SAUCES, PICKLES, GRAVIES, AND FORCEMEATS.
ANCHOVY SAUCE FOR FISH.
362. INGREDIENTS.--4 anchovies, 1 oz. of butter, 1/2 pint of melted
butter, cayenne to taste.
_Mode_.--Bone the anchovies, and pound them in a mortar to a paste, with
1 oz. of butter. Make the melted butter hot, stir in the pounded
anchovies and cayenne; simmer for 3 or 4 minutes; and if liked, add a
squeeze of lemon-juice. A more general and expeditious way of making
this sauce is to stir in 1-1/2 tablespoonfuls of anchovy essence to 1/2
pint of melted butter, and to add seasoning to taste. Boil the whole up
for 1 minute, and serve hot.
_Time_.--5 minutes. _Average cost_, 5d. for 1/2 pint.
_Sufficient_, this quantity, for a brill, small turbot, 3 or 4 soles,
&c.
ANCHOVY BUTTER (_see_ No. 227).
[Illustration: THE CAPISCUM.]
CAYENNE.--This is the most acrid and stimulating spice with
which we are acquainted. It is a powder prepared from several
varieties of the capsicum annual East-India plants, of which
there are three so far naturalized in this country as to be able
to grow in the open air: these are the Guinea, the Cherry, and
the Bell pepper. All the pods of these are extremely pungent to
the taste, and in the green state are used by us as a pickle.
When ripe, they are ground into cayenne pepper, and sold as a
condiment. The best of this, however, is made in the West
Indies, from what is called the _Bird_ pepper, on account of
hens and turkeys being extremely partial to it. It is imported
ready for use. Of the capiscum species of plants there are five;
but the principal are,--1. _Capsicum annuum_, the common
long-podded capsicum, which is cultivated in our gardens, and of
which there are two varieties, one with red, and another with
yellow fruit. 2. _Capsicum baccatum_, or bird pepper, which
rises with a shrubby stalk four or five feet high, with its
berries growing at the division of the branches: this is small,
oval-shaped, and of a bright-red colour, from which, as we have
said, the best cayenne is made. 3. _Capsicum grossum_, the
bell-pepper: the fruit of this is red, and is the only kind fit
for pickling.
APPLE SAUCE FOR GEESE, PORK, &c.
363. INGREDIENTS.--6 good-sized apples, sifted sugar to taste, a piece
of butter the size of a walnut, water.
_Mode_.--Pare, core, and quarter the apples, and throw them into cold
water to preserve their whiteness. Put them in a saucepan, with
sufficient water to moisten them, and boil till soft enough to pulp.
Beat them up, adding sugar to taste, and a small piece of butter This
quantity is sufficient for a good-sized tureen.
_Time_.--According to the apples, about 3/4 hour. _Average cost_, 4d.
_Sufficient_, this quantity, for a goose or couple of ducks.
BROWN APPLE SAUCE.
364. INGREDIENTS.--6 good-sized apples, 1/2 pint of brown gravy, cayenne
to taste.
_Mode_. Put the gravy in a stewpan, and add the apples, after having
pared, cored, and quartered them. Let them simmer gently till tender;
beat them to a pulp, and season with cayenne. This sauce is preferred by
many to the preceding.
_Time_.--According to the apples, about 3/4 hour. _Average cost_, 6d.
ASPARAGUS SAUCE.
365. INGREDIENTS.--1 bunch of green asparagus, salt, 1 oz. of fresh
butter, 1 small bunch of parsley, 3 or 4 green onions, 1 large lump of
sugar, 4 tablespoonfuls of sauce tournée.
_Mode_.--Break the asparagus in the tender part, wash well, and put them
into boiling salt and water to render them green. When they are tender,
take them out, and put them into cold water; drain them on a cloth till
all moisture is absorbed from them. Put the butter in a stewpan, with
the parsley and onions; lay in the asparagus, and fry the whole over a
sharp fire for 5 minutes. Add salt, the sugar and sauce tournée, and
simmer for another 5 minutes. Rub all through a tammy, and if not a very
good colour, use a little spinach green. This sauce should be rather
sweet.
_Time_.--Altogether 40 minutes.
_Average cost_ for this quantity, 1s. 4d.
ASPIC, or ORNAMENTAL SAVOURY JELLY.
366. INGREDIENTS.--4 lbs. of knuckle of veal, 1 cow-heel, 3 or 4 slices
of ham, any poultry trimmings, 2 carrots, 1 onion, 1 faggot of savoury
herbs, 1 glass of sherry, 3 quarts of water; seasoning to taste of salt
and whole white pepper; 3 eggs.
_Mode_.--Lay the ham on the bottom of a stewpan, cut up the veal and
cow-heel into small pieces, and lay them on the ham; add the poultry
trimmings, vegetables, herbs, sherry, and water, and let the whole
simmer very gently for 4 hours, carefully taking away all scum that may
rise to the surface; strain through a fine sieve, and pour into an
earthen pan to get cold. Have ready a clean stewpan, put in the jelly,
and be particular to leave the sediment behind, or it will not be clear.
Add the whites of 3 eggs, with salt and pepper, to clarify; keep
stirring over the fire, till the whole becomes very white; then draw it
to the side, and let it stand till clear. When this is the case, strain
it through a cloth or jelly-bag, and use it for moulding poultry, etc.
(See Explanation of French Terms, page 44.) Tarragon vinegar may be
added to give an additional flavour.
_Time_.--Altogether 4-1/2 hours. _Average cost_ for this quantity, 4s.
WHITE PEPPER.--This is the produce of the same plant as that
which produces the black pepper, from which it is manufactured
by steeping this in lime and water, and rubbing it between the
hands till the coats come off. The best berries only will bear
this operation; hence the superior qualities of white pepper
fetch a higher price than those of the other. It is less acrid
than the black, and is much prized among the Chinese. It is
sometimes adulterated with rice-flour, as the black is with
burnt bread. The berries of the pepper-plant grow in spikes of
from twenty to thirty, and are, when ripe, of a bright-red
colour. After being gathered, which is done when they are green,
they are spread out in the sun, where they dry and become black
and shrivelled, when they are ready for being prepared for the
market.
BECHAMEL, or FRENCH WHITE SAUCE.
367. INGREDIENTS.--1 small bunch of parsley, 2 cloves, 1/2 bay-leaf, 1
small faggot of savoury herbs, salt to taste; 3 or 4 mushrooms, when
obtainable; 2 pints of white stock, 1 pint of cream, 1 tablespoonful of
arrowroot.
_Mode_.--Put the stock into a stewpan, with the parsley, cloves,
bay-leaf, herbs, and mushrooms; add a seasoning of salt, but no pepper,
as that would give the sauce a dusty appearance, and should be avoided.
When it has boiled long enough to extract the flavour of the herbs,
etc., strain it, and boil it up quickly again, until it is nearly
half-reduced. Now mix the arrowroot smoothly with the cream, and let it
simmer very gently for 5 minutes over a slow fire; pour to it the
reduced stock, and continue to simmer slowly for 10 minutes, if the
sauce be thick. If, on the contrary, it be too thin, it must be stirred
over a sharp fire till it thickens. This is the foundation of many kinds
of sauces, especially white sauces. Always make it thick, as you can
easily thin it with cream, milk, or white stock.
_Time_.--Altogether, 2 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. per pint.
[Illustration: THE CLOVE.]
THE CLOVE.--The clove-tree is a native of the Molucca Islands,
particularly Amboyna, and attains the height of a laurel-tree,
and no verdure is ever seen under it. From the extremities of
the branches quantities of flowers grow, first white; then they
become green, and next red and hard, when they have arrived at
their clove state. When they become dry, they assume a yellowish
hue, which subsequently changes into a dark brown. As an
aromatic, the clove is highly stimulating, and yields an
abundance of oil. There are several varieties of the clove; the
best is called the _royal clove_, which is scarce, and which is
blacker and smaller than the other kinds. It is a curious fact,
that the flowers, when fully developed, are quite inodorous, and
that the real fruit is not in the least aromatic. The form is
that of a nail, having a globular head, formed of the four
petals of the corolla, and four leaves of the calyx not
expanded, with a nearly cylindrical germen, scarcely an inch in
length, situate below.
BECHAMEL MAIGRE, or WITHOUT MEAT.
368. INGREDIENTS.--2 onions, 1 blade of mace, mushroom trimmings, a
small bunch of parsley, 1 oz. of butter, flour, 1/2 pint of water, 1
pint of milk, salt, the juice of 1 lemon, 2 eggs.
_Mode_.--Put in a stewpan the milk, and 1/2 pint of water, with the
onions, mace, mushrooms, parsley, and salt. Let these simmer gently for
20 minutes. In the mean time, rub on a plate 1 oz. of flour and butter;
put it to the liquor, and stir it well till it boils up; then place it
by the side of the fire, and continue stirring until it is perfectly
smooth. Now strain it through a sieve into a basin, after which put it
back in the stewpan, and add the lemon-juice. Beat up the yolks of the
eggs with about 4 dessertspoonfuls of milk; strain this to the sauce,
keep stirring it over the fire, but do not let it boil, lest it curdle.
_Time_.--Altogether, 3/4 hour. _Average cost_, 5d. per pint.
This is a good sauce to pour over boiled fowls when they are a bad
colour.
PICKLED BEETROOT.
369. INGREDIENTS.--Sufficient vinegar to cover the beets, 2 oz. of whole
pepper, 2 oz. of allspice to each gallon of vinegar.
_Mode_.--Wash the beets free from dirt, and be very careful not to prick
the outside skin, or they would lose their beautiful colour. Put them
into boiling water, let them simmer gently, and when about three parts
done, which will be in 1-1/2 hour, take them out and let them cool. Boil
the vinegar with pepper and allspice, in the above proportion, for ten
minutes, and when cold, pour it on the beets, which must be peeled and
cut into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Cover with bladder to exclude the
air, and in a week they will be fit for use.
_Average cost_, 3s. per gallon.
[Illustration: BLACK PEPPER.]
BLACK PEPPER.--This well-known aromatic spice is the fruit of a
species of climbing vine, and is a native of the East Indies,
and is extensively cultivated in Malabar and the eastern islands
of Borneo, Sumatra, and Java, and others in the same latitude.
It was formerly confined to these countries, but it has now been
introduced to Cayenne. It is generally employed as a condiment;
but it should never be forgotten, that, even in small
quantities, it produces detrimental effects on inflammatory
constitutions. Dr. Paris, in his work on Diet, says, "Foreign
spices were not intended by Nature for the inhabitants of
temperate climes; they are heating, and highly stimulant. I am,
however, not anxious to give more weight to this objection than
it deserves. Man is no longer the child of Nature, nor the
passive inhabitant of any particular region. He ranges over
every part of the globe, and elicits nourishment from the
productions of every climate. Nature is very kind in favouring
the growth of those productions which are most likely to answer
our local wants. Those climates, for instance, which engender
endemic diseases, are, in general, congenial to the growth of
plants that operate as antidotes to them. But if we go to the
East for tea, there is no reason why we should not go to the
West for sugar. The dyspeptic invalid, however, should be
cautious in their use; they may afford temporary benefit, at the
expense of permanent mischief. It has been well said, that the
best quality of spices is to stimulate the appetite, and their
worst to destroy, by insensible degrees, the tone of the
stomach. The intrinsic goodness of meats should always be
suspected when they require spicy seasonings to compensate for
their natural want of sapidity." The quality of pepper is known
by rubbing it between the hands: that which withstands this
operation is good, that which is reduced to powder by it is bad.
The quantity of pepper imported into Europe is very great.
