_Ingredients._—To each peck of mushrooms ½ lb. of salt; to each quart
of mushroom-liquor ¼ oz. of cayenne, ½ oz. of allspice, ½ oz. of
ginger, 2 blades of pounded mace. _Mode._—Choose full-grown mushroom
flaps, and take care they are perfectly _fresh gathered_ when the
weather is tolerably dry; for, if they are picked during very heavy
rain, the ketchup from which they are made is liable to get musty, and
will not keep long. Put a layer of them in a deep pan, sprinkle salt
over them, and then another layer of mushrooms, and so on alternately.
Let them remain for a few hours, when break them up with the hand; put
them in a nice cool place for 3 days, occasionally stirring and mashing
them well, to extract from them as much juice as possible. Now measure
the quantity of liquor without straining, and to each quart allow the
above proportion of spices, &c. Put all into a stone jar, cover it up
very closely, put it in a saucepan of boiling water, set it over the
fire, and let it boil for 3 hours. Have ready a nice clean stewpan;
turn into it the contents of the jar, and let the whole simmer very
gently for ½ hour; pour it into a jug, where it should stand in a cool
place till the next day; then pour it off into another jug, and strain
it into very dry clean bottles, and do not squeeze the mushrooms. To
each pint of ketchup add a few drops of brandy. Be careful not to shake
the contents, but leave all the sediment behind in the jug; cork well,
and either seal or rosin the cork, so as perfectly to exclude the air.
When a very clear bright ketchup is wanted, the liquor must be strained
through a very fine hair-sieve, or flannel bag, _after_ it has been
very gently poured off; if the operation is not successful, it must be
repeated until you have quite a clear liquor. It should be examined
occasionally, and if it is spoiling, should be reboiled with a few
peppercorns. _Seasonable_ from the beginning of September to the middle
of October, when this ketchup should be made.
_Note._—This flavouring ingredient, if genuine and well prepared, is
one of the most useful store sauces to the experienced cook, and no
trouble should be spared in its preparation. Double ketchup is made by
reducing the liquor to half the quantity; for example, 1 quart must be
boiled down to 1 pint. This goes farther than ordinary ketchup, as so
little is required to flavour a good quantity of gravy. The sediment
may also be bottled for immediate use, and will be found to answer for
flavouring _thick_ soups or gravies.
MUSHROOM POWDER (a valuable addition to Sauces and Gravies, when fresh
Mushrooms are not obtainable).
_Ingredients._—½ peck of large mushrooms, 2 onions, 12 cloves, ¼ oz.
of pounded mace, 2 teaspoonfuls of white pepper. _Mode._—Peel the
mushrooms, wipe them perfectly free from grit and dirt, remove the
black fur, and reject all those that are at all worm-eaten; put them
into a stewpan with the above ingredients, but without water; shake
them over a clear fire, till all the liquor is dried up, and be careful
not to let them burn; arrange them on tins, and dry them in a slow
oven; pound them to a fine powder, which put into small _dry_ bottles;
cork well, seal the corks, and keep it in a dry place. In using this
powder, add it to the gravy just before serving, when it will merely
require one boil-up. The flavour imparted by this means to the gravy,
ought to be exceedingly good. _Seasonable._—This should be made in
September, or at the beginning of October.
_Note._—If the bottles in which it is stored away are not perfectly
dry, as, also, the mushroom powder, it will keep good but a very short
time.
MUSHROOM SAUCE, very rich and good, to serve with Fowls or Rabbits.
_Ingredients._—1 pint of mushroom-buttons, salt to taste, a little
grated nutmeg, 1 blade of pounded mace, 1 pint of cream, 2 oz. of
butter, flour to thicken. _Mode._—Rub the buttons with a piece of
flannel and salt, to take off the skin; cut off the stalks, and put
them in a stewpan with the above ingredients, previously kneading
together the butter and flour; boil the whole for about ten minutes,
stirring all the time. Pour some of the sauce over the fowls, and the
remainder serve in a tureen. _Time._—10 minutes. _Average cost_, 2_s._
_Sufficient_ to serve with a pair of fowls. _Seasonable_ from August to
October.
MUSHROOM SAUCE, Brown, to serve with Roast Meat, &c.
_Ingredients._— ½ pint of button mushrooms, ½ pint of good beef gravy,
1 tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup (if at hand), thickening of butter
and flour. _Mode._—Put the gravy into a saucepan, thicken it, and stir
over the fire until it boils. Prepare the mushrooms by cutting off
the stalks, and wiping them free from grit and dirt; the large flap
mushrooms cut into small pieces will answer for a brown sauce, when
the buttons are not obtainable; put them into the gravy, and let them
simmer very gently for about 10 minutes; then add the ketchup, and
serve. _Time._—Rather more than 10 minutes. _Seasonable_ from August to
October.
