Chapter 2

Take a boiled lobster and split it open, cut the meat into small pieces and put into a saucepan with one pint of milk; when boiling add two tablespoons of flour dissolved in a little water, and boil ten minutes. Season with salt, pepper and a small piece of butter. Just before serving pour in a wineglassful of sherry. Canned lobster may be used with very good results.

OYSTER PIE.--FAMOUS.

One cup melted butter is put in a lined saucepan, and three tablespoons of flour which are rubbed well into the butter, one half teaspoon of mace, a little pepper and salt. The juice of the oysters is put into this to make it thin, and little by little one quart of boiling milk to one quart of oysters. Last the oysters are put in very carefully and given a very short boil. The whole is pretty thick and is then put into a pie dish with pie crust over; one cup of cream is put in just before the oysters are emptied into the pie dish.

OYSTER PIE OR PATTIES.

MISS M. A. RITCHIE.

Crust:--One pound of butter, one pound of flour, one half cup of water. Sauce:--One tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoonfuls of flour, one cup of cream or milk, one pint of oysters.

ESCALOPED OYSTERS.

MADAME J. T.

Butter the dish; cover the bottom of the dish with bread crumbs, add a layer of oysters, season with pepper and salt, then bread crumbs and oysters until you have three layers. Finish with crumbs, cover the top with small pieces of butter, bake half an hour.

CREAMED OYSTERS ON TOAST.

MRS. R. M. STOCKING.

One quart of milk, two tablespoons flour three tablespoons butter, pepper and salt. Put milk in double boiler, mix butter and flour thoroughly, adding a little cold milk before stirring into the hot milk; cook: One pint of oysters, let simmer in their liquor for about five minutes, then skim out, drop into the cream sauce. Prepare thin slices of crisp toast, lay on heated platter; pour over creamed oysters, serve at once. Delicious.

OYSTER CROQUETTES.

MISS STEVENSON.

Twenty-five oysters, one dessertspoonful chopped parsley, three ounces butter, one and one half ounces flour, one gill milk or cream, one teaspoon lemon juice, one egg, three tablespoons bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Boil the oysters in their own liquor five minutes, cut them in rough pieces, melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour, add cream by degrees, also oyster liquor, boil two minutes, add then the parsley, pepper, and salt, put in the oysters and allow the mixture to cool. Form it then into croquettes on a slightly floured board. Roll in the beaten egg and bread crumbs and fry in hot fat two minutes.

MOULDED SALMON.

MISS MARION STOWELL POPE.

One tin of salmon chopped, one cup fine bread crumbs, four eggs broken in four tablespoons melted butter, one teaspoon chopped parsley, pepper and salt to taste. Put into a plain buttered mould and sprinkle with flour, cover and steam one hour.

_Sauce for the above:_--One teaspoon cornstarch, a little butter, one and one half cups of milk, pepper, salt and nutmeg to taste. A little tomato ketchup or anchovy sauce added. When it comes to the boil, add one well beaten egg; pour round the mould and serve hot.

CREAMED SALMON.

MISS H. BARCLAY.

One can salmon minced fine, draw off the liquor. For the dressing, boil one pint milk, two tablespoons butter, salt and pepper to taste. Have ready one pint of bread crumbs, place a layer in the bottom of the dish, then a layer of fish, then a layer of dressing, and so on, leaving crumbs for the last layer, and bake till brown.

MEATS.

MEATS.

MRS. DAVID BELL.

To make beefsteak tender, rub a pinch of baking soda on each side of the steak about an hour before cooking and roll it up on itself in the meantime. A very small pinch of brown sugar used in the same way is good, but the soda is thought preferable.

MEAT BALLS.

MRS. WADDLE.

Mash finely some potatoes, pass through a sieve, stir in the yolks of two eggs, one ounce of butter, pepper and salt. Mince finely some beef or tongue. Mix all well together, add a little parsley, roll into balls, cover with egg and bread crumbs, fry in hot lard. Let them dry before the fire on paper. Very good.

SPICED BEEF.

Rub well into a round weighing forty pounds, three ounces saltpetre, let stand six or eight hours, pound three ounces allspice, one pound black pepper, two pounds salt, and seven ounces brown sugar; rub the beef well with the salt and spices. Let it remain fourteen days turning it every day and rub with the pickle, then wash off the spices and put in a deep pan, cut small six pounds of suet, put some in the bottom of the pan, the greater part on the top, cover with coarse paste and bake eight hours; when cold take off the paste pour off the gravy, it will keep six months.

