CATSUPS, ETCETERA
Catsups and spiced sauces are now so much used that the epicure feels they are an indispensable accompaniment to his roast or broiled meat, his bit of fish, or fowl, or dish of game. They may be prepared months beforehand and kept against the day of need. The same rule holds in the preparation of these relishes which we have quoted with regard to pickles. They must be cooked in a porcelain-lined vessel, or one of agate iron.
Chili sauce (No. 1)
Peel, and cut up together three dozen large tomatoes and a dozen onions. Chop into bits half a dozen green peppers and mix with the tomatoes and onions. Stir together a teacupful of brown sugar, five tablespoonfuls of salt, half a dozen teaspoonfuls, each, of powdered allspice, cloves and cinnamon, two teaspoonfuls of ground ginger, and a saltspoonful of paprika. Put these spices into three quarts of vinegar, add the vegetables, mix thoroughly, and cook steadily for two hours. When cold, bottle and seal.
Chili sauce (No. 2)
Peel and chop two dozen ripe tomatoes and six onions. Remove the seeds from two red peppers and chop the peppers fine; then stir them into the tomatoes and onions. Season all with a teacupful of granulated sugar, four tablespoonfuls of salt, three teaspoonfuls, each, of powdered allspice, cloves and cinnamon, and a teaspoonful of ground ginger. Pour over all two quarts of vinegar, and boil in a porcelain-lined kettle for two and a half hours. When cool, bottle and seal.
Chutney
Chop a white cabbage and eight onions. Pack in a crock with alternate layers of salt and let it stand twenty-four hours. Into a pint of vinegar stir a half-pound of brown sugar, a heaping teaspoonful, each, of tumeric, powdered alum, cinnamon, allspice, mace, black pepper, mustard and celery seed, and heat all to boiling. Pour this liquid over the cabbage and onions, and set aside for twenty-four hours longer. Now drain off the liquid, bring again to the boil, and pour it again over the pickle. Do this for three mornings; put liquor and vegetables together in the preserving kettle, boil for five minutes; set aside until cold, then pack in jars.
Piccalilli
Chop two fine large cabbages and a pint of onions, and mix. Pack down in a stone crock and stir in a handful of salt. Leave thus for twenty-four hours. Bring to a boil a quart of vinegar, into which have been stirred a pound of sugar and a tablespoonful, each, of the following ground spices—mustard, pepper, mace, allspice, celery seed, cinnamon and tumeric. Pour over the cabbage and onion, turn all into a preserving kettle and boil for ten minutes. When cold, pack in pint jars.
Grape catsup
Wash tart grapes, remove the stems and put the fruit into a kettle, with just enough water to prevent scorching. Stir often with a wooden spoon and cook until tender. Rub, a little at a time, through a fine colander. Reject the seeds and skins, and measure the pulp. To each quart and a pint of this add a pound of brown sugar, a cupful of white vinegar, a heaping teaspoonful, each, of ground cinnamon, allspice, mace, salt and white pepper, and a half teaspoonful of ground cloves. Boil long and steadily until the catsup is reduced to less than half the original quantity, and very thick. When cold, bottle, cork tightly and cover the corks with sealing wax.
Currant catsup
To four pounds of stemmed currants add two pounds of sugar, crush all together, and boil slowly until quite thick. Add one-quarter of a teaspoonful of salt, one-half pint of vinegar, one teaspoonful, each, of powdered allspice, mace and cinnamon. Boil up and bottle at once.
Mushroom catsup
Break into quarters firm, fresh mushrooms. Put a layer of the broken mushrooms into an earthen vessel and sprinkle with salt; then put in more mushrooms and more salt until all are used. Cover the vessel and set it on the cellar floor for three days, stirring the contents with a wooden spoon three times a day. At the end of this time, warm the mushrooms, mash them to a pulp, and strain through coarse netting, squeezing out all the juice. Boil this for ten minutes and measure. To every pint of the liquor allow a generous teaspoonful of whole peppers and allspice, a blade of mace, two slices of onion, a bay-leaf and a dash of paprika. Put liquor and spices over the fire, and boil until thick. Strain, cool and fill bottles with catsup. Seal tightly.
Tomato catsup
Slice a peck of unpeeled tomatoes with six white onions and boil together until so soft they can be rubbed through a colander. Now strain through a sieve and return to the fire with three bay-leaves, a tablespoonful, each, of powdered mace, pepper, cloves, sugar, salt, a half teaspoonful of paprika, and a tablespoonful of celery seed—this last tied up in a small cheese-cloth bag. Boil for nearly six hours, stirring frequently. Remove the bag of celery seed, and pour in a pint of vinegar. Bring again to a boil, and remove from the fire. When cold, bottle and seal.
Walnut catsup
Select walnuts but half-grown and into which a needle enters easily. Prick each clear through three times, pack in layers, strewing a handful of salt between the layers. Pour in cold water until the walnuts are covered, lay a heavy inverted saucer upon them to hold the walnuts under the brine, and keep them in it two weeks. Every day churn them with a wooden mallet to bruise and crack them into small bits. At the end of the fortnight turn off the brine, beat the nuts fine; cover them with boiling vinegar and add the reserved brine. Measure liquid and crushed nuts, and allow for each quart a teaspoonful, each, of onion juice and grated horseradish; two teaspoonfuls, each, of ground cloves and mace, and a tablespoonful, each, of ground ginger and black pepper. Boil steadily for two hours, run through a sieve, cool, bottle and seal.
Pepper vinegar
Break up half a dozen red peppers. Add three dozen black peppercorns and two tablespoonfuls of sugar to a quart of vinegar. Scald vinegar and sugar, and pour over the peppers. Put in a jar, steep eight hours, strain and bottle.
This is to be eaten with fish or raw oysters.
Mixed mustard
Into four tablespoonfuls of dry English mustard stir a tablespoonful of salad oil. When this is well rubbed in, add enough vinegar to make a smooth paste, a teaspoonful, each, of paprika, sugar and onion juice.
Beat hard until light, and bottle.
Home-made French mustard
Compound as directed in the preceding recipe, but have the vinegar scalding hot and when all the ingredients are beaten to a paste set this in a pan of boiling water; cover closely to keep in the strength and cook fifteen minutes. Make a large quantity at a time and put up in corked bottles or jars. It will improve with age.