Take Tripe, without any Fat, and with a sharp Knife pare away the fleshy part, leaving only the brawny or horny part about the thickness of a Cock's Comb. Then, with a Jagging-Iron, cut Pieces out of it, in the shape of Cocks Combs, and the remaining Parts between, may be cut to pieces, and used in Pyes, and serve every whit as well as Cocks Combs: but those cut in form, please the Eye best; and, as Mr.Renaudobserves, the Eye must be pleased, before we can taste any thing with Pleasure. And therefore, in Fricassees we should put those which are cut according to Art.
Calf'sLiver stuffed and roasted. From the same.
Take a Calf's Liver, the Morning it is kill'd, and make a hole in it, with a large Knife, to run length-ways, but not quite through it; then make a farced Meat, or stuffing for it, of some of the Liver parboil'd, and some Fat of Bacon cut very fine, some fresh Lemon-Peel grated, some sweet Herbs powder'd, and some butter'd Eggs, as much as may be necessary, to mix with the other Ingredients; then add some grated Bread, and some Spices finely beat, with some Pepper and Salt: then fill that part that you cut in the Liver with this farced Meat; and cut other Places if you will, and fill them likewise. You may then lard the Liver, if you will, with Bacon Fat, and roast it, flouring it very well, and basting it with Butter, till it is enough. But it is reckon'd rather better by some, when the Liver is stuffed, to brush it over with the Yolk of an Egg, and strew upon it raspings of Bread sifted, some Flour, some dry'd sweet Herbs powder'd, and some Spice; and then enclose the Whole with the Caul of Veal; so roast it, and it will make an excellent Dish. To be served hot, either with Venison Sauce, made of Claret boil'd with Cinnamon, and sweeten'd with Sugar, or with Gravey Sauce, with a little Wine in it.
To roast aCalf'sLiver, another way. From Mrs.M. N.
Take a Calf's Liver, as before, and stuff it as above, only with this Alteration in the Stuffing. Shred some Veal-Suet very small, and add to that some grated Bread, Spice, and dry'd sweet Herbs finely powder'd, with some Currans plump'd, and a little Salt; then make this into a Paste, with some Eggs beaten; and when you have stuffed what Parts you please, with the Mixture, roast it, basting it well with Butter, and strewing on, now and then, some of the above Mixture, as far as it can be in powder, or admit of strewing. Then serve it hot, with melted Butter and Lemon-Juice, or Verjuice, and garnish with Lemon sliced, and pickled Berberries.
Cream Custard. From LadyH.
Boil a Quart of Cream, with some grated Nutmeg, and a little Mace finely powder'd; then beat the Yolks of twelve Eggs, with half as many Whites, with a little Salt: then add a spoonfull of Sack, and one of Orange-Flower Water, or Rose-Water: then put about six Ounces of fine Loaf-Sugar beaten fine, and well sifted; and mix all together, when the Cream is not too hot; then pass it through a fine Sieve, and bake it inChinaCups.
To imitate the fat Livers ofCaponsroasted. From the same.
Take a Calf's Liver fresh, and cut it in pieces, in the shape of large Capons Livers. Dip every one in Flour, and spit them on Lark-Spits, the flat Sides against each other, but minding to put between them a slice of fat Bacon. Roast them, and baste them well with Butter, and drudging them often with rasped Bread sifted, and flour with a little Salt. When they are enough, serve them with the following Sauce. Take two or three Necks of Fowls, if you have them, or else, a little clean Beef Gravey, a little Water, a little Ale, or small Beer; an Onion and some Pepper and Salt: then strain off the Sauce, and pour it into the Dish before you lay in your Livers, and garnish with Slices of Lemon, sliced Beet-Roots pickled, and sifted raspings of Bread. These do well likewise to be laid about a roasted Chicken.
To makePound Cakes.From the same.
Take a Pound of double refined Loaf-Sugar beaten and sifted; then beat eight Eggs and stir the Sugar in them; then melt a Pound of Butter, and stir that in with the rest, and then stir in a Pound of Flour, some Mace finely beat, with some Nutmeg grated, and some Sack, and Orange-Flower Water; beat these all together for an hour and a half till all is well mix'd; then stir in some Currans plump'd a little. To make good the name of the Cake, there should be a Pound of a sort. Some put about a quarter of a Pound of Caraway Comfits; but every way is good. Bake these in little Pans, in, a gentle Oven, and when they are quite cold, turn them out, and keep them in oaken Boxes, with Papers between them, in a dry Place.
To make a Six Hour Pudding. From the same.
Take a Pound of Beef Suet, pick'd clean from the Skins and bloody Parts, and chop it pretty small; then take a Pound of Raisins of the Sun, and stone them; then shred them, and mix them together: add to them a large spoonfull of Flour, and six Eggs beaten, a littleLisbonSugar, some Salt, and some Cloves, and Mace, beaten. Then mix these well together, and make two Puddings of them, tied up in Cloths well flour'd; boil them six Hours, and serve them with Sugar and Butter in Cups. This will cut very firm, and not taste at all greasy. And if you save one cold, cut it in Slices, and lay it upon a Grid-Iron, under Beef while it is roasting, and it eats very well with Beef Gravey hot.
To make aVenisonPasty. From the same.
Take six Pounds of Cambridge potted Butter, and rub it into a peck of Flour, but do not rub in your Butter too small; and then make it into a Paste, with Water: then butter your Pan well, and when your Paste is roll'd out thick, lay it in the Pan, preserving only enough for the Lid. TheCambridgeButter is mention'd, because it is a little Salt; or else, if you use fresh Butter, there should be some Salt put into the Crust. When that is prepar'd, take a side of Venison, and take off the Skin, as close as can be, and take the Bones out quite free from the Flesh; then cut this through length-ways, and cut it cross again, to make four Pieces of it; then strew these Pieces with Pepper and Salt, well mix'd, at discretion: and after having laid a little of the Pepper and Salt at the bottom of the Pasty, with some pieces of Butter; then lay in your pieces of Venison, so that at each Corner the Fat may be placed; then lay some Butter over it, in pieces, and close your Pasty. When it is ready for the Oven, pour in about a Quart of Water, and let it bake from five a Clock in the Morning till one in the Afternoon, in a hot Oven. And at the same time put the Skin and the Bones broken, with Water enough to cover them, and some Pepper and Salt into a glaz'd earthen Pan, into the same Oven; and when you draw the Pasty, pour off as much as you think proper, of the clear Liquor, into your Pasty. Serve it hot, but it is properly a side-board Dish, and the Carver ought always to take the Services, of the Pasty, from the Corners where the Fat is, to do honour to the Master and his Park.
To roast aHog'sHarslet. From the same.
Take a Hog's Harslet, as soon as the Hog is kill'd, lay aside the Lights, and cut the Liver in thick Slices, and the Heart in thinner Pieces; then take some of the Crow of an Hog, and cut that in Pieces equal with the rest. Then take the Sweetbreads, with some of the Sticking-Pieces, as they are called, and some Slices of fat Bacon. Dip these into Eggs beaten, and then dip them again into grated Bread, some red Sage chopt small, and some Pepper and Salt, with a little sweet Marjoram, or sweet Basil powder'd; then put the Pieces, broad-side one to another, upon a small Spit, always observing to put the Bacon next the Heart, and the Crow next the Liver; then wrap them up in a Cawl of Veal, and roast it. Put these Pieces as close as you can together, and when it is done, serve it with some melted Butter and Mustard, with a little Lemon-Juice.
To make Cream ofRaspberries.From Mrs.Heron.
Take thick Cream, a Quart, and put to that, either some Raspberry Syrup, or some Jamm of Raspberries; but the Syrup will mix much easier with it: however, the Jamm of Raspberries is accounted the best by some, because that has the Seeds in it. But I think, that Syrup of Raspberries is better, because all is smooth, and the Cream tastes sufficiently of the Raspberries. One must serve this with the Desert. But if you use the Jamm of Raspberries, you must beat it with some of the Cream a good while before it will mix; and then put it to the other Cream, and stir it a little, and it will mix.
