Chapter VI: Fruit and Vegetable Soups (2)

141. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of sliced parsnips, 2 oz. of butter, salt and cayenne to taste, 1 quart of stock No. 106.

_Mode_.--Put the parsnips into the stewpan with the butter, which has been previously melted, and simmer them till quite tender. Then add nearly a pint of stock, and boil together for half an hour. Pass all through a fine strainer, and put to it the remainder of the stock. Season, boil, and serve immediately.

_Time_.--2 hours. _Average cost_, 6d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ from October to April.

_Sufficient_ for 4 persons.

THE PARSNIP.--This is a biennial plant, with a root like a
carrot, which, in nutritive and saccharine matter, it nearly
equals. It is a native of Britain, and, in its wild state, may
be found, in many parts, growing by the road-sides. It is also
to be found, generally distributed over Europe; and, in Catholic
countries, is mostly used with salt fish, in Lent. In Scotland
it forms an excellent dish, when beat up with butter and
potatoes; it is, also, excellent when fried. In Ireland it is
found to yield, in conjunction with the hop, a pleasant
beverage; and it contains as much spirit as the carrot, and
makes an excellent wine. Its proportion of nutritive matter is
99 parts in 1,000; 9 being mucilage and 90 sugar.

PEA SOUP (GREEN).

142. INGREDIENTS.--3 pints of green peas, 1/4 lb. of butter, 2 or three thin slices of ham, 6 onions sliced, 4 shredded lettuces, the crumb of 2 French rolls, 2 handfuls of spinach, 1 lump of sugar, 2 quarts of common stock.

_Mode_.--Put the butter, ham, 1 quart of the peas, onions, and lettuces, to a pint of stock, and simmer for an hour; then add the remainder of the stock, with the crumb of the French rolls, and boil for another hour. Now boil the spinach, and squeeze it very dry. Rub the soup through a sieve, and the spinach with it, to colour it. Have ready a pint of _young_ peas boiled; add them to the soup, put in the sugar, give one boil, and serve. If necessary, add salt.

_Time_.--2-1/2 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 9d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ from June to the end of August.

_Sufficient_ for 10 persons.

_Note_.--It will be well to add, if the peas are not quite young, a little sugar. Where economy is essential, water may be used instead of stock for this soup, boiling in it likewise the pea-shells; but use a double quantity of vegetables.

WINTER PEA SOUP (YELLOW).

143. INGREDIENTS.--1 quart of split peas, 2 lbs. of shin of beef, trimmings of meat or poultry, a slice of bacon, 2 large carrots, 2 turnips, 5 large onions, 1 head of celery, seasoning to taste, 2 quarts of soft water, any bones left from roast meat, 2 quarts of common stock, or liquor in which a joint of meat has been boiled.

_Mode_.--Put the peas to soak over-night in soft water, and float off such as rise to the top. Boil them in the water till tender enough to pulp; then add the ingredients mentioned above, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring it occasionally. Pass the whole through a sieve, skim well, season, and serve with toasted bread cut in dice.

_Time_.--4 hours. _Average cost_, 6d. per quart. _Seasonable_ all the year round, but more suitable for cold weather. _Sufficient_ for 12 persons.

THE PEA.--It is supposed that the common gray pea, found wild in
Greece, and other parts of the Levant, is the original of the
common garden pea, and of all the domestic varieties belonging
to it. The gray, or field pea, called _bisallie_ by the French,
is less subject to run into varieties than the garden kinds, and
is considered by some, perhaps on that account, to be the wild
plant, retaining still a large proportion of its original habit.
From the tendency of all other varieties "to run away" and
become different to what they originally were, it is very
difficult to determine the races to which they belong. The pea
was well known to the Romans, and, probably, was introduced to
Britain at an early period; for we find peas mentioned by
Lydgate, a poet of the 15th century, as being hawked in London.
They seem, however, for a considerable time, to have fallen out
of use; for, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, Fuller tells us
they were brought from Holland, and were accounted "fit dainties
for ladies, they came so far and cost so dear." There are some
varieties of peas which have no lining in their pods, which are
eaten cooked in the same way as kidney-beans. They are called
_sugar_ peas, and the best variety is the large crooked sugar,
which is also very good, used in the common way, as a culinary
vegetable. There is also a white sort, which readily splits when
subjected to the action of millstones set wide apart, so as not
to grind them. These are used largely for soups, and especially
for sea-stores. From the quantity of farinaceous and saccharine
matter contained in the pea, it is highly nutritious as an
article of food.

PEA SOUP (inexpensive).

144. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of onions, 1/4 lb. of carrots, 2 oz. of celery, 3/4 lb. of split peas, a little mint, shred fine; 1 tablespoonful of coarse brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste, 4 quarts of water, or liquor in which a joint of meat has been boiled.

_Mode_.--Fry the vegetables for 10 minutes in a little butter or dripping, previously cutting them up in small pieces; pour the water on them, and when boiling add the peas. Let them simmer for nearly 3 hours, or until the peas are thoroughly done. Add the sugar, seasoning, and mint; boil for 1/4 of an hour, and serve.

_Time_.--3-1/2 hours. _Average cost_, 1-1/2d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ in winter.

_Sufficient_ for 12 persons.

POTATO SOUP.

I.

145. INGREDIENTS.--4 lbs. of mealy potatoes, boiled or steamed very dry, pepper and salt to taste, 2 quarts of stock No. 105.

_Mode_.--When the potatoes are boiled, mash them smoothly, that no lumps remain, and gradually put them to the boiling stock; pass it through a sieve, season, and simmer for 5 minutes. Skim well, and serve with fried bread.

_Time_.--1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 10d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ from September to March.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

II.

146. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of shin of beef, 1 lb. of potatoes, 1 onion, 1/2 a pint of peas, 2 oz. of rice, 2 heads of celery, pepper and salt to taste, 3 quarts of water.

