Black Bean Soup

From Mrs. C. F. Aked

Soak 1/2 pint of black beans overnight in cold water. In the morning pour off this water and put on to boil with plenty of fresh cold water. Boil very slowly about 6 hours. Pour away nearly all the liquid ana add to the beans a quart of good stock flavored with ham, a few cloves and sweet herbs, a carrot, a piece of celery and an onion, all previously cut fine and browned in butter. Into the butter left in the frying-pan put a tablespoonful of flour and rub together over the fire until brown. Put to the soup and simmer all together for an hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add a tablespoonful of Worcestershire sauce and rub all through a hair sieve. Serve with slices of lemon in the tureen.

Lentil Soup

From Mrs. C. F. Aked

Put a large cupful of green lentils to soak all night in cold water. Drain them and put them into stewpan with 3 pints of light stock. Put with them 2 sticks of celery, 2 onions, 1 carrot, and 1 turnip. Bring the liquor to a boil and carefully remove the thick dark scum that rises to the surface; throw in a little cold water once or twice to assist the scum in rising. As soon as the soup reaches the boiling point, draw the pan back and simmer gently for 4 hours. When the vegetables are perfectly soft, season to taste and rub all through a sieve. The pulp will go through more easily if a little of the liquor is kept hot and is used to moisten it occasionally. Boil the soup again before serving.

Potage A La Rockaway

From Mrs. C. F. Aked

Take 4 well washed and dried cabbage lettuces, cut them into very fine shreds, put them into a stewpan with 2 ounces butter, a bunch of herbs, 4 peeled onions that have been quartered and then very finely shredded, the heart from a stick of celery, a pinch of salt and a saltspoonful of mignonette pepper; fry these all together over a slow fire for 20 minutes, then mix with it 2 ounces of farina and 2 quarts of any nice flavored white stock, such as that from boiled veal, rabbit, or chicken; stir these together over the fire; when they come to the boil let them simmer gently on the side of the stove for 3/4 of an hour, keeping skimmed while boiling; then just before serving add to the soup 1/2 pint of warm single cream and 2 tablespoonfuls of finely shredded cooked chicken or rabbit; have handed on a plate on a napkin one egg (prepared as below) to each person.

Put some new-laid eggs into a stewpan with boiling water and boil for exactly 3 1/2 minutes, then take up and put them into cold water, crack the shells all round and carefully remove them without breaking the eggs; dish up and sprinkle with a little chopped parsley and use as directed.

Partridge Soup

From Mrs. C. F. Aked

Soak in tepid water for a few hours 1/2 pound of lentils. Put to boil with a quart of water or of good stock, with a minced onion, a sprig of thyme, a little parsley, and salt. Have a partridge; put to roast for 10 minutes, and when brown, put to boil with lentils to cook. When done, bone it carefully, and pass the whole through a sieve. Finish seasoning, adding 1 ounce butter, and give the required thickness, pouring in a little cream or milk. Serve with a few small dices of bread fried in a little butter.

"It's never too young to learn."