Page:Australian enquiry book of household and general information.djvu/93

contents and when the jar is full boil up as described, cork tightly and put away for three months, then begin to use.

A sweet pickle or chow chow can be made the same way by using a strong syrup instead of the vinegar.

Beet Root Pickle.

Ingredients: Beet roots, vinegar, 2 oz. all-spice whole pepper.

Mode: Wash and boil as carefully as possible but do not break or prick or cause bleeding from any small roots. Large beets will take one hour or an hour and a half to cook, simmering. Boil sufficient vinegar to cover them with two oz. allspice and some whole pepper about ten minutes. Peel the beets and slice them and when the vinegar is cold pour it over them in the jar. Cover with bladder, and in a week they will be fit for use.

About Eschalots.

When fully grown these little bulbs become round and spread apart; then is the time to pickle them. Pick, shred off the dry outside skin, and drop into a jar or bottle of vinegar with a few pepper corns and some salt.

Another way is to shred the bulbs and throw them into salt and water for a few hours. Then boil about one gallon of vinegar with one pound of moist sugar, one pound coarse salt, half a pound black pepper, one tablespoonful of mixed spice. Let this just come to the boil and remove from the fire. When cold throw in the eschalots. Cork down tightly and stand in a cool place for one month, when it will be fit for use either eaten as pickles, used in curry, salads, or any other way.

Pickled Eschalots.

Ingredients: Eschalots, white vinegar, pepper corns, bird’s eye chilies.

Mode: Peel a quantity of full-grown eschalots and soak in strong salt and water over night. Have some good white vinegar in a jar with the pepper corns and bird’s eye chilies if possible. Take the eschalots from the

brine and when dry put them into the vinegar till the jar is full. Tie down and do not use for at least one month.

To Pickle Onions.

Ingredients: Onions, white vinegar, bruised ginger, pepper corns, mace.

Mode: Choose small button onions, and, as they are peeled, throw them into milk and water. Drain from this when they have been in it two or three hours, and put them into jars or pickle bottles, and pour over them a strong brine of salt and water (boiling), and a small lump of alum; cover and leave them two days. Then drain and dry on a cloth. Put them back into the jar or bottles, and pour over them strong white vinegar with the ginger (broken small) some pepper corns, and a little mace. Be sure the vinegar covers the onions. Cork the jar close and keep in a cool place. Done in this way the onions should be quite white. A silver plated knife, or a fruit knife must be used in preparing them.

To Make Vinegar.

Ingredients: 1 quart of treacle, one pint of yeast, 3 gallons warm rain water.

Mode: Put the treacle, yeast and water into a barrel, leave the bung hole open, but covered with a bit of muslin to keep out insects and flies. The time depends on the weather.

Prepared Vinegar for Salads.

Ingredients: Fresh parsley, mint, borridge, celery, thyme, sage, eschalots, one clove of garlic, few red chilies, 5 pints of pure vinegar, 3 tablespoonsful of salt, 3 pints water.

Mode: Take equal quantities of the above herbs, wash all well, dry, and then chop all together. Put into a large jar and pour over them about five pints of vinegar, the stronger the better, and leave it standing, stirring every day for a week. Then add the salt, and when that has dissolved, strain off the vinegar from the herbs and add the clear water to it. Bottle it and seal the bottles to make them air tight. and use for salads and salad dressings.

This vinegar is excellent, and not