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CHAPTER XI: Tomatoes

STEWED TOMATOES Pare two ripe tomatoes, cut in slices, and set over the fire in a small saucepan; cover and let cook while one-fourth a cup of cracker or soft bread crumbs are made ready; add these to the tomatoes with half a teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper. Let cook until the tomatoes are soft; add two tablespoonfuls of butter and mix thoroughly. One-fourth a green or red pepper pod, cut in thin slivers, may be put with the tomatoes when they are set to cook.

STEWED TOMATOES WITH CORN, MEXICAN STYLE 3 tomatoes 1 cup of fresh boiled corn, cut 1 tablespoonful of butter from the cob 1/2 sweet pepper 1 tablespoonful of butter 1/2 teaspoonful of salt Peel the tomatoes and cut in quarters, discarding the seeds. Melt the butter in a frying pan; add the pepper, chopped fine, and let cook without browning. Add the tomato and salt and let cook until very hot throughout, add the corn, the last tablespoonful of butter and more salt if needed. BROILED TOMATOES 2 or 3 firm, ripe tomatoes Butter Salt and pepper Sifted bread crumbs Cut out the hard center around the stem end of the tomatoes, then cut each in two slices. Dip the cut side of the tomatoes in melted butter, dredge lightly with salt and pepper - then press into soft, sifted bread crumbs (taken from center of stale loaf), broil over coals or under a gas burner until soft throughout. In broiling under a gas burner, have the skin side of the tomato down. Dispose on a hot dish; put a bit of butter on the top of each slice and serve at once.

BEETS Young and tender beets are very palatable, they contain a large proportion of sugar, which should be carefully retained during cooking. Scrub and wash with great care, to avoid breaking the skin. If the skin be broken, the juices of the beet will pass into the water and nothing but fiber be left for serving. Old beets or beets that have been slow in growing can rarely be cooked tender. Young beets should cook in three or four hours. When tender drain and cover with cold water; push the skin from the beets with the hands, then cut in slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add bits of butter, here and there. The beets may be chopped rather coarse instead of sliced. PICKLED BEETS Cover the left-over beets sliced for dinner with cold vinegar, cover and set aside. In cool weather pickled beets may be kept two or three days. Figures may be cut from slices of pickled beet and used to decorate cabbage, potato, fish and other salads.

GREEN CORN The principal compound in green corn is sugar, and great pains should be taken to preserve this. If the sugar be lost, the corn is tasteless. Probably there is no vegetable that requires such careful handling as green corn. It should go from the parent stalk to the saucepan or fire. Left husked or unhusked in a hot kitchen an hour or two and the sweetness has departed. BOILED CORN Have the water boiling and salted; put in the ears, from which the husk and silk have been taken, heat quickly to the boiling point and let boil rapidly five minutes. Remove from the saucepan with a fork or skimmer. CREAMED CORN AU GRATIN 2 tablespoonfuls of butter 3/4 cup of milk 2 tablespoonfuls of flour 1 1/2 cups of green corn pulp 1/4 teaspoonful of salt 1/3 cup of cracker crumbs 1/4 teaspoonful of black pepper 2 tablespoonfuls of melted but- or a slice of green or red ter pepper, chopped fine Make a sauce of the butter, flour, salt, pepper and milk; stir in the corn, fresh cut from the cob, and turn into a buttered baking dish. Mix the cracker crumbs with the melted butter and spread over the corn mixture. Let bake until the crumbs are brown. To get the pulp, with a sharp knife cut down through the center of the kernels, lengthwise of the rows, then with the back of the knife scrape out the pulp, or, if the corn be very tender, cut off and reserve the tops of the kernels, then press out the pulp and use both together. GREEN CORN, CREOLE STYLE 2 tablespoonfuls of butter cup of corn pulp 1 slice of onion, chopped fine 1 teaspoonful of fine-chopped 1 slice pepper pod, chopped fine parsley 2 tablespoonfuls of flour 1 or 2 yolks of eggs, when de- 1/2 cup of tomato puree sired 1/2 teaspoonful of salt Melt the butter and in it cook the chopped onion and pepper until softened and yellowed; add the flour, stir until blended, then add the tomato puree and salt; stir until smooth and boiling, then add the corn and parsley; stir until boiling throughout, then serve at once. For a more substantial dish add at the last, the beaten yolks of one or two eggs. Do not boil after the egg is added. If more convenient the flour may be omitted and two tomatoes, peeled and cut in small pieces, may replace the puree.

