362. INGREDIENTS.—4 anchovies, 1 oz. of butter, 1/2 pint of melted
butter, cayenne to taste.
Mode.—Bone the anchovies, and pound them in a mortar to a paste, with
1 oz. of butter. Make the melted butter hot, stir in the pounded
anchovies and cayenne; simmer for 3 or 4 minutes; and if liked, add a
squeeze of lemon-juice. A more general and expeditious way of making
this sauce is to stir in 1-1/2 tablespoonfuls of anchovy essence to 1/2
pint of melted butter, and to add seasoning to taste. Boil the whole up
for 1 minute, and serve hot.
Time.—5 minutes. Average cost, 5d. for 1/2 pint.
Sufficient, this quantity, for a brill, small turbot, 3 or 4 soles,
&c.
ANCHOVY BUTTER (see No. 227).
[Illustration: THE CAPISCUM.]
CAYENNE.—This is the most acrid and stimulating spice with
which we are acquainted. It is a powder prepared from several
varieties of the capsicum annual East-India plants, of which
there are three so far naturalized in this country as to be able
to grow in the open air: these are the Guinea, the Cherry, and
the Bell pepper. All the pods of these are extremely pungent to
the taste, and in the green state are used by us as a pickle.
When ripe, they are ground into cayenne pepper, and sold as a
condiment. The best of this, however, is made in the West
Indies, from what is called the Bird pepper, on account of
hens and turkeys being extremely partial to it. It is imported
ready for use. Of the capiscum species of plants there are five;
but the principal are,—1. Capsicum annuum, the common
long-podded capsicum, which is cultivated in our gardens, and of
which there are two varieties, one with red, and another with
yellow fruit. 2. Capsicum baccatum, or bird pepper, which
rises with a shrubby stalk four or five feet high, with its
berries growing at the division of the branches: this is small,
oval-shaped, and of a bright-red colour, from which, as we have
said, the best cayenne is made. 3. Capsicum grossum, the
bell-pepper: the fruit of this is red, and is the only kind fit
for pickling.
APPLE SAUCE FOR GEESE, PORK, &c.
363. INGREDIENTS.—6 good-sized apples, sifted sugar to taste, a piece
of butter the size of a walnut, water.
Mode.—Pare, core, and quarter the apples, and throw them into cold
water to preserve their whiteness. Put them in a saucepan, with
sufficient water to moisten them, and boil till soft enough to pulp.
Beat them up, adding sugar to taste, and a small piece of butter This
quantity is sufficient for a good-sized tureen.
Time.—According to the apples, about 3/4 hour. Average cost, 4d.
Sufficient, this quantity, for a goose or couple of ducks.
364. INGREDIENTS.—6 good-sized apples, 1/2 pint of brown gravy, cayenne
to taste.
Mode. Put the gravy in a stewpan, and add the apples, after having
pared, cored, and quartered them. Let them simmer gently till tender;
beat them to a pulp, and season with cayenne. This sauce is preferred by
many to the preceding.
Time.—According to the apples, about 3/4 hour. Average cost, 6d.
365. INGREDIENTS.—1 bunch of green asparagus, salt, 1 oz. of fresh
butter, 1 small bunch of parsley, 3 or 4 green onions, 1 large lump of
sugar, 4 tablespoonfuls of sauce tournée.
Mode.—Break the asparagus in the tender part, wash well, and put them
into boiling salt and water to render them green. When they are tender,
take them out, and put them into cold water; drain them on a cloth till
all moisture is absorbed from them. Put the butter in a stewpan, with
the parsley and onions; lay in the asparagus, and fry the whole over a
sharp fire for 5 minutes. Add salt, the sugar and sauce tournée, and
simmer for another 5 minutes. Rub all through a tammy, and if not a very
good colour, use a little spinach green. This sauce should be rather
sweet.
Time.—Altogether 40 minutes.
Average cost for this quantity, 1s. 4d.
ASPIC, or ORNAMENTAL SAVOURY JELLY.
366. INGREDIENTS.—4 lbs. of knuckle of veal, 1 cow-heel, 3 or 4 slices
of ham, any poultry trimmings, 2 carrots, 1 onion, 1 faggot of savoury
herbs, 1 glass of sherry, 3 quarts of water; seasoning to taste of salt
and whole white pepper; 3 eggs.
Mode.—Lay the ham on the bottom of a stewpan, cut up the veal and
cow-heel into small pieces, and lay them on the ham; add the poultry
trimmings, vegetables, herbs, sherry, and water, and let the whole
simmer very gently for 4 hours, carefully taking away all scum that may
rise to the surface; strain through a fine sieve, and pour into an
earthen pan to get cold. Have ready a clean stewpan, put in the jelly,
and be particular to leave the sediment behind, or it will not be clear.
Add the whites of 3 eggs, with salt and pepper, to clarify; keep
stirring over the fire, till the whole becomes very white; then draw it
to the side, and let it stand till clear. When this is the case, strain
it through a cloth or jelly-bag, and use it for moulding poultry, etc.
(See Explanation of French Terms, page 44.) Tarragon vinegar may be
added to give an additional flavour.
Time.—Altogether 4-1/2 hours. Average cost for this quantity, 4s.
WHITE PEPPER.—This is the produce of the same plant as that
which produces the black pepper, from which it is manufactured
by steeping this in lime and water, and rubbing it between the
hands till the coats come off. The best berries only will bear
this operation; hence the superior qualities of white pepper
fetch a higher price than those of the other. It is less acrid
than the black, and is much prized among the Chinese. It is
sometimes adulterated with rice-flour, as the black is with
burnt bread. The berries of the pepper-plant grow in spikes of
from twenty to thirty, and are, when ripe, of a bright-red
colour. After being gathered, which is done when they are green,
they are spread out in the sun, where they dry and become black
and shrivelled, when they are ready for being prepared for the
market.
BECHAMEL, or FRENCH WHITE SAUCE.
367. INGREDIENTS.—1 small bunch of parsley, 2 cloves, 1/2 bay-leaf, 1
small faggot of savoury herbs, salt to taste; 3 or 4 mushrooms, when
obtainable; 2 pints of white stock, 1 pint of cream, 1 tablespoonful of
arrowroot.
Mode.—Put the stock into a stewpan, with the parsley, cloves,
bay-leaf, herbs, and mushrooms; add a seasoning of salt, but no pepper,
as that would give the sauce a dusty appearance, and should be avoided.
When it has boiled long enough to extract the flavour of the herbs,
etc., strain it, and boil it up quickly again, until it is nearly
half-reduced. Now mix the arrowroot smoothly with the cream, and let it
simmer very gently for 5 minutes over a slow fire; pour to it the
reduced stock, and continue to simmer slowly for 10 minutes, if the
sauce be thick. If, on the contrary, it be too thin, it must be stirred
over a sharp fire till it thickens. This is the foundation of many kinds
of sauces, especially white sauces. Always make it thick, as you can
easily thin it with cream, milk, or white stock.
Time.—Altogether, 2 hours. Average cost, 1s. per pint.
[Illustration: THE CLOVE.]
THE CLOVE.—The clove-tree is a native of the Molucca Islands,
particularly Amboyna, and attains the height of a laurel-tree,
and no verdure is ever seen under it. From the extremities of
the branches quantities of flowers grow, first white; then they
become green, and next red and hard, when they have arrived at
their clove state. When they become dry, they assume a yellowish
hue, which subsequently changes into a dark brown. As an
aromatic, the clove is highly stimulating, and yields an
abundance of oil. There are several varieties of the clove; the
best is called the royal clove, which is scarce, and which is
blacker and smaller than the other kinds. It is a curious fact,
that the flowers, when fully developed, are quite inodorous, and
that the real fruit is not in the least aromatic. The form is
that of a nail, having a globular head, formed of the four
petals of the corolla, and four leaves of the calyx not
expanded, with a nearly cylindrical germen, scarcely an inch in
length, situate below.
BECHAMEL MAIGRE, or WITHOUT MEAT.
368. INGREDIENTS.—2 onions, 1 blade of mace, mushroom trimmings, a
small bunch of parsley, 1 oz. of butter, flour, 1/2 pint of water, 1
pint of milk, salt, the juice of 1 lemon, 2 eggs.
Mode.—Put in a stewpan the milk, and 1/2 pint of water, with the
onions, mace, mushrooms, parsley, and salt. Let these simmer gently for
20 minutes. In the mean time, rub on a plate 1 oz. of flour and butter;
put it to the liquor, and stir it well till it boils up; then place it
by the side of the fire, and continue stirring until it is perfectly
smooth. Now strain it through a sieve into a basin, after which put it
back in the stewpan, and add the lemon-juice. Beat up the yolks of the
eggs with about 4 dessertspoonfuls of milk; strain this to the sauce,
keep stirring it over the fire, but do not let it boil, lest it curdle.
Time.—Altogether, 3/4 hour. Average cost, 5d. per pint.
This is a good sauce to pour over boiled fowls when they are a bad
colour.
369. INGREDIENTS.—Sufficient vinegar to cover the beets, 2 oz. of whole
pepper, 2 oz. of allspice to each gallon of vinegar.
Mode.—Wash the beets free from dirt, and be very careful not to prick
the outside skin, or they would lose their beautiful colour. Put them
into boiling water, let them simmer gently, and when about three parts
done, which will be in 1-1/2 hour, take them out and let them cool. Boil
the vinegar with pepper and allspice, in the above proportion, for ten
minutes, and when cold, pour it on the beets, which must be peeled and
cut into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Cover with bladder to exclude the
air, and in a week they will be fit for use.
Average cost, 3s. per gallon.
[Illustration: BLACK PEPPER.]
BLACK PEPPER.—This well-known aromatic spice is the fruit of a
species of climbing vine, and is a native of the East Indies,
and is extensively cultivated in Malabar and the eastern islands
of Borneo, Sumatra, and Java, and others in the same latitude.
It was formerly confined to these countries, but it has now been
introduced to Cayenne. It is generally employed as a condiment;
but it should never be forgotten, that, even in small
quantities, it produces detrimental effects on inflammatory
constitutions. Dr. Paris, in his work on Diet, says, "Foreign
spices were not intended by Nature for the inhabitants of
temperate climes; they are heating, and highly stimulant. I am,
however, not anxious to give more weight to this objection than
it deserves. Man is no longer the child of Nature, nor the
passive inhabitant of any particular region. He ranges over
every part of the globe, and elicits nourishment from the
productions of every climate. Nature is very kind in favouring
the growth of those productions which are most likely to answer
our local wants. Those climates, for instance, which engender
endemic diseases, are, in general, congenial to the growth of
plants that operate as antidotes to them. But if we go to the
East for tea, there is no reason why we should not go to the
West for sugar. The dyspeptic invalid, however, should be
cautious in their use; they may afford temporary benefit, at the
expense of permanent mischief. It has been well said, that the
best quality of spices is to stimulate the appetite, and their
worst to destroy, by insensible degrees, the tone of the
stomach. The intrinsic goodness of meats should always be
suspected when they require spicy seasonings to compensate for
their natural want of sapidity." The quality of pepper is known
by rubbing it between the hands: that which withstands this
operation is good, that which is reduced to powder by it is bad.
The quantity of pepper imported into Europe is very great.
BENTON SAUCE (to serve with Hot or Cold Roast Beef).
370. INGREDIENTS.—1 tablespoonful of scraped horseradish, 1 teaspoonful
of made mustard, 1 teaspoonful of pounded sugar, 4 tablespoonfuls of
vinegar.
Mode.—Grate or scrape the horseradish very fine, and mix it with the
other ingredients, which must be all well blended together; serve in a
tureen. With cold meat, this sauce is a very good substitute for
pickles.
Average cost for this quantity, 2d.
BREAD SAUCE (to serve with Roast Turkey, Fowl, Game, &c.).
I.
371. INGREDIENTS.—1 pint of milk, 3/4 of the crumb of a stale loaf, 1
onion; pounded mace, cayenne, and salt to taste; 1 oz. of butter.
Mode.—Peel and quarter the onion, and simmer it in the milk till
perfectly tender. Break the bread, which should be stale, into small
pieces, carefully picking out any hard outside pieces; put it in a very
clean saucepan, strain the milk over it, cover it up, and let it remain
for an hour to soak. Now beat it up with a fork very smoothly, add a
seasoning of pounded mace, cayenne, and salt, with 1 oz. of butter; give
the whole one boil, and serve. To enrich this sauce, a small quantity of
cream may be added just before sending it to table.
Time.—Altogether, 1-3/4 hour.
Average cost for this quantity, 4d.
Sufficient to serve with a turkey, pair of fowls, or brace of
partridges.
[Illustration: MACE.]
MACE.—This is the membrane which surrounds the shell of the
nutmeg. Its general qualities are the same as those of the
nutmeg, producing an agreeable aromatic odour, with a hot and
acrid taste. It is of an oleaginous nature, is yellowish in its
hue, and is used largely as a condiment. In "Beeton's
Dictionary" we find that the four largest of the Banda Islands
produce 150,000 lbs. of it annually, which, with nutmegs, are
their principal articles of export.
II.
372. INGREDIENTS.—Giblets of poultry, 3/4 lb. of the crumb of a stale
loaf, 1 onion, 12 whole peppers, 1 blade of mace, salt to taste, 2
tablespoonfuls of cream or melted butter, 1 pint of water.
Mode.—Put the giblets, with the head, neck, legs, &c., into a
stewpan; add the onion, pepper, mace, salt, and rather more than 1 pint
of water. Let this simmer for an hour, when strain the liquor over the
bread, which should be previously grated or broken into small pieces.
Cover up the saucepan, and leave it for an hour by the side of the fire;
then beat the sauce up with a fork until no lumps remain, and the whole
is nice and smooth. Let it boil for 3 or 4 minutes; keep stirring it
until it is rather thick; when add 3 tablespoonfuls of good melted
butter or cream, and serve very hot.
Time.—2-1/4 hours. Average cost, 6d.
373. The browning for soups (see No. 108) answers equally well for
sauces and gravies, when it is absolutely necessary to colour them in
this manner; but where they can be made to look brown by using ketchup,
wine, browned flour, tomatoes, or any colour sauce, it is far
preferable. As, however, in cooking, so much depends on appearance,
perhaps it would be as well for the inexperienced cook to use the
artificial means (No. 108). When no browning is at hand, and you wish to
heighten the colour of your gravy, dissolve a lump of sugar in an iron
spoon over a sharp fire; when it is in a liquid state, drop it into the
sauce or gravy quite hot. Care, however, must be taken not to put in too
much, as it would impart a very disagreeable flavour.
BEURRE NOIR, or BROWNED BUTTER (a French Sauce).
374. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 lb. of butter, 1 tablespoonful of minced parsley,
3 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
Mode.—Put the butter into a fryingpan over a nice clear fire, and
when it smokes, throw in the parsley, and add the vinegar and seasoning.
Let the whole simmer for a minute or two, when it is ready to serve.
This is a very good sauce for skate.
Time.—1/4 hour.
375. Put the butter in a basin before the fire, and when it melts, stir
it round once or twice, and let it settle. Do not strain it unless
absolutely necessary, as it causes so much waste. Pour it gently off
into a clean dry jar, carefully leaving all sediment behind. Let it
cool, and carefully exclude the air by means of a bladder, or piece of
wash-leather, tied over. If the butter is salt, it may be washed before
melting, when it is to be used for sweet dishes.
I.
376. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 lb. of butter, a dessertspoonful of flour, 1
wineglassful of water, salt to taste.
Mode.—Cut the butter up into small pieces, put it in a saucepan,
dredge over the flour, and add the water and a seasoning of salt; stir
it one way constantly till the whole of the ingredients are melted and
thoroughly blended. Let it just boil, when it is ready to serve. If the
butter is to be melted with cream, use the same quantity as of water,
but omit the flour; keep stirring it, but do not allow it to boil.
Time.—1 minute to simmer.
Average cost for this quantity, 4d.
II.
(More Economical.)
377. INGREDIENTS.—2 oz. of butter, 1 dessertspoonful of flour, salt to
taste, 1/2 pint of water.
Mode.—Mix the flour and water to a smooth batter, which put into a
saucepan. Add the butter and a seasoning of salt, keep stirring one
way till all the ingredients are melted and perfectly smooth; let the
whole boil for a minute or two, and serve.
Time.—2 minutes to simmer.
Average cost for this quantity, 2d.
MELTED BUTTER (the French Sauce Blanche).
378. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 lb. of fresh butter, 1 tablespoonful of flour,
salt to taste, 1/2 gill of water, 1/2 spoonful of white vinegar, a very
little grated nutmeg.
Mode.—Mix the flour and water to a smooth batter, carefully rubbing
down with the back of a spoon any lumps that may appear. Put it in a
saucepan with all the other ingredients, and let it thicken on the fire,
but do not allow it to boil, lest it should taste of the flour.
Time.—1 minute to simmer.
Average cost, 5d. for this quantity.
[Illustration: THE NUTMEG.]
NUTMEG.—This is a native of the Moluccas, and was long kept
from being spread in other places by the monopolizing spirit of
the Dutch, who endeavoured to keep it wholly to themselves by
eradicating it from every other island. We find it stated in
"Beeton's Dictionary of Universal Information," under the
article "Banda Islands," that the four largest are appropriated
to the cultivation of nutmegs, of which about 500,000 lbs. are
annually produced. The plant, through the enterprise of the
British, has now found its way into Penang and Bencooleu, where
it flourishes and produces well. It has also been tried to be
naturalized in the West Indies, and it bears fruit all the year
round. There are two kinds of nutmeg,—one wild, and long and
oval-shaped, the other cultivated, and nearly round. The best is
firm and hard, and has a strong aromatic odour, with a hot and
acrid taste. It ought to be used with caution by those who are
of paralytic or apoplectic habits.
THICKENED BUTTER.
379.—INGREDIENTS.—1/4 pint of melted butter, No. 376, the yolks of 2
eggs, a little lemon-juice.
Mode.—Make the butter quite hot, and be careful not to colour it.
Well whisk the yolks of the eggs, pour them to the butter, beating them
all the while. Make the sauce hot over the fire, but do not let it boil;
add a squeeze of lemon-juice.
380. INGREDIENTS.—1 teaspoonful of flour, 2 oz. butter, 1/3 pint of
milk, a few grains of salt.
Mode.—Mix the butter and flour smoothly together on a plate, put it
into a lined saucepan, and pour in the milk. Keep stirring it one way
over a sharp fire; let it boil quickly for a minute or two, and it is
ready to serve. This is a very good foundation for onion, lobster, or
oyster sauce: using milk instead of water makes it look so much whiter
and more delicate.
Time.—Altogether, 10 minutes. Average cost for this quantity, 3d.
381. INGREDIENTS.—1 head of garlic, 1/2 oz. cayenne, 2 teaspoonfuls of
soy, 2 ditto walnut ketchup, 1 pint of vinegar, cochineal to colour.
Mode.—Slice the garlic, and put it, with all the above ingredients,
into a clean bottle. Let it stand to infuse for a month, when strain it
off quite clear, and it will be fit for use. Keep it in small bottles
well sealed, to exclude the air.
Average cost for this quantity, 8d.
382. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 pint of melted butter (No. 376), 3 tablespoonfuls
of capers or nasturtiums, 1 tablespoonful of their liquor.
Mode.—Chop the capers twice or thrice, and add them, with their
liquor, to 1/2 pint of melted butter, made very smoothly; keep stirring
well; let the sauce just simmer, and serve in a tureen. Pickled
nasturtium-pods are fine-flavoured, and by many are eaten in preference
to capers. They make an excellent sauce.
Time.—2 minutes to simmer. Average cost for this quantity, 8d.
Sufficient to serve with a leg of mutton.
383. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 pint of melted butter No. 376, 3 dessertspoonfuls
of capers, 1 dessertspoonful of their liquor, a small piece of glaze, if
at hand (this may be dispensed with), 1/4 teaspoonful of salt, ditto of
pepper, 1 tablespoonful of anchovy essence.
Mode.—Cut the capers across once or twice, but do not chop them fine;
put them in a saucepan with 1/2 pint of good melted butter, and add all
the other ingredients. Keep stirring the whole until it just simmers,
when it is ready to serve.
Time.—1 minute to simmer. Average cost for this quantity, 5d.
Sufficient to serve with a skate, or 2 or 3 slices of salmon.
[Illustration: THE CAPER.]
CAPERS.—These are the unopened buds of a low trailing shrub,
which grows wild among the crevices of the rocks of Greece, as
well as in northern Africa: the plant, however, has come to be
cultivated in the south of Europe. After being pickled in
vinegar and salt, they are imported from Sicily, Italy, and the
south of France. The best are from Toulon.
A SUBSTITUTE FOR CAPER SAUCE.
384. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 pint of melted butter, No. 376, 2 tablespoonfuls
of cut parsley, 1/2 teaspoonful of salt, 1 tablespoonful of vinegar.
Mode.—Boil the parsley slowly to let it become a bad colour; cut, but
do not chop it fine. Add it to 1/2 pint of smoothly-made melted butter,
with salt and vinegar in the above proportions. Boil up and serve.
Time.—2 minutes to simmer. Average cost for this quantity, 3d.
385. INGREDIENTS.—Vinegar, 1/4 oz. of pounded mace, and 1/4 oz. of
grated nutmeg, to each quart; brine.
Mode.—Gather the pods with the stalks on, before they turn red; slit
them down the side with a small-pointed knife, and remove the seeds
only; put them in a strong brine for 3 days, changing it every morning;
then take them out, lay them on a cloth, with another one over them,
until they are perfectly free from moisture. Boil sufficient vinegar to
cover them, with mace and nutmeg in the above proportions; put the pods
in a jar, pour over the vinegar when cold, and exclude them from the air
by means of a wet bladder tied over.
CAYENNE VINEGAR, or ESSENCE OF CAYENNE.
386. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 oz. of cayenne pepper, 1/2 pint of strong spirit,
or 1 pint of vinegar.
Mode.—Put the vinegar, or spirit, into a bottle, with the above
proportion of cayenne, and let it steep for a month, when strain off and
bottle for use. This is excellent seasoning for soups or sauces, but
must be used very sparingly.
CELERY SAUCE, FOR BOILED TURKEY, POULTRY, &c.
387. INGREDIENTS.—6 heads of celery, 1 pint of white stock, No. 107, 2
blades of mace, 1 small bunch of savoury herbs; thickening of butter and
flour, or arrowroot, 1/2 pint of cream, lemon-juice.
Mode.—Boil the celery in salt and water, until tender, and cut it
into pieces 2 inches long. Put the stock into a stewpan with the mace
and herbs, and let it simmer for 1/2 hour to extract their flavour. Then
strain the liquor, add the celery and a thickening of butter kneaded
with flour, or, what is still better, with arrowroot; just before
serving, put in the cream, boil it up and squeeze in a little
lemon-juice. If necessary, add a seasoning of salt and white pepper.
Time.—25 minutes to boil the celery. Average cost, 1s. 3d.
Sufficient, this quantity, for a boiled turkey.
This sauce may be made brown by using gravy instead of white stock, and
flavouring it with mushroom ketchup or Harvey's sauce.
[Illustration: ARROWROOT.]
ARROWROOT.—This nutritious fecula is obtained from the roots of
a plant which is cultivated in both the East and West Indies.
When the roots are about a year old, they are dug up, and, after
being well washed, are beaten to a pulp, which is afterwards, by
means of water, separated from the fibrous part. After being
passed through a sieve, once more washed, and then suffered to
settle, the sediment is dried in the sun, when it has become
arrowroot. The best is obtained from the West Indies, but a
large quantity of what is sold in London is adulterated with
potato-starch. As a means of knowing arrowroot when it is good,
it may be as well to state, that the genuine article, when
formed into a jelly, will remain firm for three or four days,
whilst the adulterated will become as thin as milk in the course
of twelve hours.
CELERY SAUCE (a More Simple Recipe).
388. INGREDIENTS.—4 heads of celery, 1/2 pint of melted butter, made
with milk (No. 380), 1 blade of pounded mace; salt and white pepper to
taste.
Mode.—Wash the celery, boil it in salt and water till tender, and cut
it into pieces 2 inches long; make 1/2 pint melted butter by recipe No.
380; put in the celery, pounded mace, and seasoning; simmer for three
minutes, when the sauce will be ready to serve.
Time.—25 minutes to boil the celery. Average cost, 6d.
Sufficient, this quantity, for a boiled fowl.
389. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 oz. of celery-seed, 1 pint of vinegar.
Mode.—Crush the seed by pounding it in a mortar; boil the vinegar,
and when cold, pour it to the seed; let it infuse for a fortnight, when
strain and bottle off for use. This is frequently used in salads.
390. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 lb. of chestnuts, 1/2 pint of white stock, 2
strips of lemon-peel, cayenne to taste, 1/4 pint of cream or milk.
Mode.—Peel off the outside skin of the chestnuts, and put them into
boiling water for a few minutes; take off the thin inside peel, and put
them into a saucepan, with the white stock and lemon-peel, and let them
simmer for 1-1/2 hour, or until the chestnuts are quite tender. Rub the
whole through a hair-sieve with a wooden spoon; add seasoning and the
cream; let it just simmer, but not boil, and keep stirring all the time.
Serve very hot; and quickly. If milk is used instead of cream, a very
small quantity of thickening may be required: that, of course, the cook
will determine.
Time.—Altogether nearly two hours. Average cost, 8d.
Sufficient, this quantity, for a turkey.
391. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 lb. of chestnuts, 1/2 pint of stock No. 105, 2
lumps of sugar, 4 tablespoonfuls of Spanish sauce (see Sauces).
Mode.—Prepare the chestnuts as in the foregoing recipe, by scalding
and peeling them; put them in a stewpan with the stock and sugar, and
simmer them till tender. When done, add Spanish sauce in the above
proportion, and rub the whole through a tammy. Keep this sauce rather
liquid, as it is liable to thicken.
Time.—1-1/2 hour to simmer the chestnuts. Average cost, 8d.
392. INGREDIENTS.—1-1/2 lbs. of moist sugar, 3/4 lb. of salt, 1/4 lb.
of garlic, 1/4 lb. of onions, 3/4 lb. of powdered ginger, 1/4 lb. of
dried chilies, 3/4 lb. of mustard-seed, 3/4 lb. of stoned raisins, 2
bottles of best vinegar, 30 large unripe sour apples.
Mode.—The sugar must be made into syrup; the garlic, onions, and
ginger be finely pounded in a mortar; the mustard-seed be washed in cold
vinegar, and dried in the sun; the apples be peeled, cored, and sliced,
and boiled in a bottle and a half of the vinegar. When all this is done,
and the apples are quite cold, put them into a large pan, and gradually
mix the whole of the rest of the ingredients, including the remaining
half-bottle of vinegar. It must be well stirred until the whole is
thoroughly blended, and then put into bottles for use. Tie a piece of
wet bladder over the mouths of the bottles, after they are well corked.
This chetney is very superior to any which can be bought, and one trial
will prove it to be delicious.
Note.—This recipe was given by a native to an English lady, who had
long been a resident in India, and who, since her return to her native
country, has become quite celebrated amongst her friends for the
excellence of this Eastern relish.
[Illustration: GARLIC.]
GARLIC.—The smell of this plant is generally considered
offensive, and it is the most acrimonious in its taste of the
whole of the alliaceous tribe. In 1548 it was introduced to
England from the shores of the Mediterranean, where it is
abundant, and in Sicily it grows naturally. It was in greater
repute with our ancestors than it is with ourselves, although it
is still used as a seasoning herb. On the continent, especially
in Italy, it is much used, and the French consider it an
essential in many made dishes.
CHILI VINEGAR.
393. INGREDIENTS.—50 fresh red English chilies, 1 pint of vinegar.
Mode.—Pound or cut the chilies in half, and infuse them in the
vinegar for a fortnight, when it will be fit for use. This will be found
an agreeable relish to fish, as many people cannot eat it without the
addition of an acid and cayenne pepper.
