The Myrtle Reed Cook Book

BACON SCRAMBLE

Fry one cupful of shredded bacon until partially cooked, drain off part of the fat, add six or seven well-beaten eggs, and finish cooking, stirring constantly. A little grated onion may be added with the eggs.

CRAB SCRAMBLE

One cupful of cooked shredded crab-meat, six or seven well-beaten eggs. Shredded green peppers may be added at pleasure. The canned crab-meat is nearly as good as the fresh.

SHRIMP SCRAMBLE

One cupful of finely cut cooked shrimps, six or seven well-beaten eggs. Green peppers may be added. Canned shrimps may be used.

KIDNEY SCRAMBLE

One cupful of cold cooked kidneys, cut fine, six or seven well-beaten eggs. Prepare like other scrambles.

SAUSAGE SCRAMBLE

One cupful of cooked sausage-meat, finely minced, mixed with six or seven well-beaten eggs before cooking. Or, use uncooked sausage-meat and prepare like Bacon Scramble.

SARDINE SCRAMBLE

Add the juice of half a lemon to one cupful of finely cut sardines. Use the oil from the can instead of butter. Beat six or seven eggs thoroughly and mix with the sardines before cooking.

TONGUE SCRAMBLE

One cupful finely minced cooked tongue, six or eight well-beaten eggs. Season with grated onion, shredded green pepper, or minced parsley.

EGGS WITH FINE HERBS

Use a heaping tablespoonful of minced parsley, chives, and tarragon to eight well-beaten eggs, mixing before putting into the hot butter.

MEXICAN EGGS

Split three sweet green peppers, lengthwise, and take out the seeds. Fry two minutes in very hot butter. Fry six very thin slices of ham and place on slices of toast, lay the peppers over the ham, and put a fried or a poached egg on each slice.

SPANISH EGGS

Cook together one cupful of stewed and strained tomato, one bean of garlic, finely minced, one chopped onion, and two sweet green peppers, seeded and chopped. Cook gently till reduced one half. Spread on thin slices of toast and lay a fried or poached egg on each slice.

CREAMED CHICKEN AND POACHED EGGS

Make a cream sauce, add one cupful of minced cooked chicken, spread on toast, and lay a poached egg on each slice.

BOILED EGGS – I

Put the eggs into a saucepan of cold water and bring to the boil. Boil one minute and serve at once.

BOILED EGGS – II

Have a saucepan of water at a galloping boil. Drop in the eggs carefully, cover, and let stand till the eggs are cool enough to handle. They will be perfectly cooked and much more easily managed than if the shells were piping hot.

EGGS IN CRUSTS

Cut stale bread into slices an inch thick. Scoop out the centres of each slice and remove the crust. Rub with butter, drop an egg into each cavity, and put in a hot oven till the eggs are set.

EGGS IN RAMEKINS

Butter ramekins or custard cups. Drop an egg into each cup and place in a hot oven till the egg is set. This method of cooking eggs may be endlessly varied by filling the cups half full of minced meat, fish, seasoned crumbs, creamed vegetables, or anything else which combines well with eggs. Anything used in a scramble or an omelet may be placed in the bottom of the ramekin. If too dry, moisten with cream, milk, or water. The egg may be sprinkled with crumbs and dotted with butter. Grated cheese and minced parsley may be added at pleasure. A “left-over” which is otherwise hopeless may often be used advantageously in a ramekin with an egg. The small individual dishes are pleasing, when served on a fresh doily. Lacking the individual dishes, or for variety, a stoneware platter, or a baking-dish may be half filled with the mixture and the eggs broken on top.

BAKED EGGS WITH CHEESE

Make toast and hollow the slices slightly in the centre. Mix grated cheese to a paste with milk and spread over the toast. Arrange on a stoneware platter or in a baking-dish, break an egg over each slice, sprinkle with more cheese, and place in a hot oven till the eggs are set.

