THESE are dishes which remove the fish and soup, served upon large dishes, and placed at the top and bottom of the table; great care should be evinced in cooking them, as they are the “pièce de résistance” of the dinner. I must also observe that a few of the receipts appear a little complicated, but which will not prove to be the case if tried once or twice. In the Entrées will be found how the remains of them may be dressed.
Since the science of analytical chemistry has become so perfect, and has shown us the elements of which every substance and liquid is composed, and that, in order to continue them in a state of action, and prevent decomposition, it is necessary to repair the loss which they are every moment undergoing, even from man, through every living thing, down to earth and water. But as I am not going to write you a lecture on chemistry, which will be so much more easy to read in Liebig, in order for you to choose your meat and viands with economy in regard to actual nourishment, it is necessary I should tell you, that, from infancy to old age, the human race must be continually imbibing elements of formation or reparation, even from the lime in the mother’s milk, which forms the bones, to the osmazome extracted from animal matters, which creates a more lively circulation of the blood when it becomes sluggish and dull in old age. Each period, occupation, and station in life requires different substances of reparation, with which we ought to make ourselves intimately acquainted. Amongst the first, and that most generally in use with man, is the ox, the principal nourishment of which consists in the osmazome, which is that liquid part of the meat that is extracted by water at blood-heat. It is this which is the foundation and flavor of all soups, which gives the flavor to all meats, and which, on becoming candied by heat, forms the crust of roast meats.
The osmazome is found principally in all adult animals having a dark flesh, and to a very small extent in those having a white flesh; or even in the white flesh of fowls, but in their back and legs, in which parts lies their principal flavor. The bones of the ox contain gelatine and phosphate of lime. The gelatine is also found in the muscles and other cartilaginous parts of the animal; it is extracted by boiling water, and coagulates at the ordinary temperature of the atmosphere; it is the foundation of all jellies, blancmanges, and other similar preparations.
The albumen is also found in the flesh, and congeals as soon as the heat rises beyond that of the blood; it is this which is the scum on the pot when the meat is boiling.
BEEF.—All oxen should fast from twenty-four to forty-eight hours before being killed; when killed and skinned, they are opened and the inside cleaned; they are then hung up, and ought to be exposed to a draught until cold, and then divided down the back into two parts, leaving the head whole; these sides are then divided into two, called the fore and hind-quarters: the fore-quarter contains the shin, the clod and stickings, leg of mutton piece, chuck, middle rib, fore rib; the hind-quarter consists of the rump, sirloin, thin and thick flank, the veiny-piece, aitch-bone, buttock or round, and leg and foot; the head contains the tongue, palate, and brains; the entrails consist of the sweetbread, kidneys, skirts, and the double roll and reed tripe. When the meat is cut up, the following kernels are taken out: those in the neck, where the shoulder clod is removed; two from the round, the pope’s eye, and one from the flap; one in the thick flap in the middle of the flank, and another between the rump and aitch-bone: these must be removed to preserve the beef, particularly in hot weather. The flavor and quality of the meat depend on the country from whence it comes, and the nature of its food.[4] As a general rule, the flesh ought to be of a dark red color, smooth, open-grained, with fat rather white than yellow running in thin streaks through the flesh. Ox-beef is the largest and richest, but heifer is better, if well-fed. It should be hung for two days previous to using, in a cool place, free from draught; it will keep good from three to six days, according to the weather.
287. Sirloin of Beef should never be less than three of the short ribs, and will weigh more or less according to the size of the ox from which they are taken; that from a small, well-fed heifer I consider the best, and will weigh about twelve pounds, and take about two hours to roast, depending much on the fire. Having spitted or hung the joint, cover it with buttered paper, and place it about eighteen inches from the fire; about one hour after it has been down, remove the paper and place the joint nearer the fire, and put half a pint of water, with a little salt, in the dripping-pan; about a quarter of an hour before removing from the fire, dredge it with flour and salt from the dredging-box; when taken from the fire, empty the contents of the dripping-pan into a basin, from which remove the fat; pour the gravy in the dish, and then place the joint on it; serve some scraped horse-radish separate. A Yorkshire pudding is very excellent when cooked under this joint.
288. Ribs of Beef.—This piece should consist of at least three ribs; the bones are generally sawn through about three inches from the top; these should be removed, leaving the flap, which fold under and fix with wooden skewers. This, in roasting, should be prepared and dredged as the sirloin. A drop of coloring gives the gravy an inviting appearance.
289. Ribs of Beef braised.—Take four ribs, not too fat nor too thick, remove the chine-bone neatly, and four inches of the tips of the rib-bones, run with a larding-needle several pieces of fat bacon through the thick part, trim over the flap and tie it well round, put it into the braising-pan; put a quarter of a pound of butter, one teaspoonful of pepper, and six teaspoonfuls of salt into the pan, cover it over, and place it on a slow fire for thirty minutes, stirring it now and then, then add two quarts of water; at the expiration of one hour and a half, add eighty small button onions and sixty small young carrots, or pieces of large ones cut in the shape, which place around the meat; a bouquet of ten sprigs of parsley, three bay-leaves, and four sprigs of thyme tied together; half an hour after, add sixty round pieces of turnip; then place some live coals on the lid, and let it stew gently for one hour and a half longer, being altogether about four hours. Take out the meat, remove the string, and trim it. Skim off the fat from the liquor in the pan, remove the bouquet, &c., add a few pieces of butter in which have been mixed a tablespoonful of flour and a teaspoonful of sugar, two of browning, stir gently with a wooden spoon, and, when just on the boil, dress round the meat, and serve. In case it has reduced too much, add water.
