Part 16

The milk should stand 24 hours in the winter, half that time when the weather is very warm. The milkpan is then set on a stove, and should there remain until the milk is quite hot; but it must not boil, or there will be a thick skin on the surface. When it is sufficiently done the undulations on the surface look thick, and small rings appear. The time required for scalding cream depends on the size of the pan and the heat of the fire, but the slower it is done the better. The pan should be placed in the dairy when the cream is sufficiently scalded, and skimmed the following day. This cream is so much esteemed that it is sent to the London markets in small square tins, and is exceedingly delicious eaten with fresh fruit. In Devonshire, butter is made from this cream, and is usually very firm.

CREAM, Italian.

_Ingredients._—½ pint of milk, ½ pint of cream, sugar to taste, 1 oz. of isinglass, 1 lemon, the yolks of 4 eggs. _Mode._—Put the cream and milk into a saucepan, with sugar to sweeten, and the lemon-rind. Boil until the milk is well flavoured, then strain it into a basin and add the beaten yolks of eggs. Put this mixture into a jug, place the jug in a saucepan of boiling water over the fire, and stir the contents until they thicken, but do not allow them to boil. Take the cream off the fire, stir in the lemon-juice and isinglass, which should be melted, and whip well; fill a mould, place it in ice if at hand, and, when set, turn it out on a dish, and garnish as taste may dictate. The mixture may be whipped and drained, and then put into small glasses, when this mode of serving is preferred. _Time._—From 5 to 8 minutes to stir the mixture in the jug. _Average cost_, with the best isinglass, 2_s._ 6_d._ _Sufficient_ to fill 1½ pint mould. _Seasonable_ at any time.

CREAM SAUCE, for Fish or White Dishes.

_Ingredients._—1/3 pint of cream, 2 oz. of butter, 1 teaspoonful of flour, salt and cayenne to taste; when liked, a small quantity of pounded mace or lemon-juice. _Mode._—Put the butter in a very clean saucepan, dredge in the flour, and keep shaking round till the butter is melted. Add the seasoning and cream, and stir the whole till it boils; let it just simmer for 5 minutes, when add either pounded mace or lemon-juice to taste to give it a flavour. _Time._—5 minutes to simmer. _Average cost_ for this quantity, 7_d._

_Note._—This sauce may be flavoured with very finely-shredded shalot.

CREAM, Stone, of tous les Mois.

_Ingredients._—½ lb. of preserve, 1 pint of milk, 2 oz. of lump sugar, 1 heaped tablespoonful of tous les mois, 3 drops of essence of cloves, 3 drops of almond-flavouring. _Mode._—Place the preserve at the bottom of a glass dish; put the milk into a lined saucepan, with the sugar, and make it boil. Mix to a smooth batter the tous les mois with a very little cold milk; stir it briskly into the boiling milk, add the flavouring, and simmer for 2 minutes. When rather cool, but before turning solid, pour the cream over the jam, and ornament it with strips of red-currant jelly or preserved fruit. _Time._—2 minutes. _Average cost_, 10_d._ _Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.

CREAM, Swiss.

_Ingredients._—¼ lb. of macaroons or 6 small sponge-cakes, sherry, 1 pint of cream, 5 oz. of lump sugar, 2 large tablespoonfuls of arrowroot, the rind of 1 lemon, the juice of ½ lemon, 3 tablespoonfuls of milk. _Mode._—Lay the macaroons or sponge-cakes in a glass dish, and pour over them as much sherry as will cover them, or sufficient to soak them well. Put the cream into a lined saucepan, with the sugar and lemon-rind, and let it remain by the side of the fire until the cream is well flavoured, when take out the lemon-rind. Mix the arrowroot smoothly with the cold milk; add this to the cream, and let it boil gently for about 3 minutes, keeping it well stirred. Take it off the fire, stir till nearly cold, when add the lemon-juice, and pour the whole over the cakes. Garnish the cream with strips of angelica, or candied citron cut thin, or bright-coloured jelly or preserve. This cream is exceedingly delicious, flavoured with vanilla instead of lemon: when this flavouring is used the sherry may be omitted, and the mixture poured over the _dry_ cakes. _Time._—About ½ hour to infuse the lemon-rind; 5 minutes to boil the cream. _Average cost_, with cream at 1_s._ per pint, 3_s._ _Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.

CREAM, Vanilla.

