HOUSEKEEPER’S INSTRUCTOR;
OR,
UNIVERSAL FAMILY COOK.
CHAPTER I.
SOUPS and BROTHS.
AS a proper mode is the first and most judicious step that can be taken in the display of any subject, so we shall commence our work with a particular description of the manner of making all kinds of Soups and Broths, those articles in the Art of Cookery being, at most entertainments, whether of a public or private nature, first brought upon the table.
To acquire reputation, and give satisfaction to those for whom any kind of provision is dressed, the first grand consideration of the cook should be a particular attachment to cleanliness, and this more immediately in the proper care of all vessels wherein such provision is to be dressed. They must be kept properly tinned, and, as soon as possible after being used, well cleaned, and placed, with their covers on, in some situation adapted for the purpose. Previous to their being again used, examine them very strictly, and be careful that they are totally free from any kind of grease, or any particles of sand, which will be too apt to secrete themselves in unobserved cavities of the vessels. To avoid this, rub the palm of your hand all round, with the ends of your fingers in the cavities, and if any sand is left, it will stick to the flesh, which will naturally draw it out. After tins, wipe it all round with a clean cloth, and you may be pretty well satisfied it is thoroughly cleansed for use. The pains you have taken in this first degree of care will be amply repaid by the articles you cook being, if properly managed according to the rules here laid down, brought to table in the highest state of perfection.
As a necessary prelude to the making of soups and broths, we shall introduce a few general observations; which we recommend as deserving the particular notice and attention of the cook.
When you make any kinds of soups, more especially portable, vermicelli, or brown gravy soup, or, indeed, any other that hath roots or herbs in it, always observe to lay the meat at the bottom of your pan, with a good lump of butter. Cut the herbs and roots small, lay them over the meat, cover it close, and set it over a slow fire: this will draw all the virtue out of the roots or herbs, turn it to a good gravy, and give the soup a different flavour from what it would have on putting the water in at first. As soon as you find the gravy is nearly dried up, then fill the saucepan with water, and when it begins to boil skim off the fat, and pursue the directions given for the soup intended to be made. In making peas soup observe, that if they are old, you must use soft water; but if green, hard or spring water, as it will greatly contribute to the preservation of their colour. One principal thing to be observed in making all kinds of soup is, that no one ingredient is more powerful in the taste than another, but that all are as nearly as possible equal, and that the soup be relished in proportion to the purpose for which it is designed.
Vermicelli Soup.
TAKE a knuckle of veal and a scrag of mutton, from each of which cut the flesh into small pieces about the size of walnuts, and mix them together, with five or six thin slices of lean ham. Put into the bottom of your pan about four ounces of butter, and then your meat; to which add three or four blades of mace, two or three carrots, two parsnips, two large onions, with a clove stuck on both sides of each, cut in four or five heads of celery washed clean, a bunch of sweet herbs, eight or ten morels, and an anchovy. When your articles are thus prepared and mixed together in the pan, cover it very close, and set it over a slow fire, without any water, till the gravy is drawn out of the meat. When this is done, pour it out into a pot or large basin; then let the meat brown, (taking care that it does not burn,) and put into the saucepan four quarts of water. Let the whole boil gently till it is wasted to three pints, then strain it, and mix with it the first gravy drawn from the meat. Set it on the fire, and add two ounces of vermicelli, a nice head of celery cut small, chyan pepper and salt to your taste, and let the whole boil about six minutes. Lay a small French roll in the soup dish, pour the soup upon it, strew some of the vermicelli on the surface, and then serve it to table.
Vermicelli Soup White.
WASH your vermicelli in boiling water, and leave it to drain on a sieve that it may not lump: boil it with some good gravy soup; and the moment before serving it up, put in a cullis a-la-reine, or the yolks of some eggs beat up with cream or milk. It must not boil after the eggs are in, or else it will curdle.
Soup a-la-Reine.
