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

by Alexander Filippini

HORS D’OEUVRES.

255. Salpicon Royal.

—Cut a blanched throat sweetbread ([No. 601]) into small pieces, and put them into a saucepan, with half an ounce of good butter, six mushrooms, and one truffle, all nicely cut into dice-shape. Thicken with half a pint of good béchamel sauce ([No. 154]), or Allemande sauce ([No. 210]), and let cook on a slow fire for five minutes, gently tossing meanwhile. Finish by adding half an ounce of crawfish-butter ([No. 150]); stir well, and it will then be ready to use for the desired garnishing.

256. Salpicon à la Financière.

—Take either the leg or the breast of a roasted chicken. Cut it into dice-shaped pieces, and put them into a saucepan with half an ounce of good butter, adding four mushrooms, one truffle, half an ounce of cooked, smoked beef-tongue, all cut in dice-shaped pieces, and twelve small godiveau quenelles ([No. 221]); thicken with half a pint of Madeira sauce ([No. 185]), and let cook for five minutes. It will then be ready for any garnishing desired.

257. Salpicon au Chasseur.

—Cut the breast of a fine cooked partridge into dice-shaped pieces, and put them into a saucepan on the hot range, with half an ounce of butter, half a glassful of good sherry wine, three blanched chicken livers, one truffle, four mushrooms, and half an ounce of cooked, smoked beef-tongue, all cut into dice. Thicken with half a pint of hot salmi sauce ([No. 193]), and let all cook for five minutes, and use it for any garnishing desired.

258. Salpicon of Lobster, Crawfish, or Shrimps.

—Put a pint of good béchamel ([No. 154]) into a saucepan, with four mushrooms, one truffle, and the meat from the claw of a cooked lobster, cutting them all into dice-shaped pieces. Thicken well and let cook for five minutes, and serve. If a lobster cannot be obtained, the meat of three cooked crawfish, or of six prawns or shrimps, may be used instead.

259. Salpicon à la Montglas.

—Mince, as for a julienne, four mushrooms, one truffle, the breast of a small cooked chicken, or of any game, and half an ounce of cooked ham, or the same quantity of cooked, smoked beef-tongue. Put all into a saucepan, adding a gill of well reduced Madeira sauce ([No. 185]) and a gill of tomato sauce ([No. 205]); let cook for five minutes; then use when needed.

260. Salpicon, Sauce Madère.

—Place half an ounce of good butter in a saucepan, adding half a glassful of sherry wine, a blanched throat sweetbread ([No. 601]) nicely cut into dice-shaped pieces, four mushrooms, one truffle, and an ounce of cooked, smoked beef-tongue, all cut the same as the sweetbread. Let cook for five minutes, then add half a pint of Madeira sauce ([No. 185]), and let cook again for five minutes. It will now be ready to use for the desired garnishing.

261. Timbales à l’Ecossaise.

—Butter well six small timbale-molds, and line them with cuts of plain, unsweetened pancake ([No. 1186]). Take a preparation of purée of chicken ([No. 226]), and the same quantity of raw forcemeat ([No. 220]), add to it a reduced salpicon ([No. 256]), and with this fill the molds. Cover with small round pieces of the pancake. Then steam them in a moderate oven for eight minutes. Unmold, dress them on a hot dish, pour a gill of hot Madeira sauce ([No. 185]) over, and serve.

262. Timbales de Nouilles à la Genoise.

—Sprinkle the insides of six well-buttered timbale-molds with grated, fresh bread-crumbs; line them with thin foundation paste ([No. 1078]), and fill with finely shred, boiled nouilles ([No. 1182]), adding an ounce of good butter, and seasoning with half a pinch each of salt and pepper, and the third of a pinch of nutmeg; also half an ounce of grated Parmesan cheese. Thicken with a gill of strong Madeira sauce ([No. 185]). Cover the molds with pieces of the foundation paste, and put them into a brisk oven for six minutes. Unmold, and arrange them on a hot dish containing a gill of hot Madeira sauce ([No. 185]), and with the timbales on top.

