Transparent Soup.
4 lbs. of lean, coarse beef, cut into strips; 2 slices of lean ham, also stripped; 2 tablespoonfuls of butter; 2 turnips; 1 carrot; 2 onions; 2 stalks of celery; pepper and salt to taste; 1 tablespoonful of gelatine, soaked two hours in a little cold water; 5 quarts of water; sweet herbs.
Put the butter into the soup-kettle; when it heats, add the meat, cover close, and set where it will heat without scorching. In half an hour set directly over the fire and stir until the meat is coated with a brown glaze. Put in a pint of lukewarm water, and when this has boiled down to one-half, add four quarts and a half of cold water; skim off the top and boil slowly four hours. Cook, in a separate saucepan, the sliced carrot, turnips, herbs, celery and the onions; these last already sliced and fried in dripping. Cover with a quart of water, and boil down to a pint. Strain off the clear liquor, and add to the soup. Set aside the vegetables without pulping them. Now, strain off as much of the soup as is needed for to-day, and let it cool. Put the rest, well seasoned with salt and pepper, into the stock-jar with the boiled vegetables, and keep for another day.
Take all the fat from your cooled soup, strain through muslin back into the scalded soup-kettle, season, boil up and skim; add the soaked gelatine, and stir until clear.