[197]CHAPTER XIIISOUPSSoupsare divided into two leading classes,viz.:—1. Clear soups, which include plain and garnished consommés.2. Thick soups, which comprise the Purées, Veloutés, and Creams.A third class, which is independent of either of the above, inasmuch as it forms part of plain, household cookery, embraces vegetable soups and Garbures orgratinedsoups. But in important dinners—by this I mean rich dinners—only the first two classes are recognised.When a menu contains two soups, one must be clear and the other thick. If only one is to be served, it may be either clear or thick, in which case the two kinds are represented alternately at different meals.In Part I. of this work I indicated the general mode of procedure for consommés and thick soups; I explained how the latter might be converted from plain purées into veloutés or creams, or from veloutés into creams; and all that now remains is to reveal the recipes proper to each of those soups.Remarks.—In the course of the recipes for consommés, given hereafter, the use of Royales (Nos.206to213) and of Quenelles, variously prepared (Nos.193to195and205), will often be enjoined. For the preparation of these garnishes, therefore, the reader will have to refer to the numbers indicated.The quantities for the clear soups that follow are all calculated to be sufficient for a standard number of six people, and the quantity of Royales is always given in so manydariole-moulds, which contain about one-eighth pint, orbaba-moulds, which hold about one-fifth pint.Of course, it will be understood that the poaching need not necessarily have been effected in these moulds, for very small “Charlotte” moulds would do quite as well. But I had recourse to the particular utensils mentioned above, in order that[198]there might be no sort of doubt as to the exact quantity of royale it would be necessary to prepare for any one of the soups.Clear Soups and Garnished Consommés539—CONSOMMÉ ALEXANDRAHave a quart of excellent chicken consommé ready; add thereto, in order to thicken it slightly, three tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca, strained through muslin, and very clear.Put the following garnish into the soup-tureen: One tablespoonful of white chicken-meat cut in finejulienne-fashion, one tablespoonful of small chicken quenelles, grooved and long in shape, and one tablespoonful of lettucechiffonade.Pour the boiling consommé upon this garnish, and send to the table immediately.540—CONSOMMÉ AMBASSADRICEHave one quart of chicken consommé ready; also there should have been prepared beforehand, with the view of using them quite cold, three different kinds of royales, consisting respectively of truffle purée, tomato purée, and purée of peas, each of which should have been poached in adariole-mould.Cut these royales up into regular dice, and put them in the soup-tureen with one tablespoonful of chicken fillet and an equal quantity of small, freshly-cooked mushrooms, finely minced. Pour the boiling consommé over these garnishes, and serve at once.541—CONSOMMÉ ANDALOUSEPrepare ababa-mouldof royale made from tomato purée. When quite cold, cut it into dice, and put these in the soup-tureen with one small tablespoonful of cooked ham cut injulienne-fashion, one tablespoonful of boiled rice, with every grain distinct and separate, and two tablespoonfuls of threaded eggs (No.217).When about to serve, pour one quart of very clear chicken consommé over the garnish.542—CONSOMMÉ D’ARENBERGWith a small spoon-cutter, pick out a spoonful of carrot pearls and the same quantity of turnip pearls. Cook these vegetables by boiling them in consommé, taking care that the latter be reduced to a glaze when the vegetables are cooked.[199]With the same spoon take the same quantity as above of very black truffle; also prepare adariole-mouldof royale made from asparagus heads, and a dozen small chicken-forcemeat quenelles, which should be moulded to the shape of large pearls.Poach the quenelles, cut the royales up into slices, which must be stamped with an indented fancy-cutter, and put the whole into the soup-tureen with the carrots, turnips, and truffle pearls, and one tablespoonful of very green peas.Pour a quart of chicken consommé over the garnish, and send to the table at once.543—CONSOMMÉA LA BOHÉMIENNEPrepare threedariole-mouldsof foie-gras royale, and twelveprofiterolles(No.218) of the size of hazel-nuts, the latter being made very crisp.When the royale is cold, cut it into little, regular squares, and put these into the soup-tureen.When about to serve, pour over this garnish a quart of chicken consommé, thickened by means of three tablespoonfuls of tapioca, poached and strained through linen.Send theprofiterollesto the table separately, and very hot.544—CONSOMMÉ BOÏELDIEUPrepare eighteen chicken-forcemeat quenelles, moulded by means of a small teaspoon; some should be stuffed with foie-gras purée, moistened with a little velouté; others with chicken purée; and yet others with truffle purée—in short, six of each kind.Place these, one by one, on a buttered sauté-pan; poach them, drain them, and put them in the soup-tureen with a tablespoonful of white chicken-meat, cut into dice.When about to serve, pour one quart of chicken consommé, thickened as above with tapioca, over the garnish.545—CONSOMMÉ BOUQUETIEREPrepare a garnish of carrots and turnips, cut with the tubular cutter or with the spoon; French beans cut into lozenges, asparagus-heads, and green peas, all of which vegetables should be fresh and young. Cook each vegetable according to its nature, and put the whole into the soup-tureen.When about to serve, pour over the garnish one quart of chicken consommé thickened with two tablespoonfuls of tapioca, poached and strained through fine linen.[200]546—CONSOMMÉ BOURDALOUEPrepare adariole-mouldof each of the four followingroyales:—1. Of a purée of haricot-beans with a slight addition of tomato.2. Of a chicken purée moistened with velouté.3. Of a purée of asparagus-tops combined with a few cooked spinach leaves, to deepen the colour.4. Of a carrot purée (Purée Crécy).Having poached and cooled the royales, cut them asfollows:—(1) Into dice, (2) into lozenges, (3) into little leaves, and (4) into stars.Place them all in the soup-tureen, and, when about to serve, pour one quart of boiling and very clear chicken consommé over them.547—POTAGE BORTSCHCut injulienne-fashionthe heads of two leeks, one carrot, half of an onion, four oz. of the white of cabbage leaves, half a root of parsley, the white part of a stick of celery, and four oz. of beetroot; set the whole to stew gently in butter.Moisten with one quart of white consommé and two or three tablespoonfuls of the juice of grated beetroot; add a small bunch of fennel and sweet marjoram, two lbs. of moderately fat breast of beef, and the half of a semi-roasted duck; set to cook gently for four hours.When about to serve, cut the breast of beef into large dice, and cut the duck into small slices; finish the soup with one-quarter pint of beetroot juice, extracted from grated beetroot pressed in linen, and a littleblanchedand chopped fennel and parsley. Put the beef dice and sliced duck into the soup, with twelve grilled and despumatedchipolatas.Serve, separately, a sauceboat of sour cream.N.B.—Thechipolatasmay be replaced by very small patties with duck forcemeat, which should be served separately.548—CONSOMMÉBRUNOISECut into small dice the red part only of two small carrots, one small turnip, the heads of two leeks, a small stick of celery, and the third of an onion of medium size.Season the vegetables moderately with salt and a pinch of sugar, and stew them in butter. Moisten with one-half pint[201]of consommé, and complete the cooking of the Brunoise gently. Five minutes before serving, finish with one quart of boiling, ordinary consommé, a moderate tablespoonful of peas, and the same quantity of French beans, cut into dice and kept very green.Pour into the soup-tureen, and add a pinch of fine chervilpluches.549—CONSOMMÉ CARMENPrepare one quart of consommé, to which add, while clarifying, one-quarter pint of raw tomato purée, in order to give it a faint, pink tinge.Also peel and press a small and rather firm tomato; cut into dice, and poach the latter in some of the consommé; put them in the soup-tureen with a small tablespoonful of mild capsicum, cut in finejulienne-fashion, and one tablespoonful of plain-boiled rice.When about to serve, pour the boiling consommé over the garnish, and add a small pinch of chervilpluches.550—CONSOMMÉ CASTELLANEPrepare (1) one quart of game consommé, flavoured with afumetof woodcock; (2) twobaba-mouldsof royale, two-thirds of which consists of a purée of woodcock and one-third of lentils, with half the yolk of a hard-boiled egg, chopped and thickened with the usual leason.Cut this royale into slices, about the size of a florin, one-half inch thick. Put these into the soup-tureen, together with one tablespoonful of ajulienneof roast woodcock fillets, and pour thereon the boiling game consommé.551—CONSOMMÉ CÉLESTINEPrepare one quart of chicken consommé, and add thereto three small tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca, strained through fine linen.For the garnish make threepannequets(No.2403and2476) without sugar, and spread over each a thin coating of chicken forcemeat with cream. Place one on top of the other, sprinkle the layer of forcemeat on the uppermost one with finely-chopped, very black truffles, and place in the front of the oven for a few minutes, in order to poach the forcemeat.Stamp thepannequetsout with an even fancy-cutter about one inch in diameter. Put the pieces into a soup-tureen, and, when about to serve, pour in the boiling consommé.