in salad of game (No. 628), fill the centre with some nice fresh salad,
then take the flesh from a middling-sized lobster, which cut into as
large slices as possible, which put into a basin, and season with a
little pepper, salt, oil, and vinegar, after which dress them
pyramidically upon the salad, and have ready the following sauce: put
the yolks of two fresh eggs in a basin, with the yolk of a hard-boiled
one rubbed through a sieve, add half a saltspoonful of salt, and half
that quantity of white pepper, and commence stirring round with a wooden
spoon with the right hand, holding a bottle of salad oil in the left,
dropping it in by degrees and continually stirring, and when becoming
thickish add a couple of spoonfuls of common vinegar by degrees, still
keeping it stirred, then more oil, proceeding thus until you have used
three parts of a pint of oil, and a corresponding quantity of vinegar,
by continually working, it will form a stiffish cream-looking sauce
perfectly smooth; add a little more seasoning if required, and a
teaspoonful of chopped parsley, with half that quantity of chopped
eschalots, pour over the lobster and serve. Should the sauce curdle in
making, the operation must be again performed, putting a yolk of an egg
into another basin, working it with a little oil until forming a
stiffish paste, when stir in the curdled sauce by degrees until the
whole becomes smooth; always choose a cool place to make it in.
624. _Fish Salads._--All fish salads are made precisely as in the last,
but with the exception of fillets of sole salad, are made from the
remains of fish from a previous dinner, especially turbot and salmon;
but for fillets of soles they must be dressed thus:--
When filleted, melt an ounce of butter in a sauté-pan, lay the fillets
in, season with pepper and salt, and the juice of half a lemon; sauté
them on a slow fire until done, which may be from four to five minutes,
and put by to get cold; cut in middle-sized pieces, and use as lobster.
625. _New Mayonnaise Sauce._--Put a quarter of a pint of melted aspic
upon ice in a stewpan, which keep whisking until becoming a white froth,
then add half a pint of salad oil and six spoonfuls of tarragon vinegar,
by degrees, first oil and then vinegar, continually whisking until it
forms a white smooth sauce, to all appearance like a cream; season with
half a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, and a little
sugar, whisk it a little more, and it is ready to serve; it is usually
dressed pyramidically over the article it is served with. The advantage
of this sauce (which is more delicate than any other) is, that you may
dress it to any height you like and it will remain so for a long time;
if the temperature is not too hot it will remain hours without melting
or appearing greasy.
626. _Tartar Sauce._--Rub the yolk of a cold hard-boiled egg through a
hair sieve into a basin, to which add the yolks of two raw eggs, with a
little salt and pepper; mix all together with a wooden spoon; have a
pint of good salad oil in a bottle, hold it with the left hand over the
basin, dropping it in very gradually, and with the right continue
stirring it round until it becomes rather thick, then moisten it with a
little tarragon vinegar, still keeping it stirred, then more oil, and so
on until you have used all the oil, keeping it rather thick; then add a
tablespoonful of finely chopped gherkins, half a ditto of chopped
capers, half a ditto of chopped eschalots, and the same of chopped
parsley, two of French mustard, a little cayenne pepper, sugar, and more
salt if required; it is then ready for use. This sauce requires to be
rather highly seasoned. Common vinegar may be used.
627. _Salmon in marinade._--Have two good slices of salmon cut about
four inches and a half in thickness, in a stewpan have three onions cut
in slices, as also a turnip, a carrot, a head of celery cut small, a
good half handful of parsley, two bay-leaves, and two ounces of butter;
pass the whole ten minutes over a sharp fire, then add a pint of
vinegar, a blade of mace, half a dozen peppercorns, and one ounce of
salt; let simmer, then add three pints of water, put in the salmon,
which simmer gently about half an hour, and leave in the marinade until
cold, when serve with a little of the marinade strained through a hair
sieve in the dish. Trout, mackerel, herrings, sprats, and fillets of
sole or brill, are also very nice cooked in the same manner. A part of
the above marinade may be made at any time, and almost any kind of fish
remaining from a previous dinner may be done the same, and eaten cold.
