—Pour one pint of béchamel (No. 154) into a saucepan, and put it on the hot stove. Cut twelve hard-boiled eggs in halves, add them to the hot béchamel; season with half a pinch of white pepper, and let heat thoroughly for three minutes, but be careful not to let it boil. Add one ounce of butter and a saltspoonful of grated nutmeg, then pour it on a hot serving-dish, and serve with six heart-shaped croûtons (No. 133).
—Heat half an ounce of butter in a dish on the hot stove, then break into it twelve fresh eggs, and sprinkle over two ounces of fresh bread-crumbs. Set the dish in the hot oven, and let bake for two minutes; then pour over the eggs half a pint of well-reduced Espagnole sauce (No. 151), add three ounces of cooked, tender ham, or cooked kidneys cut up finely, and then send to the table.
—Knead well together in a bowl, one tablespoonful of bread-crumbs, two ounces of butter, three chopped anchovies, a pinch of parsley, a pinch of chervil, one chopped shallot, three raw egg yolks, a good pinch of salt, half a pinch of white pepper, and a pinch of grated nutmeg. When ready, put these ingredients into a silver baking-dish (by preference) with one ounce of butter at the bottom. Place it on a slow fire for two minutes, then break over it six eggs, which will be plenty; cook for five minutes in the hot oven, remove, lay the dish on top of another, and serve immediately.
—Fry two medium-sized, sound, sliced onions in a frying-pan with two ounces of butter, but do not brown them; mix in half a spoonful of flour, and a large cupful of sweet cream; season with a pinch of salt, half a pinch of white pepper, and the third of a pinch of grated nutmeg. Cook for eight minutes, stirring constantly with the spatula; then add twelve sliced, hard-boiled eggs, and heat togetherthoroughly for two minutes without letting it boil again; pour on a hot dish and serve.
—Place one ounce of good butter on a silver dish, set it on the hot stove, and break in twelve fresh eggs, being careful not to disturb the yolks; season with a light pinch of salt and the third of a pinch of pepper; then let cook slowly for four minutes. Pour over the eggs a pint of hot Vanderbilt garnishing as for the omelet (No. 471), and serve immediately.
—Put into a saucepan half a pint of hot, boiled rice, half a pint of hot tomato sauce (No. 205), two good-sized mushrooms, cut julienne-shaped, one truffle cut the same, and two tablespoonfuls of grated Parmesan cheese; season with half a pinch of salt, half a pinch of pepper, and the third of a pinch of grated nutmeg, and let cook on the hot stove for five minutes, stirring it lightly with the spatula. Leave the pan on the corner of the stove to keep warm, while putting half an ounce of good butter on a silver dish, and when placed on the hot stove, crack in twelve fresh eggs, being careful not to break the yolks; season with half a pinch of salt and the third of a pinch of pepper, then let cook for two minutes. Dress the prepared garnishing in four dome-shaped heaps—one at each end of the dish, and one at each side—and send to the table at once.
—Pour two tablespoonfuls of oil into a small frying-pan, and set it on the fire. When well heated, break one egg into a bowl, season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper (divided up for the twelve eggs), then drop it into the oil; baste the egg with a spoon, turn it over, and when a good color on both sides, drain it on a wire sieve. Cook the twelve eggs separately (each one will take two minutes), then pare them nicely, and serve crown-shaped on a dish, putting a piece of fried bread between every other one. Pour over half a pint of reduced Espagnole (No. 151), to which has been added the zest of a lemon, and six sliced mushrooms, and serve very hot.
—Mix in a dish that can be put in the oven (a silver one by preference) twelve raw egg yolks, with a spoonful of brandy and a pinch of salt. Cook them for five minutes in a hot oven, then let them cool; cut the preparation into twelve thin fillets or slices, and steep each one in a light pancake batter (No. 1186). Fry them in very hot fat for about two minutes, then lift up with a skimmer, lay them on a napkin to drain, and serve on a folded napkin laid on a hot dish and garnished with fried parsley.
—Pour a pint of good tomato sauce (No. 205) into a saucepan on the hot stove, add two cut-up, peeled, sweet peppers, fry for two minutes in a tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of chopped chives, and reduce it gradually to about half the quantity, which will take ten minutes. Poach six very fresh eggs, as forNo. 404, pare their edges neatly. Place six freshly prepared hot toasts on a warm serving-dish, arrange the eggs carefully on top, and pour the above sauce over all, then send them to the table at once.
—Lightly butter a silver dish large enough to hold twelve eggs, one beside another; carefully break into it twelve eggs, taking care to keep the yolks intact. Evenly sprinkle over them half a pinch of salt. Cook for one minute on the hot stove; then place them in the oven for one and a half minutes. Take out, and place the dish on another, and serve.
—Peel, wash, and drain a quarter of a pound of fine, fresh mushrooms. Place them in a saucepan, with a tablespoonful of very good butter. Season with half a pinch of salt and a third of a pinch of white pepper, squeezing in first two drops of lemon juice. Cover the saucepan, and cook for ten minutes on a moderate fire. Add a quarter of a glassful of good Madeira wine; reduce to one-half, which will take two minutes; add now a gill of béchamel sauce (No. 154), and let come to a boil again. Prepare twelve fresh-poached eggs, as inNo. 404; pour the sauce on a hot serving-dish, keeping the mushrooms in the saucepan. Neatly lay the eggs over the sauce around the dish, and dress the mushrooms right in the centre, and serve very hot.
