The French name for the above is riz au lait.
With Okra.—Okra or gumbo is little known here; yet it is good in pickles, used like cucumbers. It is much used for soup in the Southern States and in the West Indies.
When green and tender, cut it very fine, cook it in broth, add a few tomatoes or tomato-sauce, according to taste; season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. When the tomatoes are cooked, serve warm.
If dry, make a potage like that of tapioca, to which you add a little tomato-sauce and pepper.
With Onions.—Put two ounces of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add a tablespoonful of flour, stir, and when turning rather yellow add also four or five onions sliced, stir till fried, when you add broth to taste (about one quart); boil gently about fifteen minutes; mash through a colander, put back on the fire; give one boil, salt and pepper to taste; turn into the soup-dish, in which you have some croutons, and serve.
More or less onions may be used, according to taste.
Ox-Tail.—Chop the ox-tail in pieces about one inch long, set them on the fire, with about one ounce of butter, stir till it turns rather brown, and turn the fat off. Then add broth to taste, boil slowly till the pieces of tail are well done; add salt, pepper, and when handy add also three or four tomatoes whole; boil gently about fifteen minutes longer, turn into the soup-dish, and serve meat and all.
Some add wine and liquor, the same as to the mock-turtle soup, but this is according to taste. The soup is excellent served without wine or liquor.
When no tomatoes are used, it is not necessary to boil fifteen minutes longer, serve as soon as done.
Simple.—Use water instead of broth; season with carrot, turnip, parsley, leek, onions, cloves, salt, and pepper. Serve as the above.