directed for goose, and for variety, should peas be in season, a pint
previously boiled may be added to the hash just before serving. The sage
and apple must in all cases be omitted.
380. _Ducks à l'Aubergiste (or Tavern-keepers' fashion)._--Truss one or
two ducks with the legs turned inside, put them into a stewpan with a
quarter of a pound of butter; place them over a slow fire, turning round
occasionally, until they have taken a nice brown color, add two
spoonfuls of flour, mix well with them, add a quart of water, with half
a tablespoonful of salt and sugar, let simmer gently until the ducks are
done (but adding forty button onions well peeled as soon as it begins to
boil), keep hot; peel and cut ten turnips in slices, fry them in a
frying-pan in butter, drain upon a cloth, put them into the sauce, and
stew until quite tender; dress the ducks upon your dish, skim the fat
from the sauce, which has attained a consistency, add some fresh
mushrooms, pour round the ducks and serve.
FLANCS.
At this part of the dinner there are those dishes which are called
Flancs, by which is understood, those dishes whose contents are not
so large as the removes and not so small as the entrées, and the
Receipts for which may be taken from either of those departments,
with this difference;--instead of meat or poultry being cut up, it
should be left whole: for instance, a loin of mutton, instead of
being cut up into cutlets, should be served whole, with some sauce
under it, and a duck, instead of being divided, should be left
whole, with some sauce. It is also a great addition in the
appearance of the table, and should always be served in a
differently-formed dish to the entrées or removes; and are only
required when eighteen or twenty persons dine, and four corner
dishes are used.
ENTRÉES OR MADE DISHES.
ENTRÉES are, in common terms, what are called made-dishes; of
course, these are dishes upon which, in the high class of cookery,
the talent of the cook is displayed. Great care should be observed
in dishing them up, for the eye is a great assistance to the
palate; it often happens that the carelessness of the servant
destroys the labors of the cook, by the manner in which the dish is
taken from the kitchen to the dining-room. In some measure to avoid
that, I direct a small thin border of mashed potatoes, about half
an inch wide and a quarter of an inch deep, to be placed on the
bottom of the dish, which keeps each object in its place: they
should always be served exceedingly hot.
_Made Dishes of Beef._--The remainder of any cooked joints of beef may
be advantageously and economically dressed in the following ways:
381. _Hashed Beef._--Cut the beef into small thin slices, which lay upon
a plate, and to every pound of beef add half a tablespoonful of flour, a
little chopped onion or eschalot, two salt-spoonfuls of salt, and a half
one of pepper, mix the whole well together, and put it into a saucepan,
with half a pint of water, stir it over the fire until upon the point of
boiling, when set it at the corner of the fire to simmer for ten
minutes; it is then ready to serve. A great improvement to the
appearance of hash may be effected by adding a few spoonfuls of brown
gravy (No. 177), or a teaspoonful of coloring (No. 178), which might
always be kept in a bottle. The flavor of any kind of hash may be
varied, by adding a few sprigs of parsley, or thyme, or a couple of
bay-leaves, or a little tarragon, or a few spoonfuls of catsup, Soyer's,
Harvey's, Soho, or Reading sauce.
382. _Miroton of Beef._--Peel and cut into thin slices two large onions,
put them in a stewpan or saucepan, with two ounces of salt butter, place
it over a slow fire, keeping the onions stirred round with a wooden
spoon until rather brown, but not burnt in the least, then add a
teaspoonful of flour, which mix well in, and moisten with half a pint of
water or broth if handy, season with three saltspoonfuls of salt, two of
sugar, and one of pepper if water has been used, but if broth, diminish
the quantity of salt, add a little coloring (No. 178), to improve its
appearance; put in the beef, which you have previously cut into small
thin slices, as free from fat as possible, let it remain a few minutes
upon the fire to simmer, and serve upon a hot dish. To vary the flavor,
a tablespoonful of vinegar might be added, or half a glass of sherry.
The above proportions are sufficient for one pound and a half of solid
meat, and of course could be increased or diminished, if more or less
meat.
383. _Another way._--Prepare the meat precisely as in the last, and when
done put it into a pie-dish, sprinkle bread-crumbs lightly over, enough
to cover the meat, upon which lay a small piece of butter, put the dish
in the oven for half an hour, or before the fire, with a screen behind
it, turning the dish round occasionally. By grating the crust of bread
you would obtain some brown bread-crumbs, which would do equally as well
as bread rubbed through a sieve.
