Macaroni à l’Italienne.Boil half a pound of macaroni as above, when done lay it on a sieve to dry for one minute, put it in a pan with four spoonfuls of white sauce, add half a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, a little cayenne; toss the macaroni over the fire; when boiling, add two ounces each of grated Parmesan and Gruyère cheese, toss round and round until well mixed, then serve with a gill of very strong gravy around it.Macaroni au Gratin.Proceed the same as above, but after you have put the macaroni on the dish, omit the gravy, and cover it slightly with bread-crumbs, and about the same quantity of Parmesan cheese, grated, a little butter over, and then put in a hot oven for a quarter of an hour, if not hot enough, pass the salamander over it to give it a nice brownish colour, and serve very hot.Macaroni à la Napolitaine.Boil half a pound of the best quality of macaroni for half an hour (as at No. 1369), when tender, lay one quarter of it on the dish you intend to serve, have ready two ounces of grated Parmesan, which you divide into four parts, to lay over each layer of macaroni, then put over it two tablespoonfuls of strong gravy, made of half glaze and consommé; put the dish in the oven for ten minutes, and serve very hot.The real Italian method (called à l’Estoufade).Boil and proceed as before, but make the gravy as follows, and use it instead of the preceding:—Take two pounds of rump of beef, larded through, put in a small stewpan with one quarter of a pound of butter, fry gently for one hour, turning almost continually, when forming a glaze add a pint of broth, let simmer another hour very gently indeed, take the fat off, and use that gravy instead of that above described; a little tomato sauce may be introduced if handy; serve the beef at the same time in a separate dish.
Macaroni à l’Italienne.
Boil half a pound of macaroni as above, when done lay it on a sieve to dry for one minute, put it in a pan with four spoonfuls of white sauce, add half a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, a little cayenne; toss the macaroni over the fire; when boiling, add two ounces each of grated Parmesan and Gruyère cheese, toss round and round until well mixed, then serve with a gill of very strong gravy around it.
Macaroni au Gratin.
Proceed the same as above, but after you have put the macaroni on the dish, omit the gravy, and cover it slightly with bread-crumbs, and about the same quantity of Parmesan cheese, grated, a little butter over, and then put in a hot oven for a quarter of an hour, if not hot enough, pass the salamander over it to give it a nice brownish colour, and serve very hot.
Macaroni à la Napolitaine.
Boil half a pound of the best quality of macaroni for half an hour (as at No. 1369), when tender, lay one quarter of it on the dish you intend to serve, have ready two ounces of grated Parmesan, which you divide into four parts, to lay over each layer of macaroni, then put over it two tablespoonfuls of strong gravy, made of half glaze and consommé; put the dish in the oven for ten minutes, and serve very hot.
The real Italian method (called à l’Estoufade).
Boil and proceed as before, but make the gravy as follows, and use it instead of the preceding:—Take two pounds of rump of beef, larded through, put in a small stewpan with one quarter of a pound of butter, fry gently for one hour, turning almost continually, when forming a glaze add a pint of broth, let simmer another hour very gently indeed, take the fat off, and use that gravy instead of that above described; a little tomato sauce may be introduced if handy; serve the beef at the same time in a separate dish.
Or Savoury Jelly, extracted from the succulence of meat, when well made, is very inviting at any season of the year, especially in the summer, besides being the principal ornament and garniture of those savoury dishes which relieve the monotony of the second course. The tediousness and expense of its preparation in the old-fashioned manner has often been the cause of its being omitted, which has also prevented gourmets from partaking of the second course, but where well served, its delightful flavour will restore, cleanse, and invigorate the palate, causing each guest to partake more freely of the savoury dishes, which will afford a zest to the delicate Lafitte or Château Margot, which flows so generously in the glasses of true epicures. By following closely my new receipt, I venture to say that any cook, with a little experience, will produce an aspic fit for the table of a crowned head.