Artificial Cream, to be mix'd with any Preserves of Fruit. From Mrs.M.S.ofSalisbury.
Take a Quart of Milk, and when it is boil'd, put in the Yolks of eight Eggs well beaten with the Whites of six. Put not in the Eggs while the Milk is too hot, lest they curdle. Then, when they are well mix'd, set them over a gentle Fire, and stir them all the while; and when you perceive them to be thick enough, put into them what quantity you please of Syrup, or Jamms of Apricots, Peaches, or Plums, or Cherries, or Oranges, Lemons, or other Fruits, stirring them well till they partake enough of the preserv'd Fruit's taste, and then serve them up, inChinaBasons, cold, in a Desert, without any Ornament of Flowers.
To make Sweet-meatCream.From the same.
Take either clean Cream from the Dairy, or else make the foregoing artificial Cream, and slice preserv'd Apricots, or preserv'd Peaches or Plums, into it, having first sweeten'd the Cream well, with fine Loaf Sugar, or with the same Syrup they were preserv'd in. Mix these well, and serve them separately, cold, inChinaBasons.
To embalmPidgeons.From a Lady inSuffolk.
This Receipt was communicated in this manner:viz.Sir, I have seen the Method you propose to embalm Partridges, in yourFarmer's Monthly Director,and have tried it so far, that I have kept them, done that way, a Month. I had then a mind to try what I could do with Pidgeons; and as soon as they were kill'd, I was diligent to take out all the Blood, and wash them, and dry them, as is directed, with warm Cloths, both inside and outside. I then laid them in Pans of earthen Ware, and cover'd them with melted Butter, which kept them very well, for a long time. I wash'd the Necks of the Pidgeons, when the Crops were taken out, with Vinegar, and dry'd them. Then I used them as you direct for Partridges, and they kept sweet a Month, fit for Roasting; and they eat the same as if they were fresh kill'd. This I send you word of, because you may know how far your embalming of Partridges has taken Effect, and to tell you, the Lady who told you of it, understood very well what she did. As for my part, I used fresh Butter; but you did not say whether it should be salt or fresh, and I try'd Pidgeons, because they are Fowls which decay sooner than any. If you think this worth your Notice,
I am,Your humble Servant.S. F.
To preservePidgeonsanother way. From the same.
Take Pidgeons fresh kill'd; wash them from the Blood, and take off the Flesh, as clean as you can from the Bones, and discharge all the Inside: then season them well with Pepper and Salt, with a little Mace and Nutmeg grated, and boil them in equal quantities of Vinegar and Water, till they are very tender with Cloves, or other Spice, as you like, and if you add a Bay-leaf or two it will be better. When your Pidgeons are boil'd tender enough, take them from the Fire, and when the Liquor is cold, lay your Pidgeons in a large Gally-pot, and pour the Liquor upon them, and cover them up close with Leather, and they will keep a long time.
An Attempt to preserveCucumbers,for Stewing, in the Winter. From the same.
Sir,
You have often told me, that you was a Lover of Cucumbers, and more especially stew'd, than any other way; which I find many others of my Friends come into. I propose, that you should pare and slice Cucumbers as usual for stewing; and then with a little Salt and Pepper, with their own Liquor stew them in a Sauce-Pan till they are a little tender; then pour them into a Cullendar, and when they are drain'd well from the Liquor, boil some White Wine, with Water, half one, and half the other, with whole Pepper; and when the Liquor is cold, put the Cucumbers into a Gally-pot, and pour the Liquor over them: and, if you put a little Oil upon the Liquor, I am persuaded they will keep several Months. I wish it may be try'd, for I have thought of it; and according to my Judgment it may be fit to use, any time in the Winter, for stewing.
When you use these, pour away all the Liquor, and let them pass through a Saucepan with a little Salt and Water, till they are tender, as you would have them; then drain them again in a Cullendar, and fry them brown, with burnt Butter, first flouring them, and a little Pepper; and when they are enough, put in a Glass of Claret, or a Glass of White Wine.
I am,Your humble Servant.S. F.
PippinTart. From the same.
Cut some golden Pippins in halves, pare them, and take out the Cores; then stew them with half their weight of Sugar, and some Lemon-Peel, cut in thin long Slices, and Water enough to cover them. When they are clear, they are enough; then set them by to cool, and strain off the Liquor, or Syrup, and put that in a Pan to stew gently, with some candy'd Lemon and Orange-Peel, in slices; then have a sweet Paste prepared in a Dish, and lay in your Pippins, and pour the Syrup, and Sweetmeats, over them, and bake them in a gentle Oven; and when it is hot, pour some Cream either pure or artificial over them, and serve them to the Table.
To PickleMarygold-Flowers.From Mr.T.ofBuckingham.
Though the Marygold Flower is of old date in Pottage; yet it continues still its stand among the useful things of the Kitchen, and cannot more easily be worn out, according to the custom of the Country, when the Country Folks make Broth. Mint with Pease, Fennel with Mackarel, and such like, cannot be forgot. And as the Marygold-Flowers are used in Porridge, I send the Receipt how to pickle them. Strip the Flower-leaves off, when you have gather'd the Flowers, at Noon, or in the Heat of the Day, and boil some Salt and Water; and when that is cold, put your Marygold-Flower Leaves in a Gallypot, and pour the Salt and Water upon them; then shut them up close till you use them, and they will be of a fine Colour, and much fitter for Porridge than those that are dry'd.
Seed-Cake. From the same.
Make some Paste of fine Flour, such as you would make for light Bread, with Yeast. Take five Pounds of this Dough, Without Salt in it, and cover it before a Fire for half an Hour, to make it rise; then take two Pounds and a half of fresh Butter melted, and five Eggs beaten well with half a Pound of fineLisbonSugar. Mix these well with your Paste, and work it till it is as light as possible; and when your Oven is very hot and clean, strew into your Cake a Pound of smooth Caraway Comfits; then put some Butter on the Sides and Bottom of your Pan, and put in your Cake, and one Hour and a quarter will bake it. When it comes out of the Oven, cover it with Cloths of Linnen till it is cold; then put it, the next Day, a little while into an Oven.N.B.You must be sure to put in the Sugar after the Butter. One may put on an Iceing if one will.
To make Orange-Chips. From the same.
Take some fresh Oranges aboutFebruary,and pare them very thin; they are then very cheap. Boil them in several Waters till they are tender, and have lost their Bitterness; then put them into cold Water for twelve Hours or more. Then make a Syrup for them in the following manner. Take about their weight of fine Sugar powder'd, and mix it with as much Water as it will take in, or a little more. Boil this, and scum it well; then drain the Orange-Peels from the Water they were steep'd in, and put them in a glaz'd earthen Vessel, and then pour the boiling hot Syrup upon them, letting them remain so till the Day following; then pour the Syrup from them, and boil it afresh, and pour it on a second time, and repeat the same work till your Peels are very clear, and the Syrup very thick; and then dry them in a Stove, and they will be fit for use, in the Condition we buy them. One may candy Lemon-Chips after the same manner.
To makeHartshorn-Jelly.From the same.
Take six Ounces of Harts-horn Shavings; put them into two Quarts of Water, and two or three bits of Lemon-Peel, and set this in a Sand-heat, for six or eight Hours, or let them infuse about ten Hours upon hot Embers. Then boil it briskly, and when you find it will jelly, as you may do, by taking out a little of the Liquor in a Spoon, and cooling it; then strain it off, and add to it about half a Pound of double-refined Sugar powder'd very fine; about a Gill of Sack, or two or three spoonfuls of Mountain Wine, the Juice of two Lemons; then set this on a slow Fire, and as it heats, beat the Whites of two Eggs to a froth, and put it into the Pan, where the Jelly is, at times as it rises; and then, when it just boils up, take it from the Fire, and it will be clarified. Then pour it by small quantities into the Jelly-bag, and let it drop or run into some Receiver; but it will be apt to run thick at first: then take that which is first run, if it be thick, and pour again into the Jelly-bag, and you will find it come clear. Then place your Glasses to receive it, and change the full one for another, which you must carefully watch, that your Glasses be not soil'd in the least, for the Beauty of this, in one particular, is its transparency; and again, it should not be too stiff. Some only take the Harts-horn Shavings, six Ounces to two Quarts of Water, and boil it gently till the Liquor will jelly, without the expence of a Sand-heat, or setting it on hot Embers. The boiling it is the best way, but requires more Patience.