BAKED EGGS WITH HAM

Make the cream sauce and add to it one cupful of cold cooked ham, finely minced. Butter custard cups, break an egg into each, and stand in a pan of hot water in the oven till the eggs are firm. Spread the minced ham on a platter or on slices of toast, and turn the eggs on to it. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and minced parsley.

CODDLED EGGS

Allow four tablespoonfuls of milk for each egg. Beat together thoroughly, cook in a double boiler till creamy, and serve on toast.

EGGS AND MUSHROOMS(May Irwin’s Recipe)

One pound of fresh mushrooms cleaned well in several waters, and wiped dry. Put into a saucepan with two ounces of butter, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a dash of white pepper. Set over the fire till thoroughly hot, then turn into a shallow baking-dish, and break over them six eggs. Sprinkle with stale bread crumbs, dot with butter, dust with salt and pepper, and bake in a hot oven till the eggs are set. Serve on buttered toast.

EGGS IN AMBUSH

Scoop out the crumb from stale rolls, first cutting an even slice off the top. Toast or fry the shells thus made, or rub freely with butter and set into a piping hot oven until crisp and brown. Drop a fresh egg into each shell, add a little minced parsley or a teaspoonful of cream, if desired, or any preferred seasoning of minced fish, or meat, or vegetable. (See Eggs in Ramekins.) Bake in a hot oven till the eggs set, put on the covers, and serve. A pleasant surprise for the person who expects to find only a roll.

EGGS À LA MAÎTRE D’HÔTEL

Make a sauce of half a cupful of melted butter, the juice of half a lemon, and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. Cut hard-boiled eggs in slices lengthwise, arrange on buttered toast, and pour the sauce over the eggs, or, pour over poached eggs on toast just before serving.

POACHED EGGS ON ANCHOVY TOAST

Work a teaspoonful of anchovy paste, or more, if desired, into half a cupful of butter. Spread on thin slices of crisp toast and lay a poached egg on each slice.

EGGS SUR LE PLAT

Beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth, spread on a buttered platter, and make hollows in the froth with a spoon. In these hollows drop carefully the unbroken yolks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in a hot oven until the eggs are set.

BIRDS’ NESTS

Use recipe for Eggs sur le Plat. Arrange in ramekins or on slices of toast.

EGGS BAKED IN TOMATOES

Cut off a slice from the top (blossom end), of a small, ripe, well-shaped tomato. With a silver spoon scoop out the pulp carefully, sprinkle the inside with salt and drain for a few moments, upside down. Put a tablespoonful of seasoned bread crumbs in the bottom of the tomato, break a fresh egg into it, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place in a hot oven until the egg is set. Prepare one tomato for each person.

SWISS EGGS

Rub a stoneware platter thickly with butter, cover it with very thin slices of fresh Gruyère cheese, break fresh eggs upon the cheese, sprinkle with grated nutmeg, pepper, and salt, pour half a cupful of cream over the eggs, sprinkle with the cheese, grated, and bake about a quarter of an hour in a hot oven. Serve on the same platter on which the eggs were baked.

CHICKEN SCRAMBLE

Use one cupful of cold cooked chicken, shredded or chopped, to seven well-beaten eggs, and prepare like other scrambles. A bit of green pepper or of chopped pimento is an agreeable addition.

EGGS À LA BONNE FEMME

Fry two sliced onions brown in butter, then add a tablespoonful of vinegar. Butter a platter, spread the fried onions over it, break upon it six fresh eggs, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake in a hot oven until the eggs are set.

EGGS À LA BOURGEOISE

Cut slices of bread half an inch thick and trim off the crust, lay on a buttered platter, and sprinkle with grated cheese. Beat eggs enough to cover the bread, season with salt and pepper and grated nutmeg, pour over the bread and bake in a moderate oven until the eggs are set.

