of flour, 1 tablespoonful of very finely-minced ham, 1 oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, milk.
Method.—Cut up the nice green tender parts of asparagus, about the size of peas, put them into a basin with the eggs, which should be well beaten, and the flour, ham, butter, pepper and salt. Mix all these ingredients well together, and moisten with sufficient milk to make the pudding of a consistency of thick butter. Put it into a pint buttered mould, tie it down tightly with a floured cloth, place it in boiling water, and let it boil for 2 hours. Turn it out of the mould on to a hot dish, and pour plain melted butter round, but not over the pudding.
Time.—2 hours. Average Cost, about 3s. 6d. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. Seasonable from April to July.
1450.—ASPARAGUS ROLLS. (Fr.—Petits Pains aux Asperges.)
Ingredients.—50 heads of asparagus, 6 small French rolls, ½ a pint of milk, 1 oz. of butter, 1 oz. of flour, the yolks of 2 eggs, salt and pepper.
Method.—Remove the crust from the bottom of each roll, scoop out the inside, and, if convenient, fry them in hot fat, if not, crisp them in the oven. Boil the asparagus in the usual way, then cut off the points and keep them hot, and rub the stalks through a fine sieve. Heat the butter in a stewpan, stir in the flour, and cook slightly, then add the milk, and stir until boiling. Put in the purée of asparagus and yolks of eggs, season with salt and pepper, and stir by the side of the fire until the mixture thickens, but it must not be allowed to boil or the eggs may curdle. Fill the rolls, piling the preparation rather high, garnish the top of each one with asparagus points, and serve as a vegetable entremet, luncheon dish, or vegetarian entrée.
Time.—About 40 minutes. Average Cost, from 3s. to 4s. Seasonable from April to July.
1451.—BEANS, FRENCH, BOILED. (Fr.—Haricots Verts au Natural.)
Ingredients.—French beans, salt.
Method.—Cut off the heads, tails, and a thin strip on each side of the beans, so as to remove the string. Cut the beans in a slanting direction into slips, and, as they are cut, drop them into cold water. Have ready a saucepan of boiling water, add 1 heaped teaspoonful of salt to each quart of water, and a small piece of soda if the beans are old. Put in the beans, keep the saucepan uncovered, and boil briskly from 15 to 25 minutes, according to age. Drain well, sprinkle with pepper, then serve.