BENTON SAUCE (to serve with Hot or Cold Roast Beef).
370. INGREDIENTS.--1 tablespoonful of scraped horseradish, 1 teaspoonful
of made mustard, 1 teaspoonful of pounded sugar, 4 tablespoonfuls of
vinegar.
_Mode_.--Grate or scrape the horseradish very fine, and mix it with the
other ingredients, which must be all well blended together; serve in a
tureen. With cold meat, this sauce is a very good substitute for
pickles.
_Average cost_ for this quantity, 2d.
BREAD SAUCE (to serve with Roast Turkey, Fowl, Game, &c.).
I.
371. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of milk, 3/4 of the crumb of a stale loaf, 1
onion; pounded mace, cayenne, and salt to taste; 1 oz. of butter.
_Mode_.--Peel and quarter the onion, and simmer it in the milk till
perfectly tender. Break the bread, which should be stale, into small
pieces, carefully picking out any hard outside pieces; put it in a very
clean saucepan, strain the milk over it, cover it up, and let it remain
for an hour to soak. Now beat it up with a fork very smoothly, add a
seasoning of pounded mace, cayenne, and salt, with 1 oz. of butter; give
the whole one boil, and serve. To enrich this sauce, a small quantity of
cream may be added just before sending it to table.
_Time_.--Altogether, 1-3/4 hour.
_Average cost_ for this quantity, 4d.
_Sufficient_ to serve with a turkey, pair of fowls, or brace of
partridges.
[Illustration: MACE.]
MACE.--This is the membrane which surrounds the shell of the
nutmeg. Its general qualities are the same as those of the
nutmeg, producing an agreeable aromatic odour, with a hot and
acrid taste. It is of an oleaginous nature, is yellowish in its
hue, and is used largely as a condiment. In "Beeton's
Dictionary" we find that the four largest of the Banda Islands
produce 150,000 lbs. of it annually, which, with nutmegs, are
their principal articles of export.
II.
372. INGREDIENTS.--Giblets of poultry, 3/4 lb. of the crumb of a stale
loaf, 1 onion, 12 whole peppers, 1 blade of mace, salt to taste, 2
tablespoonfuls of cream or melted butter, 1 pint of water.
_Mode_.--Put the giblets, with the head, neck, legs, &c., into a
stewpan; add the onion, pepper, mace, salt, and rather more than 1 pint
of water. Let this simmer for an hour, when strain the liquor over the
bread, which should be previously grated or broken into small pieces.
Cover up the saucepan, and leave it for an hour by the side of the fire;
then beat the sauce up with a fork until no lumps remain, and the whole
is nice and smooth. Let it boil for 3 or 4 minutes; keep stirring it
until it is rather thick; when add 3 tablespoonfuls of good melted
butter or cream, and serve very hot.
_Time_.--2-1/4 hours. _Average cost_, 6d.
BROWNING FOR GRAVIES AND SAUCES.
373. The browning for soups (_see_ No. 108) answers equally well for
sauces and gravies, when it is absolutely necessary to colour them in
this manner; but where they can be made to look brown by using ketchup,
wine, browned flour, tomatoes, or any colour sauce, it is far
preferable. As, however, in cooking, so much depends on appearance,
perhaps it would be as well for the inexperienced cook to use the
artificial means (No. 108). When no browning is at hand, and you wish to
heighten the colour of your gravy, dissolve a lump of sugar in an iron
spoon over a sharp fire; when it is in a liquid state, drop it into the
sauce or gravy quite hot. Care, however, must be taken not to put in too
much, as it would impart a very disagreeable flavour.
BEURRE NOIR, or BROWNED BUTTER (a French Sauce).
374. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of butter, 1 tablespoonful of minced parsley,
3 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
_Mode_.--Put the butter into a fryingpan over a nice clear fire, and
when it smokes, throw in the parsley, and add the vinegar and seasoning.
Let the whole simmer for a minute or two, when it is ready to serve.
This is a very good sauce for skate.
_Time_.--1/4 hour.
CLARIFIED BUTTER.
375. Put the butter in a basin before the fire, and when it melts, stir
it round once or twice, and let it settle. Do not strain it unless
absolutely necessary, as it causes so much waste. Pour it gently off
into a clean dry jar, carefully leaving all sediment behind. Let it
cool, and carefully exclude the air by means of a bladder, or piece of
wash-leather, tied over. If the butter is salt, it may be washed before
melting, when it is to be used for sweet dishes.
MELTED BUTTER.
I.
376. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of butter, a dessertspoonful of flour, 1
wineglassful of water, salt to taste.
_Mode_.--Cut the butter up into small pieces, put it in a saucepan,
dredge over the flour, and add the water and a seasoning of salt; stir
it _one way_ constantly till the whole of the ingredients are melted and
thoroughly blended. Let it just boil, when it is ready to serve. If the
butter is to be melted with cream, use the same quantity as of water,
but omit the flour; keep stirring it, but do not allow it to boil.
_Time_.--1 minute to simmer.
_Average cost_ for this quantity, 4d.
II.
_(More Economical.)_
377. INGREDIENTS.--2 oz. of butter, 1 dessertspoonful of flour, salt to
taste, 1/2 pint of water.
_Mode_.--Mix the flour and water to a smooth batter, which put into a
saucepan. Add the butter and a seasoning of salt, keep stirring _one
way_ till all the ingredients are melted and perfectly smooth; let the
whole boil for a minute or two, and serve.
_Time_.--2 minutes to simmer.
_Average cost_ for this quantity, 2d.
MELTED BUTTER (the French Sauce Blanche).
378. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of fresh butter, 1 tablespoonful of flour,
salt to taste, 1/2 gill of water, 1/2 spoonful of white vinegar, a very
little grated nutmeg.
_Mode_.--Mix the flour and water to a smooth batter, carefully rubbing
down with the back of a spoon any lumps that may appear. Put it in a
saucepan with all the other ingredients, and let it thicken on the fire,
but do not allow it to boil, lest it should taste of the flour.
_Time_.--1 minute to simmer.
_Average cost_, 5d. for this quantity.
[Illustration: THE NUTMEG.]
NUTMEG.--This is a native of the Moluccas, and was long kept
from being spread in other places by the monopolizing spirit of
the Dutch, who endeavoured to keep it wholly to themselves by
eradicating it from every other island. We find it stated in
"Beeton's Dictionary of Universal Information," under the
article "Banda Islands," that the four largest are appropriated
to the cultivation of nutmegs, of which about 500,000 lbs. are
annually produced. The plant, through the enterprise of the
British, has now found its way into Penang and Bencooleu, where
it flourishes and produces well. It has also been tried to be
naturalized in the West Indies, and it bears fruit all the year
round. There are two kinds of nutmeg,--one wild, and long and
oval-shaped, the other cultivated, and nearly round. The best is
firm and hard, and has a strong aromatic odour, with a hot and
acrid taste. It ought to be used with caution by those who are
of paralytic or apoplectic habits.
THICKENED BUTTER.
379.--INGREDIENTS.--1/4 pint of melted butter, No. 376, the yolks of 2
eggs, a little lemon-juice.
_Mode_.--Make the butter quite hot, and be careful not to colour it.
Well whisk the yolks of the eggs, pour them to the butter, beating them
all the while. Make the sauce hot over the fire, but do not let it boil;
add a squeeze of lemon-juice.
MELTED BUTTER MADE WITH MILK.
380. INGREDIENTS.--1 teaspoonful of flour, 2 oz. butter, 1/3 pint of
milk, a few grains of salt.
_Mode_.--Mix the butter and flour smoothly together on a plate, put it
into a lined saucepan, and pour in the milk. Keep stirring it _one way_
over a sharp fire; let it boil quickly for a minute or two, and it is
ready to serve. This is a very good foundation for onion, lobster, or
oyster sauce: using milk instead of water makes it look so much whiter
and more delicate.
_Time_.--Altogether, 10 minutes. _Average cost_ for this quantity, 3d.
CAMP VINEGAR.
381. INGREDIENTS.--1 head of garlic, 1/2 oz. cayenne, 2 teaspoonfuls of
soy, 2 ditto walnut ketchup, 1 pint of vinegar, cochineal to colour.
_Mode_.--Slice the garlic, and put it, with all the above ingredients,
into a clean bottle. Let it stand to infuse for a month, when strain it
off quite clear, and it will be fit for use. Keep it in small bottles
well sealed, to exclude the air.
_Average cost_ for this quantity, 8d.
CAPER SAUCE FOR BOILED MUTTON.
382. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of melted butter (No. 376), 3 tablespoonfuls
of capers or nasturtiums, 1 tablespoonful of their liquor.
_Mode_.--Chop the capers twice or thrice, and add them, with their
liquor, to 1/2 pint of melted butter, made very smoothly; keep stirring
well; let the sauce just simmer, and serve in a tureen. Pickled
nasturtium-pods are fine-flavoured, and by many are eaten in preference
to capers. They make an excellent sauce.
_Time_.--2 minutes to simmer. _Average cost_ for this quantity, 8d.
_Sufficient_ to serve with a leg of mutton.
CAPER SAUCE FOR FISH.
383. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of melted butter No. 376, 3 dessertspoonfuls
of capers, 1 dessertspoonful of their liquor, a small piece of glaze, if
at hand (this may be dispensed with), 1/4 teaspoonful of salt, ditto of
pepper, 1 tablespoonful of anchovy essence.
_Mode_.--Cut the capers across once or twice, but do not chop them fine;
put them in a saucepan with 1/2 pint of good melted butter, and add all
the other ingredients. Keep stirring the whole until it just simmers,
when it is ready to serve.
_Time_.--1 minute to simmer. _Average cost_ for this quantity, 5d.
_Sufficient_ to serve with a skate, or 2 or 3 slices of salmon.
[Illustration: THE CAPER.]
CAPERS.--These are the unopened buds of a low trailing shrub,
which grows wild among the crevices of the rocks of Greece, as
well as in northern Africa: the plant, however, has come to be
cultivated in the south of Europe. After being pickled in
vinegar and salt, they are imported from Sicily, Italy, and the
south of France. The best are from Toulon.
A SUBSTITUTE FOR CAPER SAUCE.
384. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of melted butter, No. 376, 2 tablespoonfuls
of cut parsley, 1/2 teaspoonful of salt, 1 tablespoonful of vinegar.
_Mode_.--Boil the parsley slowly to let it become a bad colour; cut, but
do not chop it fine. Add it to 1/2 pint of smoothly-made melted butter,
with salt and vinegar in the above proportions. Boil up and serve.
_Time_.--2 minutes to simmer. Average cost for this quantity, 3d.
PICKLED CAPSICUMS.
385. INGREDIENTS.--Vinegar, 1/4 oz. of pounded mace, and 1/4 oz. of
grated nutmeg, to each quart; brine.
_Mode_.--Gather the pods with the stalks on, before they turn red; slit
them down the side with a small-pointed knife, and remove the seeds
only; put them in a strong brine for 3 days, changing it every morning;
then take them out, lay them on a cloth, with another one over them,
until they are perfectly free from moisture. Boil sufficient vinegar to
cover them, with mace and nutmeg in the above proportions; put the pods
in a jar, pour over the vinegar when cold, and exclude them from the air
by means of a wet bladder tied over.
CAYENNE VINEGAR, or ESSENCE OF CAYENNE.
386. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 oz. of cayenne pepper, 1/2 pint of strong spirit,
or 1 pint of vinegar.
_Mode_.--Put the vinegar, or spirit, into a bottle, with the above
proportion of cayenne, and let it steep for a month, when strain off and
bottle for use. This is excellent seasoning for soups or sauces, but
must be used very sparingly.
