Part 8

Boil five or six tomatoes until they are soft with one teaspoonful of salt, one of sugar, half a teaspoonful of thyme, a saltspoonful of pepper, one slice of onion, one bay leaf, and three cloves. Then add enough calves’ feet jelly (or isinglass) to set the tomato juice, strain, and pour into a mould on ice. If the jelly is in the shape of a ring fill the centre with curled celery, mix with sauce Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p. 123), and garnish with lettuce cut into shreds; if solid put the celery and sauce Mayonnaise round the jelly.

_Tomatoes and Celery (Salad of)._

Scald and peel twelve small round tomatoes, cut off the stem end, take out the seeds, and put them on ice. Meanwhile chop up fine the inside of a head of celery, mix with some sauce ‘Francese’ (see Sauces, p. 123), and fill the tomatoes with it. Place each tomato on a fresh lettuce leaf, and pour a seasoning of oil, vinegar, salt and pepper over all.

_Watercress Salad._

Wash three or four bunches of watercress and drain them, slice four or five cold boiled potatoes very thin and mix with the following sauce: four tablespoonfuls of oil, half a tablespoonful of vinegar, salt and black pepper to taste, one shalot minced up fine, half a pinch of cayenne, and half a tablespoonful of sugar.

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SAUCES

_Roux for Sauces._

Roux is necessary to thicken and give body to sauces. Put one tablespoonful of flour and one of butter into a sauce-pan and cook till the flour has lost any raw taste. Then put the sauce-pan on the hob and add the stock, or milk slowly (one cupful for every tablespoonful of butter or flour), and stir till smooth. For white sauces take care the flour does not colour; for dark sauces let it brown, but take care it does not burn.

_Agro Dolce Sauce._

Take two tablespoonfuls of sugar (brown or white), half a cupful of currants, a quarter of a bar of grated chocolate (about four ounces), one tablespoonful of chopped candied orange, one of lemon peel, one of capers, and one cupful of vinegar. Mix well together and let it soak for two hours. Pour it over the wild boar, venison, or veal, and simmer for ten minutes. Some add one tablespoonful of pinocchi (pine seeds), or a dozen almonds chopped up fine.

_Bearnese Sauce._

Take five yolks of eggs, one ounce of butter, a pinch of salt, and one of pepper. Stir, and as soon as the eggs begin to consolidate take the sauce-pan off the fire and add one ounce of butter. Then put the sauce-pan on the fire again and stir in one ounce more butter; repeat this twice, then add one tablespoonful of chopped tarragon, and one teaspoonful of tarragon vinegar. This sauce must be stiff and have the consistency of Mayonnaise.

_Béchamel Sauce. No. 1._

Put two ounces of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour into a sauce-pan and stir for five minutes. Pour one and a half pints of boiling milk in gradually, beating well with a whisk. Add a bouquet, half a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, twelve peppercorns, a pinch of salt, and three ounces of chopped mushrooms. Cook for a quarter of an hour, and rub through a fine sieve.

_Béchamel Sauce. No. 2._

Mix three tablespoonfuls of butter and three of flour to a smooth paste, put ten peppercorns, half an onion, half a carrot sliced, a small piece of mace, two teacupfuls of white stock, a pinch of salt and of grated nutmeg, and a bouquet, in a stew-pan; simmer for half an hour, stirring often, then add one teacupful of cream, boil at once, strain and serve.

_Béchamel Sauce. No. 3._

Cut a thick slice of veal or part of a knuckle into small cubes and put them into a sauce-pan with two ounces of butter, two medium-sized onions and two carrots sliced. Cook for ten minutes, taking care it should not brown, then put in five ounces of flour and stir for five minutes over the fire. Pour in three quarts of strong white stock and one of good cream. Add three and a half ounces of minced mushrooms, one bouquet, one saltspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful of pepper. Let it boil, and then stand the sauce-pan to simmer on the hob for one and a half hours, skimming often. Strain through a sieve into a large sauce-pan to jelly, add two wineglassfuls of cream and reduce till the sauce clings to the spoon. Then strain again. Stir occasionally while it is cooling, or a skin will form on the top of the sauce, in which case it must be strained again.

_Béchamel Sauce (Maigre). No. 4._

Slice three onions and one carrot, and put them into a sauce-pan with two whole onions and seven ounces of butter. Cook for five minutes, then add seven ounces of flour, stir, and add three quarts of milk. Put in a bunch of parsley and half an ounce of salt. Reduce for a quarter of an hour stirring all the time, then strain through a sieve. Cover the sauce with a thin layer of melted butter, and it will keep some days. When wanted boil and stir in three and a half ounces of butter for every quart of sauce.

