Chapter VI: Part 6

Soles may also be plain boiled, using the same precautions as directed for turbot, and serve without a napkin, and a cream sauce poured over; or it may be served upon a napkin garnished with parsley, and a little shrimp sauce, or plain melted butter, in a boat.

245. _Flounders, Water Souchet._--Procure four or six Thames flounders, trim and cut in halves; put half a pint of water in a sauté-pan, with a little scraped horseradish, a little pepper, salt, sugar, and forty sprigs of fresh parsley; place over the fire, boil a minute, then add the flounders, stew ten minutes, take them out and place in a dish without a napkin, reduce the liquor they were stewed in a little, pour over and serve.

To fry flounders, trim them, and proceed precisely as directed for fried soles: three minutes is sufficient.

_Skate_, also called _Maid_, _Ray_, is not appreciated equal to
what it ought to be; we generally have only the fin part, which is
cut off and put into fresh water, where it curls up. It is a very
invigorating fish, and I think deserves the attention of the
medical profession. It is best cooked as follows:

246. _Skate._--Procure two or three slices, tie them with string to keep the shape in boiling, put them into a kettle of boiling water, in which you have put a good handful of salt; boil gently about twenty minutes (have ready also a piece of the liver, which boil with them); when done, drain well, and put them upon a dish without a napkin; put three parts of a pint of melted butter in a stewpan, place it upon the fire, and when quite hot add a wineglassful of capers, sauce over, and serve.

247. _Skate au Beurre Noir._--Boil a piece of skate as directed in the last; when done, drain it well, put it upon a dish without a napkin, and proceed exactly as directed for mackerel au beurre noir.

Skate may also be served upon a napkin, with a boat of well-seasoned melted butter, to which you have added a spoonful of Harvey sauce and one of anchovy.

_Pike._--This fish spawns in March and April, according to the
season. When in perfection, their colors are very bright, being
green, spotted with bright yellow, and the gills are a bright red;
when out of season, the green changes to gray, and the yellow spots
assume a pale hue. It may be called the shark of fresh water. Those
caught in a river or running stream are far superior to those
caught in ponds, which often get too fat, and taste muddy. A
middling-sized one, weighing about five pounds, would be best; when
fresh, the eyes must be very transparent, the scales bluish, and
not dry upon the back, or it would not clean well. The dressing is
generally the making of the fish, as regards the approbation
bestowed upon it. To clean them, have a sharp-pointed knife, put
the point carefully under the scales (without piercing the skin) at
the tail of the fish, pass the knife gently up the back to the
head, dividing the scales from the skin carefully; you may then
take off the whole of the scales in one piece (should this process
appear too difficult, they may be scraped off in the ordinary way,
it will not look so white, but would eat equally as good); then
make two incisions in the belly, a small one close to the bladder,
and a larger one above; pull out the gills one at a time with a
strong cloth, and if the interior does not come with them, take it
out from the incisions, and wash the fish well; the cutting off the
fins is quite a matter of taste: it is usually done.

248. _Pike._--Clean as directed above, stuff the interior as directed for haddocks, only adding some fillets of anchovies and chopped lemon-peel with it; curl round and put in a baking-dish, spread a little butter all over, put in a moderate oven, when about half done egg over with a paste-brush, and sprinkle bread-crumbs upon it; a middling-sized pike will take about an hour, but that according to the size and the heat of the oven; when done, dress upon a dish without a napkin, and sauce round as directed for baked haddock above referred to.

249. _Pike, Sauce Matelote._--Cook a pike exactly as in the last, dress it upon a dish without a napkin, and sauce with a matelote sauce over, made as directed for salmon sauce matelote.

This fish may also be served with caper sauce, as directed for the skate; the smaller ones are the best; the remains of a pike placed in the oven the next day, with a cover over it and a little more sauce added, is very nice.

250. _Baked Carp._--Procure a good-sized carp, stuff it, then put it into a baking-dish, with two onions, one carrot, one turnip, one head of celery, and a good bouquet of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf; moisten with two glasses of port wine, half a pint of water, salt, pepper, and oil, and put it into a moderate oven about two hours to bake; try if done with a knife, which is the case if the flesh leaves the bone easily, dress upon a dish without a napkin, then have ready the following sauce: mince a large Spanish onion with two common ones, and put them into a stewpan with three spoonfuls of salad-oil, sauté rather a yellow color, add two glasses of port wine and one spoonful of flour, mix all well together, add a pint of broth (reserved from some soup) or water, with half an ounce of glaze, or half a gill of brown gravy, or a few drops of coloring, boil it up, drain the stock the carp was cooked in from the vegetables, which also add to the sauce; boil well at the corner of the stove, skim, and when rather thick add a teaspoonful of Harvey sauce, one of essence of anchovies, twelve pickled mushrooms, and a little cayenne pepper, pour all the liquor drained from the fish out of your dish, sauce over, and serve.

251. _Carp, Sauce Matelote._--Put your carp in a small oval fish-kettle, with wine and vegetables as in the last, to which add also a pint of water and a little salt, with a few cloves and peppercorns; put the lid upon the fish-kettle, and stand it over a moderate fire to stew about an hour, according to the size; when done, drain well, dress upon a dish without a napkin, and sauce over with a matelote sauce, made as directed for salmon sauce matelote, or caper sauce, as for skate; small carp are very good-flavored, bread-crumbed and fried.

