white sauce in a stewpan of a proper size on a fire; stir continually
until reduced to one third; put two yolks of eggs in a basin, stir them
well up, add your sauce gradually, keep stirring, put back in stewpan,
set it to boil for a few minutes longer, then add one pint of boiling
milk, which will bring it to its proper thickness; that is, when it
adheres transparently to the back of a spoon; pass through a tammy into
a basin, stir now and then till cold; if not immediately required, and I
have any stock left, I use half of it with half of milk. I also try this
way, which is very convenient: when the yolks are in, and well boiled, I
put it in a large gallipot, and when cold, cover with pieces of paper,
and it will keep good in winter for two or three weeks, and above a week
in summer; and when I want to use a little of it, I only take a spoonful
or two and warm it on the fire, and add enough milk or white broth to
bring it to a proper thickness, and use where required. This sauce is
very smooth, and never, turns greasy; it lies beautifully on fowl, or
any white made dish; the addition of a drop of cream gives it a very
fine white appearance.
153. _Onion Purée Sauce._--Peel and cut six onions in slices; put in a
stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of butter, a teaspoonful of salt, one
of sugar, a half one of pepper; place on a slow fire to simmer till in a
pulp, stirring them now and then to prevent them getting brown, then add
one tablespoonful of flour, a pint of milk, and boil till a proper
thickness, which should be a little thicker than melted butter; pass
through a tammy, warm again, and serve with mutton cutlets, chops,
rabbits, or fowl; by not passing it, it will do for roast mutton and
boiled rabbit as onion sauce.
154. _Purée of Cauliflower Sauce._--Boil a cauliflower well in three
pints of water, in which you have previously put one ounce of butter,
two tablespoonfuls of salt; when done, chop it up, having prepared and
slowly cooked in a stewpan an onion sliced, a little celery, half a
turnip, one ounce of ham, two of butter, a little bay-leaf, mace, add
then the cauliflower, stir round, add a tablespoonful of flour, moisten
as above for onions, pass and finish the same way.
155. _Jerusalem Artichoke Sauce._--Peel twelve, and well wash, boil till
tender, and proceed as above.
156. _Turnip Sauce Purée._--Boil six middle-sized ones, press all the
water you can out of them, and proceed as the above.
157. _White Cucumber Purée._--Peel two, or one large one, cut in slices,
put in the stewpan with the same vegetables, &c., as for the
cauliflower; when tender, add a tablespoonful of flour, three gills of
milk or broth, boil, and finishing as the cauliflower.
158. _Sorrel Sauce, or Purée._--Wash well four handfuls of sorrel, put
it nearly dry into a middle-sized stewpan, with a little butter; let it
melt, add a tablespoonful of flour, a teaspoonful of salt, half one of
pepper, moisten to a thick purée, with milk, or broth, or cream; pass it
through a sieve, put it back in a stewpan, warm again, add two whole
eggs, two ounces of butter, and stir well, and serve where directed.
159. _Spinach Purée (see Vegetables, 2d Course)._--Endive is often used
in France, and called chicorée. This purée may be made like the
cauliflower, or only plainly chopped, put into a pan with two ounces of
butter, a gill of white sauce, a little grated nutmeg, and a little
salt, pepper and sugar.
160. _Stewed Peas and Sprew Grass._--For cutlets, sweetbreads, fowls, or
any dishes, they are applicable (see Vegetables, second course), also
French beans, only using one third of the quantity that you would for a
made dish for an entremet.
161. _Scooped Jerusalem Artichokes._--Scoop with a round cutter
twenty-four pieces of artichoke, of the size of half an inch in
diameter, wash them, put them in a small stewpan with half an ounce of
butter and a quarter of an ounce of sugar; put it on a slow fire for a
few minutes, add two tablespoonfuls of white sauce, six of white broth
or milk, let them simmer till tender, skim, mix a yolk of an egg with
two tablespoonfuls of milk, pour in stewpan, and move it round very
quick, and serve; it must not be too thick, and the artichokes must be
well done; they must not be in purée; they are good with or served under
any white meat.
162. _Scooped Turnips._--Proceed exactly the same, only serve a little
thinner: they will not do if stringy.
163. _Button Onions._--The same, only make the sauce thinner, and boil
longer, according to their size.
164. _Young Carrots._--Scrape and trim to shape twenty small and young
carrots, pass in sugar and butter, add white or brown sauce, but keep it
thinner, as it requires a longer time boiling; when tender, if for white
sauce, add a tablespoonful of liaison, stir, and serve.
