537 KITCHEN AND COOKERY them each two or three times with a fork or skewer — ^this will prevent them burst- ing — then either toast them before the fire or fry them. THE BACON Should be cut in vary thin pieces, rolled up very neatly, and threaded close together on a skewer. Then either toasted before the fire or put on a tin in the oven and baked. THE GRAVY When the bird is cooked, lift it on to a hot dish, pour off all fat from the baking- tin, being careful to keep back all gravy. Sprinkle a good tablespoonful of flour into the tin, and brown it carefully over the fire, taking care, however, that it does not burn, or the flavour will be spoilt. Next add about a pint of hot water or stock, and stir the gravy over the fire until it boils and thickens ; unless it really boils it will taste raw. Season it carefully to taste and strain it into a hot tureen. BREAD SAUCE Required : Three-quarters of a pint of milk. One medium-sized onion. Three heaped tablespoonfuls of fresh white crumbs. An ounce (or less) of butter. Two cloves. Salt and pepper. Put the milk in a pan on the fire. Peel the onion, stick the cloves into it, and put in the milk. When the milk boils, stir in the crumbs, and let them simmer gently for about ten minutes. Then take out the onion and clove, add the butter and salt and pepper to, taste. Serve very hot in a hot tureen. N.B. — If the sauce is preferred only slightly flavoured with onion and clove, remove them sooner. The consistency of the sauce is all-im- portant. It must not be milky, nor yet stiff like porridge. SEA KALE A LA CREME Required : One basket of seakale. Boiling water. Salt. One gill of cream (or less) and a little milk. Two yolks of eggs. One tablespoonful of white sauce. Salt and pepper. Lemon- juice. A slice of toast. Trim and wash the seakale, cutting off all the stumps, except just enough to keep the pieces together. Tie the pieces together in small bundles, put them in a pan of boiling water, to which add a little salt and the juice of half a lemon; the latter keeps the seakale a good colour. Let them boil quickly from twenty to thirty minutes. Try them with a skewer to make sure they are tender. Then lift them carefully out of the water, drain them well, untie them, and arrange on a neatly trimmed slice of toast on a hot dish. Put the yolks of eggs, cream, and sauce in a small saucepan, and whisk them over the fire until they are quite hot, but not hoilini^, otherwise the mixture will curdle and be useless. Season, and pour this sauce over the seakale and serve. N.B. — If a cheaper .sauce is preferred, use white sauce in place of cream. POTATO CROQUETTES Required : One pound of boiled potatoes. One ounce of butter. One egg and one extra yolk. Breadcrumbs. Salt and pepper. Rub the potatoes through a sieve or mash them finely. Melt the butter in a saucepan, put in the potatoes with salt and pepper to taste. Stir the mixture over the fire until it is quite. hot, then add the beaten yolk, and, if necessary, a little milk. Stir the mixture over the fire for a few minutes to cook the egg, then turn it on to a plate and let it cool. Flour the hands slightly, and shape the mixture into neat balls. Brush each over with beaten egg, and cover with bread- crumbs. Have' ready a pan of frying -fat ; when a faint bluish smoke rises from it put in the balls, two or three at a time, and fry them a pretty golden brown. Drain them well on paper, and serve in a hot dish. THE CHRISTMAS PUDDING This must be boiled for two hours or longer if liked ; then turn it on to a hot dish. After peeling some sweet almonds, cut them into shreds of even length and thickness, and stick them into the pudding, either all over or in straight lines, or in any way you fancy. Place a well-berried sprig of holly in the top. It is an excellent plan to " light the pud- ding," for not only will it delight the heart of the children, but it will ensure the pud- ding being " piping hot," a most important point. Slightly heat the brandy before pouring it round the pudding, and set it alight just at the dining-room door. THE MINCE-PIES It is a good plan to have one dish of hot mince-pies and one of cold. All tastes will then be suited. Required : Pastry of any kind. Mincemeat. Castor sugar. Though any kind of pastry can be used, it is generally puff-pastry that appears on the Christmas dinner-table. Roll out the pastry barely quarter of an inch thick ; choose a cutter a size larger than the patty-tins to be used. Stamp the pastry into rounds — these should be put aside for the tops of the mince-pies, ais they will be superior to the pastry that has more handling and rolling. Next work all the trimmings into a smooth ball, and roll it out on a floured board rather thinner than the first. Stamp this also into rounds. Line the patty- tins with these rounds, pressing the pastry on to the tin. Put a good heap of mince- meat in each tin. Brush a round of pastry I N