EGGS À LA ST. CATHERINE

Select smooth, shapely potatoes and bake until soft. Cut in halves lengthwise and scoop out a part of the pulp. Break an egg into each half, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add a teaspoonful of cream to each egg and bake in a moderate oven until the eggs are set. In the meantime, beat the white of an egg to a stiff froth, and work gradually into it the potato pulp which has been scooped out. Heap roughly over the baked eggs and keep in the oven till well puffed and brown. A little grated cheese or minced parsley may be sprinkled over the top.

EGGS IN PEPPERS

Cut a thin slice from the stem end of a green pepper and take out the seeds. Cut a slice from the smaller end, so that the pepper may stand straight, and put on a slice of buttered toast. Make a small hollow in the toast under the pepper and break an egg into each one. Bake until the eggs are set.

EGGS POACHED IN MILK

Butter a frying-pan, add a pint of milk, and bring the milk to a boil. Slip in fresh eggs, one at a time, and poach as usual. Skim out, season with salt and pepper, and put each egg on a slice of buttered toast. Pour the milk over and serve immediately.

EGGS À LA WASHINGTON

Lay a slice of fresh fried tomato on each slice of buttered toast. On each slice of tomato arrange some shredded sweet pepper, fried. Lay a poached egg on each slice, and sprinkle with parsley and sweet pepper minced together.

PIMENTO SCRAMBLE

Use the scarlet pimentos which come in cans. Chop rather coarsely and use half a cupful to each four eggs. Prepare like other scrambles.

EGGS À LA ESPAGNOLE

Make a cream sauce and add to it half a cupful of shredded pimentos. Spread over buttered toast and put a poached egg on each slice.

CODFISH SCRAMBLE

Use one cupful of shredded salt cod which has been freshened, and seven well-beaten eggs. Salt Mackerel, Finnan Haddie, Smoked Salmon, or other salt fish may be used. Clams, Caviare, Herring, Sturgeon, and many other left-overs are also acceptable.

STEAMED EGGS

Break fresh eggs into buttered custard cups and steam until set.

BAKED EGGS ON RASHERS OF BACON

Have ready some thin slices of bacon fried until transparent, but not crisp. Lay two strips of bacon on each slice of toast, arrange in a baking-pan, break an egg over each slice of toast, and bake until the egg is set.

SCRAMBLED EGGS IN CUPS

Prepare stale rolls as for Eggs in Ambush, but bake the buttered rolls until crisp and brown. Fill with scrambled eggs and serve immediately.

RICE SCRAMBLE

Use a cupful of cold cooked rice and eight well-beaten eggs and proceed as for other scrambles. A little milk or water may be necessary.

SURPRISE EGGS

Boil fresh eggs four minutes, skim out, plunge into cold water for an instant, then remove the shells. Dip each egg into egg and crumbs, then fry in deep fat.

JAPANESE EGGS

Spread hot boiled rice on a platter, season with melted butter, lemon-juice, and minced parsley. Poach six eggs and arrange them on the rice.

RUMBLED EGGS

Beat three fresh eggs with two tablespoonfuls of butter, and add a teaspoonful of milk. Stir over a moderate fire until it puffs up, then serve at once on buttered toast.

EGGS À LA WALDORF

Beat six eggs with half a cupful of cream, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a sprinkle of pepper. Cut two large mushrooms into dice and fry one minute in two tablespoonfuls of butter. Pour the egg mixture over the mushrooms and stir rapidly until it begins to thicken, then take from the fire and beat until smooth and creamy. Serve at once on buttered toast.

WHIPPED EGGS

Beat six eggs separately, the whites to a stiff froth. Mix thoroughly, season with salt and pepper, and pour into two quarts of salted water at a galloping boil. Stir one minute, then drain through a fine sieve. Serve on buttered toast and garnish with crisp rashers of bacon.

ESCALLOPED EGGS

Make the cream sauce. Have ready eight hard-boiled eggs and some dried bread crumbs. Butter ramekins, put in a layer of crumbs, then sliced eggs, then butter in tiny dots, then sauce, and so on, until the dish is full, having crumbs and butter on top. A little grated cheese may be sprinkled over the top. If too dry, moisten with a little milk or cream. Bake until brown.

