Part 3

Take six nice fat crabs, wash them, and while _alive_ chop off the claws; then clean the rest of the crabs carefully and lay them in a dish. Chop up two onions fine, fry them in a tablespoonful of butter and lard mixed; when brown and soft stir in a large spoonful of flour, which must also brown nicely; throw in some chopped parsley and a little green onion, and when they are cooked pour on a quart of boiling water--this is the gravy. Now put in the crabs without parboiling. Let them simmer in the gravy for half an hour, and serve with boiled rice. Parboiling crabs destroys their flavor; they should be alive to the last moment.

SOFT-SHELLED CRABS, FRIED

Clean the crabs properly, dip them into rolled cracker, and fry them in hot lard salted. They must be dried carefully before frying, or they will not brown well. Serve with any favorite sauce.

TO DRESS A TURTLE

Cut off the head and let it bleed well. Separate the bottom shell from the top with care, for fear of breaking the gall bag. Throw the liver and eggs, if any, into a bowl of water. Slice off all the meat from the under-shell and put in water also; break the shell in pieces, wash carefully and place it in a pot; cover it with water, and add one pound of middling or flitch of bacon with four chopped onions. Set this on the fire to boil. (If preferred, open and clean the chitterlings or intestines also--some use them.) Let this boil gently for four hours; keep the liver to fry. While the under-shell is boiling, wash the top-shell neatly, cut all the meat out, cover it up and set it by. Parboil the fins, clean them perfectly; take off the black skin and throw them into water. Now cut the flesh removed from both shells into small pieces; cut the fins up; sprinkle with salt, cover and set them by. When the pot containing the shells, etc., has boiled four hours, take out the bacon, scrape the shell, clean and strain the liquor, pour back in the pot about one quart, and put the rest by for the soup (Turtle Soup No. 2). Pick out the nice pieces strained out, and put with the fins in the gravy. Add to the meat one bottle of wine, one gill mushroom catsup, one gill of lemon pickle, cloves, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and one pound fresh butter rolled in flour. Stew together; take out the herbs, thicken with flour and put in the shell to bake with a puff paste around it. Trim with eggs.

“GRENOUILLES FRITES,” OR FRIED FROGS

Use only the hind-quarters of the frogs. After washing them in warm water, soak well; then put them into cold vinegar with a little salt, and let them remain one or two hours, after which throw them into scalding water, and remove the skin without tearing the flesh. Wipe them dry, dust flour on them and fry in butter or sweet oil, with plenty of chopped parsley. When brown, dust pepper and a little salt over them, and garnish with crisped parsley. Stewed frogs are seasoned with butter, wine, beaten eggs and parsley chopped fine.

TERRAPIN

Like crabs and lobsters, terrapins are thrown alive into boiling water and let boil till the outer shell and toe-nails can be removed. Then wash and boil them in salted water till the fleshy part of the leg is tender. Put them in a bowl or deep dish, take off the second shell, remove the sand bag and gall bladder, and cut off the spongy part. Cut up the meat, season it with salt, pepper, cayenne and mace, thicken with butter and flour, and cook. Just before serving put in a gill of sherry wine for every terrapin, and pour all over hot buttered toast.

COLD MEATS AND HOW TO SERVE THEM

TO SERVE PICKLED OYSTERS

Take them from the pickle jar, put them into a glass dish, and ornament it with the tender, delicate leaves of celery and parsley. Serve with bread and butter sandwiches.

TO SERVE MEAT OR CHICKEN PIE

Lay a fringed napkin in a waiter or plate larger than the dish in which the pie is baked; set the pie on it; turn up the edges of the napkin against it, and put sprigs of parsley or delicate green leaves of celery on the edge of the plate to keep the napkin in place.

A NICE WAY TO SERVE COLD MEAT

Cut cold roast beef in slices, put gravy enough to cover them, add two tablespoonfuls of wine or catsup. If there is not enough gravy, make more by putting hot water and a good bit of butter, with a spoonful of browned flour. Let it stew gently. If liked, a sliced leek with a bunch of parsley may be added. Serve mashed potatoes with it. This is equal to beef a la mode.