_Trout._--There are several kinds, none of which, it seems, were
known to the Romans. This is the salmon of fresh water, and bears a
very close resemblance to it in flavor. They grow to a very large
size; I partook of part of one weighing twenty-six pounds, which
was caught in the Lake of Killarney, in July, 1848. They have
different names in various parts of Great Britain, but there is the
common trout, the white trout, and the sea trout; the white trout
never grows very large, but the sea trout does, and is of a very
fine flavor.

_River Trout_, when fresh, have the most beautiful skin imaginable,
the golden and sometimes silvery tint of which makes me term it the
sister fish of the red (sea) mullet; should the gills be pink
instead of red, and the skin dry (which is frequently the case on
the second day), they may still be eatable, but their succulence
goes with their beauty. Clean them as directed for salmon.

252. _Trout à la Twickenham._--When you have cleaned your trout, put them into a kettle of boiling water, to which you have added a good handful of salt, and a wineglassful of vinegar; boil gently about twenty minutes, or according to their size, dress upon a napkin, and serve melted butter, into which you have put a tablespoonful of chopped gherkins, two sprigs of chopped parsley, salt and pepper, in a boat.

The remains of trout, salmon, or mackerel are excellent pickled:--put three onions in slices in a stewpan, with two ounces of butter, one turnip, a bouquet of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, pass them five minutes over the fire, add a pint of water and a pint of vinegar, two teaspoonfuls of salt and one of pepper, boil until the onions are tender, then strain it through a sieve over the fish; it will keep some time if required, and then do to pickle more fish by boiling over again.

253. _Trout à la Burton._--Boil the trout as in the last; then put half a pint of melted butter in a stewpan, with two tablespoonfuls of cream, place it upon the fire, and when upon the point of boiling add a liaison of one yolk of egg mixed with a tablespoonful of cream (dress the fish upon a dish without a napkin), put two ounces of fresh butter, a pinch of salt, and the juice of a lemon into the sauce; shake round over the fire, but do not let it boil; sauce over the fish, sprinkle some chopped parsley, and serve.

_Perch_ were known to the Romans, and those they received from
Britain were considered the best. They do not grow to a very large
size, four pounds being considered a large one. When fresh, are
reddish at the eyes and gills. These fish, having a great objection
to part with their scales, must be scraped almost alive, forming
the fish into the shape of the letter S, and scraping with an
oyster-knife; open the belly, take out the interior, pull away the
gills, and wash well. When large, they are frequently boiled with
the scales on, and they are taken off afterwards, which is much
easier.

254. _Perch sautéd in Butter._--Clean the fish as explained above, dry well, make an incision upon each side with a knife, put a quarter of a pound of butter in a sauté-pan over a slow fire, lay in the fish, season with salt, and sauté gently, turning them over when half done; when done, dress upon a napkin, and serve melted butter in a boat, or shrimp sauce. Small ones should be dressed thus.

255. _Perch, Hampton Court fashion._--Cook the fish as above, and have ready the following sauce: put six spoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, with a little salt and the juice of a lemon; when upon the point of boiling, stir in the yolk of an egg mixed with a tablespoonful of cream; do not let it boil; blanch about twenty small sprigs of parsley in boiling water ten minutes, and some small pieces of rind of lemon for one minute, drain, and put them in the sauce, which pour over the fish, and serve.

Perch may also be served plain boiled or stewed as directed for tench, with sauce served separate.

256. _Stewed Tench._--Put two onions, a carrot, and turnip, cut in slices, into a stewpan, or very small fish-kettle, with a good bouquet of parsley, a few sprigs of thyme, one bay-leaf, six cloves, a blade of mace, a little salt and pepper, and two glasses of sherry; lay your tench over (it will require four for a dish, and they may be either cooked whole or each one cut into two or three pieces), add a pint of water, cover down close, and stew rather gently over a slow fire for about half an hour; take them out, drain upon a cloth, dress upon a dish without a napkin, and pour a sauce over made as directed for sauce matelote, cream sauce, or Beyrout.

257. _Tench with Anchovy Butter._--Cook the tench as in the last, but they may be plain boiled in salt and water; dress upon a dish without a napkin, then put six spoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, with one of milk; place it upon the fire, and, when upon the point of boiling, add an ounce of anchovy butter; shake it round over the fire until the butter is melted, when sauce over and serve.

The _Eel_ is greatly esteemed in all countries, but it differs in
taste according to the river from whence it is taken; although we
have some very fine eels in the river Thames, yet our principal
supply is received from Holland, and the fish which come from
thence are much improved in flavor by the voyage, and even increase
in size. They arrive in the river Thames in vessels called eel
scootes (schuyts), of which four have been allowed, for centuries,
to moor opposite the Custom House, and the others are obliged to
remain in Erith Hole until there is room for them, which greatly
improves the fish: the value of those imported into London last
year amounted to 132,600_l._ Nothing is more difficult to kill than
eels; and it is only by knocking their heads upon a block or hard
substance, and stunning them, that they suffer least. Take the head
in your hand with a cloth, and just cut through the skin round the
neck, which turn down about an inch; then pull the head with one
hand, and the skin with the other, it will come off with facility;
open the belly, take out the interior without breaking the gall,
and cut off the bristles which run up the back. They are in season
all the year round.

