Hand-Book of Practical Cookery for Ladies and Professional Cooks Part 49

_Mushroom Catsup._--Clean and wash them well, stems and all; cut them in two or four pieces; then place the pieces in a crockery vessel, sprinkling salt on every layer of mushrooms, and leave thus twenty-four hours. Take them out and press them well, so as to take all the juice out, which you bottle at once, and cork. Put the mushrooms back in the vessel, and twenty-four hours after press them again; and again put the juice in bottles, and the mushrooms in the vessel, and repeat this process again after another twenty-four hours. Then mix well together the juice of the three pressings; add to it pepper, allspice, one clove (or more, according to the quant.i.ty) broken in pieces; boil the whole, skim off the sc.u.m as long as you see any on the surface, and strain.

Bottle when cool; put in each bottle two cloves and a pepper-corn, cork air-tight, put in a cool and dry place, and it will keep for years.

_Dried._--Dried mushrooms are imported from Italy, they come cheaper than the preserved ones in cans, and are as good for brown sauces. Soak them in water over night; drain them, and they are ready for use.

_Onions a la Creme.--(With Cream.)_--Only small white onions are prepared _a la creme_. Have water and a little salt on the fire, and drop two dozen small white onions into it at the first boil. When cooked, drain, and wipe them dry carefully, in order not to bruise them. Set a saucepan on the fire with about two ounces of b.u.t.ter in it, and when melted put the onions in, stirring gently for two or three minutes, then turn about a gill of cream in, little by little, stirring the while, and as soon as the whole is in take from the fire, salt to taste, and serve hot.

_Glazed._--Peel a dozen of middling-sized onions and put them in a saucepan with four ounces of b.u.t.ter, and set them on a slow fire; stir occasionally till they are about three-quarters done, when add about two ounces of powdered sugar, stir now and then and finish the cooking. When done and well browned all around, add one or two tablespoonfuls of good meat-gravy, keep a few minutes on a rather brisk fire in order to reduce the sauce, but keep stirring and use. Onions prepared that way are excellent, and generally used to decorate meat.

_Stewed._--Clean a quart of small onions, throw them in boiling water, add two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a clove, a bay-leaf, a little piece of nutmeg, a clove of garlic, salt, and pepper; boil twenty minutes, drain the onions only, and throw away the seasonings. Put two ounces of b.u.t.ter in a stewpan on a good fire, and when melted sprinkle in it a teaspoonful of flour; then add the onions, cover with half broth and half white wine, boil gently till well cooked and the sauce reduced, serve warm. It is a very wholesome dish.

_Parsnips.--Sautees._--Sc.r.a.pe, wash, drain, and put about two quarts of parsnips in a saucepan with cold water and a little salt, set on the fire and boil till done, then drain. Cut the parsnips in slices, put two ounces of b.u.t.ter in a frying-pan, and when melted put the sliced turnips in, toss gently till they are of a fine golden color, then add salt and pepper to taste, turn over a dish, sprinkle chopped parsley all over, and serve warm.

_Stewed._--Sc.r.a.pe, clean, wash, boil, and drain as above directed, about two quarts of parsnips. Put them immediately into a stewpan with salt, pepper, and broth enough to about half cover them, boil gently for fifteen minutes, and serve the whole as it is. They may also be prepared in _poulette_, the same as turnips.

_Peas with Bacon._--Put in a stewpan on the fire four ounces of bacon cut in dice (for one quart of peas), and toss and fry it for about five minutes, then add the peas after having blanched them from five to ten minutes, according to how tender they are; stir for two minutes and add half a pint of broth or water, also a bunch of seasonings composed of two or three sprigs of parsley, half a one of thyme, and a piece of bay-leaf; stir again and mix, and then add also two or three small onions, salt, and pepper; boil half an hour, remove the seasonings, and serve peas and salt pork. A small sausage may be added for those who like the taste of it.

_Plain boiled._--Put a saucepan on the fire with water and salt in it, and at the first boil drop two quarts of peas in it; boil gently till done, and then drain. As soon as they are in the colander, just toss them a little, turn them over a dish, and put four ounces of b.u.t.ter on the top, salt, and pepper, then place the dish in the oven with the door open, that is, just to keep them warm and allow the b.u.t.ter to melt, stir for one or two minutes, and serve warm.

