BOILED ARTICHOKES.
1080. INGREDIENTS.--To each 1/2 gallon of water, allow 1 heaped
tablespoonful of salt, a piece of soda the size of a shilling;
artichokes.
[Illustration: ARTICHOKES.]
_Mode_.--Wash the artichokes well in several waters; see that no insects
remain about them, and trim away the leaves at the bottom. Cut off the
stems and put them into _boiling_ water, to which have been added salt
and soda in the above proportion. Keep the saucepan uncovered, and let
them boil quickly until tender; ascertain when they are done by
thrusting a fork in them, or by trying if the leaves can be easily
removed. Take them out, let them drain for a minute or two, and serve in
a napkin, or with a little white sauce poured over. A tureen of melted
butter should accompany them. This vegetable, unlike any other, is
considered better for being gathered two or three days; but they must be
well soaked and washed previous to dressing.
_Time_.--20 to 25 minutes, after the water boils.
_Sufficient_,--a dish of 5 or 6 for 4 persons.
_Seasonable_ from July to the beginning of September.
[Illustration: CARDOON ARTICHOKE.]
THE COMPOSITAE, OR COMPOSITE FLOWERS.--This family is so
extensive, as to contain nearly a twelfth part of the whole of
the vegetable kingdom. It embraces about 9,000 species,
distributed over almost every country; and new discoveries are
constantly being made and added to the number. Towards the poles
their numbers diminish, and slightly, also, towards the equator;
but they abound in the tropical and sub-tropical islands, and in
the tracts of continent not far from the sea-shore. Among
esculent vegetables, the Lettuce, Salsify, Scorzonera, Cardoon,
and Artichoke belong to the family.
FRIED ARTICHOKES.
(Entremets, or Small Dish, to be served with the Second Course.)
1081. INGREDIENTS.--5 or 6 artichokes, salt and water: for the
batter,--1/4 lb. of flour, a little salt, the yolk of 1 egg, milk.
_Mode_.--Trim and boil the artichokes by recipe No. 1080, and rub them
over with lemon-juice, to keep them white. When they are quite tender,
take them up, remove the chokes, and divide the bottoms; dip each piece
into batter, fry them in hot lard or dripping, and garnish the dish with
crisped parsley. Serve with plain melted butter.
_Time_.--20 minutes to boil the artichokes, 5 to 7 minutes to fry them.
_Sufficient_,--5 or 6 for 4 or 5 persons.
_Seasonable_ from July to the beginning of September.
A FRENCH MODE OF COOKING ARTICHOKES.
1082. INGREDIENTS.--5 or 6 artichokes; to each 1/2 gallon of water allow
1 heaped tablespoonful of salt, 1/2 teaspoonful of pepper, 1 bunch of
savoury herbs, 2 oz. of butter.
_Mode_.--Cut the ends of the leaves, as also the stems; put the
artichokes into boiling water, with the above proportion of salt,
pepper, herbs, and butter; let them boil quickly until tender, keeping
the lid of the saucepan off, and when the leaves come out easily, they
are cooked enough. To keep them a beautiful green, put a large piece of
cinder into a muslin bag, and let it boil with them. Serve with plain
melted butter.
_Time_.--20 to 25 minutes.
_Sufficient_,--5 or 6 sufficient for 4 or 5 persons.
_Seasonable_ from July to the beginning of September.
ARTICHOKES A L'ITALIENNE.
1083. INGREDIENTS.--4 or 6 artichokes, salt and butter, about 1/2 pint
of good gravy.
_Mode_.--Trim and cut the artichokes into quarters, and boil them until
tender in water mixed with a little salt and butter. When done, drain
them well, and lay them all round the dish, with the leaves outside.
Have ready some good gravy, highly flavoured with mushrooms; reduce it
until quite thick, and pour it round the artichokes, and serve.
_Time_.--20 to 25 minutes to boil the artichokes.
_Sufficient_ for one side-dish.
_Seasonable_ from July to the beginning of September.
CONSTITUENT PROPERTIES OF THE ARTICHOKE.--According to the
analysis of Braconnet, the constituent elements of an artichoke
are,--starch 30, albumen 10, uncrystallizable sugar 148, gum 12,
fixed oil 1, woody fibre 12, inorganic matter 27, and water 770.
BOILED JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES.
1084. INGREDIENTS.--To each 1 gallon of water allow 1 heaped
tablespoonful of salt; artichokes.
_Mode_.--Wash, peel, and shape the artichokes in a round or oval form,
and put them into a saucepan with sufficient cold water to cover them,
salted in the above proportion. Let them boil gently until tender; take
them up, drain them, and serve them in a napkin, or plain, whichever
mode is preferred; send to table with them a tureen of melted butter or
cream sauce, a little of which may be poured over the artichokes when
they are _not_ served in a napkin.
[Illustration: JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES.]
_Time_.--About 20 minutes after the water boils.
_Average cost_, 2d. per lb.
_Sufficient_,--10 for a dish for 6 persons.
_Seasonable_ from September to June.
USES OF THE JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE.--This being a tuberous-rooted
plant, with leafy stems from four to six feet high, it is
alleged that its tops will afford as much fodder per acre as a
crop of oats, or more, and its roots half as many tubers as an
ordinary crop of potatoes. The tubers, being abundant in the
market-gardens, are to be had at little more than the price of
potatoes. The fibres of the stems may be separated by
maceration, and manufactured into cordage or cloth; and this is
said to be done in some parts of the north and west of France,
as about Hagenau, where this plant, on the poor sandy soils, is
an object of field culture.
MASHED JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES.
1085. INGREDIENTS.--To each 1 gallon of water allow 1 oz. of salt; 15 or
16 artichokes, 1 oz. butter, pepper and salt to taste.
_Mode_.--Boil the artichokes as in the preceding recipe until tender;
drain and press the water from them, and beat them up with a fork. When
thoroughly mashed and free from lumps, put them into a saucepan with the
butter and a seasoning of white pepper and salt; keep stirring over the
fire until the artichokes are quite hot, and serve.
_Time_.--About 20 minutes. _Average cost_, 2d. per lb.
_Sufficient_ for 6 or 7 persons.
_Seasonable_ from September to June.
JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES WITH WHITE SAUCE.
(Entremets, or to be served with the Second Course as a Side-dish.)
1086. INGREDIENTS.--12 to 15 artichokes, 12 to 15 Brussels sprouts, 1/2
pint of white sauce, No. 538.
_Mode_.--Peel and cut the artichokes in the shape of a pear; cut a piece
off the bottom of each, that they may stand upright in the dish, and
boil them in salt and water until tender. Have ready 1/2 pint of white
sauce, made by recipe No. 538; dish the artichokes, pour over them the
sauce, and place between each a fine Brussels sprout: these should be
boiled separately, and not with the artichokes.
_Time_.--About 20 minutes. _Average cost_, 2d. per lb.
_Sufficient_ for 6 or 7 persons.
_Seasonable_ from September to June.
THE JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE.--This plant is well known, being, for
its tubers, cultivated not only as a garden vegetable, but also
as an agricultural crop. By many it is much esteemed as an
esculent, when cooked in various ways; and the domesticated
animals eat both the fresh foliage, and the tubers with great
relish. By some, they are not only considered nourishing, but
even fattening.
BOILED ASPARAGUS.
1087. INGREDIENTS.--To each 1/2 gallon of water allow 1 heaped
tablespoonful of salt; asparagus.
[Illustration: ASPARAGUS ON TOAST. ASPARAGUS TONGS.]
_Mode_.--Asparagus should be dressed as soon as possible after it is
cut, although it may be kept for a day or two by putting the stalks into
cold water; yet, to be good, like every other vegetable, it cannot be
cooked too fresh. Scrape the white part of the stems, _beginning_ from
the _head_, and throw them into cold water; then tie them into bundles
of about 20 each, keeping the heads all one way, and cut the stalks
evenly, that they may all be the same length; put them into _boiling_
water, with salt in the above proportion; keep them boiling quickly
until tender, with the saucepan uncovered. When the asparagus is done,
dish it upon toast, which should be dipped in the water it was cooked
in, and leave the white ends outwards each war, with the points meeting
in the middle. Serve with a tureen of melted butter.
_Time_.--15 to 18 minutes after the water boils.
