From the 1918 Metropolitan Life Cookbook. "ALL RECIPES IN THIS BOOK CALL FOR FLAT OR LEVEL MEASUREMENTS."

EDITOR’S NOTE: The article is decorated with ads from 1918 McClure’s Magazines.

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

SOUPS

Cream soup, purée, bisque or chowder are heavy soups and contain sufficient nourishment to be the chief articles of food at a meal. Cream soups are made with thickened milk, combined with meat stock, fish stock or vegetable stock and pulp.

Clear soups, such as bouillon and consommé are used as appetizers at the beginning of a heavy meal.

To clarify soup, use 1 egg white to each quart of cold stock. Beat egg slightly, and add to stock. Heat gradually till near the boiling point, stirring all the time. Cook gently for 15 minutes. Remove to back of range and add cup cold water. Let stand a few minutes, then strain through cheesecloth placed over strainer. Heat and add any further seasoning desired.

Water in which vegetables are cooked should be saved. Any left-over vegetables heated in this stock and put through a sieve can be made into a vegetable soup by following the directions given for Cream of Potato Soup.

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

SOUP STOCK

To prepare soup stock follow these directions:
• 1 pound bone
• 1 pound meat
• 1 quart cold water
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1/2 cup carrot
• 1/2 cup turnip
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon sweet herbs
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1 sprig parsley
• 1 piece celery root
• 4 cloves

Cheap cuts of meat, shin, neck, or joints and small scraps of meat, such as the flank end of steak or left-overs and bones of roasts, may be used for soup stock. Cut the meat into small pieces.

For each pound of meat and bone use about 1 pint of water. Put the meat and bone into cold, salted water. Let soak for 1 hour. Then let simmer gently about 3 hours.

During the last hour of cooking add from 1/2 cup to a cup of mixed vegetables for each pound of meat. Mixed herbs and spices may be tied in cheesecloth and added, and left in simmering soup as long as desired.

The froth should be skimmed from stock as it rises, if clear soup is desired. When cooking soup stock in a fireless cooker add the vegetables in the beginning.

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

SCOTCH BROTH

• 3 pounds mutton from the neck
• 2 quarts cold water
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 sliced carrot
• 2 sliced onions
• 4 stalks celery
• 4 tablespoons barley, soaked overnight

Remove the skin and fat from meat that has been wiped with a damp cloth. Cut the meat into small pieces, put into the kettle and add the water.

Heat gradually to boiling point, skim and cook about 2 hours, adding vegetables at the end of the first hour.

Strain, cool and remove any fat. Reheat to boiling point, add barley and cook until the barley is soft.

The meat should not be thrown away, but used in stews, croquettes, or meat cakes. If combined with a little broth, the flavor is restored.

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

SPLIT PEA SOUP

• 1 cup dried split peas
• 3 quarts cold water
• 1/2 onion
• 4-inch cube salt fat pork
• 1 ham-bone
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons fat
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Pick over peas and soak overnight.

Drain; add cold water, pork, ham-bone, or water in which ham has been boiled, and onion. Simmer 3 or 4 hours, or until peas are soft.

Rub through a sieve.

Add the flour mixed with fat to soup. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add seasonings. Thin with milk if necessary.

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

CREAM OF POTATO SOUP

• 4 medium-sized potatoes
• 1/2 medium-sized onion
• 2 tablespoons fat
• 1 quart of milk
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Pare potatoes very thin and cook, in enough water to cover, until soft. Drain off water and save.

Rub potatoes through a sieve. Heat milk, onion and potato water (about 1 cup) in double boiler.

Remove onion and add liquid to potatoes.

Melt fat, mix with flour. Stir into hot soup.

Season and serve hot. Two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley added just before serving adds greatly to the attractiveness of the soup.

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

BLACK BEAN SOUP

• 1 pint black beans
• 2 quarts water
• 1 onion
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 1 hard-boiled egg
• 1 lemon

Wash and soak beans overnight in 2 quarts water.

In the morning add onion sliced and simmer until beans are soft. Add more water if necessary.

Rub through a sieve and reheat; add seasonings and butter and flour rubbed together.

Just before serving add thin slices of lemon and egg.

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

CREAM OF CELERY SOUP

• 3 cups celery, cut in 1 inch pieces
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons fat
• 2 cups milk
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Wash and scrape celery and cut into 1 inch pieces; add water and cook until very soft and tender.

Rub through sieve.

Heat milk in double boiler, and add milk to celery.

Melt fat, add flour and seasoning and mix with soup.

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP

• 1/2 can or 1 pint tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pepper
• 1 quart milk
• 1 slice onion
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup butter

Stew tomato and sugar. Strain, add soda and seasoning.

Scald milk in double boiler with 1 slice onion.

Add flour well blended with butter; cook thoroughly.

Remove onion from milk. Combine mixtures, adding tomato to milk slowly, strain, serve at once in a hot dish.

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

CORN CHOWDER

• Fat salt pork, 1 inch by 3 inches
• 1 sliced onion
• 4 potatoes cut in 1/4 inch slices
• 1 can corn
• 1 quart milk
• 8 crackers
• Salt and pepper

Cut pork into small pieces and try it out in a pan over a slow fire.

Add the sliced onion and cook 5 minutes without burning.

Strain fat into a saucepan.

Add potatoes and 2 cups boiling water to fat and cook until potatoes are soft.

Then add the milk and corn. Heat to boiling point.

Season with salt and pepper.

Moisten crackers in cold milk. Serve crackers on top of chowder.

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

FISH CHOWDER

• 2 cups flaked cod, or fresh cod
• 6 potatoes, cut into cubes
• 1 pint boiling water
• 1 sliced onion
• Salt pork fat, 1 inch by 3 inches
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 quart milk
• 8 soda crackers

Try out fat, add sliced onion and cook to a light brown, without burning.

Strain fat into saucepan.

Add potatoes and boiling water and cook 10 minutes.

Add the fish and simmer 20 minutes.

Add the milk and seasonings.

Heat to boiling point and serve with crackers, split and previously dipped in cold milk.