| Share page |
|
37° |
COOKING FOR INVALIDS. |
||
|
beef, and cut into very small pieces, and put it into a stew pan with a teaspoonfui of butter or more, 2 button onions, a salt spoonful of salt, a clove. Stir the meat round over the fire for a few minutes, until it produces a thin gravy, then add 2 pints of water; let the whole simmer over the corner of the stove or fire for 30 minutes, removing all the fat; as soon as done, strain through a sieve. Passing broth through a cloth often spoils its flavor. Note.—If the invalid wants it plain, the vegetables, clove and salt may be omitted.
A Baked Soup.—Put a pound of any kind of meat cut in slices, 2 onions, 2 carrots, cut in pieces, 2 large spoonfuls of rice, 2 cup-fuls of split peas, or whole ones, if previously soaked, pepper and salt into an earthen jug or pan, and pour 1 gallon of water, cover it very close and bake it with the bread. The cook should be charged to save the boiling of every piece of meat, ham, tongue, &c, however salt, as it is easy to use only a part of that and the rest of fresh water, and by the addition of more vegetables, the bones of the meat used in the family, the pieces of meat that come from the table unused, rice or barley or oatmeal, gallons of nutricious soup can be made several times during the week. The bits of meat should be only warmed in the soup and remain whole; the bones, &c, boiled till they yield their nourishment. Take turnips, carrots, leeks, potatoes, the outer leaves of cabbage, celery, or any sort of vegetable that is at hand; cut them small and strew in with the thick part of peas after they have been pulped for soup and grits or coarse oat meal. In every family there is some superfluity, and if it be prepared with cleanliness and care, the benefit will be very great to the receiver and the comfort and satisfaction no less to the giver.
What a relief to the laboring husband, instead of bread and coffee to have a warm, comfortable meal. How important to the aged, sick and infant branches, nor less to the industrious mother, whose forbearance from the necessary quantity of food that others may have a larger share, frequently reduces that strength upon which the welfare of her family essentially depends. Fish affords great nourishment, and that not by the part eaten only, but the bones, heads and fins, which contain isinglass. When the fish is served, let the cook save some of the water in which it has been boiled, add some drippings, an onion or two, some pepper, a little rice flour rubbed into it after it has stewed, season with parsley or celery. It makes an excellent broth. The gravy of the fish may be added also, but strained. It makes a delicious improvement to the meat soup, particularly for the sick, and when such are to be supplied the milder parts of the spare bones and meat should be used for them, with little, if any of the liquid of the salt meats. As the |
|||