POACHED EGGS WITH CREAMED SALMON

Make a cream sauce and reheat in it either canned salmon, or a cupful of salt or smoked salmon. Spread on buttered toast and lay a poached egg on each slice. Sprinkle with minced parsley and garnish with lemon quarters.

EGGS À LA MARTIN

Boil six eggs four minutes, plunge into cold water, then remove the shells. Arrange in a baking-dish, or in ramekins, cover with cream sauce, sprinkle with bread crumbs and a little grated cheese, dot with butter, and bake until brown.

OMELETS

“To make an omelet, you must first break eggs.” —

French Proverb.

So many different methods for making omelets are given, in works of recognized authority, that it seems as if any one who had an egg and an omelet pan could hardly go amiss. Yet failures are frequent, as every omelet-maker knows.

French writers say positively that no liquid of any sort must be added to an omelet – that it contains eggs and eggs alone, beaten just enough to break the yolks. American authorities add milk or water, or beat the eggs separately, the whites to a stiff froth. One of them makes a clear distinction between an omelet and a puffy omelet; the puffy omelet, of course, being made by folding in the stiffly beaten whites before cooking. Some say milk makes it tough, and others say water makes it stringy. Suffice it to say, however, that a perfect omelet is a matter of experience and a deft hand. All writers agree that small omelets are more easily made than large ones, and it is better to do it twice or even three times than to have too many eggs in one omelet. Below are given the various methods, from which the would-be omelet-maker may choose. All of them have the stamp of good authority.

OMELET – I

Beat six eggs well, yolks and whites together. Put two tablespoonfuls of butter into a frying-pan. When it is hot, pour in the beaten eggs, which have been seasoned with salt and pepper. With a fork, draw the cooked egg from the outside of the pan to the centre. As soon as it is all thick, lift half of the omelet on to a plate, and turn the other half over it. It should be turned while the centre is still soft, and the fire should not be too hot.

OMELET – II

Break the eggs into a bowl, add as many tablespoonfuls of cold water as there are eggs. Beat the eggs well, then season with salt and pepper, and pour into a thin, smooth frying-pan which contains a tablespoonful of melted butter. With a thin knife lift the cooked portion of the egg and allow the uncooked portion to run down into the butter, meanwhile gently rocking the pan back and forth. When creamy, begin at the side of the pan nearest the handle and roll the omelet, using a little butter if needed.

OMELET – III

Prepare as above, using milk instead of water.

OMELET – IV

Separate the whites and yolks of the eggs. Beat the yolks till thick and lemon colored and the whites until they stand alone. Fold together carefully, seasoning with salt and pepper, and adding a tablespoonful of cold water for each egg. Have two tablespoonfuls of butter in the frying-pan. When it is hot, pour in the egg mixture and let stand until the egg is set around the edge and a knife plunged into the centre comes out nearly clean. Then set the pan into the oven till the omelet puffs. Score slightly across the middle with a sharp knife, fold, and serve at once on a hot platter.

OMELET AUX FINES HERBES

Prepare Omelet I, and mix a tablespoonful of chopped parsley and chives with the eggs before cooking.

PEA OMELET

Prepare Omelet I. As soon as the eggs are in the frying-pan, add a cupful of cooked and drained peas, arranging carefully in the outermost half so that the other portion will fold over it. Finish as usual.

OMELET WITH ASPARAGUS TIPS

Have ready one cupful of cooked and drained asparagus tips. Prepare according to directions given for Pea Omelet.

MUSHROOM OMELET

Use fresh mushrooms, if possible. Fry, and drain on brown paper. When the eggs are in the frying-pan, spread the mushrooms on the outermost half of the omelet, so that the other portion will fold over it. Finish as usual.

OMELET WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Spread the outermost half of an omelet with tomato sauce, fold, and finish as usual.

OMELET AU FROMAGE

Prepare Omelet I, adding half a cupful of grated Parmesan cheese, or dried and grated American cheese, to the egg mixture.

