The Myrtle Reed Cook Book

STEWED TOMATOES WITH CHEESE

Stew fresh tomatoes and add a cupful of grated American cheese and three eggs well-beaten. It will be richer if the tomatoes are cooked in stock.

STEWED TOMATOES AND CELERY

Stew a can of tomatoes with two or three stalks of celery cut fine. Thicken with flour cooked in butter and season with salt, pepper, butter, sugar, and a little cinnamon or nutmeg.

STUFFED TOMATOES

Mix the scooped-out tomato pulp with bread soaked in milk and season with minced parsley, grated onion, salt, and pepper. Add a few chopped mushrooms if desired and a little chopped cooked meat. Fill the tomato shells, dot with butter, and bake.

SPANISH TOMATOES

Chop two onions fine and fry in butter, then add a can of tomatoes and a small can of Spanish peppers chopped fine. Cook for five minutes, season with salt, then pour into a baking-dish, cover with buttered crumbs, and bake for forty-five minutes. Green peppers may be used instead of the Spanish peppers.

BOILED TURNIPS

Peel and quarter young turnips and cook in boiling salted water to cover with four or five slices of bacon, changing the water once and adding a little sugar to the seasoned water. Reheat in Cream Sauce and serve with the bacon as a garnish.

BAKED TURNIPS

Peel and parboil small turnips, drain and put into a baking-pan with beef stock to reach to half their height. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and sugar, dot with butter, cover, and bake until done basting occasionally with the stock.

BROWNED TURNIPS

Peel, slice, boil until tender, drain, and sauté in butter, sprinkling with salt, pepper, and sugar.

CREAMED TURNIPS

Cut boiled turnips into dice, reheat in a Cream or White Sauce, season with salt, pepper, and sugar, and serve on toast. Add a little grated nutmeg if desired. Brown Sauce may be used also.

TURNIPS AND CARROTS

Cook separately diced carrots and turnips, then, mix and season with salt, pepper, butter, and minced parsley; or, mix with Cream or White Sauce.

GLAZED TURNIPS

Boil small peeled turnips in rich stock to cover, adding a pinch of sugar. Drain, reduce the sauce by rapid boiling, and brown the turnips in the oven, basting with the stock.

TURNIPS IN BROWN SAUCE

Peel, slice, and boil until tender in salted water, drain, sauté in butter, and pour over a Brown Sauce. Season with salt, pepper, sugar, and mace.

BAKED BANANAS

Peel and quarter four bananas and put into a buttered baking-dish with eight tablespoonfuls of water, four of sugar, four teaspoonfuls each of melted butter and lemon-juice, and a sprinkle of salt. Bake slowly for half an hour, or less, basting frequently. The lemon-juice may be omitted.

FRIED BANANAS

Peel, slice lengthwise, season with salt, dredge with flour, and fry in oil or butter, or dip in egg and crumbs, or cut in two crosswise, dip in egg and seasoned crumbs, put on ice for two hours, and fry in deep fat. Sprinkle with lemon-juice if desired.

CURRY OF VEGETABLES

Mix one cupful each of cooked carrots and turnips cut into dice, one-half can of peas, and one cupful of cooked lima or kidney beans. Reheat in Brown Sauce, seasoning with minced onion, curry powder, a pinch of sugar, and a little vinegar. Add a cupful and a half of cooked potatoes cut into dice, simmer for twenty minutes, and serve in a border of boiled rice.

GNOCCHI

Bring to the boil a cupful of water and a tablespoonful of butter. Add sifted flour to make a batter and a pinch each of salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. Add a heaping tablespoonful of grated Parmesan cheese and stir constantly until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Take from the fire and stir in one at a time three unbeaten eggs. Drop by spoonfuls into boiling water and simmer until firm. Drain, put into a buttered baking-dish, season with grated cheese and melted butter, and pour over a Cream or Béchamel Sauce, thickened with the yolks of three eggs. Sprinkle with crumbs and grated cheese, bake until brown, and serve in the same dish.

CREAMED KOHLRABI

Peel, slice, and soak the kohlrabi in cold water for half an hour. Drain, cover with cold water, and cook until tender. Drain and pour over a Cream Sauce to which has been added the well-beaten yolk of an egg.

POLENTA

Boil a quart of white stock with two tablespoonfuls of butter and sprinkle in slowly, enough corn-meal to make a thick mush. Take from the fire, add four tablespoonfuls each of butter and grated Parmesan cheese and a tablespoonful of beef extract. Mould in small cups, turn out, sprinkle with crumbs and cheese, and bake, basting with melted butter.