—Boil for fifteen minutes, in a quart of white broth (No. 99), two heads of well-washed and neatly pared, sound celery. Remove it from the broth; then cut it up in one-inch-length pieces, and return it to the pan with the broth in which it was first boiled, leaving it on the hot stove. Season with one pinch of salt and the third of a pinch of white pepper. Reduce to three-quarters (which will require ten minutes). Add a gill of hot béchamel sauce (No. 154), let come to a boil. Poach twelve fresh eggs exactly as inNo. 404, neatly arrange them on a hot dish, crown-like. Pour the celery sauce right in the centre, and serve very hot.
—Peel three medium-sized, sound truffles. Cut them into thin slices, place in a saucepan with a glassful of Madeira wine; reduce to one-half on a moderate fire. Season with one pinch of salt and the third of a pinch of white pepper; add one gill of béchamel sauce (No. 154); let come to a boil. Prepare twelve heart-shaped croûtons (No. 133); dip the thin parts first into the sauce half an inch in depth, then into fresh, finely chopped-up parsley up to the same depth. Gently dress (arrange) them on the hot serving-dish in star-shape, so that the decorated ends of the croûtons will just reach up to the edge of the dish equally all around. Prepare twelve poached eggs exactly the same as inNo. 404; dress an egg on each croûton. Gently pour the above prepared sauce right in the centre of the dish, being careful not to pour any over the eggs. Evenly slice one good-sized, sound truffle into twelve equal slices; dip them in a little hot broth for two seconds; lay one slice on top of each egg, and immediately send to the table.
—Blanch for one minute in a sautoire a quarter of a bunch of tarragon-leaves, drain, and chop them up very fine. Break twelve eggs into a bowl, add the tarragon, season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, and beat well for four minutes; meanwhile adding half a cupful of sweet cream. Then make an omelet, as forNo. 450, and roll it on a hot serving dish. Prepare a little roux with flour and butter (No. 135), moisten with half a pint of strong broth and a glassful of white wine; skim off any fat that may accumulate on top, and let it cook slowly for ten minutes. Strain through a fine sieve and pour it around the omelet; then serve.
—Remove the gall carefully from about a pint of chicken livers, wash them well, drain, and slice them into small pieces. Place them in a sautoire with one ounce of butter, range the pan on the hot stove, then season with one pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper; toss the contents gently for two minutes; then add a pinch of chopped parsley, one pinch of chervil, and three well-minced mushrooms, and moisten with half a pint of Madeira sauce (No. 185), and let cook for five minutes; make an omelet of twelve eggs, as forNo. 450, and when ready to finish, pour the livers in the centre, reserving two tablespoonfuls of it for further action; close the sides up carefully, cook two seconds longer, then gently turn it on a hot dish, and, with a spoon, pour all the sauce around the omelet. Dress the livers that were reserved, at both ends of the omelet, equally divided, and serve.
—Beat twelve eggs in a saucepan, with two tablespoonfuls of grated Parmesan cheese, a pinch of pepper, but no salt; stir them well with a whip, and make of this six small omelets, as forNo. 450. As soon as they are sufficiently firm, lay them on a dish. Besprinkle the tops with a little grated Parmesan cheese, roll, and trim them nicely, sprinkle more cheese over the tops, wipe off the sides of the dish, and put them in a hot oven for five minutes. Remove from the oven, pour around the omelets one gill of hot Madeira sauce (No. 185); and serve very hot.
—Slice two large, sound onions, and fry them in two ounces of butter, in a saucepan, stirring frequently, so that they do not burn; when done, dredge in a good pinch of flour, moistening with half a pint of cream or milk, and season with a pinch of salt, half a pinch of pepper, and a saltspoonful of nutmeg. Break six eggs, froth the whites, mix the yolks with the onions, and afterward the beaten whites, stirring well. Lay two pieces of white paper on the bottom of a baking-tin, butter them thoroughly, lay the eggs on top, and set it in the oven for about fifteen minutes. When done, turn them on to a hot dish, remove the papers, add two tablespoonfuls of Espagnole sauce (No. 151) to the eggs, and serve.
—Put half a pint of cream into a dish, on the fire, and when it boils, break in twelve fresh eggs, season with a pinch of salt and twelve whole peppers; let cook for two minutes, and then set it in the oven for three minutes, so that the eggs get a good golden color, taking care that they do not harden. Remove from the oven, place the dish on another, and serve.
—Shred an ounce and a half of salt pork into fine pieces (ham will answer the same purpose), also one onion cut into small squares, and six medium-sized mushrooms, all of equal size; moisten with a spoonful of good gravy, and cook for five minutes. When done,reduce with a tablespoonful of mushroom essence (liquor). Break twelve fresh eggs in a dish, with an ounce of melted butter on the bottom, and set it in a moderate oven for five minutes; pour the garnishing over, drip off the fat, wipe the sides of the dish, and add six drops of strong tarragon-vinegar. Remove from the oven, place the dish on another, and serve.
—Grate two ounces of Parmesan cheese on a dish; set it on a slow fire, adding half a glassful of white wine, a pinch of chopped parsley, a pinch of chopped chives, half a pinch of pepper, and a saltspoonful of grated nutmeg, also two ounces of good butter. Stir thoroughly while cooking, and as the cheese melts, break in twelve eggs; cook for five minutes longer, then surround the dish with heart-shaped croûtons (No. 133), set it on another dish, and serve very hot.
