No. 42. Brown Mock Turtle Soup. Proceed the same as in the last article, only colouring the stock by drawing it down to a brown glaze, or with a couple of burnt onions, and serving with a glass of port wine in it, or two of sherry, omitting the cream.
No. 43. Mulligatawny Soup. Cut up a knuckle of veal, which put in a stewpan with a piece of butter, half a pound of lean ham, a carrot, one turnip, three onions, six apples, one head of celery, one leek, a bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, a blade of mace, six cloves, and half a pint of water; set the stewpan over a sharp fire, move the meat round occasionally, let remain until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a brownish glaze; then add two or three tablespoonfuls of currie powder, one of currie paste, if handy, and half a pound of flour, stir well in, and fill up with a gallon of water, add a spoonful of salt, half ditto of sugar, and a quarter ditto of pepper, let boil up; then place it at the corner of the stove, where let it simmer two hours and a half, then pass it through a hair sieve into the tureen; trim some of the pieces of veal, which serve in it, and some plain boiled rice separate; ox-tails or pieces of rabbits, chickens, &c., left from a previous dinner may be served in it instead of the veal; if too thick add a drop of broth or water.
No. 44. Giblet Soup. Clean two sets of giblets and soak for two hours, cut them into equal sizes and put them into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of butter, four pounds of veal or beef, half a pound of ham, a carrot, turnip, three onions, a head of celery, leek, two ounces of salt, and a bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf; place the stewpan over a sharp fire, stirring the meat round occasionally, when the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a light glaze add half a pound of flour, stir well in, and fill up with a gallon of water, add two burnt onions to colour it; when boiling set at the corner of the stove, let simmer, skim well, and when the giblets are tender take them out, put them in your tureen, pass the soup through a hair sieve over, and serve; twenty button onions, or any small sharp vegetable, is very good in it, also a glass of port wine.
No. 45. Green Pea Soup. Put two quarts of green peas into a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of butter, quarter of a pound of lean ham cut in dice, two onions in slices, and a few sprigs of parsley; add a quart of cold water, and with the hand rub all well together, then pour off the water, cover the stewpan close and stand it upon a sharp fire, tossing or stirring them round occasionally; when very tender add two or three tablespoonfuls of flour, mix well in, mashing the peas with your spoon against the sides of the stewpan, add three quarts of broth, made as for Julienne soup (No. 35), or broth from the pot-au-feu (No. 34), and a tablespoonful of sugar, with a little pepper and salt if required, boil all well together five minutes; then rub it through a tammie or hair sieve, put it into another stewpan with half a pint of boiling milk, boil and skim, then pour it into your tureen, and serve with small croutons of fried bread-crumbs. It must not be served too thick.
No. 46. Winter Pea Soup. Wash a quart of split peas, which put into a stewpan with half a pound of streaked bacon, two onions in slices, two pounds of veal or beef cut into small pieces, and a little parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, previously passed in butter in the same stewpan; cover with a gallon of water, add a little salt and sugar, place it upon the fire; when boiling stand it at the side until the peas are boiled to a purée, and the water has reduced to half, then take out the meat, place it in the tureen, keep it hot, and rub the soup through a hair sieve or tammie, put it into another stewpan, and when boiling pour over the meat and serve. The bacon is good cold, the meat may also be put into the tureen if approved of.
No. 47. Purée, or Vegetable Soup. Peel and cut up very fine three onions, three turnips, one carrot, and four potatoes, put them into a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of butter, the same of lean ham, and a bunch of parsley, pass them ten minutes over a sharp fire; then add a good spoonful of flour, mix well in, moisten with two quarts of broth (prepared as for Julienne soup, No. 35), and a pint of boiling milk, boil up, keeping it stirred, season with a little salt and sugar, and rub through a hair sieve or tammie, put it into another stewpan, boil again, skim, and serve with croutons of fried bread in it.
No. 48. Soup Maigre. Cut two onions into very small dice and put them into a stewpan with two ounces of butter, fry them a short time, but not to change colour; have three or four handfuls of well-washed sorrel, cut it into ribands, and put it into the stewpan with the onions, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, mix well, then a pint of milk and a pint of water, boil all together ten minutes, season with a little sugar and salt, and finish with a liaison of two yolks of eggs, mixed with a gill of cream, stir it in quickly, do not let it boil afterwards; put the crust of a French roll cut in strips into your tureen, pour the soup over, and serve.
No. 49. Onion Soup Maigre. Peel and cut ten large onions into small dice, put them into a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of butter, place them over the fire, fry them well; then add three tablespoonfuls of flour, which mix well, and rather better than a quart of water, boil till the onions are quite tender, season with a little salt and sugar, finish with a liaison, and serve as in the last; grated cheese is an improvement in it.
No. 50. Vermicelli Soup. Make your stock as for Julienne soup (No. 35), when passed put it into another stewpan with two ounces of vermicelli, boil it a quarter of an hour, then pour it into your tureen, and serve.
Semolina or tapioca soup is made the same, using either instead of vermicelli. For rice soup, see No. 197, Kitchen of the Wealthy.
No. 51. Macaroni Soup. (See No. 198, and Italian Paste, No. 194, Kitchen of the Wealthy.)
FISH.—No. 52. Turbot. For the methods of cleaning fish, see the other department of this work. In My Kitchen at Home I should never think of cooking too large a turbot, but choose a middle-sized one which, generally speaking, is the best; cut an incision in the back, rub it well with a good handful of salt, then with the juice of a lemon, set it in a turbot kettle well covered with cold water, in which you have put a good handful of salt, place over the fire, and as soon as the water boils put it at the side; if a turbot of ten pounds it will take an hour after it has boiled, if it should be allowed to more than simmer it will be very unsightly; take out of the water, leave a minute upon your drainer, serve upon a napkin garnished with fresh parsley, and lobster sauce in a boat; for sauce (see No. 68), or shrimp sauce (No. 73).
No. 53. Turbot, the new French Fashion. Boil your turbot as in the last but dress it upon a dish without a napkin, sauce over with a thickish melted butter (having placed a border of well-boiled small potatoes round), sprinkle a few capers over and serve.
No. 54. Turbot à la Crême is done with the remains of a turbot from a previous dinner; detach the flesh from the bone, and warm in salt and water, make cream sauce as page 99, only omit a third of the butter.
Brills are cooked in the same manner as turbots, but being smaller do not require so long boiling; but in boiling any description of fish, never take it up until it leaves the bone with facility, which try by placing the point of a knife between the flesh and the bone, if done the flesh will detach immediately.
No. 55. John Dorée, Boulogne fashion. John Dorées, though not very handsome, are very delicate eating; choose them from four to six pounds in weight, and boil as directed for turbot; one of the above size would require about three quarters of an hour; if any remain, dress like turbot, or with caper sauce, &c.
No. 56. Salmon, plain boiled. I prefer always dressing this fish in slices from an inch or two inches in thickness, boiling it in plenty of salt and water about half an hour; the whole fish may be boiled, or the head and shoulders of a large fish, but they require longer boiling. Salmon eats firmer, by not being put into the water until boiling; dress the fish upon a napkin and serve with lobster sauce (page 30), shrimp do., or plain melted butter in a boat, with fresh sprigs of parsley boiled a few minutes in it. A salmon weighing ten pounds will require an hour and a half boiling; a head and shoulders weighing six pounds, one hour. The remains may be dressed à la crême, as directed for the turbot (No. 54).
