New Royal Cook Book Part 27

Add orange juice sweetened to taste to egg white and beat well. Chill on ice and serve cold.

Beef Tea

1 pound lean beef 1 cup cold water

Cut beef up into small pieces or put through meat chopper. Put into fruit jar; add water and allow to stand 15 to 20 minutes to draw out the juice. Place on trivet or rack in pan of cold water; heat very slowly for about 2 hours. The water must not boil. Season, strain, cool and remove fat. Beef tea may be served hot or cold.

Sc.r.a.ped Beef

Sc.r.a.pe meat with sharp knife from lean beef cut from round until nothing but connective tissue is left. Form into small b.a.l.l.s and broil slowly for about 2 minutes. Season and serve. For sandwiches do not cook but spread between thin slices of bread and season.

Spanish Cream

2 cups scalded milk 4 egg yolks 1/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons granulated gelatine 1/4 cup cold water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 pint cream

Pour scalded milk very slowly over egg yolks and sugar which have been mixed together. Cook slowly in double boiler until thick and smooth.

Pour over gelatine which has been soaking in 1/4 cup of water. Chill, add vanilla and beat with egg whip until thick. Add the cream which has been whipped and chill in molds.

Gluten m.u.f.fins

2 cups gluten flour 3 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder 1 egg 1 tablespoon b.u.t.ter 2 cups milk

Sift together flour and baking powder; add beaten egg and melted b.u.t.ter to milk and add, Mix well and bake in greased m.u.f.fin tins in moderate oven about 35 minutes.

In addition to the foregoing, many of the soups, broths, jellies, ices and plain drop cakes found in the preceding pages are suitable for invalids and convalescents.

Preserving and Canning

(Material adapted from U. S. Food Administration and N. Y. State Department of Agriculture.)

General Directions

Test all jars for leakage before using. To do this, fill with water, put on rubber and cover, seal and invert.

Sterilize all utensils, jars, covers, etc., by covering with cold water, and boil for 10 minutes. Use only new rubbers and dip in boiling water just before using.

Use a wide-mouthed funnel when filling jars to avoid loss of material and keep jar rim clean.

Invert all jars after filling and sealing.

Fruit should be sound, firm and not overripe. All fruit should be carefully prepared.

Clean fruit, clean hands, clean utensils, and a clean kitchen free from flies, are essential for safety and success.

Keep products in a cool place. Avoid freezing in winter.

Canning

Canning is the operation of preparing sterilized food so that it will keep indefinitely.

The custom of canning fruit in syrup is based on the improvement in flavor and texture which sugar gives to fruit. Sugar is not necessary for its preservation. Success depends upon thorough sterilization--that is, killing the organisms which cause food to spoil, and then sealing carefully to prevent their entrance. Fruit may be canned in water, in fruit juice and in syrup.

Preserving

The only difference between preserving and canning fruit is that sugar is always used in preserving, while in canning it is used in smaller quant.i.ty or not at all. In preserving the old rule of equal weights of sugar and fruit may be followed.

Directions for Canning by Open-Kettle Method

By this method which is generally used, for preserves, jams and marmalades, food is completely cooked and poured boiling hot into sterilized jars.

Prepare fruit, which may or may not be peeled, and cut into pieces depending on the variety. Blanch or scald peaches and similar fruits to loosen skin and chill by plunging into cold water. Cook slowly in as little water as possible or in fruit juice or fruit syrup until done.

Fill the sterilized jars, seal and invert.

Directions for Canning by Can-Cooked Method

By this method uncooked or partly cooked food is packed in can or jar, covered with liquid and both jar and contents sterilized.

Pare fruit if desired or blanch or scald in boiling water a small quant.i.ty of the fruit at a time. (See time table.) Do not blanch cherries, sour cherries excepted, berries or plums.

Chill outside of the blanched fruit by immersing it for a few minutes in a vessel of cold water. Remove skin from such fruits as peaches.

Pack firmly in clean, tested jars to within one-half inch of top.

Fill jars to within 1/4 inch of top with boiling water, fruit juice, or syrup.

Place a new rubber on each jar, adjust cover and partly seal.

Place jars on false bottom of water bath and sterilize for required time. (See time-table.) If the hot-water bath is used, jars should be immersed in sufficient boiling water to cover tops to depth of about 1 inch. Do not begin to time the sterilizing until water boils. Keep water boiling during sterilizing period.

Remove jars from sterilizer. Seal them and invert to cool. Avoid a draft on jars, but cool as rapidly as possible.

Wash and label jars. Wrap in paper or store in a dark place to prevent loss of color of red fruit.

Vegetables may also be canned by this method.