_India._
Lay a pound of white ginger in water one night: then scrape, slice, and
lay it in salt in a pan till the other ingredients shall be ready.
Peel, slice, and salt a pound of garlick three days; then put it in the
sun to dry. Salt and dry long pepper in the same way.
Prepare various sorts of vegetables thus:
Quarter small white cabbages: salt three days: squeeze and set them in
the sun to dry.
Cauliflowers cut in their branches: take off the green from radishes:
cut celery in three inch lengths: ditto French beans whole, likewise the
shoots of alder, which will look like bamboo. Apples and cucumbers,
choose of the least seedy sort; cut them in slices, or quarters, if not
too large. All must be salted, drained, and dried in the sun, except the
latter; over which you must pour boiling vinegar, and, in twelve hours,
drain them, but no salt must be used.
Put the spice, garlick, a quarter of a pound of mustardseed, and as much
vinegar as you think enough for the quantity you are to pickle, into a
large stonejar, and one ounce of turmeric to be ready against the
vegetables shall be dried. When they are ready, observe the following
directions: put some of them into a two quart stonejar, and pour over
them one quart of boiling vinegar: next day take out those vegetables,
and when drained, put them into a large stock jar, and boiling the
vinegar, pour it over some more of the vegetables; let them lie a night,
and do as above. Thus proceed till you have cleansed each set from the
dust which must inevitably fall on them by being so long in doing: then,
to every gallon of vinegar, put two ounces of flour of mustard, mixing,
by degrees, with a little of it boiling hot. The whole of the vinegar
should have been previously scalded, but left to be cool before put to
the spice. Stop the jar tight.
This pickle will not be ready for a year; but you may make a small jar
for eating in a fortnight, by only giving them one scald in water, after
salting and drying as above, but without the preparative vinegar; then
pour the vinegar that has the spice and garlick, boiling hot over. If at
any time it be found that the vegetables have not swelled properly,
boiling the pickle, and pouring it over them hot, will plump them.
_English Bamboo, to Pickle._
Cut the large young shoots of alder, which put out in the middle of May,
(the middle stalks are most tender) peel off the outward peel, or skin,
and lay them in salt and water, very strong, one night. Dry them piece
by piece in a cloth. Have in readiness a pickle thus made and boiled. To
a quart of vinegar put an ounce of white pepper, an ounce of sliced
ginger, a little mace and pimento, and pour boiling on the alder shoots,
in a stonejar: stop close, and set by the fire two hours, turning the
jar often, to keep scalding hot. If not green when cold, strain, off the
liquor, and pour boiling hot again; keeping it hot as before. Or, if you
intend to make Indian pickle, the above shoots are a great improvement
to it: in which case you need only pour boiling vinegar and mustardseed
on them; and keep them till your jar of pickles shall be ready to
receive them.
_Melon Mangoes._
There is a particular sort for this purpose which the gardeners know.
Cut a square small piece out of one side, and through that take out the
seeds, and mix with them mustard seeds and shred garlick; stuff the
melon as full as the space will allow, and replace the square piece.
Bind it up with a small new packthread. Boil a good quantity of vinegar,
to allow for wasting, with peppers, salt, ginger, and pour boiling hot
over the mangoes four successive days; the last, put flour of mustard,
and scraped horseradish into the vinegar just as it boils up. Stop
close. Observe that there is plenty of vinegar. All pickles are spoiled
if not well covered. Mangoes should be done soon after they are
gathered.
_Pickled Onions._
In the month of September, choose the small white round onions, take off
the brown skin; have ready a very nice tin stewpan of boiling water;
throw in as many onions as will cover the top. As soon as they look
clear on the outside, take them up as quick as possible with a slice,
and lay them on a clean cloth, cover them close with another, and scald
some more, and so on. Let them lie to be cold, then put them in a jar,
or glass widemouth bottle, and pour over them the best white wine
vinegar, just hot, but not boiling. When cold, cover them.
_Cucumbers and Onions sliced._
Cut them in slices, and sprinkle salt over them: next day drain them for
five or six hours, then put them into a jar, and pour boiling vinegar
over them, keeping in a warm place. The slices should be thick. Repeat
the boiling vinegar, and stop instantly; and so on till green.
