SAVEET POTATOES

Des Patates Douces. Sweet potatoes may be boiled, baked, fried or made into purges, and used in puddings and pies. The sweet potato is one of our most common Vegetables. Possessing saccharins properties, it is especially nourishing and palatable.

Cooking the sweet potato is an art, for the delicate flavor of the potato is lost if it is not properly cooked. As mentioned above, sweet potatoes may be boiled, steamed or baked. Baking is the best method of preserving the flavor, and steaming is better than boiling. Sweet potatoes cannot be 'properly cooked, if they are cooked too quickly. Time is an essential ele- ment. To properly bring out the flavor of the sweet potato in baking, it should be kept at least an hour in the oven. The old Creole negroes oft- en bal^e the sweet potatoes in ashes, covered with coals. The old corn field slaves used to put the potatoes in the ashes after one meal, go back into the field,, and leave it there till the next meal. The delicate flavor was most grateful.

Boiled Sweet Potatoes. Patates Douces Bouillles. 6 Potatoes. A Drawn Butter Sauce. ' Wash'"the potatoes well, using a cloth Or* brush, and removing every particle ■'of earth. Clip the edges of the roots that adhere. Put them to boil in a kettle of boiling water, and let them cook till they may be easily pierced with a fork. "Thfen drain off the water, and set the kettle on the back of the stove., Cover and let the 'potatoes steam a few minutes. Take them out after five minutes or so, and peel and serve them with Drawn Butter Saupe, or cut in slices and spread butter over them, and set in the oven for a few seconds, and serve hot with daubes, fish, grlUades, etc. Sweet potatoes are in particular the vegetable that is served -jvith roast pork.

Fried Sweet Potatoes. Patates Douces Frites. 4 Potatoes. 3 Tablespoonfuls of Butter. Cut the boiled potatoes lengthwise in slices. Fry in very hot butter un-

til brown, and serve hot. This is a very nice way to utilize left-over po- tatoes!

To fry uncooked potatoes, the great breakfast dish for fast days among the Creoles, slice the potatoes not lengthwise, but by rounds, and fry in boilirig lard. Bring to the table when a beautiful brown, and eat with butter, spread generously over.

Street Potatoes au Caramel.

Patates Douces au Caramel.

i Potatoes. Boiling Lard or Butter. 4 Tablespoonfuls of Sugar.

Boil the potatoes and then cut them lengthwise in halves. Fry in boiling lard or butter, and, while frying, sprinkle generously with su- gar. This is a delicious sweet en- trfie.

Baked Sweet Potatoes.

Patates Douces Roties, 6 or 8 Potatoes. 1 Tablespoonful ot -Butter. ' Wash the potatoes, and scrub the skins, but do not peel them. By rub- bing the skins of the potatoes lightly all over with a little lard, butter, or fat bacon, it will render the skins soft and pliable to the touch when baked; they will peel readily, with- out crumbling from dryness, as baked potatoes often do, the peeling com- ing off in thin strips, leaving the po- tato intact. Put the potatoes in a baking pan in the oven, and let them cook until their centers are mellow to the touch. Serve in their jackets Immediately. Serve with roast meats, daubes, grillades, etc., or as a Fri- day dish, to be eaten with butter.

To roast potatoes with meat or pork, wash and boil the potatoes well, and a half hour before the roast pork or beef is done pare the potatoes, drain well, and place- in the baking pan, around the pork or beef, and baste frequently with the drippings from the roasting meat. Or put in the pan without boiling, and bake a half hour longer. The former is the best method.

Sweet Potato Fritters.

Patates Douces en Beignets.

4 Boiled Sween Potatoes.

1 Glass of Milk, White Wine or Brandy.

1 Teaspoonful ot Sugar.

Juice ot Lemon. Powdered Sugar.

Cut the boiled sweet potatoes into slender round slices, and steep them for a half hour in a little "White Wine or brandy or milk. Then make a light batter, to which you will have added a tablespoonful of su- gar. Add the juice of a lemon to the Making potatoes. Take each slice at a time, dip it in the batter, and let it drop from the spoon into the boiling lard. When fried to a nice . golden brown place on a piece of

brown paper, and drain in the oven. Then place in the dish in which they are to be served. Sprinkle with powdered white sugar, and serve hot as a sweet entremet.

Sweet Potato Pudding.

Pouding de Patates Douces.

6 Sweet Potatoes. 3-4 Pound ot Pine Sugar.

3-4 Paund of Butter.

The Zest of a Lemon, Grated Fine.

