Part 3

_Ingredients._—To every lb. of ripe apricots, weighed after being skinned and stoned, allow 1 lb. of sugar. _Mode._—Pare the apricots, which should be ripe, as thinly as possible, break them in half, and remove the stones. Weigh the fruit, and to every lb. allow the same proportion of loaf sugar. Pound the sugar very finely in a mortar, strew it over the apricots, which should be placed on dishes, and let them remain for 12 hours. Break the stones, blanch the kernels, and put them with the sugar and fruit into a preserving-pan. Let these simmer very gently until clear; take out the pieces of apricot singly as they become so, and, as fast as the scum rises, carefully remove it. Put the apricots into small jars, pour over them the syrup and kernels, cover the jam with pieces of paper dipped in the purest salad-oil, and stretch over the top of the jars tissue paper, cut about 2 inches larger and brushed over with the white of an egg: when dry, it will be perfectly hard and air-tight. _Time._—12 hours, sprinkled with sugar; about ¾ hour to boil the jam. _Average cost._—When cheap, apricots may be purchased for preserving at about 1_s._ 6_d._ per gallon. _Sufficient._—10 lbs. of fruit for 12 pots of jam. _Seasonable._—Make this in August or September.

APRICOT PUDDING, Baked.

_Ingredients._—12 large apricots, ¾ pint of bread-crumbs, 1 pint of milk, 3 oz. of pounded sugar, the yolks of 4 eggs, 1 glass of sherry. _Mode._—Make the milk boiling hot, and pour it on to the bread-crumbs; when half cold, add the sugar, the well-whisked yolks of the eggs, and the sherry. Divide the apricots in half, scald them until they are soft, and break them up with a spoon, adding a few of the kernels, which should be well pounded in a mortar; then mix the fruit and other ingredients together, put a border of paste round the dish, fill with the mixture, and bake the pudding from ½ to ¾ hour. _Time._—½ to ¾ hour. _Average cost_, in full season, 1_s._ 6_d._ _Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable_ in August, September, and October.

APRICOT TART.

_Ingredients._—12 or 14 apricots, sugar to taste, puff-paste or short crust. _Mode._—Break the apricots in half, take out the stones, and put them into a pie-dish, in the centre of which place a very small cup or jar, bottom uppermost; sweeten with good moist sugar, but add no water. Line the edge of the dish with paste, put on the cover, and ornament the pie in any of the usual modes. Bake from ½ to ¾ hour, according to size; and if puff-paste is used, glaze it about 10 minutes before the pie is done, and put it into the oven again to set the glaze. Short crust merely requires a little sifted sugar sprinkled over it before being sent to table. Green apricots make very good tarts, but they should be boiled with a little sugar and water before they are covered with the crust. _Time._—½ to ¾ hour. _Average cost_, in full season, 1_s._ _Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable_ in August, September, and October; green ones rather earlier.

APRICOTS, Compôte of (an elegant Dish).

_Ingredients._—½ pint of syrup (_see_ SYRUP), 12 green apricots. _Mode._—Make the syrup by the given recipe, and, when it is ready, put in the apricots whilst the syrup is boiling. Simmer them very gently until tender, taking care not to let them break; take them out carefully, arrange them on a glass dish, let the syrup cool a little, pour it over the apricots, and, when cold, serve. _Time._—From 15 to 20 minutes to simmer the apricots. _Average cost_, 9_d._ _Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable_ in June and July, with green apricots.

APRICOTS, Flanc of, or Compôte of Apricots in a Raised Crust (Sweet Entremets).