165. _White Mushroom Sauce._--Use small white ones; cut the dark part
out and remove the tail, wash in several waters, put in a stewpan with a
little butter, salt, pepper, juice of lemon, sauté it for a few minutes,
add a gill of white sauce, four table-spoonfuls of broth, milk, or
water; boil and serve under any white meat.
166. _White Cucumber Sauce._--Peel two cucumbers, divide each lengthways
into four, remove the pips, and cut into pieces one inch long; add, in
stewpan one ounce of butter, a teaspoonful of sugar, half of salt, let
it stew on the fire for fifteen minutes, then add a gill of white sauce,
six spoonfuls of milk, broth, or water, simmer gently and skim, add a
tablespoonful of liaison, and serve where directed, but observe that all
these garnitures ought to be served under the meat and over poultry.
167. _Ragout of Quenelles._--Make twelve nice small quenelles (see
_Quenelles_), warm half a pint of white sauce, in which you have put
four tablespoonfuls of milk, and half a teaspoonful of eschalot; when
well done, pour on the liaison over with the juice of a lemon, and
serve. A few English truffles or mushrooms may be added to this sauce.
168. _Maître d'Hôtel Sauce._--Put eight spoonfuls of white sauce in a
stewpan, with four of white stock or milk; boil it five minutes, then
stir in two ounces of maître d'hôtel butter; stir it quickly over the
fire until the butter is melted, but do not let the sauce boil after the
butter is in; this sauce should only be made at the time of serving.
169. _Green Peas Stewed._--Put a pint of young peas, boiled very green,
into a stewpan, with three table-spoonfuls of white sauce, two ounces
of butter, a little sugar and salt, and two button onions, with parsley,
tied together; boil them ten minutes; add two tablespoonfuls of liaison,
stir it in quickly, and serve.
170. _Green Peas, with Bacon._--Put a pint of well-boiled peas into a
stewpan, with five spoonfuls of brown sauce, two of brown gravy, a
teaspoonful of sugar, two button onions, and a bunch of parsley; let it
boil about ten minutes; have ready braised about a quarter of a pound of
lean bacon, cut it in dice about a quarter of an inch square, add it to
the peas, take out the onions and parsley, season with an ounce of
butter and half a teaspoonful of sugar; mix well together, stew twenty
minutes, and serve.
171. _Blanched Mushrooms._--Get a pottle of fresh mushrooms, cut off the
dirt, and likewise the heads (reserving the stalk for chopping), wash
the heads in a basin of clean water, take them out and drain in a sieve;
put into a stewpan two wine-glasses of cold water, one ounce of butter,
the juice of half a good lemon, and a little salt; turn or peel each
head neatly, and put them into the stewpan immediately, or they will
turn black; set your stewpan on a brisk fire, let them boil quickly five
minutes, put them into a basin ready for use; chop the stalks and peel
very fine, put them into a stewpan with three tablespoonfuls of the
liquor the mushrooms have been boiled in; let them simmer three minutes,
put them into a jar, and use where indicated.
Observe: Turning or peeling mushrooms is an art that practice alone can
attain; if they are very fresh and white, wash them quickly, and wipe
them on a cloth; throw them into the liquid above mentioned.
172. _Onions Stuffed._--Peel twelve large onions, cut a piece off at the
top and bottom to give them a flat appearance, and which adds a better
flavor if left, blanch them in four quarts of boiling water twenty
minutes, then lay them on a cloth to dry; take the middle out of each
onion, and fill them with veal forcemeat (with a little chopped
eschalot, parsley, and mushroom, mixed in it), and put them in a
sauté-pan well buttered, cover them with white broth, let them simmer
over a slow fire until covered with a glaze, and tender; turn them over
and serve where required.
173. _Hot Tartar Sauce._--Put two table-spoonfuls of white sauce in a
small stewpan, four of broth or milk, boil a few minutes, then add two
tablespoonfuls of the tartar sauce (see Salads) in it, stir it very
quick with a wooden spoon, make it quite hot but not boiling; put it on
a dish, and serve where described.
174. _Mephistophelian Sauce._--Do not be afraid of the title, for
it has nothing diabolical about it; the first time I tried it was
at Mr. B.'s birthday party; and some of his friends having over and
over again drank his health, till he had hardly any health left to
carry him to the drawing-room, where the coffee was waiting, about
eleven o'clock, having asked for some anchovy sandwiches, but, from
a mistake, not having any in the house, I composed this ravigotante
sauce, which partly brought them back to their senses.
