The Art of Living in Australia Part 47

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

* 1 gill Milk *

* Pepper and Salt--2d.

* Total Cost--4d.

* Time--One Hour *

Sc.r.a.pe and cut up the parsnips (or cold ones will do). If raw, boil them in water seasoned with salt for three-quarters of an hour. Make the b.u.t.ter, flour, and milk into a sauce by directions given, and season nicely. Stir in the parsley, put in the parsnips, bring to the boil and simmer for ten minutes. Arrange them on a hot dish, pour the sauce over, and serve.

PARSNIPS FRIED

Cold boiled parsnips make a delicious breakfast dish if sliced up and fried either in bacon fat, dripping, or b.u.t.ter. Pile high on a dish and serve very hot.

POTATO b.a.l.l.s

* 1 lb. Cold Boiled Potatoes *

* Bread Crumbs--1d.

* 2 Eggs *

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

* Hot Fat--3d.

* Total Cost--4d.

* Time--5 Minutes.

Rub the potatoes through a sieve or mash them smoothly. Put the b.u.t.ter into a saucepan, and, when melted, season with pepper and salt; put in the potatoes and turn them about till hot through. Drop in the egg and mix into a paste, turn on to a plate to cool, and roll into b.a.l.l.s. Beat up an egg and brush over the b.a.l.l.s, cover well with crumbs, and fry in hot fat. The yolks of eggs will do for this dish if the whites are wanted for other purposes.

HARICOT BEANS

Soak the haricots over night, if possible; if not, at least for two or three hours. Put them on in plenty of cold water seasoned with salt and an onion, and boil them steadily for three hours. Strain the water off, put them into a vegetable dish, and pour over them some parsley b.u.t.ter sauce. Haricot beans are the most nutritious of all pulse foods, and are a particularly good food for people who work in the open air. They are very nice eaten alone or served with meat. They make an exceedingly delicious dish if boiled for two hours and then put into a nice brown gravy and simmered for about an hour. Serve in the gravy with roast mutton.

POTATO AND TOMATO PIE

* 6 Tomatoes--2d.

* 6 Potatoes--1d.

* 1/2 lb. Short Pastry *

* Dripping *

* 1 teaspoonful Parsley *

* 1 1/2 teaspoonful Sweet Herbs *

* Salt and Pepper--1 1/2d.

* Total Cost--4 1/2 d.

* Time--One Hour *

Peel and slice up the potatoes and tomatoes; lay them alternatively in a pie dish and sprinkle over them some parsley, herbs, salt, and pepper. When the dish is full, cover with a short pastry and bake for one hour; serve hot.

CAULIFLOWERS AND TOMATOES

* 2 Cauliflowers--4d.

* 1/2 pint Tomato Sauce--1d.

* Total Cost--5d.

* Time--20 Minutes *

Boil the cauliflowers and make the sauce by directions given elsewhere.

Dish the cauliflowers carefully and pour over them the sauce, leaving just the centre of the flowers clear. Put into the oven for five minutes, and serve.

STEWED CELERY

* 3 heads of Celery--3d.

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

* 1/2 gill Milk *

* 1 oz. Flour *

* Pepper and Salt--1d.

* Total Cost--5d.

* Time--Half an Hour *

Take only the white and best part of celery for this dish, pull it to pieces, wash well in salt and water, and tie in a bundle. Put it into boiling water seasoned with salt, and boil for about half an hour, or until the fork will go through easily. Take half a pint of the water in which it was boiled and mix it with the milk; make a sauce with this and the b.u.t.ter and flour by directions given for sauces. Dish the celery and pour the sauce over. This is an excellent food for anyone suffering from, or subject to, rheumatism or gout. Celery is also very nice stewed in broth or gravy and thickened with a little b.u.t.ter and flour.

LETTUCE STEWED

* 4 Lettuces--3d.

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

* Nutmeg *

* Pepper and Salt--1d.

* Total Cost--4d.