Tomatoes are, like sorrel and rhubarb, very healthful.
To blanch.—After they are washed, throw boiling water over them, and then take off and remove the skin.
Stewed, to serve with Meat or Fish.—When blanched as above, put the tomatoes in a stewpan with butter, salt, and pepper, set on the fire and simmer for about forty-five minutes; serve warm all around the fish or piece of meat. Tomatoes may be eaten raw, with or without salt; in no matter what way they are partaken of, they are not yet known to have indisposed anybody. Although great quantities are consumed in this and other countries, still many more ought to be used; they are so easily preserved, that every family ought to have a large provision of them for the winter and spring consumption.
Stuffed.—Soak in cold water one-fourth of a ten-cent loaf of bread, etc.; when perfectly soaked, squeeze it with the hands. Take six tomatoes, as much of an even size as possible, cut the top off; that is, the side opposite the stem, and with a small spoon take out the inside and put it in a bowl, and then turn into a colander to let the liquid part run off. Put about an ounce of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add a small onion chopped; stir, and when nearly fried add also the part of the tomatoes in the colander also chopped; stir half a minute; put in the soaked bread, stir and mix; then salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg; give one boil more, and take from the fire. Fill the tomatoes with this mixture, dust with bread-crumbs, put a piece of butter the size of a hazel-nut on each, and bake. Just before serving, wet with a little tomato-sauce, broth, or gravy.
Turnips—to boil.—Clean, scrape, and wash well, then put them in a saucepan, either whole or in slices, or cut with a fruit-corer or with a vegetable spoon, add cold water enough to boil them in, a little salt, set on the fire and boil gently till tender; then take off, drain, drop in cold water, drain again, and use.
In Béchamel.—While the turnips are boiling as described above, make a Béchamel sauce and turn the turnips in as soon as made; boil gently about two minutes, stirring the while, and serve warm. Do exactly the same with a cream or white sauce.
Au jus.—Boil and drain them as directed above, then put them in a saucepan with a little gravy, set on the fire, stir now and then for about ten minutes, add a teaspoonful of meunière, stir again for two or three minutes, and serve warm.
With Sugar.—Cut with a fruit-corer or with a vegetable spoon about a pint of turnips, and boil them till under done, then drain. Put the turnips in a saucepan with two or three tablespoonfuls of broth, set on a good fire, toss occasionally for about ten minutes, then add two or three tablespoonfuls of sugar, toss again now and then for ten minutes longer, and serve. It may take a little longer or less time than described above, according to the state of the turnips; if young and very tender, keep on the fire five instead of ten minutes, and if old, it may take fifteen minutes.
Glazed.—Cut the turnips with a vegetable spoon, boil them for five minutes, and drain them. Put half a gill of broth in a saucepan with about one pint of turnips and set on a good fire; toss and stir now and then till done, and till the broth is all boiled away. If it boils away before the turnips are cooked, add more and finish the cooking. When done, sprinkle about three ounces of sugar on them, stir for about one minute, dish the turnips, dredge powdered sugar all over, put in the oven two minutes, and serve.
Water-cress.—This contains much sulphur, and is the greatest anti-scorbutic known. Besides being eaten with salt or in salad, it may also be stewed in the following way: Take only the top and the leaves around the stalk; clean and wash it well; throw it in boiling water with a little salt, and when cooked drain it well, so as to extract all the water from it. Put a piece of butter the size of an egg in a stewpan; when melted, put the cress in, sprinkle on it a tablespoonful of flour (for three quarts); stir continually with a spoon, boil ten minutes, then add salt, pepper, a little grated nutmeg, and half a pint of broth; boil ten minutes longer, and serve either alone, or with hard-boiled eggs on it; cut the eggs in two or four pieces.