From the beginning of this Month the Perch is in great Perfection, and
holds good till Winter. One of the ways of dressing this Fish, according to
the _Hollanders_, and which is much admired by Travellers, is after the
following manner, and is called _Water-Soochy_.
To make a Water-Soochy.
Take Perch about five Inches long, scale and clean them well; then lay them
in a Dish, and pour Vinegar upon them, and let them lie an Hour in it;
after which put them into a Skillet with Water and Salt, some Parsley
Leaves and Parsley-Roots well wash'd and scraped: let these boil over a
quick Fire till they are enough, and then pour the Fish, Roots, and Water
into a Soop-Dish, and serve them up hot with a Garnish about the Dish of
Lemon, sliced. These Fish and Roots are commonly eaten with Bread and
Butter in _Holland_, or there may be melted Butter in a little Bason for
those who chuse it. It is to be noted, that the Parsley-Roots must be taken
before they run to Seed; and if they happen to be very large, they should
be boiled by themselves, for they will require more boiling than the Fish,
This I had from Mr. _Rozelli_ at the _Hague_.
The following Receipt for dressing of Perch, I had likewise from the same
Person, and is an excellent Dish.
To prepare Perch with Mushrooms.
Pick, and clean, and cut your Mushrooms into small pieces, and put them in
a Saucepan to stew tender without any Liquor, but what will come from them;
then pour off their Liquor, and put a little Cream to them; having ready at
the same time a Brace of large Perch well scaled, wash'd, and cut in
Fillets or thick Slices, and parboil'd: Put your Perch thus prepared to
your Mushrooms, and with them the Yolks of three Eggs beaten, some Parsley
boil'd and cut small, some Nutmeg grated, a little Salt, and a little
Lemon-Juice: keep all these stirring gently over a slow Fire, taking care
not to break your Fish; and when they are enough, garnish them with Slices
of Lemon and pickled Barberries.
The following general Sauce I had from the same Person; it is always ready
to be used with every kind of Flesh, Fowl, or Fish that require rich
Sauces, and will keep good twelve Months.
A Travelling Sauce.
Take two Quarts of Claret, a quarter of a Pint of Vinegar, and as much
Verjuice; put these together in a new Stone-Jar that will admit of being
stopp'd close: Put to this a quarter of a Pound of Salt that has been well
dry'd over the Fire, an Ounce of Black-Pepper, a Drachm of Nutmeg beaten
fine, and as much Cloves, a Scruple of Ginger, two or three little Bits of
dry'd Orange-Peel, half an Ounce of Mustard-Seed bruised, half a dozen
Shallots bruised a little, five or six Bay-Leaves, a little Sprig of Sweet
Basil, or Sweet Marjoram, a Sprig of Thyme, and a little Cinnamon; then
stop your Jar close, and let the Mixture infuse for twenty-four Hours upon
hot Embers: when this is done, strain your Composition through a Linnen
Cloth, till you have express'd as much Liquor as possible, and put it in a
dry Stone Bottle or Jar, and stop it close as soon as 'tis cold. You must
keep this in a dry Place, and it will remain good twelve Months. This is a
good Companion for Travellers, who more frequently find good Meat than good
Cooks. My Author adds, that those who are Admirers of the Taste of Garlick,
may add it to this Sauce, or diminish, or leave cut any particular
Ingredient that they do not approve of. It may also be made of Water only,
or of Verjuice, or of Wine, or of Orange or Lemon-Juice; but if it is made
of Water, it will keep but a Month good: if it be made of Verjuice, it will
last good three Months; if we make it of Vinegar, it will last a Year; or
of Wine, it will last as long. Use a little of this at a time, stirring it
well when you use it.
In this Month I likewise judge it will be a good Season to make the
following curious Preparation for the use of Gentlemen that travel; the use
of which I esteem to be of extraordinary Service to such as travel in wild
and open Countries, where few or no Provisions are to be met with; and it
will be of no less Benefit to such Families as have not immediate Recourse
to Markets, for the Readiness of it for making of Soups, or its Use where
Gravey is required: and particularly to those that travel, the lightness of
its Carriage, the small room it takes up, and the easy way of putting it in
use, renders it extremely serviceable. This is what one may call Veal-Glue.
To make Veal-Glue, or Cake-Soup, to be carried in the Pocket.
