2 tablespoonfuls of minced onion.
1 tablespoonful of butter.
1 tablespoonful of flour.
1 tablespoonful of corn-starch.
1 level tablespoonful of salt.
1/3 teaspoonful of pepper.
1-3/4 pints of water.
Have the mutton free from bones. Cut off all the fat and put it in the frying-pan and on the fire. Cut the meat into pieces about two inches square. When there is about five tablespoonfuls of liquid fat in the pan, take out the solid pieces and move the pan to a part of the range where the fat will become smoking hot. Now put in the mutton, and stir until it becomes brown,—which will be in about six minutes. Take the meat from the fat and put it into a stewpan. Put the turnips, carrots, and onion in the fat remaining in the pan and cook for ten minutes, being careful not to brown them. Press all the fat from the vegetables and put them in the stewpan with the meat. Now, after pouring all the fat from the pan, put in the butter and flour, and stir until the mixture becomes smooth and dark brown; then draw back to a cooler place and gradually stir in one pint and a half of water. When this boils up add it to the contents of the stewpan.
Mix the salt, pepper, corn-starch, and a gill of cold water. Stir this mixture into the stewpan. When the ragout boils, skim it, and move the stewpan back where the contents will bubble gently at one side for three hours. Serve very hot.
If you choose, a pint of potato cubes can be added the last half-hour.