well in a marble mortar, add a little cold water, strain it through a
sieve and preserve it till wanted; then boil the lobsters, and when
three parts done pick and cut the meat into small pieces, and put it
into a stewpan. To the meat of a large lobster add a pound of fresh
butter and a pint of water, including a sufficient quantity of the spawn
liquor to colour it. Put it over a fire, thicken it with flour and
water, keep stirring till it boils, and then season to the palate with
anchovie liquor, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper. Let it simmer five
minutes and skim it.
N. B. In place of the above the following method may be
adopted:--Instead of cutting the meat of the lobster into pieces, it
may be pounded in a marble mortar, then rubbed through a tamis cloth,
and the pulp put with the other ingredients when the sauce is to be
made. [See _Anchovie Essence for Fish Sauce_.]
_Oyster Sauce for Fish._
BLANCH the oysters, strain them, and preserve their liquor; then wash
and beard them, drain, and put them into a stewpan; then add fresh
butter and the oyster liquor free from sediment, some flour and water to
thicken it, season to the palate with lemon juice, anchovie liquor, a
little cayenne pepper, a spoonful of ketchup if approved, and a bit of
lemon peel. When it boils skim it, and let it simmer five minutes.
N. B. Muscles and cockles may be done in like manner.
_Shrimp Sauce for Fish._
BOIL live shrimps in salt and water for three minutes, then pick, wash,
and drain them dry; after which add fresh butter, water, anchovie
liquor, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and flour and water to make it of a
sufficient thickness. Put the ingredients over a fire, and when it boils
skim it, and let the shrimps simmer for five minutes. Or it may be made
thus:--When the shrimps are picked, wash the shells, drain them dry, put
them into a stewpan, add a little water, and boil them ten minutes; then
strain the liquor to the butter (as above) instead of the water, which
will make it of a better flavour. The bodies of lobsters, also, when
picked, may be done in like manner for lobster sauce.
_Dutch Sauce for Fish._
BOIL for five minutes, with a gill and a half of vinegar, a little
scraped horseradish; then strain it, and when it is cold add to it the
yolks of two raw eggs, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, a dessert
spoonful of flour and water, and a little salt. Whisk the ingredients
over a fire till the mixture almost boils, and serve it up directly to
prevent it from curdling.
_Anchovie Sauce for Fish._
PUT half a pound of fresh butter into a stewpan, add to it three
spoonfuls of anchovie liquor, walnut and mushroom ketchups a spoonful of
each, the juice of half a lemon, a little cayenne pepper, a tea spoonful
of india soy if approved, a sufficient quantity of flour and water to
make it of a proper thickness. Make the mixture boil, and skim it clean.
_Observations in respect of Fish Sauces, &c._
LET it be particularly observed that fish sauces should be of the
thickness of light batter, so that it might adhere to the fish when
dressed, it being a frequent error that they are either too thick or too
thin. The thickening should be made with the best white flour sifted,
and some water, mixed smooth with a wooden spoon or a whisk, and to be
of the consistence of light batter also. A little of it is recommended
to be always ready where there is much cooking, as it is frequently
wanted both in fish and other sauces.
There are, likewise, other articles repeatedly wanted for the use of
stovework; and as their possession has been found to obviate much
inconvenience and trouble, they are here enumerated: that is to say,
liquid of colour preserved in a bottle, strained lemon juice preserved
in the same manner, cayenne pepper, ground spices, ground pepper and
salt mixed, which should be preserved separately in small jars; and
every day, when wanted, fresh breadcrumbs rubbed through a hair sieve;
parsley, thymes, eschallots, savoy, marjoram, and lemon peel, chopped
very fine, and put on a dish in separate partitions.
Directions are not given for serving the fish sauces with any particular
kind of fish,--such as turbot or salmon with lobster sauce, &c. but the
receipts have been written only for the making them; therefore it is
recommended that every person make a choice, and not be biassed
altogether by custom.
_Apple Sauce for Pork, Geese, &c._
PARE, quarter, and core, baking apples; put them into a stewpan, add a
bit of lemon rind, a small stick of cinnamon, a few cloves, and a small
quantity of water. Cover the pan close, set it over a moderate fire, and
when the apples are tender take the peel and spices out; then add a bit
of fresh butter, and sugar to the palate.
_Green Sauce for Ducklings or Green Geese._
PICK green spinach or sorrel, wash it, and bruise it in a marble mortar,
and strain the liquor through a tamis cloth. To a gill of the juice add
a little loaf sugar, the yolk of a raw egg, and a spoonful of vinegar;
if spinach juice, then put one ounce of fresh butter, and whisk all
together over a fire till it begins to boil.
