Celery ‘alla Parmigiana.’
Take six large heads of celery and cook as above. But when cooked, drain, lay in a dish, sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan cheese, pour melted fresh butter over them, and put into the oven until they have taken a good colour. Pour a little gravy lightly over, and serve.
Celery ‘al Pomidoro.’
Cut off the green leaves and clean the stalks of six heads of celery, wash them in cold water, then throw them into an earthen pot of boiling salt water, and boil fast for twenty minutes. Drain, dry well, put them on a dish, and pour a pint of tomato sauce, or tomato conserve heated, over them. Serve hot.
Celery Stewed.
Cut the white outside stalks of celery into lengths of three inches, and boil them for half an hour in salted water. Drain, and put them into clear strained stock, adding a little minced onion and parsley. Boil until the celery is tender, add two ounces of butter stirred up with flour and shake the stew until thickened. Serve hot, pouring the sauce over the celery.
Cucumbers ‘alla Béchamel.’
Peel and pare six small cucumbers, and blanch them in salted boiling water for five minutes. Drain, and put them in a sauté-pan with half a pint of Béchamel sauce (see Sauces, p. [119]), half an ounce of butter, a little grated nutmeg, and three tablespoonfuls of milk. Cook for fifteen minutes, put them on a hot dish, and serve.