[202]552—CONSOMMÉ CHARTREUSEPrepare (1) eighteen smallravioles(No.2296)—six from spinach purée, six from foie-gras purée, and the remaining six from chopped mushrooms; (2) two small tablespoonfuls of tomato dice. Ten minutes before serving, poach theraviolesin boiling, salted water, and the tomato dice in some of the consommé.Put theraviolesand the tomato dice (well drained) into the soup-tureen, and pour over them one quart of consommé with a moderate addition of tapioca. Add a pinch of chervilpluches.553—CONSOMMÉ AUX CHEVEUX D’ANGEAbout two minutes before serving, plunge three oz. of very fine vermicelli, known as Angel’s Hair (Cheveux d’Ange) into one quart of excellent, boiling consommé.An instant only is needed to poach the vermicelli, and the latter does not require to beblanched.This soup, like those containing pastes, should be accompanied by freshly-grated Parmesan cheese.554—CONSOMMÉCOLBERTHave ready one quart of excellentPrintanierchicken consommé (No.601). Also poach six small eggs in slightly salted and acidulated water. The eggs should be as small and as fresh as possible, both of which conditions are absolutely necessary for a proper poaching (see poached eggs, No.411). Set these eggs in a small timbale with a little consommé, and send them to the table with thePrintanier. Having poured the latter into the plates, put one of the eggs into each of these.555—CONSOMMÉ COLOMBINEPrepare a good tablespoonful of carrot pearls, and as many turnip pearls, keeping the latter very white. Cook them in the customary way, and put them in the soup-tureen with one tablespoonful of very green peas, one tablespoonful of ajulienneof roast-pigeon fillets, and six poached pigeons’ eggs, which latter should be sent to the table in a timbale at the same time as the consommé.Pour over the other garnish one quart of very clear, boiling, chicken consommé, and serve immediately.This soup can only appear on summer and spring menus, when the pigeons’ eggs are in season.[203]556—CROÛTE AU POTPrepare a freshly-cooked vegetable garnish for astockpot:—Carrots and turnips cut into small sticks and trimmed; a few heads of leeks, and cabbage, parboiled, minced, and cooked in very fat consommé.Put these vegetables in a somewhat greasy broth for ten minutes.Also prepare seven or eight crusts of French soup “flutes”; besprinkle them with stock grease, and dry them in the oven. Put the vegetable garnish into the soup-tureen; pour thereon one quart of consommé of the Petite Marmite (No.598), and add to the dried crusts.557—CONSOMMÉ CYRANOPrepare (1) one quart of consommé with afumetof duck; (2) twelve small quenelles of duck forcemeat, which should be made flat and oval. Having poached the quenelles, drain them, and set them in a small, shallow earthen pan or timbale; sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan cheese and a few drops of chicken glaze, and set to glaze in the oven.The quenelles are served separately in the pan in which they have been glazed, and the consommé is sent to the table in a soup-tureen.558—CONSOMMÉ DEMIDOFFWith the small spoon-cutter, pick out a good tablespoonful of carrot, and the same quantity of turnip pearls. Cook these vegetables in the customary way, and put them in the soup-tureen with one tablespoonful of truffle pearls, the same quantity of peas, and small, poached, chicken-forcemeat quenelles with herbs. Pour one quart of boiling chicken consommé over this garnish, and add a pinch of chervilpluches.559—CONSOMMÉ DESLIGNACPrepare (1) two small, stuffed lettuces, rolled into sausage form and poached; (2) twobaba-mouldsof royale with cream. Cut the royale into small, regular dice; trim the lettuce, and cut it into slices; put this garnish into the soup-tureen, and pour thereon one quart of boiling chicken consommé, thickened with three tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca, strained through linen. Add a pinch of chervilpluches.[204]560—CONSOMMÉ AUX DIABLOTINSCut a French soup “flute” into twelve slices one-quarter inch thick. Reduce about one-quarter pint of Béchamel to a thick consistence; add thereto, away from the fire, two heaped tablespoonfuls of grated Gruyère cheese, and season with a little cayenne.Garnish the slices of soup “flute” with this preparation, arranged in the form of a dome, upon a tray, and set it to glaze a few minutes before serving.Pour one quart of chicken consommé into the soup-tureen, and add the diablotins.561—CONSOMMÉ DIPLOMATERoll into small sausage-form three oz. of chicken forcemeat, finished with crayfish butter. Poach the sausages, cut them into thin roundels, and put them into the soup-tureen with one dessertspoonful of very black truffle, cut injulienne-fashion.Pour over this garnish one quart of boiling chicken consommé, thickened with two tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca, strained through linen.562—CONSOMMÉ DIVETTEPrepare twobaba-mouldsof royale made from crayfish velouté, eighteen small quenelles of smelt forcemeat, moulded to the shape of pearls, and one tablespoonful of small pearls of very black truffle.Cut the royale into oval slices, and put these into the soup with the poached quenelles and the truffle pearls.Pour one quart of very clear, boiling consommé over the garnish.563—CONSOMMÉ DORIAPrepare the followinggarnish:—Thirty pellets of cucumber in the shape of large pearls; eighteen small quenelles of chicken forcemeat, long in shape and grooved; six little pellets, about the size of a large pea, ofpâte à choux, combined with grated cheese, rolled by hand; and one and one-half tablespoonfuls of Japanese pearls, poached in some of the consommé.Put the cucumber pellets, cooked in consommé, into the soup-tureen; add the poached quenelles and the Japanese pearls.Four minutes before serving, plunge the pellets ofpâte à chouxinto hot fat, keeping them crisp.[205]When about to serve, pour over the garnish one quart of boiling chicken consommé; complete with a pinch of chervilpluches, and serve the little, fried pellets separately.564—CONSOMMÉ DOUGLASWith an even cutter, the size of a penny, cut up some braised and cooled sweetbread into twelve roundels one-third inch thick; with the same cutter cut out twelve more roundels from some cooked artichoke-bottoms, and put the whole into the soup-tureen with two tablespoonfuls of very green asparagus-heads.When about to serve, pour one quart of boiling, highly seasoned, ordinary consommé upon the garnish.565—CONSOMMÉA L’ÉCOSSAISEPrepare a special mutton broth, and, at the same time, cook a fine piece of breast of mutton for the garnish.Per two quarts of broth, put into the soup-tureen four tablespoonfuls of pearl-barley, cooked very gently beforehand; two tablespoonfuls of French beans, cut into lozenges, and the breast of mutton cut into regular dice of one-half inch side, in the proportion of one tablespoonful for each person.Pour the boiling mutton broth over this garnish, after having removed all the grease and strained it through linen.566—CONSOMMÉ FAVORITEWith a spoon-cutter, pick from out some violet potatoes eighteen pellets the size of small hazel-nuts, and cook them in salted water in good time for them to be ready for the dishing up of the soup. Put them in the soup-tureen with two tablespoonfuls of ajulienneof artichoke-bottoms and the same quantity of cooked mushrooms, also cut injulienne-fashion.Pour over the garnish one quart of chicken consommé, thickened with three tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca strained through linen. Add a pinch of chervilpluches.566a—CONSOMMÉA LA FERMIÈREMince, somewhat finely, one small carrot, one small turnip, the heads of two leeks, and the half of an onion. Slightly stew these vegetables in one and one-half oz. of butter; moisten with one and one-half pints of white consommé; add two oz. of parboiled cabbage, cut roughly into ajulienne, and complete[206]the cooking gently, taking care to remove all grease, with the view of obtaining a very clear consommé.Pour into the soup-tureen, and add a few thin slices of French soup “flute,” slightly dried.567—CONSOMMÉ FLORENTINEWith fine chicken forcemeat make twenty-four small quenelles on a buttered tray, their shape being that of small Mecca loaves. To the forcemeat of six of these quenelles add some very finely chopped tongue; add white chicken-meat to that of another six; and to that of the remaining twelve add some very reduced spinach purée. The quenelles with spinach should number twice those with the other two ingredients, in order that the preparation may be in keeping with its designation “à la Florentine.”Poach the quenelles; put them in the soup-tureen with two tablespoonfuls of very green, cooked peas.When about to serve, pour one quart of very clear, boiling chicken consommé over this garnish, and add a pinch of chervilpluches.568—CONSOMMÉ GAULOISEPrepare twodariole-mouldsof ham royale, and poach the latter in a small, well-buttered Charlotte mould. When quite cold, cut it into large lozenges, and put these into the soup-tureen with six small cocks’ combs and six small cocks’ kidneys (these latter as small as possible).When about to serve, pour over this garnish one quart of chicken consommé, thickened slightly with two tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca, strained through linen.569—CONSOMMÉ GEORGE SANDHave ready one quart of consommé flavoured with very clear fishfumet. Also prepare twelve small quenelles of whiting forcemeat, finished with crayfish butter; stew twelve morels, which should be left whole if very small, and cut into two if they are of medium size; twelve small slices of poached carps’ milt, and twelve little roundels of French soup “flutes.”Put the poached quenelles and the stewed morels into the soup-tureen; pour therein the boiling, fish consommé, and send the slices of carps’ milt set on the roundels of French soup “flute” separately to the table.