Chapter X (4)
502. INGREDIENTS.--2-1/2 pints of walnut pickle, 1-1/2 oz. of shalots, 1 quart of spring water, 3/4 pint of Indian soy, 1/2 oz. of bruised ginger, 1/2 oz. of long pepper, 1 oz. of mustard-seed, 1 anchovy, 1/2 oz. of cayenne, 1/4 oz. of dried sweet bay-leaves.
_Mode_.--Bruise the shalots in a mortar, and put them in a stone jar with the walnut-liquor; place it before the fire, and let it boil until reduced to 2 pints. Then, into another jar, put all the ingredients except the bay-leaves, taking care that they are well bruised, so that the flavour may be thoroughly extracted; put this also before the fire, and let it boil for 1 hour, or rather more. When the contents of both jars are sufficiently cooked, mix them together, stirring them well as you mix them, and submit them to a slow boiling for 1/2 hour; cover closely, and let them stand 24 hours in a cool place; then open the jar and add the bay-leaves; let it stand a week longer closed down, when strain through a flannel bag, and it will be ready for use. The above quantities will make 1/2 gallon.
_Time_.--Altogether, 3 hours.
_Seasonable_.--This sauce may be made at any time.
REMOULADE, or FRENCH SALAD-DRESSING.
503. INGREDIENTS.--4 eggs, 1/2 tablespoonful of made mustard, salt and cayenne to taste, 3 tablespoonfuls of olive-oil, 1 tablespoonful of tarragon or plain vinegar.
_Mode_.--Boil 3 eggs quite hard for about 1/4 hour, put them into cold water, and let them remain in it for a few minutes; strip off the shells, put the yolks in a mortar, and pound them very smoothly; add to them, very gradually, the mustard, seasoning, and vinegar, keeping all well stirred and rubbed down with the back of a wooden spoon. Put in the oil drop by drop, and when this is thoroughly mixed with the other ingredients, add the yolk of a raw egg, and stir well, when it will be ready for use. This sauce should not be curdled; and to prevent this, the only way is to mix a little of everything at a time, and not to cease stirring. The quantities of oil and vinegar may be increased or diminished according to taste, as many persons would prefer a smaller proportion of the former ingredient.
GREEN REMOULADE is made by using tarragon vinegar instead of plain, and colouring with a little parsley-juice, No. 495. Harvey's sauce, or Chili vinegar, may be added at pleasure.
_Time_.--1/4 hour to boil the eggs.
_Average cost_, for this quantity, 7d.
_Sufficient_ for a salad made for 4 or 6 persons.
TARRAGON.--The leaves of this plant, known to naturalists as
_Artemisia dracunculus_, are much used in France as a flavouring
ingredient for salads. From it also is made the vinegar known as
tarragon vinegar, which is employed by the French in mixing
their mustard. It originally comes from Tartary, and does not
seed in France.
SAGE-AND-ONION STUFFING, for Geese, Ducks, and Pork.
504. INGREDIENTS.--4 large onions, 10 sage-leaves, 1/4 lb. of bread crumbs, 1-1/2 oz. of butter, salt and pepper to taste, 1 egg.
_Mode_.--Peel the onions, put them into boiling water, let them simmer for 5 minutes or rather longer, and, just before they are taken out, put in the sage-leaves for a minute or two to take off their rawness. Chop both these very fine, add the bread, seasoning, and butter, and work the whole together with the yolk of an egg, when the stuffing will be ready for use. It should be rather highly seasoned, and the sage-leaves should be very finely chopped. Many cooks do not parboil the onions in the manner just stated, but merely use them raw. The stuffing then, however, is not nearly so mild, and, to many tastes, its strong flavour would be very objectionable. When made for goose, a portion of the liver of the bird, simmered for a few minutes and very finely minced, is frequently added to this stuffing; and where economy is studied, the egg may be dispensed with.
_Time_.--Rather more than 5 minutes to simmer the onions.
_Average cost_, for this quantity, 4d.
_Sufficient_ for 1 goose, or a pair of ducks.
505. SOYER'S RECIPE FOR GOOSE STUFFING.--Take 4 apples, peeled and cored, 4 onions, 4 leaves of sage, and 4 leaves of lemon thyme not broken, and boil them in a stewpan with sufficient water to cover them; when done, pulp them through a sieve, removing the sage and thyme; then add sufficient pulp of mealy potatoes to cause it to be sufficiently dry without sticking to the hand; add pepper and salt, and stuff the bird.
SALAD DRESSING (Excellent).
I.
506. INGREDIENTS.--1 teaspoonful of mixed mustard, 1 teaspoonful of pounded sugar, 2 tablespoonfuls of salad oil, 4 tablespoonfuls of milk, 2 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, cayenne and salt to taste.