I cut up the remains of the turkey, rubbed some mustard over it,
sprinkled a little salt and plenty of cayenne, put it on the gridiron on
the fire, and made the following sauce: I chopped six eschalots, washed
and pressed them in the corner of a clean cloth, then put them into a
stewpan with one and a half wine-glassful of Chili vinegar, a chopped
clove, a piece of garlic, two bay-leaves, an ounce of glaze, and boiled
all together for ten minutes; then added four tablespoonfuls of tomato
sauce, a little sugar, and ten of gravy or brown sauce; boiled it a few
minutes longer, then added a pat of butter, stirring it well in, removed
the bay-leaf, and poured over turkey, and served.
SOUPS.
In France, no dinner is served without soup, and no good soup is
supposed to be made without the pot-au-feu (see No. 215), it being
the national dish of the middle and poorer classes of that country;
thinking it might be of service to the working classes, by showing
the benefits to be derived from more frequently partaking of a hot
dinner, as I have previously observed, especially in a cold
climate like ours. Clear light soups are very delicate, and in this
country more fit for the wealthy; whilst the more substantial thick
soups, such as mock turtle, ox-tail, peas, &c., are more in vogue,
consequent to being better adapted to the million; therefore, after
giving a few series of clear soups, I shall proceed to give a
greater variety of the thicker sorts, being careful that every
receipt shall be so plain as to give a correct idea of its cost.
175. _Stock for all kinds of Soup._--Procure a knuckle of veal about six
pounds in weight, which cut into pieces about the size of an egg, as
also half a pound of lean ham or bacon; then rub a quarter of a pound of
butter upon the bottom of the stewpan (capable of holding about two
gallons), into which put the meat and bacon, with half a pint of water,
two ounces of salt, three middle-sized onions, with two cloves in each,
one turnip, a carrot, half a leek, and half a head of celery; put the
cover upon the stewpan, which place over a sharp fire, occasionally
stirring round its contents with a wooden spoon, until the bottom of the
stewpan is covered with a white thickish glaze, which will lightly
adhere to the spoon; fill up the stewpan with cold water, and when upon
the point of boiling, draw it to the corner of the fire, where it must
gently simmer for three hours, carefully skimming off every particle of
grease and scum; pass your stock through a fine hair sieve, and it is
ready for use when required.
The above will make a delicious broth for all kinds of clear soups, and
of course for thick soups or purées; by boiling it rather faster about
five minutes before passing, you will be better enabled to take off
every particle of grease from the surface. In making a stock of beef
proceed as above, but allow double the time to simmer; mutton or lamb,
if any trimmings, might also be used; if beef, use seven pounds; if
mutton, eight; or lamb, seven, of course bones and all included; with
care, this broth would be quite clear. To give a little color, as
required for all clear soups, use a little brown gravy or browning, but
never attempt to brown it by letting it color at the bottom of the
stewpan, for in that case you would destroy the greater part of the
osmazome.
176. _Another way, more economical._--Instead of cutting up the knuckle
of veal so small, cut it in four or five pieces only, and leave the
bacon in one piece; then, when the broth is passed, take out the veal,
which is very excellent served with a little of the broth for gravy, and
the bacon with a few greens upon another dish. This is as I always eat
it myself; but some persons would probably prefer a little
parsley-and-butter sauce or sharp sauce, served with it. Should any of
the veal be left until cold, it might be cut into thin slices, and
gradually warmed in either of the before-mentioned sauces. Should you
make your stock from the leg or shin of beef, stew it double the time,
preserve the vegetables boiled in the stock, and serve with beef, or
serve the beef with some nice sharp sauce over; the remainder, if cold,
may also be hashed in the ordinary way. If of mutton, and you have used
the scrags of the neck, the breast, head, or the chump of the loin, keep
them in as large pieces as possible; and, when done, serve with a few
mashed turnips, and caper sauce, separately; if any remaining until
cold, mince it. Lamb would be seldom used for stock, being much too
expensive; but in case of an abundance, which there sometimes is in the
country, proceed the same as for mutton.
