The Art of Cookery Part 21

_Sausage Meat._

TAKE the lean meat of young pork chopped small, and to a pound of it add a pound of the flay and fat chopped, some breadcrumbs, nutmeg, allspice and mace pounded, a small quant.i.ty of each, a little grated lemon peel, sage, parsley, thyme, and two eschallots, chopped very fine, an egg beaten, and season with pepper and salt. Mix all well together, with the hands, or pound it in a marble mortar; then make it into cakes and broil it, or put it into the entrails of a pig nicely cleaned.

_Calf's Liver roasted._

MAKE an incision in the under part of a calf's liver, fill it with a stuffing made with beef marrow, breadcrumbs, grated nutmeg, one eschallot, two mushrooms, parsley and thyme chopped fine, and one egg beaten. Then sew it up, lard it with small slips of fat bacon, put a piece of veal caul over, and roast it gently. When it is to be served up take off the caul, glaize the top, put under it some good cullis sauce, and plenty of fried parsley round.

_To dry Herbs._

GATHER marjoram, savory, thyme, basil, parsley, &c. on a dry day, when in season, and not blown. Divide them separately into small bunches, as in that state they will dry best. Then hang them on a line in a dry room or place where the air has free admission, but no direct rays of the sun. When they are perfectly dry (which will require two or three weeks to accomplish) put them in rows in boxes close covered, and set them in a dry place.

_To make Anchovie Liquor to be used in Fish Sauces._

PUT into a stewpan one pound of best anchovies, two quarts of water, two bay leaves, some whole pepper, a little sc.r.a.ped horseradish, a sprig of thyme, two blades of mace, six eschallots chopped small, a gill of red port, half the rind of a lemon, a gill of ketchup; boil all together twenty minutes, and rub them through a tamis cloth with a wooden spoon.

When the essence is cold put it into pint bottles, cork them close, and set them in a dry place.

_Potted Lobster._

BOIL two live hen lobsters in strong salt and water till half done; then take the meat and sp.a.w.n out of the sh.e.l.ls, put it into a stewpan, add a little beaten and sifted mace, cloves, nutmeg, pepper, salt, a small quant.i.ty of lemon juice, a spoonful of essence of ham, a dessert spoonful of anchovie liquor, the same as for fish sauce, and simmer them over a fire for ten minutes. Then pound the meat in a marble mortar, reduce the liquor almost to a glaize, put it to the meat with a quarter of a pound of fresh b.u.t.ter, mix them well together, press the mixture down into small flat preserving pots, cover with clarified b.u.t.ter, and when cold put white paper over the pots, and set them in a dry place.

N. B. Prawns, shrimps, crayfish, and crabs, may be done in the same manner.

_To clarify b.u.t.ter for Potting._

PUT fresh b.u.t.ter into a stewpan with a spoonful of cold water, set it over a gentle fire till oiled, skim it, and let it stand till the sediment is settled; then pour off the oil, and when it begins to congeal put it over the different ingredients.

_Potted Cheese._

TO a pound of grated parmezan or ches.h.i.+re cheese add three ounces of cold fresh b.u.t.ter, a little sifted mace, and a tea spoonful of mustard.

Mix all well in a marble mortar, put it into small pots, cover with clarified b.u.t.ter, and set the pots in a cold dry place.

_Potted Veal._

CUT small a pound of lean white veal, put it into a stewpan, with two ounces of fresh b.u.t.ter, the juice of a lemon, pepper, salt, sifted mace, a bay leaf, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and mushroom powder, a small quant.i.ty of each, a little parsley, thyme, savory, and two eschallots chopped fine. Put them over a fire and stew them ten minutes; then pound them, and add a pound of the mellow part of a boiled pickle tongue and half a pound of cold fresh b.u.t.ter. Mix them well together with two eggs beaten; then press the mixture down tight into small pots, cover them with paper, put them into a moderate oven, bake them twenty minutes, and when the meat is cold put clarified b.u.t.ter over.

_Potted Larks or Small Birds._

Pa.s.s them with the same ingredients as for veal, and when they are half done take them out and put the lean veal in. When the forcemeat is made put the birds into the pots with it, bake them, and proceed in the same manner as with potted veal.