Take two large knuckles of veal, which cut in large dice, having about six pounds of meat, well butter the bottom of a middling-sized stewpan, put in the meat, with one pound of lean ham and two calf’s feet, cut up, breaking the bones, add half a gill of water, and place the stewpan over a sharp fire, stirring the meat round occasionally until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a whitish glaze, then fill it up with five quarts of water, add three onions,one small carrot, one turnip, half a head of celery, six peppercorns, one clove, half a blade of mace, a teaspoonful of salt, and a bunch of parsley, with which you have mixed two bay-leaves and a few sprigs of thyme, also two apples, peeled and cut in quarters; when boiling place it at the corner of the stove, let simmer gently for three hours, skimming off every particle of fat, or it would interfere with the clarification; it should be reduced to about a half, pass it through a fine cloth into a basin, place a little in a mould upon ice to ascertain if sufficiently firm, if too firm add a little light broth, but if, on the contrary, too weak, reduce it until you have obtained the consistency of strong calf’s-foot jelly, place the remainder in a stewpan upon the fire, taste if to your palate; have the whites of six eggs in a basin, with the shells, whisk them half a minute, add a gill of water or broth, two spoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, and a little salt, beat all together, have the stock boiling upon the fire, whisk round, pour in the eggs at once, and keep whisking a few minutes; set the stewpan at the corner with the lid on, upon which place some live charcoal, and let it remain five minutes, have a fine napkin, which tie in a square upon the top of your jelly-stand, through which pass it into a basin, pouring the first that runs through again into the napkin, when passed and set it is ready for use where directed. Should you require the aspic to partake of the flavour of fowl, twenty minutes before passing the stock, thrust a fowl just roasted into it, leaving it but a very short time. The same remark also applies to game of any description, should you require the aspic of such a flavour. To obtain aspic of a fine gold colour, let your stock draw down to a pale yellowish glaze before filling it up, or add a spoonful of brown gravy (No. 135); three very distinct colours may likewise be made of aspic, without introducing the colour-box of some celebrated artists, that is, leaving theone nearly white, the other a gold colour, as above mentioned, and the other quite a dark brown, adding more brown gravy and reducing it a little, clarifying it separately, and colouring before the clarification; place it in three separate sauté-pans or flat moulds, which place upon ice, when set, ornament your dishes tastefully, it will produce an excellent effect, especially in a large supper. Should you not succeed in clarifying it the first time, the operation must be again performed.
Put a quarter of a pint of melted aspic upon ice in a stewpan, which keep whisking until becoming a white froth, then add half a pint of salad-oil and six spoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, by degrees, first oil, and then vinegar, continually whisking until it forms a white smooth sauce, to all appearance like a cream; season with half a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, and a little sugar, whisk it a little more, and it is ready to serve; it is usually dressed pyramidically over the article it is served with. The advantage of this sauce (which is more delicate than any other) is, that you may dress it to any height you like, and it will remain so for a long time; if the temperature is not too hot it will remain hours without melting or appearing greasy.
Proceed precisely as in the last, but adding half a spoonful of fresh chopped parsley, half a one of finely chopped eschalots, and one of finely chopped fresh tarragon and chervil.
Well pound two good handfuls of spinach in a mortar, and put it into a thick cloth over a dish, twist up the clothas tight as possible, until you have extracted all the liquor, which put into a stewpan, and place over the fire, the moment it boils it will curdle, when pour it upon the back of a silk sieve, when cold take a spoonful of the green from off the sieve, which put into a basin with a good spoonful of chopped tarragon; have ready a good mayonnaise à la gelée (No. 1361), which put into the basin, mixing the whole lightly, but well together; it will be of a fine pistachio green colour, and is then ready for use where required. To make it red, use the spawn of lobster and omit the spinach. It requires to be extremely well seasoned.
Put the yolks of two fresh eggs in a basin, with the yolk of one hard-boiled one, rub through a hair sieve, add two saltspoonfuls of salt, and one of white pepper, stir round with the right hand with a wooden spoon, holding a bottle of salad-oil in the left, dropping it in by degrees, continually stirring, when becoming a little thickish, add a couple of spoonfuls of common vinegar, by degrees, still keeping it stirred, then more oil, proceeding thus until you have used a pint of oil and four or five spoonfuls of vinegar, having, by constantly working it, formed a stiffish cream-looking sauce, perfectly smooth; this sauce being used for salads, requires to be rather highly seasoned, as it affords the seasoning for salad, volaille, &c.; mayonnaise aux fines herbes, ditto en ravigote verte, are made as above, adding the herbs, or herbs and spinach as in the two preceding. Should the sauce curdle in making, the operation must be again commenced, putting the yolk of an egg in a basin, stirring in carefully a little oil and vinegar, and when forming a smoothish paste, stir in the curdled sauce by degrees until the whole has become very smooth. Always choose a cool place to make it in.
Prepare a sauce as described in the last, quite plain, bruise half a clove of a garlic to a purée, which add to the sauce with twelve chopped olives, two of chopped gherkins, two of capers, and the fillets of a small anchovy cut in fine strips; this sauce may be used for any description of salad. There are many persons who, I am aware, have a great dislike to garlic, but as there are a great many also very fond of it, I have here given it as abonne bouche.
Boil six eggs quite hard, when cold take out the yolks, which put into a mortar with four anchovies well washed, two spoonfuls of capers, six gherkins, a little salt and pepper, a spoonful of tarragon and chervil, and one of parsley, pound all well together (adding the yolk of a raw egg) until it forms a stiffish paste; then add by degrees a pint of oil (keep mixing with the pestle), moistening occasionally with vinegar, add a spoonful of the colouring from spinach prepared as (No. 1363), to give it a nice colour, rub it through a hair sieve into a basin, put it upon the ice, and when firm it is ready to use where directed; a quarter of the above only may be prepared if no more is required.