CELERY SAUCE, FOR BOILED TURKEY, POULTRY, &c.
387. INGREDIENTS.--6 heads of celery, 1 pint of white stock, No. 107, 2
blades of mace, 1 small bunch of savoury herbs; thickening of butter and
flour, or arrowroot, 1/2 pint of cream, lemon-juice.
_Mode_.--Boil the celery in salt and water, until tender, and cut it
into pieces 2 inches long. Put the stock into a stewpan with the mace
and herbs, and let it simmer for 1/2 hour to extract their flavour. Then
strain the liquor, add the celery and a thickening of butter kneaded
with flour, or, what is still better, with arrowroot; just before
serving, put in the cream, boil it up and squeeze in a little
lemon-juice. If necessary, add a seasoning of salt and white pepper.
_Time_.--25 minutes to boil the celery. _Average cost_, 1s. 3d.
_Sufficient_, this quantity, for a boiled turkey.
This sauce may be made brown by using gravy instead of white stock, and
flavouring it with mushroom ketchup or Harvey's sauce.
[Illustration: ARROWROOT.]
ARROWROOT.--This nutritious fecula is obtained from the roots of
a plant which is cultivated in both the East and West Indies.
When the roots are about a year old, they are dug up, and, after
being well washed, are beaten to a pulp, which is afterwards, by
means of water, separated from the fibrous part. After being
passed through a sieve, once more washed, and then suffered to
settle, the sediment is dried in the sun, when it has become
arrowroot. The best is obtained from the West Indies, but a
large quantity of what is sold in London is adulterated with
potato-starch. As a means of knowing arrowroot when it is good,
it may be as well to state, that the genuine article, when
formed into a jelly, will remain firm for three or four days,
whilst the adulterated will become as thin as milk in the course
of twelve hours.
CELERY SAUCE (a More Simple Recipe).
388. INGREDIENTS.--4 heads of celery, 1/2 pint of melted butter, made
with milk (No. 380), 1 blade of pounded mace; salt and white pepper to
taste.
_Mode_.--Wash the celery, boil it in salt and water till tender, and cut
it into pieces 2 inches long; make 1/2 pint melted butter by recipe No.
380; put in the celery, pounded mace, and seasoning; simmer for three
minutes, when the sauce will be ready to serve.
_Time_.--25 minutes to boil the celery. _Average cost_, 6d.
_Sufficient_, this quantity, for a boiled fowl.
CELERY VINEGAR.
389. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 oz. of celery-seed, 1 pint of vinegar.
_Mode_.--Crush the seed by pounding it in a mortar; boil the vinegar,
and when cold, pour it to the seed; let it infuse for a fortnight, when
strain and bottle off for use. This is frequently used in salads.
CHESTNUT SAUCE FOR FOWLS OR TURKEY.
390. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of chestnuts, 1/2 pint of white stock, 2
strips of lemon-peel, cayenne to taste, 1/4 pint of cream or milk.
_Mode_.--Peel off the outside skin of the chestnuts, and put them into
boiling water for a few minutes; take off the thin inside peel, and put
them into a saucepan, with the white stock and lemon-peel, and let them
simmer for 1-1/2 hour, or until the chestnuts are quite tender. Rub the
whole through a hair-sieve with a wooden spoon; add seasoning and the
cream; let it just simmer, but not boil, and keep stirring all the time.
Serve very hot; and quickly. If milk is used instead of cream, a very
small quantity of thickening may be required: that, of course, the cook
will determine.
_Time_.--Altogether nearly two hours. _Average cost_, 8d.
_Sufficient_, this quantity, for a turkey.
BROWN CHESTNUT SAUCE.
391. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of chestnuts, 1/2 pint of stock No. 105, 2
lumps of sugar, 4 tablespoonfuls of Spanish sauce (_see_ Sauces).
_Mode_.--Prepare the chestnuts as in the foregoing recipe, by scalding
and peeling them; put them in a stewpan with the stock and sugar, and
simmer them till tender. When done, add Spanish sauce in the above
proportion, and rub the whole through a tammy. Keep this sauce rather
liquid, as it is liable to thicken.
_Time_.--1-1/2 hour to simmer the chestnuts. _Average cost_, 8d.
BENGAL RECIPE FOR MAKING MANGO CHETNEY.
392. INGREDIENTS.--1-1/2 lbs. of moist sugar, 3/4 lb. of salt, 1/4 lb.
of garlic, 1/4 lb. of onions, 3/4 lb. of powdered ginger, 1/4 lb. of
dried chilies, 3/4 lb. of mustard-seed, 3/4 lb. of stoned raisins, 2
bottles of best vinegar, 30 large unripe sour apples.
_Mode_.--The sugar must be made into syrup; the garlic, onions, and
ginger be finely pounded in a mortar; the mustard-seed be washed in cold
vinegar, and dried in the sun; the apples be peeled, cored, and sliced,
and boiled in a bottle and a half of the vinegar. When all this is done,
and the apples are quite cold, put them into a large pan, and gradually
mix the whole of the rest of the ingredients, including the remaining
half-bottle of vinegar. It must be well stirred until the whole is
thoroughly blended, and then put into bottles for use. Tie a piece of
wet bladder over the mouths of the bottles, after they are well corked.
This chetney is very superior to any which can be bought, and one trial
will prove it to be delicious.
_Note_.--This recipe was given by a native to an English lady, who had
long been a resident in India, and who, since her return to her native
country, has become quite celebrated amongst her friends for the
excellence of this Eastern relish.
[Illustration: GARLIC.]
GARLIC.--The smell of this plant is generally considered
offensive, and it is the most acrimonious in its taste of the
whole of the alliaceous tribe. In 1548 it was introduced to
England from the shores of the Mediterranean, where it is
abundant, and in Sicily it grows naturally. It was in greater
repute with our ancestors than it is with ourselves, although it
is still used as a seasoning herb. On the continent, especially
in Italy, it is much used, and the French consider it an
essential in many made dishes.
CHILI VINEGAR.
393. INGREDIENTS.--50 fresh red English chilies, 1 pint of vinegar.
_Mode_.--Pound or cut the chilies in half, and infuse them in the
vinegar for a fortnight, when it will be fit for use. This will be found
an agreeable relish to fish, as many people cannot eat it without the
addition of an acid and cayenne pepper.
CHRISTOPHER NORTH'S SAUCE FOR MEAT OR GAME.
394. INGREDIENTS.-1 glass of port wine, 2 tablespoonfuls of Harvey's
sauce, 1 dessertspoonful of mushroom ketchup, ditto of pounded white
sugar, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, 1/4 teaspoonful of cayenne
pepper, ditto of salt.
_Mode_.--Mix all the ingredients thoroughly together, and heat the sauce
gradually, by placing the vessel in which it is made in a saucepan of
boiling water. Do not allow it to boil, and serve directly it is ready.
This sauce, if bottled immediately, will keep good for a fortnight, and
will be found excellent.
CONSOMME, or WHITE STOCK FOR MANY SAUCES.
395. Consommé is made precisely in the same manner as stock No. 107,
and, for ordinary purposes, will be found quite good enough. When,
however, a stronger stock is desired, either put in half the quantity of
water, or double that of the meat. This is a very good foundation for
all white sauces.
CRAB SAUCE FOR FISH (equal to Lobster Sauce).
396. INGREDIENTS.--1 crab; salt, pounded mace, and cayenne to taste; 1/2
pint of melted butter made with milk (_see_ No. 380).
_Mode_.--Choose a nice fresh crab, pick all the meat away from the
shell, and cut it into small square pieces. Make 1/2 pint of melted
butter by recipe No. 380, put in the fish and seasoning; let it
gradually warm through, and simmer for 2 minutes. It should not boil.
_Average cost_, 1s. 2d.
CREAM SAUCE FOR FISH OR WHITE DISHES.
397. INGREDIENTS.--1/3 pint of cream, 2 oz. of butter, 1 teaspoonful of
flour, salt and cayenne to taste; when liked, a small quantity of
pounded mace or lemon-juice.
_Mode_.--Put the butter in a very clean saucepan, dredge in the flour,
and keep shaking round till the butter is melted. Add the seasoning and
cream, and stir the whole till it boils; let it just simmer for 5
minutes, when add either pounded mace or lemon-juice to taste, to give
it a flavour.
_Time_.--5 minutes to simmer. _Average cost_ for this quantity, 7d.
This sauce may be flavoured with very finely-shredded shalot.
CUCUMBER SAUCE.
398. INGREDIENTS.--3 or 4 cucumbers, 2 oz. of butter, 6 tablespoonfuls
of brown gravy.
_Mode_.--Peel the cucumbers, quarter them, and take out the seeds; cut
them into small pieces; put them in a cloth, and rub them well, to take
out the water which hangs about them. Put the butter in a saucepan, add
the cucumbers, and shake them over a sharp fire until they are of a good
colour. Then pour over it the gravy, mix this with the cucumbers, and
simmer gently for 10 minutes, when it will be ready to serve.
_Time_.--Altogether, 1/2 hour.
PICKLED CUCUMBERS.
399. INGREDIENTS.--1 oz. of whole pepper, 1 oz. of bruised ginger;
sufficient vinegar to cover the cucumbers.
_Mode_.--Cut the cucumbers in thick slices, sprinkle salt over them, and
let them remain for 24 hours. The next day, drain them well for 6 hours,
put them into a jar, pour boiling vinegar over them, and keep them in a
warm place. In a short time, boil up the vinegar again, add pepper and
ginger in the above proportion, and instantly cover them up. Tie them
down with bladder, and in a few days they will be fit for use.
[Illustration: LONG PEPPER.]
LONG PEPPER.--This is the produce of a different plant from that
which produces the black, it consisting of the half-ripe
flower-heads of what naturalists call _Piper longum_ and
_chaba_. It is the growth, however, of the same countries;
indeed, all the spices are the produce of tropical climates
only. Originally, the most valuable of these were found in the
Spice Islands, or Moluccas, of the Indian Ocean, and were highly
prized by the nations of antiquity. The Romans indulged in them
to a most extravagant degree. The long pepper is less aromatic
than the black, but its oil is more pungent.
CUCUMBER SAUCE, WHITE.
400. INGREDIENTS.--3 or four cucumbers, 1/2 pint of white stock, No.
107, cayenne and salt to taste, the yolks of 3 eggs.
_Mode_.--Cut the cucumbers into small pieces, after peeling them and
taking out the seeds. Put them in a stewpan with the white stock and
seasoning; simmer gently till the cucumbers are tender, which will be in
about 1/4 hour. Then add the yolks of the eggs well beaten; stir them to
the sauce, but do not allow it to boil, and serve very hot.
_Time_.--Altogether, 1/2 hour.
CUCUMBER VINEGAR (a very nice Addition to Salads).
401. INGREDIENTS.--10 large cucumbers, or 12 smaller ones, 1 quart of
vinegar, 2 onions, 2 shalots, 1 tablespoonful of salt, 2 tablespoonfuls
of pepper, 1/4 teaspoonful of cayenne.
_Mode_.--Pare and slice the cucumbers, put them in a stone jar or
wide-mouthed bottle, with the vinegar; slice the onions and shalots, and
add them, with all the other ingredients, to the cucumbers. Let it stand
4 or 5 days, boil it all up, and when cold, strain the liquor through a
piece of muslin, and store it away in small bottles well sealed. This
vinegar is a very nice addition to gravies, hashes, &e., as well as a
great improvement to salads, or to eat with cold meat.
GERMAN METHOD OF KEEPING CUCUMBERS FOR WINTER USE.
