sprinkle in the sago and cook gently for 20 minutes, or until the sago is transparent. Add the milk, a good pinch of sugar, salt and pepper to taste, and continue to simmer a few minutes longer. Beat the yolks of the eggs and the cream together, add these to the soup, and stir until it thickens, but it must not be allowed to boil or the eggs will curdle. Remove the bay-leaf, and serve.
Time.—40 minutes. Average Cost, 10d. to 1s. without the stock. Seasonable at any time. Sufficient for 8 persons.
Note.—This Soup, the principal ingredients of which are sago and eggs, has always been considered very beneficial to the chest and throat. In various quantities and in different preparations, sago and eggs have been partaken of by many famous singers, including the celebrated "Swedish Nightingale," Jenny Lind, with considerable benefit to the voice in singing.
Sago (Fr.: Sagou).—A farinaceous food obtained from the cellular starchy pith of several species of a genus of palms, especially Sagus Laevis and Sagus Rumphii, the latter yielding the finest kind of sago. Both of these species are natives of the Malay Archipelago. The Malay word sagu means "bread," from the circumstance that sago forms the chief farinaceous diet of the Malays. To procure sago the trees, which grow to a height of about thirty feet, with a diameter of about one and a half feet, are felled, with their flowering spike forms. From the stems, which are cut into convenient sections, the pith is extracted, and beaten in receptacles of cold water to separate the starch granules from the woody filaments with which they are associated. After washing and straining, the meal is dried. For exportation the moist sago is dried and rubbed to smaller granular pellets, and according to the size of these is designated "pearl," "medium," or "bullet" sago. An imitation is made from potato starch, but is easily detected by the microscope. A common variety of sago is made in India and Ceylon from various palm-trees. Sago, from its ready solubility, is easy of digestion, and is a valuable light, nutritious, farinaceous food. It is largely used in the preparation of soluble cocoas.
86.—SHIN OF BEEF SOUP. (Fr.—Potage de Bœuf.)
Ingredients.—2 lb. of shin of beef, 3 quarts of water, 2 ozs. of butter or dripping, 1 oz. of flour, 1 onion sliced, 1 carrot sliced, ¼ of a turnip sliced, a bouquet-garni (parsley, thyme, bay-leaf), 6 peppercorns, salt.
Method.—Heat the butter in a saucepan, put in the prepared onion, carrot and turnip, and fry them brown. Add the water, the meat cut into small pieces, the bouquet-garni, peppercorns, and a little salt, and simmer gently for 3 or 4 hours. Strain, skim well, re-heat, and stir in the flour previously mixed with a little cold water. Boil gently for 5 or 6 minutes, then serve garnished with a little cooked vegetable, macaroni, or other farinaceous substance.
Time.—From 3½ to 4½ hours. Average Cost, 1s. 3d. to 1s. 5d. Sufficient for 8 persons. Seasonable at any time.
87.—SOUP WITHOUT MEAT. (Fr.—Soupe Maigre.)
Ingredients.—2½ quarts of boiling water, 4 ozs. of butter, 2 onions cut into dice, 1 head of celery cut into dice, 2 lettuces shredded, 2 handfuls of spinach, 2 or 3 sprigs of parsley, 2 or 3 teaspoonfuls of vinegar, the yolks of 2 eggs, salt and pepper.
