Chapter 11

Boil and skin either a fresh or salt tongue. When cold, trim off the roots. Have one and a fourth quarts of aspic jelly in the liquid state. Cover the bottom of a two-quart mould about an inch deep with it, and let it harden. With a fancy vegetable cutter, cut out leaves from cooked beets, and garnish the bottom of the mould with them. Gently pour in three table-spoonfuls of jelly, to set the vegetables. When this is hard, add jelly enough to cover the vegetables, and let the whole get very hard. Then put in the tongue, and about half a cupful of jelly, which should be allowed to harden, and so keep the meat in place when the remainder is added. Pour in the remainder of the jelly and set away to harden. To serve: Dip the mould for a few moments in a pan of warm water, and then gently turn on to a dish. Garnish with pickles and parsley. Pickled beet is especially nice.

Lambs' Tongues in Jelly.

Lambs' tongues are prepared the same as beef tongues. Three of four moulds, each holding a little less than a pint, will make enough for a small company, one tongue being put in each mould. The tongues can all be put on the same dish, or on two, if the table is long.

Lambs' Tongues, Stewed.

Six tongues, three heaping table-spoonfuls of butter, one large onion, two slices of carrot, three slices of white turnip, three table- spoonfuls of flour, one of salt, a little pepper, one quart of stock or water and a bouquet of sweet herbs. Boil the tongues one hour and a half in clear water; then take up, cover with cold water, and draw off the skins. Put the butter, onion, turnip and carrot in the stew-pan, and cook slowly for fifteen minutes; then add the flour, and cook until brown, stirring all the while. Stir the stock into this, and when it boils up, add the tongue, salt, pepper and herbs. Simmer gently for two hours. Cut the carrots, turnips and potatoes into cubes. Boil the potatoes in salted water ten minutes, and the carrots and turnips one hour. Place the tongues in the centre of a hot dish. Arrange the vegetables around them, strain the gravy, and pour over all. Garnish with parsley, and serve.

Stewed Ox Tails.

Two ox tails, three table-spoonfuls of butter, two of flour, one large onion, half a small carrot, three slices of turnip, two stalks of celery, two cloves, a pint and a half of stock or water, salt and pepper to taste. Divide the tails in pieces about four inches long. Cut the vegetables in small pieces. Let the butter get hot in the stew-pan; then add the vegetables, and when they begin to brown, add the flour. Stir for two minutes. Put in the tails, and add the seasoning and stock. Simmer gently three hours. Serve on a hot dish with gravy strained over them.

Ox Tails à la Tartare.

Three ox tails, two eggs, one cupful of bread crumbs, salt, pepper, one quart of stock, a bouquet of sweet herbs. Cut the tails in four- inch pieces, and put them on to boil with the stock and sweet herbs. Let them simmer two hours. Take up, drain and cool. When cold, dip them in the beaten eggs and in bread crumbs. Fry in boiling fat till a golden brown. Have Tartare sauce spread on the centre of a cold dish, and arrange the ox tails on this. Garnish with parsley, and serve.

Haricot of Ox Tails.

Three ox tails, two carrots, two onions, two small white turnips, three potatoes, three table-spoonfuls of butter, two of flour, three pints of water and salt and pepper to taste. Cut the tails in pieces about four inches long. Cut the onions very fine, and the carrots, turnips and potatoes into large cubes. Put the butter, meat and onion in the stew-pan and fry, stirring all the time, until the onions are a golden brown; then add the flour, and stir two minutes longer. Add the water, and when it comes to a boil, skim carefully. Set back where it will simmer. When it has been cooking one hour, add the carrots and turnips. Cook another hour, and then add the salt, pepper and potatoes. Simmer twenty minutes longer. Heap the vegetables in the centre of a hot dish, and arrange the tails around them. Pour the gravy over all, and serve.

Ragout of Mutton.

Three pounds of any of the cheap parts of mutton, six table-spoonfuls of butter, three of flour, twelve button onions, or one of the common size; one large white turnip, cut into little cubes; salt, pepper, one quart of water and a bouquet of sweet herbs. Cut the meat in small pieces. Put three table-spoonfuls each of butter and flour in the stew-pan, and when hot and smooth, add the meat. Stir until a rich brown, and then add water, and set where it will simmer. Put three table-spoonfuls of butter in a frying-pan, and when hot, put in the turnips and onions with a teaspoonful of flour. Stir all the time until a golden brown; then drain, and put with the meat. Simmer for an hour and a half. Garnish with rice, toasted bread, plain boiled macaroni or mashed potatoes. Small cubes of potato can be added half an hour before dishing. Serve very hot.