The foregoing receipt may appear rather complicated, and may perhaps frighten you, and prevent you trying it; but I assure you, if you once try it, you will find it so good as to repeat it, particularly as many other receipts will be referred to this one. The vegetables and meat cold, are excellent.
290. Stewed Rump of Beef.—This is a very excellent and useful joint to be continually kept in a country-house, where you may be some distance from a butcher’s, as, when hung up in a cool larder, it keeps good for a considerable time, and you never feel at a loss should some friends call unawares: after a third of it has been removed for steaks, pies, or puddings, the remainder makes an excellent joint, roasted or braised like the ribs, or stewed as follows:
Cut it away from the bone, cut about twenty long pieces of fat bacon, which run through the flesh in a slanting direction; then chop up the bone, place it at the bottom of a large stewpan, with six cloves, three onions, one carrot, a turnip, and a head of celery; then lay in the rump (previously tying it up with string), which just cover with water, add a tablespoonful of salt and two burnt onions (if handy), place upon the fire, and, when boiling, stand it at the corner; let it simmer nearly four hours, keeping it skimmed; when done, pass part of the stock it was cooked in (keeping the beef hot in the remainder) through a hair sieve into a basin; in another stewpan have ready a quarter of a pound of butter, melt it over the fire, add six ounces of flour, mix well together, stirring over the fire until becoming a little brownish; take off, and when nearly cold add two quarts of the stock, stir it over the fire until it boils; then have four carrots, four turnips (cut into small pieces with cutters), and forty button onions peeled, put them into the sauce, when again boiling draw it to the corner, where let simmer until tender, keeping it skimmed; add a little powdered sugar and a bunch of parsley: if it should become too thick, add a little more of the stock; dress the beef upon a dish, sauce round and serve. Brown sauce may be used, and the gravy will make excellent soup.
291. Salt Round of Beef.—This magnificent joint is, in general, too large for small families, but occasionally it may be used; the following is, therefore, the best method of cooking it: having folded the fat round it, and fastened it with skewers, tie round it, not too tight, some wide tape and a thin cloth, place it in a large stock-pot with plenty of cold water, set it upon a good fire, and when beginning to boil, draw it to the corner, where let it simmer until done; five hours will be enough for a large one of thirty to thirty-five pounds; when done, remove the cloth and tape, and dish it up, previously cutting a slice two inches thick from the top, pouring a pint of the hot liquor over it when serving. To serve it cold, M. Soyer, in his “Regenerator,” thus describes it:
“After receiving the above useful lesson, and being desirous of improving my profession in all its branches, I remembered that, amongst the number of joints boiled to serve cold for large civic, agricultural, or benevolent anniversary dinners, the round of beef was the most prominent, and having seen it standing in dishes to get cold, with the dish filled with the gravy that runs from it, particularly if a little over-done, caused me to hit upon the following expedient to prevent the meat losing so much of its succulence.
“Fill two large tubs with cold water, into which throw a few pounds of rough ice, and when the round is done, throw it, cloth and all, into one of the tubs of ice-water; let remain one minute, when take out and put it into the other tub; fill the first tub again with water, and continue the above process for about twenty minutes; then set it upon a dish, leaving the cloth on until the next day, or until quite cold; when opened, the fat will be as white as possible, besides having saved the whole of the gravy. If no ice, spring water will answer the same purpose, but will require to be more frequently changed; the same mode would be equally successful with the aitch-bone.”
292. Half-Round of Beef (Silver-side) should be put into cold water, and let it come to a boil; simmer for two hours and a half, and serve the same as a round.
293. Aitch-bone of Beef (or, as I think it ought to be called, Edge-bone).—This is a very nice joint for a small family, but not so economical as is generally supposed; it should be pickled carefully, and cooked in the same way as the round; one weighing ten pounds will take two hours and a half; it should be trimmed on the top, and served with some of the liquor under it. It is very good when fresh and braised like the ribs.
294. Salt Brisket of Beef.—This is by no means an economical joint, as it loses considerably in cooking; it requires a long time to boil; should it be required as a large cold joint, the following is the best plan: procure a nice brisket with as little fat as possible, detach the whole of the bones from it, make a pickle (see Receipt), place it in it, previously rubbing it well with two cloves of garlic, leave it in the pickle from seven to nine days, rubbing and turning it every day; when ready to cook, cut it into two parts (one about two inches longer than the other), tie them together, and afterwards in a clean cloth, simmer it for about six or seven hours in a large stock-pot full of water; when done, take it out and let it drain, have ready a large dish-cover, place it upon a trivet, remove the cloth and string from the meat, and place it in the cover; have ready a piece of board to fit inside the cover, place it on the meat with a half-hundred weight on the top, and let it remain in a cold place until the next day, when take it out, trim it, garnish it nicely, and serve. This will keep good a considerable time, and is excellent for breakfast or luncheon; besides, it always keeps a “pièce de résistance” in the larder in case of accidents. It is also, when fresh, very excellent stewed like the rump of beef, or plain salted.