394. INGREDIENTS.-1 glass of port wine, 2 tablespoonfuls of Harvey's
sauce, 1 dessertspoonful of mushroom ketchup, ditto of pounded white
sugar, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, 1/4 teaspoonful of cayenne
pepper, ditto of salt.
Mode.—Mix all the ingredients thoroughly together, and heat the sauce
gradually, by placing the vessel in which it is made in a saucepan of
boiling water. Do not allow it to boil, and serve directly it is ready.
This sauce, if bottled immediately, will keep good for a fortnight, and
will be found excellent.
CONSOMME, or WHITE STOCK FOR MANY SAUCES.
395. Consommé is made precisely in the same manner as stock No. 107,
and, for ordinary purposes, will be found quite good enough. When,
however, a stronger stock is desired, either put in half the quantity of
water, or double that of the meat. This is a very good foundation for
all white sauces.
CRAB SAUCE FOR FISH (equal to Lobster Sauce).
396. INGREDIENTS.—1 crab; salt, pounded mace, and cayenne to taste; 1/2
pint of melted butter made with milk (see No. 380).
Mode.—Choose a nice fresh crab, pick all the meat away from the
shell, and cut it into small square pieces. Make 1/2 pint of melted
butter by recipe No. 380, put in the fish and seasoning; let it
gradually warm through, and simmer for 2 minutes. It should not boil.
Average cost, 1s. 2d.
397. INGREDIENTS.—1/3 pint of cream, 2 oz. of butter, 1 teaspoonful of
flour, salt and cayenne to taste; when liked, a small quantity of
pounded mace or lemon-juice.
Mode.—Put the butter in a very clean saucepan, dredge in the flour,
and keep shaking round till the butter is melted. Add the seasoning and
cream, and stir the whole till it boils; let it just simmer for 5
minutes, when add either pounded mace or lemon-juice to taste, to give
it a flavour.
Time.—5 minutes to simmer. Average cost for this quantity, 7d.
This sauce may be flavoured with very finely-shredded shalot.
398. INGREDIENTS.—3 or 4 cucumbers, 2 oz. of butter, 6 tablespoonfuls
of brown gravy.
Mode.—Peel the cucumbers, quarter them, and take out the seeds; cut
them into small pieces; put them in a cloth, and rub them well, to take
out the water which hangs about them. Put the butter in a saucepan, add
the cucumbers, and shake them over a sharp fire until they are of a good
colour. Then pour over it the gravy, mix this with the cucumbers, and
simmer gently for 10 minutes, when it will be ready to serve.
Time.—Altogether, 1/2 hour.
399. INGREDIENTS.—1 oz. of whole pepper, 1 oz. of bruised ginger;
sufficient vinegar to cover the cucumbers.
Mode.—Cut the cucumbers in thick slices, sprinkle salt over them, and
let them remain for 24 hours. The next day, drain them well for 6 hours,
put them into a jar, pour boiling vinegar over them, and keep them in a
warm place. In a short time, boil up the vinegar again, add pepper and
ginger in the above proportion, and instantly cover them up. Tie them
down with bladder, and in a few days they will be fit for use.
[Illustration: LONG PEPPER.]
LONG PEPPER.—This is the produce of a different plant from that
which produces the black, it consisting of the half-ripe
flower-heads of what naturalists call Piper longum and
chaba. It is the growth, however, of the same countries;
indeed, all the spices are the produce of tropical climates
only. Originally, the most valuable of these were found in the
Spice Islands, or Moluccas, of the Indian Ocean, and were highly
prized by the nations of antiquity. The Romans indulged in them
to a most extravagant degree. The long pepper is less aromatic
than the black, but its oil is more pungent.
CUCUMBER SAUCE, WHITE.
400. INGREDIENTS.—3 or four cucumbers, 1/2 pint of white stock, No.
107, cayenne and salt to taste, the yolks of 3 eggs.
Mode.—Cut the cucumbers into small pieces, after peeling them and
taking out the seeds. Put them in a stewpan with the white stock and
seasoning; simmer gently till the cucumbers are tender, which will be in
about 1/4 hour. Then add the yolks of the eggs well beaten; stir them to
the sauce, but do not allow it to boil, and serve very hot.
Time.—Altogether, 1/2 hour.
CUCUMBER VINEGAR (a very nice Addition to Salads).
401. INGREDIENTS.—10 large cucumbers, or 12 smaller ones, 1 quart of
vinegar, 2 onions, 2 shalots, 1 tablespoonful of salt, 2 tablespoonfuls
of pepper, 1/4 teaspoonful of cayenne.
Mode.—Pare and slice the cucumbers, put them in a stone jar or
wide-mouthed bottle, with the vinegar; slice the onions and shalots, and
add them, with all the other ingredients, to the cucumbers. Let it stand
4 or 5 days, boil it all up, and when cold, strain the liquor through a
piece of muslin, and store it away in small bottles well sealed. This
vinegar is a very nice addition to gravies, hashes, &e., as well as a
great improvement to salads, or to eat with cold meat.
402. INGREDIENTS.—Cucumbers, salt.
Mode.—Pare and slice the cucumbers (as for the table), sprinkle well
with salt, and let them remain for 24 hours; strain off the liquor, pack
in jars, a thick layer of cucumbers and salt alternately; tie down
closely, and, when wanted for use, take out the quantity required. Now
wash them well in fresh water, and dress as usual with pepper, vinegar,
and oil.
[Illustration: THE CUCUMBER.]
THE CUCUMBER.—Though the melon is far superior in point of
flavour to this fruit, yet it is allied to the cucumber, which
is known to naturalists as Cucumia sativus. The modern
Egyptians, as did their forefathers, still eat it, and others of
its class. Cucumbers were observed, too, by Bishop Heber,
beyond the Ganges, in India; and Burckhardt noticed them in
Palestine. (See No. 127.)
AN EXCELLENT WAY OF PRESERVING CUCUMBERS.
403. INGREDIENTS.—Salt and water; 1 lb. of lump sugar, the rind of 1
lemon, 1 oz. of ginger, cucumbers.
Mode.—Choose the greenest cucumbers, and those that are most free
from seeds; put them in strong salt and water, with a cabbage-leaf to
keep them down; tie a paper over them, and put them in a warm place till
they are yellow; then wash them and set them over the fire in fresh
water, with a very little salt, and another cabbage-leaf over them;
cover very closely, but take care they do not boil. If they are not a
fine green, change the water again, cover them as before, and make them
hot. When they are a good colour, take them off the fire and let them
cool; cut them in quarters, take out the seeds and pulp, and put them
into cold water. Let them remain for 2 days, changing the water twice
each day, to draw out the salt. Put the sugar, with 1/4 pint of water,
in a saucepan over the fire; remove the scum as it rises, and add the
lemon-peel and ginger with the outside scraped off; when the syrup is
tolerably thick, take it off the fire, and when cold, wipe the
cucumbers dry, and put them in. Boil the syrup once in 2 or 3 days for
3 weeks; strengthen it if required, and let it be quite cold before the
cucumbers are put in. Great attention must be paid to the directions in
the commencement of this recipe, as, if these are not properly carried
out, the result will be far from satisfactory.
Seasonable.—This recipe should be used in June, July, or August.
[Illustration: SALT-MINE AT NORTHWICH.]
COMMON SALT.—By this we mean salt used for cooking purposes,
which is found in great abundance both on land and in the waters
of the ocean. Sea or salt water, as it is often called,
contains, it has been discovered, about three per cent, of salt
on an average. Solid rocks of salt are also found in various
parts of the world, and the county of Chester contains many of
these mines, and it is from there that much of our salt comes.
Some springs are so highly impregnated with salt, as to have
received the name of "brine" springs, and are supposed to have
become so by passing through the salt rocks below ground, and
thus dissolving a portion of this mineral substance. We here
give an engraving of a salt-mine at Northwich, Cheshire, where
both salt-mines and brine-springs are exceedingly productive,
and are believed to have been wrought so far back as during the
occupation of Britain by the Romans.
CUSTARD SAUCE FOR SWEET PUDDINGS OR TARTS.
404. INGREDIENTS.—1 pint of milk, 2 eggs, 3 oz. of pounded sugar, 1
tablespoonful of brandy.
Mode.—Put the milk in a very clean saucepan, and let it boil. Beat
the eggs, stir to them the milk and pounded sugar, and put the mixture
into a jug. Place the jug in a saucepan of boiling water; keep stirring
well until it thickens, but do not allow it to boil, or it will curdle.
Serve the sauce in a tureen, stir in the brandy, and grate a little
nutmeg over the top. This sauce may be made very much nicer by using
cream instead of milk; but the above recipe will be found quite good
enough for ordinary purposes.
Average cost, 6d. per pint.
Sufficient, this quantity, for 2 fruit tarts, or 1 pudding.
405. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 teaspoonful of flour, 2 oz. of butter, 4
tablespoonfuls of vinegar, the yolks of 2 eggs, the juice of 1/2 lemon;
salt to taste.
Mode.—Put all the ingredients, except the lemon-juice, into a
stew-pan; set it over the fire, and keep continually stirring. When it
is sufficiently thick, take it off, as it should not boil. If, however,
it happens to curdle, strain the sauce through a tammy, add the
lemon-juice, and serve. Tarragon vinegar may be used instead of plain,
and, by many, is considered far preferable.
Average cost, 6d.
Note.—This sauce may be poured hot over salad, and left to get quite
cold, when it should be thick, smooth, and somewhat stiff. Excellent
salads may be made of hard eggs, or the remains of salt fish flaked
nicely from the bone, by pouring over a little of the above mixture when
hot, and allowing it to cool.
[Illustration: THE LEMON.]
THE LEMON.—This fruit is a native of Asia, and is mentioned by
Virgil as an antidote to poison. It is hardier than the orange,
and, as one of the citron tribe, was brought into Europe by the
Arabians. The lemon was first cultivated in England in the
beginning of the 17th century, and is now often to be found in
our green-houses. The kind commonly sold, however, is imported
from Portugal, Spain, and the Azores. Some also come from St.
Helena; but those from Spain are esteemed the best. Its juice is
now an essential for culinary purposes; but as an antiscorbutic
its value is still greater. This juice, which is called citric
acid, may be preserved in bottles for a considerable time, by
covering it with a thin stratum of oil. Shrub is made from it
with rum and sugar.
GREEN DUTCH SAUCE, or HOLLANDAISE VERTE.
406. INGREDIENTS.—6 tablespoonfuls of Béchamel, No. 367, seasoning to
taste of salt and cayenne, a little parsley-green to colour, the juice
of 1/2 a lemon.
Mode.—Put the Béchamel into a saucepan with the seasoning, and bring
it to a boil. Make a green colouring by pounding some parsley in a
mortar, and squeezing all the juice from it. Let this just simmer, when
add it to the sauce. A moment before serving, put in the lemon-juice,
but not before; for otherwise the sauce would turn yellow, and its
appearance be thus spoiled.
Average cost, 4d.
BÉCHAMEL SAUCE—This sauce takes its name from a Monsieur
Béchamel, a rich French financier, who, according to Borne
authorities, invented it; whilst others affirm he only
patronized it. Be this as it may, it is one of the most pleasant
sauces which come to table, and should be most carefully and
intelligently prepared. It is frequently used, as in the above
recipe, as a principal ingredient and basis for other sauces.
TO PICKLE EGGS.
407. INGREDIENTS.—16 eggs, 1 quart of vinegar, 1/2 oz. of Black pepper,
1/2 oz. of Jamaica pepper, 1/2 oz. of ginger.
Mode.—Boil the eggs for 12 minutes, then dip them into cold water,
and take off the shells. Put the vinegar, with the pepper and ginger,
into a stewpan, and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Now place the eggs in
a jar, pour over them the vinegar, &c., boiling hot, and, when cold, tie
them down with bladder to exclude the air. This pickle will be ready for
use in a month.
Average cost, for this quantity, 1s. 9d.
Seasonable.—This should be made about Easter, as at this time eggs
are plentiful and cheap. A store of pickled eggs will be found very
useful and ornamental in serving with many first and second course
dishes.
[Illustration: GINGER.]
The ginger-plant, known to naturalists as Zingiber officinale,
is a native, of the East and West Indies. It grows somewhat like
the lily of the valley, but its height is about three feet. In
Jamaica it flowers about August or September, fading about the
end of the year. The fleshy creeping roots, which form the
ginger of commerce, are in a proper state to be dug when the
stalks are entirely withered. This operation is usually
performed in January and February; and when the roots are taken
out of the earth, each one is picked, scraped, separately
washed, and afterwards very carefully dried. Ginger is generally
considered as less pungent and heating to the system than might
he expected from its effects on the organs of taste, and it is
frequently used, with considerable effect, as an anti-spasmodic
and carminative.
EGG BALLS FOR SOUPS AND MADE DISHES.
408. INGREDIENTS.—8 eggs, a little flour; seasoning to taste of salt.
Mode.—Boil 6 eggs for 20 minutes, strip off the shells, take the
yolks and pound them in a mortar. Beat the yolks of the other 2 eggs;
add them, with a little flour and salt, to those pounded; mix all well
together, and roll into balls. Boil them before they are put into the
soup or other dish they may be intended for.
Time.—20 minutes to boil the eggs. Average cost, for this quantity,
8d.
Sufficient, 2 dozen balls for 1 tureen of soup.
409. INGREDIENTS.—4 eggs, 1/2 pint of melted butter, No. 376; when
liked, a very little lemon-juice.
Mode.—Boil the eggs until quite hard, which will be in about 20
minutes, and put them into cold water for 1/2 hour. Strip off the
shells, chop the eggs into small pieces, not, however, too fine. Make
the melted butter very smoothly, by recipe No. 376, and, when boiling,
stir in the eggs, and serve very hot. Lemon-juice may be added at
pleasure.
Time.—20 minutes to boil the eggs. Average cost, 8d.
Sufficient.—This quantity for 3 or 4 lbs. of fish.
Note.—When a thicker sauce is required, use one or two more eggs to
the same quantity of melted butter.
410. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 pint of walnut ketchup, 1/4 pint of mushroom
ditto, 2 tablespoonfuls of Indian soy, 2 tablespoonfuls of port wine;
1/4 oz. of white pepper, 2 oz. of shalots, 1/4 oz. of cayenne, 1/4 oz.
of cloves, 3/4 pint of vinegar.
Mode.—Put the whole of the ingredients into a bottle, and let it
remain for a fortnight in a warm place, occasionally shaking up the
contents. Strain, and bottle off for use. This sauce will be found an
agreeable addition to gravies, hashes, stews, &c.
Average cost, for this quantity, 1s. 6d.
[Illustration: SHALOT.]
SHALOT, OR ESCHALOT.—This plant is supposed to have been
introduced to England by the Crusaders, who found it growing
wild in the vicinity of Ascalon. It is a bulbous root, and when
full grown, its leaves wither in July. They ought to be taken up
in the autumn, and when dried in the house, will keep till
spring. It is called by old authors the "barren onion," and is
used in sauces and pickles, soups and made dishes, and as an
accompaniment to chops and steaks.
ESPAGNOLE, OR BROWN SPANISH SAUCE.
411. INGREDIENTS.—2 slices of lean ham, 1 lb. of veal, 1-1/2 pint of
white stock, No. 107; 2 or 3 sprigs of parsley, 1/2 a bay-leaf, 2 or 3
sprigs of savoury herbs, 6 green onions, 3 shalots, 2 cloves, 1 blade of
mace, 2 glasses of sherry or Madeira, thickening of butter and flour.
Mode.—Cut up the ham and veal into small square pieces, and put them
into a stewpan. Moisten these with 1/2 pint of the stock No. 107, and
simmer till the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a nicely-coloured
glaze, when put in a few more spoonfuls to detach it. Add the remainder
of the stock, with the spices, herbs, shalots, and onions, and simmer
very gently for 1 hour. Strain and skim off every particle of fat, and
when required for use, thicken with butter and flour, or with a little
roux. Add the wine, and, if necessary, a seasoning of cayenne; when it
will be ready to serve.
Time.—1-1/2 hour.
Average cost, 2s. per pint.
Note.—The wine in this sauce may be omitted, and an onion sliced and
fried of a nice brown substituted for it. This sauce or gravy is used
for many dishes, and with most people is a general favourite.
412. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 pint of melted butter, No. 376, rather more than
1 tablespoonful of chopped fennel.
Mode.—Make the melted butter very smoothly, by recipe No. 376; chop
the fennel rather small, carefully cleansing it from any grit or dirt,
and put it to the butter when this is on the point of boiling. Simmer
for a minute or two, and serve in a tureen.
Time.—2 minutes.
Average cost, 4d.
Sufficient to serve with 5 or 6 mackerel.
[Illustration: FENNEL.]
FENNEL.—This elegantly-growing plant, of which the Latin name
is Anethum foeniculum, grows best in chalky soils, where,
indeed, it is often found wild. It is very generally cultivated
in gardens, and has much improved on its original form. Various
dishes are frequently ornamented and garnished with its graceful
leaves, and these are sometimes boiled in soups, although it is
more usually confined, in English cookery, to the mackerel sauce
as here given.
FISH SAUCE.
413. INGREDIENTS.—1-1/2 oz. of cayenne, 2 tablespoonfuls of walnut
ketchup, 2 tablespoonfuls of soy, a few shreds of garlic and shalot, 1
quart of vinegar.
Mode.—Put all the ingredients into a large bottle, and shake well
every day for a fortnight. Keep it in small bottles well sealed, and in
a few days it will be fit for use.
Average cost, for this quantity, 1s.
414. INGREDIENTS.—1 middling-sized lobster, 1/2 an anchovy, 1 head of
boiled celery, the yolk of a hard-boiled egg; salt, cayenne, and mace to
taste; 4 tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs, 2 oz. of butter, 2 eggs.
Mode.—Pick the meat from the shell of the lobster, and pound it, with
the soft parts, in a mortar; add the celery, the yolk of the hard-boiled
egg, seasoning, and bread crumbs. Continue pounding till the whole is
nicely amalgamated. Warm the butter till it is in a liquid state; well
whisk the eggs, and work these up with the pounded lobster-meat. Make
into balls of about an inch in diameter, and fry of a nice pale brown.
Sufficient, from 18 to 20 balls for 1 tureen of soup.
415. INGREDIENTS.—1 lb. of veal, 1 lb. of fat bacon; salt, cayenne,
pepper, and pounded mace to taste; a very little nutmeg, the same of
chopped lemon-peel, 1/2 teaspoonful of chopped parsley, 1/2 teaspoonful
of minced savoury herbs, 1 or 2 eggs.
Mode.—Chop the veal and bacon together, and put them in a mortar with
the other ingredients mentioned above. Pound well, and bind with 1 or 2
eggs which have been previously beaten and strained. Work the whole well
together, and the forcemeat will be ready for use. If the pie is not to
be eaten immediately, omit the herbs and parsley, as these would prevent
it from keeping. Mushrooms or truffles may be added.
Sufficient for 2 small pies.
[Illustration: MARJORAM.]
MARJORAM.—Although there are several species of marjoram, that
which is known as the sweet or knotted marjoram, is the one
usually preferred in cookery. It is a native of Portugal, and
when its leaves are used as a seasoning herb, they have an
agreeable aromatic flavour. The winter sweet marjoram used for
the same purposes, is a native of Greece, and the pot-marjoram
is another variety brought from Sicily. All of them are
favourite ingredients in soups, stuffings, &c.
FORCEMEAT FOR PIKE, CARP, HADDOCK, AND VARIOUS KINDS OF FISH.
416. INGREDIENTS.—1 oz. of fresh butter, 1 oz. of suet, 1 oz. of fat
bacon, 1 small teaspoonful of minced savoury herbs, including parsley; a
little onion, when liked, shredded very fine; salt, nutmeg, and cayenne
to taste; 4 oz. of bread crumbs, 1 egg.
Mode.—Mix all the ingredients well together, carefully mincing them
very finely; beat up the egg, moisten with it, and work the whole very
smoothly together. Oysters or anchovies may be added to this forcemeat,
and will be found a great improvement.
Average cost, 6d.
Sufficient for a moderate-sized haddock or pike.
FORCEMEAT FOR VEAL, TURKEYS, FOWLS, HARE, &c.
417. INGREDIENTS.—2 oz. of ham or lean bacon, 1/4 lb. of suet, the rind
of half a lemon, 1 teaspoonful of minced parsley, 1 teaspoonful of
minced sweet herbs; salt, cayenne, and pounded mace to taste; 6 oz. of
bread crumbs, 2 eggs.
Mode.—Shred the ham or bacon, chop the suet, lemon-peel, and herbs,
taking particular care that all be very finely minced; add a seasoning
to taste, of salt, cayenne, and mace, and blend all thoroughly together
with the bread crumbs, before wetting. Now beat and strain the eggs,
work these up with the other ingredients, and the forcemeat will be
ready for use. When it is made into balls, fry of a nice brown, in
boiling lard, or put them on a tin and bake for 1/2 hour in a moderate
oven. As we have stated before, no one flavour should predominate
greatly, and the forcemeat should be of sufficient body to cut with a
knife, and yet not dry and heavy. For very delicate forcemeat, it is
advisable to pound the ingredients together before binding with the egg;
but for ordinary cooking, mincing very finely answers the purpose.
Average cost, 8d.
Sufficient for a turkey, a moderate-sized fillet of veal, or a hare.
Note.—In forcemeat for HARE, the liver of the animal is sometimes
added. Boil for 5 minutes, mince it very small, and mix it with the
other ingredients. If it should be in an unsound state, it must be on no
account made use of.
[Illustration: BASIL.]
SWEET HERBS.—Those most usually employed for purposes of
cooking, such as the flavouring of soups, sauces, forcemeats,
&c., are thyme, sage, mint, marjoram, savory, and basil. Other
sweet herbs are cultivated for purposes of medicine and
perfumery: they are most grateful both to the organs of taste
and smelling; and to the aroma derived from them is due, in a
great measure, the sweet and exhilarating fragrance of our
"flowery meads." In town, sweet herbs have to be procured at the
greengrocers' or herbalists', whilst, in the country, the garden
should furnish all that are wanted, the cook taking great care
to have some dried in the autumn for her use throughout the
winter months.
FORCEMEAT FOR BAKED PIKE.
418. INGREDIENTS.—3 oz. of bread crumbs, 1 teaspoonful of minced
savoury herbs, 8 oysters, 2 anchovies (these may be dispensed with), 2
oz. of suet; salt, pepper, and pounded mace to taste; 6 tablespoonfuls
of cream or milk, the yolks of 2 eggs.
Mode.—Beard and mince the oysters, prepare and mix the other
ingredients by recipe No. 416, and blend the whole thoroughly together.
Moisten with the cream and eggs, put all into a stewpan, and stir it
over the fire till it thickens, when put it into the fish, which should
have previously been cut open, and sew it up.
Time.—4 or 6 minutes to thicken.
Average cost, 10d.
Sufficient for a moderate-sized pike.
419. It will be well to state, in the beginning of this recipe, that
French forcemeat, or quenelles, consist of the blending of three
separate processes; namely, panada, udder, and whatever meat you intend
using.
420. INGREDIENTS.—The crumb of 2 penny rolls, 4 tablespoonfuls of white
stock, No. 107, 1 oz. of butter, 1 slice of ham, 1 bay-leaf, a little
minced parsley, 2 shalots, 1 clove, 2 blades of mace, a few mushrooms
(when obtainable), butter, the yolks of 2 eggs.
Mode.—Soak the crumb of the rolls in milk for about 1/2 hour, then
take it out, and squeeze so as to press the milk from it; put the soaked
bread into a stewpan with the above quantity of white stock, and set it
on one side; then put into a separate stewpan 1 oz. of butter, a slice
of lean ham cut small, with a bay-leaf, herbs, mushrooms, spices, &c.,
in the above proportions, and fry them gently over a slow fire. When
done, moisten with 2 teacupfuls of white stock, boil for 20 minutes, and
strain the whole through a sieve over the panada in the other stewpan.
Place it over the fire, keep constantly stirring, to prevent its
burning, and when quite dry, put in a small piece of butter. Let this
again dry up by stirring over the fire; then add the yolks of 2 eggs,
mix well, put the panada to cool on a clean plate, and use it when
required. Panada should always be well flavoured, as the forcemeat
receives no taste from any of the other ingredients used in its
preparation.
Boiled Calf's Udder for French Forcemeats.
421. Put the udder into a stewpan with sufficient water to cover it; let
it stew gently till quite done, when take it out to cool. Trim all the
upper parts, cut it into small pieces, and pound well in a mortar, till
it can be rubbed through a sieve. That portion which passes through the
strainer is one of the three ingredients of which French forcemeats are
generally composed; but many cooks substitute butter for this, being a
less troublesome and more expeditious mode of preparation.
[Illustration: PESTLE AND MORTAR.]
PESTLE AND MORTAR.—No cookery can be perfectly performed
without the aid of the useful instruments shown in the
engraving. For pounding things sufficiently fine, they are
invaluable, and the use of them will save a good deal of time,
besides increasing the excellence of the preparations. They are
made of iron, and, in that material, can be bought cheap; but as
these are not available, for all purposes, we should recommend,
as more economical in the end, those made of Wedgwood, although
these are considerably more expensive than the former.
Veal Quenelles.
422. INGREDIENTS.—Equal quantities of veal, panada (No. 420), and
calf's udder (No. 421), 2 eggs; seasoning to taste of pepper, salt, and
pounded mace, or grated nutmeg; a little flour.
Mode.—Take the fleshy part of veal, scrape it with a knife, till all
the meat is separated from the sinews, and allow about 1/2 lb. for an
entrée. Chop the meat, and pound it in a mortar till reduced to a paste;
then roll it into a ball; make another of panada (No. 420), the same
size, and another of udder (No. 421), taking care that these three balls
be of the same size. It is to be remembered, that equality of size,
and not of weight, is here necessary. When the three ingredients are
properly prepared, pound them altogether in a mortar for some time; for
the more quenelles are pounded, the more delicate they are. Now moisten
with the eggs, whites and yolks, and continue pounding, adding a
seasoning of pepper, spices, &c. When the whole is well blended
together, mould it into balls, or whatever shape is intended, roll them
in flour, and poach in boiling water, to which a little salt should have
been added. If the quenelles are not firm enough, add the yolk of
another egg, but omit the white, which only makes them hollow and puffy
inside. In the preparation of this recipe, it would be well to bear in
mind that the ingredients are to be well pounded and seasoned, and must
be made hard or soft according to the dishes they are intended for. For
brown or white ragoûts they should be firm, and when the quenelles are
used very small, extreme delicacy will be necessary in their
preparation. Their flavour may be varied by using the flesh of rabbit,
fowl, hare, pheasant, grouse, or an extra quantity of mushroom, parsley,
&c.
Time,—About 1/4 hour to poach in boiling water.
Sufficient, 1/2 lb. of veal or other meat, with other ingredients in
proportion, for 1 entrée.
Note.—The French are noted for their skill in making forcemeats; one
of the principal causes of their superiority in this respect being, that
they pound all the ingredients so diligently and thoroughly. Any one
with the slightest pretensions to refined cookery, must, in this
particular, implicitly follow the example of our friends across the
Channel.
FORCEMEAT, or QUENELLES, FOR TURTLE SOUP.
(See No. 189.)
423. SOYER'S RECIPE FOR FORCEMEATS.—Take a pound and a half of lean
veal from the fillet, and cut it in long thin slices; scrape with a
knife till nothing but the fibre remains; put it in a mortar, pound it
10 minutes, or until in a purée; pass it through a wire sieve (use the
remainder in stock); then take 1 pound of good fresh beef suet, which
skin, shred, and chop very fine; put it in a mortar and pound it; then
add 6 oz. of panada (that is, bread soaked in milk and boiled till
nearly dry) with the suet; pound them well together, and add the veal;
season with a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter one of pepper, half that of
nutmeg; work all well together; then add four eggs by degrees,
continually pounding the contents of the mortar. When well mixed, take a
small piece in a spoon, and poach it in some boiling water; and if it is
delicate, firm, and of a good flavour, it is ready for use.