Take three pounds of lean veal from the leg, which cut into very small dice, with one pound of fat bacon, put the whole into a middling-sized stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of butter, two bay-leaves, two sprigs of thyme, six of parsley, one blade of mace, twelve peppercorns, half an ounce of pepper, and the same of salt, pass it over a sharp fire until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a white glaze, stirring the whole time; then turn it upon a dish,and when cold chop it very fine, taking out the mace and peppercorns, put it in a mortar and pound it well; add two pounds of sausage-meat, pound and mix the whole well together, then add six eggs and a little cold white sauce, when well mixed it is ready for use where directed.
Procure a very nice calf’s liver, which lay in water a short time to disgorge, then cut it up in small dice, with a pound of lean veal and one of fat bacon, put the whole in a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of butter, an ounce of pepper, the same of salt, rather less than a quarter of an ounce of mixed spice, two bay-leaves, and a little thyme and parsley, pass ten minutes over a sharp fire, keeping it stirred; then lay it upon a dish until cold, when put it into a mortar and pound well, when fine add one pound of pork sausage-meat, with six eggs and a little brown sauce, mix the whole well together, rub it through a wire sieve with a wooden spoon, and use where directed.
Put one pound of powdered sugar in a good-sized bowl, which stand in a bain marie of hot water; sift one pound of flour upon a sheet of paper, then break twelve eggs into the bowl with the sugar, which whisk rather quickly until they become a little warm and rather thickish, when take the bowl from the bain marie, and continue whisking until nearly or quite cold, when add the chopped rind of a lemon and the flour, which mix lightly with a wooden spoon; have ready your mould or baking-dish lightly buttered, into which you have put a little flour, knocking out all that does not adhere to the butter, pour in the mixture and place it one hour in a moderate oven, it may require longer or not so long, but that will depend entirely uponthe compass you have it in; if done it will feel firm to the touch, but the surest method is to run a thin wooden skewer into the centre, if it comes out clean the cake is done, but if not some of the mixture would adhere to it; care should be taken not to disturb it until quite set, or it would sink in the centre, and never properly bake; when done turn it out upon a sieve to cool. As the above is for cutting, and many of my new removes are made from it, it had better be overdone than not done enough.
Have ready a large high mould lightly buttered, (with a soft brush, and clarified butter,) turn the mould up to drain, and when the butter is quite set throw some finely sifted sugar into it; move the mould round until the sugar has adhered to every part, after which turn out the superfluous sugar, tie a band of buttered paper round at the top, and place it in a cool place until the mixture is ready. Place the yolks of fourteen eggs in a basin with one pound of sugar (upon which you have rubbed the rind of two lemons previous to pounding), beat well together with a wooden spoon until nearly white, then whip the whites of the eggs very stiff, add them to the yolks and sugar, with six ounces of flour and six ounces of potato-flour, mix the whole lightly, but well together, and fill the mould rather more than three parts full, place it in a very moderate oven one hour, keeping the oven door shut; then try when done as directed in the last, if done take off the paper and turn it out upon a sieve until quite cold. The above mixture being more delicate than the last, would not do so well for removes, but may be used for that purpose by being made three or four days before it is required.
Have the weight of nine eggs of sugar in a bowl, which put into a bain marie of hot water, weigh the same weight of flour, which sift through a wire sieve upon paper, break the eggs into a bowl, and proceed as directed for sponge-cake; then with a paper funnel or bag, with a tin pipe made for that purpose, lay it out upon papers into biscuits three inches in length, and the thickness of your little finger, sift sugar over, shaking off all that does not adhere to them; place them upon baking-sheets and bake in rather a warm oven of a brownish yellow colour, when done and cold detach them from the paper by wetting it at the back, place them a short time to dry, and they are ready for use for charlotte russe, or wherever directed.
Put a quarter of a pound of isinglass in a small stewpan, just cover it with a little clear spring water, and add a piece of lump sugar the size of a walnut, place it upon the fire, shaking the stewpan round occasionally to prevent its sticking to the bottom; when upon the point of simmering add the juice of half a lemon, let simmer about a quarter of an hour, skim and pass it through a fine cloth; if the isinglass is good it will be as clear as crystal, but if it should be a little clouded (which it might be, and yet the isinglass tolerably good) clarify it again thus: pour it into a larger stewpan adding half a gill of water, place it upon the fire, and when on the point of boiling have the white of an egg in a basin, whip well with half a gill of water, pour it into the isinglass, which keep whisking over the fire until boiling, when place it at the corner of the stove, and let reduce to its former consistency, it will keep good some few days if kept in a cool place; if required for crèmes or bavaroisesit will not require clarifying, but merely dissolving as at first directed.
Have ready a pound of the best white sugar, which pound well and sift through a silk sieve, put it into a basin with the whites of three fresh eggs, beat well together with a wooden spoon, adding the juice of half a lemon, keep beating well until it becomes very light and hangs in flakes from the spoon (if it should be rather too stiff in mixing, add a little more white of egg, if, on the contrary, too soft, a little more sugar), it is then ready for use where required.
Is made similar to the last, but when finished have ready a piece of the common chocolate, which melt in a stewpan over the fire, keeping it stirred; when quite melted stir some of it in with the iceing until you have obtained the colour required, moistening the iceing with a little more white of egg, and use where directed.