To make a Tart of theAnanas,orPine-Apple.From Barbadoes.
Take a Pine-Apple, and twist off its Crown: then pare it free from the Knots, and cut it in Slices about half an Inch thick; then stew it with a little Canary Wine, or Madera Wine, and some Sugar, till it is thoroughly hot, and it will distribute its Flavour to the Wine much better than any thing we can add to it. When it is as one would have it, take it from the Fire; and when it is cool, put it into a sweet Paste, with its Liquor, and bake it gently, a little while, and when it comes from the Oven, pour Cream over it, (if you have it) and serve it either hot or cold.
MarmaladeofPine-Apples,orAnanas.
When you have small Pine-Apples in Fruit, which are not noble enough to be brought to the Table, twist off their Crowns, and pare them; then slice them, and put them into a Syrup of Water, Sugar, and Pippins; and boil them with half their quantity of Sugar added to them, with a little White Wine, breaking them with a Spoon, as they boil, till they come to a Mash, or are a little tender. Then take them from the Fire, and put the Marmalade into Glasses to keep, and cover every Glass with white Paper, preserving them in a dry Place.
To dress the Giblets of aTortoise,orSea-Turtle.From aBarbadoesLady.
Take the Head, the Feet, and the Tail, of either of these, and taking off their Scales, stew them three or four Hours, in Salt and Water, till they are almost tender; then broil them a little with Pepper and Salt on them, and then put them into a Stew-pan with a Shallot, and some Spice and sweet Herbs, according to your Taste; some strong Gravey, and some Wine, and thicken the Sauce, taking out the bunch of sweet Herbs. You may put then some Juice of Limes to them, or Chadocks or Lemons, to make them fine.N.B.This is a dainty Dish, if they are broil'd, after the first stewing, because as they are sinewey, the Sinews ought to be a little scorched by broiling, or else they will not be so tender as one would have them.
There are two Sorts of Tortoises, the Land, and the Sea-Tortoise; but the Sea-Tortoise or Turtle, is what I mean, which is that which we have about theWest-Indies. This is a fine Animal, partaking of the Land and Water. Its Flesh between that of Veal, and that of a Lobster, and is extremely pleasant, either roasted or baked. There are some of these Creatures that weigh near two hundred Weight. They are frequently brought toEnglandin Tubs of Sea Water, and will keep alive a long time.
To roast a Piece ofTurtle,orTortoise.From the same.
Take a piece of the Flesh of about five or six Pounds, and lay it in Salt and Water two Hours; then stick a few Cloves in it, and fasten it to the Spit, baste it at first with Wine and Lemon-Juice; and when it is near enough, drudge some Flour over it, with the raspings of Bread sifted; and then baste it well, either with Oil, or Butter, strewing on, from time to time, more Flour and Raspings till it is enough; then take the Liquor in the Pan, and pouring off the Fat, boil it with some Lemon-Peel, and a little Sugar and Salt, and pour it over the Turtle. So serve it hot.
To make aTurtle,or _Tortoise-_Pye. From the same.
Cut the Flesh of Turtle, or Tortoise, into Slices, about an Inch thick; then take Cloves beaten fine, with some Pepper and Salt, and a little sweet Herbs, and season your Pieces with them; then lay them in your Crust, with some Lemons sliced, and a quarter of a Pint of Oil-Olive pour'd over them, Or else some Butter laid in bits upon them. In the cutting your Pieces, distribute your Fat and Lean, equally as may be; and though the Fat is of a greenish colour, it is yet very delicious: then close your Pye, and just before you put it in the Oven, pour in some White Wine, and bake it in a gentle Oven till it is tender. Then serve it hot.
To preserveGinger-Roots.From the same.
Take Roots of Ginger, as we have them dry inEngland; wash them well, and lay one Pound of them to steep, ten or twelve Days, in White Wine and Water, stirring them every Day. Then take two Quarts of White Wine, and about half a Pint of Lemon-Juice, and boil them together a quarter of an Hour; then add two Pounds and a half of fine Sugar, and boil it to a Syrup, taking off the Scum as it rises; then put in your Ginger, and boil it a quarter of an Hour; then let it cool in a glazed Pan till the next Day, and then boil it again in the Syrup for half an Hour, and let it cool, as before, till the Day following, and repeat the boiling and cooling till your Ginger is clear, and put it into your Glasses, and cover them with Papers. It makes a fine Sweet-meat for the Winter.
To preserveGinger-Roots,fresh taken out of the Ground. From the same.
As Ginger is very common in theWest-Indies, so the Roots are either preserved or pickled, when they are fresh taken out of the Ground, and we have now Ginger, growing in Pots, almost in every Garden where there is a Stove; and in a Year's time a single Root will almost fill a Pot; so that one might easily have enough of our own, to preserve every Year. We must take them up, when they have no Leaves upon them; and then scald them in Water, and rub them with a coarse Cloth till they are dry; then put them into White Wine and Water, and boil them half an. Hour; then let them cool, and boil them again half an Hour. Then make a Syrup with White Wine two Quarts, half a Pint of Lime or Lemon-Juice, and two Pounds and a half of fine Sugar, with two Ounces of the Leaves of Orange-Flowers. When these boil together, put in your Ginger, and boil it gently half an Hour; then let it cool in an earthen glaz'd Vessel, and continue to boil it every Day, and cooling it till the Roots of your Ginger are clear. Then put it up in Gallypots, or in Glasses, and cover them with Papers, to keep for use.
To make Paste ofPippins,or other fine Apples. From the same.
Take large Golden-Pippins, or Golden-Rennets, and scald them, with their Skins on; then pare them, and take out the Cores, and beat them in a Marble Mortar very well, with a little Lemon-Peel grated. Take then their weight of fine Sugar, and a little Water, and boil that in a Skillet to a candy height; then put in your Apples, and boil them thick in the Syrup till they will leave the Skillet, and when it is almost cold, work it up with fine Loaf-Sugar powder'd, and mould it into Cakes, then dry them.
To preserveCornelian-Cherries.From the same.
Take Cornelian-Cherries, when they are full ripe, and take their weight in fine Sugar powder'd; then put these into your preserving Pan, and lay a Layer of Sugar, and another of Fruit; and so on till you have laid all in, covering them with Sugar; then pour upon them half a Pint of White Wine, and set it on the Fire, and as soon as the Sugar is all melted, boil them up quick, and take off the Scum as it rises, stirring them every now and then: and when the Fruit is clear, they are enough. Then put them into Glasses, and cover them with Papers.
To makeMarmaladeofCornelian-Cherries.From the same.
When your Cornelian-Cherries are full ripe, take out the Stones, and to every Pound of Fruit, take its weight of fine Sugar powder'd. Wet it with White Wine, and boil it to a candy'd height; then put in your Fruit, with the Juice that comes from them; then boil them very quick, and stir it often, scumming it clean; and when you see it very clear, and of a good Consistence, put it into a glaz'd earthen Pan; and when it is almost cold, put it into Glasses, and cover them with white Paper, and keep it in a dry Room.Note, If you let any of these sharp Fruits stand to cool in your Sweet-meat-Pans, they will take an ill taste from them.
To makeJammofDamsons.From the same.
Take Damsons, full ripe, a Gallon; pick them from the Stalks, that may happen to be about them, and the Leaves that are sometimes gather'd with them: then take near their weight of Sugar, and about a Quart of Water, and boil them well together, and put in your Damsons, and boil them till they are tender, breaking them with a Spoon, all the while, till the whole is thicken'd. Then put it in Gallypots, and set it to cool; then close the Pots down with Leather.
To preserveCurransinJelly.From the same.
