Pick off the dead leaves from the sprouts, soak the latter in cold water for half an hour, wash them, and put them on the fire in plenty of slightly salted boiling water. Boil until tender, thirty minutes being usually long enough. Drain off the water, and place the sprouts in a frying-pan, adding for every quart of them when uncooked,

Three table-spoonfuls of butter. One table-spoonful of salt. One tea-spoonful of sugar. One tea-spoonful of flour. One-quarter tea-spoonful of pepper.

Shake the pan over the fire until the sprouts become slightly colored; then turn them into a warm dish, and serve. Brussels sprouts may also be cooked in milk the same as string beans. (See page 259.)