628. _Salad of Game._--Boil eight eggs hard, shell them, throw them into
cold water, cut a thin slice off the bottom to facilitate the proper
placing of them in the dish, cut each one into four, lengthwise, make a
very thin flat border of butter about one inch from the edge of the
dish you are going to serve them on; fix the pieces of egg upright,
close to each other, the yolk outside, or alternately the white and
yolk; you lay in the centre a layer of fresh salad that may be in
season, and having previously roasted a young grouse rather underdone,
which you cut into eight or ten pieces, then prepare sauce as follows:
put a spoonful of eschalots, finely chopped, in a basin, one ditto of
pounded sugar, the yolk of one egg, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley,
tarragon, or chervil, and a quarter of an ounce of salt, mix in by
degrees with a wooden spoon, four spoonfuls of oil and two of Chili
vinegar; when all mixed, put it on ice, or in a cold place; when ready
to serve up, whip a gill of cream rather thick, which lightly mix with
it, then lay the inferior parts of the grouse on the salad, sauce over
so as to cover each piece, then lay over the salad and the remainder of
the grouse; sauce over, and serve. The eggs may be ornamented with a
little dot of radishes on the point, or beet-root. Anchovy and gherkin,
cut into small diamonds, may be placed between, or cut gherkins in
slices, and lay a border of them round, or in any way your fancy may
dictate.
629. _Salad of Fowl._--Proceed as for that of game, so far as the eggs
and the salad are concerned; then have a chicken, which has been
previously plain roasted, or in vegetables, and cut it into ten pieces,
put it into a basin, season with a teaspoonful of salt, quarter ditto of
pepper, two tablespoonfuls of oil, one of vinegar, one onion sliced, and
a few sprigs of chopped parsley, mix them well, and let them remain for
a few hours, if time will permit. Take the pieces of chicken, and place
in a dish with salad, as directed for grouse, with the sauce, &c., and
serve. Nothing is better for ball-suppers than these kinds of dishes;
they may be made of all kinds of solid fish, and the sauce is excellent;
any kind of cold meat, dressed round with the sauce, may be served for
supper or luncheon. It may be served with the same sauce or dressing as
for Lobster Salad (or No. 623), or make the following one, which differs
a little:--Put into a middle-sized, round-bottomed basin the yolk of two
eggs, half a spoonful of salt, quarter of one of pepper, half a one of
sugar, ditto of fine chopped onions, ditto of parsley, or of tarragon,
or of chervil, stir with the right hand with a wooden spoon, while you
pour some oil out of the bottle by keeping your thumb on its mouth, so
that it runs out very slowly; when a few spoonfuls are in it, it will
become quite stiff; pour also by degrees a few spoonfuls of vinegar, and
so on until you have made enough for your salad; try if the flavor is
good and relishing, as the quality of these two last ingredients varies
so much, that I must leave it to your more simple and correct judgment.
If you should fail at first, try again until you succeed, and I am
certain you will be delighted with the result; it ought to be made in a
cold place, particularly in summer. Great taste should be observed in
the decoration of the border.
SHELL FISH.
_Prawns_ are best when very red and have no spawn under the tail.
The _Escalop_ is a fish very little used, but is exceedingly fine;
it is in season at the same time as the oyster. It can be cooked in
a variety of ways, but previous to doing which, it should be kept
some time in salt water, so that it may free itself from any sand
that may be in it; when opened, all the beard should be removed,
and only the white, red, and black parts used; it may be cooked and
used in every way like oysters, and is excellent with matelote of
any kind of fish.
_Razor Shell Fish_ or _Solen Fish_.--This is the aulo of the
Romans, and a beautiful eating fish. It should also be cooked like
oysters, and makes most excellent and strengthening soup.
OYSTERS.--No oyster should be eaten under four years old; their age
is known by their shell--just the same as the age of a tree is
known by its bark, or a fish by its scale, and the small oyster has
the finest flavor.
630. _Escaloped Oysters._--Put two dozen of oysters with their liquor
into a stewpan, place over a fire, and when a little firm, drain them
upon a sieve, catching the liquor in another stewpan; detach the beard
from the oysters, and throw them again into their liquor; add half a
blade of mace, place again upon the fire, and, when boiling, add a piece
of butter the size of a walnut, with which you have mixed a teaspoonful
of flour; shake round over the fire until becoming thick, season with a
little cayenne, and salt if required; have an escalop shell, well
buttered and bread-crumbed; place the oysters in, sprinkle bread-crumbs
over, put it in the oven a quarter of an hour, pass the salamander over,
and serve. The yolk of eggs may be added, and less flour.
631. _Stewed Oysters._--Blanch and beard the oysters as above; when
done, put them with their liquor in a stewpan, with four cloves, a blade
of mace, and a teaspoonful of essence of anchovies, with a little
chopped parsley and cayenne; let simmer a minute, stir in two pats of
butter with which you have mixed half a teaspoonful of flour, let simmer
a little longer, lay the oysters in your dish upon a piece of toast, and
sauce over.
