Chapter XLI: Introduction: This Part of the Work, Though the Last, I Consider (2)

Though almost anybody can boast of being able to cook a plain steak or a chop, very few can say they can do them to perfection. First of all, to obtain this important point, either the mutton or beef ought to be kept till properly set, according to season; secondly, the chop especially is more preferable when cut and beat, some time before cooking, so as to set the meat and prevent its shrinking; it at all times requires a sharp fire (the broiling City fires may be taken as an example, and the continual red heat of the gridiron); lay your gridiron over a sharp fire, two minutes after lay on your chop or steak, turn three or four times; when half done, season highly with salt and pepper, and when done, serve _immediately_, on a very hot dish. Ten minutes will do a steak of 1½lb., and about six minutes a chop.

NO. 2.--RUMPSTEAK AND POTATOES.

Of all steaks, rumpsteaks are far more preferable than any other, not excepting the fillet of beef, as the meat in England is so rich, while in France they eat only the fillet of beef--that being the only eatable steak of a French ox. Have your steak cut as even as possible, nearly an inch thick, and weighing from about 1½lbs. to 2lbs.; broil it sharply as described above, season when properly done, lay it on a very hot dish, put on 2oz. or more of maître d’hôtel butter (No. 2), turn it three or four times on the dish quickly, when a most delicious gravy will be formed, then place about a pound of fried potatoes round it, and serve. For smaller steaks, for cooking be guided by size.

_Ditto with Anchovy Butter_, of which use 2oz. in lieu of the maître d’hôtel butter, and omit the potatoes.

_Same with Pimento Butter._

_Same with Shalot Butter_, well rubbing the dish prior to putting the steak on it.

NO. 3.--MUTTON AND LAMB CUTLETS A LA BOUCHERE.

The word à la bouchere, in English, means the butcher’s wife’s plain fashion, and at one time had only the merit of economy; but a real gourmet, the illustrious Cambaceres, who lived in the time of the first Empire, being served with this dish at a little country inn, while travelling, discovered the correctness of the proverb that “the nearer the bone the sweeter the meat,” and on returning to Paris introduced it to the fashionable circle, and for a long period this exquisite cotelettes d’agneaux de maison, or house-lamb cutlet, and the dainty and justly celebrated cutlets de presalé, were figuring on all the banqueting tables of the Paris gourmets in perfect _negligé_, being dressed in the following unceremonious manner:--Take either a neck of lamb or mutton, neither too fat nor too lean, chop the cutlets about six inches in length, cutting them as usual, leaving a bone in each; flatten them with the chopper, not trimming them at all, season them highly with salt and pepper, broil them very quick, and serve hot. Lamb, mutton, and veal cutlets may be done the same.

For plain cutlets with fried potatoes, cut them either à la bouchere _or trim them_, and proceed as for rumpsteak.

_Ditto for Cutlets_ à la maître d’hôtel.

For relishing sauce, see List of Sauces.

NO. 4--LAMB AND MUTTON CUTLETS, SEMI-BOUCHERE.

Cut your cutlets from the neck, one inch thick; beat them flat with a chopper without trimming them, roll them in flour, butter over; season with salt, pepper, a little chopped shalot; broil on a sharp fire, turn three or four times, and serve.

NO. 5.--RELISHING STEAK.

(Mutton, Veal, Pork, Chops and Cutlets, Fowls, Pigeons, Grilled Bones, Kidneys, &c.)

Chop fine a tablespoonful of green pickled chillies: mix with two pats of butter, a little mustard, a spoonful of grated horseradish; have a nice thick steak, spread the steak on both sides with the above, season with half a teaspoonful of salt, put on a gridiron on a sharp fire, turn three or four times; put on a hot dish with the juice of half a lemon and two teaspoonfuls of walnut ketchup, and serve. If glaze is handy, spread a little over the steak.

Mutton, lamb, veal, pork, chops and cutlets may be done the same; as well as kidneys; also grilled fowls, pigeons--the latter may be egged and bread-crumbed. Proceed the same for cooking according to size. Any of the above may be half done before rubbing in the Chili butter.

NO. 6.--FILLET DE BŒUF, PARISIAN FASHION.

Cut a piece of the fillet of beef crosswise, including some fat, the thickness of an inch; beat it slightly flat with a chopper, set on a gridiron, put it on a very sharp fire, turn it two or three times; when half done, season with a quarter of a teaspoonful of salt, quarter that of pepper, put on a hot plate, rub over with an ounce of maître d’hôtel butter (as No. 2); serve up with fried potatoes.

Mutton chops, veal chops, and lamb chops may be dressed similar.

NO. 7.--FILLET OF BEEF, SEMI-CHATEAUBRIANT.

Cut it double the thickness of the above, butter lightly over, set on the gridiron on a slowish fire, turn several times; when half done, place it nearer the fire; season with half a teaspoonful of salt, quarter one of pepper, a little cayenne, and serve with sauce à la Mussulman (as No. 17). Maître d’hôtel butter or anchovy butter may be used instead; serve fried chipped potatoes round.

NO. 8.--CHOPS, SEMI-PROVENÇAL, OR MARSEILLES FASHION.

When the chop is half broiled, scrape half a clove of garlic and rub over on both sides of the chop; serve with the juice of a lemon. For semi-Provençal, the clove of garlic is cut in two, and the flat part is placed at the end of a fork and rubbed on the chop.

NO. 9.--CHOP OR STEAK A LA SULTANA.

Add a tablespoonful of Sultana sauce in a dish to each pound of meat; place in a dish and serve; when the steak is done, turn it in it three or four times, and it will make a most delicious gravy.

NO. 10.--MUSHROOM KIDNEY SANDWICH.

Broil 3 plain kidneys à la Brochette to keep them flat. Broil also 6 large mushroom heads; well season with salt and pepper (cayenne if approved of). A few minutes will do them; then rub a little fresh butter inside the mushrooms; dish up each kidney between two mushrooms while very hot, and serve.