Take some of the largeDutchred or white Currans, when they are ripe, and pick them from the Stalks; then, with a Pin, pick out the Stones; or, you may, if you will, leave them on the Stalks, if they are large Bunches, but still pick out the Kernels. Then take their weight in Sugar, and wet it with a little Water, and add a little Syrup of Raspberries to it; then boil it to a Syrup, scumming it as it rises: then put in your Currans, and boil them up quick, shaking them often, still taking off the Scum as it rises. They will be enough done to put up, when the Syrup will jelly, as you may try by putting some in a Spoon, and letting it cool. When you find this, pour out all into Glasses, when it has cool'd a little. If your Currans are pick'd from the Stalks, or if they are in Bunches, then let the Syrup be half cold, and pour it into the Glasses; and then put in your Bunches, placing them as you would have them situated, and as it cools, they will fix in their several Stations; cover the Glasses then with white Paper.
Note, The red Currans ought to be done by themselves, and the white by themselves, for both together will make a disagreeable Mixture.
To dryApricots.From Mrs.WalsinghamofSuffolk.
Chuse for this use, the large Turkey or Roman-Apricot, almost ripe; Stone them, and pare them; then throw them into cold Water, with the Parings; weigh the pared Apricots, and prepare an equal weight of fine Sugar powder'd; then put some of the Water the Apricots were steep'd in, to the Sugar, and boil them to a candy'd height: you may then put in your Apricots, and boil them till they are clear, and when they have lain a few Days, in the Syrup, lay them upon a fine Wyre-Sieve, and dry them in a warm Place. Then, when they are done, put them in oaken Boxes, with Papers between them.
To stew a Rump ofBeef.From Mrs.L——
Take a small Rump of Beef, lay it in a long Pan, deep enough to allow your Beef to be cover'd; then put to it a Pint of Ale, a Quart of Claret, half a Pint of Verjuice, or the Juice of two large Lemons; and as much Water added, as will make Liquor enough to cover it, a Crust of Bread burnt, an Anchovy, some bits of Lemon-Peel, a bunch of sweet Herbs, two largeHertfordshireTurnips cut in dice, two large Onions cut in halves, some Pepper and Salt, a Nutmeg sliced, a few Cloves, and a little Mace. Stop this close, and let it stew, at least, five Hours; then lay your Beef in the Dish, and pass the Liquor through a Sieve, and fill the Dish with it; garnishing with Turnips, cut in Dice, boil'd tender, and then fry'd in Hog's-Lard, and sliced Lemon, or you may bake your Rump of Beef, if you will, for it is much the same. And this way you may likewise bake or stew a Leg of Beef, or an Ox-Cheek, only break the Bones of the Leg of Beef, and take out all the Bones of the Ox-Cheek, and take especially Care to clean it, for it requires some nicety to do it well.
Pepper-Mint Water,From the same.
Take Pepper-Mint six handfuls, cut it a little, and infuse it two Days in six Quarts of clean Spirit; then draw it off in a cold Still, marking every Bottle, as it fills, with a Number, for the first Bottle will be far the strongest, the second less strong, and the third weaker than the second; and so as we draw off more, they will be still weaker, till at last it becomes almost insipid, and somewhat sourish, but take none of that; then cover the Mouth of your Bottles with Papers prick'd full of Holes, and let them stand a Day or two; then pour your first Bottle into a large earthen glaz'd Pan; and to that the second, and then the third, and the fourth, and so on, till by mixing they all become of a sufficient strength; then put them in Bottles, with a Knob or two of double-refin'd Loaf-Sugar, and cork them close. This is an incomparable pleasant Dram, tasting like Ice, or Snow, in the Mouth, but creates a fine warmth in the Stomach, and yields a most refreshing Flavour.
This Sort of Mint is hard to be met with; but is lately cultivated in some Physick Gardens atMitcham. It must be kept well weeded, and the top of the Bed, where it grows, must, when we cut it, be pricked up, a little, with a small Fork, or the Earth made fine with a Trowel; because the Runners, of this sort of Mint, shoot along upon the Surface of the Ground, and so at the Joints strike Root, which is contrary to other Sorts of Mint, which shoot their Runners under ground.
Damson-Wineto imitateClaret.From the same.
Take nine Gallons of Water, make it scalding hot, and pour it upon six and thirty Pounds ofMalagaRaisins well pick'd from the Stalks. The Raisins should be sound, or they will spoil your Wine. While the Water is yet hot, put into the Liquor half a Peck of Damsons full ripe, and pick'd clean of the Stalks and Leaves, to each Gallon of Liquor; then stir them all together in the open Tub we make this Infusion in, and continue stirring them twice a Day for six Days. Keep this Tub cover'd with a Cloth all that time: then let it stand five or six Days longer, without stiring, and then draw it off: and if it is not deep-colour'd enough, put a little Syrup of Mulberries to it, and work it with a piece of White-Bread toasted, and spread with Yeast or Barm, in an open Vessel; and then tun it, keeping the Bung of the Vessel open till the Wine has done singing in the Cask. Then slop it close, and let it stand till it is clear, which will be in two or three Months; then draw it off. Some will just give their Damsons a scald in the Water before they pour it on the Raisins, which is a good way.
To Cure aLap-Dog,when he continues drowsy some Days, and cannot eat.From the same.
If you find a Lap-Dog to be sleepy, and will not take his Victuals for two or three Days; or if he eats, and as often discharges it soon after; take a large Tea-spoon-full of Rum or Brandy, and as much Water, and holding his Head up, and his Mouth open with one Hand, pour it down his Throat. This is quantity enough for one of the smallest Dogs, and will cure him in less than half an Hour; but as the Dogs are larger, you may give to the biggest a large spoonful of Rum or Brandy equally mix'd with Water, and so in proportion to the size of the Dog. It is a sure Remedy.
Dog-Grass,orCouch-Grass,orTwitch-Grass,necessary to be had, growing in Pots inLondon,to cureLap-Dogs,that are sick, in the Summer. From the same.
Couch-Grass is one of the Gardener's Plagues, and is in every Garden too much. Take a Clump of this, and set it in a large Garden-Pot, and letting it stand as airy as possible, water it gently every other Morning. There is one sort of it, which is finely variegated, the Leaves appearing like striped Ribbons. This fine sort is at the Ivy-House atHoxton, where it may be put in Pots at any time. This, or the other, should be put to a Dog, at any time, when he is sick, and he will eat it greedily, and cure himself; but for want of this Help, which favourite Lap-Dogs inLondonwant, they lose their briskness. I believe it would be worth some poor Woman's while to sell this Grass, inLondon, where so many fine Lap-Dogs are kept, and indulged so much, that they cannot be taken abroad to search their Physick; while those of the larger kind take their way abroad, in the Mornings, at their pleasure. This, Sir, I send you with some other Receipts, because Dogs are not a little useful about a Farm, and the little ones are no less agreeable to their Keepers. And I am sure, if you publish these, they will prove very acceptable to many Ladies, and Gentlemen, who are Admirers of these faithful Creatures.
I am, &c.J. L.
LisbonorPortugal-Cakes.From the same_,_
Take a Pound of double-refin'd Loaf-Sugar beaten fine, and past through a fine Sieve. Mix this with a Pound of fine Flour; then rub into these a Pound of fresh or new Butter, till your Sugar and Flour looks like Bread-Crumbs; then add, two or three spoonfulls of Orange-Flower-Water, and about ten spoonfuls of Canary-Wine: then beat ten Eggs, till their Whites are whipt to Snow, and mix the Eggs, with the rest, with a quarter of a Pound of blanched Almonds beaten in a Marble Mortar, with some Orange-Flower Water; and when you have butter'd your Pans well, fill them half full with this Mixture, and bake them, if you make them without Currans, or else fill the Pans fuller, first plumping the Currans, which should be in proportion, as you please.
Imperial Florentine.FromMr. ByecorfatAugsburgh.