HAM OMELET

Have ready one cupful of cooked ham, very finely minced. Spread on half of the omelet and fold the other part over it.

OYSTER OMELET

One cupful of cooked oysters, minced or not, as preferred. Lay on half of the omelet and fold.

CLAM OMELET

See Oyster Omelet.

SHRIMP OMELET

One cupful of cooked and shredded shrimps. See Oyster Omelet

CRAB OMELET

One cupful of minced cooked crab meat. See Oyster Omelet.

LOBSTER OMELET

One cupful of cooked and shredded lobster. See Oyster Omelet.

TOMATO OMELET

One half cupful of stewed and strained tomatoes, or of fresh tomatoes peeled and rubbed through a sieve. Spread on the outermost half of the omelet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and fold.

DRIED BEEF OMELET

One cupful of dried beef, shredded or minced. Cook five minutes in boiling water, drain in a cloth, spread on the outermost half of the omelet, and fold.

KIDNEY OMELET

Cut the kidneys into inch pieces, fry, drain, and finish as for Mushroom Omelet.

CHICKEN LIVER OMELET

One cupful of cooked chicken livers, cut in small pieces. See Oyster Omelet.

SAUSAGE OMELET

Spread the outer portion of an omelet with cooked sausage meat and fold as usual.

SARDINE OMELET

Rub to a paste with melted butter and lemon-juice enough sardines to make half a cupful. Spread thinly on the outer half of an omelet, and fold.

CHEESE OMELET II

Spread one cupful of grated cheese, Swiss, American, or Parmesan, on the outer portion of an omelet when the eggs are first put in the pan. Cook and fold as usual.

BLAZING OMELET

Make a plain omelet. Pour over it rum, kirsch, or brandy, ignite, and send to the table blazing. Serve as soon as the fire has gone out.

BACON OMELET

Cook a plain omelet in bacon fat instead of in butter and garnish with crisp rashers of bacon.

BACON OMELET II

Fry one cupful of minced bacon until crisp, drain off the fat, spread the bacon on half the omelet, and fold.

BREAD OMELET

Soak half a cupful of bread crumbs in half a cupful of milk and mix with the eggs before cooking.

OMELET À LA CRÊME

Make the cream sauce. Mix half a cupful of it with the omelet before cooking. Spread the rest of it on the outermost half of the omelet, finish, and fold as usual.

JELLY OMELET

Spread half of an omelet thinly with jelly – crabapple, currant, gooseberry, or quince, and fold.

SPANISH OMELET

Cook until thick one half can of tomatoes, one grated onion, one very finely minced bean of garlic, and one minced green pepper. Season with salt and paprika, spread on half the omelet, and fold.

TONGUE OMELET

Have ready a cupful of cold cooked tongue, minced or shredded. Spread on half the omelet, and fold.

CHICKEN OMELET

One cupful of cold cooked chicken, shredded or minced. Spread on half of the omelet, and fold.

CAULIFLOWER OMELET

One cupful of cold cooked cauliflower, with its sauce. Cut fine, spread on half the omelet, and fold.

ANCHOVY OMELET

Add a teaspoonful of anchovy paste to half a cupful of melted butter. Mix thoroughly, spread on half the omelet, and fold.

POTATO OMELET

One cupful of cooked potatoes, creamed or fried, cut in dice. Spread on half the omelet, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and minced parsley, and fold.

Almost any left-over can be advantageously used in an omelet. Fish, especially salt fish, meats, and vegetables, in quantities of half a cupful or more, preserved and fresh fruits, cereals – everything but soups, salads, and puddings. Roughly speaking, any omelet mixture can be added to the eggs before cooking, but as a general rule, it is better to spread it on half of the omelet and fold the other half over it, as otherwise the omelet is more likely to be heavy.

