LUNCHEON.
LUNCHEON is usually, in this country, either a forlorn meal of cold meat
or hash, or else a sort of early dinner, both of which are a mistake. If
it is veritably _luncheon_, and not early dinner, it should be as unlike
that later meal as possible for variety's sake, and, in any but very
small families, there are so many dishes more suitable for luncheon than
any other meal, that it is easy to have great variety with very little
trouble.
I wish it were more the fashion here to have many of the cold dishes
which are popular on the other side the Atlantic; and, in spite of the
fact that table prejudices are very difficult to get over, I will append
a few recipes in the hope that some lady, more progressive than
prejudiced, may give them a trial, convinced that their excellence,
appearance, and convenience will win them favor.
By having most dishes cold at luncheon, it makes it a distinct meal from
the hot breakfast and dinner. In summer, the cold food and a salad is
especially refreshing; in winter, a nice hot soup or purée--thick soup
is preferable at luncheon to clear, which is well fitted to precede a
heavy meal--and some savory _entrée_ are very desirable, while cold
raised pie, galantine, jellied fish, and potted meats may ever, at that
season, find their appropriate place on the luncheon table. The
potatoes, which are the only vegetable introduced at strict lunch,
should be prepared in some fancy manner, as croquettes, mashed and
browned, _à la maître d'hôtel_, or in snow. The latter mode is pretty
and novel; I will, therefore, include it in my recipes for luncheon
dishes. Omelets, too, are excellent at luncheon.
In these remarks I am thinking especially of large families, whose
luncheon table might be provided with a dish of galantine, one of
collared fish, and a meat pie, besides the steak, cutlets, or
warmed-over meat, without anything going to waste. In winter most cold
jellied articles will keep a fortnight, and in summer three or four
days.
WINDSOR PIE.--Take slices of veal cutlet, half an inch thick, and very
thin slices of lean boiled ham; put at the bottom of one of these
veal-pie dishes or "bakers," about two to three inches deep, a layer of
the veal, seasoned, then one of ham, then one of force-meat, made as
follows: Take a little veal, or if you have sausage-meat ready-made, it
will do, as much fine dry bread-crumbs, a dessert-spoonful of _finely_
chopped parsley, in which is a salt-spoonful of powdered thyme, savory,
and marjoram, if you have them, with salt and pepper, and mix with
enough butter to make it a crumbling paste; lay a _thin_ layer of this
on the ham, then another of veal, then ham and force-meat again, until
the dish is quite full. Lay something flat upon it, and then a weight
for an hour. You must have prepared, from bones and scraps of veal,
about a pint of stiff veal jelly; pour this over the meat, and then take
strips of rich puff paste (the _brioche_ paste would be excellent in hot
weather), wet the edge of the dish, and lay the strips round, pressing
them lightly to the dish; roll the cover a little larger than the top
of the dish, and lay it on, first wetting the surface, _not the edge_,
of the strips round the lips of the dish; press the two together, then
make a hole in the center and ornament as you please; but I never
ornament the _edge_ of a pie, as it is apt to prevent the paste from
rising. An appropriate and simple ornament for meat pies is to roll a
piece of paste very thin, cut it in four diamond-shaped pieces, put one
point of each to the hole in the center so that you have one on each
end, and one each side, then roll another little piece of paste as thin
as possible, flour it and double it, then double it again, bring all the
corners together in your hand, like a little bundle, then with a sharp
knife give a quick cut over the top of the ball of paste, cutting quite
deeply, then another across; if your cut has been clean and quick, you
will now be able to turn half back the leaves of paste as if it were a
half-blown rose. The ends which you have gathered together in your hand
are to be inserted in the hole in the center of the pie. Then brush over
with yolk of egg beaten very well in a little milk or water, and bake an
hour and a half.
This way of covering and ornamenting a pie is appropriate for all meat
pies; pigeon pie should, however, have the little red feet skinned by
dipping in boiling water, then rubbed in a cloth, when skin and nails
peel off; if allowed to lie in the water, the flesh comes too; then one
pair is put at each end of the pie, a hole being cut to insert them, or
four are put in the center instead of the rose.
The Windsor pie is intended to be eaten cold, as are all veal and ham
pies, the beauty of the jelly being lost in a hot pie. Do not fail to
try it on that account, for cold pies are excellent things.