N. B. Should the sauce be made of spinach juice instead of vinegar,
there may be put two table spoonfuls of the pulp of gooseberries rubbed
through a hair sieve.
_Fennel Sauce for Mackarel._
PICK green fennel, mint, and parsley, a little of each; wash, boil them
till tender, drain and press them, chop them fine, add melted butter,
and serve up the sauce immediately, for should the herbs be mixed with
the butter any length of time before it is served up, they will be
discoloured. The same observation should be noticed in making parsley
and butter sauce.
_Bread Sauce, for Turkies, Game, &c._
SOAK a piece of crumb of bread with half a pint of milk or cream, add a
peeled middling-sized onion, and put them over a fire; when the milk is
absorbed bruise the bread, mix with it two ounces of fresh butter, a
little white pepper, and salt; and when it is to be served up take out
the onion.
_Melted Butter._
IN order to prevent butter from oiling, the flour and water that may be
sufficient for the quantity of butter should be made boiling, skimmed
clean, and the butter added to dissolve, being careful it is of a proper
thickness.
In the same manner may be made fish sauces, adding the liquor of the
lobsters or oysters, &c. with flour and water, and when boiling add the
butter with the other ingredients.
_To make Melon Citron._
TAKE middling-sized melons when half ripe, cut them in quarters, take
away the seed, and lay the melons in salt and water for three days. Have
ready a thin syrup; then drain and wipe dry the quarters, put them into
the sugar, and let them simmer a quarter of an hour; the next day boil
them up again, and so on for three days; then take them out, and add to
the syrup some mountain wine, a little brandy, and more sugar; clarify
it, and boil it nearly to a candied height, put the melons into it and
boil them five minutes; then put them in glasses, and cover them close
with bladder and leather.
_Rusks, or Tops and Bottoms._
TAKE two eggs beat up, add them to a pint of good mild yest and a little
milk. Sift four pounds of best white flour, and set a sponge with the
above ingredients; then make boiling half a pound of fresh butter and
some milk, a sufficient quantity to make the sponge the stiffness of
common dough. Let it lay in the kneading trough till well risen; then
mould and make it into the form of loaves of the bigness of small
teacups; after which batch them flat, bake them in a moderate oven, and
when nearly done take them out, cut the top from the bottom, and dry
them till of a nice colour on tin plates in the oven.
_Wafers._
TAKE a table spoonful of orange flower water, a table spoonful of flour,
the same of good cream, sifted sugar to the palate, and a dessert
spoonful of syrup of cinnamon; beat all the ingredients together for
twenty minutes; then make the wafer tongs hot, and pour a little batter
just sufficient to cover the irons; bake them over a slow fire, and when
taken from the tongs roll them round, and preserve them in a dry place.
_Cracknels._
TO half a pound of best white flour sifted add half a pound of sifted
loaf sugar, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, two table spoonfuls of
rose water, a little salt, the yolks and whites of three eggs beat up,
and mix all well together for twenty minutes. Then roll it out, cut it
into what shapes you please with a pastry cutter, put them on baking
plates rubbed with butter, wash the tops of the paste with whites of
eggs well beaten, and bake them in a brisk oven.
_To bake Pears._
TO a pint of water add the juice of three seville oranges, cinnamon,
cloves, and mace, a small quantity of each, a bit of lemon peel, and
boil them together a quarter of an hour; then strain and add to the
liquor a pint of red port, plenty of loaf sugar, and a little cochineal;
after which pare, cut into halves, and core, twelve large baking pears,
put them into a pan, add the liquor, cover the pan with writing paper,
and bake them in a moderate oven.
N. B. They may be done in the same manner in a stewpan over a fire.
_To clarify Sugar._
TO four pounds of loaf sugar put two quarts of water into a preserving
pan, set it over a fire, and add (when it is warm) the whites of three
eggs beat up with half a pint of water; when the syrup boils skim it
clean, and let it simmer till perfectly clear.
N. B. To clarify sugar for carmel requires but a small quantity of
water; and the different degrees of strength, when wanted, must be
attended to with practice. They are generally thrown over a mould rubbed
with sweet oil; for cakes, with a fork dipped in the sugar, &c.
_Syrup of Cloves, &c._
PUT a quart of boiling water into a stewpan, add a quarter of a pound of
cloves, cover the pan close, set it over a fire, and let the cloves boil
gently for half an hour; then drain them dry, and add to a pint of the
liquor two pounds of loaf sugar. Clear it with the whites of two eggs
beat up with a little cold water, and let it simmer till it becomes a
strong syrup. Preserve it in vials close corked.
