No. 178. Purée of all kinds of Game, mixed or separate.
If you have any game from a previous dinner, whether pheasant, partridge, grouse, hare, wild rabbits, or any kind of game, take all the meat from the bones, put the bones in a stewpan to simmer with four quarts of consommé (No. 134) half an hour, pound the meat in the mortar very fine, put it into a clean stewpan with quarter of a pound of butter, half ditto of ham, two heads of celery cut thin, two eschalots, one carrot, one turnip, four cloves, and four peppercorns; pass it over a slow fire twenty minutes, add half a pint of broth, with the meat, (which for that quantity of soup should be about two pounds), and three tablespoonfuls of flour, mix well, pour the stock from the bones over, with half a pint of brown gravy (No. 135), boil twenty minutes, pass it through a tammie into a clean stewpan, if too thick add more broth season with a little salt and a spoonful of sugar; put some croutons in a tureen cut very thin of the size of a sixpenny piece, and crisp, if not ready to serve it must be kept hot in the bain marie; do not let it boil after it is passed, or it will curdle and have a bad appearance.
No. 179. Giblet Soup.
Prepare the stock exactly like the clear giblet (No. 163), instead of clarifying it put half a pound of butter into a stewpan with three quarters of a pound of flour, make a light-coloured roux, mix the stock with it, boil it about forty minutes, keeping it stirred, add a large bouquet garni, pass through a tammie into a clean stewpan, have ready about fifty small button onions, passed in butter and sugar, throw them into the soup and let them simmer until tender; ten minutes before serving add a glass of Madeira, and the giblets (which you have well trimmed), season with a little salt and sugar if necessary.
No. 180. Potage à la Reine.
Put a pint of rice into a basin, wash well in three waters, put a quarter of a pound of butter into a stewpan, two minced onions, one turnip, one carrot, four Jerusalem artichokes, half a pound of lean bacon, two cloves, half a blade of mace, and a small bunch of parsley; pass the whole over a slow fire about fifteen minutes, taking care it is not the least brown; add three quarts of white stock (No. 7) and the rice, let it simmer very gently until the rice is quite tender, have ready a fowl roasted, take all the meat off the bones and pound well in the mortar, put the bones in a stewpan with two quarts more stock, boil a quarter of an hour, add the meat to the rice and vegetables, and pound all well together, put it back into the same stewpan, add the broth from the bones, rub through a tammie, boil a quarter of an hour longer, season with a tablespoonful of sugar, skim well, put two yolks of eggs in a small basin, mix well with half a pint of cream and pass through a tammie; two minutes previous to serving throw it in the soup, stir it in quickly, put some croutons in the tureen, add more stock if too thick and serve very hot.
No. 181. Potage à la Regente.
Prepare your soup just as the above; have ready braised a spring chicken, cut in ten nice pieces; put it into the soup ten minutes to warm; put into the tureen four spoonfuls of very green sprue grass, if in season, or green peas, or small Brussels sprouts, and pour the soup gently over.
No. 182. Soup Mulligatawny.
Cut four onions, four apples, one carrot, two turnips, one head of celery, and half a pound of lean ham in slices; put them into a stewpan with half a pound of butter, pass it twenty minutes over a brisk fire, with four cloves, one blade of mace, a bunch of parsley, thyme, bay-leaves, and a pint of broth (No. 133); let it simmer about twenty minutes, then add three tablespoonfuls of curry powder, one do. of curry paste, and four do. of flour; mix the whole well together, with eight quarts of broth; when boiling, skim it, season with a teaspoonful of sugar, and salt if required; pass it through a tammie, serve with pieces of roast chicken in it, and boiled rice in a separate dish (No. 129.) It must not be too thick, and of a good yellow colour.
No. 183. Potage Queues de Veau à blanc.