_With Lettuce._--Blanch a quart of peas for about five minutes, and drain them. Blanch a head of lettuce for one minute. Put peas and lettuce in a saucepan with one ounce of b.u.t.ter, stir gently on the fire for about one minute, and then add a little broth or water, two or three sprigs of parsley, salt, and pepper; boil slowly till done, and serve warm. The parsley may be served, or removed just before serving, according to taste. The lettuce is always served with the peas.

_Au jus._--Boil the peas as directed for _plain boiled_, then put them back on the fire with a little b.u.t.ter, stir for one minute, add about three tablespoonfuls of gravy to a quart of peas, salt and pepper, give one boil, and serve.

_With Ham._--Blanch two quarts of peas and drain them. Put them in a saucepan with half a pound of ham, cut in dice, half cover them with water, and boil gently till done. If the water boils away, add a little more; serve warm.

Canned peas are prepared in the same way as above.

_A l'Anglaise._--If the peas are fresh, blanch them; if they are preserved, drain them only. Put the peas in a saucepan with about one ounce of b.u.t.ter for a pint, set on the fire, stir gently till thoroughly warm, add chopped parsley and a yolk of egg, and serve.

_Au Sucre (with Sugar)._--Set the peas on the fire, the same as above, add about one ounce of sugar, stir also till warm; take from the fire, stir a yolk of egg in, and serve.

_Dry Peas and Split Peas._--Dry and split peas are prepared and served in the same and every way like dry _beans_, with the exception that they require to be soaked only for a few hours before cooking them.

_Potatoes.--To select._--As a general rule, the smaller the eye the better the potatoes. By cutting off a piece from the larger end you ascertain if they are sound; they must be white, reddish, bluish, etc., according to the species. If spotted, they are not sound, and therefore very inferior. There are several kinds, and all of them are good when sound or coming from a proper soil. Use the kind you prefer, or those that are better fit for the way they are intended to be served. To mash or to make a _puree_, etc., every kind is good. To serve whole or in dice, or in pieces like carpels of oranges, those called _Mercers_ and the like, are preferable, because they do not bruise so easily.

_To boil._--Being naturally watery, potatoes should never be cooked by boiling except when wanted very white, as for _croquettes_. When boiled whole, put them of an even size as much as possible, in order to cook them evenly. They are better, more mealy, when steamed or baked, but those who have no steamer must, of course, boil them. Cover them with cold water, set on the fire and boil till done, then pour off all the water, put the pan back on a slow fire for five minutes and well covered; then use the potatoes.

_To steam._--Place them above a kettle of boiling water, in a kind of drainer made for that purpose, and adapted to the kettle. The drainer must be covered tight. They cook as fast as by boiling, the degree of heat being the same. When steamed the skin is very easily removed.

_To prepare._--If they are to be boiled, or steamed, or baked, it is only necessary to wash them. If wanted peeled, as for frying, etc., then commence by cutting off the germs or eyes; if young and tender, take the skin off with a scrubbing-brush and drop immediately in cold water to keep them white; if old, sc.r.a.pe the skin off with a knife, for the part immediately under the skin contains more nutriment than the middle, and drop in cold water also. If wanted cut, either in dice, or like carpels of oranges, or any other way, cut them above a bowl of cold water, so that they drop into it, for if kept exposed to the air they turn reddish and lose their nutritive qualities.

_A l'Allemande._--Steam, peel, and slice the potatoes. Cut some bread in thin slices, and fry bread and potatoes with a little b.u.t.ter and turn the whole in a bowl, dust well with sugar, pour a little milk all over and bake for about fifteen minutes; serve warm.

_A l'Anglaise._--Steam or boil about a quart of potatoes and then peel and slice them. Put two ounces of b.u.t.ter in a frying-pan on the fire, and put the potatoes in when melted, toss them for about ten minutes, add salt, pepper, a little grated nutmeg, and serve hot.