424. Cut the bread into thin slices, place them in a cool oven
overnight, and when thoroughly dry and crisp, roll them down into fine
crumbs. Put some lard, or clarified dripping, into a frying-pan; bring
it to the boiling-point, throw in the crumbs, and fry them very quickly.
Directly they are done, lift them out with a slice, and drain them
before the fire from all greasy moisture. When quite crisp, they are
ready for use. The fat they are fried in should be clear, and the crumbs
should not have the slightest appearance or taste of having been, in the
least degree, burnt.
FRIED SIPPETS OF BREAD (for Garnishing many Dishes).
425. Cut the bread into thin slices, and stamp them out in whatever
shape you like,—rings, crosses, diamonds, &c. &c. Fry them in the same
manner as the bread crumbs, in clear boiling lard, or clarified
dripping, and drain them until thoroughly crisp before the fire. When
variety is desired, fry some of a pale colour, and others of a darker
hue.
426. Proceed as above, by frying some slices of bread cut in any
fanciful shape. When quite crisp, dip one side of the sippet into the
beaten white of an egg mixed with a little flour, and place it on the
edge of the dish. Continue in this manner till the border is completed,
arranging the sippets a pale and a dark one alternately.
GENEVESE SAUCE FOR SALMON, TROUT, &c.
427. INGREDIENTS.—1 small carrot, a small faggot of sweet herbs,
including parsley, 1 onion, 5 or 6 mushrooms (when obtainable), 1
bay-leaf, 6 cloves, 1 blade of mace, 2 oz. of butter, 1 glass of sherry,
1-1/2 pint of white stock, No. 107, thickening of butter and flour, the
juice of half a lemon.
Mode.—Cut up the onion and carrot into small rings, and put them into
a stewpan with the herbs, mushrooms, bay-leaf, cloves, and mace; add the
butter, and simmer the whole very gently over a slow fire until the
onion is quite tender. Pour in the stock and sherry, and stew slowly for
1 hour, when strain it off into a clean saucepan. Now make a thickening
of butter and flour, put it to the sauce, stir it over the fire until
perfectly smooth and mellow, add the lemon-juice, give one boil, when it
will be ready for table.
Time.—Altogether 2 hours.
Average cost, 1s. 3d per pint.
Sufficient, half this quantity for two slices of salmon.
[Illustration: SAGE.]
SAGE.—This was originally a native of the south of Europe, but
it has long been cultivated in the English garden. There are
several kinds of it, known as the green, the red, the
small-leaved, and the broad-leaved balsamic. In cookery, its
principal use is for stuffings and sauces, for which purpose the
red is the most agreeable, and the green the next. The others
are used for medical purposes.
PICKLED GHERKINS.
428. INGREDIENTS.—Salt and water, 1 oz. of bruised ginger, 1/2 oz. of
whole black pepper, 1/4 oz. of whole allspice, 4 cloves, 2 blades of
mace, a little horseradish. This proportion of pepper, spices, &c., for
1 quart of vinegar.
Mode.—Let the gherkins remain in salt and water for 3 or 4 days, when
take them out, wipe perfectly dry, and put them into a stone jar. Boil
sufficient vinegar to cover them, with spices and pepper, &c., in the
above proportion, for 10 minutes; pour it, quite boiling, over the
gherkins, cover the jar with vine-leaves, and put over them a plate,
setting them near the fire, where they must remain all night. Next day
drain off the vinegar, boil it up again, and pour it hot over them.
Cover up with fresh leaves, and let the whole remain till quite cold.
Now tie down closely with bladder to exclude the air, and in a month or
two, they will be fit for use.
Time.—4 days.
Seasonable from the middle of July to the end of August.
[Illustration: GHERKINS.]
GHERKINS.—Gherkins are young cucumbers; and the only way in
which they are used for cooking purposes is pickling them, as by
the recipe here given. Not having arrived at maturity, they have
not, of course, so strongly a developed flavour as cucumbers,
and, as a pickle, they are very general favourites.
GOOSEBERRY SAUCE FOR BOILED MACKEREL.
429. INGREDIENTS.—1 pint of green gooseberries, 3 tablespoonfuls of
Béchamel, No. 367 (veal gravy may be substituted for this), 2 oz. of
fresh butter; seasoning to taste of salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg.
Mode.—Boil the gooseberries in water until quite tender; strain them,
and rub them through a sieve. Put into a saucepan the Béchamel or gravy,
with the butter and seasoning; add the pulp from the gooseberries, mix
all well together, and heat gradually through. A little pounded sugar
added to this sauce is by many persons considered an improvement, as the
saccharine matter takes off the extreme acidity of the unripe fruit.
Time.—Boil the gooseberries from 20 minutes to 1/2 hour.
Sufficient, this quantity, for a large dish of mackerel.
Seasonable from May to July.
[Illustration: THE GOOSEBERRY.]
THE GOOSEBERRY.—This useful and wholesome fruit (Ribes
grossularia) is thought to be indigenous to the British Isles,
and may be occasionally found in a wild state in some of the
eastern counties, although, when uncultivated, it is but a very
small and inferior berry. The high state of perfection to which
it has been here brought, is due to the skill of the English
gardeners; for in no other country does it attain the same size
and flavour. The humidity of the British climate, however, has
doubtless something to do with the result; and it is said that
gooseberries produced in Scotland as far north as Inverness, are
of a very superior character. Malic and citric acid blended with
sugar, produce the pleasant flavour of the gooseberry; and upon
the proper development of these properties depends the success
of all cooking operations with which they are connected.
GLAZE FOR COVERING COLD HAMS, TONGUES, &c.
430. INGREDIENTS.—Stock No. 104 or 107, doubling the quantity of meat
in each.
Mode.—We may remark at the outset, that unless glaze is wanted in
very large quantities, it is seldom made expressly. Either of the stocks
mentioned above, boiled down and reduced very considerably, will be
found to produce a very good glaze. Put the stock into a stewpan, over a
nice clear fire; let it boil till it becomes somewhat stiff, when keep
stirring, to prevent its burning. The moment it is sufficiently reduced,
and comes to a glaze, turn it out into the glaze-pot, of which we have
here given an engraving. As, however, this is not to be found in every
establishment, a white earthenware jar would answer the purpose; and
this may be placed in a vessel of boiling water, to melt the glaze when
required. It should never be warmed in a saucepan, except on the
principle of the bain marie, lest it should reduce too much, and become
black and bitter. If the glaze is wanted of a pale colour, more veal
than beef should be used in making the stock; and it is as well to omit
turnips and celery, as these impart a disagreeable bitter flavour.
TO GLAZE COLD JOINTS, &c.—Melt the glaze by placing the vessel which
contains it, into the bain marie or saucepan of boiling water; brush it
over the meat with a paste-brush, and if in places it is not quite
covered, repeat the operation. The glaze should not be too dark a
colour. (See Coloured Cut of Glazed Ham, P.)
[Illustration: GLAZE-KETTLE.]
[Illustration: THE BAIN MARIE.]
GLAZE-KETTLE.—This is a kettle used for keeping the strong
stock boiled down to a jelly, which is known by the name of
glaze. It is composed of two tin vessels, as shown in the cut,
one of which, the upper,—containing the glaze, is inserted into
one of larger diameter and containing boiling water. A brush is
put in the small hole at the top of the lid, and is employed for
putting the glaze on anything that may require it.
THE BAIN MARIE.—So long ago as the time when emperors ruled in
Rome, and the yellow Tiber passed through a populous and wealthy
city, this utensil was extensively employed; and it is
frequently mentioned by that profound culinary chemist of the
ancients, Apicius. It is an open kind of vessel (as shown in the
engraving and explained in our paragraph No. 87, on the French
terms used in modern cookery), filled with boiling or nearly
boiling water; and into this water should be put all the
stewpans containing those ingredients which it is desired to
keep hot. The quantity and quality of the contents of these
vessels are not at all affected; and if the hour of dinner is
uncertain in any establishment, by reason of the nature of the
master's business, nothing is so certain a means of preserving
the flavour of all dishes as the employment of the bain marie.
GREEN SAUCE FOR GREEN GEESE OR DUCKLINGS.
431. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 pint of sorrel-juice, 1 glass of sherry, 1/2 pint
of green gooseberries, 1 teaspoonful of pounded sugar, 1 oz. of fresh
butter.
Mode.—Boil the gooseberries in water until they are quite tender;
mash them and press them through a sieve; put the pulp into a saucepan
with the above ingredients; simmer for 3 or 4 minutes, and serve very
hot.
Time.—3 or 4 minutes.
Note.—We have given this recipe as a sauce for green geese, thinking
that some of our readers might sometimes require it; but, at the
generality of fashionable tables, it is now seldom or never served.
[Illustration: SORREL.]
SORREL.—We gather from the pages of Pliny and Apicius, that
sorrel was cultivated by the Romans in order to give it more
strength and flavour, and that they also partook of it sometimes
stewed with mustard, being seasoned with a little oil and
vinegar. At the present day, English cookery is not much
indebted to this plant (Rumex Acetosa), although the French
make use of it to a considerable extent. It is found in most
parts of Great Britain, and also on the continent, growing wild
in the grass meadows, and, in a few gardens, it is cultivated.
The acid of sorrel is very prononcé, and is what chemists term
a binoxalate of potash; that is, a combination of oxalic acid
with potash.
GENERAL STOCK FOR GRAVIES.
432. Either of the stocks, Nos. 104, 105, or 107, will be found to
answer very well for the basis of many gravies, unless these are wanted
very rich indeed. By the addition of various store sauces, thickening
and flavouring, the stocks here referred to may be converted into very
good gravies. It should be borne in mind, however, that the goodness and
strength of spices, wines, flavourings, &c., evaporate, and that they
lose a great deal of their fragrance, if added to the gravy a long time
before they are wanted. If this point is attended to, a saving of one
half the quantity of these ingredients will be effected, as, with long
boiling, the flavour almost entirely passes away. The shank-bones of
mutton, previously well soaked, will be found a great assistance in
enriching gravies; a kidney or melt, beef skirt, trimmings of meat, &c.
&c., answer very well when only a small quantity is wanted, and, as we
have before observed, a good gravy need not necessarily be so very
expensive; for economically-prepared dishes are oftentimes found as
savoury and wholesome as dearer ones. The cook should also remember that
the fragrance of gravies should not be overpowered by too much spice, or
any strong essences, and that they should always be warmed in a bain
marie, after they are flavoured, or else in a jar or jug placed in a
saucepan full of boiling water. The remains of roast-meat gravy should
always be saved; as, when no meat is at hand, a very nice gravy in haste
may be made from it, and when added to hashes, ragoûts, &c., is a great
improvement.
[Illustration: GRAVY-KETTLE.]
GRAVY-KETTLE.—This is a utensil which will not be found in
every kitchen; but it is a useful one where it is necessary to
keep gravies hot for the purpose of pouring over various dishes
as they are cooking. It is made of copper, and should,
consequently, be heated over the hot plate, if there be one, or
a charcoal stove. The price at which it can be purchased is set
down by Messrs. Slack at 14s.
GRAVY FOR ROAST MEAT.
433. INGREDIENTS.—Gravy, salt.
Mode.—Put a common dish with a small quantity of salt in it under the
meat, about a quarter of an hour before it is removed from the fire.
When the dish is full, take it away, baste the meat, and pour the gravy
into the dish on which the joint is to be served.
SAUCES AND GRAVIES IN THE MIDDLE AGES.—Neither poultry,
butcher's meat, nor roast game were eaten dry in the middle
ages, any more than fried fish is now. Different sauces, each
having its own peculiar flavour, were served with all these
dishes, and even with the various parts of each animal.
Strange and grotesque sauces, as, for example, "eggs cooked on
the spit," "butter fried and roasted," were invented by the
cooks of those days; but these preparations had hardly any other
merit than that of being surprising and difficult to make.
A QUICKLY-MADE GRAVY.
434. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 lb. of shin of beef, 1/2 onion, 1/4 carrot, 2 or
3 sprigs of parsley and savoury herbs, a piece of butter about the size
of a walnut; cayenne and mace to taste, 3/4 pint of water.
Mode.—Cut up the meat into very small pieces, slice the onion and
carrot, and put them into a small saucepan with the butter. Keep
stirring over a sharp fire until they have taken a little colour, when
add the water and the remaining ingredients. Simmer for 1/2 hour, skim
well, strain, and flavour, when it will be ready for use.
Time.—1/2 hour. Average cost, for this quantity, 5d.
A HUNDRED DIFFERENT DISHES.—Modern housewives know pretty well
how much care, and attention, and foresight are necessary in
order to serve well a little dinner for six or eight persons,—a
dinner which will give credit to the ménage, and satisfaction
and pleasure to the guests. A quickly-made gravy, under some
circumstances that we have known occur, will be useful to many
housekeepers when they have not much time for preparation. But,
talking of speed, and time, and preparation, what a combination
of all these must have been necessary for the feast at the
wedding of Charles VI. of France. On that occasion, as Froissart
the chronicler tells us, the art of cooking, with its
innumerable paraphernalia of sauces, with gravy, pepper,
cinnamon, garlic, scallion, brains, gravy soups, milk potage,
and ragoûts, had a signal triumph. The skilful chef-de-cuisine
of the royal household covered the great marble table of the
regal palace with no less than a hundred different dishes,
prepared in a hundred different ways.
A GOOD BEEF GRAVY FOR POULTRY, GAME, &c.
435. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 lb. of lean beef, 1/2 pint of cold water, 1
shalot or small onion, 1/2 a teaspoonful of salt, a little pepper, 1
tablespoonful of Harvey's sauce or mushroom ketchup, 1/2 a teaspoonful
of arrowroot.
Mode.—Cut up the beef into small pieces, and put it, with the water,
into a stewpan. Add the shalot and seasoning, and simmer gently for 3
hours, taking care that it does not boil fast. A short time before it is
required, take the arrowroot, and having mixed it with a little cold
water, pour it into the gravy, which keep stirring, adding the Harvey's
sauce, and just letting it boil. Strain off the gravy in a tureen, and
serve very hot.
Time.—3 hours. Average cost, 8d. per pint.
436. INGREDIENTS.—2 oz. of butter, 2 large onions, 2 lbs. of shin of
beef, 2 small slices of lean bacon (if at hand), salt and whole pepper
to taste, 3 cloves, 2 quarts of water. For thickening, 2 oz. of butter,
3 oz. of flour.
Mode.—Put the butter into a stewpan; set this on the fire, throw in
the onions cut in rings, and fry them a light brown; then add the beef
and bacon, which should be cut into small square pieces; season, and
pour in a teacupful of water; let it boil for about ten minutes, or
until it is of a nice brown colour, occasionally stirring the contents.
Now fill up with water in the above proportion; let it boil up, when
draw it to the side of the fire to simmer very gently for 1-1/2 hour;
strain, and when cold, take off all the fat. In thickening this gravy,
melt 3 oz. of butter in a stewpan, add 2 oz. of flour, and stir till of
a light-brown colour; when cold, add it to the strained gravy, and boil
it up quickly. This thickening may be made in larger quantities, and
kept in a stone jar for use when wanted.
Time.—Altogether, 2 hours. Average cost, 4d. per pint.
CLOVES.—This very agreeable spice is the unexpanded flower-buds
of the Caryophyllus aromaticus, a handsome, branching tree, a
native of the Malacca Islands. They take their name from the
Latin word clavus, or the French clou, both meaning a nail,
and to which the clove has a considerable resemblance. Cloves
were but little known to the ancients, and Pliny appears to be
the only writer who mentions them; and he says, vaguely enough,
that some were brought to Rome, very similar to grains of
pepper, but somewhat longer; that they were only to be found in
India, in a wood consecrated to the gods; and that they served
in the manufacture of perfumes. The Dutch, as in the case of the
nutmeg (see 378), endeavoured, when they gained possession of
the Spice Islands, to secure a monopoly of cloves, and, so that
the cultivation of the tree might be confined to Amboyna, their
chief island, bribed the surrounding chiefs to cut down all
trees found elsewhere. The Amboyna, or royal clove, is said to
be the best, and is rare; but other kinds, nearly equally good,
are produced in other parts of the world, and they come to
Europe from Mauritius, Bourbon, Cayenne, and Martinique, as also
from St. Kitts, St. Vincent's, and Trinidad. The clove contains
about 20 per cent. of volatile aromatic oil, to which it owes
its peculiar pungent flavour, its other parts being composed of
woody fibre, water, gum, and resin.
BROWN GRAVY WITHOUT MEAT.
437. INGREDIENTS.—2 large onions, 1 large carrot, 2 oz. of butter, 3
pints of boiling water, 1 bunch of savoury herbs, a wineglassful of good
beer; salt and pepper to taste.
Mode.—Slice, flour, and fry the onions and carrots in the butter
until of a nice light-brown colour; then add the boiling water and the
remaining ingredients; let the whole stew gently for about an hour; then
strain, and when cold, skim off all the fat. Thicken it in the same
manner as recipe No. 436, and, if thought necessary, add a few drops of
colouring No. 108.
Time.—1 hour. Average cost, 2d. per pint.
Note.—The addition of a small quantity of mushroom ketchup or
Harvey's sauce very much improves the flavour of this gravy.
RICH GRAVY FOR HASHES, RAGOUTS, &c.
438. INGREDIENTS.—2 lbs. of shin of beef, 1 large onion or a few
shalots, a little flour, a bunch of savoury herbs, 2 blades of mace, 2
or 3 cloves, 4 whole allspice, 1/4 teaspoonful of whole pepper, 1 slice
of lean ham or bacon, 1/2 a head of celery (when at hand), 2 pints of
boiling water; salt and cayenne to taste.
Mode.—Cut the beef into thin slices, as also the onions, dredge them
with flour, and fry of a pale brown, but do not allow them to get black;
pour in the boiling water, let it boil up; and skim. Add the remaining
ingredients, and simmer the whole very gently for 2 hours, or until all
the juices are extracted from the meat; put it by to get cold, when take
off all the fat. This gravy may be flavoured with ketchup, store sauces,
wine, or, in fact, anything that may give additional and suitable relish
to the dish it is intended for.
Time.—Rather more than 2 hours.
Average cost, 8d. per pint.
[Illustration: PIMENTO.]
ALLSPICE.—This is the popular name given to pimento, or Jamaica
pepper, known to naturalists as Eugenia pimenta, and belonging
to the order of Myrtaceae. It is the berry of a fine tree in the
West Indies and South America, which attains a height of from
fifteen to twenty feet: the berries are not allowed to ripen,
but, being gathered green, are then dried in the sun, and then
become black. It is an inexpensive spice, and is considered more
mild and innocent than most other spices; consequently, it is
much used for domestic purposes, combining a very agreeable
variety of flavours.
GRAVY MADE WITHOUT MEAT FOR FOWLS.
439. INGREDIENTS.—The necks, feet, livers, and gizzards of the fowls, 1
slice of toasted bread, 1/2 onion, 1 faggot of savoury herbs, salt and
pepper to taste, 1/2 pint of water, thickening of butter and flour, 1
dessertspoonful of ketchup.
Mode.—Wash the feet of the fowls thoroughly clean, and cut them and
the neck into small pieces. Put these into a stewpan with the bread,
onion, herbs, seasoning, livers, and gizzards; pour the water over them
and simmer gently for 1 hour. Now take out the liver, pound it, and
strain the liquor to it. Add a thickening of butter and flour, and a
flavouring of mushroom ketchup; boil it up and serve.
Time.—1 hour. Average cost, 4d. per pint.
A CHEAP GRAVY FOR HASHES, &c.
440. INGREDIENTS.—Bones and trimmings of the cooked joint intended for
hashing, 1/4 teaspoonful of salt, 1/4 teaspoonful of whole pepper, 1/4
teaspoonful of whole allspice, a small faggot of savoury herbs, 1/2 head
of celery, 1 onion, 1 oz. of butter, thickening, sufficient boiling
water to cover the bones.
Mode.—Chop the bones in small pieces, and put them in a stewpan, with
the trimmings, salt, pepper, spice, herbs, and celery. Cover with
boiling water, and let the whole simmer gently for 1-1/2 or 2 hours.
Slice and fry the onion in the butter till it is of a pale brown, and
mix it gradually with the gravy made from the bones; boil for 1/4 hour,
and strain into a basin; now put it back into the stewpan; flavour with
walnut pickle or ketchup, pickled-onion liquor, or any store sauce that
may be preferred. Thicken with a little butter and flour, kneaded
together on a plate, and the gravy will be ready for use. After the
thickening is added, the gravy should just boil, to take off the rawness
of the flour.
Time.—2 hours, or rather more.
Average cost, 4d., exclusive of the bones and trimmings.
JUGGED GRAVY (Excellent).
441. INGREDIENTS.—2 lbs. of shin of beef, 1/4 lb. of lean ham, 1 onion
or a few shalots, 2 pints of water, salt and whole pepper to taste, 1
blade of mace, a faggot of savoury herbs, 1/2 a large carrot, 1/2 a
head of celery.
Mode.—Cut up the beef and ham into small pieces, and slice the
vegetables; take a jar, capable of holding two pints of water, and
arrange therein, in layers, the ham, meat, vegetables, and seasoning,
alternately, filling up with the above quantity of water; tie down the
jar, or put a plate over the top, so that the steam may not escape;
place it in the oven, and let it remain there from 6 to 8 hours; should,
however, the oven be very hot, less time will be required. When
sufficiently cooked, strain the gravy, and when cold, remove the fat. It
may be flavoured with ketchup, wines, or any other store sauce that may
be preferred.
It is a good plan to put the jar in a cool oven over-night, to draw the
gravy; and then it will not require so long baking the following day.
Time.—From 6 to 8 hours, according to the oven.
Average cost, 7d. per pint.
[Illustration: CELERY.]
CELERY.—As in the above recipe, the roots of celery are
principally used in England for flavouring soups, sauces, and
gravies, and for serving with cheese at the termination of a
dinner, and as an ingredient for salad. In Italy, however, the
green leaves and stems are also employed for stews and soups,
and the seeds are also more frequently made use of on the
continent than in our own islands. In Germany, celery is very
highly esteemed; and it is there boiled and served up as a dish
by itself, as well as used in the composition of mixed dishes.
We ourselves think that this mild aromatic plant might oftener
be cooked than it is; for there are very few nicer vegetable
preparations brought to table than a well-dressed plate of
stewed celery.
VEAL GRAVY FOR WHITE SAUCES, FRICASSEES, &c.
442. INGREDIENTS.—2 slices of nicely flavoured lean ham, any poultry
trimmings, 3 lbs. of lean veal, a faggot of savoury herbs, including
parsley, a few green onions (or 1 large onion may be substituted for
these), a few mushrooms, when obtainable; 1 blade of mace, salt to
taste, 3 pints of water.
Mode.—Cut up the ham and veal into small square pieces, put these in
a stewpan, moistening them with a small quantity of water; place them
over the fire to draw down. When the bottom of the stewpan becomes
covered with a white glaze, fill up with water in the above proportion;
add the remaining ingredients, stew very slowly for 3 or 4 hours, and do
not forget to skim well the moment it boils. Put it by, and, when cold,
take off all the fat. This may be used for Béchamel, sauce tournée, and
many other white sauces.
Time.—3 or 4 hours. Average cost, 9d. per pint.
443. INGREDIENTS.—Bones and trimmings of cold roast or boiled veal,
1-1/2 pint of water, 1 onion, 1/4 teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, 1/4
teaspoonful of salt, 1 blade of pounded mace, the juice of 1/4 lemon;
thickening of butter and flour.
Mode.—Put all the ingredients into a stewpan, except the thickening
and lemon-juice, and let them simmer very gently for rather more than 1
hour, or until the liquor is reduced to a pint, when strain through a
hair-sieve. Add a thickening of butter and flour, and the lemon-juice;
set it on the fire, and let it just boil up, when it will be ready for
use. It may be flavoured with a little tomato sauce, and, where a rather
dark-coloured gravy is not objected to, ketchup, or Harvey's sauce, may
be added at pleasure.
Time.—Rather more than 1 hour. Average cost, 3d.
444. INGREDIENTS.—Trimmings of venison, 3 or 4 mutton shank-bones, salt
to taste, 1 pint of water, 2 teaspoonfuls of walnut ketchup.
Mode.—Brown the trimmings over a nice clear fire, and put them in a
stewpan with the shank-bones and water; simmer gently for 2 hours,
strain and skim, and add the walnut ketchup and a seasoning of salt. Let
it just boil, when it is ready to serve.
Time.—2 hours.
[Illustration: THE DEER.]
VENISON.—Far, far away in ages past, our fathers loved the
chase, and what it brought; and it is usually imagined that when
Isaac ordered his son Esau to go out with his weapons, his
quiver and his bow, and to prepare for him savoury meat, such as
he loved, that it was venison he desired. The wise Solomon, too,
delighted in this kind of fare; for we learn that, at his table,
every day were served the wild ox, the roebuck, and the stag.
Xenophon informs us, in his History, that Cyrus, king of Persia,
ordered that venison should never be wanting at his repasts; and
of the effeminate Greeks it was the delight. The Romans, also,
were devoted admirers of the flesh of the deer; and our own
kings and princes, from the Great Alfred down to the Prince
Consort, have hunted, although, it must be confessed, under
vastly different circumstances, the swift buck, and relished
their "haunch" all the more keenly, that they had borne
themselves bravely in the pursuit of the animal.
TO DRY HERBS FOR WINTER USE.
445. On a very dry day, gather the herbs, just before they begin to
flower. If this is done when the weather is damp, the herbs will not be
so good a colour. (It is very necessary to be particular in little
matters like this, for trifles constitute perfection, and herbs nicely
dried will be found very acceptable when frost and snow are on the
ground. It is hardly necessary, however, to state that the flavour and
fragrance of fresh herbs are incomparably finer.) They should be
perfectly freed from dirt and dust, and be divided into small bunches,
with their roots cut off. Dry them quickly in a very hot oven, or before
the fire, as by this means most of their flavour will be preserved, and
be careful not to burn them; tie them up in paper bags, and keep in a
dry place. This is a very general way of preserving dried herbs; but we
would recommend the plan described in a former recipe.
Seasonable.—From the month of July to the end of September is the
proper time for storing herbs for winter use.
HERB POWDER FOR FLAVOURING, when Fresh Herbs are not obtainable.
446. INGREDIENTS.—1 oz. of dried lemon-thyme, 1 oz. of dried winter
savory, 1 oz. of dried sweet marjoram and basil, 2 oz. of dried parsley,
1 oz. of dried lemon-peel.
Mode.—Prepare and dry the herbs by recipe No. 445; pick the leaves
from the stalks, pound them, and sift them through a hair-sieve; mix in
the above proportions, and keep in glass bottles, carefully excluding
the air. This, we think, a far better method of keeping herbs, as the
flavour and fragrance do not evaporate so much as when they are merely
put in paper bags. Preparing them in this way, you have them ready for
use at a moment's notice.
Mint, sage, parsley, &c., dried, pounded, and each put into separate
bottles, will be found very useful in winter.
[Illustration: CORK WITH WOODEN TOP.]
CORKS WITH WOODEN TOPS.—These are the best corks to use when it
is indispensable that the air should not be admitted to the
ingredients contained in bottles which are in constant use. The
top, which, as will be seen by the accompanying little cut, is
larger than the cork, is made of wood; and, besides effectually
covering the whole top of the bottle, can be easily removed and
again used, as no corkscrew is necessary to pull it out.
SAVORY.—This we find described by Columella, a voluminous Roman
writer on agriculture, as an odoriferous herb, which, "in the
brave days of old," entered into the seasoning of nearly every
dish. Verily, there are but few new things under the sun, and we
don't find that we have made many discoveries in gastronomy, at
least beyond what was known to the ancient inhabitants of Italy.
