VEGETABLE SOUPS

If any meat bones are on hand or trimmings of meat not otherwise needed, simmer them from one to two hours in water and use the broth thus obtained instead of water in making any of the following soups.

Most important are those made from the dried bean, pea and lentil, the three pod-covered vegetables. For their nutritive qualities see page 81.

Ingredients. 1 Ib. beans, 1 onion, 2 tablespoons beef fat, salt and pepper.

Additions, to be made according to taste. J Ib. pork, or a ham bone, a pinch of red pepper, or, an hour before serving, different vegetables, as carrots and turnips, chopped and fried.

Soak the beans over night in 2 qts. water. In the morning pour off, put on fresh water and cook 117

118 Vegetable Soups.

with the onion and fat till very soft, then mash or press through a cullender to remove the skins, and add enough water to make 2 qts. of somewhat thick soup. Season.

This soup may also be made from cold baked beans. Boil i hr., or till they fall to pieces, then strain and season.

Lentil soup. Make like bean soup.

The water in which vegetables have Green vegetable been cooked should never be thrown away, with the exception of that used for cooking beets, and potatoes boiled without peeling; even cabbage water can be made the basis of a good soup.

General method. Boil the vegetables until very tender, mash or press through a cullender, thin suffi- ciently and season. Potato soup. Good and cheap.

Ingredients. 6 large potatoes peeled, 1 large onion, 1 heaping teaspoon salt, £ teaspoon pepper. For a richer soup add J- Ib. salt pork cut in bits (in this case put in less salt) or add 1 cup of milk or a beaten egg. Chopped celery leaves give a good flavor.

Boil potatoes, onions and salt in a little water, and when very soft mash ; then add, a little at a time and stirring to keep it smooth, a qt. of hot water and 1 tablespoon beef fat in which 1 tablespoon flour has been cooked ; or use the fat for frying bread dice, which add at the last minute.

Most cooks fry the sliced onion before putting it in the soup, but the difference in taste is so slight as

Vegetable Soups. 119

not to be worth the few minutes extra time, if time is

an object.

This is a delicious soup and very nutri- tious. Large peas, a little too hard to be used as a vegetable, may be utilized in its manu- facture.

Ingredients. 1 pt. shelled peas, 3 pts. water, 1 small onion, 1 tablespoon butter or fat, 1 tablespoon flour. Salt and pepper.

Put peas and onion in boiling water and cook -J an hour to an hour, till very soft. Press through cul- lender and season.

Pea and tomato Add to above when done, 1 pt. stewed soup. tomatoes and a little more seasoning.

This is an excellent soup, having the nutrition of the pea and the flavor of the tomato.

Valuable for its fine flavor, and may

Tomato soup. , n , ... , , , ,. , . ,

be made nutritious also by adding broth, milk or eggs,

Ingredients. 1 pt. tomatoes, 2 pts. water, 1 table- spoon fat, 1 tablespoon flour, salt and pepper.

Cook the flour in the fat, add the peeled tomatoes and a very little water. When they have cooked to pieces, mash them against the side of the pot, add the rest of the water and the seasoning. Tomato soup Proceed as above, using instead of half

NO. 2. the water, 1 pt. of milk, into which £

tea spoon soda has been stirred.

Ingredients. 1 pt. of parsnips cut in

Parsnip soup. . ,, „

pieces, 3 small potatoes, 3 pts. water, or water and milk, salt, pepper and butter. Cook till the vegetables fall to pieces, mash and add

120 Vegetable Soups.

seasoning. If milk can be substituted for part of the water the soup will be improved. Young vegetable Ingredients. I pt. chopped onion, or spring soup, carrot, turnips and celery root in about equal parts, 1 tablespoon fat, 1 teaspoon sugar, salt and pepper.

Heat the fat, add sugar, salt and pepper, then stir the vegetables in it till they begin to brown, add 3 pts. water and set back to simmer 1 to 2 hours. Serve without straining.

Ingredients. % doz. ears green corn,

Green corn soup. 0 , -.,11 ,. , -i

3 pts. water, 1 tablespoon fat and 1 tablespoon flour salt and pepper, an egg and a cup of milk.

Cut the corn from the cob and boil one hour. Add the flour which has been fried in the fat, season and strain.

Make as above, using dried corn, ?* soaked over night and boiled 2 hours. Sorrel soup. An excellent flavor, new to most of us.

Ingredients. 1 pt. sheep's sorrel, light measure (bought in city markets, or gathered in country fields), 1 onion, a few leaves of lettuce and parsley all chopped fine, ^ teaspoon nutmeg, 1 tablespoon fat, 2 tablespoons flour, 3 pts. water, 1 or 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, salt and pepper.

Heat the fat, add the chopped vegetables and sweat or steam for 10 minutes, then add flour and last the boiling water; add the milk just before serving. Serve fried bread with it.

"Hit and MISS" T° illustrate how all bits can be soup. used, here is a soup actually made from "leavings."

Flour and Bread Soups. 121

1 cup water drained from macaroni, 1 cup water drained from cabbage, with a few shreds of the cab- bage, 2 small bones from roast veal, 1 scant tablespoon boiled rice. Simmer these together with a chopped onion while the rest of the dinner is cooking, thicken with a little flour and serve with fried bread.