SPICED BEEF.

MISS J. E. FRASER.

Two pounds of raw steak from the round, free from bone, fat or sinew, chopped very fine, six soda biscuits rolled fine, one cup of milk, two eggs beaten in one tablespoon salt, one dessertspoon of pepper, and add a little spice if you like. Butter an earthenware jar as large round the top as the bottom and press the mixture in very lightly. Cover with butter one half inch thick. Cover the jar with a plate and bake in an oven for two hours. Serve whole or cut in slices. Nicer cold.

BEEF À LA MODE.

MRS. I. T. SMYTHE.

One half pound of meat, cut up into four inch squares and two or three inches thick, add onion chopped fine, one teaspoon salt, and one half teaspoon pepper, cover with boiling water and place in jar and cook in oven for two hours.

BEEF OLIVES.

MRS. GEORGE M. CRAIG.

Thin slices of steak cut into squares about the size of hand; make a dressing similar to chicken, bake, then put on the steak and roll, put in the saucepan with some onion and butter in a little water, let it simmer for an hour and a half to two hours.

COLD MEAT CUTLETS.

MRS. A. COOK.

Half pound cold meat or chicken, one ounce butter, one ounce of flour, one gill white stock, one teaspoon chopped parsley, one half saltspoon grated nutmeg, small teaspoon of salt, saltspoon of pepper, grated rind of half a small lemon. Pass chicken twice through the mincer, then melt the butter, stir into it the flour, get it perfectly smooth and add stock, don't let it brown, stir until it boils and boil two minutes, add the chicken, (when properly cooked will leave the pan clearly) add pepper, salt, nutmeg, parsley and lemon, put it away to cool. In using cold beef, a teaspoon anchovy essence or paste is an improvement, and to mutton a teaspoon mushroom catsup. When the mixture is cold, place some flour on board to prevent sticking and form into rolls with square edges, beat the egg, place breadcrumbs mixed with pepper and salt on paper, put the rolls first in the egg, then in crumbs, have sufficient fat in pan and when the white smoke rises, put the rolls in and fry three minutes, drain on paper. Brown sauce may be served and mashed peas or potatoes placed in the centre.

CURED MUTTON HAMS.

MRS. W. COOK.

Quarter of a pound bay salt, ditto of common salt, one ounce saltpetre, four ounces brown sugar, one ounce allspice, four ounces black pepper (whole), the allspice or one ounce of coriander seed must be bruised not ground, one quart of water: boil all together a few minutes and rub on hot. In three weeks the hams will be ready to hang if well rubbed with the pickle everyday. Sufficient pickle for two.

BRAISED MUTTON.

MRS. ARCHIE COOK.

One boned shoulder of mutton, four ounces of bread crumbs, two ounces of suet, rind of half a lemon, bunch of mixed vegetables, one tablespoon chopped parsley, other herbs if liked, one egg, a little milk, one teaspoon of salt, half teaspoon of pepper. Chop suet finely (or fat from mutton will do) add breadcrumbs, parsley, grated lemon rind and salt, moisten with egg and milk. Place mixture in mutton, roll up and tie securely. Slice vegetables and put them with bones in saucepan also two cloves, a bay leaf and peppercorns, pour over them a pint of stock or water, place mutton on top and boil slowly about one and one half hours according to size of meat, then brush it over with glaze or sprinkle with flour, pepper and salt and bake it half an hour. Place on a dish, pour fat from pan and stir in half ounce of flour (browned) add stock in which meat was cooked, also one tablespoon mushroom catsup and one tablespoon Worcester sauce, pepper and salt, boil two minutes and strain around meat. Vegetables in stock can be cut to ornament the dish.

GENUINE IRISH STEW.

MRS. DUNCAN LAURIE.

Take the feet and legs of a pig, cut off at the hams, two will be sufficient for a family of eight. Singe off the hair and thoroughly cleanse them, removing the toes by scorching. Cut the legs in pieces suitable for stewing, put down in cold water and cook slowly for three hours. Pare and cut up nine or ten good sized potatoes and add to your stew with salt and pepper, about one half an hour before dishing. After the potatoes have been put in, the greatest care must be taken to prevent them from sticking to the pot and burning, therefore you must stir frequently with a spoon. What remains from dinner pour into a mould and it will become a jelly, which is nice eaten cold for breakfast.

TO STEW A FRESH TONGUE.