Ragout of Veal.

Prepare the same as mutton, using one table-spoonful more of butter, and cooking an hour longer.

Chicken Pie.

One fowl weighing between four and five pounds, half the rule for chopped paste (see chopped paste), three pints of water, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of pepper, one table-spoonful of salt (these last two quantities may be increased if you like), three table-spoonfuls of flour, three of butter, two eggs, one table-spoonful of onion juice and a bouquet of sweet herbs. Clean the fowl, and cut in pieces as for serving. Put it in a stew-pan with the hot water, salt, pepper and herbs. When it comes to a boil, skim, and set back where it will simmer one hour and a half. Take up the chicken, and place in a deep earthen pie dish. Draw the stew-pan forward where it will boil rapidly for fifteen minutes. Skim off the fat and take out the bouquet. Put the butter in a frying-pan, and when hot, add the flour. Stir until smooth, but not brown, and stir in the water in which the chicken was boiled. Cook ten minutes. Beat the eggs with one spoonful of cold water, and gradually add the gravy to them. Turn this into the pie dish. Lift the chicken with a spoon, that the gravy may fall to the bottom. Set away to cool. When cold, roll out a covering of paste a little larger than the top of the dish and about one-fourth of an inch thick. Cover the pie with this, having the edges turned into the dish. Roll the remainder of the paste the same as before, and with a thimble, or something as small, cut out little pieces all over the cover. Put this perforated paste over the first cover, turning out the edges and rolling slightly. Bake one hour in a moderate oven.

Pasties of Game and Poultry.

Make three pints of force-meat. (See force-meat for game.) Cut all the solid meat from four grouse. Lard each piece with very fine strips of pork. Put half a cupful of butter and a finely-cut onion in a frying- pan. Stir until the onion is yellow; then put in the grouse, and cook slowly, with the cover on, for forty minutes. Stir occasionally. Take up the grouse, and put three table-spoonfuls of flour with the butter remaining in the pan. Stir until brown; add one quart of stock, two table-spoonfuls of glaze, a bouquet of sweet herbs, and four cloves. Simmer twenty minutes, and strain. Butter a four-quart earthen dish, and cover the bottom and sides with the force-meat. Put in a layer of the grouse, and moisten well with the gravy, which must be highly seasoned with salt and pepper; then put in the yolks of six hard- boiled eggs, and the whites, cut into rings. Moisten with gravy, and add another layer of grouse, and of eggs and gravy. Twelve eggs should be used. Make a paste as for chicken pie. Cover with this, and bake one hour and a half. Serve either hot or cold.

Any kind of meat pasties can be made in the same manner. With a veal pastie put in a few slices of cooked ham.

Cold Game Pie.

Make three pints of force-meat. (See force-meat for game.) Cut all the meat from two partridges or grouse, and put the bones on to boil with three quarts of water and three pounds of a shank of veal. Fry four large slices of fat salt pork, and as soon as brown, take up, and into the fat put one onion, cut in slices. When this begins to turn yellow, take up, and put the meat of the birds in the pan. Dredge well with salt, pepper and flour, and stir constantly for four minutes; then take up, and put away to cool. Make a crust as directed for raised pies. Butter the French pie mould very thoroughly, and line with paste. Spread upon the paste--both upon the sides and bottom of the mould--a thin layer of fat salt pork, then a layer of force-meat, one of grouse, again one of force-meat, and so on until the pie is filled. Leave a space of about half an inch at the edge of the mould, and heap the filling in the centre. Moisten with half a cupful of well-seasoned stock. Roll the remainder of the paste into the shape of the top of the mould. Wet the paste at the edge of the mould with beaten egg; then put on the top, and press the top and side parts together. Cut a small piece of paste from the centre of the top crust, add a little more paste to it, and roll a little larger than the opening, which it is to cover. Cut the edges with the jagging iron, and, with the other end of the iron, stamp leaves or flowers. Place on the top of the pie. Bake in a slow oven three hours and a half. While the pie is baking the sauce can be prepared. When the bones and veal have been cooking two hours, add two cloves, a bouquet of sweet herbs and the fried onions. Cook one hour longer; then salt and pepper well, and strain. The water should be reduced in boiling to one quart. When the pie is baked, take the centre piece from the cover, and slightly press the tunnel into the opening. Pour slowly one pint of the hot gravy through this. Put back the cover, and set away to cool. The remainder of the gravy must be turned into a flat dish and put in a cold place to harden. When the pie is served, place the mould in the oven, or steamer, for about five minutes; then draw out the wires and open it. Slip the pie on to a cold dish, and garnish with the jellied gravy and parsley. This is nice for suppers or lunches. All kinds of game and meat can be prepared in the same manner.