_Ingredients._—1 pint of milk, the yolks of 8 eggs, 6 oz. of sugar, 1 oz. of isinglass, flavouring to taste of essence of vanilla. _Mode._—Put the milk and sugar into a saucepan, and let it get hot over a slow fire; beat up the yolks of the eggs, to which add gradually the sweetened milk; flavour the whole with essence of vanilla, put the mixture into a jug, and place this jug in a saucepan of boiling water. Stir the contents with a wooden spoon one way until the mixture thickens, but do not allow it to boil, or it will be full of lumps. Take it off the fire; stir in the isinglass, which should be previously dissolved in about ¼ pint of water, and boiled for 2 or 3 minutes; pour the cream into an oiled mould, put it in a cool place to set, and turn it out carefully on a dish. Instead of using the essence of vanilla, a pod may be boiled in the milk until the flavour is well extracted. A pod, or a pod and a half, will be found sufficient for the above proportion of ingredients. _Time._—About 10 minutes to stir the mixture. _Average cost_, with the best isinglass, 2_s._ 6_d._ _Sufficient_ to fill a quart mould. _Seasonable_ at any time.

CREAM, Whipped, for putting on Trifles, serving in Glasses, &c.

_Ingredients._—To every pint of cream allow 3 oz. of pounded sugar, 1 glass of sherry or any kind of sweet white wine, the rind of ½ lemon, the white of 1 egg. _Mode._—Rub the sugar on the lemon-rind, and pound it in a mortar until quite fine, and beat up the white of the egg until quite stiff; put the cream into a large bowl, with the sugar, wine, and beaten egg, and whip it to a froth; as fast as the froth rises take it off with a skimmer, and put it on a sieve to drain in a cool place. This should be made the day before it is wanted, as the whip is then so much firmer. The cream should be whipped in a cool place, and in summer over ice, if it is obtainable. A plain whipped cream may be served on a glass dish, and garnished with strips of angelica, or pastry-leaves, or pieces of bright-coloured jelly: it makes a very pretty addition to the supper-table. _Time._—About 1 hour to whip the cream. _Average cost_, with cream at 1_s._ per pint, 1_s._ 9_d._ _Sufficient_ for 1 dish or 1 trifle. _Seasonable_ at any time.

CRUMPETS.

These are made in the same manner as muffins, only, in making the mixture, let it be more like batter than dough. Let it rise for about ½ hour; pour it into iron rings, which should be ready on a hot-plate; bake them, and when one side appears done, turn them quickly on the other. _To toast them_, have ready a very _bright clear_ fire; put the crumpet on a toasting-fork, and hold it before the fire, _not too close_, until it is nicely brown on one side, but do not allow it to blacken; turn it, and brown the other side; then spread it with good butter, cut it in half, and, when all are done, pile them on a hot dish, and send them quickly to table. Muffins and crumpets should always be served on separate dishes, and both toasted and served as expeditiously as possible. _Time._—From 10 to 15 minutes to bake them. _Sufficient._—Allow 2 crumpets to each person.

CRUST, Butter, for Boiled Puddings.

_Ingredients._—To every lb. of flour allow 6 oz. of butter, ½ pint of water. _Mode._—With a knife, work the flour to a smooth paste with ½ pint of water; roll the crust out rather thin; place the butter over it in small pieces, dredge lightly over it some flour, and fold the paste over; repeat the rolling once more, and the crust will be ready for use. It may be enriched by adding another 2 oz. of butter; but, for ordinary purposes, the above quantity will be found quite sufficient. _Average cost_, 6_d._ per lb.

CRUST, Common, for Raised Pies.

_Ingredients._—To every lb. of flour allow ½ pint of water, 1½ oz. of butter, 1½ oz. of lard, ½ saltspoonful of salt. _Mode._—Put into a saucepan the water; when it boils, add the butter and lard, and when these are melted, make a hole in the middle of the flour; pour in the water gradually, beat it well with a wooden spoon, and be particular in not making the paste too soft. When it is well mixed, knead it with the hands until quite stiff, dredging a little flour over the paste and board to prevent them from sticking. When it is well kneaded, place it before the fire, with a cloth covered over it, for a few minutes; it will then be more easily worked into shape. This paste does not taste so nicely as a richer one, but it is worked with greater facility, and answers just as well for raised pies, for the crust is seldom eaten. _Average cost_, 5_d._ per lb.

CRUST, Dripping, for Kitchen Puddings, Pies, &c.

