Method.—Pour the boiling water or milk over the Indian corn meal, add the salt, and stir well. Let it remain covered until lukewarm, then add the buckwheat flour, the white flour, and the yeast, and beat well. Cover with a cloth, and let the preparation stand all night, and in the morning repeat the beating. When the batter has risen again, add the soda dissolved in a little warm water, beat well again, and at once bake on a griddle.
Time.—To bake, about 10 minutes. Average Cost, 7d. Sufficient for 1¼ lbs. of cakes. Seasonable at any time.
3879.—CANNED CORN.
Ingredients.—1 can of corn, 1 oz. of butter, ½ a pint of milk, 1 teaspoonful of milk, 1 teaspoonful of sugar, 1 teaspoonful of salt, 1 saltspoonful of pepper.
Method.—Simmer the corn, milk, sugar and seasoning together for 20 minutes, then stir in the butter and serve.
Time.—About 20 minutes. Average Cost, 1s. 2d. Sufficient for 2 or 3 persons. Seasonable at any time.
Note.—For other recipes see Nos. 1492–1497.
3880.—CHICKEN SOUP AND GREEN CORN.
Ingredients.—1 chicken or small fowl, 1 dozen ears of green corn, ¼ of a lb. of rice, ½ a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, salt and pepper.
Method.—Cut the chicken or fowl into neat joints, put these into a stewpan with just as much cold water as will completely cover them, and add the corn, which must be previously removed from the cob. Season with a little salt and pepper, cover closely, and simmer gently for about 1 hour, adding more water from time to time so as to keep the whole barely covered. When ready, strain, return the stock and corn to the stewpan, bring to the boil, put in the rice, and cook gently for 20 minutes. Cut the meat from the bones and then into dice, add it with the parsley and necessary seasoning to the contents of the stewpan, make thoroughly hot, and serve.
'Time.—About 1½ hours. Average Cost, 4s. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. Seasonable from July to September.
Maize or Indian Corn grows plentifully and extensively in America. Asia and Africa; it is also largely cultivated in the south of Germany. Until recent years, this plant with its tall stem, and flag-like foliage and silvery fringe, was grown in this country almost solely for decorative purposes, but the cobs themselves were not made use of in England until some market gardeners discovered the edible value of the cob, that is, the head of the maize plant. These, when ripe, may be eaten in the green state, and possess a very delicate flavour, which becomes more developed when cooked.
Corn on the cob is the American name given to the head of the maize plant. It is sweeter and better flavoured if cooked without disturbing the husk, but as the removal of the silk and husk is attended with some difficulty after cooking, it has become the custom to strip down the husk, remove the silk, tie the end tightly, and so cook it in seasoned milk and water, in equal quantities. It takes from 15 to 20 minutes to boil. If preferred, the corn may be cooked in salted water. It is served in the husks, and sent to table with melted butter sauce, or oiled butter.