INDIAN PILAU

Wash a cupful of rice thoroughly, throw into fast boiling water, boil for twenty minutes, and drain. A tablespoonful of butter may be added to the water. Season with salt and pepper, add a heaping tablespoonful of butter, and garnish with hard-boiled eggs and fried onions.

VEGETABLES À LA JARDINIÈRE

Mix half a can of French peas and one cupful each of diced cooked carrots and turnips. Reheat in a well-buttered Béchamel Sauce. Season with salt and pepper and add a little sugar if desired.

THIRTY SIMPLE SAUCES

ALLEMANDE SAUCE

Put two cupfuls of white stock into a saucepan with half a dozen mushrooms, chopped fine, a two-inch strip of lemon-peel, salt and pepper to season, and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. Simmer for an hour and strain. Thicken with a teaspoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold stock or water, take from the fire, and add the yolks of three eggs beaten with the juice of half a lemon. Reheat, but do not boil. Take from the fire and add a tablespoonful of butter.

BÉARNAISE SAUCE

Bring to the boil two tablespoonfuls each of vinegar and water. Simmer in it for ten minutes a slice of onion. Take out the onion and add the yolks of three eggs beaten very light. Take from the fire, add salt and pepper to season, and four tablespoonfuls of butter beaten to a cream. The butter should be added in small bits.

QUICK BÉARNAISE SAUCE

Beat the yolks of four eggs with four tablespoonfuls of oil and four of water. Add a cupful of boiling water and cook slowly until thick and smooth. Take from the fire, and add minced onion, capers, olives, pickles, and parsley, and a little tarragon vinegar.

BÉCHAMEL SAUCE

Cook together two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, add two cupfuls of white stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg.

BROWN SAUCE

Brown two tablespoonfuls of flour in butter. Add two cupfuls of milk or cream and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Season to taste.

BROWN BUTTER SAUCE OR BEURRE NOIR

Melt butter in a frying-pan and cook until brown, taking care not to burn. Take from the fire and add lemon-juice or vinegar, and salt and pepper to season. Serve hot.

BUTTER SAUCE

Beat the yolks of four eggs with half a cupful of cold water and two tablespoonfuls of vinegar or lemon-juice. Cook in a double boiler until thick, seasoning with salt, cayenne, and onion-juice. Add half a cupful of butter, cut into small pieces, take from the fire, and serve.

CAPER SAUCE

Add two or three tablespoonfuls of capers to two cupfuls of Drawn-Butter Sauce.

CHEESE SAUCE

Add half a cupful of grated cheese to two cupfuls of Cream or Drawn-Butter Sauce.

COLBERT SAUCE

Put into a saucepan one cupful of Espagnole Sauce, two tablespoonfuls of beef extract, the juice of a lemon, red and white pepper and minced parsley to season, and half a cupful of butter in small bits. Heat, but do not boil, and serve at once.

CREAM SAUCE

Cook together one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour. Add two cupfuls of cream or milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper.

CURRY SAUCE

Fry a tablespoonful of chopped onion in butter and add a tablespoonful of flour mixed with a teaspoonful of curry powder. Mix thoroughly, add one cupful of cold water, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Take from the fire, season with salt and onion-juice, and serve hot.

DRAWN-BUTTER SAUCE

Cook to a smooth paste two tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour. Add two cupfuls of cold water and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper.

DUTCH SAUCE

Cook together one tablespoonful each of flour and butter, add one cupful of white stock, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper, take from the fire, and add the yolks of three eggs beaten with half a cupful of cream. Cook in a double boiler for three minutes, take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of lemon-juice, and strain.

DUXELLES SAUCE

Cook in butter one cupful of chopped mushrooms and one tablespoonful each of minced onion and parsley. Add to one pint of Spanish Sauce and serve.

EGG SAUCE

Add one-half cupful of sliced or chopped hard-boiled eggs to two cupfuls of Drawn-Butter Sauce or sufficient melted butter.

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

Beat half a cupful of butter to a cream and add gradually the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, the juice of half a lemon, and pepper and salt to season. Cook over boiling water until it begins to thicken, beating with an egg beater. Serve as soon as it is of the proper consistency. Add a little boiling water if it is too thick.

ITALIAN SAUCE

Fry a chopped onion in butter with a teaspoonful of minced parsley and two tablespoonfuls of chopped mushrooms. Add one cupful of white stock and boil for ten minutes. Thicken with a small spoonful each of butter and flour cooked together, take from the fire, and add a tablespoonful of butter and a little lemon-juice.

MADEIRA SAUCE

Add four tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor and a wineglassful of Madeira to Italian Sauce.

