Notwithstanding this distinguished dish is so much abused, I
particularly like it; not swimming hash, nor onion hash, nor Southern or
Western hash, nor yet hash half cooked, but New York hash. I know a New
York family who set a most expensive and elaborate table, which table is
especially noted for its good hash. Large joints are purchased with
special reference to this dish. Cold corned beef is generally considered
best. The hash to which I have referred, however, is generally made of
cold roast beef.
Chop the cold cooked meat rather fine; use half as much meat as of
boiled potatoes (chopped when cold). Put a little boiling water and
butter into an iron saucepan; when it boils again, put in the meat and
potatoes well salted and peppered. Let it cook well, stirring it
occasionally--not enough to make a _purée_ or mush of it. It is not done
before there is a coating at the bottom of the saucepan, from which the
hash will free itself without sticking. The hash must not be at all
watery, nor yet too dry, but so that it will stand quite firm on
well-trimmed and buttered slices of toast, and to be thus served on a
platter. _Voilà!_
Chicken or turkey hash should be made in the same way.
MEAT PIE (_French Cook_).
Cut cold cooked meat into quite small dice; add pepper, salt, a little
nutmeg, and two or three sprigs of chopped parsley; also a little thyme
and a piece of bay-leaf, if you have them, but the two latter herbs may
be omitted. Put a little butter into a saucepan, and when hot throw in a
table-spoonful of flour, which brown carefully; pour in then several
table-spoonfuls of hot water, or, better, stock; mix well; then
introduce the meat dice; stir all well over the fire, cooking it
thoroughly. Just before taking it up, mix in one or two eggs. It should
be quite moist, yet consistent. Put a thin pie-crust into a
pudding-dish. Fill in a few table-spoonfuls of the mixture; then lay on
it a thin strip of bacon; continue these layers until the dish is
filled. Now fit a piece of crust over the top; turn the edges in a fancy
manner, and make a cut in the centre. Take a strip of pie-paste, form it
into a tie or knot, wet the bottom, and place it over the cut in the
centre of the pie, so as not to obstruct the opening.
The proper way to make a meat pie is with a pie-mold (see page 58).
Butter the mold, press the crust neatly around in the inside and bottom,
and continue, as explained for the pudding-dish. When baked, the wire
holding the sides of the mold is drawn out, and the mold removed from
the pie. This pie can be made with veal or lamb, in the same manner.