_Mode_.--Cut the beef into thin slices, chop the potatoes and onion, and put them in a stewpan with the water, peas, and rice. Stew gently till the gravy is drawn from the meat; strain it off, take out the beef, and pulp the other ingredients through a coarse sieve. Put the pulp back in the soup, cut up the celery in it, and simmer till this is tender. Season, and serve with fried bread cut into it.

_Time_.--3 hours. _Average cost_, 4d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ from September to March.

_Sufficient_ for 12 persons.

III.

(_Very Economical_.)

147. INGREDIENTS.--4 middle-sized potatoes well pared, a thick slice of bread, 6 leeks peeled and cut into thin slices as far as the white extends upwards from the roots, a teacupful of rice, a teaspoonful of salt, and half that of pepper, and 2 quarts of water.

_Mode_.--The water must be completely boiling before anything is put into it; then add the whole of the ingredients at once, with the exception of the rice, the salt, and the pepper. Cover, and let these come to a brisk boil; put in the others, and let the whole boil slowly for an hour, or till all the ingredients are thoroughly done, and their several juices extracted and mixed.

_Time_.--2-1/2 hours. _Average cost_, 3d. per quart.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

_Seasonable_ in winter.

THE POTATO.--Humboldt doubted whether this root was a native of
South America; but it has been found growing wild both in Chili
and Buenos Ayres. It was first brought to Spain from the
neighbourhood of Quito, in the early part of the sixteenth
century, first to England from Virginia, in 1586, and first
planted by Sir Walter Raleigh, on his estate of Youghal, near
Cork, in Ireland. Thence it was brought and planted in
Lancashire, in England, and was, at first, recommended to be
eaten as a delicate dish, and not as common food. This was in
1587. _Nutritious Properties_.--Of a thousand parts of the
potato, Sir H. Davy found about a fourth nutritive; say, 200
mucilage or starch, 20 sugar, and 30 gluten.

PRINCE OF WALES'S SOUP.

148. INGREDIENTS.--12 turnips, 1 lump of sugar, 2 spoonfuls of strong veal stock, salt and white pepper to taste, 2 quarts of very bright stock, No. 105.

_Mode_.--Peel the turnips, and with a cutter cut them in balls as round as possible, but very small. Put them in the stock, which must be very bright, and simmer till tender. Add the veal stock and seasoning. Have little pieces of bread cut round, about the size of a shilling; moisten them with stock; put them into a tureen and pour the soup over without shaking, for fear of crumbling the bread, which would spoil the appearance of the soup, and make it look thick.

_Time_.--2 hours.

_Seasonable_ in the winter.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

THE PRINCE Of WALES.--This soup was invented by a philanthropic
friend of the Editress, to be distributed among the poor of a
considerable village, when the Prince of Wales attained his
majority, on the 9th November, 1859. Accompanying this fact, the
following notice, which appears in "BEETON'S DICTIONARY OF
UNIVERSAL INFORMATION" may appropriately be introduced,
premising that British princes attain their majority in their
18th year, whilst mortals of ordinary rank do not arrive at that
period till their 21st.--"ALBERT EDWARD, Prince of Wales, and
heir to the British throne, merits a place in this work on
account of the high responsibilities which he is, in all
probability, destined to fulfil as sovereign of the British
empire. On the 10th of November, 1858, he was gazetted as having
been invested with the rank of a colonel in the army. Speaking
of this circumstance, the _Times_ said,--'The significance of
this event is, that it marks the period when the heir to the
British throne is about to take rank among men, and to enter
formally upon a career, which every loyal subject of the queen
will pray may be a long and a happy one, for his own sake and
for the sake of the vast empire which, in the course of nature,
he will one day be called to govern. The best wish that we can
offer for the young prince is, that in his own path he may ever
keep before him the bright example of his royal mother, and show
himself worthy of her name.' There are few in these realms who
will not give a fervent response to these sentiments. B.
November 9th, 1841."

POTAGE PRINTANIER, OR SPRING SOUP.

149. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 a pint of green peas, if in season, a little chervil, 2 shredded lettuces, 2 onions, a very small bunch of parsley, 2 oz. of butter, the yolks of 3 eggs, 1 pint of water, seasoning to taste, 2 quarts of stock No. 105.

_Mode_.--Put in a very clean stewpan the chervil, lettuces, onions, parsley, and butter, to 1 pint of water, and let them simmer till tender. Season with salt and pepper; when done, strain off the vegetables, and put two-thirds of the liquor they were boiled in to the stock. Beat up the yolks of the eggs with the other third, give it a toss over the fire, and at the moment of serving, add this, with the vegetables which you strained off, to the soup.

_Time_.--3/4 of an hour. _Average cost_, 1s. per quart.

_Seasonable_ from May to October.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

RICE SOUP.

I.

150. INGREDIENTS.--4 oz. of Patna rice, salt, cayenne, and mace, 2 quarts of white stock.

_Mode_.--Throw the rice into boiling water, and let it remain 5 minutes; then pour it into a sieve, and allow it to drain well. Now add it to the stock boiling, and allow it to stew till it is quite tender; season to taste. Serve quickly.

_Time_.--1 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 3d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ all the year.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

RICE.--This is a plant of Indian origin, and has formed the
principal food of the Indian and Chinese people from the most
remote antiquity. Both Pliny and Dioscorides class it with the
cereals, though Galen places it among the vegetables. Be this as
it may, however, it was imported to Greece, from India, about
286 years before Christ, and by the ancients it was esteemed
both nutritious and fattening. There are three kinds of
rice,--the Hill rice, the Patna, and the Carolina, of the United
States. Of these, only the two latter are imported to this
country, and the Carolina is considered the best, as it is the
dearest. The nourishing properties of rice are greatly inferior
to those of wheat; but it is both a light and a wholesome food.
In combination with other foods, its nutritive qualities are
greatly increased; but from its having little stimulating power,
it is apt, when taken in large quantities alone, to lie long on
the stomach.

II.