Take a Leg of Veal, strip it of the Skin and the Fat, then take all the
Muscular or Fleshy Parts from the Bones; boil this Flesh gently in such a
quantity of Water, and so long a time, till the Liquor will make a strong
Jelly when 'tis cold: this you may try by taking out a small Spoonful now
and then, and letting it cool. Here it is to be supposed, that tho' it will
jelly presently in small quantities, yet all the juice of the Meat may not
be extracted, however, when you find it very strong, strain the Liquor
thro' a Sieve, and let it settle; then provide a large Stew-pan with Water,
and some China-Cups, or glazed Earthen-Ware; fill these Cups with the Jelly
taken clear from the Settling, and set them in the Stew-pan of Water, and
let the Water boil gently till the Jelly becomes thick as Glue: after
which, let them stand to cool, and then turn out the Glue upon a piece of
new Flannel, which will draw out the Moisture; turn them in six or eight
Hours, and put them upon a fresh Flannel, and so continue to do till they
are quite dry, and keep it in a dry warm Place: this will harden so much,
that it will be stiff and hard as Glue in a little time, and may be carry'd
in the Pocket without Inconvenience. We are to use this by boiling about a
Pint of Water, and pouring it upon a piece of the Glue or Cake, of the
bigness of a small Walnut, and stirring it with a Spoon till the Cake
dissolves, which will make very strong good Broth. As for the Seasoning
Part, every one may add Pepper and Salt as they please, for there must be
nothing of that kind put among the Veal when we make the Glue, for any
thing of that sort would make it mouldy. Some of this sort of Cake-Gravey
has lately been sold, as I am inform'd, at some of the Taverns near
_Temple-Bar_, where, I suppose, it may now be had. As I have observ'd
above, that there is nothing of Seasoning in this Soup, so there may be
always added what we desire, either of Spices or Herbs, to make it savoury
to the Palate; but it must be noted, that all the Herbs that are used on
this occasion, must be boiled tender in plain Water, and that Water must be
used to pour upon the Cake Gravey instead of simple Water: so may a Dish of
good Soup be made without trouble, only allowing the Proportion of
Cake-Gravey answering to the abovesaid Direction. Or if Gravey be wanted
for Sauce, double the Quantity may be used that is prescribed for Broth or
Soup. I am inform'd by a Person of Honour, that upon this Foundation, there
has been made a Cake-Gravey of Beef, which for high Sauces and strong
Stomachs, is still of good use; and therefore I shall here give the Method
of it.
To make Cake-Soup of Beef, &c.
Take a Leg, or what they call in some Places a Shin of Beef, prepare it as
prescribed above for the Leg of Veal, and use the muscular Parts only, as
directed in the foregoing Receipt; do every thing as abovemention'd, and
you will have a Beef-Glue, which, for Sauces, may be more desirable in a
Country-House, as Beef is of the strongest nature of any Flesh. Some
prescribe to add to the Flesh of the Leg of Beef, the Flesh of two old
Hares, and of old Cocks to strengthen it the more; this may be done at
pleasure, but the Foundation of all these Cake Graveys or Glues is the
first. These indeed are good for Soups and Sauces, and may be enrich'd by
Cellary, Cherville, beat Chards, Leeks, or other Soup-Herbs. A little of
this is also good to put into Sauces, either of Flesh, Fish, or Fowl, and
will make a fine mixture with the Travelling Sauce. So that whenever there
is mentioned the Use of Gravey in any of the Receipts contained in this
Treatise, this may be used on Feast-days, and the Mushroom Gravey, or
Travelling Sauce on Fast-days.
This is also a time of the Year when potted Meats begin to come in fashion;
to do which, the following Receipt may be an Example.
To pot a Leg of Beef to imitate potted Venison, from Col. _Bradbury_ of
_Wicken-Hall._
Provide a Leg of Beef, and take off the Skin as whole as you can, then cut
off all the Flesh, and season it with Pepper, Salt, and Allspice; then
break the Bones and take out what Marrow you can to mix among your slices
of Beef, which must be put in a deep Earthen Pot; cover then the whole with
the Skin, and lay the Bones over that, covering all with Paper, and tying
it down close; after which, bake it with great Bread, and let it stand in
the Oven all Night. When this is done, take off the Bones and the Skin, and
clear it from the Liquor as well as you can, then put the Meat into a
Wooden Bowl, and beat it as small as possible with a Wooden Pestle, often
putting in some Butter, and some of the Fat of the Marrow, which will swim
upon the Gravey, but suffer none of the Gravey to go in with it: when this
is beat enough, while it is warm, butter the Bottom and Sides of the Pan
which you design to keep it in, and press down your Meat in it as hard as
possible; when that is done, cover it with melted Butter. If you would have
your Meat look red, rub it with a little Salt-peter before you season it.