Should you have any cold from the first receipt, it may be served as
here directed; but being cold, would require to be longer in the oven to
become well hot through.
384. _Another way._--If any left from a previous dinner, put it in a
dish, placing the meat in the centre, rather higher, cover over with
some delicate mashed potatoes, about two inches in thickness, to form a
dome, rub some egg over with a paste-brush, and sprinkle crumbs of bread
(either grated or otherwise) upon the top, and set in the oven until
well browned, when serve.
385. _A quicker way._--Cook a few slices of lean bacon in a frying-pan,
but not too much, lay some of them in the bottom of the pie-dish, over
which lay slices of beef cut thin, which season with a little pepper,
salt, chopped parsley, and chopped eschalots (if not objectionable),
sprinkle over a little flour, proceeding thus until the dish is pretty
full, when pour over half a gill of broth or water, to which you have
added a little coloring, No. 178, (more seasoning would be required if
water was used), set the dish in the oven (having previously covered the
meat over with mashed potatoes) for about an hour. By adding half the
above quantity of liquor, the meat might be covered with a thin suet
crust and served as a pie, as also might any of the former receipts, in
which also a bay-leaf, chopped parsley, or even chopped gherkins, might
be served, being a great improvement.
386. _Beef Palates._--Although this is an article very seldom used in
small families, they are very much to be commended; they may be dressed
in various ways, and are not expensive, about four would be sufficient
for a dish. Put them into a large stewpan of lukewarm water, where let
them remain four or five hours to disgorge, after which pour off the
water, cover again with fresh water, and place the stewpan upon the fire
until the palates become hard, when take out one, which dip into cold
water, scrape it with a knife, and if the skin comes off easily, take
out the remainder, but if not, let them remain a short time longer,
scrape them until you have got off all the skin, and nothing but the
white half transparent substance remains. Then make a white stock as
directed (No. 130), in which boil them three or four hours until very
tender, which try with the point of a knife, then take them up, lay them
flat upon a dish, covered with a little of the stock, and place another
dish of the same size over, to keep them flat, let remain until cold,
when they are ready to serve in either of the following ways:--
387. _Beef Palates à la Bretonne._--Peel and cut two large onions into
slices, which put into a stewpan, with an ounce of butter, stirring them
over the fire until lightly fried, when add a teaspoonful of flour,
which mix well in, and a gill of broth, season with a little pepper,
salt, and sugar, add a few drops of brown gravy or browning (No. 179),
and a spoonful of mustard; boil the whole, keeping it stirred until
forming a thickish pulp, when cut the palates into square pieces, and
put into it; when well hot through they are ready to serve; also make a
curry sauce, as No. 151; cut your palate and warm in it, serve with rice
separate, and it is delicious.
388. _Beef Palates à la Poulette._--Make a little white sauce as
directed, No. 130; after having prepared the palates, cut them into
square pieces, and put them into a stewpan, just covered with some of
the white sauce, season with a little white pepper, salt, sugar, chopped
parsley, and the juice of half a lemon; let them simmer about five
minutes, when pour in a liaison of one yolk of an egg, mixed with two
tablespoonfuls of cream or milk, stir it in rather quickly, and not
afterwards permitting it to boil, then turn it upon your dish, place
sippets of toasted bread round, and serve: chopped parsley and a little
lemon may be added.
389. _Beef Palates à la Maître d'Hôtel._--Cut up the palates as in the
last, and put them into a stewpan, just covered with melted butter, to
which add a gill of milk, let simmer very gently about ten minutes,
stirring it round occasionally; have ready two ounces of well-seasoned
maître d'hôtel butter, which put into the stewpan, shaking it round
until the butter is melted and well mixed, when serve as in the last.
390. _Ox-tails à la Jardinière._--Cut and cook two ox-tails as directed
for soup, but just before they are done, skim well, and take out the
pieces of tails, which put upon a dish, then in another stewpan put two
ounces of butter, to which, when melted, add three ounces of flour,
stirring it over the fire until forming a brownish roux (thickening),
then mix by degrees two quarts of the stock the tails were boiled in,
and boil altogether ten minutes, then put in the tails, with one carrot
and two turnips (cut into small dice, or any other shape, with a
vegetable cutter), and about thirty button onions; let the whole simmer
very gently upon the corner of the fire, keeping it well skimmed, until
the vegetables are tender, and the sauce sufficiently thick to adhere to
the back of the spoon, when dress the meat upon a dish, reduce the
sauce, which pour over, and serve.