We possess two varieties of this aromatic herb, known to
naturalists as Satureja. They are called summer and winter
savory, according to the time of the year when they are fit for
gathering. Both sorts are in general cultivation throughout
England.
HORSERADISH SAUCE, to serve with Roast Beef.
447. INGREDIENTS.—4 tablespoonfuls of grated horseradish, 1 teaspoonful
of pounded sugar, 1 teaspoonful of salt, 1/2 teaspoonful of pepper, 2
teaspoonfuls of made mustard; vinegar.
Mode.—Grate the horseradish, and mix it well with the sugar, salt,
pepper, and mustard; moisten it with sufficient vinegar to give it the
consistency of cream, and serve in a tureen: 3 or 4 tablespoonfuls of
cream added to the above, very much improve the appearance and flavour
of this sauce. To heat it to serve with hot roast beef, put it in a bain
marie or a jar, which place in a saucepan of boiling water; make it hot,
but do not allow it to boil, or it will curdle.
Note.—This sauce is a great improvement on the old-fashioned way of
serving cold-scraped horseradish with hot roast beef. The mixing of the
cold vinegar with the warm gravy cools and spoils everything on the
plate. Of course, with cold meat, the sauce should be served cold.
[Illustration: THE HORSERADISH.]
THE HORSERADISH.—This has been, for many years, a favourite
accompaniment of roast beef, and is a native of England. It
grows wild in wet ground, but has long been cultivated in the
garden, and is, occasionally, used in winter salads and in
sauces. On account of the great volatility of its oil, it should
never be preserved by drying, but should be kept moist by being
buried in sand. So rapidly does its volatile oil evaporate, that
even when scraped for the table, it almost immediately spoils by
exposure to the air.
HORSERADISH VINEGAR.
448. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 lb. of scraped horseradish, 1 oz. of minced
shalot, 1 drachm of cayenne, 1 quart of vinegar.
Mode.—Put all the ingredients into a bottle, which shake well every
day for a fortnight. When it is thoroughly steeped, strain and bottle,
and it will be fit for use immediately. This will be found an agreeable
relish to cold beef, &c.
Seasonable.—This vinegar should be made either in October or
November, as horseradish is then in its highest perfection.
INDIAN CURRY-POWDER, founded on Dr. Kitchener's Recipe.
449. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 lb. of coriander-seed, 1/4 lb. of turmeric, 2 oz.
of cinnamon-seed, 1/2 oz. of cayenne, 1 oz. of mustard, 1 oz. of ground
ginger, 1/2 ounce of allspice, 2 oz. of fenugreek-seed.
Mode.—Put all the ingredients in a cool oven, where they should
remain one night; then pound them in a mortar, rub them through a sieve,
and mix thoroughly together; keep the powder in a bottle, from which the
air should be completely excluded.
Note.—We have given this recipe for curry-powder, as some persons
prefer to make it at home; but that purchased at any respectable shop
is, generally speaking, far superior, and, taking all things into
consideration, very frequently more economical.
INDIAN MUSTARD, an excellent Relish to Bread and Butter, or any cold
Meat.
450. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 lb. of the best mustard, 1/4 lb. of flour, 1/2
oz. of salt, 4 shalots, 4 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, 4 tablespoonfuls of
ketchup, 1/4 bottle of anchovy sauce.
Mode.—Put the mustard, flour, and salt into a basin, and make them
into a stiff paste with boiling water. Boil the shalots with the
vinegar, ketchup, and anchovy sauce, for 10 minutes, and pour the whole,
boiling, over the mixture in the basin; stir well, and reduce it to a
proper thickness; put it into a bottle, with a bruised shalot at the
bottom, and store away for use. This makes an excellent relish, and if
properly prepared will keep for years.
[Illustration: MUSTARD.]
MUSTARD.—Before the year 1729, mustard was not known at English
tables. About that time an old woman, of the name of Clements,
residing in Durham, began to grind the seed in a mill, and to
pass the flour through several processes necessary to free the
seed from its husks. She kept her secret for many years to
herself, during which she sold large quantities of mustard
throughout the country, but especially in London. Here it was
introduced to the royal table, when it received the approval of
George I. From the circumstance of Mrs. Clements being a
resident at Durham, it obtained the name of Durham mustard. In
the county of that name it is still principally cultivated, and
the plant is remarkable for the rapidity of its growth. It is
the best stimulant employed to impart strength to the digestive
organs, and even in its previously coarsely-pounded state, had a
high reputation with our ancestors.
INDIAN PICKLE (very Superior).
451. INGREDIENTS.—To each gallon of vinegar allow 6 cloves of garlic,
12 shalots, 2 sticks of sliced horseradish, 1/4 lb. of bruised ginger, 2
oz. of whole black pepper, 1 oz. of long pepper, 1 oz. of allspice, 12
cloves, 1/4 oz. of cayenne, 2 oz. of mustard-seed, 1/4 lb. of mustard, 1
oz. of turmeric; a white cabbage, cauliflowers, radish-pods, French
beans, gherkins, small round pickling-onions, nasturtiums, capsicums,
chilies, &c.
Mode.—Cut the cabbage, which must be hard and white, into slices, and
the cauliflowers into small branches; sprinkle salt over them in a large
dish, and let them remain two days; then dry them, and put them into a
very large jar, with garlic, shalots, horseradish, ginger, pepper,
allspice, and cloves, in the above proportions. Boil sufficient vinegar
to cover them, which pour over, and, when cold, cover up to keep them
free from dust. As the other things for the pickle ripen at different
times, they may be added as they are ready: these will be radish-pods,
French beans, gherkins, small onions, nasturtiums, capsicums, chilies,
&c. &c. As these are procured, they must, first of all, be washed in a
little cold vinegar, wiped, and then simply added to the other
ingredients in the large jar, only taking care that they are covered
by the vinegar. If more vinegar should be wanted to add to the pickle,
do not omit first to boil it before adding it to the rest. When you have
collected all the things you require, turn all out in a large pan, and
thoroughly mix them. Now put the mixed vegetables into smaller jars,
without any of the vinegar; then boil the vinegar again, adding as much
more as will be required to fill the different jars, and also cayenne,
mustard-seed, turmeric, and mustard, which must be well mixed with a
little cold vinegar, allowing the quantities named above to each gallon
of vinegar. Pour the vinegar, boiling hot, over the pickle, and when
cold, tie down with a bladder. If the pickle is wanted for immediate
use, the vinegar should be boiled twice more, but the better way is to
make it during one season for use during the next. It will keep for
years, if care is taken that the vegetables are quite covered by the
vinegar.
This recipe was taken from the directions of a lady whose pickle was
always pronounced excellent by all who tasted it, and who has, for many
years, exactly followed the recipe given above.
__Note_.—For small families, perhaps the above quantity of pickle will
be considered too large; but this may be decreased at pleasure, taking
care to properly proportion the various ingredients.
[Illustration: INDIA PICKLE.]
KEEPING PICKLES.—Nothing shows more, perhaps, the difference
between a tidy thrifty housewife and a lady to whom these
desirable epithets may not honestly be applied, than the
appearance of their respective store-closets. The former is
able, the moment anything; is wanted, to put her hand on it at
once; no time is lost, no vexation incurred, no dish spoilt for
the want of "just little something,"—the latter, on the
contrary, hunts all over her cupboard for the ketchup the cook
requires, or the pickle the husband thinks he should like a
little of with his cold roast beef or mutton-chop, and vainly
seeks for the Embden groats, or arrowroot, to make one of her
little boys some gruel. One plan, then, we strenuously advise
all who do not follow, to begin at once, and that is, to label
all their various pickles and store sauces, in the same way as
the cut here shows. It will occupy a little time at first, but
there will be economy of it in the long run.
VINEGAR.—This term is derived from the two French words vin
aigre, 'sour wine,' and should, therefore, be strictly applied
to that which is made only from wine. As the acid is the same,
however it is procured, that made from ale also takes the same
name. Nearly all ancient nations were acquainted with the use of
vinegar. We learn in Ruth, that the reapers in the East soaked
their bread in it to freshen it. The Romans kept large
quantities of it in their cellars, using it, to a great extent,
in their seasonings and sauces. This people attributed very
beneficial qualities to it, as it was supposed to be digestive,
antibilious, and antiscorbutic, as well as refreshing.
Spartianus, a Latin historian, tells us that, mixed with water,
it was the drink of the soldiers, and that, thanks to this
beverage, the veterans of the Roman army braved, by its use, the
inclemency and variety of all the different seasons and climates
of Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is said, the Spanish peasantry,
and other inhabitants of the southern parts of Europe, still
follow this practice, and add to a gallon of water about a gill
of wine vinegar, with a little salt; and that this drink, with a
little bread, enables them, under the heat of their burning sun,
to sustain the labours of the field.
INDIAN CHETNEY SAUCE.
452. INGREDIENTS.—8 oz. of sharp, sour apples, pared and cored; 8 oz.
of tomatoes, 8 oz. of salt, 8 oz. of brown, sugar, 8 oz. of stoned
raisins, 4 oz. of cayenne, 4 oz. of powdered ginger, 2 oz. of garlic, 2
oz. of shalots, 3 quarts of vinegar, 1 quart of lemon-juice.
Mode.—Chop the apples in small square pieces, and add to them the
other ingredients. Mix the whole well together, and put in a
well-covered jar. Keep this in a warm place, and stir every day for a
month, taking care to put on the lid after this operation; strain, but
do not squeeze it dry; store it away in clean jars or bottles for use,
and the liquor will serve as an excellent sauce for meat or fish.
Seasonable.—Make this sauce when tomatoes are in full season, that
is, from the beginning of September to the end of October.
PICKLES.—The ancient Greeks and Romans held their pickles in
high estimation. They consisted of flowers, herbs, roots, and
vegetables, preserved in vinegar, and which were kept, for a
long time, in cylindrical vases with wide mouths. Their cooks
prepared pickles with the greatest care, and the various
ingredients were macerated in oil, brine, and vinegar, with
which they were often impregnated drop by drop. Meat, also,
after having been cut into very small pieces, was treated in the
same manner.
ITALIAN SAUCE (Brown).
453. INGREDIENTS.—A few chopped mushrooms and shalots, 1/2 pint of
stock, No. 105, 1/2 glass of Madeira, the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/2
teaspoonful of pounded sugar, 1 teaspoonful of chopped parsley.
Mode.—Put the stock into a stewpan with the mushrooms, shalots, and
Madeira, and stew gently for 1/4 hour, then add the remaining
ingredients, and let them just boil. When the sauce is done enough, put
it in another stewpan, and warm it in a bain marie. (See No. 430.)
The mushrooms should not be chopped long before they are wanted, as they
will then become black.
Time.—1/4 hour. Average cost, for this quantity, 7d.
Sufficient for a small dish.
ITALIAN SAUCE (White).
454. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 pint of white stock, No. 107; 2 tablespoonfuls of
chopped mushrooms, 1 dessertspoonful of chopped shalots, 1 slice of ham,
minced very fine; 1/4 pint of Béchamel, No. 367; salt to taste, a few
drops of garlic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoonful of pounded sugar, a squeeze of
lemon-juice.
Mode.—Put the shalots and mushrooms into a stewpan with the stock and
ham, and simmer very gently for 1/2 hour, when add the Béchamel. Let it
just boil up, and then strain it through a tammy; season with the above
ingredients, and serve very hot. If this sauce should not have retained
a nice white colour, a little cream may be added.
Time.—1/2 hour. Average cost, for this quantity, 10d.
Sufficient for a moderate-sized dish.
Note.—To preserve the colour of the mushrooms after pickling, throw
them into water to which a little lemon-juice has been added.
455. INGREDIENTS.—6 lemons, 2 quarts of boiling water; to each quart of
vinegar allow 1/2 oz. of cloves, 1/2 oz. of white pepper, 1 oz. of
bruised ginger, 1/4 oz. of mace and chilies, 1 oz. of mustard-seed, 1/2
stick of sliced horseradish, a few cloves of garlic.
Mode.—Put the lemons into a brine that will bear an egg; let them
remain in it 6 days, stirring them every day; have ready 2 quarts of
boiling water, put in the lemons, and allow them to boil for 1/4 hour;
take them out, and let them lie in a cloth until perfectly dry and cold.
Boil up sufficient vinegar to cover the lemons, with all the above
ingredients, allowing the same proportion as stated to each quart of
vinegar. Pack the lemons in a jar, pour over the vinegar, &c. boiling
hot, and tie down with a bladder. They will be fit for use in about 12
months, or rather sooner.
Seasonable.—This should be made from November to April.
THE LEMON.—In the earlier ages of the world, the lemon does not
appear to have been at all known, and the Romans only became
acquainted with it at a very late period, and then only used it
to keep moths from their garments. Its acidity would seem to
have been unpleasant to them; and in Pliny's time, at the
commencement of the Christian era, this fruit was hardly
accepted, otherwise than as an excellent antidote against the
effects of poison. Many anecdotes have been related concerning
the anti-venomous properties of the lemon; Athenaeus, a Latin
writer, telling us, that on one occasion, two men felt no
effects from the bites of dangerous serpents, because they had
previously eaten of this fruit.
TO PICKLE LEMONS WITHOUT THE PEEL.
456. INGREDIENTS.—6 lemons, 1 lb. of fine salt; to each quart of
vinegar, the same ingredients as No. 455.
Mode.—Peel the lemons, slit each one down 3 times, so as not to
divide them, and rub the salt well into the divisions; place them in a
pan, where they must remain for a week, turning them every other day;
then put them in a Dutch oven before a clear fire until the salt has
become perfectly dry; then arrange them in a jar. Pour over sufficient
boiling vinegar to cover them, to which have been added the ingredients
mentioned in the foregoing recipe; tie down closely, and in about 9
months they will be fit for use.
Seasonable.—The best time to make this is from November to April.
Note.—After this pickle has been made from 4 to 5 months, the liquor
may be strained and bottled, and will be found an excellent lemon
ketchup.
LEMON-JUICE.—Citric acid is the principal component part of
lemon-juice, which, in addition to the agreeableness of its
flavour, is also particularly cooling and grateful. It is
likewise an antiscorbutic; and this quality enhances its value.
In order to combat the fatal effects of scurvy amongst the crews
of ships at sea, a regular allowance of lemon-juice is served
out to the men; and by this practice, the disease has almost
entirely disappeared. By putting the juice into bottles, and
pouring on the top sufficient oil to cover it, it may be
preserved for a considerable time. Italy and Turkey export great
quantities of it in this manner.
LEMON SAUCE FOR BOILED FOWLS.
457. INGREDIENTS.—1 small lemon, 3/4 pint of melted butter, No. 380.
Mode.—Cut the lemon into very thin slices, and these again into very
small dice. Have ready 3/4 pint of melted butter, made by recipe No.
380; put in the lemon; let it just simmer, but not boil, and pour it
over the fowls.
Time.—1 minute to simmer. Average cost, 6d.
Sufficient for a pair of large fowls.
LEMON WHITE SAUCE, FOR FOWLS, FRICASSEES, &c.
458. INGREDIENTS.—3/4 pint of cream, the rind and juice of 1 lemon, 1/2
teaspoonful of whole white pepper, 1 sprig of lemon thyme, 3 oz. of
butter, 1 dessertspoonful of flour, 1 teacupful of white stock; salt to
taste.
Mode.—Put the cream into a very clean saucepan (a lined one is best),
with the lemon-peel, pepper, and thyme, and let these infuse for 1/2
hour, when simmer gently for a few minutes, or until there is a nice
flavour of lemon. Strain it, and add a thickening of butter and flour in
the above proportions; stir this well in, and put in the lemon-juice at
the moment of serving; mix the stock with the cream, and add a little
salt. This sauce should not boil after the cream and stock are mixed
together.
Time.—Altogether, 3/4 hour. Average cost, 1s. 6d.
Sufficient, this quantity, for a pair of large boiled fowls.
Note.—Where the expense of the cream is objected to, milk may be
substituted for it. In this case, an additional dessertspoonful, or
rather more, of flour must be added.
[Illustration: LEMON THYME.]
LEMON THYME.—Two or three tufts of this species of thyme,
Thymus citriodorus, usually find a place in the herb
compartment of the kitchen-garden. It is a trailing evergreen,
is of smaller growth than the common kind (see No. 166), and
is remarkable for its smell, which closely resembles that of the
rind of a lemon. Hence its distinctive name. It is used for some
particular dishes, in which the fragrance of the lemon is
desired to slightly predominate.
LEAMINGTON SAUCE (an Excellent Sauce for Flavouring Gravies, Hashes,
Soups, &c.).
(Author's Recipe.)
459. INGREDIENTS.—Walnuts. To each quart of walnut-juice allow 3 quarts
of vinegar, 1 pint of Indian soy, 1 oz. of cayenne, 2 oz. of shalots,
3/4 oz. of garlic, 1/2 pint of port wine.
Mode.—Be very particular in choosing the walnuts as soon as they
appear in the market; for they are more easily bruised before they
become hard and shelled. Pound them in a mortar to a pulp, strew some
salt over them, and let them remain thus for two or three days,
occasionally stirring and moving them about. Press out the juice, and to
each quart of walnut-liquor allow the above proportion of vinegar,
soy, cayenne, shalots, garlic, and port wine. Pound each ingredient
separately in a mortar, then mix them well together, and store away for
use in small bottles. The corks should be well sealed.
Seasonable.—This sauce should be made as soon as walnuts are
obtainable, from the beginning to the middle of July.
460. INGREDIENTS.—1 pint of brandy, the rind of two small lemons, 2 oz.
of loaf-sugar, 1/4 pint of water.
Mode.—Peel the lemons rather thin, taking care to have none of the
white pith. Put the rinds into a bottle with the brandy, and let them
infuse for 24 hours, when they should be strained. Now boil the sugar
with the water for a few minutes, skim it, and, when cold, add it to the
brandy. A dessertspoonful of this will be found an excellent flavouring
for boiled custards.
LEMON RIND OR PEEL.—This contains an essential oil of a very
high flavour and fragrance, and is consequently esteemed both a
wholesome and agreeable stomachic. It is used, as will be seen
by many recipes in this book, as an ingredient for flavouring a
number of various dishes. Under the name of CANDIED LEMON-PEEL,
it is cleared of the pulp and preserved by sugar, when it
becomes an excellent sweetmeat. By the ancient medical
philosopher Galen, and others, it may be added, that dried
lemon-peel was considered as one of the best digestives, and
recommended to weak and delicate persons.
LIAISON OF EGGS FOR THICKENING SAUCES.
461. INGREDIENTS.—The yolks of 3 eggs, 8 tablespoonfuls of milk or
cream.
Mode.—Beat up the yolks of the eggs, to which add the milk, and
strain the whole through a hair-sieve. When the liaison is being added
to the sauce it is intended to thicken, care must be exercised to keep
stirring it during the whole time, or, otherwise, the eggs will curdle.
It should only just simmer, but not boil.
462. INGREDIENTS.—The liver of a fowl, one lemon, salt to taste, 1/2
pint of melted butter. No. 376.
Mode.—Wash the liver, and let it boil for a few minutes; peel the
lemon very thin, remove the white part and pips, and cut it into very
small dice; mince the liver and a small quantity of the lemon rind very
fine; add these ingredients to 1/2 pint of smoothly-made melted butter;
season with a little salt, put in the cut lemon, heat it gradually, but
do not allow it to boil, lest the butter should oil.
Time.—1 minute to simmer.
Sufficient to serve with a pair of small fowls.
463. INGREDIENTS.—The liver of a fowl, one tablespoonful of minced
parsley, 1/2 pint of melted butter, No. 376.
Mode.—Wash and score the liver, boil it for a few minutes, and mince
it very fine; blanch or scald a small bunch of parsley, of which there
should be sufficient when chopped to fill a tablespoon; add this, with
the minced liver, to 1/2 pint of smoothly-made melted butter; let it
just boil; when serve.
Time.—1 minute to simmer.
Sufficient for a pair of small fowls.
LOBSTER SAUCE, to serve with Turbot, Salmon, Brill, &c.
(Very Good.)
464. INGREDIENTS.—1 middling-sized hen lobster, 3/4 pint of melted
butter, No. 376; 1 tablespoonful of anchovy sauce, 1/2 oz. of butter,
salt and cayenne to taste, a little pounded mace when liked, 2 or 3
tablespoonfuls of cream.
Mode.—Choose a hen lobster, as this is indispensable, in order to
render this sauce as good as it ought to be. Pick the meat from the
shells, and cut it into small square pieces; put the spawn, which will
be found under the tail of the lobster, into a mortar with 1/2 oz. of
butter, and pound it quite smooth; rub it through a hair-sieve, and
cover up till wanted. Make 3/4 pint of melted butter by recipe No. 376;
put in all the ingredients except the lobster-meat, and well mix the
sauce before the lobster is added to it, as it should retain its square
form, and not come to table shredded and ragged. Put in the meat, let it
get thoroughly hot, but do not allow it to boil, as the colour would
immediately be spoiled; for it should be remembered that this sauce
should always have a bright red appearance. If it is intended to be
served with turbot or brill, a little of the spawn (dried and rubbed
through a sieve without butter) should be saved to garnish with; but as
the goodness, flavour, and appearance of the sauce so much depend on
having a proper quantity of spawn, the less used for garnishing the
better.
Time.—1 minute to simmer. Average cost, for this quantity, 2s.
Seasonable at any time.
Sufficient to serve with a small turbot, a brill, or salmon for 6
persons.
Note.—Melted butter made with milk, No. 380, will be found to answer
very well for lobster sauce, as by employing it a nice white colour will
be obtained. Less quantity than the above may be made by using a very
small lobster, to which add only 1/2 pint of melted butter, and season
as above. Where economy is desired, the cream may be dispensed with, and
the remains of a cold lobster left from table, may, with a little care,
be converted into a very good sauce.
MAITRE D'HOTEL BUTTER, for putting into Broiled Fish just before it is
sent to Table.
465. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 lb. of butter, 2 dessertspoonfuls of minced
parsley, salt and pepper to taste, the juice of 1 large lemon.
Mode.—Work the above ingredients well together, and let them be
thoroughly mixed with a wooden spoon. If this is used as a sauce, it may
be poured either under or over the meat or fish it is intended to be
served with.
Average cost, for this quantity, 5d.
Note.—4 tablespoonfuls of Béchamel, No. 367, 2 do. of white stock, No.
107, with 2 oz. of the above maître d'hôtel butter stirred into it, and
just allowed to simmer for 1 minute, will be found an excellent hot
maître d'hôtel sauce.
THE MAÎTRE D'HÔTEL.—The house-steward of England is synonymous
with the maître d'hôtel of France; and, in ancient times,
amongst the Latins, he was called procurator, or major-domo. In
Rome, the slaves, after they had procured the various articles
necessary for the repasts of the day, would return to the
spacious kitchen laden with meat, game, sea-fish, vegetables,
fruit, &c. Each one would then lay his basket at the feet of the
major-domo, who would examine its contents and register them on
his tablets, placing in the pantry contiguous to the
dining-room, those of the provisions which need no preparation,
and consigning the others to the more immediate care of the
cooks.
MAITRE D'HOTEL SAUCE (HOT), to serve with Calf's Head, Boiled Eels, and
different Fish.
466. INGREDIENTS.—1 slice of minced ham, a few poultry-trimmings, 2
shalots, 1 clove of garlic, 1 bay-leaf, 3/4 pint of water, 2 oz. of
butter, 1 dessertspoonful of flour, 1 heaped tablespoonful of chopped
parsley; salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste; the juice of 1/2 large
lemon, 1/4 teaspoonful of pounded sugar.
Mode.—Put at the bottom of a stewpan the minced ham, and over it the
poultry-trimmings (if these are not at hand, veal should be
substituted), with the shalots, garlic, and bay-leaf. Pour in the water,
and let the whole simmer gently for 1 hour, or until the liquor is
reduced to a full 1/2 pint. Then strain this gravy, put it in another
saucepan, make a thickening of butter and flour in the above
proportions, and stir it to the gravy over a nice clear fire, until it
is perfectly smooth and rather thick, care being taken that the butter
does not float on the surface. Skim well, add the remaining ingredients,
let the sauce gradually heat, but do not allow it to boil. If this sauce
is intended for an entrée, it is necessary to make it of a sufficient
thickness, so that it may adhere to what it is meant to cover.
Time.—1-1/2 hour. Average cost, 1s. 2d. per pint.
Sufficient for re-warming the remains of 1/2 calf's head, or a small
dish of cold flaked turbot, cod, &c.
(Made without Meat.)
467. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 pint of melted butter, No. 376; 1 heaped
tablespoonful of chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste, the juice of
1/2 large lemon; when liked, 2 minced shalots.
Mode.—Make 1/2 pint of melted butter, by recipe No. 376; stir in the
above ingredients, and let them just boil; when it is ready to serve.
Time.—1 minute to simmer. Average cost, 9d. per pint.
MAYONNAISE, a Sauce or Salad-Dressing for cold Chicken, Meat, and other
cold Dishes.
468. INGREDIENTS.—The yolks of 2 eggs, 6 tablespoonfuls of salad-oil, 4
tablespoonfuls of vinegar, salt and white pepper to taste, 1
tablespoonful of white stock, No. 107, 2 tablespoonfuls of cream.
Mode.—Put the yolks of the eggs into a basin, with a seasoning of
pepper and salt; have ready the above quantities of oil and vinegar, in
separate vessels; add them very gradually to the eggs; continue
stirring and rubbing the mixture with a wooden spoon, as herein consists
the secret of having a nice smooth sauce. It cannot be stirred too
frequently, and it should be made in a very cool place, or, if ice is at
hand, it should be mixed over it. When the vinegar and oil are well
incorporated with the eggs, add the stock and cream, stirring all the
time, and it will then be ready for use.
For a fish Mayonnaise, this sauce may be coloured with lobster-spawn,
pounded; and for poultry or meat, where variety is desired, a little
parsley-juice may be used to add to its appearance. Cucumber, Tarragon,
or any other flavoured vinegar, may be substituted for plain, where they
are liked.
Average cost, for this quantity, 7d.
Sufficient for a small salad.
Note.—In mixing the oil and vinegar with the eggs, put in first a few
drops of oil, and then a few drops of vinegar, never adding a large
quantity of either at one time. By this means, you can be more certain
of the sauce not curdling. Patience and practice, let us add, are two
essentials for making this sauce good.
MINT SAUCE, to serve with Roast Lamb.
469. INGREDIENTS.—4 dessertspoonfuls of chopped mint, 2
dessertspoonfuls of pounded white sugar, 1/4 pint of vinegar.
Mode.—Wash the mint, which should be young and fresh-gathered, free
from grit; pick the leaves from the stalks, mince them very fine, and
put them into a tureen; add the sugar and vinegar, and stir till the
former is dissolved. This sauce is better by being made 2 or 3 hours
before wanted for table, as the vinegar then becomes impregnated with
the flavour of the mint. By many persons, the above proportion of sugar
would not be considered sufficient; but as tastes vary, we have given
the quantity which we have found to suit the general palate.
Average cost, 3d.
Sufficient to serve with a middling-sized joint of lamb.
Note.—Where green mint is scarce and not obtainable, mint vinegar may
be substituted for it, and will be found very acceptable in early
spring.
[Illustration: MINT.]
MINT.—The common mint cultivated in our gardens is known as the
Mentha viridis, and is employed in different culinary
processes, being sometimes boiled with certain dishes, and
afterwards withdrawn. It has an agreeable aromatic flavour, and
forms an ingredient in soups, and sometimes is used in spring
salads. It is valuable as a stomachic and antispasmodic; on
which account it is generally served at table with pea-soup.
Several of its species grow wild in low situations in the
country.
MINT VINEGAR.
470. INGREDIENTS.—Vinegar, mint.
Mode.—Procure some nice fresh mint, pick the leaves from the stalks,
and fill a bottle or jar with them. Add vinegar to them until the bottle
is full; cover closely to exclude the air, and let it infuse for a
fortnight. Then strain the liquor, and put it into small bottles for
use, of which the corks should be sealed.