TAKE a knuckle of veal, and three or four pounds of lean beef, to which put in six quarts of water, with a little salt. When it boils take off the scum quite clean, then put in six large onions, two carrots, a head or two of celery, a parsnip, one leek, and a little thyme. Let the whole stew together till the meat is quite boiled down, then strain it through a hair sieve, and after it has stood about half an hour, skim it well, and clear it off gently from the settlings into a clean pan. Boil half a pint of cream, and pour it on the crumb of a small loaf till the whole is soaked in. Take half a pound of almonds, blanch and beat them as fine as possible, putting in now and then a little cream to prevent them from oiling. Then take the yolks of six hard eggs, beat them with a loaf soaked in the cream, and mix the whole together. Put your broth in again into the saucepan, and when hot pour it to your almonds. Strain it through a fine hair sieve, rubbing it with a spoon till all the virtue and flavour are extracted. Put the whole into the saucepan, adding a little more cream to make it white. Set it over the fire, keep stirring it till it boils, and skim off the froth as it rises. In the meantime soak the tops of two French rolls in melted butter in a stew-pan till they are crisp, but not brown; then take them out of the butter, and lay them in a plate before the fire. After remaining there a short time put them at the bottom of the tureen, pouring to them a small quantity of the soup. When your soup has been thoroughly skimmed from froth, and is just ready to boil, then take it off, pour it into the tureen, and serve it hot to table. In making this soup, particular care must be taken that no fat be on the surface of the broth at the time it is poured upon the almonds, otherwise the whole will be spoiled.
Soup Cressy.
CUT a pound of lean ham into small bits, and put at the bottom of a stew-pan, with a French roll cut in slices, and laid on the top. Take two dozen heads of celery cut small, six onions, two turnips, one carrot, six cloves, four blades of mace, and two bunches of water cresses. Put them all in a stew-pan, with a pint of good broth. Cover them close, and let them sweat gently for about twenty minutes, after which fill it up with veal broth, and stew it four hours. When this is done, strain it through a fine sieve or cloth, and put it again into the saucepan, seasoning it with salt and a little chyan pepper. As soon as it is simmered up, pour it into the tureen, putting in some French roll toasted hard.
Transparent Soup.
CUT off the meat from a leg of veal as clean as you can, after which break the bone in small pieces. Put the meat into a large jug, with the bones at top, and add to it a bunch of sweet herbs, a quarter of an ounce of mace, half a pound of blanched almonds, and pour in four quarts of boiling water. Set it over a slow fire, close covered, and let it stand all night. The next day take it out of the jug, put it into a clean saucepan, and let it boil slowly till it is reduced to two quarts. During the time it boils be particularly careful to take off all the scum and fat. Strain it into a large bowl, and when you think the meat is perfectly settled at the bottom, so that no sediment can intermix with the soup, put it into a clean saucepan, and intermix it with three or four ounces of boiled rice, or two ounces of vermicelli, which you like best. When it has boiled about a quarter of an hour, pour it into the tureen, and serve it to table.
Almond Soup.
TAKE a quart of almonds, and beat them in a marble mortar, with the yolks of six hard eggs, till they become a fine paste. Mix them by degrees with two quarts of new milk, a quart of cream, and a quarter of a pound of double refined sugar, beat fine, and stir the whole well together. When it is properly mixed, set it over a slow fire, and keep it stirring quick till you find it of a good thickness: then take it off, pour it into your dish, and serve it up. The principal care to be observed in making this soup is to prevent its curdling, which can only be done by keeping it constantly stirring till it boils.
Soup Santé, or Gravy Soup.
TAKE a pound and a half of lean ham cut in slices, and put them in the bottom of the stew-pan, with about two ounces of butter under them. Over the ham, put three ounces of lean beef, and over the beef the same quantity of veal. Put in six onions cut in slices, two carrots, and two turnips sliced, two heads of celery, a bunch of sweet herbs, six cloves, and two blades of mace. Let there be a little water at the bottom, and when you have gently drawn it till it sticks, put in a gallon of boiling water. Let it stew gently for two hours; season with salt and chyan pepper, and strain it clear off. Having ready a carrot cut in thin pieces about two inches in length, a turnip, two heads of leeks, two of celery, two of endive cut across, two cabbage lettuces cut in the same manner, with a little sorrel and chervil. Put these into a stew-pan, and sweat them over the fire for about fifteen minutes; then put them into your soup. Set the whole over the fire, and let it boil gently about a quarter of an hour; then pour it into your tureen, with the crust of a French roll on the top, and send it to table.