ANOTHER VEAL AND HAM PIE, more usual, and probably the "weal and hammer"
that "mellered the organ" of Silas Wegg, was manufactured by Mrs. Boffin
from this recipe; it is as follows:
Take the thick part of breast of veal, removing all the bones, which put
on for gravy, stewing them long and slowly; put a layer of veal, pepper
and salt, then a thin sprinkling of ham; if boiled, cut in slices; if
raw, cut a slice in dice, which scald before using, then more veal and
again ham. If force-meat balls are liked, make some force-meat as for
Windsor pie, using if you prefer it chopped hard-boiled eggs in place of
chopped meat, and binding into a paste with a raw egg; then make into
balls, which drop into the crevices of the pie; boil two or three eggs
quite hard, cut each in four and lay them round the sides and over the
top, pour in about a gill of gravy, and cover the same as the Windsor
pie. In either of these pies the force-meat may be left out, a
sweetbread cut up, or mushrooms put in.
A chicken pie to eat cold is very fine made in this way.
RAISED PORK PIES are so familiar to every one who has visited England,
and, in spite of the greasy idea, are so very good, that I introduce a
well-tried recipe, feeling sure any one who eats pork at all will find
it worth while to give them a trial; they will follow it with many
another.
The paste for them is made as follows:
Rub into two pounds of flour a liberal half pound of butter, then melt
in half a pint of hot, but not boiling milk, another half pound--or it
may be lard; pour this into the flour, and knead it into a smooth, firm
paste. Properly raised pies should be molded by hand, and I will
endeavor to describe the method in case any persevering lady would like
to try and have the orthodox thing. But pie molds of tin, opening at
the side, are to be bought, and save much trouble; the mold, if used,
should be well buttered, and the pie taken out when done, and returned
to the oven for the sides to brown.
To "raise" a pie, proceed thus: While the paste is warm, form a ball of
paste into a cone; then with the fist work inside it, till it forms an
oval cup; continue to knead till you have the walls of an even
thickness, then pinch a fold all around the bottom. If properly done,
you have an oval, flat-bottomed crust, with sides about two inches high;
fill this with pork, fat and lean together, well peppered and salted;
then work an oval cover, as near the size of the bottom cover as you
can, and wet the edges of the wall, lay the cover on, and pinch to match
the bottom; ornament as directed for Windsor pie, wash with egg, and
bake a pale brown in a moderate oven; they must be well cooked, or the
meat will not be good. One containing a pound of meat may be cooked an
hour and a quarter. All these pies are served in slices, cut through to
the bottom.
Galantines are very handsome dishes, not very difficult to make, and
generally popular. I give a recipe for a very simple and delicious one:
Take a fine breast of veal, remove all gristle, tendons, bones, and trim
to fifteen inches in length and eight wide; use the trimmings and bones
to help make the jelly, then put on the meat a layer of force-meat made
thus: Take one pound of sausage meat, or lean veal, to which add half a
pound of bread-crumbs, parsley and thyme to taste; grate a _little_
nutmeg, pepper, salt, and the juice of half a lemon; have also some long
strips an inch thick of fat bacon or pork, and lean of veal, and lean
ham, well seasoned with pepper, salt, and finely chopped shallots. Lay
on the meat a layer of force-meat an inch thick, leaving an inch and a
half on each side uncovered; then lay on your strips of ham, veal, and
bacon fat, alternately; then another of force-meat, but only half an
inch thick, as too much force-meat will spoil the appearance of the
dish; if you have any cold tongue, lay some strips in, also a few
blanched pistachio nuts (to be obtained of a confectioner) will give the
appearance of true French galantine. Roll up the veal, and sew it with a
packing or coarse needle and fine twine, tie it firmly up in a piece of
linen. Observe that you do not put your pistachio nuts amid the
force-meat, where, being green, their appearance would be lost; put them
in crevices of the meats.
Cook this in sufficient water to cover, in which you must have the
trimmings of the breast and a knuckle of veal, or hock of pork, two
onions, a carrot, half a head of celery, two cloves, a blade of mace,
and a good bunch of parsley, thyme and bay leaf, two ounces of salt. Set
the pot on the fire till it is at boiling point, then draw it to the
back and let it simmer three hours, skimming carefully; then take it
from the fire, leaving it in the stock till nearly cold; then take it
out, remove the string from the napkin, and roll the galantine up
tighter--if too tight at first it will be hard--tying the napkin at each
end only; then place it on a dish, set another dish on it, on which
place a fourteen-pound weight; this will cause it to cut firm. When
quite cold, remove strings and cloth, and it is ready to be ornamented
with jelly. When the stock in which the galantine was cooked is cold
take off the fat and clarify it, first trying, however, if it is in
right condition, by putting a little on ice. If it is not stiff enough
to cut firm, you must reduce it by boiling; if too stiff, that is
approaching glaze, add a _little_ water, then clarify by adding whites
of eggs, as directed to clarify soup (see soups). A glass of sherry and
two spoonfuls of tarragon or common vinegar are a great improvement.