_Average cost_, in full season, 2s. 6d. the 100 heads.
_Sufficient_.--Allow about 50 heads for 4 or 5 persons.
_Seasonable_.--May be had, forced, from January but cheapest in May,
June, and July.
[Illustration: ASPARAGUS.]
ASPARAGUS.--This plant belongs to the variously-featured family
of the order _Liliaceae_, which, in the temperate regions of
both hemispheres, are most abundant, and, between the tropics,
gigantic in size and arborescent in form. Asparagus is a native
of Great Britain, and is found on various parts of the seacoast,
and in the fens of Lincolnshire. At Kynarve Cove, in Cornwall,
there is an island called "Asparagus Island," from the abundance
in which it is there found. The uses to which the young shoots
are applied, and the manure in which they are cultivated in
order to bring them to the highest state of excellence, have
been a study with many kitchen-gardeners.
ASPARAGUS PEAS.
(Entremets, or to be served as a Side-dish with the Second Course.)
1088. INGREDIENTS.--100 heads of asparagus, 2 oz. of butter, a small
bunch of parsley, 2 or 3 green onions, flour, 1 lump of sugar, the yolks
of 2 eggs, 4 tablespoonfuls of cream, salt.
_Mode_.--Carefully scrape the asparagus, cut it into pieces of an equal
size, avoiding that which is in the least hard or tough, and throw them
into cold water. Then boil the asparagus in salt and water until
three-parts done; take it out, drain, and place it on a cloth to dry the
moisture away from it. Put it into a stewpan with the butter, parsley,
and onions, and shake over a brisk fire for 10 minutes. Dredge in a
little flour, add the sugar, and moisten with boiling water. When boiled
a short time and reduced, take out the parsley and onions, thicken with
the yolks of 2 eggs beaten with the cream; add a seasoning of salt, and,
when the whole is on the point of simmering, serve. Make the sauce
sufficiently thick to adhere to the vegetable.
_Time_.--Altogether, 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d. a pint.
_Seasonable_ in May, June, and July.
MEDICINAL USES OF ASPARAGUS.--This plant not only acts as a
wholesome and nutritious vegetable, but also as a diuretic,
aperient, and deobstruent. The chemical analysis of its juice
discovers its composition to be a peculiar crystallizable
principle, called asparagin, albumen, mannite, malic acid, and
some salts. Thours says, the cellular tissue contains a
substance similar to sage. The berries are capable of undergoing
vinous fermentation, and affording alcohol by distillation. In
their unripe state they possess the same properties as the
roots, and probably in a much higher degree.
ASPARAGUS PUDDING.
(A delicious Dish, to be served with the Second Course.)
1089. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of asparagus peas, 4 eggs, 2 tablespoonfuls
of flour, 1 tablespoonful of _very finely_ minced ham, 1 oz. of butter,
pepper and salt to taste, milk.
_Mode_.--Cut up the nice green tender parts of asparagus, about the size
of peas; put them into a basin with the eggs, which should be well
beaten, and the flour, ham, butter, pepper, and salt. Mix all these
ingredients well together, and moisten with sufficient milk to make the
pudding of the consistency of thick batter; put it into a pint buttered
mould, tie it down tightly with a floured cloth, place it in _boiling
water_, and let it boil for 2 hours; turn it out of the mould on to a
hot dish, and pour plain melted butter _round_, but not over, the
pudding. Green peas pudding may be made in exactly the same manner,
substituting peas for the asparagus.
_Time_.--2 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d. per pint.
_Seasonable_ in May, June, and July.
BOILED FRENCH BEANS.
1090. INGREDIENTS.--To each 1/2 gallon of water allow 1 heaped
tablespoonful of salt, a very small piece of soda.
[Illustration: Scarlet Runner.]
_Mode_.--This vegetable should always be eaten young, as, when allowed
to grow too long, it tastes stringy and tough when cooked. Cut off the
heads and tails, and a thin strip on each side of the beans, to remove
the strings. Then divide each bean into 4 or 6 pieces, according to
size, cutting them lengthways in a slanting direction, and, as they are
cut, put them into cold water, with a small quantity of salt dissolved
in it. Have ready a saucepan of boiling water, with salt and soda in the
above proportion; put in the beans, keep them boiling quickly, with the
lid uncovered, and be careful that they do not get smoked. When tender,
which may be ascertained by their sinking to the bottom of the saucepan,
take them up, throw them into a colander; and when drained, dish and
serve with plain melted butter. When very young, beans are sometimes
served whole: when they are thus dressed, their colour and flavour are
much better preserved; but the more general way of dressing them is to
cut them into thin strips.
_Time_.--Very young beans, 10 to 12 minutes; moderate size, 15 to 20
minutes, after the water boils.
_Average cost_, in full season, 1s. 4d. a peck; but, when forced, very
expensive.
_Sufficient_.--Allow 1/2 peck for 6 or 7 persons.
_Seasonable_ from the middle of July to the end of September; but may be
had, forced, from February to the beginning of June.
FRENCH MODE OF COOKING FRENCH BEANS.
1091. INGREDIENTS.--A quart of French beans, 3 oz. of fresh butter,
pepper and salt to taste, the juice of 1/2 lemon.
_Mode_.--Cut and boil the beans by the preceding recipe, and when
tender, put them into a stewpan, and shake over the fire, to dry away
the moisture from the beans. When quite dry and hot, add the butter,
pepper, salt, and lemon-juice; keep moving the stewpan, without using a
spoon, as that would break the beans; and when the butter is melted, and
all is thoroughly hot, serve. If the butter should not mix well, add a
tablespoonful of gravy, and serve very quickly.
_Time_.--About 1/4 hour to boil the beans; 10 minutes to shake them over
the fire.
_Average cost_, in full season, about 1s. 4d. a peck.
_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.
_Seasonable_ from the middle of July to the end of September.
BOILED BROAD OR WINDSOR BEANS.
1092. INGREDIENTS.--To each 1/2 gallon of water, allow 1 heaped
tablespoonful of salt; beans.
[Illustration: BROAD BEAN.]
_Mode_.--This is a favourite vegetable with many persons, but to be
nice, should be young and freshly gathered. After shelling the beans,
put them into _boiling_ water, salted in the above proportion, and let
them boil rapidly until tender. Drain them well in a colander; dish, and
serve with them separately a tureen of parsley and butter. Boiled bacon
should always accompany this vegetable, but the beans should be cooked
separately. It is usually served with the beans laid round, and the
parsley and butter in a tureen. Beans also make an excellent garnish to
a ham, and when used for this purpose, if very old, should have their
skins removed.
_Time_.--Very young beans, 15 minutes; when of a moderate size, 20 to 25
minutes, or longer.
_Average cost_, unshelled, 6d. per peck.
_Sufficient_.--Allow one peck for 6 or 7 persons.
_Seasonable_ in July and August.
NUTRITIVE PROPERTIES OF THE BEAN.--The produce of beans in meal
is, like that of peas, more in proportion to the grain than in
any of the cereal grasses. A bushel of beans is supposed to
yield fourteen pounds more of flour than a bushel of oats; and a
bushel of peas eighteen pounds more, or, according to some,
twenty pounds. A thousand parts of bean flour were found by Sir
II. Davy to yield 570 parts of nutritive matter, of which 426
were mucilage or starch, 103 gluten, and 41 extract, or matter
rendered insoluble during the process.
BROAD BEANS A LA POULETTE.
1093. INGREDIENTS.--2 pints of broad beans, 1/2 pint of stock or broth,
a small bunch of savoury herbs, including parsley, a small lump of
sugar, the yolk of 1 egg, 1/4 pint of cream, pepper and salt to taste.
_Mode_.--Procure some young and freshly-gathered beans, and shell
sufficient to make 2 pints; boil them, as in the preceding recipe, until
nearly done; then drain them and put them into a stewpan, with the
stock, finely-minced herbs, and sugar. Stew the beans until perfectly
tender, and the liquor has dried away a little; then beat up the yolk of
an egg with the cream, add this to the beans, let the whole get
thoroughly hot, and when on the point of simmering, serve. Should the
beans be very large, the skin should be removed previously to boiling
them.
_Time_.--10 minutes to boil the beans, 15 minutes to stew them in the
stock.
_Average cost_, unshelled, 6d. per peck.