Is made by pounding a quantity of sugar in a mortar, and sifting off all the fine through a hair sieve, then again what remains in the sieve put into a rather coarse wire sieve, and that which passes through is what is meant by the above term.
Prepare about half a pound of the sugar as in the last, which put upon a baking-sheet; have a spoonful of the essence of spinach prepared as (No. 1244), which stir in with the sugar until every grain is stained, when put themin a warmish place to dry, but not too hot; to colour them red, use a little prepared cochineal or liquid carmine, instead of the spinach, and proceed exactly the same; sugar may be made of other colours by the use of indigo, rouge, saffron, &c.; but not being partial to such a variety of colouring, I have merely given the red and the green, which, with the white, I consider to be sufficient for any of the purposes for which they are used.
Chop a stick of well-frosted vanilla very small, and put it into a mortar with half a pound of lump sugar, pound the whole well together in a mortar, sift through a hair sieve, and put by in a bottle or jar, corking it up tight, and using where required.
Rub the rind of some fresh lemons upon a large piece of sugar, and as it discolours the part upon which it is rubbed scrape it off with a knife; when you have obtained a sufficient quantity, dry a little in the screen, and bottle for use where required. Orange sugar may be made in the same manner, substituting very red oranges for the lemons.
Break three pounds of fine white sugar, the hardest and closest grained is the best, put it into a sugar-pan with three pints of clear spring water, set over a sharp fire, and when beginning to boil place it at the corner to simmer, and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, skim well and reduce to two thirds, it is then ready to use for jellies, &c.
If not able to obtain the best quality sugar it would be necessary to use white of eggs as an assistance in the clarification, by putting the white of one egg in a basin andwhipping it well with a pint of cold water, add half of it to the sugar, whipping it well in, let simmer, adding the remainder by degrees whilst simmering, and passing it through a fine cloth into a basin. The boiling of sugar is divided into seven different degrees, which may be ascertained by the following directions:—
The first degree is known by dipping a copper skimmer into it whilst boiling, turning it over two or three times, if the sugar falls from it in sheets it has attained the first degree.
The second is known by boiling your sugar rather longer, dipping your finger and thumb into cold water, then your finger into the boiling sugar, putting your finger and thumb together, and again opening them, it will form a kind of thread; if it is too weak boil a little longer, this is the most useful degree for fruit or water ices.
The third degree is attained by boiling it a little longer, and trying it in the same manner, upon the thread breaking, should it form a kind of pearl, it has attained the above degree; the sugar in boiling would also be covered with a quantity of small bubbles resembling pearls.
The next degree is attained by boiling it still longer, dip a skimmer into it, turn, take out and blow it hard, when the sugar will form little bladders and float in the air, this degree is called the soufflé.
For the next degree boil still longer, trying it in the same manner, but blowing harder, the bladders will be larger and adhere together, forming feathers; this degree is called la plume, or the feather.
The next is called au petite casée, and is obtained by boiling the sugar a little longer, to know this degree have a pint of cold water in a basin into which you have put a piece of ice, dip you finger into it, then into the boiling sugar, and then into the water again, take the piece whichadheres to the finger and bite, if rather crisp, but sticking to the teeth, it has attained that degree.
The seventh and last requires great attention, to attain it boil rather longer, dip your finger in as before, if it cracks and does not at all adhere to the teeth in biting it is done, take from the fire and it is ready for use for making any kind of sugar ornament.
When intended for such purposes, however, add a little tartaric acid when it arrives to the degree la plume, and pour it into a smaller sugar-pan, allowing it to reach the rims, it will be then unable to burn round the sides as if in a larger pan; if such a thing should, however, happen in a larger pan, wipe the interior of the pan round with a sponge previously dipped in cold water, or it would discolour the sugar.
Ornaments of spun sugar I have a very great dislike to for a dinner, but if required, the sugar must be boiled to the last degree. Should the sugar grain it may be brought back by adding more water, and when dissolved, boiling over again; in spinning sugar you must keep the bulk of it in a warm temperature, having a little in a smaller pan for use, which keep in a melted state by placing it in a bain marie of hot water or in a hot closet.
Having boiled your sugar to the seventh degree, as in the last, oil the handle of a wooden spoon, tie two forks together, the prongs turned outwards, dip them lightly into the sugar, take out and shake them to and fro, the sugar running from them over the spoon forming fine silken threads, proceeding thus until you have as much as you require, take it from the spoon and form it with your hands into whatever may be directed for the garnishing of any dish, not, however, too thick, or it would look heavy. Anexperienced hand would prefer doing it from the lip of the sugar-pan.
Other kinds of ornaments from sugar are made in a similar manner by oiling a mould or shape and running fillets of the sugar from the lip of the pan over it as tastefully as possible, but as I have not referred to it in this work I will not enter into its details.