_Ingredients._—¾ lb. of short crust (_see_ CRUST), from 9 to 12 good-sized apricots, ¾ pint of water, ½ lb. of sugar. _Mode._—Make a short crust by the given recipe, and line a mould with it. Boil the sugar and water together for 10 minutes; halve the apricots, take out the stones, and simmer them in the syrup until tender; watch them carefully, and take them up, for fear they should break. Arrange them neatly in the flanc or case; boil the syrup until reduced to a jelly; pour it over the fruit, and serve either hot or cold. Greengages, plums of all kinds, peaches, &c., may be done in the same manner, as also currants, raspberries, gooseberries, strawberries, &c.; but with the last-named fruits, a little currant-juice added to them will be found an improvement. _Time._—Altogether, 1 hour to bake the flanc, from 15 to 20 minutes to simmer the apricots. _Average cost_, 1_s._ 6_d._ _Sufficient_ for 1 entremets or side-dish. _Seasonable_ in July, August, and September.

The pretty appearance of this dish depends on the fruit being whole; as each apricot is done, it should be taken out of the syrup immediately.

APRIL—BILLS OF FARE.

Dinner for 18 persons.

_First Course._

Spring Soup, removed by Salmon and Lobster Sauce.

Fillets Vase of Fried of Mackerel. Flowers. Smelts.

Soles à la Crême.

_Second Course._

Roast Ribs of Lamb.

Larded Capon.

Stewed Beef Vase of Boiled à la Flowers. Ham. Jardinière.

Spring Chickens.

Braised Turkey.

_Entrées._

Lamb Cutlets, Asparagus and Peas.

Curried Vase of Oyster Lobster. Flowers. Patties.

Grenadines de Veau.

_Third Course._

Ducklings, removed by Cabinet Pudding.

Charlotte Raspberry-Jam à la Parisienne. Rhubarb Tart. Tartlets.

Clear Vase of Orange Jelly. Flowers. Jelly.

Victoria Cheesecakes. Sandwiches.

Raspberry Cream.

Nesselrode Pudding.

Dessert and Ices.

Dinner for 12 persons.

_First Course._—Soup à la reine; julienne soup; turbot and lobster sauce; slices of salmon à la genévése. _Entrées._—Croquettes of leveret; fricandeau de veau; vol-au-vent; stewed mushrooms. _Second Course._—Fore-quarter of lamb; saddle of mutton; boiled chickens, asparagus and peas; boiled tongue garnished with tufts of broccoli; vegetables. _Third Course._—Ducklings; larded guinea-fowls; charlotte à la parisienne; orange jelly; meringues; ratafia ice pudding; lobster salad; sea-kale; dessert and ices.

Dinner for 10 persons.

_First Course._—Gravy soup; salmon and dressed cucumber; shrimp sauce; fillets of whitings. _Entrées._—Lobster cutlets; chicken patties. _Second Course._—Roast fillet of veal; boiled leg of lamb; ham, garnished with broccoli; vegetables. _Third Course._—Ducklings; compôte of rhubarb; custards; vanilla cream; orange jelly; cabinet pudding; ice pudding; dessert.

Dinner for 8 persons.

_First Course._—Spring soup; slices of salmon and caper sauce; fried filleted soles. _Entrées._—Chicken vol-au-vent; mutton cutlets and tomato sauce. _Second Course._—Roast loin of veal; boiled fowls à la béchamel; tongue; vegetables. _Third Course._—Guinea-fowls; sea-kale; artichoke bottoms; cabinet pudding; blancmange; apricot tartlets; rice fritters; macaroni and Parmesan cheese; dessert.

Dinners for 6 persons.

_First Course._—Tapioca soup; boiled salmon and lobster sauce. _Entrées._—Sweetbreads; oyster patties. _Second Course._—Haunch of mutton; boiled capon and white sauce; tongue; vegetables. _Third Course._—Soufflé of rice; lemon cream; charlotte à la parisienne; rhubarb tart; dessert.

* * * * *

_First Course._—Julienne soup; fried whitings; red mullet. _Entrées._—Lamb cutlets and cucumbers; rissoles. _Second Course._—Roast ribs of beef; neck of veal à la béchamel; vegetables. _Third Course._—Ducklings; lemon pudding; rhubarb tart; custards; cheesecakes; dessert.