_Ingredients._—To every lb. of flour allow 6 oz. of clarified beef dripping, ½ pint of water. _Mode._—After having clarified the dripping, weigh it, and to every lb. of flour allow the above proportion of dripping. With a knife, work the flour into a smooth paste with the water, rolling it out three times, each time placing on the crust 2 oz. of the dripping broken into small pieces. If this paste is lightly made, if good dripping is used, and _not too much of it_, it will be found good; and by the addition of two tablespoonfuls of fine moist sugar, it may be converted into a common short crust for fruit pies. _Average cost_, 4_d._ per lb.

CRUST, Lard or Flead.

_Ingredients._—To every lb. of flour allow ½ lb. of lard or flead, ½ pint of water, ½ saltspoonful of salt. _Mode._—Clear the flead from skin, and slice it into thin flakes; rub it into the flour, add the salt, and work the whole into a smooth paste, with the above proportion of water; fold the paste over two or three times, beat it well with the rolling-pin, roll it out, and it will be ready for use. The crust made from this will be found extremely light, and may be made into cakes or tarts; it may also be very much enriched by adding more flead to the same proportion of flour. _Average cost_, 8_d._ per lb.

CRUST, Suet, for Pies or Puddings.

_Ingredients._—To every lb. of flour allow 5 or 6 oz. of beef suet, ½ pint of water. _Mode._—Free the suet from skin and shreds, chop it extremely fine, and rub it well into the flour; work the whole to a smooth paste with the above proportion of water; roll it out, and it is ready for use. This crust is quite rich enough for ordinary purposes, but when a better one is desired, use from ½ to ¾ lb. of suet to every lb. of flour. Some cooks, for rich crusts, pound the suet in a mortar, with a small quantity of butter. It should then be laid on the paste in small pieces, the same as for puff-crust, and will be found exceedingly nice for hot tarts. 5 oz. of suet to every lb. of flour will make a very good crust; and even ¼ lb, will answer very well for children, or where the crust is wanted very plain. _Average cost_, 5_d._ per lb.

CRUST, Common Short.

_Ingredients._—To every lb. of flour allow 2 oz. of sifted sugar, 3 oz. of butter, about ½ pint of boiling milk. _Mode._—Crumble the butter into the flour as finely as possible, add the sugar, and work the whole up to a smooth paste with the boiling milk. Roll it out thin, and bake in a moderate oven. _Average cost_, 6_d._ per lb.

CRUST, Very good Short for Fruit Tarts.

_Ingredients._—To every lb. of flour allow ½ or ¾ lb. of butter, 1 tablespoonful of sifted sugar, 1/3 pint of water. _Mode._—Rub the butter into the flour, after having ascertained that the latter is perfectly dry; add the sugar, and mix the whole into a stiff paste with about 1/3 pint of water. Roll it out two or three times, folding the paste over each time, and it will be ready for use. _Average cost_, 1_s._ 1_d._ per lb.

CRUST, Another good Short.

_Ingredients._—To every lb. of flour allow 8 oz. of butter, the yolks of 2 eggs, 2 oz. of sifted sugar, about ¼ pint of milk. _Mode._—Rub the butter into the flour, add the sugar, and mix the whole as lightly as possible to a smooth paste, with the yolks of the eggs well beaten, and the milk. The proportion of the latter ingredient must be judged of by the size of the eggs; if these are large so much will not be required, and more if the eggs are smaller. _Average cost_, 1_s._ per lb.

CUCUMBER SAUCE.

_Ingredients._—3 or 4 cucumbers, 2 oz. of butter, 6 tablespoonfuls of brown gravy. _Mode._—Peel the cucumbers, quarter them, and take out the seeds; cut them into small pieces, put them in a cloth, and rub them well to take out the water that hangs about them. Put the butter in a saucepan, add the cucumbers, and shake them over a sharp fire until they are of a good colour; then pour over them the gravy, mixed with the cucumbers, and simmer gently for 10 minutes, when it will be ready to serve. _Time._—Altogether, ½ hour.

CUCUMBER SAUCE, White.

_Ingredients._—3 or 4 cucumbers, ½ pint of white stock, cayenne and salt to taste, the yolks of 3 eggs. _Mode._—Cut the cucumbers into small pieces, after peeling them and taking out the seeds. Put them in the stewpan with the white stock and seasoning; simmer gently till the cucumbers are tender, which will be in about ¼ hour. Then add the yolks of the eggs, well beaten; stir them to the sauce, but do not allow it to boil, and serve very hot. _Time._—Altogether, ½ hour.

CUCUMBER SOUP (French Recipe).