Some people like this jelly cut in dice, to ornament the galantine, part
of it may then also serve to ornament other dishes at the table. But I
prefer to have the galantine enveloped in jelly, which may be done by
putting it in an oblong soup tureen or other vessel that will contain
it, leaving an inch space all round, then pouring the jelly over it.
Jellied fish is a favorite dish with many, and is very simple to
prepare; it is also very ornamental. Take flounders or almost any flat
fish that is cheapest at the time you require them. Clean and scrape
them, cut them in small pieces, but do not cut off the fins; put them in
a stew-pan with a few small button onions or one large one, a half
teaspoonful of sugar, a glass of sherry, a dessert-spoonful of lemon
juice, and a small bunch of parsley. To one large flounder put a quart
of water, and if you are going to jelly oysters put in their liquor and
a little salt. Stew long and slowly, skimming well; then strain, and if
not perfectly clear clarify as elsewhere directed. (See if your stock
jellies, by trying it on ice before you clarify.) Now take a mold, put
in it pieces of cold salmon, eels that have been cooked, or oysters, the
latter only just cooked enough in the stock to plump them; pour a little
of the jelly in the mold, then three or four half slices of lemon, then
oysters or the cold fish, until the mold is near full, disposing the
lemon so that it will be near the sides and decorate the jelly; then
pour the rest of the jelly over all and stand in boiling water for a few
minutes, then put it in a cold place, on ice is best, for some hours.
When about to serve, dip the mold in hot water, turn out on a dish,
garnish with lettuce leaves or parsley and hard-boiled eggs. The latter
may be introduced into the jelly cut in quarters if it is desired; very
ornamental force-meat balls made bright green with spinach juice are
also an improvement in appearance.
A NEW MAYONNAISE (Soyer's).--Put a quarter of a pint of stiff veal jelly
(that has been nicely flavored with vegetables) on ice in a bowl,
whisking it till it is a white froth; then add half a pint of salad oil
and six spoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, _by degrees_, first oil, then
vinegar, continually whisking till it forms a white, smooth, sauce-like
cream; season with half a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of white
pepper, and a very little sugar, whisk it a little more and it is ready.
It should be dressed pyramidically over the article it is served with.
The advantage of this sauce is that (although more delicate than any
other) you may dress it to any height you like, and it will remain so
any length of time; if the temperature is cool, it will remain hours
without appearing greasy or melting. It is absolutely necessary,
however, that it should be prepared on ice.
All these dishes, however, are only adapted for large families, but
there are several ways of improving on the ordinary lunch table of very
small ones. And nothing is more pleasant for the mistress of one of
these very small families than to have a friend drop in to lunch, and
have a _recherché_ lunch to offer with little trouble. Warming over will
aid her in this, and to that chapter I refer her; but there are one or
two ways of having cold relishes always ready, which help out an
impromptu meal wonderfully.
Potted meats are a great resource to English housekeepers; this side
the Atlantic they are chiefly known through the medium of Cross &
Blackwell, though latterly one or two American firms have introduced
some very admirable articles of the sort. Home-made potted meats are,
however, better and less expensive than those bought; they should be
packed away in jars, Liebig's extract of meat jars not being too small
for the purpose, as, while covered with the fat they keep well; once
opened, they require eating within a week or ten days, except in very
cold weather.
Potted bloater is one of the least expensive and appetizing of all
potted meats. To make it, take two or three or more bloaters, cut off
the heads and cleanse them, put them in the oven long enough to cook
them through; take them out, take off the skin, and remove the meat from
the bones carefully; put the meat of the fish in a jar with half its
weight of butter, leave it to _slowly_ cook in a cool oven for an hour,
then take it out, put the fish into a mortar or strong dish, pour the
butter on it carefully, but don't let the gravy pass too, unless the
fish is to be eaten very quickly, as it would prevent it keeping. Beat
both butter and fish till they form a paste, add a little cayenne, and
press it into small pots, pouring on each melted butter, or mutton suet.
