The Country Housewife and Lady's Director in the Management of a House Part 19

Take Rabbits and Pork, cut and season'd as above; then make a Farce of the Rabbits Livers parboil'd, and shred small; some fat Bacon shred small, some sweet Marjoram powder'd, some Pepper and Salt, and made into a Paste, with the Yolks of Eggs beaten; and then make this into b.a.l.l.s, and lay them in your Pye, amongst the Meat, at proper Distances. Then take the Bottoms of three or four Artichokes boil'd tender, and cut in Dice; and lay these likewise amongst the Meat. Put in also some c.o.xcombs blanch'd; then close your Pye, and pour in as much Wine and Water as you think convenient. Bake it, and serve it hot.

To make artificial _c.o.xcombs._ From Mr. _Renaud._

Take Tripe, without any Fat, and with a sharp Knife pare away the fleshy part, leaving only the brawny or h.o.r.n.y part about the thickness of a c.o.c.k's Comb. Then, with a Jagging-Iron, cut Pieces out of it, in the shape of c.o.c.ks Combs, and the remaining Parts between, may be cut to pieces, and used in Pyes, and serve every whit as well as c.o.c.ks Combs: but those cut in form, please the Eye best; and, as Mr. _Renaud_ observes, the Eye must be pleased, before we can taste any thing with Pleasure. And therefore, in Frica.s.sees we should put those which are cut according to Art.

_Calf's_ Liver stuffed and roasted. From the same.

Take a Calf's Liver, the Morning it is kill'd, and make a hole in it, with a large Knife, to run length-ways, but not quite through it; then make a farced Meat, or stuffing for it, of some of the Liver parboil'd, and some Fat of Bacon cut very fine, some fresh Lemon-Peel grated, some sweet Herbs powder'd, and some b.u.t.ter'd Eggs, as much as may be necessary, to mix with the other Ingredients; then add some grated Bread, and some Spices finely beat, with some Pepper and Salt: then fill that part that you cut in the Liver with this farced Meat; and cut other Places if you will, and fill them likewise. You may then lard the Liver, if you will, with Bacon Fat, and roast it, flouring it very well, and basting it with b.u.t.ter, till it is enough. But it is reckon'd rather better by some, when the Liver is stuffed, to brush it over with the Yolk of an Egg, and strew upon it raspings of Bread sifted, some Flour, some dry'd sweet Herbs powder'd, and some Spice; and then enclose the Whole with the Caul of Veal; so roast it, and it will make an excellent Dish. To be served hot, either with Venison Sauce, made of Claret boil'd with Cinnamon, and sweeten'd with Sugar, or with Gravey Sauce, with a little Wine in it.

To roast a _Calf's_ Liver, another way. From Mrs. _M. N._

Take a Calf's Liver, as before, and stuff it as above, only with this Alteration in the Stuffing. Shred some Veal-Suet very small, and add to that some grated Bread, Spice, and dry'd sweet Herbs finely powder'd, with some Currans plump'd, and a little Salt; then make this into a Paste, with some Eggs beaten; and when you have stuffed what Parts you please, with the Mixture, roast it, basting it well with b.u.t.ter, and strewing on, now and then, some of the above Mixture, as far as it can be in powder, or admit of strewing. Then serve it hot, with melted b.u.t.ter and Lemon-Juice, or Verjuice, and garnish with Lemon sliced, and pickled Berberries.

Cream Custard. From Lady _H._

Boil a Quart of Cream, with some grated Nutmeg, and a little Mace finely powder'd; then beat the Yolks of twelve Eggs, with half as many Whites, with a little Salt: then add a spoonfull of Sack, and one of Orange-Flower Water, or Rose-Water: then put about six Ounces of fine Loaf-Sugar beaten fine, and well sifted; and mix all together, when the Cream is not too hot; then pa.s.s it through a fine Sieve, and bake it in _China_ Cups.

To imitate the fat Livers of _Capons_ roasted. From the same.

Take a Calf's Liver fresh, and cut it in pieces, in the shape of large Capons Livers. Dip every one in Flour, and spit them on Lark-Spits, the flat Sides against each other, but minding to put between them a slice of fat Bacon. Roast them, and baste them well with b.u.t.ter, and drudging them often with rasped Bread sifted, and flour with a little Salt. When they are enough, serve them with the following Sauce. Take two or three Necks of Fowls, if you have them, or else, a little clean Beef Gravey, a little Water, a little Ale, or small Beer; an Onion and some Pepper and Salt: then strain off the Sauce, and pour it into the Dish before you lay in your Livers, and garnish with Slices of Lemon, sliced Beet-Roots pickled, and sifted raspings of Bread. These do well likewise to be laid about a roasted Chicken.

