The Delmonico Cook Book: How to Buy Food, How to Cook It, and How to Serve It.

by Alexander Filippini

EGGS.

404. Poached.

—Boil in a deep saucepan three quarts of water with a heavy pinch of salt and three drops of vinegar. Have easily at hand twelve fresh eggs. When, and only when, the water boils, rapidly but carefully crack six of them, one by one. As success to have them in proper shape and cooked to perfection depends upon how they are handled, special care should be taken to crack them as rapidly as possible, carefully avoiding to break the yolks, and dropping each one right on the spot where the water bubbles, and as near the boiling-point as possible. Poach for one minute and a quarter from the time that the water boils after the eggs were put in. Lift them up with a skimmer, lay them on the freshly prepared toasts, or use for any other desired purpose; and repeat the same with the other six. If handled strictly as above described you will have them to perfection, and no necessity of trimming any superfluous adherings; serve when required.

405. Scrambled Eggs.

—Melt three ounces of butter in a saucepan, break into it twelve fresh eggs; season with a pinch of salt, half a pinch of pepper, and a third of a pinch of grated nutmeg. Mix thoroughly without stopping for three minutes, using a spatula, and having the pan on a very hot stove. Turn into a warm tureen, add a little verjuice or lemon juice, and send to the table very hot.

406. Scrambled Eggs with Asparagus-tops.

—To be prepared exactly the same as for [No. 405]. After the eggs have been well mixed with butter in the pan, there is added a quarter of a bunch of freshly boiled asparagus-tops.

407. Scrambled Eggs with Truffles.

—Place in a saucepan four good-sized, sliced truffles with a glassful of Madeira wine. Reduce to about half, which will take two minutes; add a tablespoonful of butter; season with one pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper. Crack into the saucepan twelve eggs, mix all well together with the spatula for three minutes on a very hot stove without stopping. Turn into a hot tureen and serve.

408. Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Beef.

—Fry in a sautoire for one minute two ounces of finely minced smoked beef. Scramble twelve eggs as for [No. 405], mixing with the above prepared beef. Any kind of garnishing may be added to the scrambled eggs.

409. Scrambled Eggs with Chicory.

—Blanch for fifteen minutes a good-sized head of chicory; drain it and cut it into one-inch lengths. Put these in a saucepan on the hot stove with an ounce of butter and one minced onion, fry, and then moisten with half a pint of broth ([No. 99]), adding a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper. Let cook until all the liquid is evaporated (which will take from twenty to twenty-two minutes). Break twelve eggs into a saucepan, add the chicory and another ounce of butter, then scramble with a spatula all together for four minutes, and serve with heart-shaped bread croûtons ([No. 133]) around the dish.

410. Eggs à la Livingstone.

—Cover six pieces of cut toast with pâté-de-foie-gras, lay them on a dish, and pour twelve scrambled eggs over ([No. 405]), add two tablespoonfuls of demi-glace around the dish and serve ([No. 185]).

411. Eggs à la Bourguignonne.

—Place in a saucepan one tablespoonful of meat-glaze with one pint of broth ([No. 99]), or consommé ([No. 100]). Boil, then crack into it two fresh eggs, and poach for one and a quarter minutes. Carefully lift up with a skimmer, and gently lay them on a hot silver dish. Repeat the same operation with ten more, two at a time; when all on the dish, sprinkle over them an ounce of grated Parmesan cheese. Place in the hot oven to brown for one minute. Reduce the gravy in which they were poached to one-half, then carefully pour the sauce around the eggs, but not over them, and serve hot.

412. Fried Eggs.

—Place in a frying-pan on the hot range three tablespoonfuls of very good sweet oil, heat it well, then carefully break into it one fresh egg, being careful not to break the yolk, and with the aid of a table knife fold the white right over the yolk, cook for a quarter of a minute, turn it over with a cake-turner; cook for a quarter of a minute on the other side, lift it up with the cake-turner, dress on a hot dish with a folded napkin. Proceed precisely the same way with eleven more, and then they will be ready to serve for any purpose desired.

N. B.—Mix one pinch of salt, and half a pinch of white pepper, and as soon as the eggs are dressed on the dish season each one evenly with it; taking special care to cook them separately, and no more than a quarter of a minute on each side.

413. Fried Eggs for Garnishing.

—Pour half a gill of sweet oil into the frying-pan; when the oil is hot break in one egg, carefully closing up the white part with a skimmer, so as to have it firm, and in a single form. Only one at the time should be cooked, and two minutes will be sufficient.

414. Eggs au Beurre Noir.

—Put one ounce of butter in a frying-pan on the hot stove, let heat well, but not brown; break gently into a dish twelve very fresh eggs, slide them carefully into the pan, then season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of white pepper; let cook slowly for three minutes. Have ready a hot, flat dish, slide the eggs gently onto it, without turning them over, and be careful to avoid breaking them; lay the dish containing the eggs in a warm place. Put two ounces of butter in the same pan, place it on the hot stove, and let the butter get a good brown color for three minutes, then drop in two teaspoonfuls of vinegar. Pour this over the eggs, and send them to the table.