295. Hamburgh Beef.—The ribs are the best; they should be put to soak in soft water for twelve hours, and then put into cold water and boiled gradually; a piece of three ribs will take three hours; if intended to be served hot, the outside should be cut off, and the joint nicely trimmed and served up with the following garniture round it: take four handfuls of brown kale, well washed, put a saucepan on the fire, with a gallon of water, and let it well boil; then add two tablespoonfuls of salt and half a saltspoonful of carbonate of soda, put the kale in, let it boil for ten minutes, drain it and squeeze all the water from it, put it on a chopping-board and chop it fine, then put it into a stewpan, with two ounces of butter, half a teaspoonful of pepper, one teaspoonful of salt, a little nutmeg, half a teaspoonful of sugar, and twenty roasted chestnuts cut in half, put it on the fire and keep stirring it for five minutes: if too dry, add a little milk or gravy, and place it on the side of the fire until wanted.
296. To boil a pickled Ox Tongue.—Put the tongue into a large stewpan containing two gallons of cold water, which set upon the fire until boiling, when draw it to the corner to simmer for three hours, if a tongue weighing about six pounds; but the better way to ascertain when done, is to try it with a trussing-needle, or the prongs of a fork, in the thickest part; if tender it is done, but if hard it must boil rather longer. A dried tongue should be soaked twenty-four hours previously to boiling; when done, skin it and trim the root, &c., and use where directed.
297. To cook a fresh Ox Tongue.—Put a tongue in lukewarm water for twelve hours to disgorge, then trim the root and scrape the tongue quite clean; have ready twenty pieces of fat bacon two inches long and half an inch square, which introduce with a larding pin into the most fleshy part in a slanting direction; then rub the tongue all over with salt, and run a long iron skewer through it, which tie upon, surround the tongue with vegetables, the same as directed for turkeys roasted and braised, and roast for two hours before a good fire; twenty minutes before it is done take away the paper and vegetables, to give a nice brown color; when done trim a little, to keep it steady in the dish, and garnish with any kind of stewed vegetables, or cut it in halves lengthwise to form a heart, and sauce over with piquante, tomatos, or any other sharp sauces found in their series. If no convenience for roasting, put into a stewpan a piece of leg of beef (cut small) weighing two pounds, with two onions, one carrot, two blades of mace, a little thyme and bay-leaf, and a quarter of a pound of butter, sauté the whole twenty minutes, keeping it stirred over a moderate fire, then put in the tongue (previously prepared) and two ounces of salt, cover with water, and let boil gently four hours, skim and serve. The stock would be excellent for soup or brown sauce of any kind. The remains could be served in either of the methods directed for the remainder of pickled tongue.
298. Rump Steak broiled.—Procure a steak cut nice and even, of about half an inch in thickness (if well cut it will not require beating), which lay upon a gridiron over a sharp fire; have a good teaspoonful of salt, and half that quantity of pepper mixed together upon a plate, half of which sprinkle upon the side of the steak uppermost, after it has been upon the fire a couple of minutes, when turn, and sprinkle the remainder of the seasoning upon the other side; it will take about ten minutes to cook it to perfection, turning it occasionally, and serve upon a very hot dish, with a little scraped horseradish round. If properly done, it ought to be full of gravy, but a great deal depends upon the fire, which, if bad, causes the gravy to ooze from the meat and lie upon the top, which you lose in turning the steak over. A rump steak may also be served broiled as above, with a little maître d’hôtel, or anchovy butter, rubbed, over as soon as done, and potatoes cut the size of half crown or shilling pieces, and fried crisp in hot fat; dress round. Or a steak may be served, with a few water-cresses, well washed, and dried upon a plate sprinkled with a little pepper, salt, and vinegar, and garnished round; a little oil might also be added.
Veal of about two to three months old is the best; the flesh ought to be white, approaching to pink, and the fat firm; it is cut up the same as mutton, except that, in the hind-quarter, the loin is cut straight, leaving the aitch-bone on it, which may be either dressed on the loin or separate. The fore-quarter consists of the shoulder, neck, and breast. The hind-quarter, the knuckle, leg, fillet, and the loin. The head and pluck consists of the heart, liver, nut, skirts, melt, and the heart, throat, and sweetbread.
The bull-calf is the best, the flesh is firmer grained or redder, and the fat more curdled than the cow-calf, which latter is in general preferred, being more delicate and better adapted for made dishes, as having the udder. Nothing can be worse than veal if not fresh; it should never hang more than two days in summer and four in winter. To be in full perfection, the kidneys ought to be covered with fat, and the veins in the shoulder bright red or blue. It is best from May to September, although it may be had good all the year. The head, when fresh, should have the eyes plump and lively; if stale, they are sunk and wrinkled.
299. Fillet of Veal.—Choose it of the best quality. Procure a leg, saw off the knuckle, take out the bone in the centre of the fillet, and fill up the cavity with some stuffing made as directed (see Receipt), fold the udder and flap round, which fix with three skewers; place half a sheet of buttered foolscap paper top and bottom, which tie over and over with plenty of string, run a spit through, fixing the fillet with a holdfast; set down to roast, placing it rather close to the fire ten minutes, rub well over with butter, then place it at least two feet and a half from the fire, to roast very slowly, giving it a fine gold color; a fillet weighing sixteen pounds would require three hours roasting, when done take it up, detach all the string and paper, trim the top and set it upon your dish; have a pint of melted butter in a stewpan upon the fire, to which, when boiling, add four spoonfuls of Harvey sauce, and two of mushroom catsup, mix well, and pour round the fillet; have also boiled nicely an ox-tongue, which skin and trim, dress upon a dish surrounded with greens or cabbage nicely boiled, and serve as an accompaniment to the fillet.