No. 57. Salmon Sauce Matelote. Cook three good slices of salmon as directed in the last, or a large salmon peal trussed in the form of the letter S; dress it upon a dish without a napkin, having previously drained off all the water; have ready the following sauce: peel fifty small button onions, then put a good teaspoonful of powdered sugar into a convenient-sized stewpan, place it upon a sharp fire, and just as the sugar melts and turns yellowish add a quarter of a pound of butter and the onions, place it again upon the fire, tossing them over occasionally until they become slightly browned, then add a good tablespoonful of flour (mix well, but gently), a glass of sherry, and a pint of broth (reserved from some soup), let boil at the corner of the stove, skim well, and when the onions are done and the sauce rather thick, add a little pepper, salt, a teaspoonful of catsup, one of Harvey sauce, and one of essence of anchovies; when ready to serve add two dozen of oysters, blanched and bearded, allow them to get quite hot, sauce over and serve. I sometimes at home make a few fish quenelles (No. 124, Kitchen of the Wealthy) and add to the sauce.
The remainder of the above is very good if put in the oven upon a dish with a cover over and a little additional sauce.
No. 58. Cod Fish, plain boiled. (See page 119.)
No. 59. Cod Fish sauced over with Oyster Sauce. Boil three slices of the fish as above, drain and dress them upon a dish without a napkin, blanch three dozen oysters by putting them into a stewpan with their juice upon the fire, move them round occasionally, do not let them boil; as soon as they become a little firm place a sieve over a basin, pour in the oysters, beard and throw them again into their liquor, put them into a stewpan; when boiling add four cloves, half a blade of mace, six peppercorns, and two ounces of butter, to which you have added half a tablespoonful of flour, breaking it into small pieces, stir well together, when boiling, season with a little salt, cayenne pepper, and essence of anchovies, finish with a gill of cream, or milk, and sauce over. The remains of this fish may be taken from the bone and placed upon a dish, with a little of the above sauce (to which you have added the yolks of two eggs) over, sprinkle over with bread-crumbs, and place it twenty minutes in a hot oven till the bread-crumbs become brown.
For Salt Fish, see page 122, in the other department of this work.
No. 60. Haddocks. (See Nos. 308, 309, 310, Kitchen of the Wealthy.)
No. 61. Baked Haddocks. (See page 129.)
No. 62. Soles, Fried. (See page 114.)
No. 63. Soles, the Jewish Fashion. Trim the fish well, dip it into a couple of eggs, well beaten, put six tablespoonfuls of salad-oil in a sauté-pan, place it over the fire, and when quite hot put in your sole; let remain five minutes, turn over, and fry upon the other side; ten or twelve minutes will cook it according to the size; serve upon a napkin without sauce. They are excellent cold.
No. 64. Sole à la Meunière. (See page 115, in the other department of this work.)
No. 65. Sole aux Fines Herbes. Put a spoonful of chopped eschalots into a sauté-pan, with a glass of sherry and an ounce of butter, place the sole over, pour nearly half a pint of melted butter over it, upon which sprinkle some chopped parsley, place it in a moderate oven for half an hour, take the sole out of the pan, dress upon a dish without a napkin, reduce the sauce that is in the pan over a sharp fire, add a little Harvey sauce and essence of anchovy, pour over the sole, and serve them with a little flour and butter.
No. 66. Fried Whiting. The whiting requires to be skinned, and the tail turned round and fixed into the mouth, dip it first into flour, then egg over, and dip it into bread-crumbs, fry as directed for the sole; for whiting aux fines herbes proceed as directed for sole aux fines herbes. At home I prefer the whiting fried with their skins on, merely dipping them in flour.
No. 67. Whiting au Gratin. Put a good spoonful of chopped onions upon a strong earthen dish, with a glass of wine, season the whitings with a little pepper and salt, put it in the dish, sprinkle some chopped parsley and chopped mushrooms over, and pour over half a pint of anchovy sauce (page 32), over which sprinkle some brown bread-crumbs, grated from the crust of bread, place it in a warm oven half an hour; it requires to be nicely browned; serve upon the dish you have cooked it in.
No. 68. Red Mullets. Procure two red mullets, which place upon a strong dish not too large, sprinkle some chopped onions, parsley, a little pepper and salt, and a little salad-oil over, and put them into a warm oven for half an hour, then put a tablespoonful of chopped onions into a stewpan, with a teaspoonful of salad-oil, stir over a moderate fire until getting rather yellowish, then add a tablespoonful of sherry, half a pint of melted butter, with a little chopped mushrooms and parsley; reduce quickly over a sharp fire, keeping it stirred until becoming rather thick; when the mullets are done sauce over and serve.
No. 69. Mackerel are generally served plain boiled; put them in a kettle containing boiling water, well salted, let simmer nearly half an hour, take them up, drain, and dish them upon a napkin, serve melted butter in a boat, with which you have mixed a tablespoonful of chopped fennel, boiling it a few minutes.
No. 70. Mackerel à la Maître d’Hôtel. (See p. 127); as also for Mackerel au beurre noir.
No. 71. Gurnets are best stuffed and baked; stuff them as directed for haddocks, turn them round in the same manner, lay slices of butter over, cut very thin, and bake half an hour or more (according to their size) in a warm oven, when done dress upon a dish without a napkin, and have ready the following sauce: put a tablespoonful of chopped onions in a stewpan, with one of vinegar, place over the fire a couple of minutes, add half a pint of melted butter, a tablespoonful of Harvey sauce, one of catsup, and two of water, reduce until rather thick, season with a little pepper, cut the fillets of a good anchovy into strips, put in the sauce, which pour round the fish and serve.
No. 72. Boiled Gurnet. You may boil it either with or without the stuffing in very salt water, it will require rather more than half an hour; serve with anchovy sauce separate.
No. 73. Herrings boiled with Cream Sauce. Boil six herrings about twenty minutes in plenty of salt and water, but only just to simmer; then have ready the following sauce: put half a gill of cream upon the fire in a stewpan, when it boils add eight spoonfuls of melted butter, an ounce of fresh butter, a little pepper, salt, and the juice of half a lemon; dress the fish upon a dish without a napkin, sauce over and serve.
For Broiled Herrings à la Digon, see page 132.
No. 74. Skate is usually crimped, cut into long slices, and curled round; procure two or three slices, tie them with string to keep the shape in boiling, put them into a kettle of boiling water, in which you have put a good handful of salt; boil gently about twenty minutes (have ready also a piece of the liver, which boil with it), when done drain well, and put it upon a dish without a napkin; put three parts of a pint of melted butter in a stewpan, place it upon the fire, and when quite hot add a wineglassful of capers, sauce over and serve.
For Skate au beurre noir, see page 133.
Skate may also be served upon a napkin with a boat of well-seasoned melted butter, to which you have added a spoonful of Harvey sauce.
No. 75. Flounders, Water Souchet. Procure four or six Thames flounders, cut each in halves, put half a pint of water in a sauté-pan, with a little scraped horseradish, a little pepper, salt, sugar, and forty sprigs of fresh parsley; place over the fire, boil a minute, then add the flounders, stew ten minutes, take them out and place in a dish without a napkin, reduce the liquor they were stewed in a little, pour over and serve.
To fry flounders, trim them, and proceed precisely as directed for fried soles (p. 114).
Smelts are likewise floured, egged, bread-crumbed, and fried as above.
Plaice are plain boiled in salt and water, and served with shrimp sauce in a boat.