To make _Pound Cakes._ From the same.

Take a Pound of double refined Loaf-Sugar beaten and sifted; then beat eight Eggs and stir the Sugar in them; then melt a Pound of b.u.t.ter, and stir that in with the rest, and then stir in a Pound of Flour, some Mace finely beat, with some Nutmeg grated, and some Sack, and Orange-Flower Water; beat these all together for an hour and a half till all is well mix'd; then stir in some Currans plump'd a little. To make good the name of the Cake, there should be a Pound of a sort. Some put about a quarter of a Pound of Caraway Comfits; but every way is good. Bake these in little Pans, in, a gentle Oven, and when they are quite cold, turn them out, and keep them in oaken Boxes, with Papers between them, in a dry Place.

To make a Six Hour Pudding. From the same.

Take a Pound of Beef Suet, pick'd clean from the Skins and b.l.o.o.d.y Parts, and chop it pretty small; then take a Pound of Raisins of the Sun, and stone them; then shred them, and mix them together: add to them a large spoonfull of Flour, and six Eggs beaten, a little _Lisbon_ Sugar, some Salt, and some Cloves, and Mace, beaten. Then mix these well together, and make two Puddings of them, tied up in Cloths well flour'd; boil them six Hours, and serve them with Sugar and b.u.t.ter in Cups. This will cut very firm, and not taste at all greasy. And if you save one cold, cut it in Slices, and lay it upon a Grid-Iron, under Beef while it is roasting, and it eats very well with Beef Gravey hot.

To make a _Venison_ Pasty. From the same.

Take six Pounds of Cambridge potted b.u.t.ter, and rub it into a peck of Flour, but do not rub in your b.u.t.ter too small; and then make it into a Paste, with Water: then b.u.t.ter your Pan well, and when your Paste is roll'd out thick, lay it in the Pan, preserving only enough for the Lid. The _Cambridge_ b.u.t.ter is mention'd, because it is a little Salt; or else, if you use fresh b.u.t.ter, there should be some Salt put into the Crust. When that is prepar'd, take a side of Venison, and take off the Skin, as close as can be, and take the Bones out quite free from the Flesh; then cut this through length-ways, and cut it cross again, to make four Pieces of it; then strew these Pieces with Pepper and Salt, well mix'd, at discretion: and after having laid a little of the Pepper and Salt at the bottom of the Pasty, with some pieces of b.u.t.ter; then lay in your pieces of Venison, so that at each Corner the Fat may be placed; then lay some b.u.t.ter over it, in pieces, and close your Pasty. When it is ready for the Oven, pour in about a Quart of Water, and let it bake from five a Clock in the Morning till one in the Afternoon, in a hot Oven. And at the same time put the Skin and the Bones broken, with Water enough to cover them, and some Pepper and Salt into a glaz'd earthen Pan, into the same Oven; and when you draw the Pasty, pour off as much as you think proper, of the clear Liquor, into your Pasty.

Serve it hot, but it is properly a side-board Dish, and the Carver ought always to take the Services, of the Pasty, from the Corners where the Fat is, to do honour to the Master and his Park.

To roast a _Hog's_ Harslet. From the same.

Take a Hog's Harslet, as soon as the Hog is kill'd, lay aside the Lights, and cut the Liver in thick Slices, and the Heart in thinner Pieces; then take some of the Crow of an Hog, and cut that in Pieces equal with the rest. Then take the Sweetbreads, with some of the Sticking-Pieces, as they are called, and some Slices of fat Bacon. Dip these into Eggs beaten, and then dip them again into grated Bread, some red Sage chopt small, and some Pepper and Salt, with a little sweet Marjoram, or sweet Basil powder'd; then put the Pieces, broad-side one to another, upon a small Spit, always observing to put the Bacon next the Heart, and the Crow next the Liver; then wrap them up in a Cawl of Veal, and roast it. Put these Pieces as close as you can together, and when it is done, serve it with some melted b.u.t.ter and Mustard, with a little Lemon-Juice.

