Part 4

Clean and pare two or three pounds of cardoons, cut them lengthwise, and blanch them in boiling water. Then throw them into cold water to make them retain their whiteness, and dry them on a clean cloth. Cut an onion and a carrot into slices, and put them into a sauce-pan with four ounces of fresh butter, take out the carrot and onion after ten minutes and mix a tablespoonful of flour into the butter, adding some broth (or water), to prevent it burning. As soon as the broth (or water) boils, throw in the cardoons. When done, serve up hot.

_Cardoons ‘alla Milanese.’_

Prepare the cardoons as above, then put them one by one in a sauce-pan with six ounces of fresh melted butter, salt them a little, and add about three-quarters of an ounce of grated Parmesan cheese, and a little Béchamel sauce (see Sauces, p. 119). Cook them with fire above and below, and serve up hot.

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_Carrots ‘all’ Aceto.’_

Scrape six large carrots and wash them well in cold water, cut them in slices, put them into an earthen pot of boiling water, and boil till tender. Then drain and dry, put them into a salad bowl and pour some white wine vinegar over them, with a little chopped onion and celery and two bay leaves.

_Carrots ‘alla Béchamel.’_

Scrape and wash six or eight large carrots, and slice them very fine. Cook them slowly in a sauce-pan with two ounces of fresh butter, and a little pounded sugar, salt, and pepper, and stir them continually. In another sauce-pan put one ounce of butter, one ounce of flour, two tumblers of cream (or milk), and salt to taste. Cook for about ten minutes, then pour it over the carrots, and heat again, taking care not to let them boil.

_Carrots ‘alla Casalinga.’_

Cut up some young carrots into small pieces, and put them into a sauce-pan with salted boiling water. Leave them to boil for several minutes, then drain and put them into a sauce-pan, with four ounces of butter, some salt, and a little pepper, on a hottish fire to bring out the flavour. Add a little flour, and a little broth (or water), and boil again, taking care the carrots do not fall to bits. Then make a sauce with the yolks of two eggs, the juice of half a lemon, and a little chopped parsley, and pour it over the boiling carrots. Take them off the fire at once to prevent the eggs from getting hard, put them on a dish, garnish with fried parsley and fried sippets of bread, and serve up hot.

_Carrots ‘alla Panna.’_

Scrape and wash six large carrots and cut them into very fine slices. Put them into a sauce-pan and cook slowly with two or three ounces of butter, a little sugar, a teaspoonful of salt and pepper, and mix well together. In another sauce-pan mix four ounces of butter, four ounces of fine flour, two tumblers of cream (or milk), and a pinch of salt. Boil for about ten minutes until the cream begins to bubble, then pour it over the carrots, keep them on the fire, but do not let them boil. Serve hot.

_Carrots ‘Sautées.’_

Scrape and wash six large carrots and cut them in rounds half an inch thick. Cook them in white broth (or salted water) for half an hour in a covered pan. Then drain, put them in a sauté-pan, add a teacupful of cream (or milk) and three tablespoonfuls of Béchamel sauce (see Sauces, p. 119), some salt, and pepper, and a little nutmeg. Cook for ten minutes, then place them on a hot dish, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve hot.

_Carrots ‘in Stufato.’_

Take one or two pounds of fine carrots, cut them in pieces, put them in an earthen pot of boiling water, and cook them until nearly soft. Meanwhile, put two ounces of butter, half or three-quarters of a pint of good broth, and one or two tablespoonfuls of powdered white sugar, into a frying-pan, and cook quickly for ten minutes; then take it off the fire, add two well-beaten yolks of eggs, and a little salt and pepper. Then drain the carrots, pour the hot sauce over them, and serve hot.

_Carrots ‘allo Zucchero.’_

Wash and clean two or three pounds of young carrots and cut them up. Put them in a sauce-pan, add two ounces of fresh butter, a little salt, and water. When cooked, pour a tumbler of cream over them with two ounces of pounded white sugar, replace the sauce-pan on the fire, being careful not to let it boil. Then take it off and mix two yolks of eggs, stirring all well together. Serve hot.

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_Cauliflower ‘al Borghese.’_

Boil a cauliflower in salted water for one hour, drain, and break it into bits. Put a layer of cauliflower into a pie-dish, cover with Béchamel or ‘Alla Panna’ sauce (see Sauces, pp. 119, 125), and sprinkle with some grated cheese. Fill the dish with alternate layers of cauliflowers and sauce, then cover the top with bread-crumbs, grated cheese, and bits of butter. Bake in a moderate oven for half an hour. Serve hot.