_Pickled sliced Cucumbers, another way._
Slice large unpared cucumbers, an inch thick; slice onions, and put both
into a broad pan: strew a good deal of salt among them. In twenty four
hours drain them, and then lay them on a cloth to dry. Put them in small
stonejars, and pour in the strongest plain vinegar, boiling hot: stop
the jars close. Next day boil it again, and pour over, and thus thrice;
the last time add whole white pepper, and a little ginger. Keep close
covered.
_Young Cucumbers._
Choose nice young gherkins; spread them on dishes; salt them, and let
them lie a week: drain them, and, putting them in a jar, pour boiling
vinegar over them. Set them near the fire, covered with plenty of
vineleaves. If they do not become a tolerable good green, pour the
vinegar into another jar, set it over the hot hearth, and when it boils,
pour it over them again, covering with fresh leaves; and thus do till
they are of as good a colour as you wish: but as it is now known, that
the very fine green pickles are made so by using brass or bell metal
vessels, which, when vinegar is put into them, become highly poisonous,
few people like to eat them.
_Note._ Acids dissolve the lead in the tinning of saucepans. Pickles
should never be kept in glazed jars, but in stone or glass; and vinegar,
or any acids, should be boiled, by putting them in jars of stone, over a
hot hearth, or in a kettle of water.
_To Pickle Walnuts._
When they will bear a pin to go into them, put on them a brine of salt
and water boiled, and strong enough to bear an egg, being quite cold
first. It must be well skimmed while boiling. Let them soak twelve days,
then drain them, and pour over them in the jar a pickle of the best
white wine vinegar, with a good quantity of pepper, pimento, ginger,
mace, cloves, mustardseed, and horseradish; all boiled together, but
cold. To every hundred of walnuts, put six spoonfuls of mustardseed, and
two or three heads of garlick, or shalot; but the latter is least
strong.
Thus done, they will be good for several years, if kept close covered.
The air will soften them. They will not be fit to eat under six months.
The pickle will serve as good catsup, when the walnuts are used.
_Nasturtions, for Capers._
Keep them a few days after they are gathered; then pour boiling vinegar
over them, and when cold, cover.
They will not be fit to eat for some months; but are then finely
flavoured, and by many preferred to capers.
_An excellent way to Pickle Mushrooms, to preserve the flavour._
Buttons must be rubbed with a bit of flannel and salt; and from the
larger, take out the _red_ inside, for when they are _black_ they will
not do, being too old. Throw a little salt over, and put them into a
stewpan, with some mace, and pepper. As the liquor comes out, shake them
well, and keep them over a gentle fire till all of it be dried into them
again; then put as much vinegar into the pan as will cover them; give it
one warm, and turn all into a glass or stonejar. They will keep two
years, and are delicious.
_Red Cabbage._
Slice it into a colander, and sprinkle each layer with salt; let it
drain two days, then put it into a jar, and pour boiling vinegar enough
to cover, and put a few slices of red beet root. Observe to choose the
purple red cabbage. Those who like the flavour of spice, will boil it
with the vinegar. Cauliflower, cut in branches, and thrown in after
being salted, will look of a beautiful red.
_To Stew Green Peas._
Put a quart of pease, a lettuce, an onion, both sliced, a bit of butter,
pepper, salt, and no more water than hangs round the lettuce from
washing. Stew them two hours very gently. When to be served, beat up an
egg, and stir into them, or a bit of flour and butter.
Some think a teaspoonful of white powdered sugar is an improvement.
Gravy may be added; but there will be less of the flavour of the peas.
Chop a bit of mint, and stew in them.
_To stew Cucumbers._
Slice them thick, or halve, and divide them in two lengths: strew some
salt and pepper, and slice onions; add a little broth, or a bit of
butter. Simmer very slowly; and, before serving, if no butter was in
before, put some, and a little flour; or if it was in, only a little
flour, unless it wants richness.
_Another way._
Slice the onions, and cut the cucumbers large; flour and fry them in
some butter: then pour on some good broth or gravy, and stew till
enough. Skim off the fat.