391. _Ox-tails au Gratin._--Cook two ox-tails as before, and when cold,
dry them upon a cloth, season with pepper and salt, have a couple of
eggs well beaten upon a plate, into which dip each piece singly,
afterwards throwing them into a dish of bread-crumbs, to cover every
part, then beat them lightly with a knife, and again egg and bread-crumb
them, broil them upon a gridiron, or place them in a very hot oven until
of a brownish color, when serve with any sauce you may fancy, or with a
little plain gravy.
392. _Ox-tails, Sauce piquante._--Cook the tails as before, and when
done dress them upon your dish pyramidically, then make about a pint of
sharp sauce, No. 135, but omitting half the quantity of vinegar, and
reducing it until rather thick; season rather highly, add three or four
gherkins chopped very fine, pour the sauce over, and serve.
393. _Ox Heart._--This dish, although not very _recherché_, is a good
family one, and remarkable for its cheapness. Put it into lukewarm water
one hour to disgorge, then wipe it well with a cloth, and stuff the
interior with a highly-seasoned veal stuffing, tie it up in paper, and
pass a small spit through the sides, set it before a good fire for about
two hours to roast, keeping it well basted; when done, take off the
paper, and serve with any sharp sauce, or a little plain gravy. Two
hours would be sufficient to roast a large heart; but if smaller, of
course less time in proportion would be required. I have also stuffed a
heart with sage and onion, and even ventured the apple sauce: both
succeeded admirably.
I remember, when in business, upon one occasion, having a few
friends pop in unexpectedly about luncheon-time upon a Saturday
(which is a day I always contrived to keep my larder as short as
possible), and having nothing but a heart as a meal to give them, I
immediately gave orders to the cook to cut it into slices half an
inch thick, dip each piece in flour, and afterwards egg and
bread-crumb them, then to put four spoonfuls of oil in the
frying-pan, lay part of the pieces in, and sauté of a nice color,
then to keep them hot in a dish and sauté the remainder; and when
all done, to pour off part of the oil, put a teaspoonful of flour
in the pan, mixing it with the remaining oil and gravy, then
pouring in a gill of water, season with a little pepper and salt,
four spoonfuls of the vinegar from piccalilly, and a little of the
pickle finely chopped; boil the whole a minute, pour over the
heart, and serve very hot. It pleased very much, and I have since
had some with a little plain gravy, and broiled bacon: in both
instances it was very good.
394. _Potato Sandwiches._--Sauté the slices of beef as directed for
bubble and squeak, cover one side of each piece with mashed potatoes a
quarter of an inch in thickness, egg and bread-crumb over, then proceed
the same with the other sides, fry in hot fat of a light brown color, as
you would a sole, and serve. Any kind of fresh meat may be used in the
same way.
395. _Bubble and Squeak._--I am certain you must know, as well as
myself, of our hereditary dish called bubble and squeak; but, like the
preparation of other things, there is a good way and a bad; and, as you
prefer the former to the latter, proceed as follows:--Boil a few greens,
or a savoy cabbage (which has been previously well-washed), in plain
water until tender, which then drain until quite dry in a colander or
sieve, put it upon a trencher, and chop it rather fine with a knife,
then for a pound of salt beef you have in slices, put nearly a quarter
of a pound of butter into a frying-pan, in which sauté the beef gently
but not too dry; when done, keep it hot, put the cabbage in the
frying-pan, season with a little salt and pepper, and when hot through,
dress it upon a dish, lay the beef over and serve. Endive or large
cabbage-lettuces may be used instead of cabbage, but care must be taken
to drain off all the water.
396. _Stewed Beef or Rump Steak._--Have a steak weighing two pounds, and
an inch and a half in thickness, then put two ounces of butter at the
bottom of a stewpan, when melted lay in the steak, with a quarter of a
pound of lean bacon cut into very small square pieces, place the stewpan
over the fire, turning the steak over occasionally until a little
browned, when lay it out upon a dish, then add a tablespoonful of flour
to the butter in the stewpan, which continue stirring over the fire
until forming a brownish roux, then again lay in the steak, add a pint
of water, with a glass of sherry if handy, and a little pepper, salt,
and a couple of bay-leaves, let simmer slowly for one hour, when skim
off all the fat, and add twenty button onions, let it again simmer until
the onions are very tender, as likewise the steak, which dress upon a
dish, take the onions and bacon out with a colander-spoon, and lay them
upon the steak, pour the sauce round and serve. This slow process must
not alarm you.
