[70]CHAPTER VII1. Elementary PreparationsBeforebroaching the question of the numerous preparations which constitute the various soup, relevé, and entrée garnishes, it will be necessary to give the formulæ of the elementary preparations, or what are technically called themise en place. If the various operations which go to make themise en placewere not, at least summarily, discussed here, I should be compelled to repeat them in each formula for which they are required—that is to say, in almost every formula. I should thus resemble those bad operators who, having neglected theirmise en place, are obliged to make it in the course of other work, and thereby not only run the risk of making it badly, but also of losing valuable time which might be used to better advantage.Elementary preparations consist of those things whereof one is constantly in need, which may be prepared in advance, and which are kept available for use at a moment’s notice.173—ANCHOVIES (FILLETS OF)Whether they be for hors d’œuvres or for culinary use, it is always best to have these handy.After having washed and well wiped them, in order to remove the white powder resulting from the little scales with which they are covered, they should be neatly trimmed to the shape of extended oblongs. Then detach the fillets from the bones by gentle pulling, divide each fillet lengthwise into three or four smaller fillets, put the latter into a small narrow dish or a little bowl, and cover them with oil. The fillets may also be kept whole with a view to rolling them into rings.174—ANGLAISE (FOR EGG-AND-BREAD-CRUMBING)It is well to have this always ready for those dishes which are to bepanés à l’anglaise, or as many of the recipes direct:treated à l’anglaise.[71]It is made of well-whisked eggs, salt, pepper, and one dessertspoonful of oil per couple of eggs.Its Uses.—The solids to bepanés à l’anglaiseare dipped into the preparation described above, taking care that the latter coats them thoroughly; whereupon, according to the requirements, they are rolled either in bread-crumbs or in fine raspings. From this combination of egg with bread-crumbs or raspings there results a kind of coat which, at the moment of contact with the hot fat, is immediately converted into a resisting crust. Incroquettesthis crust checks the escape, into the fat, of the substances it encloses, and this is more especially the case when thecroquettescontain some reduced sauce, or are composed of raw meats or fish whose juices are thereby entirely retained. A solid preparedà l’anglaiseand cooked in fat should always be put into the latter when this is very hot, so as to ensure the instantaneous solidification of the egg and bread-crumbs.N.B.—Objects to be treatedà l’anglaiseare generally rolled in flour before being immersed in theanglaise, for the flour helps the foregoing to adhere to the object.The crust formed over the solid thus acquires a density which is indispensable.174a—AROMATICSAromatics play a very prominent part in cookery, and their combination with the condiments constitutes, as Grimodde la Reynière said, “the hidden soul of cooking.” Their real object, in fact, is to throw the savour of dishes into relief, to intensify that savour, and to give each culinary preparation its particular stamp.They are all derived from the vegetable kingdom; but, while some are used dry, others are used fresh.The first-named should belong to the permanent kitchen stock; they are:sage,basil,rosemary,sweet marjoram,thyme, andbay.Also to be included in the permanent stock are:cinnamon,ginger,juniper-berries,nutmeg,cloves,mace, andvanilla.The last-named comprise those aromatic herbs used fresh, such as:parsley,chervil,tarragon,pimpernel, andcommon savory; while, under this head, there may also be included: bits of common- and Seville-orange rind andzestsof lemon rind.174b—SEASONING AND CONDIMENTSSeasonings are divided into several classes, whichcomprise:—[72]1.Saline seasonings.—Salt, spiced salt, saltpetre.2.Acid seasonings.—Plain vinegar, or the same aromatised with tarragon; verjuice, lemon juice, and common- or Seville-orange juices.3.Hot seasonings.—Peppercorns, ground orconcassedpepper, or mignonette; paprika, curry, cayenne, and compound spices.4.Saccharine seasonings.—Sugar and honey.Condiments are likewise subdivided, the three classesbeing:—1.The pungents.—Onions, shallots, garlic, chives, and horseradish.2.Hot condiments.—Mustard, gherkins, capers, English sauces, such as Worcester, Harvey, Ketchup, Escoffier’s sauces, &c.; the wines used in reductions and braisings; the finishing elements of sauces and soups.3.Fatty substances.—Most animal fats, butter, vegetable greases (edible oils and cocoanut butter).Remarks.—In cookery it should be borne in mind that both excellence and eatableness depend entirely upon a judicious use and a rational blending of the aromatics, seasonings, and condiments. And, according as the latter have been used and apportioned, their action will be either beneficial or injurious to the health of the consumer.In the matter of seasoning there can be no question of approximation or half measures; the quantities must be exact, allowing only of slight elasticity in respect of the various tastes to be satisfied.175—CLARIFIED BUTTERA certain quantity of clarified butter should always be kept ready and handy.To prepare this butter, put one lb. to melt in a saucepan large enough to hold twice that amount. Place the saucepan on the side of the fire, over moderate heat; remove all the scum which rises to the surface, and, when the butter looks quite clear and all foreign substances have dropped to the bottom, put the liquid carefully away and strain it through muslin.176—FAGGOTS (BOUQUETS GARNIS)The name “faggot” is given to those little bunches of aromatics which, when the contrary is not stated, are generally composed (in order to weigh one ounce) of eight-tenths oz. of[73]parsley stalks and roots, one-tenth oz. of bay leaves, and one-tenth oz. of thyme. These various aromatics are put neatly together so that no sprig of the one sticks out beyond the others, and they are properly strung together.177—CHERVILChopped Chervil.—Clean the chervil and remove the stalks; wash, dry it well while tossing it, then chop it finely and put it aside on a plate in the cool, if it is not for immediate use.ConcassedChervil.—Proceed as above, except that, instead of chopping it, compress it between the fingers and slice it after the manner of a chaff-cutter.Concassedand chopped chervil are, if possible, only prepared at the last moment.Chervil Pluches.—Thepluchesare greatly used in the finishing off of soups. They are, practically, the serrated portions only of the leaves, which are torn away in such a manner as to show no trace of the veinings. They are immersed in water, and at the last moment withdrawn, so as to be added, raw, to either soups or boiling consommés.178—RASPINGSGolden raspings are obtained by pounding and passing through a fine sieve bread-crusts which have been previously well dried in the oven.White raspingsare similarly prepared, except that very dry, white crumb is used.179—PEELED, CHANNELLED, AND ZESTED LEMONSLemons are greatly used in cookery, as dish and comestible garnish. When a whole lemon is used formarinadesof fish, for the “blancs,” &c., it is well to peel it to the pulp,i.e., to remove the peel and the whole of the underlying white. The lemon is then cut into more or less large slices, according to the use for which it is intended.The rind of a lemon thus peeled may be cut into bits and used in this form as the necessity arises. When cutting it up, flatten the rind inside uppermost on the table, and, with a very sharp and flexible knife, remove all the white; then slice the remaining peel (which constitutes what is calledzest) into strips about one inch wide, and cut these laterally in finejulienne-fashion.Scald the resulting bits for five minutes, cool them, drain them carefully, and put them aside until wanted. Sometimes, instead of cuttingjulienne-fashion, thezestmay be finely chopped, but the rest of the process remains the same.[74]Lemons are channelled by means of a little knife, or a special instrument for the purpose, which excises parallel ribbons from the surface of the rind and lays the white bare. A lemon channelled in this way is cut in two, lengthwise with the core; its two extremities are removed, and the two halves are cut laterally into thin, regular slices to look like serrated half-discs.The lemon may also be cut at right angles to the core.Fried fish, oysters, and certain game are generally garnished with lemon slices fashioned according to the taste of the cook; but the simplest, and perhaps the best, way is to cut the lemon through the centre, after having trimmed the two ends quite straight, and then to remove the rind roughly from the edge.For whatever purpose the lemon be intended, it should be, as far as possible, only prepared at the last moment. If it must be prepared beforehand, it would be well to keep it in a bowl of fresh water.180—SHALLOTSChopped Shallots.