Soup and Bouille.
TAKE about five pounds of brisket of beef, roll it up as tight as you can, and fasten it with a piece of tape. Put it into the stew-pan, with four pounds of the leg of mutton piece of beef, and about two gallons of water. When it boils, take off the scum quite clean, and put in one large onion, two or three carrots, two turnips, a leek, two heads of celery, six or seven cloves, and some whole pepper. Stew the whole very gently, close covered, for six or seven hours. About an hour before dinner strain the soup quite clear from the meat. Have ready boiled carrots cut into small pieces with a carrot cutter, turnips cut in balls, spinach, a little chervil and sorrel, two heads of endive, and one or two of celery cut into pieces. Put these into a tureen, with a French roll dried after the crumb is taken out. Pour the soup to these boiling hot, and add a little salt and chyan pepper. Take the tape from the beef, or bouille, and place it in a dish by itself, with mashed turnips and sliced carrots, each in a separate small dish, and in this manner serve up the whole.
Ox Cheek Soup.
BREAK the bones of the cheek, and after having washed it thoroughly clean, put it into a large stew-pan, with about two ounces of butter at the bottom, and lay the fleshy side of the cheek downwards. Add to it about half a pound of lean ham, cut in slices. Put in four heads of celery cut small, three large onions, two carrots, one parsnip sliced, and three blades of mace. Set it over a moderate fire for about a quarter of an hour, when the virtues of the roots will be extracted; after which put to it four quarts of water, and let it simmer gently till it is reduced to two. If you mean to use it as soup only, strain it clear off, and put in the white part of a head of celery cut in small pieces, with a little browning to make it a fine colour. Scald two ounces of vermicelli, and put into the soup, then let it boil for about ten minutes, and pour it into your tureen, with the crust of a French roll, and serve it up. If it is to be used as a stew, take up the cheek as whole as possible, and have ready a boiled turnip and carrot cut in square pieces, a slice of bread toasted, and cut in small dices, put in a little chyan pepper, strain the soup through a hair sieve upon the whole, and carry it to table.
Macaroni Soup.
MIX together three quarts of strong broth with one of gravy. Take half a pound of small pipe macaroni, and boil it in three quarts of water, with a little butter in it, till it is tender, after which strain it through a sieve. Cut it in pieces of about two inches in length, and put it into your soup, and boil it up for about ten minutes. Send it to table in a tureen, with the crust of a French roll toasted.
Calf’s Head Soup.
WASH the head as clean as possible, which you will the more easily do by strewing a little salt on it to take out the slime. After it is thoroughly cleansed, put it into your stew-pan, with a proper quantity of water, and throw in a bunch of sweet herbs, an onion stuck with cloves, five or six blades of mace, and some pearl barley. When it has stewed till it is tender, put in some stewed celery. Season it with pepper, pour the soup into your dish, place the head in the middle, and serve it to table.
PUT a quart of split peas into four quarts of water, with some beef bones, or a little lean bacon. Add one head of celery cut small, with three or four turnips. Let it boil gently till it is reduced to two quarts, and then work it through a fine sieve with a wooden spoon. Mix a little flour and water well together, and boil them in the soup. Add another head of celery, with chyan pepper and salt to your taste. Cut a slice of bread in dice, fry them a light brown, and put them into your dish; after which pour in the soup, and serve it up.
White Peas Soup.