Put the yolks of twelve eggs in a stewpan, with half a pound of sugar, beat well together with a wooden spoon, in another stewpan have a quart of milk and when boiling throw in two sticks of vanilla, draw it from the fire, place on the lid and let remain until partly cold, pour it over the eggs and sugar in the other stewpan, mix well, and place it over the fire (keeping it stirred) until it thickens and adheres to the back of the spoon, when pass it through a tammie into a basin, let remain until cold, then have ready a pewter freezing-pot in an ice-pail well surrounded with ice and salt;[18]put the above preparation into it, place on the lid, which must fit rather tightly, and commence twisting the pot round sharply, keeping it turned for about ten minutes, when take off the lid and with your spatula clear the sides of the interior of the pot, place the lid on again, turn the pot ten minutes longer, when again clear the sides and beat the whole well together until smooth, it being then about half frozen, then add four glasses of noyeau or maresquino and a pint and a half of cream well whipped, beat the wholewell together, place the lid upon the top, keep twisting it round a quarter of an hour, clear well from the sides, beat again well together, proceeding thus until the whole is frozen into a stiff but smooth and mellow substance, should you require to keep it sometime before serving, pour the water which has run from the ice out of the pail and add fresh ice and salt; when ready to serve work it up smoothly with your spatula.
Proceed exactly as in the last but omitting the noyeau or maresquino, and making an infusion with coffee as directed (No. 1253) instead of vanilla.
Is made similar to the vanilla cream ice, but omitting the vanilla and liqueur, in the room of which scrape a quarter of a pound of chocolate, place it in a stewpan over the fire and keep stirring until melted, then have ready boiling a quart of milk, which mix with the chocolate by degrees, finish with eggs and sugar, and freeze as before.
Procure a rather small pineapple, take off the rind which reserve, and cut the apple into pieces an inch in length and about the thickness of a quill, place them in a sugar-pan, with half a pound of sugar and half a pint of water, set it upon the fire and reduce to a rather thickish syrup, have ready a pint and a half of milk upon the fire, into which when boiling throw the rind of the pineapple, cover it over and let infuse ten minutes, in another stewpan have the yolks of twelve eggs, to which add the milk by degrees, (previously straining it,) place over the fire, keeping itstirred until adhering to the back of the spoon, when pass it through a tammie into a basin, add the syrup and pineapple, and freeze it as in the last, adding a pint and a half of whipped cream; when half frozen use where directed.
Take the rind from six lemons as thin as possible and free from pith, squeeze the juice of the lemons into a sugar-pan, with half a pound of sugar and half a pint of water, place it upon the fire and reduce until rather a thickish syrup, have a pint and a half of milk upon the fire into which when boiling throw the rind of the lemons, cover over and let remain until half cold, in another stewpan have the yolks of twelve eggs, (to which you have added an ounce of sugar), with which mix the milk by degrees, and stir over the fire till it adheres to the back of the spoon, when stir in the syrup and pass it through a tammie; when cold freeze as directed (No. 1381) adding a pint of whipped cream when half frozen.
Proceed precisely as in the last, but using the juice and rind of ten oranges instead of lemons as there directed.
Procure a dozen and a half of fine ripe apricots, which cut in halves, take out the stones, which break, extracting the kernels, which blanch in very hot water and skin, then put them with the apricots into a sugar-pan, with half a pound of sugar and half a glassful of water, let them boil until almost forming a marmalade, when put them by in a basin, have the yolks of twelve eggs in a stewpan, with which mix by degrees a pint and a half of milk, set over the fire, keeping it stirred until thick enough to adhere tothe back of the spoon, when pass it through a tammie into a basin, add the syrup and apricots, and when cold three glasses of noyeau, freeze as in (No. 1381), and when half frozen add a pint of good whipped cream.
Procure about two pounds of fine ripe strawberries, which pick and rub through a hair sieve with a wooden spoon, obtaining all the juice and pulp of the strawberries, with which mix half a pound of powdered sugar and put it by in a basin, in a stewpan have the yolks of twelve eggs, with which mix by degrees a pint and a half of milk, stir over the fire until it becomes thickish, adhering to the back of the spoon, when pass it through a tammie, and when cold add the juice from the strawberries and three glasses of maresquino, freeze it as directed (No. 1381), adding a pint of whipped cream when half frozen and sufficiently prepared; cochineal to give it a strawberry colour if approved of.
Peel and cut thirty apples in slices, taking out the cores, and if for preserving to every pound of fruit put three quarters of a pound of broken sugar, (but if for immediate use half a pound would be quite sufficient,) place the whole into a large preserving-pan, with half a spoonful of powdered cinnamon and the rind of a lemon chopped very fine, set the pan over a sharp fire, stirring it occasionally until boiling, when keep stirring until becoming rather thick, it is then done; if for immediate use a smaller quantity would be sufficient, which put by in a basin until cold, but if to keep any time put it in jars, which cover over with paper, and tie down until wanted.
