The Country Housewife and Lady's Director in the Management of a House Part 23

The _Northampton-Cake._

Take a Peck of Flour, and a Pound of fine Sugar beaten well into Powder, and sifted; then add a quarter of an Ounce of Cloves, half an Ounce of Cinnamon, and a large Nutmeg, and beat them to powder; put to this some Orange-Flower-Water, or Rose-Water; then take five or six Pounds of Currans well pick'd, and rub'd dry with a coa.r.s.e Cloth, but not wash'd. Put these with your Fruit, and a little Salt into the Flour; then take as much Cream as you think proper: then melt two Pounds of b.u.t.ter, to mix with it, and add a Pint of Canary-Wine, and kneed it with some fresh Ale-Yeast, till it rises under your hand. Have your Oven hot before you put it in the Hoop for Baking.

Of the Baking of Fruit. From Mr. _L. M._

It is to be observed, that all Fruits that are ripe require little baking, and those which are of the hardest, or most unripe Sorts, ought to have a long and gentle baking. In Pears, for example, when we have some of those, which ripen in the Autumn, they will bake with a Tart; for as they are ripe of themselves, they require very little baking, for Ripeness is one degree tending to Rottenness; and as that is done by heat gently, so the Oven brings that to a certain height, suddenly, with its safeguard of Sugar; that the Fruit comes to its full flavour, with the additional beauty, from the Sugar. It would have done a great deal by Nature itself, if the Tree had stood in a place agreeable; but much more would it be for those baking Pears, as we call them, if they had the advantage of a good Climate; one may guess then how much difference there is between one and the other. In the tough and hard Pears, one ought to bake them twice, that is, once with a little Water and Sugar, in as hot an Oven as they bake Bread in; and then put them in Pyes, and bake them over again, so will they become tender, well tasted, and of a fine colour. But be it as it will, as soon as either of these come out of the Oven, pour some Cream over them, and mix it with them, if they are to be served hot, mas.h.i.+ng the Fruit all the while; but if they are to be served cold, then only pour some Cream over them, when they just come from the Oven, and let it remain till you serve it cold.

There is one way which is practised by some, and that is, to break the hard Pears, just when they are taken out of the Oven, in the Pye; for else the outsides, though the Rind is off, will be hard, and tough: then pour on the Cream. It is to be noted, that all ripe Apples require less baking, and less Sugar, than the hard Apples, which do not become ripe till some Months afterwards. When an Apple, or Pear, for example, is as ripe as it can be in our Climate, it will have some softness, and some sweetness in it, and therefore will require less baking, as baking is only a sort of ripening; and so on the other hand: but we are providentially provided with both Apples and Pears, which are, some ripe sooner, and some ripe later; even that by the end of _July,_ we have some ripe, and some remain hard and sour till _June._ We ought be apprised of the Sorts, to take them in their several Seasons, and not to take the Winter Fruits, for baking, when we have ripe Fruits by us. Many thousand Bushels of Fruit are lost for want of this Caution.

So at any time, when you use Apples, or Pears, for Tarts, Puddings, or Sauces, let them be all of one Sort, and ripe; for, if they are ripe, or towards it, they will soon soften; and if you put two Sorts together, one will be in Pulp very soon, and the other will be hard for an Hour or two, and at length will not be soft. _Memorandum,_ This is not to be disregarded.

To make Paste. From Mrs. _Peasly._

There are many sorts of Paste made, and among them, are some which are made with Eggs, according to the old fas.h.i.+on; but these are always hard, when they are baked, though they will fly and crackle in the Mouth, but they taste like Sticks: while, on the other side, leave out your Eggs, and use b.u.t.ter and Water only, as in the following Receipts, and your Paste will melt in the Mouth, and be agreeable to the Taste.

If you would have a sweet Paste; then take half a Pound of b.u.t.ter, and rub it into about a Pound of Flour, with two or three Ounces of double-refined Sugar powder'd, and make it a Paste, with cold Milk, some Sack and Brandy.

This is a very good one.