FRESH WATER FISH.—No. 76. Pike. Clean as directed (page 93), stuff the interior as directed for haddocks (page 129), only adding some fillets of anchovies and chopped lemon-peel with it; curl round and put in a baking dish, spread a little butter all over, put in a moderate oven; when about half done egg over with a paste brush, and sprinkle bread-crumbs upon it; a middling-sized pike will take about an hour, but that according to the size and the heat of the oven; when done dress upon a dish without a napkin, and sauce round as directed for baked haddock above referred to.
No. 77. Pike, Sauce Matelote. Cook a pike exactly as in the last, dress it upon a dish without a napkin, and sauce with a matelote sauce over, made as directed for salmon sauce matelote (No. 57).
This fish may also be served with caper sauce as directed for the skate (No. 74)—the smaller ones are the best; the remains of a pike placed in the oven the next day, with a cover over it and a little more sauce added, is very nice.
No. 78. Stewed Carp. Procure a good-sized carp, stuff it, then put it into a baking-dish with two onions, one carrot, one turnip, one head of celery, and a good bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf; moisten with two glasses of port wine, and put it in a moderate oven about two hours to bake; try if done with a knife, which is the case if the flesh leaves the bone easily, dress upon a dish without a napkin, then have ready the following sauce: mince a large Spanish onion with two common ones, and put them into a stewpan with three spoonfuls of salad-oil, fry rather a yellow colour, add two glasses of port wine and two spoonfuls of flour, mix all well together, add a pint of broth (reserved from some soup) or water, with half an ounce of glaze, boil it up, drain the stock the carp was cooked in from the vegetables, which also add to the sauce; boil well at the corner of the stove, skim, and when rather thick add a teaspoonful of Harvey sauce, one of essence of anchovies, twelve pickled mushrooms, and a little cayenne pepper, pour all the liquor drained from the fish out of your dish, sauce over and serve.
No. 79. Carp, Sauce Matelote. Put your carp into a small oval fish-kettle, with wine and vegetables as in the last, to which add also a pint of water and a little salt, with a few cloves and peppercorns; put the lid upon the fish-kettle and stand it over a moderate fire to stew an hour and a half, according to the size; when done drain well, dress upon a dish without a napkin, and sauce over with a matelote sauce made as directed for salmon sauce matelote (No. 57), or caper sauce, as for skate (No. 74); small carp are very good-flavored, bread-crumbed and fried.
No. 80. Truite à la Twickenham. When you have cleaned your trout as described at page 23, put them into a kettle of boiling water, to which you have added a good handful of salt, and a wineglassful of vinegar; boil gently about twenty minutes, or according to their size, dress upon a napkin, and serve melted butter, into which you have put a tablespoonful of chopped gherkins in a boat.
The remains of trout, salmon, or mackerel are excellent pickled; put three onions in slices in a stewpan, with two ounces of butter, one turnip, parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, pass them five minutes over the fire, add a pint of water and a pint of vinegar; boil until the onions are tender, then strain it through a sieve over the fish; it will keep some time if required, and then do to pickle more fish by boiling over again.
No. 81. Truite à la Burton. Boil the trout as in the last, then put half a pint of melted butter in a stewpan, with two tablespoonfuls of cream and two of milk, place it upon the fire, and when upon the point of boiling add a liaison of one yolk of egg mixed with a tablespoonful of cream (dress the fish upon a dish without a napkin), put two ounces of fresh butter, a pinch of salt, and the juice of a lemon into the sauce; shake round over the fire, but do not let it boil; sauce over the fish and serve.
No. 82. Tench, Sauce Matelote. Put three onions, a carrot, and turnip, cut in slices, into a stewpan, or very small fish-kettle, with a good handful of parsley, a few sprigs of thyme, three bay-leaves, six cloves, a blade of mace, a little salt, and two glasses of sherry; lay your tench over (it will require four for a dish, and they may be either cooked whole or each one cut into two or three pieces), add a pint of water, cover down close, and stew gently over a slow fire for about half an hour, take them out, drain upon a cloth, dress in pyramid upon a dish without a napkin, and pour a sauce over made as directed for salmon sauce matelote (No. 57), or as for stewed carp (No. 78).
No. 83. Tench with Anchovy Butter. Cook the tench as in the last, but they may be plain boiled in salt and water; dress upon a dish without a napkin, then put six spoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, with one of milk; place it upon the fire, and when upon the point of boiling add an ounce of anchovy butter (page 33), shake it round over the fire until the butter is melted, when sauce over and serve.
No. 84. Perch fried in Butter. Clean the fish as explained (p. 94), dry well, make an incision upon each side with a knife, put a quarter of a pound of butter in a sauté-pan over a slow fire, lay in the fish, fry gently, turning them over when half done; when done dress upon a napkin, and serve melted butter in a boat.
No. 85. Perch, Hampton Court Fashion. Cook the fish as above, and have ready the following sauce: put six spoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, with a little salt and the juice of a lemon; when upon the point of boiling stir in the yolk of an egg mixed with a tablespoonful of cream; do not let it boil; blanch about twenty small sprigs of parsley in boiling water ten minutes, drain and put them in the sauce, which pour over the fish and serve.
Perch may also be served plain boiled or stewed as directed for tench, with sauce served separate.
No. 86. Eels Fried. Cut your eels into pieces three inches long, dip the pieces into flour, egg over with a paste brush, and throw them into some bread-crumbs; fry in hot lard as directed for fried soles (p. 114).
No. 87. Stewed Eels, Sauce Matelote. Procure as large eels as possible, which cut into pieces three inches long, and put them into a stewpan, with an onion, two bay-leaves, a sprig of thyme and parsley, six cloves, a blade of mace, a glass of sherry, and two of water; place the stewpan over a moderate fire, and let simmer about twenty minutes, or according to the size of the eels; when done drain upon a cloth, dress them in pyramid upon a dish without a napkin, with a matelote sauce over, made as directed for salmon sauce matelote (No. 57), but using the stock your eels have been cooked in to make the sauce, having previously well boiled it to extract all the fat.
No. 88. Gudgeons are floured, egged, bread-crumbed, or simply floured and fried as directed for smelts; but being smaller, they require less time to cook.
No. 89. Escaloped Oysters. Put two dozen of oysters with their liquor into a stewpan, place over a fire, and when a little firm drain them upon a sieve, catching the liquor in another stewpan; detach the beard from the oysters, and throw them again into their liquor; add half a blade of mace, place again upon the fire, and when boiling add a piece of butter, the size of a walnut, with which you have mixed a teaspoonful of flour; shake round over the fire until becoming very thick, season with a little cayenne, and salt if required, have an escalop-shell, well buttered and bread-crumbed, place the oysters in, sprinkle bread-crumbs over, put it in the oven a quarter of an hour, pass the salamander over, and serve.
No. 90. Stewed Oysters. Blanch and beard the oysters as above, when done, put them with their liquor in a stewpan, with four cloves, a blade of mace, and a teaspoonful of essence of anchovies, with a little chopped parsley and cayenne; let simmer a minute, stir in two pats of butter, with which you have mixed half a teaspoonful of flour, let simmer a little longer, lay the oysters in your dish upon a piece of toast, and sauce over.
No. 91. Gratin of Lobsters. Procure a good-sized lobster, cut it in halves, detaching the head from the body, take out all the meat, and save the four shells; cut the meat into dice, then take a teaspoonful of chopped eschalots in a stewpan, with a piece of butter the size of two walnuts, pass them a few minutes over a fire, add a tablespoonful of flour (mix well in), half a pint of milk, stir over the fire, boiling about five minutes, then add the lobster, which season with a little cayenne, salt, chopped parsley, and essence of anchovies; stand it again upon the fire, stirring until boiling, then stir in the yolk of an egg; take off the fire, fill the shells of the lobster, sprinkle bread-crumbs over, put them into the oven about ten minutes, the top requiring to be browned; serve upon a napkin garnished with parsley.