Seasonable.—This should be made in June, July, or August.
(Very Good.)
471. INGREDIENTS.—To each gallon of vinegar allow 1/4 lb. of bruised
ginger, 1/4 lb. of mustard, 1/4 lb. of salt, 2 oz. of mustard-seed,
1-1/2 oz. of turmeric, 1 oz. of ground black pepper, 1/4 oz. of cayenne,
cauliflowers, onions, celery, sliced cucumbers, gherkins, French beans,
nasturtiums, capsicums.
Mode.—Have a large jar, with a tightly-fitting lid, in which put as
much vinegar as required, reserving a little to mix the various powders
to a smooth paste. Put into a basin the mustard, turmeric, pepper, and
cayenne; mix them with vinegar, and stir well until no lumps remain; add
all the ingredients to the vinegar, and mix well. Keep this liquor in a
warm place, and thoroughly stir every morning for a month with a wooden
spoon, when it will be ready for the different vegetables to be added to
it. As these come into season, have them gathered on a dry day, and,
after merely wiping them with a cloth, to free them from moisture, put
them into the pickle. The cauliflowers, it may be said, must be divided
into small bunches. Put all these into the pickle raw, and at the end of
the season, when there have been added as many of the vegetables as
could be procured, store it away in jars, and tie over with bladder. As
none of the ingredients are boiled, this pickle will not be fit to eat
till 12 months have elapsed. Whilst the pickle is being made, keep a
wooden spoon tied to the jar; and its contents, it may be repeated, must
be stirred every morning.
Seasonable.—Make the pickle-liquor in May or June, as the season
arrives for the various vegetables to be picked.
472. INGREDIENTS.—To each peck of mushrooms 1/2 lb. of salt; to each
quart of mushroom-liquor 1/4 oz. of cayenne, 1/2 oz. of allspice, 1/2
oz. of ginger, 2 blades of pounded mace.
Mode.—Choose full-grown mushroom-flaps, and take care they are
perfectly fresh-gathered when the weather is tolerably dry; for, if
they are picked during very heavy rain, the ketchup from which they are
made is liable to get musty, and will not keep long. Put a layer of them
in a deep pan, sprinkle salt over them, and then another layer of
mushrooms, and so on alternately. Let them remain for a few hours, when
break them up with the hand; put them in a nice cool place for 3 days,
occasionally stirring and mashing them well, to extract from them as
much juice as possible. Now measure the quantity of liquor without
straining, and to each quart allow the above proportion of spices, &c.
Put all into a stone jar, cover it up very closely, put it in a saucepan
of boiling water, set it over the fire, and let it boil for 3 hours.
Have ready a nice clean stewpan; turn into it the contents of the jar,
and let the whole simmer very gently for 1/2 hour; pour it into a jug,
where it should stand in a cool place till the next day; then pour it
off into another jug, and strain it into very dry clean bottles, and do
not squeeze the mushrooms. To each pint of ketchup add a few drops of
brandy. Be careful not to shake the contents, but leave all the sediment
behind in the jug; cork well, and either seal or rosin the cork, so as
perfectly to exclude the air. When a very clear bright ketchup is
wanted, the liquor must be strained through a very fine hair-sieve, or
flannel bag, after it has been very gently poured off; if the
operation is not successful, it must be repeated until you have quite a
clear liquor. It should be examined occasionally, and if it is spoiling,
should be reboiled with a few peppercorns.
Seasonable from the beginning of September to the middle of October,
when this ketchup should be made.
Note.—This flavouring ingredient, if genuine and well prepared, is
one of the most useful store sauces to the experienced cook, and no
trouble should be spared in its preparation. Double ketchup is made by
reducing the liquor to half the quantity; for example, 1 quart must be
boiled down to 1 pint. This goes farther than ordinary ketchup, as so
little is required to flavour a good quantity of gravy. The sediment may
also be bottled for immediate use, and will be found to answer for
flavouring thick soups or gravies.
HOW TO DISTINGUISH MUSHROOMS FROM TOADSTOOLS.—The cultivated
mushroom, known as Agaricus campestris, may be distinguished
from other poisonous kinds of fungi by its having pink or
flesh-coloured gills, or under-side, and by its invariably
having an agreeable smell, which the toadstool has not. When
young, mushrooms are like a small round button, both the stalk
and head being white. As they grow larger, they expand their
heads by degrees into a flat form, the gills underneath being at
first of a pale flesh-colour, but becoming, as they stand
longer, dark brown or blackish. Nearly all the poisonous kinds
are brown, and have in general a rank and putrid smell. Edible
mushrooms are found in closely-fed pastures, but seldom grow in
woods, where most of the poisonous sorts are to be found.
TO DRY MUSHROOMS.
473. Mode.—Wipe them clean, take away the brown part, and peel off
the skin; lay them on sheets of paper to dry, in a cool oven, when they
will shrivel considerably. Keep them in paper bags, which hang in a dry
place. When wanted for use, put them into cold gravy, bring them
gradually to simmer, and it will be found that they will regain nearly
their usual size.
[Illustration: THE MUSHROOM.]
THE MUSHROOM.—The cultivated or garden mushroom is a species of
fungus, which, in England, is considered the best, and is there
usually eaten. The tribe, however, is numerous, and a large
proportion of them are poisonous; hence it is always dangerous
to make use of mushrooms gathered in their wild state. In some
parts of Europe, as in Germany, Russia, and Poland, many species
grow wild, and are used as food; but in Britain, two only are
generally eaten. These are mostly employed for the flavouring of
dishes, and are also dried and pickled. CATSUP, or KETCHUP, is
made from them by mixing spices and salt with their juice. The
young, called buttons, are the best for pickling when in the
globular form.
BROWN MUSHROOM SAUCE, to serve with Roast Meat, &c.
474. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 pint of button mushrooms, 1/2 pint of good beef
gravy, No. 435, 1 tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup (if at hand),
thickening of butter and flour.
Mode.—Put the gravy into a saucepan, thicken it, and stir over the
fire until it boils. Prepare the mushrooms by cutting off the stalks and
wiping them free from grit and dirt; the large flap mushrooms cut into
small pieces will answer for a brown sauce, when the buttons are not
obtainable; put them into the gravy, and let them simmer very gently for
about 10 minutes; then add the ketchup, and serve.
Time.—Rather more than 10 minutes.
Seasonable from August to October.
Note.—When fresh mushrooms are not obtainable, the powder No. 477 may
be used as a substitute for brown sauce.
WHITE MUSHROOM SAUCE, to serve with Boiled Fowls, Cutlets, &c.
I.
475. INGREDIENTS.—Rather more than 1/2 pint of button mushrooms,
lemon-juice and water, 1 oz. of butter, 1/2 pint of Béchamel, No. 367,
1/4 teaspoonful of pounded sugar.
Mode.—Turn the mushrooms white by putting them into lemon-juice and
water, having previously cut off the stalks and wiped them perfectly
free from grit. Chop them, and put them in a stewpan with the butter.
When the mushrooms are softened, add the Béchamel, and simmer for about
5 minutes; should they, however, not be done enough, allow rather more
time. They should not boil longer than necessary, as they would then
lose their colour and flavour. Rub the whole through a tammy, and serve
very hot. After this, it should be warmed in a bain marie.
Time.—Altogether, 1/4 hour. Average cost, 1s.
Seasonable from August to October.
A More Simple Method.
476. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 pint of melted butter, made with milk, No. 380;
1/2 pint of button mushrooms, 1 dessertspoonful of mushroom ketchup, if
at hand; cayenne and salt to taste.
Mode.—Make the melted butter by recipe No. 380, and add to it the
mushrooms, which must be nicely cleaned, and free from grit, and the
stalks cut off. Let them simmer gently for about 10 minutes, or until
they are quite tender. Put in the seasoning and ketchup; let it just
boil, when serve.
Time.—Rather more than 10 minutes. Average cost, 8d.
Seasonable from August to October.
GROWTH OF THE MUSHROOM AND OTHER FUNGI.—The quick growth of the
mushroom and other fungi is no less wonderful than the length of
time they live, and the numerous dangers they resist while they
continue in the dormant state. To spring up "like a mushroom in
a night" is a scriptural mode of expressing celerity; and this
completely accords with all the observations which have been
made concerning this curious class of plants. Mr. Sowerby
remarks—"I have often placed specimens of the Phallus caninus
by a window over-night, while in the egg-form, and they have
been fully grown by the morning."
MUSHROOM POWDER (a valuable addition to Sauces and Gravies, when fresh
Mushrooms are not obtainable).
477. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 peck of large mushrooms, 2 onions, 12 cloves, 1/4
oz. of pounded mace, 2 teaspoonfuls of white pepper.
Mode.—Peel the mushrooms, wipe them perfectly free from grit and
dirt, remove the black fur, and reject all those that are at all
worm-eaten; put them into a stewpan with the above ingredients, but
without water; shake them over a clear fire, till all the liquor is
dried up, and be careful not to let them burn; arrange them on tins, and
dry them in a slow oven; pound them to a fine powder, which put into
small dry bottles; cork well, seal the corks, and keep it in a dry
place. In using this powder, add it to the gravy just before serving,
when it will merely require one boil-up. The flavour imparted by this
means to the gravy, ought to be exceedingly good.
Seasonable.—This should be made in September, or at the beginning of
October.
Note.—If the bottles in which it is stored away are not perfectly
dry, as, also the mushroom powder, it will keep good but a very short
time.
478. INGREDIENTS.—Sufficient vinegar to cover the mushrooms; to each
quart of mushrooms, 2 blades of pounded mace, 1 oz. of ground pepper,
salt to taste.
Mode.—Choose some nice young button mushrooms for pickling, and rub
off the skin with a piece of flannel and salt, and cut off the stalks;
if very large, take out the red inside, and reject the black ones, as
they are too old. Put them in a stewpan, sprinkle salt over them, with
pounded mace and pepper in the above proportion; shake them well over a
clear fire until the liquor flows, and keep them there until it is all
dried up again; then add as much vinegar as will cover them; just let it
simmer for 1 minute, and store it away in stone jars for use. When cold,
tie down with bladder and keep in a dry place; they will remain good for
a length of time, and are generally considered delicious.
Seasonable.—Make this the same time as ketchup, from the beginning of
September to the middle of October.
NATURE OF THE MUSHROOM.—Locality has evidently a considerable
influence on the nature of the juices of the mushroom; for it
has been discovered, after fatal experience, that some species,
which are perfectly harmless when raised in open meadows and
pasturelands, become virulently poisonous when they happen to
grow in contact with stagnant water or putrescent animal and
vegetable substances. What the precise nature of the poison in
fungi may be, has not been accurately ascertained.
A VERY RICH AND GOOD MUSHROOM SAUCE, to serve with Fowls or Rabbits.
479. INGREDIENTS.—1 pint of mushroom-buttons, salt to taste, a little
grated nutmeg, 1 blade of pounded mace, 1 pint of cream, 2 oz. of
butter, flour to thicken.
Mode.—Rub the buttons with a piece of flannel and salt, to take off
the skin; cut off the stalks, and put them in a stewpan with the above
ingredients, previously kneading together the butter and flour; boil the
whole for about ten minutes, stirring all the time. Pour some of the
sauce over the fowls, and the remainder serve in a tureen.
Time.—10 minutes. Average cost, 2s.
Sufficient to serve with a pair of fowls.
Seasonable from August to October.
480. INGREDIENTS.—Mustard, salt, and water.
Mode.—Mustard should be mixed with water that has been boiled and
allowed to cool; hot water destroys its essential properties, and raw
cold water might cause it to ferment. Put the mustard in a cup, with a
small pinch of salt, and mix with it very gradually sufficient boiled
water to make it drop from the spoon without being watery. Stir and mix
well, and rub the lumps well down with the back of a spoon, as
well-mixed mustard should be perfectly free from these. The mustard-pot
should not be more than half full, or rather less if it will not be used
in a day or two, as it is so much better when freshly mixed.
481. INGREDIENTS.—Horseradish vinegar, cayenne, 1/2 a teacupful of
mustard.
Mode.—Have ready sufficient horseradish vinegar to mix with the above
proportion of mustard; put the mustard in a cup, with a slight seasoning
of cayenne; mix it perfectly smooth with the vinegar, adding this a
little at a time; rub down with the back of a spoon any lumps that may
appear, and do not let it be too thin. Mustard may be flavoured in
various ways, with Tarragon, shalot, celery, and many other vinegars,
herbs, spices, &c.; but this is more customary in France than in
England, as there it is merely considered a "vehicle of flavours," as it
has been termed.
PICKLED NASTURTIUMS (a very good Substitute for Capers)
482. INGREDIENTS.—To each pint of vinegar, 1 oz. of salt, 6
peppercorns, nasturtiums.
Mode.—Gather the nasturtium-pods on a dry day, and wipe them clean
with a cloth; put them in a dry glass bottle, with vinegar, salt, and
pepper in the above proportion. If you cannot find enough ripe to fill a
bottle, cork up what you have got until you have some more fit: they may
be added from day to day. Bung up the bottles, and seal or rosin the
tops. They will be fit for use in 10 or 12 months; and the best way is
to make them one season for the next.
Seasonable.—Look for nasturtium-pods from the end of July to the end
of August.
[Illustration: NASTURTIUMS.]
NASTURTIUMS.—The elegant nasturtium-plant, called by
naturalists Tropoeolum, and which sometimes goes by the name
of Indian cress, came originally from Peru, but was easily made
to grow in these islands. Its young leaves and flowers are of a
slightly hot nature, and many consider them a good adjunct to
salads, to which they certainly add a pretty appearance. When
the beautiful blossoms, which may be employed with great effect
in garnishing dishes, are off, then the fruit is used as
described in the above recipe.
FRENCH ONION SAUCE, or SOUBISE.
483. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 pint of Béchamel, No. 367, 1 bay-leaf, seasoning
to taste of pounded mace and cayenne, 6 onions, a small piece of ham.
Mode.—Peel the onions and cut them in halves; put them in a stewpan,
with just sufficient water to cover them, and add the bay-leaf, ham,
cayenne, and mace; be careful to keep the lid closely shut, and simmer
them until tender. Take them out and drain thoroughly; rub them through
a tammy or sieve (an old one does for the purpose) with a wooden spoon,
and put them to 1/2 pint of Béchamel; keep stirring over the fire until
it boils, when serve. If it should require any more seasoning, add it to
taste.
Time.—3/4 hour to boil the onions.
Average cost, 10d. for this quantity.
Sufficient for a moderate-sized dish.
WHITE ONION SAUCE, for Boiled Rabbits, Roast Shoulder of Mutton, &c.
484. INGREDIENTS.—9 large onions, or 12 middling-sized ones, 1 pint of
melted butter made with milk (No. 380), 1/2 teaspoonful of salt, or
rather more.
Mode.—Peel the onions and put them into water to which a little salt
has been added, to preserve their whiteness, and let them remain for 1/4
hour. Then put them in a stewpan, cover them with water, and let them
boil until tender, and, if the onions should be very strong, change the
water after they have been boiling for 1/4 hour. Drain them thoroughly,
chop them, and rub them through a tammy or sieve. Make 1 pint of melted
butter, by recipe No. 380, and when that boils, put in the onions, with
a seasoning of salt; stir it till it simmers, when it will be ready to
serve. If these directions are carefully attended to, this onion sauce
will be delicious.
Time.—From 3/4 to 1 hour, to boil the onions.
Average cost, 9d. per pint.
Sufficient to serve with a roast shoulder of mutton, or boiled rabbit.
Seasonable from August to March.
Note.—To make this sauce very mild and delicate, use Spanish onions,
which can be procured from the beginning of September to Christmas. 2 or
3 tablespoonfuls of cream added just before serving, will be found to
improve its appearance very much. Small onions, when very young, may be
cooked whole, and served in melted butter. A sieve or tammy should be
kept expressly for onions: an old one answers the purpose, as it is
liable to retain the flavour and smell, which of course would be
excessively disagreeable in delicate preparations.
485. INGREDIENTS.—6 large onions, rather more than 1/2 pint of good
gravy, 2 oz. of butter, salt and pepper to taste.
Mode.—Slice and fry the onions of a pale brown in a stewpan, with the
above quantity of butter, keeping them well stirred, that they do not
get black. When a nice colour, pour over the gravy, and let them simmer
gently until tender. Now skim off every particle of fat, add the
seasoning, and rub the whole through a tammy or sieve; put it back in
the saucepan to warm, and when it boils, serve.
Time.—Altogether 1 hour.
Seasonable from August to March.
Note.—Where a very high flavouring is liked, add 1 tablespoonful of
mushroom ketchup, or a small quantity of port wine.
HISTORY OF THE ONION.—It is not supposed that any variety of
the onion is indigenous to Britain, as when the large and mild
roots imported from warmer climates, have been cultivated in
these islands a few years, they deteriorate both in size and
sweetness. It is therefore most likely that this plant was first
introduced into England from continental Europe, and that it
originally was produced in a southern climate, and has gradually
become acclimatized to a colder atmosphere. (See No. 139.)
PICKLED ONIONS (a very Simple Method, and exceedingly Good).
486. INGREDIENTS.—Pickling onions; to each quart of vinegar, 2
teaspoonfuls of allspice, 2 teaspoonfuls of whole black pepper.
Mode.—Have the onions gathered when quite dry and ripe, and, with the
fingers, take off the thin outside skin; then, with a silver knife
(steel should not be used, as it spoils the colour of the onions),
remove one more skin, when the onion will look quite clear. Have ready
some very dry bottles or jars, and as fast as they are peeled, put them
in. Pour over sufficient cold vinegar to cover them, with pepper and
allspice in the above proportions, taking care that each jar has its
share of the latter ingredients. Tie down with bladder, and put them in
a dry place, and in a fortnight they will be fit for use. This is a most
simple recipe and very delicious, the onions being nice and crisp. They
should be eaten within 6 or 8 months after being done, as the onions are
liable to become soft.
Seasonable from the middle of July to the end of August.
487. INGREDIENTS.—1 gallon of pickling onions, salt and water, milk; to
each 1/2 gallon of vinegar, 1 oz. of bruised ginger, 1/4 teaspoonful of
cayenne, 1 oz. of allspice, 1 oz. of whole black pepper, 1/4 oz. of
whole nutmeg bruised, 8 cloves, 1/4 oz. of mace.
Mode.—Gather the onions, which should not be too small, when they are
quite dry and ripe; wipe off the dirt, but do not pare them; make a
strong solution of salt and water, into which put the onions, and change
this, morning and night, for 3 days, and save the last brine they were
put in. Then take the outside skin off, and put them into a tin saucepan
capable of holding them all, as they are always better done together.
Now take equal quantities of milk and the last salt and water the onions
were in, and pour this to them; to this add 2 large spoonfuls of salt,
put them over the fire, and watch them very attentively. Keep constantly
turning the onions about with a wooden skimmer, those at the bottom to
the top, and vice versâ; and let the milk and water run through the
holes of the skimmer. Remember, the onions must never boil, or, if they
do, they will be good for nothing; and they should be quite transparent.
Keep the onions stirred for a few minutes, and, in stirring them, be
particular not to break them. Then have ready a pan with a colander,
into which turn the onions to drain, covering them with a cloth to keep
in the steam. Place on a table an old cloth, 2 or 3 times double; put
the onions on it when quite hot, and over them an old piece of blanket;
cover this closely over them, to keep in the steam. Let them remain till
the next day, when they will be quite cold, and look yellow and
shrivelled; take off the shrivelled skins, when they should be as white
as snow. Put them in a pan, make a pickle of vinegar and the remaining
ingredients, boil all these up, and pour hot over the onions in the pan.
Cover very closely to keep in all the steam, and let them stand till the
following day, when they will be quite cold. Put them into jars or
bottles well bunged, and a tablespoonful of the best olive-oil on the
top of each jar or bottle. Tie them down with bladder, and let them
stand in a cool place for a month or six weeks, when they will be fit
for use. They should be beautifully white, and eat crisp, without the
least softness, and will keep good many months.
Seasonable from the middle of July to the end of August.
ORANGE GRAVY, for Wildfowl, Widgeon, Teal, &c.
488. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 pint of white stock, No. 107, 1 small onion, 3 or
4 strips of lemon or orange peel, a few leaves of basil, if at hand, the
juice of a Seville orange or lemon, salt and pepper to taste, 1 glass of
port wine.
Mode.—Put the onion, cut in slices, into a stewpan with the stock,
orange-peel, and basil, and let them simmer very gently for 1/4 hour or
rather longer, should the gravy not taste sufficiently of the peel.
Strain it off, and add to the gravy the remaining ingredients; let the
whole heat through, and, when on the point of boiling, serve very hot in
a tureen which should have a cover to it.
Time.—Altogether 1/2 hour.
Sufficient for a small tureen.
OYSTER FORCEMEAT, for Roast or Boiled Turkey.
489. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 pint of bread crumbs, 1-1/2 oz. of chopped suet
or butter, 1 faggot of savoury herbs, 1/4 saltspoonful of grated nutmeg,
salt and pepper to taste, 2 eggs, 18 oysters.
Mode.—Grate the bread very fine, and be careful that no large lumps
remain; put it into a basin with the suet, which must be very finely
minced, or, when butter is used, that must be cut up into small pieces.
Add the herbs, also chopped as small as possible, and seasoning; mix all
these well together, until the ingredients are thoroughly mingled. Open
and beard the oysters, chop them, but not too small, and add them to the
other ingredients. Beat up the eggs, and, with the hand, work
altogether, until it is smoothly mixed. The turkey should not be stuffed
too full: if there should be too much forcemeat, roll it into balls, fry
them, and use them as a garnish.
Sufficient for 1 turkey.
490. INGREDIENTS.—Sufficient oysters to fill a pint measure, 1 pint of
sherry, 3 oz. of salt, 1 drachm of cayenne, 2 drachms of pounded mace.
Mode.—Procure the oysters very fresh, and open sufficient to fill a
pint measure; save the liquor, and scald the oysters in it with the
sherry; strain the oysters, and put them in a mortar with the salt,
cayenne, and mace; pound the whole until reduced to a pulp, then add it
to the liquor in which they were scalded; boil it again five minutes,
and skim well; rub the whole through a sieve, and, when cold, bottle and
cork closely. The corks should be sealed.
Seasonable from September to April.
Note.—Cider may be substituted for the sherry.
491. INGREDIENTS.—100 oysters; to each 1/2 pint of vinegar, 1 blade of
pounded mace, 1 strip of lemon-peel, 12 black peppercorns.
Mode.—Get the oysters in good condition, open them, place them in a
saucepan, and let them simmer in their own liquor for about 10 minutes,
very gently; then take them out, one by one, and place them in a jar,
and cover them, when cold, with a pickle made as follows:—Measure the
oyster-liquor; add to it the same quantity of vinegar, with mace,
lemon-peel, and pepper in the above proportion, and boil it for 5
minutes; when cold, pour over the oysters, and tie them down very
closely, as contact with the air spoils them.
Seasonable from September to April.
Note.—Put this pickle away in small jars; because directly one is
opened, its contents should immediately be eaten, as they soon spoil.
The pickle should not be kept more than 2 or 3 months.
OYSTER SAUCE, to serve with Fish, Boiled Poultry, &c.
492. INGREDIENTS.—3 dozen oysters, 1/2 pint of melted butter, made with
milk, No. 380.
Mode.—Open the oysters carefully, and save their liquor; strain it
into a clean saucepan (a lined one is best), put in the oysters, and let
them just come to the boiling-point, when they should look plump. Take
them off the fire immediately, and put the whole into a basin. Strain
the liquor from them, mix with it sufficient milk to make 1/2 pint
altogether, and follow the directions of No. 380. When the melted butter
is ready and very smooth, put in the oysters, which should be previously
bearded, if you wish the sauce to be really nice. Set it by the side of
the fire to get thoroughly hot, but do not allow it to boil, or the
oysters will immediately harden. Using cream instead of milk makes this
sauce extremely delicious. When liked, add a seasoning of cayenne, or
anchovy sauce; but, as we have before stated, a plain sauce should be
plain, and not be overpowered by highly-flavoured essences; therefore we
recommend that the above directions be implicitly followed, and no
seasoning added.
Average cost for this quantity, 2s.
Sufficient for 6 persons. Never allow fewer than 6 oysters to 1
person, unless the party is very large.
Seasonable from September to April.
A more economical sauce may be made by using a smaller quantity of
oysters, and not bearding them before they are added to the sauce: this
may answer the purpose, but we cannot undertake to recommend it as a
mode of making this delicious adjunct to fish, &c.
PARSLEY AND BUTTER, to serve with Calf's Head. Boiled Fowls, &c.
493. INGREDIENTS.—2 tablespoonfuls of minced parsley, 1/2 pint of
melted butter, No. 376.
Mode.—Put into a saucepan a small quantity of water, slightly salted,
and when it boils, throw in a good bunch of parsley which has been
previously washed and tied together in a bunch; let it boil for 5
minutes, drain it, mince the leaves very fine, and put the above
quantity in a tureen; pour over it 1/2 pint of smoothly-made melted
butter; stir once, that the ingredients may be thoroughly mixed, and
serve.
Time.—5 minutes to boil the parsley. Average cost, 4d.
Sufficient for 1 large fowl; allow rather more for a pair.
Seasonable at any time.
Note.—Sometimes, in the middle of winter, parsley-leaves are not to
be had, when the following will be found an excellent substitute:—Tie
up a little parsley-seed in a small piece of muslin, and boil it for 10
minutes in a small quantity of water; use this water to make the melted
butter with, and throw into it a little boiled spinach, minced rather
fine, which will have an appearance similar to that of parsley.
[Illustration: PARSLEY.]
PARSLEY.—If there be nothing new under the sun, there are, at
any rate, different uses found for the same thing; for this
pretty aromatic herb was used in ancient times, as we learn from
mythological narrative, to adorn the head of a hero, no less
than Hercules; and now—was ever fall so great?—we moderns use
it in connection with the head of—a calf. According to Homer's
"Iliad," warriors fed their chariot-steeds on parsley; and Pliny
acquaints us with the fact that, as a symbol of mourning, it was
admitted to furnish the funeral tables of the Romans. Egypt,
some say, first produced this herb; thence it was introduced, by
some unknown voyager, into Sardinia, where the Carthaginians
found it, and made it known to the inhabitants of Marseilles.
(See No. 123.)
FRIED PARSLEY, for Garnishing.
494. INGREDIENTS.—Parsley, hot lard or clarified dripping.
Mode.—Gather some young parsley; wash, pick, and dry it thoroughly in
a cloth; put it into the wire basket of which we have given an
engraving, and hold it in boiling lard or dripping for a minute or two.
Directly it is done, lift out the basket, and let it stand before the
fire, that the parsley may become thoroughly crisp; and the quicker it
is fried the better. Should the kitchen not be furnished with the above
article, throw the parsley into the frying-pan, and when crisp, lift it
out with a slice, dry it before the fire, and when thoroughly crisp, it
will be ready for use.
[Illustration: WIRE BASKET.]
WIRE BASKET.—For this recipe, a wire basket, as shown in the
annexed engraving, will be found very useful. It is very light
and handy, and may be used for other similar purposes besides
that described above.
PARSLEY JUICE, for Colouring various Dishes.
495. Procure some nice young parsley; wash it and dry it thoroughly in a
cloth; pound the leaves in a mortar till all the juice is extracted, and
put the juice in a teacup or small jar; place this in a saucepan of
boiling water, and warm it on the bain marie principle just long
enough to take off its rawness; let it drain, and it will be ready for
colouring.
496. Use freshly-gathered parsley for keeping, and wash it perfectly
free from grit and dirt; put it into boiling water which has been
slightly salted and well skimmed, and then let it boil for 2 or 3
minutes; take it out, let it drain, and lay it on a sieve in front of
the fire, when it should be dried as expeditiously as possible. Store it
away in a very dry place in bottles, and when wanted for use, pour over
it a little warm water, and let it stand for about 5 minutes.
