Hand-Book of Practical Cookery for Ladies and Professional Cooks Part 18

Let every one bear in mind that water is no subst.i.tute for broth; that vinegar or water is no subst.i.tute for wine, etc.

There is no place where the old proverb can be better applied than in the kitchen, "Waste not, spare not."

The _French_, _Italians_, _Spaniards_, and _Germans_, use broth and wine in their cooking, and do not spend as much as the _Americans_ for their food; they could not afford it; but they waste not, neither do they lose any thing good through carelessness or prejudice.

Good sauces are not as difficult to make as is generally believed.

This general belief comes from the fact that many, after having partaken of a certain dish somewhere, and liking it much, ask of their own cook to prepare the same.

The cook, most probably, has never heard of it, but nevertheless prepares a dish which is hardly eatable, and is to the other what a crab-apple is to a raspberry.

The most important thing in making a sauce is for the cook to put his or her whole attention and care to it.

Most sauces must be stirred continually while on the fire, and especially white sauces, such as _Bechamel_, _Bechamel_ with cream or cream sauce, and white sauce.

It is necessary to stir all sauces now and then, to prevent the forming of a kind of skin on the surface.

The onions, shallots, garlics, and vinegar, used in sharp sauces, may be prepared as described for _piquante_ sauce.

Sauces can always be made to suit the taste. A thousand can be made as well as a hundred, by merely adding or subtracting one or more of the compounds, or by proceeding differently. An idea of what can be done in that line can be formed by reading our directions for Supreme Sauce.

HOW TO MAKE A SAUCE THICKER WHEN IT IS TOO THIN, AND THINNER WHEN TOO THICK.

Take two fresh eggs, break them gently, and separate the white part from the yolk; be careful to have the yolk free from any white (there is in every yolk a little white spot, which you cannot detach without using a fork, knife, or spoon); mix well the two yolks with two or three tablespoonfuls of the sauce that is too thin, and a piece of b.u.t.ter the size of a pigeon's egg; then take the sauce from the fire, pour the mixture in it, little by little, stirring all the time; when the whole is in, put back on the fire for three or four minutes, but do not allow it to boil; take away and use. When too thick, add broth.

_Allemande._--Chop fine and fry in b.u.t.ter four or five mushrooms; then add a little flour, and four or five tablespoonfuls of broth; reduce it to a sauce; put a piece of b.u.t.ter the size of an egg in it, also a sprig of white parsley chopped fine, one of thyme, a clove, a bay-leaf, a clove of garlic, a little nutmeg grated fine, the juice of a quarter of a lemon, and three well-beaten yolks of eggs, boil two or three minutes, and use. If found too thick, add a little broth.

_Anchovy b.u.t.ter._--Strain essence of anchovy through a fine sieve, and knead it with fresh b.u.t.ter, or salt b.u.t.ter that you have kneaded in cold water previously, and it is ready for use.

_Anchovy Sauce._--Use b.u.t.ter without salt; if salty, work it in cold water. Set three ounces of b.u.t.ter in a saucepan on the fire, and melt it slowly; then add about two teaspoonfuls of essence of anchovy; stir a few seconds, and it is done. More anchovy may be used if liked. It is served in a boat.

_Apple._--Peel, quarter, and core four or six apples, and set them on the fire in a small saucepan, with two tablespoonfuls of water; stir now and then till done; when done, mash through a fine colander; add a little sugar, and it is ready for use.

If found too thin, keep on the fire for some time. If too thick, add a little water.

_Cranberry._--Put a quart of cranberries in a saucepan and set it on a rather slow fire; stir occasionally till done; mash gently through a fine colander, or through a strainer; add a little sugar, and use.

_Currant._--Proceed as for a cranberry-sauce in every particular, except that it must be mashed through a strainer or through a towel.

_Peach._--Stone about a quart of peaches, and proceed as for apple-sauce for the rest.

_Raspberry._--Made the same as currant-sauce.

The five sauces above are served with roasted game.

_Bechamel._--Mix cold, and well together, in a tin saucepan, two ounces of b.u.t.ter and a tablespoonful of flour; then add a pint of milk, and set on the fire; stir continually, and when turning rather thick, take off; beat a yolk of egg in a cup with a teaspoonful of water; turn it into the sauce, and mix well again; salt and white pepper to taste, and it is ready for use.

_Blonde._--Proceed exactly as for white sauce, using broth instead of water.

_Bread._--Take the soft part of half a ten-cent loaf of bread; break it in pieces, which put in a saucepan with a quart of good fresh milk, six pepper-corns chopped fine, and a little salt; set on the fire and boil five or six minutes, stirring the while; take off, mash through a strainer or a sieve, and it is ready for use.

A bread-sauce is really a very poor sauce. Its insipidity is concealed by the great amount of pepper that it contains.

_Brown b.u.t.ter, or Beurre Noir._--This is b.u.t.ter set on the fire in a frying-pan and left till it turns perfectly brown, then a few sprigs of parsley are dropped in it, fried half a minute, and it is ready for use.

It is sometimes used with vinegar, but in that case it is described in the receipts.

_Caper._--Mix well together, cold, in a small saucepan, two ounces of b.u.t.ter and a tablespoonful of flour; then add a pint of broth, set on the fire, stir, and when thickening, add capers to taste, whole or chopped; give another boil, take from the fire, add salt, the yolk of an egg beaten with a teaspoonful of water, mix and serve.

