Read Ebook: The Modern Housewife or Ménagère Comprising Nearly One Thousand Receipts for the Economic and Judicious Preparation of Every Meal of the Day with those of The Nursery and Sick Room and Minute Directions for Family Management in All its Branches. by Soyer Alexis

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or roasted chestnuts. The remains are excellent when cold, or will warm again with the addition of a little broth or water. The series of entr?es will contain the dishes made from the remnants of the foregoing receipts.

FOWLS, in a general sense, mean all kinds of poultry, but, in a limited view, mean one species of bird, which is exceedingly common in all parts of Europe: there are an amazing number of kinds of this species produced by crossing the breed; great attention having been bestowed upon this subject of late years, that it is quite impossible to say which is the best. They are not originally natives of England, but were found there by the Romans, having probably been brought by the Phoenicians. We distinguish this kind in cookery as the chicken, capon, pullet, cock, and hen. Chickens from their age cannot be otherwise but tender; capons should have a fat vein on the side of the breast, thick belly and rump, comb short and pale, spurs short and blunt, and legs smooth. Pullets are best in the spring, just before they begin to lay. Cocks should have their spurs short, legs smooth, and comb short, smooth, and a bright color. Hens, legs and comb smooth, and full breast. Black legs are best for roasting and entr?es, and white for boiling.

For preparing them for table, M. Soyer has invented a plan:--by cutting the sinews of the bird, it not only appears fuller and plumper when cooked, as the heat is liable to contract the sinews, but it also affords facility for carving when the sinews are divided; they are trussed in the usual way, only using string instead of skewers. The following is the ordinary plan of trussing--

GEESE.--We have now arrived at your favorite dish, or, as your better half said on your return home from this, "What is better than a goose stuffed with sage and onion!" Of course many persons are of his idea, and I must say that I for one enjoy them occasionally when in season; yes, indeed I do, and with the original apple-sauce too; this last addition to our national cookery must have been conferred on it by the Germans, who eat sweets or stewed fruit with almost every dish; or, perhaps, from William the Conqueror, who left his land of apples to visit and conquer our shores; but never mind to whom we are indebted for this bizarre culinary mixture, I sincerely forgive them, and intend to have one for dinner to-day, which I shall have cooked as follows; but I must first tell you how they should be chosen. The flesh should be of a fine pink color, and the liver pale, the bill and foot yellow, and no hairs, or but few, on the body; the contrary will be observed in an old one, which will have the feet and bill red.

DUCKS.--There are several varieties of this bird, all, however, originating from the mallard. There has not been that care and attention paid to this bird as to the fowl; but I think it is well worthy the attention of farmers, it being one which is exceedingly cheap to rear; great care should be evinced in feeding it twelve days previous to its being killed. Ducklings are considered a luxury, but which, I think, is more to be attributed to their scarcity than flavor. The drake is generally considered the best, but, as a general rule, those of the least gaudy plumage are the best; they should be hard and thick on the belly, and limber-footed.

The remains of ducks left from a previous dinner may be hashed as directed for goose, and for variety, should peas be in season, a pint previously boiled may be added to the hash just before serving. The sage and apple must in all cases be omitted.

FLANCS.

At this part of the dinner there are those dishes which are called Flancs, by which is understood, those dishes whose contents are not so large as the removes and not so small as the entr?es, and the Receipts for which may be taken from either of those departments, with this difference;--instead of meat or poultry being cut up, it should be left whole: for instance, a loin of mutton, instead of being cut up into cutlets, should be served whole, with some sauce under it, and a duck, instead of being divided, should be left whole, with some sauce. It is also a great addition in the appearance of the table, and should always be served in a differently-formed dish to the entr?es or removes; and are only required when eighteen or twenty persons dine, and four corner dishes are used.

ENTR?ES OR MADE DISHES.

ENTR?ES are, in common terms, what are called made-dishes; of course, these are dishes upon which, in the high class of cookery, the talent of the cook is displayed. Great care should be observed in dishing them up, for the eye is a great assistance to the palate; it often happens that the carelessness of the servant destroys the labors of the cook, by the manner in which the dish is taken from the kitchen to the dining-room. In some measure to avoid that, I direct a small thin border of mashed potatoes, about half an inch wide and a quarter of an inch deep, to be placed on the bottom of the dish, which keeps each object in its place: they should always be served exceedingly hot.

Should you have any cold from the first receipt, it may be served as here directed; but being cold, would require to be longer in the oven to become well hot through.

I remember, when in business, upon one occasion, having a few friends pop in unexpectedly about luncheon-time upon a Saturday , and having nothing but a heart as a meal to give them, I immediately gave orders to the cook to cut it into slices half an inch thick, dip each piece in flour, and afterwards egg and bread-crumb them, then to put four spoonfuls of oil in the frying-pan, lay part of the pieces in, and saut? of a nice color, then to keep them hot in a dish and saut? the remainder; and when all done, to pour off part of the oil, put a teaspoonful of flour in the pan, mixing it with the remaining oil and gravy, then pouring in a gill of water, season with a little pepper and salt, four spoonfuls of the vinegar from piccalilly, and a little of the pickle finely chopped; boil the whole a minute, pour over the heart, and serve very hot. It pleased very much, and I have since had some with a little plain gravy, and broiled bacon: in both instances it was very good.

