Soak 1 cup of black beans in cold water several hours. Pour off the water and boil in 1 quart of fresh water until soft enough to rub through a strainer; if it boils away, add more water to cover them. There should be about 1 pint when strained. Add the same quantity of stock or water and put on to boil again. When boiling, add 1 tablespoon of corn-starch in a little cold water and cook 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, a little mustard, juice of 1 lemon, or wine; serve with fried bread cut in little squares and slices of hard boiled egg or lemon.
FISH CHOWDER
(New England)
Four lbs. of fresh cod or haddock, 2 onions, 6 potatoes, ¼ lb. of salt pork, salt, pepper.
Put the onions and potatoes, sliced in layers, in a kettle, then a layer of fish until all is used. Fry the pork, cut in small pieces, brown, take the fat and pour over all. Cover with boiling water and cook 20 minutes. Then mix 2 spoonsful of flour with a cup of cream, stir into the boiling chowder, boil up, and serve.
Clams may be substituted for fish.