1 Wineglass of Good Brandy. Vi Grated Nutmeg. ' 4 Ground Allspice.

1 Piece of Ground Cinnamon, 1 Pint ot Milk or Cream. Boil or bake the potatoes, peel and press them through a very fine sieve, the finer the better. Add to them the yolks of six eggs, and beat well. Then add the butter, beating well and thoroughly, and add the sugar and milk. Beat all very light, and add the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. - Mix thoroughly, and add the grated nutmeg, ground spices, 'and blend well with the potatoes. Add finally, if desired, a wineglassful of good old brandy or whisky, and set the pan with the potatoes in an oven, and let it bake for an hour. Place a brown "paper on top for the first three-quarters of an hour, and take it off at the last quarter for the frangipane to brown nicely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve hot or cold.

Sweet Potato Waffles.

Gaufres de Patates Douces.

4 Left-Over Potatoes. Other Ingredients In Proportion Glren. This is a good way to utilize left- over potatoes. To every two table- spoonfuls of mashed potatoes add one of butter, one of sugar, one pint of milk, and four tablespoonfuls of flour. Beat all well together, and add one egg, well beaten. Bake In waf- fle iron, and serve with butter spread over.

Sweet Potato Pone.

Pain de Patates Douces.

4 Large Sweet Potatoes. 1 Teacuptul of Brown Sugar. 1 Teacupful ot New Orleans Molasses. 1 Teacupful ot Milk. 1 Teacupful ot Butter. 4 Eggs. The Zest ot One Lemon, Grated. A Small Bit ot Orange Peel Grated Very Fln«. Vi Teaspoonful of Nutmeg. % Teaspoonful of Ground Cloves. H Teaspoonful of Ground Cinnamon. Grate the potatoes and the zest of the lemon and orange. Beat the eggs well; beat the butter and sugar till creamy, add the eggs, beat well, then add the grated potato and spices and milk; beat all well together; add the grated zest of the orango and lemon, put the mixture in a well- buttered pan and bake slowly for

about an hour. It may be served hot or cold cut in slices. It is de- licious when served at luncheon cold with a glass of fresh milk.

Du Piments.

More peppers are raised in Louisi- ana than in any other section of the country. The hot varieties, or "Pi- mentos," as the Creoles call them. "Chili," "Red Pepper," "Cayenne," "Tabasco," etc., are used extensively for seasoning- and for making our famous Creole pepper sauces. The mild varieties, "Sweet Peppers," or "Green Peppers," "Mangoes," etc., are highly esteemed, and are used not only in- making salads, but in other delightful dishes. The Creoles are famous for the uses to which they have adapted all peppers.

• GREEJT PEPPERS.

Des Piments Verts.

Green Peppers may be used in sal- ads, as seasonings for various dishes, or they may be stuffed or sautfid. For Green Pepper Salads see recipe under chapter, on "Salads."

Stuffed Green Peppers.

Piments Verts Farcis.

2 Dozen Fresh Green Peppers. 1 Tablespoonful of Butter. % Onion, Chopped Very Fine. % Inch of Boiled Ham. i Clove of Garlic. % Cup of Bread, Wet and Squeezed Thor- oughly.

Parboil one dozen of the peppers. Then take off the skins and cut the topmost tip, and clean the inside of the peppers, throwing these seeds' away. Then take a dozen or more raw peppers, cut off the stalk or stem, and clean the insides of all seeds, throwing the seeds away. Chop the peppers very fine, and then put a tablespoonful of butter on the fire. Add one-half of an onion, minced fine, and let it brown slightly in the butter. Then add the peppers, mincedi very fine, almost mashed into a jelly, and the half Inch of ham, minced very fine. As these brown, add the clove of garlic, minced fine, and when the peppers are well-cooked add one- half a cup of bread that has been wet in water and squeezed thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and let It brown. Add a dash of Cayenne pepper. When the stuffing' is well browned and well seasoned,' take from the stove and stuff the peppers. Sprinkle a little grated bread crumbs on top, and a dot of butter on each pepper top. Put it in the stove, let it brown, and serve hot with meats, broiled or roasted, chick- en, etc.

Green Peppers SantCd.

Piments Verts Sautfis.

1 Dozen Large Green Peppers,

1 Tablespoonful of Butter.

2 Chopped Shallots. 2 Sprigs of Parsley.

A Da^h of Sweet Tapioca.

Salt to Taste.