415. Eggs au Soleil.

—Put two tablespoonfuls of lard in a frying-pan on the hot stove, break in twelve fresh eggs, dropping them in carefully, one by one; let them cook for two minutes, then with a skimmer take each one up separately and lay it carefully on a dry cloth. Have some fritter-batter ([No. 1190]) ready, cut a piece of half-cooked bacon into small, square pieces of about an inch, and add them to the batter, then dip in the eggs, one after the other, taking up with each one a piece of the bacon, and with the fingers drop them into very hot grease, and cook to a good golden color for two minutes. Lift them up with the skimmer, lay them on a dry cloth to drain; sprinkle over half a pinch of salt, dress on a hot dish with a folded napkin, and serve.

416. Eggs à la Béchamel.

—Pour one pint of béchamel ([No. 154]) into a saucepan, and put it on the hot stove. Cut twelve hard-boiled eggs in halves, add them to the hot béchamel; season with half a pinch of white pepper, and let heat thoroughly for three minutes, but be careful not to let it boil. Add one ounce of butter and a saltspoonful of grated nutmeg, then pour it on a hot serving-dish, and serve with six heart-shaped croûtons ([No. 133]).

417. Eggs à la Pauvre Femme.

—Heat half an ounce of butter in a dish on the hot stove, then break into it twelve fresh eggs, and sprinkle over two ounces of fresh bread-crumbs. Set the dish in the hot oven, and let bake for two minutes; then pour over the eggs half a pint of well-reduced Espagnole sauce ([No. 151]), add three ounces of cooked, tender ham, or cooked kidneys cut up finely, and then send to the table.

418. Eggs au Gratin.

—Knead well together in a bowl, one tablespoonful of bread-crumbs, two ounces of butter, three chopped anchovies, a pinch of parsley, a pinch of chervil, one chopped shallot, three raw egg yolks, a good pinch of salt, half a pinch of white pepper, and a pinch of grated nutmeg. When ready, put these ingredients into a silver baking-dish (by preference) with one ounce of butter at the bottom. Place it on a slow fire for two minutes, then break over it six eggs, which will be plenty; cook for five minutes in the hot oven, remove, lay the dish on top of another, and serve immediately.

419. Eggs à la Tripe.

—Fry two medium-sized, sound, sliced onions in a frying-pan with two ounces of butter, but do not brown them; mix in half a spoonful of flour, and a large cupful of sweet cream; season with a pinch of salt, half a pinch of white pepper, and the third of a pinch of grated nutmeg. Cook for eight minutes, stirring constantly with the spatula; then add twelve sliced, hard-boiled eggs, and heat together thoroughly for two minutes without letting it boil again; pour on a hot dish and serve.

420. Eggs à la Vanderbilt.

—Place one ounce of good butter on a silver dish, set it on the hot stove, and break in twelve fresh eggs, being careful not to disturb the yolks; season with a light pinch of salt and the third of a pinch of pepper; then let cook slowly for four minutes. Pour over the eggs a pint of hot Vanderbilt garnishing as for the omelet ([No. 471]), and serve immediately.

421. Eggs à la Valencienne.

—Put into a saucepan half a pint of hot, boiled rice, half a pint of hot tomato sauce ([No. 205]), two good-sized mushrooms, cut julienne-shaped, one truffle cut the same, and two tablespoonfuls of grated Parmesan cheese; season with half a pinch of salt, half a pinch of pepper, and the third of a pinch of grated nutmeg, and let cook on the hot stove for five minutes, stirring it lightly with the spatula. Leave the pan on the corner of the stove to keep warm, while putting half an ounce of good butter on a silver dish, and when placed on the hot stove, crack in twelve fresh eggs, being careful not to break the yolks; season with half a pinch of salt and the third of a pinch of pepper, then let cook for two minutes. Dress the prepared garnishing in four dome-shaped heaps—one at each end of the dish, and one at each side—and send to the table at once.

422. Eggs à la Provençale.

—Pour two tablespoonfuls of oil into a small frying-pan, and set it on the fire. When well heated, break one egg into a bowl, season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper (divided up for the twelve eggs), then drop it into the oil; baste the egg with a spoon, turn it over, and when a good color on both sides, drain it on a wire sieve. Cook the twelve eggs separately (each one will take two minutes), then pare them nicely, and serve crown-shaped on a dish, putting a piece of fried bread between every other one. Pour over half a pint of reduced Espagnole ([No. 151]), to which has been added the zest of a lemon, and six sliced mushrooms, and serve very hot.