[207]570—CONSOMMÉ GERMAINEPrepare twodariole-mouldsof royale made from a purée of very green peas, combined with a tablespoonful ofMirepoixstewed in butter, and a strong pinch of small, chervilpluches; eighteen small quenelles of chicken forcemeat with cream, moulded to the form of pastils.When the royale is cold, cut it into regular roundels, and put these into the soup-tureen with the poached quenelles.When about to serve, pour one quart of boiling chicken consommé over the garnish.571—CONSOMMÉ GIRONDINEPrepare (1) one quart of highly-seasoned beef consommé; (2) twobaba-mouldsof ordinary royale made with whole eggs and combined with two tablespoonfuls of cooked and finely-chopped lean ham; (3) three tablespoonfuls of ajulienneof carrots (the red part only) stewed in butter, the cooking of which should be completed in the consommé.Put the royale, cut into large, regular lozenges, and thejulienneof carrots into the soup-tureen, and pour in the boiling beef consommé.572—CONSOMMÉ GRIMALDIHave ready one quart of excellent ordinary consommé, to which have been added, while clarifying, four tablespoonfuls of raw tomato purée, strained through fine linen.Also prepare twodariole-mouldsof ordinary royale, and three tablespoonfuls of a finejulienneof the white of celery, stewed in butter, finally cooked in the consommé, and with all grease removed.Put the royale, cut into large dice, and thejulienneof celery into the soup-tureen, and pour thereon the boiling consommé with tomatoes.573—CONSOMMÉ IMPERIALEPrepare threedariole-mouldsofmousselineforcemeat of fowl (No.195), and put it to poach in a small Charlotte mould.When quite cold, cut it, by means of a cutter, into roundels the size of a penny, and put these in the soup-tureen with six smallblanchedcocks’ combs and three sliced cocks’ kidneys, and two tablespoonfuls of very green peas.Pour over this garnish one quart of chicken consommé, thickened with three tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca strained through linen.[208]574—CONSOMMÉA L’INDIENNEHave ready one quart of ordinary consommé seasoned with curry. Also prepare threebaba-mouldsof royale made from cocoanut milk, and, when quite cold, cut into small dice.Put this royale into the soup-tureen; pour on it the boiling consommé with curry, and send to the table, separately, four tablespoonfuls of Rice à l’Indienne (No.2254).575—CONSOMMÉA L’INFANTEWith somepâte à choux(No.2374) prepare eighteenprofiterollesof the size of hazel-nuts. Cook them, taking care to keep them very crisp, and stuff them when cold with purée de foie gras moistened with velouté.Put two tablespoonfuls of a finejulienneof mild capsicum into the soup-tureen, and pour thereon one quart of boiling chicken consommé, moderately thickened with poached tapioca strained through linen.Serve theprofiterollesof foie gras separately, after having heated them in the front of the oven.N.B.—The garnish of Consommé à l’Infante may consist only of theprofiterolles, and thejulienneof capsicum may be suppressed; this is a matter of taste.576—CONSOMMÉ JACQUELINEWith a small spoon-cutter, pick from out some carrots twenty-four little oval pellets, which should be cooked in the consommé. Prepare twobaba-mouldsof royale with cream.Put into the soup-tureen the pellets of carrots and the royale cut to the shape of pastils, one tablespoonful of peas, the same quantity of very green asparagus-heads, and one tablespoonful of rice.When about to serve, pour one quart of boiling chicken consommé over this garnish.576a—CONSOMMÉ JULIENNECut into fillets, two inches in length, the red part only of two medium-sized carrots, one medium-sized turnip, one leek, half a stick of celery, some cabbage leaves, and half an onion. Season these vegetables with a pinch of salt and as much castor sugar; stew them in one oz. of butter; moisten with one and one-half pints of white consommé, and then add two oz. of small parboiled cabbages, cut after the manner of the other vegetables.Finish the cooking gently, removing the grease the while,[209]and complete with one small tablespoonful of very green, cooked peas, one tablespoonful of sorrel and lettucechiffonade, and one pinch of chervilpluches.577—CONSOMMÉ LORETTEHave ready one quart of chicken consommé. Also prepare two tablespoonfuls of a finejulienneof celery stewed in butter and cooked in the consommé; twelve small “pommes à la lorette” (No.2226), the size of hazel-nuts, and shaped like small crescents. These potatoes should be fried in hot fat four minutes before serving.Put into the soup-tureen thejulienneof celery, twelve small, freshly-poached cocks’ kidneys, and one tablespoonful of ajulienneof pimentos; pour the boiling consommé over this garnish; add a pinch of chervilpluches, and send the lorette potatoes to the table separately.578—CONSOMMÉ MACDONALDPrepare (1) one quart of highly seasoned beef consommé, (2) twodariole-mouldsof brain-purée royale; (3) two tablespoonfuls of cucumbers cut into small dice and cooked in consommé until the latter is reduced to a glaze; (4) five littleraviolesgarnished with chicken forcemeat combined with a third of its volume of spinach. Put theseraviolesto poach in salted boiling water twelve minutes before serving.Put into the soup-tureen the royale of brains cut into roundels one-third inch thick, the dice of cucumber, and theraviolespoached and well drained.Pour the boiling beef consommé over this garnish just before serving.579—CONSOMMÉ MARGUERITETake two tablespoonfuls of chicken forcemeat with cream, and roll it into sausage-form on the floured mixing-board. Put the sausage to poach. Rub the yolk of an egg through a fine sieve, and cohere it with half a teaspoonful of raw forcemeat.Having poached and cooled the chicken sausage, cut it into thin roundels, and stamp each roundel with a fancy-cutter to the shape of a marguerite. Arrange the marguerites on a dish, and lay in the middle of each a bit of the egg and forcemeat, in imitation of the flower-centre.Put these marguerites into the soup-tureen with one tablespoonful of small, green asparagus cut into lengths of one inch. When about to serve, pour one quart of very clear, boiling chicken consommé over this garnish.[210]580—CONSOMMÉ MARQUISEPrepare one quart of good, ordinary consommé, to which three sticks of celery have been added, while clarifying, in order that the taste of the celery may be very decided.Make thirty small quenelles of chicken forcemeat combined with finely-chopped filberts, giving them the shape of pastils.Poach these quenelles ten minutes before serving. Also poach incourt-bouillontwo calf’s piths, and cut them into thin roundels.Put the poached quenelles and the roundels of calf’s piths into the soup-tureen, and pour thereon the boiling consommé.581—CONSOMMÉ MERCÉDÈSPrepare one quart of chicken consommé with pimentos, combined, at the last minute, away from the fire, with one-half pint of sherry.Put into the soup-tureen two tablespoonfuls of capsicum, cut in finejulienne-fashionand short, and some small, freshly-cooked cocks’ combs.When about to serve, pour the consommé over this garnish.582—CONSOMMÉ MESSALINEPrepare one quart of chicken consommé, and add thereto, while clarifying, one-quarter pint of tomato essence, obtained by reducing the moisture contained by the tomato to a syrup.Put into the soup-tureen twelve small, freshly-poached cocks’ combs, two tablespoonfuls of Spanish capsicum cut into ajulienneand poached in the consommé if fresh (this should have been previously grilled, with the view of removing the skins), and two tablespoonfuls of poached rice, every grain of which should be distinct.Pour the boiling consommé over this garnish.583—CONSOMMÉ METTERNICHPrepare one quart of game consommé with pheasantfumet. Also poach twodariole-mouldsof royale, made from a purée of artichokes combined with some tablespoonfuls of the reduced game Espagnole. Cut this royale into dice; put these into a soup-tureen with one tablespoonful of ajulienneof pheasant fillets, and pour thereon the boiling consommé.584—CONSOMMÉA LA MILANAISECook in slightly salted boiling water two oz. of moderately thick macaroni. As soon as it is cooked, drain it, lay it on a piece of linen, and cut it into small rings. Also prepare[211]one-quarter pint of Béchamel, thickened with the yolk of one egg combined with one oz. of grated cheese, and keep it very dense.Mix the rings of macaroni with this sauce; spread the whole on a dish, and leave to cool. Now divide up the preparation into portions the size of walnuts; roll these into balls, and then flatten them out to form quoits about the size of shillings. Treat these quoits with ananglaise, and very fine bread-crumbs, and plunge into hot fat four minutes before serving. Drain them when they have acquired a fine golden colour.Pour one quart of boiling chicken consommé into the soup-tureen, and send to the table, separately, (1) the fried macaroni quoits; (2) one and one-half oz. of Gruyère and Parmesan cheese, in equal quantities, grated and mixed.585—CONSOMMÉ MIREILLEAdd one tablespoonful of very concentrated tomato purée to three oz. of chicken forcemeat; roll this preparation into the form of a somewhat large sausage, and poach it. When cold, cut it into roundels, one-quarter inch thick, and stamp each roundel with an oval fancy-cutter in the shape of a medallion. Put these medallions in the soup-tureen with two tablespoonfuls of saffroned pilaff rice (No.2255), and, when about to serve, pour thereon one quart of very clear, boiling chicken consommé.586—CONSOMMÉ MIRETTEMake eighteen quenelles of chicken forcemeat in the shape of large pearls, and poach them. Prepare two tablespoonfuls of lettucechiffonade(the heart of one lettuce cutjulienne-fashionand stewed in butter); make eighteenpailletteswith Parmesan (No.2322), and put them in a very hot oven eight or ten minutes before serving.Put the poached quenelles and the lettucechiffonadeinto the soup-tureen; pour thereon one quart of boiling consommé of the Petite Marmite, and one pinch of chervilpluches.Send thepaillettesau Parmesan to the table separately, and have them very hot.587—CONSOMMÉ MONTE CARLOMake and poach thirty small quenelles of chicken forcemeat;ciseland stew in butter the heart of one lettuce; prepare twelve littleprofiterollesofpâte à choux, the size of hazel-nuts, and cook them, taking care to keep them crisp.Put the quenelles and the lettucechiffonadeinto the soup-tureen; pour thereon one quart of very clear, boiling, chicken consommé, and add a pinch of chervilpluches.Serve theprofiterollesseparately and very hot.