263. Timbales Russe à la Schultze.

—Prepare six light timbales as for [No. 262], one and a quarter inches high by two and a quarter inches in diameter. Arrange them on a dessert dish with a folded napkin, and lay them in a cool place until needed. Put into a china bowl half of a fine, well-cleaned, sound Camembert cheese, mash it thoroughly with a fork, and drop on to it very gradually one and a half ponies of old brandy. Cut into small pieces two medium-sized, cooked, throat sweetbreads ([No. 601]), and add them to the cheese, mixing well together. Season with half a teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper, and the same quantity of grated nutmeg, stirring well for a minute longer. Then add four medium-sized, chopped truffles, and mix again. Divide the above preparation equally into the six timbales, cover each with a thin slice of truffle, previously dipped in brandy, and send to the table.

264. Croustade à la Régence.

—Spread out a quarter of a pound of pâte-à-foncer ([No. 1078]) an eighth of an inch thick. Clean well six tartlet moulds; line them with the paste, then fill them with cracker-dust; cover them with a buttered paper, place them in the hot oven on a tin plate, and bake for ten or twelve minutes. Take from out the oven and let cool. Remove all the cracker-dust, and they will be ready for use. Fill them with a pint of hot régence ([No. 235]), evenly divided; dress on a hot dish with a folded napkin, and send to the table.

265. Croustades de Riz à la Victoria.

—Wash thoroughly and boil in a saucepan one quart of rice with two quarts of broth and one ounce of butter. Keep it as dry as possible so that it remains firm, and add to it half an ounce of grated Parmesan cheese, half a pinch of pepper, and a third of a pinch of nutmeg. Mix well with a wooden spoon; then put it in a buttered sautoire, spreading it an inch and three-quarters thick, and cover with a buttered paper. Leave it to cool with a weight pressed down on the top. Then cut it out with a No. 8 paste-cutter into six croustades (being careful to dip the cutter in warm water each time it is used), and with a No. 4 paste-cutter make a mark on the surface of each without cutting. Dip the pieces in beaten egg, roll them in bread-crumbs ([No. 301]), and repeat this. Then fry them in very hot fat for five minutes; drain, empty them with a vegetable spoon, and fill the insides with a pint of hot salpicon of shrimps ([No. 258]), mushrooms, and cream sauce ([No. 181]). Put the covers on top, and serve the same as the croustades à la régence ([No. 264]).

266. Small Hot Patties à l’Anglaise.

—Line with fine pâte-à-foncer ([No. 1078]) six small, hot patty-molds, fluted, and provided with hinges. Pinch the tops and fill them with common flour. Bake in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes; empty them, and leave them to dry at the oven door for five minutes. Fill them with a pint of hot salpicon royal ([No. 255]), place a slice of truffle on the top of each instead of a cover, and serve on a hot dish with a folded napkin.

267. Ortolan Patties.

—Make six patties the same as for the above, ([No. 266]), only use them when cold. Place at the bottom of each a tablespoonful of salpicon royal ([No. 255]), and then place in each patty two well-picked, fine, fat, raw, seasoned reed-birds, covered with a slice of thin lard; lay them on a small roasting-pan, place in a moderate oven and roast for fifteen minutes. Remove from the oven, take off the lard from the birds, moisten each patty with two tablespoonfuls of good, hot, Madeira sauce ([No. 185]), and serve on a hot dish with a folded napkin over it.

268. Cromesquis aux Truffles.

—Bone a cooked chicken, hash the meat very fine, and put it in a sautoire with a pint of very strong velouté sauce ([No. 152]), adding two well-hashed truffles, and seasoning with a good pinch of salt, half a pinch of pepper, and the third of a pinch of nutmeg. Let cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally, then transfer it to a flat tin plate and let it cool. Spread it out an inch thick; then divide it into six parts, and wrap each one in a veal udder, or a piece of crepinette well rolled around. Immerse them in flour batter ([No. 1185]), and plunge them into boiling fat for five minutes, or until they are slightly browned. Drain on a cloth, and serve on a hot dish with a folded napkin, decorating with fried parsley.

All cromesquis are made the same way, only serving with different garnishing or sauces.

269. Canapé Madison.

—Prepare six medium-sized slices of bread, all the same shape. Toast them to a good golden color and lay them on a dish. Cover each toast with a very thin slice of lean, cooked ham; spread a little mustard over; then cover with a layer of garnishing à la provençale ([No. 642]), dredge grated Parmesan cheese on top, and strew a little fresh bread-crumbs over all. Place them in the hot oven and bake for ten minutes; remove, dress them on a hot dish with a folded napkin, and send to the table.