Make the stock and stew the calves’ tails precisely as No. 166, instead of clarifying it; put a quarter of a pound of butter into a stewpan with six ounces of flour; stir it over the fire about five minutes; let it cool, then mix the stock with it, stirring it well with a wooden spoon until it boils; then place it at the corner of the stove about twenty minutes; skim, add a bouquet garni, and a glass of madeira or sherry, pass it through a tammie; season with a spoonful of sugar, a little cayenne, and salt if required; put it into another stewpan upon the fire, and ten minutes before serving add half a pint of cream and the calves’ tails to warm.
No. 184. Potage Queues de Veau à l’Indienne.
Put four quarts of mulligatawny soup (No. 182) into a stewpan, and a pint of consommé (No. 134); cut some vegetables as for julienne (No. 148), put ten tablespoonfuls of salad oil into a sauté-pan; when hot, fry the vegetables in it, until rather brown; lay them on a sieve to drain, then add them to the soup, which is in ebullition; skim well, put about fifteen nice pieces of calves’ tail in it, and serve, with some dry boiled rice in a separate dish.
No. 185. Potage Tête de Veau à l’Indienne.
Proceed exactly as above, except, put pieces of cooked calf’s head cut in square pieces, instead of calves’ tail.
No. 186. Potage Queues de Bœuf à l’Indienne.
Prepare the same stock as No. 184; put about twelve pieces of ox-tail, well stewed, as No. 164, into the soup ten minutes before serving.
No. 187. Potage Queues de Bœuf à l’Anglaise.
Butter the bottom of a middling-sized stewpan, into which put six pounds of leg of beef, two ox-tails cut in joints, four onions, two heads of celery, two turnips, one carrot, ten peppercorns, a blade of mace, six cloves, and a bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaves; then add half a pint of water, place it over the fire, stirring it round occasionally, until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a brownish glaze; then fill up the stewpan with eight quarts of first stock (No. 133), and two ounces of salt; when boiling, place it at the corner of the fire, skim it, and let it simmer until the pieces of ox-tails are perfectly tender, when take them out, and put them into a basin; then pass the stock through a cloth, in another stewpan, make a roux with half a pound of butter, and three quarters of a pound of flour; then add the stock, which should not exceed seven quarts; stir it over the fire until it boils, then add a salt-spoonful of cayenne, two glasses of port wine, and four heads of celery (cut fine and passed ten minutes, in butter, over a sharp fire,) let the soup simmer an hour at the corner; skim it well, and put by until wanted; this quantity is sufficient for two tureens, so when ready to serve, put half of it in a stewpan, with ten pieces of the tails, and when quite hot, pour it into your tureen. If too thick, add a little consommé.
No. 188. Potage aux Huîtres.
Blanch four dozen oysters until rather firm (they must not nearly boil) drain them on a sieve; save the liquor in which they are blanched. Put a quarter of a pound of butter into a stewpan; when it is melted mix with it six ounces of flour; stir it over a slow fire a short time; afterwards let it cool, then add the liquor of the oysters, a quart of milk, and two quarts of good veal stock (No. 7); season as follows: a teaspoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of cayenne pepper, five peppercorns, half a blade of mace, a tablespoonful of Harvey sauce, and half do. of essence of anchovy; strain it through a tammie; boil it again ten minutes, skim well; beard the oysters, and put them in the tureen; add a gill of cream to the soup, when it is served, and pour it over the oysters.
No. 189. Potage aux filets de Soles.
Put a quarter of a pound of butter, with six ounces of flour into a stewpan; make a white roux; when cold, mix well with two quarts of veal stock (No. 7), and one quart of milk; set it on the stove, stir until boiling; have ready filleted two very fresh soles; trim the fillets, and put the bones and trimmings into the soup, with four cloves, two blades of mace, two bay-leaves; two spoonfuls of essence of anchovy, one do. of Harvey sauce, one do. of sugar, half a saltspoonful of cayenne, and a little salt if required; skim well, pass through a sieve into a clean stew pan, boil again; put in ten small pieces of salmon cut half an inch long, and a quarter do. wide; cut the fillets of the soles the same size, put them into the boiling soup with half a handful of picked parsley; boil ten minutes; finish with two yolks of eggs and half a pint of cream mixed together; throw them into the soup. The pieces of soles are to be added five minutes before serving; the salmon may be omitted.
