LITTLE DISHES OF MEAT.
In this chapter a number of useful and inexpensive dishes are given, which will serve either as breakfast dishes, entrées, or for invalids, and which may, in the hands of an intelligent cook, serve as models for many others. As will be seen, it is not so much a question of expense to provide these little tasty dishes as of management. In all the following recipes for little dishes of mutton, it will be found a great advantage to use New Zealand Meat.
A good cook will never be embarrassed by having too much cold meat on hand, because she will be able by her skill so to vary the dishes that the appetites of those for whom she caters will never tire of it. Even a small piece of the loin of mutton may be served in half-a-dozen different ways, and be relished by those who are tired of the mutton-chop or the plain roast.
MUTTON CUTLETS.
Taken from the neck, mutton cutlets are expensive, but those from the loin will be found not only convenient, but to answer well at a smaller cost.
First remove the under-cut or fillet from about two pounds of the best end of a loin of mutton, cut off the flap, which will be useful for stewing, and it is especially good eaten cold, and then remove the meat from the bones in one piece, which divide with the fillet into cutlets about half-an-inch thick. Egg them over and dip them in well-seasoned bread-crumbs, fry them until a nice brown, and serve with gravy made from the bones and an onion.
This way of cooking the loin is much more economical than in chops, because with them the bones and flap are wasted, whereas in cutlets all is used up.
To stew the flap, put it in a stewpan, the fat downwards, sprinkle pepper and salt, and slice an onion or two over, and set it to fry gently in its own fat for an hour. Take up the meat, and put half-a-pint of cold water to the fat, which, when it has risen in a solid cake, take off, mix a little flour with the gravy which will be found beneath the fat, add pepper, salt, and some cooked potatoes cut in slices. Cut the meat into neat squares; let it simmer gently in the gravy with the potatoes for an hour.