Cut the leanest part of a Leg of Veal, in thin Slices, and beat them with the Back of a Knife, as you would doScotsCollups; then season the Cutlets with Cloves, Pepper beaten fine to powder, some Pepper and Salt, with some Nutmeg grated, a little dry'd sweet Marjoram powder'd, or some sweet Basil. Lay this Mixture pretty thick upon them, and roll them up with a little Piece of fat Bacon, in the middle; then lay in your Paste to the Dish, and over the Bottom strew a little Pepper, Salt, and Nutmeg, with some Balls of farced Meat, with bits of Butter, placed here and there. Put in then your rolls of Veal, with some Cocks-Combs blanched, a quarter of a Pint of Mushroom Buttons pickled, some Slices of Lemon, with half a Pint of White Wine, and about a Pint of Water; then close your Pye, and when it is baked, serve it hot.N.B.Before you close it, put some bits of Butter on the top of your Rolls of Meat.
To make Farced Meat, for the foregoingFlorentine.From the same.
Take the Lean of a Leg of Veal, chop it small, and beat it well in a Marble Mortar, with as much Fat of the Kidney of Veal; and then put some Pepper, Salt, Cloves, Nutmeg, Powder of dry'd sweet Marjoram, and some Mushrooms, chopt as you please; then add as many Eggs, beaten as you think proper, with some grated Bread, to make it into a Paste, and roll this Mixture into Balls. Some instead of the Kidney-Fat of Veal, will chop the same quantity of fat Bacon.
To make a Tart of whiteBeet-Cards.From the same.
Take some white Beet-Cards, (or Leaves) as much Spinach-Leaves, and the same quantity ofFrenchSorrel, which has a round Leaf. Chop these small, or if you beat them all together in a Marble Mortar, it is better; then strain out the Juice, and put it amongst the same proportion, or quantity, of the same Herbs, fresh cut, that is, put the Liquor to as many Herbs as you cut before, and shred them; then add to them about five Ounces of good Sugar, and you may put as much Currans. Mix these well, and bake them; then pour over it, while it is hot, some Cream that has been boil'd thick, and serve it hot: but if you use raw Cream, from the Dairy, you must mix it with the Ingredients, and then strew fine powder'd Sugar over it, but serve it hot, let it be which way you will.
To make a Preserve ofQuinces,white inJelly.From the same.
Make a Syrup of Golden-Pippins, or Golden-Rennets; and to make that, pare your Apples, and core them, but never use two sorts together, for one will be soft before the other is half done. Always take this for a Rule in Apples, Onions, and Turnips; they should be all of one kind, and all from the same Place, or else you will be disappointed. Boil your Apples with their weight in Sugar, and as much Water as will mix with it: boil this to a Jelly, and in the mean time, pare your Quinces, and cut them in Quarters, taking them clear off the Core; then boil them, first in fair Water, till they are a little tender, and then put them into the boiling Syrup, and keep them gently boiling half an Hour, or what one might more properly call stewing. If the Quinces are not then clear, boil them again, the next Day, in the same Liquor; and when the Quinces are as clear as they can be, which is never very much like other Fruits, but we should rather say tender, put them into Gallypots, or Glasses, and pour the Syrup, or Jelly, over them, to keep; and as soon as they are cold, then put Papers over them.
To Candy wholeOrange,orLemon-Peels.
Take some of the fairest Oranges, or Lemons, and cut a small hole in the top of them; then scoop out all the Pulp, as clean as possible; lay these in Water to steep eight or ten Days, shifting them to fresh Waters twice a Day; then boil them in several Waters, till they are tender enough to run a Straw through them. Then take one Pound of double-refin'd Loaf-Sugar to each Pound of Peel, and a Quart of Water: then make your Syrup, and boil your Peels in it eight or ten Minutes, and let them stand in your Syrup five or six Days, in an earthen glaz'd Vessel, for it would spoil in a Brass or Copper Pan: then to every Pound put one Pound more of Sugar into your Syrup, and boil your Peels in it, till they are clear; then put them into Gallypots, and boil your Syrup till it is almost of a Candy height, and pour it upon your Peels; and when it is cold, cover it. The same manner they preserve the Peels of green Oranges, Lemons, and Limes, inBarbadoes.
To stewSoles.FromYarmouth.
Take the largest Soles you can get, gut them, and skin them; lay them then into a Stew-pan, and pour in about a Pint of good Beef Gravey, and as much Claret; some bits of Lemon-Peel, an Anchovy or two, a stick of Horse-Radish, a bunch of sweet Herbs, a large Onion, half a large Nutmeg, some Cloves and Mace, whole Pepper, and Salt, with a little bit of Butter. Then stew these till the Fish is enough, and pour off the Liquor, through a Sieve, and thicken it with burnt Butter, having first put to it the Juice of a Lemon. Then pour the Sauce over the Fish, and garnish with Lemon sliced, and the Roots of red Beets pickled and sliced, with Horse-Radish scraped, and fry'd Bread.
A Hash of rawBeef.From Mr.Moringat the Blue-PostsTemple-Bar.
Cut some thin Slices of tender Beef, and put them in a Stew-Pan, with a little Water, a bunch of sweet Herbs, some Lemon-Peel, an Onion, with some Pepper, Salt, and some Nutmeg. Cover these close, and let them stew till they are tender; then pour in a Glass or two of Claret; and when it is warm, clear your Sauce of the Onion, Herbs,&c. and thicken it with burnt Butter. It is an excellent Dish. Serve it hot, and garnish with Lemon diced, and red Beet-Roots, Capers, and such like.
ThinBeef-Collupsstew'd. FromOxford.
Cut raw Beef in thin Slices, as you would do Veal, forScotsCollups; lay them in a Dish, with a little Water, a Glass of Wine, a Shallot, some Pepper and Salt, and a little sweet Marjoram powdered; then clap another Dish over that, having first put a thin slice or two of fat Bacon among your Collups: then set your Mess, so as to rest upon the backs of two Chairs, and take six Sheets of whited-brown Paper, and tear it in long Pieces; and then lighting one of them, hold it under the Dish, till it burns out, then light another, and so another till all your Paper is burnt; and then your Stew will be enough, and full of Gravey. Some will put in a little Mushroom Gravey, with the Water, and the other Ingredients, which is yet a very good way.
Stew'dBeef-Steaks.From theSpring-GardensatVaux-Hall, Surrey.
Take good Rump-Beef Steaks, and season them with Pepper and Salt; then lay them into the Pan, and pour in a little Water; then add a bunch of sweet Herbs a few Cloves, an Anchovy, a little Verjuice, an Onion, and a little Lemon-Peel, with a little bit of Butter, or fat Bacon, and a Glass of White Wine. Cover these close, and stew them gently, and when they are tender, pour away the Sauce, and strain it; then take out the Steaks, and flour them, and fry them; and when you put them in the Dish, thicken the Sauce, and pour it over them. This way was much approved.
To makeCologn's-Geneva.FromCologn.
Take good Brandy, one Gallon; then take two Pounds of Juniper-berries fresh gather'd, and full ripe. Press these till you perceive a greenish Liquor come from them; then put them into the Brandy, and let them remain about ten Days: then pour them through a Cloth of coarse Linnen, and squeeze it, and when you have the Liquor, if you find it too strong, you may add to it some more Brandy, and half a Pound of fine Sugar to a Gallon. Then put it in Flasks, or Bottles.
Then take the Pressings, and infuse them again in Brandy, for six or seven Days, and distil them. This they call doubleCologn'sGin, and the best is sold inHolland, at three Shillings and Six-penceperQuart.
To makeScots-Snuff,or pureTobacco-Snuff.From Mr.Hyslop.
Take the Leaves of good Tobacco, and spread them open; then dry them gently in the Sun, or before the Fire, and strip them from the Stalks; when the leafy part will crumble, between the Fingers; then put it into a Mill, and with a Pestle rolling about it, the Tobacco will presently be ground, as fine as Snuff; or else, if you have never a Mill, when your Tobacco will break between the Fingers, lay it on an oaken Table, and pass the flat side of a Knife over it, backwards and forwards, as if you was whetting it, pressing it hard, and you will make fine Snuff. This I mention here, because, sometimes, the Snuff-takers are without Snuff, and remote from any Place where it may be had, and would give any Money for it; which was my Case, when I learn'd this Receipt, and by the last Means was presently supplied: we may make it likewise of cut Tobacco dry'd before the Fire.
