No. 1074. Artichaux à la Bruxellaise.
Dress a border of artichokes as in the last, upon a border of mashed potatoes, and have ready a quart of very nice Brussel sprouts dressed à la maître d’hôtel (No. 1083), which dress in pyramid in the centre. This dish can only be served in the autumn season of the year, as it is only then both vegetables can be obtained.
No. 1075. Peas.
The best of all green vegetables, and the delight of millions, whilst their profusion renders them attainable by all; like the asparagus, they belong to that season of flavour, the spring of the year, but remain in season till a much later period; when young the English method of cooking them is good, because the more succulence there is in a vegetable the less zest they require to make them palatable. To describe the different sorts would be almost an endless, and to a certain extent a useless task, but the Prussian blues are, in my opinion, the very best; to plain boil them, have two quarts of fresh-shelled peas, with a sprig of young mint, about ten leaves (the greatest fault with most people is putting too much), have a gallon of water boiling upon the fire, in which you have put two ounces of salt, when boiling put in your peas, let them boil as fast as possible from ten to fifteen minutes, try whether they are tender, if so strain them through a cullender, dress them upon your dish with two pats of butter upon the top and serve; or when drained put them into a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a good teaspoonful of powdered sugar, place over a fire, and keep tossing them until the butter is melted, dress them either plain upon your dish or in a bread croustade.
No. 1076. Pois au sucre Anglo-Français.
When you have boiled and drained two quarts of young peas, put them in a stewpan with six young green onions in a bunch, six spoonfuls of white sauce, a little pepper and salt, and two teaspoonfuls of powdered sugar, let simmer ten minutes, then stir in a liaison of two yolks of eggs mixed with half a gill of cream, do not let them boil, but when the sauce becomes thickish and hangs to the peas turn them out upon your dish and serve, previously taking out the onions.
No. 1077. Pois au sucre à la Française.
The manner of dressing peas directed in the last keeps them very green, which the French style does not, unless very young, but to balance, their flavour is superior; and although the eye must be pleased to a certain extent, my principal business is with the palate.
Put two quarts of young peas in a good-sized stewpan with six young onions, a bunch of parsley, and a quarter of a pound of fresh butter; just cover the peas with cold water and rub them well together with the hands, pour off all the water, add a good bunch of parsley, a tablespoonful of sugar, and a teaspoonful of salt; set the stewpan upon a sharp fire, moving them round very often, if young twenty minutes is quite sufficient, but when tender they are done (if they should become too dry add a very little water), when done take out the onions and the bunch of parsley; you have previously mixed a tablespoonful of flour with two ounces of fresh butter, mix well with the peas, stir them over the fire till they become thickish, then add a liaison of two yolks of eggs (mixed with half a pint of milk or cream), season a little more if required, stir the liaison in quickly, do not let it boil, and when it thickens they are ready to serve, they must not, however, be too thick or too thin.