258. _Eels, fried._--Cut your eels into pieces three inches long, dip the pieces into flour, egg over with a paste brush, and throw them into some bread-crumbs; fry in hot lard as directed for fried soles.

259. _Stewed Eels, Sauce Matelote._--Procure as large eels as possible, which cut into pieces three inches long, and put them into a stewpan, with an onion, a bouquet of two bay-leaves, a sprig of thyme and parsley, six cloves, a blade of mace, a glass of sherry, and two of water; place the stewpan over a moderate fire, and let simmer about twenty minutes, or according to the size of the eels; when done, drain upon a cloth, dress them in pyramid upon a dish without a napkin, with a matelote sauce over, made as directed for salmon sauce matelote, but using the stock your eels have been cooked in to make the sauce, having previously well boiled it to extract all the fat.

260. _Eels à la Tartare._--Fry as directed above, and serve on some Tartare sauce; or partly stew first, and, when cold, egg, bread-crumb, and broil gently.

261. _Spitchcocked Eels_, in some parts of England, are cooked with the skins on. They should be properly cleaned, and split down the back, and bone taken out, and cut into pieces of about four inches long; egg the inside and throw over some bread-crumbs, in which have been mixed some chopped parsley, a little dried thyme, and some cayenne; place them in a Dutch oven before the fire, and whilst cooking, baste them with butter in which some essence of anchovies has been mixed. The time they take cooking depends on the size, but may be known by the skin turning up.

262. _Conger Eel_ is little appreciated in this country, although amongst the working class of our neighbors, more particularly the French, it is an article of great consumption. If alive, its head should be cut off, and it should bleed as much as possible; but if dead, the pieces should be put into lukewarm water to disgorge previous to being cooked. The young fry are exceedingly good, and may be dressed like fresh-water eels. The large ones may be made into soup; and can also be cooked like sturgeon.

263. _French Angler's way of Stewing Fish._--Take about four pounds or less of all kinds of fish, that is, carp, pike, trout, tench, eels, &c., or any one of them, cut them into nice middle-sized pieces, no matter the size of the fish--let the pieces be of equal size; put them in a black pot or stewpan, season over with nearly a tablespoonful of salt, half one of pepper, half one of sugar, four good-sized onions, sliced thin, add a half bottle of common French wine, or four glasses of port or sherry, half a pint of water, set it on the fire to stew, gently tossing it now and then; when tender, which you may easily ascertain by feeling with your finger the different pieces, mix a spoonful of flour with two ounces of butter, which put bit by bit in the pan, move it round by shaking the pan, not with any spoon; boil a few minutes longer, and serve, dishing the fish in pyramid, sauce over; if the sauce is too thin, reduce it till it adheres to the back of the spoon; taste, if it is highly seasoned, a few sprigs of thyme or bay-leaf may be added. Some of the fish may be done sooner than the others; if so, take them out first, and keep warm until all are done. The motive of mixing fish is, that it is supposed the flavor of all together is finer than one alone. Conger eel is also done in this way.

FISH SAUCES.

In all ages and countries at all removed from barbarism, where fish
has formed an article of diet, sauces of various kinds have been an
accompaniment. With the Romans, in the time of Lucullus, great care
was observed in their preparation; amongst others which they used,
and the most celebrated, was the Garum and the Muria.

The _Garum_ was the sauce the most esteemed and the most expensive;
its composition is unknown. This is a subject well worth the
attention of the epicures of the present day; they should subscribe
and offer a premium for that which, in their opinion, may resemble
it: it is a subject well worthy the attention of the Professors of
our Universities. Perhaps some leaf yet undiscovered, that may have
escaped the conflagration of Alexandria, might throw some light
upon so interesting a subject. It appears, that mushrooms entered
greatly into its composition; and that parts of mackerel, or of
that species, formed another. The question is, at what time of the
year were mushrooms in season there; and if at that period
mackerel, or what species of mackerel have soft roes, as I think it
probable that they entered into its composition, as an island near
Carthaginia, where they were caught, was called Scombraria, and
that which was prepared by a company in that town, and which was
considered the best, was called Garum Sociorum.

The _Muria_ was the liquid in which the tunny was pickled, and no
doubt very similar to our essence of anchovies. Those most
generally in use at the present day are the following, in addition
to which there are various kinds made and sold in bottles, some of
which are much cheaper to buy than to make.

264. _Melted Butter._--Put into a stewpan two ounces of butter, not too hard, also a good tablespoonful of flour, mix both well with a wooden spoon, without putting it on the fire; when forming a smooth paste, add to it a little better than half a pint of water; season with a teaspoonful of salt, not too full, the sixth part that of pepper; set it on the fire, stir round continually until on the point of boiling; take it off, add a teaspoonful of brown vinegar, then add one ounce more of fresh butter, which stir in your sauce till melted, then use where required; a little nutmeg grated may be introduced; it ought, when done, to adhere lightly to the back of the spoon, but transparent, not pasty; it may also, if required, be passed through a tammy or sieve. If wanted plainer, the last butter may be omitted.