GLAZING FOR TONGUE, HAMS, ETC.

Boil a shin of beef and a knuckle of veal for twelve hours in three or four quarts of water. Put in spices, herbs, and vegetables, the same as for soup; keep it boiling till it is reduced to a quart, then strain through a sieve and put away for use. This makes fine gravies, and is extremely useful to finish off baked hams, tongues, and cold roasts.

BRAISED TONGUE WITH ASPIC JELLY

Boil the tongue until tender, then place it in a stewpan with two onions, a head of celery, four cloves, and salt and pepper; cover it with the liquor it was boiled in; add to it a glass of brandy, a tablespoonful of sugar, a blade of mace, a bunch of thyme, and a bunch of parsley. Let it simmer gently for two hours. Take out the tongue, strain the liquor it was boiled in, and add to it a box of Cox’s gelatine which has been soaked in a goblet of cold water. Heat it and pour over the tongue. Serve cold.

SEASONING FOR SAUSAGE MEAT

Chop up and run your sausage meat through the cutter, and to every pound of the ground meat, allow a tablespoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of mixed black and red pepper, a quarter of a teaspoonful of saltpetre, and a half cup of sage and sweet marjoram. If you prefer it you may substitute for the sage some thyme and summer savory.

SEASONING FOR STUFFING VEAL, PIG OR TURKEY

When much seasoning is required it is well to keep it prepared on hand. It should always be kept well stopped. Dry a pound of salt; grind an ounce of white or black pepper; dry and powder two ounces of thyme and one of sweet marjoram; grate one ounce of nutmeg, and mix with half a pound of bread crumbs dried in a slow oven, three eggs, a quarter of a pound of butter or suet, and a cup of finely chopped parsley.

LIVER AND HAM FORCEMEAT FOR STUFFING

Take a calf’s liver, or the livers of three or four turkeys, or geese; lay them in cold water, till ready to use them; cut with them the same quantity of fat ham or bacon; throw them into a saucepan, and let them fry a good brown; season with salt, pepper, spices, chopped mushrooms, parsley and three shallots. When soft, chop them fine, or else pass them through a sausage grinder. This recipe can be used for raised pies, or as an addition to turkey stuffing.

AROMATIC SPICES FOR SEASONING MEAT PIES, ETC.

Take an ounce each of mace and nutmeg, two ounces of cloves, two of pepper corns (whole pepper will do), marjoram and thyme, each one ounce, bay leaves half an ounce. Dry the herbs well first; put the spices and herbs in a paper closely folded, to keep in the aroma, and place them in a slow oven to dry for an hour, or two; then pound and sift them, through a sieve. Cork tightly.

TRUFFLES AND CHESTNUT STUFFING FOR A PIG

Many persons like truffles for stuffing for a roast pig; they should be mixed with fat bacon, livers of veal or fowl, sweet herbs, pepper, salt and butter. Chestnut stuffing is prepared by roasting sixty chestnuts. Remove their hulls while hot, and pound them fine, add four ounces of butter, run this through a sieve, and add to it a few green onions, or chives, sweet basil, parsley and thyme; grate in a nutmeg, put in pepper and salt, and bind it with three eggs. Stuff the pig with it and serve with tomato sauce.

LIVER AND TRUFFLE STUFFING FOR A PIG OR TURKEY

Pare and cut into small pieces a pound of truffles, put them into a stewpan with a large spoonful of butter, one-half pound of fat bacon, chopped very fine; add a spoonful of black pepper, a clove of garlic, a little salt, a bunch of sweet basil and thyme, dried and powdered; add also half a pound of nice veal liver, boiled and grated. Set this all on the fire, let it cook until the truffles are soft, then mash with a wooden spoon; take it off to cool it, and stuff the pig with the forcemeat. Baste the pig with sweet oil, which is better than butter. It is supposed the pig comes from the butchers all ready for stuffing and baking. If the stuffing is desired for a turkey, add a quarter of a pound of bread crumbs and two beaten eggs, and baste the turkey with butter, instead of oil.

