_LEAVES FROM OUR TUSCAN KITCHEN_
_OR_
_HOW TO COOK VEGETABLES_
[Illustration:
_A.H. Hallam Murray._
_The Kitchen Poggio Gherardo._]
LEAVES
_from_
OUR TUSCAN
KITCHEN
_or_
How to Cook
Vegetables
_by_
JANET ROSS
LONDON
JM DENT 29 & 30 BEDFORD
AND CO. 1899 STREET W.C.
Edinburgh: T. and A. CONSTABLE, Printers to Her Majesty
_To Mrs. G. F. Watts_
_Dear friend, will you accept this little book? It may
sometimes bring a thought of Italy into your
beautiful Surrey home_
PREFACE
The innate love of change in man is visible even in the kitchen. Not
so very long ago soup was an exception in English houses--almost a
luxury. A dish of vegetables--as a dish and not an adjunct to meat--was
a still greater rarity; and even now plain-boiled potatoes, peas,
cabbages, etc., are the rule. When we read of the dishes, fearfully and
wonderfully made, in the old Italian _novelle_, we wonder whence the
present Italians got their love of vegetables and maccaroni.
Sacchetti tells us that in the fourteenth century a baked goose,
stuffed with garlic and quinces, was considered an exquisite dish; and
when the gonfalonier of Florence gave a supper to a famous doctor, he
put before him the stomach of a calf, boiled partridges, and pickled
sardines. Gianfigliazzi’s cook sent up a roasted crane to his master
as a delicacy, says Boccaccio; and a dish of leeks cooked with spices
appears as a special dish in the rules of the chapter of San Lorenzo
when the canons messed together. Old Laschi, author of that delightful
book _L’Osservatore Fiorentino_, moralises on the ancient fashion of
cooking in his pleasant rather prosy way: ‘It would not seem that
the senses should be subjected to fashion; and yet such is the case.
The perfumes, once so pleasing, musk, amber, and benzoin, now excite
convulsions; sweet wines, such as Pisciancio, Verdea, Montalcino, and
others mentioned by Redi in his dithyrambic, are now despised; and
instead of the heavy dishes of olden times, light and elegant ones are
in vogue. Whoever characterised man as a laughing animal ought rather
to have called him a variable and inconstant one.’
The dinner which set all Siena laughing for days, given to a favourite
of Pius II. by a Sienese who substituted wild geese for peacocks, after
cutting off their beaks and feet, and coloured his jelly with poisonous
ingredients, forms the subject of one of Pulci’s tales:--
‘Meanwhile it was ordered that hands should be washed, and Messer Goro
was seated at the head of the table, and then other courtiers who had
accompanied him; and they ate many tarts of good almond paste as a
beginning. Then was brought to Messer Goro the dish on which were the
peacocks without beaks, and a fellow was told to carve them. He not
being used to such office gave himself vast trouble to pluck them,[1]
but did it with so little grace that he filled the room and all the
table with feathers, and the eyes, the mouth, the nose, and the ears
of Messer Goro, and of them all. They, perceiving that it was from
want of knowledge, held their peace, and took a mouthful here and
there of other dishes so as not to disturb the order of the feast. But
they were always swallowing dry feathers. Falcons and hawks would have
been convenient that evening. When this pest had been removed many
other roasts were brought, but all most highly seasoned with cumin.
Everything would however have been pardoned if at the last an error had
not been committed, which out of sheer folly nearly cost Messer Goro
and those with him their lives. Now you must know that the master of
the house and his councillors, in order to do honour to his guest, had
ordered a dish of jelly. They wanted, as is the fashion in Florence and
elsewhere, to have the arms of the Pope and of Messer Goro with many
ornaments on it; so they used orpiment, white and red lead, verdigris
and other horrors, and set this before Messer Goro as a choice and new
thing. And Messer Goro and his companions ate willingly of it to take
the bitter taste of the cumin and the other strange dishes out of their
mouths, thinking, as is the custom in every decent place, that they
were all coloured with saffron, milk of sweet almonds, the juices of
herbs, and such like. And in the night it was just touch and go that
some of them did not stretch out their legs. Messer Goro especially
suffered much anguish from both head and stomach....’[2]
[1] Peacocks were skinned, not plucked, before cooking, and the skin
with the feathers was put on to the roasted bird, and the tail opened
out before placing the dish on the table. The ‘fellow’ ought to have
cut the stitches and drawn off the skin, instead of plucking the
feathers.
[2] See _L’Osservatore Fiorentino_, vol. vi. p. 108.
A company of Lombard pastrycooks came to Tuscany in the sixteenth
century, and introduced fine pastry into Florence. We find the first
mention of it in Berni’s _Orlando Innamorato_, where it is mentioned
among the choice viands. Laschi says, ‘the epoch of Charles V. is
the greatest of modern times, for the culture of the spirit induced
the culture of the body.’ But he does not mention vegetables or herbs
at all. For them we must go back to the ancients. Bitterly did the
Israelites, when wandering in the desert, regret ‘the cucumbers and
the melons we did eat in Egypt’; though old Gerarde says, ‘they yield
to the body a cold and moist nourishment, and that very little, and
the same not good.’ Gerarde is however hard to please, for he says
of egg-plants, under the old English name of Raging or Mad Apples,
‘doubtless these apples have a mischievous qualitie, the use whereof is
utterly to be forsaken.’
Fennel, dedicated to St. John, was believed to make the lean fat and
to give the weak strength, while the root pounded with honey was
considered a remedy against the bites of mad dogs. If lettuce be eaten
after dinner it cures drunkenness; but Pope says:--
If your wish be rest,
Lettuce and cowslip wine, _probatum est_.
Sorrel is under the influence of Venus, and Gerarde declares that also
‘the carrot serveth for love matters; and Orpheus, as Pliny writeth,
said that the use hereof winneth love.’ Flowers of rosemary, rue, sage,
marjoram, fennel, and quince preserve youth; worn over the heart they
give gaiety. Rosemary is an herb of the sun, while Venus first raised
sweet marjoram, therefore young married couples are crowned with it in
Greece. While
‘He that eats sage in May
Shall live for aye.’[3]
[3] For interesting information about plants see _Plant Lore, Legends,
and Lyrics_, by R. Folkard, Jun. Sampson Low, Marston, Searle and
Rivington, London, 1884.
Sweet basil is often worn by the Italian maidens in their bosoms, as it
is supposed to engender sympathy, and borage makes men merry and joyful.
For years English friends have begged recipes for cooking vegetables in
the Italian fashion, so I have written down many of the following from
the dictation of our good Giuseppe Volpi, whose portrait, by Mr. A. H.