TAKE four or five pounds of lean beef, and put it into six quarts of water with a little salt. When it boils skim it clean, and put in two carrots, three whole onions, a little thyme, and two heads of celery. When you have done this, put in three quarts of peas, and boil them with the meat till the latter is quite tender: then strain the soup through a hair sieve, at the same time rubbing the pulp of the peas so as to extract all their virtue. Split three coss lettuces into four quarters each, and cut them about four inches in length, with a little mint shredded small: then put half a pound of butter in a stew-pan that will hold your soup, and put the lettuce and mint into the butter, with a leek sliced very thin. Stew them a quarter of an hour, shaking them about often; and after adding a little of the soup, stew them a quarter of an hour longer: then put in your soup, and as much thick cream as will make it white: keep stirring it till it boils, fry a French roll in butter a little crisp, put it in the bottom of the tureen, pour the soup over, and serve it up.
Green Peas Soup.
CUT a knuckle of veal into thin slices, with one pound of lean ham. Lay them at the bottom of a soup-pot with the veal uppermost. Then put in six onions cut in slices, with two or three turnips, two carrots, three heads of celery cut very small, a little thyme, four cloves, and four blades of mace. Put a little water at the bottom, cover the pot close, and draw it gently, taking particular care the meat does not stick to the pot. When it is properly drawn, put in six quarts of boiling water, and let it stew gently four hours, skimming it well during the time. Take two quarts of peas, and stew them in some of the liquor till tender; then strain them off and beat them fine, put the liquor in, and mix them up. Take a tammy, or fine cloth, and rub them through till you have rubbed all the pulp out, and then put your soup in a clean pot, with half a pint of spinach juice, and boil it up for about a quarter of an hour: season with salt and a little pepper. If you think your soup not thick enough, take the crumb of a French roll, and boil it in a little of the soup, beat it in a mortar, and rub it through your tammy, or cloth, then put it into your soup, and boil it up. Pour the soup into the tureen, with half a pint of young peas and mint, stewed in fresh butter; then serve it up.
Onion Soup.
TAKE eight or ten large Spanish onions, and boil them in milk and water till they become quite soft, changing your milk and water three times while the onions are boiling. When they are quite soft rub them through a hair sieve. Cut an old fowl into pieces, and boil it for gravy, with one blade of mace. Then strain it, and having poured the gravy on the pulp of the onions, boil it gently, with the crumb of a stale penny loaf grated into half a pint of cream, and season it to your taste with salt and chyan pepper. When you serve it up, grate a crust of brown bread round the edge of the dish. It will contribute much to the delicacy of the flavour, if you add a little stewed spinach, or a few heads of asparagus.
Milk Soup.
BOIL a pint of milk with a little salt, and if you please sugar; arrange some sliced bread in a dish, pour over part of your milk to soak it, and keep it hot upon your stove, taking care that it does not burn. When you are ready to serve your soup, beat up the yolks of five or six eggs, and acid them to the rest of the milk. Stir it over the fire till it thickens, and then take it off for fear it should curdle.
Milk Soup. Another Way.
TAKE two quarts of new milk, and put into it two sticks of cinnamon, two bay leaves, a small quantity of basket salt, and a little sugar. While these are heating, blanch half a pound of sweet almonds, and beat them up to a paste in a marble mortar. Mix some milk with them by a little at a time, and while they are heating, grate some lemon-peel with the almonds, and a little of the juice; after which strain it through a coarse sieve; mix all together, and let it boil up. Cut some slices of French bread, and dry them before the fire; soak them a little in the milk, lay them at the bottom of the tureen, pour in the soup, and serve it up.
Milk Soup, with Onions.
TAKE a dozen of onions, and set them over a stove till they are done without being coloured. Then boil some milk, add to it the onions, and season it with salt alone. Put some button onions to scald, then pass them in butter, and when tender add it to the soup, and serve it up.
Rice Soup.
PUT a pound of rice and a little cinnamon into two quarts of water. Cover it close, and let it simmer very gently till the rice is quite tender. Take out the cinnamon, then sweeten it to your palate; grate into it half a nutmeg, and let it stand till it is cold. Then beat up the yolks of three eggs, with half a pint of white wine; mix them well together, and stir them into the rice. Set the whole over a slow fire, and keep stirring it all the time, lest it should curdle. When it is of a good thickness, and boils, take it up, and keep stirring it till you pour it into your dish.