MRS. ARCHIE COOK.

Wash it very well and rub it well with common salt and a little saltpetre; let it lie two or three days; then boil till the skin will peel off; put it into a saucepan with part of the liquor it has boiled in and a pint of good stock, season with black and Jamaica pepper, two or three pounded cloves. Add a glassful of white wine, a tablespoonful of mushroom catsup and one of lemon pickle, thicken with butter rolled in flour. Stew the tongue till quite soft in this sauce; the wine can be added when dished or left out if preferred.

LAMBS' TONGUES STEWED.

MRS. ARCHIE COOK.

Six tongues, three heaping tablespoons of butter, one large onion, two slices of carrot, three slices of white turnip, three tablespoons flour, one of salt, a little pepper, one quart of stock or water and some sweet herbs. Boil the tongues one hour and a half in clear water, take them up, cover with cold water, and draw off the skins. Put the butter, onion, turnip and carrot in the stewpan and cook slowly for fifteen minutes, then add the flour and cook until brown, stirring all the time. Stir the stock into this and when it boils up, add the tongues, 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, over all. Garnish with parsley.

ROAST FILLET OF VEAL.

MRS. RATTRAY.

Take a good sized, white, fat leg of veal, weighing some ten or twelve pounds. Remove the meat carefully from the bone and take out the bone. Then pin the meat securely into a nice round with skewers; fill the cavity from which the bone was taken with the following dressing. Roast in a slow oven, allowing one quarter of an hour for each pound, and be sure to keep it thoroughly basted with plenty of beef dripping.

DRESSING.

Make ready one coffee cup of bread crumbs, one teaspoonful of chopped parsley, one half teaspoonful summer savory, pepper and salt to taste. Take a good sized onion, peel, slice, and fry it well with a piece of butter the size of an egg; pour the liquor from this into your bread crumbs and blend all thoroughly together. Be careful not to put the onion in, only the fried butter and onion juice. When the meat is cooked, remove from pan and make a rich brown gravy to serve with it. Garnish your dish with fried bacon and slices of lemon.

STUFFING FOR VEAL.

MRS. W. CLINT.

Chop half a pound of beef suet very fine, put in a basin, with eight ounces of bread crumbs, four ounces of chopped parsley, a tablespoonful of equal quantities of powdered thyme and marjoram, the rind of a lemon grated, the juice of half a one; season with pepper and salt, and a quarter of a nutmeg; mix the whole with two eggs; this will do also for turkey or baked fish.

YORKSHIRE PUDDING.

MRS. GEORGE CRESSMAN.

Two eggs, four tablespoonfuls of flour, a little salt and milk to make a batter the thickness of cream. When the beef is roasted pour off the boiling dripping into another pan, turn in the batter and bake to a good brown.

GAME.

ACCOMPANIMENTS.--With wild ducks, cucumber sauce, currant jelly or cranberry sauce.

ROAST DUCK WITH APPLES.

MISS BEEMER.

Pluck and singe a duck, draw it without breaking the intestines, wipe it with a wet towel and lay it in a baking pan; wipe a dozen small sour apples with a wet cloth, cut out the cores without breaking the apples, and arrange them around the duck; put the pan into a hot oven and quickly brown the duck, then moderate the heat of the oven and continue the cooking for about twenty minutes, or until the apples are tender but not broken, baste both duck and apples every five minutes until they are done, and then serve them on the same dish. It is a great improvement some think, to parboil the duck for fifteen minutes with an onion in the water, and the strong fishy flavor that is sometimes so disagreeable in wild ducks will have disappeared. A carrot will answer the same purpose.

ROAST QUAIL WITH BREAD SAUCE.

Peel and slice an onion and put it over the fire in a pint of milk; pluck and singe half a dozen quail, draw them without breaking the intestines, cut off the heads and feet, and wipe them with a wet towel; rub them all over with butter; season them with pepper and salt, and roast them before a very hot fire for fifteen minutes basting them three or four times with butter. Have some slices of toast laid under them to catch the drippings. While the birds are roasting make a bread sauce as follows; roll a pint bowlfull of dry bread, and sift the crumbs; use the finest ones for the sauce, and the largest for the frying later; remove the onion from the milk in which it has been boiling, stir into the milk the finest portion of the crumbs, season it with a saltspoonful of white pepper and a grate of nutmeg, stir in a tablespoonful of butter, and stir the sauce until it is smooth; then place the saucepan containing it in a pan of boiling water to keep it hot; put two tablespoonfuls of butter over the fire in a frying pan, and when it is smoking hot put into it the coarse half of the crumbs, dust them with cayenne pepper, and stir them until they are light brown; then at once put them on a hot dish; put the bread sauce into a gravy-boat ready to send it to the table. Arrange to have the fried breadcrumbs, sauce and quail done at the same time; serve the birds on the toast which has been laid under them; in serving the quail, lay each bird on a hot plate, pour over it a large spoonful of the bread sauce and on that place a spoonful of the fried bread crumbs.