A long brown earthen pan for the above purposes may be obtained at any china warehouse, but should you not be able to procure one, a stewpan must supply its place.

Mutton, lamb, or pork-chops, or veal-cutlets may be dressed in a similar manner.

For a change, cabbage-lettuce may be used, or, if in season, a little endive , or a little celery, or a few gherkins; also, to vary the seasoning, a little chopped tarragon and chervil, chopped eschalots, or a little scraped garlic, if approved of, but all in proportion, and used with moderation. White haricot beans are also excellent with it.

Should the remains of a tongue be but small, and if well pickled and boiled, the root and all would be excellent in any kind of beef, lamb, mutton, veal, or pork, hashed, or in pies or puddings made from those meats.

This dish ought to be carved with a spoon, being so tender; but I prefer to cut it with a very sharp knife, as it is more inviting in appearance. If you have no oven ready, stew gently on a hot plate, or by the side of the stove, with the lid on and live coals on the top. If you let it burn by any neglect or accident, do not tell your friends that I gave you the receipt, as it would eat so very bad, and I should lose my good name. It can be served with any sauce or pur?e, but the one I prefer is as follows: Take the gravy from the stewpan, which ought to be about half a pint, if not so much add water, pass it through a fine sieve into a basin, remove the fat from the top, put it into a small stewpan, reduce it a little to a demi-glaze, mix half a teaspoonful of arrow-root in a cup, with a little water, put it in the gravy, boil two minutes; it ought to be of a bright yellow color, and transparent; the fricandeau should be served with gravy under it. The following pur?es are excellent to serve with it: sorrel, endive, peas, beans, artichokes, and spinach; tomato, mushroom, and cucumber sauces, &c. If a piece of udder can be procured, stew it with the fricandeau, and serve it in the same dish. This receipt will well repay the trouble attending it. The following is very good, and more simple.

I get a dozen of them from the tripe-butcher, all cleaned and ready, and beg of him to extract the long bone from them. I put a quarter of a pound of beef or mutton suet in a stewpan, with two onions and one carrot sliced, two bay-leaves, two sprigs of thyme, one ounce of salt, a quarter of an ounce of pepper, put on the fire, and cook five minutes; add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and stir it round; add two quarts and a half of water, then put in the feet, stir till boiling, simmer for nearly three hours, or until the feet are perfectly tender, when done, take them out, and lay on sieve, take a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, a teaspoonful of salt, the same of flour, a quarter of one of pepper, a little grated nutmeg, the juice of a lemon, mix all these well together on a plate with the back of a spoon; put the feet with a gill of milk in a stewpan on the fire, when very hot, put in the butter, stir continually till melted, having previously well mixed two yolks of eggs with five tablespoonfuls of milk or cream, which put in the stewpan, keep moving the pan round over the fire continually for one minute, serve in a very hot dish with croutons of fried bread cut in triangular pieces round the dish. The stock may be used for any pur?e or thick soup.

This is a very favorite dish in France; I learnt it from an old French ?migr?, who used to visit us about ten years since. When I have company, I use the chops of the neck, dress them in a crown, placing the vegetables in the centre; I find them very much liked. I have at some houses partaken of harico-mutton which has been tolerably good, but nothing in flavor to this plan. If there is any left, it is good warmed again, or even cold.

You must remark that, by this plan, the fat and lean are better divided, and you can enjoy both; whilst the other is a lump of meat near the bone and fat at the other end, which partly melts in cooking, and is often burnt by the flame it makes; the new one not being divided at the bone, keeps the gravy in admirably. If well sawed it should not weigh more than the ordinary one, being about half the thickness. Do try them, and let me know your opinion.

Ever yours, HORTENSE.

My husband begs to be kindly remembered to you both. Ever yours,

ELOISE.

Put two ounces of butter into a saut?-pan or very clean omelette-pan, melt it, and put the cutlets in; put it on the fire for five minutes till it is of a nice yellow color; turn them, let them remain four minutes longer, try if they are done by pressing with the finger, they ought to be firm and full of gravy; lay them on a clean cloth, and dress them in the form of a crown, that is, by keeping the thick part at the bottom, and the scraped part of the bone at the top, and each one resting half-way on the other. Every dish of cutlets must be served thus.

Put the yolk in a cup, and mix well with two tablespoonfuls of milk, stir well for one minute, put it in the middle of your pan, if no white sauce, add a little milk to the mushrooms, and mix a little flour with half a pat of butter, and put it in, keep stirring until boiling; dish up the cutlets, add the liaison, and serve; or still plainer, take the same number of mushrooms, wash well, cut in thin slices, put into a stewpan, with two pats of butter, half a teaspoonful of flour, a little salt and pepper, the juice of a lemon, and a little water; stew gently for ten minutes, serve, pouring the sauce over, or in the middle of the cutlets.