Or if we raise Tobacco in our Gardens, pick the Leaves from the Stalks, towards the Root, when they are full grown, tie six in a bunch together, and hang them up to dry in the Shade; then dip them in Water, or some Beer or Ale, and hang them up again to dry, and then press the Leaves one upon another, in their Bunches, in a Box or Tub, as hard as possible; and in a few Months time, they will make very good Snuff, being order'd as above directed.
Butterturned toOilrecovered. From Mrs.M. N.
There are some Lands, as well as some Treatments of Butter in the Dairy, that makes the Butter so very fat and greasy, that it is hard to melt, without running to Oil; while, on the other hand, there is a sort of Butter, which cuts as firm as Wax; and even this will sometimes turn to Oil in the melting, but very seldom. However, when it so happens, pour your oil'd Butter into a Porringer, and letting it stand a little, melt a little fresh, and as soon as it is liquid, pour into it, by gentle degrees, at times, some of the Butter that was oil'd before, keeping your Sauce-pan shaking all the while; and if you find it any way difficult to be recovered, pour in a little Milk, and shake them together, and it will recover.Memorandum, A Sauce-pan that is very thin at the Bottom is apt to oil Butter, let it be ever so good.
OrangeorLemon-Cakes.From the same.
Take some preserv'd Orange or Lemon-Peels, wash'd from their Syrup; then beat them, in a Marble Mortar, to a Pulp, adding a little Orange-Flower Water to them, and a very little Gum-Arabic to it powder'd, this will become a Paste; then mould it into Cakes, with double-refined Sugar beaten fine, and dry them; they must then be laid in Boxes, between sheets of white Paper, and kept in a dry Place.
To dryPlums,of any sort, withoutSugar.From the same.
Take a Wyre Sieve, and gather your Plums, not too ripe, nor in the heat of the Day; run a Needle through the Skin of each of them, and lay them on the Sieve, so as not to touch one another. Put your Sieve then into a declining Oven, and let it stand twelve Hours; then set it by, and repeat the same the second and third time, and if the Plums are large, then it may be they will require the fourth or fifth time; but turn them every time, when you are going to put them in the Oven. They will dry by this Means so well, that you may keep them all the Winter, for use, in Boxes, in a dry Place.Memorandum, Some of them will candy on the Outsides. The Mussel-Plum is a very good one for this use.
TheShropshireandWorcestershire-Dish.From the same.
Sir,
If you would please all People, by the several Receipts you publish, you ought to have the particular Dish that is the Favourite of every County. InWorcestershireandShropshire, the following is in esteem, and I believe you will oblige several Gentlemen and Ladies of these Parts, if you would insert it in some of your Works.
Take some good middling Bacon, and fry it; then put in some Calf's Liver, and cut it in thick Pieces, pepper it, and salt it; and when it is enough, for it must not be fry'd hard, have ready prepared some Cabbage-Lettuce, some white Beet-Cards, or Beet-Leaves, and some Spinach-Leaves, and chop them together, with some Parsley, but not too small; then chop some Onion, and mix with the rest; then throw them into your Frying pan, with a piece of Butter, when the Bacon and Liver is out, and fry them till they are tender, and as brown as may be; putting in a spoonful of Verjuice, or the Juice of a Lemon, a little before they are enough. And having kept the Liver and Bacon hot all the while, pour these Herbs over them, which ought to be in good quantity.
FineCakesto keep. From the same.
Take a Pound of fine Sugar powder'd, and somewhat less than a Quart of Flour. Rub these with a Pound of fresh Butter, and mix it with three or four Yolks of Eggs, with some Orange-Flower-Water, and a little Ale-Yeast: set this Paste before the Fire to rise, and roll out your Cakes thin, while the Paste is hot; then cut them into what Shapes you please, and prick them on the top, and bake them in a gentle Oven. They will keep a long time and are very good.
To makePenzance-Cakes.From the same.
Take the Yolks of Eggs well beaten, put to them some Mace finely powder'd, with a few spoonfuls of Wine, a little Salt, and as much Sugar as you please; then add as much Flour as is necessary, and a small quantity of Ale-Yeast, and work your Dough pretty stiff; then add some fresh Butter, broken in little bits, and work it in till all the Paste has partaken of it, and the Dough becomes as stiff as at first. Make your Cakes then, and bake them. They will keep some time.
To make Crystal candy'dSweet-meats.From the same.
When we propose to make these candy'd Sweet-meats, we must first know what Fruits, Flowers,&c. are proper for them, and how those ought to be gathered and prepared.
First of all, to begin with the Flowers. Take Orange-Flowers, or Lemon, or Citron-Flowers; gather them, when the Dew is upon them, in the Morning, because the Leaves of them will be then full, and then they are best to use, when the Leaves are pick'd off, and then the Dew will be gone; but if they lie a Day, they will shrink, turn bitter, and of a yellowish brown Colour. Take these Leaves fresh pick'd, and pour the following Composition upon them.
You may take also some Orange, or Lemon, or Citron, preserved, and dry'd, and cut them in small pieces. Or Apricots dry'd and cut into small pieces, or such sorts as are a little hard in themselves will do. If one was to cut some Pine-Apple, or Ananas, simply or preserv'd, and cut that in pieces, it would be entomb'd in a Rock of Sugar; or Currans preserv'd upon their Stalks may do, if you think it worth while; but Orange-Flower-Leaves do very well. It is a fine Candy to carry in the Pocket.
Then to begin your Business. Take one Pound of double-refined Loaf-Sugar beat small, and finely sifted; mix this with four or five spoonfuls of Orange-Flower-Water, and about half a Drachm of Gum-Arabic finely beaten; then put three spoonfuls of White Wine, and mix all together, and boil them in a glazed earthen Vessel till the Liquor will hardly run, or at least run in Ropes; then have small Jars of earthen Ware glazed, and put into each of them the several sorts of Fruits, and Flowers, you would inclose in candy'd Sugar, making those Jars very hot, and immediately pour the Liquor upon them, and stop them close; then put the Jars into a Stove, for a fortnight or more, and you may then break the Jars, and your several Fruits and Flowers will be inclosed in a crystal like Candy, such as white Sugar Candy. And then with a slight blow of an Hammer, break these Candies into Pieces of about a Finger's length, and keep them in Glasses stopt close, in a dry Place, and they will remain good several Years. The little Pots must be broken of course.
To make aHackin.From a Gentleman inCumberland.
Sir,
There are some Counties inEngland, whose Customs are never to be set aside; and our Friends inCumberland, as well as some of our Neighbours inLancashire, and else-where, keep them up. It is a Custom with us everyChristmas-Day in the Morning, to have, what we call an Hackin, for the Breakfast of the young Men who work about our House; and if this Dish is not dressed by that time it is Day-light, the Maid is led through the Town, between two Men, as fast as they can run with her, up Hill and down Hill, which she accounts a great shame. But as for the Receipt to make this Hackin, which is admired so much by us, it is as follows.
Take the Bag or Paunch of a Calf, and wash it, and clean it well with Water and Salt; then take some Beef-Suet, and shred it small, and shred some Apples, after they are pared and cored, very small. Then put in some Sugar, and some Spice beaten small, a little Lemon-Peel cut very fine, and a little Salt, and a good quantity of Grots, or whole Oat-meal, steep'd a Night in Milk; then mix these all together, and add as many Currans pick'd clean from the Stalks, and rubb'd in a coarse Cloth; but let them not be wash'd. And when you have all ready, mix them together, and put them into the Calf's-Bag, and tye them up, and boil them till they are enough. You may, if you will, mix up with the whole, some Eggs beaten, which will help to bind it. This is our Custom to have ready, at the opening of the Doors, onChristmas-Day in the Morning. It is esteem'd here; but all that I can say to you of it, is, that it eats somewhat like aChristmas-Pye, or is somewhat like that boil'd. I had forgot to say, that with the rest of the Ingredients, there should be some Lean of tender Beef minced small.
TheNorthampton-Cake.