VENISON STEAK.

MRS. ERNEST F. WURTELE.

Take a piece of frozen venison, and put into water in which has been put two tablespoons of vinegar. Just leave until the ice comes to the surface of the meat, take the meat out and remove the ice with a knife; wipe dry and flour well, put a good piece of butter in the pan; let brown, put the steak in salt, and pepper, fry on both sides, then add a cup of rich milk, push the pan to the back of the stove and cover it and let it stew slowly for one and a half hours--If the steak is very dry lard it with salt pork before frying.

STEWED PIGEONS.

MRS. HARRY LAURIE.

For two pair of pigeons stuff first with bread, summer savory, butter, pepper, salt. Put eight or nine slices of fat pork, in an iron pot to fry, until the pork is well browned, then take it out and put in the pigeons and let brown thoroughly, keep turning to prevent burning. Then add one pint of stock, season if required, put back slices of pork and let stew for an hour and a half (at least) quietly. If gravy is not thick enough, add a tablespoon of brown flour. About quarter of an hour before done, put in a can of green peas--Then serve.

STEWED HARE.

Can be prepared in the same manner as the above for stewed pigeons, with the addition of spices: cloves a few, and a little more of cinnamon.

BREAD SAUCE.

MRS. BENSON BENNETT.

One half pint boiled milk to one cup of fine bread crumbs, one small onion, two cloves, one piece of mace, salt to taste, let simmer five minutes, add small piece of butter.

CRANBERRY JELLY.

Pare, quarter, and core twelve good sized tart apples, place in a porcelain kettle with two quarts of cranberries, cover well with cold water and stew until soft, then strain through a jelly bag, add to this juice two pounds of confectioner's sugar, and boil as you would any other jelly, until it falls from the skimmer; when you dip it in skim off any froth that arises while boiling, put in moulds and let it get firm before using.

PLAIN DRESSING FOR FOWLS.

MRS. W. CLINT.

One cup and a half of bread crumbs (not too stale), one heaped teaspoon each of parsley, thyme and savory, one dessert spoonful butter, half teaspoon salt, quarter of a teaspoon pepper, mix all together with a little milk.

PLAIN DRESSING FOR GEESE AND DUCKS.

One cup breadcrumbs or potatoes, one cup or more of stewed onions, one tablespoon sage, pepper, salt and a little butter, mix with a little milk.

VEGETABLES.

"Cheerful cooks make every dish a feast."--MASSINGER.

Always have the water boiling when you put your vegetables in, and keep it constantly boiling until they are done. Cook each kind by itself when convenient. All vegetables should be well seasoned.

APPLES.

MRS. DAVID BELL.

When the barrel of apples you have bought, begins to make your mind uneasy, because they can spoil faster than you can use them, a good plan is to peel, core and stir them with a very little sugar and screw them down in your jam jars. They will keep for a couple of months and will be handy to fill a tart or as apple sauce, etc.; they do not need to be cooked too much and some of the firmer sorts may remain in quarters solid enough for a pie. Another plan is to peel but not core the suspicious ones, then let them freeze solid, when frozen pack them in a box and cover. Keep them where they will not thaw. When you wish for a dish of baked apples, put them in your baking pan, scatter a little sugar over them and put them in a quick oven without letting them thaw, when done, they should each be whole and a pretty brown color.

BEANS.

Beans are a nice winter vegetable, but cooked with pork as "baked beans," are too strong for daily use, but are a desirable article of food cooked more plainly. Choose the small white beans, put them in a saucepan with as much cold water, as will cover them well and a small pinch of baking soda; when they have simmered a few minutes drain off the water and replace it with hot water and a little salt; if possible let them cook without boiling hard; when tender drain, and dish with a liberal piece of butter and a dust of pepper. They are also good thrown when drained into the frying pan with some dripping, pepper and salt, and heated a few minutes over the fire. The only attention they require in cooking is lest they melt into soup when nearly cooked.