_Broccoli (Sauce for)._

Mix one tablespoonful of butter in a sauce-pan with one tumbler of water and a little salt. Stir until it boils. When the flour has quite lost its raw taste, stir in two yolks of eggs, the juice of half a lemon, and half a teaspoonful of chopped parsley.

_Caper Sauce. No. 1._

Mince an anchovy and dissolve it in oil and butter over a slow fire, add four ounces of capers, three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and some chopped parsley. This sauce can be served hot or cold.

_Caper Sauce ‘alla Genovese.’ No. 2._

Mince up one small onion with two ounces of capers and three-quarters of an ounce of anchovies. Brown them in a sauce-pan with a little butter, then add one cupful of broth or good gravy, a little vinegar, and a pinch of sweet herbs. Boil up twice and serve with any boiled meat.

_Caper Sauce ‘alla Milanese.’ No. 3._

Take four ounces of butter, one tablespoonful of flour, pepper and salt to taste, and mix well over the fire in a sauce-pan. Do not let it boil, and just before serving add two ounces of capers and one teaspoonful of white wine vinegar.

_Cold Caper Sauce. No. 4._

Take pure olive oil, four ounces of capers and the juice of a lemon. Mix them well together and serve.

_Butter Sauce. No. 1._

Put two ounces of flour into one quart of water, with one and a half ounces of butter, and a little salt and pepper. Cook for twenty minutes, stirring well, then strain into a covered bowl and put into a Bain-marie. Just before serving boil again, take off the fire, add twelve ounces of butter cut into pieces, and the juice of one fine lemon. The heat of the sauce must melt the butter as it must not be put on the fire again. If the sauce is too thick mix in half a wineglassful of hot water.

_Butter Sauce. No. 2. (Melted Butter.)_

Take eight ounces of butter, one tablespoonful of salt, one of pepper, and two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice. Stir with a wooden spoon over the fire until the butter is half melted, then take it off and continue to stir until it is quite liquid. By taking the butter off the fire before it is all melted, it will have a pleasant taste of fresh cream; this is lost when fully cooked.

_Francese Sauce._

Stir six yolks of eggs, seventeen ounces of butter, salt and pepper to taste, well together. When they begin to consolidate mix in one wineglassful of purée of tomatoes passed through a fine sieve, one ounce of chicken jelly, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and one teaspoonful of capsicum vinegar.

_Lombarda Sauce._

Put two tumblers of white roux and one of chicken jelly into a sauce-pan, reduce, and add three yolks of eggs mixed with two ounces of butter and the juice of half a lemon. Before it boils take the sauce-pan off the fire and add one tumbler of thick Tomato sauce (see Sauces, p. 126) (or conserve), strain, and just before serving add one tablespoonful of sweet herbs minced fine.

_Mayonnaise Sauce._

Put one yolk of egg (quite free from any white), half a teaspoonful of salt, and a pinch of cayenne, into a bowl standing in ice. Stir constantly, and add one cupful of pure olive oil, drop by drop. The goodness of the sauce depends upon adding the oil slowly. When it begins to get thick, alternate a few drops of tarragon vinegar with the oil till you have put in one and a half teaspoonfuls of vinegar (lemon juice may be used instead). In summer it is a good plan to mix the yolk of a hard-boiled egg with the raw one; the sauce is made more quickly and is less likely to curdle.

_Mayonnaise Monte Bianco Sauce._

To the above Mayonnaise sauce add half a cupful of stiff whipped cream just before serving.

_Mayonnaise Sauce ‘alla Ravigote.’_

Take a few sprigs of tarragon, parsley, chervil, watercress, two or three chives, and a leaf of spinach or lettuce, and pound them in a mortar with some drops of lemon juice. Squeeze out the juice of the herbs, and mix it with mayonnaise sauce (as above). A few green peas will add to the colour and consistency of the sauce.

_Olandese Sauce._

Rub four ounces of butter to a cream in a sauce-pan or a bowl, add four yolks of eggs, beat well together, then put in half a teaspoonful of salt, the juice of half a lemon, a pinch of cayenne, and one cupful of hot water poured in by degrees. Mix well and put into a Bain-marie. Stir until the sauce becomes of the consistency of thick cream, but be careful it does not boil. Take it off the fire and stir for some minutes. ‘Olandese’ sauce ought to be quite smooth and creamy.