If a large quantity is required, proceed thus--well butter a sautépan, lay in 20 or more heads of large mushrooms just washed, season well with salt and pepper; let stew for twenty minutes gently in an oven, or till done; make your kidney sandwich as above, add a tablespoonful of the gravy over, and serve. The same may be served on thin toast; a tablespoonful of the Sultana Sauce to every half-dozen kidneys, make a dish worthy an Epicurean. The stems of the mushrooms may be stewed and served with the dish.

NO. 11.--MINCED SANDWICHES.

Cut in small thin slices some dressed ham, ox tongue, game, or poultry, with a few pickled gherkins and olives, the whole in equal portions; mix well together; butter the bread and spread some mustard over, place the cut meat over the butter, cover over with the other slice, cut small, and serve.

NO. 12.--KIDNEYS SAUTE, WITH SHERRY, PORT, OR CHAMPAGNE.

Cut three kidneys each in five pieces, put an ounce of butter in the pan; when very hot, and beginning to smoke, add the kidneys; stir round for two or three minutes with a spoon till set; add a teaspoonful of flour, quarter ditto of salt, the third part of that of pepper; mix well; add half a gill of broth, a small wineglass of either of the above wines; if no broth, use water, adding a little glaze. A tablespoonful of colouring (No. 15) is a great improvement to the appearance of the sauce. Ox, calf, or pig’s kidneys may be dressed the same, following the proportions according to the quantity made. All the above are extremely good on toast, which would require a little more liquor. A few mushrooms are an improvement. If brown sauce can be obtained, omit the flour and broth. Do not let them boil; a few minutes will do them.

NO. 13.--SEMI-CURRIED KIDNEYS.

Take three kidneys, which forms a portion, make a small incision in the fleshy part, so as to enable you to remove the outer skin; cut each in five pieces crosswise, put some butter in a stewpan, salt, pepper, a little chopped onions, give it a fry, add the kidneys, stir them for a few minutes till set, put four tablespoonfuls of curry sauce (No. 9), and serve. If no curry sauce, add a quarter of a teaspoonful of curry powder, one of flour, and one gill of broth; serve with rice.

NO. 14.--KIDNEY TOAST.

Split the kidney in two, remove the sinews and outer skin, mince it up, and then chop fine; place in a stewpan some chopped eschalot and parsley, with a small piece of butter, and fry the same lightly; when done, add a small spoonful of Sultana Sauce, a little flour, and boil again; while boiling, mix in the chopped kidneys; add salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.

Spread the composition upon slices of toast slightly buttered; mask them up with bread-crumbs mixed with Parmesan cheese, place in a sharp oven for ten minutes, brown them with the salamander, and serve quite hot.

NO. 15.--MUTTON, LAMB, OR VEAL CUTLETS EN PAPILLOTE, OR WRAPPED IN PAPER. DITTO, QUARTER OF FOWLS AND HALF PIGEONS, DEVILLED.

Cut two or three veal or mutton cutlets half an inch thick, then put in a sauté, or frying-pan, four tablespoonfuls of oil, season your chops thoroughly with salt and pepper, cook them gently in the pan, turning them several times; before they are quite done, take them off, add in; mix with oil remaining in the pan two tablespoonfuls of fine chopped onions, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, fry these gently on the fire for a few minutes, stirring continually; when they become a little yellowish, add a tablespoonful of flour, mix quick, then put in a pint of broth, boil till forming a thick sauce, add salt and pepper in proportion; put back the chops into the pan, simmer a few minutes, turning them; cut some paper in the shape of a heart, large enough to envelope one chop, oil it well, put a tablespoonful of the sauce on the paper, then place on it a chop, then more sauce, and plait the paper round the edge of the cutlet to inclose it; then place in the pan in a hot oven, or broil slowly. These cutlets might be prepared the day before using, and placed more conveniently in paper when cold.

NO. 16.--PORK CHOPS A LA TARTARE,

Which has one great charm--simplicity. It is seldom to be obtained, even in Crim Tartary, and when it is, the animal is in no very nice condition. When procurable in a first-class Tartar family, they are dipped in vinegar for about an hour prior to being fried or broiled. Thin slices of raw onions are eaten with the above, and a kind of cucumber peculiar to Russia, and most delicious when properly pickled; they are cut in slices with the onions very thinly, the chop is then placed over a layer while very hot, and another layer placed over the chop, until it forms a vegetable sandwich. Such is the dish so much relished by our hospitable Tartar families.

NO. 17.--LAMB CHOPS A L’AFRICAINE.

Cut a lamb chop as usual, broil it very sharply, turning it continually; when nearly done, season highly with salt and pepper, rub over with chutnee (about a teaspoonful to each chop) on both sides, then broil another minute and serve. Light melted butter with a chopped girkin makes a good variation for such as veal, pork, and broiled fowls, pigeons, and also for devilled poultry.

I must also observe that chutnee is excellent with all kinds of broiled devils; a little curry-powder may be introduced.

LAMB CHOPS A LA PRINTANIERE.

Add to the maître d’hôtel butter (as No. 2) chopped tarragon and chervil instead of parsley.

PORK CHOPS WITH PIMENTO BUTTER.

Plain broil, and rub over, in proportion, half an ounce to each chop. Add two tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup on the dish.

NO. 18.--LAMB CHOPS A LA BOULANGERE.

This lady, the boulangère, or baker’s wife, was invented by a lady of the French Court, in opposition to the masculine manners of the butcher’s wife.

Cut and trim neatly, eight, ten, or twelve small lamb cutlets, enough for a small entrée; season lightly with salt, pepper, and a little cayenne; dip them gently in olive oil, then in the flour box, and broil very gently on a slow fire; while doing put a gill of cream in a stewpan, set it on the fire, and when boiling add in two ounces of fresh butter, a tablespoonful of chopped chervil, the juice of half a lemon, a little salt and pepper; stir quick till the butter is melted and it forms a nice smooth sauce, then pour it over your cutlets and serve quick.