NICE FORCEMEAT, FOR STUFFINGS, ETC.

Take equal quantities of cold chicken, veal and beef; shred small and mix together; season with pepper, salt, sweet herbs, and a little nutmeg, _i. e._, if intended for white meat or anything delicately flavored, but if meant for a savory dish add a little minced ham, and garlic; pound or chop this very fine (it is well, and saves trouble, to run it through a sausage chopper), and make it in a paste with two raw eggs, some butter, marrow or drippings; stuff your joint, or poultry, and if there is some not used, roll it round the balls, flour them and fry in boiling lard. This is a nice garnish for a side dish.

SAUCES FOR MEATS AND GAME

NO. 1.--DUCK SAUCE

Boil six large onions; change the water two or three times, while it is boiling, which takes away the strong taste. When soft, chop and put them in a saucepan with two large spoonfuls of butter, a little pepper and salt; now add either mushroom catsup, a cup of vinegar or a cup of wine, whichever is preferred.

NO. 2.--BROWN ONION SAUCE FOR POULTRY, ETC.

Slice three onions after peeling them; fry them a bright brown in a spoonful of butter; sprinkle a little flour in, and let it brown also; add salt, pepper, and also sage, if for goose or duck, and parsley and thyme if for chickens or roast meat; add a cup of the liquor in which the fowl was cooked, let it boil up and add a tablespoonful of catsup.

NO. 3.--MUSHROOM SAUCE

Peel and wash the mushrooms, cut them in small pieces, and put them in a saucepan; cover them with water, and let them boil soft; then stir in butter, mixed in flour, until it is thick enough to form a nice sauce; add pepper and salt.

NO. 4.--MINT SAUCE FOR SPRING LAMB

Wash carefully a cup of tender green spearmint, chop it fine, and mix with it half a cup of sugar and a cup of good vinegar.

NO. 5.--WHITE ONION SAUCE

Peel and boil six white onions, and when tender pour off the water; chop the onions small, and add to them a cup of hot milk, a large spoonful of butter, and pepper and salt to taste. Thicken with a little flour if preferred.

NO. 6.--TOMATO SAUCE, PLAIN

Peel and slice twelve tomatoes, pick out the seeds; add three pounded crackers, salt and pepper; stir twenty minutes and serve.

NO. 7.--CRANBERRY SAUCE

Stew cranberries till soft; when soft, stir in sugar; scald a few minutes and strain, or not, just as you please; it is good either way.

NO. 8.--SALAD SAUCE OR DRESSING FOR LETTUCE

Take the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, rub them to a paste in a bowl with a tablespoonful of mustard and one of sweet cream; add gradually two tablespoonfuls of sweet oil; when well mixed add the yolk of a raw egg, to give the paste a delicate smoothness; a little salt, a spoonful of sugar, and one tablespoon and a half of fine vinegar.

NO. 9.--SAUCE PIQUANTE FOR COLD MEAT

Slice two onions, fry them in butter; put them in a stewpan with a carrot, some sweet herbs, such as dried thyme or marjoram, two eschalots, some parsley and a clove of garlic; dredge in a spoonful of flour. When the carrot is perfectly done, mash it in the stewpan with a wooden spoon, and when smooth add to it a cup of soup stock. When this boils up, throw in a cup of strong vinegar. Add salt and pepper, and strain.

NO. 10.--BUTTER AND FLOUR SAUCE OR WHITE SAUCE

Mix a tablespoonful of butter and one of flour; mix over the fire, with a cup of cold water, stirring all the time. When this boils, take a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, if for a number of guests, and stir in the butter quickly, adding a cup of cold water by degrees, to keep the butter from oiling; finish with the juice of a lemon, and strain. It must be served hot, and made only a few moments before it is wanted. It gets oily if kept long. Add a spoonful of chopped parsley.

