Make a fine strong stock from the shin of beef, or any other part
preferred, and add, a short time before serving, a handful of
vermicelli, which should be broken, so that it may be in pieces of
convenient length, the stock should be more or less flavoured with
vegetables, and herbs, according to taste.

* * * * *

MATSO SOUP.

Boil down half a shin of beef, four pounds of gravy beef, and a calf's
foot may be added, if approved, in three or four quarts of water;
season with celery, carrots, turnips, pepper and salt, and a bunch of
sweet herbs; let the whole stew gently for eight hours, then strain
and let it stand to get cold, when the fat must be removed, then
return it to the saucepan to warm up. Ten minutes before serving,
throw in the balls, from which the soup takes its name, and which are
made in the following manner:

Take half a pound of _matso_ flour, two ounces of chopped suet, season
with a little pepper, salt, ginger, and nutmeg; mix with this, four
beaten eggs, and make it into a paste, a small onion shred and browned
in a desert spoonful of oil is sometimes added; the paste should be
made into rather large balls, and care should be taken to make them
very light.

* * * * *

TOMATA SOUP.