Leaves from our Tuscan kitchen; or, How to cook vegetables

Polenta ‘alla Parmigiana.’

Stir one pound of Indian corn flour, a little at a time, into one pint of boiling salted water until smooth, then turn out into a dish to cool, in a layer about half an inch thick. When quite cold, cut into pieces of one inch long, and pile in layers in a baking-dish, sprinkling each layer well with grated Parmesan cheese and some melted butter. Bake in a slow oven and serve hot.

Polenta with Sausages.

Make a polenta as above (alla Parmigiana) and while cooling boil two or three sausages in an earthen pot with very little water. When done, skin them, break them into small pieces, and add a little stock and tomato conserve. Lay the polenta in a baking dish, putting some sausage and grated Parmesan cheese between each layer with some bits of butter here and there. Then cook with fire above and below, or in the oven, and serve very hot.

Potatoes Boiled.

Wash the potatoes well and peel off a piece of skin round each potato about half an inch wide to make them mealy. Put them in a sauce-pan, and cover them with cold water; add half a handful of salt, cover the sauce-pan, boil for forty-five minutes. Drain them well, place them in a napkin on a hot dish, and serve hot.

Potatoes ‘alla Borghese.’

Boil two pounds of potatoes, and put them in a covered dish to drain. When dry, peel and cut them into slices, then put them into a sauce-pan with four ounces of butter, some chopped parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Let them simmer over a slow fire, then squeeze the juice of two lemons over them and serve up hot.

Potatoes ‘alla Campagnuola.’

Boil two pounds of potatoes, peel, slice fine, and brown them slightly in a frying-pan with four ounces of butter. Toss them now and then, adding a little salt and grated nutmeg, and mix Béchamel sauce with them before serving hot (see Sauces, p. 119).

Potatoes ‘in Casseruola.’

Mix one pound of mashed potatoes, the yolks of four eggs, half a pint of cream, and two ounces of butter in a sauce-pan. Cook until hot, stir constantly until the paste is flaky and light, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange the paste in a circle round a dish and set it in the oven to colour. Then fill the circle with a fricassee of chicken or rabbit, or any kind of stew, mushrooms, or any cooked vegetables (peas, French beans, etc.) left over from the day before, or half a bottle of tomato conserve, or the pulp of six or seven fresh tomatoes.

Potatoes ‘alla Crema.’

Boil six or eight potatoes, and cut them into small pieces. Put four ounces of butter, a little flour, salt, pepper, half an onion, some parsley chopped up fine, and a pinch of grated nutmeg, into a sauce-pan. Mix well until it boils, then add a tumbler of cream. Stir constantly over a slow fire until it boils, and then add the potatoes. Stand the sauce-pan by the fire for a few minutes, and serve up very hot.

Potato Croquettes. No. 1.

Boil two pounds of potatoes in salted water, when cool pound in a mortar, and mix with two or three eggs, and various sweet herbs chopped up (parsley, thyme, marjoram, chervil, etc.). Moisten with half a cup of cream and stir into a thick paste. Roll this into croquettes and fry in fresh butter. When they have taken a good colour serve up hot.

Potato Croquettes. No. 2.

Put one pound of mashed potatoes, the beaten-up yolks of two eggs, a little onion juice, grated nutmeg, salt, two tablespoonfuls of cream, a pinch of cinnamon, one dessert-spoonful of minced parsley, and two ounces of butter, into a sauce-pan over a moderate fire. Cook until it comes away from the sides, then remove it from the fire. When cold it will break up into small pieces. Meanwhile beat up an egg with a little hot water, dip the pieces of potato into it, and then into grated bread-crumbs. Fry in boiling fat and serve hot with fried parsley.

Potato ‘Farcite.’

Wash and peel six or seven large potatoes, cut them in two lengthwise, scoop out the centres (leaving just enough of the potato to support the skin), and fill with forcemeat made of fresh pork minced, salt and pepper to taste, a pinch of grated nutmeg, and a little powdered thyme. Arrange the potatoes in a well-buttered baking-dish, and cook for half an hour in a slow oven until well browned.

Potatoes ‘al Forno.’ No. 1.

Mash six or seven boiled potatoes and beat them up while hot with three tablespoonfuls of cream, two tablespoonfuls of butter, one raw egg, and salt to taste. Put a layer into a well-buttered baking-dish, then put a layer of thin slices of yolk of hard-boiled eggs, sprinkled with salt and pepper; put layers of potatoes and eggs until the dish is full. The top layer must be potato, over which strew bread-crumbs thickly. Cover the dish and bake until hot, then brown quickly, and serve in the baking-dish.

Potatoes ‘al Forno.’ No. 2.

Roast six large potatoes in the oven with their skins on, cut them in two, remove the inside with a spoon, but take care to leave enough substance to preserve the shape of the potato. Put the inside of the potato in a dish and add two ounces of butter, half a pint of hot milk, salt and pepper to taste. Mix together until the paste is light, and then add the well-beaten whites of two eggs, and beat up the whole well. Fill the potato skins with the paste, first rolling it in the yolk of egg, then cook in the oven and serve as soon as the top is well coloured.

Potatoes ‘in Frittata’ (Omelette).

Mince up two boiled, cold, potatoes, sprinkle with pepper and salt, and put them into a frying-pan in which two ounces of butter have been melted. Spread the potatoes one-third of an inch deep in the pan, and cook slowly over a moderate fire for about a quarter of an hour. Then turn over (as you would any other omelette), and cook the other side. Serve hot.

Potatoes ‘alla Semplicità.’

Boil and peel eight large potatoes, and pound them in a mortar with two spoonfuls of chopped parsley, a little powdered cinnamon, and some salt. When fairly thick and consistent, make up the paste into fritters and fry in butter, turning them continually until they are a rich brown colour. If a richer dish is desired, add four eggs and two ounces of butter to the potato paste.

Potatoes ‘Fritti alla Francese.’

Wash thoroughly six large peeled potatoes, then cut them into small balls, and put them in boiling water to cook for five or six minutes. Drain, then fry them, a few at a time, in good roast-meat dripping until they are of a golden colour. When cooked, drain them, sprinkle with salt, and serve as a garnish to fish or meat.