177. _Brown Gravies._--Rub an ounce of butter over the bottom of a
stewpan which would hold about three quarts; have ready peeled four
onions, cut them into thick slices, with which cover the bottom of the
stewpan; over these lay about two pounds of beef from the leg or shin,
cut into thin slices, with the bone chopped very small, add a small
carrot, a turnip cut in slices, and a couple of cloves; set the stewpan
upon a gentle fire for ten minutes, shaking it round occasionally to
prevent burning; after which, let it go upon a slow fire for upwards of
an hour, until the bottom is covered with a blackish glaze, but not
burnt; when properly done, and ready for filling up, you will perceive
the fat that runs from the meat quite clear, fill up the stewpan with
cold water, add a teaspoonful of salt; and when upon the point of
boiling, set it on a corner of the fire, where let it simmer gently
about an hour, skimming off all the fat and scum which may rise to the
surface; when done, pass it through a fine sieve into a basin, and put
by to use for the following purposes:--For every kind of roast meat,
poultry, or game especially; also to give a good color to soups and
sauces. This gravy will keep several days, by boiling it every other
day. Although beef is the most proper meat for the above purpose, it
may be made of veal, mutton, lamb, or even with fresh pork, rabbits, or
poultry.
178. _Browning._--When in business, and not so much time to devote to
the kitchen, I used to make shift with a browning from the following
receipt, using, however, but a very few drops: put two ounces of
powdered sugar into a middling-sized stewpan, which place over a slow
fire; when beginning to melt, stir it round with a wooden spoon until
getting quite black, then pour over half a pint of cold water: leave it
to dissolve, and take a little for use when required.
179. _Glaze_ is an almost indispensable article in a _cuisine
bourgeoise_, and should be kept by all persons in the middle classes of
life, the advantage being that it will keep for months together, is very
simple to make, and is always useful in cookery, however humble; in
fact, with it you can dress a very good dinner with very little trouble.
Make a stock as directed in No. 175, but omitting the salt, which, when
done, pass through a cloth into a basin; then fill the stewpan up a
second time with hot water, and let boil four hours longer to obtain all
the succulence from the meat, then pass it through a cloth the same as
the first; then pour both stocks in a large stewpan together, set it
over the fire, and let it boil as fast as possible, leaving a large
spoon in, to stir occasionally and prevent its boiling over; when
reduced to about three pints, pour it into a smaller stewpan, set again
to boil at the corner, skimming well if required; when reduced to a
quart, place it quite over the fire, well stirring with a wooden spoon
until forming a thickish glaze (which will adhere to the spoon) of a
fine yellowish-brown color; pour it into a basin, or, if for keeping any
time, into a long bladder, from which cut a slice and use where
directed.
Where, however, only a small quantity is required, reduce only the
second stock, using the first for either soup or sauce; but in that case
the salt must not be omitted from the first stock, but from the second
only. Veal at all times makes the best glaze, but any kinds of meat,
game, or poultry will produce more or less.
180. _To clarify Stock, if required._--In case, by some accident, your
stock should not be clear, put it (say three quarts) into a stewpan, and
place it over a good fire, skim well, and, when boiling, have ready the
whites of three eggs (carefully separated from their yolks), to which
add half a pint of water; whisk well together; then add half a pint of
the boiling stock gradually, still whisking the eggs; then whisk the
boiling stock, pouring the whites of eggs, &c., in whilst so doing,
which continue until nearly boiling again, then take it from the fire,
let it remain until the whites of eggs separate themselves, pass it
through a clean fine cloth into a basin; this must be taken as a rule
for every kind of clear soup, which must be strictly followed by every
person wishing to profit by this little work. These principles, once
learned, would be useful at all times, and save a great deal of useless
reference in the perusal of these receipts; and no persons can make
themselves answerable for the success of any individual in making soups
if the instructions recommended be not strictly followed. The following
rule should be therefore punctually attended to.
All clear soups ought not to be too strong of meat, and must be of a
light brown sherry or straw color. All white or brown thick soups should
be rather thin, with just sufficient consistency to adhere lightly to a
spoon when hot, soups of fish, poultry, or game especially. All purées,
no matter whether of meat or vegetables, require to be somewhat thicker,
which may be ascertained by its adhering more thickly to the spoon.
Every Italian soup must be very clear, rather stronger of meat, and the
color of pale sherry.
By following the few foregoing observations, experience will teach
you volumes; for as there is a great difference in the quality of
different materials (flour, for instance, which, if strong, would
tend to thicken, but, if weak, actually almost turns to water by
boiling), therefore your judgment, with the above few important
remarks, will make you more perfect than the most precise
quantities of weights and measurements, upon that important point.