Hallam Murray, adorns this little book, and who has been known to our
friends for over thirty years.
I must also acknowledge, with thanks, the courtesy of Sigri. Fratelli
Ingegnoli of Milan, who have permitted me to use and translate what I
needed from their excellent little book _Come si Cucinano i Legumi_.
JANET ROSS.
POGGIO GHERARDO,
FLORENCE.
CONTENTS
PAGE
Preface vii-xiii
Introduction 1-4
Artichokes ‘alla Barigoul’ 5
” ” (_maigre_) 5
” ‘Farciti’ 6
” ‘al Forno’ 7
” ‘alla Francese’ 7
” ‘Fritti.’ No. 1 7
” ” No. 2 8
” ‘alla Graticola’ 8
” ‘all’ Italiana’ 9
” ‘alla Lionese’ 9
” ‘alla Milanese’ 9
” ‘alla Spagnuola’ 10
” ‘al Vapore’ 10
Asparagus ‘alla Borghese’ 11
” ‘alla Casalinga’ 11
” cold 11
” ‘alla Crema’ 12
” ‘Fritto’ 12
” ‘ai Gamberi’ 13
Asparagus ‘in Istufato’ 13
” tips ‘all’ Italiana’ 13
” ‘all’ Olandese’ 14
” ‘alla Parmigiana’ 14
” ‘Perlate’ 14
” tips ‘alla Suprema’ 15
” on Toast. No. 1 15
” ” No. 2 16
” ‘alla Wilhelmina’ 16
Beans (Broad) ‘al Burro’ 17
” ” ‘alla Romana’ 17
” ” ‘alla Turca’ 18
” ” ‘al Vino’ 18
” (French) ‘al Burro’ 18
” ” ‘alla Crema.’ No. 1 19
” ” ” No. 2 19
” ” ‘allo Zabajone’ 19
” (Haricots) ‘alla Bruna’ 20
” ” Croquettes of 20
” ” ‘alla Fiorentina’ 21
” ” ‘alla Maître d’Hôtel’ 21
” ” ‘alla Milanese’ 21
” ” ‘alla Polenta’ 22
” ” ‘Purée alla Brétonne’ 22
” ” ‘alla Romana’ 22
” ” ‘sautés’ 23
” (Lima) ‘alla Crema’ 23
” (Dwarf Lima) ‘alla Portugese’ 23
” (Scarlet Runners) ‘alla Panna’ 24
Beet Leaves boiled 24
” ‘Gnocchi’ 24
Beetroot (How to boil) 25
” ‘alla Panna’ 25
” and Potatoes 26
Broccoli ‘alla Crema’ 26
” ‘alla Parmigiana’ 27
” with White Sauce 27
Brussels Sprouts ‘alla Crema’ 28
” ” ‘al Limone’ 28
” ” ‘sautés’ 28
Cabbage (How to boil) 29
” ‘farcito all’ Americana’ 29
” ‘alla Crema’ 30
” ‘al Forno’ 30
” ‘Fritto’ 31
” ‘all’ Uovo’ 31
” ‘Pasticciato’ 31
” ‘in Stufato’ 32
” (Red) ‘alla Fiamminga’ 32
” ” ‘alla Tedesca’ 32
Capsicums ‘Farciti.’ No. 1 33
” ” No. 2 33
” ‘al Forno’ 34
Cardoons ‘al Bianco’ 34
” ‘alla Milanese’ 35
Carrots ‘all’ Aceto’ 35
” ‘alla Béchamel’ 35
” ‘alla Casalinga’ 36
” ‘alla Panna’ 36
” ‘Sautées’ 37
” ‘in Stufato’ 37
” ‘allo Zucchero’ 38
Cauliflower ‘al Borghese’ 38
” ‘al Burro’ 39
” ‘alla Crema’ 39
” ‘al Forno’ 39
” ‘al Fritto’ 40
” ‘al Gratin’ 40
” ‘alla Piemontese’ 41
” ‘in Stufato’ 41
Celery ‘alla Crema’ 41
” ‘al Fritto’ 42
” ‘all’ Italiana’ 42
” ‘alla Parmigiana’ 43
” ‘al Pomidoro’ 43
” stewed 43
Cucumbers ‘alla Béchamel’ 44
” ‘alla Comasca’ 44
” ‘alla Crema’ 44
” ‘Farciti’ 45
” ‘in Istufato’ 45
” ‘alla Panna’ 46
” ‘alla Spagnuola’ 46
Cucumbers ‘alla Toscana’ 46
” ‘all’ Uova’ 47
Egg-Plant (Aubergine) ‘Farcite’ 47
” ” ‘al Forno’ 48
” ” ‘Fritto’ 48
” ” ‘alla Griglia’ 48
” ” ‘Sauté’ 49
Flan of Celery 49
” Potatoes 49
” Vegetables 50
Fritto Misto 50
” of Vegetables 51
Jerusalem Artichokes ‘al Bianco’ 51
” ” in Purée 52
Leeks ‘alla Casalinga’ 52
” ‘al Forno’ 53
” ‘alla Salza Bianca’ 53
Lentils ‘alla Corona’ 53
” ‘in Istufato’ 54
” ‘alla Provenzale’ 54
” ‘Purée’ 55
” ‘al Riso’ 55
Lettuce ‘Farcite’ 55
” ‘al Forno’ 56
” ‘alla Spagnuola’ 56
MACCARONI AND OTHER PASTES
Maccaroni ‘alla Béchamel’ 57
” ‘alla Crema’ 57
” ‘al Forno.’ No. 1 58
” ” No. 2 58
” ” No. 3 58
” ‘au Gratin’ 59
” ‘all’ Italiana’ 59
” ‘al Latte’ 60
” ‘alla Napolitana’ 60
” ‘alla Quaresima’ 61
” ‘alla Semplice’ 61
” ‘alla Siciliana’ 61
” ‘Timbale alla Milanese’ 62
” ‘Timbale alla Napolitana’ 63
OTHER PASTES
Agnelotti ‘alla Poggio Gherardo’ 63
Crescioni 64
Gnocchi ‘alla Romana’ 65
” of Semolina 65
Pappardelle with Hare 66
Spaghetti ‘con Acciughe’ 66
” ‘al Forno’ 67
” ‘all’ Italiana’ 67
” ‘alla Napolitana’ 68
” ‘Timbaletti di’ 68
Tagliarini ‘al Formaggio’ 69
Tagliatelle with Ham 69
” ‘alla Romagnola’ 70
” with Sausages 70
Tortelli 71
Macedoine of Vegetables 71
Mushrooms (Pratajuoli) ‘al Burro’ 72
” (Porcini) ‘alla Casalinga’ 72
” (Pratajuoli) ‘alla Crema’ 72
” (Porcini) ‘alla Francese’ 73
” ” Fried. No. 1 73
” ” ” No. 2 74
” ” Grilled 74
” ” ‘all’ Intingolo’ 74
” (Prugnuoli) ‘alla Spagnuola’ 75
” (Dormienti) ‘al Sugo’ 75
” (Pratajuoli) on Toast 76
” (Porcini) with Tomato Sauce 76
” (Ovoli) ‘Trippati’ 76
Onions ‘Farcite’ 77
” ‘Fried’ 77
” ‘Glacés’ 77
” Small White 78
” ‘in Stufato’ 78
Parsnips ‘alla Crema’ 79
” ‘al Forno’ 79
” ‘Fritte’ 80
” ‘Sautés’ 80
Peas ‘all’ Antica’ 80
” ‘alla Borghese’ 81
” ‘al Burro’ 81