_Seasonable_ in July and August.
ORIGIN AND VARIETIES OF THE BEAN.--This valuable plant is said
to be a native of Egypt, but, like other plants which have been
domesticated, its origin is uncertain. It has been cultivated in
Europe and Asia from time immemorial, and has been long known in
Britain. Its varieties may be included under two general
heads,--the white, or garden beans, and the grey, or field
beans, of the former, sown in the fields, the mazagan and
long-pod are almost the only sorts; of the latter, those known
as the horse-bean, the small or ticks, and the prolific of
Heligoland, are the principal sorts. New varieties are procured
in the same manner as in other plants.
BOILED BEETROOT.
1094. INGREDIENTS,--Beetroot; boiling water.
_Mode_.--When large, young, and juicy, this vegetable makes a very
excellent addition to winter salads, and may easily be converted into an
economical and quickly-made pickle. (_See_ No. 369.) Beetroot is more
frequently served cold than hot: when the latter mode is preferred,
melted butter should be sent to table with it. It may also be stewed
with button onions, or boiled and served with roasted onions. Wash the
beets thoroughly; but do not prick or break the skin before they are
cooked, or they would lose their beautiful colour in boiling. Put them
into boiling water, and let them boil until tender, keeping them well
covered. If to be served hot, remove the peel quickly, cut the beetroot
into thick slices, and send to table melted butter. For salads, pickle,
&c., let the root cool, then peel, and cut it into slices.
_Time_.--Small beetroot, 1-1/2 to 2 hours; large, 2-1/2 to 3 hours.
_Average cost_, in full season, 2d. each.
_Seasonable_.--May be had at any time.
[Illustration: BEETROOT.]
BEETROOT.--The geographical distribution of the order Saltworts
(_Salxolaceae_), to which beetroot belongs, is most common in
extra-tropical and temperate regions, where they are common
weeds, frequenting waste places, among rubbish, and on marshes
by the seashore. In the tropics they are rare. They are
characterized by the large quantities of mucilage, sugar,
starch, and alkaline salts which are found in them. Many of them
are used as potherbs, and some are emetic and vermifuge in their
medicinal properties. The _root_ of _garden_ or red beet is
exceedingly wholesome and nutritious, and Dr. Lyon Playfair has
recommended that a good brown bread may be made by rasping down
this root with an equal quantity of flour. He says that the
average quality of flour contains about 12 per cent. of azotized
principles adapted for the formation of flesh, and the average
quality of beet contains about 2 per cent. of the same
materials.
BOILED BROCOLI.
1095. INGREDIENTS.--To each 1/2 gallon of water allow 1 heaped
tablespoonful of salt; brocoli.
[Illustration: BOILED BROCOLI.]
_Mode_.--Strip off the dead outside leaves, and the inside ones cut off
level with the flower; cut off the stalk close at the bottom, and put
the brocoli into cold salt and water, with the heads downwards. When
they have remained in this for about 3/4 hour, and they are _perfectly_
free from insects, put them into a saucepan of _boiling_ water, salted
in the above proportion, and keep them boiling quickly over a brisk
fire, with the saucepan uncovered. Take them up with a slice the moment
they are done; drain them well, and serve with a tureen of melted
butter, a _little_ of which should be poured over the brocoli. If left
in the water after it is done, it will break, its colour will be
spoiled, and its crispness gone.
_Time_.--Small brocoli, 10 to 15 minutes; large one, 20 to 25 minutes.
_Average cost_, 2d. each.
_Sufficient_,--2 for 4 or 5 persons.
_Seasonable_ from October to March; plentiful in February and March.
[Illustration: BROCOLI.]
THE KOHL-RABI, OR TURNIP-CABBAGE.--This variety presents a
singular development, inasmuch as the stem swells out like a
large turnip on the surface of the ground, the leaves shooting
from it all round, and the top being surmounted by a cluster of
leaves issuing from it. Although not generally grown as a garden
vegetable, if used when young and tender, it is wholesome,
nutritious, and very palatable.
BOILED BRUSSELS SPROUTS.
1096. INGREDIENTS.--To each 1/2 gallon of water allow 1 heaped
tablespoonful of salt; a _very small_ piece of soda.
_Mode_.--Clean the sprouts from insects, nicely wash them, and pick off
any dead or discoloured leaves from the outsides; put them into a
saucepan of _boiling_ water, with salt and soda in the above proportion;
keep the pan uncovered, and let them boil quickly over a brisk fire
until tender; drain, dish, and serve with a tureen of melted butter, or
with a maître d'hôtel sauce poured over them. Another mode of serving
is, when they are dished, to stir in about 1-1/2 oz. of butter and a
seasoning of pepper and salt. They must, however, be sent to table very
quickly, as, being so very small, this vegetable soon cools. Where the
cook is very expeditious, this vegetable, when cooked, may be arranged
on the dish in the form of a pineapple, and, so served, has a very
pretty appearance.
_Time_.--From 9 to 12 minutes after the water boils.
_Average cost_, 1s. 4d. per peck.
_Sufficient_.--Allow between 40 and 50 for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_ from November to March.
SAVOYS AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS.--When the Green Kale, or Borecole,
has been advanced a step further in the path of improvement, it
assumes the headed or hearting character, with blistered leaves;
it is then known by the name of Savoys and Brussels Sprouts.
Another of its headed forms, but with smooth glaucous leaves, is
the cultivated Cabbage of our gardens (the _Borecole oleracea
capitula_ of science); and all its varieties of green, red,
dwarf, tall, early, late, round, conical, flat, and all the
forms into which it is possible to put it.
TO BOIL YOUNG GREENS OR SPROUTS.
1097. INGREDIENTS.--To each 1/2 gallon of water allow 1 heaped
tablespoonful of salt; a _very small_ piece of soda.
[Illustration: BRUSSELS SPROUTS.]
_Mode_.--Pick away all the dead leaves, and wash the greens well in cold
water; drain them in a colander, and put them into fast-boiling water,
with salt and soda in the above proportion. Keep them boiling quickly,
with the lid uncovered, until tender; and the moment they are done, take
them up, or their colour will be spoiled; when well drained, serve. The
great art in cooking greens properly, and to have them a good colour, is
to put them into _plenty_ of _fast-boiling_ water, to let them boil very
quickly, and to take them up the moment they become tender.
_Time_.--Brocoli sprouts, 10 to 12 minutes; young greens, 10 to 12
minutes; sprouts, 12 minutes, after the water boils.
_Seasonable_.--Sprouts of various kinds may be had all the year.
GREEN KALE, OR BORECOLE.--When Colewort, or Wild Cabbage, is
brought into a state of cultivation, its character becomes
greatly improved, although it still retains the loose open
leaves, and in this form it is called Green Kale, or Borecole.
The scientific name is _Borecole oleracea acephala_, and of it
there are many varieties, both as regards the form and colour of
the leaves, as well as the height which the plants attain. We
may observe, that among them, are included the Thousand-headed,
and the Cow or Tree Cabbage.
BOILED CABBAGE.
1098. INGREDIENTS.--To each 1/2 gallon of water allow 1 heaped
tablespoonful of salt; a _very small_ piece of soda. _Mode_.--Pick off
all the dead outside leaves, cut off as much of the stalk as possible,
and cut the cabbages across twice, at the stalk end; if they should be
very large, quarter them. Wash them well in cold water, place them in a
colander, and drain; then put them into _plenty_ of _fast-boiling_
water, to which have been added salt and soda in the above proportions.
Stir them down once or twice in the water, keep the pan uncovered, and
let them boil quickly until tender. The instant they are done, take them
up into a colander, place a plate over them, let them thoroughly drain,
dish, and serve.
_Time_.--Large cabbages, or savoys, 1/3 to 3/4 hour, young summer
cabbage, 10 to 12 minutes, after the water boils.
_Average cost_, 2d. each in full season.
_Sufficient_,--2 large ones for 4 or 5 persons.
_Seasonable_.--Cabbages and sprouts of various kinds at any time.