_‘Alla Panna’ Sauce._

Melt half a pound of butter, add a little flour, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. Stir until thick, then add one pint of cream, a little chopped parsley, and heat for five minutes.

_Suprema Sauce. No. 1._

Put four quarts of good stock into a sauce-pan with two pounds of knuckle of veal and the body of a fowl. Boil well, skimming off the grease, add one teaspoonful of salt, two onions (one of them stuck with cloves), one bouquet, and a pinch of grated nutmeg. Simmer on the hob until the veal is quite cooked, then strain. Add three tablespoonfuls of white roux and stir over the fire until it boils. Skim, and put it into a Bain-marie to reduce. Just before serving boil it again and add one ounce of butter and three tablespoonfuls of milk of sweet almonds.

_Suprema Sauce. No. 2._

Put the body of a fowl into a sauce-pan, cover it with water, and cook quickly. Take it out as soon as it boils, drain, and wash it well. Then put the fowl into a clean sauce-pan, with one quart of veal broth, one dessert-spoonful of salt, and a bouquet. Cook for forty-five minutes, then pour the broth through a strainer into another sauce-pan with two tablespoonfuls of white roux, and stir well.

_Tartara Sauce. No. 1._

Take one shallot, one tablespoonful of capers, six sprigs of tarragon, six of chervil, and two gherkins; chop all up very fine and put them into an earthen bowl with two raw yolks of eggs, half a teaspoonful of ground mustard, a small pinch of salt, and one of pepper, then stir in (a drop at a time) one teaspoonful of good wine vinegar, and then a cupful of pure olive oil.

_Tartara Sauce. No. 2._

Wash and mince two anchovies with the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs. Mince separately some parsley, tarragon, one shallot (or a small onion). Put them into a bowl with one tablespoonful of white wine vinegar, one and a half of olive oil, one of French mustard, and a little pepper and salt. Beat up well with a wooden spoon till quite smooth.

_Tomato Sauce. No. 1._

Mince a quarter of an onion, half a stalk of celery, a few leaves of sweet basil, and a bunch of parsley, up fine. Add half a cupful of pure olive oil, a pinch of salt and one of pepper, and cut eight or nine tomatoes into slices. Boil until the sauce is as thick as cream, stirring occasionally, then strain through a sieve and serve. Eight or nine tablespoonfuls of conserve can be used instead of fresh tomatoes.

_Tomato Sauce. No. 2._

Take four pounds of tomatoes, cut them in two and put them into a two-quart sauce-pan with two wineglassfuls of water, two saltspoonfuls of salt, one of pepper, and a bouquet. Cover the sauce-pan and boil for forty minutes, stirring often to prevent burning; then strain. Make a roux in another sauce-pan with one ounce of butter, and three-quarters of an ounce of flour. Cook for three minutes, mixing well. Take the roux off the fire and pour the tomatoes into it a little at a time, stirring to keep it smooth. Add two wineglassfuls of stock, put on the fire, and cook for twenty minutes, stirring all the time.

_Vellutata Sauce._

Put one pound of knuckle of veal and any scraps you have of fowl into a well-buttered sauce-pan with two or three slices of ham, two carrots, one onion, and one tumbler of veal broth. When the broth is reduced add twelve mushrooms, two or three shallots, salt and pepper to taste, a bouquet, and enough veal broth to cover the meat. Boil, skim off the fat, and let it simmer for one and a half hours. It will keep some days if well corked in a cold place. Before using mix white roux with it.

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_Sorrel Purée._

Nip the stalks off a peck of sorrel, wash well, drain, and chop up fine with one head of well-washed lettuce and a small bunch of chervil. Put all into a sauce-pan and stir over a hot fire for three minutes, then place in the oven until well dissolved. Add one and a half ounces of fresh butter, stir until it bubbles, add half a pint of good stock or beef gravy, and cook for five minutes.

_Sorrel Purée (Maigre)._

Take sorrel as above, but instead of stock or gravy, add two yolks of eggs and half a cupful of cream.

_Sorrel Stewed._

Wash clean the necessary quantity of sorrel, boil until tender, then rub through a sieve into a stew-pan. Add one or two tablespoonfuls of Béchamel sauce (see Sauces, p. 119), a little salt and sugar, and two or three ounces of fresh butter. Stew for a few minutes and serve.

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SOUPS.