No. 190. Potage à la Poissonnière.
Blanch two dozen oysters, four dozen very fresh muscles blanched and bearded; put a quarter of a pound of butter into a stewpan, with six ounces of flour, make a white roux; when cool, add the liquor of the oysters, muscles, and bone of the sole, with two quarts of broth, and three pints of milk; season with a spoonful of salt, one do. of sugar, a sprig of thyme, parsley, two bay-leaves, four cloves, and two blades of mace; pass through a tammie into a clean stewpan, boil and skim well; cut about ten pieces of salmon into thin slices, half an inch long, a quarter do. wide; cut the fillet of the sole the same size; put all into the boiling soup, with half a handful of picked parsley, and a gill of good cream; put the oysters and muscles in the tureen and serve.
No. 191. Potage d’Anguille.
Bone two large eels from head to tail, cut the meat off in slanting dice the size of a teaspoon; put a quarter of a pound of butter into a stewpan, with a spoonful of chopped eschalots, to which add a quarter of a pound of flour; stir it over a moderate fire five minutes, let it cool, then add three quarts of good consommé (No. 134); when it boils throw in the bones of the eels, a small bunch of turtle herbs; let it boil a few minutes; skim it well, pass through a tammie into a clean stewpan; put the raw eel into it, with two spoonfuls of Harvey sauce, one do. essence of anchovy, a quarter of a handful of picked parsley, two glasses of port wine, a little salt and sugar; place it again over the fire, boil five minutes, skim, and serve.
No. 192. Potage de Homard.
Take all meat from a hen lobster, break up the shell and small claws in a mortar, and put them into a stewpan, with five pints of consommé, place it at the corner of the fire to simmer half an hour; then mix the red spawn with a quarter of a pound of butter, as directed (No. 77); then put two onions, a piece of carrot, and half a turnip, in slices, into a stewpan, with a few sprigs of parsley and thyme, two bay-leaves, a blade of mace, four cloves, and a quarter of a pound of butter; stir them ten minutes over a moderate fire, then add the flesh of the lobster, previously well pounded, reserving a few slices for the tureen, and half a pint of second stock; boil it a minute, then add a quarter of a pound of flour; mix it well, and moisten with the stock from the shells which strain into it; season with a little cayenne pepper and essence of anchovies; boil it five minutes, then rub it through a tammie, and put it into a clean stewpan; let it boil ten minutes at the corner of the fire, skim it well, and when upon the point of serving, stir in the quarter of a pound of lobster butter; do not let it boil afterwards; pour it into the tureen over the fillets of lobster, and serve very hot. This soup requires to be quite a red colour.
No. 193. Potage à la Chanoinaise.
Make a white roux of a quarter of a pound of butter and six ounces of flour; add five pints of white consommé (No. 134) and three pints of milk; when boiling, skim well: add three tablespoonfuls of essence of anchovy, two do. of Harvey sauce, a bunch of thyme, parsley, bay-leaf, half a spoonful of salt, do. of sugar, and a little cayenne pepper; pass through a tammie; have ready the soft roes of three mackarel, cut in square pieces, and passed in butter, as directed (No. 382); throw them in the soup; have ready likewise twenty small quenelles of fish (No. 124); finish with two ounces of maître d’hôtel butter (No. 79) in which you have introduced a little chopped tarragon; put the whole into the soup five minutes previous to serving; add the juice of a lemon.
No. 194. Potage Pâte d’Italie.
Put four tablespoonfuls of various shaped small Italian paste in a quart of boiling water, with a little salt in it, boil it a few minutes; put it on a sieve to drain; have about three quarts of clarified consommé (No. 134), quite boiling; put the paste into it, and boil a quarter of an hour; it must be of a pale sherry colour; consommé of fowl is the best for this kind of potage; season with a little salt and sugar. A piece of good glaze may likewise be introduced.
No. 195. Potage au Vermicelle.
