Boil tender an unsmoked tongue of good flavour, and the following day cut from it the quantity desired for potting, or take for this purpose the remains of one which has already been served at table. Trim off the skin and rind, weigh the meat, mince it very small, then pound it as fine as possible with four ounces of butter to each pound of tongue, a small teaspoonful of mace, half as much of nutmeg and cloves, and a tolerably high seasoning of cayenne. After the spices are well beaten with the meat, taste it, and add more if required. A few ounces of any well-roasted meat mixed with the tongue will give it firmness, in which it is apt to be deficient. The breasts of turkeys, fowls, partridges, or pheasants, may be used for the purpose with good effect.
Tongue, 1 lb.; butter, 4 oz.; mace, 1 teaspoonful; nutmeg and cloves each, 1/2 teaspoonful; cayenne, 5 to 10 grains.
POTTED ANCHOVIES.
Scrape the anchovies very clean, raise the flesh from the bones, and pound it to a perfect paste in a Wedgwood or marble mortar; then with the back of a wooden spoon press it through a hair-sieve reversed. Next, weigh the anchovies, and pound them again with double their weight of the freshest butter that can be procured, a high seasoning of mace and cayenne, and a small quantity of finely-grated nutmeg; set the mixture by in a cool place for three or four hours to harden it before it is put into the potting pans. If butter be poured over, it must be only lukewarm; but the anchovies will keep well for two or three weeks without. A very small portion of rose-pink may be added to improve the colour, but unless it be sparingly used, it will impart a bitter flavour to the preparation. The quantity of butter can be increased or diminished in proportion as it is wished that the flavour of the anchovies should prevail.
Anchovies pounded, 3 oz.; butter, 6 oz.; mace, third of teaspoonful; half as much cayenne; little nutmeg.
LOBSTER BUTTER.
(For this see page [138], Chapter [VI].)
POTTED SHRIMPS, OR PRAWNS.
(Delicious.)
Let the fish be quite freshly boiled, shell them quickly, and just before they are put into the mortar, chop them a little with a very sharp knife; pound them perfectly with a small quantity of fresh butter, mace, and cayenne. (See also page [92].)