The Book of Household Management Part 131

1100. INGREDIENTS.--To each 1/2 gallon of water, allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt; carrots.

_Mode_.--Cut off the green tops, wash and sc.r.a.pe the carrots, and should there be any black specks, remove them. If very large, cut them in halves, divide them lengthwise into four pieces, and put them into boiling water, salted in the above proportion; let them boil until tender, which may be ascertained by thrusting a fork into them: dish, and serve very hot. This vegetable is an indispensable accompaniment to boiled beef. When thus served, it is usually boiled with the beef; a few carrots are placed round the dish as a garnish, and the remainder sent to table in a vegetable-dish. Young carrots do not require nearly so much boiling, nor should they be divided: these make a nice addition to stewed veal, &c.

_Time_.--Large carrots, 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours; young ones, about 1/2 hour.

_Average cost_, 6d. to 8d, per bunch of 18.

_Sufficient_,--4 large carrots for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_.--Young carrots from April to June, old ones at any time.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CARROTS.]

ORIGIN OF THE CARROT.--In its wild state, this vegetable is found plentifully in Britain, both in cultivated lands and by waysides, and is known by the name of birds-nest, from its umbels of fruit becoming incurved from a hollow cup, like a birds-nest. In this state its root is whitish, slender, and hard, with an acrid, disagreeable taste, and a strong aromatic smell, and was formerly used as an aperient. When cultivated, it is reddish, thick, fleshy, with a pleasant odour, and a peculiar, sweet, mucilaginous taste. The carrot is said by naturalists not to contain much nouris.h.i.+ng matter, and, generally speaking, is somewhat difficult of digestion.

TO DRESS CARROTS IN THE GERMAN WAY.

1101. INGREDIENTS.--8 large carrots, 3 oz. of b.u.t.ter, salt to taste, a very little grated nutmeg, 1 tablespoonful of finely-minced parsley, 1 dessertspoonful of minced onion, rather more than 1 pint of weak stock or broth, 1 tablespoonful of flour.

_Mode_.--Wash and sc.r.a.pe the carrots, and cut them into rings of about 1/4 inch in thickness. Put the b.u.t.ter into a stewpan; when it is melted, lay in the carrots, with salt, nutmeg, parsley, and onion in the above proportions. Toss the stewpan over the fire for a few minutes, and when the carrots are well saturated with the b.u.t.ter, pour in the stock, and simmer gently until they are nearly tender. Then put into another stewpan a small piece of b.u.t.ter; dredge in about a tablespoonful of flour; stir this over the fire, and when of a nice brown colour, add the liquor that the carrots have been boiling in; let this just boil up, pour it over the carrots in the other stewpan, and let them finish simmering until quite tender. Serve very hot.

This vegetable, dressed as above, is a favourite accompaniment of roast pork, sausages, &c. &c.

_Time_.--About 3/4 hour. Average cost, 6d. to 8d. per bunch of 18.

_Sufficient_ for 6 or 7 persons.

_Seasonable_.--Young carrots from April to June, old ones at any time.

CONSt.i.tUENTS OF THE CARROT.--These are crystallizable and uncrystallizable sugar, a little starch, extractive, gluten, alb.u.men, volatile oil, vegetable jelly, or pectin, saline matter, malic acid, and a peculiar crystallizable ruby-red neuter principle, without odour or taste, called carotin. This vegetable jelly, or pectin, so named from its singular property of gelatinizing, is considered by some as another form of gum or mucilage, combined with vegetable acid. It exists more or less in all vegetables, and is especially abundant in those roots and fruits from which jellies are prepared.

STEWED CARROTS.

1102. INGREDIENTS.--7 or 8 large carrots, 1 teacupful of broth, pepper and salt to taste, 1/2 teacupful of cream, thickening of b.u.t.ter and flour.

_Mode_.--Sc.r.a.pe the carrots nicely; half-boil, and slice them into a stewpan; add the broth, pepper and salt, and cream; simmer till tender, and be careful the carrots are not broken. A few minutes before serving, mix a little flour with about 1 oz. of b.u.t.ter; thicken the gravy with this; let it just boil up, and serve.

_Time_.--About 3/4 hour to parboil the carrots, about 20 minutes to cook them after they are sliced.