151. INGREDIENTS.--6 oz. of rice, the yolks of 4 eggs, 1/2 a pint of cream, rather more than 2 quarts of stock No. 105.

_Mode_.--Boil the rice in the stock, and rub half of it through a tammy; put the stock in the stewpan, add all the rice, and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Beat the yolks of the eggs, mix them with the cream (previously boiled), and strain through a hair sieve; take the soup off the fire, add the eggs and cream, stirring frequently. Heat it gradually, stirring all the time; but do not let it boil, or the eggs will curdle.

_Time_.--2 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 4d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ all the year.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

SAGO SOUP.

152. INGREDIENTS.--5 oz. of sago, 2 quarts of stock No. 105.

_Mode_.--Wash the sago in boiling water, and add it, by degrees, to the boiling stock, and simmer till the sago is entirely dissolved, and forms a sort of jelly.

_Time_.--Nearly an hour. _Average cost_, 10d. per quart.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

_Seasonable_ all the year.

_Note_.--The yolks of 2 eggs, beaten up with a little cream, previously boiled, and added at the moment of serving, much improves this soup.

SAGO.--The farinaceous food of this name constitutes the pith of
the SAGO tree (the _Sagus farinifera_ of Linnaeus), which grows
spontaneously in the East Indies and in the archipelago of the
Indian Ocean. There it forms the principal farinaceous diet of
the inhabitants. In order to procure it, the tree is felled and
sawn in pieces. The pith is then taken out, and put in
receptacles of cold water, where it is stirred until the flour
separates from the filaments, and sinks to the bottom, where it
is suffered to remain until the water is poured off, when it is
taken out and spread on wicker frames to dry. To give it the
round granular form in which we find it come to this country, it
is passed through a colander, then rubbed into little balls, and
dried. The tree is not fit for felling until it has attained a
growth of seven years, when a single trunk will yield 600 lbs.
weight; and, as an acre of ground will grow 430 of these trees,
a large return of flour is the result. The best quality has a
slightly reddish hue, and easily dissolves to a jelly, in hot
water. As a restorative diet, it is much used.

SEMOLINA SOUP.

153. INGREDIENTS.--5 oz. of semolina, 2 quarts of boiling stock, No. 105, or 106.

_Mode_.--Drop the semolina into the boiling stock, and keep stirring, to prevent its burning. Simmer gently for half an hour, and serve.

_Time_.--1/2 an hour. _Average cost_, 10d. per quart, or 4d.

_Seasonable_ all the year.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

SEMOLINA.--This is the heart of the _grano duro_ wheat of Italy,
which is imported for the purpose of making the best vermicelli.
It has a coarse appearance, and may be purchased at the Italian
warehouses. It is also called _soojee;_ and _semoletta_ is
another name for a finer sort.

SOUP A LA SOLFERINO (Sardinian Recipe).

154. INGREDIENTS.--4 eggs, 1/2 pint of cream, 2 oz. of fresh butter, salt and pepper to taste, a little flour to thicken, 2 quarts of bouillon, No. 105.

_Mode_.--Beat the eggs, put them into a stewpan, and add the cream, butter, and seasoning; stir in as much flour as will bring it to the consistency of dough; make it into balls, either round or egg-shaped, and fry them in butter; put them in the tureen, and pour the boiling bouillon over them.

_Time_.--1 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 3d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ all the year.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

_Note_.--This recipe was communicated to the Editress by an English gentleman, who was present at the battle of Solferino, on June 24, 1859, and who was requested by some of Victor Emmanuel's troops, on the day before the battle, to partake of a portion of their _potage_. He willingly enough consented, and found that these clever campaigners had made a most palatable dish from very easily-procured materials. In sending the recipe for insertion in this work, he has, however, Anglicised, and somewhat, he thinks, improved it.

SPINACH SOUP (French Recipe).

155. INGREDIENTS.--As much spinach as, when boiled, will half fill a vegetable-dish, 2 quarts of very clear medium stock, No. 105.

_Mode_.--Make the cooked spinach into balls the size of an egg, and slip them into the soup-tureen. This is a very elegant soup, the green of the spinach forming a pretty contrast to the brown gravy.

_Time_.--1 hour. _Average cost_,1s. per quart.

_Seasonable_ from October to June.

SPINACH.--This plant was unknown by the ancients, although it
was cultivated in the monastic gardens of the continent in the
middle of the 14th century. Some say, that it was originally
brought from Spain; but there is a wild species growing in
England, and cultivated in Lincolnshire, in preference to the
other. There are three varieties in use; the round-leaved, the
triangular-leaved, and Flanders spinach, known by its large
leaves. They all form a useful ingredient in soup; but the
leaves are sometimes boiled alone, mashed, and eaten as greens.

TAPIOCA SOUP.

156. INGREDIENTS.--5 oz. of tapioca, 2 quarts of stock No. 105 or 106.

_Mode_.--Put the tapioca into cold stock, and bring it gradually to a boil. Simmer gently till tender, and serve.

_Time_.--Rather more than 1 hour. Average cost. 1s. or 6d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ all the year.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

TAPIOCA.--This excellent farinaceous food is the produce of the
pith of the cassava-tree, and is made in the East Indies, and
also in Brazil. It is, by washing, procured as a starch from the
tree, then dried, either in the sun or on plates of hot iron,
and afterwards broken into grains, in which form it is imported
into this country. Its nutritive properties are large, and as a
food for persons of delicate digestion, or for children, it is
in great estimation. "No amylaceous substance," says Dr.
Christison, "is so much relished by infants about the time of
weaning; and in them it is less apt to become sour during
digestion than any other farinaceous food, even arrowroot not
excepted."

TURNIP SOUP.

157. INGREDIENTS.--3 oz. of butter, 9 good-sized turnips, 4 onions, 2 quarts of stock No. 106, seasoning to taste.

_Mode_.--Melt the butter in the stewpan, but do not let it boil; wash, drain, and slice the turnips and onions very thin; put them in the butter, with a teacupful of stock, and stew very gently for an hour. Then add the remainder of the stock, and simmer another hour. Rub it through a tammy, put it back into the stewpan, but do not let it boil. Serve very hot.

_Time_.--2-1/2 hours. _Average cost_, 8d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ from October to March.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

_Note_.--By adding a little cream, this soup will be much improved.