—Cut out twelve round pieces of bread-crumbs, each one measuring two inches in diameter, and place them in a pie-plate, spreading a little butter over each; brown them in the hot oven for one minute. Break twelve eggs in a bowl, add one pinch of chopped parsley, half a pinch of chives, two tablespoonfuls of thick, sweet cream, one ounce of butter, a pinch of salt, and a very little white pepper. Beat sharply all together for four minutes. Add the twelve pieces of browned bread to the beaten eggs, mix them well together. Place in a frying-pan on the hot range one ounce of clarified butter, heat thoroughly, then fry one egged bread at a time for one and a half minutes on each side. Dress, with the aid of a cake-turner, on a hot dish with a folded napkin; keep in a warm place. Repeat the same process with the others, and serve.
—Butter a silver dish and break into it twelve fresh eggs; or, if desired, use six small silver dishes, breaking two eggs into each one; then cook them on the stove for two minutes. Cut six mutton kidneys in halves, broil or stew them according to taste, then add them to the eggs, and serve with half a pint of hot Périgueux sauce (No. 191) thrown over.
—Prepare twelve eggs as for the above (No. 437), cook them for two minutes. Make a garnishing of one ounce of cooked chicken-breast, one finely shred, medium-sized truffle, and six minced mushrooms. Moisten with half a pint of good Allemande sauce (No. 210), heat it up well, but do not let it boil; then pour over the eggs and serve immediately.
—Cook twelve eggs the same as forNo. 437, and pour over them six chicken livers, tossed gently but rapidly in a saucepan on a brisk fire with one ounce of butter for three minutes, and then with a spoon remove all the butter from the saucepan. Season with a pinch of salt, and half a pinch of white pepper, adding half a glassful of good Madeira wine. Reduce it to one half, then add one gill of hot Madeira sauce (No. 185), heat up a little, and then pour the sauce over the eggs and serve.
—Cook twelve eggs exactly as inNo. 437, arranging six small slices of pâté-de-foie-gras, one on top of each egg, and serving very hot.
—Fry twelve eggs as forNo. 437; after cooking for two minutes, cover with half a pint of hot tomato sauce (No. 205), and add three cooked sausages, cut in two, also a little grated cheese, then send to the table.
—Prepare twelve eggs as forNo. 437, and cover them with a pint of hot Chipolata garnishing (No. 232), and serve very hot.
—Fry twelve eggs as forNo. 437, only putting them on a long dish. Add one chopped onion to four ounces of finely minced calf’s liver, quickly toss them on a brisk fire for about eight minutes, then pour in about six to eight drops of vinegar, a pinch of salt, and a little pepper to season. Garnish both ends of the dish with this, then serve.
—Boil twelve eggs until hard, then let them cool; shell them, and separate the yolks from the whites, putting the former into a mortar, adding one ounce of fresh butter, a pinch of salt, half a pinch of nutmeg, the same of ground spice, and three raw egg yolks; pound all well together. Mince the whites, and put them in a sautoire with a pint of well reduced béchamel (No. 154), cook without boiling, although letting them attain a good consistency; place them on the dish used for serving, lay the pounded yolks on top, and garnish with twelve square sippets of bread dipped in beaten egg, and put in the oven to brown for about four minutes; then serve.
—Cut twelve hard-boiled eggs in halves, separate the whites from the yolks, and pound the latter in a mortar, adding about one ounce of butter, a pinch of salt, half a pinch of ground spice, a saltspoonful of grated nutmeg, and five raw yolks; when well blended, without any lumps, strew half a tablespoonful of very finely chopped parsley over, and add the whites of the five eggs well beaten. Garnish the bottom of a baking-dish with this preparation, laying it in about a finger thick; also fill the whites with a part of it, making them have the appearance of whole eggs. Arrange them tastefully on top, and set the dish in the oven; brown slightly for about five minutes, remove it from the oven, lay the dish on top of another, wipe the sides carefully, and serve immediately.
—Peel two medium-sized onions, and remove the hearts, cut them in slices (the hearts), and put them with a tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan on a brisk fire, and brown them well. Moisten with a cupful of lean broth, season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, cook, and let the sauce reduce for about ten minutes. When ready to serve, cut eight hard-boiled eggs into slices, mix them in the preparation, and let heat together without boiling for two minutes; finish with a teaspoonful of diluted mustard, and then serve.
—Cut twelve hard-boiled eggs lengthwise, remove the yolks, and place them in a bowl with two ounces of good butter, a teaspoonful of anchovy essence, and a pinch of chopped chives. Beat well together, and fill the whites with it, besprinkle with bread-crumbs, and pour over a few drops of clarified butter; put them in theoven for three minutes on a buttered dish, and serve with half a pint of hot Madeira sauce (No. 185) thrown over.