TAKE a handful of rice, or more, according to the quantity of soup you make; wash it well in warm water, rubbing it in your hands, and let it stand two hours and a half or three hours over a slow fire, with good beef and veal gravy: when it is done, season it to your palate, and serve it up.
Scotch Barley Broth.
TAKE a leg of beef cut into pieces, and boil it in three gallons of water, with a sliced carrot and a crust of bread. Let it continue boiling till reduced to one half. Then strain it off, and put it again into the pot, with half a pound of barley, four or five heads of celery cut small, a bunch of sweet herbs, a large onion, a little parsley chopped small, and a few marigolds. When this has been boiled an hour, put in a large fowl, and let it continue boiling till the broth is quite good. Season it with salt to your taste, take out the onion and sweet herbs, and send it to table with the fowl in the middle. The fowl may be used or omitted, according to your own discretion, as the broth will be exceeding good without it.
Instead of a leg of beef, some make this broth with a sheep’s head, which must be chopped all to pieces. Others use thick flank of beef, in which case six pounds must be boiled in six quarts of water. Put in the barley with the meat, and boil it very gently for an hour, keeping it clear from scum. Then put in the before-mentioned ingredients, with turnips and carrots clean scraped and pared, and cut into small pieces. Boil all together softly till you find the broth very good, and season it to your palate. Then take it up, pour the broth into your dish or tureen, put the beef in the middle, with carrots and turnips round the dish, and send it hot to table. This is a very comfortable repast, more particularly in cold and severe weather.
Soup Lorraine.
TAKE a pound of almonds, blanch them, and beat them in a fine mortar, with a very little water to keep them from oiling. Then take all the white part of a large roasted fowl, with the yolks of four poached eggs, and pound all together as fine as possible. Take three quarts of strong veal broth, let it be very white, and all the fat clean skimmed off. Pour it into a stew-pan with the other ingredients, and mix them well together. Boil them gently over a slow fire, and mince the white part of another fowl very fine. Season it with pepper, salt, nutmeg, and a little beaten mace. Put in a bit of butter about the size of an egg, with a spoonful or two of the soup strained, and set it over the fire to be quite hot. Cut two French rolls into thin slices, and set them before the fire to crisp. Then take one of the hollow loaves which are made for oysters, and fill it with the minced fowl: close the roll as neat as possible, and keep it hot. Strain the soup through a very fine sieve into a clean saucepan, and let it stew till it is of the thickness of cream. Put the crisped bread into the dish or tureen, pour the soup over it, place the roll with the minced meat in the middle, and serve it up.
Soup Maigre.
PUT half a pound of butter into a deep stew-pan, shake it about, and let it stand till it has done making a noise; then throw in six middle-sized onions, peeled and cut small, and shake them about. Take a bunch of celery, clean washed and picked, cut it into pieces about half an inch in length; a large handful of spinach clean washed and picked, a good lettuce (if it can be got) cut small, and a bundle of parsley chopped fine. Shake all these well together in the pan for a quarter of an hour, and then strew in a little flour: stir all together in the stew-pan, and put in two quarts of water. Throw in a handful of hard dry crust, with about a quarter of an ounce of ground pepper, and three blades of mace beat fine. Stir all together, and let it boil gently for about half an hour: then take it off, beat up the yolks of two eggs, and stir them in with one spoonful of vinegar. Pour the whole into a soup dish, and send it to table. If the season of the year will admit, a pint of green peas boiled in the soup will be a material addition.
Giblet Soup.
TAKE four pounds of gravy-beef, two pounds of a scrag of mutton, and two pounds of a scrag of veal. Put these into a saucepan with two gallons of water, and let them stew very gently till the broth begins to have a good taste. Then pour it out, let it stand till it is cold, and skim off all the fat. Take two pair of giblets well scalded and cleaned, put them into the broth, and let them simmer till they are very tender. Take out the giblets, and strain the soup through a cloth. Put a piece of butter rolled in flour into your stew-pan, and make it of a light brown. Have ready, chopped small, some parsley, chives, a little penny-royal, and a small quantity of sweet marjorum. Place the soup over a very slow fire; put in the giblets, fried butter, herbs, a little Madeira wine, some salt, and chyan pepper. Let them simmer till the herbs are tender, and then send the soup to table with the giblets intermixed.