” ‘alla Consommé’ 81
” ‘alla Crema’ 81
” ‘alla Francese.’ No. 1 82
” ” ” No. 2 82
” ‘al Buon Gusto’ 83
” ‘all’ Inglese’ 83
Pea Omelette 83
Pease-pudding 84
Peas in their Pods 85
” ‘allo Stufato’ 85
” ‘allo Zucchero’ 85
Polenta Dabs 86
” ‘alla Parmigiana’ 86
” with Sausages 86
Potatoes boiled 87
” ‘alla Borghese’ 87
” ‘alla Campagnuola’ 87
” ‘in Casseruola’ 88
” ‘alla Crema’ 88
” Croquettes. No. 1 88
” ” No. 2 89
” ‘Farcite’ 89
” ‘al Forno.’ No. 1 90
” ” No. 2 90
” ‘in Frittata’ (Omelette) 90
” ‘alla Semplicità’ 91
” ‘Fritti alla Francese’ 91
Potatoes ‘in Frittura’ 91
Potato ‘Gnocchi’ 92
Potatoes ‘all’ Italiana’ 92
” ‘alla Gran Duchessa’ 93
” ‘alla Lionese’ 93
” ‘alla Maître d’Hôtel’ 94
” ‘all’ Olandese’ 94
” ‘alla Panna’ 94
Potato Pudding 95
” ” with Mushrooms 95
Potatoes ‘in Ragout’ 96
” ‘Arrostite’ (Roasted) 96
” ‘Sautées’ 97
” ‘in Stufato’ 97
” ‘Tartufate’ 97
” ‘all’ Umido’ 98
Pumpkins ‘alla Fiorentina’ 98
” ‘Fritti’ 98
Pumpkin Pudding 99
Pumpkins ‘Ripiene.’ No. 1 99
” ” (_Maigre_). No. 2 100
Rice (How to Cook) 100
” ‘alla Casalinga’ 101
” Croquettes 101
” with Tomatoes. No. 1 102
” ” ” No. 2 103
” with Prawns 103
” with Quails 104
” ‘alla Ristori’ 104
Risotto ‘alla Milanese.’ No. 1 104
” ” No. 2 105
” with Peas 105
” ‘alla Poggio Gherardo’ 106
SALADS
Artichoke Salad 106
Beetroot Salad 107
Broccoli Salad 107
Cabbage Salad 107
‘Alla Cardinale’ Salad 107
Cauliflower Salad 108
Celery Salad 108
Cucumber and Tomato Salad 108
‘All’ Egiziana’ Salad 109
French Beans Salad 109
‘All’ Italiana’ Salad 109
Lettuce Salad 109
” ” ‘alla Francese’ 110
” ” with Veal (or Fish) 110
‘Alla Macedoine’ Salad 111
‘Alla Pollastra’ Salad 111
Potato Salad. No. 1 111
” ” No. 2 112
” ” No. 3 112
” ” No. 4 113
‘Alla Russa’ Salad 113
Spanish Onion Salad 113
Summer Salad. No. 1 114
” ” No. 2 114
Tomato Salad. No. 1 114
” ” No. 2 115
” ” No. 3 115
” ” No. 4 115
” ” No. 5 116
” Jelly Salad 116
Tomatoes and Celery (Salad of) 117
Watercress Salad 117
SAUCES
Roux for Sauces 117
Agro Dolce Sauce 118
Bearnese Sauce 118
Béchamel Sauce. No. 1 119
” ” No. 2 119
” ” No. 3 119
” ” (_Maigre_) No. 4 120
Broccoli (Sauce for) 120
Caper Sauce 121
” ” ‘alla Genovese’ 121
” ” ‘alla Milanese’ 121
” ” (Cold) 122
Butter Sauce. No. 1 122
” ” No. 2 (Melted Butter) 122
Francese Sauce 123
Lombarda Sauce 123
Mayonnaise Sauce 123
” ” ‘alla Monte Bianco’ 124
” ” ‘alla Ravigote’ 124
Olandese Sauce 124
‘Alla Panna’ Sauce 125
Suprema Sauce. No. 1 125
” ” No. 2 125
Tartara Sauce. No. 1 126
” ” No. 2 126
Tomato Sauce. No. 1 126
” ” No. 2 127
Ve lutata Sauce 127
Sorrel Purée 128
” ” (_Maigre_) 128
” ” Stewed 128
SOUPS
Artichoke Soup 128
” ” (Purée) 129
Asparagus Soup 129
Carrot Soup 130
Chestnut Soup 130
Lentil Soup. No. 1 130
” ” No. 2 131
Lettuce Soup 131
Potato Soup ‘alla Provinciale’ 132
” ” ‘alla Romana’ 132
Pumpkin Soup. No. 1 132
” ” No. 2 133
Onion Soup. No. 1 133
” ” ‘Purée alla Soubise.’ No. 2 134
Palestine Soup 134
Pea Soup 134
Polentina ‘alla Veneziana’ 135
Sorrel Soup 135
Spinach Soup ‘alla Modenese’ 135
Tomato Soup. No. 1 136
” ” (_Maigre_) No. 2 136
Turnip Soup 137
Vegetable Soup (Mixed) 137
Vegetable and Cream Soup 137
Spinach ‘al Burro’ 138
” ‘alla Crema’ 138
” Croquettes 138
” ‘Ravioli alla Fiorentina’ 139
” Fried 139
” Pudding with Mushrooms 140
” ‘in Riccioli’ 140
” Soufflé 141
Tomatoes Broiled 141
” ‘in Conchiglia’ 142
” ‘al Forno.’ No. 1 142
” ” No. 2 142
” ” No. 3 143
” ‘Fritti’ 143
” ‘alla Graticola’ 144
” Iced 144
” ‘all’ Indiana’ 144
” ‘al Pane’ 144
” Pudding 145
Tomatoes in Purée 145
” ‘Ripieni’ 146
” ‘al Riso’ 146
” Stewed 146
” ‘in Umido’ 147
” ‘con Uova’ 147
Truffles in Champagne 147
” and Cheese 148
” Maigre 148
” in Omelette 148
” ‘alla Panna’ 149
” ‘Sautés’ 149
” Stewed 150
” ‘sul tovagliolo’ 150
ITALIAN RECIPES
INTRODUCTION
_About the cooking of Vegetables._
Vegetables should be well washed in cold water to remove insects and
dust; if not fresh gathered, leave them some time in cold water,
and remember that they take longer to cook than fresh ones. Green
vegetables must be put into salted water (one tablespoonful of salt to
every two quarts of water) and rapidly cooked over a brisk fire in an
open sauce-pan until they are tender. All green vegetables should be
removed from the water as soon as cooked, and be well drained before
adding the seasoning.
