Oyster Fritters.—Remove the beards, and put each oyster into a tablespoon, and fill with a batter made as follows: 1 oz. rice flour mixed with 2 tablespoonfuls water, 1 teaspoonful vinegar, and 2 salad oil, the yolk of an egg, and a little salt and pepper. Allow the batter to stand, and just before using, beat the white of an egg to a stiff froth, and mix with it. Fry the oysters covered with the batter in boiling fat, turn them, place them on blotting paper to drain; serve on a hot dish, and garnish with slices of lemon, and thin rolls of brown bread and butter alternately.
Potato Chops.—Mash nicely with a little milk, butter, pepper, and salt, any potatoes left from the day before, spread evenly over a boned loin chop previously sprinkled with finely chopped fried mint. Fry to a golden brown in boiling fat, then place it on blotting paper to remove the superfluous grease. Garnish with fresh mint and watercress.
Jellies and Creams.—The following recipes were published by Mary Hooper, in the Queen:—
When jellies and creams are ordered for sick people in families where there is not a good cook, they are usually obtained from the confectioner; but this is not at all in the interest of the invalid, and efforts should be made to provide his diet from the home kitchen. An idea prevails that it is very troublesome to make jelly. It is not at all necessary to clear the jelly through a bag for invalids, nor indeed for ordinary domestic use. By a little care in the use of citric acid, which is perfectly wholesome, a jelly nearly as bright as that which has been cleared with eggs may be produced. In some cases, jelly without wine is required for invalids, when coffee, cocoa, or Seville orange jelly will probably be useful. It is difficult to make these jellies palatable without making them sweet, and they will only keep a short time. If the doctor does not object, or where it is desirable to give stimulants in a disguised form, a very small quantity of absolute alcohol may be used, and it will obviate the last-named disadvantages.
Milk jellies, or creams, whenever they can be taken, are an excellent form of diet, and are very easily prepared by the following recipes. For those who require a quickly-made cream, “Nelson’s Blanc mange” will be found very useful; it merely requires to be dissolved in milk or water, and in a very short time is ready for use. This blanc mange is made of very rich milk, and tastes equal to that prepared at home with cream. The unflavoured blanc mange should, as a rule, be selected for invalids, as any home-made flavour can be added to it. These flavourings—lemon, Seville orange, almond and vanilla—are very easily prepared by infusing any of the three first-named in gin, the latter in brandy. As these are more digestible than any which can be bought, it is well worth while to take a little trouble in the matter. It is sometimes necessary to tempt the appetite of an invalid by a pretty looking dish, which is also nice and nourishing. Such a dish can be easily made by the recipe for Alexandra Cream.
Simple Jelly.—Soak 1 oz. gelatine in ½ pint cold water for 1 hour or more. It is an advantage to soak gelatine overnight when convenient, because it is then more easily dissolved. Boil 6 oz. lump sugar in 1 pint water, skimming it until clear; then throw in the soaked gelatine, let it boil slowly for 5 minutes, removing all scum as it rises. Dissolve in a basin ¼ oz. citric acid, in lump, in ½ gill boiling water, pour the jelly on to this, when more scum will rise, which should be carefully taken off. Now add 1 gill wine and a little lemon flavouring, and, when nearly cold, put the jelly into a mould. Lemon juice can be used instead of the citric acid, but the jelly will not then be so bright.
Cocoa Jelly.—Mix 1 dessertspoonful cocoa in ½ pint water, stir over the fire until it boils, sweeten it with ¼ lb. lump sugar, or according to the taste of the patient. Stir into it, whilst boiling, ½ oz. gelatine, soaked in ½ pint cold water for some hours, flavour with vanilla, and stir occasionally until the jelly begins to set.
Coffee Jelly.—Soak ½ oz. gelatine in ½ pint cold water, dissolve it in ½ pint very strong coffee, sweetened to taste. Extract of coffee can be used to flavour this jelly, and answers well.
Porter Jelly.—Procure a cow-heel (which should be thoroughly cleaned) and 2 calves’ feet; wash them in cold water, and put them into a pan with 5 pints water, and let them boil until the meat leaves the bones; strain the liquor through a hair sieve, and let it stand for one night in a cool place. Next morning put the stock into a pan with 1 lb. loaf sugar, ½ pint porter, the juice of 4 lemons with their rinds cut very thin, and the well-beaten whites of 8 eggs. Let all boil together till it rises to the top of the pan; then throw in a teacupful of cold water; then let it boil slowly about 20 minutes, at the expiration of which time add 1 wineglassful brandy. Boil 5 minutes longer, then lift the pan from the fire, and let it remain at the side of the fire, to keep hot. In about ½ hour the scum will collect in a lump, leaving the liquor quite clear. Run it into moulds.
Port Wine Jelly.—Take ½ pint port wine, 2 oz. isinglass, and ½ lb. white sugar candy. Let the ingredients be put together in a jar and stand for 6 hours; then put the jar into a saucepan of water, and as soon as it boils take it off the fire and strain through muslin; when cold it is fit for use.