not send it all bone; put this into the stockpot with 2 large onions
well fried, 2 raw onions, 2 large carrots cut down the centre, a
head of celery, and a few sprigs of sweet herbs; add to this 3-4 qt.
cold water, and set it on the fire to boil; let it remain boiling
for 3-4 hours, draw it to the side, and let it simmer for the rest
of the day; in the evening strain the liquor through a sieve into a
large basin, put the rest on a dish, set both in the larder, and have
the stockpot well washed out before putting away for the night. The
next morning take the meat from the bones to use for potted meat,
put the bones and vegetables into the stockpot, together with any
bones, whether large or small, left from the previous day, trimmings
of meat, cooked or uncooked, gristle, skin, &c.: bones from poultry
and game of any kind should be used with the rest, and a ham or bacon
bone, or trimmings from a tongue, all help to improve the flavour
of the stock. Carefully skim the fat from the stock made yesterday,
measure off as much as may be required for soup, gravies, &c., during
the day, and pour the remainder into the stockpot, filling it up
with cold water (one which holds about 4 qt. is a useful size for a
moderate-sized family); freshly fried onion, well browned, must be
added every day, and every second or third day the vegetables must be
changed for fresh ones. Every morning the bones, &c., must be looked
over, taking away those in which no goodness remains as others are
added; and every now and then, when there happens to be a good supply
of fresh bones, such as perhaps a ham bone and those from a sirloin
of beef (which will be none the worse for having been previously
broiled for breakfast), it will be as well to get rid of all which
have been already used, and start afresh as before. The water in
which rice has been boiled, or in which bread has been soaked for
puddings, should all go into the stockpot, and of course that which
has been used in boiling fresh meat or poultry. Rabbit bones do not
improve stock, and those from a hare should be used by themselves.
_Clear Stock (Consommé)._--Put 2 lb. lean beef cut in small pieces,
and a fowl half roasted, and also cut in pieces, bones and all, into
a saucepan, which fill up with common stock or broth (cold). Set the
saucepan on the fire, and when the contents get hot skim the liquor
carefully, then add salt to taste, and the following vegetables cut
up in small pieces; 2 or 3 carrots, 2 onions, a head of celery (a
pinch of celery seed will do as well if no celery is procurable),
one tomato (fresh or dried), and a handful of parsley. Also add in
due proportions, and according to taste, chervil, marjoram, thyme,
cloves allspice, whole pepper, mace, and bay leaf. This done, set
the saucepan by the side of the fire to simmer very gently for at
least 4 hours; then strain the liquor through a cloth, free it
absolutely from fat, and clarify with white of egg or raw meat.
_Fish Stock._--(_a_) Take 2 lb. any kind of fish, such as skate,
plaice, flounders, small eels, or the trimmings of soles that have
been filleted, pack them into a saucepan with a head of parsley
including the root, a head of celery, 2 blades of mace, a few cloves,
some white pepper, salt to taste, and a bay leaf; put in as much
cold water as will cover the contents of the saucepan, and set it
to simmer gently for 2 hours, then strain off the liquor and it is
ready. A small onion may be put in with the other vegetables. (The G.
C.)
(_b_) Put the bones, trimmings, and skin of any fish you may have
into the liquor in which fish has boiled, with a suitable assortment
of vegetables and flavouring herbs, a few peppercorns, a little
spice, and boil the whole for 2 hours. Strain it off, add to each
quart 1 oz. boiled rice, a teacupful of milk, and half a teaspoonful
of finely chopped parsley. Serve at once. Small pieces of cooked fish
improve the soup. If it is intended to make this soup, the liquor
must not be made very salt, nor acid with vinegar. This is a slight
drawback, for these expedients both have the effect of making the
flesh firm and flaky. It is said that fish is never so good as when
boiled in sea water, and whether that be true or not, it certainly is
a good plan to make the water decidedly brackish to boil white fish
like cod.
_Gravy Stock._--Place a layer of slices of onion in a saucepan,
holding a gallon, over this a layer of fat bacon, and over all about
2 lb. shin of beef chopped up in small pieces; 1 pint common stock,
or even water, being poured on the whole, set the saucepan on the
fire for 1 hour, or until the liquor is almost evaporated--what is
called reduced to a “glaze”--then add sufficient cold common stock or
cold water to cover the contents of the saucepan, and 2 or 3 carrots
cut in slices, a leek, a head of celery (when in season), or some
celery seed, a handful of parsley, half a clove of garlic, a sprig of
marjoram and thyme, a bay leaf, 4 or 5 cloves, white pepper and salt
to taste. After boiling about 3 hours, strain off the liquor, and,
being absolutely freed from fat, it is ready for use.
