—Blanch six medium-sized fine heart sweetbreads as in [No. 601], lard the surface of each; place in a sautoire one sliced carrot, one sliced onion, one sprig of thyme, one bay-leaf, six whole peppers, and a small piece of rind of pork; arrange the breads over, place on the hot range for three minutes; then add a gill of white broth ([No. 99]), let come to a boil, then cover them with a well-buttered paper, and place them in a moderate oven to cook for twenty-five minutes. While the breads are cooking prepare the garnishing as follows:
Have in a sautoire one tablespoonful of butter, one finely chopped shallot, and cook for one minute, without browning; add to it two finely chopped mushrooms, one chopped truffle, and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, let slowly cook together for two minutes. Season with a saltspoonful of salt only, adding a tablespoonful of Madeira wine and a tablespoonful of the gravy in which the sweetbreads are cooking; then reduce for four minutes, and leave on the corner of the range. Prepare six croustades exactly the same as for [No. 264]. When ready, equally divide the garnishing among the six croustades. Remove the breads from out the oven, place one bread in each croustade, with the larded side up, and leave them at the oven door to keep warm; add to the pan in which the breads were cooked a gill of tomato sauce ([No. 205]); reduce on the fire for four minutes. Strain it through a fine sieve into a hot bowl, and then pour it over the six sweetbreads, equally divided. Have a hot dish with a folded napkin, gently dress the croustades, and immediately send to the table.
SOUPS AND STOCKS.
1477. Restorative à la Mrs. James A. Garfield.
—Neatly peel three medium-sized, sound onions, then slice them nicely, and place them at the bottom of a saucepan large enough to hold half a gallon; lay over the onions a layer of fat bacon cut in slices a quarter of an inch thick. Slice three medium-sized, fine, sound carrots, and place them over the bacon, as a third layer. Over all this place a tablespoonful of salt, one sprig of thyme, six whole peppers, four cloves, one branch of parsley, and one sprig of sweet marjoram. Upon this lay two calves’ feet, finely chopped up, and one pound of lean beef, finely minced. Cover the pan and place it on the corner of the range, and let gently simmer undisturbed for fully an hour.
Then uncover the pan and pour in boiling water sufficient to cover the contents and no more; then put on the cover, and place the pan by the side of the fire to simmer for one hour longer. Then uncover, and strain the liquor through a clean napkin, without disturbing the other contents in the pan; carefully skim off the little fat that floats over with a clean piece of blotting paper or a skimmer, and just before serving add a wineglassful of good Madeira wine.
N. B.—After the broth has been poured off, the contents of the pan must not by any means be thrown away, for you will fill up the pan again with boiling water and add a few more sweet herbs, and letting it simmer gently for two hours, will produce a second edition of the Restorative, nearly, if not quite, as good as the first.
Would urgently recommend the above soup specially to persons suffering from weakness of the stomach.