The Community Cook Book Part 4

OYSTER c.o.c.kTAIL.

Mix one tablespoonful tomato catsup, one-half tablespoonful vinegar or lemon, two drops Tabasco sauce, one-half teaspoonful salt, one teaspoonful finely chopped celery and one-half teaspoonful Worcesters.h.i.+re sauce. Chill these ingredients thoroughly, pour over eight oysters and serve in c.o.c.ktail gla.s.ses.

OYSTER NEWBURG.

One pint oysters, one-half cup cream, one teaspoonful onion juice, two tablespoonfuls b.u.t.ter, one-half teaspoonful salt, one-eighth teaspoonful paprika, two level tablespoonfuls flour, one teaspoonful lemon juice, yolk of one egg, toasted bread. Melt one tablespoonful b.u.t.ter, add oysters, salt, paprika, onion and lemon juice, cook three minutes, and melt remaining tablespoonful b.u.t.ter, add flour, and when blended add cream, then the yolk of the egg, beaten slightly; cook until it thickens, stirring slowly, add to the oysters, mix and serve on toast.

OYSTER OMELET.

Make a plain omelet, beat six eggs until light, separately; add two tablespoonfuls milk, one of flour, one-fifth teaspoonful baking powder, put in flour and rub with milk, salt to taste. Fry in melted b.u.t.ter in a hot skillet. Put in oven for a few minutes to brown on top. Turn out on a good-sized meat dish, pour upon it the oyster sauce and serve at once, hot.

Sauce.

Make the oyster sauce first. Take twenty-five large oysters, put them in a saucepan over a moderate fire, and cook slowly until the gills are curled. Drain, save the liquor, add enough milk to make a pint. Take a tablespoonful flour and one of b.u.t.ter and cream them. Put the liquor in a pan and when it begins to boil stir in the flour and b.u.t.ter. Stir until boiling, add a teaspoonful salt and a dash of paprika. Stand in a warm place until you make the omelet.

OYSTER PATTIES.

Cook one heaping tablespoonful flour in one heaping tablespoonful b.u.t.ter; add slowly one cup hot milk, season with one teaspoonful salt, one-fourth teaspoonful red pepper; wash over one pint oysters, parboil until plump, skin carefully, drain and add the sauce, fill the patty sh.e.l.ls when ready to serve.

OYSTER TENDERLOINS.

Take out one dozen oysters for the gravy first; then take one pint of oysters (pour off most of the liquor and save to put in the gravy); one pint of cracker crumbs rolled but not fine, pepper and salt to taste; also add a pinch of sage to the crumbs. Roll the oysters in the crumbs and put in b.u.t.ter the size of an egg. Cut the tenderloins in the center, roll until flat, then sew together, making a pocket. Stuff with the oysters and sew up the end. Put b.u.t.ter the size of an egg in a pan and brown. Pour this on top of the tenderloin, sprinkle over it salt, pepper and flour. Roast in a moderate oven one and one-half hour. To make the gravy, pour in the liquor and a little water and thickening. Drop in the oysters a few minutes before taking off the stove.

SALMON LOAF.

One can salmon. Drain off juice into stewpan, place salmon in a pan and add one-half cup fine cracker crumbs, two eggs, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly, press into a mold, steam one hour.

Dressing.

One and one-half cup milk, four tablespoonfuls catsup, piece of b.u.t.ter size of an egg; boil; thicken with one tablespoonful cornstarch dissolved in water. Pour over loaf when done.

SALMON ON TOAST.

Toast bread and b.u.t.ter it. One and one-half pint milk and cream mixed; heat boiling hot; two tablespoonfuls flour, three tablespoonfuls b.u.t.ter.

Work b.u.t.ter and flour together at boiling point, stir this in the milk.

Strain salmon in colander upon top of stove, to get warm; then put on toast and pour cream dressing over all. Take three hard-boiled eggs and grate the yellows on top of salmon, and slice the white of eggs around edges of toast in the platter.

SALT MACKEREL IN CREAM.

Wash the mackerel and soak over night in clear, cold water. Lay in a baking pan, and to one mackerel add one-half pint of new milk; put into a moderate oven and bake one-half hour. Just before the fish is done, drop a few pieces of b.u.t.ter onto it.

SCALLOPED OYSTERS.

Roll the crackers, line the baking dish with b.u.t.ter; put the oysters, with a few cloves, salt and pepper, in a stewpan for say five minutes, but do not let them boil. Put a layer of oysters in the baking dish, then a layer of crackers, and so on, having the crackers on top. Bake twenty minutes.

SALADS

"Salads and eggs and lighter fare."

More progressive Americans now understand the value of the salad, and in this way use many vegetables, fish and meats that heretofore have not been extensively used for that purpose. There is room for much interesting experimenting in the making of salads. Almost endless variety may be had by ingenious mixing and combining of suitable ingredients. Used sparingly, they give a zest to the plainest meal, and the olive oil which is used so frequently in the preparation of salads is of immense value in promoting health.

The greens used in making salad, lettuce, dandelion and water cress should always be most carefully washed, and served only when fresh, crisp and cold. Many canned vegetables and left-overs may be used in salad, which would not be nearly so appetizing prepared in any other way.

ASPARAGUS SALAD.

Use either fresh or canned asparagus. If fresh, of course it should be cooked in the usual way and allowed to cool. Only very tender asparagus is suitable for salad. Cut green or red peppers into rings, put four stalks in each ring. Place these bundles on lettuce leaves and serve with usual French dressing. A little pat of Philadelphia cream cheese may be put on edge of each plate.

BEET RELISH.

One quart chopped beets, one quart chopped cabbage, one cup ground horseradish, one cup brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Pour over enough vinegar to moisten well about three cups. Heat and seal.

BOILED DRESSING.

Four tablespoonfuls vinegar, one tablespoonful b.u.t.ter, one-half tablespoonful sugar, yolks of three eggs, one cup whipped cream when ready to serve. Boil vinegar and sugar, turn on beaten yolks of eggs.

Return to fire, and when as thick as boiled custard remove and add b.u.t.ter.

COLD SLAW.

One-half cup vinegar boiled, two teaspoonfuls sugar, one-half teaspoonful salt and mustard, one-half teaspoonful pepper, one-quarter cup b.u.t.ter to a cream, one teaspoonful flour; pour into boiling vinegar, cook five minutes. One well-beaten egg, with the cabbage chopped fine; pour vinegar over while hot.

COMBINATION SALAD.

Line a dish with lettuce. Arrange on it a layer of sliced tomatoes, thin layer of chopped onions, one sliced cuc.u.mber and one green pepper chopped fine. Pour over these layers a dressing made as follows:

Beat yolks of two eggs; add slowly about one cup of olive oil, beating all the time, two tablespoonfuls vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.

COOKED SALAD DRESSING.

One teaspoonful salt, one teaspoonful mustard, one and one-half teaspoonful sugar, few grains cayenne, three-fourths tablespoonful flour, yolks of two eggs, three-fourths cup of scalded milk, one-half cup hot vinegar, one and one-half teaspoonful melted b.u.t.ter. Mix the dry ingredients, add the yolks and mix thoroughly; add the scalded milk, return to double boiler, add the hot vinegar, stirring constantly until mixture thickens, add the b.u.t.ter. Cool before using.