_Veal or White Stock._--Toss 2 onions sliced and 1 lb. lean veal cut
in small pieces in a saucepan with some butter until they assume a
light colour, then add ½ lb. ham chopped up small, and moisten with a
pint of common stock cold and perfectly free from fat. Let the liquor
reduce almost to a glaze, but not quite; then add 2 qt. cold common
stock, a knuckle of veal or 2 calves’ feet chopped up, 2 carrots, a
head of celery, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, mace, pepper, and salt, all
in due proportions. After 2-3 hours’ boiling, strain free from fat,
and it is ready.
_Vegetable Stock._--Take some carrots, turnips, onions, leeks, and
celery, in equal quantities; cut them up into small pieces, and toss
them in plenty of butter for ½ hour; then add 2 heads of lettuce
shred fine, some parsley, and chervil, a little thyme, marjoram, and
tarragon, in judicious proportions; toss them a little longer, and
then add as much water as you want stock; pepper, salt, cloves, mace
to taste, and a pinch of sugar; let the whole stew gently for some
hours, then strain the liquor through a cloth. A couple of tomatoes
(either from a tin or fresh), or 2 or 3 spoonfuls of _conserve de
tomates_, is a great improvement.
_White Stock._--See Veal Stock.
_Clarifying Stock._--(_a_) For 1 qt. take the white of an egg, beat
it up with a cupful of soup (cold), then add the rest, and beat it on
the fire with an egg whisk; when it boils, strain through a piece of
tammy.
(_b_) For same quantity, mince, not too finely, 1 oz. lean raw beef,
add it to the liquor and set it on the fire in a saucepan; when it
boils, strain it as above. Liver may be used instead of beef, and the
white of egg may be used in addition to either. If the soup does not
turn out clear enough, the operation of clarifying must be repeated.
With stock as a basis, a great variety of soups are made, and
generally named from the particular vegetable or dainty employed to
give the desired flavour. Following are some recipes.
_Apple Soup._--Boil apples with their cores until quite soft with
slices of bread and some lemon peel in sufficient water. Strain
through a sieve, add sugar, a glass of wine and some powdered
cinnamon or nutmeg. Stir in yolks of eggs or cream, if approved.
_Apple and Currant Soup._--Proceed with apples, bread, and the lemon
peel as in last recipe. After straining, boil again with currants,
a cup of milk, and the requisite sugar, with a small teaspoonful of
aniseeds, if approved. A few cloves with the first boiling is an
improvement. Another way is to leave out the spice, and when the soup
is ready for serving, stir in some pounded sweet and bitter almonds.
_Artichoke Soup (d’artichauts)._--Boil 3 lb. Jerusalem artichokes
in 1 qt. milk, adding to it about a teacupful of water. When the
artichokes have become very soft, rub them through a sieve, and add
a little pepper and salt and a few grains of cayenne. Just before
serving, stir in ¼ pint cream; if not thick enough, add a little
flour and butter. Serve with bread cut in small dice and fried in
butter, to be handed round with the soup.
_Asparagus Soup (d’asperges)._--Take 50 asparagus heads (called sprue
asparagus), boil it in a saucepan with 3 pints stock free from fat.
When done, remove the asparagus, pound in a mortar, and pass through
a hair sieve. Melt about 1½ oz. butter in a saucepan on the fire, and
mix with it 2 tablespoonfuls flour; add a little sugar, pepper, and
salt, the asparagus pulp, and all the stock in which the asparagus
was boiled. Let the whole boil up, adding as much more stock as will
make the soup of the right consistency. Then put in a little spinach
greening, and lastly a small pat of fresh butter, or stir in ½ gill
cream. Serve over small dice of bread fried in butter.
_Barley Soup (d’orge)._--Cut up in small pieces carrots, turnips,
onions, leeks, and celery in equal quantities; toss them in plenty of
butter for ½ hour; add 2 heads of lettuce finely shredded, parsley,
chervil, a sprig of marjoram; put in 2 qt. boiling water, pepper,
salt, a few cloves, and a pinch of sugar; let the whole simmer for
2 hours, then strain the liquor through a cloth. Boil 1 pint pearl
barley in 1 qt. of this stock till it is reduced to a pulp, pass it
through a hair sieve, and add as much more stock as will be required
to make the purée of the consistency of cream; put the soup on the
fire, when it boils stir into it, off the fire, the yolk of an egg
beaten up with a gill of cream; add ½ pat of fresh butter, and serve
with small dice of bread fried in butter.
