The Skilful Cook Part 16

1 oz. b.u.t.ter.

_Method._--Mix the flour very smoothly with a little water.

Put the rest of the water, with the milk and b.u.t.ter, in a saucepan on the fire to boil.

When it boils, put in the flour, stirring until the sauce is cooked.

Add pepper and salt to taste. If liked, a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar may be added.

This sauce will form the basis of many other plain sauces: To use with fish, put in a tablespoonful of anchovy. Onion sauce is made by adding cooked and chopped onions when the sauce is ready. Caper sauce, by adding capers; or, as a subst.i.tute, chopped gherkin.

This sauce may be made still more economically by using water only instead of milk.

Wine Sauce.

_Ingredients_--1 oz. of lump sugar.

pint of water.

A winegla.s.s of sherry.

A few drops of cochineal.

A dessertspoonful of jam.

_Method._--Boil the sugar and water together until reduced to one half.

Add the jam; let it melt.

Then add the sherry and cochineal, and strain.

Piquant Sauce.

_Ingredients_-- pint of brown sauce.

1 tablespoonful of capers.

1 tablespoonful of chopped gherkin.

1 tablespoonful of very finely chopped shalot.

pint of vinegar.

Pepper and salt.

_Method._--Simmer the shalot, capers, and gherkin, in the vinegar until the shalot is quite soft.

Pour in the sauce, and let it boil up.

Season to taste.

Sauce Reforme.

_Ingredients_--1 pint of brown sauce.

1 winegla.s.s of port wine.

1 teaspoonful of anchovy sauce.

1 teaspoonful of Harvey's sauce.

2 tablespoonfuls of red-currant jelly.

_Method._--Boil all the ingredients together, and the sauce is ready.

Port-wine Sauce for Wild Duck.

_Ingredients_--2 winegla.s.ses of port.

Juice of half a lemon.

1 finely chopped shalot.

_Method._--Boil altogether and strain.

Sweet Sauce.

_Ingredients_--1 teaspoonful of arrowroot.

Juice of half a lemon and a little rind.

2 tablespoonfuls of castor sugar.

pint of water.

_Method._--Put the water with the lemon-rind and sugar into a saucepan to boil.

Mix the arrowroot smoothly with a little cold water.

When the water in the saucepan boils, pour it in and stir it until it thickens; then strain it and add the lemon juice.

A gla.s.s of sherry may be added to this sauce if desired.

German Sauce.

_Ingredients_--The yolks of 2 eggs.

1 winegla.s.s of sherry.

1 dessertspoonful of castor sugar.

_Method._--Put all the ingredients into a saucepan, and mill over the fire with a whisk until the sauce froths.

For a _Christmas Pudding_ make the sauce with three yolks, and a winegla.s.s of brandy.

A Nice Sweet Sauce.

_Ingredients_-- pint of plain white sauce or melted b.u.t.ter (omitting the seasoning).

1 winegla.s.s of sherry or brandy.

2 dessertspoonfuls of castor sugar.

_Method._--Add the wine and sugar to the sauce, and it is ready for use.