THE CABBAGE TRIBE: THEIR ORIGIN.--Of all the tribes of the
_Cruciferae_ this is by far the most important. Its scientific
name is _Brassiceae_, and it contains a collection of plants
which, both in themselves and their products, occupy a prominent
position in agriculture, commerce, and domestic economy. On the
cliffs of Dover, and in many places on the coasts of
Dorsetshire, Cornwall, and Yorkshire, there grows a wild plant,
with variously-indented, much-waved, and loose spreading leaves,
of a sea-green colour, and large yellow flowers. In spring, the
leaves of this plant are collected by the inhabitants, who,
after boiling them in two waters, to remove the saltness, use
them as a vegetable along with their meat. This is the _Brassica
oleracea_ of science, the Wild Cabbage, or Colewort, from which
have originated all the varieties of Cabbage, Cauliflower,
Greens, and Brocoli.
STEWED RED CABBAGE.
1099. INGREDIENTS.--1 red cabbage, a small slice of ham, 1/2 oz. of
fresh butter, 1 pint of weak stock or broth, 1 gill of vinegar, salt and
pepper to taste, 1 tablespoonful of pounded sugar.
_Mode_.--Cut the cabbage into very thin slices, put it into a stewpan,
with the ham cut in dice, the butter, 1/2 pint of stock, and the
vinegar; cover the pan closely, and let it stew for 1 hour. When it is
very tender, add the remainder of the stock, a seasoning of salt and
pepper, and the pounded sugar; mix all well together, stir over the fire
until nearly all the liquor is dried away, and serve. Fried sausages are
usually sent to table with this dish: they should be laid round and on
the cabbage, as a garnish.
_Time_.--Rather more than 1 hour. _Average cost_, 4d. each.
_Sufficient_ for 4 persons.
_Seasonable_ from September to January.
THE WILD CABBAGE, OR COLEWORT.--This plant, as it is found on
the sea-cliffs of England, presents us with the origin of the
cabbage tribe in its simplest and normal form. In this state it
is the true Collet, or Colewort, although the name is now
applied to any young cabbage which has a loose and open heart.
BOILED CARROTS.
1100. INGREDIENTS.--To each 1/2 gallon of water, allow 1 heaped
tablespoonful of salt; carrots.
_Mode_.--Cut off the green tops, wash and scrape the carrots, and should
there be any black specks, remove them. If very large, cut them in
halves, divide them lengthwise into four pieces, and put them into
boiling water, salted in the above proportion; let them boil until
tender, which may be ascertained by thrusting a fork into them: dish,
and serve very hot. This vegetable is an indispensable accompaniment to
boiled beef. When thus served, it is usually boiled with the beef; a few
carrots are placed round the dish as a garnish, and the remainder sent
to table in a vegetable-dish. Young carrots do not require nearly so
much boiling, nor should they be divided: these make a nice addition to
stewed veal, &c.
_Time_.--Large carrots, 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours; young ones, about 1/2
hour.
_Average cost_, 6d. to 8d, per bunch of 18.
_Sufficient_,--4 large carrots for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_.--Young carrots from April to June, old ones at any time.
[Illustration: CARROTS.]
ORIGIN OF THE CARROT.--In its wild state, this vegetable is
found plentifully in Britain, both in cultivated lands and by
waysides, and is known by the name of birds-nest, from its
umbels of fruit becoming incurved from a hollow cup, like a
birds-nest. In this state its root is whitish, slender, and
hard, with an acrid, disagreeable taste, and a strong aromatic
smell, and was formerly used as an aperient. When cultivated, it
is reddish, thick, fleshy, with a pleasant odour, and a
peculiar, sweet, mucilaginous taste. The carrot is said by
naturalists not to contain much nourishing matter, and,
generally speaking, is somewhat difficult of digestion.
TO DRESS CARROTS IN THE GERMAN WAY.
1101. INGREDIENTS.--8 large carrots, 3 oz. of butter, salt to taste, a
very little grated nutmeg, 1 tablespoonful of finely-minced parsley, 1
dessertspoonful of minced onion, rather more than 1 pint of weak stock
or broth, 1 tablespoonful of flour.
_Mode_.--Wash and scrape the carrots, and cut them into rings of about
1/4 inch in thickness. Put the butter into a stewpan; when it is melted,
lay in the carrots, with salt, nutmeg, parsley, and onion in the above
proportions. Toss the stewpan over the fire for a few minutes, and when
the carrots are well saturated with the butter, pour in the stock, and
simmer gently until they are nearly tender. Then put into another
stewpan a small piece of butter; dredge in about a tablespoonful of
flour; stir this over the fire, and when of a nice brown colour, add the
liquor that the carrots have been boiling in; let this just boil up,
pour it over the carrots in the other stewpan, and let them finish
simmering until quite tender. Serve very hot.
This vegetable, dressed as above, is a favourite accompaniment of roast
pork, sausages, &c. &c.
_Time_.--About 3/4 hour. Average cost, 6d. to 8d. per bunch of 18.
_Sufficient_ for 6 or 7 persons.
_Seasonable_.--Young carrots from April to June, old ones at any time.
CONSTITUENTS OF THE CARROT.--These are crystallizable and
uncrystallizable sugar, a little starch, extractive, gluten,
albumen, volatile oil, vegetable jelly, or pectin, saline
matter, malic acid, and a peculiar crystallizable ruby-red
neuter principle, without odour or taste, called carotin. This
vegetable jelly, or pectin, so named from its singular property
of gelatinizing, is considered by some as another form of gum or
mucilage, combined with vegetable acid. It exists more or less
in all vegetables, and is especially abundant in those roots and
fruits from which jellies are prepared.
STEWED CARROTS.
1102. INGREDIENTS.--7 or 8 large carrots, 1 teacupful of broth, pepper
and salt to taste, 1/2 teacupful of cream, thickening of butter and
flour.
_Mode_.--Scrape the carrots nicely; half-boil, and slice them into a
stewpan; add the broth, pepper and salt, and cream; simmer till tender,
and be careful the carrots are not broken. A few minutes before serving,
mix a little flour with about 1 oz. of butter; thicken the gravy with
this; let it just boil up, and serve.
_Time_.--About 3/4 hour to parboil the carrots, about 20 minutes to cook
them after they are sliced.
_Average cost_, 6d. to 8d. per bunch of 18.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_.--Young carrots from April to June, old ones at any time.
NUTRITIVE PROPERTIES OF THE CARROT.--Sir H. Davy ascertained the
nutritive matter of the carrot to amount to ninety-eight parts
in one thousand; of which ninety-five are sugar and three are
starch. It is used in winter and spring in the dairy to give
colour and flavour to butter; and it is excellent in stews,
haricots, soups, and, when boiled whole, with salt beef. In the
distillery, owing to the great proportion of sugar in its
composition, it yields more spirit than the potato. The usual
quantity is twelve gallons per ton.
SLICED CARROTS.
(Entremets, or to be served with the Second Course, as a Side-dish.)
1103. INGREDIENTS.--5 or 6 large carrots, a large lump of sugar, 1 pint
of weak stock, 3 oz. of fresh butter, salt to taste.
_Mode_.--Scrape and wash the carrots, cut them into slices of an equal
size, and boil them in salt and water, until half done; drain them well,
put them into a stewpan with the sugar and stock, and let them boil over
a brisk fire. When reduced to a glaze, add the fresh butter and a
seasoning of salt; shake the stewpan about well, and when the butter is
well mixed with the carrots, serve. There should be no sauce in the dish
when it comes to table, but it should all adhere to the carrots.
_Time_.--Altogether, 3/4 hour.
_Average cost_, 6d. to 8d. per bunch of 18.
_Sufficient_ for 1 dish.
_Seasonable_.--Young carrots from April to June, old ones at any time.
THE SEED OF THE CARROT.--In order to save the seed of carrots,
the plan is, to select annually the most perfect and best-shaped
roots in the taking-up season, and either preserve them in sand
in a cellar till spring, or plant them immediately in an open
airy part of the garden, protecting them with litter during
severe frost, or earthing them over, and uncovering them in
March following. The seed is in no danger from being injured by
any other plant. In August it is fit to gather, and is best
preserved on the stalks till wanted.
BOILED CAULIFLOWERS.
[Illustration: BOILED CAULIFLOWER.]
[Illustration: CAULIFLOWER.]
1104. INGREDIENTS.--To each 1/2 gallon of water allow 1 heaped
tablespoonful of salt.