—Clean the shallots, and, by means of a very sharp knife, cut them lengthwise into thin slices; let these cling together by not allowing the knife to cut quite through them, and, this done, turn them half round and proceed in the same way at right angles to the other cuts.Finally, cut them laterally, and this will be found to produce very fine and regular, small cubes.Ciseled Shallots.—The name “ciseledshallots” is often erroneously given to those shallots resulting from the above process.Butciseledshallots are merely laterally sliced, the result of which operation is a series of thin, regular discs.Ciseledor chopped shallots should, when possible, only be prepared when required; if, however, they must be treated in advance, they should be kept somewhere in the cool until wanted.181—SPICESStrictly speaking, spices include cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, mace; and the many varieties of peppers and pimenta, cayenne, paprika, &c.These various condiments are found ready-made on the market, and they need only be kept dry in air-tight boxes in order to prevent the escape of their aroma.But there is another kind of preparation, in cookery, to which the name of spice or all-spice is more especially given.[75]Nowadays several market varieties of this preparation exist, and vie with each other for custom, though in most cases they deserve it equally well.Formerly this was not so, and every chef had his own formula.The following is a recipe for the spice in question, which would be found useful if it had to be prepared at a moment’snotice:—Obtain the following, very dry.5 oz. of bay leaves.3 oz. of thyme (half of it wild, if possible).3 oz. of coriander.4 oz. of cinnamon.6 oz. of nutmeg.4 oz. of cloves.3 oz. of ginger-root.3 oz. of mace.10 oz. of mixed pepper (half black and half white).1 oz. of cayenne.Put all these ingredients into a mortar and pound them until they are all able to pass through a very fine sieve. Put the resulting powder into an air-tight box, which must be kept dry.Before being used, this spice is generally mixed with salt (No.188).182—FLOURFor whatever use the flour is intended, it is always best to sift it. This is more particularly necessary in the case of flour used for coating objects to be fried; for the latter, being first dipped into milk, must of necessity let a few drops of that liquid fall into the flour they are rolled in. Lumps would therefore form, which might adhere to the objects to be fried if the flour were not sifted.183—HERB JUICEThis is to finish or intensify certain preparations.To prepare it, throw into a small saucepan of boiling water some parsley, chervil, and tarragon and chive leaves, in equal quantities, according to the amount of juice required.Set to boil for two minutes, drain, cool, press the herbs in a towel, twisting the latter; pound very finely, and extract the juice from the resulting paste by twisting a strong towel round it.Keep this juice in the cool.184—BREAD-CRUMBSThoroughly rub, in a closed towel, some stale bread-crumb previously well broken up. Pass it through a fine sieve or colander, according as to whether it is required very fine or not, and put it aside in a convenient receptacle.[76]185—CHOPPED ONIONCut the onion finely, like the shallots, but if it is to be minced with a view to making it even finer, it should be freed of its pungent juice, which would cause it to blacken with exposure to the air.To accomplish this, put the onion in the corner of a towel, pour plenty of cold water over it, and twist the towel in order to express the water. By this means the onion remains quite white.186—TURNED OR STONED OLIVESThere are special instruments for stoning olives, but, failing these, cut the fruit spirally from the stone with the point of a small knife.Keep the olives in slightly salted water.187—PARSLEYChopped Parsley.—If parsley be properly chopped, no juice should be produced. If, on the contrary, the operation be performed badly, it amounts to a process of pounding which, perforce, expresses the juice.In the latter case the particles cohere, and they are sprinkled with difficulty over an object. To remedy this shortcoming, wash the choppings in fresh water, as in the case of the onion, pressing in a similar manner so as to expel the water.ConcassedParsleyis that kind which is roughly chopped. When a culinary preparation is dressed withconcassedparsley, the latter should be added to it a few moments before serving, in order to undergo a slight cooking process; whereas chopped parsley may be strewn over a dish at the last moment.It should be remembered that parsley, when quite fresh and used in moderation, is an excellent thing; but, should it have remained too long in the heat, it becomes quite insufferable.I cannot, therefore, too strongly urge the advisability of using it in the freshest possible state, and it would even be wiser to discard it entirely than to be forced to ignore this condition.Parsley Sprays.—These are chiefly used in garnishing dishes, and it is well for the purpose to make as much use as possible of the curled-leaf kind, after having removed the long stalks. Keep the sprays in fresh water until required.Fried Parsley.—This consists of the sprays, well drained of water after washing, and immersed for an instant in very hot fat. The moment it is fried carefully drain it, salt it, and place[77]it in a clean towel, where it may get rid of any superfluous grease. It is used to dress fried viands.188—SALTTwo kinds of salt are used in cooking, viz., grey, or sea-salt, and rock-salt. Grey-salt is used more especially for Brines and in the preparation of ices, as its grey colour does not allow of its being used indiscriminately.Be this as it may, many prefer it to rock-salt for the salting of stock-pots, roasts, and grills. For the last two purposes it is crushed with a roller, without being pounded, and the result should be such that every grain is distinctly perceptible to the touch.This salt, in melting over a roast or a grill, certainly imparts a supplementary flavour to the latter which could not be got with the use of rock-salt.Rock-salt.—This is found on the market in the forms of cooking and table-salt. If the kitchen is only supplied with cooking salt, the quantity required for several days should be dried, pounded in the mortar, and passed through a fine sieve; and then put aside in a dry place for use when wanted. Even table-salt, as it reaches one from the purveyor, sometimes needs drying and passing through a sieve before being used.Spiced Salt.—This condiment, which serves an important purpose in the preparation of pies and galantines, is obtained from a mixture of one lb. of table salt with three and one-half oz. of spices (No.181).This kind of salt should be carefully kept in a very dry place.2. The Various Kinds of Garnishes for Soups, Relevés, and Entrées, Hot or ColdSTUFFINGS AND FORCEMEATS189—VARIOUS PANADAS FOR STUFFINGSPanadas are those preparations which go to make the leason of forcemeats and which ensure their proper consistence when they are cooked. They are not necessary to every forcemeat; for themousselinekind, which are the finest and lightest, do not require them. Nevertheless, they are useful for varying the taste and the uses of forcemeats, and I thought it advisable to introduce them here. The reader will thus be able to use either forcemeats with a panada base ormousselineforcemeats; in accordance with the requirements and his resources.[78]190—A. BREAD PANADAPut one-half lb. of the crumb of bread and one-half oz. of salt into one-half pint of boiling milk. When the crumb has absorbed all the milk, place the saucepan over a brisk fire and stir with a spatula until the paste has become so thick as not to cling any longer to the end of the spatula. Turn the contents of the saucepan into a buttered platter, and lightly butter the surface of the panada in order to avoid its drying while it cools.191—B. FLOUR PANADAPut into a small saucepan one-half pint of water, a little salt, and two oz. of butter. When the liquid boils add five oz. of sifted flour thereto, stirring the while over a brisk fire until it reaches the consistence described in the case of bread panada. Use the same precautions with regard to cooling.192—C. FRANGIPAN PANADAPut into a stewpan four oz. of sifted flour, the yolks of four eggs, a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Now add by degrees three oz. of melted butter and dilute with one-half pint of boiled milk. Pass through a strainer, stir over the fire until the boil is reached; set to cook for five minutes while gently wielding the whisk, and cool as in the preceding cases.193—CHICKEN FORCEMEAT WITH PANADA AND BUTTERRemove the tendons from, and cut into cubes, one lb. of chicken-meat. Pound, and add one-third oz. of salt, a little pepper and nutmeg. When the meat is well pounded remove it from the mortar, and place in its stead one-half lb. of very cold panada (see No.190). Finely pound this panada, and then add one-half lb. of butter thereto, taking care that the two ingredients mix thoroughly. Now put in the chicken-meat, and wield the pestle vigorously until the whole mass is completely mixed. Finally, add consecutively two whole eggs and the yolks of four, stirring incessantly the while and seeing that each egg is only inserted when the one preceding it has become perfectly incorporated with the mass. Rub through a sieve, put the forcemeat into a basin, and smooth it with a wooden spoon.Test the forcemeat by poaching a small portion of it in salted, boiling water. This test, which is indispensable, allows of rectifying the seasoning and the consistence if necessary. If it be found that the forcemeat is too light, a little white of egg could[79]be mingled with it; if, on the other hand, it should be too stiff add a little softened butter.N.B.