—Boil six fresh eggs for seven minutes, then lay them in cold water for five minutes to cool them off; shell them, and put them on a plate. Hash fine half a small canful of mushrooms with two branches of parsley and one medium-sized, sound shallot. Put in a saucepan on the hot stove one ounce of good butter, and when melted add the prepared mushrooms, and let cook rather slowly for fifteen minutes, stirring it occasionally. Add half a pint of Madeira sauce (No. 185), season with a pinch of salt and a light pinch of pepper, then cook again slowly for ten minutes. Strain the whole through a fine sieve into another saucepan, and set it aside to keep warm; cut the six hard-boiled eggs into halves, remove the entire yolks, and mash them thoroughly in a bowl, adding half an ounce of good, fresh butter and half a pint of sweet cream. Season with a light pinch of salt, half a pinch of pepper, and half a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg; mix well together, and with this fill the twelve pieces of egg-white. Lay them on a lightly buttered dish, pour the sauce over, and put them in the oven for eight minutes before sending to the table.
—Place a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar in a saucepan, adding half a pint of water, a small piece of lemon peel, and a short stick of cinnamon. Boil until the sugar is reduced to a syrup, then remove the lemon peel and cinnamon, and add half a teaspoonful of orange-flower water. Beat together, then strain twelve egg yolks with a pint of milk or cream, add this to the syrup with a very little salt, then transfer the whole to a silver baking-dish, place it on the hot stove, and let cook for ten minutes, stirring briskly, and when it forms a cream, squeeze in the juice of a fine, sound lemon; remove from the fire, lay the dish on another, and send to the table.
—Crack into a bowl twelve fresh eggs, season them with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of white pepper, beat them well until the whites and yolks are thoroughly mixed, or for fully four minutes. Place in a No. 8 frying-pan two tablespoonfuls of clarified butter; heat it well on the hot range, and when it crackles pour in the eggs, and with a fork stir all well for two minutes, then let rest for half a minute. Fold up with the fork—the side nearest the handle first—to the centre of the omelet, then the opposite side, so that both sides will meet right in the centre; let rest for half a minute longer; have a hot dish in the left hand, take hold of the handle of the pan with the right, bring both dish and pan to a triangular shape, and with a rapid movement turn the pan right over the centre of the dish, and send to the table. (The omelet should be made on a very brisk range, without taking the lid off the stove.)
Should the pan be smaller than the above-mentioned No. 8 it will require three minutes’ stirring, one minute to rest, and half a minute to rest after having been folded.
When making an omelet for one person, for instance, use three fresh eggs, seasoned with half a teaspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful ofwhite pepper. Thoroughly heat in a small frying-pan half a teaspoonful of clarified butter; after sharply beating the eggs in the bowl, pour into the pan, and gently mix for one minute on a very brisk range, let rest for a quarter of a minute, fold one side up, rest a quarter of a minute more, then turn on a small hot dish, and serve.
—Break twelve fresh eggs into a bowl, add a pinch of finely chopped parsley, half a pinch of chopped tarragon, and half a pinch of chives; also, if desired, half a cupful of sweet cream. Beat the whole thoroughly without stopping for four minutes; melt one ounce of good butter in a frying-pan on the hot stove; when it is melted, and begins to crackle, pour in the eggs, and mix them gently with a fork, while they cook for three minutes; let them rest for one minute, then bring the sides towards the centre, turn it on a hot dish, and serve.
—Blanch eighteen oysters to boiling-point in their own water; drain, and return them to the saucepan, moistening with half a pint of good Allemande (No. 210); season with half a pinch of salt. Make a plain omelet with twelve eggs as forNo. 450, bring the sides toward the centre, and fill it with the oyster preparation. Turn it on a hot dish, pour the rest of the sauce around, and serve very hot.
—Stew twelve crawfish tails in a sautoire on the hot stove with half an ounce of butter, letting them cook for five minutes. Break twelve eggs into a bowl, add half a cupful of sweet cream, and a pinch of finely chopped parsley; season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, then sharply beat for four minutes. Make an omelet as inNo. 450, fold up the side opposite the handle of the pan, place the crawfish right in the centre, fold up the other side, turn it on a hot dish, and serve.
—Take six ounces of boiled lobster meat, and cut it into small pieces; put them into a sautoire with half a glassful of white wine and a quarter of an ounce of butter. Moisten with a quarter of a pint of strong, hot béchamel (No. 154), and let cook for five minutes. Make an omelet with twelve eggs as forNo. 450, and with a skimmer place the stewed lobster in the middle, fold the opposite side, pour in the garnishing, fold the other side up, turn it on a hot dish, pour the sauce around it, and serve.
—Proceed exactly the same as for the above (No. 454), substituting six ounces of crab meat cut into small pieces for the lobster.
—Break twelve fresh eggs in a bowl, season them with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, and beat thoroughly for four minutes. Place two ounces of butter in a frying-pan on the hot stove, let it heat well without browning, then pour into it half a pint of freshly cooked stewed tomatoes, suppressing all the liquid. Cook for two minutes, then throw the beaten eggs over, and with a fork mix the whole gently for three minutes; let rest for one minute longer. Bring up the two opposite sides, turn it carefully on a hot dish, and serve.
—Peel a medium-sized, soundonion, then chop it fine; place it in a sautoire on the hot stove with one ounce of butter, and let get a good golden color, adding half a pint of stewed tomatoes (No. 1027), or two good-sized, peeled, raw tomatoes cut into small slices, a crushed clove of garlic, and season (should the tomatoes be fresh) with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, adding a teaspoonful of chopped parsley; let the whole cook together for ten minutes; then proceed as for the tomato omelet (No. 456).