Potatoes ‘in Frittura.’

Pound four or six cold, boiled potatoes in a mortar with two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, a little powdered cinnamon, and some salt. When the paste is well mixed and smooth, make it up into small round cakes and put them into fried fresh butter, turning them until they take a good yellow colour. Serve hot.

Potato ‘Gnocchi.’

Boil eight or ten potatoes for a few minutes, then peel; place them in the oven until they are quite soft, then pound them in a mortar with three-quarters of an ounce of grated cheese, five or six dessert-spoonfuls of flour, salt to taste, and three eggs. Knead well and make little rolls, cover them with flour, and put them into a large sauce-pan with salted boiling water. Boil for five or six minutes, then take them carefully out, and place them on a dish, sprinkle them with cheese, and pour some browned melted fresh butter over them with a taste of onion in it (if liked).

Potatoes ‘all’ Italiana.’

Wash eight potatoes thoroughly, peel off a strip of skin round each (to make them mealy), put them in a sauce-pan and cover them with cold salted water, put on the lid and boil for forty-five minutes. Then peel and mash them, put them in a sauce-pan, add one ounce of butter and a piece of fresh crumb of bread (about the size of a roll) which has been soaked in milk. Put in two tablespoonfuls of milk, three yolks of fresh eggs with their whites beaten to a froth, salt and pepper to taste, and a little grated nutmeg. Mix well together and pile it high in a baking-dish, pour a little melted butter over it, and sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese, then put it in the oven for about ten minutes. Serve as soon as it is of a good golden colour.

Potatoes ‘alla Gran Duchessa.’

Take one pound of mashed potatoes, add two ounces of butter, and salt to taste, one tablespoonful of powdered white sugar, and work up into a light paste, adding two well-beaten eggs. Make the paste into oval balls, roll them in melted fresh butter, and place them in the oven on greased paper until well cooked. They make a nice garnish.

Potatoes ‘alla Lionese.’

Boil two large potatoes, and when cold cut them into slices. Melt two ounces of butter in a frying-pan, add a sliced onion, and stir till well browned. Put in the potatoes and simmer gently until they are coloured, then sprinkle with a little salt. Place them on a hot dish and serve very hot.

Potatoes ‘alla Maître d’Hôtel.’

Boil four large potatoes and cut them into dice. Put them into a sauce-pan, add about one pint of stock, and cook slowly for a quarter of an hour, sprinkling with salt and pepper to taste, and then place them on a hot dish. Meanwhile fry two ounces of butter, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and the juice of one lemon, when done, pour over the potatoes and serve immediately.

Potatoes ‘all’ Olandese.’

Peel six large, cold, boiled potatoes, cut them into dice, and throw them into boiling water for five minutes. After draining, place them in a sauce-pan with two ounces of butter on a moderate fire, or in a slow oven, and shake them occasionally, until the potatoes have absorbed the butter and are soft. Serve on a hot dish with sauce ‘Olandese’ (see Sauces, p. 124).

Potatoes ‘alla Panna.’

Boil eight or ten large potatoes, and cut them up when cold into small dice. Melt four ounces of butter in an earthen dish with one tablespoonful of flour, then mix in one pint of fresh cream (or milk), a little salt and pepper, and a small pinch of nutmeg. Stir well together until it boils, then put in the potatoes, add some grated bread-crumbs and bits of fresh butter, and cook over a brisk fire until they have turned a good yellow colour. Serve up hot in the earthen dish.

Potato Pudding.

Mash twelve large boiled potatoes in a sauce-pan with four ounces of butter, two tumblers of cream, a pinch of salt, and a tablespoonful of flour. Then rub through a sieve, adding four ounces of white powdered sugar, a little cinnamon, the yolks of four eggs, with their whites beaten to a froth. Mix well, put into a well-buttered mould thickly sprinkled with bread-crumbs, and bake for three-quarters of an hour until browned.

Potato Pudding with Mushrooms (Budino con Prugnuoli).

Peel eight or more potatoes, cut them into quarters, wash, and boil them in salted water with half a lemon; take them off the fire before they are over-cooked. Then strain through a sieve, put them into a large dish, and mash them well with a wooden spoon. Add two ounces of fresh butter, and pour in half a tumbler of cream (a little at a time). Beat up well with the spoon until the paste is smooth, then add three or four well-beaten-up yolks of eggs. Butter a mould and pour in the potato paste, make a hole in the centre, put small whole mushrooms into it, cover them with a piece of the paste, and cook in the oven. When baked, turn out the pudding on to a dish and serve hot.

Potatoes ‘in Ragoût.’

Cut six fine potatoes into dice, and put them into boiling water with six sliced leeks. Boil for ten minutes, then drain. Boil half a bunch of asparagus, drain, cut off their heads, and add them to the potatoes and leeks, mixing well together. Meanwhile put two ounces of butter, one pint of milk, one tablespoonful of chopped chervil, pepper and salt to taste, into a sauce-pan, mix slowly over the fire until hot, then pour over the potatoes, leeks, and asparagus, and boil the whole together. Serve very hot.

Potatoes ‘Arrostite’ (Roasted).

Choose two pounds of young, round, and equal-sized potatoes. Put them into a sauce-pan with four ounces of butter, salt to taste, and cover hermetically. Place over a slow fire and shake frequently. After three-quarters of an hour the potatoes will have a brown crust, and inside they will be white and tender.

Potatoes ‘Sautées.’

Cut three or four cold, boiled potatoes into dice, and put them, a few at a time, so that they shall not overlap one another, into a frying-pan with fresh butter. (Allow one tablespoonful of butter for each potato.) Brown them well, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Potatoes ‘in Stufato.’

Cut ten large potatoes into dice and put them into cold water for a quarter of an hour. Drain, and cook in boiling water for about ten minutes, then dry in a cloth and put them into a sauce-pan; sprinkle them with flour, add one pint of milk and two ounces of butter. Cover tightly and let them simmer slowly for ten or fifteen minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve up very hot.

Potatoes ‘Tartufate.’