_Mode_.--Choose cauliflowers that are close and white; trim off the
decayed outside leaves, and cut the stalk off flat at the bottom. Open
the flower a little in places to remove the insects, which generally are
found about the stalk, and let the cauliflowers lie in salt and water
for an hour previous to dressing them, with their heads downwards: this
will effectually draw out all the vermin. Then put them into
fast-boiling water, with the addition of salt in the above proportion,
and let them boil briskly over a good fire, keeping the saucepan
uncovered. The water should be well skimmed; and, when the cauliflowers
are tender, take them up with a slice; let them drain, and, if large
enough, place them upright in the dish. Serve with plain melted butter,
a little of which may be poured over the flower.
_Time_.--Small cauliflower, 12 to 15 minutes, large one, 20 to 25
minutes, after the water boils.
_Average cost_, for large cauliflowers, 6d. each.
_Sufficient_.--Allow 1 large cauliflower for 3 persons.
_Seasonable_ from the beginning of June to the end of September.
CAULIFLOWERS A LA SAUCE BLANCHE.
(Entremets, or Side-dish, to be served with the Second Course.)
1105. INGREDIENTS.--3 cauliflowers, 1/2 pint of sauce blanche, or French
melted butter, No. 378; 3 oz. of butter; salt and water.
_Mode_.--Cleanse the cauliflowers as in the preceding recipe, and cut
the stalks off flat at the bottom; boil them until tender in salt and
water, to which the above proportion of butter has been added, and be
careful to take them up the moment they are done, or they will break,
and the appearance of the dish will be spoiled. Drain them well, and
dish them in the shape of a large cauliflower. Have ready 1/2 pint of
sauce, made by recipe No. 378, pour it over the flowers, and serve hot
and quickly.
_Time_.--Small cauliflowers, 12 to 15 minutes, large ones, 20 to 25
minutes, after the water boils.
_Average cost_,--large cauliflowers, in full season, 6d. each.
_Sufficient_,--1 large cauliflower for 3 or 4 persons.
_Seasonable_ from the beginning of June to the end of September.
CAULIFLOWER AND BROCOLI.--These are only forms of the wild
Cabbage in its cultivated state. They are both well known; but
we may observe, that the purple and white Brocoli are only
varieties of the Cauliflower.
CAULIFLOWERS WITH PARMESAN CHEESE.
(Entremets, or Side-dish, to be served with the Second Course.)
1106. INGREDIENTS.--2 or 3 cauliflowers, rather more than 1/2 pint of
white sauce No. 378, 2 tablespoonfuls of grated Parmesan cheese, 2 oz.
of fresh butter, 3 tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs.
_Mode_.--Cleanse and boil the cauliflowers by recipe No. 1104, and drain
them and dish them with the flowers standing upright. Have ready the
above proportion of white sauce; pour sufficient of it over the
cauliflowers just to cover the top; sprinkle over this some rasped
Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs, and drop on these the butter, which
should be melted, but not oiled. Brown with a salamander, or before the
fire, and pour round, but not over, the flowers the remainder of the
sauce, with which should be mixed a small quantity of grated Parmesan
cheese.
_Time_.--Altogether, 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, for large cauliflowers,
6d. each.
_Sufficient_,--3 small cauliflowers for 1 dish.
_Seasonable_ from the beginning of June to the end of September.
CELERY.
[Illustration: CELERY IN GLASS.]
1107. With a good heart, and nicely blanched, this vegetable is
generally eaten raw, and is usually served with the cheese. Let the
roots be washed free from dirt, all the decayed and outside leaves being
cut off, preserving as much of the stalk as possible, and all specks or
blemishes being carefully removed. Should the celery be large, divide it
lengthwise into quarters, and place it, root downwards, in a
celery-glass, which should be rather more than half filled with water.
The top leaves may be curled, by shredding them in narrow strips with
the point of a clean skewer, at a distance of about 4 inches from the
top.
_Average cost_, 2d. per head.
_Sufficient_.--Allow 2 heads for 4 or 5 persons.
_Seasonable_ from October to April.
_Note_.--This vegetable is exceedingly useful for flavouring soups,
sauces, &c., and makes a very nice addition to winter salad.
STEWED CELERY A LA CREME.
1108. INGREDIENTS.--6 heads of celery; to each 1/2 gallon of water allow
1 heaped tablespoonful of salt, 1 blade of pounded mace, 1/3 pint of
cream.
_Mode_.--Wash the celery thoroughly; trim, and boil it in salt and water
until tender. Put the cream and pounded mace into a stewpan; shake it
over the fire until the cream thickens, dish the celery, pour over the
sauce, and serve.
_Time_.--Large heads of celery, 25 minutes; small ones, 15 to 20
minutes.
_Average cost_. 2d. per head.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_ from October to April.
ALEXANDERS.--This plant is the _Smyrnium olustratum_ of science, and is
used in this country in the same way in which celery is. It is a native
of Great Britain, and is found in its wild state near the seacoast. It
received its name from the Italian "herba Alexandrina," and is supposed
to have been originally brought from Alexandria; but, be this as it may,
its cultivation is now almost entirely abandoned.
STEWED CELERY (with White Sauce).
I.
1109. INGREDIENTS.--6 heads of celery, 1 oz. of butter; to each 1/2
gallon of water allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt, 1/2 pint of white
sauce, No. 537 or 538.
_Mode_.--Have ready sufficient boiling water just to cover the celery,
with salt and butter in the above proportion. Wash the celery well; cut
off the decayed outside leaves, trim away the green tops, and shape the
root into a point; put it into the boiling water; let it boil rapidly
until tender; then take it out, drain well, place it upon a dish, and
pour over about 1/2 pint of white sauce, made by either of the recipes
No. 537 or 538. It may also be plainly boiled as above, placed on toast,
and melted butter poured over, the same as asparagus is dished.
_Time_.--Large heads of celery, 25 minutes, small ones, 15 to 20
minutes, after the water boils.
_Average cost_, 2d. per head.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_ from October to April.
ORIGIN OF CELERY.--In the marshes and ditches of this country
there is to be found a very common plant, known by the name of
Smallage. This is the wild form of celery; but, by being
subjected to cultivation, it loses its acrid nature, and becomes
mild and sweet. In its natural state, it has a peculiar rank,
coarse taste and smell, and its root was reckoned by the
ancients as one of the "five greater aperient roots." There is a
variety of this in which the root becomes turnip-shaped and
large. It is called _Celeriae_, and is extensively used by the
Germans, and preferred by them to celery. In a raw state, this
plant does not suit weak stomachs; cooked, it is less difficult
of digestion, although a large quantity should not he taken.
[Illustration: CELERY.].
II.
1110. INGREDIENTS.--6 heads of celery, 1/2 pint of white stock or weak
broth, 4 tablespoonfuls of cream, thickening of butter and flour, 1
blade of pounded mace, a _very little_ grated nutmeg; pepper and salt to
taste.
_Mode_.--Wash the celery, strip off the outer leaves, and cut it into
lengths of about 4 inches. Put these into a saucepan, with the broth,
and stew till tender, which will be in from 20 to 25 minutes; then add
the remaining ingredients, simmer altogether for 4 or 5 minutes, pour
into a dish, and serve. It may be garnished with sippets of toasted
bread.
_Time_.--Altogether, 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 2d. per head.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_ from October to April.
_Note_.--By cutting the celery into smaller pieces, by stewing it a
little longer, and, when done, by pressing it through a sieve, the above
stew may be converted into a puree of celery.
TO DRESS CUCUMBERS.
1111. INGREDIENTS.--3 tablespoonfuls of salad-oil, 4 tablespoonfuls of
vinegar, salt and pepper to taste; cucumber.
_Mode_.--Pare the cucumber, cut it equally into _very thin_ slices, and
_commence_ cutting from the _thick end_; if commenced at the stalk, the
cucumber will most likely have an exceedingly bitter taste, far from
agreeable. Put the slices into a dish, sprinkle over salt and pepper,
and pour over oil and vinegar in the above proportion; turn the cucumber
about, and it is ready to serve. This is a favourite accompaniment to
boiled salmon, is a nice addition to all descriptions of salads, and
makes a pretty garnish to lobster salad.
[Illustration: SLICED CUCUMBERS.]
[Illustration: CUCUMBER.]
_Average cost_, when scarce, 1s. to 2s. 6d.; when cheapest, may be had
for 4d. each.