Stone about eight pounds of ripe fleshy apricots, break the stones, and blanch and skin the kernels, which with the apricots put into a preserving-pan, add six pounds of sugar and place it over a sharp fire, stirring occasionally until boiling, when keep stirring until becoming rather thick, take it off, put it in jars, and when cold tie paper over, and put by until ready for use.
Procure a sieve of fine ripe quinces, which peel and cut in four, taking out the cores, place them in a large preserving-pan and cover with cold water; set upon the fire, and when boiling and tender to the touch, place them in a large sieve to drain one hour, pass them through a tammie, then have ready a corresponding weight of sugar boiled to the sixth degree (No. 1379) in the preserving-pan, to which add the purée of quinces, keep stirring over the fire till forming thin sheets, drop a little upon the cover of a stewpan, if it sets quickly take it from the fire, put it in small jars, and let remain a day until quite cold, when tie them down, and put by until wanted.
Procure a quantity of very ripe apricots, each of which cut into four or six pieces, break the stones and blanch the kernels, put the apricots in a preserving-pan with a small quantity of water, boil them until quite tender, when pass them through a sieve; to every pound of fruit have three quarters of a pound of sugar (in a preserving-pan) boiled to the sixth degree (No. 1379), add the apricots with their kernels, and keep stirring over the fire until forming thin transparent sheets, try when done as in the last, and put away in pots.The marmalade would be still more transparent if you were to peel the apricots first, but then you would lose some of their delicious flavour.
Procure a sieve of bright Kentish cherries, pull out the stalks and stones, and put the fruit in a preserving-pan, place over the fire, keeping it stirred until reduced to two thirds, have in another preserving-pan, to every pound of fruit, half a pound of sugar boiled to the sixth degree (No. 1379), into which pour the fruit when boiling hot, let reduce, keep stirring until you can just see the bottom of the pan, when take it from the fire, and fill your jars as before.
A plainer way is to take off the stalks and stone the fruit, place them in a pan over a sharp fire, and to every pound of fruit add nearly half a pound of sugar, keep stirring until reduced as above, and let it get partly cold in the pan before filling the jars.
Pick twelve pounds of very red ripe strawberries, which put into a preserving-pan with ten pounds of sugar (broken into smallish pieces), place over a sharp fire, keep continually stirring, boiling it until the surface is covered with clearish bubbles, try a little upon a cover, if it sets, fill the jars as before.
Pick twelve pounds of raspberries and pass them through a fine sieve to extract the seeds, boil as many pounds of sugar as you had pounds of fruit to the sixth degree (No. 1379), when add the pulp of the fruit, keep stirring over the fire, reducing it until you can just see the bottom of the pan, take it from the fire, and put it into jars as before.
Cut six dozen of sound rennet apples in quarters, take out all the pips, put them into a sugar-pan, just cover them with cold water, and place over the fire, let boil until the apples become quite pulpy, when drain them upon a sieve, catching the liquor in a basin, which afterwards pass through a new and very clean jelly-bag; to every pint of liquor have one pound of sugar, which boil to the sixth degree as directed (No. 1379), when, whilst hot, mix in the liquor from the apple with a very clean skimmer, to prevent it boiling over keep it skimmed, lift the skimmer occasionally from the pan, and when the jelly falls from it in thin sheets, take it up and fill the pots as before; the smaller pots are the best adapted for jellies.
Proceed exactly as directed in the last, but using quinces instead of apples.
Put half a sieve of fine red currants in a large stewpan with a gallon of white currants and a gallon of raspberries, add a quart of water, place over the fire, keep stirring, to prevent them sticking to the bottom, and let boil about ten minutes, pour them into a sieve to drain, catching the juice in a basin and draining the currants quite dry, pass the juice whilst hot through a clean jelly-bag, have a pound of sugar to every pint of juice, and proceed precisely as directed for apple jelly. Should you have time to pick the currants from the stalks previous to boiling, you would lose that bitter flavour, and have less difficulty in making your jelly clear.
Is made precisely as in the last, omitting the raspberries, the difference being in the use; the last being adapted for the garnishing of pastry, and this to use for sauces, or to serve with hares, venison, or any other meat, where required.
A more simple method of making currant jelly is to rub the fruit through a sieve, and afterwards squeeze it through a fine linen cloth, put it into a preserving-pan with to every pint of juice, three quarters of a pound of white sugar; place over a sharp fire, stirring occasionally with a skimmer, keeping it well skimmed; it is done when dropping in sheets as before from the skimmer. For my own part, I prefer this last simple method, being quicker done, and retaining more of the full freshness of the fruit.
It is not my intention to give a description of the various methods of preserving fruits which belong to the confectionary department; I have however given the few foregoing receipts, they being required for reference from various parts of this work, and being all that are required for the garnishing of dishes for the second course; various other fruits may, however, be made into marmalades and jellies by following those few simple directions.