* * * * *

_First Course._—Vermicelli soup; brill and shrimp sauce. _Entrées._—Fricandeau of veal; lobster cutlets. _Second Course._—Roast fore-quarter of lamb; boiled chickens; tongue; vegetables. _Third Course._—Goslings; sea-kale; plum pudding; whipped cream; compôte of rhubarb; cheesecakes; dessert.

* * * * *

_First Course._—Ox-tail soup; crimped salmon. _Entrées._—Croquettes of chicken; mutton cutlets and soubise sauce. _Second Course._—Roast fillet of veal; boiled bacon-cheek, garnished with sprouts; boiled capon; vegetables. _Third Course._—Sea-kale; lobster salad; cabinet pudding; ginger cream; raspberry-jam tartlets; rhubarb tart; macaroni; dessert.

APRIL, Plain Family Dinners for.

_Sunday._—1. Clear gravy soup. 2. Roast haunch of mutton, sea-kale, potatoes. 3. Rhubarb tart, custards in glasses.

_Monday._—1. Crimped skate and caper sauce. 2. Boiled knuckle of veal and rice, cold mutton, mashed potatoes. 3. Baked plum-pudding.

_Tuesday._—1. Vegetable soup. 2. Toad-in-the-hole, made from remains of cold mutton. 3. Stewed rhubarb and baked custard puddings.

_Wednesday._—1. Fried soles, anchovy sauce. 2. Boiled beef and carrots, suet dumplings. 3. Lemon pudding.

_Thursday._—1. Pea-soup, made with liquor that beef was boiled in. 2. Cold beef, mashed potatoes, mutton cutlets and tomato sauce. 3. Macaroni.

_Friday._—1. Bubble-and-squeak made with remains of cold beef, roast shoulder of veal stuffed, spinach and potatoes. 2. Boiled batter pudding and sweet sauce.

_Saturday._—1. Stewed veal with vegetables, made of remains of cold shoulder, broiled rump-steak and oyster sauce. 2. Yeast dumplings.

* * * * *

_Sunday._—Boiled salmon and dressed cucumber, anchovy sauce. 2. Roast fore-quarter of lamb, spinach, potatoes, and mint sauce. 3. Rhubarb tart and cheesecakes.

_Monday._—Curried salmon, made with remains of salmon, dish of boiled rice. 2. Cold lamb, rump-steak and kidney pudding, potatoes. 3. Spinach and poached eggs.

_Tuesday._—1. Scotch mutton broth with pearl barley. 2. Boiled neck of mutton, caper sauce, suet dumplings, carrots. 3. Baked rice puddings.

_Wednesday._—1. Boiled mackerel and melted butter and fennel sauce, potatoes. 2. Roast fillet of veal, bacon and greens. 3. Fig pudding.

_Thursday._—1. Flemish soup. 2. Roast loin of mutton, broccoli, potatoes, veal rolls made from remains of cold veal. 3. Boiled rhubarb pudding.

_Friday._—1. Irish stew or haricot for cold mutton, minced veal. 2. Half-pay pudding.

_Saturday._—1. Rump-steak pie, broiled mutton chops. 2. Baked arrowroot pudding.

APRIL, Things in Season.

_Fish._—Brill, carp, cockles, crabs, dory, flounders, ling, lobsters, red and grey mullet, mussels, oysters, perch, prawns, salmon (but rather scarce and expensive), shad, shrimps, skate, smelts, soles, tench, turbot, whitings.

_Meat._—Beef, lamb, mutton, veal.

_Poultry._—Chickens, ducklings, fowls, pigeons, pullets, rabbits.

_Game._—Leverets.

_Vegetables._—Broccoli, celery, lettuces, young onions, parsnips, radishes, small salad, sea-kale, spinach, sprouts, various herbs.

_Fruit._—Apples, nuts, pears, forced cherries, &c. for tarts, rhubarb, dried fruits, crystallized preserves.