By the same Method you may pot Venison, Mutton, or what Flesh else you
please, observing that 'tis only the fleshy or muscular Parts that are used
in that way; and that they must be season'd and baked till they are tender,
and then beat into a sort of Paste, with a little Butter added now and then
while the Meat is beating. Keep these Meats in a cool dry Place, and you
may preserve them good several Weeks. If you desire to pot a Hare, take the
following Receipt.
To Pot a Hare, from the same.
Take a Hare and bone it, then mince the Flesh very small, with a Pound of
the Fat of Bacon; after which, beat these in a Mortar, and then season your
Meat with Pepper, Salt, Cloves and Mace, adding to it an Ounce of Salt
peter: mix all these well, and let the Meat lie twenty-four Hours, then put
it in an earthen glazed Pot, and bake it three Hours; after which, take it
out, and dry it from the Gravey, then return it to the Pot again, and then
cover it with clarified Butter. This Receipt might have been put in some of
the former Months, as the Hare is then in season; but as it depends upon
the foregoing Receipt, I thought convenient to insert it in this Place:
however, a Jack-Hare may now be dress'd in this fashion, but the Doe-Hares
are now either with Young or have Young ones, so that they are out of
Season. These Potted Meats are useful in Housekeeping, being always ready
for the Table: So likewise the following Receipt for Collar'd Beef is of
the same service.
To Collar Beef.
Get the Rand or Flank of Beef cut about a foot in length; bone it, and then
mix two Ounces of Salt peter, with a good handful of common Salt: after
which, carbonade the outward Skin of the Beef, and rub the whole well with
the Salts, letting it lie for twenty-four hours in Salt before you collar
it; but observing to turn it twice a day, at least, whilst it is in Salt.
When it has lain thus to season, get some Sweet-Marjoram, a little
Winter-Savoury, some Red Sage-leaves, and a little Thyme, and shred them
small; among which put an Ounce of Pepper ground small, half an Ounce of
Cloves and Mace beat, and a Handful of Salt; mix these together, and stew
the mixture thick over the inside of your Meat, that when it is roll'd up,
it may be equally bound in with the Turnings of the Beef: then provide some
thin Slices of the same Beef to lay before the first Turn, that the Collar
may not be hollow in the middle. This must be roll'd as hard as possible,
so that every Part is equally press'd to each other; then get some Tape
about an Inch wide, and bind it hard about your Collar of Beef, in a
Screw-like manner, till you have closed your Collar from top to bottom as
tight as can be; observing to bind the top and bottom in an extraordinary
manner with strong Packthread. Put this in a glazed earthen Pan, with as
much Claret as will cover it, putting over the whole some coarse Paste, and
send it to the Oven to stand five or six Hours. When it is baked enough,
take out your Collar, and set it upright till it be cold, and then take off
the Fillets, or the Tape that braced it together, and keep it for use. This
is cut in thin Slices, and eaten with Vinegar, as are most of the Collar'd
meats and Potted meats. This Example is enough for any one either to Collar
other Meats by, only observing that such Flesh as is tender, as Pig and a
Breast of Veal, must not be salted before they are collar'd, and the Spice
or Herbs to be roll'd up with them, may be at discretion; but for the
boiling or baking, the Time must be in proportion to their Size, or natural
Tenderness. It must nevertheless be observed, that they must be baked or
boiled till all the Gravey is out of them; for the Gravey being in them,
will contribute to their spoiling by growing musty, or otherways foetid.
We have now Flounders in good Perfection, and besides the common Way of
Dressing them, either by boiling them, as mention'd in the former Months,
they are also sometimes fried, and sometimes broil'd; but the following is
after such a manner, as is extremely agreeable, and will preserve them good
a long time. These, or other Fish fry'd, are kept after the same manner:
the Receipt I had from a worthy Gentleman, where I eat some in great
Perfection.
Pickled Fish. From _Aaron Harrington,_ Esq.
Let the Fish be fry'd after the common manner, and when they are cold lay
them in a Dish, and pour on the following Pickle: Water and Vinegar equal
quantities, _Jamaica_ Pepper, Pepper and Salt, a little Mace, a few
Bay-leaves, and some White-wine: when these have boiled together, pour the
Pickle on the Fish while it is not too hot; these eat extremely well.
Trouts are now in good perfection in the South parts of our Country; that
is, where the Weather has been favourable in the former Month; and then
besides the common way of boiling them we may have them potted, which will
make them as valuable as potted Charrs, which are a sort of Trout.