White Beans, Thickened Maitre d'Hotel and Bretonne

Put a pound of dry white beans to soak in cold water for six hours; place them in a saucepan and cover to three times above their height with cold water; set this on the fire and withdraw the saucepan to the side of the range at the first boil; add to it two ounces of butter, let cook, and when they crush easily under the pressure of the finger drain and transfer to another saucepan; season with salt, prepared red pepper (No. 168) and nutmeg; add a little thickened maitre d'hotel butter and chopped parsley.

Bretonne.—Add chopped onions, cooked colorless in butter, to the above, and instead of the maitre d'hotel butter substitute espagnole sauce (No. 414), finishing with chopped parsley.