HOW TO PICKLE BEET ROOTS.--Beet roots are a very pretty garnish
for made dishes, and are thus pickled. Boil the roots till they are
tender, then take off the skins, cut them in slices, gimp them in the
shape of wheels, or what form you please, and put them into a jar.
Take as much vinegar as you think will cover them, and boil it with
a a little mace, a race of ginger sliced, and a few slices of
horseradish. Pour it hot upon your roots and tie them down.
CHOW-CHOW.--Two quarts of small white onions, two quarts of gherkins,
two quarts of string beans, two small cauliflowers, half a dozen ripe,
red peppers, one-half pound mustard seed, one-half pound whole pepper,
one pound ground mustard, and, as there is nothing so adulterated as
ground mustard, it's better to get it at the druggist's; twenty or
thirty bay leaves (not bog leaves, as some one of the ladies facetiously
remarked), and two quarts of good cider, or wine vinegar. Peel the
onions, halve the cucumbers, string the beans, and cut in pieces the
cauliflower. Put all in a wooden tray, and sprinkle well with salt. In
the morning wash and drain thoroughly, and put all into the cold
vinegar, except the red peppers. Let boil twenty minutes slowly,
frequently turning over. Have wax melted in a deepish dish, and, as you
fill and cork, dip into the wax. The peppers you can put in to show to
the best advantage. If you have over six jars full, it's good to put the
rest in a jar and eat from it for every dinner. Some add a little
turmeric for the yellow color.
CORN, GREEN, PICKLING.--When the corn is a little past the tenderest
roasting ear state, pull it, take off one thickness of the husk, tie
the rest of the husk down at the silk end loosely, place the ears in
a clean cask compactly together, and put on a brine to cover them of
about two-thirds the strength of meat pickle. When ready to use in
winter, soak in cold water over night, and if this does not appear
sufficient, change the water and freshen still more. Corn, prepared
in this way, is excellent, very much resembling fresh corn from the
stalk.
INDIAN PICKLE.--One gallon of the best vinegar, quarter of a pound of
bruised ginger, quarter of a pound of shalots, quarter of a pound of
flour of mustard, quarter of a pound of salt, two ounces of mustard
seed, two ounces of turmeric, one ounce of black pepper, ground fine,
one ounce of cayenne. Mix all together, and put in cauliflower sprigs,
radish pods, French beans, white cabbage, cucumber, onions, or any
other vegetable; stir it well two or three days after any fresh
vegetable is added, and wipe the vegetable with a dry cloth. The
vinegar should not be boiled.
HOW TO PICKLE MUSHROOMS.--Buttons must be rubbed with a bit of flannel
and salt; and from the larger take out the _red_ inside, for when they
are black they will not do, being too old. Throw a little salt over,
and put them into a stewpan with some mace and pepper; as the liquor
comes out, shake them well, and keep them over a gentle fire till all
of it be dried into them again; then put as much vinegar into the pan
as will cover them, give it one warm, and turn all into a glass or
stone jar. They will keep two years, and are delicious.
PICKLE SAUCE.--Slice green tomatoes, onions, cabbage, cucumbers, and
green peppers. Let all stand covered with salt over night. Wash, drain
and chop fine. Be careful to keep as dry as possible. To two quarts
of the hash, add four tablespoons of American mustard seed and two of
English; two tablespoonfuls ground allspice, one of ground cloves, two
teaspoonfuls of ground black pepper, one teaspoonful of celery seed.
Cover with sharp vinegar, and boil slowly an hour. Put away in stone
jar, and eat when wanted.
PICKLED EGGS.--At the season of the year when eggs are plentiful,
boil some four or six dozen in a capacious saucepan, until they become
quite hard. Then, after carefully removing the shells, lay them in
large-mouthed jars, and pour over them scalding vinegar, well seasoned
with whole pepper, allspice, a few races of ginger, and a few cloves
or garlic. When cold, bung down closely, and in a month they are fit
for use. Where eggs are plentiful, the above pickle is by no means
expensive, and is a relishing accompaniment to cold meat.
HOW TO PICKLE RED CABBAGE.--Slice it into a colander, and sprinkle
each layer with salt; let it drain two days, then put it into a jar,
with boiling vinegar enough to cover it, and put in a few slices of
beet-root. Observe to choose the purple red-cabbage. Those who like
the flavor of spice will boil some pepper-corns, mustard-seed, or
other spice, _whole_, with the vinegar. Califlower in branches, and
thrown in after being salted, will color a beautiful red.