Take a Peck of Flour, and a Pound of fine Sugar beaten well into Powder, and sifted; then add a quarter of an Ounce of Cloves, half an Ounce of Cinnamon, and a large Nutmeg, and beat them to powder; put to this some Orange-Flower-Water, or Rose-Water; then take five or six Pounds of Currans well pick'd, and rub'd dry with a coarse Cloth, but not wash'd. Put these with your Fruit, and a little Salt into the Flour; then take as much Cream as you think proper: then melt two Pounds of Butter, to mix with it, and add a Pint of Canary-Wine, and kneed it with some fresh Ale-Yeast, till it rises under your hand. Have your Oven hot before you put it in the Hoop for Baking.
Of the Baking of Fruit. From Mr.L. M.
It is to be observed, that all Fruits that are ripe require little baking, and those which are of the hardest, or most unripe Sorts, ought to have a long and gentle baking. In Pears, for example, when we have some of those, which ripen in the Autumn, they will bake with a Tart; for as they are ripe of themselves, they require very little baking, for Ripeness is one degree tending to Rottenness; and as that is done by heat gently, so the Oven brings that to a certain height, suddenly, with its safeguard of Sugar; that the Fruit comes to its full flavour, with the additional beauty, from the Sugar. It would have done a great deal by Nature itself, if the Tree had stood in a place agreeable; but much more would it be for those baking Pears, as we call them, if they had the advantage of a good Climate; one may guess then how much difference there is between one and the other. In the tough and hard Pears, one ought to bake them twice, that is, once with a little Water and Sugar, in as hot an Oven as they bake Bread in; and then put them in Pyes, and bake them over again, so will they become tender, well tasted, and of a fine colour. But be it as it will, as soon as either of these come out of the Oven, pour some Cream over them, and mix it with them, if they are to be served hot, mashing the Fruit all the while; but if they are to be served cold, then only pour some Cream over them, when they just come from the Oven, and let it remain till you serve it cold.
There is one way which is practised by some, and that is, to break the hard Pears, just when they are taken out of the Oven, in the Pye; for else the outsides, though the Rind is off, will be hard, and tough: then pour on the Cream. It is to be noted, that all ripe Apples require less baking, and less Sugar, than the hard Apples, which do not become ripe till some Months afterwards. When an Apple, or Pear, for example, is as ripe as it can be in our Climate, it will have some softness, and some sweetness in it, and therefore will require less baking, as baking is only a sort of ripening; and so on the other hand: but we are providentially provided with both Apples and Pears, which are, some ripe sooner, and some ripe later; even that by the end ofJuly,we have some ripe, and some remain hard and sour tillJune.We ought be apprised of the Sorts, to take them in their several Seasons, and not to take the Winter Fruits, for baking, when we have ripe Fruits by us. Many thousand Bushels of Fruit are lost for want of this Caution.
So at any time, when you use Apples, or Pears, for Tarts, Puddings, or Sauces, let them be all of one Sort, and ripe; for, if they are ripe, or towards it, they will soon soften; and if you put two Sorts together, one will be in Pulp very soon, and the other will be hard for an Hour or two, and at length will not be soft.Memorandum,This is not to be disregarded.
To make Paste. From Mrs.Peasly.
There are many sorts of Paste made, and among them, are some which are made with Eggs, according to the old fashion; but these are always hard, when they are baked, though they will fly and crackle in the Mouth, but they taste like Sticks: while, on the other side, leave out your Eggs, and use Butter and Water only, as in the following Receipts, and your Paste will melt in the Mouth, and be agreeable to the Taste.
If you would have a sweet Paste; then take half a Pound of Butter, and rubit into about a Pound of Flour, with two or three Ounces of double-refinedSugar powder'd, and make it a Paste, with cold Milk, some Sack and Brandy.This is a very good one.
You may also make an hot Paste, for minced Pyes, or such like, by taking a quantity of Flour as you like, and break a Pound or two of Butter into a large Sauce-pan of Water; and when the Butter is melted, make an hollow in the midst of the Flour, and scumming off the Butter, throw it, at times, into the Flour, with some of the boiling hot Water along with it; then, when you have enough for your use, work it into a stiff Paste, and lay it before the Fire, cover'd with a Cloth, and cut off such bits as you want, just when you are going to use them. This Paste does very well for raised Pyes. Some will make this Paste by breaking in a Pound of Butter into a quarter of a Peck of Flour, and then pouring on it some scalding hot Water, enough to work it to a stiff Paste. As for Tarts, one may make the following Puff-Paste. Rub in some Butter into your Flour, and make it into a Paste with Water, and when it is moulded, roll it out till it is about half an Inch thick; then put bits of Butter upon it, about half an Inch asunder, and fold your Paste together, and then fold it again: then roll it again till it becomes of the thickness it was before; and then lay bits of Butter on it, as before directed, and fold it as mention'd above, and roll it again to the thickness of half an Inch; then put on the rest of your Butter, and fold it up, and roll it for the last time, doubling it, and rolling it twice, before you use it. This is very good for Puffs, Puddings, or Petty-Patees.
As for Meat-Pyes, or Pasties, they require another sort of Paste, which is made thus. Rub seven Pounds of Butter into a Peck of Flour, but not too small; then make it into a Paste with Water. It is good for Venison-Pasties, and such like great Pyes.
To dress a Dish of Fish in the best manner. From the same.
To make one of these grand Dishes, you ought always to have some capital sort of Fish, for the middle of the Dish; such as a Turbut, a Jowl of fresh Salmon, a Cod's Head, or a Pike boiled; and this must be adorn'd either with Flounders, Whitings, Soles, Perch, Smelts, or Gudgeons, or Bourn Trouts, which are the small River Trouts, or young Salmon-Fry, according as you can meet with them. This kind of Dish is call'd a Bisque of Fish.
To boil FreshSalmon.
If you have fresh Salmon, you wash it with Salt and Water, and according to the Fashion, leave all the Scales on, though some take them off, to prevent that trouble at the Table; for the Skin of the Salmon. is the fattest part of the Fish, and is liked by most People. Lay your Fish thus prepared, into the Pan, where you boil it, and pour in Water, with a sixth part of Vinegar, a little Salt, and a stick of Horse-Radish; this should be boiled pretty quick: thus far for boiling fresh Salmon. The grand Sauce for it you will see at the end of these Receipts, for preparing the several sorts of Fish for the Bisque but if it is served alone, then let the Sauce be as follows. Take a Pint of Shrimps, a Pint of Oysters and their Liquor, and half a Pint of pickled Mushrooms; or else take Shrimps, and the Bodies of two middling Sea-Crabs, or of a couple of Lobsters, the Tail of the Lobsters to be cut in Dice, but use which you have by you. If you have Oysters, stew them a little, in their own Liquor, with some Mace, and whole Pepper, then lay by the Oysters, and put Mushroom Pickle to the Liquor, and dissolve two Anchovies in it; then melt what quantity of Butter you think fit, and mix your prepared Liquor with it, adding a little White Wine, or that may be left out. I should take notice, that just before you melt your Butter, put your Oysters, Shrimps, and Mushrooms,&c.into your prepared Liquor to boil up, and then mix all together.Note,The Bodies of the Crabs being well stirred in the Liquor, will thicken it, and render the whole very agreeable.
To boilTurbut, Flounders,orPlaise, Pike,or aCod's-Head,orWhitings.
When your Fish are gutted and well wash'd: put them upon your Fish-Plate; the Jacks or Pikes, whether small or great, must have their Tails skewer'd into their Mouths, so that they make a round figure, which is the Fashion. Then put your Fish into the Kettle, into as much Water as will cover them. Put into this Water, an Onion, with some Cloves stuck in it, some Mace, some whole Pepper, a little bunch of sweet Herbs, a stick of Horse-Radish, and half a Lemon. When your Liquor boils, add a little Vinegar, or Verjuice; and when your Fish are boiled enough, let them drain before the Fire. The Sauce for these, if they are served singly, is that directed for the Salmon, or else some melted Butter, Anchovies dissolved in Water, over the Fire, and some Shrimps; or for want of them, if you can get any of the small Crabs, such as they sell inLondon,about eight or ten a Penny, and no bigger in their Bodies than to contain the quantity of a Golden-Pippin. Take the Inside of the Bodies of these, and thicken your Sauce with them. Or if you have Cray-fish, take the Bodies of them, and mix them well with your Sauce, and cut the Tails in small bits, as big as Pease. The foregoing way of boiling Fish gives them a relish.