Seasonable.—This may be done at any time between June and October.
497. INGREDIENTS.—Equal quantities of medium-sized onions, cucumbers,
and sauce-apples; 1-1/2 teaspoonful of salt, 3/4 teaspoonful of cayenne,
1 wineglassful of soy, 1 wineglassful of sherry; vinegar.
Mode.—Slice sufficient cucumbers, onions, and apples to fill a pint
stone jar, taking care to cut the slices very thin; arrange them in
alternate layers, shaking in as you proceed salt and cayenne in the
above proportion; pour in the soy and wine, and fill up with vinegar. It
will be fit for use the day it is made.
Seasonable in August and September.
[This recipe was forwarded to the editress of this work by a subscriber
to the "Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine." Mrs. Beeton, not having
tested it, cannot vouch for its excellence; but the contributor spoke
very highly in its favour.]
SOY.—This is a sauce frequently made use of for fish, and comes
from Japan, where it is prepared from the seeds of a plant
called Dolichos Soja. The Chinese also manufacture it; but
that made by the Japanese is said to be the best. All sorts of
statements have been made respecting the very general
adulteration of this article in England, and we fear that many
of them are too true. When genuine, it is of an agreeable
flavour, thick, and of a clear brown colour.
PICKLED RED CABBAGE.
498. INGREDIENTS.—Red cabbages, salt and water; to each quart of
vinegar, 1/2 oz. of ginger well bruised, 1 oz. of whole black pepper,
and, when liked, a little cayenne.
Mode.—Take off the outside decayed leaves of a nice red cabbage, cut
it in quarters, remove the stalks, and cut it across in very thin
slices. Lay these on a dish, and strew them plentifully with salt,
covering them with another dish. Let them remain for 24 hours, turn into
a colander to drain, and, if necessary, wipe lightly with a clean soft
cloth. Put them in a jar; boil up the vinegar with spices in the above
proportion, and, when cold, pour it over the cabbage. It will be fit for
use in a week or two, and, if kept for a very long time, the cabbage is
liable get soft and to discolour. To be really nice and crisp, and of a
good red colour, it should be eaten almost immediately after it is made.
A little bruised cochineal boiled with the vinegar adds much to the
appearance of this pickle. Tie down with bladder, and keep in a dry
place.
Seasonable in July and August, but the pickle will be much more crisp
if the frost has just touched the leaves.
RED CABBAGE.—This plant, in its growth, is similar in form to
that of the white, but is of a bluish-purple colour, which,
however, turns red on the application of acid, as is the case
with all vegetable blues. It is principally from the white
vegetable that the Germans make their sauer kraut; a dish held
in such high estimation with the inhabitants of Vaderland, but
which requires, generally speaking, with strangers, a long
acquaintance in order to become sufficiently impressed with its
numerous merits. The large red Dutch is the kind generally
recommended for pickling.
PLUM-PUDDING SAUCE.
499. INGREDIENTS.—1 wineglassful of brandy, 2 oz. of very fresh butter,
1 glass of Madeira, pounded sugar to taste.
Mode.—Put the pounded sugar in a basin, with part of the brandy and
the butter; let it stand by the side of the fire until it is warm and
the sugar and butter are dissolved; then add the rest of the brandy,
with the Madeira. Either pour it over the pudding, or serve in a tureen.
This is a very rich and excellent sauce.
Average cost, 1s. 3d. for this quantity.
Sufficient for a pudding made for 6 persons.
QUIN'S SAUCE, an excellent Fish Sauce.
500. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 pint of walnut pickle, 1/2 pint of port wine, 1
pint of mushroom ketchup, 1 dozen anchovies, 1 dozen shalots, 1/4 pint
of soy, 1/2 teaspoonful of cayenne.
Mode.—Put all the ingredients into a saucepan, having previously
chopped the shalots and anchovies very small; simmer for 15 minutes,
strain, and, when cold, bottle off for use: the corks should be well
sealed to exclude the air.
Time.—1/4 hour.
Seasonable at any time.
RAVIGOTTE, a French Salad Sauce.
Mons. Ude's Recipe.
501. INGREDIENTS.—1 teaspoonful of mushroom ketchup, 1 teaspoonful of
cavice, 1 teaspoonful of Chili vinegar, 1 teaspoonful of Reading sauce,
a piece of butter the size of an egg, 3 tablespoonfuls of thick
Béchamel, No. 367, 1 tablespoonful of minced parsley, 3 tablespoonfuls
of cream; salt and pepper to taste.
Mode.—Scald the parsley, mince the leaves very fine, and add it to
all the other ingredients; after mixing the whole together thoroughly,
the sauce will be ready for use.
Average cost, for this quantity, 10d.
Seasonable at any time.
502. INGREDIENTS.—2-1/2 pints of walnut pickle, 1-1/2 oz. of shalots, 1
quart of spring water, 3/4 pint of Indian soy, 1/2 oz. of bruised
ginger, 1/2 oz. of long pepper, 1 oz. of mustard-seed, 1 anchovy, 1/2
oz. of cayenne, 1/4 oz. of dried sweet bay-leaves.
Mode.—Bruise the shalots in a mortar, and put them in a stone jar
with the walnut-liquor; place it before the fire, and let it boil until
reduced to 2 pints. Then, into another jar, put all the ingredients
except the bay-leaves, taking care that they are well bruised, so that
the flavour may be thoroughly extracted; put this also before the fire,
and let it boil for 1 hour, or rather more. When the contents of both
jars are sufficiently cooked, mix them together, stirring them well as
you mix them, and submit them to a slow boiling for 1/2 hour; cover
closely, and let them stand 24 hours in a cool place; then open the jar
and add the bay-leaves; let it stand a week longer closed down, when
strain through a flannel bag, and it will be ready for use. The above
quantities will make 1/2 gallon.
Time.—Altogether, 3 hours.
Seasonable.—This sauce may be made at any time.
REMOULADE, or FRENCH SALAD-DRESSING.
503. INGREDIENTS.—4 eggs, 1/2 tablespoonful of made mustard, salt and
cayenne to taste, 3 tablespoonfuls of olive-oil, 1 tablespoonful of
tarragon or plain vinegar.
Mode.—Boil 3 eggs quite hard for about 1/4 hour, put them into cold
water, and let them remain in it for a few minutes; strip off the
shells, put the yolks in a mortar, and pound them very smoothly; add to
them, very gradually, the mustard, seasoning, and vinegar, keeping all
well stirred and rubbed down with the back of a wooden spoon. Put in the
oil drop by drop, and when this is thoroughly mixed with the other
ingredients, add the yolk of a raw egg, and stir well, when it will be
ready for use. This sauce should not be curdled; and to prevent this,
the only way is to mix a little of everything at a time, and not to
cease stirring. The quantities of oil and vinegar may be increased or
diminished according to taste, as many persons would prefer a smaller
proportion of the former ingredient.
GREEN REMOULADE is made by using tarragon vinegar instead of plain, and
colouring with a little parsley-juice, No. 495. Harvey's sauce, or Chili
vinegar, may be added at pleasure.
Time.—1/4 hour to boil the eggs.
Average cost, for this quantity, 7d.
Sufficient for a salad made for 4 or 6 persons.
[Illustration: TARRAGON.]
TARRAGON.—The leaves of this plant, known to naturalists as
Artemisia dracunculus, are much used in France as a flavouring
ingredient for salads. From it also is made the vinegar known as
tarragon vinegar, which is employed by the French in mixing
their mustard. It originally comes from Tartary, and does not
seed in France.
SAGE-AND-ONION STUFFING, for Geese, Ducks, and Pork.
504. INGREDIENTS.—4 large onions, 10 sage-leaves, 1/4 lb. of bread
crumbs, 1-1/2 oz. of butter, salt and pepper to taste, 1 egg.
Mode.—Peel the onions, put them into boiling water, let them simmer
for 5 minutes or rather longer, and, just before they are taken out, put
in the sage-leaves for a minute or two to take off their rawness. Chop
both these very fine, add the bread, seasoning, and butter, and work the
whole together with the yolk of an egg, when the stuffing will be ready
for use. It should be rather highly seasoned, and the sage-leaves should
be very finely chopped. Many cooks do not parboil the onions in the
manner just stated, but merely use them raw. The stuffing then, however,
is not nearly so mild, and, to many tastes, its strong flavour would be
very objectionable. When made for goose, a portion of the liver of the
bird, simmered for a few minutes and very finely minced, is frequently
added to this stuffing; and where economy is studied, the egg may be
dispensed with.
Time.—Rather more than 5 minutes to simmer the onions.
Average cost, for this quantity, 4d.
Sufficient for 1 goose, or a pair of ducks.
505. SOYER'S RECIPE FOR GOOSE STUFFING.—Take 4 apples, peeled and
cored, 4 onions, 4 leaves of sage, and 4 leaves of lemon thyme not
broken, and boil them in a stewpan with sufficient water to cover them;
when done, pulp them through a sieve, removing the sage and thyme; then
add sufficient pulp of mealy potatoes to cause it to be sufficiently dry
without sticking to the hand; add pepper and salt, and stuff the bird.
SALAD DRESSING (Excellent).
I.
506. INGREDIENTS.—1 teaspoonful of mixed mustard, 1 teaspoonful of
pounded sugar, 2 tablespoonfuls of salad oil, 4 tablespoonfuls of milk,
2 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, cayenne and salt to taste.
Mode.—Put the mixed mustard into a salad-bowl with the sugar, and add
the oil drop by drop, carefully stirring and mixing all these
ingredients well together. Proceed in this manner with the milk and
vinegar, which must be added very gradually, or the sauce will curdle.
Put in the seasoning, when the mixture will be ready for use. If this
dressing is properly made, it will have a soft creamy appearance, and
will be found very delicious with crab, or cold fried fish (the latter
cut into dice), as well as with salads. In mixing salad dressings, the
ingredients cannot be added too gradually, or stirred too much.
Average cost, for this quantity, 3d.
Sufficient for a small salad.
This recipe can be confidently recommended by the editress, to whom it
was given by an intimate friend noted for her salads.
SCARCITY OF SALADS IN ENGLAND.—Three centuries ago, very few
vegetables were cultivated in England, and an author writing of
the period of Henry VIII.'s reign, tells us that neither salad,
nor carrots, nor cabbages, nor radishes, nor any other
comestibles of a like nature, were grown in any part of the
kingdom: they came from Holland and Flanders. We further learn,
that Queen Catharine herself, with all her royalty, could not
procure a salad of English growth for her dinner. The king was
obliged to mend this sad state of affairs, and send to Holland
for a gardener in order to cultivate those pot-herbs, in the
growth of which England is now, perhaps, not behind any other
country in Europe.
[Illustration: THE OLIVE.]
THE OLIVE AND OLIVE OIL.—This tree assumes a high degree of
interest from the historical circumstances with which it is
connected. A leaf of it was brought into the ark by the dove,
when that vessel was still floating on the waters of the great
deep, and gave the first token that the deluge was subsiding.
Among the Greeks, the prize of the victor in the Olympic games
was a wreath of wild olive; and the "Mount of Olives" is
rendered familiar to our ears by its being mentioned in the
Scriptures as near to Jerusalem. The tree is indigenous in the
north of Africa, Syria, and Greece; and the Romans introduced it
to Italy. In Spain and the south of France it is now cultivated;
and although it grows in England, its fruit does not ripen in
the open air. Both in Greece and Portugal the fruit is eaten in
its ripe state; but its taste is not agreeable to many palates.
To the Italian shepherd, bread and olives, with a little wine,
form a nourishing diet; but in England, olives are usually only
introduced by way of dessert, to destroy the taste of the viands
which have been previously eaten, that the flavour of the wine
may be the better enjoyed. There are three kinds of olives
imported to London,—the French, Spanish, and Italian: the first
are from Provence, and are generally accounted excellent; the
second are larger, but more bitter; and the last are from Lucca,
and are esteemed the best. The oil extracted from olives, called
olive oil, or salad oil, is, with the continentals, in continual
request, more dishes being prepared with than without it, we
should imagine. With us, it is principally used in mixing a
salad, and when thus employed, it tends to prevent fermentation,
and is an antidote against flatulency.
II.
507. INGREDIENTS.—4 eggs, 1 teaspoonful of mixed mustard, 1/4
teaspoonful of white pepper, half that quantity of cayenne, salt to
taste, 4 tablespoonfuls of cream, vinegar.
Mode.—Boil the eggs until hard, which will be in about 1/4 hour or 20
minutes; put them into cold water, take off the shells, and pound the
yolks in a mortar to a smooth paste. Then add all the other ingredients,
except the vinegar, and stir them well until the whole are thoroughly
incorporated one with the other. Pour in sufficient vinegar to make it
of the consistency of cream, taking care to add but little at a time.
The mixture will then be ready for use.
Average cost, for this quantity, 7d.
Sufficient for a moderate-sized salad.
Note.—The whites of the eggs, cut into rings, will serve very well as
a garnishing to the salad.
508. INGREDIENTS.—1 egg, 1 teaspoonful of salad oil, 1 teaspoonful of
mixed mustard, 1/4 teaspoonful of salt, 1/2 teaspoonful of pounded
sugar, 2 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, 6 tablespoonfuls of cream.
Mode.—Prepare and mix the ingredients by the preceding recipe, and be
very particular that the whole is well stirred.
Note.—In making salads, the vegetables, &c., should never be added to
the sauce very long before they are wanted for table; the dressing,
however, may always be prepared some hours before required. Where salads
are much in request, it is a good plan to bottle off sufficient dressing
for a few days' consumption, as, thereby, much time and trouble are
saved. If kept in a cool place, it will remain good for 4 or 5 days.
POETIC RECIPE FOR SALAD.—The Rev. Sydney Smith, the witty canon
of St. Paul's, who thought that an enjoyment of the good things
of this earth was compatible with aspirations for things higher,
wrote the following excellent recipe for salad, which we should
advise our readers not to pass by without a trial, when the hot
weather invites to a dish of cold lamb. May they find the
flavour equal to the rhyme.—
"Two large potatoes, pass'd through kitchen sieve,
Smoothness and softness to the salad give:
Of mordent mustard add a single spoon,
Distrust the condiment that bites too soon;
But deem it not, thou man of herbs, a fault.
To add a double quantity of salt:
Four times the spoon with oil of Lucca crown,
And twice with vinegar procured from 'town;
True flavour needs it, and your poet begs,
The pounded yellow of two well-boil'd eggs.
Let onion's atoms lurk within the bowl,
And, scarce suspected, animate the whole;
And, lastly, in the flavour'd compound toss
A magic spoonful of anchovy sauce.
Oh! great and glorious, and herbaceous treat,
'Twould tempt the dying anchorite to eat.
Back to the world he'd turn his weary soul,
And plunge his fingers in the salad-bowl."
SAUCE ALLEMANDE, or GERMAN SAUCE.
509. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 pint of sauce tournée (No. 517), the yolks of 2
eggs.
Mode.—Put the sauce into a stewpan, heat it, and stir to it the
beaten yolks of 2 eggs, which have been previously strained. Let it just
simmer, but not boil, or the eggs will curdle; and after they are added
to the sauce, it must be stirred without ceasing. This sauce is a
general favourite, and is used for many made dishes.
Time.—1 minute to simmer.
Average cost, 6d.
SAUCE ARISTOCRATIQUE (a Store Sauce).
510. INGREDIENTS.—Green walnuts. To every pint of juice, 1 lb. of
anchovies, 1 drachm of cloves, 1 drachm of mace, 1 drachm of Jamaica
ginger bruised, 8 shalots. To every pint of the boiled liquor, 1/2 pint
of vinegar, 1/4 pint of port wine, 2 tablespoonfuls of soy.
Mode.—Pound the walnuts in a mortar, squeeze out the juice through a
strainer, and let it stand to settle. Pour off the clear juice, and to
every pint of it, add anchovies, spices, and cloves in the above
proportion. Boil all these together till the anchovies are dissolved,
then strain the juice again, put in the shalots (8 to every pint), and
boil again. To every pint of the boiled liquor add vinegar, wine, and
soy, in the above quantities, and bottle off for use. Cork well, and
seal the corks.
Seasonable.—Make this sauce from the beginning to the middle of July,
when walnuts are in perfection for sauces and pickling.
Average cost, 3s. 6d. for a quart.
MANUFACTURE OF SAUCES.—In France, during the reign of Louis
XII., at the latter end of the 14th century, there was formed a
company of sauce-manufacturers, who obtained, in those days of
monopolies, the exclusive privilege of making sauces. The
statutes drawn up by this company inform us that the famous
sauce à la cameline, sold by them, was to be composed or "good
cinnamon, good ginger, good cloves, good grains of paradise,
good bread, and good vinegar." The sauce Tence, was to be made
of "good sound almonds, good ginger, good wine, and good
verjuice." May we respectfully express a hope—not that we
desire to doubt it in the least—that the English
sauce-manufacturers of the 19th century are equally considerate
and careful in choosing their ingredients for their various
well-known preparations.
SAUCE A L'AURORE, for Trout, Soles, &c.
511. INGREDIENTS.—The spawn of 1 lobster, 1 oz. of butter, 1/2 pint of
Béchamel (No. 367), the juice of 1/2 lemon, a high seasoning of salt and
cayenne.
Mode.—Take the spawn and pound it in a mortar with the butter, until
quite smooth, and work it through a hair sieve. Put the Béchamel into a
stewpan, add the pounded spawn, the lemon-juice, which must be strained,
and a plentiful seasoning of cayenne and salt; let it just simmer, but
do not allow it to boil, or the beautiful red colour of the sauce will
be spoiled. A small spoonful of anchovy essence may be added at
pleasure.
Time.—1 minute to simmer. Average cost, for this quantity, 1s.
Sufficient for a pair of large soles.
Seasonable at any time.
SAUCE A LA MATELOTE, for Fish.
512. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 pint of Espagnole (No. 411), 3 onions, 2
tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, 1/2 glass of port wine, a bunch of
sweet herbs, 1/2 bay-leaf, salt and pepper to taste, 1 clove, 2 berries
of allspice, a little liquor in which the fish has been boiled,
lemon-juice, and anchovy sauce.
Mode.—Slice and fry the onions of a nice brown colour, and put them
into a stewpan with the Espagnole, ketchup, wine, and a little liquor in
which the fish has been boiled. Add the seasoning, herbs, and spices,
and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring well the whole time; strain
it through a fine hair sieve, put in the lemon-juice and anchovy sauce,
and pour it over the fish. This sauce may be very much enriched by
adding a few small quenelles, or forcemeat balls made of fish, and also
glazed onions or mushrooms. These, however, should not be added to the
matelote till it is dished.
Time.—10 minutes. Average cost, 1s. 6d.
Seasonable at any time.
Note.—This sauce originally took its name as being similar to that
which the French sailor (matelot) employed as a relish to the fish he
caught and ate. In some cases, cider and perry were substituted for the
wine. The Norman matelotes were very celebrated.
[Illustration: THE BAY.]
THE BAY.—We have already described (see No. 180) the difference
between the cherry-laurel (Prunus Laurus cerasus) and the
classic laurel (Laurus nobilis), the former only being used
for culinary purposes. The latter beautiful evergreen was
consecrated by the ancients to priests and heroes, and used in
their sacrifices. "A crown of bay" was the earnestly-desired
reward for great enterprises, and for the display of uncommon
genius in oratory or writing. It was more particularly sacred to
Apollo, because, according to the fable, the nymph Daphne was
changed into a laurel-tree. The ancients believed, too, that the
laurel had the power of communicating the gift of prophecy, as
well as poetic genius; and, when they wished to procure pleasant
dreams, would place a sprig under the pillow of their bed. It
was the symbol, too, of victory, and it was thought that the
laurel could never be struck by lightning. From this word comes
that of "laureate;" Alfred Tennyson being the present poet
laureate, crowned with laurel as the first of living bards.
SAUCE PIQUANTE, for Cutlets, Roast Meat, &c.
513. INGREDIENTS.—2 oz. of butter, 1 small carrot, 6 shalots, 1 small
bunch of savoury herbs, including parsley, 1/2 a bay-leaf, 2 slices of
lean ham, 2 cloves, 6 peppercorns, 1 blade of mace, 3 whole allspice, 4
tablespoonfuls of vinegar, 1/2 pint of stock (No. 104 or 105), 1 small
lump of sugar, 1/4 saltspoonful of cayenne, salt to taste.
Mode.—Put into a stewpan the butter, with the carrot and shalots,
both of which must be cut into small slices; add the herbs, bay-leaf,
spices, and ham (which must be minced rather finely), and let these
ingredients simmer over a slow fire, until the bottom of the stewpan is
covered with a brown glaze. Keep stirring with a wooden spoon, and put
in the remaining ingredients. Simmer very gently for 1/4 hour, skim off
every particle of fat, strain the sauce through a sieve, and serve very
hot. Care must be taken that this sauce be not made too acid, although
it should possess a sharpness indicated by its name. Of course the above
quantity of vinegar may be increased or diminished at pleasure,
according to taste.
Time.—Altogether 1/2 hour. Average cost, 10d.
Sufficient for a medium-sized dish of cutlets.
Seasonable at any time.
514. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 lb. of butter, 1/4 lb. of pounded sugar, a
wineglassful of brandy or rum.
Mode.—Beat the butter to a cream, until no lumps remain; add the
pounded sugar, and brandy or rum; stir once or twice until the whole is
thoroughly mixed, and serve. This sauce may either be poured round the
pudding or served in a tureen, according to the taste or fancy of the
cook or mistress.
Average cost, 8d. for this quantity.
Sufficient for a pudding.
SAUCE ROBERT, for Steaks, &c.
515. INGREDIENTS.—2 oz. of butter, 3 onions, 1 teaspoonful of flour, 4
tablespoonfuls of gravy, or stock No. 105, salt and pepper to taste, 1
teaspoonful of made mustard, 1 teaspoonful of vinegar, the juice of 1/2
lemon.
Mode.—Put the butter into a stewpan, set it on the fire, and, when
browning, throw in the onions, which must be cut into small slices. Fry
them brown, but do not burn them; add the flour, shake the onions in it,
and give the whole another fry. Put in the gravy and seasoning, and boil
it gently for 10 minutes; skim off the fat, add the mustard, vinegar,
and lemon-juice; give it one boil, and pour round the steaks, or
whatever dish the sauce has been prepared for.
Time.—-Altogether 1/2 hour. Average cost, for this quantity, 6d.
Seasonable at any time.
Sufficient for about 2 lbs. of steak.
Note.—This sauce will be found an excellent accompaniment to roast
goose, pork, mutton cutlets, and various other dishes.
516. INGREDIENTS.—1 oz. of whole black pepper, 1/2 oz. of allspice, 1
oz. of salt, 1/2 oz. grated horseradish, 1/2 oz. of pickled shalots, 1
pint of mushroom ketchup or walnut pickle.
Mode.—Pound all the ingredients finely in a mortar, and put them into
the ketchup or walnut-liquor. Let them stand for a fortnight, when
strain off the liquor and bottle for use. Either pour a little of the
sauce over the steaks or mix it in the gravy.
Seasonable.—This can be made at any time.
Note.—In using a jar of pickled walnuts, there is frequently left a
large quantity of liquor; this should be converted into a sauce like the
above, and will be found a very useful relish.
THE GROWTH OF THE PEPPER-PLANT.—Our readers will see at Nos.
369 and 399, a description, with engravings, of the qualities of
black and long pepper, and an account of where these spices are
found. We will here say something of the manner of the growth of
the pepper-plant. Like the vine, it requires support, and it is
usual to plant a thorny tree by its side, to which it may cling.
In Malabar, the chief pepper district of India, the jacca-tree
(Artocarpus integrifolia) is made thus to yield its
assistance, the same soil being adapted to the growth of both
plants. The stem of the pepper-plant entwines round its support
to a considerable height; the flexile branches then droop
downwards, bearing at their extremities, as well as at other
parts, spikes of green flowers, which are followed by the
pungent berries. These hang in large bunches, resembling in
shape those of grapes; but the fruit grows distinct, each on a
little stalk, like currants. Each berry contains a single seed,
of a globular form and brownish colour, but which changes to a
nearly black when dried; and this is the pepper of commerce. The
leaves are not unlike those of the ivy, but are larger and of
rather lighter colour; they partake strongly of the peculiar
smell and pungent taste of the berry.
SAUCE TOURNEE.
517. INGREDIENTS.—1 pint of white stock (No. 107), thickening of flour
and butter, or white roux (No. 526), a faggot of savoury herbs,
including parsley, 6 chopped mushrooms, 6 green onions.
Mode.—Put the stock into a stewpan with the herbs, onions, and
mushrooms, and let it simmer very gently for about 1/2 hour; stir in
sufficient thickening to make it of a proper consistency; let it boil
for a few minutes, then skim off all the fat, strain and serve. This
sauce, with the addition of a little cream, is now frequently called
velouté.
Time.—1/2 hour. Average cost, for this quantity, 6d.
Note.—If poultry trimmings are at hand, the stock should be made of
these; and the above sauce should not be made too thick, as it does not
then admit of the fat being nicely removed.
SWEET SAUCE, for Venison.
518. INGREDIENTS.—A small jar of red-currant jelly, 1 glass of port
wine.
Mode.—Put the above ingredients into a stewpan, set them over the
fire, and, when melted, pour in a tureen and serve. It should not be
allowed to boil.
Time.—5 minutes to melt the jelly.
Average cost, for this quantity, 1s.
519. INGREDIENTS.—1 glass of port wine, 1 tablespoonful of Leamington
sauce (No. 459), 1 tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, 1 tablespoonful of
lemon-juice, 1 slice of lemon-peel, 1 large shalot cut in slices, 1
blade of mace, cayenne to taste.
Mode.—Put all the ingredients into a stewpan, set it over the fire,
and let it simmer for about 5 minutes; then strain and serve the sauce
in a tureen.
Time.—5 minutes. Average cost, for this quantity, 8d.
SAUSAGE-MEAT STUFFING, for Turkey.
520. INGREDIENTS.—6 oz. of lean pork, 6 oz. of fat pork, both weighed
after being chopped (beef suet may be substituted for the latter), 2 oz.
of bread crumbs, 1 small tablespoonful of minced sage, 1 blade of
pounded mace, salt and pepper to taste, 1 egg.
Mode.—Chop the meat and fat very finely, mix with them the other
ingredients, taking care that the whole is thoroughly incorporated.
Moisten with the egg, and the stuffing will be ready for use. Equal
quantities of this stuffing and forcemeat, No. 417, will be found to
answer very well, as the herbs, lemon-peel, &c. in the latter, impart a
very delicious flavour to the sausage-meat. As preparations, however,
like stuffings and forcemeats, are matters to be decided by individual
tastes, they must be left, to a great extent, to the discrimination of
the cook, who should study her employer's taste in this, as in every
other respect.
Average cost, 9d.
Sufficient for a small turkey.
521. INGREDIENTS.—3 lbs. of shin of beef, 1 calf's-foot, 3 lbs. of
knuckle of veal, poultry trimmings (if for game pies, any game
trimmings), 2 onions stuck with cloves, 2 carrots, 4 shalots, a bunch of
savoury herbs, 2 bay-leaves; when liked, 2 blades of mace and a little
spice; 2 slices of lean ham, rather more than 2 quarts of water.
Mode.—Cut up the meat and put it into a stewpan with all the
ingredients except the water; set it over a slow fire to draw down, and,
when the gravy ceases to flow from the meat, pour in the water. Let it
boil up, then carefully take away all scum from the top. Cover the
stewpan closely, and let the stock simmer very gently for 4 hours: if
rapidly boiled, the jelly will not be clear. When done, strain it
through a fine sieve or flannel bag; and when cold, the jelly should be
quite transparent. If this is not the case, clarify it with the whites
of eggs, as described in recipe No. 109.
