_Ingredients._—100 heads of asparagus, 2 quarts of medium stock (see
STOCK), 1 pint of water, salt. _Mode._—Scrape the asparagus, but do not
cut off any of the stems, and boil it in a pint of water salted, _until
the heads are nearly done_. Then drain the asparagus, cut off the green
heads very neatly, and put them on one side until the soup is ready. If
the stock is not made, add the stems of asparagus to the rest of the
vegetables; if, however, the stock is ready, boil the stems a little
longer in the same water that they were first cooked in. Then strain
them off, add the asparagus water to the stock, and when all is boiling
drop in the green heads (or peas as they are called), and simmer for 2
or 3 minutes. If the soup boils long after the asparagus is put in, the
appearance of the vegetable would be quite spoiled. A small quantity
of sherry, added after the soup is put into the tureen, would improve
this soup very much. Sometimes a French roll is cut up and served in
it. _Time._—_To nearly cook_ the asparagus, 12 minutes. _Average cost_,
1_s._ 9_d._ per quart. _Sufficient_ for 6 or 8 persons. _Seasonable_
from May to August.
ASPIC, or Ornamental Savoury Jelly.
_Ingredients._—4 lbs. of knuckle of veal, 1 cow-heel, 3 or 4 slices of
ham, any poultry trimmings, 2 carrots, 1 onion, 1 faggot of savoury
herbs, 1 glass of sherry, 3 quarts of water; seasoning to taste of
salt and whole white pepper; 3 eggs. _Mode._—Lay the ham on the bottom
of a stewpan, cut up the veal and cow-heel into small pieces, and
lay them on the ham; add the poultry trimmings, vegetables, herbs,
sherry, and water, and let the whole simmer very gently for 4 hours,
carefully taking away all scum that may rise to the surface; strain
through a fine sieve, and pour into an earthen pan to get cold. Have
ready a clean stewpan, put in the jelly, and be particular to leave the
sediment behind, or it will not be clear. Add the whites of 3 eggs,
with salt and pepper, to clarify; keep stirring over the fire till
the whole becomes very white; then draw it to the side, and let it
stand till clear. When this is the case, strain it through a cloth or
jelly-bag, and use it for moulding poultry, &c. Tarragon vinegar may
be added to give an additional flavour. _Time._—Altogether 4½ hours.
_Average cost_ for this quantity, 4_s._