No. 92. Rissoles of Oysters. Prepare two dozen of blanched oysters as directed for escaloped oysters, but cutting each oyster into six pieces, turn it out upon a dish, where leave it until quite cold; then have the trimmings of some puff paste,[25] which roll very thin; put some of the oysters upon it in pieces the size of a walnut, fold them over with the paste, which cut out with a round cutter, giving each the shape of a turnover, egg with a paste brush, and throw them into bread-crumbs, cover well, have ready a stewpan in which there is some very hot lard or white dripping (as for frying fish), in which fry your rissoles of a light brown colour; dress upon a napkin in a plate, garnish with fried parsley, and serve to be handed round the table.
No. 93. Rissoles of Lamb. Cut up about a pound of cooked lamb (the remains of a previous day) into very small dice, with a quarter of a pound of lean cooked ham, then put a teaspoonful of chopped eschalots in a stewpan, with a piece of butter the size of a nut, pass them over the fire a couple of minutes, then stir in a teaspoonful of flour, after which add nearly half a pint of melted butter and the meat; stir it over the fire until it boils, season well with a little pepper and salt, and stir in the yolks of a couple of eggs, put it out upon a dish till cold, and proceed as directed in the last article.
The flesh of any poultry or game may be used exactly the same.
No. 94. Rocambole, or Croquettes of Meat, Game, or Poultry. Make a preparation as above with some description of cold cooked meat, or poultry; when cold divide it into pieces, each rather larger than a walnut, roll them to about two inches and a half in length, have three eggs in a basin well whisked, into which dip them, throw them into bread-crumbs, take them out, well covered, and smooth them by gently patting them with a knife, then dip them into clarified butter, and again into bread-crumbs, smooth them again, and fry them of a light colour in a stewpan of hot lard, and serve precisely the same as for rissoles.
No. 95. Lamb’s Fry. See the other department of this work, page 312; nothing can be more simplified.
No. 96. Stewed Rump of Beef. Choose a small rump of beef, 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, head of celery, a leek, and a bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, then lay in the rump (previously tying it up with string), which just cover with water, add a good handful of salt and two burnt onions, place upon the fire, and when boiling stand it at the corner, let 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 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.
No. 97. Stewed Rump of Beef with Onions. See page 172, in the other department.
The remains of stewed beef, cut in slices and warmed in some of the stock, is good the next day served with a little sharp sauce (page 15). The remaining stock is good for any kind of soup or stock the next day.
No. 98. Stewed Rump Steak with Oyster Sauce. Cut from a small stale rump of beef two steaks, about-three quarters of an inch in thickness, season well with pepper and salt; well butter a deep sauté-pan, lay in your steaks, with four cloves, a blade of mace, and a bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, cover with a quarter of a pint of water, set over a slow fire, when they have simmered half an hour turn them over, and let remain until quite tender; take up, place upon your dish, and keep them hot, place the sauté-pan at the corner of the fire, boil, skim well, add an ounce of butter, with which you have mixed half a tablespoonful of flour, stir well, and when it thickens add two dozen oysters previously blanched and bearded, half a teaspoonful of essence of anchovies, and a little cayenne pepper, sauce over the steaks and serve. The steak with common stewed oysters would be very good.
No. 99. Ribs of Beef à l’Hôtelière. Procure four ribs of beef, but not too fat or too thick, take off the chine-bone neatly, and the tips of the rib-bones, skewer the flap under, so as to form a good square piece; put a quarter of a pound of butter at the bottom of a large braising-pan, let melt, then lay in your beef (which must previously be larded through the best part with ten long pieces of fat bacon), seasoned with a teaspoonful of salt, and half ditto of pepper, cover the braising-pan, and put it upon a slow fire for twenty minutes, keeping it stirred round until becoming a nice gold colour, then add a pint of water; when about half done throw in eighty button onions and about sixty small pieces of carrot, cut the size and shape of young ones; half an hour after add the same number of pieces of turnips, and a bunch of parsley, to which you have added three bay-leaves and four sprigs of thyme, keep stewing gently until the vegetables are done, and the beef is quite tender, which take out, trim, and lay it upon your dish, skim off as much fat as possible from the vegetables, add an ounce of butter with which you have mixed a tablespoonful of flour, with a teaspoonful of sugar, boil altogether, dress round and serve.
No. 100. Beef à la Mode. The real beef à la mode is made as follows, and not as a kind of soup daily sold in cookshops.
Procure either a small piece of rump, sirloin, or ribs of beef, about twelve pounds in weight, take away all the bone, and lard it through with ten long pieces of fat bacon; then put it into a long earthen pan, with a calf’s foot, four onions, two carrots cut in slices, if large, a bunch of parsley, two bay-leaves, two sprigs of thyme, two cloves stuck in one of the onions, half a teaspoonful of pepper, one of salt, four wineglasses of sherry, four ditto of water, and a pound of streaked bacon cut in squares, place the cover upon the pan, with a piece of common flour-and-water paste round the edges to keep it perfectly air-tight; put in a very moderate oven four hours, take out, place upon your dish with the vegetables and bacon round, skim the gravy, which pour over; but the above is best eaten cold, when it should not be taken out of the pan, nor the pan opened until nearly cold. A long brown earthen pan for the above purpose may be obtained at any china warehouse, but if you cannot obtain one, a stewpan must supply the place.
Another Method. Have ready six pounds of rump of beef cut into pieces two inches square, lard each piece through with two or three lardons of bacon; have also two pounds of streaked bacon, clear it from the skin, and cut it into squares half the size of the beef, put them into an earthen pan with two calf’s feet (cut up), half a pint of sherry, two bay-leaves, a sprig of thyme, a bunch of parsley, four onions, with a clove in each, a blade of mace, and half a pint of water, cover the pan as in the last, and put it in a moderate oven for three hours; do not open the pan until three parts cold, then take out the meat, lay a little of the beef at the bottom of a stewpan (not too large), then a little of the bacon, then more beef, and so on alternately, press them together lightly, then pass the gravy through a hair sieve over, and leave it until quite cold, then dip the stewpan into hot water, and turn out upon your dish to serve; the calf’s feet may be made hot in a little of the stock, to which add two pats of butter, with which you have mixed a teaspoonful of flour, a little chopped parsley, and half a spoonful of vinegar, and serve as an entrée. The above is excellent either hot or cold.
No. 101. Ox-tongue. Procure a well-pickled ox-tongue, if weighing five or six pounds it will take three hours gently boiling in a gallon of water; when done skin it and trim the root, serve where afterwards directed, or with spinach dressed as (No. 1088.)
No. 102. Loin of Veal, with Stewed Celery. Put a small loin of veal upon a spit surrounded with all descriptions of vegetables, tied up in oiled paper; roast, if a middling-sized one, about two hours and a half before a moderate fire, have sixteen heads of celery, trim off all the green part from the tops, and a little of the roots, wash well, then cover the bottom of a stewpan with slices of fat bacon, lay in the celery, two heads tied together, add two onions and a carrot, just cover them with a little good stock, made as directed for soupe Julienne (page 652), let simmer an hour or more until very tender, drain upon a cloth, untie them, dress the loin in the centre of your dish, make a border of the celery round, take out the bacon, onions, and carrot, skim off all the fat, reduce a little, add an ounce of butter, with which you have mixed half a tablespoonful of flour, stir well in, season with a little sugar, salt, and pepper, and when boiling, sauce over the celery and serve; add a little catsup and Harvey sauce to give a brownish colour to the sauce.