_Mode_.--Put the mixed mustard into a salad-bowl with the sugar, and add the oil drop by drop, carefully stirring and mixing all these ingredients well together. Proceed in this manner with the milk and vinegar, which must be added very _gradually_, or the sauce will curdle. Put in the seasoning, when the mixture will be ready for use. If this dressing is properly made, it will have a soft creamy appearance, and will be found very delicious with crab, or cold fried fish (the latter cut into dice), as well as with salads. In mixing salad dressings, the ingredients cannot be added _too gradually_, or _stirred too much_.
_Average cost_, for this quantity, 3d.
_Sufficient_ for a small salad.
This recipe can be confidently recommended by the editress, to whom it was given by an intimate friend noted for her salads.
SCARCITY OF SALADS IN ENGLAND.--Three centuries ago, very few
vegetables were cultivated in England, and an author writing of
the period of Henry VIII.'s reign, tells us that neither salad,
nor carrots, nor cabbages, nor radishes, nor any other
comestibles of a like nature, were grown in any part of the
kingdom: they came from Holland and Flanders. We further learn,
that Queen Catharine herself, with all her royalty, could not
procure a salad of English growth for her dinner. The king was
obliged to mend this sad state of affairs, and send to Holland
for a gardener in order to cultivate those pot-herbs, in the
growth of which England is now, perhaps, not behind any other
country in Europe.
THE OLIVE AND OLIVE OIL.--This tree assumes a high degree of
interest from the historical circumstances with which it is
connected. A leaf of it was brought into the ark by the dove,
when that vessel was still floating on the waters of the great
deep, and gave the first token that the deluge was subsiding.
Among the Greeks, the prize of the victor in the Olympic games
was a wreath of wild olive; and the "Mount of Olives" is
rendered familiar to our ears by its being mentioned in the
Scriptures as near to Jerusalem. The tree is indigenous in the
north of Africa, Syria, and Greece; and the Romans introduced it
to Italy. In Spain and the south of France it is now cultivated;
and although it grows in England, its fruit does not ripen in
the open air. Both in Greece and Portugal the fruit is eaten in
its ripe state; but its taste is not agreeable to many palates.
To the Italian shepherd, bread and olives, with a little wine,
form a nourishing diet; but in England, olives are usually only
introduced by way of dessert, to destroy the taste of the viands
which have been previously eaten, that the flavour of the wine
may be the better enjoyed. There are three kinds of olives
imported to London,--the French, Spanish, and Italian: the first
are from Provence, and are generally accounted excellent; the
second are larger, but more bitter; and the last are from Lucca,
and are esteemed the best. The oil extracted from olives, called
olive oil, or salad oil, is, with the continentals, in continual
request, more dishes being prepared with than without it, we
should imagine. With us, it is principally used in mixing a
salad, and when thus employed, it tends to prevent fermentation,
and is an antidote against flatulency.
II.
507. INGREDIENTS.--4 eggs, 1 teaspoonful of mixed mustard, 1/4 teaspoonful of white pepper, half that quantity of cayenne, salt to taste, 4 tablespoonfuls of cream, vinegar.
_Mode_.--Boil the eggs until hard, which will be in about 1/4 hour or 20 minutes; put them into cold water, take off the shells, and pound the yolks in a mortar to a smooth paste. Then add all the other ingredients, except the vinegar, and stir them well until the whole are thoroughly incorporated one with the other. Pour in sufficient vinegar to make it of the consistency of cream, taking care to add but little at a time. The mixture will then be ready for use.
_Average cost_, for this quantity, 7d.
_Sufficient_ for a moderate-sized salad.
_Note_.--The whites of the eggs, cut into rings, will serve very well as a garnishing to the salad.
III.
508. INGREDIENTS.--1 egg, 1 teaspoonful of salad oil, 1 teaspoonful of mixed mustard, 1/4 teaspoonful of salt, 1/2 teaspoonful of pounded sugar, 2 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, 6 tablespoonfuls of cream.
_Mode_.--Prepare and mix the ingredients by the preceding recipe, and be very particular that the whole is well stirred.
_Note_.--In making salads, the vegetables, &c., should never be added to the sauce very long before they are wanted for table; the dressing, however, may always be prepared some hours before required. Where salads are much in request, it is a good plan to bottle off sufficient dressing for a few days' consumption, as, thereby, much time and trouble are saved. If kept in a cool place, it will remain good for 4 or 5 days.
POETIC RECIPE FOR SALAD.--The Rev. Sydney Smith, the witty canon
of St. Paul's, who thought that an enjoyment of the good things
of this earth was compatible with aspirations for things higher,
wrote the following excellent recipe for salad, which we should
advise our readers not to pass by without a trial, when the hot
weather invites to a dish of cold lamb. May they find the
flavour equal to the rhyme.--
"Two large potatoes, pass'd through kitchen sieve,
Smoothness and softness to the salad give:
Of mordent mustard add a single spoon,
Distrust the condiment that bites too soon;
But deem it not, thou man of herbs, a fault.
To add a double quantity of salt:
Four times the spoon with oil of Lucca crown,
And twice with vinegar procured from 'town;
True flavour needs it, and your poet begs,
The pounded yellow of two well-boil'd eggs.