Put three quarts of consommé to boil, throw in a good handful of vermicelli; let it simmer gently about fifteen minutes; season with salt and a little sugar.
No. 196. Potage à la Semoule.
Put about six tablespoonfuls of semoulina into three quarts of consommé (No. 134); when it boils, set it at the corner of the stove to simmer about twenty minutes; season with a little salt and sugar; serve very hot.
No. 197. Potage au Riz.
Steep half a pint of rice (previously well washed) in boiling water five minutes, drain it on a sieve, put it into three quarts of boiling consommé (No. 134), let it simmer half an hour; when the rice is quite done, but not in puree, it is quite ready to serve, with the addition of a piece of glaze and a little sugar if required. The consommé must be very strong for this soup.
No. 198. Potage au Macaroni.
Boil twenty sticks of macaroni in two quarts of water where you have put salt, and a piece of butter; when tender, cut each stick in three pieces; have ready three quarts of consommé (No. 134) put the macaroni in, simmer twenty minutes; and serve with grated Parmesan cheese separate.
No. 199. Potage au Macaroni en rubands.
Prepare and serve as above, but using the tape maccaroni instead of the other, and only blanching it five minutes in the water.
No. 200. Turtle Soup.
This soup, the delight of civic corporations, the friend of the doctors, and enemy of the alderman, has been, and perhaps ever will be, the leading article of English cookery. Its great complication has rendered it difficult in private establishments; I shall here, however, simplify it so as to render it practicable. Make choice of a good turtle, weighing from one hundred and forty to one hundred and eighty pounds, hang it up by the hind fins securely, cut off the head and let it hang all night, then take it down, lay it upon its back, and with a sharp knife cut out the belly, leaving the fins, but keeping the knife nearly close to the upper shell; take out the interior, which throw away, first collecting the green fat which is upon it, then remove the fins and fleshy parts, leaving nothing but the two large shells, saw the top shell into four and the bottom one in halves; then put the whole of the turtle, including the head, into a large turbot kettle, and cover them with cold water, (or if no kettle large enough blanch it in twice), place it upon a sharp fire and let boil five minutes, to sufficiently scald it, then put the pieces into a tub of cold water, and with a pointed knife take off all the scales, which throw away, then take out carefully the whole of the green fat, which reserve, place the remainder back in the turbot kettle, where let it simmer until the meat comes easily from the shells and the fins are tender, then take them out and detach all the glutinous meat from the shells, which cut into square pieces and reserve until required. Fricandeau and a few other entrées were sometimes made from the fleshy parts, but the stringy substance of that mock meat is not worth eating, and few stomachs can digest it.
The Stock.—For a turtle of the above size (which is considered the best, for in comparison with them the smaller ones possess but little green fat,) cut up sixty pounds of knuckles of veal, and twenty pounds of beef, with six pounds of lean ham; well butter the bottom of three large stewpans, and put an equal proportion of meat in each, with four onions, one carrot, twenty peppercorns, ten cloves, two blades of mace, an ounce of salt, and a pint of water; place them upon sharp fires, stirring them round occasionally until the bottom of each is covered with a brownish glaze, when fill them up with the water in which you blanched the turtle, taking more water if not sufficient; when boiling place them at the corners of the fires, let them simmer two hours, keeping them always well skimmed; then pass the stock through a fine cloth into basins to cool. The stock after being drawn down in the three separate stewpans, may be turned into a large stock pot, but my reason for doing it in smaller quantities is, that it requires less ebullition, and consequently the aroma of the different ingredients is better preserved; after having passed the stock, fill them up again with water, let them simmer four hours, when pass it and convert it into glaze as directed (No. 132).
