sheep. The fore-quarter consists of a shoulder, neck, and breast
together; if cut up, the shoulder and ribs. The hind-quarter is the
leg and loin. The head and pluck consist of the liver, lights,
heart, nut and melt, as also the fry, which is the sweetbread, bits
and skirts, and part of the liver. The fore-quarter should be
fresh, the hind-quarter should hang, it should be of a pale color
and fat. The vein in the fore-quarter ought to be bluish and firm;
if yellow or green, it is very stale. To ascertain if the
hind-quarter is fresh, pass your finger under the kidney, and if
there is a faint smell it is not fresh. If there is but little
flesh on the shoulder it is not fine lamb; those that have short
wool I have found to be the best flavored. Nothing differs so much
in flavor and goodness as this: much depends upon the kind of
pasture on which the ewe is fed; that which is obtained when it is
the dearest has but little flavor, and requires the addition of
lemon and cayenne to make it palatable.
328. _Neck of Lamb à la Jardinière._--Plain roast the neck, as you would
that of mutton; dish it up with sauce, and, whilst it is roasting, cut
one middling-sized carrot in small dice, the same quantity of turnip,
and thirty button onions; wash all in cold water, put them in a small
stewpan, with one ounce of butter and half a teaspoonful of sugar, place
on the fire till no liquid remains in the stewpan; add to it a gill of
brown sauce, half a one of broth, add a small bouquet of parsley and
bay-leaf; after once boiling, set it to simmer on the corner of the
stove, skim off all the fat; when ready, taste if very palatable; it
must be a nice brown color, and the sauce lightly adhere to the back of
the spoon; serve on the dish, place the neck over: white sauce may be
used instead of brown, only add a spoonful of liaison when ready to
serve. This sauce is equally good with almost any kind of meat, game,
and poultry: it will often be referred to, therefore be particular in
making it; you can shape the vegetables in twenty different ways, by
using either green peas, French beans, Brussels sprouts; sprey-grass may
be added, when in season, but should be boiled separately, and added
just previous to serving. Should you have no sauce-water cold, a little
glaze may be used; or, for white sauce, use water and milk.
329. _Saddle of Lamb, Russian fashion._--Roast a small saddle of lamb,
keeping it pale; having had it covered with paper, take ten good-sized
boiled potatoes, mash them with about two ounces of butter, a
teaspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, a tablespoonful of
chopped parsley, and a little grated nutmeg; mix all well together with
a fork, adding half a gill of milk and one egg; when cold, roll them
into a long shape the size of plover's eggs, egg and bread-crumb twice,
and fry light colored; dress the saddle, surround it with the potatoes,
make a sauce of melted butter and maître d'hôtel butter, No. 285, put in
it, and pour it round, and serve. All joints of lamb can be dressed
thus.
330. _Leg or Shoulder of Lamb with Peas._--These must be plain roasted;
when done, serve with peas in the bottom of the dish, prepared as No.
169.
331. _Leg or Shoulder with French Beans._--Plain roast as before;
prepare beans as directed. (See Vegetables.)
332. _Boiled Leg of Lamb with Spinach._--Procure a very small leg, and
cut the end of the knuckle-bone, tie it up in a cloth and place it in
cold water, with two ounces of salt in it, boil it gently according to
size; when done, remove the cloth, and dish it up with spinach under it,
prepared as directed. (See Vegetables.)
333. _Shoulder of Lamb braised._--Take the blade bone from a shoulder
of lamb, and have ready ten long strips of fat bacon, which season
rather highly, with pepper, salt, and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley,
place the pieces, one after the other, in your larding pin, which draw
quickly through the fleshy part of the shoulder, leaving the bacon in
the meat; after having used all the bacon, roll the meat round, and tie
it up with a piece of string; then put it into a stewpan containing a
quarter of a pound of butter over a slow fire, stirring it occasionally
until of a light golden color, when pour in a quart of water or broth,
and add forty button onions, and a bunch of parsley; let simmer very
slowly until the onions are quite tender, when take up the meat, pull
off the string, and dress it upon a dish with the onions round; take the
parsley out of the liquor, from which carefully skim off all the fat,
and reduce it until forming a thinnish glaze, when pour it over the meat
and serve. Mushrooms may be added ten minutes before sending to table.
