* 3 lbs. Leg of Beef--6d. * * 2 quarts Water * * 1 fagot of Herbs * * Salt and Pepper * * 2 Onions * * 2 Carrots * * 2 Turnips * * 1 doz. Peppercorns--1 1/2d. * * Total Cost--7 1/2 d. * * Time--Five Hours * Pot-au-feu is the national dish of France; it is cheap, nourishing and palatable, and very simple to make. The slower it is cooked the better it is; in fact, in this lies the whole secret of success, for if it boils instead of simmering it is spoilt. Tie the meat up into a nice shape with a piece of tape, put it into cold water, bring slowly to the boil, and very carefully remove the scum; peel and slice up the vegetables, and put them in with the fagot of herbs and the peppercorns tied in a piece of muslin; bring to simmering point, and keep it so for five hours. The liquor can then be served as a soup with part of the vegetables and some sippets of toast. Take the tapes off the meat, and serve with the rest of the vegetables round the dish as a border or garnish. The remains of the beef can be pressed between heavy weights till cold, or put into a brawn tin and served cold with a salad. VERMICELLI SOUP * 1 oz. Vermicelli--1d. * * Vegetables and Saffron * * 2 quarts Bone Stock--1d. * * Total Cost--2 d. * * Time--One Hour * The stock for this soup should be good and in a strong jelly when cold. Put it into a saucepan with three or four threads of saffron, an onion or leek stuck with six cloves, 1 dozen white peppercorns and some salt, and boil all together for half an hour; then strain out the vegetables and put it back into the saucepan. It should be of a bright straw colour; if it is not, a thread more saffron may be added before straining. Put in the vermicelli broken small, and simmer for twenty minutes; it is then ready to serve. MULLIGATAWNY SOUP * 2 quarts Stock * * 1 Apple * * 1 Onion * * 1 Carrot--1d. * * 1/2 oz. Curry Powder * * 1 oz. Flour--1d. * * 1 oz. Butter--1d. * * Total Cost--3d. * * Time--One Hour * The liquor in which poultry or a rabbit has been boiled is the best for this soup. Slice up the apple, onion, and carrot, and fry them in the butter; sprinkle over the curry powder and flour and brown that too; pour over the boiling stock and stir until it boils up, simmer gently for one hour, then rub through a sieve and return to the saucepan. Bring to the boil, flavour with salt and lemon juice. Pour into a warm tureen and serve. Send well-boiled rice to the table with this soup. FRENCH SOUP