—By substituting for chicken veal, game, or fish, &c., any kind of forcemeat may be made; for the quantities of the other ingredients remain the same whatever the basic meat may be.194—CHICKEN FORCEMEAT WITH PANADA AND CREAM(For Fine Quenelles.)Finely pound one lb. of chicken-meat after having removed the tendons, and seasoned with one-quarter oz. of salt, a little pepper and nutmeg.When the meat has been reduced to a fine paste, add, very gradually, two oz. of white of egg. Finish with seven oz. of Frangipan panada (No.192), and work vigorously with the pestle until the whole is amalgamated. Strain through a fine sieve, put the forcemeat into a vegetable-pan sufficiently large to allow of ultimately working it with ease, and place it on ice for a good hour.This done, stir the forcemeat (still on the ice) for a few seconds with a wooden spoon, then add, in small quantities at a time, one pint of raw cream. At this stage complete the preparation by adding thereto one-half pint of whipped cream. It should then be found to be very white, smooth, and mellow. Test as directed in the preceding recipe, and add a little white of egg if it be too light, and a little cream if it be too stiff.N.B.—This forcemeat may be prepared from all butcher’s meats, game, or fish.195—FINE CHICKEN FORCEMEAT OR “MOUSSELINE”Remove the tendons from, trim, and cut into cubes, one lb. of chicken-meat. Season with one oz. of salt, a little pepper and nutmeg.Finely pound, and, when it is reduced to a paste, gradually add the whites of two eggs, vigorously working with the pestle meanwhile.Strain through a fine sieve, put the forcemeat into a vegetable-pan, stir it once more with the wooden spoon for a moment or two, and combine with it, gradually, one pint of thick, fresh cream, working with great caution and keeping the receptacle on ice.Remarks Relative toMousselineForcemeat.—This, like the preceding forcemeats, may be prepared from any kind of meat.[80]The addition of the white of egg is not essential if the meats used already possess a certain quantity of albumen; but without the white of egg the forcemeat absorbs much less cream.This forcemeat is particularly suited to preparations with a shell-fish base. Incomparably delicate results are obtained by the process, while it also furnishes ideal quenelles for the purpose of garnishing soup. In a word, it may be said ofmousselineforcemeat that, whereas it can replace all other kinds, none of these can replace it.N.B.—Mousselineforcemeatsof all kinds, with meat, poultry, game, fish, or shell-fish, may be made according to the principles and quantities given above.196—PORK FORCEMEAT FOR DIVERS USESRemove the tendons of, and cut into large cubes, two lbs. of fillet of pork, and the same weight of fresh, fat bacon. Season with one and three-quarter oz. of spiced salt (No.188), chop the fillet and bacon up, together or separately, pound them finely in the mortar, and finish with two eggs and two tablespoonfuls of brandy.This forcemeat is used for ordinary pies andterrines. Strictly speaking, it is “sausage-meat.” The inclusion of eggs in this forcemeat really only obtains when it is used to stuff joints that are to be braised, such as stuffed breast of veal; or in the case of pies andterrines. The addition of the egg in these cases prevents the grease from melting too quickly, and thus averts the drying of the forcemeat.197—FORCEMEAT FOR GALANTINES, PIESAND TERRINESRemove the tendons from, and cut into cubes, one lb. of fillet of veal and as much fillet of pork; add to these two lbs. of fresh, fat bacon, also cut into cubes. Season with three oz. of spiced salt, chop the three ingredients together or apart, and then finely pound them. Finish with three eggs and three tablespoonfuls of burnt brandy, strain through a sieve, and place in a basin.When about to serve this stuffing, add to it a littlefumetcorresponding with the meat that is to constitute the dish. Forterrines, pies, and galantines of game, one-quarter or one-fifth of the forcemeat’s weight ofgratin stuffing(proper to the game under treatment) is added.198—VEAL FORCEMEAT WITH FAT OR GODIVEAURemove the tendons from, and cut into cubes, one lb. of fillet of veal; also pare,i.e., detach skin and filaments from, two lbs.[81]of the very dry fat of kidneys of beef. First, chop these up separately, then combine and pound them in the mortar. Season with one-half oz. of salt, a little pepper, some nutmeg, and pound afresh until the veal and fat become a homogeneous mass. Now add four eggs, consecutively, and at intervals of a few minutes, without ceasing to pound, and taking care only to insert each egg after the preceding one has been properly mixed with the mass. Spread the forcemeat thus prepared on a dish, and put the latter on ice until the next day.The next day pound once more, and add little by little fourteen oz. of very clean ice (in small pieces); or, instead, an equal weight of iced water, adding this also very gradually.When the godiveau is properly moistened, poach a small portion of it in boiling water in order to test its consistence. If it be too firm, add some more ice to it; if, on the other hand, it seem too flimsy, add a little of the white of an egg. For the uses of godiveau and quenelles see No.205.199—VEAL FORCEMEAT WITH FAT AND CREAMChop finely and apart one lb. of very white fillet of veal, with tendons removed, cut into cubes, and one lb. of the fat of pared kidney of beef.Combine the veal and the fat in the mortar, and pound until the two ingredients form a fine and even paste. Season with one-half oz. of salt, a little pepper, and some nutmeg, and add consecutively two eggs and two yolks, after the manner of the preceding recipe and without ceasing to pound. Strain through a sieve, spread the forcemeat on a dish, and keep it on ice until the next day.Next day pound the forcemeat again for a few minutes, and add to it, little by little, one and one-half pints of cream.Test as before, and rectify if necessary, either by adding cream or by thickening with the white of an egg.200—CHICKEN FORCEMEAT FOR GALANTINES, PIESAND TERRINESThe exact weight of chicken-meat used as the base of this forcemeat determines the quantities of its other ingredients. Thus the weight of meat afforded by a fowl weighing four lbs. is estimated at twenty oz. after deducting the fillets which are always reserved. Hence the quantities for the forcemeat are regulatedthus:—Chicken-meat, twenty oz.; lean pork, eight oz.; fillet of veal,[82]eight oz.; fresh, fat bacon, thirty oz.; whole eggs, five; spiced salt, two oz.; brandy, one-fifth pint.Chop up, either together or apart, the chicken-meat, the veal, the pork, and the bacon. Put all these into the mortar, pound them very finely with the seasoning, add the eggs consecutively, and, last of all, pour in the brandy.Remarks1. The quantity of spiced salt varies, a few grammes either way, according as to whether the atmosphere be dry or damp.2. According to the purpose of the forcemeat, and with a view to giving it a finer flavour, one may, subject to the resources at one’s disposal, add a little raw trimmings offoie grasto it; but the latter must not, in any case, exceed one-fifth of the forcemeat in weight.3. As a rule, forcemeat should always be rubbed through a sieve so as to ensure its being fine and even.4. Whether the foie gras be added or not, chicken forcemeat may always be completed with two or three oz. of chopped truffles per lb. of its volume.201—GAME FORCEMEAT FOR PIES AND TERRINESThis follows the same principles as the chicken forcemeat,i.e., the weight of the game-meat determines the quantities of the other ingredients. The proportions are precisely the same as above as regards the veal, the pork, the bacon, and the seasoning. The procedure is also the same, while the appended remarks likewise apply.202—GRATIN FORCEMEAT FOR ORDINARY HOT,RAISED PIESPut into a sautépan containing one oz. of very hot butter, one-half lb. of fresh, fat bacon, cut into large cubes, brown quickly, and drain on a dish.Quickly brown in the same butter one-half lb. of fillet of veal cut like the bacon and drain in the same way.Now rapidly brown one-half lb. of pale, calf’s liver, also cut into large cubes. Put the veal and the bacon back into the sautépan with the liver, add the necessary quantity of salt and pepper, two oz. of mushroom parings, one oz. of truffle parings (raw if possible), chopped shallots, a sprig of thyme, and a fragment of bay. Put the whole on the fire for two minutes, drain the bacon, the veal, and the liver, and put the gravy aside. Swill the sautépan with one-quarter pint of Madeira.