Spring Soup

Cut up two pounds of the scrag end of a neck of veal, put it on to boil in two quarts of cold water, with two teaspoonfuls of salt. As soon as the water boils carefully skim the pot, and having done so, add half-a-pound of onions, two turnips, a small carrot, a tiny bit of mace, a sprig of thyme, and four white peppercorns. Let the soup boil gently for three hours, adding a little water from time to time in order to keep the original quantity. When it has boiled enough, strain the soup through a colander, and then through a napkin. It should now be-perfectly clear, but if there is any fat, when cool remove-it.

Cut up a dozen small spring onions, the same number of heads of asparagus, into the size of peas, and boil them in salted water until tender. Cut up one small cabbage lettuce into fine shreds, throw into boiling water with salt, and let it simmer a minute, or until tender. When these vegetables are" ready strain away the water and put them into the tureen, and having made the soup boiling-hot pour it on to them, and serve. The soup may require a little additional salt, and if liked, a pinch of cayenne and a lump of sugar.

Pie Of Stewed Shin Of Beef

Stew the roll of a shin of beef, weighing about three pounds, with a pound of onions, a turnip and carrot, a quart of water, a tablespoonful of salt, and a teaspoonful of pepper. The beef will take from two to three hours to cook, according to its age and quality, and when done it must be perfectly tender without being ragged. Cut the meat into slices, the round way, place it in a pie dish, beat the vegetables cooked with it to a fine puree, mix this with the gravy, which should be reduced by boiling in a stewpan without the lid to half-a-pint, and pour it over the meat. Half a pound of uncooked ox kidney, or mushrooms if in the country and they are plentiful, are excellent additions. Make a crust as follows :-

Scrape very fine three quarters of a pound of beef-suet, weigh a pound of fine flour, roll a little of the suet with a little of the flour into flakes until all is worked up, mix into a paste with rather less than half a pint of cold water, and roll out very thin. Fold the paste over to the required thickness, put a thick layer round the edge, and cover the pie in the usual manner.

The quantities given above are for a large family-pie, which will be sufficient for eight persons. Equal quantities of suet and flour should be used if a superior crust is required. Crust thus made is very good, and if properly managed should be as light and good as that made with butter, and as it is to be eaten hot is more wholesome and digestible than the latter.

An excellent pudding can be made of the stewed shin proceeding in the same manner as for rump-steak pudding.

Cocoa Pudding

Boil half-a-pound of light stale bread in a pint of new milk, stir continually until it becomes a thick paste, then add an ounce of butter, a quarter of a pound of sifted sugar and two large teaspoonfuls of Van Houten's cocoa, with a little vanilla flavouring. Take the pudding off the fire and mix in first the yolks of three eggs, then the whites beaten to a strong froth. Put into a buttered tart-dish, and bake in a moderate oven for three quarters of an hour.