270. Small Bouchées à la Reine.

—Roll three-quarters of a pound of feuilletage paste ([No. 1076]) to a quarter of an inch thick; let it rest for ten minutes in a cold place, then cut six rounds out of the paste with a No. 4 channeled paste-cutter. Lay them on a borderless, buttered tin baking-dish, slightly apart from each other; cover with beaten egg, and make a mark on the surface of each with a paste-cutter, No. 2, being careful to dip the cutter each time in hot water, so that the marked outline may remain perfect. Put them in a brisk oven for twelve minutes; then lift the covers with a knife, and fill each one with a white salpicon royal ([No. 256]) made of truffles, mushrooms, and finely shred chicken. Set the covers on, and serve on a hot dish with a folded napkin.

All bouchées are made the same way, adding different garnishings according to taste.

271. Coquilles of Chicken à l’Anglaise.

—Fill six table-shells with a thick chicken and truffle salpicon ([No. 256]); besprinkle the tops with grated, fresh bread-crumbs, spread a little clarified butter over each, and lay them on a very even baking-dish. Place them in a very hot oven for about six minutes, or until they are of a golden brown color, then serve the same as for the above.

272. Coquilles of Oysters au Gratin.

—Blanch twenty-four medium-sized oysters in their own liquor for five minutes; add half a pinch of pepper and half an ounce of butter; then drain them, keeping the liquor for further use. Add to the oysters half a pint of velouté sauce ([No. 152]), mixed with three tablespoonfuls of the oyster liquor; keep it thick, and be very careful not to break the oysters. Fill six table-shells with this preparation, sprinkle with grated, fresh bread-crumbs and a very little clarified butter, and brown well in the oven for six minutes. Dress on a hot dish with a folded napkin, and serve.

273. Oysters in Shells à l’Anglaise.

—Select eighteen large oysters. Put three into each of six table-shells and season with a pinch of pepper, besprinkle with slightly fried bread-crumbs, and lay them on a flat roasting-pan. Place them in a very brisk oven for about four minutes, or until the oysters raise; then serve on a dish with a folded napkin.

274. Lamb Sweetbreads en Petites Caisses.

—Blanch, pare, and clean six small lamb sweetbreads as for [No. 601]. Lay them aside to cool, then lard them with either fresh fat pork or truffles. Place them in a well-buttered sautoire, adding a gill of chicken broth or a gill of Madeira wine. Cover with a buttered paper, and let cook to a golden color in the oven for ten minutes. Then lay them on a dish. Put half a gill of cooked fine herbs ([No. 143]) and a gill of well-reduced Espagnole sauce ([No. 151]) into the sautoire, letting it cook for five minutes. Take six small boxes of buttered paper and pour a little of the gravy at the bottom of each; cover with sweetbreads, and place them on a baking-dish; keep them for five minutes in an open oven, then serve on a folded napkin.

275. Oysters en Petites Caisses.

—Open and blanch for five minutes twenty-four medium-sized oysters in a sautoire with half a glassful of white wine and half an ounce of butter. Season with half a pinch of pepper and a third of a pinch of nutmeg. Let cook for five minutes; then add one pint of well-reduced velouté sauce ([No. 152]), and let cook for another five minutes, adding half an ounce of crawfish butter ([No. 150]), and stirring it occasionally. Fill six buttered paper boxes with four oysters each, and the garnishing equally divided. Sprinkle over a little fresh bread-crumbs, and arrange them on a tin roasting-pan. Spread a very little butter over each patty, and put them in a moderate oven for five minutes. Have a hot dish ready, with a folded napkin nicely arranged on it; dress the patties over, and serve.

276. Chicken Croquettes with Truffles.

—Bone and cut up a medium-sized, cooked chicken into small, square pieces; put them in a sautoire with two truffles cut the same way, adding half a pint of strong velouté ([No. 152]), and let cook for ten minutes. Then incorporate therein half a glassful of Madeira wine, four egg yolks, a pinch of salt, half a pinch of pepper, and the third of a pinch of nutmeg. Stir briskly, then put it away to cool in a flat dish. Now divide the mixture into six even parts; lay them on a cold table, besprinkle with fresh bread-crumbs, and roll them into oblong shapes. Dip each one into a beaten egg, and roll again in fresh bread-crumbs. Fry to a nice color in hot fat for four minutes. Drain thoroughly, and serve on a hot dish with a folded napkin, decorating with a little green parsley.