423. Eggs en Filets.

—Mix in a dish that can be put in the oven (a silver one by preference) twelve raw egg yolks, with a spoonful of brandy and a pinch of salt. Cook them for five minutes in a hot oven, then let them cool; cut the preparation into twelve thin fillets or slices, and steep each one in a light pancake batter ([No. 1186]). Fry them in very hot fat for about two minutes, then lift up with a skimmer, lay them on a napkin to drain, and serve on a folded napkin laid on a hot dish and garnished with fried parsley.

424. Eggs à la Finoise.

—Pour a pint of good tomato sauce ([No. 205]) into a saucepan on the hot stove, add two cut-up, peeled, sweet peppers, fry for two minutes in a tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of chopped chives, and reduce it gradually to about half the quantity, which will take ten minutes. Poach six very fresh eggs, as for [No. 404], pare their edges neatly. Place six freshly prepared hot toasts on a warm serving-dish, arrange the eggs carefully on top, and pour the above sauce over all, then send them to the table at once.

425. Eggs au Miroir.

—Lightly butter a silver dish large enough to hold twelve eggs, one beside another; carefully break into it twelve eggs, taking care to keep the yolks intact. Evenly sprinkle over them half a pinch of salt. Cook for one minute on the hot stove; then place them in the oven for one and a half minutes. Take out, and place the dish on another, and serve.

426. Eggs with Fresh Mushrooms.

—Peel, wash, and drain a quarter of a pound of fine, fresh mushrooms. Place them in a saucepan, with a tablespoonful of very good butter. Season with half a pinch of salt and a third of a pinch of white pepper, squeezing in first two drops of lemon juice. Cover the saucepan, and cook for ten minutes on a moderate fire. Add a quarter of a glassful of good Madeira wine; reduce to one-half, which will take two minutes; add now a gill of béchamel sauce ([No. 154]), and let come to a boil again. Prepare twelve fresh-poached eggs, as in [No. 404]; pour the sauce on a hot serving-dish, keeping the mushrooms in the saucepan. Neatly lay the eggs over the sauce around the dish, and dress the mushrooms right in the centre, and serve very hot.

427. Eggs with Celery.

—Boil for fifteen minutes, in a quart of white broth ([No. 99]), two heads of well-washed and neatly pared, sound celery. Remove it from the broth; then cut it up in one-inch-length pieces, and return it to the pan with the broth in which it was first boiled, leaving it on the hot stove. Season with one pinch of salt and the third of a pinch of white pepper. Reduce to three-quarters (which will require ten minutes). Add a gill of hot béchamel sauce ([No. 154]), let come to a boil. Poach twelve fresh eggs exactly as in [No. 404], neatly arrange them on a hot dish, crown-like. Pour the celery sauce right in the centre, and serve very hot.

428. Eggs with Truffles.

—Peel three medium-sized, sound truffles. Cut them into thin slices, place in a saucepan with a glassful of Madeira wine; reduce to one-half on a moderate fire. Season with one pinch of salt and the third of a pinch of white pepper; add one gill of béchamel sauce ([No. 154]); let come to a boil. Prepare twelve heart-shaped croûtons ([No. 133]); dip the thin parts first into the sauce half an inch in depth, then into fresh, finely chopped-up parsley up to the same depth. Gently dress (arrange) them on the hot serving-dish in star-shape, so that the decorated ends of the croûtons will just reach up to the edge of the dish equally all around. Prepare twelve poached eggs exactly the same as in [No. 404]; dress an egg on each croûton. Gently pour the above prepared sauce right in the centre of the dish, being careful not to pour any over the eggs. Evenly slice one good-sized, sound truffle into twelve equal slices; dip them in a little hot broth for two seconds; lay one slice on top of each egg, and immediately send to the table.

429. Eggs with Tarragon.

—Blanch for one minute in a sautoire a quarter of a bunch of tarragon-leaves, drain, and chop them up very fine. Break twelve eggs into a bowl, add the tarragon, season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, and beat well for four minutes; meanwhile adding half a cupful of sweet cream. Then make an omelet, as for [No. 450], and roll it on a hot serving dish. Prepare a little roux with flour and butter ([No. 135]), moisten with half a pint of strong broth and a glassful of white wine; skim off any fat that may accumulate on top, and let it cook slowly for ten minutes. Strain through a fine sieve and pour it around the omelet; then serve.

430. Eggs with Livers.

—Remove the gall carefully from about a pint of chicken livers, wash them well, drain, and slice them into small pieces. Place them in a sautoire with one ounce of butter, range the pan on the hot stove, then season with one pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper; toss the contents gently for two minutes; then add a pinch of chopped parsley, one pinch of chervil, and three well-minced mushrooms, and moisten with half a pint of Madeira sauce ([No. 185]), and let cook for five minutes; make an omelet of twelve eggs, as for [No. 450], and when ready to finish, pour the livers in the centre, reserving two tablespoonfuls of it for further action; close the sides up carefully, cook two seconds longer, then gently turn it on a hot dish, and, with a spoon, pour all the sauce around the omelet. Dress the livers that were reserved, at both ends of the omelet, equally divided, and serve.

