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Title: Leaves from our Tuscan kitchen: or How to cook vegetables
Author: Ross, Janet
Language: English
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KITCHEN ***
_LEAVES FROM OUR TUSCAN KITCHEN_
_OR_
_HOW TO COOK VEGETABLES_
[Illustration:
_A.H. Hallam Murray._
_The Kitchen Poggio Gherardo._]
LEAVES
_from_
OUR TUSCAN
KITCHEN
_or_
How to Cook
Vegetables
_by_
JANET ROSS
LONDON
JM DENT 29 & 30 BEDFORD
AND CO. 1899 STREET W.C.
Edinburgh: T. and A. CONSTABLE, Printers to Her Majesty
_To Mrs. G. F. Watts_
_Dear friend, will you accept this little book? It may
sometimes bring a thought of Italy into your
beautiful Surrey home_
PREFACE
The innate love of change in man is visible even in the kitchen. Not
so very long ago soup was an exception in English houses--almost a
luxury. A dish of vegetables--as a dish and not an adjunct to meat--was
a still greater rarity; and even now plain-boiled potatoes, peas,
cabbages, etc., are the rule. When we read of the dishes, fearfully and
wonderfully made, in the old Italian _novelle_, we wonder whence the
present Italians got their love of vegetables and maccaroni.
Sacchetti tells us that in the fourteenth century a baked goose,
stuffed with garlic and quinces, was considered an exquisite dish; and
when the gonfalonier of Florence gave a supper to a famous doctor, he
put before him the stomach of a calf, boiled partridges, and pickled
sardines. Gianfigliazzi’s cook sent up a roasted crane to his master
as a delicacy, says Boccaccio; and a dish of leeks cooked with spices
appears as a special dish in the rules of the chapter of San Lorenzo
when the canons messed together. Old Laschi, author of that delightful
book _L’Osservatore Fiorentino_, moralises on the ancient fashion of
cooking in his pleasant rather prosy way: ‘It would not seem that
the senses should be subjected to fashion; and yet such is the case.
The perfumes, once so pleasing, musk, amber, and benzoin, now excite
convulsions; sweet wines, such as Pisciancio, Verdea, Montalcino, and
others mentioned by Redi in his dithyrambic, are now despised; and
instead of the heavy dishes of olden times, light and elegant ones are
in vogue. Whoever characterised man as a laughing animal ought rather
to have called him a variable and inconstant one.’
The dinner which set all Siena laughing for days, given to a favourite
of Pius II. by a Sienese who substituted wild geese for peacocks, after
cutting off their beaks and feet, and coloured his jelly with poisonous
ingredients, forms the subject of one of Pulci’s tales:--
‘Meanwhile it was ordered that hands should be washed, and Messer Goro
was seated at the head of the table, and then other courtiers who had
accompanied him; and they ate many tarts of good almond paste as a
beginning. Then was brought to Messer Goro the dish on which were the
peacocks without beaks, and a fellow was told to carve them. He not
being used to such office gave himself vast trouble to pluck them,[1]
but did it with so little grace that he filled the room and all the
table with feathers, and the eyes, the mouth, the nose, and the ears
of Messer Goro, and of them all. They, perceiving that it was from
want of knowledge, held their peace, and took a mouthful here and
there of other dishes so as not to disturb the order of the feast. But
they were always swallowing dry feathers. Falcons and hawks would have
been convenient that evening. When this pest had been removed many
other roasts were brought, but all most highly seasoned with cumin.
Everything would however have been pardoned if at the last an error had
not been committed, which out of sheer folly nearly cost Messer Goro
and those with him their lives. Now you must know that the master of
the house and his councillors, in order to do honour to his guest, had
ordered a dish of jelly. They wanted, as is the fashion in Florence and
elsewhere, to have the arms of the Pope and of Messer Goro with many
ornaments on it; so they used orpiment, white and red lead, verdigris
and other horrors, and set this before Messer Goro as a choice and new
thing. And Messer Goro and his companions ate willingly of it to take
the bitter taste of the cumin and the other strange dishes out of their
mouths, thinking, as is the custom in every decent place, that they
were all coloured with saffron, milk of sweet almonds, the juices of
herbs, and such like. And in the night it was just touch and go that
some of them did not stretch out their legs. Messer Goro especially
suffered much anguish from both head and stomach....’[2]
[1] Peacocks were skinned, not plucked, before cooking, and the skin
with the feathers was put on to the roasted bird, and the tail opened
out before placing the dish on the table. The ‘fellow’ ought to have
cut the stitches and drawn off the skin, instead of plucking the
feathers.
[2] See _L’Osservatore Fiorentino_, vol. vi. p. 108.
A company of Lombard pastrycooks came to Tuscany in the sixteenth
century, and introduced fine pastry into Florence. We find the first
mention of it in Berni’s _Orlando Innamorato_, where it is mentioned
among the choice viands. Laschi says, ‘the epoch of Charles V. is
the greatest of modern times, for the culture of the spirit induced
the culture of the body.’ But he does not mention vegetables or herbs
at all. For them we must go back to the ancients. Bitterly did the
Israelites, when wandering in the desert, regret ‘the cucumbers and
the melons we did eat in Egypt’; though old Gerarde says, ‘they yield
to the body a cold and moist nourishment, and that very little, and
the same not good.’ Gerarde is however hard to please, for he says
of egg-plants, under the old English name of Raging or Mad Apples,
‘doubtless these apples have a mischievous qualitie, the use whereof is
utterly to be forsaken.’
Fennel, dedicated to St. John, was believed to make the lean fat and
to give the weak strength, while the root pounded with honey was
considered a remedy against the bites of mad dogs. If lettuce be eaten
after dinner it cures drunkenness; but Pope says:--
If your wish be rest,
Lettuce and cowslip wine, _probatum est_.
Sorrel is under the influence of Venus, and Gerarde declares that also
‘the carrot serveth for love matters; and Orpheus, as Pliny writeth,
said that the use hereof winneth love.’ Flowers of rosemary, rue, sage,
marjoram, fennel, and quince preserve youth; worn over the heart they
give gaiety. Rosemary is an herb of the sun, while Venus first raised
sweet marjoram, therefore young married couples are crowned with it in
Greece. While
‘He that eats sage in May
Shall live for aye.’[3]
[3] For interesting information about plants see _Plant Lore, Legends,
and Lyrics_, by R. Folkard, Jun. Sampson Low, Marston, Searle and
Rivington, London, 1884.
Sweet basil is often worn by the Italian maidens in their bosoms, as it
is supposed to engender sympathy, and borage makes men merry and joyful.
For years English friends have begged recipes for cooking vegetables in
the Italian fashion, so I have written down many of the following from
the dictation of our good Giuseppe Volpi, whose portrait, by Mr. A. H.
Hallam Murray, adorns this little book, and who has been known to our
friends for over thirty years.
I must also acknowledge, with thanks, the courtesy of Sigri. Fratelli
Ingegnoli of Milan, who have permitted me to use and translate what I
needed from their excellent little book _Come si Cucinano i Legumi_.
JANET ROSS.
POGGIO GHERARDO,
FLORENCE.
CONTENTS
PAGE
Preface vii-xiii
Introduction 1-4
Artichokes ‘alla Barigoul’ 5
” ” (_maigre_) 5
” ‘Farciti’ 6
” ‘al Forno’ 7
” ‘alla Francese’ 7
” ‘Fritti.’ No. 1 7
” ” No. 2 8
” ‘alla Graticola’ 8
” ‘all’ Italiana’ 9
” ‘alla Lionese’ 9
” ‘alla Milanese’ 9
” ‘alla Spagnuola’ 10
” ‘al Vapore’ 10
Asparagus ‘alla Borghese’ 11
” ‘alla Casalinga’ 11
” cold 11
” ‘alla Crema’ 12
” ‘Fritto’ 12
” ‘ai Gamberi’ 13
Asparagus ‘in Istufato’ 13
” tips ‘all’ Italiana’ 13
” ‘all’ Olandese’ 14
” ‘alla Parmigiana’ 14
” ‘Perlate’ 14
” tips ‘alla Suprema’ 15
” on Toast. No. 1 15
” ” No. 2 16
” ‘alla Wilhelmina’ 16
Beans (Broad) ‘al Burro’ 17
” ” ‘alla Romana’ 17
” ” ‘alla Turca’ 18
” ” ‘al Vino’ 18
” (French) ‘al Burro’ 18
” ” ‘alla Crema.’ No. 1 19
” ” ” No. 2 19
” ” ‘allo Zabajone’ 19
” (Haricots) ‘alla Bruna’ 20
” ” Croquettes of 20
” ” ‘alla Fiorentina’ 21
” ” ‘alla Maître d’Hôtel’ 21
” ” ‘alla Milanese’ 21
” ” ‘alla Polenta’ 22
” ” ‘Purée alla Brétonne’ 22
” ” ‘alla Romana’ 22
” ” ‘sautés’ 23
” (Lima) ‘alla Crema’ 23
” (Dwarf Lima) ‘alla Portugese’ 23
” (Scarlet Runners) ‘alla Panna’ 24
Beet Leaves boiled 24
” ‘Gnocchi’ 24
Beetroot (How to boil) 25
” ‘alla Panna’ 25
” and Potatoes 26
Broccoli ‘alla Crema’ 26
” ‘alla Parmigiana’ 27
” with White Sauce 27
Brussels Sprouts ‘alla Crema’ 28
” ” ‘al Limone’ 28
” ” ‘sautés’ 28
Cabbage (How to boil) 29
” ‘farcito all’ Americana’ 29
” ‘alla Crema’ 30
” ‘al Forno’ 30
” ‘Fritto’ 31
” ‘all’ Uovo’ 31
” ‘Pasticciato’ 31
” ‘in Stufato’ 32
” (Red) ‘alla Fiamminga’ 32
” ” ‘alla Tedesca’ 32
Capsicums ‘Farciti.’ No. 1 33
” ” No. 2 33
” ‘al Forno’ 34
Cardoons ‘al Bianco’ 34
” ‘alla Milanese’ 35
Carrots ‘all’ Aceto’ 35
” ‘alla Béchamel’ 35
” ‘alla Casalinga’ 36
” ‘alla Panna’ 36
” ‘Sautées’ 37
” ‘in Stufato’ 37
” ‘allo Zucchero’ 38
Cauliflower ‘al Borghese’ 38
” ‘al Burro’ 39
” ‘alla Crema’ 39
” ‘al Forno’ 39
” ‘al Fritto’ 40
” ‘al Gratin’ 40
” ‘alla Piemontese’ 41
” ‘in Stufato’ 41
Celery ‘alla Crema’ 41
” ‘al Fritto’ 42
” ‘all’ Italiana’ 42
” ‘alla Parmigiana’ 43
” ‘al Pomidoro’ 43
” stewed 43
Cucumbers ‘alla Béchamel’ 44
” ‘alla Comasca’ 44
” ‘alla Crema’ 44
” ‘Farciti’ 45
” ‘in Istufato’ 45
” ‘alla Panna’ 46
” ‘alla Spagnuola’ 46
Cucumbers ‘alla Toscana’ 46
” ‘all’ Uova’ 47
Egg-Plant (Aubergine) ‘Farcite’ 47
” ” ‘al Forno’ 48
” ” ‘Fritto’ 48
” ” ‘alla Griglia’ 48
” ” ‘Sauté’ 49
Flan of Celery 49
” Potatoes 49
” Vegetables 50
Fritto Misto 50
” of Vegetables 51
Jerusalem Artichokes ‘al Bianco’ 51
” ” in Purée 52
Leeks ‘alla Casalinga’ 52
” ‘al Forno’ 53
” ‘alla Salza Bianca’ 53
Lentils ‘alla Corona’ 53
” ‘in Istufato’ 54
” ‘alla Provenzale’ 54
” ‘Purée’ 55
” ‘al Riso’ 55
Lettuce ‘Farcite’ 55
” ‘al Forno’ 56
” ‘alla Spagnuola’ 56
MACCARONI AND OTHER PASTES
Maccaroni ‘alla Béchamel’ 57
” ‘alla Crema’ 57
” ‘al Forno.’ No. 1 58
” ” No. 2 58
” ” No. 3 58
” ‘au Gratin’ 59
” ‘all’ Italiana’ 59
” ‘al Latte’ 60
” ‘alla Napolitana’ 60
” ‘alla Quaresima’ 61
” ‘alla Semplice’ 61
” ‘alla Siciliana’ 61
” ‘Timbale alla Milanese’ 62
” ‘Timbale alla Napolitana’ 63
OTHER PASTES
Agnelotti ‘alla Poggio Gherardo’ 63
Crescioni 64
Gnocchi ‘alla Romana’ 65
” of Semolina 65
Pappardelle with Hare 66
Spaghetti ‘con Acciughe’ 66
” ‘al Forno’ 67
” ‘all’ Italiana’ 67
” ‘alla Napolitana’ 68
” ‘Timbaletti di’ 68
Tagliarini ‘al Formaggio’ 69
Tagliatelle with Ham 69
” ‘alla Romagnola’ 70
” with Sausages 70
Tortelli 71
Macedoine of Vegetables 71
Mushrooms (Pratajuoli) ‘al Burro’ 72
” (Porcini) ‘alla Casalinga’ 72
” (Pratajuoli) ‘alla Crema’ 72
” (Porcini) ‘alla Francese’ 73
” ” Fried. No. 1 73
” ” ” No. 2 74
” ” Grilled 74
” ” ‘all’ Intingolo’ 74
” (Prugnuoli) ‘alla Spagnuola’ 75
” (Dormienti) ‘al Sugo’ 75
” (Pratajuoli) on Toast 76
” (Porcini) with Tomato Sauce 76
” (Ovoli) ‘Trippati’ 76
Onions ‘Farcite’ 77
” ‘Fried’ 77
” ‘Glacés’ 77
” Small White 78
” ‘in Stufato’ 78
Parsnips ‘alla Crema’ 79
” ‘al Forno’ 79
” ‘Fritte’ 80
” ‘Sautés’ 80
Peas ‘all’ Antica’ 80
” ‘alla Borghese’ 81
” ‘al Burro’ 81
” ‘alla Consommé’ 81
” ‘alla Crema’ 81
” ‘alla Francese.’ No. 1 82
” ” ” No. 2 82
” ‘al Buon Gusto’ 83
” ‘all’ Inglese’ 83
Pea Omelette 83
Pease-pudding 84
Peas in their Pods 85
” ‘allo Stufato’ 85
” ‘allo Zucchero’ 85
Polenta Dabs 86
” ‘alla Parmigiana’ 86
” with Sausages 86
Potatoes boiled 87
” ‘alla Borghese’ 87
” ‘alla Campagnuola’ 87
” ‘in Casseruola’ 88
” ‘alla Crema’ 88
” Croquettes. No. 1 88
” ” No. 2 89
” ‘Farcite’ 89
” ‘al Forno.’ No. 1 90
” ” No. 2 90
” ‘in Frittata’ (Omelette) 90
” ‘alla Semplicità’ 91
” ‘Fritti alla Francese’ 91
Potatoes ‘in Frittura’ 91
Potato ‘Gnocchi’ 92
Potatoes ‘all’ Italiana’ 92
” ‘alla Gran Duchessa’ 93
” ‘alla Lionese’ 93
” ‘alla Maître d’Hôtel’ 94
” ‘all’ Olandese’ 94
” ‘alla Panna’ 94
Potato Pudding 95
” ” with Mushrooms 95
Potatoes ‘in Ragout’ 96
” ‘Arrostite’ (Roasted) 96
” ‘Sautées’ 97
” ‘in Stufato’ 97
” ‘Tartufate’ 97
” ‘all’ Umido’ 98
Pumpkins ‘alla Fiorentina’ 98
” ‘Fritti’ 98
Pumpkin Pudding 99
Pumpkins ‘Ripiene.’ No. 1 99
” ” (_Maigre_). No. 2 100
Rice (How to Cook) 100
” ‘alla Casalinga’ 101
” Croquettes 101
” with Tomatoes. No. 1 102
” ” ” No. 2 103
” with Prawns 103
” with Quails 104
” ‘alla Ristori’ 104
Risotto ‘alla Milanese.’ No. 1 104
” ” No. 2 105
” with Peas 105
” ‘alla Poggio Gherardo’ 106
SALADS
Artichoke Salad 106
Beetroot Salad 107
Broccoli Salad 107
Cabbage Salad 107
‘Alla Cardinale’ Salad 107
Cauliflower Salad 108
Celery Salad 108
Cucumber and Tomato Salad 108
‘All’ Egiziana’ Salad 109
French Beans Salad 109
‘All’ Italiana’ Salad 109
Lettuce Salad 109
” ” ‘alla Francese’ 110
” ” with Veal (or Fish) 110
‘Alla Macedoine’ Salad 111
‘Alla Pollastra’ Salad 111
Potato Salad. No. 1 111
” ” No. 2 112
” ” No. 3 112
” ” No. 4 113
‘Alla Russa’ Salad 113
Spanish Onion Salad 113
Summer Salad. No. 1 114
” ” No. 2 114
Tomato Salad. No. 1 114
” ” No. 2 115
” ” No. 3 115
” ” No. 4 115
” ” No. 5 116
” Jelly Salad 116
Tomatoes and Celery (Salad of) 117
Watercress Salad 117
SAUCES
Roux for Sauces 117
Agro Dolce Sauce 118
Bearnese Sauce 118
Béchamel Sauce. No. 1 119
” ” No. 2 119
” ” No. 3 119
” ” (_Maigre_) No. 4 120
Broccoli (Sauce for) 120
Caper Sauce 121
” ” ‘alla Genovese’ 121
” ” ‘alla Milanese’ 121
” ” (Cold) 122
Butter Sauce. No. 1 122
” ” No. 2 (Melted Butter) 122
Francese Sauce 123
Lombarda Sauce 123
Mayonnaise Sauce 123
” ” ‘alla Monte Bianco’ 124
” ” ‘alla Ravigote’ 124
Olandese Sauce 124
‘Alla Panna’ Sauce 125
Suprema Sauce. No. 1 125
” ” No. 2 125
Tartara Sauce. No. 1 126
” ” No. 2 126
Tomato Sauce. No. 1 126
” ” No. 2 127
Ve lutata Sauce 127
Sorrel Purée 128
” ” (_Maigre_) 128
” ” Stewed 128
SOUPS
Artichoke Soup 128
” ” (Purée) 129
Asparagus Soup 129
Carrot Soup 130
Chestnut Soup 130
Lentil Soup. No. 1 130
” ” No. 2 131
Lettuce Soup 131
Potato Soup ‘alla Provinciale’ 132
” ” ‘alla Romana’ 132
Pumpkin Soup. No. 1 132
” ” No. 2 133
Onion Soup. No. 1 133
” ” ‘Purée alla Soubise.’ No. 2 134
Palestine Soup 134
Pea Soup 134
Polentina ‘alla Veneziana’ 135
Sorrel Soup 135
Spinach Soup ‘alla Modenese’ 135
Tomato Soup. No. 1 136
” ” (_Maigre_) No. 2 136
Turnip Soup 137
Vegetable Soup (Mixed) 137
Vegetable and Cream Soup 137
Spinach ‘al Burro’ 138
” ‘alla Crema’ 138
” Croquettes 138
” ‘Ravioli alla Fiorentina’ 139
” Fried 139
” Pudding with Mushrooms 140
” ‘in Riccioli’ 140
” Soufflé 141
Tomatoes Broiled 141
” ‘in Conchiglia’ 142
” ‘al Forno.’ No. 1 142
” ” No. 2 142
” ” No. 3 143
” ‘Fritti’ 143
” ‘alla Graticola’ 144
” Iced 144
” ‘all’ Indiana’ 144
” ‘al Pane’ 144
” Pudding 145
Tomatoes in Purée 145
” ‘Ripieni’ 146
” ‘al Riso’ 146
” Stewed 146
” ‘in Umido’ 147
” ‘con Uova’ 147
Truffles in Champagne 147
” and Cheese 148
” Maigre 148
” in Omelette 148
” ‘alla Panna’ 149
” ‘Sautés’ 149
” Stewed 150
” ‘sul tovagliolo’ 150
ITALIAN RECIPES
INTRODUCTION
_About the cooking of Vegetables._
Vegetables should be well washed in cold water to remove insects and
dust; if not fresh gathered, leave them some time in cold water,
and remember that they take longer to cook than fresh ones. Green
vegetables must be put into salted water (one tablespoonful of salt to
every two quarts of water) and rapidly cooked over a brisk fire in an
open sauce-pan until they are tender. All green vegetables should be
removed from the water as soon as cooked, and be well drained before
adding the seasoning.
_About Sauces._
So much depends on sauces that only the best ingredients should be used
in making them. Rancid or impure oil or bad butter will ruin sauces
and salads. Both butter and oil should always be tasted before buying,
as good cookery is impossible unless they are perfectly fresh and good
in every way; butter must be added to sauces in small bits, or it will
form a greasy line. To skim sauces, take the sauce-pan off the fire
and put in a teaspoonful of cold water, which will make the grease
rise. Remember that wine increases the taste of salt, so when wine is
used in a sauce put in very little salt until after the wine has been
added.
_About Eggs._
Eggs must be _quite_ fresh, if they taste of straw the sauce will be
spoiled. They should therefore be broken one at a time into a saucer
and examined before using. A pinch of salt added to the whites of eggs
makes them whisk better, and none of the yolk must be allowed to get
mixed in.
_About Spices._
The following is a good recipe for the spices so necessary in cooking:
Half an ounce of cloves, two ounces of nutmeg, half an ounce of sweet
basil, half an ounce of white pepper, two ounces of cinnamon, one
quarter of an ounce of dried bay leaves, half an ounce of thyme. Pound
well together, then pass through a sieve, and put them into a bottle,
or box, hermetically closed to preserve the perfume.
_About a Bouquet._
Take one bay leaf, one sprig of thyme, two cloves, and one stalk of
well-washed celery, place round these six sprigs of parsley, fold and
tie them so that the cloves, etc., cannot fall out.
_About Onion Juice._
Onion juice is obtained by grating an onion on a coarse grater, after
peeling it. Press hard, and each stroke will give one drop of juice.
_About Maccaroni and Spaghetti Paste._
For every quarter of a pound of flour use one egg and two
tablespoonfuls of warm salted water. Take as much flour as needful,
make a hole in the centre, and put in the water and the eggs. Beat them
up with a spoon, mixing the flour in gradually, then knead well. Roll
the paste into very thin sheets, and place them on a clean cloth to dry
for half an hour. This paste will not keep more than one, or one and a
half days, and must always be put into boiling water or broth to cook.
If soaked before cooking the flavour is spoiled.
_About blanching Maccaroni and Spaghetti._
Put an earthenware pot, filled with water, on the fire, add two
tablespoonfuls of salt, and boil. Put in three-quarters of a pound of
fresh maccaroni, twisting it round carefully so as not to break it.
