Reform Cookery Book (4th edition) | Page 8

into the fast boiling water. Such a method will seem rather revolutionary to those who have been accustomed to soak peas over night, but a single trial is all that is needed to convince the most sceptical. Add 1/2 lb. onions, cut up-these may first be sweated for 10 minutes with a little butter in covered pan. Simmer gently but steadily 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Rub through a sieve and return to saucepan. When boiling add some turnip in tiny dice and some carrot in slices as thin as sixpence, also finely chopped spring onion, leeks or chives, according to season, and a little finely minced parsley five minutes before serving. Stock may of course be used for this soup, but is not at all necessary. With stock or even a little extract, a very good lentil or pea soup may be made at a few minutes' notice by thickening with
"Digestive" Pea Flour
or lentil flour, as the case may be. Such soups can be taken by those of weak digestion. No vegetables should be added in that case, or if so they should be strained out.
Mulligatawny Soup.
Chop up 2 apples and 1 Spanish onion and stir over the fire with 2 ozs. butter till quite brown, but not burnt. Add 1 oz. flour (and if wanted somewhat thickened, one or two spoonfuls "Digestive" lentil or pea flour), 1 teaspoonful curry powder, and a cupful of milk, previously mixed together. Stir till smooth and boil up, then add some good stock--brown would be best--and simmer for half an hour longer, removing the scum as it rises. Serve with boiled rice, handed round on a separate dish.
Hotch-Potch.
This soup is to be had in perfection in the summer months when young, tender vegetables are to be had in great variety and abundance. The more different kinds there are the better, but care must be taken to give each just the proper amount of cooking and no more, or the result will be that by the time certain things are done, others will be mushy and insipid. Bring to boil the necessary quantity of clear stock--water will do. Have ready a cupful each of carrots and turnips in tiny dice--the smaller ends of the carrots being in thin slices--a cauliflower in very small sprigs, one or two crisp, tender lettuces finely shred, cupful green peas, some French beans trimmed and cut small, a dozen or so of spring onions, 2 tablespoonfuls each of lentils and rice, and any other seasonable vegetable that is to be had. Add each in their turn to the boiling stock, the time required being determined by age and condition. If very young and fresh, the carrots will require only 30 to 40 minutes, the turnips and spring onions rather less, and the cauliflower less still. French beans require about 20 minutes, peas and lettuce 15 minutes, while the rice and lentils should have about half an hour. Much must be left to the discretion of the cook, but one point I would emphasise is, don't over-boil the vegetables. There seems to be an idea that a safe rule for vegetables is the more you cook them the better, but the fact is they lose in flavour and wholesomeness every five minutes after they are done. This is why "second day's" soup so often disagrees when the first has been all right. A few slices of tomato may be added. They should be fried in a little butter, cut small, and added shortly before serving, also some chopped parsley.
Winter Hotch-Potch.
This also may be very good. All the vegetables will require much longer cooking. Some will not be available, but in their place will be celery, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, leeks, &c. Dried green peas, soaked for 12 hours, can be used, or a good canned variety, and I may say that many delicious vegetables are now to be had in tins, or, better still, in glass jars.
Scotch Broth.
For this wash well a cupful good fresh pot barley, bring to boil in plenty of water, pour that off and put on with clean cold water. Simmer for 2 hours and then add a selection of vegetables given for Hotch-Potch.
Mock Cock-a-Leekie
or Leek Soup (_maigre_) is an excellent winter soup. Take a dozen or more crisp fat leeks--flabby, tough ones are no use--trim away all coarse pieces, chop up the tender green quite small and simmer in covered pan with a little butter. Add to quantity required of either white stock or plain white soup, which should be boiling. Shred down the white of the leeks, fry in a little more butter, and add twenty minutes later. Cook till quite tender. If stock is used, some well-washed rice should be added about 30 minutes before serving. If white soup is prepared, it is