[83]Pound the bacon, veal, and liver quickly and finely, while adding consecutively six oz. of butter, the yolks of six eggs, the gravy that has been put aside, one-third pint of cold, reduced Espagnole, and the Madeira used for swilling.Strain through a sieve, place in a tureen, and smooth with the wooden spoon.N.B.—To make agratinforcemeat with game, substitute for the veal that game-meat which may happen to be required.203—PIKE FORCEMEAT FOR QUENELLESA LA LYONNAISEForcemeats prepared with the flesh of the pike are extremely delicate. Subject to circumstances, they may be prepared according to any one of the three formulæ (Nos.193,194,195). There is another excellent method of preparing this forcemeat which I shall submit here, as it is specially used for the preparation of pike forcemeat à la Lyonnaise.Pound in a mortar one lb. of the meat of a pike, without the skin or bones; combine with this one-half lb. of stiff frangipan, season with salt and nutmeg, pass through a sieve, and put back into the mortar.Vigorously work the forcemeat in order to make it cohere, and gradually add to it one-half lb. of melted beef-fat. The whole half-pound, however, need not necessarily be beef-fat; beef-marrow or butter may form part of it in the proportion of half the weight of the beef-fat.When the forcemeat is very fine and smooth, withdraw it from the mortar and place it in a bowl surrounded with ice until wanted.204—SPECIAL STUFFINGS FOR FISHThese preparations diverge slightly from the forcemeats given above, and they are of two kinds. They are used to stuff such fish as mackerel, herring, shad, &c., to which they lend a condimentary touch that makes these fish more agreeable to the taste, and certainly more digestible.First Method.—Put into a bowl four oz. of raw, chopped milt, two oz. of bread-crumb, steeped in milk and well pressed, and one and one-half oz. of the following fine herbs, mixed in equal quantities and finelychopped:—Chives, parsley, chervil, shallots, sweet basil, half a garlic clove (crushed), then two whole eggs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.Chop up all these ingredients together so as to mix them thoroughly.Second Method.—Put into a bowl four oz. of bread-crumb[84]steeped in milk and well pressed; one-half oz. of onion and one-half oz. of chopped shallots, slightly cooked in butter, and cold; one oz. of raw mushrooms, chopped and well pressed in a towel; a tablespoonful of chopped parsley; a piece of garlic the size of a pea, crushed; salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and two eggs.Mix it as above.205—FORCEMEAT BALLS OR QUENELLESDivers ways of Moulding and Poaching them.—Whatever be the required size or shape of quenelles there are four ways of makingthem:—(1) By rolling them; (2) by moulding them with a spoon; (3) by forming them with a piping-bag; (4) by moulding them by hand into the shape of a kidney.1.To roll quenellesit is necessary to keep the forcemeat somewhat stiff, and therefore this process could not well apply to themousselineforcemeats. Place one-quarter lb. of forcemeat, when ready, on a floured board, and, with hands covered in flour, roll the preparation until it has lengthened itself into the form of a sausage, the thickness of which depends upon the required size of the intended quenelles.Cut up the sausage of forcemeat laterally with a floured knife, and roll each section with the finger-ends until the length it assumes is thrice that of its diameter. The balls should be put aside on a floured tray as soon as they are made.The Poaching of Rolled Quenelles.—When all the forcemeat has been used up, the balls are gently tilted into a saucepan containing boiling, salted water, so calculated in quantity as to allow of their not being too tightly squeezed. The saucepan is covered and kept on the side of the fire until all the balls have risen to the surface and are almost out of the water. They are then removed with a skimmer and placed in a bowl of cold water.At last, when they have properly cooled, they are carefully drained on a cloth and put aside on a dish until required.When the quenelles are needed for immediate use it would be better not to cool them.2.To Mould Quenelles with a Spoon.—This method may be applied to all forcemeats, and allows of the balls being much softer, as the forcemeat need not be so stiff. First, butter the sautépan or the tray, whereon the balls are to be laid, by means of a brush, and let the butter cool.Put the sautépan on the table in front and a little to the right of one; on the left, place the sautépan or bowl containing the forcemeat, and on the further side of the buttered sautépan[85]there should be a receptacle containing hot water, into which the spoon used for moulding is inserted. For ordinary quenelles two coffee-spoons are used, one of which is kept in the hot water as stated above. Now, with the other held in the left hand, take up a little of the forcemeat (just enough to fill the spoon); withdraw the second spoon from the hot water and place it, with its convex side uppermost, on the other spoon.This smoothens the upper surface of the forcemeat. Now, with the help of the second spoon, remove the whole of the contents of the first spoon, and overturn the second spoon on the spot in the tray or sautépan which the ball is intended to occupy. The second spoon, being at once moist and hot, allows the forcemeat to leave it quite easily in the shape of a large olive. Renew this operation until the whole of the forcemeat has been used.The Poaching of Spoon-moulded Quenelles.—When all the balls have been moulded, place the tray on the side of the stove and pour enough boiling, salted water over them to moisten them abundantly. Leave them to poach, and from time to time move the tray; then, when they have swollen sufficiently and seem soft and firm to the touch, drain them. If they are to be used at once they should be placed directly in the sauce. If they have been prepared in advance, it would be well to cool them as directed under rolled quenelles.3.To Form Quenelles with a Piping-bag.—This process is especially recommended for small, fine, and light forcemeat balls intended for soup garnish. For, besides being extremely quick, it allows of making them in any desirable size or shape.Butter a tray or a sautépan, and leave to cool. Put the forcemeat into a bag fitted with a pipe at its narrowest end. The pipe may be grooved or smooth, and its size must be in accordance with that intended for the proposed balls. Now squeeze out the latter, proceeding in the usual way and laying them very closely.The Poaching of Quenelles made by the above Process, with ordinary orMousselineForcemeat.—These quenelles are poached in exactly the same way as the spoon-moulded ones.The Poaching of Godiveau Quenelles made with a Piping-bag.—These quenelles or balls are laid on a piece of fine, buttered paper, which in its turn is placed upon a buttered tray. The godiveau must not be too stiff, and the balls are laid by means of the piping-bag side by side and slightly touching one another. When the tray is covered push it into a very moderate oven for a few minutes. The balls are poached[86]when a thin dew of grease may be seen to glisten on their surfaces. On the appearance of this dew withdraw them from the oven and overturn the tray, carefully, upon a marble slab, taking care that the tray does not press at all upon the balls, lest it crush them. When the latter are nearly cold the paper which covers them is taken off with caution, and all that remains to be done is to put them carefully away on a dish until they are wanted.4.To Mould Forcemeat with the Fingers.—This excellent process is as expedient as that of the bag, and it produces beautifully shaped balls. Place on the edge of a table, in front of one, a saucepan three-quarters full of boiling, salted water, the handle of the receptacle being turned to the far side. Now take a piece of string one yard in length, double it over, and tie the free ends to a weight of two lbs., letting the two strands twist round each other.This done, there should be a loop at the top of the string. Put this loop round the handle of the saucepan, and draw the string diametrically across the latter, letting the weight pull the string tightly down on the side opposite to the handle. When this has been effected the operator, with his left hand, takes some of the forcemeat, smoothening it with a spoon, and, placing the spoon near the string with his right, first finger, he removes from its extremity a portion of the preparation about equal to the intended size of the balls. This portion of the forcemeat remaining suspended on his first finger, the operator now scrapes the latter across the string, and the ball falls beneath into the saucepan containing the water. When all the stuffing has been moulded in this way the saucepan is placed on the fire to complete the poaching of the balls, and the precautions indicated in the preceding processes are observed.