Either should be the third of an inch thick on the bloater. This makes
excellent sandwiches.
POTTED HAM.--Take any remains of ham you have, even fried, if of a nice
quality, is good for the purpose; take away all stringy parts, sinew, or
gristle, put it in a slow oven with its weight of butter, let it stay
macerating in the butter till very tender, then beat it in a mortar, add
cayenne, and pack in pots in the same way as the bloater. Thus you may
pot odds and ends of any meat or fish you have, and as a little potted
meat goes a long way, when you have a little lobster, a bit of chicken
breast, or even cold veal, I advise you to use it in this way; you will
then have a little stock of dainties in the house to fall back on at any
time for unexpected calls--a very important thing in the country.
Potted chicken or veal requires either a little tongue or lean ham to
give flavor; but failing these, a little ravigotte butter, beaten in
after the meat is well pounded, is by no means a bad substitute.
Many people like the flavor of anchovies, but do not like the idea of
eating raw fish; for these anchovy butter is very acceptable.
Take the anchovies out of the liquor in which they are packed, but do
not wash them, put them in twice their weight of butter in a jar, which
stand in boiling water; set all back of the stove for an hour, then
pound, add cayenne, and pack in glasses.
Unexpected company to luncheon with a lady who has to eat that meal
alone generally, and (as is the unwise way of such ladies) makes it a
very slender meal, is one of the ordeals of a young housekeeper; company
to lunch and nothing in the house. But there is generally a dainty
luncheon in every house if you know how to prepare it; there certainly
always will be if you keep your store-room supplied with the things I
have named. Let the table be prettily laid at all times, then if you
have potted meat and preserves, have them put on the table. Are there
cold potatoes? If so cut them up into potato salad, if they are whole;
if broken, warm them in a wineglass of milk, a teaspoonful of flour,
and a piece as large as an egg of _maître d'hôtel_ butter. Have you
such scraps of cold meat as could not come to table? Toss them up with a
half cup of water, a slice of glaze (oh, blessed ever-ready glaze!) a
teaspoonful of ravigotte, or _maître d'hôtel_, and a teaspoonful of roux
or blanc, according as your meat is light or dark, season, and serve. Or
you have no meat, then you have eggs, and what better than an omelet and
such an omelet as the following? Take the crumb of a slice of bread,
soak it in hot milk (cold will do, but hot is better), beat up whites of
four eggs to a high froth; mix the bread with all the milk it will
absorb, _no more_, into a paste, add the yolks of eggs with a little
salt, set the pan on the fire with an ounce of butter. Let it get very
hot, then mix the whites of eggs with the yolks and bread lightly, pour
in the pan, and move about for a minute; if the oven is hot, when the
omelet is brown underneath, set the pan in the oven for five minutes, or
until the top is set; then double half over, and serve. If your guests
have a liking for sweets, and your potted meats supply the savory part
of your luncheon, then have a brown gravy ready to serve with it. Put
into a half cup of boiling water a slice of glaze, a spoonful of roux,
and enough Harvey sauce, or mushroom powder, to flavor. If your omelet
is to be sweet, before you fold it put in a layer of preserves.
The advantage of the omelet I have here given is that it keeps plump and
tender till cold, so that five minutes of waiting does not turn it into
leather, the great objection with omelets generally.
Potatoes for luncheon, as I have said, should always be prepared in some
fancy way, and snow is a very pretty one. Have some fine mealy potatoes
boiled, carefully poured off, and set back of the stove with a cloth
over them till they are quite dry and fall apart; then have a colander,
or coarse wire sieve made _hot_ and a _hot_ dish in which to serve them,
pass the floury potatoes through the sieve, taking care not to crush the
snow as it falls. You require a large dish heaping full, and be
careful it is kept hot.
This mode of preparing potatoes, although very pretty and novel, must
never be attempted with any but the whitest and mealiest kind.
The remains of cold potatoes may be prepared thus: Put three ounces of
butter in a frying-pan in which fry three onions sliced till tender, but
not very brown, then put on the potatoes cut in slices, and shake them
till they are of a nice brown color, put a spoonful of chopped parsley,
salt, pepper, and juice of a lemon, shake well that all may mix
together, dish, and serve very hot.