ARROWROOT BISCUITS, or Drops.

_Ingredients._—½ lb. of butter, 6 eggs, ½ lb. of flour, 6 oz. of arrowroot, ½ lb. of pounded loaf sugar. _Mode._—Beat the butter to a cream; whisk the eggs to a strong froth, add them to the butter, stir in the flour a little at a time, and beat the mixture well. Break down all the lumps from the arrowroot, and add that with the sugar to the other ingredients. Mix all well together, drop the dough on a buttered tin, in pieces the size of a shilling, and bake the biscuits about ¼ hour in a slow oven. If the whites of the eggs are separated from the yolks, and both are beaten separately before being added to the other ingredients, the biscuits will be much lighter. _Time._—¼ hour. _Average cost_, 2_s._ 6_d._ _Sufficient_ to make from 3 to 4 dozen biscuits. _Seasonable_ at any time.

ARROWROOT BLANCMANGE (an inexpensive Supper Dish).

_Ingredients._—4 heaped tablespoonfuls of arrowroot, 1½ pint of milk, 3 laurel-leaves or the rind of ½ lemon, sugar to taste. _Mode._—Mix to a smooth batter the arrowroot with ½ pint of the milk; put the other pint on the fire, with laurel-leaves or lemon-peel, whichever may be preferred, and let the milk steep until it is well flavoured; then strain the milk, and add it, boiling, to the mixed arrowroot; sweeten it with sifted sugar, and let it boil, stirring it all the time, till it thickens sufficiently to come from the saucepan. Grease a mould with pure salad-oil, pour in the blancmange, and, when quite set, turn it out on a dish, and pour round it a compôte of any kind of fruit, or garnish it with jam. A tablespoonful of brandy, stirred in just before the blancmange is moulded, very much improves the flavour of this sweet dish. _Time._—Altogether, ½ hour. _Average cost_, 6_d._ without the garnishing. _Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.

ARROWROOT PUDDING, Baked or Boiled.

_Ingredients._—2 tablespoonfuls of arrowroot, 1½ pint of milk, 1 oz. of butter, the rind of ½ lemon, 2 heaped tablespoonfuls of moist sugar, a little grated nutmeg. _Mode._—Mix the arrowroot with as much cold milk as will make it into a smooth batter, moderately thick; put the remainder of the milk into a stewpan with the lemon-peel, and let it infuse for about ½ hour; when it boils, strain it gently to the batter, stirring it all the time to keep it smooth; then add the butter; beat this well in until thoroughly mixed, and sweeten with moist sugar. Put the mixture into a pie-dish, round which has been placed a border of paste; grate a little nutmeg over the top, and bake the pudding from 1 to 1¼ hour, in a moderate oven, or boil it the same length of time in a well-buttered basin. To enrich this pudding, stir to the other ingredients, just before it is put in the oven, 3 well-whisked eggs, and add a tablespoonful of brandy. For a nursery pudding, the addition of the latter ingredients will be found quite superfluous, as also the paste round the edge of the dish. _Time._—1 to 1¼ hour, baked or boiled. _Average cost_, 7_d._ _Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.

ARROWROOT SAUCE, for Puddings.

_Ingredients._—2 small teaspoonfuls of arrowroot, 4 dessertspoonfuls of pounded sugar, the juice of 1 lemon, ¼ teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, ½ pint of water. _Mode._—Mix the arrowroot smoothly with the water; put this into a stewpan; add the sugar, strained lemon-juice, and grated nutmeg. Stir these ingredients over the fire until they boil, when the sauce is ready for use. A small quantity of wine, or any liqueur, would very much improve the flavour of this sauce: it is usually served with bread, rice, custard, or any dry pudding that is not very rich. _Time._—Altogether, 15 minutes. _Average cost_, 4_d._ _Sufficient_ for 6 or 7 persons.

ARROWROOT, to make.