NO. 19.--STEWED TRIPE.

Select two pounds of double tripe, cut in strips of a quarter pound each, put in a clean stew-pan, add a pint of water, ditto of milk, two teaspoonfuls of salt, half that of pepper, eight middling-sized onions carefully peeled, which put in; set to boil rather fast, then simmer till done, which will be in half an hour or rather more; turn out into a deep dish or tureen, and serve.

NO. 20.--CURRIED TRIPE.

Make about a pint of curry sauce, as No. 9; cut each half-pound in four pieces; warm gently in it for half an hour, and serve with rice.

NO. 21.--GRATIN TRIPE IN SHELL.

Add to the above 2 yolks of eggs; mix quick; having taken the stewpan off the fire, stir quick; put in the scolloped shells, throw breadcrumbs over a little butter, put in an oven, salamander the top, and serve.

NO. 22.--TRIPE LYONNAISE FASHION.

When any cold tripe remains; cut in thin slices about the thickness of an inch square, mince 2 onions, put some butter, in proportion, in a frying-pan, add in the onions, fry till they are partly done, add the tripe, let fry for about 10 minutes, tossing them; season with salt and pepper, three teaspoonfuls of vinegar to each 1lb., and serve. This is a very favourite dish in Lyons and Paris, both amongst the gourmet and the gourmand. Well dry the tripe on a cloth before frying; it will take 3 ounces of butter to the pound.

NO. 23.--GRILLED CHICKEN WITH SHARP SAUCE.

Prepare your chicken as for grill, oil it over slightly, season with salt and pepper in proportion to size, then place it on a gridiron, on a rather fierce fire. When ready done, put by degrees two tablespoonfuls of Sultana Sauce over it, losing none of it. When done, have on a dish an ounce of butter; pour over the butter another tablespoonful of sauce; mix well, and after turning the chicken two or three times, serve it up.

For Relishing Sauce proceed the same, pouring half a pint of that sauce over it, No. 12.

NO. 24.--BROILING OR UNIVERSAL DEVIL.

Any kind of bones which are to undergo the process of broiling ought not to exceed a quarter of a pound each in weight, a deep incision being made in the fleshy part. The same for game and poultry. Rub each piece with the Mixture No. 70, the quantity according to palate, and broil very sharply, turning the bones often.

Strong plain gravy may be served under all.

NO. 25.--SANDWICHES FOR EVENING PARTIES.

Chop fine some cold dressed ham--say about a quarter of a pound, put it in a basin with a tablespoonful of chopped gherkins and a teaspoonful of mustard, a little pepper or cayenne; put about 6oz. of butter in a basin, and with a spoon stir quickly till it forms a kind of cream; add the ham and seasoning, mix all well; have the sandwich bread cut in thin slices. Have already cut, thinly intermixed with fat, either cold roast beef, veal, lamb, mutton, poultry, fowl, pheasant, grouse, partridge, &c., either of which lay evenly, and not too thick, on your bread; season with a little salt and pepper, cover over with another piece of bread; when your sandwich is ready, cut them in any shape you like, but rather small and tastily, and serve. You may keep them in a cold place, if not wanted, as they will keep good under cover for twelve hours. Chopped tongue may be introduced instead of ham, in thin slices.

NO. 26.--LAMB’S FRY.

Cut in middling-sized pieces about 1lb. of lamb’s fry, fairly mixed; put one quart of water in a stew-pan; when boiling, add in the fry, boil fast for ten minutes, lay the fry on a cloth, dry it well, have some fine bread-crumbs ready made, to which you add a teaspoonful of salt, two of chopped parsley, a little grated nutmeg, break and beat one or two eggs well, dip the fry in by pieces, roll them in the breadcrumbs, and slightly beat with a knife, to make the breadcrumbs adhere to the fry; have some fat or lard very hot, though not burning, ready in a frying-pan, in which place your fry for three or four minutes, when nicely coloured take off, and dish very hot on a napkin; serve with either fried parsley or chervel, free from water, which have ready in a wire colander; dip the colander in the fat, which will fry the parsley in less than a minute. For lamb fry devilled, rub over with mixture prior to using. See receipt No. 70. This I consider a light dish for supper.

NO. 27.--MUTTON OR LAMB CHOPS A LA TURC.

Cut either thin, put on a dish, season with salt and pepper, mince an onion; pick out 20 leaves of parsley, add over a little oil, rub the chop in it well, let them soak in it two hours; plain broil sharply, and serve. This is an imitation of the Turkish kybob.

NO. 28.--LOBSTER CURRY.

Make about a pint of curry sauce, No. 9, take the flesh of a middle-sized lobster, which cut in neat slices, let them simmer for ten minutes in the sauce; serve on a dish, on toast, or in the shell, or bordered by rice. Boiled as No. 8 in Hospital Receipts.

NO. 29.--LOBSTER CURRY IN THE SHELL.

Add one or two raw yolks of eggs to the above receipt while boiling hot, mix quickly; when the eggs are set, put the meat back in the shells, cover the surface with bread crumbs, a few small pieces of butter on each; put in the oven; when nicely browned, serve. By extracting the meat from the body, tail, and claws, without breaking the shells, they can be filled again with the preparation, and put together as a whole lobster; or split the lobster lengthways and serve in two halves.

SCALLOPED LOBSTER.

Put in scallop in lieu of shell. Proceed the same.

NO. 30.--LOBSTER AU GRATIN FOR THOSE THAT DO NOT LIKE CURRY.

Chop a middling-sized onion, and put it in a stewpan with 2oz. of butter; fry of a light brown, add a small tablespoonful of flour, stir together, pour over half a pint of milk, season with half a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter of pepper, and an eighth of cayenne, a little sugar, nutmeg, and chopped parsley; boil a few minutes, till rather thick, add the lobster meat, give a boil, add the yolk of an egg, mix quick, fill the shells--egg and bread-crumb, put in an oven for ten minutes, brown on the top with a hot salamander or shovel, and serve.