NO. 11.--CAPER SAUCE FOR BOILED MUTTON, ETC., ETC.

Take half a pint of butter sauce and add two tablespoonfuls of capers and a little salt.

NO. 12.--PARSLEY AND BUTTER SAUCE

Take half a pint of butter sauce No. 10, and add half a cup of chopped parsley and the juice of one lemon. Pour hot water on the parsley before chopping.

NO. 13.--LEMON SAUCE FOR FISH

To half a pint of butter sauce No. 10, add the juice of a lemon and another lemon sliced; take out the seeds, and let all boil together. This is good with broiled Spanish mackerel or pompano, also with broiled fish.

NO. 14.--SAUCE A L’AURORE, FOR FISH

Pound the spawn of a lobster very smooth, with a small piece of fresh butter, and press it through a sieve in the white sauce and a large spoonful of lemon juice, and set it over a clear fire to simmer for a minute or two, taking care it does not boil.

NO. 15.--SAUCE FROIDE

Mince quite fine some parsley, chervil, tarragon, chives and burnet; mix them in five or six tablespoonfuls of oil, or three yolks of hard-boiled eggs rubbed down smooth; add two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, some made mustard, salt and pepper; beat all together until it is smooth and thick, and serve in a sauce-boat. A good sauce for fish.

NO. 16.--CHESTNUT SAUCE FOR TURKEY OR FOWLS

Take half a pint of veal stock; half a pound of chestnuts; peel of half a lemon; a cupful of cream or milk; a very little cayenne and salt.

Remove the dark shell of the chestnuts, and scald them until the inner skin can be taken off. Then put them into the saucepan with the stock, the lemon peel cut very thin, some cayenne and salt. Let it simmer till the chestnuts are quite soft. Rub it through a sieve; add the seasoning and cream, and let it simmer for a few minutes, taking care it does not boil, and stirring constantly.

NO. 17.--WHITE CELERY SAUCE FOR BOILED POULTRY

Take six heads of celery, cut off the green tops, slice the remainder into small bits and boil in half a pint of water until it is tender; mix three teaspoonfuls of flour smoothly, with a little milk. Add six spoonfuls more of milk, stir it in; add a little salt and a small piece of butter. On boiling take off.

NO. 17½.--CELERY PUREE FOR TURKEY

Chop up six or eight heads of celery, boil them a few minutes; drain and put them in a saucepan, with half a pound of butter, some white soup stock, a little sugar, pepper and salt; cook till soft, then strain it through a sieve, heat it again and add a cup of milk or cream.

NO. 18.--WHITE CUCUMBER SAUCE FOR MEATS

Take four or five cucumbers; three-quarters of a pint of veal stock; the yolks of three eggs; a little cayenne pepper and salt.

Peel and take out the seeds from the cucumbers, cut them into very small pieces and put them into a sauce-pan with the stock and seasoning, and simmer it slowly until they are tender. Then stir in the yolks of the eggs well beaten. Make it very hot, but do not let it boil; and serve it up quickly.

NO. 19.--EGGS AND BUTTER SAUCE

Boil six eggs hard; when cold, peel them and put them into a cup of butter, melted; mix with a little flour, make it hot, stir in pepper and salt. Some people like lemon, and many require walnut catsup. This is left to personal taste.

NO. 20.--WINE SAUCE FOR VENISON OR MUTTON

Take from the stock pot a pint of the soup; let it boil down to half a pint; season with a dozen cloves, a teaspoon of salt, and a little pepper; then stir in a cup of wine, or of currant jelly.