402. INGREDIENTS.--Cucumbers, salt.
_Mode_.--Pare and slice the cucumbers (as for the table), sprinkle well
with salt, and let them remain for 24 hours; strain off the liquor, pack
in jars, a thick layer of cucumbers and salt alternately; tie down
closely, and, when wanted for use, take out the quantity required. Now
wash them well in fresh water, and dress as usual with pepper, vinegar,
and oil.
[Illustration: THE CUCUMBER.]
THE CUCUMBER.--Though the melon is far superior in point of
flavour to this fruit, yet it is allied to the cucumber, which
is known to naturalists as _Cucumia sativus_. The modern
Egyptians, as did their forefathers, still eat it, and others of
its class. Cucumbers were observed, too, by Bishop Heber,
beyond the Ganges, in India; and Burckhardt noticed them in
Palestine. (See No. 127.)
AN EXCELLENT WAY OF PRESERVING CUCUMBERS.
403. INGREDIENTS.--Salt and water; 1 lb. of lump sugar, the rind of 1
lemon, 1 oz. of ginger, cucumbers.
_Mode_.--Choose the greenest cucumbers, and those that are most free
from seeds; put them in strong salt and water, with a cabbage-leaf to
keep them down; tie a paper over them, and put them in a warm place till
they are yellow; then wash them and set them over the fire in fresh
water, with a very little salt, and another cabbage-leaf over them;
cover very closely, but take care they do not boil. If they are not a
fine green, change the water again, cover them as before, and make them
hot. When they are a good colour, take them off the fire and let them
cool; cut them in quarters, take out the seeds and pulp, and put them
into cold water. Let them remain for 2 days, changing the water twice
each day, to draw out the salt. Put the sugar, with 1/4 pint of water,
in a saucepan over the fire; remove the scum as it rises, and add the
lemon-peel and ginger with the outside scraped off; when the syrup is
tolerably thick, take it off the fire, and when _cold_, wipe the
cucumbers _dry_, and put them in. Boil the syrup once in 2 or 3 days for
3 weeks; strengthen it if required, and let it be quite cold before the
cucumbers are put in. Great attention must be paid to the directions in
the commencement of this recipe, as, if these are not properly carried
out, the result will be far from satisfactory.
_Seasonable_.--This recipe should be used in June, July, or August.
[Illustration: SALT-MINE AT NORTHWICH.]
COMMON SALT.--By this we mean salt used for cooking purposes,
which is found in great abundance both on land and in the waters
of the ocean. Sea or salt water, as it is often called,
contains, it has been discovered, about three per cent, of salt
on an average. Solid rocks of salt are also found in various
parts of the world, and the county of Chester contains many of
these mines, and it is from there that much of our salt comes.
Some springs are so highly impregnated with salt, as to have
received the name of "brine" springs, and are supposed to have
become so by passing through the salt rocks below ground, and
thus dissolving a portion of this mineral substance. We here
give an engraving of a salt-mine at Northwich, Cheshire, where
both salt-mines and brine-springs are exceedingly productive,
and are believed to have been wrought so far back as during the
occupation of Britain by the Romans.
CUSTARD SAUCE FOR SWEET PUDDINGS OR TARTS.
404. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of milk, 2 eggs, 3 oz. of pounded sugar, 1
tablespoonful of brandy.
_Mode_.--Put the milk in a very clean saucepan, and let it boil. Beat
the eggs, stir to them the milk and pounded sugar, and put the mixture
into a jug. Place the jug in a saucepan of boiling water; keep stirring
well until it thickens, but do not allow it to boil, or it will curdle.
Serve the sauce in a tureen, stir in the brandy, and grate a little
nutmeg over the top. This sauce may be made very much nicer by using
cream instead of milk; but the above recipe will be found quite good
enough for ordinary purposes.
_Average cost_, 6d. per pint.
_Sufficient_, this quantity, for 2 fruit tarts, or 1 pudding.
DUTCH SAUCE FOR FISH.
405. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 teaspoonful of flour, 2 oz. of butter, 4
tablespoonfuls of vinegar, the yolks of 2 eggs, the juice of 1/2 lemon;
salt to taste.
_Mode_.--Put all the ingredients, except the lemon-juice, into a
stew-pan; set it over the fire, and keep continually stirring. When it
is sufficiently thick, take it off, as it should not boil. If, however,
it happens to curdle, strain the sauce through a tammy, add the
lemon-juice, and serve. Tarragon vinegar may be used instead of plain,
and, by many, is considered far preferable.
_Average cost_, 6d.
Note.--This sauce may be poured hot over salad, and left to get quite
cold, when it should be thick, smooth, and somewhat stiff. Excellent
salads may be made of hard eggs, or the remains of salt fish flaked
nicely from the bone, by pouring over a little of the above mixture when
hot, and allowing it to cool.
[Illustration: THE LEMON.]
THE LEMON.--This fruit is a native of Asia, and is mentioned by
Virgil as an antidote to poison. It is hardier than the orange,
and, as one of the citron tribe, was brought into Europe by the
Arabians. The lemon was first cultivated in England in the
beginning of the 17th century, and is now often to be found in
our green-houses. The kind commonly sold, however, is imported
from Portugal, Spain, and the Azores. Some also come from St.
Helena; but those from Spain are esteemed the best. Its juice is
now an essential for culinary purposes; but as an antiscorbutic
its value is still greater. This juice, which is called _citric
acid_, may be preserved in bottles for a considerable time, by
covering it with a thin stratum of oil. _Shrub_ is made from it
with rum and sugar.
GREEN DUTCH SAUCE, or HOLLANDAISE VERTE.
406. INGREDIENTS.--6 tablespoonfuls of Béchamel, No. 367, seasoning to
taste of salt and cayenne, a little parsley-green to colour, the juice
of 1/2 a lemon.
_Mode_.--Put the Béchamel into a saucepan with the seasoning, and bring
it to a boil. Make a green colouring by pounding some parsley in a
mortar, and squeezing all the juice from it. Let this just simmer, when
add it to the sauce. A moment before serving, put in the lemon-juice,
but not before; for otherwise the sauce would turn yellow, and its
appearance be thus spoiled.
_Average cost_, 4d.
BÉCHAMEL SAUCE--This sauce takes its name from a Monsieur
Béchamel, a rich French financier, who, according to Borne
authorities, invented it; whilst others affirm he only
patronized it. Be this as it may, it is one of the most pleasant
sauces which come to table, and should be most carefully and
intelligently prepared. It is frequently used, as in the above
recipe, as a principal ingredient and basis for other sauces.
TO PICKLE EGGS.
407. INGREDIENTS.--16 eggs, 1 quart of vinegar, 1/2 oz. of Black pepper,
1/2 oz. of Jamaica pepper, 1/2 oz. of ginger.
_Mode_.--Boil the eggs for 12 minutes, then dip them into cold water,
and take off the shells. Put the vinegar, with the pepper and ginger,
into a stewpan, and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Now place the eggs in
a jar, pour over them the vinegar, &c., boiling hot, and, when cold, tie
them down with bladder to exclude the air. This pickle will be ready for
use in a month.
_Average cost_, for this quantity, 1s. 9d.
_Seasonable_.--This should be made about Easter, as at this time eggs
are plentiful and cheap. A store of pickled eggs will be found very
useful and ornamental in serving with many first and second course
dishes.
[Illustration: GINGER.]
The ginger-plant, known to naturalists as _Zingiber officinale_,
is a native, of the East and West Indies. It grows somewhat like
the lily of the valley, but its height is about three feet. In
Jamaica it flowers about August or September, fading about the
end of the year. The fleshy creeping roots, which form the
ginger of commerce, are in a proper state to be dug when the
stalks are entirely withered. This operation is usually
performed in January and February; and when the roots are taken
out of the earth, each one is picked, scraped, separately
washed, and afterwards very carefully dried. Ginger is generally
considered as less pungent and heating to the system than might
he expected from its effects on the organs of taste, and it is
frequently used, with considerable effect, as an anti-spasmodic
and carminative.
EGG BALLS FOR SOUPS AND MADE DISHES.
408. INGREDIENTS.--8 eggs, a little flour; seasoning to taste of salt.
_Mode_.--Boil 6 eggs for 20 minutes, strip off the shells, take the
yolks and pound them in a mortar. Beat the yolks of the other 2 eggs;
add them, with a little flour and salt, to those pounded; mix all well
together, and roll into balls. Boil them before they are put into the
soup or other dish they may be intended for.
_Time_.--20 minutes to boil the eggs. _Average cost_, for this quantity,
8d.
_Sufficient_, 2 dozen balls for 1 tureen of soup.
EGG SAUCE FOR SALT FISH.
409. INGREDIENTS.--4 eggs, 1/2 pint of melted butter, No. 376; when
liked, a very little lemon-juice.
_Mode_.--Boil the eggs until quite hard, which will be in about 20
minutes, and put them into cold water for 1/2 hour. Strip off the
shells, chop the eggs into small pieces, not, however, too fine. Make
the melted butter very smoothly, by recipe No. 376, and, when boiling,
stir in the eggs, and serve very hot. Lemon-juice may be added at
pleasure.
_Time_.--20 minutes to boil the eggs. _Average cost_, 8d.
_Sufficient_.--This quantity for 3 or 4 lbs. of fish.
_Note_.--When a thicker sauce is required, use one or two more eggs to
the same quantity of melted butter.
EPICUREAN SAUCE FOR STEAKS, CHOPS, GRAVIES, OR FISH.
410. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 pint of walnut ketchup, 1/4 pint of mushroom
ditto, 2 tablespoonfuls of Indian soy, 2 tablespoonfuls of port wine;
1/4 oz. of white pepper, 2 oz. of shalots, 1/4 oz. of cayenne, 1/4 oz.
of cloves, 3/4 pint of vinegar.
_Mode_.--Put the whole of the ingredients into a bottle, and let it
remain for a fortnight in a warm place, occasionally shaking up the
contents. Strain, and bottle off for use. This sauce will be found an
agreeable addition to gravies, hashes, stews, &c.
_Average cost_, for this quantity, 1s. 6d.
[Illustration: SHALOT.]
SHALOT, OR ESCHALOT.--This plant is supposed to have been
introduced to England by the Crusaders, who found it growing
wild in the vicinity of Ascalon. It is a bulbous root, and when
full grown, its leaves wither in July. They ought to be taken up
in the autumn, and when dried in the house, will keep till
spring. It is called by old authors the "barren onion," and is
used in sauces and pickles, soups and made dishes, and as an
accompaniment to chops and steaks.
ESPAGNOLE, OR BROWN SPANISH SAUCE.
411. INGREDIENTS.--2 slices of lean ham, 1 lb. of veal, 1-1/2 pint of
white stock, No. 107; 2 or 3 sprigs of parsley, 1/2 a bay-leaf, 2 or 3
sprigs of savoury herbs, 6 green onions, 3 shalots, 2 cloves, 1 blade of
mace, 2 glasses of sherry or Madeira, thickening of butter and flour.
_Mode_.--Cut up the ham and veal into small square pieces, and put them
into a stewpan. Moisten these with 1/2 pint of the stock No. 107, and
simmer till the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a nicely-coloured
glaze, when put in a few more spoonfuls to detach it. Add the remainder
of the stock, with the spices, herbs, shalots, and onions, and simmer
very gently for 1 hour. Strain and skim off every particle of fat, and
when required for use, thicken with butter and flour, or with a little
roux. Add the wine, and, if necessary, a seasoning of cayenne; when it
will be ready to serve.
_Time_.--1-1/2 hour.
_Average cost_, 2s. per pint.