300. Loin of Veal.—One with plenty of fat and a good kidney, from which the chump and the rib-bone at the other end has been removed; fasten the flap over the kidney with a skewer, run a spit through lengthwise, commencing at the thick end, and fixing it with a holdfast, cover it with buttered paper; one of fourteen pounds will take about two hours and a half to roast. Serve with melted butter poured over.
301. Chump of Veal can be either roasted or boiled; one about four pounds will take one hour to roast, and one hour and a quarter to boil; roasted, serve like the loin: boiled, serve with either sauces, Nos. 122, 154, 160.
302. Breast of Veal plain roasted.—Paper the joint, and roast for about one hour, and serve with gravy and melted butter; it may be roasted with the sweetbread skewered to it. By taking the tendons off, stew them for entrées.
303. Shoulder of Veal.—One weighing fourteen pounds will take about two hours and a half to three hours to roast or braise; if roasted, the same sauce as for the loin (No. 300), and braise (No. 310).
304. Neck of Veal.—Procure about eight pounds of a nice white neck of veal, containing six or seven chops; saw off under part of the chine-bone, so as to give it a nice square appearance, lard it thus: take about twelve pieces of fat bacon, two inches long and a quarter of an inch square, put the larding-needle through the flesh of the veal about one inch and a half, then put one third of the length of the piece of bacon in it, pull the needle out, and it will leave the bacon in the meat, showing a quarter of an inch of the bacon outside. Then braise as ribs of beef. Two hours will suffice.
305. Neck of Veal with Peas.—Proceed as in the former receipt, with the exception of leaving out the vegetables, and adding, half an hour previous to the meat being done, one quart of peas, twelve button onions, and a little more sugar; remove the fat, and serve as before.
306. Neck of Veal with Haricots.—Proceed as before, substituting the haricots for the peas, which must have been boiled in plenty of water for three or four hours previously. (See Receipt for Haricots.)
307. Neck of Veal with New Potatoes.—As before, using new potatoes in place of the peas. Any other vegetable, as French beans, broad beans, &c. may be served with it in the same way.
308. Necks of Veal can be larded or plain roasted, or braised in plain gravy as before, and served with either sauces, Nos. 150, 135, 137, 165.
309. Knuckle of Veal is a very favorite dish of mine: I procure two of them, which I saw into three pieces each, and put into a stewpan, with a piece of streaked bacon two pounds in weight, four onions, a carrot, two turnips, and six peppercorns, place over the fire, and when boiling add a little salt, skim well, and place at the corner to simmer gently for two hours, take up, dress them in your dish surrounded with the vegetables and bacon, and serve with parsley and butter over; very good soup may be made from the stock it was boiled in if required, or if not, into glaze, which put by until wanted.
310. Loin of Veal braised.—This joint generally weighs from twelve to fourteen pounds when off a good calf; have the rib-bones carefully divided with a saw so as not to hurt the fillet, prepare the braising-pan, and proceed as in receipt (No. 289); with the addition of one pint more water, but take care not to cover the meat, which might happen if your stewpan was small, which otherwise be boiling instead of braising; it will take about three hours: be careful about the fat, as this joint produces a great deal; taste the sauce before serving, in case more seasoning is required, which might be the case, depending on the nature of the veal. A good cook should taste all sauces before serving.
311. Breast of Veal stuffed and stewed.—Take about eight pounds of the breast of veal, put your knife about half an inch under the skin, and open it about three parts of its width all the way down, then prepare some veal stuffing, and lay it in the opening you have made about one inch in thickness, sew it up, and proceed as receipt for shoulder.
Should half the size of either the above dishes be required, use but half the vegetables in proportion, and stew half an hour less.
The Chump, Small Shoulder, or pieces of the fillet may be dressed in the same way, but must be larded, like the neck.
All the above joints may be stewed in the same way, with less vegetables, and served with sauces (Nos. 131, 135); the gravy in which they are stewed will always be useful in the kitchen, or may be reduced and served with the joint.
312. Shoulder of Veal stuffed and stewed.—This is a very awkward joint to carve to advantage, and equally so to cook; by the following plan, it goes further than any other way.
Take the joint and lay it with the skin-side downwards, with a sharp thin knife carefully detach the meat from the blade-bone, then hold the shoulder edgewise and detach the meat from the other side of the bone, being careful not to make a hole in the skin; then cut the bone from the knuckle and take it out; you may at first be rather awkward about it, but after once or twice trying, it will become easy; you may also take out the other bone, but I prefer it in, as it keeps the shape better: then lard the lean part like the neck in (No. 304); mix some salt and a little mixed spice together, with which rub the meat from whence the bone has been cut, stuff with veal stuffing, or sausage-meat, or suet pudding; braise, garnish, and serve as (No. 289). This being the toughest part of the veal, it should be tried before taking up, to see if it is properly done, by thrusting a larding-needle in it; if it goes in easily it is done. This joint is excellent cold, and should be carved in thin slices crosswise.