—Put a quarter of a bunch of boiled asparagus-tops into a bowl, pour twelve beaten eggs over, season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, mix lightly again, and make an omelet exactly as forNo. 450.
—Break twelve eggs into a bowl, adding half a pint of boiled green peas, a pinch each of salt and pepper, beat well for four minutes, and make into an omelet as forNo. 450.
—Fry six cèpes, cut into small pieces, in half an ounce of butter for two minutes. Beat twelve eggs in a bowl, season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, pour them over the cèpes, and make an omelet as forNo. 450.
—Fry two ounces of finely mixed, smoked beef in a frying-pan, with half an ounce of butter, add twelve well-beaten eggs, and make an omelet as forNo. 450.
—Cut about two ounces of lean ham into small, square pieces, fry them for two minutes with an ounce of butter in a frying-pan, and throw over twelve well beaten eggs; with this make an omelet as forNo. 450.
—Stew on the hot stove three minced kidneys, with a quarter of a pint of Madeira wine sauce (No. 185), let cook for three minutes. Make a plain omelet with twelve eggs as forNo. 450, fold the opposite side up, put the kidneys in the centre, fold the other side up, and turn on a dish, and pour the sauce around; then serve.
—The same as for the above (No. 463), substituting six minced chicken livers for the kidneys.
—Skin three raw sausages, then put them in a saucepan with a quarter of an ounce of butter; set it on the hot fire for five minutes, and stir well until they cook. Make a plain omelet with twelve eggs, as forNo. 450, fold the opposite side, lay the sausages in the centre, fold the other side up, and serve with a quarter of a pint of hot Madeira sauce (No. 185), poured around the omelet.
—Cut one ounce of salt pork into small square pieces, also two tablespoonfuls of crust from off a fresh loaf of bread cut the same way; fry them together in a frying-pan with an ounce of butter for about two minutes, adding a boiled potato cut into small squares, a pinch of chopped parsley, half a pinch of chopped chives, half a pinch of salt, and the same quantity of pepper. Beat twelve eggs for four minutes in a bowl, pour them into the pan, and make an omelet as forNo. 450; turn on a hot dish, and serve.
—Chop one raw onion very fine, and put it ina saucepan with an ounce of butter. Take one ounce of small squares of salt pork, cook them slightly, adding an ounce of scraps of very finely minced, cooked roast beef, the same of ham, two finely chopped mushrooms, and a pinch of chopped parsley. Stir in well a tablespoonful of tomato sauce (No. 205) and a tablespoonful of grated bread-crumbs; season with a pinch of pepper and the third of a pinch of salt. Make a plain omelet with twelve eggs as forNo. 450, fold up the opposite side, fill it with the preparation, fold the other side up, turn it on a hot dish, and serve.
—Thoroughly skin eight fine sardines, place six of them in a frying-pan with an ounce of butter, cook for two minutes. Beat well twelve eggs in a bowl. Season with one pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, add them to the sardines in the pan; make an omelet as inNo. 450, fold the opposite end up, place the two remaining sardines right in the centre, fold the other end up, turn it on a hot dish, and send to the table.
—Put one ounce of butter in a frying-pan, heat it on the hot stove. Break twelve eggs into a bowl, beat them thoroughly for four minutes, adding two tablespoonfuls of grated Swiss cheese, half a pinch of salt, and half a pinch of pepper. Pour the whole into the frying-pan, and make an omelet as forNo. 450; turn it on a hot dish, and besprinkle the top lightly with a very little Parmesan cheese; place in the oven for two seconds, then serve.
—Make an omelet with twelve eggs as forNo. 450, and when nearly cooked, fold up the opposite side, then fill the centre with a quarter of a pint of hot Régence garnishing (No. 434), fold the other side up; turn on a hot dish, pour the sauce around, and serve hot.
—Take two fine, sound, green peppers, plunge them into hot fat for half a minute, then take them up and lay them on a dry cloth; skin them neatly, remove all the seeds from the insides, and when emptied cut them into small slices. Put these into a saucepan on the hot stove with two medium-sized fresh, sound, sliced tomatoes, twelve nicely shelled shrimps, and three tablespoonfuls of Madeira wine sauce (No. 185), then season with half a pinch of salt and a third of a pinch of pepper; cook slowly for fifteen minutes. Break twelve fresh eggs into a bowl, season them with half a pinch of salt and a third of a pinch of pepper, and beat well for five minutes. Put two ounces of good butter in a frying-pan, place it on the hot stove, and when the butter is melted drop in the eggs, and with a spoon or fork mix briskly for two minutes. Fold the opposite side up with a skimmer, lift up the thick part of the prepared sauce, and place it in the centre of the omelet, fold the other side either with a knife or fork, and let it cook for two minutes longer, then turn on a hot dish; pour the rest of the sauce in the saucepan around the omelet, and send to the table very hot.
—Put in a stewpan on the stove one finely shred onion, one ounce of butter, a chopped green pepper, sixminced mushrooms, and one large, finely cut-up tomato; season with half a pinch of pepper and one pinch of salt, adding a spoonful of tomato sauce (No. 205); let cook for fifteen minutes. Make a plain omelet with twelve eggs, as forNo. 450, fold the opposite side, and put more than half of the stew inside of it, say three-quarters; fold the other side up, and turn it on a long dish, then pour the rest of the sauce around, and serve.