431. Eggs au Parmesan.

—Beat twelve eggs in a saucepan, with two tablespoonfuls of grated Parmesan cheese, a pinch of pepper, but no salt; stir them well with a whip, and make of this six small omelets, as for [No. 450]. As soon as they are sufficiently firm, lay them on a dish. Besprinkle the tops with a little grated Parmesan cheese, roll, and trim them nicely, sprinkle more cheese over the tops, wipe off the sides of the dish, and put them in a hot oven for five minutes. Remove from the oven, pour around the omelets one gill of hot Madeira sauce ([No. 185]); and serve very hot.

432. Eggs à la Bonne Femme.

—Slice two large, sound onions, and fry them in two ounces of butter, in a saucepan, stirring frequently, so that they do not burn; when done, dredge in a good pinch of flour, moistening with half a pint of cream or milk, and season with a pinch of salt, half a pinch of pepper, and a saltspoonful of nutmeg. Break six eggs, froth the whites, mix the yolks with the onions, and afterward the beaten whites, stirring well. Lay two pieces of white paper on the bottom of a baking-tin, butter them thoroughly, lay the eggs on top, and set it in the oven for about fifteen minutes. When done, turn them on to a hot dish, remove the papers, add two tablespoonfuls of Espagnole sauce ([No. 151]) to the eggs, and serve.

433. Eggs à la Paysanne.

—Put half a pint of cream into a dish, on the fire, and when it boils, break in twelve fresh eggs, season with a pinch of salt and twelve whole peppers; let cook for two minutes, and then set it in the oven for three minutes, so that the eggs get a good golden color, taking care that they do not harden. Remove from the oven, place the dish on another, and serve.

434. Eggs à la Régence.

—Shred an ounce and a half of salt pork into fine pieces (ham will answer the same purpose), also one onion cut into small squares, and six medium-sized mushrooms, all of equal size; moisten with a spoonful of good gravy, and cook for five minutes. When done, reduce with a tablespoonful of mushroom essence (liquor). Break twelve fresh eggs in a dish, with an ounce of melted butter on the bottom, and set it in a moderate oven for five minutes; pour the garnishing over, drip off the fat, wipe the sides of the dish, and add six drops of strong tarragon-vinegar. Remove from the oven, place the dish on another, and serve.

435. Eggs with Melted Cheese.

—Grate two ounces of Parmesan cheese on a dish; set it on a slow fire, adding half a glassful of white wine, a pinch of chopped parsley, a pinch of chopped chives, half a pinch of pepper, and a saltspoonful of grated nutmeg, also two ounces of good butter. Stir thoroughly while cooking, and as the cheese melts, break in twelve eggs; cook for five minutes longer, then surround the dish with heart-shaped croûtons ([No. 133]), set it on another dish, and serve very hot.

436. Eggs en Panade.

—Cut out twelve round pieces of bread-crumbs, each one measuring two inches in diameter, and place them in a pie-plate, spreading a little butter over each; brown them in the hot oven for one minute. Break twelve eggs in a bowl, add one pinch of chopped parsley, half a pinch of chives, two tablespoonfuls of thick, sweet cream, one ounce of butter, a pinch of salt, and a very little white pepper. Beat sharply all together for four minutes. Add the twelve pieces of browned bread to the beaten eggs, mix them well together. Place in a frying-pan on the hot range one ounce of clarified butter, heat thoroughly, then fry one egged bread at a time for one and a half minutes on each side. Dress, with the aid of a cake-turner, on a hot dish with a folded napkin; keep in a warm place. Repeat the same process with the others, and serve.

437. Eggs à la Meyerbeer.

—Butter a silver dish and break into it twelve fresh eggs; or, if desired, use six small silver dishes, breaking two eggs into each one; then cook them on the stove for two minutes. Cut six mutton kidneys in halves, broil or stew them according to taste, then add them to the eggs, and serve with half a pint of hot Périgueux sauce ([No. 191]) thrown over.

438. Eggs à la Reine.

—Prepare twelve eggs as for the above ([No. 437]), cook them for two minutes. Make a garnishing of one ounce of cooked chicken-breast, one finely shred, medium-sized truffle, and six minced mushrooms. Moisten with half a pint of good Allemande sauce ([No. 210]), heat it up well, but do not let it boil; then pour over the eggs and serve immediately.