313. Calf’s Head.—Choose one thick and fat, but not too large; soak for ten minutes in lukewarm water, then well powder with rosin, have plenty of scalding water ready, dip in the head, holding it by the ear, scrape the hair off with the back of a knife, which will come off easily if properly scraped, without scratching the cheek; when perfectly clean, take the eyes out, saw it in two lengthwise through the skull, without spoiling the brain, which take carefully out, and put to disgorge for a few hours in lukewarm water; pull the tongue out, break the jawbone, and remove the part which contains the teeth, put the head into plenty of water to disgorge for one hour; make the following stock, and boil for about two hours and a half, and it will be ready to serve.
The stock is made by putting into a braising-pan two carrots, three onions, a quarter of a pound of butter, six cloves, a bouquet of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaves, set it on the fire for about twenty minutes, keep stirring it round, then add a pint of water, and when warm mix a quarter of a pound of flour, add a gallon of water, one lemon in slices, and a quarter of a pound of salt, then lay the head in; take care it is well covered, or the part exposed will turn dark: simmer gently till tender.
MY DEAR ELOISE,—Do not make any mistakes in the way you describe the above receipts, which might be made very ridiculous if wrongly explained. For example: I once had an old French Cookery Book in my hand, which had the 15th edition stamped on its old brown leather cheek, in which a receipt of “Tête de Veau à la poulette,” that is, a calf’s head, with white sauce, in which small onions and mushrooms are introduced, reads as follows—but, before describing it, allow me five minutes to indulge in a hearty laugh at the absurd manner in which it is explained: it reads thus: “First choose your head as thick and fat as you can, then plunge it in two gallons of water, which must be nearly boiling in a pan on the fire; let your head remain about ten minutes, then take it out by the ears, and, after remaining a short time, scrape your hair off with the back of a knife without injuring your cheek, and pull your eyes out; break your jawbone and saw your head in two without smashing your brains, which take out carefully; set it in cold water, to get clean and white; then pull out your tongue, scrape and dry it, having previously boiled it with your head, which, after two hours’ ebullition, will feel as soft as possible, when see that your head is in the centre of the dish; your tongue divided in two and placed on each side of it: sharp sauce, according to No.— is allowed to be served with either head or tongue.” I assure you, dear, although I do not profess to be a first-rate scholar in that fashionable language—French, that I believe this to be as near as possible the true translation of the original. Then follows calves’ feet, which is nearly as absurd as the former: “Pied de Veau an naturel,” Calves Feet, the natural way.—“Choose your fine feet in the rough state, and, as with your head, place a pan of water on the fire; when hot, but not too much so, put your feet in the water for about ten minutes, try if you can easily clean them as your head with a knife, if not, add a spoonful of salt in the water, and let them remain a few minutes longer; then scrape like your head; when well cleaned wipe them dry, and they are ready for dressing, which may be done in almost twenty different ways. (See the series ‘How to cook Pigs’ Feet.’) When your feet are tender, set them on a dish, take out the big bone, surround them with sausage-meat; wrap them up in caul, and form a heart with them; then place your feet on a gridiron, let them gently broil, and, when done, eat them for breakfast or luncheon.” (After which a gentle walk might give you an appetite for dinner.)
Calf’s Head (No. 313) may be dressed thus:—Half of the head will make a good dish for a remove; lay it in the dish very hot, having previously drained it well; have ready about a pint of Hollandaise or cream sauce, No. 280, pour it over and serve.
It may be surrounded with a dozen new potatoes, if in season, or some quenelles, or quarters of hard-boiled eggs; a little chopped parsley thrown on the head when the sauce is over it, makes it look very inviting. It can also be served “à la poulette,” by putting a pint of white sauce in a stewpan; you have peeled and cooked about fifty button onions in white broth, to which you have added a little sugar and butter, and a few mushrooms; add the broth, onions, and sauce together, and when on the point of boiling, add a liaison of two yolks of eggs and the juice of a lemon; stir it well round; it ought to be the thickness of cream sauce; pour over the head and serve.
It can also be egged and bread-crumbed, and placed in the cream for twenty minutes to get a nice brown color, and may be served with sauces, Nos. 150, 165.
MUTTON.—The sheep, when killed, is generally divided into two, by cutting across about two ribs below the shoulder; these are called the fore and hind-quarters: the former contains the head, neck, breast, and shoulder; the latter, the leg and loin; or the two loins together, the saddle or chine; or the leg and four ribs of the loin, the haunch. The entrails are called the pluck, which are the liver, lights, heart, sweetbread, and melt. When cut up, the kernel at the tail should be removed, and that in the fat in the thick part of the leg, and the pipe that runs along the bone of the chine. The flavor depends on the breed and pasture; that is best which has a dark-colored flesh, of a fine grain, well-mixed with fat, which must be firm and white. Wether mutton is the best; the meat of ewe mutton is of a paler color, and the fat yellow and spongy. To keep a loin, saddle, or haunch, the kidney-fat should be removed, and the place rubbed with a little salt. Mutton should never be cooked unless it has hung forty-eight hours after it is killed; and it can be kept for twenty-one days, and sometimes longer in a severe winter.
314. Haunch of Mutton.—Saw or break three inches from the knuckle-bone, remove all skin from the loin, put it on a spit, commencing at the knuckle, and bringing it out at the flap, avoiding the fillet of the loin; then cover it with three sheets of buttered paper, place it about eighteen inches from the fire, if a large one it will take two hours and a half; half an hour before being done, remove the paper, baste it with a little butter, and dredge it slightly; when done, dish it up with a frill round the knuckle, and pour a pint of hot gravy over. In summer time, French beans should be served with it, but always mashed potatoes.