Boil for seventeen minutes, then remove from the fire; drain, and put
it in cold water; drain again, and it is ready for use. Spaghetti are
blanched the same way.
_About Croûtons._
To make croûtons, cut bread into whatever shape you want. Take off the
crust, dip the pieces into melted butter, and toast in the oven, turn
often in order to colour evenly, or fry them in boiling oil or fat.
They must be crisp and of a light brown colour.
_About a Bain-Marie._
A Bain-Marie is a large copper pan placed on the fire, and containing
boiling water in which are put smaller pans with anything to be kept
hot, or cooked without boiling. Milk is better cooked in Bain-Marie,
than in a sauce-pan on the fire.
RECIPES
_Artichokes ‘alla Barigoul.’_
Clean and cut straight the under leaves of three large French
artichokes, boil them sufficiently to be able to take out the chokes,
and put them in cold water for five minutes. Drain thoroughly, then
fill the hole left by the choke with forcemeat made of half an ounce
of minced salt pork, two shallots, six mushrooms minced, a teaspoonful
of chopped parsley, a little pepper, and grated nutmeg, mixed well
together. Tie up the artichokes with string, heat three tablespoonfuls
of good olive oil in a pan, and brown them well on both sides. Then
place your artichokes in a sauté-pan, and put a small slice of fresh
pork, or a bit of good butter, on the top of each; add a tumbler of
broth, bake for forty minutes in oven, then place on a hot dish, and
serve, pouring the sauce in the pan over them.
_Artichokes ‘alla Barigoul’ (maigre)._
Parboil three fine French artichokes for three minutes, drain, pare
the tips and the bottoms, and remove the chokes. Then place them in a
sauce-pan with a tablespoonful of fresh butter, a carrot and an onion
sliced up, and very little salt. Cook a shallot (minced up) with a
tablespoonful of butter for three minutes (being careful not to let
it brown), add ten minced mushrooms, a tablespoonful of chopped-up
parsley, a teaspoonful of chopped-up chervil, and a little salt and
pepper; cook for five minutes, stirring often. Stuff the artichokes
with this, and put a whole mushroom on the top of each artichoke. Bake
in a hot oven, adding a wine-glassful of white wine and a tumbler of
vegetable soup; close the pan and cook for forty minutes. Add a quarter
of a pint of sauce ‘Vellutata’ (see Sauces, p. 127) to the sauce of the
artichokes, heat, but do not boil; strain, and serve in a sauce-boat
separately.
_Artichokes ‘Farciti.’_
Boil and drain twelve young artichokes. Chop up four ounces of boiled
ham and one pound of chicken-meat fine, add two tablespoonfuls of
cream, one teaspoonful of chopped parsley, a little pepper and salt,
and some grated nutmeg. Fill each artichoke with this compound, put
into a well-buttered frying-pan, and bake for a quarter of an hour in a
hot oven. Serve hot with ‘Alla Panna’ sauce (see Sauces, p. 125).
_Artichokes ‘al Forno.’_
Boil eight or ten young artichokes, then dry them well. Put a small
piece of onion on the top of each artichoke, wrap each in a slice of
ham, and stand them upright in a sauce-pan. In another sauce-pan make
your stuffings: four ounces of fine white lard cut up small, a quart
of broth, six mushrooms and a little parsley chopped up fine. Boil,
and when cooked pour this compound into each artichoke, put them into
the oven (not too hot) for about three-quarters of an hour. Before
serving be careful to remove any ham that has remained attached to the
artichokes, and pour some sauce ‘Olandese’ (see Sauces, p. 124) over
them.
_Artichokes ‘alla Francese.’_
Cut your artichokes into four or eight pieces according to their size,
remove the stalks and the hard leaves, and boil. Then sprinkle them
with lemon, and, to prevent them from turning brown, put them into hot
water with a good deal of vinegar. Drain well before serving, and after
putting them on a dish, pour a sauce made of pepper, salt, fine olive
oil, and a little vinegar over them, and serve hot.
_Artichokes ‘Fritti.’ No. 1._
Wash your artichokes and cut them into slices. When drained put them
into an earthen pot with some salt, pepper, fine olive oil, and a few
drops of vinegar. Put two yolks of eggs, one whole egg, a little water,
and some fine olive oil, into a frying-pan, and mix well together.
Throw the slices of artichoke into the frying-pan, stirring them well.
When they have taken a good colour remove them from the fire, strain
them, put them on a napkin in a dish, garnish with fried parsley and
serve very hot.
_Artichokes ‘Fritti.’ No. 2._
Cut eight or ten young artichokes into slices lengthways, take out
the chokes and cut off the ends of the leaves, and throw them into
vinegar and water; drain and dip them in the following batter:--two
tablespoonfuls of flour, the yolk of one egg, one spoonful of good
olive oil, and two tablespoonfuls of milk. Stir well; add one
tablespoonful of brandy (or water), pepper and salt to taste, and let
it stand for some hours. Before using whisk two whites of egg to a
stiff froth and beat it in.
_Artichokes ‘alla Graticola.’_
Wash your artichokes well, remove the stalks, the hard leaves, and the
points of the leaves; cut them in halves, and cook them on a gridiron.
Then sprinkle them with salt, some fine olive oil, and a little
pepper, and squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over them just before
serving up hot.
_Artichokes ‘all’ Italiana.’_
Clean the artichokes and remove the hard outside leaves. Boil them
well and leave them to drain. Arrange them on a dish and pour a sauce
‘Tartara, No. 1’ (see Sauces, p. 126) over them. Serve up quickly.
_Artichokes ‘alla Lionese.’_
Remove the stalk and the hard leaves, cut your artichoke into pieces,
then wash and drain them. Butter the bottom of a sauce-pan well, put in
the pieces of artichoke, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and cook
them with a slow fire above and below until they take a golden colour.
When quite cooked, arrange them on a dish, and pour some fried fresh
butter over them, into which a pinch of sugar and three tablespoonfuls
of sauce ‘Suprema’ (see Sauces, p. 125) has been put. Serve up very hot.
_Artichokes ‘alla Milanese.’_
Put your boiled artichokes into an earthenware pot after greasing it
well with fresh butter, then place a bit of butter in the centre of
each artichoke and sprinkle them with some finely grated Parmesan
cheese of the best quality. Cover the pot and cook over a slow fire,
taking care that the artichokes should not boil for too long. Just
before serving up, pour some more melted butter over them.
_Artichokes ‘alla Spagnuola.’_
Remove the stalks and the hard leaves, and wash three (or more)
artichokes well and cut them into pieces. Boil, then drain, put them
into a sauce-pan with some pepper, five tablespoonfuls of sauce
‘Suprema’ (see Sauces, p. 125), five of Consommé, and then put them on
the fire for half an hour. Boil again for half an hour with fire above
and below, before serving them up hot.
_Artichokes ‘al Vapore.’_
Remove the hard outside leaves of the artichokes, but leave a little
of the stalk. Then place them upright in a small sauce-pan with a
little water which must not quite cover the artichokes. Open out the
artichokes and pour into the centre of each a sauce made of pepper,
salt, and fine olive oil. Then cover the sauce-pan and be careful to
boil the water well, so as to steam the artichokes thoroughly.
N.B.--Artichokes are eaten when barely half-grown in Italy.
* * * * *
_Asparagus ‘alla Borghese.’_
Take a bundle of asparagus, scrape the white of each stalk lightly, and
put them into cold water. Then tie them in bundles of twenty-five (or,
if very large, of twelve or fifteen), keep the heads together, and cut
the ends of one length. Cook them quickly for fifteen minutes in one
gallon of boiling water in which two ounces of salt has been put. Dish
them up on a piece of toast, serve very hot, with melted fresh butter,
or sauce ‘Alla Panna,’ or ‘All’ Olandese’ (see Sauces, pp. 124, 125).
_Asparagus ‘alla Casalinga.’_
Take four pounds of asparagus and cook the green part in boiling salted
water. Then drain, and put the asparagus into a baking-dish with four
ounces of fresh butter, sprinkle with grated cheese, salt and pepper to
taste, brown slightly, garnish with eggs fried in butter, and serve hot.
_Asparagus, cold._
Cut the ends of your asparagus so as to have them of equal length, and
boil in salted water. When cold lay them on a dish, and, just before
serving, pour over them a sauce made of good olive oil, white wine
vinegar, salt, and pepper. (If preferred, a white sauce can be used
instead of oil and vinegar.)
_Asparagus ‘alla Crema.’_
Take the heads only of the asparagus (two or three pounds as required)
and put them into boiling water with a little salt. Boil for about
fifteen minutes, and prepare meanwhile some square pieces of roll or
white bread, without the crust. Scoop out the centre of each piece and
put in a bit of butter, then fry (or bake) until the bread turns a good
yellow colour. After draining the heads of the asparagus place them in
the holes in the bread, taking care to keep them hot. Then boil half a
pint of milk, add four yolks of eggs, and stir till solid. Take it off
the fire, add a little butter, a sprinkling of salt and pepper, pour
over the asparagus and bread, and serve up hot.
_Asparagus ‘Fritto.’_
Cut the heads off a bunch of asparagus, boil them in slightly salted
water for about fifteen minutes, and then strain. Put half a tumbler
of cream, in which the yolk of an egg and two ounces of butter have
been well beaten up, into a frying-pan, add a tablespoonful of sugar,
salt and pepper to taste, and stir slowly over the fire for five or six
minutes. Then fry your asparagus heads in it and serve very hot.
_Asparagus ‘ai Gamberi.’_
Cut the tender heads of the asparagus in equal lengths and boil them,
then pickle them in good olive oil, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg.
Stick a hunch of bread into the centre of a dish, cover it with sauce
‘Mayonnaise,’ and place the asparagus heads (over which you have just
squeezed some lemon juice) round and over it. Garnish the dish with
sauce ‘Mayonnaise’ (see Sauces, p. 123) and crayfish tails, and serve.
Some jelly will be an addition.
_Asparagus ‘in Istufato.’_
Cut the heads off a bunch of asparagus and wash them well in cold
salted water. Strain, and when dry put them into a sauce-pan with a
tablespoonful of flour, four ounces of butter, half a pint of cream (or
milk), and a little salt and pepper. Leave them on the fire until they
begin to boil, then remove, and serve up hot.
_Asparagus tips ‘all’ Italiana.’_
Prepare about 200 asparagus tips two or two and a half inches long,
half cook, and then drain them. Put them in a baking-pan with fresh
butter and strong gravy, taking care that they should be well glacées.
Cook fifteen or eighteen eggs for five minutes, shell them and keep
them warm in hot water. Pile a stiff purée of potatoes dome-shaped on
a dish, arrange your asparagus heads (pointing upwards) round it, heat
the dish well, and stand your eggs upright all round, pouring a white
sauce over them. Serve very hot.
_Asparagus ‘all’ Olandese.’_
Take a bunch of asparagus and scrape the stalks well. Cut them of equal
length and put them into boiling salted water (if they are not all of
the same size, put the biggest in first, or the small ones will be too
much cooked) and boil fast. Drain well, and place them on a napkin in a
dish, with sauce ‘Olandese’ (see Sauces, p. 124) in a sauce-boat apart.
_Asparagus ‘alla Parmigiana.’_
Scrape and boil your asparagus and place them on a dish, pour over them
a sauce of melted fresh butter mixed with strong gravy, some grated
Parmesan cheese, and a little pepper; then powder them with a little
grated Parmesan cheese, pour some more melted butter over them, colour
with the salamander and serve immediately.
_Asparagus ‘Perlate.’_
Cut the heads of a bunch of asparagus into small pieces like peas, and
put them into salted boiling water. When almost cooked, drain, and put
them into a sauce-pan with four ounces of fresh butter and a little
powdered sugar, sprinkle well with flour, and pour a little soup, or
sauce ‘Vellutata’ over them (see Sauces, p. 127). When thoroughly
cooked, mix two or three well-beaten-up yolks of eggs with them, and
serve very hot.
_Asparagus tips ‘alla Suprema.’_
Choose asparagus of about the same size, break off the tenderest part
with your fingers, and cut them in small bits, cooking the tips last.
Put them into salted boiling water, then drain, and place them in a
baking-pan with melted fresh butter, keep them a few minutes on the
fire, add some salt, a little gravy, fresh butter and lemon juice.
Serve hot.
_Asparagus on Toast. No. 1._
Wash the asparagus well and scrape the stalks, then tie in bunches and
put them into an earthenware pot of boiling water slightly salted; boil
for about twenty minutes, until they are tender but not over-done, cut
some toasted bread into square pieces (without the crust), and put a
bit of butter on each piece. When the asparagus is cooked and drained,
untie the bunches and place it on the toast, taking care to lay the
heads all the same way. Then melt four ounces of fresh butter with
a little flour in a frying-pan, and add a pinch of salt and pepper.
Serve the sauce separately, or a sauce ‘Olandese’ if better liked (see
Sauces, p. 124).
_Asparagus on Toast. No. 2._
Cut off the bottom of the stalks of a bunch of asparagus to make them
even, and put them into a pan of cold water till near dinner-time. Then
put the bunch in boiling water in which a pinch of soda, the weight of
a pea, has been dissolved. Boil a quarter of an hour, then drain, cut
the twine and serve. Have the buttered toast ready, place the white
ends of the asparagus on it and pour one tablespoonful of melted butter
over the green heads in the dish.
_Asparagus ‘alla Wilhelmina.’_
Wash and clean a bunch of asparagus and cook in boiling water slightly
salted. When cooked and dried, arrange them in a dish, one-half on one
side, one-half on the other, so that the heads meet in the middle.
Melt four ounces of fresh butter in a frying-pan, add a little flour
and some good broth, mix well together and boil, then add one or two
bay leaves, some chopped parsley and onion, salt and pepper to taste,
and three well-beaten-up yolks of eggs. Boil for five minutes, add a
little lemon juice, pour the sauce over the asparagus, and serve up
very hot.
* * * * *
_Beans (Broad) ‘al Burro.’_
Shell one quart of fresh young broad beans and put them in cold water.
Put two quarts of water in a sauce-pan and add a slice of ham, a stick
of celery, a bunch of parsley, three cloves, twenty peppercorns, and
one bay leaf. Boil for a quarter of an hour, then take out the ham,
etc., and put in the beans. Strain as soon as they are tender, add
four ounces of fresh butter and put them on the fire for a few minutes
before serving.
_Beans (Broad) ‘alla Romana.’_
Chop up one small onion and four or five sage leaves, and fry brown in
butter. Put in a quart of young shelled broad beans, cover them with
boiling water and stew over a very slow fire for twenty minutes, add
the strained juice of six tomatoes (or some tomato conserve), with salt
and pepper to taste. Add boiling water whenever necessary, and stir
often, to prevent the beans from sticking to the sauce-pan. Stew for
twenty or twenty-five minutes, and serve very hot.
_Beans (Broad) ‘alla Turca.’_
Take a quart of young broad bean pods, about two inches long, cut them
in half and put them in cold water. Then cook them in a sauce-pan
with two quarts of boiling water. Drain, and again put them in cold
water. Mince some ham and fry it with a little butter in a sauce-pan,
throw your beans in, toss, and heat them for ten minutes. Add three
tablespoonfuls good stock before serving up hot.
_Beans (Broad) ‘al Vino.’_
Take quite young shelled broad beans and stew them in a sauce-pan with
a little browned onion, some ham, butter, sweet herbs, and flour;
moisten well with broth, add a quarter of a pint of sweet white wine,
and three spoonfuls of sugar. Serve hot.
_Beans (French) ‘al Burro.’_
Remove the strings and the ends from one quart of French beans and
cut them into pieces about an inch long. Put them into cold water for
twenty or thirty minutes, then dry, and throw them into a sauce-pan of
boiling water with some salt and butter. Cook slowly for about half an
hour (according to the age of the beans), then place them in a dish,
adding some fresh butter, salt and pepper. Serve up hot.
_Beans (French) ‘alla Crema.’ No. 1._
Boil one quart of French beans slowly until nearly tender; then dry,
and put them to cook in fresh butter. Mix a teacupful of cream, an egg,
some grated cheese, and some allspice well together in a sauce-pan,
then add some lemon juice, a little white wine vinegar, and boil. Pour
this sauce over the beans, mix well, and serve up hot.
_Beans (French) ‘alla Crema.’ No. 2._
Break off both ends and string two quarts of young fresh French beans,
wash in cold water, and drain. Put them into salted boiling water and
cook for five minutes, stirring them well. Season with a teaspoonful of
salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, one or two chives, and some sprigs
of parsley (to be taken out before serving); add half a tea-cup of
fresh cream (or milk), and two yolks of eggs, heat for five minutes,
but do not boil. A tablespoonful of pounded sugar is an agreeable
addition.
_Beans (French) ‘allo Zabajone.’_
Clean and remove the strings from two quarts of French beans and put
them into cold water; then boil and strain, and lay them in a dish.
Put two yolks of eggs, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, two of white wine
vinegar, and two of water, into a sauce-pan on a slow fire, mix and
heat, but do not allow it to boil. Pour the sauce over the beans, and
serve hot.
_Beans (Haricots) ‘alla Bruna.’_
Put a quart of haricot beans into a sauce-pan of salted boiling water,
and boil for about half an hour. When cooked brown, put four ounces of
butter in a frying-pan, add two or three tablespoonfuls of flour, and
fry them well together. Then add some broth, stir well, and add half an
onion minced up with salt and pepper. Dry the beans, put them in the
sauce, boil all together for ten minutes, and serve hot.
_Beans (Haricots), Croquettes of._
Put a quart of small white haricot beans to soak in tepid water all
night long; dry, put them in cold water, and boil over a slow fire
for about an hour. Drain and dry them again, and put into boiling
water for another hour. Pass them through a sieve and put them in a
sauce-pan with four ounces of fresh butter, one tablespoonful of white
wine vinegar, one of balm-mint, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well
together, cook, and let cool. Then roll up into balls (or croquets),
dip them into the yolk of an egg, cover them with finely grated
bread-crumbs, and fry with good fresh butter. Serve up very hot.
_Beans (Haricots) ‘alla Fiorentina.’_
Half-boil a quart of haricot beans in salted water, strain, and put
them into a sauce-pan with some fried, browned butter in it. Mix, then
drain off the butter, and add the following sauce: Melt four ounces of
fresh butter, skim it carefully, add some flour and mix well, add some
broth and stir until it is of the consistency of a sauce, and leave it
to boil. Then pass the sauce through a sieve, put it back on the fire,
and stir to prevent its sticking to the sauce-pan, add two yolks of
eggs, the juice of half a lemon, and some finely chopped-up parsley.
Pour the sauce over the beans before serving up hot.
_Beans (Haricots) ‘alla Maître d’Hôtel.’_
Put some young, green, shelled haricot beans into boiling water, when
half-cooked add a pinch of salt, and a little butter. Take them out,
drain, and put them at once into a sauce-pan with butter, chopped
parsley, salt, pepper, and some lemon juice. Toss them well, and serve
up very hot.
_Beans (Haricots) ‘alla Milanese.’_
Take young, green haricot beans and throw them in boiling water. When
half-cooked add a little salt and some butter, and boil them again for
five or six minutes. Then take them out, strain, and put them, whilst
still hot, into a sauce-pan with a dessert-spoonful of chopped-up
parsley, salt, pepper, the juice of a lemon, and four ounces of fresh
butter. Toss them, and serve on a hot dish. (If the beans are dry you
must put them into cold water and boil them for one or two hours first.)
_Beans (Haricots) ‘alla Polenta.’_
Put a quart of white haricot beans into tepid water for the night.
Dry, and put them into cold water, and boil for about an hour over a
slow fire; dry them again, put them into boiling water, and boil for
nearly an hour. Mash, and pass them through a sieve, place them in a
sauce-pan with three ounces of butter, a little salt and pepper, stir
well together, and boil them again for ten minutes. Serve up very hot.
_Beans (Haricots) ‘Purée alla Brétonne.’_
Wash the white haricot beans and let them soak all night. Boil them
(changing the water) until tender, and mash them through a sieve.
Season with salt, pepper, and butter, add enough cream (or stock) to
make them of a proper consistency. Serve hot.
_Beans (Haricots) ‘alla Romana.’_
Cook the beans in an earthen pot in salted water, and let them drain.
Meanwhile cut three onions into small pieces, stew them in an earthen
pan until they are browned, then add the beans, with pepper, grated
nutmeg, minced anchovies passed through a sieve, and some broth. Fry
all together, and when the beans have absorbed all the liquid, squeeze
the juice of a lemon over them and serve hot at once.
_Beans (Haricots) ‘sautés.’_
Melt two ounces of fresh butter in a frying-pan, add some parsley and
half an onion chopped up together. Then put in the beans (already
boiled), leave them to cook for eight or ten minutes, sprinkle them
with salt, pepper, and the juice of a lemon, and serve up very hot.
_Beans (Lima) ‘alla Crema.’_
Put the beans into boiling salted water, cook well, then drain and dry,
season with salt and pepper to taste, and three or four ounces of fresh
butter, add a tablespoonful of flour and three-quarters of a pint of
cream. Boil, and serve up very hot.
_Beans (Dwarf Lima) ‘alla Portugese.’_
Take a quart of young Lima beans, cook them in salted boiling water for
half an hour, then drain and dry them. Melt four ounces of fresh butter
in a frying-pan, add two tablespoonfuls of flour and three-quarters
of a pint of milk, mix well together till they boil, then add two
beaten-up yolks of eggs, salt, pepper, and a finely chopped onion. Pour
over the beans and serve hot.
_Beans (Scarlet Runners) ‘alla Panna.’_
Snap them in two in the middle and string them. Boil for three-quarters
of an hour in salted water, then drain away the water, put in a little
pepper and salt, and one or more (according to the quantity of beans)
cupfuls of cream.
* * * * *
_Beet Leaves boiled._
Take the young leaves of white beetroot, tie them together in bunches
and put them into boiling water. They can be cooked with butter (like
spinach) or served up on buttered toast with sauce ‘Olandese’ (see
Sauces, pp. 122, 124) or Butter sauce.
_Beet ‘Gnocchi.’_
Wash well and remove the mid-ribs of a bundle of beet leaves, boil, and
then throw them into cold water. Dry, mince them very fine, and put
them into an earthen pot with four fresh eggs, four ounces of grated
cheese, four ounces of curds, or fresh-milk cheese, a little grated
nutmeg, and some salt. When pretty dense put it on a well-floured
table and make a long roll the size of a finger. Cut into pieces about
two inches long, flour them well, and then throw them into an earthen
pot of boiling broth. As they come to the surface take them out,
drain well, season with butter or rich gravy, a little grated nutmeg,
cinnamon, and cheese. They must be cooked over a hot fire.
* * * * *
_Beetroot (How to boil)._
Wash the beetroot carefully without cutting or scraping it (if the skin
is broken the beet loses flavour and colour). Young ones take one hour
to boil, old ones four. In winter the beet must be put into cold water
overnight to make it tender, those that remain hard are unfit to eat.