THE TURNIP.--Although turnips grow wild in England, they are not
the original of the cultivated vegetable made use of in this
country. In ancient times they were grown for cattle by the
Romans, and in Germany and the Low Countries they have from time
immemorial been raised for the same purpose. In their cultivated
state, they are generally supposed to have been introduced to
England from Hanover, in the time of George I.; but this has
been doubted, as George II. caused a description of the Norfolk
system to be sent to his Hanoverian subjects, for their
enlightenment in the art of turnip culture. As a culinary
vegetable, it is excellent, whether eaten alone, mashed, or
mixed with soups und stews. Its nutritious matter, however, is
small, being only 42 parts in 1,000.

VEGETABLE-MARROW SOUP.

158. INGREDIENTS.--4 young vegetable marrows, or more, if very small, 1/2 pint of cream, salt and white pepper to taste, 2 quarts of white stock, No. 107.

_Mode_.--Pare and slice the marrows, and put them in the stock boiling. When done almost to a mash, press them through a sieve, and at the moment of serving, add the boiling cream and seasoning.

_Time_.--1 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 2d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ in summer.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

THE VEGETABLE MARROW.--This is a variety of the gourd family,
brought from Persia by an East-India ship, and only recently
introduced to Britain. It is already cultivated to a
considerable extent, and, by many, is highly esteemed when fried
with butter. It is, however, dressed in different ways, either
by stewing or boiling, and, besides, made into pies.

VEGETABLE SOUP.

I.

159. INGREDIENTS.--7 oz. of carrot, 10 oz. of parsnip, 10 oz. of potato, cut into thin slices; 1-1/4 oz. of butter, 5 teaspoonfuls of flour, a teaspoonful of made mustard, salt and pepper to taste, the yolks of 2 eggs, rather more than 2 quarts of water.

_Mode_.--Boil the vegetables in the water 2-1/2 hours; stir them often, and if the water boils away too quickly, add more, as there should be 2 quarts of soup when done. Mix up in a basin the butter and flour, mustard, salt, and pepper, with a teacupful of cold water; stir in the soup, and boil 10 minutes. Have ready the yolks of the eggs in the tureen; pour on, stir well, and serve.

_Time_.--3 hours. _Average cost_, 4d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ in winter.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

II.

160. INGREDIENTS.--Equal quantities of onions, carrots, turnips; 1/4 lb. of butter, a crust of toasted bread, 1 head of celery, a faggot of herbs, salt and pepper to taste, 1 teaspoonful of powdered sugar, 2 quarts of common stock or boiling water. Allow 3/4 lb. of vegetables to 2 quarts of stock, No. 105.

_Mode_.--Cut up the onions, carrots, and turnips; wash and drain them well, and put them in the stewpan with the butter and powdered sugar. Toss the whole over a sharp fire for 10 minutes, but do not let them brown, or you will spoil the flavour of the soup. When done, pour the stock or boiling water on them; add the bread, celery, herbs, and seasoning; stew for 3 hours; skim well and strain it off. When ready to serve, add a little sliced carrot, celery, and turnip, and flavour with a spoonful of Harvey's sauce, or a little ketchup.

_Time_.--3-1/2 hours. _Average cost_,6d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ all the year. _Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

III.

(_Good and Cheap, made without Meat_.)

161. INGREDIENTS.--6 potatoes, 4 turnips, or 2 if very large; 2 carrots, 2 onions; if obtainable, 2 mushrooms; 1 head of celery, 1 large slice of bread, 1 small saltspoonful of salt, 1/4 saltspoonful of ground black pepper, 2 teaspoonfuls of Harvey's sauce, 6 quarts of water.

_Mode_.--Peel the vegetables, and cut them up into small pieces; toast the bread rather brown, and put all into a stewpan with the water and seasoning. Simmer gently for 3 hours, or until all is reduced to a pulp, and pass it through a sieve in the same way as pea-soup, which it should resemble in consistence; but it should be a dark brown colour. Warm it up again when required; put in the Harvey's sauce, and, if necessary, add to the flavouring.

_Time_.--3 hours, or rather more. _Average cost_,1d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ at any time. _Sufficient_ for 16 persons.

_Note_.--This recipe was forwarded to the Editress by a lady in the county of Durham, by whom it was strongly recommended.

VERMICELLI SOUP.

I.

162. INGREDIENTS.--1-1/2 lb. of bacon, stuck with cloves; 1/2 oz. of butter, worked up in flour; 1 small fowl, trussed for boiling; 2 oz. of vermicelli, 2 quarts of white stock, No. 107.

_Mode_.--Put the stock, bacon, butter, and fowl into the stewpan, and stew for 3/4 of an hour. Take the vermicelli, add it to a little of the stock, and set it on the fire, till it is quite tender. When the soup is ready, take out the fowl and bacon, and put the bacon on a dish. Skim the soup as clean as possible; pour it, with the vermicelli, over the fowl. Cut some bread thin, put in the soup, and serve.

_Time_.--2 hours. _Average cost_, exclusive of the fowl and bacon, 10d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ in winter.

_Sufficient_ for 4 persons.

VERMICELLI.--This is a preparation of Italian origin, and is
made in the same way as macaroni, only the yolks of eggs, sugar,
saffron, and cheese, are added to the paste.

II.

163. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of vermicelli, 2 quarts of clear gravy stock, No. 169.

_Mode_.--Put the vermicelli in the soup, boiling; simmer very gently for 1/2 an hour, and stir frequently.

_Time_--1/2 an hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 3d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ all the year.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

WHITE SOUP.

164. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of sweet almonds, 1/4 lb. of cold veal or poultry, a thick slice of stale bread, a piece of fresh lemon-peel, 1 blade of mace, pounded, 3/4 pint of cream, the yolks of 2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 quarts of white stock, No. 107.

_Mode_.--Reduce the almonds in a mortar to a paste, with a spoonful of water, and add to them the meat, which should be previously pounded with the bread. Beat all together, and add the lemon-peel, very finely chopped, and the mace. Pour the boiling stock on the whole, and simmer for an hour. Rub the eggs in the cream, put in the soup, bring it to a boil, and serve immediately.