Sweet omelets are delicious. A teaspoonful of powdered sugar should be added to the eggs before cooking, and the fruit, jam, jelly, or preserves should be very thinly spread, as flavor is desired, not a dessert. Fresh fruits are cut fine and sprinkled with powdered sugar, spread on half the omelet, and the other half folded over. In the case of juicy fruits, such as oranges, the juice of the fruit is carefully saved and poured over the folded omelet just before serving.

Among the fresh fruits suitable for omelets are Apricots, Bananas, Blackberries, Cherries, Gooseberries, Grapefruit, Plums, Huckleberries, Oranges, Pineapples, Peaches, Raspberries, and Strawberries – all crushed very fine and sweetened; the juice, if any, being poured over the omelet.

Among the stewed and preserved fruits are Apples, Apricots, Cherries, Currants, Figs, Gooseberries, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Quinces, Rhubarb, and the various fruit jams. Rum or brandy poured over the omelet and set on fire just before serving is a pleasant addition to many of the fruit omelets, Fig especially.

QUICK BREADS

People who can eat hot breads for breakfast are always sorry for those who cannot. Quite often the internal dissension ascribed to the hot bread is due to something else, or to an undesirable combination of food elements in one and the same meal. Besides, hot bread is so good that it is sometimes eaten too quickly. This hint is of medical origin and is worth consideration. Almost any hot bread will be found harmless when baked a second time.

BAKING POWDER BISCUIT

Four cupfuls of sifted flour, shortening the size of an egg, – equal parts of butter and lard preferred, – two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Mix thoroughly, rubbing with the finger-tips till the flour is granular, like corn-meal. Add cold sweet milk to make a dough as soft as can be handled, roll out an inch thick, cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter, and bake in a hot oven. The dough must be handled as little as possible after putting in the milk.

QUICK BISCUIT

Two cupfuls of buttermilk, or of sour milk, a teaspoonful of baking soda, a tablespoonful of melted butter or lard, and flour to make a soft dough. Handle as little as possible, roll out, cut into circles with a biscuit cutter, and bake in a quick oven.

BUTTERMILK BISCUIT

Sift four cupfuls of flour, add a tablespoonful of melted lard, a pinch of salt, a teaspoonful of soda, and enough buttermilk to make a soft dough. Roll thin, handling as little as possible, cut into rounds, and bake in a quick oven.

EGG BISCUIT

Sift three cupfuls of flour, add a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of sugar, two eggs well beaten, a tablespoonful of melted lard, and a cupful of sweet milk to which has been added half a teaspoonful each of soda and cream of tartar. Work to a smooth dough, roll out half an inch thick, cut into circles with a biscuit cutter, and bake on buttered pans.

SOUR MILK BISCUIT

Four cupfuls of flour, one teaspoonful of soda, one teaspoonful of salt, one tablespoonful of butter or lard, and two cupfuls of sour milk. Or, leave out the butter and use sour cream. Mix the salt and soda with the flour and sift it. Rub in the shortening, mix with the milk, roll the dough half an inch thick, and cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter. Bake from twelve to fifteen minutes in a quick oven.

NEW YORK BISCUIT

Two eggs well beaten, one cupful of milk, one tablespoonful of melted lard, a pinch of salt, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder and four cupfuls of sifted flour. Roll out, cut into circles, and bake in a hot oven.

SOUTHERN BATTER BREAD

Half a cupful of cold boiled rice, two eggs beaten separately, two cupfuls of corn-meal, one tablespoonful of lard or butter, melted, a teaspoonful of salt, and two cupfuls of milk. Beat together till thoroughly mixed and bake quickly in buttered muffin-rings or in shallow baking-tins.

SPOON BREAD

Pour one cupful of boiling water over one cupful of white corn-meal. Add a pinch of salt, one cupful of cold boiled rice, three eggs, well beaten, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, and a cupful and a half of milk. Mix thoroughly and pour two inches deep into a buttered earthen baking-dish and bake till done. It should be like a baked custard and is served from the dish with a spoon. Cereals other than rice may be used, especially cerealine.