As the scientific preparations of the man cook would themselves fill a large volume, and are not generally useful in English families, it is not deemed necessary to give place to them in this work; but the following useful receipts having, inadvertently, been omitted under the head Cook, they are inserted in this place rather than omitted altogether.
As the art of Cookery, or gourmanderie, is reduced to a regular science in France, where an egg may be cooked half a hundred ways, so those who can afford large families of servants, and give frequent entertainments, consider a man-cook as economical, because he produces an inexhaustible variety without any waste of materials, and that elegance and piquancy of flavours which are necessary to stimulate the appetites of the luxurious. In France, all culinary business is conducted by men, and there are, at least, as many men cooks as considerable kitchens; but in England, men cooks are kept only in about 3 or 400 great and wealthy families, and in about 40 or 50 London hotels. But it is usual in smaller establishments to engage a man cook for a day or two before an entertainment.[21]
METHOD OF PREPARING AN EAST INDIA CURRY, WITH THE ARTICLES USED THEREIN.
Let the fowl, duck, rabbit, meat, fish, or vegetable, &c. be cut up into small pieces, sprinkling a little flour thereon, fried in butter, (with two middle-sized onions sliced fine,) or what is called drawn in a pan, then stewed in the gravy from a pound of beef (though water is as frequently used) over a brisk fire, for about twenty minutes, with two or three table-spoonsful of the mixture, as below, stirring the whole occasionally; or the powder may be rubbed well over the fowl, &c. and fried with it, adding two ounces of butter, the juice of a fine lemon, or half a wine glass of lemon juice, or lemon pickle,—two cloves of garlic, chopped very fine, and one tea-spoonful of salt. If any of the ingredients predominate too much, or an insufficiency prevail, subtract or add according to taste. For a larger quantify of meat than the weight of a large fowl, use more of the mixture in proportion. The curry will be much improved by the mixture being made into a thin paste with a few spoonsful of cream, and then rubbed over the meat, previously to its being put into the stew-pan.
CURRY POWDER.
Thirteen ounces coriander seed, three ounces cumin seed, two ounces black pepper, four ounces China turmeric, or curcuma root, half an ounce Cayenne pepper, one quarter of an ounce powdered cassia, one quarter of an ounce powdered white ginger, also one half of an ounce of cardamums, one quarter of an ounce of cloves, and one quarter of an ounce of allspice.
The above quantities are enough for twenty curries, but it should be kept dry in a tin canister.
The curried fowl, &c. as above, will require three quarters of a pound of rice to be a sufficiency for curry eaters. The curry and the rice should be served in separate dishes, with covers, the dishes having heaters, or in hot water dishes, such as those used for beef-steaks.
N. B.—Two or three sour apples cut into quarters, as well as a few fresh mushrooms, are great improvements to all curries; as are truffles. If the latter are used, the liquor in which they are boiled should be added to the curry.
MODE OF PREPARING MULGA-TAWNEY, AS AT MADRAS.