The Art of Living in Australia Part 20

Boil the onion and carrot in the stock for twenty minutes. If the stock is not a good colour put in half a teaspoonful of burnt sugar. Strain out the vegetables, wash the tapioca in cold water and stir it in; continue stirring until the tapioca is quite clear, flavour with salt and lemon juice, and serve very hot. This soup should be quite transparent and of a bright brown colour.

WATER SOUCHET

* 6 Small Fish--1s.6d.

* Vegetables *

* Salt and Pepper *

* Lemon Juice--1d.

* Total Cost--1s. 7d.

* Time--One Hour and a Half.

Choose small fish of different kinds and fillet them. As only half the fillets are wanted for the souchet, the rest may be dressed in another way. Wash the bones in cold water and remove the black substance from them, put them into two quarts of cold water with a teaspoonful of salt, and when it boils remove the sc.u.m and add 1 dozen peppercorns, one carrot, one small turnip, one onion, a small piece of celery, and a f.a.got of herbs. Put the vegetables in whole. Boil this together for one hour, then strain off through a hair sieve and return to the saucepan; wash the vegetables that have been boiled in it, slice them up and put them into the liquor. Cut the fillets of fish into small pieces and put them in; simmer for half an hour, then put in a little lemon juice, pour into a tureen, and sprinkle a little chopped parsley on the top. Send brown bread and b.u.t.ter to table with it and a lemon.

OYSTER SOUP

* 1 bottle Oysters--1s.

* 1 pint of Milk--2 1/2d.

* Cornflour and Vegetables *

* 2 quarts Fish Stock--1d.

* Total Cost--1 s. 3 1/2 d.

* Time--One Hour.

If there is no fish stock, use pot boilings. As this is a white soup a special saucepan must be used. Put the stock and the liquor from the bottle of oysters into this stewpan with an onion stuck with six cloves, 2 dozen white peppercorns, and a f.a.got of herbs, and boil together for half an hour, then strain off and return to the saucepan with the milk. When nearly boiling thicken with a tablespoonful of cornflour and boil two or three minutes; put in the oysters and simmer for five minutes. Flavour with a little lemon juice, nutmeg, and salt.

Pour into a warm tureen, and send fried bread to table with it.

BROWN MACARONI SOUP

* 1 1/2 oz. Macaroni--1 1/2d.

* 1 oz. b.u.t.ter--1d.

* Vegetables--1d.

* Cornflour *

* 2 quarts Bone Stock--1/2d.

* Total Cost--4d.

* Time--One Hour and a Quarter.

Slice up the onions or leeks, one carrot, and make a f.a.got of herbs; fry them in the b.u.t.ter with 1 dozen peppercorns till they are quite brown, but not burnt. Sprinkle over a tablespoonful of cornflour, and when brown pour over the boiling stock and stir till it boils up; let it simmer for an hour. If it is not brown enough, burn a little sugar in a spoon and stir it in. If half a teaspoonful of sugar is sprinkled over the vegetables when they are frying they will brown much quicker. When the vegetables are soft rub the soup through a wire sieve and return to the saucepan. Boil the macaroni in salt and water for twenty minutes, strain off, and cut into pieces one inch long; put these into the soup and simmer for a quarter of an hour. Flavour with a little salt and pepper if necessary, and pour into a hot tureen.

HARICOT BEAN SOUP

* 1 lb. Haricot Beans--4d.

* 2 Onions *

* 1/2 pint of Milk *

* 2 quarts Bone Stock--1 1/2d.

* Total Cost--5 1/2 d.

* Time--Four Hours *

Soak the haricot beans for an hour or two, then put them into a saucepan with the stock or water, the onions, and 1 dozen white peppercorns; boil for four hours and then rub through a sieve, return to the saucepan with the milk and seasoning of pepper and salt, stir until it boils. It is then ready to serve. An ounce of b.u.t.ter stirred in just before it is finished is a great improvement.

This is one of the most nouris.h.i.+ng soups that can be made. It is an excellent food for outdoor workers. When b.u.t.ter is dear, sweat the haricots in 1 oz. of beef dripping.

MILK SOUP

* 2 lbs. Potatoes--2d.

* 1 oz. b.u.t.ter--1d.

* 1 Onion *

* 1/2 pint of Milk *

* 3 pints of Water--1 1/2d.

* Total Cost--4 1/2 d.

* Time--Half an Hour *

Peel, wash, and slice up the potatoes and onions and put them into a saucepan with the b.u.t.ter, and stir them about till all the b.u.t.ter is dissolved and worked into the potatoes, but they must not get brown. Pour over the boiling water and boil until they are of a pulp, then rub them through a sieve, return to the saucepan, add the milk and seasoning, and stir till it boils. Pour into a hot tureen, and serve with fried bread.

ONION SOUP

* 4 Onions--1d.

* 1 oz. b.u.t.ter--1d.

* 1 1/2 oz. Flour *

* 1 gill of Milk *

* 2 quarts of Stock *