265. _Anchovy Sauce._--Make the same quantity of melted butter as in the last, but omit the salt, and add three good tablespoonfuls of essence of anchovies.

266. _Fennel Sauce._--This is a sauce principally used for boiled mackerel. Make the same quantity of melted butter as in the last, to which add a good tablespoonful of chopped fennel; it is usually served in a boat.

267. _Egg Sauce_ is generally served with salt-fish or haddock. Boil six eggs ten minutes, let them get cold, then cut them in pieces about the size of dice, put them into a stewpan, with three parts of a pint of melted butter, add an ounce more fresh butter, with a little pepper and salt; keep the stewpan moving round over the fire until the whole is very hot, and serve in a boat.

268. _Shrimp Sauce._--Make the same quantity of melted butter as before, to which add three tablespoonfuls of essence of shrimps, but omitting the salt; add half a pint of picked shrimps, and serve in a boat. If no essence of shrimps, some anchovy sauce may be served with shrimps in it as a substitute.

269. _Shrimp Sauce_ is also very good as follows: Pound half a pint of shrimps, skins and all, in a mortar, and boil them ten minutes in half a pint of water; pass the liquor through a hair sieve into a stewpan, and add a piece of butter the size of two walnuts, with which you have mixed a good teaspoonful of flour, stir it round over the fire until upon the point of boiling; if too thick, add a little more water; season with a little cayenne, and a teaspoonful of essence of anchovies; serve very hot; a few picked shrimps might also be served in it.

270. _Caper Sauce._--Put twelve tablespoonfuls of melted butter into a stewpan, place it on the fire, and when on the point of boiling, add two ounces of fresh butter and one tablespoonful of capers; shake the stewpan round over the fire until the butter is melted, add a little pepper and salt, and serve where directed.

271. _Lobster Sauce._--Put twelve tablespoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, cut up a small-sized lobster into dice, make a quarter of a pound of lobster butter with the spawn, as directed; when the melted butter is upon the point of boiling, add the lobster butter, stir the sauce round over the fire until the butter is melted, season with a little essence of anchovies, the juice of half a lemon, and a quarter of a saltspoonful of cayenne pepper; pass it through a tammy into another stewpan, and add the flesh of the lobster; when hot, it is ready to serve where required. This sauce must be quite red; if no red spawn in the lobster, use live spawn.

272. _New and Economical Lobster Sauce._--Should you require to use the solid flesh of a lobster for salad, or any other purpose, pound the soft part and shell together (in a mortar) very fine, which put into a stewpan, covered with a pint of boiling water; place it over the fire to simmer for ten minutes, then pass the liquor through a hair sieve into a basin; put three ounces of butter into a stewpan, into which rub (cold) a good tablespoonful of flour, add the liquor from the lobster, place it upon the fire, stirring until upon the point of boiling, season with a little cayenne, and add a piece of anchovy butter, the size of a walnut; or, if any red spawn in the lobster, mix it with butter, as in the last, and add it, with the juice of half a lemon, just before serving. An anchovy pounded with the lobster-shells would be an improvement, and part of the flesh of the lobster might be served in the sauce.

273. _Lobster Sauce à la Crême._--Cut a small lobster into slices the size of half-crown pieces, which put into a stewpan; pound the soft and white parts, with an ounce of butter, and rub it through a sieve; pour ten spoonfuls of melted butter, and two of cream, over the slices in the stewpan, add half a blade of mace, a saltspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, and a little cayenne; warm gently, and when upon the point of boiling, add the butter and two tablespoonfuls of thick cream, shake round over the fire until quite hot, when it is ready to serve.

274. _Lobster Sauce simplified._--Put the slices of lobster, as in the last, into a stewpan, with ten tablespoonfuls of milk, add a little pepper, salt, cayenne, two cloves, and half a blade of mace; set it upon the fire, and when boiling, add a piece of butter of the size of two walnuts, with which you have mixed a little flour; shake round over the fire, and when getting rather thick, add two spoonfuls of cream, if handy, and serve very hot.

275. _Beyrout Sauce._--Put a tablespoonful of chopped onions into a stewpan, with one of Chili vinegar and one of common ditto, a pint of melted butter, four spoonfuls of brown gravy, two of mushroom catsup, and two of Harvey sauce; place it over the fire, keeping it stirred until boiling, then place it at the corner to simmer five minutes, skim well, then place it again over the fire, keeping it stirred until thickish, to adhere to the back of the spoon, when add two tablespoonfuls of essence of anchovies, and half a teaspoonful of sugar; it is then ready to serve.

The above, although a fish sauce, may be used for meat or poultry, by omitting the anchovy, and adding more Harvey sauce. If no brown gravy, add water and a little coloring.

276. _Oyster Sauce._--Mix three ounces of butter in a stewpan, with two ounces of flour, then blanch and beard three dozen oysters, put the oysters into another stewpan, add beards and liquor to the flour and butter, with a pint and a half of milk, a teaspoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of cayenne, two cloves, half a blade of mace, and six peppercorns; place it over the fire, keep stirring, and boil it ten minutes, then add a tablespoonful of essence of anchovies, and one of Harvey sauce, pass it through a tammy over the oysters, make the whole very hot without boiling, and serve. A less quantity may be made, using less proportions.

