.
 Asparagus Soup. - Wash large bunch of asparagus, cut off the tips, cover the stalks with cold water, and boil five minutes, then drain. Then cover with three rints of soup stock and add a third of the reserved tips. Cook until the asparagus is soft enough to press through a sieve or eolander, and leave only the fiber be- hind; then return the soup and pulp to the fire, season to taste and bring 1t to boil; drop in the remainder of the tips, which have been cooked gently in another saucepan until ten- der. Heat one cupful of cream or mi in hfoI- en with two level tablespoonfuls each of four and butter rubbed smoothly together, add to the soup and let boil a few minutes longer, then serve at once with croutons
 Cream of Asparagus Soup.-Cook one bunch of asparagus in one quart of Wa ter with a sprig of onions. When the asparagus is tender. rub all through a sieve, mashing and rubbing through all tut the fiber. Return the pulp and soup to the fire, season with salt, white pepper and celery salt, and add one pint of milk Let it come to a boil, thieken with one level tablespoonful each of four and butter rubbed smooth ly together, and simmer ten minutes longer
 Esealloped Asparagus.-Boil aspara- gus until tender, then drain, and place layer in buttered baking dish which has been well sprinkled with, breae-erumbs. Sprinkle the asparagus with chopped hard-hoiled eggs, pepper. salt and grated cheese, and proceed in this way until pan is full, having the top layer of asparagus. Pour over ti eupful of thin white sauce. sprinkle with buttered crumbs, and brown deli cately in a hot oven.
 Asparagus in Baskets.-Make good baking powder biscuits, hollow them out, and fill with creamed asparagus Serve very hot with cream sauce passed in a sauce boat.
 Asparagus with Eggs.-Boil aspara- gus until tender, then place in a but. tered baking-dish; season delicately with salt, pepper, and pinch of nut. meg. Beat the yolks of four eggs un. til light, add two tabespoonfuls ol cream, two level teaspoonfuls of but. ter little more seasoning, and the whites of the eggs beaten to a froth Pour over the asparagus, set in hot oven, and bake until the eggs arc set
 Asparagus Salad.-Iee cooked aspar. agus tips and mix them lightly with finely minced young onion Serve ice. cold in little nests of tender lettuce leaves with a little French dressIne poured over. A cream mayonnaise is also delightful accompaniment. anc especially if the iced asparagus tips are mixed with an equal amount oi iced green peas.
 Chicken Asparagus Cases.-Mash one cupful of cold cooked asparagus with one cupful of hot mashed potatoes, add one-half cupful of fine dry bread. crumbs, salt and pepper to taste, anc two well-beaten eggs Form into little boxes or baskets, brush with soft but. ter, sprinkle well with fine bread. crumbs, and set in hot oven until heated through. Fill with diced creamed chicken or veal, which has been kep. hot on the top of the stove, and serve at once. Careful handling is neces. sary with these pretty and delicious little cases.-Prairie Farmer