NO. 31.--LOBSTER CUTLETS.

Cut a lobster in dice, letting the flesh weigh about half a pound; when done, put in a pan 2oz. of butter, 2 teaspoonfuls of chopped onions; put all on the fire, fry for a minute or two, add 1 teaspoonful of flour; mix well, stir in for a minute; add half a pint of milk; season with salt, pepper, and one saltspoonful of cayenne, two teaspoonfuls of chopped parsley; let all boil for a minute or two, stirring all the time; add in your lobster, give it a boil; add two yolks of eggs; mix quick, put on a dish to cool. When quite cool and firm, divide in six parts, giving each the shape of a small cutlet; egg and breadcrumb twice. Put a piece of the very small claw to the end of each cutlet, so as to form a bone; fry for a few minutes, like you would a sole, in plenty of fat; lay on a cloth, and serve on a napkin, with plenty of fried parsley; you may adopt any shape you choose, if cutlets are too troublesome, as you would a croquette. No sauce is requisite.

The lobsters for the two preceding receipts may be prepared, shaped, and bread-crumbed hours before wanted.

NO. 32.--CRABS AU GRATIN IN THE SHELL.

Have the crab prepared as for plain, lay in the empty shell a layer of the soft part, then a layer of American crackers or biscuit, grated, then add the fleshy part of the crab over, on which pour a tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, cover it with slices of cold, hard eggs, cut crosswise; season with a little salt, pepper, and cayenne; cover all with the remainder of the soft part of the crab, make it even with a knife; egg, and breadcrumb over, or more grated biscuit; put a few nuts of butter on the top, set in an oven for twenty minutes or half an hour, and serve very hot.

NO. 33.--STEWED OYSTERS ON TOAST.

Open a dozen of oysters, put them in a small stew-pan, add to them two grains of black pepper, a little salt, butter, cayenne, and sugar; set on the stove for a few minutes until set--say three or four minutes; having only given them a slight boil, put in a piece of butter as big as a walnut, which you have mixed with half a teaspoonful of flour, shake the stew-pan round by the handle, to melt the contents, put it back on the fire just to simmer, and serve on toast. A drop of cream is an improvement. If not enough liquor add a drop of milk.

Over-stewed oysters are as bad as over-cooked kidneys. For a large quantity, proceed the same. The only thing to be observed is, that the oysters are properly set before serving, they being neither raw nor overdone.

NO. 34.--OYSTERS STEWED AMERICAN FASHION.

Take a dozen large oysters in their liquor, bring them to a boil, add salt, pepper, and a piece of butter about the size of a nutmeg, and half a teaspoonful of chopped chervil, and serve with cracker biscuits.

NO. 35.--FRIED OYSTERS, NEW YORK WAY.

Take 12 large raw oysters, dip them in Indian meal, throw them into the hot fat immediately, like you would fried fish, and serve as soon as browned.

NO. 36.--OYSTER SOUP, NEW YORK WAY, FOR A PARTY OF FIVE PERSONS.

Take 50 oysters and the liquor, place them in a pan with salt, cayenne pepper, and a teaspoonful of chopped chervil; when boiling, add a _liason_ (or thickening) of 5 yolks of eggs, with a piece of butter the size of an egg, and serve.

Should the oysters not give liquor sufficient, add water and salt, if necessary. One-fourth of this quantity may, of course, be made.

NO. 37.--GAME FOR SUPPER.

In spite of the petite soupers de la Régence, in the early part of the reign of Louis XV., when the gastronomic art was nightly unfolding its luxurious delicacies before the illustrious guests of the Court of France, game, dressed in numerous shapes, forming the most succulent dishes, used to adorn the bills of fare of those nocturnal bacchanalian repasts which had almost triumphed over the daily festive board, the dinners then at Court being only a secondary consideration when compared with the suppers. For my part, I much prefer the former, which, as I have already mentioned, forms the focus of sociability; but when you are compelled to sup late, why not partake of game, which is much lighter food than solid meat, overdone kidneys, or oysters; for what can be more relishing and palatable for supper than the remains of either pheasant, grouse, partridge, &c., devilled or plain broiled, while plain roast game is also highly recommendable for such meals.

NO. 38.--SOYER’S GROUSE AND BLACK GAME SALAD.

This dish is also very commendable and relishing. Roast a young grouse, not overdone; when cold, cut in eight pieces; put in a salad bowl enough salad for two persons, lay the pieces of grouse over with 2 or 4 hard eggs cut lengthwise; make the sauce thin, put in a basin a tablespoonful of finely-chopped shalot, 1 ditto of parsley, ditto of pounded white sugar, the yolks of 2 raw eggs, a teaspoonful of salt, quarter one of pepper, 2 tablespoonfuls of Chili vinegar, 4 of oil; mix all together with a spoon, whip half a pint of cream, which add carefully to your mixture; it will then constitute a delicious salad sauce; pour over your salad, and mix carefully. Pheasants and partridges, when properly kept, are also very good.

NO. 39.--LOBSTER SALAD, FOR TWO PERSONS.

Take a middle-sized lobster, break the claw carefully, extract the tail without splitting it, cut your lobster in fine, though large, slices, crosswise, put some salad in a bowl in proportion for two, either coss or cabbage lettuce, or endive, or mixed salad, have boiled 3 or 4 hard eggs, cut crosswise when cold, then form a crown on your salad by intermixing alternate layers of egg and lobster, placing the soft part of the interior of the fish in the centre. Cucumber and beet-root may be used instead of eggs. Then put into a basin a small teaspoonful of salt, quarter ditto of pepper, 2 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, 4 of oil, a little sugar, stir well together, pour over your salad, which mix gently with a spoon and fork, and serve; the addition of chopped parsley, tarragon, and chervil, or chopped shalot, is an improvement.

NO. 40.--CRAB SALAD, WITH EGGS.