181. _Clear Vegetable Soup._--Peel a middling-sized carrot and turnip,
which cut first into slices, then into small square pieces about the
size of dice; peel also eighteen button onions; wash the whole in cold
water, and drain them upon a sieve; when dry, put them into a stewpan
with two ounces of butter and a teaspoonful of powdered sugar; set them
upon a very sharp fire for ten minutes, tossing them over every now and
then until the vegetables become covered with a thin shiny glaze, which
may take rather more than the before-mentioned time; care, however, must
be taken, for should you let them get brown, the flavor of the soup
would be spoiled; whilst, upon the other hand, if put in whilst
surrounded with a whitish liquid, your soup would look white and
unsightly; with a little attention, however, success is certain; and,
once accomplished, there would be no difficulty in making any vegetable
soups or sauce, therefore it is very desirable to know how to do it
properly. When done, pour two quarts of clear broth over them, set it
upon the fire, and when upon the point of boiling, place it at the
corner to simmer, until the vegetables are quite tender (the onions
especially), carefully skimming off all the butter as it rises to the
surface; it will require about half an hour's simmering, and there
should be half a pound of vegetables to two quarts of stock; taste if
properly seasoned, which it ought to be with the above proportions, but
use your own judgment accordingly.
By following the last process correctly, the only difference to be made
in those descriptions of soup is in the shape the vegetables are cut.
182. _Printanière Soup._--Cut a small quantity of vegetables as in the
last, but rather less carrot and turnip, introducing a little celery,
leek, and young spring onions, instead of the button onions; proceed
exactly as before, but ten minutes before taking it from the fire, wash
a few leaves of sorrel, which cut small and put into the soup, with six
sprigs of chervil; in summer, a few fresh-boiled peas or French beans
served in it is an improvement.
In whatever shape you may cut the vegetables for soup, always be
cautious not to cut some pieces larger than others, and the whole of
them rather small than large; for if some pieces should be small and
others large, the smaller pieces would be quite in purée, whilst the
larger ones would still be quite hard, which would cause your soup not
only to eat badly, but give it an unsightly appearance, for the
vegetable boiled to a purée would make the soup thick. The above remark,
although simple, is still very important.
183. _Julienne Soup._--This soup is entirely the hereditary property of
France, and is supposed to be so called from the months of June and
July, when all vegetables are in full season; and to make it in reality
as originally made, a small quantity of every description of vegetables
should be used, including lettuce, sorrel, and tarragon; however, some
few sorts of vegetables mixed together make a most estimable soup. Weigh
half a pound of the vegetables in fair proportions to each other; that
is, carrots, turnips, onions, celery, and leeks, which cut into small
fillets an inch in length, and of the thickness of a trussing-needle;
when done, wash dry, and pass them in butter and sugar as before,
proceeding the same with the soup, adding just before it is done a
little sorrel, cabbage-lettuce, and chervil or peas, if handy, but it
would be excellent without either.
184. _Clear Turnip Soup._--Cut, with a round vegetable scoop, about
forty pieces of turnip, of the shape and size of small marbles, which
put into a stewpan, with sugar and butter as before, but fry them of a
light brownish color, and finish the soup, as in the previous receipts.
A tablespoonful of Italian paste, previously half boiled in water, then
drained and finished in the soup, is also an improvement.
185. _Clear Artichoke Soup._--Peel twelve Jerusalem artichokes, which
well wash, then cut as many round scoops as possible, the same as in the
last, proceeding exactly the same. The remainder of either turnips,
artichokes, or carrots may be boiled, and mashed with a little butter,
pepper, and salt, and served as a vegetable, or reserved to make a soup
purée; the remains of other vegetables from the previous soups should
also be reserved for flavoring of stock, instead of using the fresh
vegetables.
186. _Vermicelli._--Put a quart of clear stock into a stewpan upon the
fire, and when boiling add two ounces of vermicelli; boil gently ten
minutes, and it is ready to serve.
187. _Italian Paste._--Procure some small Italian paste, in stars,
rings, or any other shape, but small; put on a quart of stock, and when
boiling, add two ounces of the paste; boil twenty minutes, or rather
more, when it is ready to serve.
188. _Semoulina._--When the stock is boiling, add two tablespoonfuls of
semoulina; boil twenty minutes, and it is then done. Proceed the same
also with tapioca and sago.
189. _Macaroni._--Boil a quarter of a pound of macaroni, in a quart of
water, for ten minutes, then strain it off, and throw it into two quarts
of boiling stock; let simmer gently for half an hour, when serve, with
grated cheese, upon a plate separately.
190. _Rice._--Well wash two ounces of the best rice, strain off the
water, put the rice into a stewpan, with a quart of cold stock, place it
upon the fire, and let simmer about half an hour, until the rice is very
tender, but not in pulp.