You may also make an hot Paste, for minced Pyes, or such like, by taking a quant.i.ty of Flour as you like, and break a Pound or two of b.u.t.ter into a large Sauce-pan of Water; and when the b.u.t.ter is melted, make an hollow in the midst of the Flour, and sc.u.mming off the b.u.t.ter, throw it, at times, into the Flour, with some of the boiling hot Water along with it; then, when you have enough for your use, work it into a stiff Paste, and lay it before the Fire, cover'd with a Cloth, and cut off such bits as you want, just when you are going to use them. This Paste does very well for raised Pyes. Some will make this Paste by breaking in a Pound of b.u.t.ter into a quarter of a Peck of Flour, and then pouring on it some scalding hot Water, enough to work it to a stiff Paste. As for Tarts, one may make the following Puff-Paste. Rub in some b.u.t.ter into your Flour, and make it into a Paste with Water, and when it is moulded, roll it out till it is about half an Inch thick; then put bits of b.u.t.ter upon it, about half an Inch asunder, and fold your Paste together, and then fold it again: then roll it again till it becomes of the thickness it was before; and then lay bits of b.u.t.ter on it, as before directed, and fold it as mention'd above, and roll it again to the thickness of half an Inch; then put on the rest of your b.u.t.ter, and fold it up, and roll it for the last time, doubling it, and rolling it twice, before you use it. This is very good for Puffs, Puddings, or Petty-Patees.

As for Meat-Pyes, or Pasties, they require another sort of Paste, which is made thus. Rub seven Pounds of b.u.t.ter into a Peck of Flour, but not too small; then make it into a Paste with Water. It is good for Venison-Pasties, and such like great Pyes.

To dress a Dish of Fish in the best manner. From the same.

To make one of these grand Dishes, you ought always to have some capital sort of Fish, for the middle of the Dish; such as a Turbut, a Jowl of fresh Salmon, a Cod's Head, or a Pike boiled; and this must be adorn'd either with Flounders, Whitings, Soles, Perch, Smelts, or Gudgeons, or Bourn Trouts, which are the small River Trouts, or young Salmon-Fry, according as you can meet with them. This kind of Dish is call'd a Bisque of Fish.

To boil Fresh _Salmon._

If you have fresh Salmon, you wash it with Salt and Water, and according to the Fas.h.i.+on, leave all the Scales on, though some take them off, to prevent that trouble at the Table; for the Skin of the Salmon. is the fattest part of the Fish, and is liked by most People. Lay your Fish thus prepared, into the Pan, where you boil it, and pour in Water, with a sixth part of Vinegar, a little Salt, and a stick of Horse-Radish; this should be boiled pretty quick: thus far for boiling fresh Salmon. The grand Sauce for it you will see at the end of these Receipts, for preparing the several sorts of Fish for the Bisque but if it is served alone, then let the Sauce be as follows. Take a Pint of Shrimps, a Pint of Oysters and their Liquor, and half a Pint of pickled Mushrooms; or else take Shrimps, and the Bodies of two middling Sea-Crabs, or of a couple of Lobsters, the Tail of the Lobsters to be cut in Dice, but use which you have by you. If you have Oysters, stew them a little, in their own Liquor, with some Mace, and whole Pepper, then lay by the Oysters, and put Mushroom Pickle to the Liquor, and dissolve two Anchovies in it; then melt what quant.i.ty of b.u.t.ter you think fit, and mix your prepared Liquor with it, adding a little White Wine, or that may be left out. I should take notice, that just before you melt your b.u.t.ter, put your Oysters, Shrimps, and Mushrooms, _&c._ into your prepared Liquor to boil up, and then mix all together. _Note,_ The Bodies of the Crabs being well stirred in the Liquor, will thicken it, and render the whole very agreeable.

To boil _Turbut, Flounders,_ or _Plaise, Pike,_ or a _Cod's-Head,_ or _Whitings._

When your Fish are gutted and well wash'd: put them upon your Fish-Plate; the Jacks or Pikes, whether small or great, must have their Tails skewer'd into their Mouths, so that they make a round figure, which is the Fas.h.i.+on.

Then put your Fish into the Kettle, into as much Water as will cover them.

Put into this Water, an Onion, with some Cloves stuck in it, some Mace, some whole Pepper, a little bunch of sweet Herbs, a stick of Horse-Radish, and half a Lemon. When your Liquor boils, add a little Vinegar, or Verjuice; and when your Fish are boiled enough, let them drain before the Fire. The Sauce for these, if they are served singly, is that directed for the Salmon, or else some melted b.u.t.ter, Anchovies dissolved in Water, over the Fire, and some Shrimps; or for want of them, if you can get any of the small Crabs, such as they sell in _London,_ about eight or ten a Penny, and no bigger in their Bodies than to contain the quant.i.ty of a Golden-Pippin.