Place the soft part of the crab in a bowl, having made it into a pulp; add to it the quantum of oil, vinegar, salt, pepper; mix all well together, as above. If too thick, add half a gill of milk, to form a thinnish sauce; put your salad in a bowl according to proportion, over which put lightly the meat of the crab; pour your sauce over, having cut four eggs lengthwise in quarters; toss it well, stir round, and serve as above.

NO. 41.--NEW SALAD, TARTAR FASHION.

Prepare your salad, well washed and dried; (cabbage or coss lettuce are preferable); boil 4 onions; when cold cut in thick slices; cut also 4 pickled cucumbers, Israelite fashion, put a layer of the salad at the bottom, then a bed of cucumber and onion, and another of salad, at the top; have 2 mild salt herrings, ready broiled, with all the bones extracted; cut it in small square pieces, season with salt, pepper, vinegar, and oil, in proportion, tossing all well together, as this plan is preferable to using a spoon and fork.

NO. 42.--PLAIN SALAD, WITH ANCHOVIES.

Put your salad in a bowl, wash and shake as above; wash and scrape a dozen of anchovies; bone them by splitting them up; have 2 hard eggs, chopped fine; put them over the salad; chop about 2oz. of either piccalilli, pickle, or plain gherkin. The above is for four persons; then add salad enough for that number; season with a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter that of pepper, 4 tablespoons of oil, 2 of vinegar; stir well, but lightly, and serve. Coss and cabbage lettuce are preferable. Any one who does not object to oil, 5 tablespoonfuls may be used to 2 of the best French vinegar. For mixed salads proceed the same. Anchovies, eggs, and gherkins may be omitted, and yet will make an excellent salad.

NO. 43.--ENDIVE SALAD.

Highly appreciated by French gourmets.

Wash quickly four heads of very white endive. The French is much preferable to the English, and is imported in abundance to the London markets. Why they should be washed quickly is, that if they remain in the water any length of time they become as bitter as gall. Take off the green leaves, if any; cut the stem off and the leaf in two when too long, shake well in a cloth to dry, and put in your salad bowl, which you have previously rubbed with a piece of garlic; add in your salad, a teaspoonful of salt, quarter one of pepper, 5 tablespoonfuls of oil, 2 of vinegar; rub a piece of garlic on two crusts of bread, each about the size of a walnut; add them to your salad, which you stir well for a few minutes with a spoon and fork, and serve. The garlic in this salad, far from being objectionable, gives only a slight flavour, to which no one can object, but which, on the contrary, is highly appreciated by the gourmet. Garlic may be either increased or diminished according to taste.

NO. 44.--OMELETTES WITH FINE HERBS.

Six eggs will make a nice omelette for two persons for supper; add a teaspoonful of salt, quarter ditto of pepper, break them carefully in a basin, as a tainted egg will spoil all the rest; add three-quarters of a tablespoonful of salt, a quarter one of pepper, two of chopped parsley, half a one of fine chopped onions; beat them well; add 2oz. of butter in a nice clean and dry frying-pan, place it then on the fire, and when the butter is very hot then pour in your eggs, which keep mixing quick with a spoon until all is delicately set, then let it slip to the edge of the pan, _en masse_, laying hold of the handle, raising it slantwise, which will give an elongated form to the omelette; turning the edges, let it set a minute, turn on a dish, and serve.

NO. 45.--OMELETTES WITH MUSHROOMS.

Add in a couple of middling-sized mushrooms, cut very thin, and proceed as above.

NO. 46.--FOR BACON AND HAM OMELETTES.

Cut 2oz. of either in small dice, not too salt, fry two or three minutes in the butter before putting in the eggs,--and proceed as above.

NO. 47.--OMELETTES WITH SPRUE GRASS.

Cut the sprue half an inch in length, plain boil them in salt and water till done, add two tablespoonfuls to your eggs,--and proceed as above.

NO. 48.--OMELETTES WITH PARMESAN.

For Parmesan omelettes, put into your eggs two tablespoonfuls of grated Parmesan cheese--Gruyère or any good dry English cheese will do as well.

NO. 49.--POACHED EGGS WITH CREAM.

Put in a small pan a pint of water, a teaspoonful of salt, four of vinegar; when boiling break carefully in the pan two, three, or four nice fresh eggs, simmer for four or five minutes, or till properly set firm, but not hard; serve either on toast or on a plain dish. Put in a small stewpan half a gill of cream, a little salt, pepper, and sugar; when the cream is on the boil add an ounce of fresh butter, take off the stewpan, toss it round till the butter is melted, pour over and serve. Fried ham and bacon may be laid on toast, poached eggs placed over, and served plain. None other but fresh eggs will poach; the quality may be ascertained by holding them up to the candle; if the shell is spotted, they are useless for poaching, though of use for other purposes.

NO. 50.--POACHED EGGS WITH MAITRE D’HOTEL BUTTER.

Put two ounces of maître d’hôtel butter in a hot stewpan, and stir round till melted; pour over your eggs which you have placed on toast.

NO. 51.--POACHED EGGS, SEMI-CURRIED, WITH HAM OR BACON.

Proceed as No. 56, pouring a gill of curry sauce over.

NO. 52.--BATTERED EGGS WITH MUSHROOMS.

Put in a stewpan 2oz. of butter, break over four fresh eggs, add a tablespoonful of chopped mushrooms, half a teaspoonful of salt, quarter that of pepper. Set on the fire, and stir continually with a wooden spoon till it forms a thickish consistency; have buttered toast on a plate, pour your eggs over, and serve.

NO. 53.--BATTERED EGGS WITH SPRUE GRASS.

Add 2 tablespoonfuls of boiled sprue grass (as No. 47), and proceed as above.

NO. 54.--HAM WITH SHALOTS, PARSLEY, AND CHERVIL.

Cut in small dice 1 oz. of clean cooked ham, put in your eggs, and cook as above. A spoonful of either shalot, parsley, or chervil will vary this dish.