MAÎTRE D’HÔTEL SAUCE

Work into half a cupful of butter all the lemon-juice it will take, and add a teaspoonful or more of minced parsley; or, melt the butter without burning, take from the fire, add the juice of half a lemon and a teaspoonful of minced parsley.

MINT SAUCE

Chop fresh mint, or use dried mint, which is equally good. Cover with good cider vinegar and add enough granulated sugar to neutralize part of the acid. Let stand for several hours before using.

MUSHROOM SAUCE

Add the desired quantity of chopped canned mushrooms to White, Cream, Brown, or Drawn-Butter Sauce, using the can liquor for part of the liquid.

PARSLEY SAUCE

Boil two large bunches of parsley in water to cover for five minutes. Strain the water, and thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together. Season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs beaten with a little vinegar, three tablespoonfuls of butter in small bits, and a little minced parsley.

PIQUANTE SAUCE

Brown three small spoonfuls of flour in butter, add two cupfuls of stock, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Season with salt and cayenne. Chop a small onion fine and cook it until tender in four tablespoonfuls of vinegar with a teaspoonful of sugar. Put into the sauce with two tablespoonfuls each of chopped capers and cucumber pickles. Heat thoroughly and serve.

REMOULADE SAUCE

Mix together the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, the yolk of one raw egg, a pinch each of salt and pepper, and a teaspoonful of mustard. Set the bowl into a pan of ice and add gradually a cupful of olive-oil, beating constantly. When smooth and thick, add three tablespoonfuls each of tarragon or cider vinegar and a teaspoonful of minced parsley.

TARTAR SAUCE

Chop fine a teaspoonful each of pickles, parsley, olives, and capers. Mix with very stiff Mayonnaise. A little grated onion may be added if desired.

TOMATO SAUCE – I

Fry a chopped onion and half a clove of garlic in butter. Add half a cupful of water, a teaspoonful of beef extract, a cupful of canned tomatoes, and three or four dried mushrooms soaked and chopped. Simmer until smooth and thick, run through a sieve, and serve.

TOMATO SAUCE – II

Brown a tablespoonful of flour in butter, add a cupful of stewed tomatoes, and salt, pepper, grated onion, powdered cloves, and mace to season. Cook until smooth and thick, stirring constantly, rub through a sieve, and serve.

TOMATO SAUCE – III

Chop together capers, pickles, onion, and olives. There should be half a cupful in all. Add one-half cupful of stewed and strained tomatoes, a teaspoonful each of made mustard and sugar, and salt and cayenne to season highly. Serve very hot.

TOMATO CREAM SAUCE

Cook together for ten minutes one cupful of tomatoes, a slice of onion, two cloves, two pepper-corns, a stalk of celery, and a bit of bay-leaf. Rub through a sieve and thicken with three small spoonfuls of flour cooked in butter. Season with salt, paprika, and sugar, add one cupful of hot cream, bring to the boil, add a pinch of soda, and serve.

VELOUTÉ SAUCE

Cook together three small spoonfuls each of butter and flour, add one cupful of white stock and one quarter cupful of cream. Cook until thick, stirring constantly. Season with salt, cayenne, grated nutmeg, and minced parsley. Simmer for an hour, strain and serve.

VINAIGRETTE SAUCE

Beat together four tablespoonfuls of olive-oil and one tablespoonful of vinegar with salt and red pepper to season. Chop fine a little parsley, onion, and sweet pickle, or capers, and mix with the sauce. Serve with cold meat.

SALADS

SALADS AND DRESSINGS

FRENCH DRESSING

Put a pinch each of salt and paprika into a small bowl. Rub the inside of the bowl with cut garlic if desired. Put in four tablespoonfuls of the best olive-oil and stir until the salt is dissolved. Add one tablespoonful of vinegar and stir and beat until no separate globules of oil are visible. Cider vinegar or any of the flavored vinegars may be used. Sometimes three tablespoonfuls of oil are used to one of vinegar.

SEASONINGS FOR FRENCH DRESSING

To French dressing made according to directions given above may be added at discretion anchovy essence, anchovy paste, celery salt, celery pepper, chilli pepper, curry powder, pounded cardamon seed, minced chervil, minced chives, chutney, capers, grated cheese, caviare, minced garlic, onion, horseradish, mustard, either made or dry, Worcestershire Sauce, mushroom, walnut, or tomato catsup, mint, parsley, thyme, savory, sage, marjoram, tarragon, minced olives or pickles, shrimp essence, sardine paste, chopped truffles or pimentos.