_About Sauces._
So much depends on sauces that only the best ingredients should be used
in making them. Rancid or impure oil or bad butter will ruin sauces
and salads. Both butter and oil should always be tasted before buying,
as good cookery is impossible unless they are perfectly fresh and good
in every way; butter must be added to sauces in small bits, or it will
form a greasy line. To skim sauces, take the sauce-pan off the fire
and put in a teaspoonful of cold water, which will make the grease
rise. Remember that wine increases the taste of salt, so when wine is
used in a sauce put in very little salt until after the wine has been
added.
_About Eggs._
Eggs must be _quite_ fresh, if they taste of straw the sauce will be
spoiled. They should therefore be broken one at a time into a saucer
and examined before using. A pinch of salt added to the whites of eggs
makes them whisk better, and none of the yolk must be allowed to get
mixed in.
_About Spices._
The following is a good recipe for the spices so necessary in cooking:
Half an ounce of cloves, two ounces of nutmeg, half an ounce of sweet
basil, half an ounce of white pepper, two ounces of cinnamon, one
quarter of an ounce of dried bay leaves, half an ounce of thyme. Pound
well together, then pass through a sieve, and put them into a bottle,
or box, hermetically closed to preserve the perfume.
_About a Bouquet._
Take one bay leaf, one sprig of thyme, two cloves, and one stalk of
well-washed celery, place round these six sprigs of parsley, fold and
tie them so that the cloves, etc., cannot fall out.
_About Onion Juice._
Onion juice is obtained by grating an onion on a coarse grater, after
peeling it. Press hard, and each stroke will give one drop of juice.
_About Maccaroni and Spaghetti Paste._
For every quarter of a pound of flour use one egg and two
tablespoonfuls of warm salted water. Take as much flour as needful,
make a hole in the centre, and put in the water and the eggs. Beat them
up with a spoon, mixing the flour in gradually, then knead well. Roll
the paste into very thin sheets, and place them on a clean cloth to dry
for half an hour. This paste will not keep more than one, or one and a
half days, and must always be put into boiling water or broth to cook.
If soaked before cooking the flavour is spoiled.
_About blanching Maccaroni and Spaghetti._
Put an earthenware pot, filled with water, on the fire, add two
tablespoonfuls of salt, and boil. Put in three-quarters of a pound of
fresh maccaroni, twisting it round carefully so as not to break it.
Boil for seventeen minutes, then remove from the fire; drain, and put
it in cold water; drain again, and it is ready for use. Spaghetti are
blanched the same way.
_About Croûtons._
To make croûtons, cut bread into whatever shape you want. Take off the
crust, dip the pieces into melted butter, and toast in the oven, turn
often in order to colour evenly, or fry them in boiling oil or fat.
They must be crisp and of a light brown colour.
_About a Bain-Marie._
A Bain-Marie is a large copper pan placed on the fire, and containing
boiling water in which are put smaller pans with anything to be kept
hot, or cooked without boiling. Milk is better cooked in Bain-Marie,
than in a sauce-pan on the fire.
RECIPES
_Artichokes ‘alla Barigoul.’_
Clean and cut straight the under leaves of three large French
artichokes, boil them sufficiently to be able to take out the chokes,
and put them in cold water for five minutes. Drain thoroughly, then
fill the hole left by the choke with forcemeat made of half an ounce
of minced salt pork, two shallots, six mushrooms minced, a teaspoonful
of chopped parsley, a little pepper, and grated nutmeg, mixed well
together. Tie up the artichokes with string, heat three tablespoonfuls
of good olive oil in a pan, and brown them well on both sides. Then
place your artichokes in a sauté-pan, and put a small slice of fresh
pork, or a bit of good butter, on the top of each; add a tumbler of
broth, bake for forty minutes in oven, then place on a hot dish, and
serve, pouring the sauce in the pan over them.
_Artichokes ‘alla Barigoul’ (maigre)._
Parboil three fine French artichokes for three minutes, drain, pare
the tips and the bottoms, and remove the chokes. Then place them in a
sauce-pan with a tablespoonful of fresh butter, a carrot and an onion
sliced up, and very little salt. Cook a shallot (minced up) with a
tablespoonful of butter for three minutes (being careful not to let
it brown), add ten minced mushrooms, a tablespoonful of chopped-up
parsley, a teaspoonful of chopped-up chervil, and a little salt and
pepper; cook for five minutes, stirring often. Stuff the artichokes
with this, and put a whole mushroom on the top of each artichoke. Bake
in a hot oven, adding a wine-glassful of white wine and a tumbler of
vegetable soup; close the pan and cook for forty minutes. Add a quarter
of a pint of sauce ‘Vellutata’ (see Sauces, p. 127) to the sauce of the
artichokes, heat, but do not boil; strain, and serve in a sauce-boat
separately.
_Artichokes ‘Farciti.’_
Boil and drain twelve young artichokes. Chop up four ounces of boiled
ham and one pound of chicken-meat fine, add two tablespoonfuls of
cream, one teaspoonful of chopped parsley, a little pepper and salt,
and some grated nutmeg. Fill each artichoke with this compound, put
into a well-buttered frying-pan, and bake for a quarter of an hour in a
hot oven. Serve hot with ‘Alla Panna’ sauce (see Sauces, p. 125).
_Artichokes ‘al Forno.’_
Boil eight or ten young artichokes, then dry them well. Put a small
piece of onion on the top of each artichoke, wrap each in a slice of
ham, and stand them upright in a sauce-pan. In another sauce-pan make
your stuffings: four ounces of fine white lard cut up small, a quart
of broth, six mushrooms and a little parsley chopped up fine. Boil,
and when cooked pour this compound into each artichoke, put them into
the oven (not too hot) for about three-quarters of an hour. Before
serving be careful to remove any ham that has remained attached to the
artichokes, and pour some sauce ‘Olandese’ (see Sauces, p. 124) over
them.