Cut three or four parboiled potatoes into thin slices and lay them one by one, with thin slices of truffles mixed with grated Parmesan cheese, in an earthen dish. Add two ounces of butter in bits, salt and pepper to taste, and when the potatoes begin to cook moisten with broth or gravy. Before serving, squeeze a little lemon juice over them, and serve hot in the earthen dish.

Potatoes ‘all’ Umido.’

Boil five or six large potatoes, let them get cold, and then cut them into dice. Put them into a baking-dish with two ounces of butter and enough cream to cover them. Cook until nicely browned, and serve very hot.

Pumpkins ‘alla Fiorentina.’

Take twelve very young pumpkins (about one and a half inches long), cut them in half, and put them in cold water. Have a sauce-pan ready with four quarts of salted water. When boiling put in the pumpkins. When they are cooked put them again into cold water. Just before serving place them in a sauce-pan with four ounces of butter, heat for three minutes, then add two tablespoonfuls of veal broth, two of cream, and a squeeze of lemon. Heat again and serve.

Pumpkins ‘Fritti.’

Take young pumpkins (about the size of your two fists), peel them, cut them in half, and take out seeds and pulp. Cut them into thin strips (one and a half or two inches long, and as wide as your finger), and put them into a dish with salt for some hours. Then squeeze out the water with your hands, and throw them into flour, taking care to separate and cover each strip with flour, shake the superfluous flour off them in a sieve, and put them into a frying-pan with plenty of boiling lard or oil. Serve at once.

Pumpkin Pudding (Bodino).

Cook (but not too much) two and a half pounds of pumpkin with two ounces of butter, a little pepper, allspice, and salt, and pass through a sieve, adding some crumb of bread soaked in milk or cream, some powdered cinnamon, several pounded bitter almonds, a handful of grated bread, and three yolks of eggs. Mix thoroughly and put it into a well-buttered shape with thin slices of buttered bread arranged round the inside, and cook with a fire above and below until thoroughly browned. Serve up hot.

Pumpkins ‘Ripiene.’ No. 1.

Cut six young and small pumpkins (about two and a half inches long) in two, and take out the pulp. Meanwhile mince fine the breast of a fowl (or any tender white meat you have over from the day before), one slice of tongue, and one of ham; put them into a sauce-pan with three tablespoonfuls of veal broth, the yolk of an egg, a pinch of salt, and one of pepper; parboil; therewith fill the pumpkins. Butter a sauté-pan, lay the stuffed pumpkins in, and cook with fire above and below, occasionally adding some broth. Serve as soon as cooked.

Pumpkins ‘Ripiene’ (maigre). No. 2.

Take young pumpkins (about the size of your fist), scoop out their insides, and fill them with minced tunny fish preserved in oil, yolk of egg, a pinch of Parmesan cheese, a little of the soft pulp of the pumpkin, and a little allspice and pepper, but no salt. Cook the pumpkins in butter, and when brown serve with Tomato sauce (see Sauces, p. 126).

Rice (How to cook).

Place a large sauce-pan with water on a hot fire; it is necessary that the water should boil violently in order to keep the grains of rice separate. Wash the rice in several waters so as to remove the floury coating, which makes it pasty. Drain, and drop it gradually into the sauce-pan, so as not to stop the boiling. Then boil hard for a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes. When the rice is soft to the touch, it is done. Then drain off every drop of water, sprinkle with salt, cover the sauce-pan with a thin napkin, and leave it by the fire to steam and get dry. (The rice can also be put into a cullender to drain, and then into an open oven to dry; or butter the interior of a stew-pan, put in the rice, put on the lid tight, and stand the pan on a trivet in the oven, or by the fire.)

Rice ‘alla Casalinga.’

Wash eight ounces of rice, and blanch it in a sauce-pan with two quarts of water for five minutes, then strain and let it cool. Meanwhile fry four ounces of lean bacon cut up into small pieces, and when browned, add one and a half pints of stock and a small teaspoonful of white pepper. Put in the rice, cook for twenty minutes, stirring every now and then, take it off the fire, add half a tumbler of Tomato sauce (see Sauces, p. 126), or conserve, and mix well. Turn out the rice on to a hot dish, and garnish with small sausages.

Rice Croquettes.

Boil a cupful of rice in weak chicken broth, drain, stir in two beaten-up eggs, one teaspoonful of butter, a slight sprinkling of flour, pepper, and a pinch of grated lemon-peel. Flour your hands, and make the rice, when cold, into small sausages (or croquettes), roll each in raw egg, and then in bread crumbs, and fry to a golden brown.

Rice with Tomatoes. No. 1.

Boil one cupful of rice soft in hot water, shake it now and then, but do not stir it. Drain, and add a little milk in which a beaten egg has been mixed, one teaspoonful of butter, and a little pepper and salt. Simmer for five minutes, and if the rice has not absorbed all the milk, drain it again. Put the rice round a dish, smooth it into a wall, wash it over with the yolk of a beaten-up egg, and put it into the oven till firm. Take half a bottle of tomato conserve (or the strained juice and pulp of seven or eight tomatoes), season with pepper, a little salt, sugar, and half a chopped onion, stew for twenty minutes, then stir in one tablespoonful of butter and two tablespoonfuls of fine bread-crumbs. Stew three or four minutes to thicken, and then pour the tomato into the dish in the middle of the rice, and serve.

Rice with Tomatoes. No. 2.

Boil one cupful of rice as directed in ‘How to boil Rice’; add half a cupful of Tomato sauce (see Sauces, p. 126), season with some butter, salt, and pepper to taste, and one or two bay leaves. Toss, or mix lightly with a fork, being careful not to mash the grains. Serve hot. This makes a nice dish for winter.

Rice with Prawns.

Mince up half an onion, one clove of garlic, one carrot, half a head of celery, and a bunch of parsley, and brown in pure olive oil. Then put six or seven ounces of prawns into the sauce-pan, and season with salt and pepper. Turn them often, and when all are red put in two or three tablespoonfuls of Tomato sauce (or conserve), and add enough hot water to cook fourteen or fifteen ounces of rice in afterwards. Do not boil too much, as prawns cook fast. Take the prawns out, dry them, choose about a third of the finest, shell and lay them aside. Pound the others in a mortar (shells and all), rub them through a sieve, and mix again with the water in which they were cooked. Meanwhile put some butter into a sauce-pan, add the rice, stir well, and as soon as it has taken up the butter, pour the water little by little on to it. When half-boiled add the shelled prawns, and before serving sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the whole.