_Batter-cream Soup._--Mix 2-3 tablespoonfuls flour with water enough
to make as thick a batter as you can stir, then add as many eggs as
there are spoonfuls of flour, and stir well. Have ready some boiling
broth which has been seasoned and strained; pour it into the batter,
stirring all the while; set it over the fire to boil a few minutes,
and serve.
_Bean Soup._--See Haricot.
_Beer Soup._--Simmer together 2 qt. beer, not bitter, a stick of
cinnamon, a few cloves, the thin rind of a lemon, and sugar to taste.
Beat in a tureen or bowl the yolks of 6 eggs and ½ pint cream. Strain
on these the scalding beer, stirring all to a foam with the wire
whisk. Serve hot, with toast.
_Birds’-nests Soup._--One bird’s nest is needed for each person; soak
for 12 hours in fresh water; drain and wipe, separating the fibres,
and carefully removing all feathers &c., by washing through several
waters, until the nests are perfectly clean. Put them in a saucepan,
cover with chicken broth, place the saucepan in a bain-marie, and
cook very gently for 2 hours in the broth. At the moment of serving,
place the nests in a soup dish, and cover with enough very rich,
clear, hot chicken broth for the number of guests. Add pepper and
salt to taste, and serve at once.
_Bone Soup._--Take a good quantity of bones of any kind, cover with
water, add carrots, celery, a bunch of all kinds of herbs, a little
parsley, onions, a blade or two of mace, and a few cloves, according
to the quantity. Make it boil up quick, then pour in a little cold
water to make the scum rise, and skim just as you would clear soup.
Boil for several hours, then strain off and let it stand till next
day. Take off the grease, whip up the whites of 2 eggs in a little
cold water, add the shells, and beat all well together in the soup;
set it on the fire to boil for ½ hour, till it looks clear, and
strain off. Do not let it boil too fast.
_Bonne Femme Soup._--Cut up a good-sized onion into very thin rounds,
and place these in a saucepan with a good allowance of butter.
Take care not to let the onion get brown, and when it is half done
throw in 2-3 handfuls of sorrel, 1 lettuce, and a small quantity
of chervil, all finely cut; add pepper, salt, a little nutmeg, and
keep stirring until the vegetables are nearly done. Then put in 1
tablespoonful pounded loaf sugar, and half a cupful of stock or
broth free from fat. Let the mixture reduce nearly to a glaze, when
about 1 qt. of stock or broth of the same kind as that used before
should be added, and, after the soup has given one boil, it can be
put aside until the time of serving. Meanwhile prepare about 18 very
thin slices of bread, about 1 in. wide and 2 in. long, taking care
that they have a crust along one of their sides. Dry these slices
in the oven. When it is time to send up the soup, first remove the
superfluous fat from it, then set it to boil, and when it boils take
it off the fire and stir into it the yolks of 2 or 3 eggs beaten up
with ¼ pint of cream or milk. Pour the soup over the slices of bread,
and serve in 3 minutes. (The G. C.)
_Brunoise Soup._--Take equal parts of carrots, turnips, onions, and
celery; cut them all in the shape of very small dice. Put a good
piece of butter in a saucepan, with a little pepper and salt, and a
teaspoonful of powdered lump sugar. Toss the carrots in this till
they begin to take colour; then put in the celery, after a little
time the turnips, and then the onions. When all the vegetables are
equally coloured, add as much stock as you want soup, and set the
saucepan by the side of the fire to simmer gently for 2 hours. Then
skim, and serve. (The G. C.)
_Calf’s Head Soup._--Having well washed and soaked the head, put it
on the fire in cold water, and simmer it 2½ hours from the time of
its coming to a scalding heat. When quite done, take it out. Cut the
meat off in neat slices; slice the tongue also, and take out the
brains. Throw back the bones into the soup. Dry a pinch of saffron,
rub it to powder, put it in the soup, with a small wineglassful of
pale vinegar, a tablespoonful of sugar, a little nutmeg, and salt to
taste. Shred parsley may be added if approved. The brains, divided
into small pieces, must be put into the tureen, with 3 or 4 yolks of
eggs beaten, and the scalding soup poured on them. Dip the slices of
meat in egg and breadcrumbs, fry them a delicate brown in butter, and
serve them after the soup, with any white vegetable.