277. _Another method._--Put a pint of white sauce into a stewpan, with the liquor and beards of three dozen oysters (as above), six peppercorns, two cloves, and half a blade of mace; boil it ten minutes, then add a spoonful of essence of anchovies, a little cayenne and salt if required; pass it through a tammy, or hair sieve, over the oysters, as in the last.

278. _A plainer method._--Blanch three dozen of oysters, which again put into the stewpan, with their liquor (after having detached the beards), add six peppercorns and half a blade of mace; place them over the fire, and when beginning to simmer, add a piece of butter the size of a walnut, with which you have mixed sufficient flour to form a paste, breaking it in four or five pieces; shake the stewpan round over the fire, and when upon the point of boiling, and becoming thick, add half a gill of milk, or more if required; season with a little cayenne, salt, pepper, and a few drops of essence of anchovies; serve very hot.

279. _Mussel Sauce._--Proceed exactly the same as for oyster sauce, using only the liquor of the mussels (not the beards) instead of the oysters, and serving the mussels in the sauce; about four dozen would be sufficient.

280. _Cream Sauce._--Put two yolks of eggs in the bottom of a stewpan, with the juice of a lemon, a quarter of a teaspoonful of salt, a little white pepper, and a quarter of a pound of hard fresh butter; place the stewpan over a moderate fire, and commence stirring with a wooden spoon (taking it from the fire now and then when getting too hot), until the butter has gradually melted and thickened with the eggs (great care must be exercised, for if it should become too hot, the eggs would curdle and render the sauce useless); then add half a pint of melted butter; stir altogether over the fire, without permitting it to boil, pass it through a tammy into another stewpan; when wanted, stir it over the fire until hot. This sauce may be served with any description of boiled fish.

281. _Matelote Sauce._--For about a pound-slice of salmon make the following quantity of sauce: peel thirty button onions, and put half a teaspoonful of sugar in a quart-size stewpan, place it over a sharp fire, and when melted and getting brown, add a piece of butter (the size of two walnuts) and the onions, toss them over now and then until rather brown, then add a glass of sherry, let it boil, then add half a pint of brown sauce, and a gill of broth, simmer at the corner of the fire until the onions are quite tender, skim it well, and add a few mushrooms, if handy, season with a little salt and sugar, and sauce over any kind of fish where described. The addition of a teaspoonful of essence of anchovies is an improvement. Use where directed.

282. _Matelote Sauce simplified._--Proceed as above respecting the onions, only add a fourth more butter, and fry them a little browner; then add a glass of sherry and two teaspoonfuls of flour, which stir round gently with a small wooden spoon, add to it about a pint of water, stir now and then till boiling, add three saltspoonfuls of salt, two of sugar, one of pepper, and a bouquet garni, simmer and skim, add a few drops of coloring to give it a nice brown color; when ready to serve, add a good tablespoonful of anchovy essence; it ought to adhere lightly to the back of the spoon, but not be too thick; sauce over or under, as directed; small pieces of glaze, if handy, put into it is an improvement, also using broth instead of water; oysters and mushrooms may be introduced, also a little cayenne pepper. This sauce must be very savory.

283. _Lobster Butter._--Procure half a lobster, quite full of spawn, which take out and pound well in a mortar; then add six ounces of fresh butter, mix well together, then rub it through a hair sieve, and put it in a cold place until wanted. The flesh can be used for any other dish.

284. _Anchovy Butter._--Take the bones from six anchovies, wash the fillets, and dry them upon a cloth, pound them well in a mortar, add six ounces of fresh butter, mix well together, and proceed as in the last.

285. _Maître d'Hôtel Butter._--Put a quarter of a pound of fresh butter upon a plate, with one good tablespoonful of chopped parsley, the juice of two lemons, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a quarter that quantity of white pepper; mix all well together, and put in a cool place till required.

286. _Ravigote Butter._--Proceed as in the last, but instead of parsley, use one spoonful of chopped tarragon, and one of chervil, and add half a spoonful of Chili vinegar.

REMOVES.

These are dishes which remove the fish and soup, served upon large
dishes, and placed at the top and bottom of the table; great care
should be evinced in cooking them, as they are the "pièce de
résistance" of the dinner. I must also observe that a few of the
receipts appear a little complicated, but which will not prove to
be the case if tried once or twice. In the Entrées will be found
how the remains of them may be dressed.

Since the science of analytical chemistry has become so perfect,
and has shown us the elements of which every substance and liquid
is composed, and that, in order to continue them in a state of
action, and prevent decomposition, it is necessary to repair the
loss which they are every moment undergoing, even from man, through
every living thing, down to earth and water. But as I am not going
to write you a lecture on chemistry, which will be so much more
easy to read in Liebig, in order for you to choose your meat and
viands with economy in regard to actual nourishment, it is
necessary I should tell you, that, from infancy to old age, the
human race must be continually imbibing elements of formation or
reparation, even from the lime in the mother's milk, which forms
the bones, to the osmazome extracted from animal matters, which
creates a more lively circulation of the blood when it becomes
sluggish and dull in old age. Each period, occupation, and station
in life requires different substances of reparation, with which we
ought to make ourselves intimately acquainted. Amongst the first,
and that most generally in use with man, is the ox, the principal
nourishment of which consists in the osmazome, which is that liquid
part of the meat that is extracted by water at blood-heat. It is
this which is the foundation and flavor of all soups, which gives
the flavor to all meats, and which, on becoming candied by heat,
forms the crust of roast meats.