334. _Breast of Lamb broiled._--Saw off the breast from a rib of lamb,
leaving the neck of sufficient size to roast or for cutlets; then put
two onions, half a carrot, and the same of turnip, cut into thin slices,
in a stewpan with two bay-leaves, a few sprigs of parsley and thyme,
half an ounce of salt, and three pints of water, lay in the breast,
which let simmer until tender, and the bones leave with facility, when
take it from the stewpan, pull out all the bones, and press it between
two dishes; when cold, season with a little salt and pepper, egg and
bread-crumb it lightly over, and broil gently (over a moderate fire) of
a nice yellowish color, turning it very carefully; when sufficiently
browned upon one side, serve with plain gravy in the dish and mint sauce
separately, or with stewed peas or any other vegetable sauce; tomato
sauce is likewise very good served with it.
335. _Lamb's Head._--See Sheep's Head (No. 324). This will take half the
time to cook.
336. _Lamb's Fry._--Take about a pound and boil for ten minutes in half
a gallon of water, take it out and dry on a cloth; have some fresh
crumbs, mix with them half a spoonful of chopped parsley, salt, pepper;
egg the fry lightly with a paste-brush, dip it in the crumbs, fry for
five minutes, serve very hot on a clean napkin in a dish, with fried
parsley over.
337. _Lamb's Head with Hollandaise._--If you want it very white, make
stock as for sheep's feet, put it to stew when done, lay on dish with
about twelve new potatoes (boiled) round it, pour over some cream sauce
(No. 280), and serve.
338. _Lamb's Head, with Brain or Liver._--Blanch the brain or liver, and
mince them as for sheep's head, introducing only the yolk of an egg; mix
with a little milk, stir in quick, add a tablespoonful of chopped
parsley, the juice of half a lemon, lay it on the dish with the head
over, and serve.
PORK.--The flesh of no other animal depends so much upon feeding as
that of pork. The greatest care ought to be observed in feeding it,
at least twenty-one days previous to its being killed; it should
fast for twenty-four hours before. No animal is more used for
nourishment, and none more indispensable in the kitchen; employed
either fresh or salt, all is useful, even to its bristles and its
blood; it is the superfluous riches of the farmer, and helps to pay
the rent of the cottager. It is cut up the same as the ox. The
fore-quarter is the fore-loin and spring; if it is a large pig, the
sparerib may be cut off. The hind-quarter is the leg and loin.
There is also the head and haslet (which is the liver, kidney,
craw, and skirts), and also chitterlings, which are cleansed for
sausages and black puddings. For boiling or roasting it should
never be older than six months, and the leg must not weigh more
than from six to seven pounds. The short-legged, thick-necked, and
small-headed pigs are the best breed, a cross from the Chinese. If
fresh and young, the flesh and fat should be white and firm, smooth
and dry, and the lean break if pinched between the fingers, or you
can nip the skin with the nails; the contrary if old and stale.
339. _Leg of Pork._--Choose the pork as described at the commencement of
this series, if a leg, one weighing about seven pounds; cut an incision
in the knuckle near the thigh, into which put a quantity of sage and
onions, previously passed in butter, sew the incision up with
pack-thread, score the rind of the pork in lines across, half an inch
apart, place upon a spit, running it in just under the rind, and
bringing it out at the knuckle. If stuffed the day previous to
roasting, it would improve its flavor; roast (if weighing seven pounds)
about two hours and a half, and serve with apple sauce in a boat.
340. _Chine of Pork._--Score it well, stuff it thick with pork stuffing,
roast it gently, and serve with apple sauce.
341. _Sparerib of Pork._--When spitted, rub some flour over the rind,
roast it before a clear fire, not too strong, or cover it with paper;
about ten minutes before taking it up, throw some powdered sage over it,
and froth it up with some butter in a spoon, and serve with gravy under.
342. _Loin or Neck of Pork à la Piémontaise._--The neck or loin must be
plain roasted; you have peeled and cut four onions in dice, put them
into a stewpan, with two ounces of butter, stir over the fire until
rather brown, then add a tablespoonful of flour, mix well, add a good
pint of broth, if any, or water, with an ounce of glaze, boil ten
minutes, add two tablespoonfuls of French mustard, with a little pepper,
salt, and sugar, pour the sauce upon the dish, and dress your joint upon
it; serve with a little apple sauce separate in a boat.