NO. 55.--MIRRORED EGGS.

Put 1 oz. of butter into a small tin pan, spreading it all over, in it crack 4 eggs without breaking the yolk if possible, season over with salt and pepper, and small nuts of butter here and there; put in an oven before the fire till set, and serve.

NO. 56.--EGGS AU MIROIR, WITH HAM OR BACON.

Cut the ham or bacon in thin slices, fry a few minutes in a pan, put on your plate, break your eggs over, set in oven till set, and serve, and proceed as above. The ham may be cut in thicker slices if preferred, but will take rather longer cooking.

NO. 57.--EGGS WITH CHOPPED HAM OR TONGUE.

Cut 2oz. of dressed ham in small dice, butter the bottom of the plate or dish, and place the ham upon it; break the eggs over, season, and proceed as before.

NO. 58.--EGGS AND MUSHROOMS.

Wash, peel, and slice a few mushrooms, butter the dish thickly, spread the mushrooms over, season with salt and pepper, and set the dish in the oven till the mushrooms are done; break the eggs over and proceed as before.

NO. 59.--EGGS AND TRUFFLES.

Wash, peel, and cut in very thin slices, a fresh truffle, butter the dish, add a tablespoonful of sherry; salt and pepper; lay the slices of truffles flat over the bottom of the dish, and put it in the oven a few minutes; when boiled a minute or two, break the eggs over and cook as usual. English truffles are excellent for this purpose.

NO. 60.--EGGS WITH SPRUE GRASS.

Boil about a quarter of a pint of sprue grass; butter the dish as usual, spread the grass over, season with a little powdered sugar, salt, and pepper; break the eggs over, place in the oven, and proceed as before.

NO. 61.--EGGS A LA BONNE FEMME.

Cut a middle-sized onion in dice, put it in a stewpan with a pat of butter, and fry of a light brown; when done add a teaspoonful of vinegar; butter the dish lightly, spread the onions over, season with pepper and salt, and break the eggs over; put in the oven; when done mask the eggs with fried bread-crumbs, and serve.

NO. 62.--CURRIED EGGS.

Boil three eggs for ten minutes, put them in cold water; when, cold, shell, cut them in two lengthwise, and throw them into a curry sauce, give them a boil, dish them on the flat side in the form of a star; this will make a very good and pretty dish. Eggs boiled too hard are very unwholesome, especially for supper; done this way they will be perfect; they may be put entire in the sauce, and cut when dished up; they will take the flavour of the curry just the same.

NO. 63.--EGGS A LA TRIPE, OR ONION SAUCE.

Boil 3 eggs as above, cut them in slices, and put in a sauce you have prepared thus:--

Cut 2 middle-sized onions in slices, put them in a stewpan with an ounce of butter, and fry them till done without taking colour; add a small tablespoonful of flour, and moisten with a teacupful of milk: season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, give a boil, toss the eggs up in the sauce, and serve. The same may be served with tomato sauce.

NO. 64.--EGGS WITH TOMATO SAUCE.

Proceed as for curried eggs, using tomato sauce instead of curry.

NO. 65.--RAREBIT A LA SOYER, WITH SHERRY OR CHAMPAGNE.

Cut half a pound of rich cheese in small dice; put in a stewpan 2 pats of butter with a teaspoonful of mixed Durham mustard, a little salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, one wineglass of sherry or champagne; put on a slow fire, stir gently with a wooden spoon till properly melted, though not stringy, which might occur if turned too quickly; have a nice toast half an inch thick done at the last minute, pour your cheese over and serve. Leaving it a few minutes in an oven is an improvement.

NO. 66.--FRIED POTATOES.

Fried potatoes being much lighter for supper than baked ones, would be an excellent introduction to the London supper bill of fare. I shall also observe that a potato when well fried does not retain a particle of grease, and therefore is not rich, or likely to be so, when properly done. Where a quantity are required, put in a wide stew-pan, three or four pounds of either lard, beef, or mutton fat;--see receipt No. 20, page 544, how to clarify the two last. Set it upon the fire, and while heating, peel a pound of potatoes about the size of a large egg, cut them in thin slices crosswise upon a clean cloth, to absorb the moisture, taking care they are well separated; when the fat is hot, “but not burning,” which you will ascertain by its giving out a light smoke, or else dip your finger in cold water and let a drop fall in the fat--if it hisses it is then at a proper heat; throw in the potatoes, and keep moving them with a skimmer to prevent them sticking together; in about three or four minutes they will be cooked and well fried, of a pale gold colour; take; them out upon a cloth, sieve, or colander; sprinkle scientifically with salt, and serve plain, or upon a napkin, or round a steak, fillet of beef, &c.

NO. 67.--FRIED POTATOES WITH MAITRE D’HOTEL BUTTER.

While in the colander, and just having been fried, add to a portion of potatoes about half an ounce of maître d’hôtel butter, toast till melted, and serve either plain or round steak.

NO. 68.--FRIED POTATOES WITH CAYENNE PEPPER.

When just done throw half a saltspoonful of cayenne over them, toast them, and serve.

NO. 69.--CHIPPED OR RIBBONED POTATOES.

Cut some potatoes crosswise about the thickness of an inch, then peel them thinly in ribbons, fry as above--they will require a little longer doing; when they are crisp take them out, place them on a clean cloth, and sprinkle them over with salt, cayenne, and black pepper to fancy, and serve.

NO. 70.--SOYER’S UNIVERSAL DEVIL MIXTURE,

Which will be found applicable to all devilled food.

To devil the same, rub each piece over with the following mixture, laving made a deep incision in any article of food that may be subjected to this Mephistophelean process. Put in a bowl a good tablespoonful of Durham mustard, which mix with four tablespoonfuls of Chili vinegar; add to it a tablespoonful of grated horseradish, two bruised shalots, a teaspoonful of salt, half ditto of cayenne, ditto of black pepper, and one of pounded sugar, two teaspoonfuls of chopped chillies, if handy; add the yolks of two raw eggs,; take a paste-brush, and after having slightly seasoned each piece with salt, rub over each piece with the same, probing some in the incisions. First broil slowly, and then the last few minutes as near as possible the Pandemonium fire. The yolks may be omitted.