[212]588—CONSOMMÉ MONTMORENCYHave ready one quart of chicken consommé thickened with three tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca, strained through linen.Prepare eighteen small grooved quenelles of chicken forcemeat. Poach, drain, and put them into the soup-tureen with two tablespoonfuls of very green asparagus-heads and two tablespoonfuls of poached rice, every grain of which should be distinct and separate.589—CONSOMMÉA LA MOSCOVITEPrepare one quart of sterlet or sturgeon consommé, and add thereto some cucumber essence, obtained by pounding a cored and peeled cucumber, and straining the resulting purée through linen.Put into the soup-tureen two tablespoonfuls of ajulienneof salted mushrooms, one oz. of soakedvesigacut into dice and cooked in broth, and pour thereon the boiling consommé.N.B.—Vesigaor the spine-marrow of the sturgeon ought to be soaked in cold water for a few hours in order to soften and swell it, after which it should be cut into dice and cooked in broth. For every four tablespoonfuls of cookedvesiga, one oz. of dryvesigashould be allowed.590—CONSOMMÉ NESSELRODEHave ready one quart of game consommé, prepared with hazel-henfumet. Poach twobaba-mouldsof royale made from chestnut purée with two small tablespoonfuls of gamesalmissauce added thereto; cut it into roundels half-inch thick, and trim these with a grooved fancy-cutter.Put them into the soup-tureen with two tablespoonfuls of ajulienneof hazel-hen fillets, the same quantity of ajulienneof mushrooms, and pour thereon the boiling game consommé.591—CONSOMMÉ AUX NIDS D’HIRONDELLESThe nests used for this soup are those of the esculent swallow, and their shape somewhat resembles that of the rind of a quartered, dry orange.In the first place, prepare a chicken consommé containing a large proportion of nutritious principles. Set three nests to soak in cold water for twenty-four hours, the object being to swell the mucilaginous elements of which they are composed and to make them transparent.When they have soaked sufficiently remove any pieces of feather which may have remained in them, using for this[213]purpose the point of a needle, and, when the nests are quite clean, drain them and put them into the consommé. At this stage set the consommé to boil, gently, for thirty or thirty-five minutes without interruption. During this time the gummy portions of the nests will melt into the consommé, giving the latter its characteristic viscidity, and there will only remain visible those portions which, in the natural state, constitute the framework of the nests; that is to say, little threads not unlike superfine transparent vermicelli.592—CONSOMMÉ AUX ŒUFS DE FAUVETTEI introduced this consommé in honour of the illustrious singer, Adelina Patti.It consists of a chicken consommé, which should be made as perfect as possible, and a garnish composed of the poached eggs of small birds.593—CONSOMMÉ OLGAPrepare one quart of excellent ordinary consommé, and add thereto, when about to serve and away from the fire, one-quarter pint of port wine.Also cut into a finejuliennethe quarter of a small celeriac, the white of a leek, and the red part only of a small carrot. Stew thisjuliennein butter and complete its cooking in consommé, reducing the latter to a glaze.When about to serve put thisjuliennein a soup tureen, add a few tablespoonfuls of ajulienneof salted gherkins, and pour thereon the consommé with port.594—CONSOMMÉ D’ORLÉANSLay on a buttered tray ten small quenelles of ordinary chicken forcemeat, ten others of chicken forcemeat combined with a very red tomato purée, and ten more of the same forcemeat, combined with a purée of spinach, all the quenelles being grooved.Ten minutes before serving poach these quenelles, drain them, put them in the soup-tureen, and pour therein one quart of chicken consommé thickened with three tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca strained through linen. Add a pinch of chervilpluches.595—CONSOMMÉ D’ORSAYPrepare one quart of very clear chicken consommé, also make fifteen small quenelles of pigeon forcemeat moulded to the shape of eggs by means of a very small spoon, and poach the yolks of ten eggs, taking care to keep them very soft.[214]Put the quenelles and the poached yolks into the soup-tureen with ajulienneof three fillets of pigeon and a tablespoonful of asparagus-heads, and pour thereon the boiling consommé. Serve at once.596—OX-TAIL SOUPFor Ten People.—Garnish the bottom of a small stock-pot or stewpan with one fine carrot and two medium-sized onions cut into roundels and browned in butter, and one faggot. Add two small ox-tails, or one of medium size weighing about four lbs. (The tails should be cut into sections, each of which should contain one of the caudal vertebræ, and they should then be browned in the oven.) Also add two lbs. of gelatinous bones, broken very small and likewise browned in the oven.Now proceed exactly as for brown veal stock (No. 9), taking note that the whole moistening must consist of no more than two and one-half quarts of ordinary broth and one quart of water.Set to boil very gently for four and one-half or five hours. This done, strain the broth, which should be reduced to two and one-half quarts, and completely remove its grease. Transfer the largest sections of the tails, by means of a braiding-needle, one by one to another saucepan. Cover them with broth, and keep them warm for the garnish.Finely chop one lb. of very lean beef; put this mince into a saucepan with the white of a leek cut into dice and half the white of an egg, and mix thoroughly. Add the broth, the grease of which has been removed, set to boil, stirring constantly the while, and then leave to simmer for one hour, which is the time required for the beef to exude all its juices and for the clarification of the broth.While the clarification is in progress cut a small carrot inbrunoise fashion, or turn it by means of a very small spoon. Cook this garnish in a little water with butter, salt, and sugar.A few minutes before serving strain the ox-tail broth through a napkin, put the sections of ox-tail andbrunoiseinto the soup-tureen, and pour thereon the prepared broth. This soup may be flavoured with port or sherry, but this is optional.N.B.—If a thickened ox-tail soup be required add to the broth per every quart of it one-third of an oz. of arrowroot diluted with a little of the broth or some cold water.597—CONSOMMÉ PARISIENNEHave one quart of chicken consommé ready.For the garnish prepare twodariole-mouldsof royale made[215]from a purée of ordinaryjulienne, a smallmacédoineof vegetables, comprising one heaped tablespoonful each of carrots and turnips divided up by means of a small grooved spoon and cooked in the usual way, one tablespoonful of small peas, the same quantity of fine French beans cut into lozenges, and one tablespoonful of asparagus-heads.Cut the royale into regular roundels; put these in the soup-tureen with themacédoineof vegetables, and, when about to serve, pour thereon the boiling chicken consommé. Add a pinch of fine chervilpluches.598—LA PETITE MARMITEFor Ten People.—Prepare a consommé in a special earthenware stock-pot in accordance with the procedure indicated in recipeNo. 1, but with the following quantities, viz., two lbs. of lean beef and as much breast of beef, one marrow-bone tied in a muslin-bag, and the necks, the pinions, and the gizzards of six large fowls, these giblets being inserted in the stewpan one hour before dishing up.Moisten with three and one-half quarts of water and add three-quarters of an oz. of salt. Set to boil, skim as indicated, and cook gently with the view of obtaining a very clear broth. One hour before serving add six oz. of carrots and the same quantity of turnips, both cut to the shape of large olives, five oz. of the white of leeks, and a heart of celery.Cook a quarter of a very white, properlyblanchedcabbage, separately, in a saucepan with a little consommé and some stock grease.When about to serve test the seasoning of the consommé, which latter should be very clear; thoroughly clean the stewpan, which may even be covered with a clean napkin; withdraw the marrow-bone; take it out of its muslin-bag, and send it and the cabbage to the table separately, accompanied by a plate of small pieces of hot toast for the marrow.