343. _Loin or Neck of Pork, Normandy fashion._--Procure a neck or loin,
put it in a common earthen dish, having previously scored the rind, rub
over with a little oil, place about twenty potatoes, cut in halves or in
quarters, in the dish with the pork, ten onions peeled, and twenty
apples, peeled and quartered, place in a warm oven for an hour and a
half or more, then dress it upon your dish with the apples, onions, and
potatoes around, and serve.
344. _Bacon and Ham._--Bacon-pigs are cut up differently for hams,
bacon, &c., but a poleaxe should never be used for killing them, as it
spoils the head. To be good, the fat must be firm, with a slight red
tinge, the lean a dark red, and stick close to the bone; the rind thin,
if young; if old (should it be well fed it is sometimes better), it will
be thick. For hams, choose one short in the hock; run the knife close
under the bone, when it comes out, if not smeared and has a pleasant
smell, it is good.
345. _Ham._--This useful and popular dish, which is equally a favorite
in the palace and the cottage, may be dressed in upwards of fifty
different ways, with as many different dishes, which are described in
their place. They should be well soaked in water, and boiled gently for
three or four hours. If to serve hot, take the skin off, except from the
knuckle, which cut to fancy; trim the fat to a nice appearance, glaze
and serve, or throw over some sifted raspings of bread mixed with a
little chopped parsley. Serve where recommended.
346. _Bacon._--A piece of good streaky bacon, not too salt, should be
put into cold water and boiled for one hour and a half, and served with
broad beans, when in season, round it, or any young peas.
347. _Sucking Pig_ is merely plain roasted, stuffed with veal stuffing,
but before putting it upon the spit it requires to be floured and rubbed
very dry, otherwise the skin would not eat crisp; the usual method of
serving it is to cut off the head, and divide the body and head of the
pig in halves lengthwise; pour over some sauce made of the brains and a
little brown sauce, or of white melted butter, nicely seasoned with
salt, pepper, and sugar; serve apple sauce separate in a boat, if
approved of.
348. _Hind Quarter of Sucking Pig (Yorkshire fashion)._--Cut off the
skin, cover with paper, and roast before a quick fire about three
quarters of an hour; ten minutes before being ready, remove the paper
and baste it; serve with gravy under, and mint sauce and salad.
349. _Salt Pork._--Pork is salted in the same manner as described for
beef, omitting the sal-prunella, but of course not requiring so long a
time; a leg weighing seven pounds would be well salted in a week, as
also would a hand and spring weighing about ten pounds, and either would
require two hours boiling, putting them in a stewpan, with cold water,
and serving with carrots and greens and pease pudding.
350. _Pig's Cheek (a new method)._--Procure a pig's cheek nicely
pickled, boil well until it feels very tender, tie half a pint of split
peas in a cloth, put them into a stewpan of boiling water, boil about
half an hour, take them out, pass through a hair sieve, put them into a
stewpan, with an ounce of butter, a little pepper and salt, and four
eggs, stir them over the fire until the eggs are partially set, then
spread it over the pig's cheek, egg with a paste-brush, sprinkle
bread-crumbs over, place in the oven ten minutes, brown it with the
salamander, and serve.
351. _Pickled Pork (Belly part)._--Choose a nice streaky piece of about
four pounds, it will take about three quarters of an hour boiling;
serve, garnish with greens round it.
352. _Hand of Pork._--Choose one not too salt; boil it for one hour.
Serve as above.
VENISON is cut up the same as mutton, with the exception of the
saddle, which is seldom or never cut; the flesh should be dark,
fine-grained and firm, and a good coating of fat on the back. It
should be well hung and kept in a dry, cold place. By running a
skewer in along the bone, you will know when it is fit for eating;
examine it carefully every morning to cut out any fly-blows.
353. _Haunch of Venison._--A good haunch of venison, weighing from about
twenty to twenty-five pounds, will take from three to four hours
roasting before a good solid fire; trim the haunch by cutting off part
of the knuckle and sawing off the chine-bone; fold the flap over, then
envelop it in a flour and water paste rather stiff, and an inch thick,
tie it up in strong paper, four sheets in thickness, place it in your
cradle spit so that it will turn quite even, place it at first very
close to the fire until the paste is well crusted, pouring a few
ladlefuls of hot dripping over occasionally to prevent the paper
catching fire, then put it rather further from the fire, which must be
quite clear, solid, and have sufficient frontage to throw the same heat
on every part of the venison; when it has roasted the above time take it
up, remove it from the paste and paper, run a thin skewer into the
thickest part to ascertain if done; if it resists the skewer it is not
done, and must be tied up and put down again, but if the fire is good,
that time will sufficiently cook it; glaze the top well, salamander
until a little brown, put a frill upon the knuckle, and serve very hot,
with strong gravy, and plenty of French beans separate.