Let onion's atoms lurk within the bowl,
And, scarce suspected, animate the whole;
And, lastly, in the flavour'd compound toss
A magic spoonful of anchovy sauce.
Oh! great and glorious, and herbaceous treat,
'Twould tempt the dying anchorite to eat.
Back to the world he'd turn his weary soul,
And plunge his fingers in the salad-bowl."
SAUCE ALLEMANDE, or GERMAN SAUCE.
509. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of sauce tournée (No. 517), the yolks of 2 eggs.
_Mode_.--Put the sauce into a stewpan, heat it, and stir to it the beaten yolks of 2 eggs, which have been previously strained. Let it just simmer, but not boil, or the eggs will curdle; and after they are added to the sauce, it must be stirred without ceasing. This sauce is a general favourite, and is used for many made dishes.
_Time_.--1 minute to simmer.
_Average cost_, 6d.
SAUCE ARISTOCRATIQUE (a Store Sauce).
510. INGREDIENTS.--Green walnuts. To every pint of juice, 1 lb. of anchovies, 1 drachm of cloves, 1 drachm of mace, 1 drachm of Jamaica ginger bruised, 8 shalots. To every pint of the boiled liquor, 1/2 pint of vinegar, 1/4 pint of port wine, 2 tablespoonfuls of soy.
_Mode_.--Pound the walnuts in a mortar, squeeze out the juice through a strainer, and let it stand to settle. Pour off the clear juice, and to every pint of it, add anchovies, spices, and cloves in the above proportion. Boil all these together till the anchovies are dissolved, then strain the juice again, put in the shalots (8 to every pint), and boil again. To every pint of the boiled liquor add vinegar, wine, and soy, in the above quantities, and bottle off for use. Cork well, and seal the corks.
_Seasonable_.--Make this sauce from the beginning to the middle of July, when walnuts are in perfection for sauces and pickling.
_Average cost_, 3s. 6d. for a quart.
MANUFACTURE OF SAUCES.--In France, during the reign of Louis
XII., at the latter end of the 14th century, there was formed a
company of sauce-manufacturers, who obtained, in those days of
monopolies, the exclusive privilege of making sauces. The
statutes drawn up by this company inform us that the famous
sauce à la cameline, sold by them, was to be composed or "good
cinnamon, good ginger, good cloves, good grains of paradise,
good bread, and good vinegar." The sauce Tence, was to be made
of "good sound almonds, good ginger, good wine, and good
verjuice." May we respectfully express a hope--not that we
desire to doubt it in the least--that the English
sauce-manufacturers of the 19th century are equally considerate
and careful in choosing their ingredients for their various
well-known preparations.
SAUCE A L'AURORE, for Trout, Soles, &c.
511. INGREDIENTS.--The spawn of 1 lobster, 1 oz. of butter, 1/2 pint of Béchamel (No. 367), the juice of 1/2 lemon, a high seasoning of salt and cayenne.
_Mode_.--Take the spawn and pound it in a mortar with the butter, until quite smooth, and work it through a hair sieve. Put the Béchamel into a stewpan, add the pounded spawn, the lemon-juice, which must be strained, and a plentiful seasoning of cayenne and salt; let it just simmer, but do not allow it to boil, or the beautiful red colour of the sauce will be spoiled. A small spoonful of anchovy essence may be added at pleasure.
_Time_.--1 minute to simmer. _Average cost_, for this quantity, 1s.
_Sufficient_ for a pair of large soles.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
SAUCE A LA MATELOTE, for Fish.
512. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of Espagnole (No. 411), 3 onions, 2 tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, 1/2 glass of port wine, a bunch of sweet herbs, 1/2 bay-leaf, salt and pepper to taste, 1 clove, 2 berries of allspice, a little liquor in which the fish has been boiled, lemon-juice, and anchovy sauce.
_Mode_.--Slice and fry the onions of a nice brown colour, and put them into a stewpan with the Espagnole, ketchup, wine, and a little liquor in which the fish has been boiled. Add the seasoning, herbs, and spices, and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring well the whole time; strain it through a fine hair sieve, put in the lemon-juice and anchovy sauce, and pour it over the fish. This sauce may be very much enriched by adding a few small quenelles, or forcemeat balls made of fish, and also glazed onions or mushrooms. These, however, should not be added to the matelote till it is dished.
_Time_.--10 minutes. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
_Note_.--This sauce originally took its name as being similar to that which the French sailor (_matelot_) employed as a relish to the fish he caught and ate. In some cases, cider and perry were substituted for the wine. The Norman _matelotes_ were very celebrated.