The Soup.—Put three pounds of butter into a large stewpan with ten sprigs of winter savory, ten of thyme, ten of basil, ten of marjoram, and ten bay-leaves; place it a few minutes over a moderate fire, but do not let it change colour, then mix in four pounds and a half of flour to form a roux, which keep stirring over the fire until it becomes lightly tinged, when take it off the fire and stir it occasionally until partly cold, then add the stock which should amount to ten gallons, place it again over the fire and stir it until boiling, then place it at the corner, let it simmer two hours, keeping it well skimmed, then pass it through a tammie into a clean stewpan, add the pieces of turtle, place it at the corner of the fire and let it simmer until the meat is nearly tender, when add the green fat, and let it remain upon the fire until the meat is quite tender, add a little more salt if required, and put it by in basins until ready for use; when ready to serve warm the quantity required, and to each tureenful add half a saltspoonful of cayenne, and a quarter of a pint of Madeira wine; serve a lemon separate. To make soup of a smaller sized turtle you must of course reduce the other ingredients in proportion. The remains of the soup put in jars will keep a considerable time.
No. 201. Clear Turtle Soup.
Is now perhaps held in the highest estimation among real epicures, and when artistically prepared is indeed worthy the name of a luxury; it is easier digested and does not dog the palate so much as when made thick, indeed a pint of this soup may be taken before a good dinner (with the assistance of milk punch not too much iced or too sweet) where half a pint of the other might spoil the remainder of your dinner. I shall here describe it in that simple manner which will render it easy for any cook not only to understand but to do it well. Prepare the turtle precisely as in the last, as also the stocks, merely filling them up when the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a white glaze instead of brown, thus keeping the stock white and very clear; when done, pass them through a cloth into a clean stewpan, place it over the fire and reduce it one third, having previously thrown in a bunch containing ten sprigs of winter savory, ten of marjoram, ten of thyme, ten of basil, and ten bay-leaves, then mix three quarters of a pound of the best arrow root with a quart of cold stock and a pint of wine, (sherry), pour it into the boiling soup, keeping it stirred five minutes, then pass it through a cloth into another stewpan, add the pieces of meat from the turtle and proceed as for the thick turtle, but omitting the cayenne; this soup ought to be quite clear and of a greenish hue.
No. 202. Mock Turtle Soup.
Put a quarter of a pound of butter at the bottom of a large stewpan, then cut up twenty pounds of knuckles of veal in large dice, with two pounds of uncooked ham; put them into a stewpan with six onions, two carrots, two heads of celery, twenty peppercorns, two blades of mace, two ounces of salt, and a pint of water; set it over a sharp fire, stirring it round occasionally until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a light brown glaze, then lay in the half of a scalded calf’s head, the cheek downwards, and fill up the stewpan with fourteen quarts of water; when boiling, place it at the corner of the fire, where let it simmer two hours and a half, keeping it well skimmed, but taking out the half head as soon as it becomes flexible to the touch, (which will take about the time the stock requires to simmer), remove all the bone and press the head flat between two dishes until cold, then pass the stock through a cloth into a basin, put a pound of butter into another stewpan, with four sprigs of winter savory, four of thyme, four of marjoram, four of basil, and four bay-leaves, fry them a few minutes in the butter, but do not let it change colour, then mix in a pound and a half of flour, stir it a few minutes over the fire until becoming slightly tinged, take it from the fire, stirring it round occasionally until partly cold, when pour in the stock, place it again upon the fire, keeping it stirred until it boils, then place it at the corner and let it simmer for half an hour, keeping it well skimmed, season with a little cayenne pepper, and more salt if required, and pass it through a tammie into a basin until wanted. When the calf’s head is cold take off all the meat and fat, leaving nothing but the glutinous part, which cut into pieces an inch square; when ready to serve the soup put about three quarts (to each tureen), into a stewpan with twenty of the pieces of head and a glass of sherry, boil altogether fifteen minutes, when skim and serve very hot. This soup may likewise be thickened without a roux, as directed for brown sauce (No. 4). Forcemeat and egg-balls were formerly served in this soup, the latter in imitation of turtles’ eggs, but better imitations of bullets, and almost as indigestible; the omission of them will, I am certain, prove beneficial, for whether the stomach be strong or delicate it will not bear loading with ammunition of that description. The above soup requires to be a light brown colour, and for thickness it must adhere lightly to the back of the spoon.