N. B. Pheasants, partridges, chickens, &c. may be done in the same way, but will take a longer time baking.

_To dry Morells, Mushrooms, and Champignons._

TAKE morells and champignons of the largest size, forced mushrooms of the size of a s.h.i.+lling, and let them be gathered fresh; then take off the stalk, wash them free from grit, drain them dry with a cloth, run a fine twine through them with a large needle, hang them up in a warm dry place, and when they are perfectly dry put them into paper bags in boxes close covered. When they are wanted for use lay them in warm water for half an hour, and prepare them as if they were fresh.

_Mushroom Powder._

AFTER the mushrooms or champignons are dried whole they may be set before a fire till crisp; then grind and sift them through a fine sieve, and preserve the powder in small bottles close corked.

_Potted Beef._

TAKE two pounds of the fillet out of the inside of a rump of beef and two pounds of best fat bacon. Cut them small, put them into a marble mortar, add to them a small quant.i.ty of parsley, thyme, savory, four eschallots chopped fine, some pepper, salt, two spoonsful of essence of ham, a spoonful of mushroom powder, sifted mace, cloves, and allspice, a little of each, two eggs beaten, and a gill of rhenish wine. Pound all well together till quite fine; then fill small pots with the mixture, cover with paper, bake it very gently for forty minutes, and when cold cover with clarified b.u.t.ter.

_Tarragon Vinegar._

PUT into a stone jar half a pound of fresh gathered tarragon leaves and two quarts of best common vinegar, and let them ferment a fortnight; then run it through a flannel bag, and add to it a quarter of an ounce of isingla.s.s dissolved in cyder. Put it into a clean jar, let it stand till fine, pour it off, put it into small bottles, cork them close, and set them in a dry place.

N. B. In the same manner may be done elder flowers, &c. &c.

_Walnut Ketchup for Fish Sauces._

TO a quart of walnut pickle add a quarter of a pound of anchovies and three gills of red port; boil them till reduced one third, strain it, and when cold preserve it in small bottles close corked.

_To pickle Tongues, &c._

TAKE large tongues perfectly fresh, cut some of the root away, make an incision in the under part, rub them well with common salt, and lay them in a tub or pan close covered for four days. Then pound together two parts of saltpetre, one part of common salt, one part of bay salt, and one part of moist sugar. Rub the tongues well with the mixture, put all into the pan, and turn them every two days till pickled enough, which will be in ten days.

N. B. Pigs faces and hams to be done in the same manner, but according to their size let them lay in the different pickles for longer periods, and when well coloured smoke them. If it be wished to have the hams or tongues of a westphalia flavour add some socho to the pickle.

_India Pickle._

TAKE large fresh cauliflowers in the month of July, pick them into small pieces, wash them clean, put them into a pan with plenty of salt over them for three days; then drain and lay them separately to dry in the sun, repeatedly turning them till they are almost of a brown colour, which will require several days. Then put plenty of whole ginger, slices of horseradish, peeled garlick, whole long pepper, peeled eschallots and onions, into salt and water for one night; drain and dry them also; and when the ingredients are ready, boil more than a sufficient quant.i.ty of vinegar to cover them, and to two quarts of it add an ounce of the best pale turmeric, and put the flowers and the other ingredients into stone jars, pour the vinegar boiling hot over, cover them till the next day, then boil the pickle again, and the same on the third day; after which fill the jars with liquor, cover them over close with bladder and white leather, and set them in a dry place.

N. B. In the same manner may be done white cabbages cut into half quarters, whole french beans, heads of celery, heads of asparagus, onions whole or sliced, or pickling melons peeled thin, cut into halves, and formed like an indian mango.

_To dry Artichoke Bottoms._

GATHER the largest firm artichokes when in season, cut off the stalks, and boil them till the leaves and choke can be taken away. Afterwards put them on a baking plate and set them in a very slow heated oven, or hang them up in a warm place to dry, and when perfectly so put them into paper bags. When they are wanted for use lay them in warm water and salt, and when pliable trim them neat, braise them in stock and lemon juice, which will preserve them white, and when they are done enough, if for ragout, cut them into pieces; if for dishes, serve them whole with good cullis sauce over them.

_To pickle Cuc.u.mbers, &c._