Pâté de Foies Gras.

Make a paste with one quart of flour, as for raised pies, and put away in a cool place. Put four fat goose livers in a pint of sweet milk for two or three hours, to whiten them. Chop _very fine_ two pounds of fresh pork, cut from the loin (it must not be too fat), and one pound of clear veal. Put one and a half cupfuls of milk on to boil with a blade of mace, an onion, two cloves, a small piece of nutmeg and a bouquet of sweet herbs. Cook all these for ten minutes; then strain the milk upon four table-spoonfuls of butter and two of flour, which have been well mixed. Add to this the chopped pork and veal and one of the livers, chopped fine; stir over the fire for ten minutes, being careful not to brown. Season well with pepper and salt, add four well-beaten eggs, and stir half a minute longer; then put away to cool. Cut half a pound of salt pork in slices as thin as shavings. Butter a French pie mould, holding about three quarts. Form three- fourths of the paste into a ball. Sprinkle the board with flour, and roll the paste out until about one-fourth of an inch thick. Take it up by the four corners and place it in the mould. Be very careful not to break it. With the hand, press the paste on the sides and bottom. The crust must come to the top of the mould. Put a layer of the pork shavings on the sides and bottom, then a thick layer of the force- meat. Split the livers, and put half of them in; over them sprinkle one table-spoonful of onion juice, salt, pepper, and, if you like, a table-spoonful of capers. Another layer of force-meat, again the liver and seasoning, and then the force-meat. On this last layer put salt pork shavings. Into the remaining paste roll three table-spoonfuls of washed butter, and roll the paste, as nearly as possible, into the shape of the top of the pie mould. Cut a small piece from the centre. The filling of the pie should have been heaped a little toward the centre, leaving a space of about one inch and a half at the edges. Brush with beaten egg the paste that is in this space. Put on the top crust, and, with the fore-finger and thumb, press the two crusts together. Roll the piece of paste cut from the centre of the cover a little larger, and cover the opening with it. From some puff-paste trimmings, cut out leaves, and decorate the cover with them. Place in a moderate oven, and bake slowly two hours. Have a pint and a half of hot veal stock (which will become jellied when cold) well seasoned with pepper, salt, whole spice and onion. When the _pâté_ is taken from the oven, take off the small piece that was put on the centre of the cover. Insert a tunnel in the opening and pour the hot stock through it. Replace the cover, and set away to cool. When the _pâté_ is to be served, place it in the oven for about five minutes, that it may slip from the mould easily. Draw out the wires which fasten the sides of the mould, and slide the _pâté_ upon the platter. Garnish the dish with parsley and small strips of cucumber pickles.

Truffles and mushrooms can be cut up and put in the _pâté_ in layers, the same as the liver and at the same time. The Strasburg fat livers (_foies gras_) come in little stone pots, and cost from a dollar to two dollars per pot.

Chartreuse of Chicken.