Soupsare divided into two leading classes,viz.:—
1. Clear soups, which include plain and garnished consommés.
2. Thick soups, which comprise the Purées, Veloutés, and Creams.
A third class, which is independent of either of the above, inasmuch as it forms part of plain, household cookery, embraces vegetable soups and Garbures orgratinedsoups. But in important dinners—by this I mean rich dinners—only the first two classes are recognised.
When a menu contains two soups, one must be clear and the other thick. If only one is to be served, it may be either clear or thick, in which case the two kinds are represented alternately at different meals.
In Part I. of this work I indicated the general mode of procedure for consommés and thick soups; I explained how the latter might be converted from plain purées into veloutés or creams, or from veloutés into creams; and all that now remains is to reveal the recipes proper to each of those soups.
Remarks.—In the course of the recipes for consommés, given hereafter, the use of Royales (Nos.206to213) and of Quenelles, variously prepared (Nos.193to195and205), will often be enjoined. For the preparation of these garnishes, therefore, the reader will have to refer to the numbers indicated.
The quantities for the clear soups that follow are all calculated to be sufficient for a standard number of six people, and the quantity of Royales is always given in so manydariole-moulds, which contain about one-eighth pint, orbaba-moulds, which hold about one-fifth pint.
Of course, it will be understood that the poaching need not necessarily have been effected in these moulds, for very small “Charlotte” moulds would do quite as well. But I had recourse to the particular utensils mentioned above, in order that[198]there might be no sort of doubt as to the exact quantity of royale it would be necessary to prepare for any one of the soups.
Have a quart of excellent chicken consommé ready; add thereto, in order to thicken it slightly, three tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca, strained through muslin, and very clear.
Put the following garnish into the soup-tureen: One tablespoonful of white chicken-meat cut in finejulienne-fashion, one tablespoonful of small chicken quenelles, grooved and long in shape, and one tablespoonful of lettucechiffonade.
Pour the boiling consommé upon this garnish, and send to the table immediately.
Have one quart of chicken consommé ready; also there should have been prepared beforehand, with the view of using them quite cold, three different kinds of royales, consisting respectively of truffle purée, tomato purée, and purée of peas, each of which should have been poached in adariole-mould.
Cut these royales up into regular dice, and put them in the soup-tureen with one tablespoonful of chicken fillet and an equal quantity of small, freshly-cooked mushrooms, finely minced. Pour the boiling consommé over these garnishes, and serve at once.
Prepare ababa-mouldof royale made from tomato purée. When quite cold, cut it into dice, and put these in the soup-tureen with one small tablespoonful of cooked ham cut injulienne-fashion, one tablespoonful of boiled rice, with every grain distinct and separate, and two tablespoonfuls of threaded eggs (No.217).
When about to serve, pour one quart of very clear chicken consommé over the garnish.
With a small spoon-cutter, pick out a spoonful of carrot pearls and the same quantity of turnip pearls. Cook these vegetables by boiling them in consommé, taking care that the latter be reduced to a glaze when the vegetables are cooked.[199]With the same spoon take the same quantity as above of very black truffle; also prepare adariole-mouldof royale made from asparagus heads, and a dozen small chicken-forcemeat quenelles, which should be moulded to the shape of large pearls.
Poach the quenelles, cut the royales up into slices, which must be stamped with an indented fancy-cutter, and put the whole into the soup-tureen with the carrots, turnips, and truffle pearls, and one tablespoonful of very green peas.
Pour a quart of chicken consommé over the garnish, and send to the table at once.
Prepare threedariole-mouldsof foie-gras royale, and twelveprofiterolles(No.218) of the size of hazel-nuts, the latter being made very crisp.
When the royale is cold, cut it into little, regular squares, and put these into the soup-tureen.
When about to serve, pour over this garnish a quart of chicken consommé, thickened by means of three tablespoonfuls of tapioca, poached and strained through linen.
Send theprofiterollesto the table separately, and very hot.
Prepare eighteen chicken-forcemeat quenelles, moulded by means of a small teaspoon; some should be stuffed with foie-gras purée, moistened with a little velouté; others with chicken purée; and yet others with truffle purée—in short, six of each kind.
Place these, one by one, on a buttered sauté-pan; poach them, drain them, and put them in the soup-tureen with a tablespoonful of white chicken-meat, cut into dice.
When about to serve, pour one quart of chicken consommé, thickened as above with tapioca, over the garnish.
Prepare a garnish of carrots and turnips, cut with the tubular cutter or with the spoon; French beans cut into lozenges, asparagus-heads, and green peas, all of which vegetables should be fresh and young. Cook each vegetable according to its nature, and put the whole into the soup-tureen.
When about to serve, pour over the garnish one quart of chicken consommé thickened with two tablespoonfuls of tapioca, poached and strained through fine linen.
Prepare adariole-mouldof each of the four followingroyales:—
1. Of a purée of haricot-beans with a slight addition of tomato.
2. Of a chicken purée moistened with velouté.
3. Of a purée of asparagus-tops combined with a few cooked spinach leaves, to deepen the colour.
4. Of a carrot purée (Purée Crécy).
Having poached and cooled the royales, cut them asfollows:—
(1) Into dice, (2) into lozenges, (3) into little leaves, and (4) into stars.
Place them all in the soup-tureen, and, when about to serve, pour one quart of boiling and very clear chicken consommé over them.
Cut injulienne-fashionthe heads of two leeks, one carrot, half of an onion, four oz. of the white of cabbage leaves, half a root of parsley, the white part of a stick of celery, and four oz. of beetroot; set the whole to stew gently in butter.
Moisten with one quart of white consommé and two or three tablespoonfuls of the juice of grated beetroot; add a small bunch of fennel and sweet marjoram, two lbs. of moderately fat breast of beef, and the half of a semi-roasted duck; set to cook gently for four hours.
When about to serve, cut the breast of beef into large dice, and cut the duck into small slices; finish the soup with one-quarter pint of beetroot juice, extracted from grated beetroot pressed in linen, and a littleblanchedand chopped fennel and parsley. Put the beef dice and sliced duck into the soup, with twelve grilled and despumatedchipolatas.
Serve, separately, a sauceboat of sour cream.
N.B.—Thechipolatasmay be replaced by very small patties with duck forcemeat, which should be served separately.
Cut into small dice the red part only of two small carrots, one small turnip, the heads of two leeks, a small stick of celery, and the third of an onion of medium size.
Season the vegetables moderately with salt and a pinch of sugar, and stew them in butter. Moisten with one-half pint[201]of consommé, and complete the cooking of the Brunoise gently. Five minutes before serving, finish with one quart of boiling, ordinary consommé, a moderate tablespoonful of peas, and the same quantity of French beans, cut into dice and kept very green.
Pour into the soup-tureen, and add a pinch of fine chervilpluches.
Prepare one quart of consommé, to which add, while clarifying, one-quarter pint of raw tomato purée, in order to give it a faint, pink tinge.
Also peel and press a small and rather firm tomato; cut into dice, and poach the latter in some of the consommé; put them in the soup-tureen with a small tablespoonful of mild capsicum, cut in finejulienne-fashion, and one tablespoonful of plain-boiled rice.
When about to serve, pour the boiling consommé over the garnish, and add a small pinch of chervilpluches.