Hodge Podge.
TAKE a pound of beef, a pound of veal, and a pound of scrag of mutton. Cut the beef into small pieces, and put the whole into a saucepan, with two quarts of water. Take an ounce of barley, an onion, a small bundle of sweet herbs, three or four heads of celery washed clean and cut small, a little mace, two or three cloves, and some whole pepper, tied all in a piece of cloth; and throw into the pot with the meat three turnips pared and cut in two, a large carrot scraped clean and cut in six pieces, and a small lettuce. Cover the pot close, and let it stew very gently for five or six hours; then take out the spice, sweet herbs, and onion, pour all into a soup dish, season it with salt, and send it to table.
Cow Heel Soup.
TAKE four pounds of lean mutton, three of beef, and two of veal; cut them across, and put them into a pot, with an old fowl, and four or five slices of lean ham. Let these stew without any liquor over a very slow fire, but be careful they do not burn to the pot. As soon as you find the meat begins to stick to the bottom, stir it about, and put in some good beef broth clear of all the fat: then put in some turnips, carrots, and celery cut small, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a bay leaf; then add some more clear broth, and let it stew about an hour. While this is doing, take a cow heel, split it, and set it on to boil in some of the same broth. When it is very tender take it off, and set on a stew-pan with some crusts of bread, and some more broth, and let it soak eight or ten minutes. When the soup is stewed till it tastes rich, lay the crusts in a tureen, and the two halves of the cow heel upon them. Then pour in the soup, season it to your palate, and serve it to table.
White Soup.
TAKE a knuckle of veal, a large fowl, and a pound of lean bacon: put these into a saucepan with six quarts of water: add half a pound of rice, two anchovies, a few peppercorns, a bundle of sweet herbs, two or three onions, and three or four heads of celery cut in slices. Stew them all together, till the soup is as strong as you would have it, and then strain it through a hair sieve into a clean earthen pan. Let it stand all night, and the next day take off the scum very clean, and pour the liquor into a stew-pan. Put in half a pound of sweet almonds beat fine, boil it for about a quarter of an hour, and strain it through a lawn sieve. Then put in a pint of cream, with the yolk of an egg, stir all together, let it boil a few minutes, then pour it into your tureen, and serve it up.
Gravy Soup.
TAKE a shin of beef, with the bone well chopped, and put it into your saucepan with six quarts of water, a pint of peas, and six onions. Set it over the fire, and let it boil gently till the juices of the meat are drawn out: then strain the liquor through a sieve, and add to it a quart of strong beef broth. Season it to your taste with pepper and salt, and put in a little celery and beet leaves; and when it has boiled till the vegetables are tender, pour it into a tureen, and take it to table.
Spring Soup.
TAKE a pint of young peas, some chervil, sorrel, young green onions, spring carrots, and turnips, and stew them in some butter till tender; when done, add what quantity of good brown gravy you wish; season it with pepper, mace, and salt. Let the turnips and carrots be sliced, and be sure take off all the fat that rises upon the soup.
Hare Soup.
CUT a large hare into pieces, and put it into an earthen mug, with three blades of mace, two large onions, a little salt, a red-herring, half a dozen large morels, a pint of red wine, and three quarts of water. Bake it three hours in a quick oven, and then strain the liquor into a stew-pan. Have ready boiled four ounces of French barley, and put in; just scald the liver, and rub it through a sieve with a wooden spoon; put it into the soup, set it over the fire, but do not let it boil. Keep it stirring till it is on the brink of boiling, and then take it off. Put some crisped bread into your tureen, and pour the soup into it.—This is a most delicious rich soup, and calculated for large entertainments. If any other kind of soup is provided, this should be placed at the bottom of the table.