FRENCH DRESSING FOR FRUIT SALADS

Prepare according to directions given for French dressing, using lemon-juice or wine instead of vinegar and omitting the paprika. Fruit-juice, claret, white wine, port, sherry, Madeira, Rhine wine, and lime-juice are all used in dressing for fruit salads. If additional seasoning is desired, add powdered cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger or mace, or chopped candied fruits. For some salads sweet wine may be used in the dressing.

MAYONNAISE

Put an earthen bowl into a larger one containing cracked ice. Break into it the yolks of two fresh eggs, add a pinch each of salt and paprika, and half a teaspoonful or more of dry mustard. Mix thoroughly and add oil drop by drop at first. A clear spot forming upon the egg is the test of the proper quantity of oil. Use a silver teaspoon for mixing and beat constantly. If the Mayonnaise should curdle, put it on the ice for an hour, or add a few drops of lemon-juice. When a cupful or more of oil has been used and the dressing is stiff enough to cut with a knife, add the juice of half a lemon, or more, according to taste. Cover with paraffine paper and keep on ice until ready to serve. For fruit salads, omit the mustard and pepper and at the last fold in a little cream whipped solid. Veal or chicken jelly may also be mixed with Mayonnaise. Chopped sweet herbs, pickles, olives, capers, onions, garlic, shrimp paste, horseradish and caviare are used to season Mayonnaise. Chopped olives, pickles, and capers, with a little onion or garlic, if desired, make Tartar Sauce when added to Mayonnaise.

BOILED DRESSING – I

Bring half a cupful of vinegar to the boil, with two teaspoonfuls of sugar, half a teaspoonful each of salt and mustard, and a dash of pepper. Thicken with one-fourth cupful of butter creamed with a teaspoonful of flour, and cook until smooth and thick, stirring constantly. Take from the fire, and add the yolk of an egg well-beaten. Cool, and if desired add a cupful of sweet or sour cream or buttermilk.

BOILED DRESSING – II

Beat the yolks of two eggs with a tablespoonful of sugar and a teaspoonful each of salt and mustard. Add gradually half a cupful of melted butter or oil, the beaten whites of the eggs, and half a cupful of lemon-juice or vinegar. Cook in a double boiler until it thickens, stirring constantly.

CREAM DRESSING

Beat two eggs until light, add a teaspoonful of sugar, a teaspoonful of butter, three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, with salt, mustard, and cayenne to season. Cook until thick in a double boiler, stirring constantly, and adding gradually four tablespoonfuls of boiling tarragon vinegar. Take from the fire, cool, and add a cupful of whipped cream just before serving.

SOUR-CREAM DRESSING

Mix one cupful of thick sour cream with two tablespoonfuls each of lemon-juice and vinegar, one tablespoonful of sugar, a teaspoonful each of salt and mustard, and pepper to taste.

EGG DRESSING

Beat three eggs, add gradually two tablespoonfuls of oil, a teaspoonful of sugar, and salt, white pepper, and cayenne to season. Add half a cupful of boiling vinegar, mix thoroughly, and cook in a double boiler until thick.

GERMAN SALAD DRESSING

Mix half a cupful of sour cream with a tablespoonful of sugar, a dash of pepper, a teaspoonful each of salt and mustard, two tablespoonfuls of bacon fat, and half a chopped onion cooked in half a cupful of boiling vinegar.

CLUB DRESSING

Chop very fine two hard-boiled eggs, two pimentos, half a small onion, a small bunch of chives, and one small root of garlic. It cannot be too fine. Rub to a paste with a spoon, add six tablespoonfuls of oil, two of tarragon vinegar, and salt and paprika to season.

CURRY DRESSING

Rub the yolk of a hard-boiled egg smooth with four tablespoonfuls of oil, one tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar, and a pinch of curry powder.

RAVIGOTE DRESSING

Put into a double boiler the well-beaten yolks of two eggs and a tablespoonful of butter. Cook until it begins to thicken, then add another tablespoonful of butter and cook to a cream. Season with minced chives, chervil, tarragon, and parsley.

FISH SALADS

ANCHOVY AND EGG SALAD

Rub a salad bowl with cut garlic and fill with crisp lettuce leaves. Put anchovies and sliced hard-boiled eggs on top and serve with French dressing.

ANCHOVY AND PEPPER SALAD

Skin and bone six anchovies and chop very fine. Mix with a Spanish onion sliced very thin, two shredded sweet Spanish peppers, and a slice of bread cut into dice. Mix with French dressing and serve on lettuce or cress, adding more bread if desired.

CLAM AND CELERY SALAD

Cut clams into small pieces, season with onion-juice, mix with shredded lettuce or celery, and serve on lettuce with French dressing or Mayonnaise. Either cooked or raw clams may be used.