All chicken croquettes are prepared the same way, only served with different garnishings and sauces, or by omitting the truffles and substituting six hashed mushrooms. Sweetbread croquettes are prepared the same, only substituting four blanched sweetbreads ([No. 601]) for the chicken.

277. Croquettes of Game.

—To be made exactly like the chicken croquettes ([No. 276]), adding six hashed mushrooms and half a gill of cold fumet de gibier ([No. 218]).

278. Croquettes of Foie-gras.

—Mix half an ounce of cooked, smoked beef-tongue with half a pint of dry salpicon of foie-gras. Put it into a saucepan with a gill of béchamel ([No. 154]), half a glassful of Madeira or sherry wine, and a tablespoonful of meat-glaze ([No. 141]). Reduce for ten minutes, stirring well, then transfer to a cold, flat dish, cover with buttered paper, and put aside to cool. Divide the preparation into six parts—each one shaped like a pear—roll them in fresh bread-crumbs, dip in beaten egg, and put a slice of truffle on the top of each. Again roll in bread-crumbs, and fry in boiling fat for four minutes. Remove them, drain well, and serve on a hot dish with a folded napkin. Any desired garnishing may be added.

279. Croquettes of Macaroni.

—Boil a quarter of a pound of Italian macaroni in salted water for twenty-five minutes. Drain, and put it in a saucepan with a good ounce of butter, half an ounce of Parmesan cheese, and a quarter of an ounce of cooked, smoked tongue cut into small pieces, and one truffle cut the same. Toss all together, then change it to a well-buttered sautoire, spreading the preparation one inch thick on the bottom. Cover with a buttered paper, press it well down, and put away to cool. Cut the preparation with a plain paste-cutter into six parts; roll each one in grated Parmesan cheese, dip in beaten egg, and roll in grated, fresh, white bread-crumbs. Fry in very hot fat for four minutes, drain well, and serve on a hot dish with a folded napkin.

280. Anchovies on Toast.

—Prepare with American bread six dry toasts, spread over them a little anchovy butter ([No. 146]), and cover each with four half anchovies. Place the toasts on a tin baking-sheet in the oven for one minute. Arrange them on a dish with a folded napkin, and serve.

281. Caviare on Toast.

—Prepare six toasts of American bread. Put half the contents of a small box of Russian caviare into a sautoire; add two tablespoonfuls of cream, and heat one and a half minutes on the stove, stirring it carefully meanwhile; pour this over the toasts, and serve on a dish with a folded napkin.

282. Thon Mariné.

—Fold a napkin on a radish-dish, and dress on it the desired quantity of Thon Mariné—pickled tunny. Decorate with a little fresh parsley, and serve as a hors-d’œuvre.

283. Sardines à l’Huile.

—Lift the sardines carefully out of the box to avoid breaking them, and lay them on a plate; neatly pare off the loose skin, then dress on a radish-dish, and decorate with parsley.

284. Anchovies à l’Huile.

—Take a pint bottle of boned anchovies, drain them on a cloth, then dress them artistically on a radish-dish. Decorate with a hashed, hard-boiled egg and some chopped parsley.

285. Norwegian Anchovies.

—These are considered far superior to the bottled anchovies. On taking them out of the keg they should be placed in cold, fresh water for two hours, then drained, and with the hand split in two along the backbone. Lay them in a small bowl and cover with sweet oil, and use as desired.

286. Saucisson de Lyon.

—Procure a medium-sized, fine saucisson de Lyon, cut twelve very thin slices from it, dress nicely upon a radish-dish, and place a few parsley-leaves in the centre.

287. Mortadella.

—To be served the same as the above ([No. 286]).

288. Tomatoes, side dish.

—Take six fine, firm, red tomatoes, wipe well, then plunge them into boiling water for one minute, drain and peel them. Put them in a cool place, and when thoroughly cold, cut them into slices, arrange them on a radish-dish, sprinkle a little salt, pepper, and vinegar over.