The osmazome is found principally in all adult animals having a
dark flesh, and to a very small extent in those having a white
flesh; or even in the white flesh of fowls, but in their back and
legs, in which parts lies their principal flavor. The bones of the
ox contain gelatine and phosphate of lime. The gelatine is also
found in the muscles and other cartilaginous parts of the animal;
it is extracted by boiling water, and coagulates at the ordinary
temperature of the atmosphere; it is the foundation of all jellies,
blancmanges, and other similar preparations.

The albumen is also found in the flesh, and congeals as soon as the
heat rises beyond that of the blood; it is this which is the scum
on the pot when the meat is boiling.

BEEF.--All oxen should fast from twenty-four to forty-eight hours
before being killed; when killed and skinned, they are opened and
the inside cleaned; they are then hung up, and ought to be exposed
to a draught until cold, and then divided down the back into two
parts, leaving the head whole; these sides are then divided into
two, called the fore and hind-quarters: the fore-quarter contains
the shin, the clod and stickings, leg of mutton piece, chuck,
middle rib, fore rib; the hind-quarter consists of the rump,
sirloin, thin and thick flank, the veiny-piece, aitch-bone, buttock
or round, and leg and foot; the head contains the tongue, palate,
and brains; the entrails consist of the sweetbread, kidneys,
skirts, and the double roll and reed tripe. When the meat is cut
up, the following kernels are taken out: those in the neck, where
the shoulder clod is removed; two from the round, the pope's eye,
and one from the flap; one in the thick flap in the middle of the
flank, and another between the rump and aitch-bone: these must be
removed to preserve the beef, particularly in hot weather. The
flavor and quality of the meat depend on the country from whence it
comes, and the nature of its food.[4] As a general rule, the flesh
ought to be of a dark red color, smooth, open-grained, with fat
rather white than yellow running in thin streaks through the flesh.
Ox-beef is the largest and richest, but heifer is better, if
well-fed. It should be hung for two days previous to using, in a
cool place, free from draught; it will keep good from three to six
days, according to the weather.

287. _Sirloin of Beef_ should never be less than three of the short ribs, and will weigh more or less according to the size of the ox from which they are taken; that from a small, well-fed heifer I consider the best, and will weigh about twelve pounds, and take about two hours to roast, depending much on the fire. Having spitted or hung the joint, cover it with buttered paper, and place it about eighteen inches from the fire; about one hour after it has been down, remove the paper and place the joint nearer the fire, and put half a pint of water, with a little salt, in the dripping-pan; about a quarter of an hour before removing from the fire, dredge it with flour and salt from the dredging-box; when taken from the fire, empty the contents of the dripping-pan into a basin, from which remove the fat; pour the gravy in the dish, and then place the joint on it; serve some scraped horse-radish separate. A Yorkshire pudding is very excellent when cooked under this joint.

288. _Ribs of Beef._--This piece should consist of at least three ribs; the bones are generally sawn through about three inches from the top; these should be removed, leaving the flap, which fold under and fix with wooden skewers. This, in roasting, should be prepared and dredged as the sirloin. A drop of coloring gives the gravy an inviting appearance.

289. _Ribs of Beef braised._--Take four ribs, not too fat nor too thick, remove the chine-bone neatly, and four inches of the tips of the rib-bones, run with a larding-needle several pieces of fat bacon through the thick part, trim over the flap and tie it well round, put it into the braising-pan; put a quarter of a pound of butter, one teaspoonful of pepper, and six teaspoonfuls of salt into the pan, cover it over, and place it on a slow fire for thirty minutes, stirring it now and then, then add two quarts of water; at the expiration of one hour and a half, add eighty small button onions and sixty small young carrots, or pieces of large ones cut in the shape, which place around the meat; a bouquet of ten sprigs of parsley, three bay-leaves, and four sprigs of thyme tied together; half an hour after, add sixty round pieces of turnip; then place some live coals on the lid, and let it stew gently for one hour and a half longer, being altogether about four hours. Take out the meat, remove the string, and trim it. Skim off the fat from the liquor in the pan, remove the bouquet, &c., add a few pieces of butter in which have been mixed a tablespoonful of flour and a teaspoonful of sugar, two of browning, stir gently with a wooden spoon, and, when just on the boil, dress round the meat, and serve. In case it has reduced too much, add water.

The foregoing receipt may appear rather complicated, and may
perhaps frighten you, and prevent you trying it; but I assure you,
if you once try it, you will find it so good as to repeat it,
particularly as many other receipts will be referred to this one.
The vegetables and meat cold, are excellent.