397. _Ox Brains_ are prepared exactly as directed for calf's brains, but
being larger, require much longer to disgorge, as also a proportionate
time longer to cook; when done, in addition to the sauce ordered for
calf's brains, they may be served with strips of bacon broiled and
dressed in a border round, sauce over with highly-seasoned melted butter
and parsley sauce. You must observe, that all such kind of dishes being
of themselves naturally tasteless, require to be highly seasoned: any
sharp sauce is good with it.
398. _Beef à-la-Mode._--Procure a small piece of rump, sirloin, or ribs
of beef, about twelve pounds in weight, take away all the bone, and lard
the meat through with ten long pieces of fat bacon, then put it into a
long earthen pan, with a calf's foot, four onions, two carrots, cut in
slices if large, a bunch of parsley, two bay-leaves, two sprigs of
thyme, two cloves stuck into one of the onions, half a teaspoonful of
pepper, one of salt, four wine-glasses of sherry, four ditto of water,
and a pound of streaky bacon cut in squares, place the cover over the
pan with a piece of common flour and water paste round the edges to
keep it perfectly air-tight, and place it in a moderate oven four hours,
when take out of the pan, and dress upon a dish with the vegetables and
bacon round, skim and pass the gravy through a hair sieve, which pour
over and serve. But the above is best eaten cold, when it should not be
taken from the pan, or the pan opened until nearly so.
A long brown earthen pan for the above purposes may be obtained at any
china warehouse, but should you not be able to procure one, a stewpan
must supply its place.
399. _Another method._--Have ready six pounds of rump of beef, cut into
pieces two inches square, each of which lard through with two or three
strips of bacon; have also two pounds of streaky bacon, which clear from
the rind and cut into squares half the size of the beef, put the whole
into an earthen pan, with two calf's feet (cut up small), half a pint of
sherry, two bay-leaves, a sprig of thyme, a bunch of parsley, four
onions, with a clove stuck in each, a blade of mace, and half a pint of
water, cover the pan as in the last, and put it in a moderate oven for
three hours; when done, do not remove the lid until three parts cold,
then take out the meat, lay some of the beef at the bottom of the
stewpan (not too large), then a little bacon, then more beef, and so on
alternately, press them lightly together, pass the gravy through a hair
sieve over, and leave it until quite cold and set, when dip the stewpan
into hot water, and turn it out upon a dish to serve. The calf's feet
may be made hot in a little of the stock, to which add two pats of
butter, with which you have mixed a teaspoonful of flour, season with a
little chopped parsley and half a spoonful of vinegar, and serve as an
entrée. The above is excellent either hot or cold.
400. _Fillet of Beef._--Procure a piece of fillet of beef weighing about
two or three pounds, which may be obtained at any butcher's, being cut
from underneath the rump; trim off part of the fat, so as to round the
fillet, which cut into slices the thickness of your finger, beat them
lightly with a chopper, and cut the thin skin which covers the top of
the fillet, to prevent their curling up whilst broiling; place them
upon a gridiron over a sharp fire, seasoning with a little salt and
pepper, and turning three or four times to preserve the gravy: about six
or seven minutes will be sufficient to cook them. Three or four slices
would be sufficient for a corner dish; but if for a principal dish, of
course more would be required. Fillet of beef dressed as above may be
rubbed over with maître d'hôtel or anchovy butter, and served very hot.
401. _Fillet of Beef sauté._--After having cut the fillet in slices as
in the last, put two ounces of butter into a clean frying-pan, which set
upon the fire, and when melted, lay in the meat, seasoned with a
saltspoonful of salt and half that quantity of pepper to each piece;
turn them over three or four times whilst cooking, and, when done, dress
upon your dish, with either of the butters mentioned in the last spread
over.
