The points which cooks should, in this branch of cookery, more
particularly observe, are the thorough chopping of the suet, the
complete mincing of the herbs, the careful grating of the bread-crumbs,
and the perfect mixing of the whole. These are the three principal
ingredients of forcemeats, and they can scarcely be cut too small,
as nothing like a lump or fibre should be anywhere perceptible. To
conclude, the flavour of no one spice or herb should be permitted to
predominate.
FORCEMEAT BALLS, for Fish Soups.
_Ingredients._—1 middling-sized lobster, ½ an anchovy, 1 head of
boiled celery, the yolk of a hard-boiled egg; salt, cayenne, and
mace to taste; 4 tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs, 2 oz. of butter, 2
eggs. _Mode._—Pick the meat from the shell of the lobster, and pound
it, with the soft parts, in a mortar; add the celery, the yolk of
the hard-boiled egg, seasoning, and bread-crumbs. Continue pounding
till the whole is nicely amalgamated. Warm the butter till it is in a
liquid state; well whisk the eggs, and work these up with the pounded
lobster-meat. Make the balls of about an inch in diameter, and fry of a
nice pale brown. _Sufficient_, from 18 to 20 balls for 1 tureen of soup.
FORCEMEAT, French.
It will be well to state, in the beginning of this recipe, that French
forcemeat, or quenelles, consist of the blending of three separate
processes; namely, panada, udder, and whatever meat you intend using.
=Panada.= _Ingredients._—The crumb of 2 penny rolls, 4 tablespoonfuls
of white stock, 1 oz. of butter, 1 slice of ham, 1 bay-leaf, a little
minced parsley, 2 shalots, 1 clove, 2 blades of mace, a few mushrooms,
butter, the yolks of 2 eggs. _Mode._—Soak the crumb of the rolls in
milk for about ½ hour, then take it out, and squeeze so as to press
the milk from it; put the soaked bread into a stewpan with the above
quantity of white stock, and set it on one side; then put into a
separate stewpan 1 oz. of butter, a slice of lean ham cut small, with a
bay-leaf, herbs, mushrooms, spices, &c., in the above proportions, and
fry them gently over a slow fire. When done, moisten with 2 teacupfuls
of white stock, boil for 20 minutes, and strain the whole through a
sieve over the panada in the other stewpan. Place it over the fire,
keep constantly stirring, to prevent its burning, and, when quite dry,
put in a small piece of butter. Let this again dry up by stirring over
the fire; then add the yolks of 2 eggs, mix well, put the panada to
cool on a clean plate, and use it when required. Panada should always
be well flavoured, as the forcemeat receives no taste from any of the
other ingredients used in its preparation.
=Boiled Calf’s Udder for French Forcemeat.=—Put the udder into a
stewpan with sufficient water to cover it; let it stew gently till
quite done, when take it out to cool. Trim all the upper parts, cut it
into small pieces, and pound well in a mortar, till it can be rubbed
through a sieve. That portion which passes through the strainer is
one of the three ingredients of which French forcemeats are generally
composed; but many cooks substitute butter for this, being a less
troublesome and more expeditious mode of preparation.
FORCEMEAT, for Cold Savoury Pies.
_Ingredients._—1 lb. of veal, 1 lb. of fat bacon; salt, cayenne,
pepper, and pounded mace to taste; a very little nutmeg, the same of
chopped lemon-peel, ½ teaspoonful of chopped parsley, ½ teaspoonful
of minced savoury herbs, 1 or 2 eggs. _Mode._—Chop the veal and bacon
together, and put them into a mortar with the other ingredients
mentioned above. Pound well, and bind with 1 or 2 eggs which have been
previously beaten and strained. Work the whole well together, and
the forcemeat will be ready for use. If the pie is not to be eaten
immediately, omit the herbs and parsley, as these will prevent it from
keeping. Mushrooms or truffles may be added. _Sufficient_ for 2 small
pies.
FORCEMEAT, for Pike, Carp, Haddock, and various Kinds of Fish.
_Ingredients._—1 oz. of fresh butter, 1 oz. of suet, 1 oz. of fat
bacon, 1 small teaspoonful of minced savoury herbs, including parsley;
a little onion, when liked, shredded very fine; salt, nutmeg, and
cayenne to taste; 4 oz. of bread-crumbs, 1 egg. _Mode._—Mix all the
ingredients well together, carefully mincing them very finely; beat up
the egg, moisten with it, and work the whole very smoothly together.
Oysters or anchovies may be added to this forcemeat, and will be
found a great improvement. _Average cost_, 6_d._ _Sufficient_ for a
moderate-sized haddock or pie.
FORCEMEAT, for Baked Pike.
_Ingredients._—3 oz. of bread-crumbs, 1 teaspoonful of minced savoury
herbs, 8 oysters, 2 anchovies (these may be dispensed with), 2 oz.
of suet; salt, pepper, and pounded mace to taste; 6 tablespoonfuls
of cream or milk, the yolks of 2 eggs. _Mode._—Beard and mince the
oysters, prepare and mix the other ingredients, and blend the whole
thoroughly together. Moisten with the cream and eggs, put all into a
stewpan, and stir it over the fire till it thickens, when put it into
the fish, which should have previously been cut open, and sew it up.
_Time._—4 or 5 minutes to thicken. _Average cost_, 10_d._ _Sufficient_
for a moderate-sized pike.