Rice with Quails.

Mince up two or four slices of ham and a quarter of an onion, and brown in a sauce-pan, then put in four quails ready drawn. Sprinkle with pepper and salt, and as soon as they are browned, parboil them in broth, then add fourteen ounces of rice, and boil all together. Powder with grated Parmesan cheese and serve on a hot dish.

Rice ‘alla Ristori.’

Cut two ounces of bacon into small pieces, and put them into a sauce-pan with chopped-up cabbage. Steam for half an hour and add a little salt, pepper, and chopped parsley; then throw in a quarter of a pound of rice and half a pint of veal broth. Cook for fifteen or eighteen minutes, and serve with grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled over it.

Risotto ‘alla Milanese.’ No. 1.

Melt two ounces of good fresh butter in a sauce-pan over a sharp fire, add one onion chopped fine, brown a deep golden colour, then add about ten ounces of clean rice (Italian if possible) and two large truffles chopped up. Stir without stopping for one and a half minutes, and add one quart of boiling veal broth, stir and let it cook for fourteen minutes. Add six chopped-up mushrooms, and, a little at a time, one more quart of broth, stirring constantly over a sharp fire for ten minutes more. Put in half a teaspoonful of salt, a little pepper, one and a half ounces of grated Parmesan cheese, and a teaspoonful of saffron soaked in two tablespoonfuls of hot broth, and strained. Cook three or four minutes longer, stirring all the time, then pour into a deep dish, and serve hot with some grated Parmesan cheese separate. It is an improvement to put a tablespoonful of marrow into the centre just before serving.

Risotto ‘alla Milanese.’ No. 2.

Cut up an onion and cook it with one and a half ounces of beef marrow, and the same quantity of good butter; when browned put in one pound of rice and add three-quarters of a glass of good white wine and broth enough to cook the rice. Before taking off the fire add one and a half ounces of butter and some grated Parmesan cheese, and serve with more grated cheese separately.

Risotto with Peas.

Mince up one small onion, brown it in two ounces of butter, then put in one pound of rice, and stir with a ladle until the rice has taken up all the butter. Add hot water (a cupful at a time), sprinkle with salt, and let it boil dry, adding two ounces of butter. Before taking it off the fire add peas cooked ‘alla Borghese’ omitting the milk and eggs. Mix, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, and serve hot.

Risotto ‘alla Poggio Gherardo.’

Mince an onion, put it into a three-quart sauce-pan, and brown with three ounces of good butter. Take out the onion, put in one pound of rice, and half a wineglassful of Marsala. Reduce over a brisk fire, then add one quart of stock, and boil hard so as to reduce in eighteen minutes. Then take it off the fire and season with one ounce of good butter, one ounce of grated Parmesan cheese, three or four fowls’ livers and mushrooms minced up fine, and some good gravy. Serve hot.

SALADS.

Artichoke Salad.

Boil some small and tender artichokes and leave them to cool. Just before serving drop into the middle of each, one drop of onion juice, lay them on lettuce leaves, and pour sauce Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p. 123) over them.

Beetroot Salad.

Slice two or three cold, boiled beetroots and place them in a salad-bowl. Pour half a pint of sauce Tartara (see Sauces, p. 126) over them and serve up with a garnish of parsley leaves.

Broccoli Salad.

Boil one or two heads of broccoli in salted water, then strain them and dry with a cloth. Make a sauce of pure olive oil, white wine vinegar, very little salt and pepper, one tablespoonful of capers, and two or three anchovies chopped up with some parsley. Pour over the broccoli when cold and serve.

Cabbage Salad.

Cut the heart of a white cabbage and half a head of celery into shreds. Boil half a teacup of vinegar with one tablespoonful of butter, add one tablespoonful of sugar, salt and pepper to taste, and put in the cabbage, but do not let it boil. Meanwhile beat up two eggs, mix them in one cupful of hot milk, and boil to a custard. Then put the cabbage into a salad-bowl, pour the custard over it, and mix well. Place in the ice-box until wanted.

‘Alla Cardinale’ Salad.

Wash and dry well two lettuces and a bunch of water-cresses, cut two large cold, boiled beetroots into strips, add twelve radishes, six hard-boiled eggs chopped up, and one sliced cucumber. Arrange the lettuce leaves round a salad-bowl, mix all the rest with half a pint of sauce Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p. 123) and serve.

Cauliflower Salad.

Boil a large cauliflower, then put it in cold water; when quite cold, break it into pieces, and put these to dry on a napkin before placing in the salad-bowl. Add two shalots and some parsley chopped up, salt and pepper to taste, and pour half a pint of sauce Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p. 123) over it before serving.

Celery Salad.

Cut the white stalks into small pieces and add half a pint of sauce Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p. 123) to every pound of celery. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, mix well with the sauce, and serve the dish trimmed with the green leaves of the celery.

Cucumber and Tomato Salad.

Peel and slice two cucumbers, dry them on a napkin, then peel and slice two large tomatoes. Cover the bottom of the salad-bowl with lettuce leaves, and then alternate layers of the cucumbers and tomatoes, pour sauce ‘alla Francese’ (see Sauces, p. 123) over and serve.

‘All’ Egiziana’ Salad.

Wash the curly inside leaves of two heads of endive, dry them well, put them into a salad-bowl, pour three tablespoonfuls of good olive oil over them, and add a finely chopped shalot. Mix one tablespoonful of honey (or sugar), one of vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste, in a cup, and pour over the salad just before serving.

French Beans Salad.

Boil one pound of French beans until tender, drain, and put them in cold water. Dry them on a napkin, and cut them lengthwise into four pieces. Pour sauce ‘alla Francese’ (see Sauces, p. 123) over them just before serving.

‘All’ Italiana’ Salad.

Cut one carrot and one turnip into slices and cook them in boiling soup. When cold mix them with two large cold, boiled potatoes, and one beetroot cut into strips. Add a very little chopped leeks, or onion, pour some sauce ‘Lombarda’ (see Sauces, p. 123) over the salad, and garnish with water-cress.