_Ingredients._—1 large cucumber, a piece of butter the size of a walnut, a little chervil and sorrel cut in large pieces, salt and pepper to taste, the yolks of 2 eggs, 1 gill of cream, 1 quart of medium stock. _Mode._—Pare the cucumber, quarter it, and take out the seeds; cut it in thin slices, put these on a plate with a little salt, to draw the water from them; drain, and put them in your stewpan with the butter. When they are warmed through, without being browned, pour the stock on them. Add the sorrel, chervil, and seasoning, and boil for 40 minutes. Mix the well-beaten yolks of the eggs with the cream, which add at the moment of serving. _Time._—1 hour. _Average cost_, 1_s._ 2_d._ per quart. _Sufficient_ for 4 persons. _Seasonable_ from June to September.

CUCUMBER VINEGAR (a very nice addition to Salads).

_Ingredients._—10 large cucumbers, or 12 smaller ones, 1 quart of vinegar, 2 onions, 2 shalots, 1 tablespoonful of salt, 2 tablespoonfuls of pepper, ¼ teaspoonful of cayenne. _Mode._—Pare and slice the cucumbers, put them in a stone jar or wide-mouthed bottle with the vinegar; slice the onions and shalots, and add them, with all the other ingredients, to the cucumbers. Let it stand 4 or 5 days, boil it all up, and, when cold, strain the liquor through a piece of muslin, and store it away in small bottles well sealed. This vinegar is a very nice addition to gravies, hashes, &c., as well as a great improvement to salads, or to eat with cold meat.

CUCUMBERS, to Dress.

_Ingredients._—3 tablespoonfuls of salad-oil, 4 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. _Mode._—Pare the cucumber, cut it equally into _very thin_ slices, and _commence_ cutting from the _thick end;_ if commenced at the stalk, the cucumber will most likely have an exceedingly bitter taste, far from agreeable. For the purpose of slicing cucumbers evenly and very thin, we recommend the slice in preference to an ordinary knife. Put the slices into a dish, sprinkle over salt and pepper, and pour over oil and vinegar in the above proportion; turn the cucumber about, and it is ready to serve. This is a favourite accompaniment to boiled salmon, is a nice addition to all descriptions of salads, and makes a pretty garnish to lobster salad. _Average cost_, when scarce, 1_s._ to 2_s._ 6_d._; when cheapest, may be had for 1_d._ each. _Seasonable._—Forced from the beginning of March to the end of June; in full season in July, August, and September.

CUCUMBERS, Fried.

_Ingredients._—2 or 3 cucumbers, pepper and salt to taste, flour, oil or butter. _Mode._—Pare the cucumbers, and cut them into slices of an equal thickness, commencing to slice from the thick and not the stalk end of the cucumber. Wipe the slices dry with a cloth, dredge them with flour, and put them into a pan of boiling oil or butter; keep turning them about until brown; lift them out of the pan, let them drain, and serve, piled lightly in a dish. These will be found a great improvement to rump-steak: they should be placed on a dish with the steak on the top. _Time._—5 minutes. _Average cost_, when cheapest, 1_d._ each. _Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable._—Forced from the beginning of March to the end of June; in full season in July and August.

CUCUMBERS à la Poulette.

_Ingredients._—2 or 3 cucumbers, salt and vinegar, 2 oz. of butter, flour, ½ pint of broth, 1 teaspoonful of minced parsley, a lump of sugar, the yolks of 2 eggs, salt and pepper to taste. _Mode._—Pare and cut the cucumbers into slices of an equal thickness, and let them remain in a pickle of salt and vinegar for ½ hour, then drain them in a cloth, and put them into a stewpan with the butter. Fry them over a brisk fire, but do not brown them, and then dredge over them a little flour; add the broth, skim off all the fat, which will rise to the surface, and boil gently until the gravy is somewhat reduced, but the cucumber should not be broken. Stir in the yolks of the eggs, add the parsley, sugar, and a seasoning of pepper and salt; bring the whole to the _point of boiling_, and serve. _Time._—Altogether, 1 hour. _Average cost_, when cheapest, 1_d._ each. _Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable_ in July, August, or September; but may be had, forced, from the beginning of March.

CUCUMBERS, Pickled.

_Ingredients._—1 oz. of whole pepper, 1 oz. of bruised ginger, sufficient vinegar to cover the cucumbers. _Mode._—Cut the cucumbers in thick slices, sprinkle salt over them, and let them remain for 24 hours. The next day, drain them well for 6 hours, put them into a jar, pour boiling vinegar over them, and keep them in a warm place. In a short time, boil up the vinegar again, add pepper and ginger in the above proportion, and instantly cover them up. Tie them down with bladder, and in a few days they will be fit for use.