Beforebroaching the question of the numerous preparations which constitute the various soup, relevé, and entrée garnishes, it will be necessary to give the formulæ of the elementary preparations, or what are technically called themise en place. If the various operations which go to make themise en placewere not, at least summarily, discussed here, I should be compelled to repeat them in each formula for which they are required—that is to say, in almost every formula. I should thus resemble those bad operators who, having neglected theirmise en place, are obliged to make it in the course of other work, and thereby not only run the risk of making it badly, but also of losing valuable time which might be used to better advantage.
Elementary preparations consist of those things whereof one is constantly in need, which may be prepared in advance, and which are kept available for use at a moment’s notice.
Whether they be for hors d’œuvres or for culinary use, it is always best to have these handy.
After having washed and well wiped them, in order to remove the white powder resulting from the little scales with which they are covered, they should be neatly trimmed to the shape of extended oblongs. Then detach the fillets from the bones by gentle pulling, divide each fillet lengthwise into three or four smaller fillets, put the latter into a small narrow dish or a little bowl, and cover them with oil. The fillets may also be kept whole with a view to rolling them into rings.
It is well to have this always ready for those dishes which are to bepanés à l’anglaise, or as many of the recipes direct:treated à l’anglaise.
[71]It is made of well-whisked eggs, salt, pepper, and one dessertspoonful of oil per couple of eggs.
Its Uses.—The solids to bepanés à l’anglaiseare dipped into the preparation described above, taking care that the latter coats them thoroughly; whereupon, according to the requirements, they are rolled either in bread-crumbs or in fine raspings. From this combination of egg with bread-crumbs or raspings there results a kind of coat which, at the moment of contact with the hot fat, is immediately converted into a resisting crust. Incroquettesthis crust checks the escape, into the fat, of the substances it encloses, and this is more especially the case when thecroquettescontain some reduced sauce, or are composed of raw meats or fish whose juices are thereby entirely retained. A solid preparedà l’anglaiseand cooked in fat should always be put into the latter when this is very hot, so as to ensure the instantaneous solidification of the egg and bread-crumbs.
N.B.—Objects to be treatedà l’anglaiseare generally rolled in flour before being immersed in theanglaise, for the flour helps the foregoing to adhere to the object.
The crust formed over the solid thus acquires a density which is indispensable.
Aromatics play a very prominent part in cookery, and their combination with the condiments constitutes, as Grimodde la Reynière said, “the hidden soul of cooking.” Their real object, in fact, is to throw the savour of dishes into relief, to intensify that savour, and to give each culinary preparation its particular stamp.
They are all derived from the vegetable kingdom; but, while some are used dry, others are used fresh.
The first-named should belong to the permanent kitchen stock; they are:sage,basil,rosemary,sweet marjoram,thyme, andbay.
Also to be included in the permanent stock are:cinnamon,ginger,juniper-berries,nutmeg,cloves,mace, andvanilla.
The last-named comprise those aromatic herbs used fresh, such as:parsley,chervil,tarragon,pimpernel, andcommon savory; while, under this head, there may also be included: bits of common- and Seville-orange rind andzestsof lemon rind.
Seasonings are divided into several classes, whichcomprise:—
[72]1.Saline seasonings.—Salt, spiced salt, saltpetre.
2.Acid seasonings.—Plain vinegar, or the same aromatised with tarragon; verjuice, lemon juice, and common- or Seville-orange juices.
3.Hot seasonings.—Peppercorns, ground orconcassedpepper, or mignonette; paprika, curry, cayenne, and compound spices.
4.Saccharine seasonings.—Sugar and honey.
Condiments are likewise subdivided, the three classesbeing:—
1.The pungents.—Onions, shallots, garlic, chives, and horseradish.
2.Hot condiments.—Mustard, gherkins, capers, English sauces, such as Worcester, Harvey, Ketchup, Escoffier’s sauces, &c.; the wines used in reductions and braisings; the finishing elements of sauces and soups.
3.Fatty substances.—Most animal fats, butter, vegetable greases (edible oils and cocoanut butter).
Remarks.—In cookery it should be borne in mind that both excellence and eatableness depend entirely upon a judicious use and a rational blending of the aromatics, seasonings, and condiments. And, according as the latter have been used and apportioned, their action will be either beneficial or injurious to the health of the consumer.
In the matter of seasoning there can be no question of approximation or half measures; the quantities must be exact, allowing only of slight elasticity in respect of the various tastes to be satisfied.
A certain quantity of clarified butter should always be kept ready and handy.
To prepare this butter, put one lb. to melt in a saucepan large enough to hold twice that amount. Place the saucepan on the side of the fire, over moderate heat; remove all the scum which rises to the surface, and, when the butter looks quite clear and all foreign substances have dropped to the bottom, put the liquid carefully away and strain it through muslin.
The name “faggot” is given to those little bunches of aromatics which, when the contrary is not stated, are generally composed (in order to weigh one ounce) of eight-tenths oz. of[73]parsley stalks and roots, one-tenth oz. of bay leaves, and one-tenth oz. of thyme. These various aromatics are put neatly together so that no sprig of the one sticks out beyond the others, and they are properly strung together.
Chopped Chervil.—Clean the chervil and remove the stalks; wash, dry it well while tossing it, then chop it finely and put it aside on a plate in the cool, if it is not for immediate use.
ConcassedChervil.—Proceed as above, except that, instead of chopping it, compress it between the fingers and slice it after the manner of a chaff-cutter.Concassedand chopped chervil are, if possible, only prepared at the last moment.
Chervil Pluches.—Thepluchesare greatly used in the finishing off of soups. They are, practically, the serrated portions only of the leaves, which are torn away in such a manner as to show no trace of the veinings. They are immersed in water, and at the last moment withdrawn, so as to be added, raw, to either soups or boiling consommés.
Golden raspings are obtained by pounding and passing through a fine sieve bread-crusts which have been previously well dried in the oven.
White raspingsare similarly prepared, except that very dry, white crumb is used.
Lemons are greatly used in cookery, as dish and comestible garnish. When a whole lemon is used formarinadesof fish, for the “blancs,” &c., it is well to peel it to the pulp,i.e., to remove the peel and the whole of the underlying white. The lemon is then cut into more or less large slices, according to the use for which it is intended.
The rind of a lemon thus peeled may be cut into bits and used in this form as the necessity arises. When cutting it up, flatten the rind inside uppermost on the table, and, with a very sharp and flexible knife, remove all the white; then slice the remaining peel (which constitutes what is calledzest) into strips about one inch wide, and cut these laterally in finejulienne-fashion.
Scald the resulting bits for five minutes, cool them, drain them carefully, and put them aside until wanted. Sometimes, instead of cuttingjulienne-fashion, thezestmay be finely chopped, but the rest of the process remains the same.
[74]Lemons are channelled by means of a little knife, or a special instrument for the purpose, which excises parallel ribbons from the surface of the rind and lays the white bare. A lemon channelled in this way is cut in two, lengthwise with the core; its two extremities are removed, and the two halves are cut laterally into thin, regular slices to look like serrated half-discs.
The lemon may also be cut at right angles to the core.
Fried fish, oysters, and certain game are generally garnished with lemon slices fashioned according to the taste of the cook; but the simplest, and perhaps the best, way is to cut the lemon through the centre, after having trimmed the two ends quite straight, and then to remove the rind roughly from the edge.