_Artichoke Soup._

Boil three large artichokes for forty minutes, then dry and cut them in pieces and rub through a sieve. Put one quart of milk in an earthen pot, boil, add the artichokes, two ounces of butter, and three tablespoonfuls of flour. Stir until the milk thickens, add pepper and salt to taste, and boil for ten minutes, adding chicken forcemeat balls just before serving. (For the forcemeat balls take four tablespoonfuls of minced raw fowl, some grated bread, the white of an egg beaten up, and a little salt and pepper. Place the balls in boiling water as you make them, and boil for ten minutes. Take them out with the strainer and put them into the soup.)

_Artichoke Soup (Purée)._

Cut the bottom out of several artichokes, blanch them, remove the chokes and boil with a little salt, flour, and lemon juice. Then mash them and mix with one (or more, according to the number of people) cupful of Béchamel sauce (see Sauces, p. 119); rub through a sieve, add enough good stock to make a thick soup, and serve with small croûtons (fried bread).

_Asparagus Soup._

Boil a bunch of asparagus in salted water for half an hour, then cut off their heads and put them into a soup-tureen. Meanwhile boil one quart of milk, mix three tablespoonfuls of flour and one of butter together, and add to the milk; stir until it thickens. Rub the rest of the asparagus through a sieve and add to the milk. Take it off the fire, season with salt and pepper, and pour it into the tureen on to the asparagus heads.

_Carrot Soup._

Put eight or ten finely sliced carrots, one onion, two heads of celery sliced, five ounces of fresh white haricot beans, four ounces of butter, and salt and pepper to taste, in a sauce-pan. Cook over a slow fire for one hour, and stir from time to time. Then add about one and a half quarts of good stock, boil for one and a half hours, and rub through a sieve. Thin the purée with three quarts of stock, add half an ounce of sugar, boil for half an hour, and serve with croûtons (fried bread).

_Chestnut Soup._

Peel some roast chestnuts, warm them in butter, moisten them with stock and white wine, and simmer over a slow fire until soft. Then pound them in a mortar, rub through a sieve, and mix with a thin purée of game. Heat in a Bain-marie, and serve with small croûtons (fried bread).

_Lentil Soup. No. 1._

Soak one pint of lentils in cold water all night. Strain and wash them again, then put them in an earthen pot with two quarts of broth and simmer for one and a half hours. Fry one sliced onion, a little chopped parsley and thyme, and one bay leaf in two ounces of butter. Add these to the lentils and simmer for another half-hour. Rub through a sieve and boil, season with salt and pepper. Serve with croûtons (fried bread).

_Lentil Soup. No. 2._

Put about half a pint of well-cleaned, dry lentils into boiling water in an earthen pot. Be careful to remove those which float to the surface. Leave the rest to cook until they are quite soft, then take them out and strain them. Meanwhile mix two or three anchovies, a bunch of parsley and some sage, and mix with some good oil in a sauce-pan. When well browned put in the lentils. Stir well, add more oil, and cook over a slow fire, stirring from time to time. When ready, mix in some strained stock, and serve with croûtons (fried bread).

_Lettuce Soup._

Put the mealy part of four potatoes into boiling consommé, the blanched leaves of two heads of celery, one lettuce chopped up, one pint of green peas, and two large tablespoonfuls of flour well stirred in cold broth. Boil for one and a half hours, and serve with croûtons (fried bread).

_Potato Soup ‘alla Provinciale.’_

Boil and rub two pounds of potatoes through a sieve, put them in a sauce-pan with four ounces of good butter, a little salt, and half a tumbler of cream (or milk). Simmer until it is thick like Polentina (see p. 135), then add six yolks of eggs to consolidate it to a paste. Cut into small dice, throw them into boiling soup, and cook for five minutes. Just before serving sprinkle a little grated Parmesan cheese into the soup.

_Potato Soup ‘alla Romana.’_

Parboil four large potatoes in one quart of water, when half-cooked strain off the water and pour one pint of boiling water on the potatoes; add one bay leaf, half an onion, one head of celery, and some chopped parsley. Boil over a slow fire in an earthen pan, add two ounces of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour, and mix well. Rub the potatoes through a sieve into an earthen pot, add boiling milk, a little at a time, and serve hot.

_Pumpkin Soup. No. 1._

Cut two or three slices of white pumpkin into small dice. Put them into a sauce-pan with four ounces of butter, and cook till they take a golden colour. Mince up one onion, some parsley, sweet basil, celery, thyme, and (for those who like it) one clove of garlic. Mix well, and add two cloves, one quart of water, and some butter, or pure olive oil, or both. Boil for one hour, serve very hot with croûtons (fried bread).