_Stewed Onions._
Peel six large onions: fry them gently of a fine brown, but do not
blacken; then put them in a small stewpan, with a little weak gravy,
pepper, and salt: cover and stew two hours gently. They should be
lightly floured at first.
_Roast Onions._
Should be done with all the skins on. They eat well alone, with salt
only, and cold butter; or with roast potatoes, or with beetroots.
_Stewed Celery._
Wash, and strip off the outer leaves of six heads; halve, or leave them
whole according to their size; cut them in four inch lengths. Put them
in a stewpan with a cup of broth, or weak white gravy. Stew till tender;
then add two spoonfuls of cream, and a little flour and butter, seasoned
with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, and simmer all together.
_Cauliflower in white Sauce._
Half boil, then cut into handsome pieces, and lay into a stewpan, with a
little broth, a bit of mace, a little salt, and a dust of white pepper.
Simmer half an hour; then put a little cream, butter, and flour; shake
and simmer a few minutes, and serve.
_Spinach_
Should be very carefully picked and washed; then boil, and squeeze it
dry. Put it in a pan with a bit of butter, salt, and pepper; stew it,
and serve.
_French way._
Clean as before; then put it into a stewpan without water, a spoonful of
gravy, and a lump of butter, salt, and pepper, and simmer till ready. If
too moist, squeeze the gravy from it.
_Stewed Red Cabbage._
Slice a small, or half a large red cabbage: wash it, and put into a
saucepan, with pepper and salt, no water but what hangs about the
former, and a piece of butter. Stew till quite tender; then when going
to serve, put to it half a cup of vinegar, and stir it over the fire.
Serve for cold meat, or with sausages on it.
_Stewed Mushrooms._
Choose large buttons, or small flaps, before the fringe be turned black:
pick each one separately, and observe there is not a bad one; rub the
former, with a flannel and salt, skin the latter, and take out the
fringe. Throw them into a stewpan, with a little salt, a piece of
butter, and a few peppers; set them on a slack part of the fire, and
shake them sometime. When tender, add two large spoonfuls of cream, and
a dust of flour.
_Stewed Sorrel for Fricandeau, and roast Meat._
Wash the sorrel, and put it in a silver vessel, or stonejar, and no more
water than hangs to the leaves. Simmer in the slowest way you can; and
when done enough, put a bit of butter, and beat it well.
_Stewed Carrots._
Half boil, then nicely scrape, and slice them into a stewpan. Put to
them half a teacup of any weak broth, some pepper, and salt, and half a
cup of cream; simmer to be very tender, but not broke. Before serving,
rub the least flour with a bit of butter, and warm up with it. If
approved, chopped parsley may be added ten minutes before served.
_Stewed old Peas._
Steep them in water all night, if not fine boilers, otherwise only half
an hour; put them with water enough just to cover them, and a good bit
of butter, or a piece of beef or pork. Stew in the most gentle way till
the peas are soft, and the meat is tender. If not salt meat, add salt,
and a little pepper, and serve round the meat.
_French Sallad._
Chop three anchovies, a shalot, and some parsley small; put them in a
bowl with two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, one of oil, a little mustard,
and salt. When well mixed, add by degrees some cold roast or boiled meat
in the very thinnest slices; put in a few at a time, they being small,
not exceeding two or three inches long; shake them in the seasoning, and
then put more; cover the bowl close; and let the sallad be prepared
three hours before it be eaten.
Garnish with parsley, and a few slices of the fat.
_Lobster Sallad._
Make a sallad, and put some of the red part of the lobster to it, cut;
which forms a pretty contrast to the white and green of the vegetables.
Do not put much oil, as shellfish take off the acidity of vinegar.
Serve in a dish, not a bowl.
_To boil Potatoes._
Set them on a fire, unpared, in cold water; let them half boil, then
throw some salt in, and a pint of cold water, and let them boil again
till near done. Pour off the water, and put a clean cloth over them, and
then the saucepan cover, and set them by the fire to steam till ready.
Many use steamers.