For whatever purpose the lemon be intended, it should be, as far as possible, only prepared at the last moment. If it must be prepared beforehand, it would be well to keep it in a bowl of fresh water.
Chopped Shallots.—Clean the shallots, and, by means of a very sharp knife, cut them lengthwise into thin slices; let these cling together by not allowing the knife to cut quite through them, and, this done, turn them half round and proceed in the same way at right angles to the other cuts.
Finally, cut them laterally, and this will be found to produce very fine and regular, small cubes.
Ciseled Shallots.—The name “ciseledshallots” is often erroneously given to those shallots resulting from the above process.
Butciseledshallots are merely laterally sliced, the result of which operation is a series of thin, regular discs.Ciseledor chopped shallots should, when possible, only be prepared when required; if, however, they must be treated in advance, they should be kept somewhere in the cool until wanted.
Strictly speaking, spices include cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, mace; and the many varieties of peppers and pimenta, cayenne, paprika, &c.
These various condiments are found ready-made on the market, and they need only be kept dry in air-tight boxes in order to prevent the escape of their aroma.
But there is another kind of preparation, in cookery, to which the name of spice or all-spice is more especially given.[75]Nowadays several market varieties of this preparation exist, and vie with each other for custom, though in most cases they deserve it equally well.
Formerly this was not so, and every chef had his own formula.
The following is a recipe for the spice in question, which would be found useful if it had to be prepared at a moment’snotice:—
5 oz. of bay leaves.3 oz. of thyme (half of it wild, if possible).3 oz. of coriander.4 oz. of cinnamon.6 oz. of nutmeg.4 oz. of cloves.3 oz. of ginger-root.3 oz. of mace.10 oz. of mixed pepper (half black and half white).1 oz. of cayenne.
5 oz. of bay leaves.3 oz. of thyme (half of it wild, if possible).3 oz. of coriander.4 oz. of cinnamon.6 oz. of nutmeg.
5 oz. of bay leaves.
3 oz. of thyme (half of it wild, if possible).
3 oz. of coriander.
4 oz. of cinnamon.
6 oz. of nutmeg.
4 oz. of cloves.3 oz. of ginger-root.3 oz. of mace.10 oz. of mixed pepper (half black and half white).1 oz. of cayenne.
4 oz. of cloves.
3 oz. of ginger-root.
3 oz. of mace.
10 oz. of mixed pepper (half black and half white).
1 oz. of cayenne.
Put all these ingredients into a mortar and pound them until they are all able to pass through a very fine sieve. Put the resulting powder into an air-tight box, which must be kept dry.
Before being used, this spice is generally mixed with salt (No.188).
For whatever use the flour is intended, it is always best to sift it. This is more particularly necessary in the case of flour used for coating objects to be fried; for the latter, being first dipped into milk, must of necessity let a few drops of that liquid fall into the flour they are rolled in. Lumps would therefore form, which might adhere to the objects to be fried if the flour were not sifted.
This is to finish or intensify certain preparations.
To prepare it, throw into a small saucepan of boiling water some parsley, chervil, and tarragon and chive leaves, in equal quantities, according to the amount of juice required.
Set to boil for two minutes, drain, cool, press the herbs in a towel, twisting the latter; pound very finely, and extract the juice from the resulting paste by twisting a strong towel round it.
Keep this juice in the cool.
Thoroughly rub, in a closed towel, some stale bread-crumb previously well broken up. Pass it through a fine sieve or colander, according as to whether it is required very fine or not, and put it aside in a convenient receptacle.
Cut the onion finely, like the shallots, but if it is to be minced with a view to making it even finer, it should be freed of its pungent juice, which would cause it to blacken with exposure to the air.
To accomplish this, put the onion in the corner of a towel, pour plenty of cold water over it, and twist the towel in order to express the water. By this means the onion remains quite white.
There are special instruments for stoning olives, but, failing these, cut the fruit spirally from the stone with the point of a small knife.
Keep the olives in slightly salted water.
Chopped Parsley.—If parsley be properly chopped, no juice should be produced. If, on the contrary, the operation be performed badly, it amounts to a process of pounding which, perforce, expresses the juice.
In the latter case the particles cohere, and they are sprinkled with difficulty over an object. To remedy this shortcoming, wash the choppings in fresh water, as in the case of the onion, pressing in a similar manner so as to expel the water.
ConcassedParsleyis that kind which is roughly chopped. When a culinary preparation is dressed withconcassedparsley, the latter should be added to it a few moments before serving, in order to undergo a slight cooking process; whereas chopped parsley may be strewn over a dish at the last moment.
It should be remembered that parsley, when quite fresh and used in moderation, is an excellent thing; but, should it have remained too long in the heat, it becomes quite insufferable.
I cannot, therefore, too strongly urge the advisability of using it in the freshest possible state, and it would even be wiser to discard it entirely than to be forced to ignore this condition.
Parsley Sprays.—These are chiefly used in garnishing dishes, and it is well for the purpose to make as much use as possible of the curled-leaf kind, after having removed the long stalks. Keep the sprays in fresh water until required.
Fried Parsley.—This consists of the sprays, well drained of water after washing, and immersed for an instant in very hot fat. The moment it is fried carefully drain it, salt it, and place[77]it in a clean towel, where it may get rid of any superfluous grease. It is used to dress fried viands.
Two kinds of salt are used in cooking, viz., grey, or sea-salt, and rock-salt. Grey-salt is used more especially for Brines and in the preparation of ices, as its grey colour does not allow of its being used indiscriminately.
Be this as it may, many prefer it to rock-salt for the salting of stock-pots, roasts, and grills. For the last two purposes it is crushed with a roller, without being pounded, and the result should be such that every grain is distinctly perceptible to the touch.
This salt, in melting over a roast or a grill, certainly imparts a supplementary flavour to the latter which could not be got with the use of rock-salt.
Rock-salt.—This is found on the market in the forms of cooking and table-salt. If the kitchen is only supplied with cooking salt, the quantity required for several days should be dried, pounded in the mortar, and passed through a fine sieve; and then put aside in a dry place for use when wanted. Even table-salt, as it reaches one from the purveyor, sometimes needs drying and passing through a sieve before being used.
Spiced Salt.—This condiment, which serves an important purpose in the preparation of pies and galantines, is obtained from a mixture of one lb. of table salt with three and one-half oz. of spices (No.181).
This kind of salt should be carefully kept in a very dry place.
Panadas are those preparations which go to make the leason of forcemeats and which ensure their proper consistence when they are cooked. They are not necessary to every forcemeat; for themousselinekind, which are the finest and lightest, do not require them. Nevertheless, they are useful for varying the taste and the uses of forcemeats, and I thought it advisable to introduce them here. The reader will thus be able to use either forcemeats with a panada base ormousselineforcemeats; in accordance with the requirements and his resources.
Put one-half lb. of the crumb of bread and one-half oz. of salt into one-half pint of boiling milk. When the crumb has absorbed all the milk, place the saucepan over a brisk fire and stir with a spatula until the paste has become so thick as not to cling any longer to the end of the spatula. Turn the contents of the saucepan into a buttered platter, and lightly butter the surface of the panada in order to avoid its drying while it cools.
Put into a small saucepan one-half pint of water, a little salt, and two oz. of butter. When the liquid boils add five oz. of sifted flour thereto, stirring the while over a brisk fire until it reaches the consistence described in the case of bread panada. Use the same precautions with regard to cooling.
Put into a stewpan four oz. of sifted flour, the yolks of four eggs, a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Now add by degrees three oz. of melted butter and dilute with one-half pint of boiled milk. Pass through a strainer, stir over the fire until the boil is reached; set to cook for five minutes while gently wielding the whisk, and cool as in the preceding cases.