_A la barigoule._--Peel some potatoes and cook them whole in broth; when done take them off carefully, so as not to break or bruise them, and drain. Have some oil in a frying-pan and on a quick fire, and when hot lay the potatoes in; move gently to fry them all around, and then dish them, sprinkling salt, pepper, and vinegar, all over; serve warm.

_Bechamel._--Steam or boil and peel some potatoes, then slice them and place on a dish; have a _Bechamel_ sauce ready, turn it over the potatoes, and serve warm.

_Broiled._--Steam, peel and slice the potatoes. Lay the slices on a gridiron, and place it over a rather slow fire; have melted b.u.t.ter, and spread some over the slices of potatoes with a brush; as soon as the under part is broiled, turn each slice over and spread b.u.t.ter over the other side. When done, dish, salt, and serve them hot. A little b.u.t.ter may be added when dished, according to taste.

_A la Parisienne._--Chop an onion fine and partly fry it with b.u.t.ter, then put in it some potatoes cut in dice, add a little water or broth, salt, and pepper; boil gently till done, take from the fire, add chopped parsley, and serve.

_Fried._--To be fried, the potatoes are cut either with a vegetable spoon, in fillets, in slices, with a scalloped knife, or with an ordinary one, or cut in pieces like carpels of oranges, or even in dice.

When cut, drain and wipe them dry. This must be done quickly, so as not to allow the potatoes to turn reddish. Have a coa.r.s.e towel ready, then turn the potatoes into a colander, and immediately turn them in the towel, shake them a little, and quickly drop them in hot fat. (_See_ Frying.) When done, turn them into a colander, sprinkle salt on them, and serve hot. Bear in mind that fried potatoes must be eaten as hot as possible. Fry only one size at a time, as it takes three times as long to fry them when cut in pieces as when sliced or cut in fillets.

_To fry them light, or swelled_.--When fried, turn into the colander, and have the fat over a brisk fire; leave the potatoes in the colander only about half a minute, then put them back in the very hot fat, stir for about one minute and put them again in the colander, salt them, and serve hot. If the fat is very hot, when dropped into it for the second time they will certainly swell; there is no other way known to do it. It is as easily done as it is simple. Potatoes cut in fillets and fried are sometimes called _a la Parisienne_; when cut in slices or with a vegetable spoon, they are called _a la francaise_.

Potatoes cut with a vegetable spoon and fried, make a good as well as a sightly decoration for a dish of meat or of fish. They may be fried in oil also, but it is more expensive than in fat. They may be fried in b.u.t.ter also, but it is still more expensive than oil, and is not better than fat; no matter what kind of fat is used, be it lard, beef suet, or skimmings of sauces and gravy, it cannot be tasted.

_Hollandaise._--Steam or boil the potatoes, and then peel and mash them. Season them with a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, salt, and pepper, add also two tablespoonfuls of gravy to a quart of potatoes, then make small b.a.l.l.s about the size of a walnut, round or of an olive-shape, dip them in beaten egg, roll in bread-crumbs, and fry in hot fat. Serve hot.

_Another._--Proceed as for the above one in every particular, except that you use milk or cream instead of broth, and sugar instead of salt and pepper.

_Lyonnaise._--Potatoes _Lyonnaise_ are prepared according to taste, that is, as much onion as liked is used, either in slices or chopped. If you have not any cold potatoes, steam or boil some, let them cool, and peel and slice them. For about a quart of potatoes, put two ounces of b.u.t.ter in a frying-pan on the fire, and when melted put as much onion as you please, either sliced or chopped, into the pan, and fry it till about half done, when add the potatoes and again two ounces of b.u.t.ter; salt, pepper, and stir and toss gently till the potatoes are all fried of a fine, light-brown color. It may require more b.u.t.ter, as no vegetable absorbs more than potatoes. It makes an excellent dish for those who do not object to the taste of the onion (the onion can be tasted, not being boiled or kept long enough on the fire to evaporate). Serve warm. Oil may be used instead of b.u.t.ter.

