School and Home Cooking Part 53

QUESTIONS

Why should tomatoes be covered when cooked for soup?

Why should they be cooked at simmering rather than boiling temperature?

From the results of your experiments (see Experiments 61 and 62) explain why soda is added to the tomatoes in Cream of Tomato Soup.

What is the purpose of adding the strained tomatoes or Tomato Sauce _slowly_ to the White Sauce or milk?

Why should the soup be served _at once_ after combining the tomato and milk mixture?

If enough Cream of Tomato Soup were prepared for two meals, how and when should the tomatoes and White Sauce be mixed?

What is the price per can of tomatoes?

How many cupfuls in one can of tomatoes?

With the aid of _United States Department of Agriculture,_ Bulletin No. 28 and ill.u.s.trations in this text, tabulate the composition of tomatoes, whole milk (see Figure 64), cheese (see Figure 75), flour, and bread (see Figure 77). Explain why Cream of Tomato Soup and Cheese Straws make a desirable combination from the standpoint of composition and use in the body.

LESSON XCVII

VEAL AND POTATOES

MUSCLE OF YOUNG ANIMALS.--The muscle of an undeveloped animal contains more water than does the muscle of a mature animal. It is also lacking in flavor and usually contains little fat. The meat does not keep so well as that of a mature animal; therefore it should be used at once and not allowed to hang.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 65.--CUTS OF VEAL.]

CUTS OF VEAL (see Figure 65).

=================================================================== | NAME OF CUT | FORM OF CUT | METHOD OF COOKING | =================================================================== | A. Loin. | Chops. | Sauteing. | | | Thick Pieces. | Roasting. | | | | | | B. Leg. | Steaks--veal cutlets | Sauteing. | | | or veal steak. | Stewing. | | | Thick Pieces. | Roasting. | | | | | | C. Knuckle. | Whole. | Stewing. | | | | Soup-making. | | | | | | D. Rib or Rack. | Chops. | Sauteing. | | | Thick Pieces. | Roasting. | | | | | | E. Shoulder. | Thick Pieces. | Stuffing and Roasting. | | | Whole. | Braising. | | | | | | F. Neck. | Thick Pieces. | Stewing. | | | | | | G. G. Breast. | Thick Pieces. | Roasting. | | | Whole. | Stewing. | | | | | | Sweetbreads | Whole--in pairs. | Parboiling and | | (thymus glands) | | Sauteing, Broiling, | | --"Throat" and | | etc. | | "Heart" | | | | Sweetbreads. | | | ===================================================================

VEAL.--Veal is the muscle of the calf or young cow. It has the characteristic qualities of undeveloped muscle. Because it is lacking in flavor, it should be seasoned with herbs and spices, or served with a sauce of p.r.o.nounced flavor. It is also improved by adding some fat, or some meat containing considerable fat such as pork. A calf is usually killed when it is six or eight weeks old. The season for veal is spring; it can usually be purchased, however, throughout the year. The muscle of the veal should be pink in color, and the fat, white. The meat of a calf less than six weeks old is lacking in color.

The connective tissue in veal is abundant, but it is easily changed to gelatine by cooking. Veal is generally considered difficult of digestion.

VEAL CUTLETS (STEAK)

Clean the meat; then remove the bone and tough membranes. Cut the meat into pieces for serving. Cover the bone and the tough pieces of meat with cold water and cook at a low temperature. (This stock is to be used in the sauce.) Small pieces of meat may be put together by using wooden toothpicks for skewers. Season the veal with salt and pepper. Roll in dried bread crumbs, dip in beaten egg, then in crumbs again. Put 2 tablespoonfuls of drippings or other fat in a frying pan. Brown the cutlets in the fat. Remove the veal; in the frying pan prepare the following:

SAUCE FOR CUTLETS

3 tablespoonfuls drippings 1/4 cupful flour 1/2 tablespoonful salt 1/8 teaspoonful pepper 2 cupfuls stock or water 2 tablespoonfuls chopped parsley 1 teaspoonful Worcesters.h.i.+re sauce

Make a brown sauce, using all ingredients except the Worcesters.h.i.+re sauce (see _Brown Sauce_). Add the cutlets to the sauce, and cook them at simmering temperature for 1 hour or until tender. Just before serving, add the Worcesters.h.i.+re sauce.

_Beef_ may be prepared in the same way.

VEAL WITH EGG DRESSING

1 pound veal steak, sliced thin 2 eggs 3/4 cupful flour Salt and pepper

Cut the meat into pieces of suitable size for serving. Brown each piece in fat. (Use sc.r.a.ps of fat cut from the meat.)

Mix the egg, flour, and seasoning. Spread both sides of each piece of meat with the egg mixture. Again brown the pieces of meat in fat. Then add boiling water and let the meat cook at _simmering temperature_ for at least 2 hours. Serve hot.

_Beef_ may be subst.i.tuted for veal.

POTATO PUFF

2 cupfuls mashed potatoes 2 tablespoonfuls milk 1 tablespoonful b.u.t.ter or subst.i.tute 1 teaspoonful salt Pepper 1 egg

Mix all the ingredients except the egg. Separate the egg, and beat the white and the yolk. Beat the yolk into the potato mixture; then add the white by cutting and folding-in. Turn into a b.u.t.tered baking-dish or drop by spoonfuls on a b.u.t.tered baking-sheet. Bake until the egg is cooked and the top brown. Serve at once.

The egg may also be added unbeaten to the potatoes, and the entire mixture beaten vigorously.

QUESTIONS

Why is cold water, rather than hot, used for making meat stock?

How does veal stock compare in color with beef stock? What is the stock called that is made from veal?

Why is this meat cooked at simmering rather than at boiling temperature?

Why is it desirable to use parsley and Worcesters.h.i.+re sauce with veal? Is it desirable to use Worcesters.h.i.+re sauce with beef or mutton? Explain your answer. Why is Worcesters.h.i.+re sauce not cooked with the brown sauce?

Locate veal cutlets or veal steak (see Figure 65). To what cut of beef does it correspond?

What cut of veal corresponds to the tenderloin cuts of beef?

How does the cutting and the using of the rib section of veal differ from that of beef?

What are the prices per pound of each cut of veal? Arrange in tabulated form and record the date.

From _U.S. Department of Agriculture,_ Bulletin No. 28, tabulate the percentage composition of veal cutlets or veal steak. Compare with the percentage composition of beef steak (see Figure 68).

Potato Puff may be prepared from either hot or cold mashed potatoes.

Should the temperature of the oven be the same for each? Explain your answer.

What is the purpose of the egg in the potato mixture?

Which would give the better result when added to the potato mixture, beaten egg or unbeaten egg? Give the reason for your answer.

How many persons will the Potato Puff recipe serve?

From _U.S. Department of Agriculture_, Bulletin No. 28, tabulate the percentage composition of fresh potatoes (see Figure 62) and boiled potatoes. How much nutriment is lost by boiling one pound of potatoes? By what method can potatoes be cooked in order to retain the most nutriment?