_Artichokes ‘alla Francese.’_
Cut your artichokes into four or eight pieces according to their size,
remove the stalks and the hard leaves, and boil. Then sprinkle them
with lemon, and, to prevent them from turning brown, put them into hot
water with a good deal of vinegar. Drain well before serving, and after
putting them on a dish, pour a sauce made of pepper, salt, fine olive
oil, and a little vinegar over them, and serve hot.
_Artichokes ‘Fritti.’ No. 1._
Wash your artichokes and cut them into slices. When drained put them
into an earthen pot with some salt, pepper, fine olive oil, and a few
drops of vinegar. Put two yolks of eggs, one whole egg, a little water,
and some fine olive oil, into a frying-pan, and mix well together.
Throw the slices of artichoke into the frying-pan, stirring them well.
When they have taken a good colour remove them from the fire, strain
them, put them on a napkin in a dish, garnish with fried parsley and
serve very hot.
_Artichokes ‘Fritti.’ No. 2._
Cut eight or ten young artichokes into slices lengthways, take out
the chokes and cut off the ends of the leaves, and throw them into
vinegar and water; drain and dip them in the following batter:--two
tablespoonfuls of flour, the yolk of one egg, one spoonful of good
olive oil, and two tablespoonfuls of milk. Stir well; add one
tablespoonful of brandy (or water), pepper and salt to taste, and let
it stand for some hours. Before using whisk two whites of egg to a
stiff froth and beat it in.
_Artichokes ‘alla Graticola.’_
Wash your artichokes well, remove the stalks, the hard leaves, and the
points of the leaves; cut them in halves, and cook them on a gridiron.
Then sprinkle them with salt, some fine olive oil, and a little
pepper, and squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over them just before
serving up hot.
_Artichokes ‘all’ Italiana.’_
Clean the artichokes and remove the hard outside leaves. Boil them
well and leave them to drain. Arrange them on a dish and pour a sauce
‘Tartara, No. 1’ (see Sauces, p. 126) over them. Serve up quickly.
_Artichokes ‘alla Lionese.’_
Remove the stalk and the hard leaves, cut your artichoke into pieces,
then wash and drain them. Butter the bottom of a sauce-pan well, put in
the pieces of artichoke, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and cook
them with a slow fire above and below until they take a golden colour.
When quite cooked, arrange them on a dish, and pour some fried fresh
butter over them, into which a pinch of sugar and three tablespoonfuls
of sauce ‘Suprema’ (see Sauces, p. 125) has been put. Serve up very hot.
_Artichokes ‘alla Milanese.’_
Put your boiled artichokes into an earthenware pot after greasing it
well with fresh butter, then place a bit of butter in the centre of
each artichoke and sprinkle them with some finely grated Parmesan
cheese of the best quality. Cover the pot and cook over a slow fire,
taking care that the artichokes should not boil for too long. Just
before serving up, pour some more melted butter over them.
_Artichokes ‘alla Spagnuola.’_
Remove the stalks and the hard leaves, and wash three (or more)
artichokes well and cut them into pieces. Boil, then drain, put them
into a sauce-pan with some pepper, five tablespoonfuls of sauce
‘Suprema’ (see Sauces, p. 125), five of Consommé, and then put them on
the fire for half an hour. Boil again for half an hour with fire above
and below, before serving them up hot.
_Artichokes ‘al Vapore.’_
Remove the hard outside leaves of the artichokes, but leave a little
of the stalk. Then place them upright in a small sauce-pan with a
little water which must not quite cover the artichokes. Open out the
artichokes and pour into the centre of each a sauce made of pepper,
salt, and fine olive oil. Then cover the sauce-pan and be careful to
boil the water well, so as to steam the artichokes thoroughly.
N.B.--Artichokes are eaten when barely half-grown in Italy.
* * * * *
_Asparagus ‘alla Borghese.’_
Take a bundle of asparagus, scrape the white of each stalk lightly, and
put them into cold water. Then tie them in bundles of twenty-five (or,
if very large, of twelve or fifteen), keep the heads together, and cut
the ends of one length. Cook them quickly for fifteen minutes in one
gallon of boiling water in which two ounces of salt has been put. Dish
them up on a piece of toast, serve very hot, with melted fresh butter,
or sauce ‘Alla Panna,’ or ‘All’ Olandese’ (see Sauces, pp. 124, 125).
_Asparagus ‘alla Casalinga.’_
Take four pounds of asparagus and cook the green part in boiling salted
water. Then drain, and put the asparagus into a baking-dish with four
ounces of fresh butter, sprinkle with grated cheese, salt and pepper to
taste, brown slightly, garnish with eggs fried in butter, and serve hot.
_Asparagus, cold._
Cut the ends of your asparagus so as to have them of equal length, and
boil in salted water. When cold lay them on a dish, and, just before
serving, pour over them a sauce made of good olive oil, white wine
vinegar, salt, and pepper. (If preferred, a white sauce can be used
instead of oil and vinegar.)
_Asparagus ‘alla Crema.’_
Take the heads only of the asparagus (two or three pounds as required)
and put them into boiling water with a little salt. Boil for about
fifteen minutes, and prepare meanwhile some square pieces of roll or
white bread, without the crust. Scoop out the centre of each piece and
put in a bit of butter, then fry (or bake) until the bread turns a good
yellow colour. After draining the heads of the asparagus place them in
the holes in the bread, taking care to keep them hot. Then boil half a
pint of milk, add four yolks of eggs, and stir till solid. Take it off
the fire, add a little butter, a sprinkling of salt and pepper, pour
over the asparagus and bread, and serve up hot.
_Asparagus ‘Fritto.’_
Cut the heads off a bunch of asparagus, boil them in slightly salted
water for about fifteen minutes, and then strain. Put half a tumbler
of cream, in which the yolk of an egg and two ounces of butter have
been well beaten up, into a frying-pan, add a tablespoonful of sugar,
salt and pepper to taste, and stir slowly over the fire for five or six
minutes. Then fry your asparagus heads in it and serve very hot.
_Asparagus ‘ai Gamberi.’_
Cut the tender heads of the asparagus in equal lengths and boil them,
then pickle them in good olive oil, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg.
Stick a hunch of bread into the centre of a dish, cover it with sauce
‘Mayonnaise,’ and place the asparagus heads (over which you have just
squeezed some lemon juice) round and over it. Garnish the dish with
sauce ‘Mayonnaise’ (see Sauces, p. 123) and crayfish tails, and serve.
Some jelly will be an addition.