_Cauliflower ‘al Burro.’_

Clean and remove the leaves from one large (or two small) cauliflowers, and wash well in fresh water. Then put the cauliflower into a large sauce-pan full of cold water, add a handful of salt, one teaspoonful of pepper, and one ounce of fresh butter, boil for half an hour, and drain well. Pour a sauce made of one tablespoonful of white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and one ounce of good butter over the cauliflower, and serve hot.

_Cauliflower ‘alla Crema.’_

Take off the outer leaves of a cauliflower (cut the stalk off close), and wash it in cold water. Tie it up in a piece of linen, stand it upright in an earthen pot of salted water, and boil for half an hour. Take it out carefully, drain, remove the linen, and put the cauliflower in a dish. Pour a hot ‘Alla Panna’ sauce (see Sauces, p. 125) over it and serve at once. Or you can make a sauce of two ounces of fresh butter, one tablespoonful of fine flour, well mixed in a frying-pan, add three-quarters of a pint of milk, stir till it boils, then add a little salt and cheese.

_Cauliflower ‘al Forno.’_

Boil a large cauliflower as in last recipe (alla Crema). When dried place it in a baking-pan. Mix two ounces of butter and one tablespoonful of flour in a frying-pan, add three-quarters of a pint of milk, and stir continually till it boils. Then put in a bay leaf, a little chopped parsley, some salt and pepper, and boil for ten minutes in a Bain-marie. Then take out the bay leaf and pour the sauce over the cauliflower, sprinkling it with bread-crumbs. Put some bits of fresh butter on it, and bake in a very hot oven for ten or fifteen minutes.

_Cauliflower ‘al Fritto.’_

Cut off the leaves and clean a fine cauliflower, break it into pieces, parboil in salted water, drain, and put it to cool. Whip up two or three eggs (according to the size of your cauliflower), dip each piece of cauliflower in, then roll it in bread-crumbs, fry in boiling butter on both sides, sprinkle with grated cheese, and serve hot.

_Cauliflower ‘al Gratin.’_

Boil a head of cauliflower in salted water, then break it in small pieces into a sauté-pan with four ounces of fresh butter. As soon as it boils put it on a dish and pour a Béchamel sauce (see Sauces, p. 119) over it. Put it in the oven, and when browned serve in the same dish.

_Cauliflower ‘alla Piemontese.’_

Boil a fine cauliflower in salted water, and when done pour the following sauce over it: Chop up one small onion and one or two anchovies very fine, cook with some butter and stock, add a few drops of vinegar, and a teaspoonful of sweet herbs chopped up fine. Cook for a few minutes just before serving.

_Cauliflower ‘in Stufato.’_

Remove the outer leaves and clean a fine cauliflower; cut it into several pieces and wash them well in cold water. Put them into an earthen pot of salted boiling water, and cook quickly for twenty or thirty minutes until they are quite tender. Take them out without breaking, and place them on pieces of buttered toast. Then put some butter in a frying-pan, add a little flour, mixed with some broth, stir well till it boils, then add six finely chopped mushrooms, and cook a little more. Take it off the fire and add three whipped yolks of fresh eggs, salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and the juice of one lemon. Pour this sauce over and round the cauliflower and serve. The sauce must not be boiled after adding the eggs.

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_Celery ‘alla Crema.’_

Cut off the green leaves and pare four or five heads of celery, cut into pieces two inches long, wash well, and dry on a napkin. Blanch in boiling water for five minutes, drain, and put into a sauté-pan with two ounces of fresh butter and one tablespoonful of fine flour. Stir well together, add half a pint of good consommé, and reduce for twenty minutes. Then thicken with two yolks of eggs beaten up with half a teacupful of cream, and a little grated nutmeg. Serve up hot, garnished with croûtons (fried bread).

_Celery ‘al Fritto.’_

Remove the green leaves and cut the white stalks of the celery into bits one inch long. Clean, and put them into boiling water for fifteen minutes, then dry on a napkin. Beat up a fresh egg with stock (or hot water), add a little salt and pepper, throw the celery in, then roll them in bread-crumbs, and fry in butter or fine white lard. Serve hot.