Partridge Soup.
TAKE two large old partridges, skin them, and cut them into pieces, with three or four slices of ham, a little celery, and three large onions cut in slices. Fry them in butter till they are brown, but be sure you do not let them burn. Then put them into a stew-pan, with three quarts of boiling water, a few peppercorns, and a little salt. After it has stewed gently for two hours, strain it through a sieve, put it again into your stew-pan with some stewed celery and fried bread. When it is near boiling, pour it into your tureen, and serve it up hot.
Cray Fish Soup.
BOIL an hundred fresh cray fish, as also a fine lobster, and pick the meat clean out of each. Pound the shells of both in a mortar till they are very fine, and boil them in four quarts of water with four pounds of mutton, a pint of green split peas nicely picked and washed, a large turnip, a carrot, an onion, mace, cloves, an anchovy, a little thyme, pepper, and salt. Stew them on a slow fire till all the goodness is out of the mutton and shells; then strain it through a sieve, and put in the meat of your cray fish and lobster, but let them be cut into very small pieces, with the red coral of the lobster, if it has any. Boil it half an hour, and just before you serve it up, add a little butter melted thick and smooth: stir it round when you put it in, and let it simmer very gently about ten minutes. Fry a French roll nice and brown, lay it in the middle of the dish, pour the soup on it, and serve it up hot.
Eel Soup.
TAKE a pound of eels, which will make a pint of good soup, or any greater weight, in proportion to the quantity of soup you intend to make. To every pound of eels put a quart of water, a crust of bread, two or three blades of mace, a little whole pepper, an onion, and a bunch of sweet herbs. Cover them close, and let them boil till half the liquor is wasted: then strain it, and toast some bread; cut it small, lay the bread in your dish, and pour in the soup. This soup is very balsamic, and particularly nutritious to weak constitutions.
Oyster Soup.
TAKE a pound of skate, four or five flounders, and two eels; cut them into pieces, just cover them with water, and season with mace, an onion stuck with cloves, a head of celery, two parsley roots sliced, some pepper and salt, and a bunch of sweet herbs. Cover them down close, and after they have simmered about an hour and a half, strain the liquor clear off, and put it into a clean saucepan. In the mean time take a quart of oysters, bearded, and beat them in a mortar with the yolks of six eggs boiled hard. Season it with pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg; and when the liquor boils put all into it. Let the whole boil till it becomes of the thickness of cream, then take it off, pour it into your tureen, and serve it to table.
Mutton Broth.
TAKE a neck of mutton about six pounds, cut it in two, boil the scrag part in a gallon of water, skim it well, and then put in a small bundle of sweet herbs, an onion, and a good crust of bread. When the scrag has boiled about an hour, put in the other part of the mutton, and about a quarter of an hour before the meat is done, put in a turnip or two, some dried marigolds, a few chives, with parsley chopped small, and season it with salt. You may at first put in a quarter of a pound of barley or rice, which both thickens and contributes a grateful flavour. Some like it thickened with oatmeal, and some with bread; and, instead of sweet herbs and onions, season it with mace: but this is a mere fancy, and determined by the different palates of different people. If you boil turnips as sauce to the meat, let it be done by themselves, otherwise the flavour, by being too powerful, will injure the broth.
Beef Broth.
TAKE a leg of beef with the bone well cracked, wash it thoroughly clean, and put it into your pot with a gallon of water. Scum it well, and put in two or three blades of mace, a small bunch of parsley, and a large crust of bread. Let it boil till the beef and sinews are quite tender. Cut some toasted bread and put into your tureen, then lay in the meat, and pour the soup all over.
TAKE a pound and a half of lean beef, cut it into small pieces, and put it into a gallon of water, with the under crust of a penny loaf, and a little salt. Let it boil till it is reduced to two quarts, then strain it off, and it will be very good drink.—Observe, when you first put the meat into the water, that it is clear of all skin and fat.
Strong Beef Broth to keep.