_Ingredients._—Two teaspoonfuls of arrowroot, 3 tablespoonfuls of cold water, ½ pint of boiling water. _Mode._—Mix the arrowroot smoothly in a basin with the cold water, then pour on it the _boiling_ water, _stirring_ all the time. The water must be _boiling_ at the time it is poured on the mixture, or it will not thicken; if mixed with hot water only, it must be put into a clean saucepan, and boiled until it thickens; but this occasions more trouble, and is quite unnecessary, if the water is boiling at first. Put the arrowroot into a tumbler, sweeten it with lump sugar, and flavour it with grated nutmeg or cinnamon, or a piece of lemon-peel, or, when allowed, 3 tablespoonfuls of port or sherry. As arrowroot is in itself flavourless and insipid, it is almost necessary to add the wine to make it palatable. Arrowroot made with milk instead of water is far nicer, but is not so easily digested. It should be mixed in the same manner, with 3 tablespoonfuls of cold water, the boiling milk then poured on it, and well stirred. When made in this manner, no wine should be added, but merely sugar, and a little grated nutmeg or lemon-peel. _Time._—If obliged to be boiled, 2 minutes. _Average cost_, 2_d._ per pint. _Sufficient_ to make ½ pint of arrowroot.

ARTICHOKES, Boiled.

_Ingredients._—To each ½ gallon of water, allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt, a piece of soda the size of a shilling; artichokes. _Mode._—Wash the artichokes well in several waters; see that no insects remain about them, and trim away the leaves at the bottom. Cut off the stems and put them into _boiling_ water, to which has been added salt and soda in the above proportion. Keep the saucepan uncovered, and let them boil quickly until tender; ascertain when they are done by thrusting a fork in them, or by trying if the leaves can be easily removed. Take them out, let them drain for a minute or two, and serve in a napkin, or with a little white sauce poured over. A tureen of melted butter should accompany them. This vegetable, unlike any other, is considered better for being gathered two or three days; but they must be well soaked and washed previous to dressing. _Time._—20 to 25 minutes, after the water boils. _Sufficient_,—a dish of 5 or 6 for 4 persons. _Seasonable_ from July to the beginning of September.

ARTICHOKES, a French Mode of Cooking.

_Ingredients._—5 or 6 artichokes; to each ½ gallon of water allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt, ½ teaspoonful of pepper, 1 bunch of savoury herbs, 2 oz. of butter. _Mode._—Cut the ends of the leaves, as also the stems; put the artichokes into boiling water, with the above proportion of salt, pepper, herbs, and butter; let them boil quickly until tender, keeping the lid of the saucepan off, and when the leaves come out easily, they are cooked enough. To keep them a beautiful green, put a large piece of cinder into a muslin bag, and let it boil with them. Serve with plain melted butter. _Time._—20 to 25 minutes. _Sufficient_,—5 or 6 sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable_ from July to the beginning of September.

ARTICHOKES. Fried (Entremets, or small dish to be served with the Second Course).

_Ingredients._—5 or 6 artichokes, salt and water: for the batter,—¼ lb. of flour, a little salt, the yolk of 1 egg, milk. _Mode._—Trim and boil the artichokes, and rub them over with lemon-juice, to keep them white. When they are quite tender, take them up, remove the chokes, and divide the bottoms; dip each piece into batter, fry them into hot lard or dripping, and garnish the dish with crisped parsley. Serve with plain melted butter. _Time._—20 minutes to boil the artichokes, 5 to 7 minutes to fry them. _Sufficient_,—5 or 6 for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable_ from July to the beginning of September.

ARTICHOKES à l’Italienne.

_Ingredients._—4 or 5 artichokes, salt and butter, about ½ pint of good gravy. _Mode._—Trim and cut the artichokes into quarters, and boil them until tender in water mixed with a little salt and butter. When done, drain them well, and lay them all round the dish, with the leaves outside. Have ready some good gravy, highly flavoured with mushrooms; reduce it until quite thick, and pour it round the artichokes, and serve. _Time._—20 to 25 minutes to boil the artichokes. _Sufficient_ for one side-dish. _Seasonable_ from July to the beginning of September.