Lettuce Salad.

Use only the tender leaves, and let them stand in cold water until wanted. Wipe them quite dry, then break with the fingers into the following sauce: Two or three yolks of hard-boiled eggs beaten up with one tablespoonful of pure olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, two more tablespoonfuls of oil added gradually, and one of white wine vinegar, and one teaspoonful of mustard. Mix well and garnish the salad-bowl with nasturtium (Tropæolum) flowers.

Lettuce Salad ‘alla Francese.’

Put the tender leaves of lettuce into cold water till wanted; then wipe them dry and stand them in circles in the salad-bowl. Sprinkle them with half a teaspoonful of chopped taragon, the same of chervil, of parsley and of chives, and pour the following sauce over them: mix in a cup one tablespoonful of pure olive oil, one saltspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful of pepper, stir well; add two more tablespoonfuls of oil, and one of vinegar (if liked add two drops of onion juice). The salad must not be mixed till wanted, and can be garnished with small radishes or nasturtium flowers.

Lettuce Salad with Veal (or Fish).

Slice up a head of lettuce and chop up two boiled eggs in large pieces, add half a pound of cold veal (or fish), cut into strips one inch long, and mix in a salad-bowl. Then beat up the yolks of two raw eggs, add a very little salt, and mix in gradually four tablespoonfuls of pure olive oil, and one of white wine vinegar; a few drops of taragon vinegar is an improvement.

‘Alla Macedoine’ Salad.

Cut into small pieces one cold boiled beetroot and half an onion, add some cold boiled French beans, two ounces of cold boiled asparagus heads, two tablespoonfuls of cold cooked peas, one cold boiled carrot, and one head of celery. Mix them well together, pour sauce Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p. 123) over them, add the juice of a lemon, and serve.

‘Alla Pollastra’ Salad.

Chop up six lettuce leaves, and three stalks of celery; cut the remains of a cold boiled fowl into small pieces and mix with one tablespoonful of white wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste, in a salad-bowl. Pour a cupful of sauce Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p. 123) over; and garnish with quarters of hard-boiled eggs, one tablespoonful of capers, twelve stoned olives, and some small tender lettuce leaves.

Potato Salad. No. 1.

Boil six potatoes; peel, slice them fine, mix with one or two small onions cut into quarters, and half a tumbler of red wine; add salt and pepper to taste, four or five tablespoonfuls of oil, and half a tablespoonful of white wine vinegar, one tablespoonful of chervil chopped fine, and some thin slices of anchovies, or, if preferred, smoked herring. Stir well, but before serving take out the onions.

Potato Salad. No. 2.

Boil some fine potatoes, peel and slice them. Slice some truffles (boiled in white wine) very thin and put them in alternate layers with potatoes into a salad-bowl. Season with four or five tablespoonfuls of good olive oil, one dessert-spoonful of white wine vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with slices of anchovies, stoned olives, and (if liked) a few young chives.

Potato Salad. No. 3.

Slice some boiled (or baked) potatoes thin, add one teaspoonful of chopped parsley; mix apart six tablespoonfuls of good olive oil, two of white wine vinegar, one teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, and pour over the potatoes. Add six or more (according to taste) boned anchovies cut into strips, and twelve stoned olives. Thin slices of cold beef or fowl can be mixed in this salad with advantage.

Potato Salad. No. 4.

Boil six fine potatoes, slice them and place them to cool. Slice three hard-boiled eggs, and mince four ounces of pickled tunny-fish fine. Place alternate layers of minced tunny, and sliced potato and egg, in the salad-bowl, sprinkle the last layer with chopped chervil, and season the dish with pure olive oil, white wine vinegar, pepper and a very little salt, mixed separately and poured over before serving.

‘Alla Russa’ Salad.

Cut up two boiled carrots, one small turnip, half a bunch of asparagus (the green part) one small beetroot, and some cold chicken or partridge, into dice, take some cold boiled young French beans, and green peas, one tablespoonful of capers, some stoned olives, slices of anchovies, and some prawns. Make a sauce of pure olive oil (a good deal), a little vinegar, pepper, half a pinch cayenne, some mustard, a spoonful of caviare, and one finely chopped shalot.

Spanish Onion Salad.

Peel and slice two large Spanish onions and two cucumbers. Put them into iced water for twenty minutes, then drain, and dry them well on a cloth. Arrange the slices of onion and cucumber alternately on a dish, pour sauce ‘alla Francese’ (see Sauces, p. 123), over them and serve.

N.B.—Cucumbers should if possible always be kept on ice, and never be put into salted water.

Summer Salad. No. 1.

Take three heads of fresh lettuce, one of celery, a little chopped taragon and chervil, and one or two shalots. Season with five tablespoonfuls of pure olive oil, two of white wine vinegar, one teaspoonful of salt, and half a teaspoonful of pepper. Stir well before serving. Cold, boiled haricot beans are a good addition, and also half a pound of cold meat cut in very thin slices.

Summer Salad. No. 2.

Take two large cucumbers, and one head of celery, peel and slice; add a bunch of red radishes. Add six cold, boiled young artichokes cut into quarters. Sprinkle with finely chopped chervil, mix, and pour sauce ‘alla Francese’ (see Sauces, p. 123) over just before serving.

Tomato Salad. No. 1.

Scald[18] and peel ripe tomatoes and put them in ice. Cut them into thin slices and put on a flat dish. In the centre of each slice put one teaspoonful of sauce Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p. 123), and garnish with sprigs of parsley. Or the tomato can be cut in two, laid on a young lettuce leaf, and sauce Mayonnaise poured over them.

Tomato Salad. No. 2.

Scald and peel twelve or eighteen small yellow tomatoes. Pile them on a dish like plums, garnish with young lettuce leaves, and pour the following sauce over them: mix well in a cup one tablespoonful of pure olive oil, one saltspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful of pepper, add, stirring all the time, two tablespoonfuls of oil, and one of vinegar, and, if the flavour is liked, add two drops of onion juice.

Tomato Salad. No. 3.