No. 103. Loin of Veal, with White Sauce. Roast a loin of veal as directed in the last, but keep it as white as possible, when done dress it upon your dish, with some small well-boiled cauliflowers round it, have a quart of white sauce made as directed (No. 136) boiling in a stewpan, sauce over the whole and serve; should peas be in season, a pint of young green ones may be boiled and sprinkled over.
No. 104. Dress Fillet of Veal for Remove. Procure a small fillet of veal, skewered up very round, and well covered with udder, place a good piece of streaked bacon in the centre where the bone was taken out, and stuff it under the udder thus: chop three quarters of a pound of beef suet very fine, which put into a basin with six ounces of bread-crumbs, the rind of half a lemon chopped very fine, a little grated nutmeg, two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, and a little chopped thyme and marjoram, with one bay-leaf, mixed, amalgamate the whole with the yolks of three, and two whole eggs, sew it in, surround your fillet when upon the spit with every description of vegetables, tie up in oiled paper, and roast about three hours before a moderate fire; when done clear it from the vegetables, skewer up with silver, plated, or polished skewers, draw out those it was first trussed with, place upon your dish with celery sauce (page 47), white sauce (No. 136), or rather thin melted butter, with which you have mixed two tablespoonfuls of Harvey sauce and one of catsup, and boiled until it becomes rather a clear brown sauce.
No. 105. Breasts and Necks of Veal may be plain roasted, or roasted in vegetables as above, and served with stewed peas (No. 1077), or a sauce jardinière (page 40), which are very simply described.
No. 106. Half Calf’s Head, with White Sauce. Procure the half of a scalded calf’s head, which put into a braising-pan, just cover with water, add a little salt, two onions, two carrots, two turnips, a large bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaves, and six cloves; boil very gently for two hours, or until tender, which you can tell by pressing upon it with your finger; when done take up, drain and place in your dish, surrounded with some well-boiled potatoes cut in halves, and have ready the following sauce: put a pint and a half of melted butter into a stewpan, with the juice of a lemon, when boiling add two ounces of fresh butter and a pinch of salt, when the butter is melted add a liaison of two yolks of eggs, mixed with half a gill of cream, stir in quickly over the fire, but do not let it boil, sauce over and serve; the sauce requires to be rather highly seasoned.
Should you have the tongue and brains, boil the tongue with the head, when done skin it, lay the brains in warm water to disgorge, blanch them two minutes in boiling water, to which you have added a little salt and vinegar; skin, chop, and put them into a stewpan, with the juice of a lemon, a little pepper and salt, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and half a pint of melted butter, boil altogether a few minutes, turn out upon a dish, dress the tongue over, and serve with the calf’s head.
No. 107. Half Calf’s Head in Currie. Boil half a calf’s head as directed in the last, and have ready the following sauce: put four large onions in slices in a stewpan, with two ounces of lean ham, three apples in slices, six cloves, a blade of mace, two bay-leaves, and two ounces of butter, pass them over the fire, until slightly browned, add two good tablespoonfuls of flour, and one of currie-powder, or a little more if required, mix well in, add a quart of the stock the head was boiled in, season with salt and sugar, reduce until of a proper consistency, rub it through a hair sieve or tammie, put into another stewpan, boil up, skim, and sauce over the head, which serve with rice, plain boiled, in a separate dish.
No. 108. Half Calf’s Head à la Vinaigrette. (See No. 460, Kitchen of the Wealthy.)
No. 109. Half Calf’s Head Broiled, Sauce Piquante. Boil the head as before, when done drain upon a napkin, place it upon a baking-sheet, egg over with a paste-brush, cover with bread-crumbs, put a few small pieces of butter upon it at various places, and put into a hot oven until well browned; dress upon your dish with a pint of good sharp sauce (page 15) round. The tongue and brains may be served dressed as described before, with each of the methods for dressing calf’s head.
No. 110. Large Veal Pie. Have ready boiled a pound of streaked bacon, when cold cut it in large thin slices, also cut four pounds of lean veal from the fillet into large but thin slices, season each piece well with pepper and salt, and dip them into flour; lay some of the bacon at the bottom of a pie-dish, then some veal, over which sprinkle a little chopped eschalots, then more bacon, and so on alternately, finishing in a perfect dome; have ready a pound of half puff paste (p. 480), place a band round the edge of your dish, wet it, and pour in a quarter of a pint of water to the meat, cover with the remainder of the paste, egg over, and decorate it tastefully, bake an hour and three quarters in a moderate oven. They may also be made of the remains of a joint of veal previously served, but half a pint of white sauce (No. 136) used in it, and the water omitted, but the paste will then require to be much thinner, and it must be baked in a much warmer oven, or the meat would eat dry; a couple of bay-leaves in a veal pie is a great improvement.
No. 111. Saddle of Mutton à la Bretonne. (See page 189.)
No. 112. Leg of Mutton basted with Devil’s Tears. Procure a fine but small leg of mutton which has been well kept, cut an incision in the knuckle, in which put a clove of garlic, rub all over with a spoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of cayenne, two ditto of black pepper, and another clove of garlic (well mixed), and let remain upon a dish until the following day, when place it upon a spit before a sharp fire, then procure about a quarter of a pound of fat bacon, place it upon a long toasting fork, running the prongs through the rind, and hold over the fire until in a blaze, then hold it over the mutton upon which it will drop in tears of fire, until all melted; it will give the mutton quite a peculiar flavour and appearance, and requiring a quarter of an hour less to roast than in the ordinary method; when done dress upon your dish, sauce over with two spoonfuls of Harvey sauce and serve.
No. 113. Leg of Mutton, the Housewife’s Method. 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 braising-pan, 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 colour, season with a little pepper and salt, add twenty pieces of carrots of the same size as the bacon, fifteen middling-sized onions, and when half done fifteen middling-sized potatoes, two bay-leaves, two cloves, and a pint 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 (which will be a little thickened by the potatoes), take out the bay-leaves, and pour the garniture round the mutton, which serve very hot.
No. 114. Shoulder of Mutton, Savoyard’s Method. 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.
No. 115. Shoulder of Mutton à la Polonaise. As described (No. 467) in the other department of this work.
No. 116. Shoulder of Mutton, Provençale 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 colour, 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 burnt sugar may be added.
No. 117. Saddle of Lamb, Berlin Fashion. Roast a small saddle of lamb an hour, keeping it rather pale; you have boiled eight or ten good potatoes, peel them, put in a stewpan, add 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, add half a gill of milk and one egg, turn well with a wooden spoon, let it get cold, and roll them in long shape and size of plover’s eggs, egg and bread-crumb twice, fry light-coloured in hot lard or fat; dress your saddle upon a dish, surround it with the potatoes, have half a pint of melted butter in a stewpan, place upon the fire, and when upon the point of boiling stir in a quarter of a pound of maître d’hôtel butter (page 33) highly seasoned; when quite melted sauce round and serve with mint sauce likewise in a boat; for other variations see pages 197, 198, and following pages. Haunch, fore-quarter, or ribs may be dressed the same.
No. 118. Leg or Shoulder of Lamb with Peas. The leg or shoulder must be plain roasted (see page 645); boil a quart of very young peas, which strain and put into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of butter, half a teaspoonful of salt, and one of sugar, toss them well together over the fire until the butter is melted, when pour them into your dish and dress the joint over.