_Note._—When fresh mushrooms are not obtainable, the powder may be used
as a substitute for brown sauce.
MUSHROOM SAUCE, White, to serve with Boiled Fowls, Cutlets, &c.
_Ingredients._—Rather more than ½ pint of button mushrooms,
lemon-juice, and water, 1 oz. of butter, ½ pint of Béchamel, ¼
teaspoonful of pounded sugar. _Mode._—Turn the mushrooms white by
putting them into lemon-juice and water, having previously cut off the
stalks and wiped them perfectly free from grit. Chop them, and put them
in a stewpan with the butter. When the mushrooms are softened, add the
Béchamel, and simmer for about 5 minutes; should they, however, not
be done enough, allow rather more time. They should not boil longer
than necessary, as they would then lose their colour and flavour. Rub
the whole through a tammy, and serve very hot. After this, it should
be warmed in a bain marie. _Time._—Altogether ¼ hour. _Average cost_,
1_s._ _Seasonable_ from August to October.
MUSHROOM SAUCE, White, to serve with Boiled Fowls, Cutlets, &c. (a more
simple Method).
_Ingredients._— ½ pint of melted butter, made with milk, ½ pint of
button mushrooms, 1 dessertspoonful of mushroom ketchup, if at hand;
cayenne and salt to taste. _Mode._—Make the melted butter with milk,
and add to it the mushrooms, which must be nicely cleaned, and free
from grit, and the stalks cut off. Let them simmer gently for about
10 minutes, or until they are quite tender. Put in the seasoning and
ketchup; let it just boil, when serve. _Time._—Rather more than 10
minutes. _Average cost_, 8_d._ _Seasonable_ from August to October.
MUSHROOMS, Baked (a Breakfast, Luncheon, or Supper Dish).
_Ingredients._—16 to 20 mushroom-flaps, butter, pepper to taste.
_Mode._—For this mode of cooking, the mushroom-flaps are better than
the buttons, and should not be too large. Cut off a portion of the
stalk, peel the top, and wipe the mushrooms carefully with a piece of
flannel and a little fine salt. Put them into a tin baking-dish, with
a very small piece of butter placed on each mushroom; sprinkle over
a little pepper, and let them bake for about 20 minutes, or longer
should the mushrooms be very large. Have ready a _very hot_ dish, pile
the mushrooms high in the centre, pour the gravy round, and send them
to table quickly, with very _hot_ plates. _Time._—20 minutes; large
mushrooms, ½ hour. _Average cost_, 1_d._ each for large mushroom-flaps.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable._—Meadow mushrooms in
September and October; cultivated mushrooms may be had at any time.
MUSHROOMS, Broiled (a Breakfast, Luncheon, or Supper Dish).
[Illustration: BROILED MUSHROOMS.]
_Ingredients._—Mushroom-flaps, pepper and salt to taste, butter,
lemon-juice. _Mode._—Cleanse the mushrooms by wiping them with a piece
of flannel and a little salt; cut off a portion of the stalk, and peel
the tops; broil them over a clear fire, turning them once, and arrange
them on a very hot dish. Put a small piece of butter on each mushroom,
season with pepper and salt, and squeeze over them a few drops of
lemon-juice. Place the dish before the fire, and when the butter is
melted, serve very hot and quickly. Moderate-sized flaps are better
suited to this mode of cooking than the buttons: the latter are better
in stews. _Time._—10 minutes for medium-sized mushrooms. _Average
cost_, 1_d._ each for large mushrooms. _Sufficient._—Allow 3 or 4
mushrooms to each person. _Seasonable._—Meadow mushrooms in September
and October; cultivated mushrooms may be had at any time.
MUSHROOMS, Dried.
_Mode._—Wipe them clean, take away the brown part, and peel off the
skin; lay them on sheets of paper to dry, in a cool oven, when they
will shrivel considerably. Keep them in paper bags, which hang in a
dry place. When wanted for use, put them into cold gravy, bring them
gradually to simmer, and it will be found that they will regain nearly
their usual size.
MUSHROOMS, Pickled.
_Ingredients._—Sufficient vinegar to cover the mushrooms; to each
quart of mushrooms, 2 blades of pounded mace, 1 oz. of ground pepper,
salt to taste. _Mode._—Choose some nice young button mushrooms for
pickling, and rub off the skin with a piece of flannel and salt, and
cut off the stalks; if very large, take out the red inside, and reject
the black ones, as they are too old. Put them into a stewpan, sprinkle
salt over them, with pounded mace and pepper in the above proportion;
shake them well over a clear fire until the liquor flows, and keep
them there until they are all dried up again; then add as much vinegar
as will cover them; just let it simmer for 1 minute, and store it
away in stone jars for use. When cold, tie down with bladder and keep
in a dry place: they will remain good for a length of time, and are
generally considered delicious. _Seasonable._—-Make this the same time
as ketchup, from the beginning of September to the middle of October.
