The Book of Household Management Part 71

_Seasonable_ at any time.

MINCED COLLOPS (an Entree).

619. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of rump-steak, salt and pepper to taste, 2 oz.

of b.u.t.ter, 1 onion minced, 1/4 pint of water, 1 tablespoonful of Harvey's sauce, or lemon-juice, or mushroom ketchup; 1 small bunch of savoury herbs.

_Mode_.--Mince the beef and onion very small, and fry the latter in b.u.t.ter until of a pale brown. Put all the ingredients together in a stewpan, and boil gently for about 10 minutes; garnish with sippets of toasted bread, and serve very hot.

_Time_.--10 minutes. _Average cost_, 1s. per lb.

_Sufficient_ for 2 or 3 persons.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

CURRIED BEEF (Cold Meat Cookery).

620. INGREDIENTS.--A few slices of tolerably lean cold roast or boiled beef, 3 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 2 onions, 1 winegla.s.sful of beer, 1 dessertspoonful of curry powder.

_Mode_.--Cut up the beef into pieces about 1 inch square, put the b.u.t.ter into a stewpan with the onions sliced, and fry them of a lightly-brown colour. Add all the other ingredients, and stir gently over a brisk fire for about 10 minutes. Should this be thought too dry, more beer, or a spoonful or two of gravy or water, may be added; but a good curry should not be very thin. Place it in a deep dish, with an edging of dry boiled rice, in the same manner as for other curries.

_Time_.--10 minutes. _Average cost_, exclusive of the meat, 4d.

_Seasonable_ in winter.

TO CLARIFY BEEF DRIPPING.

I.

621. Good and fresh dripping answers very well for basting everything except game and poultry, and, when well clarified, serves for frying nearly as well as lard; it should be kept in a cool place, and will remain good some time. To clarify it, put the dripping into a basin, pour over it boiling water, and keep stirring the whole to wash away the impurities. Let it stand to cool, when the water and dirty sediment will settle at the bottom of the basin. Remove the dripping, and put it away in jars or basins for use.

ANOTHER WAY.

622. Put the dripping into a clean saucepan, and let it boil for a few minutes over a slow fire, and be careful to skim it well. Let it stand to cool a little, then strain it through a piece of muslin into jars for use. Beef dripping is preferable to any other for cooking purposes, as, with mutton dripping, there is liable to be a tallowy taste and smell.

ROAST FILLET OF BEEF (Larded).

623. INGREDIENTS.--About 4 lbs. of the inside fillet of the sirloin, 1 onion, a small bunch of parsley, salt and pepper to taste, sufficient vinegar to cover the meat, glaze, Spanish sauce, No. 411.

_Mode_.--Lard the beef with bacon, and put it into a pan with sufficient vinegar to cover it, with an onion sliced, parsley, and seasoning, and let it remain in this pickle for 12 hours. Roast it before a nice clear fire for about 1-1/4 hour, and, when done, glaze it. Pour some Spanish sauce round the beef, and the remainder serve in a tureen. It may be garnished with Spanish onions boiled and glazed.

_Time_.--1-1/2 hour. Average cost, exclusive of the sauce, 4s.

_Sufficient_ for 6 or 8 persons.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

FRICANDEAU OF BEEF.

624. INGREDIENTS.--About 3 lbs. of the inside fillet of the sirloin (a piece of the rump may be subst.i.tuted for this), pepper and salt to taste, 3 cloves, 2 blades of mace, 6 whole allspice, 1 pint of stock No.

105, or water, 1 gla.s.s of sherry, 1 bunch of savoury herbs, 2 shalots, bacon.