It must be cooked in boiling water, then put into cold water for five
or six minutes, when it can be rubbed with a cloth to take off the
peel. Cut into slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and pour melted
fresh butter over it; or it can be put into the oven to bake. Boiled
beetroot when wanted for salad ought to be put into wine vinegar to
soak.
_Beetroot ‘alla Panna.’_
Boil some white beetroot as directed above, and peel it. Cut up into
dice, place on a very hot dish, and pour a sauce ‘Alla Panna’ over it
(see Sauces, p. 125).
_Beetroot and Potatoes._
Boil the beetroot as directed above, and peel when cold. Cut into thin
round slices and put it into a frying-pan with two onions cut up small,
two ounces of butter; stir continually and do not let it brown. Add
one spoonful of flour, and milk enough to make a thickish sauce; add
three saltspoonfuls of salt, four of sugar, one of pepper, and one
tablespoonful of white wine vinegar, and boil for a few minutes. Then
put the slices in the pan to simmer for twenty minutes, and have some
mashed potatoes ready to make a border round the dish in which to put
the beetroot and the sauce, adding a little cream.
* * * * *
_Broccoli ‘alla Crema.’_
Wash and clean the broccoli well, put them into salted cold water for
half an hour. Then wrap each head in a piece of linen to prevent its
breaking, and put into salted boiling water for about twenty minutes.
When cooked, remove the linen carefully so as not to break the heads,
place them in a hot dish, pour half a pint (for each head) of hot ‘Alla
Panna’ sauce (see Sauces, p. 125) over them, and serve immediately.
_Broccoli ‘alla Parmigiana.’_
Wash and clean the broccoli well and put them for one hour in salted
cold water, then rinse again, and cook in boiling salted water with a
little butter. Put ten tablespoonfuls of White sauce (see below, White
Sauce) into a stew-pan with a little chopped-up onion, and boil for a
few minutes, then add a quarter of a pound of grated Parmesan cheese.
When boiling, add the yolk of an egg and a very little cayenne pepper,
mix quickly and put a little on a dish; lay the broccoli on it, pour
the rest of the sauce over them, sprinkle with bread-crumbs and grated
cheese, and put it in the oven for half an hour, until of a nice brown
colour, and serve. (If you have no White sauce, use melted butter,
cooking it less, or it will be greasy.)
_Broccoli with White Sauce._
Boil the heads of broccoli in salted water with a little flour. When
cooked take them out and drain well. Then put them in a dish and pour
the following sauce over them: Melt some butter, salt, pepper, and a
tablespoonful of flour in a sauce-pan, add a glass of boiling water,
pouring it in a little at a time, and stirring continually. When
cooked, take it off the fire and mix the yolk of an egg beaten up with
a piece of butter. Do not put the sauce again on the fire.
* * * * *
_Brussels Sprouts ‘alla Crema.’_
Clean, and pick off the dead leaves from one and a half pounds of
sprouts. Wash well, drain, and cook them in boiling water for seven
minutes. Drain again, and cool in cold water. Drain well once more, and
put them into a sauté-pan with two tablespoonfuls of Vellutata sauce
(see Sauces, p. 127), one teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of
pepper, and the same of grated nutmeg. Add half a cupful of good cream,
and heat (but do not boil) for five minutes, tossing frequently. Put on
a dish and serve at once.
_Brussels Sprouts ‘al Limone.’_
Wash the sprouts and remove any dead leaves. Then put them into boiling
salted water and cook for twenty minutes, drain, and place them on a
hot dish. Meanwhile mix four ounces of butter with two tablespoonfuls
of flour, add a little broth (or water), and stir well until it boils.
Just before serving add a good sprinkling of pepper and the juice of
two lemons. Pour the sauce over the sprouts and serve up quickly.
_Brussels Sprouts ‘sautés.’_
Clean and wash the sprouts well, and boil. Then dry, and put them into
a sauce-pan with two (or more) ounces of butter (according to the
quantity of sprouts); brown them well, and add one or two spoonfuls of
white wine vinegar, a little chopped parsley, salt, and pepper. Serve
up very hot.
* * * * *
_Cabbage (How to boil)._
Cut the cabbage into good-sized pieces and strip off the outside
leaves. Cut out the hard core, wash well in two or three changes of
water, and drain thoroughly. Put the cabbage (a piece at a time, so
as not to stop the boiling) into a large sauce-pan or earthen pot of
salted boiling water. Cook for twenty-five minutes over a hot fire
(with pot uncovered), and push the cabbage under water every now and
then.
_Cabbage ‘farcito all’ Americana.’_
Take a large cabbage and boil it whole for fifteen minutes. Then
change the water and boil again for half an hour; meanwhile prepare
the stuffing. Put about one pound of rice into cold water and boil for
twenty-five or thirty minutes, add three and a half pounds of sausage,
the juice of a lemon, some chopped parsley and a little pepper, and
mix well. Dry the cabbage thoroughly, open the leaves, and put half a
tablespoonful of the stuffing between each leaf, folding them over it,
until the cabbage is quite stuffed. Then tie it up carefully in a piece
of linen and put it into a sauce-pan of boiling water. When boiled
remove the cloth, put the cabbage in a vegetable dish, pour an ‘Alla
Panna’ sauce (see Sauces, p. 125) over, and serve.
_Cabbage ‘alla Crema.’_
Choose a white cabbage, remove the outer leaves and cut it into
quarters. Soak in cold water for an hour, then dry, and put it in an
earthen pot of boiling water to cook. Then let it cool for about ten
minutes and put it into another pot of boiling water, adding salt and
pepper, and boil, keeping the cover on tight. When done serve with an
‘Alla Panna’ sauce (see Sauces, p. 125).
_Cabbage ‘al Forno.’_
Boil the cabbage as directed above. Press out all the water and chop it
up. Put a layer in the bottom of a pie or vegetable dish, cover with a
white sauce made of one cup of milk, one tablespoonful of butter, one
of flour, a little salt, and a pinch of cayenne pepper, and then add
a layer of grated cheese. Repeat your layers of cabbage, sauce, and
cheese; cover the top with a layer of bread-crumbs and bits of butter,
and put it in the oven. When the sauce bubbles on the top take it out
and serve up in the same dish.
_Cabbage ‘Fritto.’_
Wash and cut up a cabbage, put it into a sauce-pan of boiling water.
Boil for twenty minutes, then dry, and put it into a sauce-pan with
four ounces of butter, two spoonfuls of white wine vinegar, some salt,
and pepper; mix well together until it becomes well heated. Then serve
up.
_Cabbage ‘all’ Uovo.’_
Drain a well-boiled cabbage and chop it up very fine. Put into a
frying-pan two tablespoonfuls of butter, and one of flour, for every
quart of chopped cabbage. When hot add the cabbage, season with salt,
pepper, and one or two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and stir constantly
for six or eight minutes. Then put it on a dish, smooth the outside and
garnish with quarters of hard-boiled eggs.
_Cabbage ‘Pasticciato.’_
Cut up a cabbage and boil it in an earthen pot. Boil a little
white wine vinegar in a sauce-pan, put in two well-beaten eggs,
three-quarters of a pint of clotted cream, and a little butter. Mix
well, when boiling add some salt and pepper, and pour over the cabbage.
Serve it cold.
_Cabbage ‘in Stufato.’_
Cut up a small cabbage and leave it in cold water for some time, then
dry, take out the hard pieces, and chop up the rest fine. Put it into
an earthen pot with a little salt, and boil for fifteen or twenty
minutes. Then strain and put it on a hot dish, pour a cream, tomato,
mustard, or horse-radish sauce, over it, and serve hot.
_Cabbage (Rea) ‘alla Fiamminga.’_
Remove the outer leaves of a red cabbage and cut it in pieces. Put it
into boiling water for fifteen minutes, then dry, and place it in a
sauce-pan with four ounces of butter, a chopped-up onion, a bay leaf,
two cloves, and a little salt and pepper. Boil slowly for about half
an hour, stirring it often. When cooked take out the bay leaf, add a
little butter and serve quickly.
_Cabbage (Red) ‘alla Tedesca.’_
Cut up the leaves of two small red cabbages in slices. Melt four ounces
of butter in a frying-pan, and when browned, throw in the cabbage,
adding a little salt, three tablespoonfuls of white wine vinegar, and a
chopped-up onion. Cover the frying-pan and put it on a slow fire for an
hour. Serve up very hot.
* * * * *
_Capsicums ‘Farciti.’ No. 1._
Select large green sweet capsicums, and for each one take half a pound
of minced roast or boiled fowl, half a pound of grated bread-crumbs,
a little salt and pepper, and some chopped parsley and mix; add two
ounces of melted butter and mix again. Meanwhile cut off one end of the
capsicums (remove the seeds), and put the capsicums into a sauce-pan of
boiling water; cover the pan and let it boil for about a quarter of an
hour. Then drain the capsicums well, fill them with the force-meat, and
sprinkle them over with bread-crumbs. Put some butter in an earthen pan
and cook the capsicums in a moderate oven for a quarter of an hour.
_Capsicums ‘Farciti.’ No. 2._
Fry six medium-sized green sweet capsicums for one minute in boiling
fat, drain, peel, and cut off the ends, keeping them to use as covers.
Remove the insides and fill them with force-meat made of minced
fresh pork, a spoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper, half a
saltspoonful of grated nutmeg, and the same of powdered thyme. Put on
the ends, lay the capsicums in a well-oiled baking-dish, add a little
pure olive oil, and put them in a moderate oven to bake for a quarter
of an hour. Turn them on to a hot dish, and serve with a quarter of a
pint of Vellutata sauce (see Sauces, p. 127), with a little Marsala
added.
_Capsicums ‘al Forno.’_
Cut two or more green capsicums in two lengthwise, remove the seeds and
filaments, and parboil them in boiling water for five minutes. Fill
each half with an equal quantity of softened bread-crumb and minced
meat seasoned with butter, salt, and a squeeze of lemon. Then put them
into a baking-dish in half an inch of good stock (or water), and bake.
Serve in the baking-dish, hot.
* * * * *
_Cardoons ‘al Bianco.’_
Clean and pare two or three pounds of cardoons, cut them lengthwise,
and blanch them in boiling water. Then throw them into cold water to
make them retain their whiteness, and dry them on a clean cloth. Cut
an onion and a carrot into slices, and put them into a sauce-pan with
four ounces of fresh butter, take out the carrot and onion after ten
minutes and mix a tablespoonful of flour into the butter, adding some
broth (or water), to prevent it burning. As soon as the broth (or
water) boils, throw in the cardoons. When done, serve up hot.
_Cardoons ‘alla Milanese.’_
Prepare the cardoons as above, then put them one by one in a sauce-pan
with six ounces of fresh melted butter, salt them a little, and add
about three-quarters of an ounce of grated Parmesan cheese, and a
little Béchamel sauce (see Sauces, p. 119). Cook them with fire above
and below, and serve up hot.
* * * * *
_Carrots ‘all’ Aceto.’_
Scrape six large carrots and wash them well in cold water, cut them in
slices, put them into an earthen pot of boiling water, and boil till
tender. Then drain and dry, put them into a salad bowl and pour some
white wine vinegar over them, with a little chopped onion and celery
and two bay leaves.
_Carrots ‘alla Béchamel.’_
Scrape and wash six or eight large carrots, and slice them very fine.
Cook them slowly in a sauce-pan with two ounces of fresh butter, and
a little pounded sugar, salt, and pepper, and stir them continually.
In another sauce-pan put one ounce of butter, one ounce of flour, two
tumblers of cream (or milk), and salt to taste. Cook for about ten
minutes, then pour it over the carrots, and heat again, taking care not
to let them boil.
_Carrots ‘alla Casalinga.’_
Cut up some young carrots into small pieces, and put them into a
sauce-pan with salted boiling water. Leave them to boil for several
minutes, then drain and put them into a sauce-pan, with four ounces
of butter, some salt, and a little pepper, on a hottish fire to bring
out the flavour. Add a little flour, and a little broth (or water),
and boil again, taking care the carrots do not fall to bits. Then make
a sauce with the yolks of two eggs, the juice of half a lemon, and a
little chopped parsley, and pour it over the boiling carrots. Take them
off the fire at once to prevent the eggs from getting hard, put them
on a dish, garnish with fried parsley and fried sippets of bread, and
serve up hot.
_Carrots ‘alla Panna.’_
Scrape and wash six large carrots and cut them into very fine slices.
Put them into a sauce-pan and cook slowly with two or three ounces of
butter, a little sugar, a teaspoonful of salt and pepper, and mix well
together. In another sauce-pan mix four ounces of butter, four ounces
of fine flour, two tumblers of cream (or milk), and a pinch of salt.
Boil for about ten minutes until the cream begins to bubble, then pour
it over the carrots, keep them on the fire, but do not let them boil.
Serve hot.
_Carrots ‘Sautées.’_
Scrape and wash six large carrots and cut them in rounds half an inch
thick. Cook them in white broth (or salted water) for half an hour in
a covered pan. Then drain, put them in a sauté-pan, add a teacupful of
cream (or milk) and three tablespoonfuls of Béchamel sauce (see Sauces,
p. 119), some salt, and pepper, and a little nutmeg. Cook for ten
minutes, then place them on a hot dish, sprinkle with chopped parsley,
and serve hot.
_Carrots ‘in Stufato.’_
Take one or two pounds of fine carrots, cut them in pieces, put them
in an earthen pot of boiling water, and cook them until nearly soft.
Meanwhile, put two ounces of butter, half or three-quarters of a pint
of good broth, and one or two tablespoonfuls of powdered white sugar,
into a frying-pan, and cook quickly for ten minutes; then take it off
the fire, add two well-beaten yolks of eggs, and a little salt and
pepper. Then drain the carrots, pour the hot sauce over them, and serve
hot.
_Carrots ‘allo Zucchero.’_
Wash and clean two or three pounds of young carrots and cut them up.
Put them in a sauce-pan, add two ounces of fresh butter, a little salt,
and water. When cooked, pour a tumbler of cream over them with two
ounces of pounded white sugar, replace the sauce-pan on the fire, being
careful not to let it boil. Then take it off and mix two yolks of eggs,
stirring all well together. Serve hot.
* * * * *
_Cauliflower ‘al Borghese.’_
Boil a cauliflower in salted water for one hour, drain, and break it
into bits. Put a layer of cauliflower into a pie-dish, cover with
Béchamel or ‘Alla Panna’ sauce (see Sauces, pp. 119, 125), and sprinkle
with some grated cheese. Fill the dish with alternate layers of
cauliflowers and sauce, then cover the top with bread-crumbs, grated
cheese, and bits of butter. Bake in a moderate oven for half an hour.
Serve hot.
_Cauliflower ‘al Burro.’_
Clean and remove the leaves from one large (or two small) cauliflowers,
and wash well in fresh water. Then put the cauliflower into a large
sauce-pan full of cold water, add a handful of salt, one teaspoonful
of pepper, and one ounce of fresh butter, boil for half an hour, and
drain well. Pour a sauce made of one tablespoonful of white wine
vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and one ounce of good butter over
the cauliflower, and serve hot.
_Cauliflower ‘alla Crema.’_
Take off the outer leaves of a cauliflower (cut the stalk off close),
and wash it in cold water. Tie it up in a piece of linen, stand it
upright in an earthen pot of salted water, and boil for half an hour.
Take it out carefully, drain, remove the linen, and put the cauliflower
in a dish. Pour a hot ‘Alla Panna’ sauce (see Sauces, p. 125) over
it and serve at once. Or you can make a sauce of two ounces of fresh
butter, one tablespoonful of fine flour, well mixed in a frying-pan,
add three-quarters of a pint of milk, stir till it boils, then add a
little salt and cheese.
_Cauliflower ‘al Forno.’_
Boil a large cauliflower as in last recipe (alla Crema). When
dried place it in a baking-pan. Mix two ounces of butter and one
tablespoonful of flour in a frying-pan, add three-quarters of a pint
of milk, and stir continually till it boils. Then put in a bay leaf, a
little chopped parsley, some salt and pepper, and boil for ten minutes
in a Bain-marie. Then take out the bay leaf and pour the sauce over the
cauliflower, sprinkling it with bread-crumbs. Put some bits of fresh
butter on it, and bake in a very hot oven for ten or fifteen minutes.
_Cauliflower ‘al Fritto.’_
Cut off the leaves and clean a fine cauliflower, break it into pieces,
parboil in salted water, drain, and put it to cool. Whip up two or
three eggs (according to the size of your cauliflower), dip each piece
of cauliflower in, then roll it in bread-crumbs, fry in boiling butter
on both sides, sprinkle with grated cheese, and serve hot.
_Cauliflower ‘al Gratin.’_
Boil a head of cauliflower in salted water, then break it in small
pieces into a sauté-pan with four ounces of fresh butter. As soon as it
boils put it on a dish and pour a Béchamel sauce (see Sauces, p. 119)
over it. Put it in the oven, and when browned serve in the same dish.
_Cauliflower ‘alla Piemontese.’_
Boil a fine cauliflower in salted water, and when done pour the
following sauce over it: Chop up one small onion and one or two
anchovies very fine, cook with some butter and stock, add a few drops
of vinegar, and a teaspoonful of sweet herbs chopped up fine. Cook for
a few minutes just before serving.
_Cauliflower ‘in Stufato.’_
Remove the outer leaves and clean a fine cauliflower; cut it into
several pieces and wash them well in cold water. Put them into an
earthen pot of salted boiling water, and cook quickly for twenty or
thirty minutes until they are quite tender. Take them out without
breaking, and place them on pieces of buttered toast. Then put some
butter in a frying-pan, add a little flour, mixed with some broth, stir
well till it boils, then add six finely chopped mushrooms, and cook a
little more. Take it off the fire and add three whipped yolks of fresh
eggs, salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and the juice of one lemon. Pour
this sauce over and round the cauliflower and serve. The sauce must not
be boiled after adding the eggs.
* * * * *
_Celery ‘alla Crema.’_
Cut off the green leaves and pare four or five heads of celery, cut
into pieces two inches long, wash well, and dry on a napkin. Blanch in
boiling water for five minutes, drain, and put into a sauté-pan with
two ounces of fresh butter and one tablespoonful of fine flour. Stir
well together, add half a pint of good consommé, and reduce for twenty
minutes. Then thicken with two yolks of eggs beaten up with half a
teacupful of cream, and a little grated nutmeg. Serve up hot, garnished
with croûtons (fried bread).
_Celery ‘al Fritto.’_
Remove the green leaves and cut the white stalks of the celery into
bits one inch long. Clean, and put them into boiling water for fifteen
minutes, then dry on a napkin. Beat up a fresh egg with stock (or hot
water), add a little salt and pepper, throw the celery in, then roll
them in bread-crumbs, and fry in butter or fine white lard. Serve hot.
_Celery ‘all’ Italiana.’_
Take six large heads of celery, cut off the green leaves, leaving
three inches of stalk attached to the root; clean, and cut in half.
Blanch, and put into a sauce-pan with some good gravy, lard, ham, salt
and pepper. Let them get cold, then dip them into the yolk of egg and
bread-crumbs, and fry in fresh butter. Lay them in a dish and pour a
Tomato sauce, or tomato conserve heated, over them. Serve hot. (See
Sauces, p. 126.)
_Celery ‘alla Parmigiana.’_
Take six large heads of celery and cook as above. But when cooked,
drain, lay in a dish, sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan cheese, pour
melted fresh butter over them, and put into the oven until they have
taken a good colour. Pour a little gravy lightly over, and serve.
_Celery ‘al Pomidoro.’_
Cut off the green leaves and clean the stalks of six heads of celery,
wash them in cold water, then throw them into an earthen pot of boiling
salt water, and boil fast for twenty minutes. Drain, dry well, put them
on a dish, and pour a pint of tomato sauce, or tomato conserve heated,
over them. Serve hot.
_Celery Stewed._
Cut the white outside stalks of celery into lengths of three inches,
and boil them for half an hour in salted water. Drain, and put them
into clear strained stock, adding a little minced onion and parsley.
Boil until the celery is tender, add two ounces of butter stirred up
with flour and shake the stew until thickened. Serve hot, pouring the
sauce over the celery.
* * * * *
_Cucumbers ‘alla Béchamel.’_
Peel and pare six small cucumbers, and blanch them in salted boiling
water for five minutes. Drain, and put them in a sauté-pan with half a
pint of Béchamel sauce (see Sauces, p. 119), half an ounce of butter,
a little grated nutmeg, and three tablespoonfuls of milk. Cook for
fifteen minutes, put them on a hot dish, and serve.
_Cucumbers ‘alla Comasca.’_
Peel and slice two cucumbers very fine, and put salt and pepper, and
taragon vinegar over them. Then slice an onion and lay it on the
cucumbers, leaving them to pickle for fifteen minutes. Remove the onion
and some of the liquid before serving.
_Cucumbers ‘alla Crema.’_
Peel six cucumbers, cut them into quarters, remove the seeds, and
put them into cold water for half an hour. Place them in a covered
sauce-pan of salted boiling water and cook them for half an hour, then
lay them on a hot dish. Melt some butter in a sauce-pan and mix in one
tablespoonful of flour, then add half a pint of milk and stir till
it boils; add a little salt and pepper, take the sauce-pan off the
fire, add a little more butter, and pour the sauce over the cucumbers.
Garnish with croûtons (fried bread), and serve hot.
_Cucumbers ‘Farciti.’_
Choose cucumbers of about the same size and cut them in two lengthwise.
Remove the seeds carefully with a spoon, and fill with a stuffing
made of equal parts of minced chicken (or other white meat) and soft
bread-crumbs, salt and pepper to taste, one egg, and a little stock.
Sprinkle the top with bread-crumbs, and lay them into half an inch of
stock in a baking-dish. Bake in a moderate oven until the cucumbers are
soft, filling up the stock when necessary. Put them carefully in a hot
dish and pour the gravy out of the baking-dish, thickened with a very
little flour, round them.
_Cucumbers ‘in Istufato.’_
Peel two or three cucumbers, cut them into quarters, and take out
the seeds. Put two ounces of fresh butter and a sliced onion into a
frying-pan, fry until the onion is browned, add the cucumbers and stir
them well until browned. Then take them out of the frying-pan. Put some
more butter into the pan, stir it well with the rest, add a little
broth, and mix till it boils, and add a little salt and pepper. Then
put the cucumbers in, cover them, and leave them to cook slowly for
twenty minutes. Put them on slices of buttered toast and serve up hot.
_Cucumbers ‘alla Panna.’_
Peel four or five cucumbers, cut them into halves, and remove all the
seeds. Then cut them into small pieces and boil in water until soft.
Strain, and dry them well on a napkin. Mix two ounces of butter with a
spoonful of flour over the fire, add salt and pepper, stir well, and
add a tumbler of cream. Put in the cucumbers and heat them without
letting them boil.