To make Cream of _Raspberries._ From Mrs. _Heron._

Take thick Cream, a Quart, and put to that, either some Raspberry Syrup, or some Jamm of Raspberries; but the Syrup will mix much easier with it: however, the Jamm of Raspberries is accounted the best by some, because that has the Seeds in it. But I think, that Syrup of Raspberries is better, because all is smooth, and the Cream tastes sufficiently of the Raspberries. One must serve this with the Desert. But if you use the Jamm of Raspberries, you must beat it with some of the Cream a good while before it will mix; and then put it to the other Cream, and stir it a little, and it will mix.

Artificial Cream, to be mix'd with any Preserves of Fruit. From Mrs. _M.

S._ of _Salisbury._

Take a Quart of Milk, and when it is boil'd, put in the Yolks of eight Eggs well beaten with the Whites of six. Put not in the Eggs while the Milk is too hot, lest they curdle. Then, when they are well mix'd, set them over a gentle Fire, and stir them all the while; and when you perceive them to be thick enough, put into them what quant.i.ty you please of Syrup, or Jamms of Apricots, Peaches, or Plums, or Cherries, or Oranges, Lemons, or other Fruits, stirring them well till they partake enough of the preserv'd Fruit's taste, and then serve them up, in _China_ Basons, cold, in a Desert, without any Ornament of Flowers.

To make Sweet-meat _Cream._ From the same.

Take either clean Cream from the Dairy, or else make the foregoing artificial Cream, and slice preserv'd Apricots, or preserv'd Peaches or Plums, into it, having first sweeten'd the Cream well, with fine Loaf Sugar, or with the same Syrup they were preserv'd in. Mix these well, and serve them separately, cold, in _China_ Basons.

To embalm _Pidgeons._ From a Lady in _Suffolk._

This Receipt was communicated in this manner: _viz._ Sir, I have seen the Method you propose to embalm Partridges, in your _Farmer's Monthly Director,_ and have tried it so far, that I have kept them, done that way, a Month. I had then a mind to try what I could do with Pidgeons; and as soon as they were kill'd, I was diligent to take out all the Blood, and wash them, and dry them, as is directed, with warm Cloths, both inside and outside. I then laid them in Pans of earthen Ware, and cover'd them with melted b.u.t.ter, which kept them very well, for a long time. I wash'd the Necks of the Pidgeons, when the Crops were taken out, with Vinegar, and dry'd them. Then I used them as you direct for Partridges, and they kept sweet a Month, fit for Roasting; and they eat the same as if they were fresh kill'd. This I send you word of, because you may know how far your embalming of Partridges has taken Effect, and to tell you, the Lady who told you of it, understood very well what she did. As for my part, I used fresh b.u.t.ter; but you did not say whether it should be salt or fresh, and I try'd Pidgeons, because they are Fowls which decay sooner than any. If you think this worth your Notice,

_I am, Your humble Servant._ S. F.

To preserve _Pidgeons_ another way. From the same.

Take Pidgeons fresh kill'd; wash them from the Blood, and take off the Flesh, as clean as you can from the Bones, and discharge all the Inside: then season them well with Pepper and Salt, with a little Mace and Nutmeg grated, and boil them in equal quant.i.ties of Vinegar and Water, till they are very tender with Cloves, or other Spice, as you like, and if you add a Bay-leaf or two it will be better. When your Pidgeons are boil'd tender enough, take them from the Fire, and when the Liquor is cold, lay your Pidgeons in a large Gally-pot, and pour the Liquor upon them, and cover them up close with Leather, and they will keep a long time.

An Attempt to preserve _Cuc.u.mbers,_ for Stewing, in the Winter. From the same.

Sir,

You have often told me, that you was a Lover of Cuc.u.mbers, and more especially stew'd, than any other way; which I find many others of my Friends come into. I propose, that you should pare and slice Cuc.u.mbers as usual for stewing; and then with a little Salt and Pepper, with their own Liquor stew them in a Sauce-Pan till they are a little tender; then pour them into a Cullendar, and when they are drain'd well from the Liquor, boil some White Wine, with Water, half one, and half the other, with whole Pepper; and when the Liquor is cold, put the Cuc.u.mbers into a Gally-pot, and pour the Liquor over them: and, if you put a little Oil upon the Liquor, I am persuaded they will keep several Months. I wish it may be try'd, for I have thought of it; and according to my Judgment it may be fit to use, any time in the Winter, for stewing.