THE BAY.--We have already described (see No. 180) the difference
between the cherry-laurel (_Prunus Laurus cerasus_) and the
classic laurel (_Laurus nobilis_), the former only being used
for culinary purposes. The latter beautiful evergreen was
consecrated by the ancients to priests and heroes, and used in
their sacrifices. "A crown of bay" was the earnestly-desired
reward for great enterprises, and for the display of uncommon
genius in oratory or writing. It was more particularly sacred to
Apollo, because, according to the fable, the nymph Daphne was
changed into a laurel-tree. The ancients believed, too, that the
laurel had the power of communicating the gift of prophecy, as
well as poetic genius; and, when they wished to procure pleasant
dreams, would place a sprig under the pillow of their bed. It
was the symbol, too, of victory, and it was thought that the
laurel could never be struck by lightning. From this word comes
that of "laureate;" Alfred Tennyson being the present poet
laureate, crowned with laurel as the first of living bards.
SAUCE PIQUANTE, for Cutlets, Roast Meat, &c.
513. INGREDIENTS.--2 oz. of butter, 1 small carrot, 6 shalots, 1 small bunch of savoury herbs, including parsley, 1/2 a bay-leaf, 2 slices of lean ham, 2 cloves, 6 peppercorns, 1 blade of mace, 3 whole allspice, 4 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, 1/2 pint of stock (No. 104 or 105), 1 small lump of sugar, 1/4 saltspoonful of cayenne, salt to taste.
_Mode_.--Put into a stewpan the butter, with the carrot and shalots, both of which must be cut into small slices; add the herbs, bay-leaf, spices, and ham (which must be minced rather finely), and let these ingredients simmer over a slow fire, until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a brown glaze. Keep stirring with a wooden spoon, and put in the remaining ingredients. Simmer very gently for 1/4 hour, skim off every particle of fat, strain the sauce through a sieve, and serve very hot. Care must be taken that this sauce be not made too acid, although it should possess a sharpness indicated by its name. Of course the above quantity of vinegar may be increased or diminished at pleasure, according to taste.
_Time_.--Altogether 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 10d.
_Sufficient_ for a medium-sized dish of cutlets.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
A GOOD SAUCE FOR VARIOUS BOILED PUDDINGS.
514. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of butter, 1/4 lb. of pounded sugar, a wineglassful of brandy or rum.
_Mode_.--Beat the butter to a cream, until no lumps remain; add the pounded sugar, and brandy or rum; stir once or twice until the whole is thoroughly mixed, and serve. This sauce may either be poured round the pudding or served in a tureen, according to the taste or fancy of the cook or mistress.
_Average cost_, 8d. for this quantity.
_Sufficient_ for a pudding.
SAUCE ROBERT, for Steaks, &c.
515. INGREDIENTS.--2 oz. of butter, 3 onions, 1 teaspoonful of flour, 4 tablespoonfuls of gravy, or stock No. 105, salt and pepper to taste, 1 teaspoonful of made mustard, 1 teaspoonful of vinegar, the juice of 1/2 lemon.
_Mode_.--Put the butter into a stewpan, set it on the fire, and, when browning, throw in the onions, which must be cut into small slices. Fry them brown, but do not burn them; add the flour, shake the onions in it, and give the whole another fry. Put in the gravy and seasoning, and boil it gently for 10 minutes; skim off the fat, add the mustard, vinegar, and lemon-juice; give it one boil, and pour round the steaks, or whatever dish the sauce has been prepared for.
_Time_.---Altogether 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, for this quantity, 6d.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
_Sufficient_ for about 2 lbs. of steak.
_Note_.--This sauce will be found an excellent accompaniment to roast goose, pork, mutton cutlets, and various other dishes.
A GOOD SAUCE FOR STEAKS.
516. INGREDIENTS.--1 oz. of whole black pepper, 1/2 oz. of allspice, 1 oz. of salt, 1/2 oz. grated horseradish, 1/2 oz. of pickled shalots, 1 pint of mushroom ketchup or walnut pickle.
_Mode_.--Pound all the ingredients finely in a mortar, and put them into the ketchup or walnut-liquor. Let them stand for a fortnight, when strain off the liquor and bottle for use. Either pour a little of the sauce over the steaks or mix it in the gravy.
_Seasonable_.--This can be made at any time.
_Note_.--In using a jar of pickled walnuts, there is frequently left a large quantity of liquor; this should be converted into a sauce like the above, and will be found a very useful relish.
THE GROWTH OF THE PEPPER-PLANT.--Our readers will see at Nos.
369 and 399, a description, with engravings, of the qualities of
black and long pepper, and an account of where these spices are
found. We will here say something of the manner of the growth of
the pepper-plant. Like the vine, it requires support, and it is
usual to plant a thorny tree by its side, to which it may cling.
In Malabar, the chief pepper district of India, the jacca-tree
(_Artocarpus integrifolia_) is made thus to yield its
assistance, the same soil being adapted to the growth of both
plants. The stem of the pepper-plant entwines round its support
to a considerable height; the flexile branches then droop
downwards, bearing at their extremities, as well as at other
parts, spikes of green flowers, which are followed by the
pungent berries. These hang in large bunches, resembling in
shape those of grapes; but the fruit grows distinct, each on a
little stalk, like currants. Each berry contains a single seed,
of a globular form and brownish colour, but which changes to a
nearly black when dried; and this is the pepper of commerce. The
leaves are not unlike those of the ivy, but are larger and of
rather lighter colour; they partake strongly of the peculiar
smell and pungent taste of the berry.