MUSHROOMS, to Preserve.
_Ingredients._—To each quart of mushrooms, allow 3 oz. butter, pepper
and salt to taste, the juice of 1 lemon, clarified butter. _Mode._—Peel
the mushrooms, put them into cold water, with a little lemon-juice;
take them out and _dry_ them very carefully in a cloth. Put the butter
into a stewpan capable of holding the mushrooms; when it is melted,
add the mushrooms, lemon-juice, and a seasoning of pepper and salt;
draw them down over a slow fire, and let them remain until their liquor
is boiled away, and they have become quite dry, but be careful in not
allowing them to stick to the bottom of the stewpan. When done, put
them into pots, and pour over the top clarified butter. If wanted for
immediate use, they will keep good a few days without being covered
over. To re-warm them, put the mushrooms into a stewpan, strain the
butter from them, and they will be ready for use. _Average cost_,
1_d._ each. _Seasonable._—Meadow mushrooms in September and October;
cultivated mushrooms may be had at any time.
MUSHROOMS, Stewed.
_Ingredients._—1 pint mushroom-buttons, 3 oz. of fresh butter, white
pepper and salt to taste, lemon-juice, 1 teaspoonful of flour, cream
or milk, ¼ teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. _Mode._—Cut off the ends of
the stalks, and pare neatly a pint of mushroom-buttons; put them into
a basin of water, with a little lemon juice, as they are done. When
all are prepared, take them from the water with the hands, to avoid
the sediment, and put them into a stewpan with the fresh butter, white
pepper, salt, and the juice of ½ lemon; cover the pan closely, and
let the mushrooms stew gently from 20 to 25 minutes; then thicken the
butter with the above proportion of flour, add gradually sufficient
cream, or cream and milk, to make the sauce of a proper consistency,
and put in the grated nutmeg. If the mushrooms are not perfectly
tender, stew them for 5 minutes longer, remove every particle of butter
which may be floating on the top, and serve. _Time._—½ hour. _Average
cost_, from 9_d._ to 2_s._ per pint. _Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable._—Meadow mushrooms in September and October.
MUSHROOMS, Stewed in Gravy.
_Ingredients._—1 pint of mushroom-buttons, 1 pint of brown gravy, ¼
teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, cayenne and salt to taste. _Mode._—Make a
pint of brown gravy, cut nearly all the stalks away from the mushrooms
and peel the tops; put them into a stewpan, with the gravy, and simmer
them gently from 20 minutes to ½ hour. Add the nutmeg and a seasoning
of cayenne and salt, and serve very hot. _Time._—20 minutes to ½ hour.
_Average cost_, 9_d._ to 2_s._ per pint. _Sufficient_ for 5 or 6
persons. _Seasonable._—Meadow mushrooms in September and October.
MUSTARD, How to Mix.
_Ingredients._—Mustard, salt and water. _Mode._—Mustard should be mixed
with water that has been boiled and allowed to cool; hot water destroys
its essential properties, and raw cold water might cause it to ferment.
Put the mustard into a cup, with a small pinch of salt, and mix with it
very gradually sufficient boiled water to make it drop from the spoon
without being watery. Stir and mix well, and rub the lumps well down
with the back of a spoon, as well-mixed mustard should be perfectly
free from these. The mustard-pot should not be more than half-full, or
rather less if it will not be used for a day or two, as it is so much
better when it is freshly mixed.
MUSTARD, Indian, an excellent Relish to Bread and Butter, or any cold
Meat.
_Ingredients._—¼ lb. of the best mustard, ¼ lb. of flour, ½ oz. of
salt, 4 shalots, 4 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, 4 tablespoonfuls of
ketchup, ¼ bottle of anchovy sauce. _Mode._—Put the mustard, flour, and
salt into a basin, and make them into a stiff paste with boiling water.
Boil the shalots with the vinegar, ketchup, and anchovy sauce, for 10
minutes, and pour the whole, _boiling_, over the mixture in the basin;
stir well, and reduce it to a proper thickness; put it into a bottle,
with a bruised shalot at the bottom, and store away for use. This makes
an excellent relish, and if properly prepared will keep for years.
MUSTARD, Tartar.
_Ingredients._—Horseradish vinegar, cayenne, ½ a teacupful of mustard.
_Mode._—Have ready sufficient horseradish vinegar to mix with the
above proportion of mustard; put the mustard into a cup, with a slight
seasoning of cayenne; mix it perfectly smooth with the vinegar,
adding this a little at a time; rub down with the back of a spoon any
lumps that may appear, and do not let it be too thin. Mustard may be
flavoured in various ways, with Tarragon, shalot, celery, and many
other vinegars, herbs, spices, &c.