Made Dishes of Beef.—The remainder of any cooked joints of beef may be advantageously and economically dressed in the following ways:
381. Hashed Beef.—Cut the beef into small thin slices, which lay upon a plate, and to every pound of beef add half a tablespoonful of flour, a little chopped onion or eschalot, two salt-spoonfuls of salt, and a half one of pepper, mix the whole well together, and put it into a saucepan, with half a pint of water, stir it over the fire until upon the point of boiling, when set it at the corner of the fire to simmer for ten minutes; it is then ready to serve. A great improvement to the appearance of hash may be effected by adding a few spoonfuls of brown gravy (No. 177), or a teaspoonful of coloring (No. 178), which might always be kept in a bottle. The flavor of any kind of hash may be varied, by adding a few sprigs of parsley, or thyme, or a couple of bay-leaves, or a little tarragon, or a few spoonfuls of catsup, Soyer’s, Harvey’s, Soho, or Reading sauce.
382. Miroton of Beef.—Peel and cut into thin slices two large onions, put them in a stewpan or saucepan, with two ounces of salt butter, place it over a slow fire, keeping the onions stirred round with a wooden spoon until rather brown, but not burnt in the least, then add a teaspoonful of flour, which mix well in, and moisten with half a pint of water or broth if handy, season with three saltspoonfuls of salt, two of sugar, and one of pepper if water has been used, but if broth, diminish the quantity of salt, add a little coloring (No. 178), to improve its appearance; put in the beef, which you have previously cut into small thin slices, as free from fat as possible, let it remain a few minutes upon the fire to simmer, and serve upon a hot dish. To vary the flavor, a tablespoonful of vinegar might be added, or half a glass of sherry. The above proportions are sufficient for one pound and a half of solid meat, and of course could be increased or diminished, if more or less meat.
383. Another way.—Prepare the meat precisely as in the last, and when done put it into a pie-dish, sprinkle bread-crumbs lightly over, enough to cover the meat, upon which lay a small piece of butter, put the dish in the oven for half an hour, or before the fire, with a screen behind it, turning the dish round occasionally. By grating the crust of bread you would obtain some brown bread-crumbs, which would do equally as well as bread rubbed through a sieve.
Should you have any cold from the first receipt, it may be served as here directed; but being cold, would require to be longer in the oven to become well hot through.
384. Another way.—If any left from a previous dinner, put it in a dish, placing the meat in the centre, rather higher, cover over with some delicate mashed potatoes, about two inches in thickness, to form a dome, rub some egg over with a paste-brush, and sprinkle crumbs of bread (either grated or otherwise) upon the top, and set in the oven until well browned, when serve.