_Celery ‘all’ Italiana.’_

Take six large heads of celery, cut off the green leaves, leaving three inches of stalk attached to the root; clean, and cut in half. Blanch, and put into a sauce-pan with some good gravy, lard, ham, salt and pepper. Let them get cold, then dip them into the yolk of egg and bread-crumbs, and fry in fresh butter. Lay them in a dish and pour a Tomato sauce, or tomato conserve heated, over them. Serve hot. (See Sauces, p. 126.)

_Celery ‘alla Parmigiana.’_

Take six large heads of celery and cook as above. But when cooked, drain, lay in a dish, sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan cheese, pour melted fresh butter over them, and put into the oven until they have taken a good colour. Pour a little gravy lightly over, and serve.

_Celery ‘al Pomidoro.’_

Cut off the green leaves and clean the stalks of six heads of celery, wash them in cold water, then throw them into an earthen pot of boiling salt water, and boil fast for twenty minutes. Drain, dry well, put them on a dish, and pour a pint of tomato sauce, or tomato conserve heated, over them. Serve hot.

_Celery Stewed._

Cut the white outside stalks of celery into lengths of three inches, and boil them for half an hour in salted water. Drain, and put them into clear strained stock, adding a little minced onion and parsley. Boil until the celery is tender, add two ounces of butter stirred up with flour and shake the stew until thickened. Serve hot, pouring the sauce over the celery.

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_Cucumbers ‘alla Béchamel.’_

Peel and pare six small cucumbers, and blanch them in salted boiling water for five minutes. Drain, and put them in a sauté-pan with half a pint of Béchamel sauce (see Sauces, p. 119), half an ounce of butter, a little grated nutmeg, and three tablespoonfuls of milk. Cook for fifteen minutes, put them on a hot dish, and serve.

_Cucumbers ‘alla Comasca.’_

Peel and slice two cucumbers very fine, and put salt and pepper, and taragon vinegar over them. Then slice an onion and lay it on the cucumbers, leaving them to pickle for fifteen minutes. Remove the onion and some of the liquid before serving.

_Cucumbers ‘alla Crema.’_

Peel six cucumbers, cut them into quarters, remove the seeds, and put them into cold water for half an hour. Place them in a covered sauce-pan of salted boiling water and cook them for half an hour, then lay them on a hot dish. Melt some butter in a sauce-pan and mix in one tablespoonful of flour, then add half a pint of milk and stir till it boils; add a little salt and pepper, take the sauce-pan off the fire, add a little more butter, and pour the sauce over the cucumbers. Garnish with croûtons (fried bread), and serve hot.

_Cucumbers ‘Farciti.’_

Choose cucumbers of about the same size and cut them in two lengthwise. Remove the seeds carefully with a spoon, and fill with a stuffing made of equal parts of minced chicken (or other white meat) and soft bread-crumbs, salt and pepper to taste, one egg, and a little stock. Sprinkle the top with bread-crumbs, and lay them into half an inch of stock in a baking-dish. Bake in a moderate oven until the cucumbers are soft, filling up the stock when necessary. Put them carefully in a hot dish and pour the gravy out of the baking-dish, thickened with a very little flour, round them.

_Cucumbers ‘in Istufato.’_

Peel two or three cucumbers, cut them into quarters, and take out the seeds. Put two ounces of fresh butter and a sliced onion into a frying-pan, fry until the onion is browned, add the cucumbers and stir them well until browned. Then take them out of the frying-pan. Put some more butter into the pan, stir it well with the rest, add a little broth, and mix till it boils, and add a little salt and pepper. Then put the cucumbers in, cover them, and leave them to cook slowly for twenty minutes. Put them on slices of buttered toast and serve up hot.

_Cucumbers ‘alla Panna.’_

Peel four or five cucumbers, cut them into halves, and remove all the seeds. Then cut them into small pieces and boil in water until soft. Strain, and dry them well on a napkin. Mix two ounces of butter with a spoonful of flour over the fire, add salt and pepper, stir well, and add a tumbler of cream. Put in the cucumbers and heat them without letting them boil.

_Cucumbers ‘alla Spagnuola.’_

Peel two cucumbers, cut them in half and take out the seeds. Fill them with force-meat and tie the halves together. Put some lard, raw veal, two carrots, two onions, some parsley, several bay leaves, some thyme, salt, and pepper, and the cucumbers covered with lard, into a sauce-pan with some strong broth, and cook for five or six minutes. Drain, and then pour a sauce ‘Suprema’ (see Sauces, p. 125) over the cucumbers before serving up hot.