—Have a pint of velouté sauce (No. 152) in a saucepan, place it on a moderate fire, add a piece of lobster butter (No. 149) about the size of an egg, twenty-four shelled and cooked shrimps, and season with half a pinch of salt and a very little pepper. Let cook for three minutes, stirring it lightly, then add half of a good-sized, empty and peeled green pepper, finely hashed; cook for two minutes longer, then let rest on the corner of the stove. Make an omelet with twelve eggs, as forNo. 450, fold up the opposite side, pour half of the preparation in the centre, fold the other end up, turn the omelet on a hot dish, and garnish both sides with the rest of the shrimps, pouring the balance around the dish; then send to the table.
—Have a deep, cold, silver dish ready, fifteen inches long by eleven wide. Put into a vessel four ounces of powdered sugar. Break twelve fresh eggs, drop the whites into a copper basin, and the yolks of five into the vessel containing the sugar, reserving the other seven yolks for other purposes. Add to the vessel containing the sugar and yolks a light teaspoonful of vanilla essence: now with the wooden spatula, begin to beat the yolks with the sugar as briskly as you possibly can for fifteen minutes. Lay it aside. Then with the aid of a pastry wire-whip, beat up to a very stiff froth the twelve egg whites in the copper basin, which will take from twelve to fifteen minutes. Remove the pastry wire-whip; take a skimmer in the right hand, and with the left take hold of the vessel containing the preparation of the yolks and sugar. Gradually pour it over the whites, and with the skimmer gently mix the whole together for two minutes. The preparation will now be of a light, firm consistency. Now, with the aid again of the skimmer, take up the preparation and drop it down in the centre of the cold dish, ready as above mentioned, taking special care to pile it as high as possible, so as to have it of a perfect dome-shape; a few incisions can be made all around, according to taste; immediately place it in a moderate oven to bake for fifteen minutes. Take it out of the oven, and, in order to avoid burning or soiling the table-cloth, lay the dish containing the omelet on another cold one, liberally sprinkle powdered sugar over it, and immediately send to the table.
N. B.—Special care should be taken when piling the preparation into the cold, silver dish; and the making of the incisions should be done as rapidly as possible, so that success will be certain. When desired, the vanilla essence can be substituted with the same quantity of orange-flower water.
—Beat and sweeten with one ounce of sugartwelve eggs; make an omelet as forNo. 450, using one ounce of fresh butter; turn it on a dish, and dredge another ounce of sugar over, then glaze it with a hot shovel or salamander, and serve very warm.
—Make a sweet omelet with twelve eggs as for the above (No. 475); when completed and glazed, throw around it a glassful of kirsch, and set the omelet on fire; serve it while burning. Rum omelet is prepared exactly the same way, substituting rum for kirsch.
—Pulverize six macaroons, put them in a bowl, adding three tablespoonfuls of apple jelly (No. 1327) and one spoonful of whipped cream (No. 1254); mix well with the spatula. Make a sweet omelet as forNo. 475, with twelve eggs; fold the opposite side up, pour the mixture into the centre, fold the other end up, turn it on a hot dish, and sprinkle the top with three tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar; glaze the omelet with a hot shovel or salamander, and decorate it with three lady-fingers (No. 1231) cut in two, also a cupful of whipped cream (No. 1254), the latter poured into a paper-funnel, and piped over in any design the fancy may dictate.
A pinch of salt represents 205 grains, or a tablespoonful.
Half a pinch of pepper represents 38 grains, or a teaspoonful.
A third of a pinch of nutmeg represents 13 grains, or half a teaspoonful.
—Procure a rump-piece of beef weighing three pounds, lard it with four large pieces of salt pork, seasoned with a pinch of chopped parsley and a crushed garlic. Lay the beef in a saucepan, with pieces of salt pork or fat at the bottom, add one sliced onion, the round slices of one carrot, one sprig of thyme, and a bay-leaf; season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, then cover, and brown it well on both sides for ten minutes. Moisten with half a pint of white broth (No. 99) and half a pint of Espagnole sauce (No. 151), then cook for one hour. When finished, lay it on a dish, garnishing with six stuffed cabbages (No. 919). Skim off the fat, strain the gravy, and pour the sauce over, or else serve it in a separate sauce-bowl.
—Lard and prepare a piece of beef weighing three pounds as for the above (No. 478). Let it marinate for twelve hours in the juice of half a lemon, with one good pinch of salt, the same quantity of pepper, one sprig of thyme, two bay-leaves, and half a bunch of parsley-roots. Put the meat in a saucepan with half an ounce of butter, and let both sides brown well for ten minutes; take it out and lay it on a dish, then add to the gravy about two tablespoonfuls of flour, stirring it well, and moisten with one quart of broth (No. 99), minglingit carefully while the sauce is boiling. Replace the beef in the saucepan with two sliced carrots and twelve small glazed onions (No. 972), and cook for one hour, adding a strong bouquet (No. 254), a glassful of claret wine, if desired, and a little crushed garlic, also half a pinch of salt, and the third of a pinch of pepper. Serve on a hot dish, skim the fat off the gravy, straining it over. Arrange the carrots and onions in clusters around the dish, and serve.
All braised beef to be prepared exactly the same, only adding different garnishings.