Time.—4 hours. Average cost, for this quantity, 5s.
SHRIMP SAUCE, for Various Kinds of Fish.
522. INGREDIENTS.—1/3 pint of melted butter (No. 376), 1/4 pint of
picked shrimps, cayenne to taste.
Mode.—Make the melted butter very smoothly by recipe No. 376, shell
the shrimps (sufficient to make 1/4 pint when picked), and put them into
the butter; season with cayenne, and let the sauce just simmer, but do
not allow it to boil. When liked, a teaspoonful of anchovy sauce may be
added.
Time.—1 minute to simmer. Average cost, 6d.
Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons.
523. INGREDIENTS.—2 handfuls of spinach.
Mode.—Pick and wash the spinach free from dirt, and pound the leaves
in a mortar to extract the juice; then press it through a hair sieve,
and put the juice into a small stewpan or jar. Place this in a bain
marie, or saucepan of boiling water, and let it set. Watch it closely,
as it should not boil; and, as soon as it is done, lay it in a sieve, so
that all the water may drain from it, and the green will then be ready
for colouring. If made according to this recipe, the spinach-green will
be found far superior to that boiled in the ordinary way.
HOT SPICE, a Delicious Adjunct to Chops, Steaks, Gravies, &c.
524. INGREDIENTS.—3 drachms each of ginger, black pepper, and cinnamon,
7 cloves, 1/2 oz. mace, 1/4 oz. of cayenne, 1 oz. grated nutmeg, 1-1/2
oz. white pepper.
Mode.—Pound the ingredients, and mix them thoroughly together, taking
care that everything is well blended. Put the spice in a very dry glass
bottle for use. The quantity of cayenne may be increased, should the
above not be enough to suit the palate.
[Illustration: CINNAMON.]
CINNAMON.—The cinnamon-tree (Laurus Cinnamomum) is a valuable
and beautiful species of the laurel family, and grows to the
height of 20 or 30 feet. The trunk is short and straight, with
wide-spreading branches, and it has a smooth ash-like bark. The
leaves are upon short stalks, and are of an oval shape, and 3 to
5 inches long. The flowers are in panicles, with six small
petals, and the fruit is about the size of an olive, soft,
insipid, and of a deep blue. This incloses a nut, the kernel of
which germinates soon after it falls. The wood of the tree is
white and not very solid, and its root is thick and branching,
exuding a great quantity of camphor. The inner bark of the tree
forms the cinnamon of commerce. Ceylon was thought to be its
native island; but it has been found in Malabar, Cochin-China,
Sumatra, and the Eastern Islands; also in the Brazils, the
Mauritius, Jamaica, and other tropical localities.
BROWN ROUX, a French Thickening for Gravies and Sauces.
525. INGREDIENTS.—6 oz. of butter, 9 oz. of flour.
Mode.—Melt the butter in a stewpan over a slow fire, and dredge in,
very gradually, the flour; stir it till of a light-brown colour—to
obtain this do it very slowly, otherwise the flour will burn and impart
a bitter taste to the sauce it is mixed with. Pour it in a jar, and keep
it for use: it will remain good some time.
Time.—About 1/2 hour. Average cost, 7d.
WHITE ROUX, for thickening White Sauces.
526. Allow the same proportions of butter and flour as in the preceding
recipe, and proceed in the same manner as for brown roux, but do not
keep it on the fire too long, and take care not to let it colour. This
is used for thickening white sauce. Pour it into a jar to use when
wanted.
Time.—1/4 hour. Average cost, 7d.
Sufficient,—A dessertspoonful will thicken a pint of gravy.
Note.—Besides the above, sauces may be thickened with potato flour,
ground rice, baked flour, arrowroot, &c.: the latter will be found far
preferable to the ordinary flour for white sauces. A slice of bread,
toasted and added to gravies, answers the two purposes of thickening and
colouring them.
527. INGREDIENTS.—Onions, vinegar; salt and cayenne to taste.
Mode.—Cut the onions in thin slices; put a layer of them in the
bottom of a jar; sprinkle with salt and cayenne; then add another layer
of onions, and season as before. Proceeding in this manner till the jar
is full, pour in sufficient vinegar to cover the whole, and the pickle
will be fit for use in a month.
Seasonable.—May be had in England from September to February.
STORE SAUCE, or CHEROKEE.
528. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 oz. of cayenne pepper, 5 cloves of garlic, 2
tablespoonfuls of soy, 1 tablespoonful of walnut ketchup, 1 pint of
vinegar.
Mode.—Boil all the ingredients gently for about 1/2 hour; strain
the liquor, and bottle off for use.
Time.—1/2 hour.
Seasonable.—This sauce can be made at any time.
TOMATO SAUCE—HOT, to serve with Cutlets, Roast Meats, &c.
529. INGREDIENTS.—6 tomatoes, 2 shalots, 1 clove, 1 blade of mace, salt
and cayenne to taste, 1/4 pint of gravy, No. 436, or stock No. 104.
Mode.—Cut the tomatoes in two, and squeeze the juice and seeds out;
put them in a stewpan with all the ingredients, and let them simmer
gently until the tomatoes are tender enough to pulp; rub the whole
through a sieve, boil it for a few minutes, and serve. The shalots and
spices may be omitted when their flavour is objected to.
Time.—1 hour, or rather more, to simmer the tomatoes.
Average cost, for this quantity, 1s.
In full season in September and October.
[Illustration: THE TOMATO.]
TOMATO, OR LOVE-APPLE.—The plant which bears this fruit is a
native of South America, and takes its name from a Portuguese
word. The tomato fruit is about the size of a small potato, and
is chiefly used in soups, sauces, and gravies. It is sometimes
served to table roasted or boiled, and when green, makes a good
ketchup or pickle. In its unripe state, it is esteemed as
excellent sauce for roast goose or pork, and when quite ripe, a
good store sauce may be prepared from it.
TOMATO SAUCE FOR KEEPING (Excellent).
I.
530. INGREDIENTS.—To every quart of tomato-pulp allow 1 pint of cayenne
vinegar (No. 386), 3/4 oz. of shalots, 3/4 oz. of garlic, peeled and cut
in slices; salt to taste. To every six quarts of liquor, 1 pint of soy,
1 pint of anchovy sauce.
Mode.—Gather the tomatoes quite ripe; bake them in a slow oven till
tender; rub them through a sieve, and to every quart of pulp add cayenne
vinegar, shalots, garlic, and salt, in the above proportion; boil the
whole together till the garlic and shalots are quite soft; then rub it
through a sieve, put it again into a saucepan, and, to every six quarts
of the liquor, add 1 pint of soy and the same quantity of anchovy sauce,
and boil altogether for about 20 minutes; bottle off for use, and
carefully seal or rosin the corks. This will keep good for 2 or 3 years,
but will be fit for use in a week. A useful and less expensive sauce may
be made by omitting the anchovy and soy.
Time.—Altogether 1 hour.
Seasonable.—Make this from the middle of September to the end of
October.
531. INGREDIENTS.—1 dozen tomatoes, 2 teaspoonfuls of the best powdered
ginger, 1 dessertspoonful of salt, 1 head of garlic chopped fine, 2
tablespoonfuls of vinegar, 1 dessertspoonful of Chili vinegar (a small
quantity of cayenne may be substituted for this).
Mode.—Choose ripe tomatoes, put them into a stone jar, and stand them
in a cool oven until quite tender; when cold, take the skins and stalks
from them, mix the pulp with the liquor which is in the jar, but do not
strain it; add all the other ingredients, mix well together, and put it
into well-sealed bottles. Stored away in a cool dry place, it will keep
good for years. It is ready for use as soon as made, but the flavour is
better after a week or two. Should it not appear to keep, turn it out,
and boil it up with a little additional ginger and cayenne. For
immediate use, the skins should be put into a wide-mouthed bottle with a
little of the different ingredients, and they will be found very nice
for hashes or stews.
Time.—4 or 5 hours in a cool oven.
Seasonable from the middle of September to the end of October.
532. INGREDIENTS.—3 dozen tomatoes; to every pound of tomato-pulp allow
1 pint of Chili vinegar, 1 oz. of garlic, 1 oz. of shalot, 2 oz. of
salt, 1 large green capsicum, 1/2 teaspoonful of cayenne, 2 pickled
gherkins, 6 pickled onions, 1 pint of common vinegar, and the juice of 6
lemons.
Mode.—Choose the tomatoes when quite ripe and red; put them in a jar
with a cover to it, and bake them till tender. The better way is to put
them in the oven overnight, when it will not be too hot, and examine
them in the morning to see if they are tender. Do not allow them to
remain in the oven long enough to break them; but they should be
sufficiently soft to skin nicely and rub through the sieve. Measure the
pulp, and to each pound of pulp, add the above proportion of vinegar and
other ingredients, taking care to chop very fine the garlic, shalot,
capsicum, onion, and gherkins. Boil the whole together till everything
is tender; then again rub it through a sieve, and add the lemon-juice.
Now boil the whole again till it becomes as thick as cream, and keep
continually stirring; bottle it when quite cold, cork well, and seal the
corks. If the flavour of garlic and shalot is very much disliked,
diminish the quantities.
Time.—Bake the tomatoes in a cool oven all night.
Seasonable from the middle of September to the end of October.
Note.—A quantity of liquor will flow from the tomatoes, which must be
put through the sieve with the rest. Keep it well stirred while on the
fire, and use a wooden spoon.
533. INGREDIENTS.—To 6 quarts of vinegar allow 1 lb. of salt, 1/4 lb.
of ginger, 1 oz. of mace, 1/2 lb. of shalots, 1 tablespoonful of
cayenne, 2 oz. of mustard-seed, 1-1/2 oz. of turmeric.
Mode.—Boil all the ingredients together for about 20 minutes; when
cold, put them into a jar with whatever vegetables you choose, such as
radish-pods, French beans, cauliflowers, gherkins, &c. &c., as these
come into season; put them in fresh as you gather them, having
previously wiped them perfectly free from moisture and grit. This pickle
will be fit for use in about 8 or 9 months.
Time.—20 minutes.
Seasonable.—Make the pickle in May or June, to be ready for the
various vegetables.
Note.—As this pickle takes 2 or 3 months to make,—that is to say,
nearly that time will elapse before all the different vegetables are
added,—care must be taken to keep the jar which contains the pickle
well covered, either with a closely-fitting lid, or a piece of bladder
securely tied over, so as perfectly to exclude the air.
PICKLED WALNUTS (Very Good).
534. INGREDIENTS.—100 walnuts, salt and water. To each quart of vinegar
allow 2 oz. of whole black pepper, 1 oz. of allspice, 1 oz. of bruised
ginger.
Mode.—Procure the walnuts while young; be careful they are not woody,
and prick them well with a fork; prepare a strong brine of salt and
water (4 lbs. of salt to each gallon of water), into which put the
walnuts, letting them remain 9 days, and changing the brine every third
day; drain them off, put them on a dish, place it in the sun until they
become perfectly black, which will be in 2 or 3 days; have ready dry
jars, into which place the walnuts, and do not quite fill the jars. Boil
sufficient vinegar to cover them, for 10 minutes, with spices in the
above proportion, and pour it hot over the walnuts, which must be quite
covered with the pickle; tie down with bladder, and keep in a dry place.
They will be fit for use in a month, and will keep good 2 or 3 years.
Time.—10 minutes.
Seasonable.—Make this from the beginning to the middle of July,
before the walnuts harden.
Note.—When liked, a few shalots may be added to the vinegar, and
boiled with it.
I.
535. INGREDIENTS.—100 walnuts, 1 handful of salt, 1 quart of vinegar,
1/4 oz. of mace, 1/4 oz. of nutmeg, 1/4 oz. of cloves, 1/4 oz. of
ginger, 1/4 oz. of whole black pepper, a small piece of horseradish, 20
shalots, 1/4 lb. of anchovies, 1 pint of port wine.
Mode.—Procure the walnuts at the time you can run a pin through them,
slightly bruise, and put them into a jar with the salt and vinegar, let
them stand 8 days, stirring every day; then drain the liquor from them,
and boil it, with the above ingredients, for about 1/2 hour. It may be
strained or not, as preferred, and, if required, a little more vinegar
or wine can be added, according to taste. When bottled well, seal the
corks.
Time.—1/2 hour.
Seasonable.—Make this from the beginning to the middle of July, when
walnuts are in perfection for pickling purposes.
536. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 sieve of walnut-shells, 2 quarts of water, salt,
1/2 lb. of shalots, 1 oz. of cloves, 1 oz. of mace, 1 oz. of whole
pepper, 1 oz. of garlic.
Mode.—Put the walnut-shells into a pan, with the water, and a large
quantity of salt; let them stand for 10 days, then break the shells up
in the water, and let it drain through a sieve, putting a heavy weight
on the top to express the juice; place it on the fire, and remove all
scum that may arise. Now boil the liquor with the shalots, cloves, mace,
pepper, and garlic, and let all simmer till the shalots sink; then put
the liquor into a pan, and, when cold, bottle, and cork closely. It
should stand 6 months before using: should it ferment during that time,
it must be again boiled and skimmed.
Time.—About 3/4 hour.
Seasonable in September, when the walnut-shells are obtainable.
[Illustration: THE WALNUT.]
THE WALNUT.—This nut is a native of Persia, and was introduced
into England from France. As a pickle, it is much used in the
green state; and grated walnuts in Spain are much employed, both
in tarts and other dishes. On the continent it is occasionally
employed as a substitute for olive oil in cooking; but it is
apt, under such circumstances, to become rancid. The matter
which remains after the oil is extracted is considered highly
nutritious for poultry. It is called mare, and in Switzerland
is eaten under the name of pain amer by the poor. The oil is
frequently manufactured into a kind of soap, and the leaves and
green husks yield an extract, which, as a brown dye, is used to
stain hair, wool, and wood.
WHITE SAUCE (Good).
537. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 pint of white stock (No. 107), 1/2 pint of cream,
1 dessertspoonful of flour, salt to taste.
Mode.—Have ready a delicately-clean saucepan, into which put the
stock, which should be well flavoured with vegetables, and rather
savoury; mix the flour smoothly with the cream, add it to the stock,
season with a little salt, and boil all these ingredients very gently
for about 10 minutes, keeping them well stirred the whole time, as this
sauce is very liable to burn.
Time.—10 minutes. Average cost, 1s.
Sufficient for a pair of fowls.
Seasonable at any time.
WHITE SAUCE, made without Meat.
538. INGREDIENTS.—2 oz. of butter, 2 small onions, 1 carrot, 1/2 a
small teacupful of flour, 1 pint of new milk, salt and cayenne to taste.
Mode.—Cut up the onions and carrot very small, and put them into a
stewpan with the butter; simmer them till the butter is nearly dried up;
then stir in the flour, and add the milk; boil the whole gently until it
thickens, strain it, season with salt and cayenne, and it will be ready
to serve.
Time.—1/4 hour. Average cost, 5d.
Sufficient for a pair of fowls.
Seasonable at any time.
WHITE SAUCE (a very Simple and Inexpensive Method).
539. INGREDIENTS.—1-1/2 pint of milk, 1-1/2 oz. of rice, 1 strip of
lemon-peel, 1 small blade of pounded mace, salt and cayenne to taste.
Mode.—Boil the milk with the lemon-peel and rice until the latter is
perfectly tender, then take out the lemon-peel and pound the milk and
rice together; put it back into the stewpan to warm, add the mace and
seasoning, give it one boil, and serve. This sauce should be of the
consistency of thick cream.
Time.—About 1-1/2 hour to boil the rice.
Average cost, 4d.
Sufficient for a pair of fowls.
Seasonable at any time.
[Illustration: THE LEAMINGTON STOVE, OR KITCHENER.]
VARIOUS MODES OF COOKING MEAT.
540. In Our "INTRODUCTION TO COOKERY" (see No. 76) we have described
the gradual progress of mankind in the art of cookery, the probability
being, that the human race, for a long period, lived wholly on fruits.
Man's means of attacking animals, even if he had the desire of
slaughtering them, were very limited, until he acquired the use of arms.
He, however, made weapons for himself, and, impelled by a carnivorous
instinct, made prey of the animals that surrounded him. It is natural
that man should seek to feed on flesh; he has too small a stomach to be
supported alone by fruit, which has not sufficient nourishment to
renovate him. It is possible he might subsist on vegetables; but their
preparation needs the knowledge of art, only to be obtained after the
lapse of many centuries. Man's first weapons were the branches of trees,
which were succeeded by bows and arrows, and it is worthy of remark,
that these latter weapons have been found with the natives of all
climates and latitudes. It is singular how this idea presented itself to
individuals so differently placed.
541. BRILLAT SAVARIN says, that raw flesh has but one
inconvenience,—from its viscousness it attaches itself to the teeth. He
goes on to say, that it is not, however, disagreeable; but, when
seasoned with salt, that it is easily digested. He tells a story of a
Croat captain, whom he invited to dinner in 1815, during the occupation
of Paris by the allied troops. This officer was amazed at his host's
preparations, and said, "When we are campaigning, and get hungry, we
knock over the first animal we find, cut off a steak, powder it with
salt, which we always have in the sabretasche, put it under the saddle,
gallop over it for half a mile, and then dine like princes." Again, of
the huntsmen of Dauphiny it is said, that when they are out shooting in
September, they take with them both pepper and salt. If they kill a very
fat bird, they pluck and season it, and, after carrying it some time in
their caps, eat it. This, they declare, is the best way of serving it
up.
542. SUBSEQUENTLY TO THE CROAT MODE, which, doubtless, was in fashion in
the earlier ages of the world, fire was discovered. This was an
accident; for fire is not, although we are accustomed to call it so, an
element, or spontaneous. Many savage nations have been found utterly
ignorant of it, and many races had no other way of dressing their food
than by exposing it to the rays of the sun.
543. THE INHABITANTS OF THE MARIAN ISLANDS, which were discovered in
1521, had no idea of fire. Never was astonishment greater than theirs
when they first saw it, on the descent of Magellan, the navigator, on
one of their isles. At first they thought it a kind of animal, that
fixed itself to and fed upon wood. Some of them, who approached too
near, being burnt, the rest were terrified, and durst only look upon it
at a distance. They were afraid, they said, of being bit, or lest that
dreadful animal should wound with his violent respiration and dreadful
breath; for these were the first notions they formed of the heat and
flame. Such, too, probably, were the notions the Greeks originally
formed of them.
544. FIRE HAVING BEEN DISCOVERED, mankind endeavoured to make use of it
for drying, and afterwards for cooking their meat; but they were a
considerable time before they hit upon proper and commodious methods of
employing it in the preparation of their food.
545. MEAT, THEN, PLACED ON BURNING FUEL was found better than when raw:
it had more firmness, was eaten with less difficulty, and the ozmazome
being condensed by the carbonization, gave it a pleasing perfume and
flavour. Still, however, the meat cooked on the coal would become
somewhat befouled, certain portions of the fuel adhering to it. This
disadvantage was remedied by passing spits through it, and placing it at
a suitable height above the burning fuel. Thus grilling was invented;
and it is well known that, simple as is this mode of cookery, yet all
meat cooked in this way is richly and pleasantly flavoured. In Homer's
time, the, art of cookery had not advanced much beyond this; for we read
in the "Iliad," how the great Achilles and his friend Patroclus regaled
the three Grecian leaders on bread, wine, and broiled meat. It is
noticeable, too, that Homer does not speak of boiled meat anywhere in
his poems. Later, however, the Jews, coming out of their captivity in
Egypt, had made much greater progress. They undoubtedly possessed
kettles; and in one of these, Esau's mess of pottage, for which he sold
his birthright, must have been prepared.
546. HAVING THUS BRIEFLY TRACED A HISTORY OF GASTRONOMICAL PROGRESSES,
we will now proceed to describe the various methods of cooking meat, and
make a few observations on the chemical changes which occur in each of
the operations.
547. IN THIS COUNTRY, plain boiling, roasting, and baking are the usual
methods of cooking animal food. To explain the philosophy of these
simple culinary operations, we must advert to the effects that are
produced by heat on the principal constituents of flesh. When
finely-chopped mutton or beef is steeped for some time in a small
quantity of clean water, and then subjected to slight pressure, the
juice of the meat is extracted, and there is left a white tasteless
residue, consisting chiefly of muscular fibres. When this residue is
heated to between 158° and 177° Fahrenheit, the fibres shrink together,
and become hard and horny. The influence of an elevated temperature on
the soluble extract of flesh is not less remarkable. When the watery
infusion, which contains all the savoury constituents of the meat, is
gradually heated, it soon becomes turbid; and, when the temperature
reaches 133°, flakes of whitish matter separate. These flakes are
albumen, a substance precisely similar, in all its properties, to the
white of egg (see No. 101). When the temperature of the watery extract
is raised to 158°, the colouring matter of the blood coagulates, and the
liquid, which was originally tinged red by this substance, is left
perfectly clear, and almost colourless. When evaporated, even at a
gentle heat, this residual liquid gradually becomes brown, and acquires
the flavour of roast meat.
548. THESE INTERESTING FACTS, discovered in the laboratory, throw a
flood of light upon the mysteries of the kitchen. The fibres of meat are
surrounded by a liquid which contains albumen in its soluble state, just
as it exists in the unboiled egg. During the operation of boiling or
roasting, this substance coagulates, and thereby prevents the
contraction and hardening of the fibres. The tenderness of well-cooked
meat is consequently proportioned to the amount of albumen deposited in
its substance. Meat is underdone when it has been heated throughout only
to the temperature of coagulating albumen: it is thoroughly done when it
has been heated through its whole mass to the temperature at which the
colouring matter of the blood coagulates: it is overdone when the heat
has been continued long enough to harden the fibres.
549. THE JUICE OF FLESH IS WATER, holding in solution many substances
besides albumen, which are of the highest possible value as articles of
food. In preparing meat for the table, great care should be taken to
prevent the escape of this precious juice, as the succulence and
sapidity of the meat depend on its retention. The meat to be cooked
should be exposed at first to a quick heat, which immediately coagulates
the albumen on and near the surface. A kind of shell is thus formed,
which effectually retains the whole of the juice within the meat.
550. DURING THE OPERATIONS OF BOILING, BOASTING, AND BAKING, fresh beef
and mutton, when moderately fat, lose, according to Johnston, on an
average about—
In boiling. In baking. In roasting.
4 lbs. of beef lose 1 lb. 1 lb. 3 oz. 1 lb. 5 oz.
4 lbs. of mutton lose 14 oz. 1 lb. 4 oz. 1 lb. 6 oz.
[Illustration: BAKING DISH.]
551. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ROASTING MEAT AND BAKING IT, may be
generally described as consisting in the fact, that, in baking it, the
fumes caused by the operation are not carried off in the same way as
occurs in roasting. Much, however, of this disadvantage is obviated by
the improved construction of modern ovens, and of especially those in
connection with the Leamington kitchener, of which we give an engraving
here, and a full description of which will be seen at paragraph No. 65,
with the prices at which they can be purchased of Messrs. R. and J.
Slack, of the Strand. With meat baked in the generality of ovens,
however, which do not possess ventilators on the principle of this
kitchener, there is undoubtedly a peculiar taste, which does not at all
equal the flavour developed by roasting meat. The chemistry of baking
may be said to be the same as that described in roasting.
552. SHOULD THE OVEN BE VERY BRISK, it will be found necessary to cover
the joint with a piece of white paper, to prevent the meat from being
scorched and blackened outside, before the heat can penetrate into the
inside. This paper should be removed half an hour before the time of
serving dinner, so that the joint may take a good colour.
553. BY MEANS OF A JAR, many dishes, which will be enumerated under
their special heads, may be economically prepared in the oven. The
principal of these are soup, gravies, jugged hare, beef tea; and this
mode of cooking may be advantageously adopted with a ham, which has
previously been covered with a common crust of flour and water.
554. ALL DISHES PREPARED FOR BAKING should be more highly seasoned than
when intended to be roasted. There are some dishes which, it may be
said, are at least equally well cooked in the oven as by the roaster;
thus, a shoulder of mutton and baked potatoes, a fillet or breast of
veal, a sucking pig, a hare, well basted, will be received by
connoisseurs as well, when baked, as if they had been roasted. Indeed,
the baker's oven, or the family oven, may often, as has been said, be
substituted for the cook and the spit with greater economy and
convenience.
555. A BAKING-DISH, of which we give an engraving, should not be less
than 6 or 7 inches deep; so that the meat, which of course cannot be
basted, can stew in its own juices. In the recipe for each dish, full
explanations concerning any special points in relation to it will be
given.
556. BOILING, or the preparation of meat by hot water, though one of the
easiest processes in cookery, requires skilful management. Boiled meat
should be tender, savoury, and full of its own juice, or natural gravy;
but, through the carelessness and ignorance of cooks, it is too often
sent to table hard, tasteless, and innutritious. To insure a successful
result in boiling flesh, the heat of the fire must be judiciously
regulated, the proper quantity of water must be kept up in the pot, and
the scum which rises to the surface must be carefully removed.
557. MANY WRITERS ON COOKERY assert that the meat to be boiled should be
put into cold water, and that the pot should be heated gradually; but
Liebig, the highest authority on all matters connected with the
chemistry of food, has shown that meat so treated loses some of its most
nutritious constituents. "If the flesh," says the great chemist, "be
introduced into the boiler when the water is in a state of brisk
ebullition, and if the boiling be kept up for a few minutes, and the pot
then placed in a warm place, so that the temperature of the water is
kept at 158° to 165°, we have the united conditions for giving to the
flesh the qualities which best fit it for being eaten." When a piece of
meat is plunged into boiling water, the albumen which is near the
surface immediately coagulates, forming an envelope, which prevents the
escape of the internal juice, and most effectually excludes the water,
which, by mixing with this juice, would render the meat insipid. Meat
treated thus is juicy and well-flavoured, when cooked, as it retains
most of its savoury constituents. On the other hand, if the piece of
meat be set on the fire with cold water, and this slowly heated to
boiling, the flesh undergoes a loss of soluble and nutritious
substances, while, as a matter of course, the soup becomes richer in
these matters. The albumen is gradually dissolved from the surface to
the centre; the fibre loses, more or less, its quality of shortness or
tenderness, and becomes hard and tough: the thinner the piece of meat
is, the greater is its loss of savoury constituents. In order to obtain
well-flavoured and eatable meat, we must relinquish the idea of making
good soup from it, as that mode of boiling which yields the best soup
gives the driest, toughest, and most vapid meat. Slow boiling whitens
the meat; and, we suspect, that it is on this account that it is in such
favour with the cooks. The wholesomeness of food is, however, a matter
of much greater moment than the appearance it presents on the table. It
should be borne in mind, that the whiteness of meat that has been boiled
slowly, is produced by the loss of some important alimentary properties.
558. THE OBJECTIONS WE HAVE RAISED to the practice of putting meat on
the fire in cold water, apply with equal force to the practice of
soaking meat before cooking it, which is so strongly recommended by some
cooks. Fresh meat ought never to be soaked, as all its most nutritive
constituents are soluble in water. Soaking, however, is an operation
that cannot be entirely dispensed with in the preparation of animal
food. Salted and dried meats require to be soaked for some time in water
before they are cooked.
559. FOR BOILING MEAT, the softer the water is, the better. When spring
water is boiled, the chalk which gives to it the quality of hardness, is
precipitated. This chalk stains the meat, and communicates to it an
unpleasant earthy taste. When nothing but hard water can be procured, it
should be softened by boiling it for an hour or two before it is used
for culinary purposes.
560. THE FIRE MUST BE WATCHED with great attention during the operation
of boiling, so that its heat may be properly regulated. As a rule, the
pot should be kept in a simmering state; a result which cannot be
attained without vigilance.
