TO BOIL OCHRAS.—
For boiling, the ochras should be young and small. Wash them, and cut off a small piece from each end. Boil them till very tender throughout. Then drain them well, and transfer them to a deep dish. Lay among them some bits of fresh butter, and season them with pepper. Cover the dish, that the butter may be warm and melt the sooner. Or you may make a sauce of half a pint of milk boiled, and when it has come to a boil enrich with a quarter of a pound of very good fresh butter, divided into four pieces; each piece rolled in a little flour, the butter stirred in gradually and smoothly, as soon as the milk is taken off the fire. Pour this sauce over the dish of ochras, and keep it covered till it has gone to table.
We prefer the first way, putting the bit of butter cold into the hot ochras, with either milk or flour, and letting the butter melt gradually, in the manner of green beans. You may boil with them a small piece of very good bacon, removing when the ochras are taken off the fire. Season with pepper.
ONIONS.—
The best onions for cooking are the white or silver-skinned. The red-skinned are generally strong and coarse. Shalots are very small and delicate. Some sorts of large onions are milder and nicer than those of middle size, and some that are very small have a powerful taste and smell. The outer skin of most onions should be peeled entirely, and the ends cut off. All onions are the better for boiling, before they are cooked for any other purpose. Put them into a stew-pan with cold water, and when they have come to a boil pour off that water, and replace it with fresh cold also. Boil them slowly till quite tender all through, which will not be in less than half an hour; more, if they are large. When done, drain them well, dish them, and pour over them some nice melted butter.
To Stew Onions.—Peel, slice them, and stew them in milk, enriched with butter rolled in flour, and seasoned with a little cayenne and a few blades of mace.
To Roast Onions.—Select fine large onions; do not peel them, but place them in a bake-pan, and set them in an oven. Bake them slowly till tender all through. When done, peel off the outer skin, and send them hot to table, to eat with pepper and cold butter.
They are very good when covered up and roasted under hot ashes, taking care that they are done quite through to the heart.