Peel round red tomatoes of equal size, and scoop out a bit of the fruit from the stem end. Keep them on ice till wanted, then fill them high with sauce Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p. 123) and celery cut into shreds of half an inch long. Place each on a young lettuce leaf on which a little sauce Mayonnaise has been put, and arrange on a flat dish. (Chopped hard-boiled eggs and lettuce may be used instead of celery.)

Tomato Salad. No. 4.

Scald and peel six fine tomatoes and put them in ice, cut them into very thin slices in a salad-bowl so as to keep the juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, two tablespoonfuls of oil, one of vinegar, and, if liked, one small teaspoonful of chives. Mix well and serve as cold as possible.

Tomato Salad. No. 5.

Take round tomatoes (not too big), fill them as in No. 3, but do not let the stuffing stand out beyond the fruit. Then put small moulds, or cups, on ice, and pour in one-eighth of an inch of clear aspic jelly; when set, place a tomato (the filled side uppermost) into each mould, and pour more jelly round it and over it. Ice well, turn out the tomatoes on a dish garnished with sliced lettuce or watercress, and serve with sauce Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p. 123) separate.

Tomato Jelly Salad.

Boil five or six tomatoes until they are soft with one teaspoonful of salt, one of sugar, half a teaspoonful of thyme, a saltspoonful of pepper, one slice of onion, one bay leaf, and three cloves. Then add enough calves’ feet jelly (or isinglass) to set the tomato juice, strain, and pour into a mould on ice. If the jelly is in the shape of a ring fill the centre with curled celery, mix with sauce Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p. 123), and garnish with lettuce cut into shreds; if solid put the celery and sauce Mayonnaise round the jelly.

Tomatoes and Celery (Salad of).

Scald and peel twelve small round tomatoes, cut off the stem end, take out the seeds, and put them on ice. Meanwhile chop up fine the inside of a head of celery, mix with some sauce ‘Francese’ (see Sauces, p. 123), and fill the tomatoes with it. Place each tomato on a fresh lettuce leaf, and pour a seasoning of oil, vinegar, salt and pepper over all.

Watercress Salad.

Wash three or four bunches of watercress and drain them, slice four or five cold boiled potatoes very thin and mix with the following sauce: four tablespoonfuls of oil, half a tablespoonful of vinegar, salt and black pepper to taste, one shalot minced up fine, half a pinch of cayenne, and half a tablespoonful of sugar.

SAUCES

Roux for Sauces.

Roux is necessary to thicken and give body to sauces. Put one tablespoonful of flour and one of butter into a sauce-pan and cook till the flour has lost any raw taste. Then put the sauce-pan on the hob and add the stock, or milk slowly (one cupful for every tablespoonful of butter or flour), and stir till smooth. For white sauces take care the flour does not colour; for dark sauces let it brown, but take care it does not burn.

Agro Dolce Sauce.

Take two tablespoonfuls of sugar (brown or white), half a cupful of currants, a quarter of a bar of grated chocolate (about four ounces), one tablespoonful of chopped candied orange, one of lemon peel, one of capers, and one cupful of vinegar. Mix well together and let it soak for two hours. Pour it over the wild boar, venison, or veal, and simmer for ten minutes. Some add one tablespoonful of pinocchi (pine seeds), or a dozen almonds chopped up fine.

Bearnese Sauce.

Take five yolks of eggs, one ounce of butter, a pinch of salt, and one of pepper. Stir, and as soon as the eggs begin to consolidate take the sauce-pan off the fire and add one ounce of butter. Then put the sauce-pan on the fire again and stir in one ounce more butter; repeat this twice, then add one tablespoonful of chopped tarragon, and one teaspoonful of tarragon vinegar. This sauce must be stiff and have the consistency of Mayonnaise.

Béchamel Sauce. No. 1.

Put two ounces of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour into a sauce-pan and stir for five minutes. Pour one and a half pints of boiling milk in gradually, beating well with a whisk. Add a bouquet, half a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, twelve peppercorns, a pinch of salt, and three ounces of chopped mushrooms. Cook for a quarter of an hour, and rub through a fine sieve.

Béchamel Sauce. No. 2.

Mix three tablespoonfuls of butter and three of flour to a smooth paste, put ten peppercorns, half an onion, half a carrot sliced, a small piece of mace, two teacupfuls of white stock, a pinch of salt and of grated nutmeg, and a bouquet, in a stew-pan; simmer for half an hour, stirring often, then add one teacupful of cream, boil at once, strain and serve.

Béchamel Sauce. No. 3.

Cut a thick slice of veal or part of a knuckle into small cubes and put them into a sauce-pan with two ounces of butter, two medium-sized onions and two carrots sliced. Cook for ten minutes, taking care it should not brown, then put in five ounces of flour and stir for five minutes over the fire. Pour in three quarts of strong white stock and one of good cream. Add three and a half ounces of minced mushrooms, one bouquet, one saltspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful of pepper. Let it boil, and then stand the sauce-pan to simmer on the hob for one and a half hours, skimming often. Strain through a sieve into a large sauce-pan to jelly, add two wineglassfuls of cream and reduce till the sauce clings to the spoon. Then strain again. Stir occasionally while it is cooling, or a skin will form on the top of the sauce, in which case it must be strained again.

Béchamel Sauce (Maigre). No. 4.

Slice three onions and one carrot, and put them into a sauce-pan with two whole onions and seven ounces of butter. Cook for five minutes, then add seven ounces of flour, stir, and add three quarts of milk. Put in a bunch of parsley and half an ounce of salt. Reduce for a quarter of an hour stirring all the time, then strain through a sieve. Cover the sauce with a thin layer of melted butter, and it will keep some days. When wanted boil and stir in three and a half ounces of butter for every quart of sauce.

Broccoli (Sauce for).

Mix one tablespoonful of butter in a sauce-pan with one tumbler of water and a little salt. Stir until it boils. When the flour has quite lost its raw taste, stir in two yolks of eggs, the juice of half a lemon, and half a teaspoonful of chopped parsley.

Caper Sauce. No. 1.

Mince an anchovy and dissolve it in oil and butter over a slow fire, add four ounces of capers, three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and some chopped parsley. This sauce can be served hot or cold.