—Braise a piece of beef of three pounds, as forNo. 479, adding a quarter of a cooked cauliflower, half a cupful of flageolet-beans, and a cupful of cooked carrots cut with a vegetable-scoop five minutes before serving. Place the vegetables with the skimmed gravy in a pan, reduce for five minutes. Dress the beef on a hot dish, arrange the vegetables in four heaps, one at each end of the dish and one on each side of it. Pour the gravy over the beef, and serve.
—Braise a piece of beef as forNo. 479, serve it on a dish garnished with rice, prepared as follows: with some cold risotto (No. 1017) form six balls the size of an egg; roll them in bread crumbs, then dip them in beaten eggs, lard them with half-inch slices of cooked, smoked tongue, and fry in hot fat for three minutes. Serve these round the beef, with its own gravy well skimmed and strained over.
—Prepare the beef as forNo. 479, and serve it decorated with clusters of a quarter of a cooked, red cabbage, two cooked carrots, and two turnips, all sliced. (Red cabbage, carrots, and turnips should always be cooked separately).
—Add to a piece of braised beef, as forNo. 479, one ounce of salt pork cut into small square pieces, the round slices of two carrots, and twelve glazed onions (No. 972), also one cut-up turnip. Put all these ingredients in the saucepan with the beef, three-quarters of an hour before serving.
—Braise a piece of beef as forNo. 479. Take six large potatoes and pare them as round as possible, scoop out the insides with a Parisian potato-spoon, being careful not to break them, parboil them slightly for three minutes on a quick fire, and then fill them with any kind of forcemeat handy; place them in the oven with two tablespoonfuls of clarified butter, and bake well for twenty minutes. Serve them around the beef, three on each side of the dish.
—Cook a piece of braised beef as forNo. 479, and serve it with a little of the gravy on the dish, and half a pint of Russian sauce (No. 211) separate.
—Take one pound of very finely minced smoked beef, put it in a stewpan with half an ounce of butter, cook for two minutes, and moisten slightly with half a cupful of cream, adding two tablespoonfuls of béchamel (No. 154), and serve as soon as it boils. (Do not salt it).
—Slice two pounds of lean beef in half-inch-square slices, add two sliced onions, and stew together in a saucepan with one ounce of butter for ten minutes, stir in two tablespoonfuls of flour, and mix well; moisten with one quart of water or white broth (No. 99), still stirring. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper, and add a bouquet (No. 254); let cook for twenty minutes, take out the bouquet, and fill a deep dish with the above preparation. Cut two hard-boiled eggs in slices, and lay them on top, cover with pie-crust (No. 1077), glaze the surface with egg yolk, and bake a light brown color for about eight minutes in the oven; then serve.
—Proceed the same as forNo. 487, but using in place of the eggs one pint of potatoes cut with a vegetable-scoop, also one ounce of lard, cut in small pieces, and cooking them with the beef the same length of time.
—Take three pounds of rump or brisket of corned beef, and put it into a saucepan, covering it with fresh water; boil briskly for an hour and a half, and serve with boiled spinach à l’Anglaise (No. 940).
—The same as for the above, only adding two quarts of kale-sprouts, half an hour before the beef is cooked, then arrange the cooked kale-sprouts on a dish, and put the corned beef over, and serve.
—Procure two sirloin steaks of one pound each; season them with one pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper. Baste on both sides with half a tablespoonful of oil, and put them on a broiler over a bright charcoal fire; broil them for six minutes on each side, and then place them on a hot serving-dish. Pour a pint of Bordelaise sauce (No. 186) over the steaks, being careful to have the rounds of marrow on top of the steaks unbroken, and serve very hot. (Broiled sirloin steaks are all to be prepared as above, only adding different sauces or garnishings).
—Prepare and broil two sirloin steaks as forNo. 491, and when cooked, pour over half a pint of Béarnaise sauce (No. 166), and serve.
—Broil two sirloin steaks as forNo. 491, take half a pint of Madeira sauce (No. 185), and to it add six drops of tarragon-vinegar, also the marrow of one marrow-bone cut in round slices. Boil once only, then pour the sauce over the steaks, and serve very hot.
—Procure a piece of four pounds of tender sirloin, pare and trim it nicely, taking out the bones; lard it over the top with a small larding-needle, and season with half a pinch of salt and a third of a pinch of pepper. Line a baking-dish with some pork-skin, one medium-sized, sliced carrot, half a bunch of well-cleaned and pared parsley-roots, one peeled, sound, sliced onion, one sprig of thyme, and a bay-leaf. Place the sirloin on top, and put it in the oven to roast for thirty minutes. Take from out the oven, dress on a hot dish,leave it at the oven door; add half a pint of white broth (No. 99) or consommé (No. 100) to the gravy, boil it for two minutes, skim the fat off, strain the gravy into a sauce-bowl, and serve separate.
—Broil two sirloin steaks as forNo. 491, and serve surrounded with one pint of cooked Parisian potatoes (No. 986), and half a gill of maître d’hôtel butter (No. 145).
—Lay two broiled sirloin steaks, as forNo. 491, on a hot dish; cut six medium-sized cêpes into quarter pieces, put them in a frying-pan with one tablespoonful of oil, and fry for two minutes with one finely chopped shallot and a quarter of a clove of crushed garlic. Add these ingredients to half a pint of Madeira sauce (No. 185), and boil for two minutes longer, then pour over the steaks, besprinkle with a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and serve.