439. Eggs à la Turque.

—Cook twelve eggs the same as for [No. 437], and pour over them six chicken livers, tossed gently but rapidly in a saucepan on a brisk fire with one ounce of butter for three minutes, and then with a spoon remove all the butter from the saucepan. Season with a pinch of salt, and half a pinch of white pepper, adding half a glassful of good Madeira wine. Reduce it to one half, then add one gill of hot Madeira sauce ([No. 185]), heat up a little, and then pour the sauce over the eggs and serve.

440. Eggs à l’Impératrice.

—Cook twelve eggs exactly as in [No. 437], arranging six small slices of pâté-de-foie-gras, one on top of each egg, and serving very hot.

441. Eggs à la Suisse.

—Fry twelve eggs as for [No. 437]; after cooking for two minutes, cover with half a pint of hot tomato sauce ([No. 205]), and add three cooked sausages, cut in two, also a little grated cheese, then send to the table.

442. Eggs à la Chipolata.

—Prepare twelve eggs as for [No. 437], and cover them with a pint of hot Chipolata garnishing ([No. 232]), and serve very hot.

443. Eggs à l’Alsacienne.

—Fry twelve eggs as for [No. 437], only putting them on a long dish. Add one chopped onion to four ounces of finely minced calf’s liver, quickly toss them on a brisk fire for about eight minutes, then pour in about six to eight drops of vinegar, a pinch of salt, and a little pepper to season. Garnish both ends of the dish with this, then serve.

444. Eggs à l’Aurore.

—Boil twelve eggs until hard, then let them cool; shell them, and separate the yolks from the whites, putting the former into a mortar, adding one ounce of fresh butter, a pinch of salt, half a pinch of nutmeg, the same of ground spice, and three raw egg yolks; pound all well together. Mince the whites, and put them in a sautoire with a pint of well reduced béchamel ([No. 154]), cook without boiling, although letting them attain a good consistency; place them on the dish used for serving, lay the pounded yolks on top, and garnish with twelve square sippets of bread dipped in beaten egg, and put in the oven to brown for about four minutes; then serve.

445. Eggs à la Polonaise.

—Cut twelve hard-boiled eggs in halves, separate the whites from the yolks, and pound the latter in a mortar, adding about one ounce of butter, a pinch of salt, half a pinch of ground spice, a saltspoonful of grated nutmeg, and five raw yolks; when well blended, without any lumps, strew half a tablespoonful of very finely chopped parsley over, and add the whites of the five eggs well beaten. Garnish the bottom of a baking-dish with this preparation, laying it in about a finger thick; also fill the whites with a part of it, making them have the appearance of whole eggs. Arrange them tastefully on top, and set the dish in the oven; brown slightly for about five minutes, remove it from the oven, lay the dish on top of another, wipe the sides carefully, and serve immediately.

446. Eggs à la Sauce Robert.

—Peel two medium-sized onions, and remove the hearts, cut them in slices (the hearts), and put them with a tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan on a brisk fire, and brown them well. Moisten with a cupful of lean broth, season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, cook, and let the sauce reduce for about ten minutes. When ready to serve, cut eight hard-boiled eggs into slices, mix them in the preparation, and let heat together without boiling for two minutes; finish with a teaspoonful of diluted mustard, and then serve.

447. Eggs à la Bennett.

—Cut twelve hard-boiled eggs lengthwise, remove the yolks, and place them in a bowl with two ounces of good butter, a teaspoonful of anchovy essence, and a pinch of chopped chives. Beat well together, and fill the whites with it, besprinkle with bread-crumbs, and pour over a few drops of clarified butter; put them in the oven for three minutes on a buttered dish, and serve with half a pint of hot Madeira sauce ([No. 185]) thrown over.

448. Eggs à la Hyde.

—Boil six fresh eggs for seven minutes, then lay them in cold water for five minutes to cool them off; shell them, and put them on a plate. Hash fine half a small canful of mushrooms with two branches of parsley and one medium-sized, sound shallot. Put in a saucepan on the hot stove one ounce of good butter, and when melted add the prepared mushrooms, and let cook rather slowly for fifteen minutes, stirring it occasionally. Add half a pint of Madeira sauce ([No. 185]), season with a pinch of salt and a light pinch of pepper, then cook again slowly for ten minutes. Strain the whole through a fine sieve into another saucepan, and set it aside to keep warm; cut the six hard-boiled eggs into halves, remove the entire yolks, and mash them thoroughly in a bowl, adding half an ounce of good, fresh butter and half a pint of sweet cream. Season with a light pinch of salt, half a pinch of pepper, and half a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg; mix well together, and with this fill the twelve pieces of egg-white. Lay them on a lightly buttered dish, pour the sauce over, and put them in the oven for eight minutes before sending to the table.