N. B. In the same manner may be done cinnamon or mace.
_Syrup of Golden Pippins._
TAKE the pippins when nearly ripe, pare, core, and cut them into very
thin slices, or bruise them a little in a marble mortar. Then put them
into an earthen vessel, add a small quantity of water, the rind of a
lemon, plenty of sifted sugar, and a little lemon juice. Let the
ingredients remain in the pan close covered for two days, then strain
the juice through a piece of lawn, add more sugar if requisite, clear it
with white of egg if necessary, and boil it to a syrup.
N. B. Nonpareils, quinces, pine-apples, or the rind of lemons peeled
very thin, may be done in the same manner.
_Syrup of Capillaire._
CLARIFY with three whites of egg four pounds of loaf sugar mixed with
three quarts of spring water and a quarter of an ounce of isinglass;
when it is cold add to the syrup a sufficient quantity of orange flower
water as will make it palatable, and likewise a little syrup of cloves.
Put it into bottles close corked for use.
_Flowers in Sugar._
CLARIFY sugar to a carmel height, which may be known by dipping in a
fork, and if it throws the sugar as fine as threads put in the flowers.
Have ready teacups with the insides rubbed with sweet oil; put into each
cup four silver table spoonfuls of the sugar and flowers, and when cold
turn them out of the cups, and serve them up piled on each other.
_Syrup of Roses._
GATHER one pound of damask rose leaves when in high season, put them
into an earthen vessel, add a quart of boiling spring water, cover the
pan close, and let it remain six hours; then run the liquor through a
piece of lawn, and add to a pint of the juice a pound and a half of loaf
sugar; boil it over a brisk fire till of a good syrup, being careful in
the skimming, and preserve it in bottles close corked.
N. B. The syrup may be cleared with two eggs.
_To preserve Cucumbers._
TAKE fresh gathered gerkins of a large size, and lay them in salt and
water for two days; then drain and wipe them dry, put them into glasses,
make boiling-hot a mixture of sugar, vinegar, and water, a small
quantity of each; pour it over the cucumbers, cover and set them in a
warm place, likewise boil the liquor and pour over them for three
successive days. Then take a quart of the liquor, add to it plenty of
cloves, mace, ginger, and lemon peel. Boil these ingredients for half an
hour, strain and put to it plenty of sifted sugar, clear it with whites
of eggs if requisite, boil to a strong syrup, and put it to the gerkins.
When wiped dry and in the glasses, cover them down very close.
_To preserve Currants._
TAKE large bunches of ripe currants, make a thin syrup with sugar and
water, set it over a fire, when it boils put in the fruit, and let them
remain in a cold place till the next day; then take them out carefully,
lay them on a dish, make the liquor boil again, and put in the
currants, taking care not to let them break. Take them out a second
time, add more sugar to the syrup, with a quart of currant juice;
clarify it, boil it to a strong syrup, and when it is cold put the
currants into glasses, pour the syrup over, and tie them down close.
_To preserve Barberries._
BRUISE a quart of ripe barberries, add a quart of spring water, put them
over a fire, when boiling run the liquor through a fine sieve, and put
with it three pounds of clarified sugar. Then add a sufficient quantity
of large bunches of ripe barberries, put them over a fire, when
boiling-hot set them away till the next day, take the barberries out of
the syrup and put them into glasses; boil the liquor to a good
consistence, pour it over, and cover them close.
_Gooseberry Fool._
PUT a quart of green gooseberries and a gill of water in a stewpan over
a fire close covered; when the fruit is tender rub it through a fine
hair sieve, add to the pulp sifted loaf sugar, and let it stand till
cold. In the mean time put a pint of cream or new milk into a stewpan,
with a stick of cinnamon, a small piece of lemon peel, sugar, a few
cloves and coriander seeds, and boil the ingredients ten minutes. Have
ready the yolks of six eggs and a little flour and water well beaten;
strain the milk to them, whisk it over a fire to prevent it from
curdling, when it nearly boils set the pan in cold water, stir the cream
for five minutes, and let it stand till cold. Then mix the pulp of the
gooseberries and the cream together, add a little grated nutmeg, and
sweeten it more if agreeable to the palate.
N. B. Strawberries, raspberries, apricots, and other ripe fruits, may be
rubbed through a sieve and the pulp added to the cream.
_Sago._
TO half an ounce of sago washed clean add a pint of water and a bit of
lemon peel; cover the pan close, set it over a fire, let it simmer till
the sago is nearly done, and the liquor absorbed. Then put to it half a
pint of red port, a tea spoonful of pounded cinnamon and cloves or mace,
sweeten to the palate with loaf sugar, and let it boil gently for ten
minutes.