SARDINE SALAD – I

Arrange on a bed of lettuce, sardines and shrimps, alternately. Season with minced onion, chopped pickle, capers, and hard-boiled eggs. Pour over French dressing, season with tomato catsup, and serve cold.

SARDINE SALAD – II

Bone and flake drained sardines and put on tissue paper until the oil is absorbed. Mix with three times the quantity of finely cut celery and marinate in French dressing. Drain and serve on lettuce or cress with Mayonnaise.

SHRIMP SALAD

Mix cooked flaked shrimps with finely shredded lettuce and French dressing. Garnish with spoonfuls of Mayonnaise.

SHRIMP AND ASPARAGUS SALAD

Mix two cupfuls of cold cooked asparagus cut into short lengths with one cupful of cooked flaked shrimps. Serve with French dressing to which the pounded yolks of three hard-boiled eggs have been added.

VEGETABLE SALADS

ARTICHOKE SALAD

Remove the chokes and inner leaves from boiled artichokes, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve with French dressing.

ASPARAGUS SALAD

Mix cold cooked asparagus tips with diced or sliced cucumbers and serve on lettuce with Mayonnaise.

ASPARAGUS À LA VINAIGRETTE

Serve cold boiled asparagus or the bleached canned asparagus on lettuce with French dressing to which have been added chopped olives, pickles, and capers. Onion and mustard may be added to the seasoning.

BEAN SALAD – I

Season cold cooked beans with tomato catsup and mix with half the quantity of finely cut celery. Sprinkle with minced chives and capers and serve very cold on lettuce with French dressing.

BEAN SALAD – II

Mix equal quantities of finely cut celery and cooked wax beans and serve on lettuce with Mayonnaise.

BEAN SALAD – III

Mix cold cooked lima beans with crisp lettuce, sprinkle with chopped mint and serve with French dressing or Mayonnaise.

BEET SALAD – I

Slice six cold boiled beets and one Spanish onion. Serve on crisp lettuce with French dressing.

BEET SALAD – II

Fill a salad bowl nearly full of crisp lettuce and cover with sliced boiled beets and hard-boiled eggs. Season with grated onion and pour over a French dressing which has been seasoned with minced garlic and tomato catsup.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS SALAD

Chop separately onion, olives, walnuts, and capers. Mix and blend to a smooth paste with lemon-juice. Spread over cold cooked Brussels sprouts. Mix thoroughly and serve with Mayonnaise.

CABBAGE SALAD – I

Marinate shredded cabbage in French dressing, drain, and serve on lettuce with Mayonnaise.

CABBAGE SALAD – II

Mix two cupfuls of shredded cabbage with half as much celery and season with minced chives and tomato catsup or Tabasco Sauce. Serve on lettuce with French or Mayonnaise dressing.

CARROT SALAD – I

Boil young carrots in water to which a little sugar may be added. Drain, cool, cut up, and serve on lettuce with French dressing or Mayonnaise.

CARROT SALAD – II

Mix diced cooked carrots with lettuce and serve with French dressing, sprinkling with minced cress, chervil, chives, or parsley.

CAULIFLOWER SALAD – I

Mix cooked cauliflower flowerets with Mayonnaise and serve in red-pepper shells on lettuce with Mayonnaise on top.

CAULIFLOWER SALAD – II

Marinate cooked cauliflower flowerets in French dressing, drain, and serve on lettuce with Mayonnaise. Garnish with diced cooked carrots or beets.

CELERY SALAD – I

Shred crisp celery very fine and serve with French dressing or Mayonnaise.

CELERY SALAD – II

Mix finely cut celery with sliced sour apple cut into small bits and serve on lettuce with Mayonnaise.

CELERY SALAD – III

Cut into small bits a large bunch of celery and three-fourths pound of blanched almonds. Serve on lettuce with Mayonnaise.

CHICKORY SALAD

Fill a salad bowl with well trimmed chickory and serve with French dressing seasoned with onion-juice.

CHIFFONADE SALAD

Mix one cupful each of shredded lettuce, celery, and chickory, and one teaspoonful each of chopped beets, onion, parsley, tarragon, and sweet red pepper. Serve with crisp lettuce and French dressing, garnishing with sliced tomatoes.

CRESS SALAD – I

Mix watercress, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion with shredded green pepper and celery. Serve with French dressing and garnish with sliced hard-boiled eggs.

CRESS SALAD – II

Cut thin slices of sour apples and hard-boiled eggs into bits and mix with watercress. Serve with French dressing.

CUCUMBER SALAD – I

Slice cucumbers thin, and soak in cold salted water until wilted. Drain, rinse, wipe very dry, and serve with French dressing or with thick sour cream seasoned highly with black pepper.