ANOTHER.--Choose a sound large cabbage; shred it finely, and sprinkle
it with salt, and let it stand in a dish a day and night. Then boil
vinegar (from a pint) with ginger, cloves, and cayenne popper. Put the
cabbage into jars, and pour the liquor upon it when cold.
SPICED TOMATOES.--Eight pounds tomatoes, four pounds of sugar, one
quart vinegar, one tablespoon each of cloves, cinnamon and allspice,
make a syrup of the sugar and vinegar. Tie the spice in a bag and put,
in syrup, take the skins off the tomatoes, and put them in the syrup,
when scalded through skim them out and cook away one-half, leave the
spices in, then put in your tomatoes again and boil until the syrup is
thick.
TOMATO LILLY.--Prepare one peck of green tomatoes by slicing and
laying them in a jar over night, with a little salt, than chop them
and cook in water until you think them sufficiently tender then take
them up in a colander and drain nicely, then take two large cabbages,
chop and cook same as tomatoes, then chop six green peppers and add
one quart vinegar, put all in kettle together and boil a short time;
add fresh vinegar and spice with one ounce each cinnamon and cloves,
one pound sugar and half pint molasses. Onions can be used instead of
cabbage if preferred.
HOW TO PICKLE WALNUTS.--When a pin will go into them, put a brine of
salt and water boiled, and strong enough to bear an egg, being quite
cold first. Let them soak six days; then change the brine, let them
stand six more; then drain, and pour over them in a jar a pickle of the
best vinegar, with plenty of pepper, pimento, ginger, mace, cloves,
mustard-seed and horseradish; all boiled together, but cold. To every
hundred of walnuts put six spoonfuls of mustard-seed, and two or three
heads of garlic or shalot, but the latter is least strong. In this way
they will be good for several years, if closely covered. They will not
be fit to eat under six months. This pickle makes good ketchup.
A GOOD KETCHUP.--Boil one bushel of tomatoes until soft enough to
rub through a sieve. Then add to the liquid a half gallon of vinegar,
1-1/2 pints salt, 2 ounces of cloves, 1/4 pound allspice, 3 ounces
good cayenne pepper, five heads of garlic, skinned and separated, 1
pound of sugar. Boil slowly until reduced to one-half. It takes about
one day. Set away for a week, boil over once, and, if too thick, thin
with vinegar; bottle and seal as for chow-chow. HOW TO KEEP KETCHUP
TWENTY YEARS.--Take a gallon of strong stale beer, 1 lb. of anchovies,
washed from the pickle; 1 lb. of shalots, 1/2 oz. of mace, 1/2 oz.
of cloves, 1/4 oz. whole pepper, 1/2 oz. of ginger, 2 quarts of large
mushroom flaps, rubbed to pieces; cover all close, and simmer till it
is half wasted, strain, cool, then bottle. A spoonful of this ketchup
is sufficient for a pint of melted butter.
MUSHROOM KETCHUP.--Sprinkle mushroom flaps, gathered in September,
with common salt, stir them occasionally for two or three days; then
lightly squeeze out the juice, and add to each gallon bruised cloves
and mustard seed, of each, half an ounce; bruised allspice, black
pepper, and ginger, of each, one ounce; gently heat to the boiling
point in a covered vessel, macerate for fourteen days, and strain;
should it exhibit any indication of change in a few weeks, bring it
again to the boiling point, with a little more spice.
OYSTER KETCHUP:--Beard the oysters; boil them up in their liquor;
strain, and pound them in a mortar; boil the beards in spring water, and
strain it to the first oyster liquor; boil the pounded oysters in the
mixed liquors, with beaten mace and pepper. Some add a very little
mushroom ketchup, vinegar, or lemon-juice; but the less the natural
flavor is overpowered the better; only spice is necessary for its
preservation. This oyster ketchup will keep perfectly good longer than
oysters are ever out of season.
TOMATO KETCHUP.--Put them over the fire crushing each one as you drop
it into the pot; let them boil five minutes; take them off, strain
through a colander, and then through a sieve, get them over the fire
again as soon as possible, and boil down two-thirds, when boiled down
add to every gallon of this liquid one ounce of cayenne pepper, one
ounce of black pepper, one pint vinegar, four ounces each of cinnamon
and mace, two spoonfuls salt.