_Oatmeal Pottage, or Gruel._
MIX together three table spoonfuls of oatmeal, a very little salt, and a
quart of water; put them over a fire, and let it boil gently for half an
hour. Then skim and strain it, add to it an ounce of fresh butter, some
loaf sugar, a little brandy, and grated nutmeg; or instead of these
ingredients put pepper, salt, and fresh butter, to the palate; then boil
it again five minutes, mix it till very smooth, and let it be of a
moderate consistence.
_To bottle Gooseberries, &c. for Tarts._
GATHER gooseberries on a dry day when about half grown, and pick off the
stalks and blossoms; then put the fruit into wide-mouthed bottles and
shake them down; cork them very close, bake them in a moderate oven till
thoroughly heated through, and set them in a dry cool place.
N. B. Damsons, currants, cherries, or plums may be done in the same way.
[The above mode of preserving fruits is recommended in preference to
preserving them with sugar, it frequently happening that fruits done
with syrup will fret, and in that event the whole be spoiled.]
_To bottle Gooseberries another way._
WHEN the gooseberries are picked put them into the bottles and cover
them with spring water; then set them in a large pan of cold water, put
them over a moderate fire, and when the gooseberries appear to be
scalded enough take out the bottles and set them in a cool place, and
when cold cork them close.
[This mode has been found to answer extremely well. The small champaign
gooseberry is recommended likewise for the purpose.]
_Small Cakes._
TAKE half a pound of sifted sugar, half a pound of fresh butter, three
quarters of a pound of sifted flour, and rub all together; then wet it
with a gill of boiling milk, strew in a few carraway seeds, and let it
lay till the next day; after which mould and cut it into eleven dozen
pieces, roll them as thin as possible, and bake them in an oven three
parts cold.
_Diet Bread Cake._
TAKE nine eggs and sifted sugar of their weight; break the whites into
one pan and the yolks into another; then whisk the whites till of a
solid froth, beat the yolks, and whisk them with the whites; add the
sugar with the weight of five eggs of flour, mix all well together, put
in a few carraway seeds, and bake it in a hoop.
_Sponge Biscuits._
TAKE the same mixture as for diet bread, only omitting the carraway
seeds; then rub the inside of small tin pans with fresh butter, fill
them with the mixture, sift sugar over, and bake them in a moderate
oven.
_Common Seed Cake._
TO one pound and a half of flour put half a pound of fresh butter broke
into small pieces round it, likewise a quarter of a pound of sifted
sugar, and half a grated nutmeg; then make a cavity in the center of the
flour and set a sponge with a gill of yest and a little warm milk; when
well risen add slices of candied orange or lemon peel and an egg beat
up. Mix all these ingredients well together with a little warm milk, let
the dough be of a proper stiffness, mould it into a cake, prove it in a
warm place, and then bake it.
_Cinnamon Cakes._
BREAK six eggs into a pan with three table spoonfuls of rose water,
whisk them well together, add a pound of sifted sugar, a dessert
spoonful of pounded cinnamon, and as much flour as will make it into a
good paste; then roll it out, cut it into what shapes you please, bake
them on white paper, and when done take them off, and preserve them in a
dry place for use.
_To make red Colouring for Pippin Paste, &c. for garnishing Twelfth
Cakes._
TAKE an ounce of cochineal beat very fine; add three gills of water, a
quarter of an ounce of roche-alum, and two ounces of lump sugar; boil
them together for twenty minutes, strain it through a fine sieve, and
preserve it for use close covered.
_Twelfth Cakes._
TAKE seven pounds of flour, make a cavity in the center, set a sponge
with a gill and a half of yest and a little warm milk; then put round
it one pound of fresh butter broke into small lumps, one pound and a
quarter of sifted sugar, four pounds and a half of currants washed and
picked, half an ounce of sifted cinnamon, a quarter of an ounce of
pounded cloves, mace, and nutmeg mixed, sliced candied orange or lemon
peel and citron. When the sponge is risen mix all the ingredients
together with a little warm milk; let the hoops be well papered and
buttered, then fill them with the mixture and bake them, and when nearly
cold ice them over with sugar prepared for that purpose as per receipt;
or they may be plain.
_Bristol Cakes._
TAKE six ounces of sifted sugar, six ounces of fresh butter, four whites
and two yolks of eggs, nine ounces of flour, and mix them well together
in an earthen pan with the hand; then add three quarters of a pound of
picked currants, and drop the mixture with a spoon upon tin plates
rubbed with butter, and bake them in a brisk oven.