_Seasonable_.--Forced from the beginning of March to the end of June; in
full season in July, August, and September.
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE CUCUMBERS.--This family is not
known in the frigid zone, is somewhat rare in the temperate, but
in the tropical and warmer regions throughout the world they are
abundant. They are most plentiful in the continent of Hindostan;
but in America are not near so plentiful. Many of the kinds
supply useful articles of consumption for food, and others are
actively medicinal in their virtues. Generally speaking,
delicate stomachs should avoid this plant, for it is cold and
indigestible.
CUCUMBERS A LA POULETTE.
1112. INGREDIENTS.--2 or 3 cucumbers, salt and vinegar, 2 oz. of butter,
flour, 1/2 pint of broth, 1 teaspoonful of minced parsley, a lump of
sugar, the yolks of 2 eggs, salt and pepper to taste.
_Mode_.--Pare and cut the cucumbers into slices of an equal thickness,
and let them remain in a pickle of salt and vinegar for 1/2 hour; then
drain them in a cloth, and put them into a stewpan with the butter. Fry
them over a brisk fire, but do not brown them, and then dredge over them
a little flour; add the broth, skim off all the fat, which will rise to
the surface, and boil gently until the gravy is somewhat reduced; but
the cucumber should not be broken. Stir in the yolks of the eggs, add
the parsley, sugar, and a seasoning of pepper and salt; bring the whole
to the point of boiling, and serve.
_Time_.--Altogether, 1 hour.
_Average cost_, when cheapest, 4d. each.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_ in July, August, and September; but may be had, forced,
from the beginning of March.
FRIED CUCUMBERS.
1113. INGREDIENTS.--2 or 3 cucumbers, pepper and salt to taste, flour,
oil or butter.
_Mode_.--Pare the cucumbers and cut them into slices of an equal
thickness, commencing to slice from the thick, and not the stalk end of
the cucumber. Wipe the slices dry with a cloth, dredge them with flour,
and put them into a pan of boiling oil or butter; Keep turning them
about until brown; lift them out of the pan, let them drain, and serve,
piled lightly in a dish. These will be found a great improvement to
rump-steak: they should be placed on a dish with the steak on the top.
_Time_.--5 minutes. _Average cost_, when cheapest, 4d. each.
_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.
_Seasonable_.--Forced from the beginning of March to the end of June; in
full season in July and August.
PROPERTIES AND USES OF THE CUCURBITS.--The common cucumber is
the C. sativus of science, and although the whole of the family
have a similar action in the animal economy, yet there are some
which present us with great anomalies. The roots of those which
are perennial contain, besides fecula, which is their base, a
resinous, acrid, and bitter principle. The fruits of this
family, however, have in general a sugary taste, and are more or
less dissolving and perfumed, as we find in the melons, gourds,
cucumbers, vegetable-marrows, and squashes. But these are
slightly laxative if partaken of largely. In tropical countries,
this order furnishes the inhabitants with a large portion of
their food, which, even in the most arid deserts and most barren
islands, is of the finest quality. In China, Cashmere, and
Persia, they are cultivated on the lakes on the floating
collections of weeds common in these localities. In India they
are everywhere abundant, either in a cultivated or wild state,
and the seeds of all the family are sweet and mucilaginous.
STEWED CUCUMBERS.
1114. INGREDIENTS.--3 large cucumbers, flour, butter, rather more than
1/2 pint of good brown gravy.
_Mode_.--Cut the cucumbers lengthwise the size of the dish they are
intended to be served in; empty them of the seeds, and put them into
boiling water with a little salt, and let them simmer for 5 minutes;
then take them out, place them in another stewpan, with the gravy, and
let them boil over a brisk fire until the cucumbers are tender. Should
these be bitter, add a lump of sugar; carefully dish them, skim the
sauce, pour over the cucumbers, and serve.
_Time_.--Altogether, 20 minutes.
_Average cost_, when cheapest, 1d. each.
_Sufficient_ for 3 or 4 persons.
_Seasonable_ in June, July, and August; but may be had, forced, from the
beginning of March.
THE CHATE.--This cucumber is a native of Egypt and Arabia, and
produces a fruit of almost the same substance as that of the
Melon. In Egypt it is esteemed by the upper class natives, as
well as by Europeans, as the most pleasant fruit they have.
STEWED CUCUMBERS WITH ONIONS.
1115. INGREDIENTS.--6 cucumbers, 3 moderate-sized onions, not quite 1
pint of white stock, cayenne and salt to taste, the yolks of 2 eggs, a
very little grated nutmeg.
_Mode_.--Pare and slice the cucumbers, take out the seeds, and cut the
onions into thin slices; put these both into a stewpan, with the stock,
and let them boil for 1/4 hour or longer, should the cucumbers be very
large. Beat up the yolks of 2 eggs; stir these into the sauce; add the
cayenne, salt, and grated nutmeg; bring it to the point of boiling, and
serve. Do not allow the sauce to boil, or it will curdle. This is a
favourite dish with lamb or mutton chops, rump-steaks, &c.
_Time_.--Altogether, 20 minutes.
_Average cost_, when cheapest, 4d. each.
_Sufficient_ for 6 or 7 persons.
_Seasonable_ in July, August, and September; but may be had, forced,
from the beginning of March.
THE MELON.--This is another species of the cucumber, and is
highly esteemed for its rich and delicious fruit. It was
introduced to this country from Jamaica, in 1570; since which
period it has continued to be cultivated. It was formerly called
the Musk Melon.
ENDIVE.
[Illustration: ENDIVE.]
1116. This vegetable, so beautiful in appearance, makes an excellent
addition to winter salad, when lettuces and other salad herbs are not
obtainable. It is usually placed in the centre of the dish, and looks
remarkably pretty with slices of beetroot, hard-boiled eggs, and curled
celery placed round it, so that the colours contrast nicely. In
preparing it, carefully wash and cleanse it free from insects, which are
generally found near the heart; remove any decayed or dead leaves, and
dry it thoroughly by shaking in a cloth. This vegetable may also be
served hot, stewed in cream, brown gravy, or butter; but when dressed
thus, the sauce it is stewed in should not be very highly seasoned, as
that would destroy and overpower the flavour of the vegetable.
_Average cost_, 1d. per head.
_Sufficient_,--1 head for a salad for 4 persons.
_Seasonable_ from November to March.
ENDIVE.--This is the _C. endivium_ of science, and is much used
as a salad. It belongs to the family of the _Compositae_, with
Chicory, common Goats-beard, and others of the same genus.
Withering states, that before the stems of the common
Goats-beard shoot up the roots, boiled like asparagus, have the
same flavour, and are nearly as nutritious. We are also informed
by Villars that the children in Dauphiné universally eat the
stems and leaves of the young plant before the flowers appear,
with great avidity. The fresh juice of these tender herbs is
said to be the best solvent of bile.
STEWED ENDIVE.
1117. INGREDIENTS.--6 heads of endive, salt and water, 1 pint of broth,
thickening of butter and flour, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, a small
lump of sugar.
_Mode_.--Wash and free the endive thoroughly from insects, remove the
green part of the leaves, and put it into boiling water, slightly
salted. Let it remain for 10 minutes; then take it out, drain it till
there is no water remaining, and chop it very fine. Put it into a
stewpan with the broth; add a little salt and a lump of sugar, and boil
until the endive is perfectly tender. When done, which may be
ascertained by squeezing a piece between the thumb and finger, add a
thickening of butter and flour and the lemon-juice: let the sauce boil
up, and serve.
_Time_.--10 minutes to boil, 5 minutes to simmer in the broth.
_Average cost_, 1d. per head.
_Sufficient_ for 3 or 4 persons.
_Seasonable_ from November to March.
ENDIVE A LA FRANCAISE.
1118. INGREDIENTS.--6 heads of endive, 1 pint of broth, 3 oz. of fresh
butter; salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste.
_Mode_.--Wash and boil the endive as in the preceding recipe; chop it
rather fine, and put into a stewpan with the broth; boil over a brisk
fire until the sauce is all reduced; then put in the butter, pepper,
salt, and grated nutmeg (the latter must be very sparingly used); mix
all well together, bring it to the boiling point, and serve very hot.
_Time_,--10 minutes to boil, 5 minutes to simmer in the broth.
