All vegetables are best when fresh from the garden,—when dead they
are useless. They are also in the greatest perfection when in the
greatest plenty;—unripe vegetables are unwholesome.
_Greens_ must be carefully picked, neatly trimmed, washed _quite clean_
from vermin, and laid on a cullender to drain. Then, having ready a
well-tinned saucepan, with plenty of clean, soft, boiling water, into
which some salt has been thrown, and the scum taken off, plunge them
into it, boil them _quickly_, watch them, and keep continually pressing
them under the water with a fork as they rise; and when they begin to
sink of themselves, they are done, and must be taken up instantly, and
drained dry; for if over done, they will lose not only their crispness
and beautiful appearance, but their flavour also. Cabbages, savoys,
and turnip-tops, require that the water should be changed when _half
done_, the second water should be boiling, and if managed as above
directed, they will eat much the milder and sweeter for it. _This is
the whole art of dressing vegetables to look green and eat well._ We
therefore deprecate the use of those factitious and filthy expedients
recommended by some, and practised by many, to give, as they pretend,
a _good colour_, to boiled vegetables. _This is the best way_;—and all
artificial means ought to be avoided, as unnecessary and pernicious.
Esculent _roots_ of all kinds may be set on to boil in cold water.
_Fish._
Fish, particularly if large, must be put into cold water, with plenty
of salt; when ready, it will part from the bone; or it may be tried
with a fork, and must be taken out of the water the moment it is done.
If not immediately wanted, let it stay on the fish-plate, over the hot
water, and throw over it a clean cloth, dipped in boiling water, to
preserve its colour.
A sliced cod should be stewed fifteen minutes.
In all cases, dinner should be served up as soon as possible after it
is ready, because keeping the boiled articles, particularly fish, in
hot water, renders them vapid and heavy; and hot closets, covers, and
other means used to keep them hot, dry the juices and make them eat
strong and rancid.
Neither fish, nor vegetables of any kind, (except ripe potatoes,)
should be boiled by steam.
_Elements of Roasting._
CLEANLINESS must ever be the _maxim_ for the kitchen.
Before the spit is drawn from the meat, let it be wiped clean, and when
done with, let it be rubbed with a little sand and water.
A good brisk fire, due time, proper distance, and frequent basting, are
the chief points to be attended to in roasting.
Much depends on the fire;—it should always be _brisk_ and glowing,
clear at the bottom, and suited to the article to be roasted.
Beef and mutton lose about one-third in roasting.
The ashes should be taken up, and the hearth made quite clean, before
you begin to roast. If the fire require to be stirred during the
operation, the dripping-pan must be drawn back, so that then, and at
all times, it may be kept clean from cinders and dust.—Hot cinders, or
live coals, dropping into the pan, make the dripping rank, and spoil it
for basting.
Beef requires a strong, steady fire, which should be made up a little
time previous to its being wanted. If the meat has been hung up some
time, the dry outside parts must be pared off, and it must be basted,
first, with a little salt and water, then well dredged with flour, and
afterwards basted, continually, with the dripping; but, if the meat be
frozen, it must be brought into the kitchen several hours before it is
dressed.—Large joints should be kept at a good distance from the fire
at first, and gradually brought nearer and nearer;—the average distance
for a large joint, at a good fire, may be about ten or twelve inches,
an inch or two more or less, according to circumstances: when kitchen
paper, dipped in the dripping, must be tied, not skewered, over the fat
parts, to prevent their being scorched. When nearly ready, the smoke
will draw from the meat towards the fire; at which time the paper must
be taken off, and the meat must be put nearer to the fire to _brown_
it; it must also be sprinkled with a little salt, and well dredged
again, with flour, to froth it.
It is as necessary to _roast slowly_ as to _boil slowly_;—and the
_General Rule_ is to _allow full a quarter of an hour to a pound for
roasting_ with a proper fire, under ordinary circumstances, and with
frequent basting. But neither beef nor mutton require to be so well
done as pork, lamb, and veal.—Pork, in particular, requires to be
thoroughly done. It must be basted with salt and water; and the skin
or rind of the leg, loin, and spare-rib, must be scored, with a sharp
knife, after it has been some time at the fire, to make it eat the
better. Geese, pigs, and young pork, require a brisk fire, and should
be turned quickly.
Great care should be taken in spitting the meat, that the prime part
of the joint be not injured:—to balance it on the spit, cook-holds and
loaded skewers are very handy.
A BOTTLE JACK is an excellent substitute for a spit, _in small
families_, and for want of that, ten or a dozen yards of worsted,
folded to a proper length, will answer the purpose very well. Meat if
_hung_ to be roasted, should have its ends changed when about half
done. A good meat skreen, lined with tin, should always be set before
the fire when roasting; it keeps off the cold air, renders the heat
more equable, and saves coals.
After all, the above _General Rule_ is liable to many exceptions. If
the meat be _fresh killed_, or the weather be _cold_, a good joint
will require half an hour longer than if the meat be _tender_ and the
weather _temperate_ or _warm_.
We give the following particulars as a more certain guide to the Cook,
in most cases on this important point.
BEEF.—_A Sirloin_ of about sixteen pounds, will take three hours and
a half or four hours.
_Ribs of Beef_, of nearly the same weight, being thinner, will
require half an hour less.
MUTTON.—_A Leg_ of eight or nine pounds, will take about two hours.
_A Loin or Neck_, from an hour and a half to an hour and three
quarters.
_A Breast_, an hour and a quarter.
VEAL requires to be managed as beef.
_A Fillet_, of fourteen or sixteen pounds, will take five hours.
(It must be placed at a distance from a strong fire _at first_, in
order to be thoroughly soaked)
_A good Loin_, will take full three hours.
_A Breast_, from an hour and a half to two hours.
_A Hind-quarter_, of eight pounds, about two hours.
_A Fore-quarter_, of ten pounds, about two hours.
_A Leg or Loin_, about an hour and a quarter.
_A Breast_, three quarters of an hour.
PORK, as it must be well soaked and well done, requires longer time,
in proportion, than any other meat.
_A Hare_ will require an hour, at the least, and care must be taken
that both ends be done enough. It should be well basted; first, with
a pint of milk, or salt and water, then floured and basted with
butter; when half done, it should be cut between the shoulders and
the neck, to let out the blood.
_A large Turkey_, will require two hours roasting.
_A smaller one_,—one hour and a half.
_A small one_,—one hour and a quarter.
_A Goose_,—one hour.
_A large Fowl_,—about three quarters of an hour.
_A middle sized Fowl_,—thirty or forty minutes.
_A Capon_,—thirty or thirty-five minutes.
_A Duck_,—twenty or thirty minutes.
_A small Fowl or Chicken_,—twenty minutes.
_A Partridge_,—twenty or twenty-five minutes.
_A Turkey Poult_,—twenty minutes.
_A Pheasant_,—fifteen minutes.
_Wild Ducks, or Grouse_,—fifteen minutes.
_Pigeons_,—fifteen minutes.
_Quails_, and _small Birds_,—ten minutes.
_Tame_ Fowls require more roasting than _wild_ ones.
_Poultry_ should not be dressed in less than four days.
All fowls must be well washed, and singed when put down to the fire,
and they must be kept well basted with butter.
_Examples in Roasting._