_Time_.--1-1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ all the year.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

_Note_.--A more economical white soup may be made by using common veal stock, and thickening with rice, flour, and milk. Vermicelli should be served with it.

_Average cost_, 5d. per quart.

USEFUL SOUP FOR BENEVOLENT PURPOSES.

165. INGREDIENTS.--An ox-cheek, any pieces of trimmings of beef, which may be bought very cheaply (say 4 lbs.), a few bones, any pot-liquor the larder may furnish, 1/4 peck of onions, 6 leeks, a large bunch of herbs, 1/2 lb. of celery (the outside pieces, or green tops, do very well); 1/2 lb. of carrots, 1/2 lb. of turnips, 1/2 lb. of coarse brown sugar, 1/2 a pint of beer, 4 lbs. of common rice, or pearl barley; 1/2 lb. of salt, 1 oz. of black pepper, a few raspings, 10 gallons of water.

_Mode_.--Cut up the meat in small pieces, break the bones, put them in a copper, with the 10 gallons of water, and stew for 1/2 an hour. Cut up the vegetables, put them in with the sugar and beer, and boil for 4 hours. Two hours before the soup is wanted, add the rice and raspings, and keep stirring till it is well mixed in the soup, which simmer gently. If the liquor reduces too much, fill up with water.

_Time_.--6-1/2 hours. _Average cost_, 1-1/2d. per quart.

_Note_.--The above recipe was used in the winter of 1858 by the Editress, who made, each week, in her copper, 8 or 9 gallons of this soup, for distribution amongst about a dozen families of the village near which she lives. The cost, as will be seen, was not great; but she has reason to believe that the soup was very much liked, and gave to the members of those families, a dish of warm, comforting food, in place of the cold meat and piece of bread which form, with too many cottagers, their usual meal, when, with a little more knowledge of the "cooking." art, they might have, for less expense, a warm dish, every day.

MEAT, POULTRY, AND GAME SOUPS.

BRILLA SOUP.

166. INGREDIENTS.--4 lbs. of shin of beef, 3 carrots, 2 turnips, a large sprig of thyme, 2 onions, 1 head of celery, salt and pepper to taste, 4 quarts water.

_Mode_.--Take the beef, cut off all the meat from the bone, in nice square pieces, and boil the bone for 4 hours. Strain the liquor, let it cool, and take off the fat; then put the pieces of meat in the cold liquor; cut small the carrots, turnips, and celery; chop the onions, add them with the thyme and seasoning, and simmer till the meat is tender. If not brown enough, colour it with browning.

_Time_.--6 hours. _Average cost_, 5d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ all the year.

_Sufficient_ for 10 persons.

THYME.--This sweet herb was known to the Romans, who made use of
it in culinary preparations, as well as in aromatic liqueurs.
There are two species of it growing wild in Britain, but the
garden thyme is a native of the south of Europe, and is more
delicate in its perfume than the others. Its young leaves give
an agreeable flavour to soups and sauces; they are also used in
stuffings.

CALF'S-HEAD SOUP.

167. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 a calf's head, 1 onion stuck with cloves, a very small bunch of sweet herbs, 2 blades of mace, salt and white pepper to taste, 6 oz. of rice-flour, 3 tablespoonfuls of ketchup, 3 quarts of white stock, No. 107, or pot-liquor, or water.

_Mode_.--Rub the head with salt, soak it for 6 hours, and clean it thoroughly; put it in the stewpan, and cover it with the stock, or pot-liquor, or water, adding the onion and sweet herbs. When well skimmed and boiled for 1-1/2 hour, take out the head, and skim and strain the soup. Mix the rice-flour with the ketchup, thicken the soup with it, and simmer for 5 minutes. Now cut up the head into pieces about two inches long, and simmer them in the soup till the meat and fat are quite tender. Season with white pepper and mace finely pounded, and serve very hot. When the calf's head is taken out of the soup, cover it up, or it will discolour.

_Time_.--2-1/2 hours. _Average cost_,1s. 9d. per quart, with stock No. 107.

_Seasonable_ from May to October.

_Sufficient_ for 10 persons.

_Note_.--Force-meat balls can be added, and the soup may be flavoured with a little lemon-juice, or a glass of sherry or Madeira. The bones from the head may be stewed down again, with a few fresh vegetables, and it will make a very good common stock.

GIBLET SOUP.

168. INGREDIENTS.--3 sets of goose or duck giblets, 2 lbs. of shin of beef, a few bones, 1 ox-tail, 2 mutton-shanks, 2 large onions, 2 carrots, 1 large faggot of herbs, salt and pepper to taste, 1/4 pint of cream, 1 oz. of butter mixed with a dessert-spoonful of flour, 3 quarts of water.

_Mode_.--Scald the giblets, cut the gizzards in 8 pieces, and put them in a stewpan with the beef, bones, ox-tail, mutton-shanks, onions, herbs, pepper, and salt; add the 3 quarts of water, and simmer till the giblets are tender, taking care to skim well. When the giblets are done, take them out, put them in your tureen, strain the soup through a sieve, add the cream and butter, mixed with a dessert-spoonful of flour, boil it up a few minutes, and pour it over the giblets. It can be flavoured with port wine and a little mushroom ketchup, instead of cream. Add salt to taste.

_Time_.--3 hours. _Average cost_,9d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ all the year.

_Sufficient_ for 10 persons.

GRAVY SOUP.

169. INGREDIENTS.--6 lbs. of shin of beef, a knuckle of veal weighing 5 lbs., a few pieces or trimmings, 2 slices of nicely-flavoured lean, ham; 1/4 lb. of butter, 2 onions, 2 carrots, 1 turnip, nearly a head of celery, 1 blade of mace, 6 cloves, a hunch of savoury herb with endive, seasoning of salt and pepper to taste, 3 lumps of sugar, 5 quarts of boiling soft water. It can be flavoured with ketchup, Leamington sauce (_see_ SAUCES), Harvey's sauce, and a little soy.