Make the force-meat as for _quenelles_ of chicken. Simmer two large chickens in white stock for half an hour. Take up, and let cool. Have a pickled tongue boiled tender. Cut thin slices from the breast of the chickens, and cut these in squares. Cut the tongue in slices, and these in turn in squares the same size as the chicken. Butter a four-quart mould, and arrange the chicken and tongue handsomely on the bottom and sides, being careful to have the pieces fit closely together. Have note paper cut to fit the bottom and sides. Butter it well, and cover about an inch deep with the force-meat. Take up the bottom piece by the four corners and fit it into the mould, the meat side down. Pour a little hot water into any kind of a flat-bottomed tin basin, and put this in the mould and move it over the papers, to melt the butter; then lift out the paper. Place the papers on the side in the same way as on the bottom and melt the butter by rolling a bottle of hot water over them. Remove these papers, and set the mould in a cold place until the filling is ready. Cut from the tenderest part of the chicken enough meat to make two quarts. Cut four large, or six small, mushrooms and four truffles in strips. Put half a cupful of butter, half a large onion, four cloves, a blade of mace, a slice of carrot, one of turnip and a stalk of celery in a sauce-pan, and cook five minutes, stirring all the while; then add five table-spoonfuls of flour. Stir until it begins to brown, when add one quart of the stock in which the chickens were cooked, a bouquet of sweet herbs, and salt and pepper. Simmer twenty minutes; strain, and add to the chicken. Return to the fire, and simmer twenty minutes longer, and set away to cool. When cold, put a layer of the chicken in the mould, and a light layer of the truffles and mushrooms. Continue this until the form is nearly full, and then cover with the remainder of the force-meat. Spread buttered paper upon it, and put in a cool place until cooking time, when steam two hours. Turn carefully upon the dish. Brush over with three table-spoonfuls of melted glaze. Pour one pint of supreme sauce around it, and serve.

The force-meat must be spread evenly on the paper and smoothed with a knife that has been dipped in hot water. All kinds of meat _chartreuses_ can be made in this manner.

Chartreuse of Vegetables and Game.

Six large carrots, six white turnips, two large heads of cabbage, two onions, two quarts of stock, three grouse, one pint of brown sauce, four table-spoonfuls of glaze, two cloves, a bouquet of sweet herbs, one pound of mixed salt pork and one cupful of butter. Scrape and wash the carrots, and peel and wash the turnips. Boil for twenty minutes in salted water. Pour off the water, and add three pints of stock and a teaspoonful of sugar. Simmer gently one hour. Take up, drain, and set away to cool. Cut the cabbage in four parts. Wash, and boil twenty minutes in salted water. Drain in the colander, and return to the fire with a pint of stock, the cloves, herbs and onions, tied in a piece of muslin; a quarter of a cupful of butter and the pork and grouse. Cover the sauce-pan, and place where the contents will just simmer for two hours and a half. When cooked, put the grouse and pork on a dish to cool. Turn the cabbage into the colander, first taking out the spice and onion. Press all the juice from the cabbage and chop very fine. Season with salt and pepper, and put away to cool. Butter a plain mould holding about four quarts. Butter note paper, cut to fit the sides and bottom, and line the mould with it. Cut the cold turnips and carrots in thick slices, and then in pieces all the same size and shape, but of any design you wish. Line the sides and bottom of the mould with these, being particular to have the pieces come together. Have the yellow and white arranged in either squares or rows. With the chopped cabbage put half a pint of the brown sauce and two spoonfuls of the glaze. Stir over the fire for six minutes. Spread a thick layer of this on the vegetables, being careful not to displace them. Cut each grouse into six pieces. Season with salt and pepper, and pack closely in the mould. Moisten with the remaining half pint of brown sauce. Cover with the remainder of the cabbage. Two hours before serving time, place in a steamer and cook. While the _chartreuse_ is steaming, make the sauce. Put two table-spoonfuls of butter in a stew-pan, and when hot, add two table-spoonfuls of flour. Stir until a dark brown; then add the stock in which the cabbage was cooked and enough of that in which the turnips and carrots were cooked to make a quart. Stir until it boils; add two spoonfuls of glaze, and set back where it will just simmer for one hour. Skim off the fat, and strain. When the _chartreuse_ is done, take up and turn gently upon the dish. Lift the mould _very_ carefully. Take off the paper. Pour two table-spoonfuls of the sauce on the _chartreuse_ and the remainder around it. The vegetable _chartreuse_ can be made with any kind of game or meat.

Chartreuse of Chicken and Macaroni.