632. _Shrimps._--Of these there are several varieties; a diversity
of opinion exists amongst epicures of this little animal which is
the best; but in my opinion a great deal depends on the manner of
boiling, and their freshness.
The following is the plan: I prefer them boiled; to one gallon of water
put two ounces of salt, one sprig of lemon thyme and one of mint, and
let it boil; when boiling hard, put one quart of shrimps into an open
wire or wicker basket with a handle, and place it in the water: the time
they take to boil depends on the size of the fish, but may be known by
their changing color; be particular not to boil them too much, or they
will be tasteless and indigestible.
633. _Forcemeat._--You will find this receipt so useful, and so
often in use in made dishes, soups, fish, entrées, &c., that I must
beg of you to devote to it your personal attention; and being
rather difficult to execute, be present when your cook makes it,
that she may follow strictly the receipt, which I flatter myself is
rather original.
Take a pound and a half of lean veal, and cut it in long thin slices,
scrape with a knife till nothing but the skin remains; put it in a
mortar, pound it ten minutes, or until in a purée, pass it through a
wire sieve (use the remainder in stock), then take one pound of good
fresh beef suet, which shred and chop very fine, put it in your mortar
and pound it, then add six ounces of panada (made as under) with the
suet, pound them well together, and add the veal, season with a
teaspoonful of salt, a quarter one of pepper, half that of nutmeg, work
all well together, then add five eggs by degrees, continually pounding
the contents of the mortar; when well mixed, take a small piece in a
spoon, and poach it in some boiling water, and if it is delicate, firm
and a good flavor, it is ready for use; if you require some very
delicate, add two tablespoonfuls of white sauce, or even thick melted
butter; you can vary the flavor by the addition of a spoonful of chopped
parsley, eschalot, mushroom, &c., the flesh of rabbit or fowl, or hare,
pheasant, grouse, &c., if plentiful, may be added, using the ingredients
in proportion. One quarter of this quantity may be made if required.
634. _Panada for Forcemeats._--Put two thirds of half a pint of water
into a stewpan holding a quart, with nearly an ounce of butter; when
boiling, stir in a quarter of a pound of flour; keep it moving over the
fire until it forms a smooth and toughish paste; take it out of the
stewpan, and when cold use it where directed.
635. _Forcemeats of Fish._--These are much in use in France and other
Catholic countries, especially in Lent, but they are a very excellent
garnish for entrées of fish; they may be made of the flesh of almost all
kinds of fish, more particularly the pike, salmon, trout, sole, haddock,
and the whiting, which last is the most delicate.
636. _Forcemeat of Whitings._--Take the fillets of three whitings, take
off all the skin, and pound them well, then take them from the mortar,
and form them into a ball; have a piece of panada (No. 634) one third
the size of the ball, put the panada into the mortar, pound it well,
then add two ounces of fresh butter, which mix well with the panada,
then add the fish, season with pepper, salt, and a little grated nutmeg;
mix all well together, then add by degrees three whole eggs and the
yolks of two, try it in a little boiling water as directed for the
forcemeat of veal. These are served generally as a meagre dish with a
fish sauce, in Catholic families, especially in Lent time.
637. _Stuffing for Veal._--Chop up half a pound of beef suet very fine,
put it in a basin, with eight ounces of bread-crumbs, four ounces of
chopped parsley, a tablespoonful of equal quantities of powdered thyme
and marjoram, and a bay-leaf, the rind of a lemon grated, and the juice
of half one; season with pepper and salt, and one quarter of a nutmeg;
mix the whole with three whole eggs; this will do also to stuff turkey
or baked fish, adding some more chopped parsley.
VEGETABLES.
In describing to you the different ways these may be dressed, I beg
of you to make a constant use of them at your own table, as you
will find they will be much better than partaking of half-raw
greens, cabbage, turnip-tops, spinach, &c., and are less inviting
in flavor, and, consequently, do not get consumed so much as they
ought, which causes more meat to be eaten, and instead of
refreshing the blood, as all vegetables will do in their season,
only irritate it. Do not misunderstand me respecting our English
way of partaking of plain boiled vegetables; I do not wish you to
give them up entirely, but by adopting both plans, you will find it
a great advantage in our domestic cookery. For my part, I do not
object to our plain boiled vegetables, but merely to the neglectful
way they are cooked and served up, often swimming in water. In
France, no family in the middle station of life ever dines without
a dish of dressed vegetables, upon which as much care has been
bestowed in cooking as upon the principal dish of the dinner, and
is often eaten alone.