Take the Inside of the Bodies of these, and thicken your Sauce with them.

Or if you have Cray-fish, take the Bodies of them, and mix them well with your Sauce, and cut the Tails in small bits, as big as Pease. The foregoing way of boiling Fish gives them a relish.

To fry _Soles, Flounders, Plaise, Whitings, Smelts,_ and _Gudgeons,_ or such like.

Take a large quant.i.ty of Hog's-Seam, or Lard, and melt it in a Pan, till it is very hot; then put in your Fish, prepared as follows; but first you may fry some Bread, in Lengths, as big as one's Finger, to drain for a Garnish.

As for Soles, skin them, and gut them, then flour them well, and toss them into the Pan, turning them once, when you see the upper side of a yellow Colour. When they are enough, put them into a Cullendar to drain before the Fire.

Flounders are only to be gutted, and the Skins wash'd with Water and Salt, and being well dry'd with a Cloth, flour them, and fling them into the Pan, and use them as you did the Soles.

The Plaise are to be done in the same manner as the Flounders.

Whitings must be treated in the same manner as the former.

Smelts must be only rub'd with a coa.r.s.e Cloth, and then flour'd, and thrown into the Pan.

Gudgeons must be scaled and gutted, well dry'd and flour'd, and thrown into the hot Lard: but take care in all these that you have a quick Fire under them, and not too many in the Pan at one time.

You have now all your Furniture for your Bisque of Fish; but to fry them still crisper, and better, use Sallad-Oil instead of Hogs-Lard; or if you have neither of these, you may use good dripping of Beef, or Mutton, but there must be enough of it, and it should be as hot as possible, in the Pan, when you throw your Fish in. Serve these with melted b.u.t.ter, and Anchovy Liquor, with Shrimps, or Oysters, if they are single.

To broil _Whitings._

Clean your Whitings, with Water and Salt, after they are gutted, and drying them thoroughly, flour them well, then lay them on the Grid-Iron, first rubbing it with a little Chalk. As you find them enough on one side, turn them, and serve them, if they go to the Table alone, with b.u.t.ter melted, some Anchovy Liquor, and Oyster Sauce; these may make one of your grand Dishes of Fish, but fry'd and boiled is enough, because there is never a Dish of this kind, but there are many more at the same Treat, which will give the Cook a great deal of difficulty, and besides you must still in this Dish have some Spitchcot-Eels.

_N.B._ I forbear to mention here the manner of dresing Spitchcot-Eels, as they are already set down in the first part of this Book.

When you fry Whitings, skewer their Tails in their Mouths; and some take off their Skins.

The Grand Dish of Fish, and its Sauce.

When we have prepared these things, with regard to the grand Dish we design, then make the following Sauce: _viz._

Sauce for a Bisque of Fish.

Take a Pint of Gravey, two or three spoonfuls of Mushroom Katchep, and a spoonful or two of Mushroom Pickle; then add about a Gill of White Wine, half an Onion, a slice of Lemon with the Peel, two Anchovies shred, some Cloves, and Mace. When these have boiled half a quarter of an Hour, take out the Onion, and Lemon, and thicken your Liquor, with about three Pounds of b.u.t.ter, rub'd in a little Flour; then put in the Body of a Crab, or Lobster, Shrimps, Oysters, and Mushrooms, and it is ready to pour over your Fish: but some rather chuse to serve this Sauce in Basons, lest it be too high for every Palate. However, when you have disposed your Fish well in the Dish, garnish with fry'd Bread, Horse-Radish sc.r.a.ped, fry'd Parsley, Lemon sliced and pickled, red Beet-Root sliced, and serve it up hot. If your Sauce is serv'd in Basons; then take care to have one Bason of plain b.u.t.ter: but if all your Company happens to like the rich Sauce, your Dish of fish will make a much better appearance to have some of the Sauce pour'd over it, before you lay on your Garnish. Remember to lay your Spitchcot Eels near the edge of the Dish.

To broil _Herrings,_ so as to prevent their rising in the Stomach. From the same.

Take fresh Herrings, scale them, gut them, and wash them; and when they are well dry'd with a Cloth, strew them with flour of Ginger, as you would any Fish with Flour, then broil them; and when they are enough, the taste of the Ginger is quite lost: then serve them with Claret, b.u.t.ter, Salt, and Mustard, made into a Sauce, and they will not at all disturb the Stomach.