_Mode_.--Slightly brown the meat and ham in the butter, but do not let them burn. When this is done, pour to it the water, and as the scum rises, take it off; when no more appears, add all the other ingredients, and let the soup simmer slowly by the fire for 6 hours without stirring it any more from the bottom; take it off, and let it settle; skim off all the fat you can, and pass it through a tammy. When perfectly cold, you can remove all the fat, and leave the sediment untouched, which serves very nicely for thick gravies, hashes, &c.

_Time_.--7 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. per quart.

_Seasonable_ all the year.

_Sufficient_ for 14 persons.

ENDIVE.--This plant belongs to the acetarious tribe of
vegetables, and is supposed to have originally come from China
and Japan. It was known to the ancients; but was not introduced
to England till about the middle of the 16th century. It is
consumed in large quantities by the French, and in London,--in
the neighbourhood of which it is grown in abundance;--it is
greatly used as a winter salad, as well as in soups and stews.

HARE SOUP.

I.

170. INGREDIENTS.--A hare fresh-killed, 1 lb. of lean gravy-beef, a slice of ham, 1 carrot, 2 onions, a faggot of savoury herbs, 1/4 oz. of whole black pepper, a little browned flour, 1/4 pint of port wine, the crumb of two French rolls, salt and cayenne to taste, 3 quarts of water.

_Mode_.--Skin and paunch the hare, saving the liver and as much blood as possible. Cut it in pieces, and put it in a stewpan with all the ingredients, and simmer gently for 8 hours. This soup should be made the day before it is wanted. Strain through a sieve, put the best parts of the hare in the soup, and serve.

OR,

II.

Proceed as above; but, instead of putting the joints of the hare in the soup, pick the meat from the bones, pound it in a mortar, and add it, with the crumb of two French rolls, to the soup. Rub all through a sieve; heat slowly, but do not let it boil. Send it to table immediately.

_Time_.-8 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 9d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ from September to February.

_Sufficient_ for 10 persons.

THE COMMON HARE.--This little animal is found throughout Europe,
and, indeed, in most of the northern parts of the world; and as
it is destitute of natural weapons of defence, Providence has
endowed it with an extraordinary amount of the passion of fear.
As if to awaken the vigilance of this passion, too, He has
furnished it with long and tubular ears, in order that it may
catch the remotest sounds; and with full, prominent eyes, which
enable it to see, at one and the same time, both before and
behind it. The hare feeds in the evenings, and sleeps, in its
form, during the day; and, as it generally lies on the ground,
its feet, both below and above, are protected with a thick
covering of hair. Its flesh, though esteemed by the Romans, was
forbidden by the Druids and by the earlier Britons. It is now,
though very dark and dry, and devoid of fat, much esteemed by
Europeans, on account of the peculiarity of its flavour. In
purchasing this animal, it ought to be remembered that both
hares and rabbits, when old, have their claws rugged and blunt,
their haunches thick, and their ears dry and tough. The ears of
a young hare easily tear, and it has a narrow cleft in the lip;
whilst its claws are both smooth and sharp.

HESSIAN SOUP.

171. INGREDIENTS.--Half an ox's head, 1 pint of split peas, 3 carrots, 6 turnips, 6 potatoes, 6 onions, 1 head of celery, 1 bunch of savoury herbs, pepper and salt to taste, 2 blades of mace, a little allspice, 4 cloves, the crumb of a French roll, 6 quarts of water.

_Mode_.--Clean the head, rub it with salt and water, and soak it for 5 hours in warm water. Simmer it in the water till tender, put it into a pan and let it cool; skim off all the fat; take out the head, and add the vegetables cut up small, and the peas which have been previously soaked; simmer them without the meat, till they are done enough to pulp through a sieve. Add the seasoning, with pieces of the meat cut up; give one boil, and serve.

_Time_.--4 hours. _Average cost_, 6d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ in winter.

_Sufficient_ for 16 persons.

_Note_.--An excellent hash or _ragoût_ can be made by cutting up the nicest parts of the head, thickening and seasoning more highly a little of the soup, and adding a glass of port wine and 2 tablespoonfuls of ketchup.

MOCK TURTLE.

I.

172. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 a calf's head, 1/4 lb. of butter, 1/4 lb. of lean ham, 2 tablespoonfuls of minced parsley, a little minced lemon thyme, sweet marjoram, basil, 2 onions, a few chopped mushrooms (when obtainable), 2 shallots, 2 tablespoonfuls of flour, 1/4 bottle of Madeira or sherry, force-meat balls, cayenne, salt and mace to taste, the juice of 1 lemon and 1 Seville orange, 1 dessert-spoonful of pounded sugar, 3 quarts of best stock, No. 104.

_Mode_.--Scald the head with the skin on, remove the brain, tie the head up in a cloth, and let it boil for 1 hour. Then take the meat from the bones, cut it into small square pieces, and throw them into cold water. Now take the meat, put it into a stewpan, and cover with stock; let it boil gently for an hour, or rather more, if not quite tender, and set it on one side. Melt the butter in another stewpan, and add the ham, cut small, with the herbs, parsley, onions, shallots, mushrooms, and nearly a pint of stock; let these simmer slowly for 2 hours, and then dredge in as much flour as will dry up the butter. Fill up with the remainder of the stock, add the wine, let it stew gently for 10 minutes, rub it through a tammy, and put it to the calf's head; season with cayenne, and, if required, a little salt; add the juice of the orange and lemon; and when liked, 1/4 teaspoonful of pounded mace, and the sugar. Put in the force-meat balls, simmer 5 minutes, and serve very hot.

_Time_.--4-1/2 hours. _Average cost_, 3s. 6d. per quart, or 2s. 6d. without wine or force-meat balls.

_Seasonable_ in winter.

_Sufficient_ for 10 persons.

_Note_.--The bones of the head should be well stewed in the liquor it was first boiled in, and will make good white stock, flavoured with vegetables, etc.

II.

(_More Economical_.)