_Pumpkin Soup. No. 2._

Take a slice (about one and a half pounds) of a large yellow pumpkin, peel it and remove the seeds. Cut into small dice and put them into a sauce-pan with one ounce of butter, a pinch of salt, one ounce of sugar, and half a tumblerful of water. Boil for two hours, then drain, and put back into the sauce-pan with one and a half tumblers of well-boiled milk. As soon as it boils pour into the tureen and add croûtons (fried bread).

_Onion Soup. No. 1._

Peel and cut three large Spanish onions in slices. Put two ounces of butter into a frying-pan, and add the onions when the butter is hot. Just before they are browned take them off the fire and put them into a sauce-pan with two quarts of good stock. Boil slowly for half an hour, and add a little pepper and salt. Strain through a sieve and serve very hot. Add croûtons (fried bread) to the soup.

_Onion Soup ‘Purée alla Soubise.’ No. 2._

Chop up a few onions, warm them in butter, but take care they do not brown. Stir in three tablespoonfuls of purée of white haricot beans, add a pinch of grated nutmeg, and rub through a sieve. If the purée is too thick add a little stock. Serve with croûtons (fried bread) in the soup.

_Palestine Soup._

Scrape and slice six or eight large Jerusalem artichokes and put them into cold water. Then place them in boiling water, boil for one hour, and rub through a cullender. Mix them with two ounces of butter and three tablespoonfuls of flour, and pour them into one quart of boiling milk, stirring continually until thick. Season with salt and pepper, and serve with croûtons (fried bread).

_Pea Soup._

Shell four pounds of fresh green peas, put them in an earthen pot, cover them with cold water, and boil for twenty minutes. Take out one cupful of peas. Rub the rest through a sieve, and mix in an earthen pot with one quart of milk, four ounces of butter, and two tablespoonfuls of flour. Stir until the soup is thick, add a pinch of salt and of grated nutmeg, and the whole peas, and serve very hot.

_Polentina ‘alla Veneziana.’_

Put two large tablespoonfuls of fine yellow Indian-corn meal into one quart of boiling milk. Stir continually for twenty minutes to prevent burning, then add one teaspoonful of salt (or more to taste), and four to six ounces of fresh butter. Serve with croûtons (fried bread).

_Sorrel Soup._

Wash and dry two bunches of sorrel. Chop it fine, and cook with two ounces of butter until it becomes a pulp. Stir in one spoonful of flour, salt and pepper to taste, and a cupful of water. When it boils add two or more yolks of eggs and a cupful of cream. Serve with croûtons (fried bread).

_Spinach Soup ‘alla Modenese.’_

Boil two pounds of spinach, mince fine, and put it in a sauce-pan with four ounces of melted butter. Stir well, add salt to taste, then take off the fire and mix in two eggs, a little grated cheese, and a pinch of grated nutmeg. Pour this purée into boiling broth, take it off the fire after a few minutes, and cover with a salamander; this will coagulate the eggs and turn the purée into a soft green paste. Serve very hot with croûtons (fried bread).

_Tomato Soup. No. 1._

Simmer one quart of tomatoes (or tomato conserve) in an earthen pot (or enamelled sauce-pan) with one pint of good stock (or water); add one bay leaf, one stalk of celery, a little parsley, six peppercorns, and one teaspoonful of sugar. Meanwhile melt one tablespoonful of good butter in another sauce-pan, and fry one sliced onion, but do not brown it; then add one tablespoonful of flour, mix well, see that it cooks without browning. Dilute with a little of the tomato soup, season with salt, and add the rest of the tomatoes. Strain through a sieve, beat it up before serving, and sprinkle small dice of fried bread in the soup.

_Tomato Soup (Maigre). No. 2._

Stew eight or ten tomatoes thoroughly, then rub them through a sieve, and put them in a pot with one tablespoonful of soda. When the foaming is over add two tablespoonfuls of butter (a little at a time), one teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, and a pinch of cayenne. Meanwhile heat one quart of milk in a Bain-marie for about ten minutes, and add to the tomatoes (beating well together) just before serving.

_Turnip Soup._

Parboil ten or twelve turnips cut into fine strips. Strain, cook them over a slow fire in a stew-pan with a minced onion browned in three ounces of butter, add some broth (or fish soup for maigre). Serve with croûtons (fried bread), and one ounce grated Parmesan cheese.

_Vegetable Soup (Mixed)._