Method.—Soak the lentils overnight. Wash and drain them well, put them into the water when boiling, add the vegetables and a teaspoonful of salt. Simmer for 3½ hours, or until soft, pass the whole through a fine sieve, and replace in the stewpan. Boil up, add the cream or milk, season to taste with salt and pepper, stir and boil gently for 10 minutes, then serve with fried or toasted croutons of bread.
Time.—About 4½ hours. Average Cost, 4d. with milk, 8d. with cream. Sufficient for 4 persons.
3080.—POTATO SOUP (Fr.—Purée de Pommes de terre.)
Ingredients.—2 lbs. of potatoes, 1 leek, 1 stick of celery, ¼ of a pint of cream, 1 pint of milk, 1 quart of water, 2 ozs. of butter, salt and pepper, 2 ozs. of sago or tapioca.
Method.—Cut up the prepared vegetables, using only the white part of the leek, and put them in a saucepan with the butter. Let them cook for about 10 minutes, but not take colour; then add the milk and water, and boil for about ¾ of an hour, or until the mixture is soft enough to rub through a fine sieve. Boil it again, adding more milk if necessary, sprinkle in the sago, and let it simmer until it is transparent. Lastly add the cream, which must not boil. Serve with fried bread croûtons.
Time.—About 1 hour. Average Cost, 1s. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons.
Note.—The colour of the soup is sometimes spoiled by using an iron saucepan.
3081.—RICE WATER.
Ingredients.—2 tablespoonfuls of rice, 1 tablespoonful of lemon or orange juice, salt to taste, 1 quart of water.
Method.—Pick and wash the rice, put it into a jar with the water and salt, cover closely, and cook in a slow oven from 3 to 3½ hours. Strain, flavour with lemon or orange juice, and serve either hot or cold.
Time.—From 3 to 3½ hours. Average Cost, 1½d. Sufficient for 2 or 3 persons.
3082.—VEGETABLE SOUP.
Ingredients.—1 small vegetable marrow, 3 or 4 tomatoes, 1 small onion, 4 ozs. of rice, 2 ozs. of butter, 3 pints of water, pepper and salt.
Method.—Cut the marrow and tomatoes into small pieces, and slice the onion finely. Melt the butter, fry the onion without browning, then add the water and rice, previously washed and drained, boil for 10 minutes, add the vegetable marrow and tomatoes, season to taste, cook gently until the vegetables are tender. Pass the soup through a sieve, reheat, then serve.
Time.—½ an hour. Average Cost, 7d. to 8d. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons.
