Molly did not want to let her little lecture on croquettes grow cold in Marta’s mind, and therefore meant to have them again very soon. To that end she made a tour of the butcher-shops in Greenfield, of which there were several, in order to find, if she could, a knuckle of veal. This would kill two or three birds with one stone. Veal is not plentiful in September, yet is sometimes in market, and for the knuckle she knew she would have to pay very little, for in this country it is looked upon as only good for stock, while in Europe it is very choice. She was fortunate enough to get one; it was quite large, that is, the meat was not cut too far down, and because of this extra size she paid twenty cents for it instead of the usual fifteen cents. She also bought a piece of salt pork (very sweet, which she could tell by the pinkish fat) for twenty cents, and four lamb’s kidneys for breakfast for five cents. So surprised was the Greenfield butcher at her wanting them that at first he had seemed to think they were hardly worth a price; evidently he did not know that they were quite a dainty in the fashionable markets of New York, and as Harry would not eat beef kidney, but was very fond of others, she made up her mind to have them often.
The knuckle of veal was to be boiled the next day very gently, in just water enough to cover it, for two hours, with a small turnip, a bay leaf, and a carrot, an onion, and a bouquet of sweet herbs. The pork was to be cooked in the same water, and served to eat with the veal, which would have a rich parsley sauce poured over it, fried potatoes and fried smelts.
Molly thought it a good plan to have fried fish, instead of soups, or boiled fish, every day when the rest of the dinner was boiled.
From the veal there would be the stock for soup, and, as there would be more meat than would be eaten, what was left would make croquettes. She did not mean to have them for dinner so soon again, but for breakfast. The practice for Marta was what she wanted.
Molly had some “rough puff paste” which she intended to use for the oyster patties. She rolled it out half an inch thick, then with a biscuit-cutter cut several rounds; these she put one on another three deep, and on each pressed a smaller biscuit-cutter half way through. She had cut twelve rounds of paste, which made four patties (three rounds or layers to the patty), and each had a circle (cut with a small cutter) on the top layer. These were put on a baking-tin and brushed over with a feather dipped in white of egg, and put in the oven, which was very hot, yet not likely to scorch. To try the heat Molly put in her hand and began to count seconds; when she had counted twenty she was forced to take out her hand, and knew the oven was right.
While she waited for them to bake, she proceeded to finish the oysters for filling, first telling Marta to beat up the remaining white of egg with a little water, and put it away for use.
The yolk was just what was needed for the oysters. She strained them from the sauce, which she put on to boil; then when quite boiling and smooth she dropped the oysters in (it will be remembered they had been not more than scalded yesterday), and in about two minutes they were firm, yet not shrunken. She took them from the fire and stirred in the yolk of an egg, already whipped, with a tea-spoonful of the cold sauce. They were thick before, but immediately became thicker as the heat cooked the egg, and the sauce was now about the consistency of the cream filling used for cream cakes or éclairs.
By this time the patties were baked. They were more than three inches high, and after they had been out of the oven a short time, Molly carefully removed the centre of the top layer marked out with the small cutter, and laid it aside, for it was the cover of the patty; then with a small coffee-spoon she scooped out the half-cooked paste from the centre, and then replaced the top. They were now ready to be filled, but as they would have to be made hot for dinner she did not fill them, as the paste would be burnt up before the inside would be warm; she therefore directed Marta to stand the oysters in boiling water a few minutes before serving them, and keep them stirred, and to put the patty-cases in the oven at the same time; let them get thoroughly heated, and when both were hot, put the oyster filling in them with a spoon. Molly gave these directions for the moral effect, but, having strong suspicions that Marta would be unequal to such neat-handed work and might cover the outside of the patties with the filling, saw to that part herself before going to the table.