402. _Another method._--When the fillets are dished up, put a
tablespoonful of chopped onions into the pan they were cooked in, which
cook for about a minute, but not letting them burn, then pour off part
of the fat, if too much, and add two teaspoonfuls of flour; stir with a
wooden spoon until becoming brownish, then add nearly a pint of water, a
tablespoonful of vinegar, and a few drops of browning; let it boil a few
minutes, seasoning with a little pepper, salt, and sugar; when of the
consistency of thick sauce, pour over the fillets and serve. A few
chopped pickles of any description (but not too hot) might be
introduced, but then half the quantity of vinegar would be sufficient. A
spoonful of Harvey's sauce may be added, and a little glaze improves it.
Mutton, lamb, or pork-chops, or veal-cutlets may be dressed in a similar
manner.
403. _Minced Beef._--Cut a pound and a half of lean cooked beef into
very small dice, which put upon a plate; in a stewpan put a good
teaspoonful of finely-chopped onions, with a piece of butter of the size
of a walnut, which stir over the fire until the onions become lightly
browned, when stir in half a tablespoonful of flour, with which mix by
degrees half a pint of broth (or water) to which you have added a few
drops of browning and a teaspoonful of vinegar; let it boil five
minutes, stirring it the whole time; then throw in the meat, season
rather highly with a little pepper and salt, and, when hot, pour it into
a deep dish, and serve with sippets of toasted bread round, or poached
eggs on it.
404. _Croquettes of Beef._--Proceed precisely as in the last, but
omitting the vinegar; when done, stir in two yolks of eggs quickly, stir
another minute over the fire, then pour it upon a dish until cold; have
a couple of eggs well beaten upon a plate, also some bread-crumbs in a
separate dish, then divide the preparation into about a dozen pieces,
which roll up into round balls, or any other shape, and throw them into
the bread-crumbs, move them over until well covered, then roll them into
the egg, then the bread-crumbs again, from which take them gently,
patting the surface lightly with a knife, put them into very hot lard or
fat to fry of a yellowish-brown color, being careful not to break them
whilst frying; when done drain them upon a cloth, and serve either upon
a napkin or with fried parsley.
405. _A Family French Salad for the Summer._--I can assure you that,
when in France during the hot weather, I used to enjoy the following
salads immensely, having them usually twice a week for my dinner; they
are not only wholesome, but cheap and quickly done. Cut up a pound of
cold beef into thin slices, which put into a salad-bowl with about half
a pound of white fresh lettuce, cut into pieces similar to the beef,
season over with a good teaspoonful of salt, half that quantity of
pepper, two spoonfuls of vinegar, and four of good salad oil, stir all
together lightly with a fork and spoon, and when well mixed it is ready
to serve.
For a change, cabbage-lettuce may be used, or, if in season, a little
endive (well washed), or a little celery, or a few gherkins; also, to
vary the seasoning, a little chopped tarragon and chervil, chopped
eschalots, or a little scraped garlic, if approved of, but all in
proportion, and used with moderation. White haricot beans are also
excellent with it.
406. _Potatoes and Meat Salad._--Proceed as in the last, but omitting
the lettuce; if any cold potatoes remain from a previous dinner, peel
and cut them in halves if small, but in quarters if large, and then into
pieces the size of a shilling but four times the thickness; put them
into a salad-bowl with the meat, seasoning as before, but using more oil
and vinegar, and adding a teaspoonful of chopped parsley. A small
quantity of any description of pickles might be added to this salad, as
also some anchovies or olives. The remains of any fowls, turkey, cold
veal, lamb, or even mutton, may be mixed in salads, but, according to
our habits, many persons would fancy they were not nutritious; of that I
can assure them to the contrary.[7]
407. _Ox-Kidneys._--Cut a nice fresh ox-kidney into slices, each being
about the size of a half-crown piece, but double the thickness (avoiding
the white part, or root, which is tough and indigestible), then put a
quarter of a pound of butter into a stewpan upon the fire, and when very
hot but not black, put in the pieces of kidney, stirring them round with
a wooden spoon three minutes over a brisk fire; then add, for each pound
weight of kidney, half a tablespoonful of flour, half a teaspoonful of
salt, half the quantity of pepper, and a little sugar, moisten with a
gill of water and half a glass of sherry, add a little browning if
handy, and let simmer gently for five minutes, stirring them round
occasionally; if too thick, add a few drops more of water, the same
should be sufficiently thick to adhere to the back of the spoon, pour
them out upon your dish, and serve very hot. Broth might be used instead
of water if convenient, but then the seasoning should be a little
diminished, a little chopped eschalot, parsley, or a few mushrooms,
would be an improvement.