638. _Asparagus._--I cook it thus: I take a bundle and scrape lightly
all the white part, beginning from the head down, and throw them when
done into cold water, then tie them up in bundles of twenty-five each,
if an ordinary size, if very large, half that number, keeping the heads
together, and cut off the ends to make them the same length; have ready
a pan containing one gallon of boiling water, in which has been thrown
two ounces of salt, boil quickly for fifteen minutes, or till tender;
dish them up with a piece of toast in the middle, keep the heads in the
centre, and form a pyramid. Serve very hot, with rich melted butter, or
cream sauce.
The queen of all vegetables, to my fancy, is asparagus. This may
almost be said to be a modern vegetable in this country, and it is
one which requires less cooking than perhaps any other, and is
considered exceedingly wholesome.
639. _Young Green Peas._--Young Green Peas! Do not those words
sound pleasant to the ear, dearest? I fancy that by merely raising
my eyes from the paper on which I am now writing, I shall see all
our garden in buds and blossom; it not only seems to invigorate the
sensitive part of one's appetite, but works upon the mind to that
point that you may actually fancy you are breathing in a glowing
atmosphere, and that the pearly dew is gracefully descending in
small globules from heaven, to fix their sparkling eyes on the
pinky bloom of myriads of roses. But, alas! how soon this charming
illusion has disappeared since I have left for a moment the sight
of my paper to give a peep through the garden window, where I
perceive that though to-day is the 17th of April, the serious and
uncheerful Father Winter has once more monopolized those delightful
and variegated _nuances_ of Nature, by laying out his universal
snowy tablecloth over this for the present ephemeral vision which
the inviting words green peas had produced upon my senses; no doubt
the effect of a good fire in my parlor, where I am now sitting, has
had a great influence upon me respecting the summery temperature;
but as a few weeks longer will realize my wishes, I shall here
content myself by giving you the receipt how they ought to be
cooked when you can get them.
When very young, I like them plain boiled, because their original flavor
is so fresh and delicate, that any addition, except a little very fresh
butter, would be certain to destroy their aroma; I even object to the
introduction of green mint, though I do not want to deprive you of it,
being only a matter of taste.
Put two quarts of water to boil, with half an ounce of salt, and then
place in one pint of peas, boil a full gallop till tender (about ten
minutes), put in a colander, drain one minute; lay them, raised in the
centre, in a dish, put in them two pats of very fresh butter, and serve.
When older or larger, boil a little longer, add twelve leaves of green
mint, which serve with it.
640. _Peas, French way._--They do not look so inviting, not being so
green; but I must say they are excellent as regards flavor. Choose them
young and fresh; without both of these qualities, they would not cook
properly. Put in a pint of cold water, mix the peas and butter well with
your hand, add four button onions, a bouquet of six sprigs of parsley,
one ounce of sugar, two saltspoonfuls of salt, one of pepper, put it
over a tolerably good fire, moving them often; if getting rather dry,
add a wineglassful of water, twenty minutes ought to be enough when
tender; add one ounce of butter, in which you have mixed a teaspoonful
of flour, which put in it, and stir it well; make a liaison of the yolk
of one egg, a quarter of a gill of cream, which add and stir, take out
the parsley and onions, and serve.
_Another way._--When large, I stew them with two cabbage-lettuces cut in
two, and stew longer, put in four wineglassfuls of water, or more if
required, and finish as above.
To keep their color, I often proceed thus for entrées or second courses:
I plain boil as above, and put them in a stewpan, with four small
onions, a little mint, parsley, butter, sugar, and a drop of water,
simmer a few minutes, add as above the flour, butter, and liaison, and
serve; they are very good this way, but not so rich in flavor.
There are different kinds, but I prefer the Prussian Blue above all.
641. _Seakale._--Proceed exactly as for asparagus for boiling, but
previously to boiling cut out the black part of the roots, and well wash
and tie it together, and serve with the same sauce as asparagus. There
is a kind of seakale that is rank and stringy, and not worth eating; it
may be known, when raw, by the outside near the root, which is very
tough and hard.