_Celery._--Proceed as for a caper-sauce in every particular except that you add three or four stalks of celery chopped fine, and then boil ten or twelve minutes, and strain it before using.

_Colbert._--Set half a pint of meat gravy on the fire, in a small saucepan with half a dozen mushrooms and one or two truffles chopped fine (the latter, if handy), boil gently five minutes, add one ounce of b.u.t.ter, stir, and when the b.u.t.ter is melted and mixed with the rest, it is ready for use.

_Coulis of Fish_, _or Fish Gravy_, is one and the same thing.

Boil hard four eggs, and put the yolks in a mortar. Take a pike weighing about two pounds, clean, prepare, and broil it as directed; split it open, take all the bones and skin off, put the flesh in the mortar with the yolks, and pound the whole, and knead it with a little b.u.t.ter. Place a little b.u.t.ter, of the size of a walnut, in a stewpan, and set it on a good fire; when melted, fry in it till of a golden color, two carrots and two onions cut in slices; after that add also a piece of bay-leaf, two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a little isingla.s.s, the eggs and fish, and cover with water; simmer gently about one hour and a half, and strain.

If found too thin after it is strained, set it back on the fire, add a little more isingla.s.s, and simmer fifteen minutes longer.

_Coulis of Veal._--Place in a stewpan about one pound of veal, fillet or knuckle, with four ounces of bacon, not smoked, and cut fine; also a carrot cut fine, a little pepper, and grated nutmeg; set on a slow fire, cover well; half an hour after augment the fire, and as soon as you see the meat sticking to the pan, subdue it, leave it so ten minutes, then take from the fire, put the bacon, veal, and carrot on a dish; put b.u.t.ter about the size of an egg in the pan; when melted, sprinkle in it a teaspoonful of flour, stir with a wooden spoon, then put the meat back into it. Cover with warm broth and set on a slow fire for about two hours; take off, throw in it a few drops of cold water, skim off the fat, strain, and use.

_Cream._--A cream-sauce is a _Bechamel_ made with cream instead of milk.

It is often called _a la creme_, its French name.

_Cuc.u.mber._--Proceed as for caper-sauce, using pickled cuc.u.mbers, chopped fine, instead of capers.

_Egg._--Proceed as for caper-sauce in every particular, except that you use two hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine, instead of capers.

_Diplomat._--Make a cream-sauce with one pint of cream. When made, put in it nearly half a pound of lobster b.u.t.ter, stir, and when the whole is well mixed, add also about a tablespoonful of essence of anchovy and mix again; pepper to taste, and use.

It is a rich sauce, used with boiled fish and baked or roasted meat.

_Espagnole._--This sauce is very seldom made in the kitchen of a family, except of a large and wealthy family, being a rather expensive one. In the kitchen of a family, gravy or even broth is used in its stead; but, when preparing an extra dinner, it should be made, and a little of it used in all the brown sauces, either for meat, fish, or vegetables.

Spread about half a pound of b.u.t.ter in the bottom of a stewpan, lay in it lean ham and veal, partridge, wild rabbit, pheasant, or fowl of any kind, about four ounces of each, a small carrot cut in dice, one onion with a clove stuck in it, half a turnip, and a sprig of thyme; cover the pan and set it on the fire; let it simmer till reduced to a jelly, then mix in it two tablespoonfuls of flour, a wine-gla.s.s of white wine, cover with broth, add salt, pepper, a clove of garlic, a sprig of parsley, one clove, a bay-leaf, and two mushrooms cut in pieces; simmer from three to four hours, skim off the sc.u.m as soon as it comes on the surface; when done, take it from the fire, throw a few drops of cold water in, and skim off the fat, then strain and use.

It will keep for some time if kept air-tight in a pot or bottle, and in a cool, dry place.

_Essence of Spinage, or Spinach._--Soak in water, drain, dry, and pound well two or three handfuls of spinach, put them in a coa.r.s.e towel and press the juice out, put it in a pan on a moderate fire, and when nearly boiling, take it off, strain, and add to it a little fine-crushed sugar, stir a little, and bottle when cold; it may be kept for months; use it where directed.

_Sauce for every kind of Fish, boiled, baked, or roasted_.--Boil hard two eggs, take the yolks and pound them well, and place them in a bowl.

Have boiling water on the fire, and put in it cives, burnet, chervil, tarragon, and parsley, four or five sprigs of each; boil five minutes, take off, drain and pound them well, then strain them on the eggs, add two tablespoonfuls of cider vinegar, two of French mustard, salt, pepper, and four tablespoonfuls of sweet-oil, which you pour in, little by little, at the same time mixing the whole well with a boxwood spoon, and it is ready for use.

_Fines Herbes._--Chop very fine a small handful of parsley, shallots, and chives; and proceed as for making a caper-sauce, except that you use the chopped spices instead of capers.

_Genoise._--Put two ounces of b.u.t.ter in a small saucepan, set it on the fire, and when melted, mix in it a tablespoonful of flour; stir for one minute, add one-fourth of a carrot, sliced, stir now and then, and when nearly fried, add also a pint of broth, half a pint of claret wine, a small onion, and a clove of garlic, chopped; two cloves, a bay-leaf, two stalks of parsley, one of thyme, salt, and pepper; boil gently about one hour and forty minutes, and strain. If it boils away, add a little broth. Put it back on the fire with about half an ounce of b.u.t.ter, boil gently for about ten minutes, and it is ready for use.