_Cucumbers ‘alla Spagnuola.’_
Peel two cucumbers, cut them in half and take out the seeds. Fill them
with force-meat and tie the halves together. Put some lard, raw veal,
two carrots, two onions, some parsley, several bay leaves, some thyme,
salt, and pepper, and the cucumbers covered with lard, into a sauce-pan
with some strong broth, and cook for five or six minutes. Drain, and
then pour a sauce ‘Suprema’ (see Sauces, p. 125) over the cucumbers
before serving up hot.
_Cucumbers ‘alla Toscana.’_
Peel and blanch three or four cucumbers in salted boiling water for
five minutes. Drain, cut them into pieces one inch thick, and put them
into a sauté-pan with one ounce of butter, a little flour, half a pint
of veal broth, stir well, and add some salt and pepper. Reduce for
about fifteen minutes, stirring until it boils, add one teaspoonful of
chopped parsley, half a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, half a cupful of
cream and the beaten-up yolks of two eggs. Put on the fire again for
three or four minutes (do not let it boil) and serve hot.
_Cucumbers ‘all’ Uova.’_
Peel three large cucumbers and blanch them in salted boiling water for
five minutes. Drain, and cut them into pieces an inch thick. Put them
in a sauté-pan with one ounce of butter, sprinkle a little fine white
flour over them, stir, and add a half pint of veal broth, with salt and
pepper to taste. Stir well until it boils, reduce the whole for fifteen
minutes, then add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, a little grated
nutmeg, two yolks of eggs beaten up, and two tablespoonfuls of cream.
Cook again for three or four minutes, but do not let it boil, and serve
hot.
* * * * *
_Egg-Plant (Aubergine) ‘Farcite.’_
Cut each egg-plant into four, leaving the peel on. Make four cuts in
each piece and fry in boiling fat for one minute. Remove the fleshy
part of the egg plant and fill it with any force-meat you have.
Sprinkle the top with bread-crumbs and a little melted butter, brown in
the oven for about ten minutes, and serve hot.
_Egg-Plant (Aubergine) ‘al Forno.’_
Boil two (or more) of the fruits for twenty or thirty minutes (until
tender). Then cut them in two lengthwise and take out the pulp, being
careful not to break the skin. Mash the pulp up with some butter, salt,
and pepper, and replace it in the skins. Sprinkle with bread-crumbs and
bits of fresh butter, and put it in the oven to brown.
_Egg-Plant (Aubergine) ‘Fritto.’_
Peel a fruit and cut it into round slices about half an inch thick,
sprinkle with one teaspoonful of salt and half a teaspoonful of pepper,
dip the slices into beaten-up egg and fresh bread-crumbs, and then fry
in hot fat for five minutes. Take them out, give a very slight sprinkle
of salt, and drain them well. Serve very hot on a napkin.
_Egg-Plant (Aubergine) ‘alla Griglia.’_
Peel a large fruit and cut it into slices half an inch thick, put them
in a dish and season with salt and pepper, and pour a tablespoonful
of pure olive oil over them. Mix well, then broil the slices for five
minutes on both sides. Place them on a hot dish, pour a quarter of a
pint of Butter sauce over them (see Sauces, p. 122), adding a little
chopped parsley, and serve hot.
_Egg-Plant (Aubergine) ‘Sauté.’_
Peel one or two fruits and cut them into slices a quarter of an inch
thick. Sprinkle with salt, and pile them one on the top of the other
on the underside of a plate. Put a weighted plate on the top of the
pile and let it stand for an hour to press out the juice. Then dip the
slices in egg and bread-crumbs, or in egg and flour, and sauté on both
sides in lard or dripping. Serve hot.
* * * * *
_Flan of Celery._
Clean and boil three or four heads of celery. Then drain well, and chop
them up very fine. Mix one tablespoonful of flour and three-quarters
of an ounce of butter in a sauce-pan, and add the celery and one pint
of milk. Reduce, then take the sauce-pan off the fire, and when cold
add the yolks of six eggs, and some allspice. Put all into a shape, and
cook it slowly with fire above and below, or in an oven, for half an
hour. An Alla Panna sauce (see Sauces, p. 125) can be served with it.
_Flan of Potatoes._
Boil one or two pounds of potatoes, cut them into slices, and put
them into a sauce-pan with four ounces of fresh butter and a tumbler
of cream (or milk). Cook until the potatoes are quite soft, mash
them, and pass them through a cullender. Then mix six yolks, and four
beaten-up whites of eggs, and two and a half ounces of white powdered
sugar, with the potatoes, and put the whole into a buttered shape,
well covered with bread-crumbs (and holding more than the quantity of
potatoes). Cook with fire above and below for about half an hour (or in
an oven). A Béchamel sauce (see Sauces, p. 119) can be served with the
Flan.
_Flan of Vegetables._
Wash, strain, boil, and cut up fine about two pounds of different
vegetables, potatoes, spinach, cardoons, etc., and sweet herbs. Boil
them in a sauce-pan with some good stock; when cooked, add a teacupful
of cream (or milk), stir well together and leave them to cool. Then
add four yolks of eggs, some grated cheese, and the white of the eggs
beaten up. Put the vegetables into a buttered shape, well covered with
bread-crumbs, cook with fire above and below, or in the oven.
(Flans can be made of any other vegetables, such as fennel, French
beans, cauliflower, etc.)
* * * * *
_Fritto ‘Misto.’_
Cut one or two young green pumpkins in thin slices about as long as a
finger and half as wide, and lay them on a plate with a little salt.
Mix three ounces of butter and three tablespoonfuls of flour in a
sauce-pan and boil for two minutes, add half a tumbler of cream, half
a tumbler of chicken broth, and boil till it is a stiff Béchamel. Then
mince three breasts of cooked chicken, two slices of tongue, and one
small truffle, mix with the Béchamel and roll into small balls, then
dip into egg and grated bread and put aside till wanted. Take ten or
twelve pumpkin flowers, some young artichokes properly prepared and
cut into quarters (if not quite young and tender they must be boiled
first), some cauliflower and bits of cardoon, dip them in egg and dust
them with flour. Do the same to some parboiled calves’ brains, flour
the slices of pumpkin, and fry all together in pure olive oil. Use
dripping or lard for frying if you have not got good oil. Season with a
sprinkling of salt. Serve very hot.
_Fritto of Vegetables._
Instead of chicken and calves’ brains mix minced mushrooms or truffles
with the Béchamel and roll into balls. In winter, large yellow pumpkins
and potatoes must be sliced.
* * * * *
_Jerusalem Artichokes ‘al Bianco.’_
Clean and cut two dozen Jerusalem artichokes into pieces about half
an inch long, wash and put them into a stew-pan with half an ounce
of fresh butter, and a quarter of an ounce of white pounded sugar.
Put them on a slow fire for a few minutes, add four tablespoonfuls
of white sauce, eight of veal broth (or milk), and simmer until the
Jerusalem artichokes are soft, then skim, mix the yolk of an egg with
two tablespoonfuls of milk, pour it into the stew-pan, stir quickly,
and serve hot. The Jerusalem artichokes must be well cooked, but not
reduced to a pulp.
_Jerusalem Artichokes in Purée._
Wash well and boil twelve Jerusalem artichokes in three pints of water
with one ounce of butter and one tablespoonful of salt. When soft, chop
them up; meanwhile cook slowly in a stew-pan one sliced onion, a little
celery, half a turnip, two ounces of butter, one of ham, three or four
bay leaves, and a little grated nutmeg. Put in the artichokes, stir,
and add one tablespoonful of flour and one pint (or less) of milk to
form a proper thickness when boiled. Pass through a fine hair sieve and
serve hot.
* * * * *
_Leeks ‘alla Casalinga.’_
Cut off the root, peel the white part of the leek (about three inches),
and blanch them in hot water. Dry, braise them in butter, stock, and a
little sugar; and when well glacé serve at once.
_Leeks ‘al Forno.’_
Take twenty leeks, cut them into pieces two inches long, and put them
into cold water. Then boil them in plenty of salted boiling water, and
when done throw them again into cold water. Melt some fresh butter
in a sauce-pan and simmer the leeks over a slow fire, add seven
tablespoonfuls of a white sauce made with cream and chicken broth, a
sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, and the yolk of an egg. Mix well, then
put the leeks into a baking dish and brown them slightly in the oven.
Serve hot.
_Leeks ‘alla Salza Bianca.’_
Take twenty leeks, cut them into pieces two inches long and put
them into cold water. Then boil them in plenty of salted boiling
water, when done throw them again into cold water. Put fresh butter
into a sauce-pan and simmer the leeks over a slow fire, add five
tablespoonfuls of a white sauce made with cream and chicken broth, and
a little pepper. Serve up hot.
* * * * *
_Lentils ‘alla Corona.’_
After boiling one pint of lentils with a bouquet of sweet herbs, strain
them. Meanwhile mince some ham with a very little onion and put it to
brown with some butter; then add one or two ladlefuls of good stock,
boil, and strain. Pour this sauce over the lentils with a good piece of
butter, salt and pepper to taste, heat them, and garnish boiled beef or
pork with them.
_Lentils ‘in Istufato.’_
Put an earthen pot on the fire, and just before the water boils throw
in one pint of lentils. As it boils skim off the lentils which float to
the surface, and continue to do this until all are taken out; the few
which remain at the bottom of the pot must be strained through a sieve.
Chop up two anchovies, place them in a sauce-pan with some pure oil
and butter, and a little minced shallot, brown them well, put in the
lentils, and then add some good stock or soup. When cooked serve up hot.
_Lentils ‘alla Provenzale.’_
Leave one pint of lentils in cold water for twelve hours. Strain, put
them into hot water, and boil them rapidly; then cook them slowly for
about an hour, drain them well, put them back into boiling water and
cook until quite soft. Pass them through a sieve, and put them into a
sauce-pan with two ounces of butter, a very little onion juice, pepper
and salt to taste, and stir for a quarter of an hour over the fire.
Serve up very hot. Two tablespoonfuls of cream are a good addition.
_Lentil Purée._
Boil the lentils in water with a spoonful of butter, then rub them
through a sieve. Put some minced parsley, celery, carrot, and a very
little onion on the fire with two or three ounces of butter; when
brown, pour in a ladleful of good stock. Strain, flavour the lentils
with it, adding salt and pepper to taste. The purée should be pretty
stiff.
_Lentils ‘al Riso.’_
Cook the lentils as in ‘alla Provenzale.’ Then take half a pint of rice
and put it into an earthen pot of boiling water. When cooked, drain the
rice through a sieve, and stand it near the fire for ten or fifteen
minutes to dry. Place two ounces of butter in a frying-pan, and when
melted, add a small onion chopped up fine; when browned, put in the
lentils and rice, and stir them over the fire for a quarter of an hour.
Add a little salt and pepper, and serve up very hot.
* * * * *
_Lettuce ‘Farcite.’_
Cut off the roots, wash, and clean five or six lettuce heads. Put
them into boiling water for five minutes, then fill the inside with
force-meat. Tie the tops together, and put them in a sauce-pan, adding
a quarter of a pint of Marsala sauce, and the same of good white broth.
Add salt and pepper to taste, cover the sauce-pan with buttered paper,
and cook in the oven for fifteen minutes. Place the lettuces on a hot
dish (having untied them), pour the sauce over, and serve hot.
_Lettuce ‘al Forno.’_
Wash the lettuce, remove the faded leaves, and cut off the root. Tie
the tops together, lay the lettuces side by side in a baking-pan, and
pour in one and a half inches of stock. Cover the pan and put it in a
moderate oven for half an hour, adding stock when necessary. Place a
fork under the middle of each lettuce, raise and drain, and lay them
doubled up on a hot dish. Season the gravy in the pan with butter, salt
and pepper, thicken with one beaten egg, and pour it over the lettuce.
Serve hot.
_Lettuce ‘alla Spagnuola.’_
Remove the lower leaves and cut twelve fine lettuces in half, blanch,
then drain, and put them into a sauce-pan; sprinkle with salt, and
cover them with slices of lard and ham, moisten with a little broth,
cover the pan with greased paper, and cook in the oven. Drain and
remove the fat, then roll the lettuces in the shape of prunes, and lay
them on croûtons of buttered toast. Pour some sauce ‘Suprema’ (see
Sauces, p. 125) over them, and serve hot.
* * * * *
MACCARONI AND OTHER PASTES.
_Maccaroni ‘alla Béchamel.’_
Take three-quarters of a pound of blanched maccaroni (see p. 3) and
put it into a sauce-pan with three ounces of good fresh butter,
tossing until the butter is thoroughly absorbed. Then add five or six
tablespoonfuls of grated cheese, one spoonful of salt, a little pepper
and grated nutmeg, and quarter of a pint of sauce ‘alla Béchamel’ (see
Sauces, p. 119). Toss well together, without stirring, and heat for
five minutes. Place in a deep dish and serve up hot.
_Maccaroni ‘alla Crema.’_
Boil three-quarters pound of fresh maccaroni in plenty of salted water
for three quarters of an hour, with an onion stuck with two cloves
and half an ounce of butter. Drain it well (taking out the onion) and
put it back in a sauce-pan with four ounces of butter, four ounces of
grated Swiss cheese, and four of grated Parmesan cheese, a small pinch
of nutmeg, and a pinch of pepper. Add half a pint of veal broth, and
four or five tablespoonfuls of cream. Cook for five minutes, stirring
well, and as soon as the maccaroni is ropy serve up hot.
_Maccaroni ‘al Forno.’ No. 1._
Boil three-quarters of a pound of maccaroni as in above recipe. When
drained, put it into a baking dish, sprinkle with bread-crumbs and
grated Parmesan cheese, pour a little clarified fresh butter over it,
and place it in the oven for ten minutes. When of a golden colour serve
up at once.
_Maccaroni ‘al Forno.’ No. 2._
Break some large maccaroni into pieces about four inches long, and stew
it in consommé or veal broth until tender. Put a layer of maccaroni in
a dish, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Gruyère cheese grated fine.
Repeat the layers until the dish is full, then cover the top with a
thick layer of the cheese, some finely grated bread-crumbs, and small
bits of fresh butter. Bake long enough to brown the top, and serve at
once.
_Maccaroni ‘al Forno.’ No. 3._
Break enough maccaroni into bits one and a half or two inches long to
half-fill a pie-dish. Put it into salted boiling water, and boil for
twelve or fifteen minutes until perfectly soft. Shake the sauce-pan
often, or the maccaroni will stick to the bottom. Drain it well, then
put it into the dish with butter, salt, and grated cheese. Fill the
dish with milk, so as to cover the maccaroni, and bake until the milk
is absorbed and the top browned. For every half-pound of maccaroni one
and a half tablespoonfuls of melted butter must be used. Middle-sized
maccaroni is the best for this dish.
_Maccaroni ‘au Gratin.’_
Take three-quarters of a pound of blanched maccaroni (see p. 3). Make a
good white sauce, mix in plenty of grated Parmesan cheese, and add salt
and pepper to taste. Place the maccaroni and sauce in a dish, and bake
in a moderate oven until browned.
_Maccaroni ‘all’ Italiana.’_
Prepare three-quarters of a pound of fresh maccaroni as in ‘alla
Crema.’ Then place it in a sauce-pan with a gill of Vellutata sauce
(see Sauces, p. 127), to which add a little Marsala, and a quarter of a
pound of grated Parmesan cheese. Add very little salt, some pepper and
nutmeg, and cook slowly for ten minutes, tossing frequently. Serve on a
hot dish with grated Parmesan cheese separately.
_Maccaroni ‘al Latte.’_
Parboil three-quarters pound of long maccaroni in salted water, then
drain it well. Put half an ounce of flour and two ounces of butter into
a sauce-pan and stir them well; when they begin to colour, pour one and
a quarter to one and a half pints of milk in gradually, and boil for
ten minutes. Then put in the maccaroni and one ounce of grated Gruyère
cheese, stand the sauce-pan on the edge of the fire to simmer, and let
the maccaroni absorb the milk. When cooked, add one and a half ounces
more butter and one and a half ounces of grated Parmesan cheese, put
the maccaroni into a baking dish and cover it with grated bread-crumbs.
Place it in an oven and serve when browned.
_Maccaroni ‘alla Napolitana.’_
Boil and prepare three-quarters of a pound of maccaroni as in ‘alla
Crema.’ Drain, and put it in a sauce-pan with half a pint of sauce
‘Suprema,’ half a pint of Tomato sauce (see Sauces, pp. 125, 126),
a quarter of a pound of grated Parmesan cheese, two truffles, six
mushrooms, and half an ounce of tongue, all cut up into small pieces.
Cook over a sharp fire for ten minutes, tossing well all the time, and
serve hot.
_Maccaroni ‘alla Quaresima.’_
Parboil twelve ounces of maccaroni and drain it well. Put one onion,
a little parsley, and six anchovies all finely chopped up, into a
frying-pan with butter, and fry for six or eight minutes; add this to
the maccaroni with half a tumbler of white wine, one of fish soup (or
water), and a pinch of white pepper, boil over a slow fire for twenty
minutes, and serve at once sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.
_Maccaroni ‘alla Semplice.’_
Boil twelve ounces of maccaroni in salted boiling water, then drain
well and put them on a hot dish. Pour four ounces of fresh melted
butter over them and mix in gradually six ounces of grated Swiss
cheese. Stir with two forks, and sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese
thickly over before serving hot.
_Maccaroni ‘alla Siciliana.’_
Blanch (see p. 3) and strain about three-quarters of a pound of fresh
maccaroni and cut it into small pieces, then mince one pound of roast
veal, four ounces of ham, slice four hard-boiled eggs, and mix with
one and a half tablespoonfuls of finely chopped-up sweet herbs, add
salt and pepper to taste. Butter a mould, and sprinkle it well with
bread-crumbs, then line it with thin paste; put in alternate layers of
maccaroni sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese, and of force-meat,
until the mould is full; add half a pint of good stock, cover with
paste and bake in a slow oven for about forty minutes. Serve hot.
_Maccaroni ‘Timbale alla Milanese.’_
Take one pound of flour, one pound of butter, a quarter of an ounce
of salt, and one wineglassful of water, and work the paste well; roll
it out thin and cover carefully the inside of a timbale shape. If any
air bubbles remain between the paste and the shape, prick them to let
out the air. Cook three-quarters of a pound of maccaroni in salted
boiling water, drain, and put it into a sauce-pan with some good gravy,
two ounces of butter, a little grated nutmeg, and some grated Gruyère
cheese; mix well, pour into the mould, and cover with a piece of paste
which fits, passing some white of egg with a brush round the join. Bake
in the oven for three-quarters of an hour, turn the timbale carefully
out of the shape and serve. The timbale can be enriched by adding thin
slices of hare, veal, or sweetbread, truffles and small mushrooms to
the maccaroni.
_Maccaroni ‘Timbale alla Napolitana.’_
Boil half a pound of maccaroni as in ‘alla Crema.’ Prepare a timbale
shape about seven inches in diameter and butter it. Arrange long
maccaroni round and round the mould inside until it is covered, and
then stand it in the ice-box until wanted. Put the remaining maccaroni
into a sauce-pan with two ounces of good butter, tossing well for
five minutes, then add a tablespoonful of salt and a little cayenne
pepper, five tablespoonfuls of grated Gruyère cheese, and a quarter of
a pint of Tomato sauce (see Sauces, p. 126), and again toss all well
together. Add some thin slices of truffles and boiled tongue, toss
for two minutes, and take it off the fire to cool for a quarter of an
hour. Then fill the mould with the maccaroni, taking great care not
to disturb the inside coil of maccaroni. Put the mould into a large
sauce-pan, filled to only half the height of the mould with water, and
place it in a moderate oven to cook for one hour. When done turn the
timbale carefully out of the mould on to a hot dish, pour a little hot
Tomato sauce round it, and serve.
* * * * *
OTHER PASTES.
_Agnellotti ‘alla Poggio Gherardo.’_
Take the meat of a boiled chicken (hare, pheasant, or any game will do
as well) and pound in a mortar with one truffle, two ounces of crumb
of bread soaked in veal broth, two ounces of butter, a pinch of salt,
the same of pepper, and a little grated nutmeg. When well worked into
a paste rub it through a sieve. Meanwhile take one pound of flour,
three eggs, half a tumbler of milk, and a pinch of salt, mix up into
a paste and work it well. Lay it aside for half an hour, then roll it
out very thin, divide it in half and let it dry. Then take one half and
put the meat paste on it in little heaps (half a teaspoonful) about
three inches distant from each other. Cover them with the other half
of paste, cut round the little heaps, and press the edges of the two
pastes together to prevent the meat stuffing from coming out. Put the
agnellotti into a sauce-pan with a great deal of salted boiling water
in it, and boil slowly. When done take them out with a strainer, season
with butter, grated Parmesan cheese, and good gravy. Serve very hot.
_Crescioni._
Boil a bunch of spinach, drain it well and put it to simmer with some
pure olive oil, a taste of shallot, some chopped parsley, and salt and
pepper to taste: season with some raisins (stoned) and some currants,
and a little sugar. Put the spinach into rounds of paste made of flour
and eggs, about two inches in diameter, and fold the paste over the
spinach (as you make a turnover). Fry in pure olive oil.
_Gnocchi ‘alla Romana.’_
Mix five and a half ounces of flour and two eggs in a sauce-pan, add
one pint of milk by degrees, and three-quarters of an ounce of Gruyère
cheese cut into bits. When the paste is cooked put in salt to taste,
and three-quarters of an ounce of good butter, spread it in a dish to
the thickness of three-quarters of an inch, and let it cool. Then cut
it into small square pieces and pile it in layers in a baking-dish with
three-quarters of an ounce of good butter in bits, and three-quarters
of an ounce of grated Parmesan cheese between the layers (but not on
the outside). Brown with the salamander or in a hot oven, and serve at
once.
_Gnocchi of Semolina._
Take one pint of milk, four and a half ounces of semolina and boil;
before taking it off the fire add salt to taste, one ounce of good
butter, and three-quarters of an ounce of Parmesan cheese. Before it
gets cold mix in two eggs, then pour it out on a dish, spreading it in
an even thickness of about three-quarters of an inch. When cold cut it
in small square pieces. Pile them one on another in a vegetable dish,
adding between each layer one ounce of good butter in bits, and some
grated Parmesan cheese (but not on the top), put the gnocchi into a hot
oven to be slightly browned, and serve hot.
_Pappardelle with Hare._
Make a paste with flour, and three eggs, roll it about the thickness of
a florin, and cut it into strips the width of a finger. Boil in salted
water and put it aside to dry. Cut up the fillets, or the thighs of
a hare (about eight ounces) into small pieces, mince one and a half
ounces of bacon, half a small onion, half a carrot, and a quarter of a
head of celery, and put them to cook with three-quarters of an ounce
of butter, and season with salt and pepper. When browned, sprinkle the
meat with one tablespoonful of flour, moisten it with one wine-glassful
of gravy, and let it simmer for a time, adding one and a quarter ounces
of butter and a little grated nutmeg. Place the pappardelle (the strips
of paste) on a hot dish, grate a little Parmesan cheese over them, add
the hare condiment, and serve hot.
