HOME INTERESTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1894, 9 March 1888, Page 34

HOME INTERESTS.

Ham for Breakfast.— Fried ham for breakfast is particularly nice when the slices are cut the night before and are allowed to soak all night in a cup of water in which a tablespoonful of sugar has been added. This softens the meat and taVes out the oppressively salt taste. Snow Cake.— Beat £lb of butter to a cream, stir in £lb of sugar and of arrowroot, gradually, at the same time beating the mixture ; whisk the whites of six eggs to a stiff froth, add them to the other ingredients, and beat well for 20 minutes ; flavour with the essence of almonds or vanilla ; pour the cake into buttered tins, and bake from one to one and a-half hour in a moderate oven.

Lemon Creams.— Pare two lemons thin, pour over half -pint of boiling water, and let stand all night. Squeeze the juice of the lemons on of sugar next morning, beat three eggs well, take out the peel and mix the water with other ingredients, strain through a sieve, then stir over a brisk fire till thick as cream ; pour hot in the glasses.

Mock Turkey.— A housekeeper writes that few people know how to make a leg of pork taste like a turkey. She suggests that now pork is in season a trial should be made of a leg of pork cooked in this way :— " Take off the outer skin and remove the bone; then roll out a thin pie crust and envelop the limb of the pig within its folds as snugly hidden as an apple in a dumpling. Next place the whole in an oven — not too hot — and bake. Before serving knock away all the crust and a savoury roast is exposed, with all the juices intact, white and tender, and tasting like a well-hung turkey." Tomato Pie. — Butter a pie-dish, and cover with bread crumbs, then put in a layer of tj^nly sliced cold meat, free from

skin, add pepper and salt, next a layer of sliced tomatoes,, then breadcrumbs; repeat till the dish is full, having breadcrumbs at the top. Put in a little stock ; bake until nicely browned at the top, and the tomatoes have had time to cook; an hour in a moderate oven should suffice.

Tomatoes Fried. — This is a favourite dish with all who have tried the recipe. Cut the tomatoes up in slices and fry for 10 minutes, but do not brown them ; have a mixture of breadcrumbs, butter pepper, salt/, add a little sugar and mustard, egg over each slice of tomato, then cover thickly with the mixture, return to the frying-pan, and fry crisp ; or they may be cut in half, dip the cut side in flour, then in beaten egg, and roll in breadcrumbs to which have been added chopped parsley, thyme, pepper, salt, and a pinch of sugar. Brown in a hot oven.

Potted Meat.— To clarify butter, &c, for potting : Place the butter or other fat in a earthenware vessel and stand it in a saucepan of cold water over a slow fire till melted, skimming till clear.

Potted Tongue, Ham, or Beef.— To every pound allow Jib butter (unless in the case of ham, when a small quantity only is required, as its own fat should almost suffice), a little cayenne, a teaspoonful of pounded mace, and a " dust" of powdered nutmeg and cloves. The meat having previously been cooked, pound all well together. Veal or chicken may be combined with ham in equal quantity. Potted Game. — Any cooked fragments of game may be pounded, together with an equal quantity of ham and with the addition of pounded mace, allspice, cayenne, salt, pepper, and a teaspoonful of powdered sugar. If no ham be used, butter must be substituted. Rub the paste through a wire sieve, mix well again and pot, covering with clarified lard or butter.

Hot Cakes.— Nothing is more appetising than hot cakes for breakfast, a variety of which may be made by attention to the following recipes and suggestions :— lf you have not used your griddle for some lime, wash it off hard with hot soap and water ; wipe and rub well with dry salt. Heat it and grease with a bit of fat salt pork. It is a mistake to put on more grease than is necessary to prevent the cake from sticking. Baking-powder Cakes.— One quart of flour, two teaspoons of baking powder, one quart of sweet milk, two eggs, one teaspoon of salt.

Stale Bread Cakes.— Put stale bread in soak over night in a pint of sweet milk ; in the morning add three eggs and a tablespoonful of butter. Hamburg Cakes.— Chop lib round beefsteak, add a minced onion, one egg, a cup of rolled and crackers seasoning. Make into balls and fry.

Butthrmilk Cakes.— lnto one pint of buttermilk beat three eggs, then add a teacup of cornmeal and half as much flour, a pinch of salt and half a teaspoonful of soda. Rice Cake.— Two cups of cold boiled rice, one pint of flour, one tablespoon of sugar, half a teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of baking powder, one egg, and half a pint of milk. Bake on a greased griddle ; serve with honey.