SAUCE TOURNEE.
517. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of white stock (No. 107), thickening of flour and butter, or white roux (No. 526), a faggot of savoury herbs, including parsley, 6 chopped mushrooms, 6 green onions.
_Mode_.--Put the stock into a stewpan with the herbs, onions, and mushrooms, and let it simmer very gently for about 1/2 hour; stir in sufficient thickening to make it of a proper consistency; let it boil for a few minutes, then skim off all the fat, strain and serve. This sauce, with the addition of a little cream, is now frequently called velouté.
_Time_.--1/2 hour. _Average cost_, for this quantity, 6d.
_Note_.--If poultry trimmings are at hand, the stock should be made of these; and the above sauce should not be made too thick, as it does not then admit of the fat being nicely removed.
SWEET SAUCE, for Venison.
518. INGREDIENTS.--A small jar of red-currant jelly, 1 glass of port wine.
_Mode_.--Put the above ingredients into a stewpan, set them over the fire, and, when melted, pour in a tureen and serve. It should not be allowed to boil.
_Time_.--5 minutes to melt the jelly.
_Average cost_, for this quantity, 1s.
SAUCE FOR WILDFOWL.
519. INGREDIENTS.--1 glass of port wine, 1 tablespoonful of Leamington sauce (No. 459), 1 tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, 1 slice of lemon-peel, 1 large shalot cut in slices, 1 blade of mace, cayenne to taste.
_Mode_.--Put all the ingredients into a stewpan, set it over the fire, and let it simmer for about 5 minutes; then strain and serve the sauce in a tureen.
_Time_.--5 minutes. _Average cost_, for this quantity, 8d.
SAUSAGE-MEAT STUFFING, for Turkey.
520. INGREDIENTS.--6 oz. of lean pork, 6 oz. of fat pork, both weighed after being chopped (beef suet may be substituted for the latter), 2 oz. of bread crumbs, 1 small tablespoonful of minced sage, 1 blade of pounded mace, salt and pepper to taste, 1 egg.
_Mode_.--Chop the meat and fat very finely, mix with them the other ingredients, taking care that the whole is thoroughly incorporated. Moisten with the egg, and the stuffing will be ready for use. Equal quantities of this stuffing and forcemeat, No. 417, will be found to answer very well, as the herbs, lemon-peel, &c. in the latter, impart a very delicious flavour to the sausage-meat. As preparations, however, like stuffings and forcemeats, are matters to be decided by individual tastes, they must be left, to a great extent, to the discrimination of the cook, who should study her employer's taste in this, as in every other respect.
_Average cost_, 9d.
_Sufficient_ for a small turkey.
SAVOURY JELLY FOR MEAT PIES.
521. INGREDIENTS.--3 lbs. of shin of beef, 1 calf's-foot, 3 lbs. of knuckle of veal, poultry trimmings (if for game pies, any game trimmings), 2 onions stuck with cloves, 2 carrots, 4 shalots, a bunch of savoury herbs, 2 bay-leaves; when liked, 2 blades of mace and a little spice; 2 slices of lean ham, rather more than 2 quarts of water.
_Mode_.--Cut up the meat and put it into a stewpan with all the ingredients except the water; set it over a slow fire to draw down, and, when the gravy ceases to flow from the meat, pour in the water. Let it boil up, then carefully take away all scum from the top. Cover the stewpan closely, and let the stock simmer very gently for 4 hours: if rapidly boiled, the jelly will not be clear. When done, strain it through a fine sieve or flannel bag; and when cold, the jelly should be quite transparent. If this is not the case, clarify it with the whites of eggs, as described in recipe No. 109.
_Time_.--4 hours. _Average cost_, for this quantity, 5s.
SHRIMP SAUCE, for Various Kinds of Fish.
522. INGREDIENTS.--1/3 pint of melted butter (No. 376), 1/4 pint of picked shrimps, cayenne to taste.
_Mode_.--Make the melted butter very smoothly by recipe No. 376, shell the shrimps (sufficient to make 1/4 pint when picked), and put them into the butter; season with cayenne, and let the sauce just simmer, but do not allow it to boil. When liked, a teaspoonful of anchovy sauce may be added.
_Time_.--1 minute to simmer. _Average cost_, 6d.
_Sufficient_ for 3 or 4 persons.
SPINACH GREEN FOR COLOURING VARIOUS DISHES.
523. INGREDIENTS.--2 handfuls of spinach.
_Mode_.--Pick and wash the spinach free from dirt, and pound the leaves in a mortar to extract the juice; then press it through a hair sieve, and put the juice into a small stewpan or jar. Place this in a bain marie, or saucepan of boiling water, and let it set. Watch it closely, as it should not boil; and, as soon as it is done, lay it in a sieve, so that all the water may drain from it, and the green will then be ready for colouring. If made according to this recipe, the spinach-green will be found far superior to that boiled in the ordinary way.
