Woman's Institute Library of Cookery Volume I Part 13

This method of cooking has several advantages that should not be disregarded. Cereals to which it is applied may be partly cooked on one day and the cooking completed the next morning before breakfast, or they may be completely cooked on one day and merely heated before they are served. Then, when cooked at a temperature slightly below the boiling point, the grains remain whole, but become thoroughly softened, because they gradually absorb the water that surrounds them. In addition, the long cooking that is necessary to prepare them at a low temperature develops a delicious flavor, which cannot be obtained by rapid cooking at the boiling point.

27. COOKING CEREALS IN THE FIRELESS COOKER.--In a kitchen that is equipped with a fireless cooker, it is advisable to use this utensil for cereals, for cooking them by this method secures the greatest economy of fuel and effort. As in the preceding methods, the cereal is first set in the pan that fits into the cooker compartment. While the cereal is at the boiling point, this pan is covered tightly and placed in the fireless cooker, where it is allowed to remain until the cereal is ready to be served. The heat that the cereal holds when it is placed in the cooker is retained, and this is what cooks it. Therefore, while this method of cooking requires considerable time, it needs neither additional heat nor labor after the cereal is placed in the cooker. In reality, it is an advantageous way in which to cook cereals, since, if they can be set and placed in the cooker in the evening, they will be ready to serve at breakfast time on the following day.

28. COOKING CEREALS BY DRY HEAT.--An old method of cooking cereals or starchy foods is called _browning_, or _toasting_, and it involves cooking them by dry heat. A thin layer of grain is spread in a shallow pan and this is placed in a slow oven. After the grains have browned slightly, they are stirred, and then they are permitted to brown until an even color is obtained. By this method the flavor of the cereals is developed and their digestibility increased. Since grains keep much better after they have been subjected to the process of toasting, this means is used extensively for preserving grains and cereal foods.

29. POINTS TO OBSERVE IN COOKING CEREALS.--In cooking cereals by any method, except browning, or toasting, it is always necessary to use liquid of some kind. The quant.i.ty to use, however, varies with the kind of cereal that is to be cooked, whole cereals and those coa.r.s.ely ground requiring more liquid than those which are crushed or finely ground. If the liquid is to be absorbed completely when the grain is cooked, it should be in the correct proportion to the grain. To be right, cooked cereals should be of the consistency of mush, but not thin enough to pour. Much attention should be given to this matter, for mistakes are difficult to remedy. Cereals that are too thick after they are cooked cannot be readily thinned without becoming lumpy, and those which are too thin cannot be brought to the proper consistency unless the excess of liquid is evaporated by boiling.

_Gruels_ are, of course, much thinner than the usual form of cereal.

They are made by cooking cereals rapidly in a large quant.i.ty of water, and this causes the starch grains to disintegrate, or break into pieces, and mix with the water. The whole mixture is then poured through a sieve, which removes the coa.r.s.e particles and produces a smooth ma.s.s that is thin enough to pour.

The length of time to cook cereals also varies with their kind and form, the coa.r.s.e ones requiring more time than the fine ones. Because of this fact, it is difficult to say just how much time is required to cook the numerous varieties thoroughly. However, little difficulty will be experienced if it is remembered that cereals should always be allowed to cook until they can be readily crushed between the fingers, but not until they are mushy in consistency.

INDIAN CORN, OR MAIZE

ORIGIN, CLa.s.sIFICATION, AND USE

30. The word _corn_ has been applied to various grains and is now used in a variety of ways in different countries. In ancient times, barley was called corn, and at the present time, in some countries, the entire year's food crop is referred to by this name. The English apply the name corn to wheat, and the Scotch, to oats. In the United States, corn is the name applied to the seed of the maize plant, which is a highly developed gra.s.s plant that forms the largest single crop of the country.

The seeds of this plant grow on a woody cob, and are eaten as a vegetable when they are soft and milky, but as a grain, or cereal, when they are mature. Corn is native to America and was not known in Europe until Columbus took it back with him. However, it did not meet with much favor there, for it was not grown to any great extent until within the last 50 years. Those who took it to Europe gave it the name _Indian corn_, because they had found the Indians of America raising it.

31. Of the corn grown in the United States, there are three general kinds: field corn, sweet corn, and pop corn. _Field corn_, as a rule, is grown in large quant.i.ties and allowed to mature; then it is fed to animals or ground and cooked for the use of man. This corn consists of three varieties, which are distinguished by the color of the grain, one being white, one yellow, and one red. All of them are made into a variety of preparations, but the white and the yellow are used as food for both man and animals, whereas red field corn is used exclusively for animal food. White corn has a mild flavor, but yellow corn is sometimes preferred to it, because foods made from the yellow variety have a more decided flavor. The two princ.i.p.al varieties of field corn, when prepared as cereal food for man, are _hominy_ and _corn meal_. _Sweet corn_ is not grown in such large quant.i.ties as field corn. It is generally used for food before it is mature and is considered as a vegetable. _Pop corn_, when sufficiently dry, swells and bursts upon being heated. It is used more as a confection than as a staple article of food. Therefore, at this time, consideration need be given to only the princ.i.p.al varieties of field-corn products, which, as has just been stated, are hominy and corn meal.