No. 119. Leg or Shoulder, with French Beans. Plain roasted as before; you have cut and boiled two hundred French beans, drain and put them into a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, a little pepper, salt, powdered sugar, and grated nutmeg, toss over the fire till the butter is melted, add half a pint of melted butter; boil altogether ten minutes, then stir in quickly a liaison of one yolk of egg mixed with a quarter of a gill of cream, pour them in your dish and serve the joint over.
No. 120. Boiled Leg of Lamb, with Spinach. Boil a small very white leg of lamb (see page 646), have also half a sieve of spinach, well picked, washed, and boiled, drain it quite dry, chop it very fine, and put it into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, a little salt, sugar, and grated nutmeg; stir over the fire until very hot, then add a tablespoonful of flour, eight of melted butter, and four of cream or milk, boil two or three minutes, keeping it stirred, then pour it upon your dish, and dress the leg over.
No. 121. Neck of Lamb à la Jardinière. Plain roast the neck; you have previously cut with a round tin cutter rather larger than a quill about fifty pieces of carrot, and one hundred pieces of turnip, half an inch in length, put them into a stewpan, with twenty button onions ready peeled, two ounces of butter, and a teaspoonful of powdered sugar; place them over a sharp fire (keeping them moved to prevent burning) ten minutes, add a tablespoonful of flour and a pint of broth, which reserve from your soup, stand it at the corner of the fire, add a small bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf and let boil until the vegetables are tender and the sauce becomes thickish, keeping well skimmed, then add a few ready boiled peas, French beans, Brussels sprouts, or any other green vegetables in season, pour the sauce in your dish, and dress the lamb upon it; if your sauce is not quite brown enough add a few drops of colouring to it.
No. 122. Lamb’s Head Broiled, with Mint Sauce, or Sauce Piquante. Procure two heads, split them, but not to detach them, take out the brains and the greater part of the skull bone, forming each head as nearly as possible to the shape of a heart, put them into a braising-pan, with two onions, a carrot, turnip, head of celery, a bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, six cloves, a blade of mace, and just cover them with a little water, stew them until quite tender, then take out, drain, egg over with a paste-brush, and cover them with bread-crumbs, place small pieces of butter here and there over them, place them in the oven ten minutes, then brown them with a salamander, and serve them with a good sauce piquante (page 15) round them, or they may be served with the brains cooked as directed for calf’s brains (page 282) under them; sheeps’ heads are done the same, only they require a longer time to stew.
The heart and pluck are also excellent served under them as follows: blanch them in boiling water twenty minutes, and when half cold cut the whole in very fine dice, put an ounce and a half of butter in a stewpan, with a spoonful of chopped onions, pass over the fire two minutes (keep stirring), then add a spoonful of flour (mix well), moisten with a pint of broth or milk, when boiling add the mince, and season with a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of white pepper, and a little grated nutmeg.
No. 123. Loin or Neck of Pork à la Bourguinotte. The neck or loin must be plain roasted; you have peeled and cut four onions in dice, put them into a stewpan, with two ounces of butter, stir over the fire until rather brown, then add a tablespoonful of flour, mix well, add a good pint of broth if any, or water, with an ounce of glaze, boil ten minutes, add two tablespoonfuls of French mustard, with a little pepper, salt, and sugar, pour the sauce upon the dish, and dress your joint upon it; serve with a little apple sauce separate in a boat.
No. 124. Loin or Neck of Pork, Normandy fashion. Procure a neck or loin, put it in a common earthen dish, having previously scored the rind, rub over with a little oil, place about twenty potatoes cut in halves or in quarters in the dish with the pork, ten onions peeled, and twenty apples peeled and quartered, place in a warm oven for an hour and a half or more, then dress it upon your dish with the apples, onions, and potatoes around, and serve.
No. 125. Pig’s Cheek, a new Method. Procure a pig’s cheek nicely pickled (see page 649), boil well until it feels very tender, tie half a pint of split peas in a cloth, put them into a stewpan of boiling water, boil about half an hour, take them out, pass through a hair sieve, put them into a stewpan, with an ounce of butter, a little pepper and salt, and four eggs, stir them over the fire, until the eggs are partially set, then spread it over the pig’s cheek, egg with a paste-brush, sprinkle bread-crumbs over, place in the oven twenty minutes, brown it with the salamander and serve.
No. 126. Sucking Pig is merely plain roasted (see page 204), stuffed with sage and onions, but before putting it upon the spit it requires to be floured and rubbed very dry, otherwise the skin would not eat crisp; the usual method of serving it is to cut off the head, and divide the body and head of the pig in halves, lengthwise; serve apple sauce separate in a boat if approved of.
In my Kitchen at Home I can also roast a haunch or neck of venison, depending upon which is presented to me, and precisely as recommended in the other department of this book (page 222); for the remains I also proceed the same.
No. 127. Roast Turkey. Pluck, draw, and truss a turkey for roasting, stuff it at the breast with the same stuffing as directed for the fillet of veal (page 51); if it should weigh twelve pounds it will require two hours roasting before a strong fire, when done take it off the spit, take away the skewer and string it was trussed with, hold it by the legs, sprinkle a little salt over, and pour a little hot water or broth over the back to make a gravy,[26] and serve with broiled sausages, ham, or a piece of boiled bacon, separate.
No. 128. Braised Turkey. Truss a nice turkey with the legs inside as for boiling, then put three onions in slices at the bottom of a stewpan, with a carrot, turnip, leek, and a head of celery, also cut small, a bunch of parsley, a sprig of thyme, a bay-leaf, four cloves, a blade of mace, half a pound of lean ham, and two pounds of veal cut in dice, cover them with two quarts of water, then lay in the turkey, breast downwards, cover the stewpan close, and let it simmer about two hours over a slow fire; then take it up, place it upon your dish, with a cover over it to keep it hot, then pass the stock from it through a hair sieve into a stewpan, place it upon the fire, boil and skim off all the grease; then in another stewpan place two ounces of butter, let melt, then stir in a sufficient quantity of flour to make a roux, stir over the fire some time, but keeping it quite white, then take it off, stir until partly cold, add the stock, boil, keep it stirred; if too thick add a little milk, season with a little salt and sugar, place four cauliflowers nicely boiled round the turkey, sauce over the whole and serve; a boiled ham, tongue, or a piece of bacon is usually served separate with it.
No. 129. Capons or Poulardes are almost too extravagant for My Kitchen at Home, but may be either plain roasted or braised, as directed for the turkey in the last, and served with peas, French beans, or sauce jardinière, made as directed for the legs or shoulders of lamb, only for jardinière, stewing the vegetables in the sauce you have made from your braise, instead of the method there directed.
No. 130. Fowls, with Mushroom Sauce. Braise two fowls, trussed for boiling, precisely as directed for braised turkey; when your sauce is made, add a pottle of white button mushrooms, stew for half an hour in the sauce, adding a little sugar, then stir in a liaison of one yolk of egg mixed with a spoonful of cream, take it instantly from the fire, dress the poularde upon your dish, and sauce over.
No. 131. Fowls, with Spring Vegetables. Braise a poularde as directed for the turkey, and make a sauce from the braise as there directed; then have twenty young carrots and twenty young turnips, lightly peeled, and three parts boiled, with twenty small onions, drain and put them into your sauce, which you have made as No. 136, with a good teaspoonful of powdered sugar; stew them gently until tender, then dress the poularde upon your dish, arrange the vegetables tastefully around, mix half a gill of cream with the sauce, boil a few minutes, sauce over the whole and serve.