315. Saddle of Mutton.—The same rule in regard to choice appiles to this as to the haunch. Take off the skin, run a lark-spit through the spinal marrow-bone, which affix to a larger one with a holdfast at one end and string at the other; then tie the skin over the back, and place it down to roast; it will not take so long a time to roast in proportion as another joint, one about ten pounds will take about one hour and twenty minutes; remove the paper ten minutes before taking it from the fire, dredge to give it a nice color, and make gravy as for beef, No. 287, or serve with gravy, No. 177.
316. Saddle of Mutton, à la Polonaise.—This is my economical dish, par excellence, and very much it is liked every time I use it. Take the remains of a saddle of mutton, of the previous day, cut out all the meat close to the bone, leaving about one inch wide on the outside, cut it with a portion of the fat into small dice; then put a spoonful of chopped onions in a stewpan, with a little butter; fry one minute, add the meat, with a tablespoonful of flour, season rather high with salt, pepper, and a little grated nutmeg; stir round, and moisten with a gill or a little more of broth, add a bay-leaf, put it on the stove for ten minutes, add two yolks of eggs, stir till rather thick, make about two pounds of mashed potatoes firm enough to roll, put the saddle-bone in the middle of the dish, and with the potatoes form an edging round the saddle, so as to give the shape of one, leaving the middle empty, fill it with your mince meat, which ought to be enough to do so; if you should not have enough with the remains of the saddle, the remains of any other joint of mutton may be used; egg all over, sprinkle bread-crumbs around, put in rather a hot oven, to get a nice yellow color, poach six eggs, and place on the top, and serve brown gravy round; white or brown sauce, if handy, is an improvement. You may easily fancy the economy of this well-looking and good dish; the remains of a leg, shoulder, loin, neck of mutton and lamb may be dressed the same way, keeping their shape of course.
317. Roast Leg of Mutton.—Choose the same as the haunch. One about eight pounds weight will take about one hour and a half to roast: run the spit in at the knuckle, and bring it out at the thigh-bone; roast it some little distance from the fire at first, bringing it nearer as it gets done; baste it with a little butter whilst roasting, or cover it with a sheet of well-buttered paper, which remove just before it is quite cooked. The leg of doe mutton is the best for roasting; should it be ewe, and intended for roasting, I proceed thus two or three days before I want it. I make a small incision close to the knuckle, pushing a wooden skewer close down to the leg-bone as far as it will go; I then take one tablespoonful of port wine, if none handy I use catsup, and a teaspoonful of either treacle, apple or currant jelly, and mix them together; I then remove the skewer, and run the mixture in it, closing the hole with two cloves of garlic. This joint I prefer to dangle, rather than put on the spit.
318. Boiled Leg of Mutton.—This I prefer of the Southdown breed, and ewe is equally as good as doe. Cut the end of the knuckle from the leg, put it into an oval pan, in which there is sufficient water to cover it, throw in about one ounce of salt, place it upon a sharp fire until it is on the point of boiling, then remove to the side, and in five minutes remove the scum, and then let it simmer gently; if the turnips are to be boiled with it, peel and slice them, and put them into the pan half an hour before the mutton is done; it must be again put on the fire for a few minutes, as the turnips have stopped the boiling; dress it upon a dish with the turnips round it, or mash separate, and with caper or gherkin sauce: the broth may be reduced for soup.
319. Leg of Mutton à la Bretonne.—Choose one about six pounds weight, peel four cloves of garlic, make an incision with the point of a knife in four different parts around the knuckle, and place the garlic in it, hang it up for a day or two, and then roast it for one hour and a half. At the same time you have procured a quart of small dry French haricots, which after well washing put into a saucepan with half a gallon of water, add about half an ounce of salt, the same of butter, set them on the side of the fire to simmer for about three hours or till tender, when pour the liquor off into a basin, and keep the haricots hot; peel and cut two large onions into thin slices, put some of the fat of the dripping-pan into a frying-pan, put in the onions, and fry a light brown, add them to the haricots with the fat and gravy the mutton has produced in roasting, season with salt and pepper, toss them a little, and serve very hot on a large dish, put the leg on it, with a frill of paper on the knuckle. In case the leg is very fat do not add all of it to the haricots. This if well carved is an excellent dish for eight or nine persons; it is a dish very much esteemed in France, and is considered cheap food from the nourishment afforded by the haricots, which can be purchased at sixpence per quart.
Shoulder and loin may be dressed in the same way.
320. Shoulder of Mutton is best if well hung; the spit should be run in at the flap and brought out at the knuckle; this should not be basted in roasting, but merely rubbed with a little butter; it is served occasionally with sauces, No. 158. This is sometimes boiled with onion sauce; or, as it is called, smothered in onions. It is also good by having the bone extracted, and its place filled with veal stuffing, and then put it on a trivet, in a baking-dish, with sliced potatoes under, and baked more or less in proportion to its size; one of six pounds will take one hour and a half—or as follows:
Put a small shoulder of mutton in a deep sauté-pan or baking-dish, season with a little pepper and salt, cover over with thin slices of fat bacon, then put in ten potatoes peeled and quartered, and the same quantity of apples, with half a pint of water, place in a moderate oven and bake for two hours, dress upon your dish, with the potatoes and apples round, skim all the fat from the gravy, which pour over and serve; it requires a little oil or butter over before baking.