449. Eggs à la Duchesse.

—Place a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar in a saucepan, adding half a pint of water, a small piece of lemon peel, and a short stick of cinnamon. Boil until the sugar is reduced to a syrup, then remove the lemon peel and cinnamon, and add half a teaspoonful of orange-flower water. Beat together, then strain twelve egg yolks with a pint of milk or cream, add this to the syrup with a very little salt, then transfer the whole to a silver baking-dish, place it on the hot stove, and let cook for ten minutes, stirring briskly, and when it forms a cream, squeeze in the juice of a fine, sound lemon; remove from the fire, lay the dish on another, and send to the table.

450. Plain Omelet.

—Crack into a bowl twelve fresh eggs, season them with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of white pepper, beat them well until the whites and yolks are thoroughly mixed, or for fully four minutes. Place in a No. 8 frying-pan two tablespoonfuls of clarified butter; heat it well on the hot range, and when it crackles pour in the eggs, and with a fork stir all well for two minutes, then let rest for half a minute. Fold up with the fork—the side nearest the handle first—to the centre of the omelet, then the opposite side, so that both sides will meet right in the centre; let rest for half a minute longer; have a hot dish in the left hand, take hold of the handle of the pan with the right, bring both dish and pan to a triangular shape, and with a rapid movement turn the pan right over the centre of the dish, and send to the table. (The omelet should be made on a very brisk range, without taking the lid off the stove.)

Should the pan be smaller than the above-mentioned No. 8 it will require three minutes’ stirring, one minute to rest, and half a minute to rest after having been folded.

When making an omelet for one person, for instance, use three fresh eggs, seasoned with half a teaspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful of white pepper. Thoroughly heat in a small frying-pan half a teaspoonful of clarified butter; after sharply beating the eggs in the bowl, pour into the pan, and gently mix for one minute on a very brisk range, let rest for a quarter of a minute, fold one side up, rest a quarter of a minute more, then turn on a small hot dish, and serve.

451. Omelet With Fine Herbs.

—Break twelve fresh eggs into a bowl, add a pinch of finely chopped parsley, half a pinch of chopped tarragon, and half a pinch of chives; also, if desired, half a cupful of sweet cream. Beat the whole thoroughly without stopping for four minutes; melt one ounce of good butter in a frying-pan on the hot stove; when it is melted, and begins to crackle, pour in the eggs, and mix them gently with a fork, while they cook for three minutes; let them rest for one minute, then bring the sides towards the centre, turn it on a hot dish, and serve.

452. Oyster Omelet.

—Blanch eighteen oysters to boiling-point in their own water; drain, and return them to the saucepan, moistening with half a pint of good Allemande ([No. 210]); season with half a pinch of salt. Make a plain omelet with twelve eggs as for [No. 450], bring the sides toward the centre, and fill it with the oyster preparation. Turn it on a hot dish, pour the rest of the sauce around, and serve very hot.

453. Crawfish Omelet.

—Stew twelve crawfish tails in a sautoire on the hot stove with half an ounce of butter, letting them cook for five minutes. Break twelve eggs into a bowl, add half a cupful of sweet cream, and a pinch of finely chopped parsley; season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, then sharply beat for four minutes. Make an omelet as in [No. 450], fold up the side opposite the handle of the pan, place the crawfish right in the centre, fold up the other side, turn it on a hot dish, and serve.

454. Lobster Omelet.

—Take six ounces of boiled lobster meat, and cut it into small pieces; put them into a sautoire with half a glassful of white wine and a quarter of an ounce of butter. Moisten with a quarter of a pint of strong, hot béchamel ([No. 154]), and let cook for five minutes. Make an omelet with twelve eggs as for [No. 450], and with a skimmer place the stewed lobster in the middle, fold the opposite side, pour in the garnishing, fold the other side up, turn it on a hot dish, pour the sauce around it, and serve.

455. Crab Omelet.

—Proceed exactly the same as for the above ([No. 454]), substituting six ounces of crab meat cut into small pieces for the lobster.

456. Tomato Omelet.

—Break twelve fresh eggs in a bowl, season them with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, and beat thoroughly for four minutes. Place two ounces of butter in a frying-pan on the hot stove, let it heat well without browning, then pour into it half a pint of freshly cooked stewed tomatoes, suppressing all the liquid. Cook for two minutes, then throw the beaten eggs over, and with a fork mix the whole gently for three minutes; let rest for one minute longer. Bring up the two opposite sides, turn it carefully on a hot dish, and serve.

457. Tomato Omelet à la Provençale.

—Peel a medium-sized, sound onion, then chop it fine; place it in a sautoire on the hot stove with one ounce of butter, and let get a good golden color, adding half a pint of stewed tomatoes ([No. 1027]), or two good-sized, peeled, raw tomatoes cut into small slices, a crushed clove of garlic, and season (should the tomatoes be fresh) with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, adding a teaspoonful of chopped parsley; let the whole cook together for ten minutes; then proceed as for the tomato omelet ([No. 456]).