_Average cost_, 1d. per head.
_Sufficient_ for 3 or 4 persons.
_Seasonable_ from November to March.
TO BOIL HARICOTS BLANCS, or WHITE HARICOT BEANS.
1119. INGREDIENTS.--1 quart of white haricot beans, 2 quarts of soft
water, 1 oz. of butter, 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt.
_Mode_.--Put the beans into cold water, and let them soak from 2 to 4
hours, according to their age; then put them into cold water, salted in
the above proportion, bring them to boil, and let them simmer very
slowly until tender; pour the water away from them, let them stand by
the side of the fire, with the lid of the saucepan partially off, to
allow the beans to dry; then add 1 oz. of butter and a seasoning of
pepper and salt. Shake the beans about for a minute or two, and serve:
do not stir them with a spoon, for fear of breaking them to pieces.
_Time_.--After the water boils, from 2 to 2-1/2 hours.
_Average cost_, 4d. per quart.
_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.
_Seasonable_ in winter, when other vegetables are scarce.
_Note_.--Haricots blancs, when new and fresh, should be put into boiling
water, and do not require any soaking previous to dressing.
HARICOTS AND LENTILS.--Although these vegetables are not much
used in this country, yet in France, and other Catholic
countries, from their peculiar constituent properties, they form
an excellent substitute for animal food during Lent and _maigre_
days. At the time of the prevalence of the Roman religion in
this country, they were probably much more generally used than
at present. As reformations are often carried beyond necessity,
possibly lentils may have fallen into disuse, as an article of
diet amongst Protestants, for fear the use of them might be
considered a sign of popery.
HARICOTS BLANCS A LA MAITRE D'HOTEL.
1120. INGREDIENTS.--1 quart of white haricot beans, 1/4 lb. of fresh
butter, 1 tablespoonful of minced parsley, pepper and salt to taste, the
juice of 1/2 lemon.
[Illustration: HARICOT BEANS.]
_Mode_.--Should the beans be very dry, soak them for an hour or two in
cold water, and boil them until perfectly tender, as in the preceding
recipe. If the water should boil away, replenish it with a little more
cold, which makes the skin of the beans tender. Let them be very
thoroughly done; drain them well; then add to them the butter, minced
parsley, and a seasoning of pepper and salt. Keep moving the stewpan
over the fire without using a spoon, as this would break the beans; and,
when the various ingredients are well mixed with them, squeeze in the
lemon-juice, and serve very hot.
_Time_.--From 2 to 2-1/2 hours to boil the beans.
_Average cost_, 4d. per quart.
_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
HARICOT BEANS.--This is the _haricot blanc_ of the French, and
is a native of India. It ripens readily, in dry summers, in most
parts of Britain, but its culture has hitherto been confined to
gardens in England; but in Germany and Switzerland it is grown
in fields. It is usually harvested by pulling up the plants,
which, being dried, are stacked and thrashed. The haulm is both
of little bulk and little use, but the seed is used in making
the esteemed French dish called haricot, with which it were well
if the working classes of this country were acquainted. There
is, perhaps, no other vegetable dish so cheap and easily cooked,
and, at the same time, so agreeable and nourishing. The beans
are boiled, and then mixed with a little fat or salt butter, and
a little milk or water and flour. From 3,840 parts of
kidney-bean Einholff obtained 1,805 parts of matter analogous to
starch, 351 of vegeto-animal matter, and 799 parts of mucilage.
HARICOT BEANS AND MINCED ONIONS.
1121. INGREDIENTS.--1 quart of white haricot beans, 4 middling-sized
onions, 1/4 pint of good brown gravy, pepper and salt to taste, a little
flour.
_Mode_.--Peel and mince the onions not too finely, and fry them in
butter of a light brown colour; dredge over them a little flour, and add
the gravy and a seasoning of pepper and salt. Have ready a pint of
haricot beans well boiled and drained; put them with the onions and
gravy, mix all well together, and serve very hot.
_Time_.--From 2 to 2-1/2 hours to boil the beans; 5 minutes to fry the
onions.
_Average cost_, 4d. per quart.
_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.
_Seasonable_ in winter.
HORSERADISH.
1122. This root, scraped, is always served with hot roast beef, and is
used for garnishing many kinds of boiled fish. Let the horseradish
remain in cold water for an hour; wash it well, and with a sharp knife
scrape it into very thin shreds, commencing from the thick end of the
root. Arrange some of it lightly in a small glass dish, and the
remainder use for garnishing the joint: it should be placed in tufts
round the border of the dish, with 1 or 2 bunches on the meat.
_Average cost_, 2d. per stick.
_Seasonable_ from October to June.
[Illustration: HORSERADISH.]
THE HORSERADISH.--This belongs to the tribe _Alyssidae_, and is
highly stimulant and exciting to the stomach. It has been
recommended in chronic rheumatism, palsy, dropsical complaints,
and in cases of enfeebled digestion. Its principal use, however,
is as a condiment to promote appetite and excite the digestive
organs. The horseradish contains sulphur to the extent of thirty
per cent, in the number of its elements; and it is to the
presence of this quality that the metal vessels in which the
radish is sometimes distilled, are turned into a black colour.
It is one of the most powerful excitants and antiscorbutics we
have, and forms the basis of several medical preparations, in
the form of wines, tinctures, and syrups.
LETTUCES.
1123. These form one of the principal ingredients to summer salads;
should be nicely blanched, and be eaten young. They are seldom served in
any other way, but may be stewed and sent to table in a good brown gravy
flavoured with lemon-juice. In preparing them for a salad, carefully
wash them free from dirt, pick off all the decayed and outer leaves, and
dry them thoroughly by shaking them in a cloth. Cut off the stalks, and
either halve or cut the lettuces into small pieces. The manner of
cutting them up entirely depends on the salad for which they are
intended. In France the lettuces are sometimes merely wiped with a cloth
and not washed, the cooks there declaring that the act of washing them
injuriously affects the pleasant crispness of the plant: in this case
scrupulous attention must be paid to each leaf, and the grit thoroughly
wiped away.
_Average cost_, when cheapest, 1d. each.
_Sufficient_.--Allow 2 lettuces for 4 or 5 persons.
_Seasonable_ from March to the end of August, but may be had all the
year.
[Illustration: LETTUCE.]
THE LETTUCE.--All the varieties of the garden lettuce have
originated from the _Lactuca sativa_ of science, which has never
yet been found in a wild state. Hence it may be concluded that
it is merely another form of some species, changed through the
effects of cultivation. In its young state, the lettuce forms a
well-known and wholesome salad, containing a bland pellucid
juice, with little taste or smell, and having a cooling and
soothing influence on the system. This arises from the large
quantities of water and mucilage it contains, and not from any
narcotic principle which it is supposed to possess. During the
period of flowering, it abounds in a peculiar milky juice, which
flows from the stem when wounded, and which has been found to be
possessed of decided medicinal properties.
BAKED MUSHROOMS.
(A Breakfast, Luncheon, or Supper Dish.)
1124. INGREDIENTS.--16 to 20 mushroom-flaps, butter, pepper to taste.
_Mode_.--For this mode of cooking, the mushroom flaps are better than
the buttons, and should not be too large. Cut off a portion of the
stalk, peel the top, and wipe the mushrooms carefully with a piece of
flannel and a little fine salt. Put them into a tin baking-dish, with a
very small piece of butter placed on each mushroom; sprinkle over a
little pepper, and let them bake for about 20 minutes, or longer should
the mushrooms be very large. Have ready a _very hot_ dish, pile the
mushrooms high in the centre, pour the gravy round, and send them to
table quickly, with very _hot_ plates.
_Time_.--20 minutes; large mushrooms, 1/2 hour.
_Average cost_, 1d. each for large mushroom-flaps.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_.--Meadow mushrooms in September and October; cultivated
mushrooms may be had at any time.
FUNGI.--These are common parasitical plants, originating in the
production of copious filamentous threads, called the mycelium,
or spawn. Rounded tubers appear on the mycelium; some of these
enlarge rapidly, burst an outer covering, which is left at the
base, and protrude a thick stalk, bearing at its summit a
rounded body, which in a short time expands into the pileus or
cap. The gills, which occupy its lower surface, consist of
parallel plates, bearing naked sporules over their whole
surface. Some of the cells, which are visible by the microscope,
produce four small cells at their free summit, apparently by
germination and constriction. These are the sporules, and this
is the development of the Agarics.