No. 132. Fowls Braised, Fricassée Sauce. Braise the fowls as before, and make the sauce from the braise, in which put a bunch of parsley, fifty button onions, and a pottle of mushrooms, both well peeled; stew half an hour, add a little sugar, salt, and a gill of cream, boil a few minutes, sauce over and serve. Chickens may be dressed in either of the above methods, calculating the time they require cooking by their size.
No. 133. Roast Goose. Pluck, draw, and truss a goose, fill the inside with sage and onions, by cutting four large onions into small dice, and put them into a stewpan with a few leaves of sage (chopped fine), and a couple of well-boiled mealy potatoes, crumbled very small, add two ounces of butter, and a little pepper and salt; when the onions become tender stuff the goose, the day previous if time permit, which roast an hour and a quarter before a moderate fire, serve plain, with a little gravy on the dish, and apple sauce separate.
No. 134. Ducks may also be stuffed and roasted as a goose; a few apples may also be used with the stuffing instead of potatoes, for either ducks or geese, if approved of.
No. 135. Ducks à l’Aubergiste (or Tavern-keeper’s fashion). Truss one or two ducks with the legs turned inside, put them into a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of butter; place them over a slow fire, turning round occasionally, until they have taken a nice brown colour, add two spoonfuls of flour, mix well with them, add a quart of water, with half a tablespoonful of salt and sugar, let simmer gently until the ducks are done (but adding forty button onions well peeled as soon as it begins to boil), keep hot; peel and cut ten turnips in slices, fry them in a frying-pan with butter, drain upon a cloth, put them into the sauce, and stew until quite tender; dress the ducks upon your dish, skim the fat from the sauce, which has attained a consistency, pour round the ducks and serve.
The word entrée is a French culinary term (universally known by the nobility and gentry of Europe), signifying a corner, or made dish, in which sauce is introduced, the importance of which is known in the kitchens of the wealthy as forming the size and magnitude of a dinner. Being considered as the principal dish upon which it is intended to dine well, the wealthy epicure orders his cook to prepare a dinner of four, six, or eight entrées, thus making a criterion for the second course, which, in the opinion of real gourmets, is a secondary consideration of delight, and very often left entirely to the cook. But when a lady of moderate income is consulted, she very properly devotes all her attention, good taste, and economy to the subject.
The entrées, however, which I am here about to describe, are very economical; whilst those entrées of importance, which are so well known for their excellence and unavoidable expense, I have left to those whose means will better afford it, and content myself with here offering to my readers those only with which I would be content in placing before my friends at home.
My readers will find that certain made dishes, instead of being expensive, tend to greater economy. Every ordinary cook might be perfect in roasting and boiling a joint, but quite incapable of making a single made dish to perfection, even from the remains of a joint. In a tradesman’s family it often happens that he dines once or twice a week from a Sunday joint, either in winter or summer; in the last it is partly excusable, but, in the former, hot meat for such an important meal is much more preferable, being more light than cold, and of course digests more freely. To prove the truth of this argument, pickles are continually used with cold meat to invigorate and open the appetite, and facilitate digestion. I would always advise to take a little cold lunch, and a hot late dinner, if circumstances permit, and avoid as much as possible a supper, particularly a late one.
SAUCES.—No. 136. For daily use I avoid making any foundation sauces, but when I want to give a little party at home, I generally previously provide a small quantity of white and brown sauce as follows:
Cut and chop a knuckle of veal, weighing about four pounds, into large dice; butter the bottom of a large stewpan with a quarter of a pound of butter, add two onions, a small carrot, a turnip, three cloves, half a blade of mace, a bay-leaf, a sprig of thyme, and six of parsley tied in a bunch; add a gill of water, place over a sharp fire, stirring round occasionally, until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with whitish glaze, when fill up with three quarts of water, add a good teaspoonful of salt, and let simmer at the corner of the fire an hour and a half, keeping well skimmed, when pass it through a hair sieve into a basin; in another stewpan put a quarter of a pound of butter, with which mix six ounces of flour, stirring over the fire about three minutes, take off, keep stirring until partly cold, when add the stock all at once, continually stirring and boiling for a quarter of an hour; add half a pint of boiling milk, stir a few minutes longer, add a little chopped mushrooms if handy, pass through a hair sieve into a basin, until required for use, stirring it round occasionally until cold; the above being a simplified white sauce.
For a brown sauce I use the same proportion as for the white, but having beef instead of veal for the stock, which must be made brown by placing four large onions cut in halves at the bottom of the stewpan, which must be well buttered, placing the meat over, standing upon the fire, and drawing down to a brown glaze before filling up; the thickening must also be made brown, by stirring a few minutes longer over the fire, and the milk omitted. Sometimes I make both stocks in the same stewpan, pass one half for the white sauce, and put a couple of burnt onions into the remainder, allowing it to simmer an hour longer, when pass and use for a brown sauce.
No. 137. Melted Butter. Put two ounces of butter into a stewpan, with which mix a good teaspoonful of flour, using a wooden spoon, add a saltspoonful of salt, half a one of pepper, a little grated nutmeg, and half a pint of water, stir over the fire until just upon the point of boiling, when take off, add two ounces more butter, and half a tablespoonful of vinegar, keeping it stirred until quite smooth, and the butter well melted, when pass through a hair sieve or tammie if required (you can also use milk instead of water for the above); it is then ready for use. In making melted butter great attention ought to be paid to the above directions, it being almost in daily use.
No. 138. New and Economical Lobster Sauce. Break up a fresh lobster, use the solid flesh for salad or any other purpose, pound the soft part and shell together (in a mortar) very fine, place the whole in a stewpan, cover with a pint of boiling water, place over the fire, and let simmer ten minutes, when pass the liquor through a hair sieve into a basin, and use for making melted butter as in the last, to which add a little cayenne pepper and a piece of anchovy butter (see page 33, Kitchen of the Wealthy) the size of a walnut; if any red spawn in the lobster, pound and mix it with a small piece of fresh butter, and add to the sauce with a little lemon-juice when upon the point of serving; an anchovy pounded with the shells of the lobster would be an improvement; some of the flesh may be served in the sauce.
No. 139. Lobster Sauce à la Crème. Cut up a small lobster into slices, the size of half-crown pieces, put into a stewpan, pound the soft and white part with an ounce of butter, and rub it through a sieve; pour three spoonfuls of melted butter, and two of cream, over the slices in the stewpan, add half a blade of mace, a saltspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, and a little cayenne, warm gently, and when upon the point of boiling add the butter and two spoonfuls of thick cream, shake round over the fire until quite hot, when it is ready to serve.
No. 140. Lobster Sauce simplified. Put the slices of lobster as above into a stewpan, with four spoonfuls of milk, add a little salt, pepper, cayenne, two cloves, and a quarter of a blade of mace, let boil, add a piece of butter the size of a walnut, with which you have mixed a little flour, shake round over the fire, and when getting thick, add half a gill of cream; when quite hot it is ready to serve.
No. 141. Shrimp Sauce is very excellent made by pounding half a pint of shrimps with their skins, boiling ten minutes in three parts of a pint of water, finishing as directed for lobster sauce (No. 138), and always serving very hot.
No. 142. Anchovy Sauce is made by adding a spoonful of Harvey sauce and two of essence of anchovy, with a little cayenne, to half a pint of melted butter; shrimps, prawns, or even blanched oysters may be served in it.