GREEN CORN CUSTARD 1 egg 1/3 cup of sugar 1 cup of corn pulp (fresh or 1/2 teaspoonful of salt canned) 2 cups of milk 1/2 cup of cracker crumbs Beat the egg and add the other ingredients in the order enumerated. Bake nearly an hour in a very slow oven. Serve hot with butter at luncheon or supper.

GREEN CORN CUSTARD, No. 2 1 1/2 tablespoonfuls of corn meal 1/2 teaspoonful of salt 1/4 cup of cold milk 1 tablespoonful of butter 1 cup of scalded milk 1 cup of corn pulp (generous 1 tablespoonful green pepper measure, canned or fresh) (chopped fine) 1 egg, well beaten Stir the corn meal with the cold milk and cook in the hot milk (over hot water); stir until the mixture thickens, then remove from the fire, add the other ingredients and mix thoroughly and turn into a dish suitable to send to the table.

Set on several folds of paper, in a baking dish, surround with boiling water, and let cook until the center is firm. Serve hot as a vegetable with meat or with bread and butter at luncheon or supper.

CORN FRITTERS 1 egg, beaten light 1/2 cup of pastry flour 1 cup of corn pulp (fresh or 1/2 teaspoonful of baking pow- canned) der 1/2 teaspoonful of salt Salt pork fat or olive oil 1/3 cup of milk or cream To the beaten egg add the corn pulp and milk or cream. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder and mix thoroughly. Fry as griddle cakes in a little salt pork fat or olive oil. Or, have hot fat in a Scotch bowl, dip a tablespoonful in the hot fat, drain carefully, then take up a spoonful of the mixture and with a second spoon push it into the hot fat; fry to an amber color.

CORN CHOWDER 1 slice of fat salt pork 1 1/2 cups of hot milk 1 small onion 3 tablespoonfuls of butter 1 1/2 cups of corn pulp 3/4 teaspoonful of salt 1 cup of sliced potatoes Black pepper Cut the pork in tiny bits and cook the fat from it in a frying pan; add the onion, peeled and cut in very thin slices, and let cook until yellowed. In the meanwhile pour boiling water over the potatoes, heat quickly to the boiling point and let boil three or four minutes, then drain, rinse in cold water and drain again. Pour a cup of boiling water over the onion and pork and let simmer three or four minutes, then strain this water over the potatoes, squeezing out all the juice; then discard the onion and pork. After the potatoes have been boiling five minutes add the corn and let the whole boil till the potatoes are tender, then add the hot milk, salt, pepper and butter. Serve with crackers.

SUCCOTASH 1 cup of stewed beans(prefer- 3 tablespoonfuls of butter ably Lima) 1/4 teaspoonful of pepper 1 1/2 cups of corn pulp 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cream 3/4 teaspoonful of salt Succotash may be made from fresh or dried beans. In both cases the beans should first be cooked until tender, then add the corn pulp and cook about five minutes after boiling begins. Add the butter and seasonings. If there be enough liquid with the beans, the cream may be omitted. Succotash is eaten with a spoon, but it should not be at all sloppy.

DRIED VEGETABLES CONTAINING NITROGEN (PROTEIN) DRIED LIMA BEANS 1/2 cup of dried Lima beans 2 tablespoonfuls of butter Cold water 1/4 teaspoonful of black pepper 1/2 teaspoonful of salt Soak the beans over night in about a quart of cold water. Wash and set to cook in boiling water to cover well; heat to the boiling point, then let simmer (covered) until tender, replenishing the water as needed. When cooked there should be only a little thick liquid in the pan. Add salt about half an hour before the beans are cooked. Cook three or four hours. Add the butter and pepper and shake the pan to distribute through the beans. Cooked Lima beans make excellent salad and soup.