THE USEFUL TOMATO.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 32, 7 February 1934, Page 12

THE USEFUL TOMATO.

SIMPLE RECIPES. Tomatoes are plentiful now, so make the most of them while they are cheap. Their season is all too short. In a score of tempting guises they can make their appearance on the breakfast, luncheon and dinner menu; here are some suggestions for unusual ways of serving them. To start right at the beginning, here is an appetising way the French have of serving tomatoes as a hois d'oeuvre, tomatoes farcies, which on a larger scale also makes a delicious luncheon dish. Cut the tomatoes in half, remove the seeds, eseoop out the middle and iill them with a mixture made of sausage meat, fried onions finely chopped, bread crumbs moistened with tomato juice and

a little (stock. Bake in the oven with a small piece of butter placed on each tomato. The important thing about this dish is to have it highly spiced and seasoned. When mushrooms are in season, try adding them, minced, to the stuffing; the}- give it a delicious flavour. With Eggs. Everyone has met with favourite breakfast dishes, tomatoes and bacon, and tomatoes and fried eggs, but another delectable way of presenting tomatoes at the breakfast table is to serve them with scrambled eggs. For this plunge the tomatoes into boiling water for a few minutes, skin them, cut them in quarters and scoop out all the seeds. Then cook the tomatoes in butter very slowly until you have a thick puree. Season well witli salt and pepper, and either mix with the scrambled eggs or place the puree on top just as the eggs are to be served. Tomato pyramid makes a very nice luncheon dish. For this add tomatoes cooked in plenty of butter to mashed potatoes, and work into a pyramid; then indent the pyramid deeply at intervals with a tablespoon, and break an egg gently into each depression. The whole is then browned in the oven till the eggs are set. Tomato cream toast is another good luncheon dish that is simply prepared. You will need half a pound of tomatoes, .} cup cream, 1 egg, 2 slices of bread, pepper and salt to flavour. Scald and skin the tomatoes, then put them in a sa.ucepan witli salt and pepper, and stew for a. few minutes. Add one egg well beaten with 4 cup cream, and keep hot while toasting the bread. Butter the toast and cut into four, pour the tomato mixture over and serve very hot. Salads for Supper. And now for some novel salads made with tomatoes. Tomato shape makes a tempting luncheon dish for a hot day, or it will prove a welcome addition to Sunday night's cold supper menu. The ingredients yon. will need arc half a dozen medium-sized tomatoes, 1 onion, lettuce, cucumber, celery in season, gherkins or olives, 2 level tablespoons powdered gelatine, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 2 bay leaves, 2 cloves, 1 dessertspoon sugar, -J teaspoon salt, juice of J lemon, 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts, 1 hard boiled I cup cream.

Put the tomatoes, onion, celery, cloves, bay leaves, gelatine, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar and salt into a saucepan with cayenne to taste. Dissolve the gelatine carefully, then simmer for i hour. Strain through a colander and add. nuts and cream when slightly cooled. Pour into a wetted mould and leave to set. Turn out on to young lettuce leaves on a dish and garnish with thinly sliced cucumber, tomatoes, olives and gherkins, and serve with mayonnaise. Stuffed tomato salad is good too. Take large ripe tomatoes, pele and scoop mt the centres. Sprinkle inside with salt and pepper, and fill with finely-shredded cabbage" (the young tender heart) mixed mayonnaise. A few shreds of green or red peppers, and a little 'onion may be added if liked. Garnish with gherkins or slices of hard-boiled egg, and serve very cold on a. bed of lettuce. Chopped, encumbers packed into tomato cases,-with French dressing poured over, and served on crisp lettuce leaves, make another delicious and unusual salad.