_To broil Potatoes._
Parboil, then slice and broil them; or parboil, and set them whole on
the gridiron over a very slow fire; and when thoroughly done, send up
with their skins on. The latter is done in many Irish families.
_To roast Potatoes._
Half boil, take off the thin peel, and roast them of a beautiful brown.
_To fry Potatoes._
Slice raw potatoes after the skin is removed, and fry either in butter,
or thin batter.
_To mash Potatoes._
Boil, peel, and break to paste the potatoes; then, to two pounds, add a
quarter of a pint of milk, and a little salt, with two or three ounces
of butter, and stir all well over the fire. Serve thus, or brown the
top, when placed on the dish in a form, with a salamander; or in
scollops.
_To mash Parsnips._
Boil tender; scrape them; then mash into a stewpan, with a little cream,
a good piece of butter, pepper, and salt.
_To keep Green Peas._
Shell, and put them into a kettle of water when it boils: give them two
or three warms only, and pour them into a colander. When the water
drains off, turn them on a dresser covered with cloth; pour them on
another cloth to dry perfectly: then bottle them in widemouth bottles,
leaving only room to pour clarified mutton suet upon them an inch thick,
and for the cork; rosin it down, and keep in a cellar, or in the earth,
as ordered for gooseberries. Boil them, with a bit of butter, a spoonful
of sugar, and a bit of mint, till tender, when to be used.
_Another way, as practised in the Emperor of Russia’s Kitchen._
Shell, scald, and dry as above. Put them on tins or earthen dishes in a
cool oven to harden, once or twice. Keep them in paper bags hung up in
the kitchen. When to be used, let them lie an hour in water; then set
them on with cold water, and a bit of butter, and boil till ready. Put a
sprig of dried mint to boil with them.
_To preserve French Beans, to eat in the Winter._
Pick them young, and throw into a little wooden keg a layer three inches
deep; then sprinkle with salt: put another layer of beans, and do the
same as high as you think proper, alternately with salt; but do not be
too liberal of the latter: lay a plate, or cover of wood that will go
into the keg, and put on it a heavy stone. A pickle will rise from the
beans and salt. If too salt, the soaking and boiling will not be
sufficient to make them pleasant to the taste. When to be eaten, cut,
soak, and boil as when fresh.
Potatoes should be kept in the earth that adheres to them when dug; and
preserved from frost.
Carrots, parsnips, and turnips the same, and put in layers of dry sand.
Small close cabbages laid on a stone floor before the frost sets in,
will blanch and be very fine, after many weeks’ keeping.
_To boil Vegetables Green._
Be sure the water boils when you put them in; when in, make them boil
very fast. Do not cover, but watch them; and if the water has not
slackened, you may be assured they are done when they are beginning to
sink; take them out immediately, or the colour will change.
_Small Dishes for Supper, &c._
Boil eggs hard, cut them in half, take out the yelks, set the whites on
a dish, and fill with the following several ingredients; or put a saucer
upside down on a plate, and place them in quarters round: in either case
as a salmagundi. Chopped veal, yelk of egg, beetroot, anchovy, apple,
onion, ham, and parsley. A very small bit of the white of the egg must
be cut off, to make it stand on the dish as a cup.
_Orange Butter._
Boil six eggs hard: beat the yelks in a mortar with fine sugar, orange
flower water, four ounces of butter, and two ounces of almonds beaten to
a paste. When all is mixed, rub it through a colander on a dish.
Roll butter in different forms; either like a pine, having made it in
the shape of a cone, and marking it with a teaspoon; or rolling in a
crimping form, or working it through a colander. Serve with scraped beef
or anchovies, garnished with a wreath of curled parsley.
Rusks buttered, and anchovies split and rolled.
Grated hung beef on rusks buttered.
Grated cheese on ditto, or in a plate.
Radishes placed round a plate, and butter in the middle.
French beans boiled of a beautiful green, and served with a cream sauce.
Jerusalem artichokes or cauliflowers in ditto.
Broccoli boiled, served on toast, to eat with poached eggs.
Stewed vegetables.
Eggs poached on toast or spinach.
Eggs buttered on toast.
Custards in cups or glasses, with toast in long sippets.