BROILED MUSHROOMS.
(A Breakfast, Luncheon, or Supper Dish.)
1125. INGREDIENTS.--Mushroom-flaps, pepper and salt to taste, butter,
lemon-juice.
[Illustration: BROILED MUSHROOMS.]
_Mode_.--Cleanse the mushrooms by wiping them with a piece of flannel
and a little salt; cut off a portion of the stalk, and peel the tops:
broil them over a clear fire, turning them once, and arrange them on a
very hot dish. Put a small piece of butter on each mushroom, season with
pepper and salt, and squeeze over them a few drops of lemon-juice. Place
the dish before the fire, and when the butter is melted, serve very hot
and quickly. Moderate-sized flaps are better suited to this mode of
cooking than the buttons: the latter are better in stews.
_Time_.--10 minutes for medium-sized mushrooms.
_Average cost_, 1d. each for large mushrooms.
_Sufficient_.--Allow 3 or 4 mushrooms to each person.
_Seasonable_.--Meadow mushrooms in September and October; cultivated
mushrooms may be had at any time.
[Illustration: MUSHROOMS.]
VARIETIES OF THE MUSHROOM.--The common mushroom found in our
pastures is the _Agaricus campestris_ of science, and another
edible British species is _A. Georgii;_ but _A. primulus_ is
affirmed to be the most delicious mushroom. The morel is
_Morchella esculenta_, and _Tuber cibarium_ is the common
truffle. There is in New Zealand a long fungus, which grows from
the head of a caterpillar, and which forms a horn, as it were,
and is called _Sphaeria Robertsii_.
TO PRESERVE MUSHROOMS.
1126. INGREDIENTS.--To each quart of mushrooms, allow 3 oz. of butter,
pepper and salt to taste, the juice of 1 lemon, clarified butter.
_Mode_.--Peel the mushrooms, put them into cold water, with a little
lemon-juice; take them out and _dry_ them very carefully in a cloth. Put
the butter into a stewpan capable of holding the mushrooms; when it is
melted, add the mushrooms, lemon-juice, and a seasoning of pepper and
salt; draw them down over a slow fire, and let them remain until their
liquor is boiled away, and they have become quite dry, but be careful in
not allowing them to stick to the bottom of the stewpan. When done, put
them into pots, and pour over the top clarified butter. If wanted for
immediate use, they will keep good a few days without being covered
over. To re-warm them, put the mushrooms into a stewpan, strain the
butter from them, and they will be ready for use.
_Average cost_, 1d. each.
_Seasonable_.--Meadow mushrooms in September and October; cultivated
mushrooms may be had at any time.
LOCALITIES OF THE MUSHROOM.--Mushrooms are to be met with in
pastures, woods, and marshes, but are very capricious and
uncertain in their places of growth, multitudes being obtained
in one season where few or none were to be found in the
preceding. They sometimes grow solitary, but more frequently
they are gregarious, and rise in a regular circular form. Many
species are employed by man as food; but, generally speaking,
they are difficult of digestion, and by no means very
nourishing. Many of them are also of suspicious qualities.
Little reliance can be placed either on their taste, smell, or
colour, as much depends on the situation in which they vegetate;
and even the same plant, it is affirmed, may be innocent when
young, but become noxious when advanced in age.
STEWED MUSHROOMS.
1127. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint mushroom-buttons, 3 oz. of fresh butter,
white pepper and salt to taste, lemon-juice, 1 teaspoonful of flour,
cream or milk, 1 teaspoonful of grated nutmeg.
_Mode_.--Cut off the ends of the stalks, and pare neatly a pint of
mushroom-buttons; put them into a basin of water, with a little
lemon-juice, as they are done. When all are prepared, take them from the
water with the hands, to avoid the sediment, and put them into a stewpan
with the fresh butter, white pepper, salt, and the juice of 1/2 lemon;
cover the pan closely, and let the mushrooms stew gently from 20 to 25
minutes; then thicken the butter with the above proportion of flour, add
gradually sufficient cream, or cream and milk, to make the sauce of a
proper consistency, and put in the grated nutmeg. If the mushrooms are
not perfectly tender, stew them for 5 minutes longer, remove every
particle of butter which may be floating on the top, and serve.
_Time_.--1/2 hour. _Average cost_, from 9d. to 2s. per pint.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_.--Meadow mushrooms in September and October.
TO PROCURE MUSHROOMS.--In order to obtain mushrooms at all
seasons, several methods of propagation have been had recourse
to. It is said that, in some parts of Italy, a species of stone
is used for this purpose, which is described as being of two
different kinds; the one is found in the chalk hills near
Naples, and has a white, porous, stalactical appearance; the
other is a hardened turf from some volcanic mountains near
Florence. These stones are kept in cellars, and occasionally
moistened with water which has been used in the washing of
mushrooms, and are thus supplied with their minute seeds. In
this country, gardeners provide themselves with what is called
_spawn_, either from the old manure of cucumber-beds, or
purchase it from those whose business it is to propagate it.
When thus procured, it is usually made up for sale in quadrils,
consisting of numerous white fibrous roots, having a strong
smell of mushrooms. This is planted in rows, in a dry situation,
and carefully attended to for five or six weeks, when the bed
begins to produce, and continues to do so for several months.
STEWED MUSHROOMS IN GRAVY.
1128. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of mushroom-buttons, 1 pint of brown gravy
No. 436, 1/4 teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, cayenne and salt to taste.
_Mode_.--Make a pint of brown gravy by recipe 436; cut nearly all the
stalks away from the mushrooms and peel the tops; put them into a
stewpan, with the gravy, and simmer them gently from 20 minutes to 1/2
hour. Add the nutmeg and a seasoning of cayenne and salt, and serve very
hot.
_Time_.--20 minutes to 1/2 hour.
_Average cost_, 9d. to 2s. per pint.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_.--Meadow mushrooms in September and October.
ANALYSIS OF FUNGI.--The fungi have been examined chemically with
much care, both by MM. Bracannot and Vauquelin, who designate
the insoluble spongy matter by the name of fungin, and the
soluble portion is found to contain the bolotic and the fungic
acids.
BAKED SPANISH ONIONS.
1129. INGREDIENTS.--4 or 5 Spanish onions, salt, and water.
_Mode_.--Put the onions, with their skins on, into a saucepan of boiling
water slightly salted, and let them boil quickly for an hour. Then take
them out, wipe them thoroughly, wrap each one in a piece of paper
separately, and bake them in a moderate oven for 2 hours, or longer,
should the onions be very large. They may be served in their skins, and
eaten with a piece of cold butter and a seasoning of pepper and salt; or
they may be peeled, and a good brown gravy poured over them.
_Time_.--1 hour to boil, 2 hours to bake.
_Average cost_, medium-sized, 2d. each.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_ from September to January.
[Illustration: ONION.]
THE GENUS ALLIUM.--The Onion, like the Leek, Garlic, and Shalot,
belongs to the genus _Allium_, which is a numerous species of
vegetable; and every one of them possesses, more or less, a
volatile and acrid penetrating principle, pricking the thin
transparent membrane of the eyelids; and all are very similar in
their properties. In the whole of them the bulb is the most
active part, and any one of them may supply the place of the
other; for they are all irritant, excitant, and vesicant. With
many, the onion is a very great favourite, and is considered an
extremely nutritive vegetable. The Spanish kind is frequently
taken for supper, it being simply boiled, and then seasoned with
salt, pepper, and butter. Some dredge on a little flour, but
many prefer it without this.
BURNT ONIONS FOR GRAVIES.
1130. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of onions, 1/3 pint of water, 1/2 lb. of
moist sugar, 1/3 pint of vinegar.
_Mode_.--Peel and chop the onions fine, and put them into a stewpan (not
tinned), with the water; let them boil for 5 minutes, then add the
sugar, and simmer gently until the mixture becomes nearly black and
throws out bubbles of smoke. Have ready the above proportion of boiling
vinegar, strain the liquor gradually to it, and keep stirring with a
wooden spoon until it is well incorporated. When cold, bottle for use.
_Time_.--Altogether, 1 hour.