This can apply to either the short ends of cutlet bones, the shank end of a leg of mutton, or the scrag end of the neck. Remove the fat and place, with an onion (not cut), into a saucepan a turnip cut into small pieces, a pinch of salt, one piece of loaf sugar, and if no fresh parsley is obtainable a pinch of mixed sweet herbs that have been rinsed in cold water. (If herbs are used they must be added as soon as the broth boils; if fresh parsley it should never be added till it is within ten minutes of being ready to serve.) More salt may be added to taste. Bring to a boil quickly and then put a quarter teacupful of washed pearl barley into it and boil gently for three and a half hours. Strain and serve.
It will be noticed that some of the soup will boil away and a little hot water will have to be added. This broth can be made with the remains of cold potatoes added instead of the barley, in which case it requires to be stirred through a cullender so as to avoid any pieces of potato remaining whole.
66. Chicken Broth
Take the remains of any cold chicken, giblets, feet, and put into an earthenware saucepan with one piece of loaf sugar, a pinch of salt, one small onion (whole), cover with cold water. Keep boiling gently for three hours adding from time to time a little water to keep the saucepan about half full. Strain through a cullender and put in the larder to get cool, after adding a little cold water to make the fat rise to the top.
67. Lentil or Split-Pea Soup
If for pea soup, take the bone of a ham, or the small bones of a piece of pickled pork and add about a quart of cold water and one onion. Have ready two large teacupfuls of split peas (that have soaked for two hours). Boil steadily for three or four hours, stirring from time to time to prevent burning. Strain through a cullender and serve with fried bread, very hot. Proceed in the same way for lentil soup, only in that case the bones of either beef or veal may be used instead of pork.
68. White Bean Soup
Have ready one pint of white beans boiled soft in water with a piece of common soda the size of a pea. Put them into a saucepan with remains of cold meat—beef, mutton, or veal—one uncut onion, one turnip, pepper and salt to taste, and if not objected to, a few cold potatoes. Boil gently about three hours, then pass the whole through a fine cullender to strain the skins from the beans. Replace in a saucepan and bring to a boil; then serve very hot. Have ready some slices of stale bread about half an inch thick cut into dice. Have a little beef (or veal) dripping, bring to a boil in an enamel frying pan and drop the bread in while it boils, fry till a light brown and quite crisp. Serve in a hot dish with a strainer under. This bread is good for either pea, lentil, haricot, or potato soup.
69. Chicken Soup
Take the remains of any cold roast or boiled fowls, salt and pepper to taste; a whole onion, half a rasher of very lean bacon, one piece of loaf sugar, one quart of water. Put all together into a saucepan and bring to a boil, keeping the meat or bones covered. Boil two hours. Take one and a half flat tablespoonfuls of flour, one ounce of fresh butter, and put the butter and flour into a smooth china or earthenware bowl (enamel bowl will do), work the two together with a tablespoon till a perfectly smooth paste is made, then pour the soup through a cullender on to the paste, stirring all the time; add a little milk and if possible a little fresh cream. Replace the soup in the saucepan, put it back on the stove and stir one way till it boils, when it is ready to serve.