211. Okra - West Indian

Remove the stems from two pounds of tender young okra, cover with boiling water and boil quickly for half an hour, when it should be quite mucilagenous. Add salt, a heaping tablespoon of butter, a teaspoon of vinegar, cayenne and small pieces of broiled ham. Stir and serve very hot.

212. Ombrelle D'Ostende - Belgian

Remove the skins and stems from eight large fresh mushrooms; place, with the gills up, on a fireproof platter, and season with salt and pepper. Scald a cup of fresh oysters in their own liquor. Strain and chop and mix with two tablespoons of bread crumbs, two of thick cream, a beaten egg, salt, paprika and a grating of nutmeg. Spread each mushroom with the mixture and sprinkle with fine crumbs. Bake until a delicate brown.

213. Onions Stuffed With Corn A La Hillsborough

Parboil six large silver onions and scoop out part of the heart. With a sharp knife score lengthwise several large ears of corn and press the pulp out with the back of the knife. To a cup of pulp add two eggs, a tablespoon of thick cream, a teaspoon of melted butter and salt, paprika and sugar to taste. Fill the onions with the mixture, cover with grated Parmesan and bake until the custard is set. Serve with rich cream sauce (No. 123).

214. Onion Torta - Italian

Slice very thin enough onions to fill two cups and simmer until tender in a quarter of a cup of butter. Make a batter of two beaten eggs, two tablespoons of flour, a cup of cream, a good pinch of salt, paprika and a pinch of nutmeg. Beat well and add the onions; then turn into a round, shallow cake tin, which has been covered with a light crust, rolled thin. Sprinkle with grated parmesan and bake in a quick oven.

215. Oyster Plant - Genevoise

Scrape and parboil two bunches of young oyster plants in acidulated boiling water. Drain and cut into inch lengths of the same thickness. Saute for a few moments in a little butter, then mix with a cup of hot tomato sauce, two tablespoons of grated Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste.

216. Perog, Cabbage Pie - Russian

Roll out thin a light biscuit dough made of yeast and raised overnight and line a large, rather deep, greased pie-tin with it, reserving a piece for the top. Chop half of a small cabbage and an onion very fine; add two chopped hard boiled eggs, salt and paprika. Place in a saucepan, cover and simmer until tender in a quarter of a cup of butter, shaking occasionally. If it is too moist sprinkle with a little flour and stir until it thickens; then fill the pie, wet the edges, fit on the cover, pinch together, brush over with butter or milk and let stand in a warm place to rise a little; then bake until a nice brown.

217. Petit Pois Au Lard - French

Shell three pounds of young peas. Cut into dice three slices of fat salt pork and fry in a saucepan until golden brown; then stir in a heaping tablespoon of flour until slightly colored. Add a pint of boiling water, a little at a time, and stir until it thickens slightly; then add a small whole onion, slashed at the top, and a branch of parsley, and bring to a boil. Add peas and a pinch of sugar. Cover closely and cook until tender; then season with salt and pepper. Cook very young new potatoes in the same way.