354. _Neck of Venison_ should be cut like a neck of mutton, taking the
breast off, leaving the neck about nine inches wide; detach the flesh
from the chine-bone, and saw it off, leaving only the cutlet bones, then
pass a lark spit through it, cover it with paste and paper the same as
the haunch, and fix on spit, and roast, if about eight pounds, for two
hours before a good fire.
POULTRY.
This is the best and most delicious of the various matters with
which man furnishes himself as food; although containing but little
nourishment, it gives a delightful variety to our repasts: from the
sparrow to the turkey, we find everywhere, in this numerous class,
that which gives a meal equally as good for the invalid as the
robust.
Increasing every day in luxuries, we have arrived at a point
unknown even to Lucullus; we are not contented with the beautiful
qualities which Nature gives this species, but, under pretence of
improving them, we not only deprive them of their liberty by
keeping them in solitude and in darkness, but force them to eat
their food, and thus bring them to a degree of fatness which Nature
never intended. Even the bird which saved the capital of Rome is
treated with still greater indignity,--thrust into warm ovens and
nearly baked alive to produce those beautiful and delicious livers
so well known to gourmets.[5]
The best way of killing poultry is to take the bird by the neck,
placing the thumb of the right hand just at the back of the head,
closing the head in your hand, your left hand holding the bird,
then press your thumb down hard and pull the head and neck
contrariwise; the neck will break instantaneously, and the bird
will be quite dead in a few seconds, then hang it a short time by
the legs for the blood to flow into the head, which renders the
flesh much whiter. In France they are usually killed by cutting the
throat close to the head; both methods are good with regard to the
whiteness of the flesh, but I prefer the English method, not being
so barbarous.
To pluck either game or poultry have the bird upon a board with its
head towards you, and pull the feathers away from you, which is the
direction they lie in; many persons pull out the feathers in a
contrary direction, by which means they are likely to tear the skin
to pieces, which would very much disfigure the bird for the table.
To draw poultry after it is well plucked, cut a long incision at
the back of the neck, then take out the thin skin from under the
outer with the crop, cut the neck bone off close to the body of the
bird, but leave the skin a good length, make an incision under the
tail just large enough for the gizzard to pass through, no larger;
then put your finger into the bird at the breast and detach all the
intestines, take care not to break the gall-bladder, squeeze the
body of the bird and force out the whole from the incision at the
tail; it is then ready for trussing, the method of doing which will
be given in the various Receipts throughout this series. The above
method of drawing poultry is equally applicable to game.
TURKEY.--The flesh of this bird depends greatly upon its feeding;
it might be made much more valuable for table if proper attention
was paid to it. A young one should have his legs black and smooth
and spurs short, his eyes look fresh and feet limber.
It is singular that this bird should take its name from a country
in which it was never seen; in other countries in Europe it is
called the Indian cock, because, on the first discovery of America
by Columbus, it was supposed to be part of the continent of India,
and thus it received the name of the West Indies; and this bird,
being brought over on the first voyage, was thus named. By many it
is supposed to have been brought over by the Jesuits in Spain and
Portugal. It is familiarly called so. It is also probable that they
were the first who domesticated it. I have seen it stated that it
was known to the Romans, and was served at the marriage of
Charlemagne. From my researches I rather think they confound it
with the pheasant. It has more flavor than any other of our
domestic birds, and is, consequently, held in higher estimation and
enjoys a higher price. Do not fear these long receipts, as each one
contains several.