_Note_.--The wine in this sauce may be omitted, and an onion sliced and
fried of a nice brown substituted for it. This sauce or gravy is used
for many dishes, and with most people is a general favourite.
FENNEL SAUCE FOR MACKEREL.
412. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of melted butter, No. 376, rather more than
1 tablespoonful of chopped fennel.
_Mode_.--Make the melted butter very smoothly, by recipe No. 376; chop
the fennel rather small, carefully cleansing it from any grit or dirt,
and put it to the butter when this is on the point of boiling. Simmer
for a minute or two, and serve in a tureen.
_Time_.--2 minutes.
_Average cost_, 4d.
_Sufficient_ to serve with 5 or 6 mackerel.
[Illustration: FENNEL.]
FENNEL.--This elegantly-growing plant, of which the Latin name
is _Anethum foeniculum_, grows best in chalky soils, where,
indeed, it is often found wild. It is very generally cultivated
in gardens, and has much improved on its original form. Various
dishes are frequently ornamented and garnished with its graceful
leaves, and these are sometimes boiled in soups, although it is
more usually confined, in English cookery, to the mackerel sauce
as here given.
FISH SAUCE.
413. INGREDIENTS.--1-1/2 oz. of cayenne, 2 tablespoonfuls of walnut
ketchup, 2 tablespoonfuls of soy, a few shreds of garlic and shalot, 1
quart of vinegar.
_Mode_.--Put all the ingredients into a large bottle, and shake well
every day for a fortnight. Keep it in small bottles well sealed, and in
a few days it will be fit for use.
_Average cost_, for this quantity, 1s.
FORCEMEAT BALLS FOR FISH SOUPS.
414. INGREDIENTS.--1 middling-sized lobster, 1/2 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
into 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 FOR COLD SAVOURY PIES.
415. 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, 1/2 teaspoonful of chopped parsley, 1/2 teaspoonful
of minced savoury herbs, 1 or 2 eggs.
_Mode_.--Chop the veal and bacon together, and put them in 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 would prevent
it from keeping. Mushrooms or truffles may be added.
_Sufficient_ for 2 small pies.
[Illustration: MARJORAM.]
MARJORAM.--Although there are several species of marjoram, that
which is known as the sweet or knotted marjoram, is the one
usually preferred in cookery. It is a native of Portugal, and
when its leaves are used as a seasoning herb, they have an
agreeable aromatic flavour. The winter sweet marjoram used for
the same purposes, is a native of Greece, and the pot-marjoram
is another variety brought from Sicily. All of them are
favourite ingredients in soups, stuffings, &c.
FORCEMEAT FOR PIKE, CARP, HADDOCK, AND VARIOUS KINDS OF FISH.
416. 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_, 6d.
_Sufficient_ for a moderate-sized haddock or pike.
FORCEMEAT FOR VEAL, TURKEYS, FOWLS, HARE, &c.
417. INGREDIENTS.--2 oz. of ham or lean bacon, 1/4 lb. of suet, the rind
of half a lemon, 1 teaspoonful of minced parsley, 1 teaspoonful of
minced sweet herbs; salt, cayenne, and pounded mace to taste; 6 oz. of
bread crumbs, 2 eggs.
_Mode_.--Shred the ham or bacon, chop the suet, lemon-peel, and herbs,
taking particular care that all be very finely minced; add a seasoning
to taste, of salt, cayenne, and mace, and blend all thoroughly together
with the bread crumbs, before wetting. Now beat and strain the eggs,
work these up with the other ingredients, and the forcemeat will be
ready for use. When it is made into balls, fry of a nice brown, in
boiling lard, or put them on a tin and bake for 1/2 hour in a moderate
oven. As we have stated before, no one flavour should predominate
greatly, and the forcemeat should be of sufficient body to cut with a
knife, and yet not dry and heavy. For very delicate forcemeat, it is
advisable to pound the ingredients together before binding with the egg;
but for ordinary cooking, mincing very finely answers the purpose.
_Average cost_, 8d.
_Sufficient_ for a turkey, a moderate-sized fillet of veal, or a hare.
_Note_.--In forcemeat for HARE, the liver of the animal is sometimes
added. Boil for 5 minutes, mince it very small, and mix it with the
other ingredients. If it should be in an unsound state, it must be on no
account made use of.
[Illustration: BASIL.]
SWEET HERBS.--Those most usually employed for purposes of
cooking, such as the flavouring of soups, sauces, forcemeats,
&c., are thyme, sage, mint, marjoram, savory, and basil. Other
sweet herbs are cultivated for purposes of medicine and
perfumery: they are most grateful both to the organs of taste
and smelling; and to the aroma derived from them is due, in a
great measure, the sweet and exhilarating fragrance of our
"flowery meads." In town, sweet herbs have to be procured at the
greengrocers' or herbalists', whilst, in the country, the garden
should furnish all that are wanted, the cook taking great care
to have some dried in the autumn for her use throughout the
winter months.
FORCEMEAT FOR BAKED PIKE.
418. 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 by recipe No. 416, 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 6 minutes to thicken.
_Average cost_, 10d.
_Sufficient_ for a moderate-sized pike.
FRENCH FORCEMEAT.
419. 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.
420. INGREDIENTS.--The crumb of 2 penny rolls, 4 tablespoonfuls of white
stock, No. 107, 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
(when obtainable), butter, the yolks of 2 eggs.
_Mode_.--Soak the crumb of the rolls in milk for about 1/2 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 Forcemeats.
421. 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.
[Illustration: PESTLE AND MORTAR.]
PESTLE AND MORTAR.--No cookery can be perfectly performed
without the aid of the useful instruments shown in the
engraving. For pounding things sufficiently fine, they are
invaluable, and the use of them will save a good deal of time,
besides increasing the excellence of the preparations. They are
made of iron, and, in that material, can be bought cheap; but as
these are not available, for all purposes, we should recommend,
as more economical in the end, those made of Wedgwood, although
these are considerably more expensive than the former.
Veal Quenelles.
422. INGREDIENTS.--Equal quantities of veal, panada (No. 420), and
calf's udder (No. 421), 2 eggs; seasoning to taste of pepper, salt, and
pounded mace, or grated nutmeg; a little flour.
_Mode_.--Take the fleshy part of veal, scrape it with a knife, till all
the meat is separated from the sinews, and allow about 1/2 lb. for an
entrée. Chop the meat, and pound it in a mortar till reduced to a paste;
then roll it into a ball; make another of panada (No. 420), the same
size, and another of udder (No. 421), taking care that these three balls
be of the same _size_. It is to be remembered, that equality of _size_,
and not of weight, is here necessary. When the three ingredients are
properly prepared, pound them altogether in a mortar for some time; for
the more quenelles are pounded, the more delicate they are. Now moisten
with the eggs, whites and yolks, and continue pounding, adding a
seasoning of pepper, spices, &c. When the whole is well blended
together, mould it into balls, or whatever shape is intended, roll them
in flour, and poach in boiling water, to which a little salt should have
been added. If the quenelles are not firm enough, add the yolk of
another egg, but omit the white, which only makes them hollow and puffy
inside. In the preparation of this recipe, it would be well to bear in
mind that the ingredients are to be well pounded and seasoned, and must
be made hard or soft according to the dishes they are intended for. For
brown or white ragoûts they should be firm, and when the quenelles are
used very small, extreme delicacy will be necessary in their
preparation. Their flavour may be varied by using the flesh of rabbit,
fowl, hare, pheasant, grouse, or an extra quantity of mushroom, parsley,
&c.
_Time_,--About 1/4 hour to poach in boiling water.
_Sufficient_, 1/2 lb. of veal or other meat, with other ingredients in
proportion, for 1 entrée.
_Note_.--The French are noted for their skill in making forcemeats; one
of the principal causes of their superiority in this respect being, that
they pound all the ingredients so diligently and thoroughly. Any one
with the slightest pretensions to refined cookery, must, in this
particular, implicitly follow the example of our friends across the
Channel.
FORCEMEAT, or QUENELLES, FOR TURTLE SOUP.
(_See No_. 189.)
423. SOYER'S RECIPE FOR FORCEMEATS.--Take a pound and a half of lean
veal from the fillet, and cut it in long thin slices; scrape with a
knife till nothing but the fibre remains; put it in a mortar, pound it
10 minutes, or until in a purée; pass it through a wire sieve (use the
remainder in stock); then take 1 pound of good fresh beef suet, which
skin, shred, and chop very fine; put it in a mortar and pound it; then
add 6 oz. of panada (that is, bread soaked in milk and boiled till
nearly dry) with the suet; pound them well together, and add the veal;
season with a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter one of pepper, half that of
nutmeg; work all well together; then add four eggs by degrees,
continually pounding the contents of the mortar. When well mixed, take a
small piece in a spoon, and poach it in some boiling water; and if it is
delicate, firm, and of a good flavour, it is ready for use.
FRIED BREAD CRUMBS.
424. Cut the bread into thin slices, place them in a cool oven
overnight, and when thoroughly dry and crisp, roll them down into fine
crumbs. Put some lard, or clarified dripping, into a frying-pan; bring
it to the boiling-point, throw in the crumbs, and fry them very quickly.
Directly they are done, lift them out with a slice, and drain them
before the fire from all greasy moisture. When quite crisp, they are
ready for use. The fat they are fried in should be clear, and the crumbs
should not have the slightest appearance or taste of having been, in the
least degree, burnt.
FRIED SIPPETS OF BREAD (for Garnishing many Dishes).
425. Cut the bread into thin slices, and stamp them out in whatever
shape you like,--rings, crosses, diamonds, &c. &c. Fry them in the same
manner as the bread crumbs, in clear boiling lard, or clarified
dripping, and drain them until thoroughly crisp before the fire. When
variety is desired, fry some of a pale colour, and others of a darker
hue.
FRIED BREAD FOR BORDERS.
426. Proceed as above, by frying some slices of bread cut in any
fanciful shape. When quite crisp, dip one side of the sippet into the
beaten white of an egg mixed with a little flour, and place it on the
edge of the dish. Continue in this manner till the border is completed,
arranging the sippets a pale and a dark one alternately.
GENEVESE SAUCE FOR SALMON, TROUT, &c.
427. INGREDIENTS.--1 small carrot, a small faggot of sweet herbs,
including parsley, 1 onion, 5 or 6 mushrooms (when obtainable), 1
bay-leaf, 6 cloves, 1 blade of mace, 2 oz. of butter, 1 glass of sherry,
1-1/2 pint of white stock, No. 107, thickening of butter and flour, the
juice of half a lemon.
_Mode_.--Cut up the onion and carrot into small rings, and put them into
a stewpan with the herbs, mushrooms, bay-leaf, cloves, and mace; add the
butter, and simmer the whole very gently over a slow fire until the
onion is quite tender. Pour in the stock and sherry, and stew slowly for
1 hour, when strain it off into a clean saucepan. Now make a thickening
of butter and flour, put it to the sauce, stir it over the fire until
perfectly smooth and mellow, add the lemon-juice, give one boil, when it
will be ready for table.
_Time_.--Altogether 2 hours.
_Average cost_, 1s. 3d per pint.
_Sufficient_, half this quantity for two slices of salmon.
[Illustration: SAGE.]
SAGE.--This was originally a native of the south of Europe, but
it has long been cultivated in the English garden. There are
several kinds of it, known as the green, the red, the
small-leaved, and the broad-leaved balsamic. In cookery, its
principal use is for stuffings and sauces, for which purpose the
red is the most agreeable, and the green the next. The others
are used for medical purposes.
PICKLED GHERKINS.