_Carrot Soup (Crécy, Nivernaise)._--Fry a large onion a nice brown
colour without burning it, scrape, wash, and well dry 2 or 3 large
carrots, cutting out all specks; cut them into thin slices and put
them into a stewpan with about 3 pints of stock, let them cook gently
over the fire until quite tender, then strain them from the soup, rub
them through a tammy with the fried onion back into the soup, warm
it again, and season with a very little pepper and salt. Serve with
fried croutons on a napkin in a plate to hand round with it. This
soup should be made the day before or early in the day on which it is
to be used; this gives the fat in which the onions have been fried
time to rise to the top, and it can easily be removed when cold. If a
very nice colour is wished, only the red parts of the carrots should
be used, of course more carrots will then be required; it should be
of about the consistency of pea soup. Almost any other vegetable
suitable for a purée may be used in the same way, such as turnip,
parsnip, vegetable marrow, or potato; or if the stock chance not
to be particularly good, it may be thickened either with semolina,
tapioca, or sago in the proportion of about three ounces to a quart
of stock. For semolina, drop it into the stock when boiling, keep
stirring it, and let it simmer gently for about ½ hour. Sago should
be washed in boiling water, and added gradually to the boiling stock,
stirring and simmering until perfectly soft and transparent. Tapioca
must be put into the stock while cold, and must be allowed to boil
gradually, it must then be simmered gently till quite soft as for
sago; but even greater care will be necessary to keep stirring, or
the tapioca will cling together and be lumpy. Should there not be
likely to be any sufficiently good stock for next day’s dinner, an
excellent soup, as well as a most useful cold dish for family use,
may be made by stewing a piece of the thick brisket of beef the day
before the soup is wanted. To 6 lb. of beef allow 3 large onions, 2
medium-sized carrots, 12 cloves, a sprig or two of parsley, and a
tiny bunch of sweet herbs tied in muslin. Fry one of the onions a
dark brown, without burning it, slice up one of the carrots and the
remaining onions into a large stewpan, adding the second carrot,
merely cut into 2 or 3 pieces, add a small piece of sweet dripping,
and set the stewpan on the fire, stirring the vegetables until they
are about half cooked, and are slightly browned; then take out half
the vegetables; to those remaining in the stewpan add half the
fried onion, 6 of the cloves, the bunch of herbs, and the parsley;
slightly rub the beef with a small quantity of salt, place it above
the vegetables, adding those that were taken from the stewpan, the
other half of the fried onion, and 6 cloves, to rest on the top of
the beef. Pour in as much of any stock you may happen to have as will
well cover the beef, or, if you have no stock, use cold water; set
it on the fire, which should not be a very fierce one, and let it
remain till it begins to bubble; then remove it to the side, and let
it remain simmering for 4-5 hours, or until done enough to be able
to draw out the bones; it will require watching to ascertain this,
as, when once tender enough for this, it should not cook any more.
When the bones are removed, set the beef in a cool place between 2
dishes, with a heavy weight on the top; the next day it will be ready
to trim and glaze, and serve as pressed beef. The soup and vegetables
should be poured into a basin to stand all night; in the morning
remove the fat which has risen to the top, warm the soup, and strain
the vegetables from it. Trim off the outer discoloured parts of the
larger pieces of carrot and cut them into thin slips, putting them
back into the soup to be served in it; the rest of the vegetables may
go into the stockpot, as there will still be much goodness in them. A
slight shake of pepper will complete the soup, which should be a dark
brown gravy soup of excellent flavour. If preferred to the carrots,
a small quantity of Naples macaroni may be served in it; boil it in
water till tender, then strain it and cut it into fine rings and add
it to the soup.
_Cauliflower Soup._--Make a clear white soup of mutton, or veal,
properly seasoned with salt and white pepper. Mix 2 or 3 spoonfuls of
flour in milk to thicken the soup to the consistence of cream. Break
up a cauliflower into small tufts; boil them in salted water; drain
carefully, and add them unbroken to the soup when about to serve.
If extra richness is desired, add the yolks of 2 or 3 eggs, with a
little cream beaten up.
_Celery Soup._--Put into a saucepan the carcase and other remnants
of a roast fowl, with a piece of ham or bacon, and a couple of heads
of celery (reserving a few of the best pieces to be sliced finely,
boiled in stock, and served in the soup). Fill up with stock and let
it simmer 2-3 hours, then strain, clarify with white of egg or a
little raw meat, and serve with celery.
_Cheap Soups._--These are given more especially for the benefit of
those who have charge of soup kitchens for the poor in winter. Many
hints, however, may be gained from them, and some are well adapted
for households with small means.