Plunge the peppers into hot boiling fat and rub off the skin. Then cut them into halves and cut off the stem and take out the seeds. Carefully cut away the ribs and let the peppers sautg for ten minutes in a table- spoonful of butter. Then moisten with a. pint of consommfi; season with the cliopped shallots, parsley and sweet paprica, and let all cook slow- ly for a half hour, or until done. Prepare fancy slices of toast, and 'serve the peppers on these with a delicate garnish of chopped yolks of hard-boiled eggs.

This is a bright, waxy, golden-yel- low sweet pepper, very brilliant and handsome, and exempt from flery flavor, and may be eaten as readily as an apple. Mangoes are generally served as an appetizer (hors d'oeu- vres.)

Des Citrouilles — Des Giraumonts ou Potiron.

We have two varieties of pumpkin in Louisiana, one a large immense globe pumpkin, and the other a more delicate and much more highly ap- preciated variety, called the Cashaw. . The former is called by the Creoles "Citrouille," and the latter "Girau- YnoHt," or "Potiron." Both are cooked according to the following methods:

Sterred Pumpkin.

Citrouille a. la CrSole.

2 Pints of Pumpkin or Cashaw.

4 Tablespoonfuls of Butter.

1 Teaspoonful of Salt.

1 Teaspoonful of Ground Mace.

1 Teaspoonful of Ground Cinnamon. 1 Teaspoonful of Ground Cloves.

2 Gills of Good Whisky or Brandy. Cut the pumpkin into halves and

then into quarters, and pare. Then cut it into pieces of about one inch square. Place them all in a deep pot, and add suiHcient water to cov- er. Let the pumpkin stew slowly for about an hour, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Then take out of the pot, press through a colan- der, and set back on the stove. Add, for every, pint of , pumpkin, two large tablespoonfuls of butter, and a half teaspoonful of salt, one of- ground mace, one of ground cinnamon and one of ground allspice. A gill of good whiskey or brandy may be add-

ed, and improves the flavor. Mix all thoroughly, and add sugar to taste. Let It simmer slowly for half an hour longer, and serve hot with daubes, Grillades d, la Sauce, etc. If the pumpkin coolts till very ten- der, so that it mashes easily, it need not be pressed through a colander.

If the Citrouille, or large pumpkin Is used, never cook all in one day. Cut it in half, and save the other half for some other day in the week. The Cashaw will depend on the size. Generally one is cooked at a time. Left-over pumpkin can be utilized In making pumpkin pie. (See re- cipe.)

Baked Pampfetn.

Giraumont Eoti.

2 Pints of Fampkin or Cashaw. A Dressing of Butter or Gravy.

Cut the pumpkin in halves and then into quarters. Two quarters are enough for a family of six, if the pumpkin is large. Remove the seeds, but do not peel the rind. Place in a baking pan with the rind down- wards, and bake until so tender that it may be pierced easily with a fork.. Serve in the rind at th« table, helping it by spoonfuls. It is eaten with butter or gravy.

Baked pumpkin is liked by some, but the majority of the Creoles pre- fer the stewed pumpkin. The above Is the recipe that has been in use for generations. Once eaten in this way, you w^iU never look again upon a baked pumpkin or. Cashaw.

Des Radis.

Radishes are eaten as a relish, or hors d'oeuvres. They are great ap- petizers, and help the digestion.

The "Half Long Scarlet French Radish" is the only red Radish raised for the New Orleans market, and it is said that all the other cities of the Union put together do no* consume as much of that one variety as New Orleans does.

There is an art in preparing the radish properly for the table. Cut the tops, and save them for Gumbo aux Herbes. Throw the radishes into a bucket of cold water and wash well. Have at hand another bucket of water. Cut the remaining tops about an inch from the body of the radish, so that only the dainty green will appear. Hold the radish by the top root, upwards, and cut the skin downwards in four or six parts, with- out detaching the radish from the stalk. In other words, open as you would an orange, without breaking to pieces. Throw the radishes into the fresh bucket of cold water, and In about fifteen minutes they will 'have opened like a rose, and the ef- fect of the white against the red Is

very pretty. Fill glass bowls with these, using taste in arranging, and you will not only have a very dainty dish, as far as a relish is concerned, but a pretty table decoration.

Another way is to scrape the rad- ish in spots or lengths, alternating so that there will be a streak of red and one of white. The radish is not cut open in this case. Either way is pretty and inviting, if properly done. One or two dainty leaves may be left near the stalk to improve the appearance of the dish.

Radishes may be served at break- fast, dinner or luncheon. The horse- radish is used as an appetizer, and also in sauces.