Prepare (1) one quart of game consommé, flavoured with afumetof woodcock; (2) twobaba-mouldsof royale, two-thirds of which consists of a purée of woodcock and one-third of lentils, with half the yolk of a hard-boiled egg, chopped and thickened with the usual leason.
Cut this royale into slices, about the size of a florin, one-half inch thick. Put these into the soup-tureen, together with one tablespoonful of ajulienneof roast woodcock fillets, and pour thereon the boiling game consommé.
Prepare one quart of chicken consommé, and add thereto three small tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca, strained through fine linen.
For the garnish make threepannequets(No.2403and2476) without sugar, and spread over each a thin coating of chicken forcemeat with cream. Place one on top of the other, sprinkle the layer of forcemeat on the uppermost one with finely-chopped, very black truffles, and place in the front of the oven for a few minutes, in order to poach the forcemeat.
Stamp thepannequetsout with an even fancy-cutter about one inch in diameter. Put the pieces into a soup-tureen, and, when about to serve, pour in the boiling consommé.
Prepare (1) eighteen smallravioles(No.2296)—six from spinach purée, six from foie-gras purée, and the remaining six from chopped mushrooms; (2) two small tablespoonfuls of tomato dice. Ten minutes before serving, poach theraviolesin boiling, salted water, and the tomato dice in some of the consommé.
Put theraviolesand the tomato dice (well drained) into the soup-tureen, and pour over them one quart of consommé with a moderate addition of tapioca. Add a pinch of chervilpluches.
About two minutes before serving, plunge three oz. of very fine vermicelli, known as Angel’s Hair (Cheveux d’Ange) into one quart of excellent, boiling consommé.
An instant only is needed to poach the vermicelli, and the latter does not require to beblanched.
This soup, like those containing pastes, should be accompanied by freshly-grated Parmesan cheese.
Have ready one quart of excellentPrintanierchicken consommé (No.601). Also poach six small eggs in slightly salted and acidulated water. The eggs should be as small and as fresh as possible, both of which conditions are absolutely necessary for a proper poaching (see poached eggs, No.411). Set these eggs in a small timbale with a little consommé, and send them to the table with thePrintanier. Having poured the latter into the plates, put one of the eggs into each of these.
Prepare a good tablespoonful of carrot pearls, and as many turnip pearls, keeping the latter very white. Cook them in the customary way, and put them in the soup-tureen with one tablespoonful of very green peas, one tablespoonful of ajulienneof roast-pigeon fillets, and six poached pigeons’ eggs, which latter should be sent to the table in a timbale at the same time as the consommé.
Pour over the other garnish one quart of very clear, boiling, chicken consommé, and serve immediately.
This soup can only appear on summer and spring menus, when the pigeons’ eggs are in season.
Prepare a freshly-cooked vegetable garnish for astockpot:—Carrots and turnips cut into small sticks and trimmed; a few heads of leeks, and cabbage, parboiled, minced, and cooked in very fat consommé.
Put these vegetables in a somewhat greasy broth for ten minutes.
Also prepare seven or eight crusts of French soup “flutes”; besprinkle them with stock grease, and dry them in the oven. Put the vegetable garnish into the soup-tureen; pour thereon one quart of consommé of the Petite Marmite (No.598), and add to the dried crusts.
Prepare (1) one quart of consommé with afumetof duck; (2) twelve small quenelles of duck forcemeat, which should be made flat and oval. Having poached the quenelles, drain them, and set them in a small, shallow earthen pan or timbale; sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan cheese and a few drops of chicken glaze, and set to glaze in the oven.
The quenelles are served separately in the pan in which they have been glazed, and the consommé is sent to the table in a soup-tureen.
With the small spoon-cutter, pick out a good tablespoonful of carrot, and the same quantity of turnip pearls. Cook these vegetables in the customary way, and put them in the soup-tureen with one tablespoonful of truffle pearls, the same quantity of peas, and small, poached, chicken-forcemeat quenelles with herbs. Pour one quart of boiling chicken consommé over this garnish, and add a pinch of chervilpluches.
Prepare (1) two small, stuffed lettuces, rolled into sausage form and poached; (2) twobaba-mouldsof royale with cream. Cut the royale into small, regular dice; trim the lettuce, and cut it into slices; put this garnish into the soup-tureen, and pour thereon one quart of boiling chicken consommé, thickened with three tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca, strained through linen. Add a pinch of chervilpluches.
Cut a French soup “flute” into twelve slices one-quarter inch thick. Reduce about one-quarter pint of Béchamel to a thick consistence; add thereto, away from the fire, two heaped tablespoonfuls of grated Gruyère cheese, and season with a little cayenne.
Garnish the slices of soup “flute” with this preparation, arranged in the form of a dome, upon a tray, and set it to glaze a few minutes before serving.
Pour one quart of chicken consommé into the soup-tureen, and add the diablotins.
Roll into small sausage-form three oz. of chicken forcemeat, finished with crayfish butter. Poach the sausages, cut them into thin roundels, and put them into the soup-tureen with one dessertspoonful of very black truffle, cut injulienne-fashion.
Pour over this garnish one quart of boiling chicken consommé, thickened with two tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca, strained through linen.
Prepare twobaba-mouldsof royale made from crayfish velouté, eighteen small quenelles of smelt forcemeat, moulded to the shape of pearls, and one tablespoonful of small pearls of very black truffle.
Cut the royale into oval slices, and put these into the soup with the poached quenelles and the truffle pearls.
Pour one quart of very clear, boiling consommé over the garnish.
Prepare the followinggarnish:—Thirty pellets of cucumber in the shape of large pearls; eighteen small quenelles of chicken forcemeat, long in shape and grooved; six little pellets, about the size of a large pea, ofpâte à choux, combined with grated cheese, rolled by hand; and one and one-half tablespoonfuls of Japanese pearls, poached in some of the consommé.
Put the cucumber pellets, cooked in consommé, into the soup-tureen; add the poached quenelles and the Japanese pearls.
Four minutes before serving, plunge the pellets ofpâte à chouxinto hot fat, keeping them crisp.
[205]When about to serve, pour over the garnish one quart of boiling chicken consommé; complete with a pinch of chervilpluches, and serve the little, fried pellets separately.
With an even cutter, the size of a penny, cut up some braised and cooled sweetbread into twelve roundels one-third inch thick; with the same cutter cut out twelve more roundels from some cooked artichoke-bottoms, and put the whole into the soup-tureen with two tablespoonfuls of very green asparagus-heads.
When about to serve, pour one quart of boiling, highly seasoned, ordinary consommé upon the garnish.
Prepare a special mutton broth, and, at the same time, cook a fine piece of breast of mutton for the garnish.
Per two quarts of broth, put into the soup-tureen four tablespoonfuls of pearl-barley, cooked very gently beforehand; two tablespoonfuls of French beans, cut into lozenges, and the breast of mutton cut into regular dice of one-half inch side, in the proportion of one tablespoonful for each person.
Pour the boiling mutton broth over this garnish, after having removed all the grease and strained it through linen.
With a spoon-cutter, pick from out some violet potatoes eighteen pellets the size of small hazel-nuts, and cook them in salted water in good time for them to be ready for the dishing up of the soup. Put them in the soup-tureen with two tablespoonfuls of ajulienneof artichoke-bottoms and the same quantity of cooked mushrooms, also cut injulienne-fashion.
Pour over the garnish one quart of chicken consommé, thickened with three tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca strained through linen. Add a pinch of chervilpluches.
Mince, somewhat finely, one small carrot, one small turnip, the heads of two leeks, and the half of an onion. Slightly stew these vegetables in one and one-half oz. of butter; moisten with one and one-half pints of white consommé; add two oz. of parboiled cabbage, cut roughly into ajulienne, and complete[206]the cooking gently, taking care to remove all grease, with the view of obtaining a very clear consommé.
Pour into the soup-tureen, and add a few thin slices of French soup “flute,” slightly dried.
With fine chicken forcemeat make twenty-four small quenelles on a buttered tray, their shape being that of small Mecca loaves. To the forcemeat of six of these quenelles add some very finely chopped tongue; add white chicken-meat to that of another six; and to that of the remaining twelve add some very reduced spinach purée. The quenelles with spinach should number twice those with the other two ingredients, in order that the preparation may be in keeping with its designation “à la Florentine.”
Poach the quenelles; put them in the soup-tureen with two tablespoonfuls of very green, cooked peas.
When about to serve, pour one quart of very clear, boiling chicken consommé over this garnish, and add a pinch of chervilpluches.
Prepare twodariole-mouldsof ham royale, and poach the latter in a small, well-buttered Charlotte mould. When quite cold, cut it into large lozenges, and put these into the soup-tureen with six small cocks’ combs and six small cocks’ kidneys (these latter as small as possible).