Caper Sauce ‘alla Genovese.’ No. 2.

Mince up one small onion with two ounces of capers and three-quarters of an ounce of anchovies. Brown them in a sauce-pan with a little butter, then add one cupful of broth or good gravy, a little vinegar, and a pinch of sweet herbs. Boil up twice and serve with any boiled meat.

Caper Sauce ‘alla Milanese.’ No. 3.

Take four ounces of butter, one tablespoonful of flour, pepper and salt to taste, and mix well over the fire in a sauce-pan. Do not let it boil, and just before serving add two ounces of capers and one teaspoonful of white wine vinegar.

Cold Caper Sauce. No. 4.

Take pure olive oil, four ounces of capers and the juice of a lemon. Mix them well together and serve.

Butter Sauce. No. 1.

Put two ounces of flour into one quart of water, with one and a half ounces of butter, and a little salt and pepper. Cook for twenty minutes, stirring well, then strain into a covered bowl and put into a Bain-marie. Just before serving boil again, take off the fire, add twelve ounces of butter cut into pieces, and the juice of one fine lemon. The heat of the sauce must melt the butter as it must not be put on the fire again. If the sauce is too thick mix in half a wineglassful of hot water.

Butter Sauce. No. 2. (Melted Butter.)

Take eight ounces of butter, one tablespoonful of salt, one of pepper, and two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice. Stir with a wooden spoon over the fire until the butter is half melted, then take it off and continue to stir until it is quite liquid. By taking the butter off the fire before it is all melted, it will have a pleasant taste of fresh cream; this is lost when fully cooked.

Francese Sauce.

Stir six yolks of eggs, seventeen ounces of butter, salt and pepper to taste, well together. When they begin to consolidate mix in one wineglassful of purée of tomatoes passed through a fine sieve, one ounce of chicken jelly, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and one teaspoonful of capsicum vinegar.

Lombarda Sauce.

Put two tumblers of white roux and one of chicken jelly into a sauce-pan, reduce, and add three yolks of eggs mixed with two ounces of butter and the juice of half a lemon. Before it boils take the sauce-pan off the fire and add one tumbler of thick Tomato sauce (see Sauces, p. 126) (or conserve), strain, and just before serving add one tablespoonful of sweet herbs minced fine.

Mayonnaise Sauce.

Put one yolk of egg (quite free from any white), half a teaspoonful of salt, and a pinch of cayenne, into a bowl standing in ice. Stir constantly, and add one cupful of pure olive oil, drop by drop. The goodness of the sauce depends upon adding the oil slowly. When it begins to get thick, alternate a few drops of tarragon vinegar with the oil till you have put in one and a half teaspoonfuls of vinegar (lemon juice may be used instead). In summer it is a good plan to mix the yolk of a hard-boiled egg with the raw one; the sauce is made more quickly and is less likely to curdle.

Mayonnaise Monte Bianco Sauce.

To the above Mayonnaise sauce add half a cupful of stiff whipped cream just before serving.

Mayonnaise Sauce ‘alla Ravigote.’

Take a few sprigs of tarragon, parsley, chervil, watercress, two or three chives, and a leaf of spinach or lettuce, and pound them in a mortar with some drops of lemon juice. Squeeze out the juice of the herbs, and mix it with mayonnaise sauce (as above). A few green peas will add to the colour and consistency of the sauce.

Olandese Sauce.

Rub four ounces of butter to a cream in a sauce-pan or a bowl, add four yolks of eggs, beat well together, then put in half a teaspoonful of salt, the juice of half a lemon, a pinch of cayenne, and one cupful of hot water poured in by degrees. Mix well and put into a Bain-marie. Stir until the sauce becomes of the consistency of thick cream, but be careful it does not boil. Take it off the fire and stir for some minutes. ‘Olandese’ sauce ought to be quite smooth and creamy.

‘Alla Panna’ Sauce.

Melt half a pound of butter, add a little flour, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. Stir until thick, then add one pint of cream, a little chopped parsley, and heat for five minutes.

Suprema Sauce. No. 1.

Put four quarts of good stock into a sauce-pan with two pounds of knuckle of veal and the body of a fowl. Boil well, skimming off the grease, add one teaspoonful of salt, two onions (one of them stuck with cloves), one bouquet, and a pinch of grated nutmeg. Simmer on the hob until the veal is quite cooked, then strain. Add three tablespoonfuls of white roux and stir over the fire until it boils. Skim, and put it into a Bain-marie to reduce. Just before serving boil it again and add one ounce of butter and three tablespoonfuls of milk of sweet almonds.

Suprema Sauce. No. 2.

Put the body of a fowl into a sauce-pan, cover it with water, and cook quickly. Take it out as soon as it boils, drain, and wash it well. Then put the fowl into a clean sauce-pan, with one quart of veal broth, one dessert-spoonful of salt, and a bouquet. Cook for forty-five minutes, then pour the broth through a strainer into another sauce-pan with two tablespoonfuls of white roux, and stir well.

Tartara Sauce. No. 1.

Take one shallot, one tablespoonful of capers, six sprigs of tarragon, six of chervil, and two gherkins; chop all up very fine and put them into an earthen bowl with two raw yolks of eggs, half a teaspoonful of ground mustard, a small pinch of salt, and one of pepper, then stir in (a drop at a time) one teaspoonful of good wine vinegar, and then a cupful of pure olive oil.

Tartara Sauce. No. 2.

Wash and mince two anchovies with the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs. Mince separately some parsley, tarragon, one shallot (or a small onion). Put them into a bowl with one tablespoonful of white wine vinegar, one and a half of olive oil, one of French mustard, and a little pepper and salt. Beat up well with a wooden spoon till quite smooth.

Tomato Sauce. No. 1.

Mince a quarter of an onion, half a stalk of celery, a few leaves of sweet basil, and a bunch of parsley, up fine. Add half a cupful of pure olive oil, a pinch of salt and one of pepper, and cut eight or nine tomatoes into slices. Boil until the sauce is as thick as cream, stirring occasionally, then strain through a sieve and serve. Eight or nine tablespoonfuls of conserve can be used instead of fresh tomatoes.