(_a_) Take the liquor of meat boiled the day before, with the bones
of leg and shin of beef, add to the liquor as much water as will make
it 130 qt. and also the meat of 10 stone of leg and shin of beef and
2 ox heads cut into pieces, add 2 bunches of carrots, 4 bunches of
turnips, 2 bunches of leeks, ½ peck of onions, a bunch of celery, ½
lb. pepper, and some salt. To be boiled for 6 hours. Either oatmeal,
barley, or peas may be put in to thicken it if necessary.
(_b_) Wash 1 qt. Scotch barley or split peas, put them into a large
saucepan or fish-kettle with 3 gal. water, add 3 large Portugal or
Spanish onions cut into quarters, 6 large carrots, 6 or 8 turnips,
herbs, pepper, salt, and allspice according to taste, one ox heel
well divided, 7 lb. shin of beef; boil all together for 8-10 hours.
It can be made cheaper and equally good by substituting for the shin
of beef a 4 lb. tin of Australian beef or mutton, but this must be
added only so as to mix in at the last with the other ingredients.
Being thoroughly cooked in Australia, and free from bone, skin, and
gristle, it is spoiled if it is cooked more than enough to make it
hot for use. This beef or mutton is enveloped in its own jelly.
(_c_) Be most particular that the kitchen maid keeps every drop of
water in which any meat is boiled; put this in the boiler, and fill
up with water. When this boils, put in a few pieces of meat, 10 lb.
to the 20 gal. (get 30 lb. of neck and shoulder pieces of beef once
a week for it, and slightly salt them), some salt, and either pearl
barley, groats, or oatmeal; whilst these are boiling, cut up some
turnips and carrots in small pieces, say ½ in. square, cabbage and
leeks, not cut too fine. These add to the soup, and boil all for 2
hours. The outer stalks of celery, if kept, make a great addition.
Then take out the meat, and cut it up into small portions, putting
one or two pieces into the can with the soup, when given to the poor.
(_d_) Put 2 oz. dripping into a saucepan capable of holding 2 gal.
water, with ¼ lb. leg of beef, without bones, cut into square pieces
about ½ in., and two middling-sized onions peeled and sliced; set the
saucepan on the fire, and stir the contents round for a few minutes
until fried lightly brown; then add (ready washed) the peelings of
2 turnips, 15 green leaves or tops of celery, and the green part of
2 leeks--the whole of which are usually thrown away; cut the above
vegetables in small pieces and throw them into the saucepan with the
other ingredients, stirring them occasionally; then add ½ lb. common
flour (any farinaceous substance would do), ½ lb. pearl or Scotch
barley, mixing all well together; then add 2 gal. water seasoned with
3 oz. salt and ¼ oz. brown sugar; stir it occasionally until boiling,
and then allow it to simmer for 3 hours gently. You may use all kinds
of vegetables cut aslant.
_Cherry Soup._--Use black cherries, and proceed as for plum soup.
Put a few cloves in at first; 1 lb. cherries to 1 qt. water will be
found very good. After straining, break some of the stones, and put
the kernels into the soup. Add also a few whole cherries towards the
last, only long enough to soften them.
_Chestnut Soup (de marrons)._--Boil ½-1 lb. chestnuts until they will
peel easily. Put them in a stewpan, sprinkle with salt, and leave to
steam soft and mealy. Work through a wire sieve; put butter half the
size of an egg in a stewpan, and when it is melted add a small finely
minced onion and a few mushrooms. Dredge in a tablespoonful of flour,
put in the chestnuts, and stir in enough white or brown soup to give
it the consistency of a creamy batter; let it boil up. Serve with
sippets of toast or any other soup accompaniment. As a thickening or
purée for any kind of good white soup, chestnuts are very delicate.
They take less time to cook if the outer rind is peeled off first,
and when they have had a scald scrape off the inner peel, boil, and
steam them dry; then pass them through a sieve. About a pint will
thicken a soup for a small pastry.
_Chicken Soup (Sévigné, de volaille, à la reine)._--(_a_) Cut some
carrots in slices, and with a column cut out of these a number of
discs ¼ in. diameter. Cut similar discs out of some leeks, celery,
and sorrel leaves; make an equal quantity (about a wineglassful) of
each, and parboil them separately in salted water, leaving the leeks
and sorrel discs in the water until wanted. Take 3 pints white stock
made with poultry and quite free from grease; when boiling hot put
the vegetables into it, then a few tarragon leaves cut small, and a
little chervil picked out leaf by leaf. Beat up the strained yolks of
4 eggs with ½ gill cream, stir into them a little of the soup, and
then quickly stir in the whole into the soup off the fire, and serve.
(_b_) See Poultry Soup.