Domestic Science
At the close of the honeymoon, with its “round-up” of travels and pleasures, comes a realization to the bride that she is soon to become mistress of the lifelong dream, “her own home.” Questions of how she is to manage her home and the all-important problem, “How and what shall she cook for her husband?” are about all that this ambitious young housewife has time to think of during these days.
Since we are living in the “high-cost-of-living” period, it is most important that a housewife should know how to buy her groceries and meats as well as knowing how to prepare other dainty dishes, in order that her marketing may be economical as well as pleasing to the taste.
When selecting beef, see that it is firm and of a fine-grained texture, bright red in color, well mottled and coated with fat. The fat should be firm and of a yellowish color. The less expensive cuts, coming from those parts of the animal where the juices flow freely, are no less nutritious than the expensive ones; but they do require longer cooking at a lower temperature. A side of beef is divided into fore quarter and hind quarter, but the point of this division varies in different sections of the country. The hind quarter contains the choicest steaks, which are cut from the loin and rump and are named porterhouse, sirloin and rump. Coming from that part of the animal where the muscles are but little used, the meat is fine grained, and consequently tender. The tenderloin, protected by the backbone and lying under the loin and rump, lacks flavor and has but little juice, but is easy of mastication. Round steak has practically no waste, is very juicy, and the richest in proteid, but, having coarser fiber, is not as tender. The second and third cuts from the top of the round are most popular. Among the cheaper cuts might be mentioned chuck, vein, and flank steaks. A steak should be cut from an inch to an inch and a half in thickness, and some prefer it thicker. It should be removed from the paper as soon as it arrives from the market and put in a cold place. If convenient, allow it to hang rather than to lie on a plate and never put it in direct contact with the ice. Tough steaks may be made more tender by pounding with a potato masher after the steak has been sprinkled with salt, pepper and flour.
BROILED BEEFSTEAK: Wipe entire surface with a cloth wrung out of cold water and trim off superfluous fat. With some of the fat, grease a wire broiler (having fat edge next to handle) and broil over a clear fire, turning every ten seconds for the first minute that surface may be well seared, thus preventing escape of juices. After the first minute turn occasionally until well cooked on both sides.
Steak cut one inch thick will take five minutes if liked rare; six minutes if well done. Remove to a hot platter, and spread with butter that has been creamed and seasoned with salt and pepper.
SMOTHERED ROUND STEAK: Try out in a hot iron frying pan three thin slices of fat salt pork, three by four inches, and add one onion peeled and cut in thin slices. Cook, stirring constantly until brown. Wipe a two and one-half pound slice of round steak, put in frying pan, pour over one and one-half cupfuls of cold water and add about one-fourth teaspoonful of salt. Bring quickly to the boiling point, cover closely, remove to back of range, and let simmer slowly until tender. Remove steak to hot platter and strain stock (there should be one cupful). Melt one tablespoonful of butter, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and stir until well blended; then pour on gradually, while stirring constantly, the hot stock. Bring to the boiling point, let boil two minutes, season with salt and pepper and pour over and around steak. Garnish with Baked Stuffed Tomatoes around the edge, and with overlapping slices of tomatoes and sprigs of parsley in the center.
BAKED STUFFED TOMATOES: Wipe and remove stem end from six small tomatoes. Take out seeds and most of pulp, sprinkle inside of tomatoes with salt, invert, and let stand twenty minutes. Cookthree tablespoonfuls of butter with six tablespoonfuls of chopped green pepper from which seeds have been removed, for five minutes. Add three-fourths of a cupful of stale bread crumbs, one-half cupful removed tomato pulp, one-fourth teaspoonful of salt, one-eighth teaspoonful pepper, and a few drops of onion juice. Fill tomato cases with mixture, put in buttered pan, sprinkle tops with buttered crumbs, and bake fifteen minutes in a hot oven.
FILLETS OF BEEF TENDERLOIN: Cut beef tenderloin in slices one inch thick and trim into six circular shapes. Season with salt and pepper and pan-broil in a hot buttered frying pan six minutes. Remove to hot plates for individual service, pour around brown sauce and garnish top of each with a Stuffed Mushroom Cap.
BROWN SAUCE: Cook three tablespoonfuls of butter with one slice of onion, stirring constantly until slightly browned. Remove onion and stir butter constantly until well browned; then add four and one-half tablespoonfuls of flour and stir until blended. Pour on one and one-half cupfuls of brown stock gradually, while stirring constantly, bring to the boiling point and let boil two minutes; then add two-thirds of a teaspoonful of meat extract, one tablespoonful of lemon juice, one and one-half tablespoonfuls of finely chopped parsley and one-third of a cupful of small carrot cubes which have been cooked until soft in boiling salted water and drained.