458. Asparagus-top Omelet.

—Put a quarter of a bunch of boiled asparagus-tops into a bowl, pour twelve beaten eggs over, season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, mix lightly again, and make an omelet exactly as for [No. 450].

459. Omelet, with Green Peas.

—Break twelve eggs into a bowl, adding half a pint of boiled green peas, a pinch each of salt and pepper, beat well for four minutes, and make into an omelet as for [No. 450].

460. Omelet au Cèpes.

—Fry six cèpes, cut into small pieces, in half an ounce of butter for two minutes. Beat twelve eggs in a bowl, season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, pour them over the cèpes, and make an omelet as for [No. 450].

461. Smoked Beef Omelet.

—Fry two ounces of finely mixed, smoked beef in a frying-pan, with half an ounce of butter, add twelve well-beaten eggs, and make an omelet as for [No. 450].

462. Ham Omelet.

—Cut about two ounces of lean ham into small, square pieces, fry them for two minutes with an ounce of butter in a frying-pan, and throw over twelve well beaten eggs; with this make an omelet as for [No. 450].

463. Kidney Omelet.

—Stew on the hot stove three minced kidneys, with a quarter of a pint of Madeira wine sauce ([No. 185]), let cook for three minutes. Make a plain omelet with twelve eggs as for [No. 450], fold the opposite side up, put the kidneys in the centre, fold the other side up, and turn on a dish, and pour the sauce around; then serve.

464. Chicken Liver Omelet.

—The same as for the above ([No. 463]), substituting six minced chicken livers for the kidneys.

465. Sausage Omelet.

—Skin three raw sausages, then put them in a saucepan with a quarter of an ounce of butter; set it on the hot fire for five minutes, and stir well until they cook. Make a plain omelet with twelve eggs, as for [No. 450], fold the opposite side, lay the sausages in the centre, fold the other side up, and serve with a quarter of a pint of hot Madeira sauce ([No. 185]), poured around the omelet.

466. Omelet Bonne Femme.

—Cut one ounce of salt pork into small square pieces, also two tablespoonfuls of crust from off a fresh loaf of bread cut the same way; fry them together in a frying-pan with an ounce of butter for about two minutes, adding a boiled potato cut into small squares, a pinch of chopped parsley, half a pinch of chopped chives, half a pinch of salt, and the same quantity of pepper. Beat twelve eggs for four minutes in a bowl, pour them into the pan, and make an omelet as for [No. 450]; turn on a hot dish, and serve.

467. Omelet Raspail.

—Chop one raw onion very fine, and put it in a saucepan with an ounce of butter. Take one ounce of small squares of salt pork, cook them slightly, adding an ounce of scraps of very finely minced, cooked roast beef, the same of ham, two finely chopped mushrooms, and a pinch of chopped parsley. Stir in well a tablespoonful of tomato sauce ([No. 205]) and a tablespoonful of grated bread-crumbs; season with a pinch of pepper and the third of a pinch of salt. Make a plain omelet with twelve eggs as for [No. 450], fold up the opposite side, fill it with the preparation, fold the other side up, turn it on a hot dish, and serve.

468. Sardine Omelet.

—Thoroughly skin eight fine sardines, place six of them in a frying-pan with an ounce of butter, cook for two minutes. Beat well twelve eggs in a bowl. Season with one pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, add them to the sardines in the pan; make an omelet as in [No. 450], fold the opposite end up, place the two remaining sardines right in the centre, fold the other end up, turn it on a hot dish, and send to the table.

469. Cheese Omelet.

—Put one ounce of butter in a frying-pan, heat it on the hot stove. Break twelve eggs into a bowl, beat them thoroughly for four minutes, adding two tablespoonfuls of grated Swiss cheese, half a pinch of salt, and half a pinch of pepper. Pour the whole into the frying-pan, and make an omelet as for [No. 450]; turn it on a hot dish, and besprinkle the top lightly with a very little Parmesan cheese; place in the oven for two seconds, then serve.

470. Omelet Régence.

—Make an omelet with twelve eggs as for [No. 450], and when nearly cooked, fold up the opposite side, then fill the centre with a quarter of a pint of hot Régence garnishing ([No. 434]), fold the other side up; turn on a hot dish, pour the sauce around, and serve hot.

471. Omelet à la Vanderbilt.

—Take two fine, sound, green peppers, plunge them into hot fat for half a minute, then take them up and lay them on a dry cloth; skin them neatly, remove all the seeds from the insides, and when emptied cut them into small slices. Put these into a saucepan on the hot stove with two medium-sized fresh, sound, sliced tomatoes, twelve nicely shelled shrimps, and three tablespoonfuls of Madeira wine sauce ([No. 185]), then season with half a pinch of salt and a third of a pinch of pepper; cook slowly for fifteen minutes. Break twelve fresh eggs into a bowl, season them with half a pinch of salt and a third of a pinch of pepper, and beat well for five minutes. Put two ounces of good butter in a frying-pan, place it on the hot stove, and when the butter is melted drop in the eggs, and with a spoon or fork mix briskly for two minutes. Fold the opposite side up with a skimmer, lift up the thick part of the prepared sauce, and place it in the centre of the omelet, fold the other side either with a knife or fork, and let it cook for two minutes longer, then turn on a hot dish; pour the rest of the sauce in the saucepan around the omelet, and send to the table very hot.