290. _Stewed Rump of Beef._--This is a very excellent and useful
joint to be continually kept in a country-house, where you may be
some distance from a butcher's, as, when hung up in a cool larder,
it keeps good for a considerable time, and you never feel at a loss
should some friends call unawares: after a third of it has been
removed for steaks, pies, or puddings, the remainder makes an
excellent joint, roasted or braised like the ribs, or stewed as
follows:

Cut it away from the bone, cut about twenty long pieces of fat bacon, which run through the flesh in a slanting direction; then chop up the bone, place it at the bottom of a large stewpan, with six cloves, three onions, one carrot, a turnip, and a head of celery; then lay in the rump (previously tying it up with string), which just cover with water, add a tablespoonful of salt and two burnt onions (if handy), place upon the fire, and, when boiling, stand it at the corner; let it simmer nearly four hours, keeping it skimmed; when done, pass part of the stock it was cooked in (keeping the beef hot in the remainder) through a hair sieve into a basin; in another stewpan have ready a quarter of a pound of butter, melt it over the fire, add six ounces of flour, mix well together, stirring over the fire until becoming a little brownish; take off, and when nearly cold add two quarts of the stock, stir it over the fire until it boils; then have four carrots, four turnips (cut into small pieces with cutters), and forty button onions peeled, put them into the sauce, when again boiling draw it to the corner, where let simmer until tender, keeping it skimmed; add a little powdered sugar and a bunch of parsley: if it should become too thick, add a little more of the stock; dress the beef upon a dish, sauce round and serve. Brown sauce may be used, and the gravy will make excellent soup.

291. _Salt Round of Beef._--This magnificent joint is, in general, too large for small families, but occasionally it may be used; the following is, therefore, the best method of cooking it: having folded the fat round it, and fastened it with skewers, tie round it, not too tight, some wide tape and a thin cloth, place it in a large stock-pot with plenty of cold water, set it upon a good fire, and when beginning to boil, draw it to the corner, where let it simmer until done; five hours will be enough for a large one of thirty to thirty-five pounds; when done, remove the cloth and tape, and dish it up, previously cutting a slice two inches thick from the top, pouring a pint of the hot liquor over it when serving. To serve it cold, M. Soyer, in his "Regenerator," thus describes it:

"After receiving the above useful lesson, and being desirous of
improving my profession in all its branches, I remembered that,
amongst the number of joints boiled to serve cold for large civic,
agricultural, or benevolent anniversary dinners, the round of beef
was the most prominent, and having seen it standing in dishes to
get cold, with the dish filled with the gravy that runs from it,
particularly if a little over-done, caused me to hit upon the
following expedient to prevent the meat losing so much of its
succulence.

"Fill two large tubs with cold water, into which throw a few pounds of rough ice, and when the round is done, throw it, cloth and all, into one of the tubs of ice-water; let remain one minute, when take out and put it into the other tub; fill the first tub again with water, and continue the above process for about twenty minutes; then set it upon a dish, leaving the cloth on until the next day, or until quite cold; when opened, the fat will be as white as possible, besides having saved the whole of the gravy. If no ice, spring water will answer the same purpose, but will require to be more frequently changed; the same mode would be equally successful with the aitch-bone."

292. _Half-Round of Beef (Silver-side)_ should be put into cold water, and let it come to a boil; simmer for two hours and a half, and serve the same as a round.

293. _Aitch-bone of Beef_ (or, as I think it ought to be called, _Edge-bone_).--This is a very nice joint for a small family, but not so economical as is generally supposed; it should be pickled carefully, and cooked in the same way as the round; one weighing ten pounds will take two hours and a half; it should be trimmed on the top, and served with some of the liquor under it. It is very good when fresh and braised like the ribs.

294. _Salt Brisket of Beef._--This is by no means an economical joint, as it loses considerably in cooking; it requires a long time to boil; should it be required as a large cold joint, the following is the best plan: procure a nice brisket with as little fat as possible, detach the whole of the bones from it, make a pickle (see Receipt), place it in it, previously rubbing it well with two cloves of garlic, leave it in the pickle from seven to nine days, rubbing and turning it every day; when ready to cook, cut it into two parts (one about two inches longer than the other), tie them together, and afterwards in a clean cloth, simmer it for about six or seven hours in a large stock-pot full of water; when done, take it out and let it drain, have ready a large dish-cover, place it upon a trivet, remove the cloth and string from the meat, and place it in the cover; have ready a piece of board to fit inside the cover, place it on the meat with a half-hundred weight on the top, and let it remain in a cold place until the next day, when take it out, trim it, garnish it nicely, and serve. This will keep good a considerable time, and is excellent for breakfast or luncheon; besides, it always keeps a "pièce de résistance" in the larder in case of accidents. It is also, when fresh, very excellent stewed like the rump of beef, or plain salted.

295. _Hamburgh Beef._--The ribs are the best; they should be put to soak in soft water for twelve hours, and then put into cold water and boiled gradually; a piece of three ribs will take three hours; if intended to be served hot, the outside should be cut off, and the joint nicely trimmed and served up with the following garniture round it: take four handfuls of brown kale, well washed, put a saucepan on the fire, with a gallon of water, and let it well boil; then add two tablespoonfuls of salt and half a saltspoonful of carbonate of soda, put the kale in, let it boil for ten minutes, drain it and squeeze all the water from it, put it on a chopping-board and chop it fine, then put it into a stewpan, with two ounces of butter, half a teaspoonful of pepper, one teaspoonful of salt, a little nutmeg, half a teaspoonful of sugar, and twenty roasted chestnuts cut in half, put it on the fire and keep stirring it for five minutes: if too dry, add a little milk or gravy, and place it on the side of the fire until wanted.