_Maitre d'Hotel._--Steam or boil about a quart of potatoes, and then peel and cut them in slices. Put one ounce and a half of b.u.t.ter in a saucepan on the fire, and when melted add a small tablespoonful of flour; stir, and when turning yellow add also about a quart of milk, salt to taste, give one boil and take from the fire. Then add the potatoes, put back on a slow fire, stir for ten minutes, mix in the whole a teaspoonful of parsley chopped fine, also a yolk or two of eggs, and serve warm.

_Another Maitre d'Hotel._--Take two quarts of potatoes, prepare and cook them by steam, peel carefully, and cut them in thick slices; place them on a dish and keep warm. Put four ounces of b.u.t.ter in a stewpan and set it on a slow fire; add, when melted, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, the juice of half a lemon, salt, pepper, and a pinch of allspice, stir ten minutes; afterward, put for five minutes on a quick fire, keep stirring, then pour on the potatoes, and serve.

_Mashed._--Peel and quarter about three pints of potatoes as directed; put them in a saucepan with more water than is necessary to cover them, and a little salt; set on the fire and boil gently till done, drain, put them back in the saucepan, mash them well and mix them with two ounces of b.u.t.ter, two yolks of eggs, salt, pepper, and milk enough to make them of a proper thickness. Set on the fire for two or three minutes, stirring the while, and serve warm. When on the dish, smooth them with the back of a knife or scallop them, according to fancy.

_Mashed and baked._--Put two ounces of b.u.t.ter in a stewpan and set it on the fire; when hot, add a teaspoonful of parsley chopped fine, and a little salt; five minutes after, put in it a quart of potatoes, prepared, cooked, peeled, and mashed, as directed; then pour on the whole, little by little, stirring continually with a wooden spoon, a pint of good milk; and when the whole is well mixed, and becoming rather thick, take from the fire, place on the dish, then set in a brisk oven for five minutes, and serve.

_Polanaise._--Wash well about two quarts of potatoes, put them in a saucepan and cover with cold water, season with salt, half a dozen whole peppers, a bay-leaf, a sprig of thyme, and two or three onions in slices; boil gently till done, and drain. Peel the potatoes, cut them in two, dish and turn a _caper_ sauce over them. Serve warm.

_Provencale._--Peel and quarter about three pints of potatoes as directed. Put in a saucepan about a gill of oil with the potatoes, salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, six sprigs of parsley, two cloves of garlic, and half the rind of a lemon; the three latter spices well chopped; set on a good fire, stir now and then till cooked, dish the whole, sprinkle the juice of one or two lemons on, and serve warm.

_Another way._--Put in a stewpan three tablespoonfuls of sweet-oil, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, two cloves of garlic chopped very fine, a pinch of grated nutmeg, the juice of half a lemon, salt, and pepper; set on a good fire, and when hot put in it a quart of potatoes prepared and cooked by steam, and cut in thick slices; subdue the fire, simmer about ten minutes, and serve.

_Sautees._--Take a quart of young and tender potatoes, peel them with a brush, and cut in slices. Put two ounces of b.u.t.ter in a frying-pan on a quick fire; when hot, put the potatoes in, and fry them till of a golden color; place them on a dish without any b.u.t.ter, sprinkle chopped parsley and salt on, and serve. They may also be served without parsley, according to taste.

_Soufflees._--Steam a quart of potatoes, then peel and mash them in a saucepan and mix an ounce of b.u.t.ter with them; set on the fire, pour into it, little by little, stirring the while, about half a pint of milk, stir a little longer after the milk is in and until they are turning rather thick; dish the potatoes, smooth or scallop them with the back of a knife, and put them in a quick oven till of a proper color, and serve.

_Another way._--Steam three pints of potatoes and peel and mash them in a saucepan, then mix with them four ounces of b.u.t.ter, salt to taste, half a pint of milk, and eight yolks of eggs; set on the fire for two minutes, stirring the while, and take off. Beat six whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and mix them gently with the rest. Place the mixture on a dish, smooth with the back of a knife or scallop them, according to fancy, and put in a quick oven. As soon as the top gets a little dry, which will be in two or three minutes after being in the oven, take them off and quickly spread some melted b.u.t.ter all over, by means of a brush, and put back in the oven for two or three minutes longer, when take off again, spread b.u.t.ter over the same as the first time, etc. Repeat the same process two or three times, and serve warm.