When about to serve, pour over this garnish one quart of chicken consommé, thickened slightly with two tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca, strained through linen.
Have ready one quart of consommé flavoured with very clear fishfumet. Also prepare twelve small quenelles of whiting forcemeat, finished with crayfish butter; stew twelve morels, which should be left whole if very small, and cut into two if they are of medium size; twelve small slices of poached carps’ milt, and twelve little roundels of French soup “flutes.”
Put the poached quenelles and the stewed morels into the soup-tureen; pour therein the boiling, fish consommé, and send the slices of carps’ milt set on the roundels of French soup “flute” separately to the table.
Prepare twodariole-mouldsof royale made from a purée of very green peas, combined with a tablespoonful ofMirepoixstewed in butter, and a strong pinch of small, chervilpluches; eighteen small quenelles of chicken forcemeat with cream, moulded to the form of pastils.
When the royale is cold, cut it into regular roundels, and put these into the soup-tureen with the poached quenelles.
When about to serve, pour one quart of boiling chicken consommé over the garnish.
Prepare (1) one quart of highly-seasoned beef consommé; (2) twobaba-mouldsof ordinary royale made with whole eggs and combined with two tablespoonfuls of cooked and finely-chopped lean ham; (3) three tablespoonfuls of ajulienneof carrots (the red part only) stewed in butter, the cooking of which should be completed in the consommé.
Put the royale, cut into large, regular lozenges, and thejulienneof carrots into the soup-tureen, and pour in the boiling beef consommé.
Have ready one quart of excellent ordinary consommé, to which have been added, while clarifying, four tablespoonfuls of raw tomato purée, strained through fine linen.
Also prepare twodariole-mouldsof ordinary royale, and three tablespoonfuls of a finejulienneof the white of celery, stewed in butter, finally cooked in the consommé, and with all grease removed.
Put the royale, cut into large dice, and thejulienneof celery into the soup-tureen, and pour thereon the boiling consommé with tomatoes.
Prepare threedariole-mouldsofmousselineforcemeat of fowl (No.195), and put it to poach in a small Charlotte mould.
When quite cold, cut it, by means of a cutter, into roundels the size of a penny, and put these in the soup-tureen with six smallblanchedcocks’ combs and three sliced cocks’ kidneys, and two tablespoonfuls of very green peas.
Pour over this garnish one quart of chicken consommé, thickened with three tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca strained through linen.
Have ready one quart of ordinary consommé seasoned with curry. Also prepare threebaba-mouldsof royale made from cocoanut milk, and, when quite cold, cut into small dice.
Put this royale into the soup-tureen; pour on it the boiling consommé with curry, and send to the table, separately, four tablespoonfuls of Rice à l’Indienne (No.2254).
With somepâte à choux(No.2374) prepare eighteenprofiterollesof the size of hazel-nuts. Cook them, taking care to keep them very crisp, and stuff them when cold with purée de foie gras moistened with velouté.
Put two tablespoonfuls of a finejulienneof mild capsicum into the soup-tureen, and pour thereon one quart of boiling chicken consommé, moderately thickened with poached tapioca strained through linen.
Serve theprofiterollesof foie gras separately, after having heated them in the front of the oven.
N.B.—The garnish of Consommé à l’Infante may consist only of theprofiterolles, and thejulienneof capsicum may be suppressed; this is a matter of taste.
With a small spoon-cutter, pick from out some carrots twenty-four little oval pellets, which should be cooked in the consommé. Prepare twobaba-mouldsof royale with cream.
Put into the soup-tureen the pellets of carrots and the royale cut to the shape of pastils, one tablespoonful of peas, the same quantity of very green asparagus-heads, and one tablespoonful of rice.
When about to serve, pour one quart of boiling chicken consommé over this garnish.
Cut into fillets, two inches in length, the red part only of two medium-sized carrots, one medium-sized turnip, one leek, half a stick of celery, some cabbage leaves, and half an onion. Season these vegetables with a pinch of salt and as much castor sugar; stew them in one oz. of butter; moisten with one and one-half pints of white consommé, and then add two oz. of small parboiled cabbages, cut after the manner of the other vegetables.
Finish the cooking gently, removing the grease the while,[209]and complete with one small tablespoonful of very green, cooked peas, one tablespoonful of sorrel and lettucechiffonade, and one pinch of chervilpluches.
Have ready one quart of chicken consommé. Also prepare two tablespoonfuls of a finejulienneof celery stewed in butter and cooked in the consommé; twelve small “pommes à la lorette” (No.2226), the size of hazel-nuts, and shaped like small crescents. These potatoes should be fried in hot fat four minutes before serving.
Put into the soup-tureen thejulienneof celery, twelve small, freshly-poached cocks’ kidneys, and one tablespoonful of ajulienneof pimentos; pour the boiling consommé over this garnish; add a pinch of chervilpluches, and send the lorette potatoes to the table separately.
Prepare (1) one quart of highly seasoned beef consommé, (2) twodariole-mouldsof brain-purée royale; (3) two tablespoonfuls of cucumbers cut into small dice and cooked in consommé until the latter is reduced to a glaze; (4) five littleraviolesgarnished with chicken forcemeat combined with a third of its volume of spinach. Put theseraviolesto poach in salted boiling water twelve minutes before serving.
Put into the soup-tureen the royale of brains cut into roundels one-third inch thick, the dice of cucumber, and theraviolespoached and well drained.
Pour the boiling beef consommé over this garnish just before serving.
Take two tablespoonfuls of chicken forcemeat with cream, and roll it into sausage-form on the floured mixing-board. Put the sausage to poach. Rub the yolk of an egg through a fine sieve, and cohere it with half a teaspoonful of raw forcemeat.
Having poached and cooled the chicken sausage, cut it into thin roundels, and stamp each roundel with a fancy-cutter to the shape of a marguerite. Arrange the marguerites on a dish, and lay in the middle of each a bit of the egg and forcemeat, in imitation of the flower-centre.
Put these marguerites into the soup-tureen with one tablespoonful of small, green asparagus cut into lengths of one inch. When about to serve, pour one quart of very clear, boiling chicken consommé over this garnish.
Prepare one quart of good, ordinary consommé, to which three sticks of celery have been added, while clarifying, in order that the taste of the celery may be very decided.
Make thirty small quenelles of chicken forcemeat combined with finely-chopped filberts, giving them the shape of pastils.
Poach these quenelles ten minutes before serving. Also poach incourt-bouillontwo calf’s piths, and cut them into thin roundels.
Put the poached quenelles and the roundels of calf’s piths into the soup-tureen, and pour thereon the boiling consommé.
Prepare one quart of chicken consommé with pimentos, combined, at the last minute, away from the fire, with one-half pint of sherry.
Put into the soup-tureen two tablespoonfuls of capsicum, cut in finejulienne-fashionand short, and some small, freshly-cooked cocks’ combs.
When about to serve, pour the consommé over this garnish.
Prepare one quart of chicken consommé, and add thereto, while clarifying, one-quarter pint of tomato essence, obtained by reducing the moisture contained by the tomato to a syrup.
Put into the soup-tureen twelve small, freshly-poached cocks’ combs, two tablespoonfuls of Spanish capsicum cut into ajulienneand poached in the consommé if fresh (this should have been previously grilled, with the view of removing the skins), and two tablespoonfuls of poached rice, every grain of which should be distinct.
Pour the boiling consommé over this garnish.
Prepare one quart of game consommé with pheasantfumet. Also poach twodariole-mouldsof royale, made from a purée of artichokes combined with some tablespoonfuls of the reduced game Espagnole. Cut this royale into dice; put these into a soup-tureen with one tablespoonful of ajulienneof pheasant fillets, and pour thereon the boiling consommé.
Cook in slightly salted boiling water two oz. of moderately thick macaroni. As soon as it is cooked, drain it, lay it on a piece of linen, and cut it into small rings. Also prepare[211]one-quarter pint of Béchamel, thickened with the yolk of one egg combined with one oz. of grated cheese, and keep it very dense.
Mix the rings of macaroni with this sauce; spread the whole on a dish, and leave to cool. Now divide up the preparation into portions the size of walnuts; roll these into balls, and then flatten them out to form quoits about the size of shillings. Treat these quoits with ananglaise, and very fine bread-crumbs, and plunge into hot fat four minutes before serving. Drain them when they have acquired a fine golden colour.
Pour one quart of boiling chicken consommé into the soup-tureen, and send to the table, separately, (1) the fried macaroni quoits; (2) one and one-half oz. of Gruyère and Parmesan cheese, in equal quantities, grated and mixed.