321. Shoulder of Mutton, Provincial Fashion.—Roast a fine shoulder of mutton; whilst roasting mince ten large onions very fine, put them into a stewpan, with two tablespoonfuls of salad-oil, pass them ten minutes over a good fire, keeping it stirred, then add a tablespoonful of flour, stir well in, and a pint of milk, season with a little pepper, salt, and sugar; when the onions are quite tender and the sauce rather thick, stir in the yolks of two eggs and take it off the fire; when the shoulder is done, spread the onions over the top, egg over, cover with bread-crumbs, put in the oven ten minutes, and salamander a light brown color, dress upon your dish, put the gravy from it in your stewpan, with a pat of butter, with which you have mixed a little flour, boil up, add a little scraped garlic, pour round the shoulder, which serve. The shoulder may also be dressed in the housewife’s method, as directed for the leg. A little browning may be added.
322. Loin of Mutton.—Take off the skin, separate the joints with a chopper; if a large size, cut the chine-bone with a saw, so as to allow it to be carved in smaller pieces, run a lark-spit from one extremity to the other, and affix it to a larger spit, and roast it like the haunch. A loin weighing six pounds will take one hour to roast.
323. Leg of Mutton stewed with Vegetables.—Have a good leg, beat it a little with a rolling-pin, make an incision in the knuckle, in which put two cloves of garlic, then put it into a stewpan, with a pound of lean bacon cut in eight pieces, set over a moderate fire half an hour, moving it now and then until becoming a light brown color, season with pepper and salt, add twenty pieces of carrots of the same size as the bacon, fifteen middling-sized onions, and when done add two bay-leaves, two cloves, and two quarts of water, replace it upon a moderate fire, moving round occasionally, stew nearly three hours, dress upon your dish with the carrots and onions dressed tastefully around, take off as much of the fat from the gravy as possible, take out the bay-leaves and pour the garniture round the mutton, which serve very hot. It can be braised like No. 289. A few drops of browning may be required.
324. Neck of Mutton.—This is a very recherché dish, if off a good-sized sheep, and well hung; it must be nicely trimmed, sawing the bones at the tips of the ribs, which detach from the meat, folding the flap over; saw off the chine-bone, and carefully detach the remainder of the bone from the fillet; detach the skin from the upper part, fix the flap under with a couple of skewers, run a flat lark-spit from end to end, fix it to a larger one, cover it with buttered paper, and roast like the haunch; if of five pounds, nearly three-quarters of an hour to one hour. It should be served very hot, the plates and dish the same, and not one minute before it is wanted: serve gravy under.
325. Boiled Neck of Mutton.—Take one with little fat upon it, divide the chops, taking care not to cut the fillet, put it into a pan with cold water sufficient to cover it, place in it one ounce of salt, one onion, and a small bunch of parsley, boil it gently; when done, dish it up, and serve it with either parsley and butter made from the liquor in which it was boiled, caper or onion sauce, mashed turnips separate. Proceed as under receipt with the broth.
326. Sheep’s Head.—Though this may be seen in every part of London inhabited by the working classes, and may be procured ready-cooked, I prefer always to prepare it at home, and very good it is. I choose a fine one, as fat as possible, and put it into a gallon of water to disgorge for two hours; wash it well, saw it in two from the top, take out the brain, cut away part of the uncovered part of the skull, and also the ends of the jaws, wash it well, put it into the stewpan, with two onions, one carrot, two turnips cut in slices, a little celery, four cloves, a bouquet of four sprigs of thyme, a bay-leaf, one ounce of salt, a quarter of an ounce of pepper, three quarts of water, set on the fire; when near boiling, add half a teacupful of pearl or Scotch barley; let it simmer for three hours, or till tender, which try with a fork; take out vegetables, cut in dice, remove bouquet, skim off the fat, and pour all into tureen. Or, lay the head on a dish, and serve with either onion sauce over, parsley and butter, or any sharp sauce; or egg and bread-crumb it over, put it in an oven for half an hour till getting a nice yellow color, and serve with sharp sauce under. Or, with the brain, thus: having boiled it for ten minutes in a little vinegar, salt, and water, cut it in pieces, warm it in parsley and butter, season it a little, and put it under the head and serve.
327. Sheep’s Head and Liver.—Boil half a sheep’s liver for thirty minutes in a quart of water, cut it into small dice, put two ounces of butter in the stewpan, and set it on the fire, then add a tablespoonful of chopped onions, cook it a few minutes, add the liver, season with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, a spoonful of flour, half-pint of broth, stir when boiling, simmer for a few minutes, lay on dish, and put the head over just as it is out of the broth, or bread-crumb it, and put it in the oven.