_Cucumbers ‘alla Toscana.’_

Peel and blanch three or four cucumbers in salted boiling water for five minutes. Drain, cut them into pieces one inch thick, and put them into a sauté-pan with one ounce of butter, a little flour, half a pint of veal broth, stir well, and add some salt and pepper. Reduce for about fifteen minutes, stirring until it boils, add one teaspoonful of chopped parsley, half a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, half a cupful of cream and the beaten-up yolks of two eggs. Put on the fire again for three or four minutes (do not let it boil) and serve hot.

_Cucumbers ‘all’ Uova.’_

Peel three large cucumbers and blanch them in salted boiling water for five minutes. Drain, and cut them into pieces an inch thick. Put them in a sauté-pan with one ounce of butter, sprinkle a little fine white flour over them, stir, and add a half pint of veal broth, with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well until it boils, reduce the whole for fifteen minutes, then add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, a little grated nutmeg, two yolks of eggs beaten up, and two tablespoonfuls of cream. Cook again for three or four minutes, but do not let it boil, and serve hot.

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_Egg-Plant (Aubergine) ‘Farcite.’_

Cut each egg-plant into four, leaving the peel on. Make four cuts in each piece and fry in boiling fat for one minute. Remove the fleshy part of the egg plant and fill it with any force-meat you have. Sprinkle the top with bread-crumbs and a little melted butter, brown in the oven for about ten minutes, and serve hot.

_Egg-Plant (Aubergine) ‘al Forno.’_

Boil two (or more) of the fruits for twenty or thirty minutes (until tender). Then cut them in two lengthwise and take out the pulp, being careful not to break the skin. Mash the pulp up with some butter, salt, and pepper, and replace it in the skins. Sprinkle with bread-crumbs and bits of fresh butter, and put it in the oven to brown.

_Egg-Plant (Aubergine) ‘Fritto.’_

Peel a fruit and cut it into round slices about half an inch thick, sprinkle with one teaspoonful of salt and half a teaspoonful of pepper, dip the slices into beaten-up egg and fresh bread-crumbs, and then fry in hot fat for five minutes. Take them out, give a very slight sprinkle of salt, and drain them well. Serve very hot on a napkin.

_Egg-Plant (Aubergine) ‘alla Griglia.’_

Peel a large fruit and cut it into slices half an inch thick, put them in a dish and season with salt and pepper, and pour a tablespoonful of pure olive oil over them. Mix well, then broil the slices for five minutes on both sides. Place them on a hot dish, pour a quarter of a pint of Butter sauce over them (see Sauces, p. 122), adding a little chopped parsley, and serve hot.

_Egg-Plant (Aubergine) ‘Sauté.’_

Peel one or two fruits and cut them into slices a quarter of an inch thick. Sprinkle with salt, and pile them one on the top of the other on the underside of a plate. Put a weighted plate on the top of the pile and let it stand for an hour to press out the juice. Then dip the slices in egg and bread-crumbs, or in egg and flour, and sauté on both sides in lard or dripping. Serve hot.

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_Flan of Celery._

Clean and boil three or four heads of celery. Then drain well, and chop them up very fine. Mix one tablespoonful of flour and three-quarters of an ounce of butter in a sauce-pan, and add the celery and one pint of milk. Reduce, then take the sauce-pan off the fire, and when cold add the yolks of six eggs, and some allspice. Put all into a shape, and cook it slowly with fire above and below, or in an oven, for half an hour. An Alla Panna sauce (see Sauces, p. 125) can be served with it.

_Flan of Potatoes._

Boil one or two pounds of potatoes, cut them into slices, and put them into a sauce-pan with four ounces of fresh butter and a tumbler of cream (or milk). Cook until the potatoes are quite soft, mash them, and pass them through a cullender. Then mix six yolks, and four beaten-up whites of eggs, and two and a half ounces of white powdered sugar, with the potatoes, and put the whole into a buttered shape, well covered with bread-crumbs (and holding more than the quantity of potatoes). Cook with fire above and below for about half an hour (or in an oven). A Béchamel sauce (see Sauces, p. 119) can be served with the Flan.

_Flan of Vegetables._

Wash, strain, boil, and cut up fine about two pounds of different vegetables, potatoes, spinach, cardoons, etc., and sweet herbs. Boil them in a sauce-pan with some good stock; when cooked, add a teacupful of cream (or milk), stir well together and leave them to cool. Then add four yolks of eggs, some grated cheese, and the white of the eggs beaten up. Put the vegetables into a buttered shape, well covered with bread-crumbs, cook with fire above and below, or in the oven.