CUCUMBERS, an excellent way of Preserving.

_Ingredients._—Salt and water, 1 lb. of lump sugar, the rind of 1 lemon, 1 oz. of ginger, cucumbers. _Mode._—Choose the greenest cucumbers, and those that are most free from seeds; put them in strong salt and water, with a cabbage-leaf to keep them down; tie a paper over them, and put them in a warm place till they are yellow, then wash them and set them over the fire in fresh water with a very little salt, and another cabbage-leaf over them; cover very closely, but take care they do not boil. If they are not a fine green, change the water again, cover them as before, and make them hot. When they are a good colour take them off the fire and let them cool; cut them in quarters, take out the seeds and pulp, and put them into cold water; let them remain for 2 days, changing the water twice each day, to draw out the salt. Put the sugar, with ½ pint of water, in a saucepan over the fire; remove the scum as it rises, and add the lemon-peel and ginger with the outside scraped off; when the syrup is tolerably thick, take it off the fire, and when _cold_, wipe the cucumbers _dry_ and put them in. Boil the syrup once in 2 or 3 days for 3 weeks; strengthen it if required, and let it be quite cold before the cucumbers are put in. Great attention must be paid to the directions in the commencement of this recipe, as, if these are not properly carried out, the result will be far from satisfactory. _Seasonable._—This recipe should be used in June, July, or August.

CUCUMBERS, German Method of keeping for Winter use.

_Ingredients._—Cucumbers, salt. _Mode._—Pare and slice the cucumbers (as for the table), sprinkle well with salt, and let them remain for 24 hours; strain off the liquor, pack in jars, a thick layer of cucumbers and salt alternately; tie down closely, and, when wanted for use, take out the quantity required. Now wash them well in fresh water, and dress as usual with pepper, vinegar, and oil.

CUCUMBERS, Stewed.

_Ingredients._—3 large cucumbers, flour, butter, rather more than ½ pint of good brown gravy. _Mode._—Cut the cucumbers lengthwise the size of the dish they are intended to be served in; empty them of the seeds, and put them into boiling water with a little salt, and let them simmer for 5 minutes; then take them out, place them in another stewpan, with the gravy, and let them boil over a brisk fire until the cucumbers are tender. Should these be bitter, add a lump of sugar; carefully dish them, skim the sauce, pour over the cucumbers, and serve. _Time._—Altogether, 20 minutes. _Average cost_, when cheapest, 1_d._ each. _Sufficient_ for 3 or 4 persons. _Seasonable_ in June, July, and August; but may be had, forced, from the beginning of March.

CUCUMBERS, Stewed with Onions.

_Ingredients._—6 cucumbers, 3 moderate-sized onions, not quite 1 pint of white stock, cayenne and salt to taste, the yolks of 2 eggs, a very little grated nutmeg. _Mode._—Pare and slice the cucumbers, take out the seeds, and cut the onions into thin slices; put these both into a stewpan, with the stock, and let them boil for ¼ hour or longer, should the cucumbers be very large. Beat up the yolks of 2 eggs; stir these into the sauce; add the cayenne, salt, and grated nutmeg; bring it to the point of boiling, and serve. Do not allow the sauce to boil, or it will curdle. This is a favourite dish with lamb or mutton chops, rump-steaks, &c. _Time._—Altogether, 20 minutes. _Average cost_, when cheapest, 1_d._ each. _Sufficient_ for 6 or 7 persons. _Seasonable_ in July, August, and September; but may be had, forced, from the beginning of March.

CURRANT DUMPLINGS.

_Ingredients._—1 lb. of flour, 6 oz. of suet, ½ lb. of currants, rather more than ½ pint of water. _Mode._—Chop the suet finely, mix it with the flour, and add the currants, which should be nicely washed, picked, and dried; mix the whole to a limp paste with the water (if wanted very nice, use milk); divide it into 7 or 8 dumplings; tie them in cloths, and boil for 1¼ hour. They may be boiled without a cloth: they should then be made into round balls, and dropped into boiling water, and should be moved about at first, to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. Serve with a cut lemon, cold butter, and sifted sugar. _Time._—In a cloth, 1¼ hour; without, ¾ hour. _Average cost_, 9_d._ _Sufficient_ for 6 or 7 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.

CURRANT FRITTERS.