Procure six half sieves of fine red ripe tomatas, pull out the stalks, squeeze out the seeds, and throw the tomatas into a middling-sized stock-pot or large stewpan, add two carrots (cut in thin slices), ten onions (do.), a head of celery, ten sprigs of thyme, ten do. of parsley, six bay-leaves, six cloves of garlic, four blades of mace, ten cloves, ten peppercorns, and a handful of salt; place upon the fire, move them occasionally from the bottom, and let boil threequarters of an hour; then line a couple of large sieves with cloths, into which put them to drain, (not too dry,) throw the liquor that runs from them away, rub them through a wire sieve, and afterwards through tammies, then put them into a stewpan, season with a teaspoonful of cayenne and a little more salt, place upon the fire, and stir until boiling, take from the fire, and when about three parts cold, put into strong glass bottles[19](do not fill them too full), cork them down, tightly securing the corks with wire or string, place them in a vegetable steamer, and steam them well for half an hour (or if no steamer, have a large fish-kettle of water simmering, in which stand the bottles, with their necks just out of the water) take them out, and when cold dip the tops into melted pitch and rosin, then into cold water, and put by until required.
END Of RECEIPTS FOR THE TABLE OF THE WEALTHY.
MYnew pagodatique dishes, which have been pronounced by persons of taste who have seen them (and more so by those who have partaken of their contents) to be most novel, useful, and elegant, a service of them forming quite a new coup d’œil, and giving the greatest variation to small récherché dinners. Having invented them only last year, and having then this work in progress, caused me to refrain from giving them any great publicity previous to this publication; and the only service ever used was by me at the Reform Club, where they met with complete success. A minute description of the origin, utility, and construction will be found at the end of this work, with correct engravings, representing it both with and without the cover; so I shall here content myself by giving a bill of fare of a dinner served in them, to grace thetable of the wealthy, as represented in the following engraving. They being entirely devoted for entrées, four of them make a service, and in very large dinners may be always introduced as corner dishes. In the following bill of fare I have given two entrées, containing four sauces each, and the others with only two, being the manner in which I have frequently served them, each brown entrée must be lightly glazed, dressed elegantly in the centre, not covering too large a space, and just sufficient clear gravy to cover the bottom of your dish, whilst the white entrées would require a little thin white sauce; some entrées, again, which require to be dipped in white or brown sauce would have sufficient run from them to cover bottom of the dish.
Barff Tucker, del.J. Walmsley, Sculp.Table of the Wealthy.Rien ne dispose mieux l’esprit humain à des transactions amicales qu’un diner bien conçu artistement préparé.
Barff Tucker, del.J. Walmsley, Sculp.Table of the Wealthy.Rien ne dispose mieux l’esprit humain à des transactions amicales qu’un diner bien conçu artistement préparé.
Barff Tucker, del.J. Walmsley, Sculp.
Table of the Wealthy.
Rien ne dispose mieux l’esprit humain à des transactions amicales qu’un diner bien conçu artistement préparé.
IBEGto present to my Readers a copy of the Bill-of-fare of the most recherché dinner I ever dressed, which the liberality and epicurean taste of the gentleman who gave it, to a select party of connoiseurs, enabled me to procure; he wishing me to get him a first-rate dinner, and spare no expense in procuring the most novel, luxurious, and rare edibles to be obtained at this extravagant season of the year; I, therefore, much to his satisfaction, placed before him and his guests the following: (see p. 609).
I had also proposed the following dish to the party, which was accepted, but which I was unable to obtain from Paris on account of a change in the weather preventing their arrival, the articles being two dozen of ortolans; having already procured twelve of the largest and finest truffles I could obtain, it was my intention to have dug a hole in each, into which I should have placed one of the birds, and covered each with a piece of lamb’s or calf’s caul, then to have braised them half an hour in good stock made from fowl and veal, with half a pint of Lachryma Christi added; then to have drained them upon a cloth, placed a border of poached forcemeat upon the dish, built the truffles in pyramid, made a purée with the truffle dug from the interior, using the stock reduced to a demi-glace and poured over, roasted the twelve remaining ortolans before a sharp fire, with which I should have garnished the whole round, and served very hot.
[Note.The tradespeople received their orders a week previous to the dinner. The finest mullets I ever saw, as well as the Severn salmon, were obtained at Grove’s, in Bond Street; the remainder of the fish was from Jay’s, Hungerford Market. At seven o’clock the live Severn salmon was brought to me, it having just arrived direct from Gloucester, and was boiled immediately, being just ten minutes before the dinner was placed upon the table, and was eaten in its greatest possible perfection. The finest of the poultry came from Bailey’s, Davis Street, Grosvenor Square, and Townsend’s, Charles Street, Haymarket. The foies gras and some very fine fresh French truffles came from Morel’s; the hors-d’-œuvres, from Edges and Butler’s, Regent Street. The saddleback of lamb came from Newland’s, Air Street, Piccadilly, the Welsh mutton from Skier’s, and the young green peas and a very expensive dessert came from Solomon’s, Covent Garden. My being so minute in mentioning the name of the above tradespeople is not to advertise their fame in their different specialities, as that I believe they have already acquired, but merely to prove the trouble a real gourmet will take to furnish his table, Mr. S. having called many times upon several of them himself, previous to this party taking place, to ascertain what his dinner was to be composed of. The most expensive dishes were the mullets, the salmon, poulardes à la Nelson, and, above all, the crawfish which, when dressed, cost upwards of seven guineas.]