FRIED BEETS.

MRS. DUNCAN LAURIE.

Boil until tender, slice and put in stewpan with a teaspoon of vinegar, half the juice of a lemon, one half teaspoonful each sugar and salt, a grate of nutmeg and a dash of pepper. Add two tablespoonfuls of stock, a teaspoon butter, and let simmer one half hour.

CREAMED CABBAGE.

MISS J. E. FRASER.

Cut a medium sized cabbage in quarters. Take out the stem, put into a kettle of boiling water, cook for ten minutes, drain and cover with cold water. This will destroy the odor so unpleasant. When cold, chop fine, season with salt and pepper. Make a sauce of two tablespoons of butter, one tablespoon flour, mix smooth, add one pint of milk; cook in this sauce slowly for three quarters of an hour.

STEWED CUCUMBERS.

MRS. DAVID BELL.

Peel a nice straight cucumber, cut in four lengthwise, scoop out all seeds, and cut it in pieces about three inches long; throw these into a saucepan of boiling water with a little salt. When they bend under the touch, they are done, drain in a sieve, then put in a stewpan with a good sized piece of butter, finely chopped parsley salt and pepper. Toss over the fire till thoroughly heated through and serve in a hot dish.

OYSTER CABBAGE.

MRS. D. M. COOK.

Mince fine one half a cabbage, boil for ten minutes and strain off water. Then cover cabbage with milk and let come to a boil, add rolled cracker crumbs, butter size of a walnut, salt and pepper to taste.

CORN OMELET.

Boil one half dozen ears of corn, cut corn from the cob; beat four eggs separately, add to the corn the beaten yolks, salt and pepper, put in the whites last, fry in a pan with plenty of butter.

MACARONI AND CHEESE.

MISS H. BARCLAY.

Boil quarter of a pound of macaroni in water, for half an hour, cool and chop. Make a sauce of one tablespoonful butter, one dessertspoon of flour, half pint milk, one teaspoonful of mustard. Boil one minute; mix all together with three ounces of grated cheese. Put in a shallow dish sprinkling top with cheese. Bake a golden brown and garnish with toast.

MACARONI.

MRS. THOM.

One half pound macaroni, one half pound cheese, one quarter pound of butter, pint of milk, mustard and cayenne. Boil macaroni in salt and water until tender, drain and lay in dish. Put pint of milk on fire, just before boiling, add one tablespoon flour, rubbed smooth in a little cold milk, butter, nearly all the cheese grated, mustard and cayenne. Boil until thick as custard, then pour over macaroni, sprinkle remainder of cheese on top with some small pieces of butter; if used immediately bake twenty minutes, if allowed to get cold one half hour.

CREAM-BAKED ONIONS.

MRS. J. S. THOM.

Pare as many good-sized onions as required and cover with boiling water, boil for ten minutes, then drain. Cover again with boiling water to which add one half teaspoon of salt, and cook till tender. Drain carefully and put the onions in a baking dish, place on each a teaspoon of butter, add pepper and salt to taste, then fill the dish half full of milk and cover with a layer of fine bread-crumbs. Bake till a delicate brown.

CORN OYSTERS.

MRS. FRANK GLASS.

One pint green grated corn, two tablespoons of milk, two eggs, two tablespoons of butter, flour to make a batter. Fry with butter.

OYSTER PANCAKES.

MRS. WADDLE.

One quart of new milk, three eggs, one half dozen green corn grated, one half teacup melted butter, one teaspoon salt and pepper. Flour enough to make a thin batter, fry with butter.

STIRRED POTATOES WITH EGGS.

MISS GRACE MACMILLAN.

Eight cold boiled potatoes chopped fine. Put into the saucepan a piece of butter the size of an egg. When it melts stir in the potatoes, stirring them till brown, then pour in four well beaten eggs, and stir them well through the potatoes. Serve very hot.

SWEET POTATOES STUFFED.

MRS. ARCHIBALD LAURIE.

Four large sized sweet potatoes baked until tender, then cut carefully in two. Cut a piece off each end, so they will stand, then scoop out, leaving the skins perfect. Mash the potato fine with an egg dressing as follows: boil four eggs hard, mash the yolks to a paste with cream to thin, salt and pepper to taste and a little mustard if liked; with this mixture fill the skins, place a piece of butter on top of each, and bake until well browned. Serve in individual saucers with a small doyley under.

POTATO FRILL.

MRS. FRANK GLASS.