IN THE KITCHEN

Southland Times, Issue 18969, 16 June 1923, Page 14 (Supplement)

IN THE KITCHEN

KITCHEN ACCIDENTS! APPLYING FIRST AID. Accidents happen occasionally in every kitchen—generally when there isn’t time to re-make the ruined dish or to prepare a fresh substitute. Things always go wrong when they are most wanted to go right, but. very often a domestic crisis is averted by making the best of a bad job and remedying the mishap at once. Poor Meg, in “Good Wives,” was most distressed because the jelly wouldn’t “jell,” and though it may not be possible to remedy that mistake, it is possible to set right many of the ordinary accidents which occur in the kitchen. If the potatoes arc boiled to a watery mash, drain off all the water possible, and stand over the fire with the lid off the saucepan, so that the water can evaporate. Stir frequently. Then add a lump of butter, and the mashed potatoes will not be so bad after all. Suppose that nice piece of fish you were boiling for lunch was overlooked in the process of cleaning out the spare bedroom, and the result is a broken and unsightly mess. The only thing to do is to drain the fish thoroughly, remove all skin and bone, and break it up with a fork. Put the flaked fish into the sauce, which would have been used with the boiled fish, season, and serve as fricasseed fish, sprinkled with chopped parsley, and garnished with croutons of sippets of toast. Curdled custard is a common worry, but it can be saved. Mix two tablespoons corn flour (level) with a little cold water or milk for each pint of custard. Strain the curdled mixture on to the cornflour, mix well, and then stir over the fire till it boils and thickens. Whisk in another beaten egg, if possible, reheat for a moment, then add sugar and essence to taste. If a brown soup “catches” just before it is ready to serve, empty the soup into a clean saucepan, stir in a little mixed curry powder, and a pinch of mixed herbs, boil up again for a minute or two, and you will have a fine imitation of mulligatawney. The burnt flavour will scarcely be detected. Another time, a discoloured white soup may cause the cook moments of distress. A drop or two of caramel will make the soup a nice brown, or the beaten yolks of one or two eggs will turn the colour to an attractive pale yellow. Caramel is also useful if brown soups, ragouts, or gravies, are too pale a colour. A curdled mayonnaise can be set right by putting an egg yolk into a basin, and adding the curdled dressing, a teaspoonful at a time. Stir well all the time with a wooden spoon, until the mayonnaise and egg are thoroughly mixed. SEAKALE AS AN ENTREE. TO PREPARE AND BOIL. Cut off the thick ends of the stems and wash well, then tie into bundles with tape. Put these into a saucepan of boiling salted water to which a teaspoonful of lemon juice or vinegar has been added, and simmer from 20 to 25 minutes or until the seakale feels tender when pierced with a fork. Drain at once, as if left in the saucepan the seakale is ant to become tough. Dish- with the heads all pointing one way and coat with any white sauce liked. If it is not used directly it is dished, place the vegetable dish over a pan of boiling water. SEAKALE MORNAY. Ingredients.—Hb or 21b of seakale, 24 oz. of butter, 2oz. of flour, 4 pint each of milk and the water in which the seakale was

boiled, 1 yolk of egg, loz. of grated cheese; salt, pepper. Method.—Cook the seakale as above, drain, put in a fireproof dish or glass camerole, sprinkle with a pinch each of salt and pepper, cover with the following sauce, sprinkle a little grated cheese over, and put the half-ounce of butter in tiny pieces here and there over the top. Put into the oven or under a griller to brown. SAUCE MORNAY. Melt the 2oz. of margarine in a pan, add the flour, and stir over the fire for four minutes, but do not brown. Stir in the milk and water and bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Simmer over gentle heat for 10 minutes, * add the ounce of grated cheese and beaten yolk of the egg. Cook for a few seconds, but do not boil after the egg is added. Season and strain over the seakale. SEAKALE MILANAISE. Boil the seakale, drain well, and dish with the heads pointing one way. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, pour over an ounce ol browned butter, sprinkle with grated cheese ' and brown in the oven or under a griller. THE HOME COOK. VICTORIA PUDpING. Take 20 large chestnuts, jib butter, 2ou loaf sugar, 3 eggs, 4 pint milk, and 2oa. Muscatels. Boil the chestnuts in salted water till the skins break; take out the shell and rub into powder. Boil the milk with the sugar, beat in the eggs separately, and add the creamed butter. Add ths chestnuts and the stoned Muscatels. Butter a pudding basin, put in the mixture, cover with buttered paper, and steam for 2 hours. Turn out, serve plain or with sugar sauce. SAND CAKE. Beat to a cream 4oz each sugar and butter, beating the sugar first. Add the yolks of four eggs, and beat well. Add essence of lemon to flavour, then sift in 6oz flour and onp teaspoon baking powder. Add 2oi shredded peel, and, lastly, the stiffly-beaten whites of four eggs. Mix lightly, but do not beat after adding the whites of eggsBake in a shallow tin. GOOD CURRANT TART. Make a short crust, and line plate with half. Then put on cup currants, a little sugar, a little desiccated cocoanut, grated nutmeg, and a few breadcrumbs to cover. Add a little milk to wet breadcrumbs, and close in by putting rest of the crust over ths top. Prick a few holes in the top, sprinkle with sugar, and a little cocoanut, then bake in a slow oven till brown. WALNUT CAKES. Beat 41b butter to a cream, add 41b cas« tor sugar, then Jib flour, mixed with two teaspoons baking powder. Mix thoroughly, then add 4lb chopped walnuts, 1 teaspoon flavouring (lemon, almond or vanilla), and four eggs well beaten. Bake in a quick oven. When cool cover with icing, an 4 drop a few half walnuts on the top. CHICKEN CAKE. Cook 11b rice in some stock, season well, and reduce it till it is very thick. Spread part of the rice over a buttered baking dish and arrange upon it some stewed or hashed fowl. Cover with the rest of the rice, which should be smoothed over with the blade of a knife, and ornament it in any way that may be preferred. Put in a slow oven, and cook until the whole is quitq firm. FEATHER CAKE. Mix together 1 scant cup sugar and 2 tablespoons butter, add 1 egg (yolk and white beaten separately), i cup milk, flavouring to taste and 1 heaped cup sifted flour. This mixture is nice for a loaf o« for 3 small layers.