173. INGREDIENTS.--A knuckle of veal weighing 5 or 6 lbs., 2 cow-heels, 2 large onions stuck with cloves, 1 bunch of sweet herbs, 3 blades of mace, salt to taste, 12 peppercorns, 1 glass of sherry, 24 force-meat balls, a little lemon-juice, 4 quarts of water.

_Mode_.--Put all the ingredients, except the force-meat balls and lemon-juice, in an earthen jar, and stew for 6 hours. Do not open it till cold. When wanted for use, skim off all the fat, and strain carefully; place it on the fire, cut up the meat into inch-and-a-half squares, put it, with the force-meat balls and lemon-juice, into the soup, and serve. It can be flavoured with a tablespoonful of anchovy, or Harvey's sauce.

_Time_.--6 hours. _Average cost_,1s. 4d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ in winter.

_Sufficient_ for 10 persons.

THE CALF--The flesh of this animal is called veal, and when
young, that is, under two months old, yields a large quantity of
soluble extract, and is, therefore, much employed for soups and
broths. The Essex farmers have obtained a celebrity for
fattening calves better than any others in England, where they
are plentifully supplied with milk, a thing impossible to be
done in the immediate neighbourhood of London.

MARJORAM.--There are several species of this plant; but that
which is preferred for cookery is a native of Portugal, and is
called sweet or knotted marjoram. When its leaves are dried,
they have an agreeable aromatic flavour; and hence are used for
soups, stuffings, &c.

BASIL.--This is a native of the East Indies, and is highly
aromatic, having a perfume greatly resembling that of cloves. It
is not much employed in English cookery, but is a favourite with
French cooks, by whom its leaves are used in soups and salads.

MULLAGATAWNY SOUP.

174. INGREDIENTS.--2 tablespoonfuls of curry powder, 6 onions, 1 clove of garlic, 1 oz. of pounded almonds, a little lemon-pickle, or mango-juice, to taste; 1 fowl or rabbit, 4 slices of lean bacon; 2 quarts of medium stock, or, if wanted very good, best stock.

_Mode_.-=Slice and fry the onions of a nice colour; line the stewpan with the bacon; cut up the rabbit or fowl into small joints, and slightly brown them; put in the fried onions, the garlic, and stock, and simmer gently till the meat is tender; skim very carefully, and when the meat is done, rub the curry powder to a smooth batter; add it to the soup with the almonds, which must be first pounded with a little of the stock. Put in seasoning and lemon-pickle or mango-juice to taste, and serve boiled rice with it.

_Time_.--2 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d. per quart, with stock No. 105.

_Seasonable_ in winter.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

_Note_.--This soup can also be made with breast of veal, or calf's head. Vegetable Mullagatawny is made with veal stock, by boiling and pulping chopped vegetable marrow, cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes, and seasoning with curry powder and cayenne. Nice pieces of meat, good curry powder, and strong stock, are necessary to make this soup good.

CORIANDER.--This plant, which largely enters into the
composition of curry powder with turmeric, originally comes from
the East; but it has long been cultivated in England, especially
in Essex, where it is reared for the use of confectioners and
druggists. In private gardens, it is cultivated for the sake of
its tender leaves, which are highly aromatic, and are employed
in soups and salads. Its seeds are used in large quantities for
the purposes of distillation.

A GOOD MUTTON SOUP.

175. INGREDIENTS.--A neck of mutton about 5 or 6 lbs., 3 carrots, 3 turnips, 2 onions, a large bunch of sweet herbs, including parsley; salt and pepper to taste; a little sherry, if liked; 3 quarts of water.

_Mode_.--Lay the ingredients in a covered pan before the fire, and let them remain there the whole day, stirring occasionally. The next day put the whole into a stewpan, and place it on a brisk fire. When it commences to boil, take the pan off the fire, and put it on one side to simmer until the meat is done. When ready for use, take out the meat, dish it up with carrots and turnips, and send it to table; strain the soup, let it cool, skim off all the fat, season and thicken it with a tablespoonful, or rather more, of arrowroot; flavour with a little sherry, simmer for 5 minutes, and serve.

_Time_.--15 hours. _Average cost_, including the meat, 1s. 3d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

THE SHEEP.--This animal formed the principal riches of the
patriarchs, in the days of old, and, no doubt, multiplied, until
its species were spread over the greater part of Western Asia;
but at what period it was introduced to Britain is not known. It
is now found in almost every part of the globe, although, as a
domestic animal, it depends almost entirely upon man for its
support. Its value, however, amply repays him for whatever care
and kindness he may bestow upon it; for, like the ox, there is
scarcely a part of it that he cannot convert to some useful
purpose. The fleece, which serves it for a covering, is
appropriated by man, to serve the same end to himself, whilst
its skin is also applied to various purposes in civilized life.
Its entrails are used as strings for musical instruments, and
its bones are calcined, and employed as tests in the trade of
the refiner. Its milk, being thicker than that of the cow,
yields a greater quantity of butter and cheese, and its flesh is
among the most wholesome and nutritive that can be eaten.
Thomson has beautifully described the appearance of the sheep,
when bound to undergo the operation of being shorn of its wool.

"Behold, where bound, and of its robe bereft
By needy man, that all-depending lord,
How meek, how patient, the mild creature lies!
What softness in his melancholy face,
What dumb complaining innocence appears!"

OX-CHEEK SOUP.

176. INGREDIENTS.--An ox-cheek, 2 oz. of butter, 3 or 4 slices of lean ham or bacon, 1 parsnip, 3 carrots, 2 onions, 3 heads of celery, 3 blades of mace, 4 cloves, a faggot of savoury herbs, 1 bay-leaf, a teaspoonful of salt, half that of pepper, 1 head of celery, browning, the crust of a French roll, 6 quarts of water.