_Spaghetti ‘con Acciughe.’_
Take twelve ounces of medium-sized spaghetti, parboil in slightly
salted water; meanwhile wash and bone five anchovies, chop them up
fine and put them into a sauce-pan with an abundance of pure olive
oil, and a pinch of pepper. Do not let them boil, but when hot add two
ounces of butter and the pulp of one or two tomatoes (or some tomato
conserve). Pour this sauce over the spaghetti and serve hot.
_Spaghetti ‘al Forno.’_
Boil three-quarters of a pound of fresh spaghetti in plenty of salted
water for three-quarters of an hour, adding an onion with two or three
cloves stuck into it and half an ounce of butter. Drain and place them
in a sauce-pan with half a pint of sauce ‘Alla Tedesca’ and half a pint
of sauce ‘Alla Béchamel.’ Add a good pinch of pepper, a little grated
nutmeg, and a quarter of a pound of grated Gruyère cheese. Toss well,
then put them in a baking-dish, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese
and bread-crumbs, pour a little clarified butter over them, and put
into the oven. When baked a golden colour (about fifteen minutes) serve
up hot.
_Spaghetti ‘all’ Italiana.’_
Boil the spaghetti as above (‘al Forno’), drain, add one pint of Tomato
sauce (see Sauces, p. 126) (or conserve) and a quarter of a pound of
grated cheese, add a little pepper and grated nutmeg, and cook for
ten minutes, tossing well. Serve hot with some grated Parmesan cheese
separate.
_Spaghetti ‘alla Napolitana.’_
Boil three-quarters of a pound of fresh spaghetti in plenty of salted
water for three-quarters of an hour, with an onion stuck with cloves,
and half an ounce of butter. Drain and put them into a saucepan with
half a pint of Tomato sauce (see Sauces, p. 126) (or tomato conserve),
half a pint of sauce ‘Suprema’ (see Sauces, p. 125), two truffles,
seven or eight mushrooms, and a piece of smoked tongue, all cut up
small. Add a little pepper, grated nutmeg, and a quarter of a pound of
grated Parmesan cheese. Cook for ten minutes, tossing well, serve hot
with some grated Parmesan cheese separate.
_Spaghetti, Timbaletti di._
Slide long pieces of spaghetti (or small maccaroni) gently into a
sauce-pan, turning them round so that they should not be broken. Boil
in salted water until tender, then lay them straight out on a cloth to
cool. Butter small moulds (about three inches high), and wind spaghetti
round inside them, beginning at the bottom. As you wind, fill each
mould with boiled maccaroni, pieces of sweetbread cut into small bits,
and button mushrooms, already cooked and prepared. Fill the moulds
rather tight, or the timbaletti will not stand up, cover them with
buttered paper, and stand them in a pan of hot water to cook in a slow
oven for half an hour. Turn the timbaletti carefully out of the moulds,
pour a little gravy round them, and serve hot.
_Tagliarini ‘al Formaggio.’_
Take one pound of flour, three eggs, half a tumbler of milk, and a
pinch of salt, mix up into a paste and work it well. Lay it aside
for half an hour, then roll it out very thin and let it dry before
cutting it into long thin strips (tagliarini). Boil these in salted
water over a very slow fire for twenty minutes and then drain well.
Meanwhile prepare four ounces of grated Parmesan cheese, five ounces
of grated Gruyère, and six ounces of butter; put a layer of tagliarini
into a baking-dish, and cover them with cheese and butter. Repeat the
alternate layers of tagliarini, cheese and butter, until the dish is
full. Sprinkle the top with bread-crumbs and bits of butter, bake in
the oven for quarter of an hour and serve in the baking-dish very hot.
_Tagliatelle with Ham._
Make a stiff paste with flour and eggs, roll it to the thickness of a
florin, cut it into strips half or three-quarters of an inch broad,
and parboil with a very little salt. Meanwhile cut up into small square
pieces a thick slice of ham, mince some carrot and celery (about the
same in quantity as the ham) and put them into a frying-pan with two,
or more, ounces of butter. When they begin to brown add some tomato
juice (or tomato conserve) and a cupful of broth (or water). Place
the tagliatelle, well strained, on to a hot dish, season with grated
Parmesan cheese, some bits of butter, and the ham.
_Tagliatelle ‘alla Romagnola.’_
Put one clove of garlic (or a sliced onion) and a bunch of parsley into
a frying-pan with some pure olive oil. As soon as the garlic (or onion)
begins to brown, add six or seven tomatoes cut in slices, and salt and
pepper to taste. When they are cooked strain off the gravy. Meanwhile
make a paste as in ‘Tagliatelle with Ham,’ parboil in plenty of
slightly salted water, then put it into a sauce-pan, pour the hot gravy
over it, add some butter and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, mix, and
serve at once.
_Tagliatelle with Sausages._
Prepare the tagliatelle as in the recipe ‘with Ham,’ only substitute
sausages for the ham.
_Tortelli._
Take seven ounces of curds (squeeze them through a cloth to extract
all the water), one and a half ounce of Parmesan cheese, one egg, and
one yolk of an egg, a little grated nutmeg and some allspice, a pinch
of salt, and a little chopped-up parsley. Mix well together and put
a spoonful on to little rounds of paste (about two and a half inches
in diameter). Fold the paste over the curds, as you would a turnover,
and put them into boiling salted water. Take them out with a strainer,
season with butter and Parmesan cheese and serve hot. The quantities
given ought to make about twenty-four tortelli.
* * * * *
_Macedoine of Vegetables._
Cut one carrot and one turnip into small dice, balls, or any fancy
shapes; take a quarter of a pint of green peas, a quarter of a pint
of young flageolet beans, a quarter of a pint of French beans cut
into slices half an inch long, and some small pieces of cauliflower.
Boil each vegetable separate, and drain them well before mixing them
together lightly with a sauce ‘Alla Panna’ or ‘Alla Béchamel’ (see
Sauces, pp. 119, 125), or a seasoning of melted butter, pepper, and
salt.
_Mushrooms (Pratajuoli[4]) ‘al Burro.’_
[4] Agaricus campestris. The mushroom usually cultivated in England.
Take large mushrooms, clean them carefully, break off the stalks and
peel the tops, put them on a gridiron, season with a little pepper and
salt, turn them, and when done serve up on a very hot dish; put a good
piece of fresh butter on to each, and a squeeze of lemon. Place them in
a hot oven for a minute, or even in front of a hot fire, and serve on
buttered toast.
_Mushrooms (Porcini[5]) ‘alla Casalinga’_
[5] Boletus edulis.
Peel two pounds of fine mushrooms and put them into fresh water. Melt
four ounces of butter in a sauce-pan with two or three spoonfuls of
pure olive oil, one or two leaves of mint, an anchovy finely chopped
up, and a little pounded parsley. Stir well together, put the mushrooms
into the sauce-pan, having first dried them well, and sprinkled them
with salt, then cook slowly. Serve up on slices of bread fried in
butter, and squeeze the juice of half a lemon over them.
_Mushrooms (Pratajuoli[6]) ‘alla Crema.’_
[6] Agaricus campestris.
Take one pound of fine mushrooms, break off the stalks, clean, wash,
and drain them. (If very large divide them in two.) Put them into a
sauté-pan with one ounce of fresh butter, season with one spoonful of
salt and half a spoonful of pepper, and cover the pan. Cook over a
moderate fire for six or seven minutes, then add half a cupful of cream
and two tablespoonfuls of Vellutata sauce (see Sauces, p. 127). Cook
for four minutes, and serve at once in a hot dish with croûtons (fried
bread).
_Mushrooms (Porcini[7]) ‘alla Francese’._
[7] Boletus edulis.
Peel two pounds of mushrooms, wash, drain, cut them into halves and
pickle them for one hour in pure olive oil, salt and pepper. Put some
pure olive oil into a clean frying-pan, throw in the mushrooms and add
some finely chopped-up parsley. When done put them on slices of bread
fried in fresh butter and serve hot.
_Mushrooms (Porcini[8]) Fried. No. 1._
[8] Boletus edulis.
Clean and wash some large mushrooms thoroughly; put them into a
sauce-pan with a bay leaf, a clove of garlic (or an onion), a little
thyme, salt, and a ladleful of water flavoured with a few drops of
vinegar or lemon. Boil for two minutes, then drain, and cut them into
slices. Throw the slices into a paste made of flour, one or two yolks
of eggs, a little white wine (or water), and half a teaspoonful of pure
olive oil. Fry in pure olive oil over a good fire, and serve up hot.
_Mushrooms (Porcini[9]) Fried. No. 2._
[9] Boletus edulis.
Choose porcini of a medium size, clean, and wash them well, but do not
let them soak, as it spoils the flavour. Cut them into slices and flour
well before throwing them into the frying-pan. Fry in pure olive oil,
and season with salt and pepper while they are frying.
_Mushrooms (Porcini[10]) Grilled._
[10] Boletus edulis.
Remove the skin of some medium-sized heads of porcini (keep the
stalks), clean, wash, and put them on a napkin to dry. Make a stuffing
of the stalks, some parsley, a very little garlic (or onion), and put a
small portion inside each mushroom head, salt according to taste, with
a pinch of pepper; season with olive oil, place the heads thus prepared
on a gridiron, and cook them over a slow fire for about a quarter of an
hour. Serve very hot.
_Mushrooms (Porcini[11]) ‘all’ Intingolo.’_
[11] Boletus edulis.
Put several peeled mushrooms into a sauce-pan with two or four ounces
of butter (according to the quantity of mushrooms used), add a small
bunch of parsley and two or three small onions. Put them on the fire,
mix with a little flour, a tumbler of soup, half a tumbler of white
wine, the same of clear gravy, and boil for an hour. Then skim off the
grease, add a little more gravy if required, dust with flour, and put
back to cook with salt and pepper to taste. Serve up hot.
_Mushrooms (Prugnuoli[12]) ‘alla Spagnuola.’_
[12] Agaricus Georgii (or Tricholoma Georgii).
Wash and clean one pound of prugnuoli and put them into a sauté-pan
with two ounces of butter, a little flour, salt and pepper, and cook
over a brisk fire for ten minutes. Moisten well with chicken broth,
and add a little sauce ‘Suprema’ (see Sauces, p. 125) (made with
chicken broth). Prepare croûtons (fried bread) on a hot dish, and after
sprinkling the juice of half a lemon over the mushrooms, put them on
the bread and serve.
_Mushrooms (Dormienti[13]) ‘al Sugo.’_
[13] Hygrophorus Marzuolus.
Clean and wash well one pound of dormienti, put them into a sauté-pan
with two ounces of butter, a little flour, salt and pepper; boil for
a quarter of an hour, and add three tablespoonfuls of veal broth.
Prepare croûtons (fried bread) on a hot dish, squeeze the juice of half
a lemon over the mushrooms, place them on the bread and serve.
_Mushrooms (Pratajuoli[14]) on Toast._
[14] Agaricus campestris.
Choose large fresh mushrooms, peel, and break the stalks off level;
sprinkle pepper and salt on them and place a small piece of butter
on each. Melt some butter in a frying-pan and put the mushrooms in,
covering the pan closely with buttered paper. Fry slowly for ten
minutes, then place the mushrooms on buttered toast, and serve at once.
_Mushrooms (Porcini[15]) with Tomato Sauce._
[15] Boletus edulis.
Clean and cut the porcini into small pieces, wash, dry, and put them
into a sauce-pan with one clove of garlic (or a little onion), and
a little salt, adding some tomato conserve or the pulp of two raw
tomatoes without skin or seeds, after pounding it well. Serve up hot.
_Mushrooms (Ovoli[16]) ‘Trippati.’_
[16] Amanita Caesarea.
Choose the ovoli young whilst still closed and of the form of an egg.
Clean and wash them and cut them into thin slices. Fry in good butter,
and season with salt, pepper, and grated Parmesan cheese. A little
gravy is an improvement. Serve hot with croûtons (fried bread).
* * * * *
_Onions ‘Farcite.’_
Boil six large onions for an hour in their skins. After draining,
peel them and cut out their centres. Meanwhile prepare the following
stuffing: Chop up fine four ounces of ham, or tongue, add grated bread,
some melted butter, one or two tablespoonfuls of cream, a little salt
and pepper. Mix well into a paste and fill the centre of the onions
with it, then put them into a frying-pan, sprinkle them with a Butter
sauce, and grated bread, and cook them with fire above and below, or in
the oven. Just before serving pour ‘Alla Panna’ sauce over them (see
Sauces, pp. 122, 125).
_Onions Fried._
Peel and slice four medium-sized onions and put them into milk for a
short time, then dip them in flour and fry them in very hot fat for
eight or ten minutes. Strain, put them on a napkin to dry, and serve on
a hot dish garnished with fried parsley.
_Onions ‘Glacées.’_
Peel twelve large onions and put them into boiling water for about
twenty minutes. Then drain, throw them into cold water, remove the
two outer skins, and cut out their centres. Stand the onions in a
frying-pan and put a teaspoonful of sugar into the centre of each, add
four ounces of butter and cook them slowly until soft and slightly
browned. Add some strong broth, a little at a time, and let it cook
until it becomes reduced, keeping the frying-pan covered. Sprinkle the
onions with the sauce and they will be well glacées.
_Onions (Small White)._
Boil three-quarters of a pound of small white onions, then put them
into a sauce-pan with two ounces of butter and a little flour, and cook
them till they turn a good colour. Add about a quarter or half a pint
of white wine or broth, and before they have finished cooking add some
pepper and grated nutmeg. When the liquid is reduced, serve at once.
The onions can also be put into the oven, sprinkled with Parmesan
cheese and melted butter, and browned.
_Onions ‘in Stufato.’_
Peel two pounds of onions and, after putting them into cold water,
place them in a sauce-pan and cover them with good broth, letting them
cook slowly. If young, one hour will suffice, if old, allow two hours.
When soft, strain, and put them on a dish. Melt two ounces of butter
in a frying-pan, add a spoonful of flour, and three-quarters of a
pint of broth, mixing well until it boils, then add a little salt and
pepper, and pour it over the onions. Serve hot.
* * * * *
_Parsnips ‘alla Crema.’_
If the parsnips are young and tender they must be put into cold water
immediately after being scraped, to keep them white. If old they must
be peeled and cut lengthwise into four pieces. Boil young parsnips
three-quarters of an hour, old ones one and a quarter hours. Then
drain, arrange on a hot dish, and pour a sauce ‘Alla Panna’ over them
(see Sauces, p. 125).
_Parsnips ‘al Forno.’_
Wash and peel six large parsnips, cut them in two and put them into a
sauce-pan with enough boiling water to cover them, for one hour. Then
drain, and place them on a hot dish. Meantime melt two ounces of butter
in a frying-pan with three or four tablespoonfuls of flour, and stir
to prevent browning. Add half a pint of hot water and boil for five
minutes, stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste, pour the
sauce over the parsnips, sprinkle them with bread-crumbs and grated
cheese, and bake for a quarter of an hour in a slow oven.
_Parsnips ‘Fritte.’_
Boil the parsnips till tender; drain, sprinkle with salt and pepper,
dip them into butter, then into flour, and then sprinkle with sugar.
Melt two or three tablespoonfuls of dripping in a frying-pan, put in
the parsnips, and fry until browned on both sides.
_Parsnips ‘Sautés.’_
Mash six or seven parsnips, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir in
one tablespoonful of flour and one egg. Make them up into small round
cakes and fry in dripping, turning occasionally, until browned on both
sides.
* * * * *
_Peas ‘all’ Antica.’_
Shell carefully three quarts of young peas and wrap them in a wet cloth
until wanted. Wash and tie up a lettuce head, and put it with the peas
into a sauce-pan, adding one tumbler of water, a quarter of a pound
of fresh butter, and a pinch of salt. Cook for a quarter of an hour,
take out the lettuce, and before serving put in three tablespoonfuls of
cream, mixed with the yolk of one egg, a spoonful of powdered sugar,
and half a saltspoonful of white pepper. Boil for five minutes and
serve hot.
_Peas ‘alla Borghese.’_
Put one quart of young shelled peas into a sauce-pan with a little
browned onion, one or two slices of ham chopped up fine, one ounce of
fresh butter, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a sprinkling of flour. Add
a large ladleful of good stock and cook slowly. When done, mix in a
cupful of milk, a little powdered sugar, and thicken with two yolks of
eggs. Serve up hot.
_Peas ‘al Burro.’_
Put one quart of shelled peas into a sauce-pan with a little cold water
and four ounces of fresh butter. Place them on a hot fire, add a cupful
of boiling water, salt and pepper to taste, a spoonful of sugar, and
a bunch of parsley. When reduced take out the parsley, add one or two
ounces of fresh butter, and serve hot.
_Peas ‘alla Consommé.’_
Boil one and a half quarts of peas, and two carrots cut into small
square pieces, in good broth, with a tablespoonful of powdered sugar,
for about an hour. Just before serving put the peas on to croûtons
(fried bread) fried in fresh butter.
_Peas ‘alla Crema.’_
Cook one pint of shelled peas in an earthen pot of salted boiling water
for a quarter of an hour, then drain. Put two ounces of fresh butter
into a sauce-pan with one tablespoonful of flour, then add half a pint
of milk and mix until it boils. Add salt and pepper to taste, and then
put in the peas. Cook in a Bain-marie for a quarter of an hour, and
serve as a garnish to any baked meat.
_Peas ‘alla Francese.’ No. 1._
Take two young onions, cut them in half lengthwise, tie them up with a
bunch of parsley leaves, and put them into a sauce-pan with one ounce
of butter. When browned, pour a large cupful of broth over them and
boil. As soon as the onions are quite soft rub them through a sieve
together with the broth, and put them into a sauce-pan with one quart
of peas and two heads of lettuce. Season with salt and pepper to taste,
and boil slowly. When half done add one ounce more of butter mixed with
a dessert-spoonful of flour, and a little more broth, if needed. Before
serving take out the lettuce and thicken with two yolks of eggs mixed
in a little broth.
_Peas ‘alla Francese.’ No. 2._
Cut two young onions into fine slices, and put them in a sauce-pan with
one ounce of butter. When browned, mix in a sprinkling of flour, pour
in one or two cupfuls of broth and let the flour cook. Put in one
quart of young peas, season with salt and pepper, and when half-cooked
add two heads of lettuce. Boil slowly, taking care that the gravy does
not get too thick, and before serving take out the lettuce. Sugar can
be added, but only in small quantities.
_Peas ‘al Buon Gusto.’_
Make a cross cut in an onion and put it into a sauce-pan with one ounce
of butter; when browned, take it out and add a little flour to the
butter. Mix and put in one quart of boiled peas, sprinkling them with
salt and allspice. As soon as they have taken up the butter pour in a
cupful of stock to finish the cooking, and serve.
_Peas ‘all’ Inglese.’_
Boil the peas in salted water with a bunch of parsley, drain when done.
Just before serving turn them into the dish adding a few slices of
fresh butter.
_Pea Omelette._
Boil one quart of shelled peas in salted water for fifteen minutes,
then strain and keep them hot while preparing the omelette. Beat up
four eggs, and add four tablespoonfuls of hot water, three-quarters of
an ounce of fresh butter, and three or four drops of onion juice. Then
put four ounces of butter into a frying-pan, brown it well and put in
the eggs. Stir over a brisk fire till the eggs have set, then tilt the
pan so that the butter passes under the omelette, and sprinkle with
salt and pepper. Put two spoonfuls of the boiled peas into the middle
of the omelette, turn one half of it over the peas, and put it on a
very hot dish. Add a spoonful of Butter sauce to the rest of the peas
and put them round the omelette. Serve up very hot.
_Pease-pudding._
Melt two ounces of fresh butter in a sauce-pan, when browned put in one
quart of shelled peas, add salt to taste, and mix for three minutes.
Then moisten with strong stock (for _maigre_ use fish soup) and add
a little cinnamon and allspice. When the peas are soft to the touch
rub them through a sieve. Meanwhile cook two ounces of butter in a
sauce-pan, put in the purée of peas, stir, and add a tablespoonful
of flour, and then (stirring all the time) two pounded maccaroons,
and three yolks of eggs. Take the peas off the fire and let them cool
before mixing lightly with them three whites of eggs well beaten up.
Butter a shape, put in the peas, and cook in a Bain-marie with fire
above and below.
_Peas in their Pods._
Take two pounds of very young peas in their pods and boil them in an
earthen pot in salted boiling water for about half an hour. When cooked
put them into a hot dish and pour sauce ‘Alla Panna’ over them (see
Sauces, p. 125), or melted butter, salt, and pepper. Serve hot.
_Peas ‘allo Stufato.’_
Take one and a half or two pounds of shelled peas, and put them into a
sauce-pan with some ham, two ounces of butter, a bunch of sweet herbs,
and a little fried onion. Simmer gently till they are done, then blend
with the yolks of two or three eggs. Serve hot.
_Peas ‘allo Zucchero.’_
Take one pound of shelled peas, put them into a sauce-pan with two
ounces of butter, one tumbler of water, one ounce of sugar, and a
sprinkling of salt. Cook them over a sharp fire for a quarter of an
hour; when tender, take them off the fire and add the yolks of four
eggs well beaten up with half a tumbler of cream. Put them on the fire
again and stir continually to prevent them from boiling. As soon as the
eggs are set serve at once.
* * * * *
_Polenta ‘Dabs.’_
Scald one pint of Indian corn flour in boiling water. Mix together
one dessert-spoonful of butter, two lightly beaten-up eggs, one
wine-glassful of cream and a little salt, add this to the corn flour,
and drop the paste from a spoon into a well-buttered pan. Bake in a
moderate oven.[17]
[17] This is an American recipe.
_Polenta ‘alla Parmigiana.’_
Stir one pound of Indian corn flour, a little at a time, into one
pint of boiling salted water until smooth, then turn out into a dish
to cool, in a layer about half an inch thick. When quite cold, cut
into pieces of one inch long, and pile in layers in a baking-dish,
sprinkling each layer well with grated Parmesan cheese and some melted
butter. Bake in a slow oven and serve hot.
_Polenta with Sausages._
Make a polenta as above (alla Parmigiana) and while cooling boil two
or three sausages in an earthen pot with very little water. When done,
skin them, break them into small pieces, and add a little stock and
tomato conserve. Lay the polenta in a baking dish, putting some sausage
and grated Parmesan cheese between each layer with some bits of butter
here and there. Then cook with fire above and below, or in the oven,
and serve very hot.
* * * * *
_Potatoes Boiled._
Wash the potatoes well and peel off a piece of skin round each potato
about half an inch wide to make them mealy. Put them in a sauce-pan,
and cover them with cold water; add half a handful of salt, cover the
sauce-pan, boil for forty-five minutes. Drain them well, place them in
a napkin on a hot dish, and serve hot.
_Potatoes ‘alla Borghese.’_
Boil two pounds of potatoes, and put them in a covered dish to drain.