No. 143. Oyster Sauce. Put two dozen of oysters into a stewpan with their liquor, and two spoonfuls of water, add six peppercorns, and half a blade of mace, blanch them until just set, drain the oysters upon a sieve, catching the liquor in another stewpan, detach the beards from the oysters, which put again into the liquor, place over the fire; when beginning to simmer, add a piece of butter the size of a walnut, with which you have mixed sufficient flour to form a paste, breaking it in four or five pieces, shake round over the fire, when it thickens add a gill of milk, season with a little cayenne, salt, pepper, and a few drops of essence of anchovies, serve very hot.
Another way. Blanch and save the liquor as above, omitting the water; reduce to half, add eight spoonfuls of melted butter made with milk, season rather high, adding a teaspoonful of Harvey sauce and one of essence of anchovy; it is then ready for use.
No. 144. Caper Sauce. Make half a pint of good melted butter, to which add a tablespoonful of capers and a teaspoonful of their vinegar. Observe, that all fish sauces are better too thick than too thin, the fish being watery, the sauce would not envelope it if too thin.
No. 145. To chop Onions, Herbs, &c. Every practical cook knows how to chop the above ingredients to perfection, but many plain cooks instead of chopping, literally smash them with their knives, thus losing the succulence and flavour, which becomes absorbed by the wood they are smashed upon.
For onions, peel, and cut in halves lengthwise, then with a thin knife cut each half in slices, leaving them jointed at the root; again cut into slices contrarywise, and then from top to bottom, thus having cut it into very small squares; then take the knife lightly with the right hand, place two fingers of the left upon the point, and commence chopping, lifting the knife entirely every stroke, not digging the point into the board, and pressing heavily upon the handle, as is too commonly the case; when chopped very fine put them into the corner of a clean cloth, which rinse in water to wash them, squeeze quite dry in the cloth, they will be then as white as possible, and quite ready for use. Eschalots are chopped in the same manner, cutting first into small dice, without cutting them in halves.
For parsley or herbs, previously wash very clean, take the stalks in your left hand (when quite dry), pressing upon the leaves with your fingers, holding the knife with your right hand, cutting as fine as possible; chop as directed for the onions. By following the above directions you will be enabled to chop them very fine, scarcely staining the board; the above directions to some may appear superfluous, but the difference made in the flavour of sauces, by their being well or badly chopped, being so great, caused me to make these observations.
No. 146. To make a Colouring or Browning from Sugar. Put two ounces of white powdered sugar into a middling-sized stewpan, which place over a slow fire; when beginning to melt, stir round with a wooden spoon until getting quite black, when set it in a moderate oven upon a trivet about twenty minutes, pour a pint of cold water over, let dissolve, place in a bottle, and use wherever directed in My Kitchen at Home.
No. 147. Fillet of Beef or a small rump steak is very excellent dressed in the following new way:
Procure a piece of fillet of beef, weighing from three to four pounds, which can be purchased in any butcher’s shop, being the under part of the rump; trim it a little, taking off part of the skin, leaving a piece of fat half an inch in thickness upon each side, cut it crosswise in slices a quarter of an inch in thickness, making about six pieces, beat lightly, giving them a roundish shape; place them upon a gridiron over a sharp fire, season whilst broiling with about a saltspoonful of salt, and the half of one of black pepper, turn them once or twice whilst upon the gridiron, which process will keep the gravy in, and when done dress them immediately upon a dish, in which you have put the following simple but excellent sauce, which I usually make over an ordinary fire; put the yolks of four eggs in a stewpan or iron saucepan, with half a pound of fresh butter (rather firm) cut into slices, half a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, the juice of half a lemon, and half a tablespoonful of chopped parsley; set upon a slow fire, keep stirring quickly with a wooden spoon in every direction, until becoming rather thick, when remove it from the fire half a minute, still stirring, then again upon the fire, stirring until the butter is quite melted, but congealed with the yolks of eggs, forming a smooth thickish sauce; should it, however, be too thick, add a little milk or cream, and if requiring more seasoning add a little pepper and salt, with the juice of the other half lemon; proceed the same for rump steak, but if for a corner dish, the fillet would be preferable, as the steak would be too large, appearing clumsy. The above quantity would be sufficient for a party of ten, but a much smaller quantity might be made.
A great improvement would be to have four or five middling-sized potatoes, peeled, cut in quarters lengthwise, and afterwards into thin slices crosswise; have ready upon the fire a stewpan, containing lard or dripping, when hot (which you may perceive by the smoke arising from it, or by throwing a drop of water in, if sufficiently hot it will hiss and snap), put in the slices of potatoes, and fry about ten minutes until crisp, and a very light brown colour; care must be taken that the fat is not too hot, or the potatoes would be burnt before they were sufficiently cooked.
Another method of frying potatoes, although rather more extravagant, is very simple and excellent: put a quarter of a pound of butter in a stewpan or saucepan, and when melted put in twenty small new potatoes, if in season, or potatoes cut as before, place over a sharp fire, stirring them occasionally, until of a nice gold colour; should they absorb all the butter, add a little more, when done sprinkle a little salt over, and serve round the fillet or steak; this may be used in many instances in the kitchens of the wealthy.
No. 148. A new Steak. Procure a piece of ribs of beef containing a couple of bones, from which detach the meat, and cut three steaks lengthwise, beat lightly with the cutlet-bat, trim a little, broil one or two, seasoning them well, and serve with sauce and fried potatoes as before.
No. 149. Fillet or Steak à la Maître d’Hôtel. Cut, trim, and broil the fillet or steaks, from either the rump or ribs of beef, as before (always over a sharp fire); place them upon your dish, have ready two ounces of butter, with which you have mixed a saltspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of white pepper, one of chopped parsley, and the juice of half a lemon, rub all over the steaks, turning them three or four times, the butter mixing with the gravy forms an admirable sauce; serve with fried potatoes round as before.
The above steaks or fillets are also very excellent broiled as above, and served with anchovy butter (page 33), instead of the butter prepared as last directed, and using one ounce instead of two.
Should any of the above steaks be required plain broiled, to give them an extra zest, sprinkle chopped eschalots in addition to the other seasoning over previous to placing them upon the gridiron; a steak cut of the ordinary size, would require ten minutes broiling over a good fire. Mutton and lamb chops, or even cotelettes, are very good dressed in the before-mentioned manners; a little glaze, if handy, is also an improvement. For mutton chops, a little Harvey sauce and Chili vinegar poured over just before taking from the gridiron renders them very beautiful eating.
No. 150. A new Mutton or Lamb Chop. Having previously and successfully introduced a new joint (the saddle-back), I thought I would also introduce a new form of mutton or lamb chops, and adopted the following one, as represented in the engraving, which is not only very novel, but the manner in which the chops are cut, by jagging the meat, causes them to eat much lighter and better, they being sawed off the saddle instead of cut from the loin; proceed as follows:
Trim a middling-sized saddle of mutton, which cut into chops, half an inch in thickness, with a saw, without at all making use of a knife; then trim to the shape represented in the drawing; season well with salt and pepper, place upon a gridiron over a sharp fire, turning them three or four times, they will require about ten minutes cooking; when done place them upon a dish, spread a small piece of fresh butter (if approved of) over each, and serve. The bone keeping the gravy in whilst cooking, is a very great advantage in having chops cut after the above method. At home, when I have a saddle of mutton, I usually cut three or four such chops from it, cook and rub maître d’hôtel butter over, and serve them with fried potatoes round, using the remainder of the saddle as a joint the next day.