Tomato Sauce. No. 2.

Take four pounds of tomatoes, cut them in two and put them into a two-quart sauce-pan with two wineglassfuls of water, two saltspoonfuls of salt, one of pepper, and a bouquet. Cover the sauce-pan and boil for forty minutes, stirring often to prevent burning; then strain. Make a roux in another sauce-pan with one ounce of butter, and three-quarters of an ounce of flour. Cook for three minutes, mixing well. Take the roux off the fire and pour the tomatoes into it a little at a time, stirring to keep it smooth. Add two wineglassfuls of stock, put on the fire, and cook for twenty minutes, stirring all the time.

Vellutata Sauce.

Put one pound of knuckle of veal and any scraps you have of fowl into a well-buttered sauce-pan with two or three slices of ham, two carrots, one onion, and one tumbler of veal broth. When the broth is reduced add twelve mushrooms, two or three shallots, salt and pepper to taste, a bouquet, and enough veal broth to cover the meat. Boil, skim off the fat, and let it simmer for one and a half hours. It will keep some days if well corked in a cold place. Before using mix white roux with it.

Sorrel Purée.

Nip the stalks off a peck of sorrel, wash well, drain, and chop up fine with one head of well-washed lettuce and a small bunch of chervil. Put all into a sauce-pan and stir over a hot fire for three minutes, then place in the oven until well dissolved. Add one and a half ounces of fresh butter, stir until it bubbles, add half a pint of good stock or beef gravy, and cook for five minutes.

Sorrel Purée (Maigre).

Take sorrel as above, but instead of stock or gravy, add two yolks of eggs and half a cupful of cream.

Sorrel Stewed.

Wash clean the necessary quantity of sorrel, boil until tender, then rub through a sieve into a stew-pan. Add one or two tablespoonfuls of Béchamel sauce (see Sauces, p. 119), a little salt and sugar, and two or three ounces of fresh butter. Stew for a few minutes and serve.

SOUPS.

Artichoke Soup.

Boil three large artichokes for forty minutes, then dry and cut them in pieces and rub through a sieve. Put one quart of milk in an earthen pot, boil, add the artichokes, two ounces of butter, and three tablespoonfuls of flour. Stir until the milk thickens, add pepper and salt to taste, and boil for ten minutes, adding chicken forcemeat balls just before serving. (For the forcemeat balls take four tablespoonfuls of minced raw fowl, some grated bread, the white of an egg beaten up, and a little salt and pepper. Place the balls in boiling water as you make them, and boil for ten minutes. Take them out with the strainer and put them into the soup.)

Artichoke Soup (Purée).

Cut the bottom out of several artichokes, blanch them, remove the chokes and boil with a little salt, flour, and lemon juice. Then mash them and mix with one (or more, according to the number of people) cupful of Béchamel sauce (see Sauces, p. 119); rub through a sieve, add enough good stock to make a thick soup, and serve with small croûtons (fried bread).

Asparagus Soup.

Boil a bunch of asparagus in salted water for half an hour, then cut off their heads and put them into a soup-tureen. Meanwhile boil one quart of milk, mix three tablespoonfuls of flour and one of butter together, and add to the milk; stir until it thickens. Rub the rest of the asparagus through a sieve and add to the milk. Take it off the fire, season with salt and pepper, and pour it into the tureen on to the asparagus heads.

Carrot Soup.

Put eight or ten finely sliced carrots, one onion, two heads of celery sliced, five ounces of fresh white haricot beans, four ounces of butter, and salt and pepper to taste, in a sauce-pan. Cook over a slow fire for one hour, and stir from time to time. Then add about one and a half quarts of good stock, boil for one and a half hours, and rub through a sieve. Thin the purée with three quarts of stock, add half an ounce of sugar, boil for half an hour, and serve with croûtons (fried bread).

Chestnut Soup.

Peel some roast chestnuts, warm them in butter, moisten them with stock and white wine, and simmer over a slow fire until soft. Then pound them in a mortar, rub through a sieve, and mix with a thin purée of game. Heat in a Bain-marie, and serve with small croûtons (fried bread).

Lentil Soup. No. 1.

Soak one pint of lentils in cold water all night. Strain and wash them again, then put them in an earthen pot with two quarts of broth and simmer for one and a half hours. Fry one sliced onion, a little chopped parsley and thyme, and one bay leaf in two ounces of butter. Add these to the lentils and simmer for another half-hour. Rub through a sieve and boil, season with salt and pepper. Serve with croûtons (fried bread).

Lentil Soup. No. 2.

Put about half a pint of well-cleaned, dry lentils into boiling water in an earthen pot. Be careful to remove those which float to the surface. Leave the rest to cook until they are quite soft, then take them out and strain them. Meanwhile mix two or three anchovies, a bunch of parsley and some sage, and mix with some good oil in a sauce-pan. When well browned put in the lentils. Stir well, add more oil, and cook over a slow fire, stirring from time to time. When ready, mix in some strained stock, and serve with croûtons (fried bread).

Lettuce Soup.

Put the mealy part of four potatoes into boiling consommé, the blanched leaves of two heads of celery, one lettuce chopped up, one pint of green peas, and two large tablespoonfuls of flour well stirred in cold broth. Boil for one and a half hours, and serve with croûtons (fried bread).

Potato Soup ‘alla Provinciale.’

Boil and rub two pounds of potatoes through a sieve, put them in a sauce-pan with four ounces of good butter, a little salt, and half a tumbler of cream (or milk). Simmer until it is thick like Polentina (see p. 135), then add six yolks of eggs to consolidate it to a paste. Cut into small dice, throw them into boiling soup, and cook for five minutes. Just before serving sprinkle a little grated Parmesan cheese into the soup.

Potato Soup ‘alla Romana.’

Parboil four large potatoes in one quart of water, when half-cooked strain off the water and pour one pint of boiling water on the potatoes; add one bay leaf, half an onion, one head of celery, and some chopped parsley. Boil over a slow fire in an earthen pan, add two ounces of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour, and mix well. Rub the potatoes through a sieve into an earthen pot, add boiling milk, a little at a time, and serve hot.