The Art of Cookery Part 1

The Art of Cookery.

by John Mollard.

PREFACE.

THE mode of cookery which the author of the following sheets has pursued for a series of years having obtained the most distinguished approbation of the public, has induced him to commit his practice to paper; in doing which, a deviation has been made from the usual introductory methods of other treatises of the kind, in omitting to give particular directions for the choice of fish, meats, poultry, and vegetables, and at what times they respectively might be in season, &c. &c. the author conceiving the simpler method to be the most acceptable: and, therefore, as actual knowledge must ever supersede written forms, he would advise a frequent attendance at the different markets, fully a.s.sured that experience will convey greater instruction in marketing than all the theories which could be advanced. There are, nevertheless, some useful observations interspersed in the course of the work for that purpose; the author having confined himself chiefly to the practical part of cookery; he has also given some directions in a branch of the confectionary business: in both of which it has been his constant endeavour that they might be rendered as simple and easy as possible, and that economy might pervade the whole.

The receipts are written for the least possible quant.i.ties in the different made-dishes and sauces, it being a frequent error in most of the books that they are too expensive and too long; by which means the art has been rendered intricate in the extreme, both in theory and practice.

Independent, also, of a close adherence to any given rules, there are other qualities essential to the completion of a thorough cook; such as, an acute taste, a fertile invention, and a rigid attention to cleanliness.

The preceding hints and subsequent directions, it is hoped, will prove fully adequate to perfection in cookery; the work being entirely divested of the many useless receipts from other professions, (which have been uniformly introduced in books of the like nature,) and nothing inserted but what has an immediate reference to the art itself.

There is prefixed a Bill of Fare for each month in the year, as a specimen of the seasons, which may be altered as judgment directs. There is annexed, also, at the end of the volume, an Index, by which, from the first letter or word of the different articles, will be found their respective receipts.

February 2d, 1802.

THE

ART OF COOKERY.

_Beef Stock._

CUT chuck beef into pieces, put it into a pot, set it on the fire, with a sufficient quant.i.ty of water to cover it. When it boils skim it clean; add a bunch of parsley and thyme, cleaned carrots, leeks, onions, turnips, celery, and a little salt. Let the meat boil till tender, skim off the fat, then strain it through a fine hair sieve.

_Veal Stock, for Soups._

TAKE a leg of veal and some lean ham, cut them into pieces, put them into a pan with a quart of water, some peeled carrots, turnips, onions, leeks, and celery; draw them down till nearly tender, but of no colour; then add a sufficient quant.i.ty of beef stock to cover the ingredients, boil all together one hour, skim it free from fat, and strain it. Some game drawn down with it will make it excellent.

N. B. I have directed the veal stock not to be drawn down to a colour, as in that state it will answer two purposes; first, for white soups; and, secondly, as it might be coloured with a bright liquid to any height, which will be directed for gravy soups. It frequently happens, likewise, that, if not strictly attended to, it will burn.

_Consume, or the Essence of Meat._

REDUCE veal stock to a good consistence, but be careful not to let it colour.

_Cullis, or a thick Gravy._

TAKE slices of ham, veal, celery, carrots, turnips, onions, leeks, a small bunch of sweet herbs, some allspice, black pepper, mace, a piece of lemon-peel, and two bay leaves; put them into a pan with a quart of water, and draw them down till of a light brown colour, but be careful not to let it burn; then discharge it with beef stock. When it boils, skim it very clean from fat, and thicken it with flour and water, or flour and b.u.t.ter pa.s.sed. Let it boil gently three quarters of an hour; season it to the palate with cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and salt; strain it through a tamis cloth or sieve, and add a little liquid of colour, which may be made as in the following receipt.

_Liquid of Colour for Sauces, &c._

PUT a quarter of a pound of the best brown sugar into a frying pan very clean from grease, and half a gill of water; set it over a gentle fire, stirring it with a wooden spoon till it is thoroughly burnt and of a good bright colour, then discharge it with water; when it boils skim it and strain it. Put it by for use in a vessel close covered.

_Benshamelle._

TAKE white veal, lean ham, turnips, celery, onions cut in pieces, a blade of mace, a little whole white pepper; sweat them down till three parts tender, then discharge it with beef stock. Let it boil, skim it clean, and thicken with flour and water, or flour and b.u.t.ter pa.s.sed; add to it a sufficient quant.i.ty of cream to make it quite white. Let it simmer gently half an hour, and strain it through a tamis cloth.

N. B. Let it be of the thickness of light batter.

_To make a pa.s.sing of Flour and b.u.t.ter for Cullis or Benshamelle._

PUT fresh b.u.t.ter into a stewpan over a fire, when it is melted add a sufficient quant.i.ty of sifted flour to make it into a paste, and mix them together with a whisk over a very slow fire for ten minutes.

_Soup a la Reine._

TAKE three quarts of veal stock with a blade of mace boiled in it; then strain it to the crumb of four penny french rolls, three quarters of a pound of sweet almonds blanched and pounded very fine, likewise the white meat of dressed fowl pounded. Let all simmer together for ten minutes, and rub them through a tamis cloth till the soup is of a proper thickness; season it to the palate with salt; make it boil, and serve it up with a gill of cream in it.

_Crayfish Soup._

TAKE three quarts of veal stock, the crumb of four penny french rolls, the meats of a hen lobster, and half a hundred crayfish pounded, with some live lobster sp.a.w.n; add all together, make it boil, skim it clean, rub it through a tamis cloth, make it of a middling thickness, and season to the palate with salt and a little cayenne pepper. Serve it up with crust of french bread cut into small round pieces.

_Vermicelli Soup, white._

TAKE three quarts of veal stock and two ounces of vermicelli, boil them together a quarter of an hour, rub it through a tamis cloth, season with salt, make it boil, skim it, and add a leason. Let it simmer for five minutes.

_To make the Leason._

TAKE the yolks of four eggs, half a pint of cream, and a little salt, mixed well together.

_Cleared brown Stock for Gravy Soups._

TAKE three quarts of veal stock perfectly free from fat; add a small quant.i.ty of liquid colour to make it of a fine brown; season to the palate with salt and a little cayenne pepper; beat up together two yolks, two whites, and two sh.e.l.ls of eggs; whisk them with the stock, set it over a fire, let it boil gently ten minutes, then strain it through a tamis cloth. This stock is required for rice, brown vermicelli, celery, sante, or turnip soups.

N. B. I have directed the brown stock, for gravy soups only, to be cleared with eggs, as that method has been most approved, it being pleasant to the eye, and equally agreeable to the palate.

_Rice Soup._

ADD to three quarts of cleared stock two ounces of rice, washed, picked, parboiled, and drained dry. Let it boil gently till the rice is tender.

_Celery Soup._