ARTICHOKES, Boiled Jerusalem.

_Ingredients._—To each ½ gallon of water allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt; artichokes. _Mode._—Wash, peel, and shape the artichokes in a round or oval form, and put them into a saucepan with sufficient _cold_ water to cover them salted in the above proportion. Let them boil gently until tender; take them up, drain them, and serve them in a napkin, or plain, whichever mode is preferred; send to table with them a tureen of melted butter or cream sauce, a little of which may be poured over the artichokes when they are _not_ served in a napkin. _Time._—About twenty minutes after the water boils. _Average cost_, 2_d._ per lb. _Sufficient_,—10 for a dish for 6 persons. _Seasonable._—from September to June.

ARTICHOKES, Mashed Jerusalem.

_Ingredients._—To each ½ gallon of water allow 1 oz. of salt, 15 or 16 artichokes, 1 oz. butter, pepper and salt to taste. _Mode._—Boil the artichokes as in the preceding recipe until tender; drain and press the water from them, and beat them up with a fork. When thoroughly mashed and free from lumps, put them into a saucepan with the butter and a seasoning of _white_ pepper and salt; keep stirring over the fire until the artichokes are quite hot, and serve. A pretty way of serving Jerusalem artichokes as an entremets, or second course dish, is to shape the artichokes in the form of a pear, and to serve them covered with white sauce, garnished with Brussels sprouts. _Time._—About 20 minutes. _Average cost_, 2_d._ per lb. _Sufficient_ for 6 or 7 persons. _Seasonable_ from September to June.

ARTICHOKE (Jerusalem) SOUP, sometimes called Palestine Soup (a White Soup).

_Ingredients._—3 slices of lean bacon or ham, ½ a head of celery, 1 turnip, 1 onion, 3 oz. of butter, 4 lbs. of artichokes, 1 pint of boiling milk, or 1 pint of boiling cream, salt and cayenne to taste, 2 lumps of sugar, 2½ quarts of white stock. _Mode._—Put the bacon and vegetables, which should be cut into thin slices, into the stewpan with the butter. Braise these for ¼ of an hour, keeping them well stirred. Wash and pare the artichokes, and after cutting them into thin slices, add them, with a pint of stock, to the other ingredients. When these have gently stewed down to a smooth pulp, put in the remainder of the stock. Stir it well, adding the seasoning, and when it has simmered for five minutes, pass it through a strainer. Now pour it back into the stewpan, let it again simmer five minutes, taking care to skim it well, and stir it to the boiling milk or cream. Serve with small sippets of bread fried in butter. _Time._—1 hour. _Average cost_ per quart, 1_s._ 2_d._ _Seasonable_ from June to October. _Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

ASPARAGUS, Boiled.

_Ingredients._—To each ½ gallon of water allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt; asparagus. _Mode._—Asparagus should be dressed as soon as possible after it is cut, although it may be kept for a day or two by putting the stalks into cold water; yet to be good, like every other vegetable, it cannot be cooked too fresh. Scrape the white part of the stems, _beginning_ from the _head_, and throw them into cold water; then tie them into bundles of about 20 each, keeping the heads all one way, and cut the stalks evenly, that they may all be the same length; put them into _boiling_ water, with salt in the above proportion; keep them boiling quickly until tender, with the saucepan uncovered. When the asparagus is done, dish it upon toast, which should be dipped in the water it was cooked in, and leave the white ends outward each way, with the points meeting in the middle. Serve with a tureen of melted butter. _Time._—15 to 18 minutes after the water boils. _Average cost_, in full season, 2_s._ 6_d._ the 100 heads. _Sufficient._—Allow about 50 heads for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable._—May be had forced from January, but cheapest in May, June and July.

ASPARAGUS-PEAS (Entremets, or to be served as a Side Dish, with the Second Course).