We come now to the more substantial savouries which form the staple part of
the ordinary family dinner. These, along with soup and pudding, will
furnish an excellent three-course meal, and where time--or appetite--is
limited, as in the rush to and from school or business, two sources will be
found ample.


German Lentil Stew.

Among the various pulse foods, of which there are fifty or sixty different
kinds, though only some half-dozen are at all well-known, German lentils are
one of the most valuable. In this country they are but little used, but
they only need be known to be heartily appreciated. As far as my experience
goes, every one who has once sampled them is loud in their praises. Even in
those households where meat is used they might come as a change and variety,
and help to solve the problem of that typical, much-to-be-pitied housekeeper
who so pathetically wished there might be "a new animal" discovered!

Well, "to return to our"--ahem--lentils. These German or Prussian lentils
are quite different from the ordinary yellow kind. They are green or olive
coloured, much larger, and of a flat tabloid shape. They are exceedingly
savoury, and--if that is any recommendation--so "meaty" in flavour that it
is almost impossible to convince people that they are quite innocent in that
respect. They are usually sold at about double the price of yellow lentils,
and even then are very cheap; but this is a fancy price, charged because of
their being a novelty, and I may say that I get the very finest quality,
perfectly clean and free from grit, at the extremely low price of 2d. per
lb.

To make a stew, which is the basis of a number of other dishes, take 1/2 lb.