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New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15825, 23 January 1915, Page 3 (Supplement)

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Cossacks' Plum Pudding.—As everyone knows, tGe Cossacks are a - Brave corps of Russian soldiers, who are almost invincible on the field of battle ; as our allies their splendid courage give cause for congratulation. If the pudding, which is named after them, is half as good as their valour is great, it is certain no fault can be found with it. The ingredients required are: A pound of flour, threequarters of a pound of salted fat pork (cut into very small pieces), three-quar-ters of a pound of raisins (stoned), and two t-ablespoonfuls each of moist sugar and treacle, and half a. pint of cold water. Mil well together, and boil without cessation for four hours. For a medium-sized pudding divide the given proportions in half. This pudding may be tied in a cloth and boiled. The cloth must bo well floured after dipping it in, and then wringing it out of scalding •water.

Irish Potato Pie.—Boil a dozen large potatoes in their skins, putting plenty of salt in the water; when cooked peel and mash the potatoes to a smooth paste, using, if you can get it fresh, buttermilk ; if that Is not available use butter and new milk ; season liberally with pepper and salt. Put the potato paste at the bottom of the piedish with a little oiled butter, then lay in a piece of tender beefsteak, first beaten with a wooden mallet to break the fibre of the meat ; dust it on both sides with pepper, salt, and dry mustard ; on the meat put a good layer of Spanish onion, previously parboiled, and cut into rings, and over all place little pieces of butter rolled in flour. Bake in a quick oven for three-quarters of an hour, then brown the top before the fire, or use a red-hot shovel, and serve at once.

Potato Surprise.Take some cold boiled potatoes, rub them through a sieve, or mash them carefully, so that no lumps .remain. Season with pepper and salt, and line some greased pattypans with the potatoes. Have ready some peeled tomatoes ; cut them in half, add a good seasoning of salt; put half a tomato into each pattypan; cover with more mashed potatoes, and bake a nice brown colour. A tiny bit of butter should be laid on the top of each patty. In all preparations of tomato a larger quantity of salt is required to season than for any other product of the garden.

Baked Haricot Savoury.—Mash a pint of previously cooked haricot beans with two very hard-boiled eggs. Cook the egjjs for 12 minutes or longerthe semifluid condition of eggs supposed to ba hard-boiled, spoils them for the dish under consideration, and for salads, kedgeree, and many other preparations of which hard-boiled eggs are an ingredient. The yolk of the egg should be sufficiently cooked, to powder. Chop the eggs fine, mix in two ounces of butter, some pepper and salt, also a little minced parsley, and a morsel of onion if liked. Place the mixture in a buttered piedish, and bake it for half an hour.

Custard.—Sweeten a quart of good milk with pounded lorf sugar; boil with the thin rind of half a lemon and a piece of cinnamon. Strain, and, when cool, stir ir. gradually the beaten yolks of 10 eggs, and Continue stirring over a slow heat till it. becomes rather thick. Pour into a basin, and add one tablespoonful of rose water and half tablespoonful of brandv. Keep stirring it from time to time as it gets cold. This may be made the dav before required, if kept in a cool place.

Orange Butter.—This, I am sure, will please you: ---Boil six eggs quite h.i'd and beat the yolks to a thick paste with 2<z fine sugar, 3oz .butter, 2oz ground almonds. Now moisten with orange flower water : mix well : rub through a sieve, and serve with sweet biscuits.

Coffee Cream.—Dissolve £oz of gelatine in a little boiling water. Put one pint cream into a saucepan, and add 4oz loaf sugar, and one pint of strong coffee, made with coffee essence. Pour in the melted gelatine, and boil for one minute. When almost cold, strain through muslin. Beat up with a whisk, and serve in custard cups.

Chestnut Mould.—Here is another dainty you will like. Melt of gelatine in half pint milk. Boil about 20 chestnuts, remove the skin, and add them to six sweet almonds, blanched. Beat both together until smooth, and add ilb sugar. Put the mixture into a saucepan with half pint of milk ; stir, and when hot and smooth, pour in the gelatine and milk. Let all boil for 10 minutes, stirring all the time. Pour into a mould, and when quite set and cold, turn out.

Pitcaithly Bannock.—Beat to a cream, 4oz each fresh butter and salt butter. When smooth add 12oz flour, 2oz rico flour, 2oz blanched and minced almonds, 2oz minced orange peel, 2oz chopped candied peel, 4oz fine sugar. t Rub all to a dough, form into a round cake; prick over the top with a fork, and pinch round tho edge with finger and thumb. Ornament tho top with large carraways and candied orange peel: put a band of paper round it. and bake in a papered tin for 30 minutes in a moderate oven. HOUSEHOLD HINTS. Steel on kitchen stoves that have become brown through the heat will be much better if rubbed with a little vinogar before cleaning in the usual way. Before darning stockings hold the card or skein of wool over the spout of a kettle full of boiling water. The steam shrinks the wool, and when the stockings are again washed the mended portion will not shrink and tear the other parts. A Good Metal Polish : Take loz of rot-ten-stone, loz of soft soap, 1 tablespoonful of ammonia, and i-pint of boiling water; mix " thoroughly, and shake the bottle each time before using. Apply with a rag, and polish with a leather. To Restore Black Chiffon: Put a teaspoonful of vinegar into a pint of cold water, and squeeze the chiflon through this lightly, rinse it well in cold water, and iron under a thin cloth.

To Clean Curtain Rings: If these are of a bad colour, soak them 24 hours in paraffin, and polish with a leather. , Vaseline rubbed in*o patent leather shoes twice a week wi\ prevent cracking. At this time strict economy must rule : there must be no waste. Keep therefore all scraps of fat. cut them into small pieces, and pit them in a jar or basin with very little water. If you have the oven on put this in, or falling this set the jar in a saucepan of water on the fire. Cook till the whole of the fat is lio.iid. Then strain and c>ol ; put ilb of it " : nto a pint of boiling water, with a teaspoonful of salt, and boil for half an Hour. Pour it then into a lasiri. and let it cool. When it :s set remove it, and scran" the under side, and keep it in a clean jar fot use. More fat may bo done at a time but in the above proportion.