In fruits we have imported apples and pears, oranges—getting to their best—lemons, citrons, and all dried fruits.
This month, by the way, is the time for making our yearly supply of orange marmalade; if we delay any longer the true Seville oranges will be gone, although bitter oranges are procurable up to April. After we have studied our menu we will consider the subject of marmalade making, for that toothsome sweet has now become one of our necessities of life.
Purée of Haricot Beans. Fried Smelts. Boiled Beef, with a “Plat de Carottes.” Roast Ptarmigan. Bread Sauce. Apple Fritters. Cheese. Biscuits. Coffee.
_Purée of Haricot Beans._—A pint of beans will make a large quantity, say two quarts, of soup, therefore half-a-pint would suffice for one dish of soup for an ordinary family. These beans should always be soaked overnight in cold water; they will dissolve so much more readily. Place them in a stewpan with rather more than sufficient water to cover them, let them simmer for three hours, then rub through a tamis. While the rubbing goes on, cook a finely-minced onion in a little butter, add the bean purée to this, some salt and pepper, and then sufficient hot milk and water to make up the requisite quantity. This might simmer a while longer, and then just before serving a spoonful of cornflour wet with a little milk should be stirred in, and all brought up to the boiling point once more.
_Smelts_ should be wiped with a clean cloth, coated with beaten egg, rolled in bread raspings, and fried in butter. Serve fresh lemon cut in slices and thin brown bread and butter with them.
A dish of carrots for eating with boiled beef is nice done in the Flemish mode:
Pare the carrots and cut them in strips lengthwise, and then cut them up precisely as you would kidney beans; put them in a stewpan with well-fitting lid, add to them a good spoonful of beef dripping and a little pepper and salt. Cover closely and let them cook in their own steam for an hour or more, seeing that they do not catch on the bottom. Pour the fat off and add a few drops of vinegar just before dishing up.
_Ptarmigan_ are rather dry birds and they require a thin piece of bacon wrapping round them before roasting, also to be frequently basted. Let them do rather quickly, so as to be nicely browned, but they will take rather less than an hour. Serve good gravy and bread sauce with them.