flour, one cup of stock or boiling water, and one cup of thin cream.
Cook five minutes, add two cups of finely chopped cooked veal, half a
level teaspoon of salt, a saltspoon of pepper, also the beaten yolks of
two eggs, and a tablespoon of finely minced parsley. As soon as the egg
thickens take from the fire and fill hot pastry cases.
~VIRGINIA STEW~--A half grown chicken or two squirrels, one slice of
salt pork, twelve large tomatoes, three cups of lima beans, one large
onion, two large Irish potatoes, twelve ears of corn, one-fourth pound
of butter, one-fourth pound of lard, one gallon of boiling water, two
tablespoonfuls salt and pepper; mix as any ordinary soup and let it cook
for a couple of hours or more, then serve.
~BROILING STEAK~--While many prefer steak fairly well done, still the
great majority desire to have it either rare, or certainly not overdone.
For those who wish a steak well done--completely through--and still not
to have the outside crisp to a cinder, it is necessary to cut the steak
possibly as thin as one-half inch, and then the outside can have that
delicious and intense scorching which quickly prevents the escape of
juices, and also gives the slightly burned taste which at its perfect
condition is the most delicious flavor from my own preference that can
be given to a steak. By this I do not mean a steak burned to a cinder,
but slightly scorched over a very hot fire.
~FOR RARE BROILED STEAK~--For those who are fond of rare steak it can be
cut from one inch to one and one-quarter inches in thickness and the
outside thoroughly and quickly broiled, leaving the inside practically
only partially cooked, so that the blood will follow the knife and still
the steak has been heated completely through and a thin crust on either
side has been well cooked, which has formed the shell to retain the
juices.
~PROPERLY FRYING STEAK~--To fry steak properly (although some claim it
is not proper to fry steak under any circumstances), it is necessary to
have the butter, oleo, fat or grease piping hot, for two reasons: First,
the steak sears over quickly, and the juices are thus retained within
the steak to better advantage than by the slow process of cooking, but
even more important is the fact that the incrustation thus formed not
only holds the juices within the steak, but prevents the fat from
penetrating and making the steak greasy, soggy and unattractive. As a
rule, however, we must acknowledge that broiled steak is in varying
degrees largely superior to fried steak.
~BROILED LOIN STEAKS~--Two loin steaks of about a pound each: season
with salt and pepper to taste, baste on either side with a little oil.
Place on a broiler over a bright charcoal fire, and broil for six
minutes, on each side. Serve on a hot dish with Bordeaux sauce and
garnish with rounds of marrow.
~FRIED HAMBURG STEAK, WITH RUSSIAN SAUCE~--Select a piece of buttock
beef, remove the fat and chop very fine. Add finely chopped shallot, two
eggs, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. Mix well and form into balls.
Roll in bread crumbs and fry with a little clarified butter four or five
minutes, turning frequently. Serve with Russian sauce.
~FRIED SAUSAGE MEAT~--Roll sausage meat into small balls, wrapping each
in a thin rasher of bacon and fasten with a skewer. Fry lightly in a
little butter. Serve with fried parsley and croutons of fried bread.
Serve hot.
~ROAST BEEF, AMERICAN STYLE~--Lay the meat on sticks in a dripping pan,
so as not to touch the water which is placed in the bottom of the pan.
Season with salt and pepper and roast for three or four hours, basting
frequently. When done sift over the top browned cracker crumbs and
garnish with parsley.
~ROAST BEEF ON SPIT~--Remove most of the flap from sirloin and trim
neatly. Have a clear brisk fire and place the meat close to it for the
first half hour, then move it farther away, basting frequently, and when
done sprinkle well with salt. The gravy may be prepared by taking the
meat from the dripping pan which will have a brown sediment. Pour in
some boiling water and salt. Strain over the meat. A thickening of flour
may be added if necessary. Garnish with horseradish and serve with
horseradish sauce.
~ROAST RIBS OF BEEF~--Break off the ends of the bones of the desired
amount of ribs; take out the shin-bone, and place the meat in a baking
pan. Sprinkle with salt and spread some small lumps of butter over it
and dust with flour, baking in a moderate oven till done. Serve hot and
garnish with horseradish.
~ROAST SHOULDER OF PORK~--Remove the bone from a shoulder of pork and
spread it over inside with a stuffing of sage and onions, filling the
cavity where the bone was taken out. Roll up and secure with a string,
put in a pan and roast in a very hot oven till done. When done put on a
dish, skim off the fat in the pan, add a little water and a tablespoon
of made mustard, boil the gravy once and pass through a strainer over
the meat and serve.