RECIPES FOR HOMINY AND CORN MEAL

32. HOMINY is whole corn from which the outside covering has been removed, and for this reason it is high in food value. Corn in this form may be procured as a commercial product, but it may be prepared in the home at less expense. As a commercial product, it is sold dry by the pound or cooked as a canned food. Dry hominy requires long cooking to make it palatable, and this, of course, increases its cost; but even with this additional cost it is cheaper than canned hominy.

Sometimes corn from which the covering has been removed is ground or crushed to form what is called _samp_, or _grits_, and when it is ground still more finely CORN MEAL is produced. Corn meal is made from both white and yellow corn, and is ground more finely in some localities than in others. It is sold loose by the pound, but it can also be bought in bags or packages of various sizes from 1 pound up. Corn meal should be included in the diet of every economical family, for it yields a large quant.i.ty of food at a moderately low cost. If it is prepared well, it is very palatable, and when eaten with milk or cream it is a food that is particularly desirable for children, especially for the evening meal, because of its food value and the fact that it is easily digested.

33. So that the importance of these corn products may be understood and the products then used to the best advantage in the diet, recipes are here given for preparing hominy in the home, for dishes in which hominy forms the princ.i.p.al part, and for dishes in which corn meal is used. To get the best results from these recipes and thereby become thoroughly familiar with the cooking processes involved, it is recommended that each one be worked out in detail. This thought applies as well to all recipes given throughout the various Sections. Of course, to prepare each recipe is not compulsory; nevertheless, to learn to cook right means actually to do the work called for by the recipes, not merely once, but from time to time as the food can be utilized to give variety to the daily menus in the home.

34. HOMINY.--Although, as has been mentioned, prepared hominy may be purchased, some housewives prefer to prepare it themselves. Hominy serves as a foundation from which many satisfactory dishes can be made, as it is high in food value and reasonable in cost. This cereal can be used in so many ways that it is advisable to prepare enough at one time to meet the demands of several meals. The following recipe for making hominy should provide 3 quarts of this cereal; however, as is true of other recipes--a point that should be remembered throughout the various lessons--the quant.i.ties given may be increased or decreased to meet with the requirements of the household.

HOMINY (Sufficient for 3 Quarts)

2 qt. water 1 Tb. lye 1 qt. sh.e.l.led corn 3 tsp. salt

Put the water into a large kettle or saucepan, and into the water put the lye. Allow the water to come to the boiling point, and then add the corn and let it boil until the skins will slip off the grains when they are pressed between the thumb and the finger. Take from the stove, stir sufficiently to loosen the skins, and then remove them by was.h.i.+ng the grains of corn in a coa.r.s.e colander. Cover the grains with cold water and return to the fire. When the water boils, pour it off. Repeat this process at least three times, so as to make sure that there is no trace of the lye, and then allow the grains to cook in more water until they burst. Season them with the salt, and while the hominy thus prepared is still hot put it into a jar or a crock and cover it tight until it is to be used. The water in which the hominy is cooked should remain on it.

35. b.u.t.tERED HOMINY.--Perhaps the simplest method of preparing cooked hominy is to b.u.t.ter it. In this form it may be served with cream as a breakfast or a luncheon dish, or it may be used in the place of a vegetable.

b.u.t.tERED HOMINY (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 pt. cooked hominy 3 Tb. b.u.t.ter 1 tsp. salt

Allow a few spoonfuls of water to remain on the cooked hominy. Add the b.u.t.ter and the salt, and then heat all thoroughly, stirring the hominy gently so as to incorporate, or mix in, the b.u.t.ter and the salt. Serve while hot.

36. CREAMED HOMINY.--The addition of a cream sauce to cooked hominy not only adds to the palatableness of this cereal, but increases its food value. When hominy is served with a sauce, it may be used as a dinner vegetable or as the main dish in a light meal.

CREAMED HOMINY (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 c. milk 2 Tb. b.u.t.ter 1 tsp. salt 1 Tb. flour 1 pt. cooked hominy

Heat the milk, and to it add the b.u.t.ter and the salt. Then thicken it with the flour. To this sauce add the hominy and allow all to cook slowly for 10 or 15 minutes. Serve the creamed hominy hot.

37. HOMINY GRITS.--The cereal sold under the name of _hominy grits_ is prepared commercially by crus.h.i.+ng dried hominy grains. It has practically the same food value as hominy, and in appearance resembles cream of wheat. The following recipe shows the simplest way in which to prepare this food, it being usually served as a breakfast cereal in this form:

HOMINY GRITS (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 tsp. salt 4 c. water 1 c. hominy grits

Add the salt to the water and bring it to the boiling point. Stir the hominy grits into the water and continue to boil for 10 minutes. Then place in a double boiler and cook for 3 to 4 hours. Serve hot with cream or milk and sugar.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 2]

38. LEFT-OVER HOMINY.--No waste need result from hominy that is not used at the meal for which it is prepared, for it may be utilized in many ways. For example, it may be served cold with fruit and cream, made into croquettes with chopped meat or cheese and either sauted or baked, or used in soups to increase materially their food value. A dish prepared by combining cooked or left-over hominy with other ingredients to form hominy and cheese souffle, which is ill.u.s.trated in Fig. 2, will prove to be very appetizing.