(Flans can be made of any other vegetables, such as fennel, French beans, cauliflower, etc.)

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_Fritto ‘Misto.’_

Cut one or two young green pumpkins in thin slices about as long as a finger and half as wide, and lay them on a plate with a little salt. Mix three ounces of butter and three tablespoonfuls of flour in a sauce-pan and boil for two minutes, add half a tumbler of cream, half a tumbler of chicken broth, and boil till it is a stiff Béchamel. Then mince three breasts of cooked chicken, two slices of tongue, and one small truffle, mix with the Béchamel and roll into small balls, then dip into egg and grated bread and put aside till wanted. Take ten or twelve pumpkin flowers, some young artichokes properly prepared and cut into quarters (if not quite young and tender they must be boiled first), some cauliflower and bits of cardoon, dip them in egg and dust them with flour. Do the same to some parboiled calves’ brains, flour the slices of pumpkin, and fry all together in pure olive oil. Use dripping or lard for frying if you have not got good oil. Season with a sprinkling of salt. Serve very hot.

_Fritto of Vegetables._

Instead of chicken and calves’ brains mix minced mushrooms or truffles with the Béchamel and roll into balls. In winter, large yellow pumpkins and potatoes must be sliced.

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_Jerusalem Artichokes ‘al Bianco.’_

Clean and cut two dozen Jerusalem artichokes into pieces about half an inch long, wash and put them into a stew-pan with half an ounce of fresh butter, and a quarter of an ounce of white pounded sugar. Put them on a slow fire for a few minutes, add four tablespoonfuls of white sauce, eight of veal broth (or milk), and simmer until the Jerusalem artichokes are soft, then skim, mix the yolk of an egg with two tablespoonfuls of milk, pour it into the stew-pan, stir quickly, and serve hot. The Jerusalem artichokes must be well cooked, but not reduced to a pulp.

_Jerusalem Artichokes in Purée._

Wash well and boil twelve Jerusalem artichokes in three pints of water with one ounce of butter and one tablespoonful of salt. When soft, chop them up; meanwhile cook slowly in a stew-pan one sliced onion, a little celery, half a turnip, two ounces of butter, one of ham, three or four bay leaves, and a little grated nutmeg. Put in the artichokes, stir, and add one tablespoonful of flour and one pint (or less) of milk to form a proper thickness when boiled. Pass through a fine hair sieve and serve hot.

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_Leeks ‘alla Casalinga.’_

Cut off the root, peel the white part of the leek (about three inches), and blanch them in hot water. Dry, braise them in butter, stock, and a little sugar; and when well glacé serve at once.

_Leeks ‘al Forno.’_

Take twenty leeks, cut them into pieces two inches long, and put them into cold water. Then boil them in plenty of salted boiling water, and when done throw them again into cold water. Melt some fresh butter in a sauce-pan and simmer the leeks over a slow fire, add seven tablespoonfuls of a white sauce made with cream and chicken broth, a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, and the yolk of an egg. Mix well, then put the leeks into a baking dish and brown them slightly in the oven. Serve hot.

_Leeks ‘alla Salza Bianca.’_

Take twenty leeks, cut them into pieces two inches long and put them into cold water. Then boil them in plenty of salted boiling water, when done throw them again into cold water. Put fresh butter into a sauce-pan and simmer the leeks over a slow fire, add five tablespoonfuls of a white sauce made with cream and chicken broth, and a little pepper. Serve up hot.

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_Lentils ‘alla Corona.’_

After boiling one pint of lentils with a bouquet of sweet herbs, strain them. Meanwhile mince some ham with a very little onion and put it to brown with some butter; then add one or two ladlefuls of good stock, boil, and strain. Pour this sauce over the lentils with a good piece of butter, salt and pepper to taste, heat them, and garnish boiled beef or pork with them.

_Lentils ‘in Istufato.’_

Put an earthen pot on the fire, and just before the water boils throw in one pint of lentils. As it boils skim off the lentils which float to the surface, and continue to do this until all are taken out; the few which remain at the bottom of the pot must be strained through a sieve. Chop up two anchovies, place them in a sauce-pan with some pure oil and butter, and a little minced shallot, brown them well, put in the lentils, and then add some good stock or soup. When cooked serve up hot.

_Lentils ‘alla Provenzale.’_