_Average cost_, 6d. to 8d. per bunch of 18.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_.--Young carrots from April to June, old ones at any time.

NUTRITIVE PROPERTIES OF THE CARROT.--Sir H. Davy ascertained the nutritive matter of the carrot to amount to ninety-eight parts in one thousand; of which ninety-five are sugar and three are starch. It is used in winter and spring in the dairy to give colour and flavour to b.u.t.ter; and it is excellent in stews, haricots, soups, and, when boiled whole, with salt beef. In the distillery, owing to the great proportion of sugar in its composition, it yields more spirit than the potato. The usual quant.i.ty is twelve gallons per ton.

SLICED CARROTS.

(Entremets, or to be served with the Second Course, as a Side-dish.)

1103. INGREDIENTS.--5 or 6 large carrots, a large lump of sugar, 1 pint of weak stock, 3 oz. of fresh b.u.t.ter, salt to taste.

_Mode_.--Sc.r.a.pe and wash the carrots, cut them into slices of an equal size, and boil them in salt and water, until half done; drain them well, put them into a stewpan with the sugar and stock, and let them boil over a brisk fire. When reduced to a glaze, add the fresh b.u.t.ter and a seasoning of salt; shake the stewpan about well, and when the b.u.t.ter is well mixed with the carrots, serve. There should be no sauce in the dish when it comes to table, but it should all adhere to the carrots.

_Time_.--Altogether, 3/4 hour.

_Average cost_, 6d. to 8d. per bunch of 18.

_Sufficient_ for 1 dish.

_Seasonable_.--Young carrots from April to June, old ones at any time.

THE SEED OF THE CARROT.--In order to save the seed of carrots, the plan is, to select annually the most perfect and best-shaped roots in the taking-up season, and either preserve them in sand in a cellar till spring, or plant them immediately in an open airy part of the garden, protecting them with litter during severe frost, or earthing them over, and uncovering them in March following. The seed is in no danger from being injured by any other plant. In August it is fit to gather, and is best preserved on the stalks till wanted.

BOILED CAULIFLOWERS.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BOILED CAULIFLOWER.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: CAULIFLOWER.]

1104. INGREDIENTS.--To each 1/2 gallon of water allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt.

_Mode_.--Choose cauliflowers that are close and white; trim off the decayed outside leaves, and cut the stalk off flat at the bottom. Open the flower a little in places to remove the insects, which generally are found about the stalk, and let the cauliflowers lie in salt and water for an hour previous to dressing them, with their heads downwards: this will effectually draw out all the vermin. Then put them into fast-boiling water, with the addition of salt in the above proportion, and let them boil briskly over a good fire, keeping the saucepan uncovered. The water should be well skimmed; and, when the cauliflowers are tender, take them up with a slice; let them drain, and, if large enough, place them upright in the dish. Serve with plain melted b.u.t.ter, a little of which may be poured over the flower.

_Time_.--Small cauliflower, 12 to 15 minutes, large one, 20 to 25 minutes, after the water boils.

_Average cost_, for large cauliflowers, 6d. each.

_Sufficient_.--Allow 1 large cauliflower for 3 persons.

_Seasonable_ from the beginning of June to the end of September.

CAULIFLOWERS A LA SAUCE BLANCHE.

(Entremets, or Side-dish, to be served with the Second Course.)

1105. INGREDIENTS.--3 cauliflowers, 1/2 pint of sauce blanche, or French melted b.u.t.ter, No. 378; 3 oz. of b.u.t.ter; salt and water.

_Mode_.--Cleanse the cauliflowers as in the preceding recipe, and cut the stalks off flat at the bottom; boil them until tender in salt and water, to which the above proportion of b.u.t.ter has been added, and be careful to take them up the moment they are done, or they will break, and the appearance of the dish will be spoiled. Drain them well, and dish them in the shape of a large cauliflower. Have ready 1/2 pint of sauce, made by recipe No. 378, pour it over the flowers, and serve hot and quickly.

_Time_.--Small cauliflowers, 12 to 15 minutes, large ones, 20 to 25 minutes, after the water boils.

_Average cost_,--large cauliflowers, in full season, 6d. each.

_Sufficient_,--1 large cauliflower for 3 or 4 persons.

_Seasonable_ from the beginning of June to the end of September.