[Note.The tradespeople received their orders a week previous to the dinner. The finest mullets I ever saw, as well as the Severn salmon, were obtained at Grove’s, in Bond Street; the remainder of the fish was from Jay’s, Hungerford Market. At seven o’clock the live Severn salmon was brought to me, it having just arrived direct from Gloucester, and was boiled immediately, being just ten minutes before the dinner was placed upon the table, and was eaten in its greatest possible perfection. The finest of the poultry came from Bailey’s, Davis Street, Grosvenor Square, and Townsend’s, Charles Street, Haymarket. The foies gras and some very fine fresh French truffles came from Morel’s; the hors-d’-œuvres, from Edges and Butler’s, Regent Street. The saddleback of lamb came from Newland’s, Air Street, Piccadilly, the Welsh mutton from Skier’s, and the young green peas and a very expensive dessert came from Solomon’s, Covent Garden. My being so minute in mentioning the name of the above tradespeople is not to advertise their fame in their different specialities, as that I believe they have already acquired, but merely to prove the trouble a real gourmet will take to furnish his table, Mr. S. having called many times upon several of them himself, previous to this party taking place, to ascertain what his dinner was to be composed of. The most expensive dishes were the mullets, the salmon, poulardes à la Nelson, and, above all, the crawfish which, when dressed, cost upwards of seven guineas.]
EntreLord M. H.etA. Soyer.
S.Vous avez parfaitement raison, Mylord; le titre de gourmet n’appartient qu’à celui qui mange avec art, avec science, avec ordre, et même avec beaucoup d’ordre.
Lord M.Le gourmand n’est jamais gourmet; l’un mange sans déguster, l’autre déguste en mangeant.
S.L’homme fier et hautain, Mylord, s’occupe de son diner par besoin; l’homme du monde, épicure profond, s’en occupe avec plaisir.
Lord M.Il est certain que l’on ne saurait donner trop d’attention à la rigide exécution et à l’ordre intelligent d’un diner. Le diner étant de chaque jour, de chaque saison, de chaque siècle, est non seulement la seule mode héréditaire, mais aussi l’âme de la sociabilité; lisez l’histoire, et vous y verrez que de tous les temps, et chez tous les peuples, le bien qui s’est fait, et quelquefois le mal, fut toujours précédé ou suivi d’un copieux diner.
S.Rien, n’est plus vrai, Mylord, que de tous les plaisirs de la vie qui nous sont légués en ce monde, celui de la table est le seul auquel les rênes du char de la vie n’échappent qu’à regret; et souvent, en ami fidèle, ne les lâche qu’aux abords du tombeau; tandis que tous les autres s’épanouissent frivolement, comme à la suite d’un beau printemps, et, en nous délaissant, couvrent nos fronts radieux du givre des ans.
Lord M.Il est positif que déguster est une faculté de tout âge; un vieillard de cent six ans, que j’ai beaucoup connu, dégustait parfaitement alors.
S.Nos cent dégustateurs demandent de continuelles études, et réclament, sans cesse, un continuel changement.
Lord M.Le plus bel esprit manquerait d’éloquence s’il négligeait par trop l’ordre de ses repas.
S.C’est ce qui nous prouve, Mylord, que nos plus agréables sensations dépendent non seulement de la nature, mais aussi du soin que nous donnons à notre personne.
Lord M.Oui, car plus l’âme est sensible, plus la dégustation est féconde. Les sensations dégustatives opèrent avec autant d’activité sur le palais que le charme de la mélodie le fait sur l’ouïe; par exemple, l’homme dans un cas de folie, peut bien éprouver le besoin de manger, mais l’action enchanteresse de la dégustation lui est aussi interdite que la raison.
S.Votre argument sur ce point est extrêmement juste, Mylord. N’êtes-vous pas aussi de mon avis, que rien ne dispose mieux l’esprit humain à des transactions amicales, qu’un diner bien conçu et artistement préparé.
Lord M.C’est ce qui m’a toujours fait dire qu’un bon cuisinier est aussi utile qu’un savant conseiller.
S.Je me suis toujours aperçu, Mylord, que le palais le plus fin était le plus difficile à plaire, mais aussi le plus juste à récompenser.
Lord M.Le choix des vins est de haute importance dans l’ordre d’un diner; un vin fin, léger et généreux protège le cuisinier et devient le bienfaiteur du convive.
S.Permettez-moi de vous faire observer, Mylord, qu’une réunion gastronomique sans dames est à mes yeux un parterre sans fleurs, l’océan sans flots, une flotte maritime sans voiles.
Lord M.Certes, de telles réunions sont le berceau des bonnes mœurs et de la jovialité, comme la débauche est le tombeau de la moralité.
Reform Club, May 14, 1846.