STUFFED MUSHROOMS CAPS: Select mushroom caps, stuff, sprinkle with buttered crumbs, and bake until crumbs are brown. Garnish each with diamond shapes cut from a red pepper and a sprig of parsley. For the stuffing, clean and finely chop six mushroom caps. Add one tablespoonful each of parsley and onion finely chopped and one tablespoonful of butter. Moisten with a small quantity of the Brown Sauce.
BAKED STUFFED EGGPLANT: Wipe eggplant and cut in quarters lengthwise. Remove pulp close to skin, leaving shells. Force pulp through a meat chopper and drain. There should be two and two-thirds cupfuls. Put in saucepan, add one and one-half cupfuls of ham stock, bring to the boiling point and let simmer twenty minutes. Add three-fourths of a cupful of coarse dried bread crumbs, one-fourth of a cupful of melted butter, one teaspoonful of lemon juice, one-half a teaspoonful of salt, and one egg slightly beaten. Fill shells with mixture, sprinkle with buttered crumbs and bake until brown.
EGG DELIGHT: Cut stale bread in one-fourth-inch slices, remove crusts, toast, and spread with butter. Arrange on a platter, and on each slice put a dropped egg and three buttered canned asparagus tips. Pour over eggs the following sauce: Melt two tablespoonfuls of butter, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and stir until well blended; then pour on gradually, while stirring constantly, one-half cupful of milk. Bring to the boiling point and season with one-half teaspoonful of salt, one-eighth teaspoonful of pepper and a few grains of cayenne pepper. Stir in two egg yolks, one tablespoonful of lemon juice and one-half cupful of butter, bit by bit. Sprinkle sauce with finely chopped green pepper. Garnish with sprigs of parsley, and at center of platter with a small bunch of asparagus tips held in place with a ring cut from a green pepper.
ORIENTAL SALAD: Wash and pick over one-fourth cupful of rice and cook in one quart of boiling water (to which has been added one-fourth teaspoonful of salt) until soft; drain and cool. Add to rice two chopped hard-boiled eggs, two tablespoonfuls each of finely chopped red and green peppers, one tablespoonful of scraped onion, one tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, one tablespoonful of lemon juice, and one-half teaspoonful of salt. Force mixture through a potato ricer. Arrange sardines in center of salad dish, and around edge of dish crisp lettuce leaves. Between sardines and lettuce arrange prepared rice. Garnish with sections cut from a lemon. Serve with French dressing.
STUFFED TOMATO SALAD: Select tomatoes that are firm, round and of good color. Cut a slice from the top of each, and remove the seeds and the pulp. Mix the pulp of the tomatoes with some ham, chopped pimentos, olives, and French dressing; divide this mixture into the tomato shells and chill. At serving time cover the tomatoes with whipped cream seasoned with salt and paprika to taste, and serve each in a bed of crisp lettuce leaves.
OLIVE SANDWICHES: Take a large bottle of olives, cut them free from the pits, slice them and mix with the following dressing: Put two eggs into a small saucepan, add one-half cupful of sugar, one teaspoonful of flour, one teaspoonful of butter, one-fourth teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of prepared mustard, one cupful of cream and one-half cupful of vinegar. Stir and cook until boiling. Cool and use with any kind of buttered bread.
EMERGENCY ROLLS: Take two level cupfuls of flour into which work two heaping tablespoonfuls of butter, a pinch of salt, one tablespoonful of sugar and two teaspoonfuls of baking powder. Moisten with milk to a soft dough. Cut into long narrow strips and bake in quick oven.
STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM: Mix well two cupfuls of mashed strawberries with two cupfuls of sugar; add one and one-half pints of milk and one pint of good cream. Freeze. In winter, canned strawberries may be used.
STRAWBERRY ICE: Take one teaspoonful of granulated gelatine, one cupful of sugar, one cupful of water, lemon juice, one quart box of strawberries, one-half tablespoonful of cold water, one-half tablespoonful of boiling water. Sprinkle berries with sugar, cover, and let stand for two hours. Mash, squeeze through cheese cloth, and add water and lemon juice to taste; then add gelatine soaked in cold water five minutes and dissolved in boiling water. Strain and freeze.
FRUIT SHERBET: Dissolve one and one-half tablespoonfuls of granulated gelatine in one-half cupful of hot water and keep warm. Peel and dice three bananas; add the strained juice of three lemons and three oranges, three cupfuls of sugar, three pints of water and the dissolved gelatine. Turn into the freezer, and when partly frozen add the beaten whites of three eggs and a ten-cent can of evaporated milk. Finish freezing and allow to ripen before serving.
Note: All above recipes have been tested and made with level measurements.