NO. 21.--SAVORY JELLY FOR COLD TURKEY OR MEAT

Put in the pot two pounds of beef; if you have veal or beef bones, break them and throw them in also, but they require longer boiling to dissolve the gelatine. Put in half a pound of sweet ham or bacon, add all the sweet herbs, such as thyme, basil, parsley and marjoram; last of all, salt and pepper to taste. Boil for three or four hours. When it is sufficiently boiled, take off, strain, and put away to cool. Take off all the fat and sediment, and clarify by throwing into it the whites and shells of three eggs; add three blades of mace and a cup of wine or lemon juice. Place it again on the fire, let it boil a few times, and strain it through a jelly-bag. When well made it is delicious with cold turkey, and under the name of “aspic jelly,” figures in the finest French cooking.

NO. 22.--TOMATO SAUCE, RICH AND VERY FINE

Take a dozen large ripe tomatoes, pick off the stalks; extract the seeds and watery juice by squeezing them in the hand. Place the pulp in a stewpan with four ounces, or a quarter of a pound, of raw ham, cut into cubes; a dozen small eschalots and a bunch of thyme or parsley. Throw in a little butter, and fry all gently until the tomatoes soften sufficiently to be passed through a strainer. Mix this _puree_ with a cupful of good soup-stock or other soup; add the strained juice of the tomatoes, and let boil fifteen minutes, then set it by to clarify. Serve it hot. When canned tomatoes are used, omit the first directions.

NO. 23.--BROWN OYSTER SAUCE

Prepare this just as white oyster sauce (No. 24); only you use brown gravy instead of cream, as in white oyster sauce.

NO. 24.--WHITE OYSTER SAUCE

Put three dozen oysters in a stewpan, without their juice, which save; mix with the oysters, half a pound of butter, thickened with flour (work it well with a spoon); season with cayenne pepper and salt, and thin with a cup of milk or cream, and a cup of oyster juice. Boil altogether for ten minutes.

NO. 25.--OYSTER SAUCE FOR BOILED TURKEY

Put three dozen oysters in a stewpan; save their liquor in a bowl; mix with the oysters half a pound of butter and flour, worked together, and season with cayenne pepper and salt; thin this now with the liquor from the oysters and a cup of cream. Let it boil ten minutes and serve on the turkey.

NO. 26.--SAUCE PIQUANT

Put a large spoonful of sweet butter in a stewpan, slice into it two onions, two carrots, a little thyme, two cloves, two eschalots and a bunch of parsley; add, if liked, a clove of garlic. Let them cook until the carrot is soft, then shake in a little flour; let it cook five minutes more, and add a cup of beef or veal stock, and half a cup of strong vinegar; skim and strain through a sieve. Add salt and pepper when boiling. This is nice on cold meat.

NO. 27.--STOCK FOR SOUPS OR GRAVIES

Break the bones of a knuckle of veal, add to it a pound of lean beef and a half pound of lean ham; stew in two quarts of water until it is reduced to one. If for gravy, add to it two carrots, two turnips and two heads of celery. When the vegetables are soft, strain and keep for use. Water added to gravies spoils them.

NO. 28.--EGG SAUCE WITH LEMON

Boil six eggs; when cold, take off the shells, and slice them into a cup of melted butter; add pepper and salt, and stir constantly while heating. Add the juice of a lemon, or vinegar, or catsup as preferred. This sauce is equally good for boiled fish or poultry.

NO. 29.--HORSERADISH SAUCE

To a spoonful of mustard add three tablespoonfuls of vinegar and a little salt; if you have it, put in two spoonfuls of cream. Grate into this as much horseradish as will thicken it; then mash a clove of garlic and your sauce is ready.

NO. 30.--TO KEEP HORSERADISH

Grate the root, and pour strong vinegar over it, and bottle. This is fine for roast meat.

NO. 31.--SAUCE ROBERT

Cut into small pieces four large onions; brown them with three ounces of butter and a spoonful of flour. When yellow-brown, pour on them half a pint of veal, or beef gravy, or soup; let all simmer for half an hour; season with salt and pepper, and at the moment of serving, add a dessertspoonful of made mustard.