472. Omelet à l’Espagnole.

—Put in a stewpan on the stove one finely shred onion, one ounce of butter, a chopped green pepper, six minced mushrooms, and one large, finely cut-up tomato; season with half a pinch of pepper and one pinch of salt, adding a spoonful of tomato sauce ([No. 205]); let cook for fifteen minutes. Make a plain omelet with twelve eggs, as for [No. 450], fold the opposite side, and put more than half of the stew inside of it, say three-quarters; fold the other side up, and turn it on a long dish, then pour the rest of the sauce around, and serve.

473. Omelet Mexicaine.

—Have a pint of velouté sauce ([No. 152]) in a saucepan, place it on a moderate fire, add a piece of lobster butter ([No. 149]) about the size of an egg, twenty-four shelled and cooked shrimps, and season with half a pinch of salt and a very little pepper. Let cook for three minutes, stirring it lightly, then add half of a good-sized, empty and peeled green pepper, finely hashed; cook for two minutes longer, then let rest on the corner of the stove. Make an omelet with twelve eggs, as for [No. 450], fold up the opposite side, pour half of the preparation in the centre, fold the other end up, turn the omelet on a hot dish, and garnish both sides with the rest of the shrimps, pouring the balance around the dish; then send to the table.

474. Omelet Soufflée, for Six Persons.

—Have a deep, cold, silver dish ready, fifteen inches long by eleven wide. Put into a vessel four ounces of powdered sugar. Break twelve fresh eggs, drop the whites into a copper basin, and the yolks of five into the vessel containing the sugar, reserving the other seven yolks for other purposes. Add to the vessel containing the sugar and yolks a light teaspoonful of vanilla essence: now with the wooden spatula, begin to beat the yolks with the sugar as briskly as you possibly can for fifteen minutes. Lay it aside. Then with the aid of a pastry wire-whip, beat up to a very stiff froth the twelve egg whites in the copper basin, which will take from twelve to fifteen minutes. Remove the pastry wire-whip; take a skimmer in the right hand, and with the left take hold of the vessel containing the preparation of the yolks and sugar. Gradually pour it over the whites, and with the skimmer gently mix the whole together for two minutes. The preparation will now be of a light, firm consistency. Now, with the aid again of the skimmer, take up the preparation and drop it down in the centre of the cold dish, ready as above mentioned, taking special care to pile it as high as possible, so as to have it of a perfect dome-shape; a few incisions can be made all around, according to taste; immediately place it in a moderate oven to bake for fifteen minutes. Take it out of the oven, and, in order to avoid burning or soiling the table-cloth, lay the dish containing the omelet on another cold one, liberally sprinkle powdered sugar over it, and immediately send to the table.

N. B.—Special care should be taken when piling the preparation into the cold, silver dish; and the making of the incisions should be done as rapidly as possible, so that success will be certain. When desired, the vanilla essence can be substituted with the same quantity of orange-flower water.

475. Sweet Omelet.

—Beat and sweeten with one ounce of sugar twelve eggs; make an omelet as for [No. 450], using one ounce of fresh butter; turn it on a dish, and dredge another ounce of sugar over, then glaze it with a hot shovel or salamander, and serve very warm.

476. Omelet au Kirsch, or Rum.

—Make a sweet omelet with twelve eggs as for the above ([No. 475]); when completed and glazed, throw around it a glassful of kirsch, and set the omelet on fire; serve it while burning. Rum omelet is prepared exactly the same way, substituting rum for kirsch.

477. Omelet Célestine.

—Pulverize six macaroons, put them in a bowl, adding three tablespoonfuls of apple jelly ([No. 1327]) and one spoonful of whipped cream ([No. 1254]); mix well with the spatula. Make a sweet omelet as for [No. 475], with twelve eggs; fold the opposite side up, pour the mixture into the centre, fold the other end up, turn it on a hot dish, and sprinkle the top with three tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar; glaze the omelet with a hot shovel or salamander, and decorate it with three lady-fingers ([No. 1231]) cut in two, also a cupful of whipped cream ([No. 1254]), the latter poured into a paper-funnel, and piped over in any design the fancy may dictate.

A pinch of salt represents 205 grains, or a tablespoonful.

Half a pinch of pepper represents 38 grains, or a teaspoonful.

A third of a pinch of nutmeg represents 13 grains, or half a teaspoonful.

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