~SMOKED BEEF WITH CREAM~--Place the finely minced beef in a stewpan with
a lump of butter, cooking it for two minutes, and moisten slightly with
a little cream, add two tablespoonfuls of bechamel sauce. Serve as soon
as it boils up.
~STEAK~--Cut the steak half an inch thick from between the two ribs,
remove all gristle and fat, and trim in the shape of a flat pear.
Sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper and oil to prevent outside
hardening. Broil ten minutes over a moderate and even fire. Place about
four ounces of maitre d'hotel butter on a dish. Lay the steak upon it
and garnish with fried potatoes, serving either piquant, D'Italian, or
tomato sauce.
~STEWED SAUSAGE WITH CABBAGE~--Procure a medium sized white cabbage,
remove all the green leaves, and cut it into quarters, removing the
center stalks. Wash thoroughly in cold water, drain well and cut into
small pieces. Put in boiling salted water for five minutes. Take out and
put in cold water and cool moderately. Drain in a colander and put in a
saucepan with one gill of fat from soup stock or one ounce of butter.
Season with a pinch of salt and one-half pinch of pepper, a medium sized
onion and a carrot cut into small quarters. Put on the cover of the
saucepan, set on a moderate fire and cook for half an hour. Take twelve
sausages, prick them with a fork, add them to the cabbage and allow all
to cook together for twelve minutes. Dress the cabbage on a hot dish and
arrange the sausages and carrot on top. Serve very hot.
~SUCKLING PIG~--The pig should not be more than a month or six weeks
old, and if possible should be dressed the day after it is killed.
First, scald it as follows: Soak the pig in cold water for fifteen
minutes, then plunge it into boiling water. Hold it by the head and
shake around until the hairs begin to loosen. Take out of the water and
rub vigorously with a coarse towel, until all hairs are removed. Cut the
pig open, remove the entrails, wash thoroughly in cold water. Dry on a
towel, cut the feet off at the first joint leaving enough skin to turn
over and keep it wrapped in a wet cloth until ready for use.
SALADS
~ASPARAGUS SALAD~--Cook the asparagus in salted water, drain and chill.
Serve with French dressing or sprinkle lightly with a little oil
dressing; let stand a half hour and serve with mayonnaise or boiled
dressing as any one of the three distinct kinds is appropriate with this
salad.
~BEET SALAD~--Bake the beets until tender, remove the skins and place
them in the ice box to chill. Shred a white cabbage finely and sprinkle
well with salt and use lettuce leaves to line the salad bowl. Slice the
beets, place them on the lettuce, spread with a layer of cabbage,
garnish with sliced beets cut in points and dress with mayonnaise or
boiled dressing.
~BIRDS NEST SALAD~--Have ready as many crisp leaves of lettuce as may be
required to make a dainty little nest for each person. Curl them into
shape and in each one place tiny speckled eggs made by rolling cream
cheese into shape, then sprinkle with fine chopped parsley. Serve with
French dressing hidden under the leaves of the nest.
~CABBAGE SALAD~--Chop or shave fine, half a medium size head of cabbage
that has been left in cold water until crisp, then drain. Season with
salt and pepper, then pour over it a dressing made this way: Beat the
yolks of two eggs, add two tablespoons of melted butter and beat again.
Add two tablespoons thick sour cream, two tablespoons sugar, a sprinkle
of mustard and half cup of vinegar. Beat until thoroughly mixed, pour
over the cabbage and toss lightly until uniformly seasoned.
~CAULIFLOWER MAYONNAISE~--Take cold boiled cauliflower, break into
branches, adding salt, pepper and vinegar to season. Heap on a platter,
making the flowers come to a point at the top. Surround with a garnish
of cooked and diced carrots, turnips, green peas. Pour mayonnaise over
all, chill and serve. Another garnish for cauliflower is pickled beets.
~CELERY AND NUT SALAD~--Cut enough celery fine to measure two cups, add
one cup of finely shredded or shaved cabbage and one and one-half cups
of walnut meats, broken in small pieces, but not chopped. Mix and
moisten on a serving dish and garnish with celery tips.
~CREOLE SALAD~--Half cup of olive oil, five tablespoons of vinegar, half
teaspoon of powdered sugar, one teaspoon salt, two tablespoons chopped
red pepper, three tablespoons chopped green peppers, half Bermuda onion,
parsley and lettuce and serve.
