—Boil for only twelve minutes two bunches of fine fresh asparagus as for [No. 904], place them on a dish in layers, with grated Swiss or Parmesan cheese between. Lightly brown a third of a medium-sized, sound, chopped onion in one ounce of butter, and pour over the whole; sprinkle the top with a little cheese and fresh bread-crumbs, and cook in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes.
Take out of the oven, and send to the table in the same dish.
907. Fried Egg-plant.
—Peel one medium-sized egg-plant, cut it into six round slices, about half an inch in thickness, and season with half a teaspoonful of salt and a teaspoonful of pepper. Dip the pieces in beaten egg and in fresh bread-crumbs, and fry them in hot fat for five minutes. Remove, salt slightly again, and drain them well; serve on a hot dish over a folded napkin.
908. Broiled Egg-plant.
—Peel neatly a sound, medium-sized egg-plant, and cut it into six even slices half an inch thick, in such a way that one egg-plant will be sufficient. Place the slices in a dish; season them with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, and throw over them a tablespoonful of sweet oil. Mix well together; then arrange the slices on the broiler, and broil them for five minutes on each side. Remove them from the fire, place them in a hot dish, spread a gill of maître d’hôtel ([No. 145]) over them, and send them to the table.
909. Stuffed Egg-plant.
—Cut a good-sized egg-plant into six parts, so that the peel remains intact on one side. Make four incisions inside of each piece, and fry them for one minute in boiling fat; dig out the fleshy part of the egg-plant with a potato-scoop, and fill it with any forcemeat at hand. Sprinkle the top with bread-crumbs and a little clarified butter; brown well in the oven for ten minutes, and serve.
910. Beet-roots, Boiled Plain.
—Wash a quart of sound, young beet-roots thoroughly in cold water. Place them in a saucepan, covering them with cold water; season with a handful of salt and two tablespoonfuls of vinegar; put on the lid and cook for one hour and ten minutes. Take them from the fire; lift them from the water, and peel them while they are warm. When done, put them in a stone jar; strain over them the liquor in which they were boiled; spread two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar on top; cover them, and put them away in a cool place for use when required.