428. INGREDIENTS.--Salt and water, 1 oz. of bruised ginger, 1/2 oz. of
whole black pepper, 1/4 oz. of whole allspice, 4 cloves, 2 blades of
mace, a little horseradish. This proportion of pepper, spices, &c., for
1 quart of vinegar.
_Mode_.--Let the gherkins remain in salt and water for 3 or 4 days, when
take them out, wipe perfectly dry, and put them into a stone jar. Boil
sufficient vinegar to cover them, with spices and pepper, &c., in the
above proportion, for 10 minutes; pour it, quite boiling, over the
gherkins, cover the jar with vine-leaves, and put over them a plate,
setting them near the fire, where they must remain all night. Next day
drain off the vinegar, boil it up again, and pour it hot over them.
Cover up with fresh leaves, and let the whole remain till quite cold.
Now tie down closely with bladder to exclude the air, and in a month or
two, they will be fit for use.
_Time_.--4 days.
_Seasonable_ from the middle of July to the end of August.
[Illustration: GHERKINS.]
GHERKINS.--Gherkins are young cucumbers; and the only way in
which they are used for cooking purposes is pickling them, as by
the recipe here given. Not having arrived at maturity, they have
not, of course, so strongly a developed flavour as cucumbers,
and, as a pickle, they are very general favourites.
GOOSEBERRY SAUCE FOR BOILED MACKEREL.
429. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of green gooseberries, 3 tablespoonfuls of
Béchamel, No. 367 (veal gravy may be substituted for this), 2 oz. of
fresh butter; seasoning to taste of salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg.
_Mode_.--Boil the gooseberries in water until quite tender; strain them,
and rub them through a sieve. Put into a saucepan the Béchamel or gravy,
with the butter and seasoning; add the pulp from the gooseberries, mix
all well together, and heat gradually through. A little pounded sugar
added to this sauce is by many persons considered an improvement, as the
saccharine matter takes off the extreme acidity of the unripe fruit.
_Time_.--Boil the gooseberries from 20 minutes to 1/2 hour.
_Sufficient_, this quantity, for a large dish of mackerel.
_Seasonable_ from May to July.
[Illustration: THE GOOSEBERRY.]
THE GOOSEBERRY.--This useful and wholesome fruit (_Ribes
grossularia_) is thought to be indigenous to the British Isles,
and may be occasionally found in a wild state in some of the
eastern counties, although, when uncultivated, it is but a very
small and inferior berry. The high state of perfection to which
it has been here brought, is due to the skill of the English
gardeners; for in no other country does it attain the same size
and flavour. The humidity of the British climate, however, has
doubtless something to do with the result; and it is said that
gooseberries produced in Scotland as far north as Inverness, are
of a very superior character. Malic and citric acid blended with
sugar, produce the pleasant flavour of the gooseberry; and upon
the proper development of these properties depends the success
of all cooking operations with which they are connected.
GLAZE FOR COVERING COLD HAMS, TONGUES, &c.
430. INGREDIENTS.--Stock No. 104 or 107, doubling the quantity of meat
in each.
_Mode_.--We may remark at the outset, that unless glaze is wanted in
very large quantities, it is seldom made expressly. Either of the stocks
mentioned above, boiled down and reduced very considerably, will be
found to produce a very good glaze. Put the stock into a stewpan, over a
nice clear fire; let it boil till it becomes somewhat stiff, when keep
stirring, to prevent its burning. The moment it is sufficiently reduced,
and comes to a glaze, turn it out into the glaze-pot, of which we have
here given an engraving. As, however, this is not to be found in every
establishment, a white earthenware jar would answer the purpose; and
this may be placed in a vessel of boiling water, to melt the glaze when
required. It should never be warmed in a saucepan, except on the
principle of the bain marie, lest it should reduce too much, and become
black and bitter. If the glaze is wanted of a pale colour, more veal
than beef should be used in making the stock; and it is as well to omit
turnips and celery, as these impart a disagreeable bitter flavour.
TO GLAZE COLD JOINTS, &c.--Melt the glaze by placing the vessel which
contains it, into the bain marie or saucepan of boiling water; brush it
over the meat with a paste-brush, and if in places it is not quite
covered, repeat the operation. The glaze should not be too dark a
colour. (_See_ Coloured Cut of Glazed Ham, P.)
[Illustration: GLAZE-KETTLE.]
[Illustration: THE BAIN MARIE.]
GLAZE-KETTLE.--This is a kettle used for keeping the strong
stock boiled down to a jelly, which is known by the name of
glaze. It is composed of two tin vessels, as shown in the cut,
one of which, the upper,--containing the glaze, is inserted into
one of larger diameter and containing boiling water. A brush is
put in the small hole at the top of the lid, and is employed for
putting the glaze on anything that may require it.
THE BAIN MARIE.--So long ago as the time when emperors ruled in
Rome, and the yellow Tiber passed through a populous and wealthy
city, this utensil was extensively employed; and it is
frequently mentioned by that profound culinary chemist of the
ancients, Apicius. It is an open kind of vessel (as shown in the
engraving and explained in our paragraph No. 87, on the French
terms used in modern cookery), filled with boiling or nearly
boiling water; and into this water should be put all the
stewpans containing those ingredients which it is desired to
keep hot. The quantity and quality of the contents of these
vessels are not at all affected; and if the hour of dinner is
uncertain in any establishment, by reason of the nature of the
master's business, nothing is so certain a means of preserving
the flavour of all dishes as the employment of the bain marie.
GREEN SAUCE FOR GREEN GEESE OR DUCKLINGS.
431. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 pint of sorrel-juice, 1 glass of sherry, 1/2 pint
of green gooseberries, 1 teaspoonful of pounded sugar, 1 oz. of fresh
butter.
_Mode_.--Boil the gooseberries in water until they are quite tender;
mash them and press them through a sieve; put the pulp into a saucepan
with the above ingredients; simmer for 3 or 4 minutes, and serve very
hot.
_Time_.--3 or 4 minutes.
_Note_.--We have given this recipe as a sauce for green geese, thinking
that some of our readers might sometimes require it; but, at the
generality of fashionable tables, it is now seldom or never served.
[Illustration: SORREL.]
SORREL.--We gather from the pages of Pliny and Apicius, that
sorrel was cultivated by the Romans in order to give it more
strength and flavour, and that they also partook of it sometimes
stewed with mustard, being seasoned with a little oil and
vinegar. At the present day, English cookery is not much
indebted to this plant (_Rumex Acetosa_), although the French
make use of it to a considerable extent. It is found in most
parts of Great Britain, and also on the continent, growing wild
in the grass meadows, and, in a few gardens, it is cultivated.
The acid of sorrel is very _prononcé_, and is what chemists term
a binoxalate of potash; that is, a combination of oxalic acid
with potash.
GENERAL STOCK FOR GRAVIES.
432. Either of the stocks, Nos. 104, 105, or 107, will be found to
answer very well for the basis of many gravies, unless these are wanted
very rich indeed. By the addition of various store sauces, thickening
and flavouring, the stocks here referred to may be converted into very
good gravies. It should be borne in mind, however, that the goodness and
strength of spices, wines, flavourings, &c., evaporate, and that they
lose a great deal of their fragrance, if added to the gravy a long time
before they are wanted. If this point is attended to, a saving of one
half the quantity of these ingredients will be effected, as, with long
boiling, the flavour almost entirely passes away. The shank-bones of
mutton, previously well soaked, will be found a great assistance in
enriching gravies; a kidney or melt, beef skirt, trimmings of meat, &c.
&c., answer very well when only a small quantity is wanted, and, as we
have before observed, a good gravy need not necessarily be so very
expensive; for economically-prepared dishes are oftentimes found as
savoury and wholesome as dearer ones. The cook should also remember that
the fragrance of gravies should not be overpowered by too much spice, or
any strong essences, and that they should always be warmed in a _bain
marie_, after they are flavoured, or else in a jar or jug placed in a
saucepan full of boiling water. The remains of roast-meat gravy should
always be saved; as, when no meat is at hand, a very nice gravy in haste
may be made from it, and when added to hashes, ragoûts, &c., is a great
improvement.
[Illustration: GRAVY-KETTLE.]
GRAVY-KETTLE.--This is a utensil which will not be found in
every kitchen; but it is a useful one where it is necessary to
keep gravies hot for the purpose of pouring over various dishes
as they are cooking. It is made of copper, and should,
consequently, be heated over the hot plate, if there be one, or
a charcoal stove. The price at which it can be purchased is set
down by Messrs. Slack at 14s.
GRAVY FOR ROAST MEAT.
433. INGREDIENTS.--Gravy, salt.
_Mode_.--Put a common dish with a small quantity of salt in it under the
meat, about a quarter of an hour before it is removed from the fire.
When the dish is full, take it away, baste the meat, and pour the gravy
into the dish on which the joint is to be served.
SAUCES AND GRAVIES IN THE MIDDLE AGES.--Neither poultry,
butcher's meat, nor roast game were eaten dry in the middle
ages, any more than fried fish is now. Different sauces, each
having its own peculiar flavour, were served with all these
dishes, and even with the various _parts_ of each animal.
Strange and grotesque sauces, as, for example, "eggs cooked on
the spit," "butter fried and roasted," were invented by the
cooks of those days; but these preparations had hardly any other
merit than that of being surprising and difficult to make.
A QUICKLY-MADE GRAVY.
434. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of shin of beef, 1/2 onion, 1/4 carrot, 2 or
3 sprigs of parsley and savoury herbs, a piece of butter about the size
of a walnut; cayenne and mace to taste, 3/4 pint of water.
_Mode_.--Cut up the meat into very small pieces, slice the onion and
carrot, and put them into a small saucepan with the butter. Keep
stirring over a sharp fire until they have taken a little colour, when
add the water and the remaining ingredients. Simmer for 1/2 hour, skim
well, strain, and flavour, when it will be ready for use.
_Time_.--1/2 hour. _Average cost_, for this quantity, 5d.
A HUNDRED DIFFERENT DISHES.--Modern housewives know pretty well
how much care, and attention, and foresight are necessary in
order to serve well a little dinner for six or eight persons,--a
dinner which will give credit to the _ménage_, and satisfaction
and pleasure to the guests. A quickly-made gravy, under some
circumstances that we have known occur, will be useful to many
housekeepers when they have not much time for preparation. But,
talking of speed, and time, and preparation, what a combination
of all these must have been necessary for the feast at the
wedding of Charles VI. of France. On that occasion, as Froissart
the chronicler tells us, the art of cooking, with its
innumerable paraphernalia of sauces, with gravy, pepper,
cinnamon, garlic, scallion, brains, gravy soups, milk _potage_,
and ragoûts, had a signal triumph. The skilful _chef-de-cuisine_
of the royal household covered the great marble table of the
regal palace with no less than a hundred different dishes,
prepared in a hundred different ways.
A GOOD BEEF GRAVY FOR POULTRY, GAME, &c.
435. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of lean beef, 1/2 pint of cold water, 1
shalot or small onion, 1/2 a teaspoonful of salt, a little pepper, 1
tablespoonful of Harvey's sauce or mushroom ketchup, 1/2 a teaspoonful
of arrowroot.
_Mode_.--Cut up the beef into small pieces, and put it, with the water,
into a stewpan. Add the shalot and seasoning, and simmer gently for 3
hours, taking care that it does not boil fast. A short time before it is
required, take the arrowroot, and having mixed it with a little cold
water, pour it into the gravy, which keep stirring, adding the Harvey's
sauce, and just letting it boil. Strain off the gravy in a tureen, and
serve very hot.
_Time_.--3 hours. _Average cost_, 8d. per pint.
BROWN GRAVY.
