MELTED b.u.t.tER.
Although this sauce is one of the most simple, it is very rarely that it is well made. Mix with four ounces of b.u.t.ter, a desert spoonful of flour, when well mixed, add three table spoonsful of water, put it into a clean saucepan kept for the purpose, and stir it carefully one way till it boils; white sauce to throw over vegetables served on toast, is made in the same way, only putting milk and water, instead of water only.
SAUCE WITHOUT b.u.t.tER FOR BOILED PUDDINGS.
Mix a table-spoonful of flour, with two of water, add a little wine, lemon peel grated, a small bit of clarified suet, of the size of a walnut, grated nutmeg, and sugar, put on in a saucepan, stirring one way, and adding water if too thick, lemon juice, or essence of noyeau, or almonds may be subst.i.tuted to vary the flavour.
SAUCE ROBERT FOR STEAKS.
Chop up some onions, throw them into a saucepan with a bit of clarified fat, let them fry till brown, then add pepper, salt, a little gravy, mustard, lemon juice, and vinegar; boil it all, and pour over the steaks.
CAPER SAUCE.
This is merely melted b.u.t.ter with a few pickled capers simmered in it, or they may be put into a sauce made of broth thickened with egg, and a little flour.
SAVORY HERB POWDER.
It is useful to select a variety of herbs, so that they may always be at hand for use: the following are considered to be an excellent selection, parsley, savory, thyme, sweet majoram, shalot, chervil, and sage, in equal quant.i.ties; dry these in the oven, pound them finely and keep them in bottles well stopped.
SEASONING FOR DUCKS AND GEESE.
Mix chopped onion with an equal quant.i.ty of chopped sage, three times as much grated stale bread, a little shred suet, pepper, salt, and a beaten egg to bind it, this is generally used for geese and ducks, the onions are sometimes boiled first to render them less strong.
ENGLISH EGG SAUCE.
Boil two eggs hard, chop them finely, and warm them up in finely made melted b.u.t.ter, add a little white pepper, salt, a blade of mace, and a very small quant.i.ty of nutmeg.
SAUCE A LA TARTARE.
Mix the yolk of an egg with oil, vinegar, chopped parsley, mustard, pepper, and salt; a spoonful of pate de diable or French mustard, renders the sauce more piquante.
A FINE SAUCE FOR ROAST MUTTON.
Mix a little port wine in some gravy, two table-spoonfuls of vinegar, one of oil, a shalot minced, and a spoonful of mustard, just before the mutton is served, pour the sauce over it, then sprinkle it with fried bread crumbs, and then again baste the meat with the sauce; this is a fine addition to the mutton.
ASPARAGUS SAUCE, TO SERVE WITH LAMB CHOPS.
Cut some asparagus, or sprew, into half inch lengths, wash them, and throw them into half a pint of gravy made from beef, veal, or mutton thickened, and seasoned with salt, white pepper, and a lump of white sugar, the chops should be delicately fried and the sauce served in the centre of the dish.
BROWN CUc.u.mBER SAUCE.
Peel and cut in thick slices, one or more fresh cuc.u.mbers, fry them until brown in a little b.u.t.ter, or clarified fat, then add to them a little strong beef gravy, pepper, salt, and a spoonful of vinegar; some cooks add a chopped onion browned with the cuc.u.mbers.
WHITE CUc.u.mBER SAUCE.
Take out the seeds of some fresh young cuc.u.mbers, quarter them, and cut them into pieces of two inch lengths, let them lay for an hour in vinegar and water, then simmer them till thoroughly soft, in a veal broth seasoned with pepper, salt, and a little lemon juice; when ready for serving, pour off the gravy and thicken it with the yolks of a couple of eggs stirred in, add it to the saucepan; warm up, taking care that it does not curdle.
BROWNED FLOUR FOR MAKING SOUPS AND GRAVIES DARK AND THICK.
Spread flour on a tin, and place it in a Dutch oven before the fire, or in a gentle oven till it browns; it must often be turned, that the flour may be equally coloured throughout. A small quant.i.ty of this prepared and laid by for use, will be found useful.
BROWNED BREAD CRUMBS.
Grate into fine crumbs, about five or six ounces of stale bread, and brown them in a gentle oven or before the fire; this is a more delicate way of browning them than by frying.
CRISPED PARSLEY.
Wash and drain a handful of fresh young sprigs of parsley, dry them with a cloth, place them before the fire on a dish, turn them frequently, and they will be perfectly crisp in ten minutes.
FRIED PARSLEY.
When the parsley is prepared as above, fry it in b.u.t.ter or clarified suet, then drain it on a cloth placed before the fire.
BREAD CRUMBS FOR FRYING.
Cut slices of bread without crust, and dry them gradually in a cool oven till quite dry and crisp, then roll them into fine crumbs, and put them in a jar for use.