NO. 32.--PIQUANT TOMATO SAUCE

Mash half a dozen ripe tomatoes (pick out the seeds), put them in a stewpan with sliced onions, and a little meat gravy; let them simmer, till nearly dry, then add half a pint of brown gravy, left of cold meat, and let it cook twenty minutes. Strain and season with cayenne pepper, salt and lemon juice. Tarragon vinegar may be used instead of the lemon juice.

NO. 33.--CREAM SAUCE

Put a quarter of a pound of butter in a stew-pan, with a small tablespoonful of wheat flour, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and the same of young onions, or eschalots, chopped fine; add a saltspoonful of salt, and the same of pepper, and a grated nutmeg. Mix these well together, then add a glass of cream, or rich milk, set it over the fire, and stir it with a silver spoon until it is ready to boil; if it is too thick, add more milk. This sauce should be stirred for fifteen minutes. Extract of celery improves it. Serve with boiled rabbits, meat or poultry.

NO. 34.--APPLE SAUCE

Peel, quarter, and core some rich, tart apples; add a very little water, cover and set them over the fire; when tender, mash them smooth, and serve with roasted pork, goose, or any other gross meat.

NO. 35.--CRANBERRY SAUCE

Wash and pick a quart of cranberries; put them into a stew-pan, with a teacupful of water, and the same of brown sugar; cover the pan and let them stew gently for one hour; then mash them smooth with a silver spoon; dip a quart bowl in cold water, pour in the stewed cranberries, and leave till cold. Serve with roast pork, ham, turkey or goose.

NO. 36.--SAVORY SAUCE FOR A ROAST GOOSE

A tablespoonful of made mustard, half a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, and three spoonfuls of port wine. When mixed, pour this (hot) into the body of the goose before sending it up. It wonderfully improves the sage and onions.

NO. 37.--FRIED PEACHES FOR SAUCE

Take peaches, not fully ripe, wash and wipe them; then cut them in slices a quarter of an inch thick, and fry in the pan, after pork. Serve with the meat. This is a South Carolina dish.

NO. 38.--FRIED APPLES AS A RELISH

Wash fine, fair apples without paring; cut them in slices an eighth of an inch thick, and fry in hot lard, or pork fat. Serve with fried pork.

NO. 39.--RICH LEMON SAUCE, FOR PUDDINGS

Boil a fresh lemon in plenty of water, until a straw will penetrate it, then cut it in slices, and each slice in quarters; add a teacupful of sugar, and the same of butter, with a large teaspoonful of wheat flour worked into it; put all together into a stew-pan, and stir in gradually half a pint of boiling water; keep it over the fire for ten minutes, stirring it all the time, then serve with half a nutmeg grated over.

NO. 40.--HARD SAUCE

Beat a quarter of a pound of butter to a cream, then stir into it half a pound of pulverized white sugar, and beat it until it is light. A wineglass of wine or brandy may be added. Grate nutmeg over it. Put it on ice if the weather is warm.

NO. 41.--TO KEEP HORSERADISH FOR SAUCE

Grate a quantity in season, and keep it in bottles filled with strong vinegar. A clove of garlic added to each bottle is an improvement.

NO. 42.--TO MAKE GOOD VINEGAR; NO. 1

Mix a quart of molasses in three gallons of rain water; add to this, one pint of sharp yeast. Let it ferment and stand four weeks; you will then have good vinegar.

NO. 43.--ANOTHER WAY TO MAKE VINEGAR; NO. 2

To make good pickles or sauces of several kinds, good vinegar is required. To a gallon of water put two pounds of coarse brown sugar; boil and skim it for half an hour. Put it in a tub or jar to ferment; add to it in the tub a slice of raised wheat-bread soaked in yeast. It can be bottled off or put in a cask in a week or two, but must be left unstopped, and the bung covered with muslin to keep out insects.

NO. 44.--TO MAKE GOOD VINEGAR FOR PICKLES