~FISH SALAD~--Remove skin and bones and flake cold cooked fish. Sprinkle
with salt and pepper and add a few drops of lemon juice. Arrange on a
bed of shredded lettuce in the shape of a fish. Cover with mayonnaise or
cream dressing and garnish with hard boiled eggs and parsley.
~JELLIED CUCUMBER~--Pare and slice cucumbers and cook in water to cover
until tender. Drain, season with salt, a few grains of cayenne, and to
one cup of the cooked cucumber add a level teaspoon of gelatin dissolved
in a spoonful of cold water. Stir the soaked gelatin in while the
cucumber is hot. Set into a cold place to chill and become firm. If a
large mold is used break up roughly into pieces, if small molds are
taken then unmold onto lettuce leaves and serve with mayonnaise.
~NUT AND CELERY SALAD~--Cover one cup of walnut meats and two slices of
onion with boiling water, to which is added a teaspoon of salt. Cook
half an hour, drain, turn into ice cold water for ten minutes, then rub
off the brown skin. Add the nuts broken in small pieces to two cups of
celery cut in small pieces crosswise. Use only the white inner stalks,
serve with a cream dressing.
~SALAD~--Two cups of apples cut into small pieces, one cup celery cut
into small pieces, one cup English walnuts. Serve on a lettuce leaf with
mayonnaise dressing, made without mustard, and thinned with cream.
Garnish dish that dressing is made in with a little garlic.
~SPANISH TOMATOES~--Choose ten or a dozen large tomatoes, cut a slice
from the stem end of each and scoop out the inside. Put the pulp into a
basin with two ounces of melted butter, two tablespoonfuls of lemon
juice, half a pound of chestnuts, boiled and grated, and seasoning of
salt and white pepper to taste. Fill the tomatoes with this, which
should be about the consistency of thick cream, spread with a thick
mayonnaise, garnish with chopped parsley and serve on lettuce leaves.
~TOMATO BASKETS~--Tomato baskets are charming accessories for holding
vegetable salad, chicken, shrimps, cold beans, asparagus tips, shredded
celery, cucumbers cut in cubes and minced peppers. Choose firm, smooth
tomatoes, not too large and as nearly one size as possible. Dip for half
a minute in boiling water, skin and set in ice box to chill. Cut out
pulp and seeds, dress the cavity with salt, pepper, oil and vinegar,
then fill with the salad, seasoned with French dressing or mayonnaise.
Handles of watercress may be attached to these baskets. Set on lettuce
or cress, as desired.
~TRIANON SALAD~--Cut one grape fruit and two oranges in sections and
free from seeds and membrane. Skin and seed one cup white grapes and cut
one-third cup pecan nut meats in small pieces. Mix ingredients, arrange
on a bed of romaine and pour over the following dressing: Mix four
tablespoons olive oil, one tablespoon grape juice, one tablespoon grape
vinegar, one-fourth teaspoon paprika, one-eighth teaspoon pepper and one
tablespoon finely chopped Roquefort cheese. This dressing should stand
in the ice-box four or five hours to become seasoned.
~CREAM DRESSING~--Mix one-half level tablespoon each of salt and
mustard, three-quarters level tablespoon of sugar, one egg slightly
beaten, two and one-half tablespoons of melted butter, three-quarters
cup of cream, and heat in a double boiler. When hot add very slowly
one-quarter cup of hot vinegar, stirring all the time. When thickened
strain and cool.
~FRENCH DRESSING~--For party of six five tablespoons of oil and three of
vinegar, juice of half lemon, two drops tabasco, tablespoon of salt,
slice of onion, and boil for three minutes and ready for service. Strain
and bottle and put in ice box, shake before using each time.
~SALAD DRESSING~--When making salad for a large family take quart bottle
with a rather wide mouth, put in one-half cup of vinegar, one and
one-half cups of olive oil, two level teaspoons of salt and one-half
level teaspoon of pepper; cork the bottle tightly and shake vigorously
until an emulsion is made. The proportion of vinegar may be larger if
not very strong and more salt and pepper used if liked. Use from the
bottle and shake well each time any is used.
Instructions for Preparing Poultry Before Dressing.
To serve poultry tender and delicate; it should be kept some hours after
being killed before boiling or roasting. Poultry intended for dinner
should be killed the evening before. When poultry has ceased to bleed,
before picking put it into cold water, in a vessel large enough to
completely cover it. Then take out and soak in boiling water for a few
minutes. Pick it, being careful to take out all the small feathers. When
cleaning the inside of poultry or game be sure not to break the gall
bladder, for it will give a bitter taste to the meat. Be equally careful
not to tear the intestines near the gizzard, as it will make the inside
dirty and spoil the whole bird.