—Dish two broiled sirloin steaks (No. 491), and pour over them a sauce made as follows: empty three green peppers, mince them very fine, suppressing the seeds, and put them in a stewpan with a tablespoonful of oil. Cook for about three minutes, moistening with half a pint of Madeira sauce (No. 185); cook for five minutes longer, then pour the sauce over the steaks, and serve.
—Proceed the same as forNo. 491, adding a pint of Bordelaise sauce (No. 186) separately.
—The same as forNo. 491, only serving with a pint of hot marrow garnishing (No. 244) separately.
—Cut into small slices a piece of beef weighing one pound and a half, put them in a saucepan with two tablespoonfuls of oil and two medium-sized, chopped onions; brown them together for five minutes, then add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and cover with a pint and a half of white broth (No. 99). Stir well and put in two cut-up tomatoes, two crushed cloves of garlic, and six finely shred mushrooms; season with a good pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper; place the lid on the pan. Let cook for twenty minutes, then dress on a hot dish. Arrange six heart-shaped croûtons (No. 133) around the dish, and serve.
—The same as for the above, only leaving out the mushrooms, and garnishing with six timbales prepared as follows: thoroughly clean the interiors of six small timbale-molds, then butter them well inside. Fill them up half their height with hot, boiled rice, well pressed down, so that when unmolding they will hold perfectly firm. Place them in the hot oven for two minutes. Unmold and arrange them around the dish at equal distances; dress six small, hot, roasted tomatoes (No. 1028), one on top of each column of rice, and then serve.
—Proceed as forNo. 500, browning the meat in oil, and adding two very finely chopped shallots, one onion, and a green pepper cut into pieces. When well browned, after five minutes, put in a pint of Espagnole sauce (No. 151), half a pinch of salt, and the same of pepper. Cook again for fifteen minutes and serve, with a teaspoonful of chopped parsley strewn over.
—Procure two and a half pounds oftenderloin of beef; pare, cut it into three equal parts, flatten a little, then place them on a dish, and besprinkle with a pinch of salt, and the same of pepper. Baste them with one teaspoonful of sweet oil; roll them well, and put them on the broiler on a moderate fire; let cook for five minutes on each side; then place them on a hot dish, and use any kind of sauce or garnishing desired.
All broiled tenderloins are prepared the same way.
—Broil three tenderloin steaks, as forNo. 503; lay them on a dish on the top of a gill of hot Béarnaise sauce (No. 166), place on each steak one hot artichoke-bottom filled with hot Macédoine (No. 1032), pour just a little meat-glaze (No. 141) over, and serve.
—Broil three tenderloin steaks, as forNo. 503; put them on a hot dish, with half a pint of garnishing of mushroom sauce (No. 230); lay six poached eggs (No. 404) on top, and serve.
—Prepare three fillets the same as forNo. 503; pour a gill of hot Madeira sauce (No. 185) over the steaks, and garnish with three hot artichokes à la Florentin (No. 903), and serve.
—Broil three fillets, as forNo. 503; pour half a pint of Béarnaise sauce (No. 166) over, and garnish with four slices of truffles on each; also a little meat-glaze (No. 141), and serve.
—Have three tenderloin steaks prepared as forNo. 503; when taken from the broiler, place them on a warm dish, and have already prepared the following garnishing: put in a saucepan one pint of Madeira sauce (No. 185); add to it two truffles cut into square pieces, four mushrooms, an artichoke-bottom, and a small blanched sweetbread, either from the throat or heart, all well minced together. Cook for ten minutes; then pour this over the hot serving-dish. Dress the fillets over, and serve.
—After procuring two and a half pounds of fine, tender fillet of beef, pare it nicely all around; then cut it into six equal, small fillets. Flatten them slightly and equally. Place on a dish, season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, evenly divided. Place them in a pan on the hot range, with half a gill of clarified butter, and cook them for four minutes on each side. Prepare a pint of Béarnaise sauce, as inNo. 166. Dress three-quarters of it on a hot dish (reserving the other quarter for further action). Lay six round-shaped pieces of bread-croûtons, lightly fried in butter, over the Béarnaise sauce; dress the six fillets, one on top of each croûton; arrange then six warm artichoke-bottoms right in the centre of the fillets. Fill up the artichokes with a tablespoonful of hot Jardinière (No. 1033). Evenly divide the remaining quarter of a pint of hot Béarnaise sauce over the Jardinière. Cut into six even slices one good-sized, sound truffle; place one slice on the top of each, right in the centre of the Béarnaise sauce, and send to the table as hot as possible.
—Prepare and fry six small fillets as for the above (No. 509) for three minutes on both sides; lay them on a dish, adding one pint of hot Madeira sauce (No. 185) with six drops of tarragon-vinegar and eighteen round slices of marrow. Let boil once only; then pour the sauce around the dish, dressing the marrow on top of the fillet, and serve.
—Trim nicely and lard six fillets of beef—tail ends weighing each a quarter of a pound—steep them in a cooked marinade (No. 139) for twelve hours; then drain, and cook them in a sautoire, with one ounce of clarified butter, for three minutes on each side, and serve with one pint of Russian sauce (No. 211) on the dish, and the fillets on top.
—Prepare six small fillets, as directed forNo. 509; cook them for three minutes on each side; then lay them on a dish and pour over half a pint of hot Madeira sauce (No. 185). Serve with six small croûstades (No. 264), garnished with Macédoine (No. 1032), and six large game quenelles (No. 228).