Remove the tendons from, and cut into cubes, one lb. of chicken-meat. Pound, and add one-third oz. of salt, a little pepper and nutmeg. When the meat is well pounded remove it from the mortar, and place in its stead one-half lb. of very cold panada (see No.190). Finely pound this panada, and then add one-half lb. of butter thereto, taking care that the two ingredients mix thoroughly. Now put in the chicken-meat, and wield the pestle vigorously until the whole mass is completely mixed. Finally, add consecutively two whole eggs and the yolks of four, stirring incessantly the while and seeing that each egg is only inserted when the one preceding it has become perfectly incorporated with the mass. Rub through a sieve, put the forcemeat into a basin, and smooth it with a wooden spoon.
Test the forcemeat by poaching a small portion of it in salted, boiling water. This test, which is indispensable, allows of rectifying the seasoning and the consistence if necessary. If it be found that the forcemeat is too light, a little white of egg could[79]be mingled with it; if, on the other hand, it should be too stiff add a little softened butter.
N.B.—By substituting for chicken veal, game, or fish, &c., any kind of forcemeat may be made; for the quantities of the other ingredients remain the same whatever the basic meat may be.
Finely pound one lb. of chicken-meat after having removed the tendons, and seasoned with one-quarter oz. of salt, a little pepper and nutmeg.
When the meat has been reduced to a fine paste, add, very gradually, two oz. of white of egg. Finish with seven oz. of Frangipan panada (No.192), and work vigorously with the pestle until the whole is amalgamated. Strain through a fine sieve, put the forcemeat into a vegetable-pan sufficiently large to allow of ultimately working it with ease, and place it on ice for a good hour.
This done, stir the forcemeat (still on the ice) for a few seconds with a wooden spoon, then add, in small quantities at a time, one pint of raw cream. At this stage complete the preparation by adding thereto one-half pint of whipped cream. It should then be found to be very white, smooth, and mellow. Test as directed in the preceding recipe, and add a little white of egg if it be too light, and a little cream if it be too stiff.
N.B.—This forcemeat may be prepared from all butcher’s meats, game, or fish.
Remove the tendons from, trim, and cut into cubes, one lb. of chicken-meat. Season with one oz. of salt, a little pepper and nutmeg.
Finely pound, and, when it is reduced to a paste, gradually add the whites of two eggs, vigorously working with the pestle meanwhile.
Strain through a fine sieve, put the forcemeat into a vegetable-pan, stir it once more with the wooden spoon for a moment or two, and combine with it, gradually, one pint of thick, fresh cream, working with great caution and keeping the receptacle on ice.
Remarks Relative toMousselineForcemeat.—This, like the preceding forcemeats, may be prepared from any kind of meat.[80]The addition of the white of egg is not essential if the meats used already possess a certain quantity of albumen; but without the white of egg the forcemeat absorbs much less cream.
This forcemeat is particularly suited to preparations with a shell-fish base. Incomparably delicate results are obtained by the process, while it also furnishes ideal quenelles for the purpose of garnishing soup. In a word, it may be said ofmousselineforcemeat that, whereas it can replace all other kinds, none of these can replace it.
N.B.—Mousselineforcemeatsof all kinds, with meat, poultry, game, fish, or shell-fish, may be made according to the principles and quantities given above.
Remove the tendons of, and cut into large cubes, two lbs. of fillet of pork, and the same weight of fresh, fat bacon. Season with one and three-quarter oz. of spiced salt (No.188), chop the fillet and bacon up, together or separately, pound them finely in the mortar, and finish with two eggs and two tablespoonfuls of brandy.
This forcemeat is used for ordinary pies andterrines. Strictly speaking, it is “sausage-meat.” The inclusion of eggs in this forcemeat really only obtains when it is used to stuff joints that are to be braised, such as stuffed breast of veal; or in the case of pies andterrines. The addition of the egg in these cases prevents the grease from melting too quickly, and thus averts the drying of the forcemeat.
Remove the tendons from, and cut into cubes, one lb. of fillet of veal and as much fillet of pork; add to these two lbs. of fresh, fat bacon, also cut into cubes. Season with three oz. of spiced salt, chop the three ingredients together or apart, and then finely pound them. Finish with three eggs and three tablespoonfuls of burnt brandy, strain through a sieve, and place in a basin.
When about to serve this stuffing, add to it a littlefumetcorresponding with the meat that is to constitute the dish. Forterrines, pies, and galantines of game, one-quarter or one-fifth of the forcemeat’s weight ofgratin stuffing(proper to the game under treatment) is added.
Remove the tendons from, and cut into cubes, one lb. of fillet of veal; also pare,i.e., detach skin and filaments from, two lbs.[81]of the very dry fat of kidneys of beef. First, chop these up separately, then combine and pound them in the mortar. Season with one-half oz. of salt, a little pepper, some nutmeg, and pound afresh until the veal and fat become a homogeneous mass. Now add four eggs, consecutively, and at intervals of a few minutes, without ceasing to pound, and taking care only to insert each egg after the preceding one has been properly mixed with the mass. Spread the forcemeat thus prepared on a dish, and put the latter on ice until the next day.
The next day pound once more, and add little by little fourteen oz. of very clean ice (in small pieces); or, instead, an equal weight of iced water, adding this also very gradually.
When the godiveau is properly moistened, poach a small portion of it in boiling water in order to test its consistence. If it be too firm, add some more ice to it; if, on the other hand, it seem too flimsy, add a little of the white of an egg. For the uses of godiveau and quenelles see No.205.
Chop finely and apart one lb. of very white fillet of veal, with tendons removed, cut into cubes, and one lb. of the fat of pared kidney of beef.
Combine the veal and the fat in the mortar, and pound until the two ingredients form a fine and even paste. Season with one-half oz. of salt, a little pepper, and some nutmeg, and add consecutively two eggs and two yolks, after the manner of the preceding recipe and without ceasing to pound. Strain through a sieve, spread the forcemeat on a dish, and keep it on ice until the next day.
Next day pound the forcemeat again for a few minutes, and add to it, little by little, one and one-half pints of cream.
Test as before, and rectify if necessary, either by adding cream or by thickening with the white of an egg.
The exact weight of chicken-meat used as the base of this forcemeat determines the quantities of its other ingredients. Thus the weight of meat afforded by a fowl weighing four lbs. is estimated at twenty oz. after deducting the fillets which are always reserved. Hence the quantities for the forcemeat are regulatedthus:—
Chicken-meat, twenty oz.; lean pork, eight oz.; fillet of veal,[82]eight oz.; fresh, fat bacon, thirty oz.; whole eggs, five; spiced salt, two oz.; brandy, one-fifth pint.
Chop up, either together or apart, the chicken-meat, the veal, the pork, and the bacon. Put all these into the mortar, pound them very finely with the seasoning, add the eggs consecutively, and, last of all, pour in the brandy.
1. The quantity of spiced salt varies, a few grammes either way, according as to whether the atmosphere be dry or damp.
2. According to the purpose of the forcemeat, and with a view to giving it a finer flavour, one may, subject to the resources at one’s disposal, add a little raw trimmings offoie grasto it; but the latter must not, in any case, exceed one-fifth of the forcemeat in weight.
3. As a rule, forcemeat should always be rubbed through a sieve so as to ensure its being fine and even.
4. Whether the foie gras be added or not, chicken forcemeat may always be completed with two or three oz. of chopped truffles per lb. of its volume.
This follows the same principles as the chicken forcemeat,i.e., the weight of the game-meat determines the quantities of the other ingredients. The proportions are precisely the same as above as regards the veal, the pork, the bacon, and the seasoning. The procedure is also the same, while the appended remarks likewise apply.
Put into a sautépan containing one oz. of very hot butter, one-half lb. of fresh, fat bacon, cut into large cubes, brown quickly, and drain on a dish.
Quickly brown in the same butter one-half lb. of fillet of veal cut like the bacon and drain in the same way.
