Stew the peas, onion (sliced), lettuce and a bouquet of herbs in the butter very gently for ten minutes. Add to them the hot stock. Bring to the boil. Simmer for half-an-hour. Pass through a tammy. Re-heat gently. Season. Stir in the roux ([p. 12]) and a gill of cream. Serve with croûtons, or add to the soup some young cooked peas.
Purée of Italian Dried Green Peas
¹⁄₂ pint of peas
¹⁄₂ head of celery
1¹⁄₂ pints of stock or water
¹⁄₂ pint cream or milk
1 table-spoon butter
Soak the peas over night. Put them and the celery, chopped, on to boil with the water or stock. Boil till very tender. Put through a hair sieve or tammy. Put back on the fire and heat gently. Season. Colour with spinach colouring. Just before serving add the butter, in small pieces, and, when it has melted, the boiling cream. Serve with croûtons (see [p. 103]).
Purée of Lentils
1 pint of lentils
1 head of celery
1 onion
1 turnip
1 carrot
1 slice of ham
3 pints stock or water
1 gill of cream
Soak the lentils in water over night. Let the vegetables (which should be cut up) and the ham stew gently in the butter for ten minutes. Strain the lentils from the water they have soaked in. Put them with the ham, vegetables and stock into a sauce-pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for two hours. Strain off the liquid. Pound and mash the lentils, etc., and pass them through a sieve. Return them to the liquid. Boil up again. Add a tea-spoonful of powdered sugar, seasoning and the cream, scalded. Serve with fried bread (see [p. 103]).
Purée of Onions
6 onions
1 small turnip
¹⁄₂ head celery
1 quart white stock
2 ozs. butter
¹⁄₂ pint cream or milk
12 button onions
Cook the large onions, turnip, celery and butter with the stock until very tender. At the same time prepare and boil the button onions until soft. Put the vegetables and stock through a fine sieve. Return to the fire. Add the cream or milk, scalded, and the button onions. Season.