When dry, peel and cut them into slices, then put them into a sauce-pan
with four ounces of butter, some chopped parsley, and salt and pepper
to taste. Let them simmer over a slow fire, then squeeze the juice of
two lemons over them and serve up hot.
_Potatoes ‘alla Campagnuola.’_
Boil two pounds of potatoes, peel, slice fine, and brown them slightly
in a frying-pan with four ounces of butter. Toss them now and then,
adding a little salt and grated nutmeg, and mix Béchamel sauce with
them before serving hot (see Sauces, p. 119).
_Potatoes ‘in Casseruola.’_
Mix one pound of mashed potatoes, the yolks of four eggs, half a pint
of cream, and two ounces of butter in a sauce-pan. Cook until hot, stir
constantly until the paste is flaky and light, sprinkle with salt and
pepper. Arrange the paste in a circle round a dish and set it in the
oven to colour. Then fill the circle with a fricassee of chicken or
rabbit, or any kind of stew, mushrooms, or any cooked vegetables (peas,
French beans, etc.) left over from the day before, or half a bottle of
tomato conserve, or the pulp of six or seven fresh tomatoes.
_Potatoes ‘alla Crema.’_
Boil six or eight potatoes, and cut them into small pieces. Put
four ounces of butter, a little flour, salt, pepper, half an onion,
some parsley chopped up fine, and a pinch of grated nutmeg, into a
sauce-pan. Mix well until it boils, then add a tumbler of cream. Stir
constantly over a slow fire until it boils, and then add the potatoes.
Stand the sauce-pan by the fire for a few minutes, and serve up very
hot.
_Potato Croquettes. No. 1._
Boil two pounds of potatoes in salted water, when cool pound in a
mortar, and mix with two or three eggs, and various sweet herbs
chopped up (parsley, thyme, marjoram, chervil, etc.). Moisten with half
a cup of cream and stir into a thick paste. Roll this into croquettes
and fry in fresh butter. When they have taken a good colour serve up
hot.
_Potato Croquettes. No. 2._
Put one pound of mashed potatoes, the beaten-up yolks of two eggs, a
little onion juice, grated nutmeg, salt, two tablespoonfuls of cream,
a pinch of cinnamon, one dessert-spoonful of minced parsley, and two
ounces of butter, into a sauce-pan over a moderate fire. Cook until it
comes away from the sides, then remove it from the fire. When cold it
will break up into small pieces. Meanwhile beat up an egg with a little
hot water, dip the pieces of potato into it, and then into grated
bread-crumbs. Fry in boiling fat and serve hot with fried parsley.
_Potato ‘Farcite.’_
Wash and peel six or seven large potatoes, cut them in two lengthwise,
scoop out the centres (leaving just enough of the potato to support
the skin), and fill with forcemeat made of fresh pork minced, salt and
pepper to taste, a pinch of grated nutmeg, and a little powdered thyme.
Arrange the potatoes in a well-buttered baking-dish, and cook for half
an hour in a slow oven until well browned.
_Potatoes ‘al Forno.’ No. 1._
Mash six or seven boiled potatoes and beat them up while hot with three
tablespoonfuls of cream, two tablespoonfuls of butter, one raw egg, and
salt to taste. Put a layer into a well-buttered baking-dish, then put a
layer of thin slices of yolk of hard-boiled eggs, sprinkled with salt
and pepper; put layers of potatoes and eggs until the dish is full.
The top layer must be potato, over which strew bread-crumbs thickly.
Cover the dish and bake until hot, then brown quickly, and serve in the
baking-dish.
_Potatoes ‘al Forno.’ No. 2._
Roast six large potatoes in the oven with their skins on, cut them in
two, remove the inside with a spoon, but take care to leave enough
substance to preserve the shape of the potato. Put the inside of the
potato in a dish and add two ounces of butter, half a pint of hot milk,
salt and pepper to taste. Mix together until the paste is light, and
then add the well-beaten whites of two eggs, and beat up the whole
well. Fill the potato skins with the paste, first rolling it in the
yolk of egg, then cook in the oven and serve as soon as the top is well
coloured.
_Potatoes ‘in Frittata’ (Omelette)._
Mince up two boiled, cold, potatoes, sprinkle with pepper and salt, and
put them into a frying-pan in which two ounces of butter have been
melted. Spread the potatoes one-third of an inch deep in the pan, and
cook slowly over a moderate fire for about a quarter of an hour. Then
turn over (as you would any other omelette), and cook the other side.
Serve hot.
_Potatoes ‘alla Semplicità.’_
Boil and peel eight large potatoes, and pound them in a mortar with
two spoonfuls of chopped parsley, a little powdered cinnamon, and some
salt. When fairly thick and consistent, make up the paste into fritters
and fry in butter, turning them continually until they are a rich brown
colour. If a richer dish is desired, add four eggs and two ounces of
butter to the potato paste.
_Potatoes ‘Fritti alla Francese.’_
Wash thoroughly six large peeled potatoes, then cut them into small
balls, and put them in boiling water to cook for five or six minutes.
Drain, then fry them, a few at a time, in good roast-meat dripping
until they are of a golden colour. When cooked, drain them, sprinkle
with salt, and serve as a garnish to fish or meat.
_Potatoes ‘in Frittura.’_
Pound four or six cold, boiled potatoes in a mortar with two
tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, a little powdered cinnamon, and
some salt. When the paste is well mixed and smooth, make it up into
small round cakes and put them into fried fresh butter, turning them
until they take a good yellow colour. Serve hot.
_Potato ‘Gnocchi.’_
Boil eight or ten potatoes for a few minutes, then peel; place
them in the oven until they are quite soft, then pound them in a
mortar with three-quarters of an ounce of grated cheese, five or six
dessert-spoonfuls of flour, salt to taste, and three eggs. Knead well
and make little rolls, cover them with flour, and put them into a large
sauce-pan with salted boiling water. Boil for five or six minutes, then
take them carefully out, and place them on a dish, sprinkle them with
cheese, and pour some browned melted fresh butter over them with a
taste of onion in it (if liked).
_Potatoes ‘all’ Italiana.’_
Wash eight potatoes thoroughly, peel off a strip of skin round each
(to make them mealy), put them in a sauce-pan and cover them with cold
salted water, put on the lid and boil for forty-five minutes. Then peel
and mash them, put them in a sauce-pan, add one ounce of butter and a
piece of fresh crumb of bread (about the size of a roll) which has
been soaked in milk. Put in two tablespoonfuls of milk, three yolks
of fresh eggs with their whites beaten to a froth, salt and pepper to
taste, and a little grated nutmeg. Mix well together and pile it high
in a baking-dish, pour a little melted butter over it, and sprinkle a
little Parmesan cheese, then put it in the oven for about ten minutes.
Serve as soon as it is of a good golden colour.
_Potatoes ‘alla Gran Duchessa.’_
Take one pound of mashed potatoes, add two ounces of butter, and salt
to taste, one tablespoonful of powdered white sugar, and work up into
a light paste, adding two well-beaten eggs. Make the paste into oval
balls, roll them in melted fresh butter, and place them in the oven on
greased paper until well cooked. They make a nice garnish.
_Potatoes ‘alla Lionese.’_
Boil two large potatoes, and when cold cut them into slices. Melt two
ounces of butter in a frying-pan, add a sliced onion, and stir till
well browned. Put in the potatoes and simmer gently until they are
coloured, then sprinkle with a little salt. Place them on a hot dish
and serve very hot.
_Potatoes ‘alla Maître d’Hôtel.’_
Boil four large potatoes and cut them into dice. Put them into a
sauce-pan, add about one pint of stock, and cook slowly for a quarter
of an hour, sprinkling with salt and pepper to taste, and then
place them on a hot dish. Meanwhile fry two ounces of butter, one
tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and the juice of one lemon, when
done, pour over the potatoes and serve immediately.
_Potatoes ‘all’ Olandese.’_
Peel six large, cold, boiled potatoes, cut them into dice, and throw
them into boiling water for five minutes. After draining, place them in
a sauce-pan with two ounces of butter on a moderate fire, or in a slow
oven, and shake them occasionally, until the potatoes have absorbed the
butter and are soft. Serve on a hot dish with sauce ‘Olandese’ (see
Sauces, p. 124).
_Potatoes ‘alla Panna.’_
Boil eight or ten large potatoes, and cut them up when cold into
small dice. Melt four ounces of butter in an earthen dish with one
tablespoonful of flour, then mix in one pint of fresh cream (or milk),
a little salt and pepper, and a small pinch of nutmeg. Stir well
together until it boils, then put in the potatoes, add some grated
bread-crumbs and bits of fresh butter, and cook over a brisk fire until
they have turned a good yellow colour. Serve up hot in the earthen dish.
_Potato Pudding._
Mash twelve large boiled potatoes in a sauce-pan with four ounces of
butter, two tumblers of cream, a pinch of salt, and a tablespoonful of
flour. Then rub through a sieve, adding four ounces of white powdered
sugar, a little cinnamon, the yolks of four eggs, with their whites
beaten to a froth. Mix well, put into a well-buttered mould thickly
sprinkled with bread-crumbs, and bake for three-quarters of an hour
until browned.
_Potato Pudding with Mushrooms (Budino con Prugnuoli)._
Peel eight or more potatoes, cut them into quarters, wash, and boil
them in salted water with half a lemon; take them off the fire before
they are over-cooked. Then strain through a sieve, put them into a
large dish, and mash them well with a wooden spoon. Add two ounces of
fresh butter, and pour in half a tumbler of cream (a little at a time).
Beat up well with the spoon until the paste is smooth, then add three
or four well-beaten-up yolks of eggs. Butter a mould and pour in the
potato paste, make a hole in the centre, put small whole mushrooms into
it, cover them with a piece of the paste, and cook in the oven. When
baked, turn out the pudding on to a dish and serve hot.
_Potatoes ‘in Ragoût.’_
Cut six fine potatoes into dice, and put them into boiling water with
six sliced leeks. Boil for ten minutes, then drain. Boil half a bunch
of asparagus, drain, cut off their heads, and add them to the potatoes
and leeks, mixing well together. Meanwhile put two ounces of butter,
one pint of milk, one tablespoonful of chopped chervil, pepper and
salt to taste, into a sauce-pan, mix slowly over the fire until hot,
then pour over the potatoes, leeks, and asparagus, and boil the whole
together. Serve very hot.
_Potatoes ‘Arrostite’ (Roasted)._
Choose two pounds of young, round, and equal-sized potatoes. Put them
into a sauce-pan with four ounces of butter, salt to taste, and cover
hermetically. Place over a slow fire and shake frequently. After
three-quarters of an hour the potatoes will have a brown crust, and
inside they will be white and tender.
_Potatoes ‘Sautées.’_
Cut three or four cold, boiled potatoes into dice, and put them, a
few at a time, so that they shall not overlap one another, into a
frying-pan with fresh butter. (Allow one tablespoonful of butter for
each potato.) Brown them well, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve
immediately.
_Potatoes ‘in Stufato.’_
Cut ten large potatoes into dice and put them into cold water for a
quarter of an hour. Drain, and cook in boiling water for about ten
minutes, then dry in a cloth and put them into a sauce-pan; sprinkle
them with flour, add one pint of milk and two ounces of butter. Cover
tightly and let them simmer slowly for ten or fifteen minutes. Sprinkle
with salt and pepper, and serve up very hot.
_Potatoes ‘Tartufate.’_
Cut three or four parboiled potatoes into thin slices and lay them one
by one, with thin slices of truffles mixed with grated Parmesan cheese,
in an earthen dish. Add two ounces of butter in bits, salt and pepper
to taste, and when the potatoes begin to cook moisten with broth or
gravy. Before serving, squeeze a little lemon juice over them, and
serve hot in the earthen dish.
_Potatoes ‘all’ Umido.’_
Boil five or six large potatoes, let them get cold, and then cut them
into dice. Put them into a baking-dish with two ounces of butter and
enough cream to cover them. Cook until nicely browned, and serve very
hot.
* * * * *
_Pumpkins ‘alla Fiorentina.’_
Take twelve very young pumpkins (about one and a half inches long), cut
them in half, and put them in cold water. Have a sauce-pan ready with
four quarts of salted water. When boiling put in the pumpkins. When
they are cooked put them again into cold water. Just before serving
place them in a sauce-pan with four ounces of butter, heat for three
minutes, then add two tablespoonfuls of veal broth, two of cream, and a
squeeze of lemon. Heat again and serve.
_Pumpkins ‘Fritti.’_
Take young pumpkins (about the size of your two fists), peel them, cut
them in half, and take out seeds and pulp. Cut them into thin strips
(one and a half or two inches long, and as wide as your finger),
and put them into a dish with salt for some hours. Then squeeze out
the water with your hands, and throw them into flour, taking care to
separate and cover each strip with flour, shake the superfluous flour
off them in a sieve, and put them into a frying-pan with plenty of
boiling lard or oil. Serve at once.
_Pumpkin Pudding (Bodino)._
Cook (but not too much) two and a half pounds of pumpkin with two
ounces of butter, a little pepper, allspice, and salt, and pass
through a sieve, adding some crumb of bread soaked in milk or cream,
some powdered cinnamon, several pounded bitter almonds, a handful of
grated bread, and three yolks of eggs. Mix thoroughly and put it into a
well-buttered shape with thin slices of buttered bread arranged round
the inside, and cook with a fire above and below until thoroughly
browned. Serve up hot.
_Pumpkins ‘Ripiene.’ No. 1._
Cut six young and small pumpkins (about two and a half inches long)
in two, and take out the pulp. Meanwhile mince fine the breast of a
fowl (or any tender white meat you have over from the day before),
one slice of tongue, and one of ham; put them into a sauce-pan with
three tablespoonfuls of veal broth, the yolk of an egg, a pinch of
salt, and one of pepper; parboil; therewith fill the pumpkins. Butter
a sauté-pan, lay the stuffed pumpkins in, and cook with fire above and
below, occasionally adding some broth. Serve as soon as cooked.
_Pumpkins ‘Ripiene’ (maigre). No. 2._
Take young pumpkins (about the size of your fist), scoop out their
insides, and fill them with minced tunny fish preserved in oil, yolk
of egg, a pinch of Parmesan cheese, a little of the soft pulp of the
pumpkin, and a little allspice and pepper, but no salt. Cook the
pumpkins in butter, and when brown serve with Tomato sauce (see Sauces,
p. 126).
* * * * *
_Rice (How to cook)._
Place a large sauce-pan with water on a hot fire; it is necessary that
the water should boil violently in order to keep the grains of rice
separate. Wash the rice in several waters so as to remove the floury
coating, which makes it pasty. Drain, and drop it gradually into the
sauce-pan, so as not to stop the boiling. Then boil hard for a quarter
of an hour or twenty minutes. When the rice is soft to the touch, it is
done. Then drain off every drop of water, sprinkle with salt, cover the
sauce-pan with a thin napkin, and leave it by the fire to steam and get
dry. (The rice can also be put into a cullender to drain, and then into
an open oven to dry; or butter the interior of a stew-pan, put in the
rice, put on the lid tight, and stand the pan on a trivet in the oven,
or by the fire.)
_Rice ‘alla Casalinga.’_
Wash eight ounces of rice, and blanch it in a sauce-pan with two quarts
of water for five minutes, then strain and let it cool. Meanwhile fry
four ounces of lean bacon cut up into small pieces, and when browned,
add one and a half pints of stock and a small teaspoonful of white
pepper. Put in the rice, cook for twenty minutes, stirring every now
and then, take it off the fire, add half a tumbler of Tomato sauce (see
Sauces, p. 126), or conserve, and mix well. Turn out the rice on to a
hot dish, and garnish with small sausages.
_Rice Croquettes._
Boil a cupful of rice in weak chicken broth, drain, stir in two
beaten-up eggs, one teaspoonful of butter, a slight sprinkling of
flour, pepper, and a pinch of grated lemon-peel. Flour your hands, and
make the rice, when cold, into small sausages (or croquettes), roll
each in raw egg, and then in bread crumbs, and fry to a golden brown.
_Rice with Tomatoes. No. 1._
Boil one cupful of rice soft in hot water, shake it now and then, but
do not stir it. Drain, and add a little milk in which a beaten egg has
been mixed, one teaspoonful of butter, and a little pepper and salt.
Simmer for five minutes, and if the rice has not absorbed all the milk,
drain it again. Put the rice round a dish, smooth it into a wall, wash
it over with the yolk of a beaten-up egg, and put it into the oven till
firm. Take half a bottle of tomato conserve (or the strained juice
and pulp of seven or eight tomatoes), season with pepper, a little
salt, sugar, and half a chopped onion, stew for twenty minutes, then
stir in one tablespoonful of butter and two tablespoonfuls of fine
bread-crumbs. Stew three or four minutes to thicken, and then pour the
tomato into the dish in the middle of the rice, and serve.
_Rice with Tomatoes. No. 2._
Boil one cupful of rice as directed in ‘How to boil Rice’; add half a
cupful of Tomato sauce (see Sauces, p. 126), season with some butter,
salt, and pepper to taste, and one or two bay leaves. Toss, or mix
lightly with a fork, being careful not to mash the grains. Serve hot.
This makes a nice dish for winter.
_Rice with Prawns._
Mince up half an onion, one clove of garlic, one carrot, half a head
of celery, and a bunch of parsley, and brown in pure olive oil. Then
put six or seven ounces of prawns into the sauce-pan, and season with
salt and pepper. Turn them often, and when all are red put in two or
three tablespoonfuls of Tomato sauce (or conserve), and add enough hot
water to cook fourteen or fifteen ounces of rice in afterwards. Do not
boil too much, as prawns cook fast. Take the prawns out, dry them,
choose about a third of the finest, shell and lay them aside. Pound
the others in a mortar (shells and all), rub them through a sieve, and
mix again with the water in which they were cooked. Meanwhile put some
butter into a sauce-pan, add the rice, stir well, and as soon as it
has taken up the butter, pour the water little by little on to it.
When half-boiled add the shelled prawns, and before serving sprinkle
Parmesan cheese over the whole.
_Rice with Quails._
Mince up two or four slices of ham and a quarter of an onion, and
brown in a sauce-pan, then put in four quails ready drawn. Sprinkle
with pepper and salt, and as soon as they are browned, parboil them in
broth, then add fourteen ounces of rice, and boil all together. Powder
with grated Parmesan cheese and serve on a hot dish.
_Rice ‘alla Ristori.’_
Cut two ounces of bacon into small pieces, and put them into a
sauce-pan with chopped-up cabbage. Steam for half an hour and add a
little salt, pepper, and chopped parsley; then throw in a quarter of
a pound of rice and half a pint of veal broth. Cook for fifteen or
eighteen minutes, and serve with grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled over
it.
* * * * *
_Risotto ‘alla Milanese.’ No. 1._
Melt two ounces of good fresh butter in a sauce-pan over a sharp fire,
add one onion chopped fine, brown a deep golden colour, then add about
ten ounces of clean rice (Italian if possible) and two large truffles
chopped up. Stir without stopping for one and a half minutes, and add
one quart of boiling veal broth, stir and let it cook for fourteen
minutes. Add six chopped-up mushrooms, and, a little at a time, one
more quart of broth, stirring constantly over a sharp fire for ten
minutes more. Put in half a teaspoonful of salt, a little pepper, one
and a half ounces of grated Parmesan cheese, and a teaspoonful of
saffron soaked in two tablespoonfuls of hot broth, and strained. Cook
three or four minutes longer, stirring all the time, then pour into a
deep dish, and serve hot with some grated Parmesan cheese separate. It
is an improvement to put a tablespoonful of marrow into the centre just
before serving.
_Risotto ‘alla Milanese.’ No. 2._
Cut up an onion and cook it with one and a half ounces of beef marrow,
and the same quantity of good butter; when browned put in one pound of
rice and add three-quarters of a glass of good white wine and broth
enough to cook the rice. Before taking off the fire add one and a half
ounces of butter and some grated Parmesan cheese, and serve with more
grated cheese separately.
_Risotto with Peas._
Mince up one small onion, brown it in two ounces of butter, then put in
one pound of rice, and stir with a ladle until the rice has taken up
all the butter. Add hot water (a cupful at a time), sprinkle with salt,
and let it boil dry, adding two ounces of butter. Before taking it off
the fire add peas cooked ‘alla Borghese’ omitting the milk and eggs.
Mix, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, and serve hot.
_Risotto ‘alla Poggio Gherardo.’_
Mince an onion, put it into a three-quart sauce-pan, and brown with
three ounces of good butter. Take out the onion, put in one pound of
rice, and half a wineglassful of Marsala. Reduce over a brisk fire,
then add one quart of stock, and boil hard so as to reduce in eighteen
minutes. Then take it off the fire and season with one ounce of good
butter, one ounce of grated Parmesan cheese, three or four fowls’
livers and mushrooms minced up fine, and some good gravy. Serve hot.
* * * * *
SALADS.
_Artichoke Salad._
Boil some small and tender artichokes and leave them to cool. Just
before serving drop into the middle of each, one drop of onion juice,
lay them on lettuce leaves, and pour sauce Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p.
123) over them.
_Beetroot Salad._
Slice two or three cold, boiled beetroots and place them in a
salad-bowl. Pour half a pint of sauce Tartara (see Sauces, p. 126) over
them and serve up with a garnish of parsley leaves.
_Broccoli Salad._
Boil one or two heads of broccoli in salted water, then strain them and
dry with a cloth. Make a sauce of pure olive oil, white wine vinegar,
very little salt and pepper, one tablespoonful of capers, and two or
three anchovies chopped up with some parsley. Pour over the broccoli
when cold and serve.
_Cabbage Salad._
Cut the heart of a white cabbage and half a head of celery into shreds.
Boil half a teacup of vinegar with one tablespoonful of butter, add
one tablespoonful of sugar, salt and pepper to taste, and put in the
cabbage, but do not let it boil. Meanwhile beat up two eggs, mix them
in one cupful of hot milk, and boil to a custard. Then put the cabbage
into a salad-bowl, pour the custard over it, and mix well. Place in the
ice-box until wanted.
_‘Alla Cardinale’ Salad._
Wash and dry well two lettuces and a bunch of water-cresses, cut two
large cold, boiled beetroots into strips, add twelve radishes, six
hard-boiled eggs chopped up, and one sliced cucumber. Arrange the
lettuce leaves round a salad-bowl, mix all the rest with half a pint of
sauce Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p. 123) and serve.
_Cauliflower Salad._
Boil a large cauliflower, then put it in cold water; when quite cold,
break it into pieces, and put these to dry on a napkin before placing
in the salad-bowl. Add two shalots and some parsley chopped up, salt
and pepper to taste, and pour half a pint of sauce Mayonnaise (see
Sauces, p. 123) over it before serving.
_Celery Salad._
Cut the white stalks into small pieces and add half a pint of sauce
Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p. 123) to every pound of celery. Sprinkle with
salt and pepper, mix well with the sauce, and serve the dish trimmed
with the green leaves of the celery.