_Mode_.--Lay the ham in the bottom of the stewpan, with the butter; break the bones of the cheek, wash it clean, and put it on the ham. Cut the vegetables small, add them to the other ingredients, and set the whole over a slow fire for 1/4 of an hour. Now put in the water, and simmer gently till it is reduced to 4 quarts; take out the fleshy part of the cheek, and strain the soup into a clean stewpan; thicken with flour, put in a head of sliced celery, and simmer till the celery is tender. If not a good colour, use a little browning. Cut the meat into small square pieces, pour the soup over, and serve with the crust of a French roll in the tureen. A glass of sherry much improves this soup.

_Time_.--3 to 4 hours. _Average cost_, 8d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ in winter.

_Sufficient_ for 12 persons.

THE OX.--Of the quadrupedal animals, the flesh of those that
feed upon herbs is the most wholesome and nutritious for human
food. In the early ages, the ox was used as a religious
sacrifice, and, in the eyes of the Egyptians was deemed so
sacred as to be worthy of exaltation to represent Taurus, one of
the twelve signs of the zodiac. To this day, the Hindoos
venerate the cow, whose flesh is forbidden to be eaten, and
whose fat, supposed to have been employed to grease the
cartridges of the Indian army, was one of the proximate causes
of the great Sepoy rebellion of 1857. There are no animals of
greater use to man than the tribe to which the ox belongs. There
is hardly a part of them that does not enter into some of the
arts and purposes of civilized life. Of their horns are made
combs, knife-handles, boxes, spoons, and drinking-cups. They are
also made into transparent plates for lanterns; an invention
ascribed, in England, to King Alfred. Glue is made from their
gristles, cartilages, and portions of their hides. Their bones
often form a substitute for ivory; their skins, when calves, are
manufactured into vellum; their blood is the basis of Prussian
blue; their sinews furnish fine and strong threads, used by
saddlers; their hair enters into various manufactures; their
tallow is made into candles; their flesh is eaten, and the
utility of the milk and cream of the cow is well known.

OX-TAIL SOUP.

177. INGREDIENTS.--2 ox-tails, 2 slices of ham, 1 oz. of butter, 2 carrots, 2 turnips, 3 onions, 1 leek, 1 head of celery, 1 bunch of savoury herbs, 1 bay-leaf, 12 whole peppercorns, 4 cloves, a tablespoonful of salt, 2 tablespoonfuls of ketchup, 1/2 glass of port wine, 3 quarts of water.

_Mode_.--Cut up the tails, separating them at the joints; wash them, and put them in a stewpan, with the butter. Cut the vegetables in slices, and add them, with the peppercorns and herbs. Put in 1/2 pint of water, and stir it over a sharp fire till the juices are drawn. Fill up the stewpan with the water, and, when boiling, add the salt. Skim well, and simmer very gently for 4 hours, or until the tails are tender. Take them out, skim and strain the soup, thicken with flour, and flavour with the ketchup and port wine. Put back the tails, simmer for 5 minutes, and serve.

_Time_.--4-1/2 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 3d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ in winter.

_Sufficient_ for 10 persons.

PARTRIDGE SOUP.

178. INGREDIENTS.--2 partridges, 3 slices of lean ham, 2 shred onions, 1 head of celery, 1 large carrot, and 1 turnip cut into any fanciful shapes, 1 small lump of sugar, 2 oz. of butter, salt and pepper to taste, 2 quarts of stock No. 105, or common, No. 106.

_Mode_.--Cut the partridges into pieces, and braise them in the butter and ham until quite tender; then take out the legs, wings, and breast, and set them by. Keep the backs and other trimmings in the braise, and add the onions and celery; any remains of cold game can be put in, and 3 pints of stock. Simmer slowly for 1 hour, strain it, and skim the fat off as clean as possible; put in the pieces that were taken out, give it one boil, and skim again to have it quite clear, and add the sugar and seasoning. Now simmer the cut carrot and turnip in 1 pint of stock; when quite tender, put them to the partridges, and serve.

_Time_.--2 hours. _Average cost_, 2s. or 1s. 6d. per quart.

_Seasonable_ from September to February.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

_Note_.--The meat of the partridges may be pounded with the crumb of a French roll, and worked with the soup through a sieve. Serve with stewed celery cut in slices, and put in the tureen.

THE PARTRIDGE.--This is a timorous bird, being easily taken. It
became known to the Greeks and Romans, whose tables it helped to
furnish with food. Formerly, the Red was scarce in Italy, but
its place was supplied by the White, which, at considerable
expense, was frequently procured from the Alps. The Athenians
trained this bird for fighting, and Severus used to lighten the
cares of royalty by witnessing the spirit of its combats. The
Greeks esteemed its leg most highly, and rejected the other
portions as unfashionable to be eaten. The Romans, however,
ventured a little further, and ate the breast, whilst we
consider the bird as wholly palatable. It is an inhabitant of
all the temperate countries of Europe, but, on account of the
geniality of the climate, it abounds most in the Ukraine.

PHEASANT SOUP.

179. INGREDIENTS.--2 pheasants, 1/4 lb. of butter, 2 slices of ham, 2 large onions sliced, 1/2 head of celery, the crumb of two French rolls, the yolks of 2 eggs boiled hard, salt and cayenne to taste, a little pounded mace, if liked; 3 quarts of stock No. 105.

_Mode_.--Cut up the pheasants, flour and braise them in the butter and ham till they are of a nice brown, but not burnt. Put them in a stewpan, with the onions, celery, and seasoning, and simmer for 2 hours. Strain the soup; pound the breasts with the crumb of the roll previously soaked, and the yolks of the eggs; put it to the soup, give one boil, and serve.

_Time_.--2-1/2 hours. _Average cost_, 2s. 10d. per quart, or, if made with fragments of gold game, 1s.

_Seasonable_ from October to February.

_Sufficient_ for 10 persons.

_Note_.--Fragments, pieces and bones of cold game, may be used to great advantage in this soup, and then 1 pheasant will suffice.

PORTABLE SOUP.

180. INGREDIENTS.--2 knuckles of veal, 3 shins of beef, 1 large faggot of herbs, 2 bay-leaves, 2 heads of celery, 3 onions, 3 carrots, 2 blades of mace, 6 cloves, a teaspoonful of salt, sufficient water to cover all the ingredients.