VERY FINE WALNUT KETCHUP.--Boil a gallon of the expressed juice
of green tender walnuts, and skim it well; then put in 2 lbs. of
anchovies, bones and liquor, 2 lbs. shalots, 1 oz. each of cloves,
mace, pepper, and one clove of garlic. Let all simmer till the shalots
sink; then put the liquor into a pan till cold; bottle and divide
the spice to each. Cork closely, and tie a bladder over. It will keep
twenty years, but is not good the first. Be very careful to express
the juice at home; for it is rarely unadulterated, if bought.
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HOW TO ROAST, BOIL, OR BROIL
POULTRY
HOW TO ROAST CHICKENS.--Pluck carefully, draw and truss them, and put
them to a good fire; singe, dust, and baste them with butter. Cover
the breast with a sheet of buttered paper; remove it ten minutes
before it is enough; that it may brown. A chicken will take 15 to 20
minutes. Serve with butter and parsley.
HOW TO BOIL CHICKENS.--Fasten the wings and legs to the body by
threads tied round. Steep them in skim milk two hours. Then put them
in cold water, and boil over a slow fire. Skim clean. Serve with white
sauce or melted butter sauce, or parsley and butter.--Or melt 1 oz. of
butter in a cupful of milk; add to it the yolk of an egg beat up with
a little flour and cream; heat over the fire, stirring well.
GEESE (A LA MODE).--Skin and bone the goose; boil and peel a dried
tongue, also a fowl; season with pepper, salt and mace, and then roll
it round the tongue; season the goose in the same way, and lay the
fowl and tongue on the goose, with slices of ham between them. Beef
marrow rolled between the fowl and the goose, will greatly enrich it.
Put it all together in a pan, with two quarts of beef gravy, the bones
of the goose and fowl, sweet herbs and onion; cover close, and stew an
hour slowly; take up the goose; skim off the fat, strain, and put in
a glassful of good port wine, two tablespoonfuls of ketchup, a veal
sweetbread cut small, some mushrooms, a piece of butter rolled in
flour, pepper and salt; stew the goose half an hour longer; take up
and pour the ragout over it. Garnish with lemon.
HOW TO ROAST PIGEONS.--Take a little pepper and salt, a piece of
butter, and parsley cut small; mix and put the mixture into the
bellies of the pigeons, tying the necks tight; take another string;
fasten one end of it to their legs and rumps, and the other to a
hanging spit, basting them with butter; when done, lay them in a dish,
and they will swim with gravy.
HOW TO BOIL PIGEONS.--Wash clean; chop some parsley small; mix it with
crumbs of bread, pepper, salt and a bit of butter; stuff the pigeons,
and boil 15 minutes in some mutton broth or gravy. Boil some rice soft
in milk; when it begins to thicken, beat the yolks of two or three
eggs, with two or three spoonfuls of cream, and a little nutmeg; mix
well with a bit of butter rolled in flour.
HOW TO BROIL PIGEONS.--After cleaning, split the backs, pepper and
salt them, and broil them very nicely; pour over them either stewed or
pickled mushrooms, in melted butter, and serve as hot as possible.
SCALLOPED COLD CHICKENS..--Mince the meat very small, and set it over
the fire, with a scrape of nutmeg, a little pepper and salt, and a
little cream, for a few minutes, put it into the scallop shells, and
fill them with crumbs of bread, over which put some bits of butter,
and brown them before the fire. Veal and ham eat well done the same
way, and lightly covered with crumbs of bread, or they may be put on
in little heaps.
HOW TO ROAST TURKEY.--The sinews of the legs should be drawn whichever
way it is dressed. The head should be twisted under the wing; and in
drawing it, take care not to tear the liver, nor let the gall touch
it.
Put a stuffing of sausage-meat; or, if sausages are to be served in a
dish a bread stuffing. As this makes a large addition to the size
of the bird, observe that the heat of the fire is constantly to that
part; for the breast is often not done enough. A little strip of paper
should be put on the bone to hinder it from scorching while the other
parts roast. Baste well and froth it up. Serve with gravy in the dish,
and plenty of bread-sauce in a sauce-tureen. Add a few crumbs, and a
beaten egg to the stuffing of sausage-meat.
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