_Cucumber and Tomato Salad._
Peel and slice two cucumbers, dry them on a napkin, then peel and slice
two large tomatoes. Cover the bottom of the salad-bowl with lettuce
leaves, and then alternate layers of the cucumbers and tomatoes, pour
sauce ‘alla Francese’ (see Sauces, p. 123) over and serve.
_‘All’ Egiziana’ Salad._
Wash the curly inside leaves of two heads of endive, dry them well, put
them into a salad-bowl, pour three tablespoonfuls of good olive oil
over them, and add a finely chopped shalot. Mix one tablespoonful of
honey (or sugar), one of vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste, in a
cup, and pour over the salad just before serving.
_French Beans Salad._
Boil one pound of French beans until tender, drain, and put them in
cold water. Dry them on a napkin, and cut them lengthwise into four
pieces. Pour sauce ‘alla Francese’ (see Sauces, p. 123) over them just
before serving.
_‘All’ Italiana’ Salad._
Cut one carrot and one turnip into slices and cook them in boiling
soup. When cold mix them with two large cold, boiled potatoes, and one
beetroot cut into strips. Add a very little chopped leeks, or onion,
pour some sauce ‘Lombarda’ (see Sauces, p. 123) over the salad, and
garnish with water-cress.
_Lettuce Salad._
Use only the tender leaves, and let them stand in cold water until
wanted. Wipe them quite dry, then break with the fingers into the
following sauce: Two or three yolks of hard-boiled eggs beaten up with
one tablespoonful of pure olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, two more
tablespoonfuls of oil added gradually, and one of white wine vinegar,
and one teaspoonful of mustard. Mix well and garnish the salad-bowl
with nasturtium (Tropæolum) flowers.
_Lettuce Salad ‘alla Francese.’_
Put the tender leaves of lettuce into cold water till wanted; then wipe
them dry and stand them in circles in the salad-bowl. Sprinkle them
with half a teaspoonful of chopped taragon, the same of chervil, of
parsley and of chives, and pour the following sauce over them: mix in a
cup one tablespoonful of pure olive oil, one saltspoonful of salt, and
half a saltspoonful of pepper, stir well; add two more tablespoonfuls
of oil, and one of vinegar (if liked add two drops of onion juice). The
salad must not be mixed till wanted, and can be garnished with small
radishes or nasturtium flowers.
_Lettuce Salad with Veal (or Fish)._
Slice up a head of lettuce and chop up two boiled eggs in large pieces,
add half a pound of cold veal (or fish), cut into strips one inch long,
and mix in a salad-bowl. Then beat up the yolks of two raw eggs,
add a very little salt, and mix in gradually four tablespoonfuls of
pure olive oil, and one of white wine vinegar; a few drops of taragon
vinegar is an improvement.
_‘Alla Macedoine’ Salad._
Cut into small pieces one cold boiled beetroot and half an onion, add
some cold boiled French beans, two ounces of cold boiled asparagus
heads, two tablespoonfuls of cold cooked peas, one cold boiled carrot,
and one head of celery. Mix them well together, pour sauce Mayonnaise
(see Sauces, p. 123) over them, add the juice of a lemon, and serve.
_‘Alla Pollastra’ Salad._
Chop up six lettuce leaves, and three stalks of celery; cut the remains
of a cold boiled fowl into small pieces and mix with one tablespoonful
of white wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste, in a salad-bowl.
Pour a cupful of sauce Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p. 123) over; and
garnish with quarters of hard-boiled eggs, one tablespoonful of capers,
twelve stoned olives, and some small tender lettuce leaves.
_Potato Salad. No. 1._
Boil six potatoes; peel, slice them fine, mix with one or two small
onions cut into quarters, and half a tumbler of red wine; add salt
and pepper to taste, four or five tablespoonfuls of oil, and half a
tablespoonful of white wine vinegar, one tablespoonful of chervil
chopped fine, and some thin slices of anchovies, or, if preferred,
smoked herring. Stir well, but before serving take out the onions.
_Potato Salad. No. 2._
Boil some fine potatoes, peel and slice them. Slice some truffles
(boiled in white wine) very thin and put them in alternate layers with
potatoes into a salad-bowl. Season with four or five tablespoonfuls of
good olive oil, one dessert-spoonful of white wine vinegar, and salt
and pepper to taste. Garnish with slices of anchovies, stoned olives,
and (if liked) a few young chives.
_Potato Salad. No. 3._
Slice some boiled (or baked) potatoes thin, add one teaspoonful of
chopped parsley; mix apart six tablespoonfuls of good olive oil, two
of white wine vinegar, one teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful
of pepper, and pour over the potatoes. Add six or more (according to
taste) boned anchovies cut into strips, and twelve stoned olives. Thin
slices of cold beef or fowl can be mixed in this salad with advantage.
_Potato Salad. No. 4._
Boil six fine potatoes, slice them and place them to cool. Slice three
hard-boiled eggs, and mince four ounces of pickled tunny-fish fine.
Place alternate layers of minced tunny, and sliced potato and egg,
in the salad-bowl, sprinkle the last layer with chopped chervil, and
season the dish with pure olive oil, white wine vinegar, pepper and a
very little salt, mixed separately and poured over before serving.
_‘Alla Russa’ Salad._
Cut up two boiled carrots, one small turnip, half a bunch of asparagus
(the green part) one small beetroot, and some cold chicken or
partridge, into dice, take some cold boiled young French beans, and
green peas, one tablespoonful of capers, some stoned olives, slices
of anchovies, and some prawns. Make a sauce of pure olive oil (a good
deal), a little vinegar, pepper, half a pinch cayenne, some mustard, a
spoonful of caviare, and one finely chopped shalot.
_Spanish Onion Salad._
Peel and slice two large Spanish onions and two cucumbers. Put them
into iced water for twenty minutes, then drain, and dry them well on a
cloth. Arrange the slices of onion and cucumber alternately on a dish,
pour sauce ‘alla Francese’ (see Sauces, p. 123), over them and serve.
_N.B._--Cucumbers should if possible always be kept on ice, and never
be put into salted water.
_Summer Salad. No. 1._
Take three heads of fresh lettuce, one of celery, a little chopped
taragon and chervil, and one or two shalots. Season with five
tablespoonfuls of pure olive oil, two of white wine vinegar, one
teaspoonful of salt, and half a teaspoonful of pepper. Stir well before
serving. Cold, boiled haricot beans are a good addition, and also half
a pound of cold meat cut in very thin slices.
_Summer Salad. No. 2._
Take two large cucumbers, and one head of celery, peel and slice; add a
bunch of red radishes. Add six cold, boiled young artichokes cut into
quarters. Sprinkle with finely chopped chervil, mix, and pour sauce
‘alla Francese’ (see Sauces, p. 123) over just before serving.
_Tomato Salad. No. 1._
Scald[18] and peel ripe tomatoes and put them in ice. Cut them into
thin slices and put on a flat dish. In the centre of each slice put one
teaspoonful of sauce Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p. 123), and garnish with
sprigs of parsley. Or the tomato can be cut in two, laid on a young
lettuce leaf, and sauce Mayonnaise poured over them.
[18] Put the tomatoes in a wire basket and plunge them into boiling
water for one minute. If left too long in the water they get soft.
_Tomato Salad. No. 2._
Scald and peel twelve or eighteen small yellow tomatoes. Pile them on
a dish like plums, garnish with young lettuce leaves, and pour the
following sauce over them: mix well in a cup one tablespoonful of pure
olive oil, one saltspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful of pepper,
add, stirring all the time, two tablespoonfuls of oil, and one of
vinegar, and, if the flavour is liked, add two drops of onion juice.
_Tomato Salad. No. 3._
Peel round red tomatoes of equal size, and scoop out a bit of the fruit
from the stem end. Keep them on ice till wanted, then fill them high
with sauce Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p. 123) and celery cut into shreds
of half an inch long. Place each on a young lettuce leaf on which a
little sauce Mayonnaise has been put, and arrange on a flat dish.
(Chopped hard-boiled eggs and lettuce may be used instead of celery.)
_Tomato Salad. No. 4._
Scald and peel six fine tomatoes and put them in ice, cut them into
very thin slices in a salad-bowl so as to keep the juice. Season with
salt and pepper to taste, two tablespoonfuls of oil, one of vinegar,
and, if liked, one small teaspoonful of chives. Mix well and serve as
cold as possible.
_Tomato Salad. No. 5._
Take round tomatoes (not too big), fill them as in No. 3, but do not
let the stuffing stand out beyond the fruit. Then put small moulds,
or cups, on ice, and pour in one-eighth of an inch of clear aspic
jelly; when set, place a tomato (the filled side uppermost) into each
mould, and pour more jelly round it and over it. Ice well, turn out the
tomatoes on a dish garnished with sliced lettuce or watercress, and
serve with sauce Mayonnaise (see Sauces, p. 123) separate.
_Tomato Jelly Salad._
Boil five or six tomatoes until they are soft with one teaspoonful
of salt, one of sugar, half a teaspoonful of thyme, a saltspoonful
of pepper, one slice of onion, one bay leaf, and three cloves. Then
add enough calves’ feet jelly (or isinglass) to set the tomato juice,
strain, and pour into a mould on ice. If the jelly is in the shape of a
ring fill the centre with curled celery, mix with sauce Mayonnaise (see
Sauces, p. 123), and garnish with lettuce cut into shreds; if solid put
the celery and sauce Mayonnaise round the jelly.
_Tomatoes and Celery (Salad of)._
Scald and peel twelve small round tomatoes, cut off the stem end, take
out the seeds, and put them on ice. Meanwhile chop up fine the inside
of a head of celery, mix with some sauce ‘Francese’ (see Sauces, p.
123), and fill the tomatoes with it. Place each tomato on a fresh
lettuce leaf, and pour a seasoning of oil, vinegar, salt and pepper
over all.
_Watercress Salad._
Wash three or four bunches of watercress and drain them, slice four or
five cold boiled potatoes very thin and mix with the following sauce:
four tablespoonfuls of oil, half a tablespoonful of vinegar, salt and
black pepper to taste, one shalot minced up fine, half a pinch of
cayenne, and half a tablespoonful of sugar.
* * * * *
SAUCES
_Roux for Sauces._
Roux is necessary to thicken and give body to sauces. Put one
tablespoonful of flour and one of butter into a sauce-pan and cook till
the flour has lost any raw taste. Then put the sauce-pan on the hob and
add the stock, or milk slowly (one cupful for every tablespoonful of
butter or flour), and stir till smooth. For white sauces take care the
flour does not colour; for dark sauces let it brown, but take care it
does not burn.
_Agro Dolce Sauce._
Take two tablespoonfuls of sugar (brown or white), half a cupful of
currants, a quarter of a bar of grated chocolate (about four ounces),
one tablespoonful of chopped candied orange, one of lemon peel, one of
capers, and one cupful of vinegar. Mix well together and let it soak
for two hours. Pour it over the wild boar, venison, or veal, and simmer
for ten minutes. Some add one tablespoonful of pinocchi (pine seeds),
or a dozen almonds chopped up fine.
_Bearnese Sauce._
Take five yolks of eggs, one ounce of butter, a pinch of salt, and one
of pepper. Stir, and as soon as the eggs begin to consolidate take
the sauce-pan off the fire and add one ounce of butter. Then put the
sauce-pan on the fire again and stir in one ounce more butter; repeat
this twice, then add one tablespoonful of chopped tarragon, and one
teaspoonful of tarragon vinegar. This sauce must be stiff and have the
consistency of Mayonnaise.
_Béchamel Sauce. No. 1._
Put two ounces of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour into a
sauce-pan and stir for five minutes. Pour one and a half pints of
boiling milk in gradually, beating well with a whisk. Add a bouquet,
half a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, twelve peppercorns, a pinch of
salt, and three ounces of chopped mushrooms. Cook for a quarter of an
hour, and rub through a fine sieve.
_Béchamel Sauce. No. 2._
Mix three tablespoonfuls of butter and three of flour to a smooth
paste, put ten peppercorns, half an onion, half a carrot sliced, a
small piece of mace, two teacupfuls of white stock, a pinch of salt
and of grated nutmeg, and a bouquet, in a stew-pan; simmer for half an
hour, stirring often, then add one teacupful of cream, boil at once,
strain and serve.
_Béchamel Sauce. No. 3._
Cut a thick slice of veal or part of a knuckle into small cubes and
put them into a sauce-pan with two ounces of butter, two medium-sized
onions and two carrots sliced. Cook for ten minutes, taking care it
should not brown, then put in five ounces of flour and stir for five
minutes over the fire. Pour in three quarts of strong white stock and
one of good cream. Add three and a half ounces of minced mushrooms, one
bouquet, one saltspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful of pepper.
Let it boil, and then stand the sauce-pan to simmer on the hob for one
and a half hours, skimming often. Strain through a sieve into a large
sauce-pan to jelly, add two wineglassfuls of cream and reduce till the
sauce clings to the spoon. Then strain again. Stir occasionally while
it is cooling, or a skin will form on the top of the sauce, in which
case it must be strained again.
_Béchamel Sauce (Maigre). No. 4._
Slice three onions and one carrot, and put them into a sauce-pan with
two whole onions and seven ounces of butter. Cook for five minutes,
then add seven ounces of flour, stir, and add three quarts of milk. Put
in a bunch of parsley and half an ounce of salt. Reduce for a quarter
of an hour stirring all the time, then strain through a sieve. Cover
the sauce with a thin layer of melted butter, and it will keep some
days. When wanted boil and stir in three and a half ounces of butter
for every quart of sauce.
_Broccoli (Sauce for)._
Mix one tablespoonful of butter in a sauce-pan with one tumbler of
water and a little salt. Stir until it boils. When the flour has quite
lost its raw taste, stir in two yolks of eggs, the juice of half a
lemon, and half a teaspoonful of chopped parsley.
_Caper Sauce. No. 1._
Mince an anchovy and dissolve it in oil and butter over a slow fire,
add four ounces of capers, three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and some
chopped parsley. This sauce can be served hot or cold.
_Caper Sauce ‘alla Genovese.’ No. 2._
Mince up one small onion with two ounces of capers and three-quarters
of an ounce of anchovies. Brown them in a sauce-pan with a little
butter, then add one cupful of broth or good gravy, a little vinegar,
and a pinch of sweet herbs. Boil up twice and serve with any boiled
meat.
_Caper Sauce ‘alla Milanese.’ No. 3._
Take four ounces of butter, one tablespoonful of flour, pepper and
salt to taste, and mix well over the fire in a sauce-pan. Do not let
it boil, and just before serving add two ounces of capers and one
teaspoonful of white wine vinegar.
_Cold Caper Sauce. No. 4._
Take pure olive oil, four ounces of capers and the juice of a lemon.
Mix them well together and serve.
_Butter Sauce. No. 1._
Put two ounces of flour into one quart of water, with one and a half
ounces of butter, and a little salt and pepper. Cook for twenty
minutes, stirring well, then strain into a covered bowl and put into
a Bain-marie. Just before serving boil again, take off the fire, add
twelve ounces of butter cut into pieces, and the juice of one fine
lemon. The heat of the sauce must melt the butter as it must not be put
on the fire again. If the sauce is too thick mix in half a wineglassful
of hot water.
_Butter Sauce. No. 2. (Melted Butter.)_
Take eight ounces of butter, one tablespoonful of salt, one of pepper,
and two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice. Stir with a wooden spoon over
the fire until the butter is half melted, then take it off and continue
to stir until it is quite liquid. By taking the butter off the fire
before it is all melted, it will have a pleasant taste of fresh cream;
this is lost when fully cooked.
_Francese Sauce._
Stir six yolks of eggs, seventeen ounces of butter, salt and pepper
to taste, well together. When they begin to consolidate mix in one
wineglassful of purée of tomatoes passed through a fine sieve, one
ounce of chicken jelly, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and one
teaspoonful of capsicum vinegar.
_Lombarda Sauce._
Put two tumblers of white roux and one of chicken jelly into a
sauce-pan, reduce, and add three yolks of eggs mixed with two ounces
of butter and the juice of half a lemon. Before it boils take the
sauce-pan off the fire and add one tumbler of thick Tomato sauce (see
Sauces, p. 126) (or conserve), strain, and just before serving add one
tablespoonful of sweet herbs minced fine.
_Mayonnaise Sauce._
Put one yolk of egg (quite free from any white), half a teaspoonful
of salt, and a pinch of cayenne, into a bowl standing in ice. Stir
constantly, and add one cupful of pure olive oil, drop by drop. The
goodness of the sauce depends upon adding the oil slowly. When it
begins to get thick, alternate a few drops of tarragon vinegar with the
oil till you have put in one and a half teaspoonfuls of vinegar (lemon
juice may be used instead). In summer it is a good plan to mix the yolk
of a hard-boiled egg with the raw one; the sauce is made more quickly
and is less likely to curdle.
_Mayonnaise Monte Bianco Sauce._
To the above Mayonnaise sauce add half a cupful of stiff whipped cream
just before serving.
_Mayonnaise Sauce ‘alla Ravigote.’_
Take a few sprigs of tarragon, parsley, chervil, watercress, two or
three chives, and a leaf of spinach or lettuce, and pound them in a
mortar with some drops of lemon juice. Squeeze out the juice of the
herbs, and mix it with mayonnaise sauce (as above). A few green peas
will add to the colour and consistency of the sauce.
_Olandese Sauce._
Rub four ounces of butter to a cream in a sauce-pan or a bowl, add four
yolks of eggs, beat well together, then put in half a teaspoonful of
salt, the juice of half a lemon, a pinch of cayenne, and one cupful of
hot water poured in by degrees. Mix well and put into a Bain-marie.
Stir until the sauce becomes of the consistency of thick cream, but
be careful it does not boil. Take it off the fire and stir for some
minutes. ‘Olandese’ sauce ought to be quite smooth and creamy.
_‘Alla Panna’ Sauce._
Melt half a pound of butter, add a little flour, salt, pepper, and
grated nutmeg. Stir until thick, then add one pint of cream, a little
chopped parsley, and heat for five minutes.
_Suprema Sauce. No. 1._
Put four quarts of good stock into a sauce-pan with two pounds of
knuckle of veal and the body of a fowl. Boil well, skimming off the
grease, add one teaspoonful of salt, two onions (one of them stuck with
cloves), one bouquet, and a pinch of grated nutmeg. Simmer on the hob
until the veal is quite cooked, then strain. Add three tablespoonfuls
of white roux and stir over the fire until it boils. Skim, and put it
into a Bain-marie to reduce. Just before serving boil it again and add
one ounce of butter and three tablespoonfuls of milk of sweet almonds.
_Suprema Sauce. No. 2._
Put the body of a fowl into a sauce-pan, cover it with water, and cook
quickly. Take it out as soon as it boils, drain, and wash it well. Then
put the fowl into a clean sauce-pan, with one quart of veal broth, one
dessert-spoonful of salt, and a bouquet. Cook for forty-five minutes,
then pour the broth through a strainer into another sauce-pan with two
tablespoonfuls of white roux, and stir well.
_Tartara Sauce. No. 1._
Take one shallot, one tablespoonful of capers, six sprigs of tarragon,
six of chervil, and two gherkins; chop all up very fine and put them
into an earthen bowl with two raw yolks of eggs, half a teaspoonful of
ground mustard, a small pinch of salt, and one of pepper, then stir in
(a drop at a time) one teaspoonful of good wine vinegar, and then a
cupful of pure olive oil.
_Tartara Sauce. No. 2._
Wash and mince two anchovies with the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs.
Mince separately some parsley, tarragon, one shallot (or a small
onion). Put them into a bowl with one tablespoonful of white wine
vinegar, one and a half of olive oil, one of French mustard, and a
little pepper and salt. Beat up well with a wooden spoon till quite
smooth.
_Tomato Sauce. No. 1._
Mince a quarter of an onion, half a stalk of celery, a few leaves of
sweet basil, and a bunch of parsley, up fine. Add half a cupful of
pure olive oil, a pinch of salt and one of pepper, and cut eight or
nine tomatoes into slices. Boil until the sauce is as thick as cream,
stirring occasionally, then strain through a sieve and serve. Eight or
nine tablespoonfuls of conserve can be used instead of fresh tomatoes.
_Tomato Sauce. No. 2._
Take four pounds of tomatoes, cut them in two and put them into a
two-quart sauce-pan with two wineglassfuls of water, two saltspoonfuls
of salt, one of pepper, and a bouquet. Cover the sauce-pan and boil for
forty minutes, stirring often to prevent burning; then strain. Make a
roux in another sauce-pan with one ounce of butter, and three-quarters
of an ounce of flour. Cook for three minutes, mixing well. Take the
roux off the fire and pour the tomatoes into it a little at a time,
stirring to keep it smooth. Add two wineglassfuls of stock, put on the
fire, and cook for twenty minutes, stirring all the time.
_Vellutata Sauce._
Put one pound of knuckle of veal and any scraps you have of fowl into a
well-buttered sauce-pan with two or three slices of ham, two carrots,
one onion, and one tumbler of veal broth. When the broth is reduced add
twelve mushrooms, two or three shallots, salt and pepper to taste, a
bouquet, and enough veal broth to cover the meat. Boil, skim off the
fat, and let it simmer for one and a half hours. It will keep some days
if well corked in a cold place. Before using mix white roux with it.
* * * * *
_Sorrel Purée._
Nip the stalks off a peck of sorrel, wash well, drain, and chop up fine
with one head of well-washed lettuce and a small bunch of chervil. Put
all into a sauce-pan and stir over a hot fire for three minutes, then
place in the oven until well dissolved. Add one and a half ounces of
fresh butter, stir until it bubbles, add half a pint of good stock or
beef gravy, and cook for five minutes.
_Sorrel Purée (Maigre)._
Take sorrel as above, but instead of stock or gravy, add two yolks of
eggs and half a cupful of cream.
_Sorrel Stewed._
Wash clean the necessary quantity of sorrel, boil until tender, then
rub through a sieve into a stew-pan. Add one or two tablespoonfuls of
Béchamel sauce (see Sauces, p. 119), a little salt and sugar, and two
or three ounces of fresh butter. Stew for a few minutes and serve.
* * * * *
SOUPS.
_Artichoke Soup._
Boil three large artichokes for forty minutes, then dry and cut
them in pieces and rub through a sieve. Put one quart of milk in an
earthen pot, boil, add the artichokes, two ounces of butter, and three
tablespoonfuls of flour. Stir until the milk thickens, add pepper and
salt to taste, and boil for ten minutes, adding chicken forcemeat balls
just before serving. (For the forcemeat balls take four tablespoonfuls
of minced raw fowl, some grated bread, the white of an egg beaten up,
and a little salt and pepper. Place the balls in boiling water as you
make them, and boil for ten minutes. Take them out with the strainer
and put them into the soup.)
_Artichoke Soup (Purée)._
Cut the bottom out of several artichokes, blanch them, remove the
chokes and boil with a little salt, flour, and lemon juice. Then mash
them and mix with one (or more, according to the number of people)
cupful of Béchamel sauce (see Sauces, p. 119); rub through a sieve, add
enough good stock to make a thick soup, and serve with small croûtons
(fried bread).
