_Sugo di Carne_
1 lb. beef from some tough but juicy cut
A small piece of salt pork
A large onion
A stalk of celery
2 tablespoons butter
A carrot
2 cloves
Salt, pepper
Chop the pork and put it in the bottom of a saucepan. Next add the
onion, celery and carrot chopped. Dot with butter and over this place
the meat cut into small pieces. Add any trimmings from steaks, roasts
or chops that may be on hand and any bits of left over cooked meat.
Season with salt and the cloves. Put over the fire without stirring.
When you smell the onions getting very brown turn the meat and when
everything is extremely brown add a cup of water and let it cook
almost dry. Repeat this operation of adding the water three times.
Finally add three pints of boiling water and let it boil gently five
or six hours, when the stock will be reduced to a few cupfuls. Strain,
cool and skim off the fat which will form a cake on top of the liquid.
The meat may afterwards be used for a _Flam_, for _Polpettone_ or
croquettes. The stock may be kept for some days and forms the basis
for many dishes. In soups it is far superior to beef extract or
bouillon cubes which may be substituted for it.