HOT SPICE, a Delicious Adjunct to Chops, Steaks, Gravies, &c.
524. INGREDIENTS.--3 drachms each of ginger, black pepper, and cinnamon, 7 cloves, 1/2 oz. mace, 1/4 oz. of cayenne, 1 oz. grated nutmeg, 1-1/2 oz. white pepper.
_Mode_.--Pound the ingredients, and mix them thoroughly together, taking care that everything is well blended. Put the spice in a very dry glass bottle for use. The quantity of cayenne may be increased, should the above not be enough to suit the palate.
CINNAMON.--The cinnamon-tree (_Laurus Cinnamomum_) is a valuable
and beautiful species of the laurel family, and grows to the
height of 20 or 30 feet. The trunk is short and straight, with
wide-spreading branches, and it has a smooth ash-like bark. The
leaves are upon short stalks, and are of an oval shape, and 3 to
5 inches long. The flowers are in panicles, with six small
petals, and the fruit is about the size of an olive, soft,
insipid, and of a deep blue. This incloses a nut, the kernel of
which germinates soon after it falls. The wood of the tree is
white and not very solid, and its root is thick and branching,
exuding a great quantity of camphor. The inner bark of the tree
forms the cinnamon of commerce. Ceylon was thought to be its
native island; but it has been found in Malabar, Cochin-China,
Sumatra, and the Eastern Islands; also in the Brazils, the
Mauritius, Jamaica, and other tropical localities.
BROWN ROUX, a French Thickening for Gravies and Sauces.
525. INGREDIENTS.--6 oz. of butter, 9 oz. of flour.
_Mode_.--Melt the butter in a stewpan over a slow fire, and dredge in, very gradually, the flour; stir it till of a light-brown colour--to obtain this do it very slowly, otherwise the flour will burn and impart a bitter taste to the sauce it is mixed with. Pour it in a jar, and keep it for use: it will remain good some time.
_Time_.--About 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 7d.
WHITE ROUX, for thickening White Sauces.
526. Allow the same proportions of butter and flour as in the preceding recipe, and proceed in the same manner as for brown roux, but do not keep it on the fire too long, and take care not to let it colour. This is used for thickening white sauce. Pour it into a jar to use when wanted.
_Time_.--1/4 hour. _Average cost_, 7d.
_Sufficient_,--A dessertspoonful will thicken a pint of gravy.
_Note_.--Besides the above, sauces may be thickened with potato flour, ground rice, baked flour, arrowroot, &c.: the latter will be found far preferable to the ordinary flour for white sauces. A slice of bread, toasted and added to gravies, answers the two purposes of thickening and colouring them.
SPANISH ONIONS--PICKLED.
527. INGREDIENTS.--Onions, vinegar; salt and cayenne to taste.
_Mode_.--Cut the onions in thin slices; put a layer of them in the bottom of a jar; sprinkle with salt and cayenne; then add another layer of onions, and season as before. Proceeding in this manner till the jar is full, pour in sufficient vinegar to cover the whole, and the pickle will be fit for use in a month.
_Seasonable_.--May be had in England from September to February.
STORE SAUCE, or CHEROKEE.
528. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 oz. of cayenne pepper, 5 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoonfuls of soy, 1 tablespoonful of walnut ketchup, 1 pint of vinegar.
_Mode_.--Boil all the ingredients _gently_ for about 1/2 hour; strain the liquor, and bottle off for use.
_Time_.--1/2 hour.
_Seasonable_.--This sauce can be made at any time.
TOMATO SAUCE--HOT, to serve with Cutlets, Roast Meats, &c.
529. INGREDIENTS.--6 tomatoes, 2 shalots, 1 clove, 1 blade of mace, salt and cayenne to taste, 1/4 pint of gravy, No. 436, or stock No. 104.
_Mode_.--Cut the tomatoes in two, and squeeze the juice and seeds out; put them in a stewpan with all the ingredients, and let them simmer _gently_ until the tomatoes are tender enough to pulp; rub the whole through a sieve, boil it for a few minutes, and serve. The shalots and spices may be omitted when their flavour is objected to.
_Time_.--1 hour, or rather more, to simmer the tomatoes.
_Average cost_, for this quantity, 1s.
_In full season_ in September and October.
TOMATO, OR LOVE-APPLE.--The plant which bears this fruit is a
native of South America, and takes its name from a Portuguese
word. The tomato fruit is about the size of a small potato, and
is chiefly used in soups, sauces, and gravies. It is sometimes
served to table roasted or boiled, and when green, makes a good
ketchup or pickle. In its unripe state, it is esteemed as
excellent sauce for roast goose or pork, and when quite ripe, a
good store sauce may be prepared from it.
TOMATO SAUCE FOR KEEPING (Excellent).
I.