_Mode_.--Cut some bacon into thin strips, and sprinkle over them a seasoning of pepper and salt, mixed with cloves, mace, and allspice, well pounded. Lard the beef with these, put it into a stewpan with the stock or water, sherry, herbs, shalots, 2 cloves, and more pepper and salt. Stew the meat gently until tender, when take it out, cover it closely, skim off all the fat from the gravy, and strain it. Set it on the fire, and boil, till it becomes a glaze. Glaze the larded side of the beef with this, and serve on sorrel sauce, which is made as follows:--Wash and pick some sorrel, and put it into a stewpan with only the water that hangs about it. Keep stirring, to prevent its burning, and when done, lay it in a sieve to drain. Chop it, and stew it with a small piece of b.u.t.ter and 4 or 6 tablespoonfuls of good gravy, for an hour, and rub it through a tammy. If too acid, add a little sugar; and a little cabbage-lettuce boiled with the sorrel will be found an improvement.

_Time_.--2 hours to gently stew the meat.

_Average cost_, for this quant.i.ty, 4s.

_Sufficient_ for 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

FRIED SALT BEEF (Cold Meat Cookery).

625. INGREDIENTS.--A few slices of cold salt beef, pepper to taste, 1/4 lb. of b.u.t.ter, mashed potatoes.

_Mode_.--Cut any part of cold salt beef into thin slices, fry them gently in b.u.t.ter, and season with a little pepper. Have ready some very hot mashed potatoes, lay the slices of beef on them, and garnish with 3 or 4 pickled gherkins. Cold salt beef, warmed in a little liquor from mixed pickle, drained, and served as above, will be found good.

_Time_.--About 5 minutes. _Average cost_, exclusive of the meat, 4d.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

FRIED RUMP-STEAK.

626. INGREDIENTS.--Steaks, b.u.t.ter or clarified dripping.

_Mode_. Although broiling is a far superior method of cooking steaks to frying them, yet, when the cook is not very expert, the latter mode may be adopted; and, when properly done, the dish may really look very inviting, and the flavour be good. The steaks should be cut rather thinner than for broiling, and with a small quant.i.ty of fat to each. Put some b.u.t.ter or clarified dripping into a frying-pan; let it get quite hot, then lay in the steaks. Turn them frequently until done, which will be in about 8 minutes, or rather more, should the steaks be very thick.

Serve on a very hot dish, in which put a small piece of b.u.t.ter and a tablespoonful of ketchup, and season with pepper and salt. They should be sent to table quickly, as, when cold, the steaks are entirely spoiled.

_Time_.--8 minutes for a medium-sized steak, rather longer for a very thick one.

_Average cost_, 1s. per lb.

_Seasonable all the year, but not good in summer, as the meat cannot hang to get tender._

_Note_.--Where much gravy is liked, make it in the following manner:--As soon as the steaks are done, dish them, pour a little boiling water into the frying-pan, add a seasoning of pepper and salt, a small piece of b.u.t.ter, and a tablespoonful of Harvey's sauce or mushroom ketchup. Hold the pan over the fire for a minute or two, just let the gravy simmer, then pour on the steak, and serve.

A FRENCHMAN'S OPINION OF BEEF. The following is translated from a celebrated modern French work, the production of one who in Paris enjoys a great reputation as cook and chemist:--The flesh of the ox, to be in the best condition, should be taken from an animal of from four to six years old, and neither too fat nor too lean. This meat, which possesses in the highest degree the most nutritive qualities, is generally easily digested; stock is made from it, and it is eaten boiled, broiled, roasted, stewed, braised, and in a hundred other different ways. Beef is the foundation of stock, gravies, braises, &c.; its nutritious and succulent gravy gives body and flavour to numberless ragots. It is an exhaustless mine in the hands of a skilful artist, and is truly the king of the kitchen. Without it, no soup, no gravy; and its absence would produce almost a famine in the civilized world!

BEEF FRITTERS (Cold Meat Cookery).

627. INGREDIENTS.--The remains of cold roast beef, pepper and salt to taste, 3/4 lb. of flour, 1/2 pint of water, 2 oz. of b.u.t.ter, the whites of 2 eggs.