Semolina Soup

Use semolina "Bottasso." Boil a quarter of a pound in a quart of water for twenty minutes. When done, add the semolina and the water in which it has boiled to a quart of stock rich-flavoured with vegetables. Boil together for a minute, and serve.

Irish Stew

It is better and more economical for a family to make Irish stew of the scrags of mutton than of the best end of the neck. Two scrags of mutton, weighing together about four pounds, will make a dish sufficient for seven or eight persons. Divide the meat into convenient pieces for serving, put it on to boil very gently for two hours with sufficient water to cover it, salt, pepper, and four or five onions, or more if they are liked by the family. Take care that the mutton cooks very slowly; when it is tender enough, strain away the gravy, and carefully remove every particle of fat; put a layer of sliced potatoes at the bottom of the saucepan, then the meat and onions, over this another layer of potatoes, about two pounds of which will suffice, then pour in the gravy, well seasoned with pepper and salt, cover the stewpan closely, and simmer the stew until the potatoes are properly cooked.

Many people think that potatoes contain some poisonous quality which is drawn into the water in which they are cooked, and therefore prefer to boil them before adding them to the stew. By so doing, the fine flavour the potatoes should give to the stew is lost. There is reason to think that the popular belief in potato water being unwholesome has no foundation in fact. It is indeed possible that being cooked with meat before the fat is removed from the gravy, the potatoes absorb too much grease and so become rich and indigestible, and that thus the idea of a poisonous principle has gained ground.

Jam Pudding

This pudding may be made in the same way as Treacle Pudding, or as follows:- Rub a pint basin with butter, cut thin slices of light stale bread and line the sides, putting a round slice at the bottom. Shred an ounce of beef suet fine, put a little on the round, then a spoonful of raspberry or strawberry jam, then another round of bread, more suet and jam, and so on until the basin is full, leaving a round of bread at the top by way of a cover. Boil half a pint of milk with an ounce of sugar, pour it over an egg lightly beaten, and add it slowly to the pudding. Cover with a paper cap, and steam for an hour.