530. INGREDIENTS.--To every quart of tomato-pulp allow 1 pint of cayenne vinegar (No. 386), 3/4 oz. of shalots, 3/4 oz. of garlic, peeled and cut in slices; salt to taste. To every six quarts of liquor, 1 pint of soy, 1 pint of anchovy sauce.
_Mode_.--Gather the tomatoes quite ripe; bake them in a slow oven till tender; rub them through a sieve, and to every quart of pulp add cayenne vinegar, shalots, garlic, and salt, in the above proportion; boil the whole together till the garlic and shalots are quite soft; then rub it through a sieve, put it again into a saucepan, and, to every six quarts of the liquor, add 1 pint of soy and the same quantity of anchovy sauce, and boil altogether for about 20 minutes; bottle off for use, and carefully seal or rosin the corks. This will keep good for 2 or 3 years, but will be fit for use in a week. A useful and less expensive sauce may be made by omitting the anchovy and soy.
_Time_.--Altogether 1 hour.
_Seasonable_.--Make this from the middle of September to the end of October.
II.
531. INGREDIENTS.--1 dozen tomatoes, 2 teaspoonfuls of the best powdered ginger, 1 dessertspoonful of salt, 1 head of garlic chopped fine, 2 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, 1 dessertspoonful of Chili vinegar (a small quantity of cayenne may be substituted for this).
_Mode_.--Choose ripe tomatoes, put them into a stone jar, and stand them in a cool oven until quite tender; when cold, take the skins and stalks from them, mix the pulp with the liquor which is in the jar, but do not strain it; add all the other ingredients, mix well together, and put it into well-sealed bottles. Stored away in a cool dry place, it will keep good for years. It is ready for use as soon as made, but the flavour is better after a week or two. Should it not appear to keep, turn it out, and boil it up with a little additional ginger and cayenne. For immediate use, the skins should be put into a wide-mouthed bottle with a little of the different ingredients, and they will be found very nice for hashes or stews.
_Time_.--4 or 5 hours in a cool oven.
_Seasonable_ from the middle of September to the end of October.
III.
532. INGREDIENTS.--3 dozen tomatoes; to every pound of tomato-pulp allow 1 pint of Chili vinegar, 1 oz. of garlic, 1 oz. of shalot, 2 oz. of salt, 1 large green capsicum, 1/2 teaspoonful of cayenne, 2 pickled gherkins, 6 pickled onions, 1 pint of common vinegar, and the juice of 6 lemons.
_Mode_.--Choose the tomatoes when quite ripe and red; put them in a jar with a cover to it, and bake them till tender. The better way is to put them in the oven overnight, when it will not be too hot, and examine them in the morning to see if they are tender. Do not allow them to remain in the oven long enough to break them; but they should be sufficiently soft to skin nicely and rub through the sieve. Measure the pulp, and to each pound of pulp, add the above proportion of vinegar and other ingredients, taking care to chop very fine the garlic, shalot, capsicum, onion, and gherkins. Boil the whole together till everything is tender; then again rub it through a sieve, and add the lemon-juice. Now boil the whole again till it becomes as thick as cream, and keep continually stirring; bottle it when quite cold, cork well, and seal the corks. If the flavour of garlic and shalot is very much disliked, diminish the quantities.
_Time_.--Bake the tomatoes in a cool oven all night.
_Seasonable_ from the middle of September to the end of October.
_Note_.--A quantity of liquor will flow from the tomatoes, which must be put through the sieve with the rest. Keep it well stirred while on the fire, and use a wooden spoon.
UNIVERSAL PICKLE.
533. INGREDIENTS.--To 6 quarts of vinegar allow 1 lb. of salt, 1/4 lb. of ginger, 1 oz. of mace, 1/2 lb. of shalots, 1 tablespoonful of cayenne, 2 oz. of mustard-seed, 1-1/2 oz. of turmeric.
_Mode_.--Boil all the ingredients together for about 20 minutes; when cold, put them into a jar with whatever vegetables you choose, such as radish-pods, French beans, cauliflowers, gherkins, &c. &c., as these come into season; put them in fresh as you gather them, having previously wiped them perfectly free from moisture and grit. This pickle will be fit for use in about 8 or 9 months.
_Time_.--20 minutes.
_Seasonable_.--Make the pickle in May or June, to be ready for the various vegetables.
_Note_.--As this pickle takes 2 or 3 months to make,--that is to say, nearly that time will elapse before all the different vegetables are added,--care must be taken to keep the jar which contains the pickle well covered, either with a closely-fitting lid, or a piece of bladder securely tied over, so as perfectly to exclude the air.
PICKLED WALNUTS (Very Good).
534. INGREDIENTS.--100 walnuts, salt and water. To each quart of vinegar allow 2 oz. of whole black pepper, 1 oz. of allspice, 1 oz. of bruised ginger.