_Asparagus ‘in Istufato.’_
Cut the heads off a bunch of asparagus and wash them well in cold
salted water. Strain, and when dry put them into a sauce-pan with a
tablespoonful of flour, four ounces of butter, half a pint of cream (or
milk), and a little salt and pepper. Leave them on the fire until they
begin to boil, then remove, and serve up hot.
_Asparagus tips ‘all’ Italiana.’_
Prepare about 200 asparagus tips two or two and a half inches long,
half cook, and then drain them. Put them in a baking-pan with fresh
butter and strong gravy, taking care that they should be well glacées.
Cook fifteen or eighteen eggs for five minutes, shell them and keep
them warm in hot water. Pile a stiff purée of potatoes dome-shaped on
a dish, arrange your asparagus heads (pointing upwards) round it, heat
the dish well, and stand your eggs upright all round, pouring a white
sauce over them. Serve very hot.
_Asparagus ‘all’ Olandese.’_
Take a bunch of asparagus and scrape the stalks well. Cut them of equal
length and put them into boiling salted water (if they are not all of
the same size, put the biggest in first, or the small ones will be too
much cooked) and boil fast. Drain well, and place them on a napkin in a
dish, with sauce ‘Olandese’ (see Sauces, p. 124) in a sauce-boat apart.
_Asparagus ‘alla Parmigiana.’_
Scrape and boil your asparagus and place them on a dish, pour over them
a sauce of melted fresh butter mixed with strong gravy, some grated
Parmesan cheese, and a little pepper; then powder them with a little
grated Parmesan cheese, pour some more melted butter over them, colour
with the salamander and serve immediately.
_Asparagus ‘Perlate.’_
Cut the heads of a bunch of asparagus into small pieces like peas, and
put them into salted boiling water. When almost cooked, drain, and put
them into a sauce-pan with four ounces of fresh butter and a little
powdered sugar, sprinkle well with flour, and pour a little soup, or
sauce ‘Vellutata’ over them (see Sauces, p. 127). When thoroughly
cooked, mix two or three well-beaten-up yolks of eggs with them, and
serve very hot.
_Asparagus tips ‘alla Suprema.’_
Choose asparagus of about the same size, break off the tenderest part
with your fingers, and cut them in small bits, cooking the tips last.
Put them into salted boiling water, then drain, and place them in a
baking-pan with melted fresh butter, keep them a few minutes on the
fire, add some salt, a little gravy, fresh butter and lemon juice.
Serve hot.
_Asparagus on Toast. No. 1._
Wash the asparagus well and scrape the stalks, then tie in bunches and
put them into an earthenware pot of boiling water slightly salted; boil
for about twenty minutes, until they are tender but not over-done, cut
some toasted bread into square pieces (without the crust), and put a
bit of butter on each piece. When the asparagus is cooked and drained,
untie the bunches and place it on the toast, taking care to lay the
heads all the same way. Then melt four ounces of fresh butter with
a little flour in a frying-pan, and add a pinch of salt and pepper.
Serve the sauce separately, or a sauce ‘Olandese’ if better liked (see
Sauces, p. 124).
_Asparagus on Toast. No. 2._
Cut off the bottom of the stalks of a bunch of asparagus to make them
even, and put them into a pan of cold water till near dinner-time. Then
put the bunch in boiling water in which a pinch of soda, the weight of
a pea, has been dissolved. Boil a quarter of an hour, then drain, cut
the twine and serve. Have the buttered toast ready, place the white
ends of the asparagus on it and pour one tablespoonful of melted butter
over the green heads in the dish.
_Asparagus ‘alla Wilhelmina.’_
Wash and clean a bunch of asparagus and cook in boiling water slightly
salted. When cooked and dried, arrange them in a dish, one-half on one
side, one-half on the other, so that the heads meet in the middle.
Melt four ounces of fresh butter in a frying-pan, add a little flour
and some good broth, mix well together and boil, then add one or two
bay leaves, some chopped parsley and onion, salt and pepper to taste,
and three well-beaten-up yolks of eggs. Boil for five minutes, add a
little lemon juice, pour the sauce over the asparagus, and serve up
very hot.
* * * * *
_Beans (Broad) ‘al Burro.’_
Shell one quart of fresh young broad beans and put them in cold water.
Put two quarts of water in a sauce-pan and add a slice of ham, a stick
of celery, a bunch of parsley, three cloves, twenty peppercorns, and
one bay leaf. Boil for a quarter of an hour, then take out the ham,
etc., and put in the beans. Strain as soon as they are tender, add
four ounces of fresh butter and put them on the fire for a few minutes
before serving.
_Beans (Broad) ‘alla Romana.’_
Chop up one small onion and four or five sage leaves, and fry brown in
butter. Put in a quart of young shelled broad beans, cover them with
boiling water and stew over a very slow fire for twenty minutes, add
the strained juice of six tomatoes (or some tomato conserve), with salt
and pepper to taste. Add boiling water whenever necessary, and stir
often, to prevent the beans from sticking to the sauce-pan. Stew for
twenty or twenty-five minutes, and serve very hot.
_Beans (Broad) ‘alla Turca.’_
Take a quart of young broad bean pods, about two inches long, cut them
in half and put them in cold water. Then cook them in a sauce-pan
with two quarts of boiling water. Drain, and again put them in cold
water. Mince some ham and fry it with a little butter in a sauce-pan,
throw your beans in, toss, and heat them for ten minutes. Add three
tablespoonfuls good stock before serving up hot.
_Beans (Broad) ‘al Vino.’_
Take quite young shelled broad beans and stew them in a sauce-pan with
a little browned onion, some ham, butter, sweet herbs, and flour;
moisten well with broth, add a quarter of a pint of sweet white wine,
and three spoonfuls of sugar. Serve hot.
_Beans (French) ‘al Burro.’_
Remove the strings and the ends from one quart of French beans and
cut them into pieces about an inch long. Put them into cold water for
twenty or thirty minutes, then dry, and throw them into a sauce-pan of
boiling water with some salt and butter. Cook slowly for about half an
hour (according to the age of the beans), then place them in a dish,
adding some fresh butter, salt and pepper. Serve up hot.
_Beans (French) ‘alla Crema.’ No. 1._
Boil one quart of French beans slowly until nearly tender; then dry,
and put them to cook in fresh butter. Mix a teacupful of cream, an egg,
some grated cheese, and some allspice well together in a sauce-pan,
then add some lemon juice, a little white wine vinegar, and boil. Pour
this sauce over the beans, mix well, and serve up hot.