436. INGREDIENTS.--2 oz. of butter, 2 large onions, 2 lbs. of shin of
beef, 2 small slices of lean bacon (if at hand), salt and whole pepper
to taste, 3 cloves, 2 quarts of water. For thickening, 2 oz. of butter,
3 oz. of flour.
_Mode_.--Put the butter into a stewpan; set this on the fire, throw in
the onions cut in rings, and fry them a light brown; then add the beef
and bacon, which should be cut into small square pieces; season, and
pour in a teacupful of water; let it boil for about ten minutes, or
until it is of a nice brown colour, occasionally stirring the contents.
Now fill up with water in the above proportion; let it boil up, when
draw it to the side of the fire to simmer very gently for 1-1/2 hour;
strain, and when cold, take off all the fat. In thickening this gravy,
melt 3 oz. of butter in a stewpan, add 2 oz. of flour, and stir till of
a light-brown colour; when cold, add it to the strained gravy, and boil
it up quickly. This thickening may be made in larger quantities, and
kept in a stone jar for use when wanted.
_Time_.--Altogether, 2 hours. _Average cost_, 4d. per pint.
CLOVES.--This very agreeable spice is the unexpanded flower-buds
of the _Caryophyllus aromaticus_, a handsome, branching tree, a
native of the Malacca Islands. They take their name from the
Latin word _clavus_, or the French _clou_, both meaning a nail,
and to which the clove has a considerable resemblance. Cloves
were but little known to the ancients, and Pliny appears to be
the only writer who mentions them; and he says, vaguely enough,
that some were brought to Rome, very similar to grains of
pepper, but somewhat longer; that they were only to be found in
India, in a wood consecrated to the gods; and that they served
in the manufacture of perfumes. The Dutch, as in the case of the
nutmeg (_see_ 378), endeavoured, when they gained possession of
the Spice Islands, to secure a monopoly of cloves, and, so that
the cultivation of the tree might be confined to Amboyna, their
chief island, bribed the surrounding chiefs to cut down all
trees found elsewhere. The Amboyna, or royal clove, is said to
be the best, and is rare; but other kinds, nearly equally good,
are produced in other parts of the world, and they come to
Europe from Mauritius, Bourbon, Cayenne, and Martinique, as also
from St. Kitts, St. Vincent's, and Trinidad. The clove contains
about 20 per cent. of volatile aromatic oil, to which it owes
its peculiar pungent flavour, its other parts being composed of
woody fibre, water, gum, and resin.
BROWN GRAVY WITHOUT MEAT.
437. INGREDIENTS.--2 large onions, 1 large carrot, 2 oz. of butter, 3
pints of boiling water, 1 bunch of savoury herbs, a wineglassful of good
beer; salt and pepper to taste.
_Mode_.--Slice, flour, and fry the onions and carrots in the butter
until of a nice light-brown colour; then add the boiling water and the
remaining ingredients; let the whole stew gently for about an hour; then
strain, and when cold, skim off all the fat. Thicken it in the same
manner as recipe No. 436, and, if thought necessary, add a few drops of
colouring No. 108.
_Time_.--1 hour. Average cost, 2d. per pint.
_Note_.--The addition of a small quantity of mushroom ketchup or
Harvey's sauce very much improves the flavour of this gravy.
RICH GRAVY FOR HASHES, RAGOUTS, &c.
438. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of shin of beef, 1 large onion or a few
shalots, a little flour, a bunch of savoury herbs, 2 blades of mace, 2
or 3 cloves, 4 whole allspice, 1/4 teaspoonful of whole pepper, 1 slice
of lean ham or bacon, 1/2 a head of celery (when at hand), 2 pints of
boiling water; salt and cayenne to taste.
_Mode_.--Cut the beef into thin slices, as also the onions, dredge them
with flour, and fry of a pale brown, but do not allow them to get black;
pour in the boiling water, let it boil up; and skim. Add the remaining
ingredients, and simmer the whole very gently for 2 hours, or until all
the juices are extracted from the meat; put it by to get cold, when take
off all the fat. This gravy may be flavoured with ketchup, store sauces,
wine, or, in fact, anything that may give additional and suitable relish
to the dish it is intended for.
_Time_.--Rather more than 2 hours.
_Average cost_, 8d. per pint.
[Illustration: PIMENTO.]
ALLSPICE.--This is the popular name given to pimento, or Jamaica
pepper, known to naturalists as _Eugenia pimenta_, and belonging
to the order of Myrtaceae. It is the berry of a fine tree in the
West Indies and South America, which attains a height of from
fifteen to twenty feet: the berries are not allowed to ripen,
but, being gathered green, are then dried in the sun, and then
become black. It is an inexpensive spice, and is considered more
mild and innocent than most other spices; consequently, it is
much used for domestic purposes, combining a very agreeable
variety of flavours.
GRAVY MADE WITHOUT MEAT FOR FOWLS.
439. INGREDIENTS.--The necks, feet, livers, and gizzards of the fowls, 1
slice of toasted bread, 1/2 onion, 1 faggot of savoury herbs, salt and
pepper to taste, 1/2 pint of water, thickening of butter and flour, 1
dessertspoonful of ketchup.
_Mode_.--Wash the feet of the fowls thoroughly clean, and cut them and
the neck into small pieces. Put these into a stewpan with the bread,
onion, herbs, seasoning, livers, and gizzards; pour the water over them
and simmer gently for 1 hour. Now take out the liver, pound it, and
strain the liquor to it. Add a thickening of butter and flour, and a
flavouring of mushroom ketchup; boil it up and serve.
_Time_.--1 hour. _Average cost_, 4d. per pint.
A CHEAP GRAVY FOR HASHES, &c.
440. INGREDIENTS.--Bones and trimmings of the cooked joint intended for
hashing, 1/4 teaspoonful of salt, 1/4 teaspoonful of whole pepper, 1/4
teaspoonful of whole allspice, a small faggot of savoury herbs, 1/2 head
of celery, 1 onion, 1 oz. of butter, thickening, sufficient boiling
water to cover the bones.
_Mode_.--Chop the bones in small pieces, and put them in a stewpan, with
the trimmings, salt, pepper, spice, herbs, and celery. Cover with
boiling water, and let the whole simmer gently for 1-1/2 or 2 hours.
Slice and fry the onion in the butter till it is of a pale brown, and
mix it gradually with the gravy made from the bones; boil for 1/4 hour,
and strain into a basin; now put it back into the stewpan; flavour with
walnut pickle or ketchup, pickled-onion liquor, or any store sauce that
may be preferred. Thicken with a little butter and flour, kneaded
together on a plate, and the gravy will be ready for use. After the
thickening is added, the gravy should just boil, to take off the rawness
of the flour.
_Time_.--2 hours, or rather more.
_Average cost_, 4d., exclusive of the bones and trimmings.
JUGGED GRAVY (Excellent).
441. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of shin of beef, 1/4 lb. of lean ham, 1 onion
or a few shalots, 2 pints of water, salt and whole pepper to taste, 1
blade of mace, a faggot of savoury herbs, 1/2 a large carrot, 1/2 a
head of celery.
_Mode_.--Cut up the beef and ham into small pieces, and slice the
vegetables; take a jar, capable of holding two pints of water, and
arrange therein, in layers, the ham, meat, vegetables, and seasoning,
alternately, filling up with the above quantity of water; tie down the
jar, or put a plate over the top, so that the steam may not escape;
place it in the oven, and let it remain there from 6 to 8 hours; should,
however, the oven be very hot, less time will be required. When
sufficiently cooked, strain the gravy, and when cold, remove the fat. It
may be flavoured with ketchup, wines, or any other store sauce that may
be preferred.
It is a good plan to put the jar in a cool oven over-night, to draw the
gravy; and then it will not require so long baking the following day.
_Time_.--From 6 to 8 hours, according to the oven.
_Average cost_, 7d. per pint.
[Illustration: CELERY.]
CELERY.--As in the above recipe, the roots of celery are
principally used in England for flavouring soups, sauces, and
gravies, and for serving with cheese at the termination of a
dinner, and as an ingredient for salad. In Italy, however, the
green leaves and stems are also employed for stews and soups,
and the seeds are also more frequently made use of on the
continent than in our own islands. In Germany, celery is very
highly esteemed; and it is there boiled and served up as a dish
by itself, as well as used in the composition of mixed dishes.
We ourselves think that this mild aromatic plant might oftener
be cooked than it is; for there are very few nicer vegetable
preparations brought to table than a well-dressed plate of
stewed celery.
VEAL GRAVY FOR WHITE SAUCES, FRICASSEES, &c.
442. INGREDIENTS.--2 slices of nicely flavoured lean ham, any poultry
trimmings, 3 lbs. of lean veal, a faggot of savoury herbs, including
parsley, a few green onions (or 1 large onion may be substituted for
these), a few mushrooms, when obtainable; 1 blade of mace, salt to
taste, 3 pints of water.
_Mode_.--Cut up the ham and veal into small square pieces, put these in
a stewpan, moistening them with a small quantity of water; place them
over the fire to draw down. When the bottom of the stewpan becomes
covered with a white glaze, fill up with water in the above proportion;
add the remaining ingredients, stew very slowly for 3 or 4 hours, and do
not forget to skim well the moment it boils. Put it by, and, when cold,
take off all the fat. This may be used for Béchamel, sauce tournée, and
many other white sauces.
_Time_.--3 or 4 hours. _Average cost_, 9d. per pint.
CHEAP GRAVY FOR MINCED VEAL.
443. INGREDIENTS.--Bones and trimmings of cold roast or boiled veal,
1-1/2 pint of water, 1 onion, 1/4 teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, 1/4
teaspoonful of salt, 1 blade of pounded mace, the juice of 1/4 lemon;
thickening of butter and flour.
_Mode_.--Put all the ingredients into a stewpan, except the thickening
and lemon-juice, and let them simmer very gently for rather more than 1
hour, or until the liquor is reduced to a pint, when strain through a
hair-sieve. Add a thickening of butter and flour, and the lemon-juice;
set it on the fire, and let it just boil up, when it will be ready for
use. It may be flavoured with a little tomato sauce, and, where a rather
dark-coloured gravy is not objected to, ketchup, or Harvey's sauce, may
be added at pleasure.
_Time_.--Rather more than 1 hour. _Average cost_, 3d.
GRAVY FOR VENISON.
444. INGREDIENTS.--Trimmings of venison, 3 or 4 mutton shank-bones, salt
to taste, 1 pint of water, 2 teaspoonfuls of walnut ketchup.
_Mode_.--Brown the trimmings over a nice clear fire, and put them in a
stewpan with the shank-bones and water; simmer gently for 2 hours,
strain and skim, and add the walnut ketchup and a seasoning of salt. Let
it just boil, when it is ready to serve.
_Time_.--2 hours.
[Illustration: THE DEER.]
VENISON.--Far, far away in ages past, our fathers loved the
chase, and what it brought; and it is usually imagined that when
Isaac ordered his son Esau to go out with his weapons, his
quiver and his bow, and to prepare for him savoury meat, such as
he loved, that it was venison he desired. The wise Solomon, too,
delighted in this kind of fare; for we learn that, at his table,
every day were served the wild ox, the roebuck, and the stag.
Xenophon informs us, in his History, that Cyrus, king of Persia,
ordered that venison should never be wanting at his repasts; and
of the effeminate Greeks it was the delight. The Romans, also,
were devoted admirers of the flesh of the deer; and our own
kings and princes, from the Great Alfred down to the Prince
Consort, have hunted, although, it must be confessed, under
vastly different circumstances, the swift buck, and relished
their "haunch" all the more keenly, that they had borne
themselves bravely in the pursuit of the animal.
