—Prepare exactly as for [No. 933], using it when needed.
935. Cucumbers à la Poulette.
—Peel three fine, large cucumbers, blanch them in salted boiling water for five minutes, drain, and cut them into pieces one inch thick. Place them in a sautoire with one ounce of butter, strew over them a pinch of very fine flour, stir well, and moisten with half a pint of white broth ([No. 99]), seasoning with half a pinch of salt, and the same of pepper. Stir well until it boils, and reduce the whole for fifteen minutes, adding a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, a third of a pinch of nutmeg, two beaten egg yolks, and two tablespoonfuls of sweet cream. Cook again, without letting it come to a boil, for three minutes, and serve.
936. Cucumbers à la Béchamel.
—Peel, pare nicely, and blanch six small, fine cucumbers in salted boiling water for five minutes. Remove, drain, and place them in a sautoire with half a pint of good béchamel sauce ([No. 154]), half an ounce of butter, the third of a pinch of nutmeg, and three tablespoonfuls of milk. Cook all together for fifteen minutes, and pour the whole on a hot dish, and serve.
937. Stuffed Cucumbers.
—Peel six small cucumbers, pare them carefully and shapely; cut off the lower ends, and with a vegetable-spoon empty them, after extracting all the seeds. Place them in slightly acidulated water; rinse them well, and parboil them in boiling water for three minutes. Remove them, and put in cold water to cool. Drain them, and fill the insides with a cooked forcemeat made of the breasts of chickens ([No. 226]). Line a sautoire with slices of pork-skin; add the cucumbers, season with a pinch of salt and half a pinch of pepper, a bouquet ([No. 254]), a glassful of white wine, two cloves, and a spoonful of dripping from any kind of roast. Cover with a piece of buttered paper, and place it in a slow oven to cook gently for twenty minutes. When done, transfer them carefully to a hot dish; free them entirely from any fat, pour half a pint of Madeira sauce ([No. 185]) over them, and serve.
938. Stewed Cucumbers for Garnishing.
—-Peel and slice three large, fine cucumbers; marinate them with a pinch of salt, half a pinch of pepper, a tablespoonful of vinegar, and one sliced onion. Leave them in for one hour; strain, and put the whole into a saucepan with a pint of Espagnole sauce ([No. 151]). Cook for twenty minutes; strain through a fine sieve, and use for any garnishing required.