Cold meat in slices on a dish, or as Sandwiches.
Ham. Tongue. Collared things. Hunter’s beef.
Oysters cold, scalloped, stewed, or pickled.
Potted meat, birds, fish, or cheese.
Pickled or baked fish.
Common cake. Baked or stewed fruits.
Pies of meat, fowl, or fruit.
Potatoes roasted, boiled, scalloped, mashed, &c.
Collared beef, veal, or pig’s head.
Lobsters. Crabs. Prawns.
Sweetbreads. Small birds.
_Forcemeat for Patties, Balls or Stuffing._
Crumbs of bread, chopped parsley, fat bacon, (if it has been dressed it
is the better,) suet, a bit of fresh butter, a little anchovy liquor, an
egg, a bit of onion, a very little knotted marjorum, a little pepper,
salt, and nutmeg.
This is a much admired mixture; but, according to the purpose it is for,
any addition may be made to the flavour. Cold ham or gammon, different
herbs, anchovies, oysters, Cayenne.
_Note._ To the above should have been added cold veal or chicken, which
is a great improvement. Some like lemon, and lemon thyme is a good
substitute. Tarragon gives a French flavour, but a very small proportion
is sufficient.
_Fried Patties._
Mince a bit of cold veal, and six oysters; mix with a few crumbs of
bread, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and a very small bit of lemonpeel; add the
liquor of the oysters: warm all in a tosser, but do not boil. Let it go
cold. Have ready a good puff paste, roll thin, and cut it in round or
square bits. Put some of the above between two of them; twist the edges
to keep in the gravy, and fry them of a fine brown.
This is a very good thing; and baked, is a fashionable dish.
_Oyster Patties._
Put a fine puff paste into small pattypans, and a bit of bread in each;
and against they are baked, have ready the following to fill with,
taking out the bread. Take off the beards of the oysters; cut the other
parts in small bits; put them in a small tosser, with a grate of nutmeg,
the least white pepper, and salt, a morsel of lemonpeel, cut so small
that you can scarcely see it, a little cream, and a little of the oyster
liquor. Simmer for a few minutes before you fill.
_Lobster Patties._
Make with the same seasoning, a little cream, and the smallest bit of
butter.
Beef and veal patties, as likewise turkey and chicken, are under the
several articles in the foregoing pages.
_Sweet Patties._
Chop the meat of a boiled calf’s foot, of which you use the liquor for
jelly, two apples, one ounce of orange and lemonpeel candied, and some
fresh peel and juice: mix with them half a nutmeg grated, the yelk of an
egg, a spoonful of brandy, and four ounces of currants washed and dried.
Bake in small pattypans.
_Patties resembling Mincepies._
Chop the kidney and fat of cold veal, apple, orange and lemonpeel
candied, and fresh currants, a little wine, two or three cloves, a
little brandy, and a bit of sugar. Bake in puff paste as before.
_Mincepie_.
Of scraped beef free from skin and strings, weigh two pounds; four
pounds of suet picked and chopped; then add six pounds of currants,
nicely cleaned and perfectly dry, three pounds of chopped apples, the
peel and juice of two lemons, a pint of sweet wine, a nutmeg, a quarter
of an ounce of cloves, ditto mace, ditto pimento, in finest powder;
press the whole into a deep pan when well mixed, and keep it covered in
a dry cool place.
Half the quantity is enough, unless for a very large family.
Have citron, orange, and lemonpeel ready, and put some of each in the
pies when made.
_Mincepies, without Meat._
Of the best apples six pounds, pared, cored, and minced; of fresh suet,
and raisins stoned, each three pounds, likewise minced: to these add of
mace and cinnamon a quarter of an ounce each, and eight cloves, in
finest powder, three pounds of the finest powder sugar, three quarters
of an ounce of salt, the rinds of four and juice of two lemons, half a
pint of port wine, and the same of brandy. Mix well, and put into a deep
pan.
Have ready washed and dried four pounds of currants, and add as you make
the pies, with candied fruit.