_Mode_.--Procure the walnuts while young; be careful they are not woody, and prick them well with a fork; prepare a strong brine of salt and water (4 lbs. of salt to each gallon of water), into which put the walnuts, letting them remain 9 days, and changing the brine every third day; drain them off, put them on a dish, place it in the sun until they become perfectly black, which will be in 2 or 3 days; have ready dry jars, into which place the walnuts, and do not quite fill the jars. Boil sufficient vinegar to cover them, for 10 minutes, with spices in the above proportion, and pour it hot over the walnuts, which must be quite covered with the pickle; tie down with bladder, and keep in a dry place. They will be fit for use in a month, and will keep good 2 or 3 years.
_Time_.--10 minutes.
_Seasonable_.--Make this from the beginning to the middle of July, before the walnuts harden.
_Note_.--When liked, a few shalots may be added to the vinegar, and boiled with it.
WALNUT KETCHUP.
I.
535. INGREDIENTS.--100 walnuts, 1 handful of salt, 1 quart of vinegar, 1/4 oz. of mace, 1/4 oz. of nutmeg, 1/4 oz. of cloves, 1/4 oz. of ginger, 1/4 oz. of whole black pepper, a small piece of horseradish, 20 shalots, 1/4 lb. of anchovies, 1 pint of port wine.
_Mode_.--Procure the walnuts at the time you can run a pin through them, slightly bruise, and put them into a jar with the salt and vinegar, let them stand 8 days, stirring every day; then drain the liquor from them, and boil it, with the above ingredients, for about 1/2 hour. It may be strained or not, as preferred, and, if required, a little more vinegar or wine can be added, according to taste. When bottled well, seal the corks.
_Time_.--1/2 hour.
_Seasonable_.--Make this from the beginning to the middle of July, when walnuts are in perfection for pickling purposes.
II.
536. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 sieve of walnut-shells, 2 quarts of water, salt, 1/2 lb. of shalots, 1 oz. of cloves, 1 oz. of mace, 1 oz. of whole pepper, 1 oz. of garlic.
_Mode_.--Put the walnut-shells into a pan, with the water, and a large quantity of salt; let them stand for 10 days, then break the shells up in the water, and let it drain through a sieve, putting a heavy weight on the top to express the juice; place it on the fire, and remove all scum that may arise. Now boil the liquor with the shalots, cloves, mace, pepper, and garlic, and let all simmer till the shalots sink; then put the liquor into a pan, and, when cold, bottle, and cork closely. It should stand 6 months before using: should it ferment during that time, it must be again boiled and skimmed.
_Time_.--About 3/4 hour.
_Seasonable_ in September, when the walnut-shells are obtainable.
THE WALNUT.--This nut is a native of Persia, and was introduced
into England from France. As a pickle, it is much used in the
green state; and grated walnuts in Spain are much employed, both
in tarts and other dishes. On the continent it is occasionally
employed as a substitute for olive oil in cooking; but it is
apt, under such circumstances, to become rancid. The matter
which remains after the oil is extracted is considered highly
nutritious for poultry. It is called _mare_, and in Switzerland
is eaten under the name of _pain amer_ by the poor. The oil is
frequently manufactured into a kind of soap, and the leaves and
green husks yield an extract, which, as a brown dye, is used to
stain hair, wool, and wood.
WHITE SAUCE (Good).
537. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of white stock (No. 107), 1/2 pint of cream, 1 dessertspoonful of flour, salt to taste.
_Mode_.--Have ready a delicately-clean saucepan, into which put the stock, which should be well flavoured with vegetables, and rather savoury; mix the flour smoothly with the cream, add it to the stock, season with a little salt, and boil all these ingredients very gently for about 10 minutes, keeping them well stirred the whole time, as this sauce is very liable to burn.
_Time_.--10 minutes. _Average cost_, 1s.
_Sufficient_ for a pair of fowls.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
WHITE SAUCE, made without Meat.
538. INGREDIENTS.--2 oz. of butter, 2 small onions, 1 carrot, 1/2 a small teacupful of flour, 1 pint of new milk, salt and cayenne to taste.
_Mode_.--Cut up the onions and carrot very small, and put them into a stewpan with the butter; simmer them till the butter is nearly dried up; then stir in the flour, and add the milk; boil the whole gently until it thickens, strain it, season with salt and cayenne, and it will be ready to serve.
_Time_.--1/4 hour. _Average cost_, 5d.
_Sufficient_ for a pair of fowls.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
WHITE SAUCE (a very Simple and Inexpensive Method).
539. INGREDIENTS.--1-1/2 pint of milk, 1-1/2 oz. of rice, 1 strip of lemon-peel, 1 small blade of pounded mace, salt and cayenne to taste.
_Mode_.--Boil the milk with the lemon-peel and rice until the latter is perfectly tender, then take out the lemon-peel and pound the milk and rice together; put it back into the stewpan to warm, add the mace and seasoning, give it one boil, and serve. This sauce should be of the consistency of thick cream.
_Time_.--About 1-1/2 hour to boil the rice.
_Average cost_, 4d.
_Sufficient_ for a pair of fowls.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
VARIOUS MODES OF COOKING MEAT.
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The Book of Household ManagementChapter X (4)
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