Boil hard 4 eggs, cut in half, and remove yolks. Divide 4 good-sized, firm, ripe tomatoes in halves, and scoop out some of the pulp, leaving a nice case. Put the half whites inside the tomato shells and fill with the following mixture:—In a saucepan melt 2 ozs. butter, add tomato pulp, 1 oz. fine crumbs, the yolks rubbed through a sieve, a teaspoonful extract, salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice. Mix well and make quite hot. Fill in the little cups, piling it up cone-wise, and serve on a bed of aspic.
Raised Haricot Pie.
Prepare a raised pie case (see Pastry), put in a layer of cooked haricot or butter beans, a layer of sliced tomatoes, and one of hard-boiled eggs. Put on the lid, which should have a hole in the centre. Bake, and with a funnel fill in with dissolved savoury jelly. This is delicious to eat cold, and is very useful for pic-nics. The same ingredients may also be made into small pies or bridies.
POTTED SAVOURIES.
There is an unlimited variety of these to be had. Any of the savoury mixtures given in previous recipes for stews, sausages, &c., will do, but if to be kept for any length of time, it must be well seasoned, the different ingredients thoroughly blended or pounded together, and the mixture pressed into small jars or glasses with clarified butter or pure vegetable fat poured over. A little lemon juice and grated lemon rind will give a piquant relish to most of these potted "meats."
Haricot Paste.
This is very good, and is a handy way of using up cold haricots, butter beans, &c. Drain away any sauce, or add as much finely mashed potato or cold boiled rice as will absorb it. Add seasoning to taste—mace, made mustard, ketchup, "Extract," &c. Mix thoroughly and pass through a sieve to remove skins, stringy portions, &c. Some tomato is always an improvement, and if none has been cooked with the beans, put some in saucepan with a little butter and cook for 10 minutes. Add the haricots, &c., blend together over the fire, and pass through sieve while hot.
Lentil Paste
is made by using cooked lentils in place of the beans.
Tomato Paste.