289. Cucumbers, side dish.

—Take two medium-sized, fine cucumbers, peel neatly, and cut them in thin slices. Place in a bowl with a good pinch of salt, and put them in a cold place for two hours. Then drain the liquid off, and season with half a pinch of pepper, a tablespoonful of vinegar, and the same quantity of oil. Dress nicely in a radish-dish.

290. Celery, in glass.

—Procure a bunch of fine, white Kalamazoo celery, pare off the green stalks, and trim the roots neatly. Be careful to save the clear, white hearts. Cut each plant lengthwise into four equal branches. Wash them well in cold water, and put them into clean water with a piece of ice until ready to serve; then arrange them nicely in a celery glass, or dress on a china radish-dish, with a few pieces of ice in the centre.

291. Celery, frizzled.

—Another and economical way to prepare celery for a side dish to decorate the table. Take only one large head of fine celery. Pare off the green stalks, and cut off the root (reserving it for a delicious and wholesome salad). Cut the stalk lengthwise into four equal branches. Wash them well in cold water, then cut each one into pieces about as long as one’s finger; by so doing, all the branches will be separated. With the aid of a small, keen knife pare the thin sides a little, making five or six slits in each piece, starting from the top, downwards, leaving half to three-quarters of an inch uncut; place them in cold water with plenty of ice, leaving them in for two hours. Lift it from the ice-water, artistically dress on a round glass dish, and send to the table. Celery arranged and served in this way makes a beautiful effect on the table, but requires a little patience in its preparation.

292. Radishes, how to prepare.

—If the radishes be quite large, take three bunches—if small, four bunches—being careful to select them round, firm, and the reddest procurable. Pare off all the leaves and stems except the two prettiest on each radish. Cut away the roots, and also a little of the peel around the roots. With a small, sharp knife divide the remaining peel into five or six equal-sized leaves, beginning at the root end, and cutting toward the green stems, but being careful to avoid detaching the leaves. They can be formed into any desired design by cutting them with care. Place them in cold water until required. When serving, arrange the radishes artistically on a flat saucer, the radishes meeting toward the centre, the green leaves lying outward. Serve with chopped ice over them.

293. Remarks Regarding Radishes.

—The following incident happened in my presence over twenty-five years ago. One evening, dinner was served to a party of prominent gentlemen in Lyons, France, among whom were Alexander Dumas, père, the great novelist, and Berger, the famous billiard player. While the waiter was in the act of handing the radishes to M. Dumas, he saw a change come over him; anger was depicted in his face, and he thoroughly expected to see the radishes, radish-dish, etc., flung full at him. He stood amazed, not daring to question the distinguished guest. When his anger subsided, he amiably explained that the cause of his sudden ill-temper was offering to him radishes peeled, and deprived of their green stalks; he asserted that the healthiest and best parts had been removed. After inquiries of more experienced co-laborers, the waiter thoroughly agreed with M. Dumas, and experience has taught him the correctness of his judgment.

Radishes are a luxurious and healthful adjunct to the dinner-table, and can be procured almost the whole year; but in the spring the markets are more plentifully supplied, and that is the most wholesome season to partake of them.

294. Welsh Rarebit.

—Take one pound of American cheese; cut up in small pieces. Place them in a sautoire, adding half a glassful of good ale. Season with half a saltspoonful of red pepper. Stir it continually with a wooden spoon until the mass is well melted, which will take about ten minutes. Have six nice, fresh, large pieces of toast; arrange them on a very hot dish, and distribute the preparation equally over, serving the rarebit very hot.

295. Golden Buck.

—Proceed as for the above ([No. 294]), and when ready to serve, dress a poached egg ([No. 404]) on each piece of toast, and serve very hot.

296. Gherkin Buck.

—Prepared the same as Golden Buck ([No. 295]), only adding to each toast a slice of broiled bacon ([No. 754]), and sending to the table very hot.

297. Welsh Rarebit au Gratin.

—Prepare six toasts of American bread; broil them lightly, remove, and cover each with a slice of Swiss cheese a little less than half an inch thick; lay them in a roasting-pan, sprinkling a very little pepper over. Put in the oven for ten minutes. Arrange the toasts on a very hot dish, and send to the table.

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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