TO DRY HERBS FOR WINTER USE.
445. On a very dry day, gather the herbs, just before they begin to
flower. If this is done when the weather is damp, the herbs will not be
so good a colour. (It is very necessary to be particular in little
matters like this, for trifles constitute perfection, and herbs nicely
dried will be found very acceptable when frost and snow are on the
ground. It is hardly necessary, however, to state that the flavour and
fragrance of fresh herbs are incomparably finer.) They should be
perfectly freed from dirt and dust, and be divided into small bunches,
with their roots cut off. Dry them quickly in a very hot oven, or before
the fire, as by this means most of their flavour will be preserved, and
be careful not to burn them; tie them up in paper bags, and keep in a
dry place. This is a very general way of preserving dried herbs; but we
would recommend the plan described in a former recipe.
_Seasonable_.--From the month of July to the end of September is the
proper time for storing herbs for winter use.
HERB POWDER FOR FLAVOURING, when Fresh Herbs are not obtainable.
446. INGREDIENTS.--1 oz. of dried lemon-thyme, 1 oz. of dried winter
savory, 1 oz. of dried sweet marjoram and basil, 2 oz. of dried parsley,
1 oz. of dried lemon-peel.
_Mode_.--Prepare and dry the herbs by recipe No. 445; pick the leaves
from the stalks, pound them, and sift them through a hair-sieve; mix in
the above proportions, and keep in glass bottles, carefully excluding
the air. This, we think, a far better method of keeping herbs, as the
flavour and fragrance do not evaporate so much as when they are merely
put in paper bags. Preparing them in this way, you have them ready for
use at a moment's notice.
Mint, sage, parsley, &c., dried, pounded, and each put into separate
bottles, will be found very useful in winter.
[Illustration: CORK WITH WOODEN TOP.]
CORKS WITH WOODEN TOPS.--These are the best corks to use when it
is indispensable that the air should not be admitted to the
ingredients contained in bottles which are in constant use. The
top, which, as will be seen by the accompanying little cut, is
larger than the cork, is made of wood; and, besides effectually
covering the whole top of the bottle, can be easily removed and
again used, as no corkscrew is necessary to pull it out.
SAVORY.--This we find described by Columella, a voluminous Roman
writer on agriculture, as an odoriferous herb, which, "in the
brave days of old," entered into the seasoning of nearly every
dish. Verily, there are but few new things under the sun, and we
don't find that we have made many discoveries in gastronomy, at
least beyond what was known to the ancient inhabitants of Italy.
We possess two varieties of this aromatic herb, known to
naturalists as _Satureja_. They are called summer and winter
savory, according to the time of the year when they are fit for
gathering. Both sorts are in general cultivation throughout
England.
HORSERADISH SAUCE, to serve with Roast Beef.
447. INGREDIENTS.--4 tablespoonfuls of grated horseradish, 1 teaspoonful
of pounded sugar, 1 teaspoonful of salt, 1/2 teaspoonful of pepper, 2
teaspoonfuls of made mustard; vinegar.
_Mode_.--Grate the horseradish, and mix it well with the sugar, salt,
pepper, and mustard; moisten it with sufficient vinegar to give it the
consistency of cream, and serve in a tureen: 3 or 4 tablespoonfuls of
cream added to the above, very much improve the appearance and flavour
of this sauce. To heat it to serve with hot roast beef, put it in a bain
marie or a jar, which place in a saucepan of boiling water; make it hot,
but do not allow it to boil, or it will curdle.
_Note_.--This sauce is a great improvement on the old-fashioned way of
serving cold-scraped horseradish with hot roast beef. The mixing of the
cold vinegar with the warm gravy cools and spoils everything on the
plate. Of course, with cold meat, the sauce should be served cold.
[Illustration: THE HORSERADISH.]
THE HORSERADISH.--This has been, for many years, a favourite
accompaniment of roast beef, and is a native of England. It
grows wild in wet ground, but has long been cultivated in the
garden, and is, occasionally, used in winter salads and in
sauces. On account of the great volatility of its oil, it should
never be preserved by drying, but should be kept moist by being
buried in sand. So rapidly does its volatile oil evaporate, that
even when scraped for the table, it almost immediately spoils by
exposure to the air.
HORSERADISH VINEGAR.
448. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of scraped horseradish, 1 oz. of minced
shalot, 1 drachm of cayenne, 1 quart of vinegar.
_Mode_.--Put all the ingredients into a bottle, which shake well every
day for a fortnight. When it is thoroughly steeped, strain and bottle,
and it will be fit for use immediately. This will be found an agreeable
relish to cold beef, &c.
_Seasonable_.--This vinegar should be made either in October or
November, as horseradish is then in its highest perfection.
INDIAN CURRY-POWDER, founded on Dr. Kitchener's Recipe.
449. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of coriander-seed, 1/4 lb. of turmeric, 2 oz.
of cinnamon-seed, 1/2 oz. of cayenne, 1 oz. of mustard, 1 oz. of ground
ginger, 1/2 ounce of allspice, 2 oz. of fenugreek-seed.
_Mode_.--Put all the ingredients in a cool oven, where they should
remain one night; then pound them in a mortar, rub them through a sieve,
and mix thoroughly together; keep the powder in a bottle, from which the
air should be completely excluded.
_Note_.--We have given this recipe for curry-powder, as some persons
prefer to make it at home; but that purchased at any respectable shop
is, generally speaking, far superior, and, taking all things into
consideration, very frequently more economical.
INDIAN MUSTARD, an excellent Relish to Bread and Butter, or any cold
Meat.
450. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of the best mustard, 1/4 lb. of flour, 1/2
oz. of salt, 4 shalots, 4 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, 4 tablespoonfuls of
ketchup, 1/4 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.
[Illustration: MUSTARD.]
MUSTARD.--Before the year 1729, mustard was not known at English
tables. About that time an old woman, of the name of Clements,
residing in Durham, began to grind the seed in a mill, and to
pass the flour through several processes necessary to free the
seed from its husks. She kept her secret for many years to
herself, during which she sold large quantities of mustard
throughout the country, but especially in London. Here it was
introduced to the royal table, when it received the approval of
George I. From the circumstance of Mrs. Clements being a
resident at Durham, it obtained the name of Durham mustard. In
the county of that name it is still principally cultivated, and
the plant is remarkable for the rapidity of its growth. It is
the best stimulant employed to impart strength to the digestive
organs, and even in its previously coarsely-pounded state, had a
high reputation with our ancestors.
INDIAN PICKLE (very Superior).
451. INGREDIENTS.--To each gallon of vinegar allow 6 cloves of garlic,
12 shalots, 2 sticks of sliced horseradish, 1/4 lb. of bruised ginger, 2
oz. of whole black pepper, 1 oz. of long pepper, 1 oz. of allspice, 12
cloves, 1/4 oz. of cayenne, 2 oz. of mustard-seed, 1/4 lb. of mustard, 1
oz. of turmeric; a white cabbage, cauliflowers, radish-pods, French
beans, gherkins, small round pickling-onions, nasturtiums, capsicums,
chilies, &c.
_Mode_.--Cut the cabbage, which must be hard and white, into slices, and
the cauliflowers into small branches; sprinkle salt over them in a large
dish, and let them remain two days; then dry them, and put them into a
very large jar, with garlic, shalots, horseradish, ginger, pepper,
allspice, and cloves, in the above proportions. Boil sufficient vinegar
to cover them, which pour over, and, when cold, cover up to keep them
free from dust. As the other things for the pickle ripen at different
times, they may be added as they are ready: these will be radish-pods,
French beans, gherkins, small onions, nasturtiums, capsicums, chilies,
&c. &c. As these are procured, they must, first of all, be washed in a
little cold vinegar, wiped, and then simply added to the other
ingredients in the large jar, only taking care that they are _covered_
by the vinegar. If more vinegar should be wanted to add to the pickle,
do not omit first to boil it before adding it to the rest. When you have
collected all the things you require, turn all out in a large pan, and
thoroughly mix them. Now put the mixed vegetables into smaller jars,
without any of the vinegar; then boil the vinegar again, adding as much
more as will be required to fill the different jars, and also cayenne,
mustard-seed, turmeric, and mustard, which must be well mixed with a
little cold vinegar, allowing the quantities named above to each gallon
of vinegar. Pour the vinegar, boiling hot, over the pickle, and when
cold, tie down with a bladder. If the pickle is wanted for immediate
use, the vinegar should be boiled twice more, but the better way is to
make it during one season for use during the next. It will keep for
years, if care is taken that the vegetables are quite covered by the
vinegar.
This recipe was taken from the directions of a lady whose pickle was
always pronounced excellent by all who tasted it, and who has, for many
years, exactly followed the recipe given above.
__Note_.--For small families, perhaps the above quantity of pickle will
be considered too large; but this may be decreased at pleasure, taking
care to properly proportion the various ingredients.
[Illustration: INDIA PICKLE.]
KEEPING PICKLES.--Nothing shows more, perhaps, the difference
between a tidy thrifty housewife and a lady to whom these
desirable epithets may not honestly be applied, than the
appearance of their respective store-closets. The former is
able, the moment anything; is wanted, to put her hand on it at
once; no time is lost, no vexation incurred, no dish spoilt for
the want of "just little something,"--the latter, on the
contrary, hunts all over her cupboard for the ketchup the cook
requires, or the pickle the husband thinks he should like a
little of with his cold roast beef or mutton-chop, and vainly
seeks for the Embden groats, or arrowroot, to make one of her
little boys some gruel. One plan, then, we strenuously advise
all who do not follow, to begin at once, and that is, to label
all their various pickles and store sauces, in the same way as
the cut here shows. It will occupy a little time at first, but
there will be economy of it in the long run.
VINEGAR.--This term is derived from the two French words _vin
aigre_, 'sour wine,' and should, therefore, be strictly applied
to that which is made only from wine. As the acid is the same,
however it is procured, that made from ale also takes the same
name. Nearly all ancient nations were acquainted with the use of
vinegar. We learn in _Ruth_, that the reapers in the East soaked
their bread in it to freshen it. The Romans kept large
quantities of it in their cellars, using it, to a great extent,
in their seasonings and sauces. This people attributed very
beneficial qualities to it, as it was supposed to be digestive,
antibilious, and antiscorbutic, as well as refreshing.
Spartianus, a Latin historian, tells us that, mixed with water,
it was the drink of the soldiers, and that, thanks to this
beverage, the veterans of the Roman army braved, by its use, the
inclemency and variety of all the different seasons and climates
of Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is said, the Spanish peasantry,
and other inhabitants of the southern parts of Europe, still
follow this practice, and add to a gallon of water about a gill
of wine vinegar, with a little salt; and that this drink, with a
little bread, enables them, under the heat of their burning sun,
to sustain the labours of the field.
INDIAN CHETNEY SAUCE.
452. INGREDIENTS.--8 oz. of sharp, sour apples, pared and cored; 8 oz.
of tomatoes, 8 oz. of salt, 8 oz. of brown, sugar, 8 oz. of stoned
raisins, 4 oz. of cayenne, 4 oz. of powdered ginger, 2 oz. of garlic, 2
oz. of shalots, 3 quarts of vinegar, 1 quart of lemon-juice.
_Mode_.--Chop the apples in small square pieces, and add to them the
other ingredients. Mix the whole well together, and put in a
well-covered jar. Keep this in a warm place, and stir every day for a
month, taking care to put on the lid after this operation; strain, but
do not squeeze it dry; store it away in clean jars or bottles for use,
and the liquor will serve as an excellent sauce for meat or fish.