642. _Sprue-grass._--The longer the green part the better the sprue;
take each piece and gently bend it, and it will break off at that part
which you require, beyond it is too hard, and cannot be eaten; when you
thus have the pieces, cut them into lengths of a quarter of an inch,
which well wash; have one gallon of water, into which put one ounce of
salt, and boil, then put in the sprue and boil for ten minutes, or till
tender, then drain on a sieve, put them in a stewpan, with two ounces of
fresh butter, half a teaspoonful of flour, the same of salt, two pinches
of pepper, and place on the fire, stir well together, and serve hot. The
yolk of an egg, well beaten with two spoonfuls of cream, may be added to
it; and when serving, also two spoonfuls of white sauce or melted
butter,--but I always do it as the first.
643. _Celery._--Cut about ten heads of large celery from six to seven
inches long, trim the outside and cut the root to a point, wash it very
well between the leaves, tie three together, put a gallon of water, with
two ounces of salt, to boil, then add the celery, and boil for fifteen
minutes, then drain it, put into a stewpan a small slice of bacon, and
lay the celery on it, put it on the fire for two minutes, add one onion
sliced, cover with broth until quite tender, then take it out, and dish
on a piece of toast, pass the gravy through a sieve into a stewpan, skim
off the fat, reduce it to a demi-glaze, add a little sugar and a small
pat of butter, which you have rubbed into some flour, stir it well, and
sauce over; it ought to be thick, and of a nice brown color, which
produce, if required, by a little coloring. Marrow may be served with
it, by taking two good pieces of marrow, and boil for a few minutes in a
quart of water, and serve on each side the celery. It can also be cooked
plain boiled, and served with melted butter over, and also boiled in
eight tablespoonfuls of brown sauce, six of broth, and half a
teaspoonful of sugar, in which it has boiled ten minutes, or until
tender; sauce over and serve.
644. _Salsify._--I do not know why this vegetable, which is held in such
high estimation on the Continent, should be so little esteemed with us;
I will here supply their manner of cooking it, and perhaps you will give
it a fair trial. Take twelve middling-sized ones, scrape them well till
quite white, rub each with lemon and put in cold water; put into a
stewpan a quarter of a pound of beef or mutton suet, cut in small dice
one onion, a little thyme, a bay-leaf, a tablespoonful of salt, and four
cloves, put on the fire and stir for five minutes, add two
tablespoonfuls of flour, and stir well, then add three pints of water,
when just boiling put in your salsify, simmer till tender; they will
take nearly one hour; dish on toast, sauce over with Dutch, maître
d'hôtel, or onion sauce, or a very good demi-glaze, or Italian sauce.
Should any remain, they may be made into fritters thus: put the sauce,
if any, in a basin, add a little salt, pepper, two spoonfuls of vinegar,
half a chopped eschalot, and a spoonful of oil, place in the salsify,
and let it remain for some hours, when ready to serve, make a small
quantity of batter, dip each piece in it, and fry for five minutes in
lard or fat, dish up with fried parsley over.
645. _Vegetable Marrow._--Choose eight young small ones, with smooth
skin, and put them to boil in two quarts of water, in which you have put
one ounce of salt, the same of butter, try with a needle if tender, then
dish them tastefully on mashed potatoes in a dish, put half a pint of
melted butter in a pan when near boiling, add a liaison of a yolk of an
egg, two pats of butter, a little sugar, the juice of half a lemon,
sauce over and serve; if they are rather large, cut them in two
length-wise; if in smaller pieces, take all the inside out and boil till
tender, and warm in the above sauce. You can also make a nice
demi-glaze, as No. 132, and let them simmer in it for twenty minutes; do
not break them, as they would then be unsightly; they can be made into
soup like cauliflower (No. 207).
646. _Cauliflower and Broccoli._--Be very particular in cleaning them,
choose them rather small, thick and firm, put them for one hour in salt
and water, then rinse them well in water, that all the dirt may be
removed from the interior; have a pan of boiling water, in which you
have placed two ounces of salt and one of butter, drain and use where
indicated; but if for second course, place them on a dish in the form of
a dome, and cover over with some sauce as for vegetable marrow or plain
melted butter, or Soubise sauce if preferred plain; serve it very hot,
having drained it.
647. _The same gratiné with Cheese._--Put into a stewpan ten spoonfuls
of white sauce, No. 130, with a little chopped onions, which boil for a
few minutes, add to it a quarter of a pound of grated Parmesan, or any
mild English cheese; when boiling, add the yolk of one egg, and a little
cayenne, mix quick, lay a little on a dish, put two or three heads of
cauliflower or broccoli on it, pour the remainder of sauce over, and a
little bread-crumbs and grated cheese; put in oven half an hour, give
it a nice yellow color, and serve; if no white sauce, use melted butter,
but do not boil it so long, or it will eat rather greasy.