LAMB.—The same rules for cutting up should be observed as in the sheep. The fore-quarter consists of a shoulder, neck, and breast together; if cut up, the shoulder and ribs. The hind-quarter is the leg and loin. The head and pluck consist of the liver, lights, heart, nut and melt, as also the fry, which is the sweetbread, bits and skirts, and part of the liver. The fore-quarter should be fresh, the hind-quarter should hang, it should be of a pale color and fat. The vein in the fore-quarter ought to be bluish and firm; if yellow or green, it is very stale. To ascertain if the hind-quarter is fresh, pass your finger under the kidney, and if there is a faint smell it is not fresh. If there is but little flesh on the shoulder it is not fine lamb; those that have short wool I have found to be the best flavored. Nothing differs so much in flavor and goodness as this: much depends upon the kind of pasture on which the ewe is fed; that which is obtained when it is the dearest has but little flavor, and requires the addition of lemon and cayenne to make it palatable.
328. Neck of Lamb à la Jardinière.—Plain roast the neck, as you would that of mutton; dish it up with sauce, and, whilst it is roasting, cut one middling-sized carrot in small dice, the same quantity of turnip, and thirty button onions; wash all in cold water, put them in a small stewpan, with one ounce of butter and half a teaspoonful of sugar, place on the fire till no liquid remains in the stewpan; add to it a gill of brown sauce, half a one of broth, add a small bouquet of parsley and bay-leaf; after once boiling, set it to simmer on the corner of the stove, skim off all the fat; when ready, taste if very palatable; it must be a nice brown color, and the sauce lightly adhere to the back of the spoon; serve on the dish, place the neck over: white sauce may be used instead of brown, only add a spoonful of liaison when ready to serve. This sauce is equally good with almost any kind of meat, game, and poultry: it will often be referred to, therefore be particular in making it; you can shape the vegetables in twenty different ways, by using either green peas, French beans, Brussels sprouts; sprey-grass may be added, when in season, but should be boiled separately, and added just previous to serving. Should you have no sauce-water cold, a little glaze may be used; or, for white sauce, use water and milk.
329. Saddle of Lamb, Russian fashion.—Roast a small saddle of lamb, keeping it pale; having had it covered with paper, take ten good-sized boiled potatoes, mash them with about two ounces of butter, a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and a little grated nutmeg; mix all well together with a fork, adding half a gill of milk and one egg; when cold, roll them into a long shape the size of plover’s eggs, egg and bread-crumb twice, and fry light colored; dress the saddle, surround it with the potatoes, make a sauce of melted butter and maître d’hôtel butter, No. 285, put in it, and pour it round, and serve. All joints of lamb can be dressed thus.
330. Leg or Shoulder of Lamb with Peas.—These must be plain roasted; when done, serve with peas in the bottom of the dish, prepared as No. 169.
331. Leg or Shoulder with French Beans.—Plain roast as before; prepare beans as directed. (See Vegetables.)
332. Boiled Leg of Lamb with Spinach.—Procure a very small leg, and cut the end of the knuckle-bone, tie it up in a cloth and place it in cold water, with two ounces of salt in it, boil it gently according to size; when done, remove the cloth, and dish it up with spinach under it, prepared as directed. (See Vegetables.)
333. Shoulder of Lamb braised.—Take the blade bone from a shoulder of lamb, and have ready ten long strips of fat bacon, which season rather highly, with pepper, salt, and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, place the pieces, one after the other, in your larding pin, which draw quickly through the fleshy part of the shoulder, leaving the bacon in the meat; after having used all the bacon, roll the meat round, and tie it up with a piece of string; then put it into a stewpan containing a quarter of a pound of butter over a slow fire, stirring it occasionally until of a light golden color, when pour in a quart of water or broth, and add forty button onions, and a bunch of parsley; let simmer very slowly until the onions are quite tender, when take up the meat, pull off the string, and dress it upon a dish with the onions round; take the parsley out of the liquor, from which carefully skim off all the fat, and reduce it until forming a thinnish glaze, when pour it over the meat and serve. Mushrooms may be added ten minutes before sending to table.
334. Breast of Lamb broiled.—Saw off the breast from a rib of lamb, leaving the neck of sufficient size to roast or for cutlets; then put two onions, half a carrot, and the same of turnip, cut into thin slices, in a stewpan with two bay-leaves, a few sprigs of parsley and thyme, half an ounce of salt, and three pints of water, lay in the breast, which let simmer until tender, and the bones leave with facility, when take it from the stewpan, pull out all the bones, and press it between two dishes; when cold, season with a little salt and pepper, egg and bread-crumb it lightly over, and broil gently (over a moderate fire) of a nice yellowish color, turning it very carefully; when sufficiently browned upon one side, serve with plain gravy in the dish and mint sauce separately, or with stewed peas or any other vegetable sauce; tomato sauce is likewise very good served with it.
335. Lamb’s Head.—See Sheep’s Head (No. 324). This will take half the time to cook.
336. Lamb’s Fry.—Take about a pound and boil for ten minutes in half a gallon of water, take it out and dry on a cloth; have some fresh crumbs, mix with them half a spoonful of chopped parsley, salt, pepper; egg the fry lightly with a paste-brush, dip it in the crumbs, fry for five minutes, serve very hot on a clean napkin in a dish, with fried parsley over.
337. Lamb’s Head with Hollandaise.—If you want it very white, make stock as for sheep’s feet, put it to stew when done, lay on dish with about twelve new potatoes (boiled) round it, pour over some cream sauce (No. 280), and serve.
338. Lamb’s Head, with Brain or Liver.—Blanch the brain or liver, and mince them as for sheep’s head, introducing only the yolk of an egg; mix with a little milk, stir in quick, add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, the juice of half a lemon, lay it on the dish with the head over, and serve.