Mrs. Beeton's Dictionary of Every-Day Cookery: The "All About It" Books

of white haricot beans, 2 quarts of soft water, 1 oz. of butter, 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt. _Mode._—Put the beans into cold water, let them soak from 2 to 4 hours, according to their age; then put them into cold water salted in the above proportion, bring them to boil, and let them simmer very slowly until tender; pour the water away from them, let them stand by the side of the fire, with the lid of the saucepan partially off, to allow the beans to dry; then add 1 oz. of butter and a seasoning of pepper and salt. Shake the beans about for a minute or two, and serve: do not stir them with a spoon, for fear of breaking them to pieces. _Time._—After the water boils, from 2 to 2½ hours. _Average cost_, 4_d._ per quart. _Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable_ in winter, when other vegetables are scarce. _Note._—Haricots blancs, when new and fresh, should be put into boiling water, and do not require any soaking previous to dressing. BEANS, Haricots Blancs & Minced Onions. _Ingredients._—1 quart of white haricot beans, 4 middling-sized onions, ¼ pint of good brown gravy, pepper and salt to taste, a little flour. _Mode._—Peel and mince the onions not too finely, and fry them in butter of a light brown colour; dredge over them a little flour, and add the gravy and a seasoning of pepper and salt. Have ready a pint of haricot beans well boiled and drained; put them with the onions and gravy, mix all well together, and serve very hot. _Time._—From 2 to 2½ hours to boil the beans; 5 minutes to fry the onions. _Average cost_, 4_d._ per quart. _Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable_ in winter. BEANS, Haricots Blancs à la Maître d’Hôtel. [Illustration: HARICOT BEANS.] _Ingredients._—1 quart of white haricot beans, ¼ lb. of fresh butter, 1 tablespoonful of minced parsley, pepper and salt to taste, the juice of ½ lemon. _Mode._—Should the beans be very dry, soak them for an hour or two in cold water, and boil them until