Add one tablespoonful of very concentrated tomato purée to three oz. of chicken forcemeat; roll this preparation into the form of a somewhat large sausage, and poach it. When cold, cut it into roundels, one-quarter inch thick, and stamp each roundel with an oval fancy-cutter in the shape of a medallion. Put these medallions in the soup-tureen with two tablespoonfuls of saffroned pilaff rice (No.2255), and, when about to serve, pour thereon one quart of very clear, boiling chicken consommé.
Make eighteen quenelles of chicken forcemeat in the shape of large pearls, and poach them. Prepare two tablespoonfuls of lettucechiffonade(the heart of one lettuce cutjulienne-fashionand stewed in butter); make eighteenpailletteswith Parmesan (No.2322), and put them in a very hot oven eight or ten minutes before serving.
Put the poached quenelles and the lettucechiffonadeinto the soup-tureen; pour thereon one quart of boiling consommé of the Petite Marmite, and one pinch of chervilpluches.
Send thepaillettesau Parmesan to the table separately, and have them very hot.
Make and poach thirty small quenelles of chicken forcemeat;ciseland stew in butter the heart of one lettuce; prepare twelve littleprofiterollesofpâte à choux, the size of hazel-nuts, and cook them, taking care to keep them crisp.
Put the quenelles and the lettucechiffonadeinto the soup-tureen; pour thereon one quart of very clear, boiling, chicken consommé, and add a pinch of chervilpluches.
Serve theprofiterollesseparately and very hot.
Have ready one quart of chicken consommé thickened with three tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca, strained through linen.
Prepare eighteen small grooved quenelles of chicken forcemeat. Poach, drain, and put them into the soup-tureen with two tablespoonfuls of very green asparagus-heads and two tablespoonfuls of poached rice, every grain of which should be distinct and separate.
Prepare one quart of sterlet or sturgeon consommé, and add thereto some cucumber essence, obtained by pounding a cored and peeled cucumber, and straining the resulting purée through linen.
Put into the soup-tureen two tablespoonfuls of ajulienneof salted mushrooms, one oz. of soakedvesigacut into dice and cooked in broth, and pour thereon the boiling consommé.
N.B.—Vesigaor the spine-marrow of the sturgeon ought to be soaked in cold water for a few hours in order to soften and swell it, after which it should be cut into dice and cooked in broth. For every four tablespoonfuls of cookedvesiga, one oz. of dryvesigashould be allowed.
Have ready one quart of game consommé, prepared with hazel-henfumet. Poach twobaba-mouldsof royale made from chestnut purée with two small tablespoonfuls of gamesalmissauce added thereto; cut it into roundels half-inch thick, and trim these with a grooved fancy-cutter.
Put them into the soup-tureen with two tablespoonfuls of ajulienneof hazel-hen fillets, the same quantity of ajulienneof mushrooms, and pour thereon the boiling game consommé.
The nests used for this soup are those of the esculent swallow, and their shape somewhat resembles that of the rind of a quartered, dry orange.
In the first place, prepare a chicken consommé containing a large proportion of nutritious principles. Set three nests to soak in cold water for twenty-four hours, the object being to swell the mucilaginous elements of which they are composed and to make them transparent.
When they have soaked sufficiently remove any pieces of feather which may have remained in them, using for this[213]purpose the point of a needle, and, when the nests are quite clean, drain them and put them into the consommé. At this stage set the consommé to boil, gently, for thirty or thirty-five minutes without interruption. During this time the gummy portions of the nests will melt into the consommé, giving the latter its characteristic viscidity, and there will only remain visible those portions which, in the natural state, constitute the framework of the nests; that is to say, little threads not unlike superfine transparent vermicelli.
I introduced this consommé in honour of the illustrious singer, Adelina Patti.
It consists of a chicken consommé, which should be made as perfect as possible, and a garnish composed of the poached eggs of small birds.
Prepare one quart of excellent ordinary consommé, and add thereto, when about to serve and away from the fire, one-quarter pint of port wine.
Also cut into a finejuliennethe quarter of a small celeriac, the white of a leek, and the red part only of a small carrot. Stew thisjuliennein butter and complete its cooking in consommé, reducing the latter to a glaze.
When about to serve put thisjuliennein a soup tureen, add a few tablespoonfuls of ajulienneof salted gherkins, and pour thereon the consommé with port.
Lay on a buttered tray ten small quenelles of ordinary chicken forcemeat, ten others of chicken forcemeat combined with a very red tomato purée, and ten more of the same forcemeat, combined with a purée of spinach, all the quenelles being grooved.
Ten minutes before serving poach these quenelles, drain them, put them in the soup-tureen, and pour therein one quart of chicken consommé thickened with three tablespoonfuls of poached tapioca strained through linen. Add a pinch of chervilpluches.
Prepare one quart of very clear chicken consommé, also make fifteen small quenelles of pigeon forcemeat moulded to the shape of eggs by means of a very small spoon, and poach the yolks of ten eggs, taking care to keep them very soft.
[214]Put the quenelles and the poached yolks into the soup-tureen with ajulienneof three fillets of pigeon and a tablespoonful of asparagus-heads, and pour thereon the boiling consommé. Serve at once.
For Ten People.—Garnish the bottom of a small stock-pot or stewpan with one fine carrot and two medium-sized onions cut into roundels and browned in butter, and one faggot. Add two small ox-tails, or one of medium size weighing about four lbs. (The tails should be cut into sections, each of which should contain one of the caudal vertebræ, and they should then be browned in the oven.) Also add two lbs. of gelatinous bones, broken very small and likewise browned in the oven.
Now proceed exactly as for brown veal stock (No. 9), taking note that the whole moistening must consist of no more than two and one-half quarts of ordinary broth and one quart of water.
Set to boil very gently for four and one-half or five hours. This done, strain the broth, which should be reduced to two and one-half quarts, and completely remove its grease. Transfer the largest sections of the tails, by means of a braiding-needle, one by one to another saucepan. Cover them with broth, and keep them warm for the garnish.
Finely chop one lb. of very lean beef; put this mince into a saucepan with the white of a leek cut into dice and half the white of an egg, and mix thoroughly. Add the broth, the grease of which has been removed, set to boil, stirring constantly the while, and then leave to simmer for one hour, which is the time required for the beef to exude all its juices and for the clarification of the broth.
While the clarification is in progress cut a small carrot inbrunoise fashion, or turn it by means of a very small spoon. Cook this garnish in a little water with butter, salt, and sugar.
A few minutes before serving strain the ox-tail broth through a napkin, put the sections of ox-tail andbrunoiseinto the soup-tureen, and pour thereon the prepared broth. This soup may be flavoured with port or sherry, but this is optional.
N.B.—If a thickened ox-tail soup be required add to the broth per every quart of it one-third of an oz. of arrowroot diluted with a little of the broth or some cold water.
Have one quart of chicken consommé ready.
For the garnish prepare twodariole-mouldsof royale made[215]from a purée of ordinaryjulienne, a smallmacédoineof vegetables, comprising one heaped tablespoonful each of carrots and turnips divided up by means of a small grooved spoon and cooked in the usual way, one tablespoonful of small peas, the same quantity of fine French beans cut into lozenges, and one tablespoonful of asparagus-heads.
Cut the royale into regular roundels; put these in the soup-tureen with themacédoineof vegetables, and, when about to serve, pour thereon the boiling chicken consommé. Add a pinch of fine chervilpluches.
For Ten People.—Prepare a consommé in a special earthenware stock-pot in accordance with the procedure indicated in recipeNo. 1, but with the following quantities, viz., two lbs. of lean beef and as much breast of beef, one marrow-bone tied in a muslin-bag, and the necks, the pinions, and the gizzards of six large fowls, these giblets being inserted in the stewpan one hour before dishing up.
Moisten with three and one-half quarts of water and add three-quarters of an oz. of salt. Set to boil, skim as indicated, and cook gently with the view of obtaining a very clear broth. One hour before serving add six oz. of carrots and the same quantity of turnips, both cut to the shape of large olives, five oz. of the white of leeks, and a heart of celery.
Cook a quarter of a very white, properlyblanchedcabbage, separately, in a saucepan with a little consommé and some stock grease.
When about to serve test the seasoning of the consommé, which latter should be very clear; thoroughly clean the stewpan, which may even be covered with a clean napkin; withdraw the marrow-bone; take it out of its muslin-bag, and send it and the cabbage to the table separately, accompanied by a plate of small pieces of hot toast for the marrow.