_Beans (French) ‘alla Crema.’ No. 2._
Break off both ends and string two quarts of young fresh French beans,
wash in cold water, and drain. Put them into salted boiling water and
cook for five minutes, stirring them well. Season with a teaspoonful of
salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, one or two chives, and some sprigs
of parsley (to be taken out before serving); add half a tea-cup of
fresh cream (or milk), and two yolks of eggs, heat for five minutes,
but do not boil. A tablespoonful of pounded sugar is an agreeable
addition.
_Beans (French) ‘allo Zabajone.’_
Clean and remove the strings from two quarts of French beans and put
them into cold water; then boil and strain, and lay them in a dish.
Put two yolks of eggs, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, two of white wine
vinegar, and two of water, into a sauce-pan on a slow fire, mix and
heat, but do not allow it to boil. Pour the sauce over the beans, and
serve hot.
_Beans (Haricots) ‘alla Bruna.’_
Put a quart of haricot beans into a sauce-pan of salted boiling water,
and boil for about half an hour. When cooked brown, put four ounces of
butter in a frying-pan, add two or three tablespoonfuls of flour, and
fry them well together. Then add some broth, stir well, and add half an
onion minced up with salt and pepper. Dry the beans, put them in the
sauce, boil all together for ten minutes, and serve hot.
_Beans (Haricots), Croquettes of._
Put a quart of small white haricot beans to soak in tepid water all
night long; dry, put them in cold water, and boil over a slow fire
for about an hour. Drain and dry them again, and put into boiling
water for another hour. Pass them through a sieve and put them in a
sauce-pan with four ounces of fresh butter, one tablespoonful of white
wine vinegar, one of balm-mint, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well
together, cook, and let cool. Then roll up into balls (or croquets),
dip them into the yolk of an egg, cover them with finely grated
bread-crumbs, and fry with good fresh butter. Serve up very hot.
_Beans (Haricots) ‘alla Fiorentina.’_
Half-boil a quart of haricot beans in salted water, strain, and put
them into a sauce-pan with some fried, browned butter in it. Mix, then
drain off the butter, and add the following sauce: Melt four ounces of
fresh butter, skim it carefully, add some flour and mix well, add some
broth and stir until it is of the consistency of a sauce, and leave it
to boil. Then pass the sauce through a sieve, put it back on the fire,
and stir to prevent its sticking to the sauce-pan, add two yolks of
eggs, the juice of half a lemon, and some finely chopped-up parsley.
Pour the sauce over the beans before serving up hot.
_Beans (Haricots) ‘alla Maître d’Hôtel.’_
Put some young, green, shelled haricot beans into boiling water, when
half-cooked add a pinch of salt, and a little butter. Take them out,
drain, and put them at once into a sauce-pan with butter, chopped
parsley, salt, pepper, and some lemon juice. Toss them well, and serve
up very hot.
_Beans (Haricots) ‘alla Milanese.’_
Take young, green haricot beans and throw them in boiling water. When
half-cooked add a little salt and some butter, and boil them again for
five or six minutes. Then take them out, strain, and put them, whilst
still hot, into a sauce-pan with a dessert-spoonful of chopped-up
parsley, salt, pepper, the juice of a lemon, and four ounces of fresh
butter. Toss them, and serve on a hot dish. (If the beans are dry you
must put them into cold water and boil them for one or two hours first.)
_Beans (Haricots) ‘alla Polenta.’_
Put a quart of white haricot beans into tepid water for the night.
Dry, and put them into cold water, and boil for about an hour over a
slow fire; dry them again, put them into boiling water, and boil for
nearly an hour. Mash, and pass them through a sieve, place them in a
sauce-pan with three ounces of butter, a little salt and pepper, stir
well together, and boil them again for ten minutes. Serve up very hot.
_Beans (Haricots) ‘Purée alla Brétonne.’_
Wash the white haricot beans and let them soak all night. Boil them
(changing the water) until tender, and mash them through a sieve.
Season with salt, pepper, and butter, add enough cream (or stock) to
make them of a proper consistency. Serve hot.
_Beans (Haricots) ‘alla Romana.’_
Cook the beans in an earthen pot in salted water, and let them drain.
Meanwhile cut three onions into small pieces, stew them in an earthen
pan until they are browned, then add the beans, with pepper, grated
nutmeg, minced anchovies passed through a sieve, and some broth. Fry
all together, and when the beans have absorbed all the liquid, squeeze
the juice of a lemon over them and serve hot at once.
_Beans (Haricots) ‘sautés.’_
Melt two ounces of fresh butter in a frying-pan, add some parsley and
half an onion chopped up together. Then put in the beans (already
boiled), leave them to cook for eight or ten minutes, sprinkle them
with salt, pepper, and the juice of a lemon, and serve up very hot.
_Beans (Lima) ‘alla Crema.’_
Put the beans into boiling salted water, cook well, then drain and dry,
season with salt and pepper to taste, and three or four ounces of fresh
butter, add a tablespoonful of flour and three-quarters of a pint of
cream. Boil, and serve up very hot.
_Beans (Dwarf Lima) ‘alla Portugese.’_
Take a quart of young Lima beans, cook them in salted boiling water for
half an hour, then drain and dry them. Melt four ounces of fresh butter
in a frying-pan, add two tablespoonfuls of flour and three-quarters
of a pint of milk, mix well together till they boil, then add two
beaten-up yolks of eggs, salt, pepper, and a finely chopped onion. Pour
over the beans and serve hot.
_Beans (Scarlet Runners) ‘alla Panna.’_
Snap them in two in the middle and string them. Boil for three-quarters
of an hour in salted water, then drain away the water, put in a little
pepper and salt, and one or more (according to the quantity of beans)
cupfuls of cream.
* * * * *
_Beet Leaves boiled._
Take the young leaves of white beetroot, tie them together in bunches
and put them into boiling water. They can be cooked with butter (like
spinach) or served up on buttered toast with sauce ‘Olandese’ (see
Sauces, pp. 122, 124) or Butter sauce.
_Beet ‘Gnocchi.’_
Wash well and remove the mid-ribs of a bundle of beet leaves, boil, and
then throw them into cold water. Dry, mince them very fine, and put
them into an earthen pot with four fresh eggs, four ounces of grated
cheese, four ounces of curds, or fresh-milk cheese, a little grated
nutmeg, and some salt. When pretty dense put it on a well-floured
table and make a long roll the size of a finger. Cut into pieces about
two inches long, flour them well, and then throw them into an earthen
pot of boiling broth. As they come to the surface take them out,
drain well, season with butter or rich gravy, a little grated nutmeg,
cinnamon, and cheese. They must be cooked over a hot fire.
* * * * *
_Beetroot (How to boil)._
Wash the beetroot carefully without cutting or scraping it (if the skin
is broken the beet loses flavour and colour). Young ones take one hour
to boil, old ones four. In winter the beet must be put into cold water
overnight to make it tender, those that remain hard are unfit to eat.
