CONVALESCENT DISHES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18089, 13 May 1922, Page 4 (Supplement)

CONVALESCENT DISHES.

At this season of the year there is usually a good deal of sickness about, chiefly in the form of colds and influenza, apart from the recent epidemic, of typhoid. The majority of people, when recovering from illness, require the appetite tempting with light nourishing dishes. These should be offered in small quantities, and must be daintily served. This last is a very important point, for what pleases the eye goes a long way toward pleasing the appetite. All appointments must be scrupulously clean, the silver and glass sparkling, and the tray cloth immaculate.

Steamed Fillets of Sole.--Tw.> fillets of sole, iv?.. of butter, ioz. of flour, 1 gill of milk, salt, pepper, lemon juice. Fillet tho sole, and remove tho skm from two of the fillets. The two remaining fillets will make fish Cream or scallops the next dav. if lightly cooked and kept in a cold place. Sprinkle the. fillets with salt, pepper and lemon juice, and fold them in two. Put them into a round glass casserole or fireproof dish thickly greased with, butler, cover with buttered paper, put the lid on the casserole, and place it over a saucepan of warm water. Bring the water to the boil, and boil until the fish is cooked—about 20 minute*. Melt the butter in a pan. stir in the flour, and gradually add the milk. Stir until tho sauce boils, then simmer gently for eight minutes. When the fish is cooked, drain off any liquor into the sauce, season it, and pour if over the fish. Decorate the top with a pattern made with chopped parsley. Serve in the dish in which 'the fish was cooked. Baked Custard. —1 pint of milk. 2 eggs. loz. of white sugar. Joz. of butter. 8 drops of lemon or vanilla essence, or i teaspoonful of finely grated lemon peel. Beat the eggs with the sugar for three minutes, then add the milk and flavouring. Grease a piedish with the butter, and pour in the custard, Bake slowly in a very moderate oven. Slow cooking is the secret of success.

Scotch Mutton Broth. —21b. of neck of mutton. 2 carrots, 1 turnip. 2 onions. 2 tablcspoonfuls of Scotch barley, nnd little salt. Out, off scrag and put it into stewpan with three quarts of water. As scon as it boils skim well and then simmer for one and a half hours. Put best end of mutton in small pieces, lake off nearly all the fat before putting it into the broth, Skim the moment meat boilp and every 10 minutes afterwards: add carrots, turnip and onions, cutting each into two or throe pieced, then put them into the soup: stir in barley (previously rorv well washed), Tdd salt." to taste, and let all stew together for three and a half hours. Before serving put in a little chopped parsley. Savoury Custard. —Heat a good half tcacupful of strong beef tea, or dilute essence of beef with water to make up the required amount. Beat an egg till smooth, lidding a second yolk when eggs are plentiful. Mix in two tablespoonfuls of thin cream or milk, add the hot beef tea. and season to taste. Pour it into a, buttered basin, cover with buttered paper, surround with hot water in a baking t.in, and cook gently in tho oven till set.