e ready the
boiled green tops of the asparagus, and add them to the soup.

[BOOKS AND THOUGHT;--THEY SHOULD NOT SUPERSEDE IT.]

1215. Carrot Soup.

Scrape and wash half a dozen large carrots; peel off the red outside
(which is the only part used for this soup); put it into a gallon
stewpan, with one head of celery, and an onion cut into thin pieces;
take two quarts of beef, veal, or mutton broth, or liquor in which
mutton or beef has been boiled, as the foundation for this soup. Stock
that is equally good may be made by boiling down some cold roast
mutton or beef bones. When you have put the broth to the roots, cover
the stewpan close, and set it on a slow stove for two hours and a
half, when the carrots will be soft enough. At this stage some cooks
put in a teacupful of bread-crumbs. Next boil the soup for two or
three minutes; rub it through a tammy or hair sieve, with a wooden
spoon, and add as much broth as will make it a proper thickness,
_i.e._, almost as thick as pea soup; put it into a clean stewpan, make
it hot and serve.

1216. Cock-a-Leekie.

Boil from four to six pounds of good shin of beef well broken, until
the liquor is very good. Strain it and add a good-sized fowl, with two
or three leeks cut in pieces about an inch long, put in pepper and
salt to taste, boil slowly about an hour, then put in as many more
leeks, and give it three-quarters of an hour longer. A somewhat
similar soup may be made of good beef stock, and leeks cut up and put
in without a fowl, though this cannot be called Cock-a-Leekie with
propriety.

1217. Mince Meat.

Take seven pounds of currants well picked and cleaned; of finely
chopped beef suet, and finely chopped apples (Kentish or golden
pippins), each three and a half; pounds; citron, lemon peel, and
orange peel cut small, each half a pound; fine moist sugar, two
pounds; mixed spice, an ounce; the rind of four lemons and four
Seville oranges; mix well, and put in a deep pan. Mix a bottle of
brandy, another of white wine, and the juice of the lemons and oranges
that have been grated, together in a basin; pour half over and press
down tight with the hand, then add the other half and cover closely.
This may be made one year so as to be used the next.

1218. Minced Collops.

Two pounds of good rump steak, chopped very fine; six good-sized
onions, also chopped small; put bo