561. THE TEMPERATURE AT WHICH WATER BOILS, under usual circumstances, is
212° Fahr. Water does not become hotter after it has begun to boil,
however long or with whatever violence the boiling is continued. This
fact is of great importance in cookery, and attention to it will save
much fuel. Water made to boil in a gentle way by the application of a
moderate heat is just as hot as when it is made to boil on a strong fire
with the greatest possible violence. When once water has been brought to
the boiling point, the fire may be considerably reduced, as a very
gentle heat will suffice to keep the water at its highest temperature.
562. THE SCUM WHICH RISES to the surface of the pot during the operation
of boiling must be carefully removed, otherwise it will attach itself to
the meat, and thereby spoil its appearance. The cook must not neglect to
skim during the whole process, though by far the greater part of the
scum rises at first. The practice of wrapping meat in a cloth may be
dispensed with if the skimming be skillfully managed. If the scum be
removed as fast as it rises, the meat will be cooked clean and pure, and
come out of the vessel in which it was boiled, much more delicate and
firm than when cooked in a cloth.
563. WHEN TAKEN FROM THE POT, the meat must be wiped with a clean cloth,
or, what will be found more convenient, a sponge previously dipped in
water and wrung dry. The meat should not be allowed to stand a moment
longer than necessary, as boiled meat, as well as roasted, cannot be
eaten too hot.
564. THE TIME ALLOWED FOR THE OPERATION OF BOILING must be regulated
according to the size and quality of the meat. As a general rule, twenty
minutes, reckoning from the moment when the boiling commences, may be
allowed for every pound of meat. All the best authorities, however,
agree in this, that the longer the boiling the more perfect the
operation.
565. A FEW OBSERVATIONS ON THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF SALTED MEAT may be
properly introduced in this place. Every housewife knows that dry salt
in contact with fresh meat gradually becomes fluid brine. The
application of salt causes the fibres of the meat to contract, and the
juice to flow out from its pores: as much as one-third of the juice of
the meat is often forced out in this manner. Now, as this juice is pure
extract of meat, containing albumen, osmazome, and other valuable
principles, it follows that meat which has been preserved by the action
of salt can never have the nutritive properties of fresh meat.
566. THE VESSELS USED FOR BOILING should be made of cast-iron, well
tinned within, and provided with closely-fitting lids. They must be kept
scrupulously clean, otherwise they will render the meat cooked in them
unsightly and unwholesome. Copper pans, if used at all, should be
reserved for operations that are performed with rapidity; as, by long
contact with copper, food may become dangerously contaminated. The
kettle in which a joint is dressed should be large enough to allow room
for a good supply of water; if the meat be cramped and be surrounded
with but little water, it will be stewed, not boiled.
567. IN STEWING, IT IS NOT REQUISITE to have so great a heat as in
boiling. A gentle simmering in a small quantity of water, so that the
meat is stewed almost in its own juices, is all that is necessary. It is
a method much used on the continent, and is wholesome and economical.
[Illustration: BOILING-POT.]
[Illustration: STEWPAN.]
Two useful culinary vessels are represented above. One is a
boiling-pot, in which large joints may be boiled; the other is a
stewpan, with a closely-fitting lid, to which is attached a long
handle; so that the cover can be removed without scalding the
fingers.
[Illustration: HOT-PLATE.]
568. THE HOT-PLATE is a modern improvement on the old kitchen ranges,
being used for boiling and stewing. It is a plate of cast iron, having a
closed fire burning beneath it, by which it is thoroughly well heated.
On this plate are set the various saucepans, stewpans, &c.; and, by this
convenient and economical method, a number of dishes may be prepared at
one time. The culinary processes of braising and stewing are, in this
manner, rendered more gradual, and consequently the substance acted on
becomes more tender, and the gravy is not so much reduced.
[Illustration: REVOLVING GRIDIRON.]
569. GENERALLY SPEAKING, small dishes only are prepared by this mode of
cooking; amongst these, the beef-steak and mutton chop of the solitary
English diner may be mentioned as celebrated all the world over. Our
beef-steak, indeed, has long crossed the Channel; and, with a view of
pleasing the Britons, there is in every carte at every French
restaurant, by the side of à la Marengo, and à la Mayonnaise,—bifteck
d'Angleterre. In order to succeed in a broil, the cook must have a
bright, clear fire; so that the surface of the meat may be quickly heated.
The result of this is the same as that obtained in roasting; namely, that
a crust, so to speak, is formed outside, and thus the juices of the meat
are retained. The appetite of an invalid, so difficult to minister to, is
often pleased with a broiled dish, as the flavour and sapidity of the meat
are so well preserved.
570. THE UTENSILS USED FOR BROILING need but little description. The
common gridiron, for which see engraving at No. 68, is the same as it
has been for ages past, although some little variety has been introduced
into its manufacture, by the addition of grooves to the bars, by means
of which the liquid fat is carried into a small trough. One point it is
well to bear in mind, viz., that the gridiron should be kept in a
direction slanting towards the cook, so that as little fat as possible
may fall into the fire. It has been observed, that broiling is the most
difficult manual office the general cook has to perform, and one that
requires the most unremitting attention; for she may turn her back upon
the stewpan or the spit, but the gridiron can never be left with
impunity. The revolving gridiron, shown in the engraving, possesses some
advantages of convenience, which will be at once apparent.
[Illustration: SAUTÉ PAN.]
571. THIS VERY FAVOURITE MODE OF COOKING may be accurately described as
boiling in fat or oil. Substances dressed in this way are generally well
received, for they introduce an agreeable variety, possessing, as they
do, a peculiar flavour. By means of frying, cooks can soon satisfy many
requisitions made on them, it being a very expeditious mode of preparing
dishes for the table, and one which can be employed when the fire is not
sufficiently large for the purposes of roasting and boiling. The great
point to be borne in mind in frying, is that the liquid must be hot
enough to act instantaneously, as all the merit of this culinary
operation lies in the invasion of the boiling liquid, which carbonizes
or burns, at the very instant of the immersion of the body placed in it.
It may be ascertained if the fat is heated to the proper degree, by
cutting a piece of bread and dipping it in the frying-pan for five or
six seconds; and if it be firm and of a dark brown when taken out, put
in immediately what you wish to prepare; if it be not, let the fat be
heated until of the right temperature. This having been effected,
moderate the fire, so that the action may not be too hurried, and that
by a continuous heat the juices of the substance may be preserved, and
its flavour enhanced.
572. THE PHILOSOPHY OF FRYING consists in this, that liquids subjected
to the action of fire do not all receive the same quantity of heat.
Being differently constituted in their nature, they possess different
"capacities for caloric." Thus, you may, with impunity, dip your finger
in boiling spirits of wine; you would take it very quickly from boiling
brandy, yet more rapidly from water; whilst the effects of the most
rapid immersion in boiling oil need not be told. As a consequence of
this, heated fluids act differently on the sapid bodies presented to
them. Those put in water, dissolve, and are reduced to a soft mass; the
result being bouillon, stock, &c. (see No. 103). Those substances,
on the contrary, treated with oil, harden, assume a more or less deep
colour, and are finally carbonized. The reason of these different
results is, that, in the first instance, water dissolves and extracts
the interior juices of the alimentary substances placed in it; whilst,
in the second, the juices are preserved; for they are insoluble in oil.
573. IT IS TO BE ESPECIALLY REMEMBERED, in connection with frying, that
all dishes fried in fat should be placed before the fire on a piece of
blotting-paper, or sieve reversed, and there left for a few minutes, so
that any superfluous greasy moisture may be removed.
574. THE UTENSILS USED FOR THE PURPOSES OF FRYING are confined to
frying-pans, although these are of various sizes; and, for small and
delicate dishes, such as collops, fritters, pancakes, &c., the sauté
pan, of which we give an engraving, is used.
[Illustration: GAS STOVE.]
575. GAS-COOKING can scarcely now be considered a novelty,—many
establishments, both small and large, have been fitted with apparatus
for cooking by this mode, which undoubtedly exhibits some advantages.
Thus the heat may be more regularly supplied to the substance cooking,
and the operation is essentially a clean one, because there can be no
cinders or other dirt to be provided for. Some labour and attention
necessary, too, with a coal fire or close stove, may be saved; and,
besides this, it may, perhaps, be said that culinary operations are
reduced, by this means, to something like a certainty.
576. THERE ARE, HOWEVER, WE THINK, MANY OBJECTIONS to this mode of
cooking, more especially when applied to small domestic establishments.
For instance, the ingenious machinery necessary for carrying it out,
requires cooks perfectly conversant with its use; and if the gas, when
the cooking operations are finished, be not turned off, there will be a
large increase in the cost of cooking, instead of the economy which it
has been supposed to bring. For large establishments, such as some of
the immense London warehouses, where a large number of young men have to
be catered for daily, it may be well adapted, as it is just possible
that a slight increase in the supply of gas necessary for a couple of
joints, may serve equally to cook a dozen dishes.
577. OF THE VARIOUS METHODS OF PREPARING MEAT, ROASTING is that which
most effectually preserves its nutritive qualities. Meat is roasted by
being exposed to the direct influence of the fire. This is done by
placing the meat before an open grate, and keeping it in motion to
prevent the scorching on any particular part. When meat is properly
roasted, the outer layer of its albumen is coagulated, and thus presents
a barrier to the exit of the juice. In roasting meat, the heat must be
strongest at first, and it should then be much reduced. To have a good
juicy roast, therefore, the fire must be red and vigorous at the very
commencement of the operation. In the most careful roasting, some of the
juice is squeezed out of the meat: this evaporates on the surface of the
meat, and gives it a dark brown colour, a rich lustre, and a strong
aromatic taste. Besides these effects on the albumen and the expelled
juice, roasting converts the cellular tissue of the meat into gelatine,
and melts the fat out of the fat-cells.
578. IF A SPIT is used to support the meat before the fire, it should be
kept quite bright. Sand and water ought to be used to scour it with, for
brickdust and oil may give a disagreeable taste to the meat. When well
scoured, it must be wiped quite dry with a clean cloth; and, in spitting
the meat, the prime parts should be left untouched, so as to avoid any
great escape of its juices.
579. KITCHENS IN LARGE ESTABLISHMENTS are usually fitted with what are
termed "smoke-jacks." By means of these, several spits, if required, may
be turned at the same time. This not being, of course, necessary in
smaller establishments, a roasting apparatus, more economical in its
consumption of coal, is more frequently in use.
[Illustration: BOTTLE-JACK, WITH WHEEL AND HOOK.]
580. THE BOTTLE-JACK, of which we here give an illustration, with the
wheel and hook, and showing the precise manner of using it, is now
commonly used in many kitchens. This consists of a spring inclosed in a
brass cylinder, and requires winding up before it is used, and
sometimes, also, during the operation of roasting. The joint is fixed to
an iron hook, which is suspended by a chain connected with a wheel, and
which, in its turn, is connected with the bottle-jack. Beneath it stands
the dripping-pan, which we have also engraved, together with the
basting-ladle, the use of which latter should not be spared; as there
can be no good roast without good basting. "Spare the rod, and spoil the
child," might easily be paraphrased into "Spare the basting, and spoil
the meat." If the joint is small and light, and so turns unsteadily,
this may be remedied by fixing to the wheel one of the kitchen weights.
Sometimes this jack is fixed inside a screen; but there is this
objection to this apparatus,—that the meat cooked in it resembles the
flavour of baked meat. This is derived from its being so completely
surrounded with the tin, that no sufficient current of air gets to it.
It will be found preferable to make use of a common meat-screen, such as
is shown in the woodcut. This contains shelves for warming plates and
dishes; and with this, the reflection not being so powerful, and more
air being admitted to the joint, the roast may be very excellently
cooked.
[Illustration: DRIPPING-PAN AND BASTING-LADLE.]
581. IN STIRRING THE FIRE, or putting fresh coals on it, the
dripping-pan should always be drawn back, so that there may be no danger
of the coal, cinders, or ashes falling down into it.
582. UNDER EACH PARTICULAR RECIPE there is stated the time required for
roasting each joint; but, as a general rule, it may be here given, that
for every pound of meat, in ordinary-sized joints, a quarter of an hour
may be allotted.
[Illustration: HEAT-SCREEN.]
583. WHITE MEATS, AND THE MEAT OF YOUNG ANIMALS, require to be very well
roasted, both to be pleasant to the palate and easy of digestion. Thus
veal, pork, and lamb, should be thoroughly done to the centre.
584. MUTTON AND BEEF, on the other hand, do not, generally speaking,
require to be so thoroughly done, and they should be dressed to the
point, that, in carving them, the gravy should just run, but not too
freely. Of course in this, as in most other dishes, the tastes of
individuals vary; and there are many who cannot partake, with
satisfaction, of any joint unless it is what others would call
overdressed.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
QUADRUPEDS.
585. BY THE GENERAL ASSENT OF MANKIND, THE EMPIRE OF NATURE has been
divided into three kingdoms; the first consisting of minerals, the
second of vegetables, and the third of animals. The Mineral Kingdom
comprises all substances which are without those organs necessary to
locomotion, and the due performance of the functions of life. They are
composed of the accidental aggregation of particles, which, under
certain circumstances, take a constant and regular figure, but which are
more frequently found without any definite conformation. They also
occupy the interior parts of the earth, as well as compose those huge
masses by which we see the land in some parts guarded against the
encroachments of the sea. The Vegetable Kingdom covers and beautifies
the earth with an endless variety of form and colour. It consists of
organized bodies, but destitute of the power of locomotion. They are
nourished by means of roots; they breathe by means of leaves; and
propagate by means of seed, dispersed within certain limits. The Animal
Kingdom consists of sentient beings, that enliven the external parts of
the earth. They possess the powers of voluntary motion, respire air, and
are forced into action by the cravings of hunger or the parching of
thirst, by the instincts of animal passion, or by pain. Like the
vegetable kingdom, they are limited within the boundaries of certain
countries by the conditions of climate and soil; and some of the species
prey upon each other. Linnaeus has divided them into six
classes;—Mammalia, Birds, Fishes, Amphibious Animals, Insects, and
Worms. The three latter do not come within the limits of our domain; of
fishes we have already treated, of birds we shall treat, and of mammalia
we will now treat.
586. THIS CLASS OF ANIMALS embraces all those that nourish their young
by means of lacteal glands, or teats, and are so constituted as to have
a warm or red blood. In it the whale is placed,—an order which, from
external habits, has usually been classed with the fishes; but, although
this animal exclusively inhabits the water, and is supplied with fins,
it nevertheless exhibits a striking alliance to quadrupeds. It has warm
blood, and produces its young alive; it nourishes them with milk, and,
for that purpose, is furnished with teats. It is also supplied with
lungs, and two auricles and two ventricles to the heart; all of which
bring it still closer into an alliance with the quadrupedal species of
the animal kingdom.
587. THE GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MAMMALIA have been frequently
noticed. The bodies of nearly the whole species are covered with hair, a
kind of clothing which is both soft and warm, little liable to injury,
and bestowed in proportion to the necessities of the animal and the
nature of the climate it inhabits. In all the higher orders of animals,
the head is the principal seat of the organs of sense. It is there that
the eyes, the ears, the nose, and the mouth are placed. Through the last
they receive their nourishment. In it are the teeth, which, in most of
the mammalia, are used not only for the mastication of food, but as
weapons of offence. They are inserted into two movable bones called
jaws, and the front teeth are so placed that their sharp edges may
easily be brought in contact with their food, in order that its fibres
may readily be separated. Next to these, on each side, are situated the
canine teeth, or tusks, which are longer than the other teeth, and,
being pointed, are used to tear the food. In the back jaws are placed
another form of teeth, called grinders. These are for masticating the
food; and in those animals that live on vegetables, they are flattened
at the top; but, in carnivora, their upper surfaces are furnished with
sharp-pointed protuberances. From the numbers, form, and disposition of
the teeth, the various genera of quadrupeds have been arranged. The
nose is a cartilaginous body, pierced with two holes, which are called
nostrils. Through these the animal is affected by the sense of smell;
and in some it is prominent, whilst in others it is flat, compressed,
turned upwards, or bent downwards. In beasts of prey, it is frequently
longer than the lips; and in some other animals it is elongated into a
movable trunk or proboscis, whilst, in the rhinoceros tribe, it is armed
with a horn. The eyes of quadrupeds are generally defended by movable
lids, on the outer margins of which are fringes of hair, called
eyelashes. The opening of the pupil is in general circular; but to some
species, as in those of the Cat and Hare, it is contracted into a
perpendicular line, whilst in the Horse, the Ox, and a few others, it
forms a transverse bar. The ears are openings, generally accompanied
with a cartilage which defends and covers them, called the external
ears. In water-animals the latter are wanting; sound, in them, being
transmitted merely through orifices in the head, which have the name of
auditory-holes. The most defenceless animals are extremely delicate in
the sense of hearing, as are likewise most beasts of prey. Most of the
mammiferous animals walk on four feet, which, at the extremities, are
usually divided into toes or fingers. In some, however, the feet end in
a single corneous substance called a hoof. The toes of a few end in
broad, flat nails, and of most others, in pointed claws. Some, again,
have the toes connected by a membrane, which is adapted to those that
are destined to pass a considerable portion of their lives in water.
Others, again, as in the Bat, have the digitations of the anterior feet
greatly elongated, the intervening space being filled by a membrane,
which extends round the hinder legs and tail, and by means of which they
are enabled to rise into the air. In Man, the hand alone comprises
fingers, separate, free, and flexible; but Apes, and some other kinds of
animals, have fingers both to the hands and feet. These, therefore, are
the only animals that can hold movable objects in a single hand. Others,
such as Rats and Squirrels, have the fingers sufficiently small and
flexible to enable them to pick up objects; but they are compelled to
hold them in both hands. Others, again, have the toes shorter, and must
rest on the fore-feet, as is the case with dogs and cats when they wish
to hold a substance firmly on the ground with their paws. There are
still others that have their toes united and drawn under the skin, or
enveloped in corneous hoofs, and are thereby enabled to exercise no
prehensile power whatever.
588. ACCORDING TO THE DESIGN AND END OF NATURE, mammiferous animals are
calculated, when arrived at maturity, to subsist on various kinds of
food,—some to live wholly upon flesh, others upon grain, herbs, or
fruits; but in their infant state, milk is the appropriate food of the
whole. That this food may never fail them, it is universally ordained,
that the young should no sooner come into the world, than the milk
should flow in abundance into the members with which the mother is
supplied for the secretion of that nutritious fluid. By a wonderful
instinct of Nature, too, the young animal, almost as soon as it has come
into life, searches for the teat, and knows perfectly, at the first,
how, by the process of suction, it will be able to extract the fluid
necessary to its existence.
589. IN THE GENERAL ECONOMY OF NATURE, this class of animals seems
destined to preserve a constant equilibrium in the number of animated
beings that hold their existence on the surface of the earth. To man
they are immediately useful in various ways. Some of their bodies afford
him food, their skin shoes, and their fleece clothes. Some of them unite
with him in participating the dangers of combat with an enemy, and
others assist him in the chase, in exterminating wilder sorts, or
banishing them from the haunts of civilization. Many, indeed, are
injurious to him; but most of them, in some shape or other, he turns to
his service. Of these there is none he has made more subservient to his
purposes than the common ox, of which there is scarcely a part that he
has not been able to convert into some useful purpose. Of the horns he
makes drinking-vessels, knife-handles, combs, and boxes; and when they
are softened by means of boiling water, he fashions them into
transparent plates for lanterns. This invention is ascribed to King
Alfred, who is said to have been the first to use them to preserve his
candle time-measures from the wind. Glue is made of the cartilages,
gristles, and the finer pieces of the parings and cuttings of the hides.
Their bone is a cheap substitute for ivory. The thinnest of the
calf-skins are manufactured into vellum. Their blood is made the basis
of Prussian blue, and saddlers use a fine sort of thread prepared from
their sinews. The hair is used in various valuable manufactures; the
suet, fat, and tallow, are moulded into candles; and the milk and cream
of the cow yield butter and cheese. Thus is every part of this animal
valuable to man, who has spared no pains to bring it to the highest
state of perfection.
[Illustration: SHORT-HORN COW.]
[Illustration: SHORT-HORN BULL.]
590. AMONG THE VARIOUS BREEDS OF THE OX, upon which man has bestowed his
highest powers of culture, there is now none takes a higher place than
that known by the name of Short-Horns. From the earliest ages, Great
Britain has been distinguished for the excellence of her native breeds
of cattle, and there are none in England that have obtained greater
celebrity than those which have this name, and which originated, about
seventy years ago, on the banks of the Tees. Thence they have spread
into the valleys of the Tweed; thence to the Lothians, in Scotland; and
southward, into the fine pastures of England. They are now esteemed the
most profitable breed of cattle, as there is no animal which attains
sooner to maturity, and none that supplies meat of a superior quality.
The value of some of the improved breeds is something enormous. At the
sale of Mr. Charles Colling, a breeder in Yorkshire, in 1810, his bull
"Comet" sold for 1,000 guineas. At the sale of Earl Spencer's herd in
1846, 104 cows, heifers, and calves, with nineteen bulls, fetched
£8,468. 5s.; being an average of £68. 17s. apiece. The value of such
animals is scarcely to be estimated by those who are unacquainted with
the care with which they are tended, and with the anxious attention
which is paid to the purity of their breed. A modern writer, well
acquainted with this subject, says, "There are now, at least, five
hundred herds, large and small, in this kingdom, and from six to seven
thousand head registered every alternate year in the herd-book." The
necessity for thus recording the breeds is greater than might, at first
sight, be imagined, as it tends directly to preserve the character of
the cattle, while it sometimes adds to the value and reputation of the
animal thus entered. Besides, many of the Americans, and large
purchasers for the foreign market, will not look at an animal without
the breeder has taken care to qualify him for such reference. Of
short-horned stock, there is annually sold from £40,000 to £50,000 worth
by public auction, independent of the vast numbers disposed of by
private contract. The brood is highly prized in Belgium, Prussia,
France, Italy, and Russia; it is imported into most of the British
colonies, and is greatly esteemed both for its meat and its dairy
produce, wherever it is known. The quickness with which it takes on
flesh, and the weight which it frequently makes, are well known; but we
may mention that it is not uncommon to tee steers of from four to five
years old realize a weight of from 800 to 1,000 lbs. Such animals
command from the butcher from £30 to £40 per head, according to the
quality; whilst others, of two or three years old, and, of course, of
less Weight, bring as much as £20 apiece.
[Illustration: LONG-HORN BULL.]
[Illustration: LONG-HORN COW.]
591. LONG-HORNS.—This is the prevailing breed in our midland counties
and in Ireland; but they are greatly inferior to the short-horns, and
are fast being supplanted by them. Even where they have been cultivated
with the nicest care and brought to the greatest perfection, they are
inferior to the others, and must ultimately be driven from the farm.
[Illustration: ALDERNEY COW.]
[Illustration: ALDERNEY BULL.]
592. THE ALDERNEY.—Among the dairy breeds of England, the Alderney
takes a prominent place, not on account of the quantity of milk which it
yields, but on account of the excellent quality of the cream and butter
which are produced from it. Its docility is marvellous, and in
appearance it greatly resembles the Ayrshire breed of Scotland, the
excellence of which is supposed to be, in some degree, derived from a
mixture of the Alderney blood with that breed. The distinction between
them, however, lies both in the quantity and quality of the milk which
they severally produce; that of the Alderney being rich in quality, and
that of the Ayrshire abundant in quantity. The merit of the former,
however, ends with its milk, for as a grazer it is worthless.
[Illustration: GALLOWAY BULL.]
[Illustration: GALLOWAY COW.]
593. SCOTTISH BREEDS.—Of these the Kyloe, which belongs to the
Highlands of Scotland; the Galloway, which has been called the Kyloe
without horns; and the Ayrshire, are the breeds most celebrated. The
first has kept his place, and on account of the compactness of his form,
and the excellent quality of his flesh, he is a great favourite with
butchers who have a select family trade. It is alike unsuitable for the
dairy and the arable farm; but in its native Highlands it attains to
great perfection, thriving upon the scanty and coarse herbage which it
gathers on the sides of the mountains. The Galloway has a larger frame,
and when fattened makes excellent beef. But it has given place to the
short-horns in its native district, where turnip-husbandry is pursued
with advantage. The Ayrshire is peculiarly adapted for the dairy, and
for the abundance of its milk cannot be surpassed in its native
district. In this it stands unrivalled, and there is no other breed
capable of converting the produce of a poor soil into such fine butter
and cheese. It is difficult to fatten, however, and its beef is of a
coarse quality. We have chosen these as among the principal
representative breeds of the ox species; but there are other breeds
which, at all events, have a local if not a general celebrity.
[Illustration: SIDE OF BEEF, SHOWING THE SEVERAL JOINTS.]
594. The general Mode of Slaughtering Oxen in this country is by
striking them a smart blow with a hammer or poleaxe on the head, a
little above the eyes. By this means, when the blow is skilfully given,
the beast is brought down at one blow, and, to prevent recovery, a cane
is generally inserted, by which the spinal cord is perforated, which
instantly deprives the ox of all sensation of pain. In Spain, and some
other countries on the continent, it is also usual to deprive oxen of
life by the operation of pithing or dividing the spinal cord in the
neck, close to the back part of the head. This is, in effect, the same
mode as is practised in the celebrated Spanish bull-fights by the
matador, and it is instantaneous in depriving the animal of sensation,
if the operator be skilful. We hope and believe that those men whose
disagreeable duty it is to slaughter the "beasts of the field" to
provide meat for mankind, inflict as little punishment and cause as
little suffering as possible.
595. THE MANNER IN WHICH A SIDE OF BEEF is cut up in London, is shown in
the engraving on this page. In the metropolis, on account of the large
number of its population possessing the means to indulge in the "best of
everything," the demand for the most delicate joints of meat is great,
the price, at the same time, being much higher for these than for the
other parts. The consequence is, that in London the carcass is there
divided so as to obtain the greatest quantity of meat on the most
esteemed joints. In many places, however, where, from a greater equality
in the social condition and habits of the inhabitants, the demand and
prices for the different parts of the carcasses are more equalized,
there is not the same reason for the butcher to cut the best joints so
large.
596. THE MEAT ON THOSE PARTS OF THE ANIMAL in which the muscles are
least called into action, is most tender and succulent; as, for
instance, along the back, from the rump to the hinder part of the
shoulder; whilst the limbs, shoulder, and neck, are the toughest,
driest, and least-esteemed.
597. THE NAMES OF THE SEVERAL JOINTS in the hind and fore quarters of a
side of beef, and the purposes for which they are used, are as
follows:—
HIND QUARTER.
1. Sirloin.—The two sirloins, cut together in one joint, form a baron;
this, when roasted, is the famous national dish of Englishmen, at
entertainments, on occasion of rejoicing.
2. Rump,—the finest part for steaks.
3. Aitch-bone,—boiling piece.
4. Buttock,—prime boiling piece.
5. Mouse-round,—boiling or stewing.
6. Hock,—stewing.
7. Thick flank, cut with the udder-fat,—primest boiling piece.
8. Thin flank,—boiling.
9. Five ribs, called the fore-rib.—This is considered the primest
roasting piece.
10. Four ribs, called the middle-rib,—greatly esteemed by housekeepers
as the most economical joint for roasting.
11. Two ribs, called the chuck-rib,—used for second quality of steaks.
12. Leg-of-mutton piece,—the muscles of the shoulder dissected from the
breast.
13. Brisket, or breast,—used for boiling, after being salted.
14. Neck, clod, and sticking-piece,—used for soups, gravies, stocks,
pies, and mincing for sausages.
15. Shin,—stewing.
The following is a classification of the qualities of meat, according to
the several joints of beef, when cut up in the London manner.
First class.—includes the sirloin, with the kidney suet (1), the
rump-steak piece (2), the fore-rib (9).
Second class.—The buttock (4), the thick flank (7), the middle-rib
(10).
Third class.—The aitch-bone (3), the mouse-round (5), the thin flank
(8), the chuck (11), the leg-of-mutton piece (12), the brisket (13).
Fourth class.—The neck, clod, and sticking-piece (14).
Fifth class.—The hock (6), the shin (15).