White Beans A La Lyonaise

Cut a few onions into dice, and fry them in a little butter till they are of a light brown colour; then add to them two spoonfuls of Espagnole. Let the onions be well done; season them with pepper and salt; drain the beans that have been done as above; then throw them into the sauce, and serve up hot.

The Puree Of White Beans

The beans, which must have been boiled beforehand, are to be mixed with the following preparation: chop some onions, and fry them lightly in a little butter, put a little flour to fry in the butter, and when done moisten with a spoonful or two of broth. Let the onions be thoroughly done. Next let the beans boil in that sauce for half an hour, season well, without pepper, however, and strain them through a tammy. Reduce the puree over a brisk fire, skim off the white scum, and before you serve up, refine the puree with a bit of very fresh butter, and two spoonfuls of thick cream. This entremet is to be garnished with fried crusts of bread all round.

The Same As Above, Brown

Is prepared in the same manner as that above, with this difference, that the onions are to be fried brown, and moistened with some Espagnole, or gravy of veal; in case you should not have any, as soon as the onion is of a fine brown colour, throw in a spoonful of flour, and moisten with a little gravy of veal; let the flour be well done, and set the beans to boil in it for half an hour, that the taste of both may be well mixed; next strain the whole through a tammy, and give it a good seasoning. Remember that brown sauces are always to be more highly seasoned than others.

How To Cook Asparagus

Asparagus With Sauce Blanche, Dites En Batonets

ASPaRagUS are always boiled in salt and water, whether intended for entrees, or entremets. The water in which they are boiled is always impregnated with a nauseous bitter taste; for which reason asparagus is never listed in soups or garnish, but at the very last moment before sending up the dinner. They must boil over a large fire, in order to preserve their green colour. Those served en batonets are cut according to the size of the dish. A toast of bread is generally put under the asparagus, to raise them on the dish, and to receive the water which may issue from them. Send up separately some melted butter in a boat.

Asparagus Peas

If the asparagus are properly dressed, they must taste like green peas. Take some young asparagus, which pick with great care; then cut them into small equal pieces, avoiding to put in such parts as are hard or tough. Wash them in several waters, and throw them into boiling water with a little salt. When the asparagus are nearly done, drain them first through a sieve, and next wipe them quite dry with a towel. Then put them into a stew-pan with a small bit of butter, a bunch of parsley, and green onions, and sautez them over the fire for ten minutes. Now add a little flour, and a small lump of sugar, and moisten with boiling water. They must boil over a large fire. When well reduced, take out the parsley and green onions, and thicken with the yolks of two eggs beaten with a little cream, and a little salt. Remember that in this entremet sugar must predominate, and that there is to be no sauce. Asparagus are always dressed in this manner, when to be served as entremets; but for entrees, instead of their being saute over the fire with butter, parsley, and green onions, drain them well after they have been boiling in salt and water, and throw them into some good sauce tournee well reduced. Give them a few boils over a large fire, then powder a little sugar, and make a thickening of one egg. The sauce must be made thick, on account of the asparagus always giving out a certain quantity of water that will thin the sauce.

How To Cook Cucumbers

Cucumbers Farcis

Take four or six cucumbers, according to the size of your dish; cut them into the shape of a screw, which is done by leaning with your thumb on the blade of your knife whilst cutting the cucumber, at an equal distance. When you have thus turned the outside, empty the inside with a scooper. Take great care not to bruise the cucumbers, which, when prepared, you throw successively into some water. Now blanch them, and cool them in cold water; drain them; then take a little farce a quenelles, or some godiveau (See Farces), with which fill the cucumbers. Mark them in a stew-pan with layers of bacon, under and above, and a little salt and pepper; moisten with some good consomme, and let them stew, but not too long. Lay them on a towel to drain, and send them up with a fine Espagnole almost reduced to glaze.