Rice, Boiled.—Take 1 breakfastcupful Patna rice, pick it free of all foreign matter, wash it in several waters until perfectly clean. Put it, with a saltspoonful salt, into a large saucepan with sufficient water to cover it well. This water may be cold or otherwise, as it does not affect the result. When it is nearly done—which may easily be known by squeezing a grain between the fingers, for if there is just a suspicion of a core it is right—take it off, drain off the water by pushing aside the lid and tilting the pan over. Then at once put the pan under a tap, cover the rice quickly with cold water, drain it off quickly, and repeat the process. Now take the pan containing the drained rice and place it on the hob without any cover, shaking it constantly about to permit the remaining moisture to escape as steam. Care must be taken not to allow the grains adhering to the bottom and sides of the pan to become scorched or shrivelled up. In 3-4 minutes the rice will have become thoroughly cooked by the steam, and each grain separate. There must be no hesitation when you douche the rice with cold water; its object is to wash away all the starch, which clings to the grains and causes them to cohere, and the more water you use the quicker will it be done. The grand secret of boiling rice consists in this washing process. Of course, it cannot be expected that this knack will be learned to any degree of nicety at the first essay; a few patient experiments must, however, finally lead to success, as it is the way in which the greatest rice-eaters of the world—the natives of India—cook it.
Tamarind Fish.—When used as a relish for breakfast, or to eat with a curry, it should be first cleaned of the mixture by scraping with a knife, and then fried, being served very hot.
Italian.—Bracciolette.—Take a piece of fillet of beef, remove all fat and gristle, and mince it finely, mixing with it salt, 1 or 2 cloves (powdered), and a little oil and chopped fat bacon, sweet herbs and parsley to taste. When well amalgamated roll it out, and divide it into small pieces; form each piece into an olive, roll them in liquefied butter, and then in fine breadcrumbs. Just before they are wanted, broil at a good fire, first on one side, then on the other; if done too long they will be spoilt.
Codfish.—Take 3 lb. cod, pick in pieces, remove all bones and skin; take an onion in slices, fry with 2 tablespoonfuls Lucca oil, and 1 oz. butter, add 1 tablespoonful chopped parsley, a little ground cinnamon, mace, and pepper; put in the fish, and stew ½ hour. The same can be done with salted cod after soaking for some hours, in which case do not put salt.
Croccante.-½ lb. finely chopped (and blanched) sweet almonds, ½ lb. loaf sugar, 1 tablespoonful essence of lemon, a piece of butter size of a walnut; boil in a saucepan till it sets (15-20 minutes), turn into a flat shape to set; to be eaten cold.
Galoni.-½ lb. flour, a pinch of salt, 2 eggs beaten, ¼ lb. butter; knead all very thoroughly ¾ hour, roll out very thin, cut in strips or any fancy shapes, fry in boiling lard, place on a hot dish with a napkin, sprinkle with pounded sugar, and serve.
Gniocchi of Semolina.—Take 1 lb. good semolina and 1 pint milk. Put the milk, with an equal quantity of water, on the fire, and before it reaches boiling point sprinkle in the semolina and let it boil, stirring all the time. When sufficiently cooked turn it out on the pasteboard, which has been previously sprinkled with cold water. When cold, cut the paste into pieces the size of a walnut. Put them on a dish, season them well with grated Parmesan, sugar, and cinnamon, add butter; put them in the Dutch oven, and bake 1 hour before serving.
Milanese Stew (Umido).—Take a good-sized piece of beef, and, after well beating and washing it, put it in a basin, cover it with wine, and let it remain for a night. In the morning take out the meat, lard it with strips of bacon, season it with powdered cloves, cinnamon, and salt, lay it in a stewpan with the wine, a faggot of parsley, one of sweet herbs, ½ onion, and a clove of garlic. Boil slowly, with the stewpan closely covered, till the meat is well done.
Minestra.—Cut up 3 or 4 potatoes, add a proportionate quantity of beans (dried ones best), onions, carrots, and celery, sliced, and, if in season, sliced vegetable marrow and pumpkin rind. Boil all these in ¼ saucepan of water till the potatoes are quite soft, adding salt. Then add ¼ lb. rice or maccaroni; boil a little longer, as the rice ought not to be soft, and before taking off the fire add 1 oz. butter (orthodox, a spoonful of fine olive oil), and as much Parmesan cheese; stir a few minutes and serve. In both cases grated cheese may with advantage be added afterwards.