HOMINY AND CHEESE SOUFFLe (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1-1/2 c. cooked hominy 1/2 c. hot milk 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. paprika 1 c. grated cheese 2 eggs

Work the hominy smooth by mas.h.i.+ng it with a fork, and then add the hot milk, salt, paprika, and grated cheese. Separate the eggs, beat the yolks thoroughly, and stir them well into the mixture. Next, fold in the whites, which should be stiffly beaten, pour the ma.s.s into a b.u.t.tered baking dish, and bake until it is firm in the center. Serve hot.

39. CORN-MEAL MUSH.--Since corn meal is comparatively inexpensive and high in food value, the housewife can make frequent use of it to advantage. In the form of mush, corn meal is easily digested; besides, such mush is a very good breakfast cereal when served hot with milk or cream. Although the recipe here given makes a sufficient amount for six persons, a good plan is to increase the quant.i.ties mentioned so that there will be enough mush left to mold and use in other ways.

CORN-MEAL MUSH (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 tsp. salt 3-1/2 c. water 1 c. corn meal

Add the salt to the water and bring the salted water to the boiling point. When it is boiling rapidly, sift the corn meal slowly through the fingers into it, and at the same time stir it rapidly so as to prevent the formation of lumps. Any mush that contains lumps has not been properly made and should not be served in this condition, as it is unpalatable. Keep stirring constantly until the corn meal thickens; then place it in a double boiler and allow it to cook from 2 to 4 hours, when it should be ready to serve. This method of cooking mush is the most convenient, because not much stirring is required after the corn meal is thickened.

A heavy aluminum kettle or an iron pot is a good utensil in which to cook mush, as it does not burn easily in either, although almost constant stirring is required. When the mush becomes very thick, the heated air, in forcing its way through the mush in the process of boiling, makes the mush pop and very often splash on the hands and burn them. To avoid such an accident, therefore, it is advisable to wrap the hand used for stirring in a towel or a cloth.

40. SAUTeD CORN-MEAL-MUSH.--Mush cooked in the manner just explained may be poured into pans, such as bread pans, where it will harden and form a mold that can be sliced as thick or as thin as desired and then sauted.

Corn-meal mush prepared in this way pleases the taste of many persons, and while some persons find it harder to digest than just plain mush, it serves to give variety to meals. For sauteing mush, a heavy iron or steel frying pan or griddle should be used, because utensils made of thin material will allow the mush to burn before it browns properly. Put enough fat, such as lard, cooking oil, or drippings, into the cooking utensil so that when heated it will be about 1/4 inch deep all over the surface. When the utensil is very hot, put in the slices of mush and allow them to brown on one side. Then turn the slices over carefully, so as not to break them, and brown them on the other side. As will be observed, corn-meal mush does not brown quickly in sauteing. This characteristic is due to the large amount of moisture it contains. Serve the mush hot, and to add to its flavor serve with it sirup or honey.

41. CORN-MEAL CROQUETTES.--Croquettes of any kind add variety to a meal, and because they are attractive they appeal to the appet.i.te. To make croquettes of corn meal, mold mush as for sauteing. Then cut this into slices 1 inch thick, and cut each slice into strips 1 inch wide.

Roll these in slightly beaten egg and then in crumbs, and saute them in hot fat until they are crisp and brown. Serve these croquettes hot with either b.u.t.ter or sirup or both.

42. LEFT-OVER CORN-MEAL MUSH.--Sauted corn-meal mush and corn-meal croquettes can, of course, be made from mush that is left over after it has been cooked to serve as a cereal; however, if there is only a small quant.i.ty left, it may be utilized in still another way, namely, as a garnish for the platter on which meat is served. To prepare corn-meal mush in this way, spread it about 1/3 inch thick in a pan and allow it to cool. Then turn it out of the pan in a sheet on a board that has been floured; that is, covered thinly with flour. Cut this sheet of corn meal into small circles with the aid of a round cutter or into diamond shapes with a knife, and then brown both sides of each of these in b.u.t.ter.

WHEAT

ORIGIN AND USE

43. WHEAT, owing to the fact that it is grown in all parts of the world and forms the basis for a large amount of the food of most people, is a very important grain. It was probably a native gra.s.s of Asia Minor and Egypt, for in these countries it first received cultivation. From the land of its origin, the use of wheat spread over all the world, but it was not introduced into America until after the discovery of this country by Columbus. Now, however, the United States raises more wheat than any other one country, and nearly one-fourth of all that is raised in the world.