[378]. Broiled Tomatoes. Slice eight tomatoes, sprinkle them thickly with bread-crumbs and a little butter, broil them on a moderate fire, and, when a bright yellow color on top, serve them on a dish in a circle, one on top of the other.
[379]. Farcied Tomatoes. Take eight medium-sized, firm tomatoes, cut a hole on top of each, and scoop out the inside of the tomato, chop an onion, put it in a saucepan on the fire, with an ounce of butter, to simmer gently. When slightly colored, add six ounces of bread-crumbs, which you have soaked in water, and then pressed out nearly all the moisture, a dozen chopped mushrooms, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a pinch of salt, pepper, and thyme chopped fine, a little red pepper, and four tablespoonfuls of tomato sauce ([Art. 90]); mix all well together, and then fill the inside of your tomatoes. Sprinkle the tops of each with bread-crumbs and a little melted butter. Send them to the oven, and, when colored a light brown on top, serve, with a tomato sauce around them.
[380]. Boiled Onions. Peel a dozen medium-sized white onions, boil them in a quart of water with a little salt. When very tender, drain them, and serve with a butter sauce ([Art. 84]), or a sauce béchamel ([Art. 83]).
[381]. Fried Onions. Peel eight medium-sized onions, cut them in slices across the top, roll them in flour, fry them in hot lard, drain, and serve.
[382]. Onions Glacés. Peel a dozen small onions, color them lightly in a frying-pan on the fire with a little lard. Then put them in a saucepan with half a pint of consommé (stock, [Art. 1]), a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Simmer very gently until the consommé is reduced three quarters, then pour it on a dish, your onions placed on top, and serve.
[383]. Fried Egg-Plant. Peel an egg-plant, cut it in slices about a third of an inch thick, dip them in three beaten eggs, to which you have added a pinch of salt and pepper. Sprinkle them with bread-crumbs, and fry them in very hot lard, drain, and serve them.
[384]. Egg-Plant farcied. Take four small egg-plants, peel them and separate them in two, scoop out the inside, which fill with a chicken farce ([Art. 11]), and sprinkle a few bread-crumbs on top. Cut an onion and a carrot in slices, and put them in a saucepan, with a branch of thyme, a bay-leaf, two cloves, and a clove of garlic. Place your egg-plants on top. Moisten within three quarters of their height with consommé (stock, [Art. 1]), and a claret-glass of white wine. Put them in the oven for an hour, pouring over them, from time to time, some of the liquid in the pan. Pour over them half a pint of Spanish sauce ([Art. 80]), to which you have added a wineglass of sherry, and serve.
[385]. Cucumbers farcied. Divide four medium-sized cucumbers in two, after having pared them. Scoop out the inside and fill with a chicken farce ([Art. 11]). Put a sliced onion in a saucepan on the fire, with three slices of ham cut thin, place your cucumbers on top, moisten with a claret-glass of white wine, and the same of Spanish sauce ([Art. 80] ). Then send them to the oven, pouring over them, from time to time, the liquid in the pan, which, when the cucumbers are sufficiently done, strain, pour over your cucumbers on a dish, and serve.
[386]. Cucumbers with Cream. Peel half a dozen cucumbers, cut them in medium-sized square pieces, soak them for two hours in some vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Turn them over from time to time, drain them, and dry them on a cloth, pressing the moisture from them. Put them in a saucepan on the fire, with an ounce of butter, half a pint of consommé (stock, [Art. 1]), several branches of parsley, inclosing two cloves, two branches of thyme, a clove of garlic, and tie all together, add a pinch of salt. When they are cooked, drain them, add them to half a pint of béchamel sauce ([Art. 83]), the juice of half a lemon, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and serve very hot.