POULTRY AND POULTRY DRESSINGS
~BOHEMIAN CHICKEN~--Select a young and tender chicken and prepare as for
frying or broiling. Place in a frying pan a pat of butter and place on
the fire. Beat to a smooth, thin batter two eggs, three spoonfuls of
milk and a little flour, season, dip each piece of the chicken in this
batter and fry a rich brown in the heated butter.
~CHICKEN A LA TARTARE~--Have a chicken dressed and split down the back;
it should not weigh over two and a half pounds. Put one quarter cup of
butter in a frying pan with a teaspoon of finely minced parsley, half a
teaspoon of salt and a little pepper. Brown each half of the chicken in
the butter and on both sides. Take up the chicken, brush the inside over
with an egg beaten with one tablespoon of cold water, lay in a dripping
pan and dust over the egg half a cup of fine bread crumbs mixed with the
same amount of minced cooked ham. Set in a hot oven and finish cooking.
Serve on a hot dish with sauce tartare. The chicken will cook best if
laid in a wire broiler resting on the dripping pan.
~CHICKEN BROILED IN PAPER~--Split a chicken and let it soak for two
hours in oil mixed with parsley, sliced onion, cloves, salt and pepper.
Put each half in papers, enclosing all the seasoning and broil over a
very slow fire. When done take off the paper, bacon, etc., and serve
with sauce a la ravigotte.
~CHICKEN CROQUETTES~--Stir a pint of fine chopped chicken into a cup and
a quarter of sauce made of one-third cup of flour, three tablespoons of
butter, a cup of chicken stock and one-fourth cup of cream, season with
a few drops of onion juice, a teaspoon of lemon, one teaspoonful celery
salt and pepper. When thoroughly chilled form into cylindrical shapes,
roll in egg and bread crumbs and fry in deep fat. Serve surrounded with
peas and figures stamped upon cooked slices of carrot. Season with salt,
paprika and butter.
~CHICKEN CROQUETTES~--Take two chickens weighing about two pounds each,
put them into a saucepan with water to cover, add two onions and
carrots, a small bunch of parsley and thyme, a few cloves and half a
grated nutmeg, and boil until birds are tender; then remove the skin,
gristle and sinews and chop the meat as fine as possible. Put into a
saucepan one pound of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour, stir over
the fire for a few minutes and add half a pint of the liquor the
chickens were cooked in and one pint of rich cream, and boil for eight
or ten minutes, stirring continually. Remove the pan from the fire,
season with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg and a little powdered sweet
marjoram, add the chopped meat and stir well. Then stir in rapidly the
yolks of four eggs, place the saucepan on the fire for a minute,
stirring well, turn the mass onto a dish, spread it out and let it get
cold. Cover the hands with flour and form the preparation into shapes,
dip them into egg beaten with cream, then in sifted breadcrumbs and let
them stand for half an hour or so to dry; then fry them a delicate color
after plunging into boiling lard. Take them out, drain, place on a
napkin on a dish and serve. The remainder of the chicken stock may be
used for making consomme or soup.
~CHICKEN CROQUETTES WITH FISH FLAVOR~--The foundation of all croquettes
is a thick white sauce which stiffens when cold, so that mixed with
minced fish, chicken or other compounds it can be easily handled and
shaped into pears, cylinders, ovals, etc. When cooked the croquettes
should be soft and creamy inside. This sauce is made as follows:--
Scald in a double boiler one pint rich milk or cream. Melt in a granite
saucepan two even tablespoons butter, then add two heaping
tablespoonfuls cornstarch or flour, and one tablespoon of flavor.
When blended add one-third of the hot cream and keep stirring as it
cooks and thickens. When perfectly smooth put in all the cream. The
sauce should be very thick. Add the seasoning, a half teaspoonful of
salt, a half teaspoonful celery salt, white peppers or paprika to taste,
then the meat.
In shaping the croquettes take about a tablespoonful of the mixture and
handling gently and carefully, press gently into whatever shape is
desired. Have ready a board sprinkled lightly with bread or cracker
crumbs, and roll the croquettes lightly in this, taking care not to
exert pressure sufficient to break them. Coat the croquettes with some
slightly salted beaten egg. Then roll again in the crumbs. Fry in deep
hot fat, a few at a time, then drain on paper.