Now rapidly brown one-half lb. of pale, calf’s liver, also cut into large cubes. Put the veal and the bacon back into the sautépan with the liver, add the necessary quantity of salt and pepper, two oz. of mushroom parings, one oz. of truffle parings (raw if possible), chopped shallots, a sprig of thyme, and a fragment of bay. Put the whole on the fire for two minutes, drain the bacon, the veal, and the liver, and put the gravy aside. Swill the sautépan with one-quarter pint of Madeira.
[83]Pound the bacon, veal, and liver quickly and finely, while adding consecutively six oz. of butter, the yolks of six eggs, the gravy that has been put aside, one-third pint of cold, reduced Espagnole, and the Madeira used for swilling.
Strain through a sieve, place in a tureen, and smooth with the wooden spoon.
N.B.—To make agratinforcemeat with game, substitute for the veal that game-meat which may happen to be required.
Forcemeats prepared with the flesh of the pike are extremely delicate. Subject to circumstances, they may be prepared according to any one of the three formulæ (Nos.193,194,195). There is another excellent method of preparing this forcemeat which I shall submit here, as it is specially used for the preparation of pike forcemeat à la Lyonnaise.
Pound in a mortar one lb. of the meat of a pike, without the skin or bones; combine with this one-half lb. of stiff frangipan, season with salt and nutmeg, pass through a sieve, and put back into the mortar.
Vigorously work the forcemeat in order to make it cohere, and gradually add to it one-half lb. of melted beef-fat. The whole half-pound, however, need not necessarily be beef-fat; beef-marrow or butter may form part of it in the proportion of half the weight of the beef-fat.
When the forcemeat is very fine and smooth, withdraw it from the mortar and place it in a bowl surrounded with ice until wanted.
These preparations diverge slightly from the forcemeats given above, and they are of two kinds. They are used to stuff such fish as mackerel, herring, shad, &c., to which they lend a condimentary touch that makes these fish more agreeable to the taste, and certainly more digestible.
First Method.—Put into a bowl four oz. of raw, chopped milt, two oz. of bread-crumb, steeped in milk and well pressed, and one and one-half oz. of the following fine herbs, mixed in equal quantities and finelychopped:—Chives, parsley, chervil, shallots, sweet basil, half a garlic clove (crushed), then two whole eggs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Chop up all these ingredients together so as to mix them thoroughly.
Second Method.—Put into a bowl four oz. of bread-crumb[84]steeped in milk and well pressed; one-half oz. of onion and one-half oz. of chopped shallots, slightly cooked in butter, and cold; one oz. of raw mushrooms, chopped and well pressed in a towel; a tablespoonful of chopped parsley; a piece of garlic the size of a pea, crushed; salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and two eggs.
Mix it as above.
Divers ways of Moulding and Poaching them.—Whatever be the required size or shape of quenelles there are four ways of makingthem:—(1) By rolling them; (2) by moulding them with a spoon; (3) by forming them with a piping-bag; (4) by moulding them by hand into the shape of a kidney.
1.To roll quenellesit is necessary to keep the forcemeat somewhat stiff, and therefore this process could not well apply to themousselineforcemeats. Place one-quarter lb. of forcemeat, when ready, on a floured board, and, with hands covered in flour, roll the preparation until it has lengthened itself into the form of a sausage, the thickness of which depends upon the required size of the intended quenelles.
Cut up the sausage of forcemeat laterally with a floured knife, and roll each section with the finger-ends until the length it assumes is thrice that of its diameter. The balls should be put aside on a floured tray as soon as they are made.
The Poaching of Rolled Quenelles.—When all the forcemeat has been used up, the balls are gently tilted into a saucepan containing boiling, salted water, so calculated in quantity as to allow of their not being too tightly squeezed. The saucepan is covered and kept on the side of the fire until all the balls have risen to the surface and are almost out of the water. They are then removed with a skimmer and placed in a bowl of cold water.
At last, when they have properly cooled, they are carefully drained on a cloth and put aside on a dish until required.
When the quenelles are needed for immediate use it would be better not to cool them.
2.To Mould Quenelles with a Spoon.—This method may be applied to all forcemeats, and allows of the balls being much softer, as the forcemeat need not be so stiff. First, butter the sautépan or the tray, whereon the balls are to be laid, by means of a brush, and let the butter cool.
Put the sautépan on the table in front and a little to the right of one; on the left, place the sautépan or bowl containing the forcemeat, and on the further side of the buttered sautépan[85]there should be a receptacle containing hot water, into which the spoon used for moulding is inserted. For ordinary quenelles two coffee-spoons are used, one of which is kept in the hot water as stated above. Now, with the other held in the left hand, take up a little of the forcemeat (just enough to fill the spoon); withdraw the second spoon from the hot water and place it, with its convex side uppermost, on the other spoon.
This smoothens the upper surface of the forcemeat. Now, with the help of the second spoon, remove the whole of the contents of the first spoon, and overturn the second spoon on the spot in the tray or sautépan which the ball is intended to occupy. The second spoon, being at once moist and hot, allows the forcemeat to leave it quite easily in the shape of a large olive. Renew this operation until the whole of the forcemeat has been used.
The Poaching of Spoon-moulded Quenelles.—When all the balls have been moulded, place the tray on the side of the stove and pour enough boiling, salted water over them to moisten them abundantly. Leave them to poach, and from time to time move the tray; then, when they have swollen sufficiently and seem soft and firm to the touch, drain them. If they are to be used at once they should be placed directly in the sauce. If they have been prepared in advance, it would be well to cool them as directed under rolled quenelles.
3.To Form Quenelles with a Piping-bag.—This process is especially recommended for small, fine, and light forcemeat balls intended for soup garnish. For, besides being extremely quick, it allows of making them in any desirable size or shape.
Butter a tray or a sautépan, and leave to cool. Put the forcemeat into a bag fitted with a pipe at its narrowest end. The pipe may be grooved or smooth, and its size must be in accordance with that intended for the proposed balls. Now squeeze out the latter, proceeding in the usual way and laying them very closely.
The Poaching of Quenelles made by the above Process, with ordinary orMousselineForcemeat.—These quenelles are poached in exactly the same way as the spoon-moulded ones.
The Poaching of Godiveau Quenelles made with a Piping-bag.—These quenelles or balls are laid on a piece of fine, buttered paper, which in its turn is placed upon a buttered tray. The godiveau must not be too stiff, and the balls are laid by means of the piping-bag side by side and slightly touching one another. When the tray is covered push it into a very moderate oven for a few minutes. The balls are poached[86]when a thin dew of grease may be seen to glisten on their surfaces. On the appearance of this dew withdraw them from the oven and overturn the tray, carefully, upon a marble slab, taking care that the tray does not press at all upon the balls, lest it crush them. When the latter are nearly cold the paper which covers them is taken off with caution, and all that remains to be done is to put them carefully away on a dish until they are wanted.
4.To Mould Forcemeat with the Fingers.—This excellent process is as expedient as that of the bag, and it produces beautifully shaped balls. Place on the edge of a table, in front of one, a saucepan three-quarters full of boiling, salted water, the handle of the receptacle being turned to the far side. Now take a piece of string one yard in length, double it over, and tie the free ends to a weight of two lbs., letting the two strands twist round each other.
This done, there should be a loop at the top of the string. Put this loop round the handle of the saucepan, and draw the string diametrically across the latter, letting the weight pull the string tightly down on the side opposite to the handle. When this has been effected the operator, with his left hand, takes some of the forcemeat, smoothening it with a spoon, and, placing the spoon near the string with his right, first finger, he removes from its extremity a portion of the preparation about equal to the intended size of the balls. This portion of the forcemeat remaining suspended on his first finger, the operator now scrapes the latter across the string, and the ball falls beneath into the saucepan containing the water. When all the stuffing has been moulded in this way the saucepan is placed on the fire to complete the poaching of the balls, and the precautions indicated in the preceding processes are observed.