—Take two pounds of lean beef—the hip part is preferable—remove all the fat, and put it in a Salisbury chopping machine; then lay it in a bowl, adding a very finely chopped shallot, one raw egg for each pound of beef, a good pinch of salt, half a pinch of pepper, and a third of a pinch of grated nutmeg. Mix well together, then form it into six flat balls the size of a small fillet. Roll them in fresh bread-crumbs, and fry them in the pan with two tablespoonfuls of clarified butter for two minutes on each side, turning them frequently and keeping them rare. Serve with half a pint of Russian sauce ([No. 211]) or any other desired.
527. Roast Beef.
—In order to have a fine piece of beef cooked to perfection, and at the same time have it retain all its juices, purchase, from a first-class butcher only, a three-rib piece near the short loin part. Saw off the spine, also the bones of the three ribs to one inch from the meat, so as to have it as nearly a round shape as possible. Season with one and a quarter pinches of salt, divided equally all over, tie it together, and place it lengthwise in a roasting-pan. Pour a tablespoonful and a half of water into the pan so as to prevent its burning, then a few very small bits of butter can be distributed on top of the beef, if so desired. Set it in a rather moderate oven, and let roast for one hour and ten minutes, taking care to baste frequently with its own gravy. Remove it from the oven, untie, and dress it on a very hot dish, skim the fat from the gravy, and pour in two tablespoonfuls of broth, heat up a little, strain the gravy into a sauce-bowl, and send to the table.
The parings from the beef can be utilized for soup-stock; nothing need be wasted.
528. Corned Beef Hash à la Polonaise.
—Brown in a saucepan two onions, with one ounce of butter; add one pound of cooked, well-chopped corned beef, and one pint of hashed potatoes. Moisten with a gill of broth, and a gill of Espagnole ([No. 151]). Season with half a pinch of pepper and a third of a pinch of nutmeg; stir well and let cook for fifteen minutes, then serve with six poached eggs on top ([No. 404]), and sprinkle over with a pinch of chopped parsley.
529. Corned Beef Hash au Gratin.
—Make a hash as for the above, ([No. 528]), put it in a lightly buttered baking-dish, and besprinkle with rasped bread-crumbs. Moisten slightly with about one teaspoonful of clarified butter, and bake in the oven for fifteen minutes, or until it obtains a good brown color; then serve.
530. Corned Beef Hash à la Zingara.
—The same as for [No. 528], adding to the hash two good-sized, freshly peeled, and cut-up tomatoes (or half a pint of canned), one bruised clove of garlic, and one pinch of chopped parsley. Let all cook together for fifteen minutes; then serve.