_Stuffed._--Steam two or three potatoes and peel and mash them in a bowl, then chop fine a small green onion or two shallots with two ounces of fat salt pork and six or eight sprigs of parsley; mix the whole with the potatoes; add also and mix with the rest about two ounces of b.u.t.ter, and salt and pepper to taste. If the potatoes are not warm enough to melt the b.u.t.ter while mixing, it should be melted first. Clean and wash well six potatoes of an even size and split them in two lengthwise; then with a small iron spoon remove the middle part of each half, so as to leave only a thickness of about one-eighth of an inch. You have then a kind of sh.e.l.l, which you fill with the prepared mixture above, filling more than full, so that the top is convex, and which you smooth with the back of a knife. When the twelve halves are thus prepared, b.u.t.ter the bottom of a bakepan, lay the potatoes in with the mixture upward, and put in a warm oven. Take from the oven when about half done, and spread some melted b.u.t.ter all over by means of a brush; put back in the oven, finish the baking, and serve warm.

_In Cakes._--Prepare and cook by steam a quart and a half of potatoes, peel and mash them; mix with them the yolks of five eggs, half a lemon-rind grated, and four ounces of fine white sugar. Put four ounces of b.u.t.ter in a stewpan and set it on the fire; when melted, put the mixture in, stirring with a wooden spoon continually; as soon as it is in the stewpan, add the whites of the five eggs, well beaten; leave on the fire only the time necessary to mix the whole well together, and take off; when nearly cold, add, if handy, and while stirring, a few drops of orange-flower water; it gives a very good flavor; then put the whole in a tin mould greased a little with b.u.t.ter; place in a quick oven for about thirty-five minutes, and serve.

_In Croquettes._--Peel, quarter, and boil about a quart of potatoes as directed. Mash them in a saucepan and mix them with four yolks of eggs, two ounces of b.u.t.ter, salt, and about half a gill of milk; set on the fire, stir for about two minutes, take off, spread on a dish and leave thus for two or three hours, and even over night when for breakfast.

When left over night, they may be rather too dry to work them; then mix with a few drops of milk. No matter how long they have been left on the dish, it is necessary to mix them, that is, to mix the top, which is the driest part, with the rest. Dust the paste-board slightly with bread-crumbs, put the potatoes on it, in parts of about a tablespoonful each; then, with the hands and a knife, shape them according to fancy, either round, flat, or oval, etc. When shaped round they look like a piece of sausage about two inches and a half long. If wished flat, when shaped round, just flatten them a little with the blade of a knife. Then dip each part in beaten egg, roll in bread-crumbs, and fry in hot fat.

(_See_ Frying.) Take them off the fat when done, turn them into a colander, and immediately dish, and serve them as warm as possible.

Potato _croquettes_ are sometimes called potato-b.a.l.l.s. When the _croquettes_ are shaped flat, they are also called "_a la d.u.c.h.esse_."

_Another d.u.c.h.esse._--When the potatoes are ready to be spread on the dish to cool, put them in the pastry-bag and squeeze them out of it like lady's fingers, bake, and serve warm. It makes a sightly dish.

_In Matelote._--Prepare and cook a quart and a half of potatoes, and peel and cut them in thick slices. Put in a stewpan a piece of b.u.t.ter the size of an egg, and set it on the fire; when melted, sprinkle in it a teaspoonful of flour, also the same of chopped parsley, salt, and pepper, then the potatoes, wet with half a pint of claret wine, same of broth; boil gently till the sauce is reduced, and serve.

_With b.u.t.ter, or English Fas.h.i.+on._--Put water on the fire with considerable salt in it; at the first boil, drop a quart of washed potatoes in and boil till done, when take off, peel, and put them whole in a saucepan, with b.u.t.ter, salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg; set on a rather slow fire, stirring gently now and then till they have absorbed all the b.u.t.ter. Serve warm. They absorb a great deal of b.u.t.ter.