Asparagus

Having scraped all the stalks very carefully till they look white, cut all the stalks even alike, throw them into water, and have ready a stewpan boiling. Put in some salt, and tie the asparagus in little bunches. Let the water keep boiling, and when they are a little tender take them up. If boiled too much they will lose both their colour and taste. Cut a round of a small loaf, about half an inch thick, and toast it brown on both sides. Then dip it in the liquor the asparagus was boiled in, and lay it in the dish. Pour a little butter over the toast, then lay the asparagus on the toast all round the dish, with the white tops outwards.

Asparagus Forced In French Rolls

Cut a piece out of the crust of the tops of three French rolls, and take out all their crumb; but be careful that the crusts fit again in their places from whence they were taken. Fry the rolls brown in fresh butter. Then take a pint of cream, the yolks of six eggs beat fine, and a little salt and nutmeg : stir well together over a slow fire till it begins to be thick. Have ready a hundred of small grass boiled, and save tops enough to stick the rolls with. Cut the rest of the tops Small, put them into the cream, and fill the rolls with them. Before frying the rolls, make holes thick in the top crusts, to stick the grass in. Then lay on the pieces of crust, and stick the grass in, that it may look as if it were growing.

Parsnips

Parsnips must be boiled in plenty of water; and when they become soft, which may be known by running a fork into them, take them up, and carefully scrape all the dirt off them. Then scrape them all fine with a knife, throwing away all the sticky part, and send them up plain in a dish with melted butter.

Brocoli

Carefully strip off all the little branches but the top one, and then with a knife peel off all the hard outside skin that is on the stalks and little branches, and then throw them into water. Have ready a stewpan of water, throw in a little salt, and when it boils, put in the brocoli. When the stalks are tender, it will be enough. Put a piece of toasted bread, soaked in the water the brocoli was boiled in, at the bottom of the dish, and put the brocoli on the top of it, in the same way as asparagus, and send it up to table with butter in a boat.

Windsor Beans

These must be boiled in plenty of water, with a good quantity of salt. Boil and chop some parsley, put it into good melted butter, and serve them up.

Green Peas

The peas must not be shelled till just before they are wanted : put them into boiling water, with a little salt and a lump of loaf sugar, and when they begin to dent in the middle, they will be enough. Strain them into a sieve, put a good lump of butter into the dish, and stir them till the butter is melted. Boil a sprig of mint by itself, chop it fine, and lay it round edge of the dish in lumps.

Peas Francoise

Shell a quart of peas, cut a large Spanish onion small, and two cabbage or Silesia lettuces Put to them half a pint of water with a little salt and a little pepper, mace, and nutmeg, all beaten. Cover them close, and let them stew a quarter of an hour. Then put in a quarter of a pound of fresh butter rolled in & little flour, a spoonful of ketchup, and a piece of burnt butter of the size of a nutmeg. Cover them close, and simmer a quarter of an hour, observing frequently to shake the pan.