296. _To boil a pickled Ox Tongue._--Put the tongue into a large stewpan containing two gallons of cold water, which set upon the fire until boiling, when draw it to the corner to simmer for three hours, if a tongue weighing about six pounds; but the better way to ascertain when done, is to try it with a trussing-needle, or the prongs of a fork, in the thickest part; if tender it is done, but if hard it must boil rather longer. A dried tongue should be soaked twenty-four hours previously to boiling; when done, skin it and trim the root, &c., and use where directed.

297. _To cook a fresh Ox Tongue._--Put a tongue in lukewarm water for twelve hours to disgorge, then trim the root and scrape the tongue quite clean; have ready twenty pieces of fat bacon two inches long and half an inch square, which introduce with a larding pin into the most fleshy part in a slanting direction; then rub the tongue all over with salt, and run a long iron skewer through it, which tie upon, surround the tongue with vegetables, the same as directed for turkeys roasted and braised, and roast for two hours before a good fire; twenty minutes before it is done take away the paper and vegetables, to give a nice brown color; when done trim a little, to keep it steady in the dish, and garnish with any kind of stewed vegetables, or cut it in halves lengthwise to form a heart, and sauce over with piquante, tomatos, or any other sharp sauces found in their series. If no convenience for roasting, put into a stewpan a piece of leg of beef (cut small) weighing two pounds, with two onions, one carrot, two blades of mace, a little thyme and bay-leaf, and a quarter of a pound of butter, sauté the whole twenty minutes, keeping it stirred over a moderate fire, then put in the tongue (previously prepared) and two ounces of salt, cover with water, and let boil gently four hours, skim and serve. The stock would be excellent for soup or brown sauce of any kind. The remains could be served in either of the methods directed for the remainder of pickled tongue.

298. _Rump Steak broiled._--Procure a steak cut nice and even, of about half an inch in thickness (if well cut it will not require beating), which lay upon a gridiron over a sharp fire; have a good teaspoonful of salt, and half that quantity of pepper mixed together upon a plate, half of which sprinkle upon the side of the steak uppermost, after it has been upon the fire a couple of minutes, when turn, and sprinkle the remainder of the seasoning upon the other side; it will take about ten minutes to cook it to perfection, turning it occasionally, and serve upon a very hot dish, with a little scraped horseradish round. If properly done, it ought to be full of gravy, but a great deal depends upon the fire, which, if bad, causes the gravy to ooze from the meat and lie upon the top, which you lose in turning the steak over. A rump steak may also be served broiled as above, with a little maître d'hôtel, or anchovy butter, rubbed, over as soon as done, and potatoes cut the size of half crown or shilling pieces, and fried crisp in hot fat; dress round. Or a steak may be served, with a few water-cresses, well washed, and dried upon a plate sprinkled with a little pepper, salt, and vinegar, and garnished round; a little oil might also be added.

Veal of about two to three months old is the best; the flesh ought
to be white, approaching to pink, and the fat firm; it is cut up
the same as mutton, except that, in the hind-quarter, the loin is
cut straight, leaving the aitch-bone on it, which may be either
dressed on the loin or separate. The fore-quarter consists of the
shoulder, neck, and breast. The hind-quarter, the knuckle, leg,
fillet, and the loin. The head and pluck consists of the heart,
liver, nut, skirts, melt, and the heart, throat, and sweetbread.

The bull-calf is the best, the flesh is firmer grained or redder,
and the fat more curdled than the cow-calf, which latter is in
general preferred, being more delicate and better adapted for made
dishes, as having the udder. Nothing can be worse than veal if not
fresh; it should never hang more than two days in summer and four
in winter. To be in full perfection, the kidneys ought to be
covered with fat, and the veins in the shoulder bright red or blue.
It is best from May to September, although it may be had good all
the year. The head, when fresh, should have the eyes plump and
lively; if stale, they are sunk and wrinkled.

299. _Fillet of Veal._--Choose it of the best quality. Procure a leg, saw off the knuckle, take out the bone in the centre of the fillet, and fill up the cavity with some stuffing made as directed (see Receipt), fold the udder and flap round, which fix with three skewers; place half a sheet of buttered foolscap paper top and bottom, which tie over and over with plenty of string, run a spit through, fixing the fillet with a holdfast; set down to roast, placing it rather close to the fire ten minutes, rub well over with butter, then place it at least two feet and a half from the fire, to roast very slowly, giving it a fine gold color; a fillet weighing sixteen pounds would require three hours roasting, when done take it up, detach all the string and paper, trim the top and set it upon your dish; have a pint of melted butter in a stewpan upon the fire, to which, when boiling, add four spoonfuls of Harvey sauce, and two of mushroom catsup, mix well, and pour round the fillet; have also boiled nicely an ox-tongue, which skin and trim, dress upon a dish surrounded with greens or cabbage nicely boiled, and serve as an accompaniment to the fillet.

300. _Loin of Veal._--One with plenty of fat and a good kidney, from which the chump and the rib-bone at the other end has been removed; fasten the flap over the kidney with a skewer, run a spit through lengthwise, commencing at the thick end, and fixing it with a holdfast, cover it with buttered paper; one of fourteen pounds will take about two hours and a half to roast. Serve with melted butter poured over.