They can be served as cutlets ? la jardini?re, with peas, with tomatoes, with artichokes, with spinach, ? la poiverade, ? la sauce piquante, with Brussels sprouts, and ? la Soubise.

DISHES WITH THE REMAINS OF LAMB.

Lamb cutlets may also be served with stewed peas, French beans, spinach, asparagus points, sauce jardini?re, reforme, poiverade, piquante, or ma?tre d'h?tel, which will be found in the series of sauces, or lamb cutlets may be broiled instead of fried, or served ? la Maintenon, as directed for veal cutlets.

The remains of salt pork, though very palatable cold, if required hot may be cut into large thin slices, and placed in a buttered saut?- or frying-pan, with a little broth, or merely fried in the butter, and served with a pur?e of winter peas, made by boiling half a pint of peas until tender ; when done put them into a stewpan with two ounces of butter; season with pepper and salt, add a gill of milk or cream, pour into the dish, and dress the pork over.

It may also be cut into thin slices and put into a soup plate, and pour some catsup or Harvey sauce over it, and let it remain for half an hour; butter the inside of a pudding basin, and lay some of the remains of peas pudding round it, and then place in the pork, cover it with some of the pudding, place it in a saucepan with a little water to get hot for about half an hour, and then turn it out and serve. Should you not have quite pork enough, you may make it up with a little sausage-meat, or any other kind of meat.

They may be made a plainer way with various meats or liver, and spread over one pancake, which roll over, and when cold cut it into three equal lengths, egg, bread-crumb, and saut? as above.

Cut three cutlets from the neck of mutton, about half an inch thick, trim one very nicely, free from fat, leave the other two as cut off, put the trimmed one between the two, flatten them together, so that the fat of the outside ones meet over the middle one; tie them together thus, and broil over a very strong fire for ten minutes; remove it from the fire, cut the string, and dish up the middle one only on a very hot dish, with a little salt sprinkled over it. If wanted roasted, proceed as above.

The remains of any of the above, or of turkey, capon, guinea-fowl, or other poultry, may be dressed as hash, by cutting them into neat pieces; put them into a stewpan, put to it half a tablespoonful of salt, one of flour, half a one of chopped onions, ditto of parsley, a bay-leaf, half a pint of water, a few drops of coloring; set to simmer for twenty minutes, and serve; the addition of a few mushrooms is excellent.

If you require to warm up the remainder of the above, put it into a basin, which stand in a stewpan in which you have placed a little water, put the cover over, and let it boil gently, by which means the contents of the basin will get warm without turning the sauce; when hot, dish up and serve. The same plan ought to be adopted to warm up any remains of dishes in which a liaison has been introduced; it prevents its turning, which is unavoidable in any other way.

For a blanquette of fowl proceed precisely the same.

The remains of ducks left from a previous dinner may be hashed as directed for goose, but the sage and apple should in all cases be omitted; for variety, should peas be in season, a pint freshly boiled may be mixed with the hash at the time of serving.

Pies may be made from the remains of any poultry or game, in the same manner as here described; only, if poultry, use white sauce instead of brown, and omit the wine. If no sauce, roll each piece in flour, and make only the gravy, which place in it.

The remains of any joint of meat may likewise be served in a pie, by cutting the meat in slices, well seasoning, laying them in a pie-dish, and pouring half a pint of sharp sauce over; or use broth, or even water highly seasoned.

A pudding made with one pound of steak and a beef kidney is also very excellent, as is likewise a beefsteak pudding with two dozen of oysters added.

This pudding is also very excellent baked under a small piece of beef of about five or six pounds. It is also frequently baked beneath a shoulder of mutton; also baked in an oven separate , if the fire is not large enough.

Another method is to cut up about three pounds of rump-steaks into about six pieces, and putting them in the batter at various distances apart, but the former method is most common.

Any remains of cooked beef, veal, mutton, pork, roasted or boiled, salt or fresh, or game and fowl, cut in pieces, and seasoned to taste, may be used in this dish, by adding it to the batter when in the dish.

The bag of spice must be preserved, as it will answer the same purpose half a dozen times.

Fowl pillaus are frequently served with two ounces of Malaga raisins, which are added at the same time and stewed with the rice.

Ducklings can be cooked in the same way.

The curry sauce should be sufficiently thick to envelop each piece of the rabbit.

Should you require a veal curry made in less time, the better plan would be to saut? the veal in butter previously, then putting it with its own gravy to the curry, and boiling the whole gently a quarter of an hour.

To make a veal curry with curry paste, saut? the veal in butter; when becoming slightly browned, add a good tablespoonful of the paste, with half a pint of water, leave it to stew about half an hour, when it will be ready to serve.

Beef, mutton, lamb, and pork curries are made precisely the same as directed for veal curries.

If no curry paste, powder may be used, but the paste is far preferable.

Shrimps may also be curried in the same way, but they are in general so very salt.

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