~CHICKEN POT PIE~--Cut a fowl into pieces to serve and cook in water to
cover until the bones will come out easily. Before taking them out drop
dumplings in, cover closely and cook ten minutes without lifting the
cover. The liquid should be boiling rapidly when the dough is put in and
kept boiling until the end. For the dumplings sift two cups of flour
twice with half a level teaspoon of salt and four level teaspoons of
baking powder. Mix with about seven-eighths cup of milk, turn out on a
well floured board and pat out half an inch thick. Cut into small cakes.
If this soft dough is put into the kettle in spoonfuls the time of
cooking must be doubled. The bones and meat will keep the dough from
settling into the liquid and becoming soggy. Arrange the meat in the
center with dumplings around the edge and a sprig of parsley between
each. Thicken the liquid and season with salt and pepper as needed and a
rounding tablespoon of butter.
~CHICKEN TIMBALES~--Mix three-fourths of a cupful of flour with a half
teaspoonful of salt. Add gradually while stirring constantly, one-half
cupful of milk and one well beaten egg and one tablespoonful of olive
oil. Shape, using a hot Swedish timbale iron, and cook in deep fat until
delicately brown. Take from the iron and invert on brown paper to drain.
To make the filling for a dozen timbales, remove bones and skin from a
pint bowlful of the white or white and dark meat mixed of cold boiled or
roasted chicken, and cut in half inch pieces. Put over the first in a
saucepan two tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour and when melted
and blended add milk and chicken broth, a cupful and a half or more as
desired to make a rich cream sauce. Season with salt and pepper, add the
chicken and, if preferred, one-half cupful of mushrooms cut in pieces
the same size as the chicken. Then brown in butter before adding to the
sauce. Fill the timbales.
~DEVILED CHICKEN~--Split the chickens down the back and broil until
done, lay on a hot dripping pan and spread on a sauce, scatter fine
crumbs over and set in a quick oven to brown. For the sauce beat a
rounding tablespoon of butter light with one-half teaspoon of mixed
mustard, one teaspoon of vinegar and a pinch of cayenne.
~FRICASSED TURKEY OR GOOSE GIBLETS~--Scald and pick giblets. Put them in
a saucepan with a piece of butter, a bunch of parsley, green onions,
thyme, bay-leaf and a few mushrooms; warm these over the fire, with a
sprinkle of flour moistened with stock or water, adding salt and pepper
to taste. Reduce to a thick sauce, adding to it the yolks of two eggs,
and let simmer without boiling. Serve with sprinkling of vinegar.
~FRIED CHICKEN~--Cut up two chickens. Put a quarter of a pound of
butter, mixed with a spoonful of flour, into a saucepan with pepper,
salt, little vinegar, parsley, green onions, carrots and turnips, into a
saucepan and heat. Steep the chicken in this marinade three hours,
having dried the pieces and floured them. Fry a good brown. Garnish with
fried parsley.
~JELLIED CHICKEN~--For jellied chicken have on hand three pounds of
chicken that has been boiled and cut from the bone in strips. Mix a
quart of rich chicken stock that has been boiled down and cleared with a
teaspoonful each of lemon juice, chopped parsley, a dash of celery salt
and a quarter teaspoonful each of salt and paprika. At the last stir in
a teaspoonful of granulated gelatin that has been dissolved. When the
jelly begins to thicken add the chicken and turn it into a mold. To have
the chicken scattered evenly through the jelly, stand the dish
containing the jelly in a pan of ice and turn in the jelly layer by
layer, covering each with chicken as soon as it begins to thicken.
~MARBLED CHICKEN~--Steam a young fowl until tender or cook it gently in
a small amount of water. Cut all the meat from the bones, keeping the
white and dark meat separate. Chop the meat with a sharp knife, but do
not grind it, season with salt and pepper. Press into a mold making
alternate layers of light and dark meat. Strain the broth in which the
fowl was cooked and which should be reduced by cooking to a small
amount, season with salt and pepper, add a tablespoon of butter after
skimming clear of all fat. Pour this broth over the meat and set all in
the ice chest until cold and firm. Unmold and cut in thin slices with a
sharp knife, then if liked garnish with cress and sliced lemon and
serve.
~POTTED CHICKEN~--Truss a small broiler in shape and lay in casserole.
Brush it generously with melted butter, put on the cover, and cook
twenty minutes. Now add one cup of rich stock or beef extract dissolved
in hot water to make a good strength. Cover and finish cooking. Serve
uncovered in the same dish with spoonfuls of potato balls, small carrots
sliced and tiny string beans laid alternately round the chicken. The
vegetables should each be cooked separately.