One large fowl, about four and a half or five pounds, boiled tender; half a box of gelatine, one cupful of broth in which the chicken was boiled, one cupful of cream, salt, pepper, fourteen ounces of macaroni. Just cover the fowl with boiling water, and simmer until very tender, the time depending upon the age, but being from one to two hours if the bird is not more than a year old. Take off all the skin and fat, and cut the meat in thin, delicate pieces. Soak the gelatine two hours in half a cupful of cold water, and dissolve it in the cupful of boiling broth; add to the cream, and season highly. Have the chicken well seasoned, also. Put the macaroni in a large flat pan with boiling water to cover, and boil rapidly for three minutes. Drain off the water, and place the macaroni on a board, having about twelve pieces in a bunch. Cut in pieces about three-fourths of an inch long. Butter a two-quart mould (an oval charlotte russe mould is the best) very thickly, and stick the macaroni closely over the bottom and sides. When done, put the chicken in lightly and evenly, and add the sauce very gradually. Steam one hour. Serve either cold or hot. Great care must be taken in dishing. Place the platter over the mould and turn platter and mould simultaneously. Let the dish rest a minute, and then gently remove the mould. Serve immediately. A long time is needed to line the mould with the macaroni, but this is such a handsome, savory dish as to pay to have it occasionally. If you prefer, you can use all broth, and omit the cream.

Galatine of Turkey.

Bone the turkey, and push the wings and legs inside of the body. Make three pints of ham force-meat. Cut a cold boiled tongue in thin slices. Season the turkey with salt and pepper, and spread on a board, inside up. Spread a layer of the force-meat on this, and then a layer of tongue. Continue this until all the tongue and force-meat are used. Roll the bird into a round form, and sew up with mending cotton. Wrap tightly in a strong piece of cotton cloth, which must be either pinned or sewed to keep it in position. Put in a porcelain kettle the bones of the turkey, two calf's feet, four pounds of the knuckle of veal, an onion, two slices of turnip, two of carrot, twenty pepper-corns, four cloves, two stalks of celery, one table-spoonful of salt and three quarts of water. When this comes to a boil, skim, and put the turkey in. Set back where it will just simmer for three hours. Take up and remove the wrapping, put on a clean piece of cloth that has been wet in cold water, and place in a dish. Put three bricks in a flat baking pan, and place on top of the bird. Set away in a cool place over night. In the morning take off the weights and cloth. Place on a dish, the smooth side up. Melt four table-spoonfuls of glaze, and brush the turkey with it. Garnish with the jelly, and serve. Or, the galatine can be cut in slices and arranged on a number of dishes, if for a large party. In that case, place a little jelly in the centre of each slice, and garnish the border of the dish with jelly and parsley. The time and materials given are for a turkey weighing about nine pounds. Any kind of fowl or bird can be prepared in the same manner.

To make the jelly: Draw forward the kettle in which the turkey was cooked, and boil the contents rapidly for one hour. Strain, and put away to harden. In the morning scrape off all the fat and sediment. Put the jelly in a clean sauce-pan with the whites and shells of two eggs that have been beaten with four table-spoonfuls of cold water. Let this come to a boil, and set back where it will just simmer for twenty minutes. Strain through a napkin, and set away to harden.

Galatine of Veal.

Bone a breast of veal. Season well with salt and pepper. Treat the same as turkey, using, however, two pounds of boiled ham instead of the tongue. Cook four hours.

Chicken in Jelly.

For each pound of chicken, a pint of water. Clean the chicken, and put to boil. When it comes to a boil, skim carefully; and simmer gently until the meat is very tender--about an hour and a half. Take out the chicken, skin, and take all the flesh from the bones. Put the bones again in the liquor, and boil until the water is reduced one half. Strain, and set away to cool. Next morning skim off all the fat. Turn the jelly into a clean sauce-pan, carefully removing all the sediment; and to each quart of jelly add one-fourth of a package of gelatine (which has been soaked an hour in half a cupful of cold water), an onion, a stalk of celery, twelve pepper-corns, a small piece of mace, four cloves, the white and shell of one egg and salt and pepper to taste. Let it boil up; then set back where it will simmer twenty minutes. Strain the jelly through a napkin. In a three-pint mould put a layer of jelly about three-fourths of an inch deep. Set in ice water to harden. Have the chicken cut in long, thin strips, and well seasoned with salt and pepper; and when the jelly in the mould is hard, lay in the chicken, lightly, and cover with the liquid jelly, which should be cool, but not hard. Put away to harden. When ready to serve, dip the mould in warm water and then turn into the centre of a flat dish. Garnish with parsley, and, if you choose, with Tartare or mayonnaise sauce.

Chicken Chaud Froid.