_Hyde Park Corner Cakes._
TAKE two pounds of flour, four ounces of common sugar, and half an ounce
of carraway seeds pounded; then set a sponge with half a gill of yest
and some warm milk, and when it works take some boiling milk, add to it
five ounces of fresh butter, mix it up light, add let it lay some time;
then roll it out, cut it into what forms you please, and bake them in a
moderate oven.
_Good Gingerbread Nuts._
TAKE four pounds of flour, half a pound of sifted sugar, one ounce of
carraway seeds, half an ounce of ginger pounded and sifted, six ounces
of fresh butter, and two ounces of candied orange peel cut into small
slices. Then take a pound of treacle or honey and a gill of cream, make
them warm together, mix all the ingredients into a paste, and let it lay
six hours; then roll it out, make it into nuts, and bake them in a
moderate oven.
_Bride Cake._
TAKE two pounds of sifted loaf sugar, four pounds of fresh butter, four
pounds of best white flour dried and sifted, a quarter of an ounce of
mace and cinnamon, likewise the same quantity of nutmeg pounded and
sifted, thirty eggs, four pounds of currants washed, picked, and dried
before a fire, a pound of jordan almonds blanched and pounded, a pound
of citron, a pound of candied orange and a pound of candied lemon peels
cut into slices, and half a pint of brandy; then proceed as
follows:--First work the butter to a cream with the hand, then beat in
the sugar for a quarter of an hour, whisk the whites of eggs to a solid
froth, and mix them with the sugar and butter; then beat the yolks for a
quarter of an hour and put them to the above, likewise add the flour,
mace, and nutmeg; beat all well together till the oven is ready, and
then mix in lightly the brandy, currants, almonds, and sweetmeats. Line
a hoop with paper, rub it with butter, fill it with the mixture, bake it
in a brisk oven, and when it is risen cover it with paper to prevent it
from burning. It may be served up either iced or plain.
_Rice Cakes._
WHISK the yolks of seven eggs for a quarter of an hour, add five ounces
of sifted sugar, and mix them well; put to them a quarter of a pound of
rice, some flour, a little brandy, the rind of a lemon grated very fine,
and a small quantity of pounded mace; then beat six whites of eggs for
some time, mix all together for ten minutes, fill a hoop with the
mixture, and bake it in a brisk oven.
_Bath Cakes._
TAKE a pound of fresh butter and rub with it a pound of flour, mix them
into a light paste with a gill of yest and some warm cream, and set it
in a warm place to rise; then mould in with it a few carraway seeds,
make it into cakes the size of small french rolls, and bake them on tins
buttered.
_Pancakes._
TO half a pound of best white flour sifted add a little salt, grated
nutmeg, cream or new milk, and mix them well together; then whisk eight
eggs, put them to the above, and beat the mixture for ten minutes till
perfectly smooth and light, and let it be of a moderate thickness. When
the cakes are to be fried, put a little piece of lard or fresh butter in
each frying-pan over a regular fire, and when hot put in the mixture, a
sufficient quantity just to cover the bottom of each pan, fry them of a
nice colour, and serve them up very hot. Serve with them, likewise, some
sifted loaf sugar, pounded cinnamon, and seville orange, on separate
plates.
N. B. Before the frying pans are used let them be prepared with a bit of
butter put into each and burnt; then wipe them very clean with a dry
cloth, as this method prevents the batter from sticking to the pan when
frying.
_Shrewsbury Cakes._
BEAT half a pound of fresh butter to a cream, add to it the same
quantity of flour, one egg, six ounces of sifted sugar, and a quarter
of an ounce of carraway seeds. Mix all together into a paste, roll it
out thin, stamp it with a tin cutter, prick the cakes with a fork, lay
them on tin plates rubbed with butter, and bake them in a slow oven.
_Portugal Cakes, or Heart Cakes._
TAKE a pound of flour, a pound of sifted sugar, a pound of fresh butter,
and mix them with the hand (or a whisk) till they become like a fine
batter. Then add two spoonfuls of rose water, half a pound of currants
washed and picked, break ten eggs, whisk them, and mix well all
together. Butter ten moulds, fill them three parts full with the
mixture, and bake them in a brisk oven.
_Macaroons._
TAKE a pound of jordan almonds blanched and pounded fine, with a little
rose water to preserve them from oiling, and add a pound of sifted
sugar; then whisk the whites of ten eggs to a solid froth and add to the
above; beat all together for some time. Have ready wafer paper on tin
plates, drop the mixture over it separately the size of a shilling or
smaller, sift a little sugar over, and bake them.
_Mirangles._