LETTUCES, STEWED.—­As lettuces shrink very much when boiled, allowance must be made, and several heads used.  This is also a very good way of utilising the large old-fashioned English lettuce resembling in shape a gingham umbrella.  They should be first boiled till tender.  The time depends entirely upon the size.  Drain them off, and thoroughly extract the moisture; put them into a stew-pan, with a little butter, pepper, salt, and nutmeg.  Let them stew some little time, and add a little vinegar, or, still better, lemon-juice.

LETTUCES STEWED WITH PEAS.—­A border of stewed lettuces can be made as above, and the centre filled up with some fresh-boiled young green peas.

ONIONS, PLAIN BOILED.—­When onions are served as a dish by themselves, Spanish onions are far best for the purpose.  Ordinary onions, as a rule, are too strong to be eaten, except as an accompaniment to some other kind of food.  When onions are plain boiled, they are best served on dry toast without any sauce at all.  Butter can be added when eaten on the plate if liked.  Large Spanish onions will require about three hours to boil tender.

ONIONS, BAKED.—­Spanish onions can be baked in the oven.  They are best placed in saucers, with a very little butter to prevent them sticking, with which they can also be basted occasionally.  Probable time about three hours.  They should be of a nice brown colour at the finish.

ONIONS, STEWED.—­Place a large Spanish onion in a saucer at the bottom of the saucepan, and put sufficient water in the saucepan to reach the edge of the saucer; keep the lid of the saucepan on tight, and let it steam till tender.  A large onion would take about three hours.  The water from the onion will prevent the necessity of adding fresh water from time to time.

PARSNIPS.—­Like young carrots, young parsnips are often met with abroad as a course by themselves.  They should be trimmed and boiled whole, and served with white sauce, Allemande sauce, or Dutch sauce; a little chopped blanched parsley should be sprinkled over the sauce, and fried bread served round the edge of the dish.

PARSNIPS, FRIED.—­Boil some full-grown parsnips till they are tender, cut them into slices, pepper and salt them, dip them into beaten-up egg, and cover them with bread-crumbs, and fry these slices in some smoking hot oil till they are a nice brown colour.

PARSNIPS, MASHED.—­When parsnips are very old they are best mashed.  Boil them for an hour or more, then cut them up and rub them through a wire sieve.  The stringy part will have to be left behind.  Mix the pulp with a little butter, pepper, and salt; make this hot, and serve.  A little cream is a great improvement.