To frySoles, Flounders, Plaise, Whitings, Smelts,andGudgeons,or such like.
Take a large quantity of Hog's-Seam, or Lard, and melt it in a Pan, till it is very hot; then put in your Fish, prepared as follows; but first you may fry some Bread, in Lengths, as big as one's Finger, to drain for a Garnish.
As for Soles, skin them, and gut them, then flour them well, and toss theminto the Pan, turning them once, when you see the upper side of a yellowColour. When they are enough, put them into a Cullendar to drain before theFire.
Flounders are only to be gutted, and the Skins wash'd with Water and Salt, and being well dry'd with a Cloth, flour them, and fling them into the Pan, and use them as you did the Soles.
The Plaise are to be done in the same manner as the Flounders.
Whitings must be treated in the same manner as the former.
Smelts must be only rub'd with a coarse Cloth, and then flour'd, and thrown into the Pan.
Gudgeons must be scaled and gutted, well dry'd and flour'd, and thrown into the hot Lard: but take care in all these that you have a quick Fire under them, and not too many in the Pan at one time.
You have now all your Furniture for your Bisque of Fish; but to fry them still crisper, and better, use Sallad-Oil instead of Hogs-Lard; or if you have neither of these, you may use good dripping of Beef, or Mutton, but there must be enough of it, and it should be as hot as possible, in the Pan, when you throw your Fish in. Serve these with melted Butter, and Anchovy Liquor, with Shrimps, or Oysters, if they are single.
To broilWhitings.
Clean your Whitings, with Water and Salt, after they are gutted, and drying them thoroughly, flour them well, then lay them on the Grid-Iron, first rubbing it with a little Chalk. As you find them enough on one side, turn them, and serve them, if they go to the Table alone, with Butter melted, some Anchovy Liquor, and Oyster Sauce; these may make one of your grand Dishes of Fish, but fry'd and boiled is enough, because there is never a Dish of this kind, but there are many more at the same Treat, which will give the Cook a great deal of difficulty, and besides you must still in this Dish have some Spitchcot-Eels.
N.B.I forbear to mention here the manner of dresing Spitchcot-Eels, as they are already set down in the first part of this Book.
When you fry Whitings, skewer their Tails in their Mouths; and some take off their Skins.
The Grand Dish of Fish, and its Sauce.
When we have prepared these things, with regard to the grand Dish we design, then make the following Sauce:viz.
Sauce for a Bisque of Fish.
Take a Pint of Gravey, two or three spoonfuls of Mushroom Katchep, and a spoonful or two of Mushroom Pickle; then add about a Gill of White Wine, half an Onion, a slice of Lemon with the Peel, two Anchovies shred, some Cloves, and Mace. When these have boiled half a quarter of an Hour, take out the Onion, and Lemon, and thicken your Liquor, with about three Pounds of Butter, rub'd in a little Flour; then put in the Body of a Crab, or Lobster, Shrimps, Oysters, and Mushrooms, and it is ready to pour over your Fish: but some rather chuse to serve this Sauce in Basons, lest it be too high for every Palate. However, when you have disposed your Fish well in the Dish, garnish with fry'd Bread, Horse-Radish scraped, fry'd Parsley, Lemon sliced and pickled, red Beet-Root sliced, and serve it up hot. If your Sauce is serv'd in Basons; then take care to have one Bason of plain Butter: but if all your Company happens to like the rich Sauce, your Dish of fish will make a much better appearance to have some of the Sauce pour'd over it, before you lay on your Garnish. Remember to lay your Spitchcot Eels near the edge of the Dish.
To broilHerrings,so as to prevent their rising in the Stomach. From the same.
Take fresh Herrings, scale them, gut them, and wash them; and when they are well dry'd with a Cloth, strew them with flour of Ginger, as you would any Fish with Flour, then broil them; and when they are enough, the taste of the Ginger is quite lost: then serve them with Claret, Butter, Salt, and Mustard, made into a Sauce, and they will not at all disturb the Stomach.
A whiteFricasseeofRabbits.From the same.
Take three or four young Rabbits and cut them to pieces, then put them in a Stew-pan, with four Ounces of Butter; then season them with some Lemon-Peel grated, a little Thyme, a little sweet Marjoram, Pepper, Salt, and a littleJamaica, Pepper beaten fine. Let these be close cover'd, and stew them gently, till they are tender; then take about half a Pint of Veal-Broth, an Onion, some Lemon, a Sprig of sweet Marjoram, and some Spice, to your mind, and put to it half a Gill of White Wine. Boil these together six or seven Minutes, then pour away the Butter, in the Stew-pan, and strain your Veal Gravey through a Sieve; then beat the Yolks of four Eggs, with half a Pint of Cream. Then put some of the Broth, by degrees, to the Eggs and Cream, keeping them stirring, lest they curdle, and you may put to it some Parsley boil'd tender, and shred small; then put it to the Rabbits, and toss them up thick with Butter, adding some pickled Mushrooms, and serve them hot with a Garnish of sliced Lemon, and red Beet-Root pickled.
ANeat's-Tongueroasted. From the same.
Take a large Neat's-Tongue, that has lain three Weeks in Salts mixed in the following manner. Take a quarter of a Pound of Salt-Petre, half a Pound of Bay-Salt, and three Pints of common Salt. This is enough to salt four Tongues: let them be rubb'd well with this Mixture, and kept in a cool place. Take, I say, one of these Tongues, and boil it till the Skin will come off; and when it is stript of its Skin, stick it with Cloves, about an Inch asunder, then put it on a Spit, and wrap a Veal-Cawl over it, till it is enough; then take off the Cawl, and just froth it up, and serve it in a Dish with Gravey.Note, The Cawl will keep the outside tender, which otherwise would be hard. One must serve with it, in Saucers, of the following: Grate a Penny-Loaf into about a Pint of Water, and half as much Claret; then boil it thick, with two or three chips of Cinnamon, then sweeten it to your mind, as you please: strew some sifted raspings of Bread about the Dish, and garnish with Lemon sliced.
To dress aCow-Heel.From the same.
Take out the Bones, and clean it, cut it to pieces, and wash it; then flour it, and strew over it a little Pepper and Salt, then fry it brown in Hog's-Lard, made very hot in the Pan. Prepare at the same time some small Onions boiled whole, till they are tender, and pull off as many of the Coats or Skins, till you see them pure white; then make a Sauce of Gravey, some White-Wine, Nutmeg, and a little whole Spice, with a little Salt and Pepper, and thicken it with burnt Butter. Let your Onions, when they are skin'd, be made hot in Milk, and lay them whole in the Dish, with the Cow-Heel, and pour the Sauce over the whole. Some who have strong Stomachs will slice Onions, and flouring them well, fry them with with the Cow-Heel, but this must be fry'd in Butter.
To makeMarmaladeofQuinces.From the same.
Take the largePortugalQuinces, pare them, and take out the Cores; then cut each Quince in eight Parts, and throw them in Water; then boil the Parings, and such of the Quinces as are of the worse sort, in two Quarts of Water, till the Liquor is reduced to half the quantity: when this is strain'd, put the Liquor into your Preserving-Pan, with a Pound of fine Sugar powder'd, with two Pounds of Quinces: boil these gently, till they are tender. Then if you design your Marmalade for mixing with Apples in Pyes or Tarts, put to them a Pound more of Sugar to each two Pounds; break them with a Spoon, and boil them briskly, keeping them stirring all the while: then put them hot into the Gally-pot, when they are thick, and of a reddish Colour. To heighten their redness, and keep them from burning to the bottom, put into the Pan four or five pieces of pure Tin, as big as Half-Crowns. But if you would have your Marmalade fine for Glasses, then, when they are boil'd tender, take them out of the Liquor, and beat them well in a Marble Mortar, and rub them through a Sieve; then put to them a Pound of fine Sugar, and stir them well in the Liquor; boil them quick, stirring them all the while, till they grow thick.