_Lemon Mincepies._
Squeeze a large lemon: boil the outside till tender enough to beat to a
mash: add to it three large apples chopped, four ounces of suet, half a
pound of currants, and four ounces of sugar. Put the juice of the lemon
and candied fruit, as for other pies. Make a short crust, and fill the
patty pans as usual.
_Egg Mincepies._
Boil six eggs hard, and shred them small: shred double the quantity of
suet; then put currants washed and picked, one pound or more, if the
eggs were large; the peel of one lemon shred very fine, half the juice,
six spoonfuls of sweet wine, mace, nutmeg, sugar, a very little salt,
orange, lemon, and citron candied. Make a light paste for them.
_Savory Rice._
Wash and pick some rice: stew it very gently in a small quantity of
veal, or rich mutton broth, with an onion, a blade of mace, pepper, and
salt. When swelled, but not boiled to mash, dry it on the shallow end of
a sieve before the fire, and either serve it dry, or put it in the
middle of a dish, and pour the gravy round, having heated it.
_Buttered Rice._
Prepare some rice as above: drain, and put it with some new milk, enough
just to swell it, over the fire. When tender, pour off the milk, and add
a bit of butter, a little sugar, and pounded cinnamon. Shake it, that it
do not burn, and serve.
_Rice boiled to eat with Curry or roast Meats._
Prepare as above; then put it into a large quantity of water, boil it
quick, throw in a little salt, and observe the very moment when it is
swelled large, but not too much softened; then drain off the water, and
pour the rice on the shallow end of a sieve: set it before a fire, and
let it stay until it separates and dries. Serve it without sauce of any
kind.
_Omlet._
Make a batter of eggs and milk, and a very little flour; put to it
chopped parsley, onions, or chives (the latter is best); or a very small
quantity of shalot, a little pepper, salt, and a scrape or two of
nutmeg. Make some very nice dripping: boil in a small fryingpan, and
pour the above batter into it. When one side is of a fine yellow brown,
turn and do the other. Some scraped lean ham, put in at first, is a very
pleasant addition. Three eggs will make a pretty sized omlet; but many
cooks will use eight or ten.
If the taste be approved, a _little_ tarragon gives a fine flavour. A
good deal of parsley should be used.
_Ramakins._
Scrape a quarter of a pound of Cheshire, and ditto of Gloucester cheese,
ditto of good fresh butter; then beat all in a mortar with the yelks of
four eggs, and the inside of a small French roll boiled in cream till
soft. Mix the paste then with the whites of the eggs previously beaten,
and put into small paper pans made rather long than square, and bake in
a Dutch oven till of a fine brown. They should be eaten quite hot.
_Bacon Fraise._
Cut streaked bacon in thin slices an inch long; make a batter of milk,
well beaten eggs, and flour; put a little lard or dripping into the pan,
and when hot pour the batter in, and cover it with a dish. When fit to
turn, put in the bacon, and turn it very carefully, that the bacon does
not touch the pan.
_Rich Puff Paste._
Weigh an equal quantity of butter with as much fine flour as you judge
necessary; mix a little of the former with the latter, and wet it with
as little water as will make into a stiff paste. Roll it out, and put
all the butter over it in slices; turn in the ends, and roll it thin; do
this twice, and touch it no more than can be avoided. The butter may be
added at twice; and to those who are not accustomed to make paste, it
may be better to do so.
A quicker oven than for short crust.
_A less rich Paste._
Weigh a pound of flour, and a quarter of a pound of butter; rub them
together, and mix into a paste with a little water, and an egg well
beaten; of the former as little as will suffice, or the paste will be
tough. Roll, and fold it three or four times.
Rub extremely fine, in one pound of dried flour, six ounces of butter,
and a spoonful of white sugar. Work up the whole into a stiff paste,
with as little _hot_ water as possible.
_German Puffs another way._
Boil two ounces of fresh butter in half a pint of cream; stir until
cold; then beat two eggs, strain them into the cream, and mix that by
degrees into two table spoonfuls of flour: butter teacups, and into each
put three spoonfuls of the batter; bake them half an hour, and serve the
moment they are to be eaten, turned out of the cups, with sauce of
melted butter, sugar, and the juice of a lemon.