355. _Plain Roasted Turkey, with Sausages._--This well-known dish, which
has the joyous recollection of Christmas attached to it, and its
well-known cognomen of 'an alderman in chains,' brings to our mind's eye
the famed hospitality of this mighty city. The following is my plan of
cooking it.--It must be first trussed as follows: Having first emptied
it, break the leg-bone close to the foot, and draw out the sinews from
the thigh; cut off the neck close to the back, leaving the skin long;
wipe the inside with a wet cloth, cut the breast-bone through on each
side close to the back, and draw the legs close up; fold a cloth up
several times, place it on the breast, and beat it down until it lies
flat; put a skewer in the joint of the wing, and another through the
middle of the leg and body, one through the small part of the leg and
body, close to the side-bones, and another through the extremity of the
two legs. The liver and gizzard should be placed between the pinions of
the wings, and the points turned on the back. When thus trussed, singe
all the hair off that may remain, take about one pound of stuffing (see
Receipt), and put it under the skin at the neck, tie the skin under, but
not too tight or it may burst in roasting, put it on to a small-sized
spit and fasten it with a holdfast, or hang it neck downwards from a
bottle-jack, put it about eighteen inches from a good roasting-fire, let
it turn about ten minutes, when the skin is firm and dry you press into
the bowl of a wooden spoon, so that it sticks, about one ounce of
butter, and rub the turkey all over with it; when all melted, remove the
turkey eight inches further from the fire: one of about six pounds will
take two hours to roast without pouring any fat over it. In case your
fire is too fierce and likely to break the skin, draw it back still
more; it will, with proper care, be of a golden color. I do not object
to the gizzard being placed under the wing when roasting, but never the
liver, which I cook in the dripping-pan, as the gravy which would run
from it would spoil the color of the breast. When done, remove it, cut
the strings, lay it on your dish, and pour under half a pint of good
brown gravy, or make some with glaze; or, whilst the bird is roasting,
butter the bottom of a small stewpan, pick and slice two onions, lay
them at the bottom, cut the neck in small pieces, add half a spoonful of
salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, a little turnip, one clove, set on a
slow fire till the onions are of a brown color, then add a pint of
water, let it simmer for nearly one hour, then pass it through a sieve
into a basin, skim off the fat, return the gravy again into a stewpan,
give it a boil, and, when the turkey is ready to send to table, pour it
under; if a little beef or veal handy, add it to the gravy if you
require much.
This plan of roasting is adapted for all birds, and all my receipts for
plain roasting of poultry will refer to this, with the alteration of the
time which each takes to cook.
For _Sausages_, I seldom broil them; I prick them with a needle, rub the
bottom of the frying-pan with a little butter, put twelve sausages in
it, and set it on a slow fire and fry gently for about fifteen minutes,
turning them when required (by this plan they will not burst), serve
very hot round the turkey, or on a separate dish, of smoking-hot mashed
potatoes; to vary the gravy I have tried the following plan: take off
the fat which is in the frying-pan into a basin, then add the brown
gravy, mix a good teaspoonful of arrow-root in a cup with a wineglassful
of cold water, pour in the pan, boil a few minutes, pass it through a
sieve, and serve with the turkey. The gravy this way is excellent.
356. _Turkey with flat Sausage Cake._--Roast as before, fry thirty oval
flat sausages (see Receipt), the same quantity of the same sized pieces
of bacon, a quarter of an inch thick, make a border of mashed potatoes
about the size of a finger, one inch inside the edge of the dish, dress
your sausages and bacon on it as a crown alternately, put your turkey in
the middle, and gravy over, or glaze, if handy; plain boiled tongue may,
of course, be served with the turkey, or separate on a dish of greens;
if any remains of tongue from a previous day, it may be served instead
of the sausages, cut the same shape as sausages and warmed in a pan; if
so, put a nice green Brussels sprout between each piece. Bread sauce is
generally served with this dish; for my own part, I never eat it.
BOILED TURKEY.--This is a dish I rarely have, as I never could
relish it boiled as it generally is, by putting it into that pure
and chaste element water, into which has been thrown some salt, the
quantity of which differs as much as the individuals that throw it
in. I often reflect to myself, why should this innocent and
well-brought up bird have its remains condemned to this watery
bubbling inquisition, especially when alive it has the greatest
horror of this temperate fluid; it is really for want of reflection
that such mistakes occur: the flavor of a roasted turkey, hot or
cold, is as superior to the boiled as it is possible to be. But yet
there is a kind of boiling which can be adopted, and which I
sometimes practise, which makes a nice palatable dish, and the
broth can be used for other purposes. I think, if you try it, you
will never again resort to that bubbling system of salt and water.
I proceed as follows:--