It must be cooked in boiling water, then put into cold water for five
or six minutes, when it can be rubbed with a cloth to take off the
peel. Cut into slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and pour melted
fresh butter over it; or it can be put into the oven to bake. Boiled
beetroot when wanted for salad ought to be put into wine vinegar to
soak.
_Beetroot ‘alla Panna.’_
Boil some white beetroot as directed above, and peel it. Cut up into
dice, place on a very hot dish, and pour a sauce ‘Alla Panna’ over it
(see Sauces, p. 125).
_Beetroot and Potatoes._
Boil the beetroot as directed above, and peel when cold. Cut into thin
round slices and put it into a frying-pan with two onions cut up small,
two ounces of butter; stir continually and do not let it brown. Add
one spoonful of flour, and milk enough to make a thickish sauce; add
three saltspoonfuls of salt, four of sugar, one of pepper, and one
tablespoonful of white wine vinegar, and boil for a few minutes. Then
put the slices in the pan to simmer for twenty minutes, and have some
mashed potatoes ready to make a border round the dish in which to put
the beetroot and the sauce, adding a little cream.
* * * * *
_Broccoli ‘alla Crema.’_
Wash and clean the broccoli well, put them into salted cold water for
half an hour. Then wrap each head in a piece of linen to prevent its
breaking, and put into salted boiling water for about twenty minutes.
When cooked, remove the linen carefully so as not to break the heads,
place them in a hot dish, pour half a pint (for each head) of hot ‘Alla
Panna’ sauce (see Sauces, p. 125) over them, and serve immediately.
_Broccoli ‘alla Parmigiana.’_
Wash and clean the broccoli well and put them for one hour in salted
cold water, then rinse again, and cook in boiling salted water with a
little butter. Put ten tablespoonfuls of White sauce (see below, White
Sauce) into a stew-pan with a little chopped-up onion, and boil for a
few minutes, then add a quarter of a pound of grated Parmesan cheese.
When boiling, add the yolk of an egg and a very little cayenne pepper,
mix quickly and put a little on a dish; lay the broccoli on it, pour
the rest of the sauce over them, sprinkle with bread-crumbs and grated
cheese, and put it in the oven for half an hour, until of a nice brown
colour, and serve. (If you have no White sauce, use melted butter,
cooking it less, or it will be greasy.)
_Broccoli with White Sauce._
Boil the heads of broccoli in salted water with a little flour. When
cooked take them out and drain well. Then put them in a dish and pour
the following sauce over them: Melt some butter, salt, pepper, and a
tablespoonful of flour in a sauce-pan, add a glass of boiling water,
pouring it in a little at a time, and stirring continually. When
cooked, take it off the fire and mix the yolk of an egg beaten up with
a piece of butter. Do not put the sauce again on the fire.
* * * * *
_Brussels Sprouts ‘alla Crema.’_
Clean, and pick off the dead leaves from one and a half pounds of
sprouts. Wash well, drain, and cook them in boiling water for seven
minutes. Drain again, and cool in cold water. Drain well once more, and
put them into a sauté-pan with two tablespoonfuls of Vellutata sauce
(see Sauces, p. 127), one teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of
pepper, and the same of grated nutmeg. Add half a cupful of good cream,
and heat (but do not boil) for five minutes, tossing frequently. Put on
a dish and serve at once.
_Brussels Sprouts ‘al Limone.’_
Wash the sprouts and remove any dead leaves. Then put them into boiling
salted water and cook for twenty minutes, drain, and place them on a
hot dish. Meanwhile mix four ounces of butter with two tablespoonfuls
of flour, add a little broth (or water), and stir well until it boils.
Just before serving add a good sprinkling of pepper and the juice of
two lemons. Pour the sauce over the sprouts and serve up quickly.
_Brussels Sprouts ‘sautés.’_
Clean and wash the sprouts well, and boil. Then dry, and put them into
a sauce-pan with two (or more) ounces of butter (according to the
quantity of sprouts); brown them well, and add one or two spoonfuls of
white wine vinegar, a little chopped parsley, salt, and pepper. Serve
up very hot.
* * * * *
_Cabbage (How to boil)._
Cut the cabbage into good-sized pieces and strip off the outside
leaves. Cut out the hard core, wash well in two or three changes of
water, and drain thoroughly. Put the cabbage (a piece at a time, so
as not to stop the boiling) into a large sauce-pan or earthen pot of
salted boiling water. Cook for twenty-five minutes over a hot fire
(with pot uncovered), and push the cabbage under water every now and
then.
_Cabbage ‘farcito all’ Americana.’_
Take a large cabbage and boil it whole for fifteen minutes. Then
change the water and boil again for half an hour; meanwhile prepare
the stuffing. Put about one pound of rice into cold water and boil for
twenty-five or thirty minutes, add three and a half pounds of sausage,
the juice of a lemon, some chopped parsley and a little pepper, and
mix well. Dry the cabbage thoroughly, open the leaves, and put half a
tablespoonful of the stuffing between each leaf, folding them over it,
until the cabbage is quite stuffed. Then tie it up carefully in a piece
of linen and put it into a sauce-pan of boiling water. When boiled
remove the cloth, put the cabbage in a vegetable dish, pour an ‘Alla
Panna’ sauce (see Sauces, p. 125) over, and serve.
_Cabbage ‘alla Crema.’_
Choose a white cabbage, remove the outer leaves and cut it into
quarters. Soak in cold water for an hour, then dry, and put it in an
earthen pot of boiling water to cook. Then let it cool for about ten
minutes and put it into another pot of boiling water, adding salt and
pepper, and boil, keeping the cover on tight. When done serve with an
‘Alla Panna’ sauce (see Sauces, p. 125).
_Cabbage ‘al Forno.’_
Boil the cabbage as directed above. Press out all the water and chop it
up. Put a layer in the bottom of a pie or vegetable dish, cover with a
white sauce made of one cup of milk, one tablespoonful of butter, one
of flour, a little salt, and a pinch of cayenne pepper, and then add
a layer of grated cheese. Repeat your layers of cabbage, sauce, and
cheese; cover the top with a layer of bread-crumbs and bits of butter,
and put it in the oven. When the sauce bubbles on the top take it out
and serve up in the same dish.
_Cabbage ‘Fritto.’_
Wash and cut up a cabbage, put it into a sauce-pan of boiling water.
Boil for twenty minutes, then dry, and put it into a sauce-pan with
four ounces of butter, two spoonfuls of white wine vinegar, some salt,
and pepper; mix well together until it becomes well heated. Then serve
up.