_Asparagus Soup._
Boil a bunch of asparagus in salted water for half an hour, then cut
off their heads and put them into a soup-tureen. Meanwhile boil one
quart of milk, mix three tablespoonfuls of flour and one of butter
together, and add to the milk; stir until it thickens. Rub the rest of
the asparagus through a sieve and add to the milk. Take it off the
fire, season with salt and pepper, and pour it into the tureen on to
the asparagus heads.
_Carrot Soup._
Put eight or ten finely sliced carrots, one onion, two heads of celery
sliced, five ounces of fresh white haricot beans, four ounces of
butter, and salt and pepper to taste, in a sauce-pan. Cook over a slow
fire for one hour, and stir from time to time. Then add about one and
a half quarts of good stock, boil for one and a half hours, and rub
through a sieve. Thin the purée with three quarts of stock, add half an
ounce of sugar, boil for half an hour, and serve with croûtons (fried
bread).
_Chestnut Soup._
Peel some roast chestnuts, warm them in butter, moisten them with stock
and white wine, and simmer over a slow fire until soft. Then pound them
in a mortar, rub through a sieve, and mix with a thin purée of game.
Heat in a Bain-marie, and serve with small croûtons (fried bread).
_Lentil Soup. No. 1._
Soak one pint of lentils in cold water all night. Strain and wash them
again, then put them in an earthen pot with two quarts of broth and
simmer for one and a half hours. Fry one sliced onion, a little chopped
parsley and thyme, and one bay leaf in two ounces of butter. Add these
to the lentils and simmer for another half-hour. Rub through a sieve
and boil, season with salt and pepper. Serve with croûtons (fried
bread).
_Lentil Soup. No. 2._
Put about half a pint of well-cleaned, dry lentils into boiling water
in an earthen pot. Be careful to remove those which float to the
surface. Leave the rest to cook until they are quite soft, then take
them out and strain them. Meanwhile mix two or three anchovies, a bunch
of parsley and some sage, and mix with some good oil in a sauce-pan.
When well browned put in the lentils. Stir well, add more oil, and cook
over a slow fire, stirring from time to time. When ready, mix in some
strained stock, and serve with croûtons (fried bread).
_Lettuce Soup._
Put the mealy part of four potatoes into boiling consommé, the blanched
leaves of two heads of celery, one lettuce chopped up, one pint of
green peas, and two large tablespoonfuls of flour well stirred in cold
broth. Boil for one and a half hours, and serve with croûtons (fried
bread).
_Potato Soup ‘alla Provinciale.’_
Boil and rub two pounds of potatoes through a sieve, put them in a
sauce-pan with four ounces of good butter, a little salt, and half a
tumbler of cream (or milk). Simmer until it is thick like Polentina
(see p. 135), then add six yolks of eggs to consolidate it to a paste.
Cut into small dice, throw them into boiling soup, and cook for five
minutes. Just before serving sprinkle a little grated Parmesan cheese
into the soup.
_Potato Soup ‘alla Romana.’_
Parboil four large potatoes in one quart of water, when half-cooked
strain off the water and pour one pint of boiling water on the
potatoes; add one bay leaf, half an onion, one head of celery, and
some chopped parsley. Boil over a slow fire in an earthen pan, add two
ounces of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour, and mix well. Rub
the potatoes through a sieve into an earthen pot, add boiling milk, a
little at a time, and serve hot.
_Pumpkin Soup. No. 1._
Cut two or three slices of white pumpkin into small dice. Put them
into a sauce-pan with four ounces of butter, and cook till they take a
golden colour. Mince up one onion, some parsley, sweet basil, celery,
thyme, and (for those who like it) one clove of garlic. Mix well, and
add two cloves, one quart of water, and some butter, or pure olive oil,
or both. Boil for one hour, serve very hot with croûtons (fried bread).
_Pumpkin Soup. No. 2._
Take a slice (about one and a half pounds) of a large yellow pumpkin,
peel it and remove the seeds. Cut into small dice and put them into
a sauce-pan with one ounce of butter, a pinch of salt, one ounce
of sugar, and half a tumblerful of water. Boil for two hours, then
drain, and put back into the sauce-pan with one and a half tumblers
of well-boiled milk. As soon as it boils pour into the tureen and add
croûtons (fried bread).
_Onion Soup. No. 1._
Peel and cut three large Spanish onions in slices. Put two ounces of
butter into a frying-pan, and add the onions when the butter is hot.
Just before they are browned take them off the fire and put them into a
sauce-pan with two quarts of good stock. Boil slowly for half an hour,
and add a little pepper and salt. Strain through a sieve and serve very
hot. Add croûtons (fried bread) to the soup.
_Onion Soup ‘Purée alla Soubise.’ No. 2._
Chop up a few onions, warm them in butter, but take care they do not
brown. Stir in three tablespoonfuls of purée of white haricot beans,
add a pinch of grated nutmeg, and rub through a sieve. If the purée is
too thick add a little stock. Serve with croûtons (fried bread) in the
soup.
_Palestine Soup._
Scrape and slice six or eight large Jerusalem artichokes and put them
into cold water. Then place them in boiling water, boil for one hour,
and rub through a cullender. Mix them with two ounces of butter and
three tablespoonfuls of flour, and pour them into one quart of boiling
milk, stirring continually until thick. Season with salt and pepper,
and serve with croûtons (fried bread).
_Pea Soup._
Shell four pounds of fresh green peas, put them in an earthen pot,
cover them with cold water, and boil for twenty minutes. Take out one
cupful of peas. Rub the rest through a sieve, and mix in an earthen pot
with one quart of milk, four ounces of butter, and two tablespoonfuls
of flour. Stir until the soup is thick, add a pinch of salt and of
grated nutmeg, and the whole peas, and serve very hot.
_Polentina ‘alla Veneziana.’_
Put two large tablespoonfuls of fine yellow Indian-corn meal into one
quart of boiling milk. Stir continually for twenty minutes to prevent
burning, then add one teaspoonful of salt (or more to taste), and four
to six ounces of fresh butter. Serve with croûtons (fried bread).
_Sorrel Soup._
Wash and dry two bunches of sorrel. Chop it fine, and cook with
two ounces of butter until it becomes a pulp. Stir in one spoonful
of flour, salt and pepper to taste, and a cupful of water. When it
boils add two or more yolks of eggs and a cupful of cream. Serve with
croûtons (fried bread).
_Spinach Soup ‘alla Modenese.’_
Boil two pounds of spinach, mince fine, and put it in a sauce-pan with
four ounces of melted butter. Stir well, add salt to taste, then take
off the fire and mix in two eggs, a little grated cheese, and a pinch
of grated nutmeg. Pour this purée into boiling broth, take it off
the fire after a few minutes, and cover with a salamander; this will
coagulate the eggs and turn the purée into a soft green paste. Serve
very hot with croûtons (fried bread).
_Tomato Soup. No. 1._
Simmer one quart of tomatoes (or tomato conserve) in an earthen pot
(or enamelled sauce-pan) with one pint of good stock (or water); add
one bay leaf, one stalk of celery, a little parsley, six peppercorns,
and one teaspoonful of sugar. Meanwhile melt one tablespoonful of good
butter in another sauce-pan, and fry one sliced onion, but do not brown
it; then add one tablespoonful of flour, mix well, see that it cooks
without browning. Dilute with a little of the tomato soup, season with
salt, and add the rest of the tomatoes. Strain through a sieve, beat it
up before serving, and sprinkle small dice of fried bread in the soup.
_Tomato Soup (Maigre). No. 2._
Stew eight or ten tomatoes thoroughly, then rub them through a sieve,
and put them in a pot with one tablespoonful of soda. When the foaming
is over add two tablespoonfuls of butter (a little at a time), one
teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, and a pinch of
cayenne. Meanwhile heat one quart of milk in a Bain-marie for about ten
minutes, and add to the tomatoes (beating well together) just before
serving.
_Turnip Soup._
Parboil ten or twelve turnips cut into fine strips. Strain, cook them
over a slow fire in a stew-pan with a minced onion browned in three
ounces of butter, add some broth (or fish soup for maigre). Serve with
croûtons (fried bread), and one ounce grated Parmesan cheese.
_Vegetable Soup (Mixed)._
Cut two potatoes and one onion in pieces. Fry the onion in two ounces
of butter till browned, then pour it over the potatoes in an earthen
pot, add two tablespoonfuls of rice, one sliced carrot, and one quart
of water. Boil for one hour, then pass through a sieve and put back in
the pot. Moisten two ounces of fine Indian-corn meal with a little cold
milk, add to the vegetables and then pour in half a pint of milk. Stir
until it boils, season with pepper and salt, and serve with croûtons
(fried bread).
_Vegetable and Cream Soup._
Boil three lettuces, four heads of celery, two onions, a handful of
chervil, a little sorrel, tarragon, and thyme, in one quart of water
till well stewed. Strain off the herbs half an hour before dinner, let
the soup cool, and add one pint of fresh cream with the yolks of three
eggs. Stir well, put it on the fire to heat, but do not let it boil.
* * * * *
_Spinach ‘al Burro.’_
Wash, blanch, and chop up fine two pounds of spinach. Put it into
an earthen pot with fresh butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Add
two or three tablespoonfuls of flour and half a pint of milk, mixing
continually. Serve hot with croûtons (fried bread), as a garnish.
_Spinach ‘alla Crema.’_
Wash half a peck of spinach in several waters to get the grit out, and
put it into a covered earthen pan on a brisk fire. Stir now and then to
prevent its burning, and after fifteen minutes put in one tablespoonful
of salt. Cook five minutes more, then drain, and when dry chop it up
very fine. Mix one and a half tablespoonfuls of fresh butter, and one
of flour, in an earthen pot, and when half-cooked add the spinach and a
little salt and pepper. Cook for five minutes, pour in half a cupful of
good cream, and cook five minutes more, stirring constantly to prevent
burning. Serve with croûtons (fried bread), or hard boiled eggs sliced.
_Spinach Croquettes._
Take two pounds of boiled spinach, strain, and chop it up fine. Put it
into an earthen pan with four ounces of butter, some sweet marjoram
chopped up, allspice, sugar, and grated lemon peel. Mix well over
the fire, then put in one tumbler of milk, and when it boils add two
beaten-up eggs. When thick and cooled roll up into croquets, meanwhile
make the following batter: two handfuls of flour, one tablespoonful of
good olive oil, half a glass of white wine, and a little salt, well
mixed together. Roll the croquets in this and fry. Serve hot.
_Spinach ‘Ravioli alla Fiorentina.’_
Clean and wash eight bunches of spinach, cook them in salted boiling
water, and then put them into cold. Dry well, chop up very fine, put
them into a sauce-pan and mix well with four ounces of butter, eight
ounces of fresh curds (out of which all the water has been pressed),
two tablespoonfuls of grated Parmesan cheese, and three yolks of eggs.
When cold make small balls or rolls of the spinach, flour them well,
and throw them into boiling water. As they rise to the surface take
them out with a strainer, pour melted butter over them, sprinkle with
grated Parmesan cheese, and serve at once.
_Spinach Fried._
Put two or three bunches of spinach into an earthen pot with a finely
chopped up shallot, and two ounces of butter, and mix well. When
cooked, take off the fire, chop up very fine, add one egg, one ounce
of grated cheese, a pinch of allspice, and roll up into balls or
croquets; sprinkle with flour, and fry over a quick fire. Serve very
hot garnished with fried parsley. (_N.B._--Any vegetable, cardoon,
cauliflower, etc., which is left over, can be fried in this way.)
_Spinach Pudding with Mushrooms. (Bodino con Funghi.)_
Wash a sufficient quantity of spinach well, boil it in salted water
for a few minutes, drain and squeeze out the water thoroughly; then
pound it in a mortar and finally rub it through a sieve. Then put it
in an earthen pot with a good-sized piece of butter and a few drops of
lemon juice; leave it to boil for a short time, then empty it into a
dish, and when cold add the yolks of two or three well-beaten-up eggs.
Put it into a well-buttered shape, leave an empty space in the middle,
and cook slowly in a Bain-marie for one hour with fire above and
below. When cooked, turn out on a dish and fill the empty space with
small mushrooms cut up into little pieces, which have been previously
prepared as in the recipe ‘alla Spagnuola’ (p. 75).
_Spinach ‘in Riccioli.’_
Boil a bunch of spinach and rub it through a sieve. Beat up two eggs,
season them with salt and pepper, and mix enough spinach with them
to make them green. Put a little oil into the frying-pan, and when
well heated pour a little of the egg in, turning the pan about so that
the pancake should be as thin as a piece of paper, and dry. Toss if
necessary. Take it out, repeat with the rest of the egg, then take
the pancakes, place them one on the top of the other, and cut them
into pieces the width of a finger and about two inches long. Fry them
in butter and grate a little Parmesan cheese over them. They make an
effective garnish.
_Spinach Soufflé._
Take a cupful of spinach prepared as in ‘Spinach alla Crema.’ Beat
up one yolk of an egg, mix with the spinach and stir over the fire
until the egg is set. Then let it cool, and before serving stir the
well-beaten whites of three eggs lightly into it. Fill china cups, or
buttered paper forms, half full, put them into a hot oven for ten or
fifteen minutes, and serve at once. If too little baked, or not served
at once, the soufflé will be spoiled.
* * * * *
_Tomatoes Broiled._
Slice large ripe tomatoes (without peeling them), broil or toast them
until slightly browned. Place them on a hot dish and pour boiling
melted butter, mixed with a very little good wine vinegar, salt,
pepper, and mustard, over them.
_Tomatoes ‘in Conchiglia.’_
Cut five or six tomatoes in half (do not peel them), put them in an
earthen pan with bits of butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake for about one hour, or until the tomatoes are soft. Meanwhile
prepare squares of buttered toast, place a half tomato on each square
of toast, pour sauce ‘alla Panna’ (see Sauces, p. 125) round them, and
serve.
_Tomatoes ‘al Forno.’ No. 1._
Scald, peel, and mash up eight or ten tomatoes, add one teaspoonful
of salt, and one saltspoonful of pepper. Put a layer of bread-crumbs
into a shallow baking-dish, lay the tomatoes on them, and sprinkle with
one tablespoonful of sugar, and a few drops of onion juice. Then cover
the tomatoes with a large cupful of bread crumbs moistened with one
tablespoonful of melted butter. Bake half an hour in a hot oven, and
serve in the baking-dish.
_Tomatoes ‘al Forno.’ No. 2._
Scald and peel six or eight tomatoes, slice off their tops, and scoop
out a little of the inside. Drop a little oil into each tomato and a
small pinch of salt and pepper, replace their tops, sprinkle them with
grated bread, salt and pepper, place each on a slice of bread in a
tinned dish, add a little pure olive oil, and bake for twenty minutes.
_Tomatoes ‘al Forno.’ No. 3._
Scald and peel six or eight tomatoes, take out their seeds, and place
them in a tinned dish. Meanwhile mix one tablespoonful of flour, one
of fresh butter, four or five fresh mushrooms, some parsley chopped
up with one shallot, a little salt and pepper, and some thick purée
(or conserve) of tomatoes in a sauce-pan, and stir well. Fill each
tomato with this, sprinkle them with grated bread, put four or five
tablespoonfuls of pure olive oil in the tin dish, and bake for ten
minutes, then brown with a salamander.
_Tomatoes ‘Fritti.’_
Cut six fine ripe tomatoes in half and put them in a shallow pan with
the peel downwards. Add four ounces of butter, sprinkle with pepper and
salt, and put them in the oven for ten minutes, then fry them slowly on
the fire (do not turn them). When cooked place them carefully on a hot
dish, put the pan on the fire again, and brown the butter, adding two
tablespoonfuls of flour, mix well, then add one pint of milk, and stir
until it boils. Season with salt and pepper, pour it over the tomatoes
and serve hot.
_Tomatoes ‘alla Graticola.’_
Cut four or five tomatoes in half without peeling them. Put them on
the gridiron, dust them with salt and pepper, and cook over a moderate
fire. Then place them on a hot dish and pour a white sauce over them.
Serve with croûtons (fried bread).
_Tomatoes Iced._
Scald and peel small round tomatoes, ice them, and serve them whole
with sauce ‘Francese’ (see Sauces, p. 123) separate.
_Tomatoes ‘all’ Indiana.’_
Wash half a pint of rice in several waters. Take two pounds of boiled
and strained tomatoes (or tomato conserve), season with a little salt
and allspice. Put alternate layers of tomato and of rice in a pie-dish,
and finish off with a layer of tomato covered with grated bread-crumbs
moistened with melted butter. Bake in a moderate oven for a good
half-hour, and serve in the pie-dish.
_Tomatoes ‘al Pane.’_
Peel and cut in slices six or more (according to the size of your dish)
ripe tomatoes, and lay them in a baking-dish with alternate layers of
bread-crumbs and bits of good butter. Season each layer of tomatoes
with sugar, pepper, and salt. The upper layer must be bread-crumbs
moistened with melted butter. Bake in a moderate oven for half an hour,
and serve in the baking-dish.
_Tomato Pudding._
Scald, peel, and slice eight tomatoes. Squeeze out three-quarters of
their juice into a bowl through a cloth, then chop them up with two
tablespoonfuls of breadcrumbs, a little salt, sugar, and pepper, and a
tablespoonful of melted butter. Pour them into a well-buttered mould
and put on the lid. Place the mould in a pot of boiling water, and boil
hard for one hour; then turn out on a dish. Meanwhile heat the tomato
juice, season with sugar, salt, and pepper, mix in one tablespoonful of
butter rolled in flour, boil one minute, then pour over the pudding and
serve.
_Tomato Purée._
Scald and peel about eighteen ounces of ripe tomatoes, and take out
the stem end. Cut them up and put them in an earthen pan with a little
salt, pepper, a bouquet, and one sliced onion. Stir over a moderate
fire, parboil, and then rub through a sieve. Make a roux with one
ounce of good butter and one tablespoonful of flour, cook for five
minutes, then pour the tomatoes into the roux, add two ounces of meat
jelly, and reduce for five minutes. Strain through a cullender and put
into a Bain-marie until wanted.
_Tomatoes ‘Ripieni.’_
Choose twelve large and smooth tomatoes, cut off the stem end and take
out the seeds. Put four ounces of grated bread, one quarter of an onion
minced, a little salt, and two ounces of butter into a frying-pan; mix
well and then fill the tomatoes with it. Put them in an earthen pan and
cook for half an hour over a hot fire, serve very hot.
_Tomatoes ‘al Riso.’_
Take the pulp of six tomatoes and put it in a sauce-pan with two ounces
of butter. Cook thoroughly, then strain through a sieve, add one large
cupful of consommé, and cook till reduced one quarter. Meanwhile cook
some rice in consommé, when done add the tomatoes, stir, and serve hot.
_Tomatoes Stewed._
Scald and peel six large fresh tomatoes and cut each into six pieces.
Cook in an earthen pot slowly for twenty minutes with one and a half
ounces of fresh butter, one teaspoonful of salt, one of pepper, and
half a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. Then add half a teaspoonful of
powdered sugar, stir well, cook for two or three minutes, and serve hot.
_Tomatoes ‘in Umido.’_
Scald, peel, and cut into bits twelve fine tomatoes, put them into
an earthen pan and cook slowly for about half an hour. Then add one
tablespoonful of butter, a pinch of sugar, some drops of onion juice,
and a little pepper and salt. Cook for twenty minutes, and serve hot.
_Tomatoes ‘con Uova.’_
Choose round tomatoes of about equal size, and peel them. Cut off their
tops, take out their insides, and drop a raw egg into each, replace the
top as cover. Put the tomatoes into a baking-dish, and bake for about
ten minutes (until the eggs have set). Serve up on the baking-dish very
hot, with a sauce Béchamel (see Sauces, p. 119), or some brown gravy.
* * * * *
_Truffles in Champagne._
Wash and brush well twelve truffles in warm water, then rinse them in
cold water and drain. Lay slices of bacon in the bottom of a stew-pan,
and place the truffles on them. Put in a bouquet, sprinkle with a
little salt, add some good stock, half a bottle of champagne, and boil.
Cover the pan well, put fire above and below, and cook for one hour.
See whether they are done (they should yield to the touch), then drain
well, and serve in a folded napkin.
_Truffles and Cheese._
Wash, brush, and clean eight ounces of truffles, and slice them.
Meanwhile fry four ounces of butter with one or two tablespoonfuls of
pure olive oil; put in the sliced truffles with four ounces of good
Swiss cheese cut in fine slices. Mix well together over a brisk fire
for ten minutes. Season with pepper and salt, and serve very hot with
croûtons (fried bread).
_Truffles (Maigre)._
Wash, brush, and clean some truffles, cut them in slices, and put them
in a stew-pan with some fish soup. Add a bouquet, season with pepper
and salt, and stew over a small fire. When done thicken the sauce with
a maigre roux, take out the bouquet, and serve hot.
_Truffles in Omelette._
Beat up eight fresh eggs for an omelette, add a very little salt and a
pinch of grated nutmeg. Cut up fine four ounces of truffles already
boiled in Madeira wine, warm up with one pint of good gravy reduced
with Madeira wine. Make the omelette, and put the truffles in as you
turn it over.
_Truffles ‘alla Panna.’_
Wash, brush, peel, and clean twenty or twenty-four truffles, and put
them into an earthen pan with four ounces of butter, a little salt, one
glass of white Rhine wine, and three tablespoonfuls of reduced stock.
Put a layer of sauce ‘alla Panna’ (see Sauces, p. 125) in the bottom of
a silver (or enamelled) sauce-pan, then a third of the truffles, cover
them again with a layer of sauce, add half the remaining truffles, and
some more sauce; at last the rest of the truffles must be covered with
sauce sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese and browned quickly with
the salamander just before serving. The truffles may be cooked and
served in shells instead of a sauce-pan.
_Truffles Sautés._
Wash, brush, and clean about one pound of truffles, cut them in thin
slices, and put them into a stew-pan with a quarter of a pound of
butter, one teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of sugar, and
a saltspoonful of grated nutmeg. Warm over the fire, then add one
gill of broth, and half a tablespoonful of flour mixed with half a
tablespoonful of butter. Stir well, boil, and serve on toast.
_Truffles Stewed._
Wash, brush, and clean some truffles, cut them in slices, and put them
into a small stew-pan with three or four slices of ham, a pinch of
pepper, one cupful (or more) of good gravy, and a bouquet. Stew gently
over a small fire until the truffles are tender, take out the ham and
the bouquet, add some good brown gravy, and serve.
_Truffles ‘sul tovagliolo.’_
Wash, brush, and clean some truffles thoroughly, boil with veal stock
and a glass of Madeira wine. Then serve in a napkin with good fresh
butter separate.
Printed by T. and A. CONSTABLE, Printers to Her Majesty at the
Edinburgh University Press
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