TESTED RECIPES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20056, 20 September 1920, Page 9

TESTED RECIPES.

Wa may live without music. poetry «na an. We may live without conscience, »nd lire without heart, Wa may live without friends; wo nuts Uv» without books; But civilised, man cannot iivs without cooks —Meredith. Shortbread.—Put 11b flour, ilb butter, slb soft sugar separately ou the bakeboard. Mix sugar and butter together with the hands, and gradually nnx ui the flour, kneading well and' keeping tho lump firm in both hancts. " hen all is worked up into a nice, stiff paste cut it into two or .three pieces, and make each piece round or oval ns defined, and about }in thick, pinch the edges, dust some sugar on the top, prim: them over with a fork, and put & hps of orange peel on the top, and bake in a slow oven till they ore a nice brown colour. iw^ 6 * ta Cake.—Take lib -f butter, 11b 4oz of caster sugar, the sa.ue weight or self-raising flour, half a pint of milk six eggs, and vanilla, essence to taste. Melt and stir the butter to a cream, put in the sugar, and mix thoroughly ioi several niinules v then add the eggs, three at a time, stirring well between whiles, then add the self-raising flour, with the milk, and mix well again, put the mixture in paper-lined tins, wash over the top with the white of an egg, mixed with a little sugar syrup, lay°on evenly a few slices of citron peel, Bake in a moderate oven. Soda Biscuits.—<l cupfuls flour, I cupful sugar, a cupful milk. teaspoonful bicarooimte of_ soda, 1 teaspoonful salt, 1 cupful dripping. Boil the milk, soda, and salt together, and put aside to cool thoroughly. Rub the dripping into the n°- nr an ? , mlx wit h the syrup. Roll out thm and bake. (The biscuits should be kept in an airtight tin.) Pastry for Pies.—The following is a good recipe for short pastry :~IJ breakfastcupfuls flour, 4 rounded tablespoonfuls of butter, lard, or dripping halfteaspoonful baking powder, half-tea-spoonful salt, cold water to mix. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together. Rub the butter or other shortening with the flour. When this is well rubbed in add the water and mix with a knife into a; stiff paste. Turn it on to a pastry board, and cut and work with the knife for a little while; then roll out and cut as desired. Clear Soup. Make a clean stock bv cooking soup bones, half a shin of beef, or a .knuckle of veal m a generous quantity of cold water, with a conplo of carrots a couple of parsnips, a whole onion, a few sprigs of parsley, an inch of so of celery, one or two small sprigs of thyme and marjoram, pepper and salt, a clove or two, three or four peppercorns, and if liked about half a turnip. *',! IlnK 1 ln K slowly to the boil, and simmer till the vegetables are well cooked. It may take about an hour. Then remove the vegetable ■ and continue to simmer the stock for another three hours. Strain, allow to get cold, then remove all fat from the top of the stock. If the stock, when heated, seems quite clear, it may be used as it is for the soup. If it is desired to have it sparkIxngly dear it is necessary to clear it with minced raw beef and the shells and whites of eggs. Poached Eggs and Creamed Celery.— I lace poached eggs on slices of buttered toast. Fill the centre of the dish with two cups of celery cut Into pieces and cooked in boiling water. Stir into- a cupful of cream sauce and serve immediately. Cheese Souffle—Heat one tablespoon of butter substitute and stir in two tablespoons of flour. Then add a seasoning of cayenne and salt and two cups Of _ milk. Let the mix ture come to a boil and partly cool. Add the volks of three eggs, four tablespoons of grated cheese and the beaten whites of the eggs. Pour all into a greased tin or individual moulds. Lay greased paper over tho and bake until brown aiM firm. Fifteen minutes is usually sufficient to allow, providing the oven is hot Onion Soup,—Cook four medium-sized onions till tender, .then press them through a sieve and set them aside till tho soup is prepared.' For soup for three people allow one tablespoonful of butter, and when melted add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and stir till j well mixed. Pour in a nint of hot milk. When creamy add the onion rmree, salt and pepper to taste, and cook for a few minutes to heat the onions. If the soup is too thick add more hot milk.