NO. 71.--A PLAINER WAY FOR THE MILLION.

Mix the mustard with plain vinegar; add one half more cayenne; use the same quantity of salt, pepper, and sugar; use onions instead of shalots. The liquor of pickles is even preferable to vinegar.

Proceed as above for grilling; remains of meat, game, and poultry are very relishing when done as above, especially for an early luncheon or a late supper.

NO. 72.--CHICKEN, AMERICAN FASHION.

Have a small fowl ready for grilling, season with salt, pepper, and a little cayenne; beat an egg well, rub it over; mix some American grated crackers with maize, roll it in and beat it with a knife to make it adhere to the chicken; put it on a gridiron, and when hot through put small nuts of butter here and there; broil to a very nice colour and serve 2 doz. stewed oysters, as No. 33, on toast, which place under the fowl. Any sharp sauce instead of oysters will do for this dish.

NO. 73.--HERRING A LA ROB ROY.

Well wash and clean a red herring, wipe it dry and place it in a pie-dish, having cut off the head, and split it in two up the back; put a gill or two of whiskey over the herring, according to size, hold it on one side of the dish, so that it is covered with the spirit, set it alight, and when the flame goes out the fish is done.

NO. 74.--COLD ASPARAGUS SALAD, WHILE IN SEASON.

A very refreshing and delicious dish for supper.

When this vegetable is in season, put in a soup plate a tablespoonful of vinegar, two of oil, quarter teaspoonful of salt, half that of pepper, mix together, a little chopped parsley may be introduced, and dip each head of cold grass as you eat them in the mixture.

NO. 75.--NEW POTATO SALAD, GERMAN FASHION.

Boil some rather waxy potatoes, peel when just done, cut in slices, put them in a bowl, add to every pound one tablespoonful of vinegar, two of oil, half a teaspoonful of salt, quarter that of pepper toss up well, and eat it cold. Add a little chopped parsley.

NO. 76.--NEW POTATO SALAD, FRENCH HARICOT, AND HARICOT BEANS.

Have your vegetables properly cooked, and when cold put a pound of French or the other beans in a bowl, season with salt, pepper, oil, vinegar, as above, and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley; toss well, and serve. The French beans only require to be boiled in a plain way. The French haricots--put a pint in two quarts of cold water, add one ounce of butter, and boil very gently for two hours, or till tender, let it get cold and make your salad. For lentils proceed the same as haricots.

NO. 77.--BOUILLABAISSE ANGLICISED.

The fish I would recommend in England for that far-famed dish would be red mullet, whiting, and barble, or a small turbot, all cut up crosswise, in pieces of about two ounces to a quarter of a pound each; slice up two large onions, place them in a good-sized stewpan, large enough to contain your fish all at the bottom--a flat wide pan is preferable. Add to this two tablespoonfuls of olive oil, and fry the onions of a pale brown colour; next place the pieces of fish in the pan, cover them with warm water, only just to the depth of the contents. To each pound of fish, sprinkle about half a teaspoonful of salt, or a little more, a quarter that quantity of pepper, half a bay leaf, the flesh of half a lemon, without pips or rind, cut in dice; cut also two tomatos in dice, having extracted the seed, add a glass or two of sherry or light wine, a few peppercorns, and half a clove of garlic, instead of four, as done at Marseilles, as mentioned at page 61; set on a fierce fire, and boil very fast from ten to twelve minutes. By this time the liquor should be reduced to a third of its original quantity; add a small portion of saffron, according to taste, a tablespoonful of fresh chopped parsley; allow all to boil one minute longer, and remove from the fire, for it is then ready for dishing up. (For which process see page 61.)

_Second-class Bouillabaisse._--Use gurnet, plaice, soles, &c. Bouillabaisse may be made also of fresh-water fish, such as perch, tench, trout, and pike, proceeding precisely as above; if the broth is required for an invalid, omit the wine and some of the seasoning, according to the order of the doctor.

NO. 78.--SOYER’S CRIMEAN CUP A LA WYNDHAM.

Thinly peel the rind of half an orange, put it into a bowl with a tablespoonful of crushed sugar, and macerate with the ladle for a minute; then add one large wine-glass of Maraschino, half one of Cognac, half one of Curaçoa. Mix well together, pour in two bottles of soda-water, and one of champagne, during which time work it up and down with the punch ladle, and it is ready.

Half a pound of Wenham Lake ice, if to be procured, is a great improvement.

NO. 79.--SOYER’S BALAKLAVA NECTAR.

Thinly peel the rind of half a lemon, shred it fine, and put it in a punch-bowl; add 2 tablespoonfuls of crushed sugar and the juice of 2 lemons, the half of a small cucumber sliced thin with the peel on; toss it up several times, then add 2 bottles of soda-water, 2 of claret, 1 of champagne, stir well together and serve.

NO. 80.--PIERCE’S CLARET AND CHAMPAGNE CUP A LA BRUNOW.

This gentleman, whose excellent and useful book I have quoted in the body of this work, has favoured me with the following claret and champagne cup, which ought, from its excellency, to be called, the nectar of the Czar, as it is so highly appreciated in Russia, where for many years it has enjoyed a high reputation amongst the aristocracy of the Muscovite empire.

To three bottles of claret, take two-thirds of a pint of Curaçoa, one pint of sherry, half ditto of brandy, two wine-glasses of ratafia, three oranges, and one lemon, cut in slices; some sprigs of green balm, ditto of borage, a small piece of rind of cucumber, two bottles of German Seltzer-water, three ditto of soda-water; stir this together, and sweeten with capillaire or pounded sugar until it ferments, let it stand one hour, strain it, and ice it well; it is then fit for use.