_Excellent short Crust._
Make two ounces of white sugar, pounded and sifted, quite dry; then mix
it with a pound of flour well dried; rub into it three ounces of butter
so fine as not to be seen: into some cream put the yelks of two eggs
beaten, and mix the above into a smooth paste; roll it thin, and bake in
a moderate oven.
_Another._
Mix with a pound of fine flour, dried, an ounce of sugar pounded and
sifted; then crumble three ounces of butter in it, till it looks all
like flour, and with a gill of boiling cream, work it up to a fine
paste.
_Light Paste for Tarts and Cheesecakes._
Beat the white of an egg to a strong froth; then mix it with as much
water as will make three quarters of a pound of fine flour into a very
stiff paste: roll it very thin, then lay the third part of half a pound
of butter upon it in little bits: dredge it with some flour, left out at
first, and roll it up tight. Roll it out again, and put the same
proportion of butter; and so proceed till all be worked up.
_A very fine Crust for Orange Cheesecakes or Sweetmeats, when to be
particularly nice._
Dry a pound of the finest flour, and mix with it three ounces of refined
sugar; then work half a pound of butter with your hand till it comes to
a froth. Put the flour into it by degrees; and work into it, well
beaten, and strained, the yelks of three and whites of two eggs. If too
limber, put some flour and sugar to make fit to roll. Line your
pattypans and fill. A little above fifteen minutes will bake them.
Against they come out, have ready some refined sugar, beat up with the
white of an egg, as thick as you can: ice them all over: set them in the
oven to harden, and serve cold. Use fresh butter.
Salt butter will make a very fine flaky crust; but if for mincepies, or
any sweet thing, should be washed.
_Raised Crust for Custards or Fruit._
Put four ounces of butter into a saucepan with water; and when it boils,
pour it into as much flour as you choose, knead and beat it till smooth:
cover it as on the other side. Raise it; and if for custard, put a paper
within to keep out the sides till half done, then fill with a cold
mixture of milk, egg, sugar, and a little peachwater, lemonpeel, or
nutmeg. By cold is meant that the egg is not to be warmed, but the milk
should be warmed by itself; not to spoil the crust.
_Raised Crust for Meatpies or Fowls, &c._
Boil water with a little fine lard, and an equal quantity of fresh
dripping, or of butter, but not much of either. While hot, mix this with
as much flour as you will want, making the paste as stiff as you can to
be smooth, which you will make it by good kneading, and beating with the
rolling pin. When quite smooth, put it in a lump into a cloth, or under
a pan to soak, till near cold.
Those who have not a good hand at raising crust, may do thus: roll the
paste of a proper thickness, and cut out the top and bottom of the pie,
then a long piece for the sides. Cement the bottom to the sides with
egg, bringing the former rather further out, and pinching both together;
put egg between the edges of the paste to make it adhere at the sides.
Fill your pie, and put on the cover, and pinch it and the side crust
together. The same mode of uniting the paste is to be observed, if the
sides are pressed into a tin form, in which the paste must be baked,
after it shall be filled and covered; but in the latter case the tin
should be buttered, and carefully taken off when done enough; and as the
form usually makes the sides of a lighter colour than is proper, the
paste should be put into the oven again for a quarter of an hour. With a
feather put egg over at first.
_Crust for Venison Pastry._
To a quarter of a peck of fine flour use two pounds and a half of
butter, and four eggs: mix into paste with warm water, and work it
smooth and to a good consistence. Put a paste round the inside, but not
to the bottom of the dish, and let the cover be pretty thick, to bear
the long continuance in the oven.
_Rice Pastry._
Boil a quarter of a pound of ground rice in the smallest quantity of
water: strain from it all the moisture as well as you can. Beat it in a
mortar, with half an ounce of butter, and one egg well beaten, and it
will make an excellent paste for tarts, &c.
_Potatoe Pastry._
Pound boiled potatoes very fine; and add, while warm, a sufficiency of
butter to make the mash hold together. Or you may mix with it an egg;
then before it gets cold, flour the board pretty well to prevent it from
sticking, and roll it to the thickness wanted.
If it is become quite cold before it be put on the dish, it will be apt
to crack.