The same for Champagne Cup.--Champagne instead of claret; noyeau instead of ratafia.

This quantity is for an evening party of forty persons. For a smaller number reduce the proportions.

SAUCES.

1.--MELTED BUTTER.

Put 2oz. of butter in a stew-pan holding about a quart, and 2oz. of flour, half a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter one of pepper; mix together with a spoon till forming a thick paste, add a pint of cold water, place all on a fire, stir continually; take the pan off the fire when it simmers; add another of fresh butter in it, stir till melted; it is then ready for use. A little grated nutmeg and a drop of vinegar is an improvement. This sauce being the base of so many others, requires attention in making, and as flour will sometimes be stronger than at others, and likely to make it too thin or too thick, take for a rule that the proper thickness when done ought to form a transparent coating over the back of the spoon.

2.--BEURRE A LA MAITRE D’HOTEL, OR HOTEL KEEPER’S BUTTER.

Put on a plate a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, a quarter of a spoonful of salt, ditto of pepper, two of chopped parsley, the juice of a middle-sized lemon (if no lemon, use vinegar), and a little grated nutmeg; mix well together, and keep in a cool place till required. This is excellent with kidneys and all broiled meats. Nutmeg may be omitted.

3.--ANCHOVY BUTTER, OR BEURRE D’ANCHOIX.

Take 6 anchovies from a bottle, scrape and wash them, pound and pulp them, or bruise them on a board; mix 6oz. of fresh butter, pass through a sieve, and use when required. Keep the sauce in a cold place.

4.--CHERVIL AND TARRAGON BUTTER.

To 2oz. of butter add a teaspoonful of chopped chervil and tarragon; add salt, pepper, a little cayenne, 1 tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar, or the juice of half a lemon.

5.--PIMENTO, OR CHILI BUTTER.

For 2oz. of butter put a teaspoonful of chilies chopped fine, 1 of parsley, a scrape of garlic as large as a pea; add to it half a teaspoonful of salt, a little pepper, and the juice of half a lemon; mix well.

6.--SHALOT BUTTER.

Put a quarter of a pound of butter and a teaspoonful of chopped shalot in a dish, a little cayenne, salt, pepper, half a teaspoonful of mustard, the juice of a lemon; mix together.

7.--BLACK BUTTER, OR BEURRE NOIR.

Put 2oz. of butter in a stewpan, set it on the fire till it acquires a brownish colour, throw in about 20 parsley leaves, 2 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, half a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter of pepper; boil together one minute. It is also excellent with boiled mackerel and skate.

8.--ONION SAUCE, OR SAUCE A LA TRIPE.

Peel and cut 6 onions in slices, put them in a stewpan with 2oz. of butter, a teaspoonful of salt, one of sugar, half one of pepper; place on a slow fire to simmer till in pulp, stirring now and then, to prevent getting brown; add a tablespoonful of flour, a pint of milk, and boil till of a proper thickness. This sauce should be a little thicker than melted butter.

9.--CURRY SAUCE.

Peel and cut 2 middling-sized onions in slices, 1 apple, cut in dice, and an ounce of bacon; put them in a stewpan with two ounces of butter; put it on the fire and fry gently for five or six minutes; add 3 teaspoonfuls of flour, 1 of curry powder, moisten with a pint and a half of milk, add half a teaspoonful of salt, and 1 of sugar; boil till rather thick; pass through a sieve, and serve with any article requiring curry sauce.

10.--BREAD SAUCE.

Put in a stewpan 4 tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs, a quarter of one of salt, an eighth of pepper, 6 pepper corns; peel a small onion, cut it in four, add it to the crumbs, with half a pint of milk and half an ounce of butter. Boil for ten minutes, and you will have an excellent sauce. Add more milk if requisite.

11.--MAITRE D’HOTEL SAUCE.

Mix 2oz. of maître d’hôtel butter to half a pint of hot melted butter sauce, and shake, and when the butter is melted it is ready.

12.--RELISHING SAUCE,

For broiled bones, fowls, meat, fish, &c. &c.

Put a tablespoonful of chopped onions into a stewpan, with 1 of Chili vinegar, 1 of common vinegar, 3 of water, 2 of mushroom ketchup, 2 of Harvey’s sauce, 1 of anchovies; add to it a pint of melted butter, as receipt No. 1; let it simmer until it adheres to the back of the spoon; add half a teaspoonful of sugar; it is then ready for use. The many ingredients found in this are always to be obtained in every tavern.

13.--TOMATO SAUCE.

Cut in dice 2oz. of lean ham or bacon, put either in a stewpan, with 2oz. of butter, a sliced onion, a few sprigs of parsley, 4 peppercorns, and 1 bay-leaf; fry on the fire till getting slightly brown; add in then about 2lb. of fresh tomatoes, cut across, lightly extract the seed; let them stew about fifteen minutes, or till in pulp; add to it 2 tablespoonfuls of flour; mix well; then about a pint of broth or milk, a teaspoonful of salt, quarter that of pepper, one of sugar, a sprinkle of cayenne, boil all ten minutes; pass through a sieve or colander; put them back again in the stewpan; give another boil, it is then ready for use when required. A tablespoonful of ketchup may be added; also a piece of glaze, if handy.

14.--SEMI-SULTANA.

Add 3 tablespoonfuls to 1 pint of thin melted butter; boil a few minutes; it is then ready.

15.--PICCALILLY SAUCE.

Cut in slices, or in small dice, 2oz. of mixed pickles, called piccalilly, add it to half a pint melted butter, with 2 tablespoonfuls of liqueur, and use when required.

16.--BROWNING FOR SAUCES.

Put half a pound of brown sugar into an iron saucepan, and melt it over a moderate fire for about twenty-five minutes, stirring it continually, until quite black, but it must become so by degrees, or too sudden a heat will make it bitter, then add two quarts of water, and in ten minutes the sugar will be dissolved. Bottle for use.

17.--NEW MAYONNAISE SAUCE.