TAKE part of a leg of beef, and the scrag end of a neck of mutton. Break the bones well of each, and put to it as much water as will cover it, with a little salt. When it boils skim it clean, and put to it a large onion stuck with cloves, a bunch of sweet herbs, some pepper, and a nutmeg quartered. Let these boil till the virtues of the mace are drawn out, then strain the soup through a fine sieve, and keep it for use.
Veal Broth.
STEW a knuckle of veal in about a gallon of water, put in two ounces of rice or vermicelli, a little salt, and a blade of mace. When the meat is thoroughly boiled, and the liquor reduced to about one half, it will be very good and fit for use.
Chicken Broth.
SKIN a large old fowl, cut off the fat, break the fowl to pieces, and put it into two quarts of water, with a good crust of bread, and a blade of mace. Let it boil gently five or six hours: then pour off all the liquor, put a quart more of boiling water to it, and cover it close; let it boil softly till it is good, then strain it off, and season it with a little salt. In the meantime boil a chicken, and save the liquor; and when the flesh is eat, take the bones, break them, and put them in the liquor in which you boiled the chicken, with a blade of mace, and a crust of bread. When the juice of the bones is extracted, strain it off, mix it with the other liquor, and send it to table.
TAKE a crust of bread, and about a quarter of a pound of fresh butter; put them into a soup-pot or stew-pan, with a good quantity of herbs, as bear, sorrel, chervil, lettuce, leeks, and purslain, all washed clean, and coarsely chopped. Put to them a quart of water, and let them stew till it is reduced to one half, when it will be fit for use. This is an excellent purifier of the blood.
Plum Porridge to keep.
TAKE a leg and shin of beef, put them into eight gallons of water, and boil them till the meat is quite tender. When the broth is strong, strain it off, shake out the meat, and put the broth again into the pot. Slice six penny loaves thin, cutting off the tops and bottoms, put some of the liquor to them, cover them over, and let them soak for a quarter of an hour: then boil and strain it, and put it into your pot. When the whole has boiled a short time, put in five pounds of stewed raisins of the sun, and two pounds of prunes. After it has boiled a quarter of an hour, put in five pounds of currants clean washed and picked. Let these boil till they swell, and then put in three quarters of an ounce of mace, half an ounce of cloves, and two nutmegs, all beat fine. Before you put these into the pot, mix them with a little cold liquor, and put them in but a short time before the whole is done. When you take off the pot, put in three pounds of sugar, a little salt, a quart of sack, a quart of claret, and the juice of two or three lemons. If you think proper, instead of bread, you may thicken it with sago. Pour your porridge into earthen pans, and keep it for use.
Mock Turtle Soup.
SCALD a calf’s head with the skin on, and take off the horny part, which must be cut into pieces about two inches square. Let these be well washed and cleaned, then dry them in a cloth, and put them into a stew-pan, with four quarts of water made as follows: Take six or seven pounds of beef, a calf’s foot, a shank of ham, an onion, two carrots, a turnip, a head of celery, some cloves and whole pepper, a bunch of sweet herbs, a little lemon-peel, and a few truffles. Put these into eight quarts of water, and let it stew gently till the broth is reduced one half; then strain it off, and put it into the stew-pan, with the horny parts of the calf’s head. Add some knotted marjorum, a little savory, thyme, and parsley, all chopped small together, with some cloves and mace pounded, a little chyan pepper, some green onions, a shalot cut fine, a few chopped mushrooms, and half a pint of Madeira wine. Stew all these together gently till the soup is reduced to two quarts; then heat a little broth, mix some flour smooth in it, with the yolks of two eggs, and keep it stirring over a gentle fire till it is near boiling. Add this to the soup, keeping it stirring as you pour it in, and let them all stew together for another hour. When you take it off the fire, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, and half an orange, and throw in some boiled force-meat balls. Pour the whole into your tureen, and serve it up hot to table. This is a rich soup, and to most palates deliciously gratifying.
Portable Soup.
THIS soup (which is particularly calculated for the use and convenience of travellers, from its not receiving any injury by time,) must be made in the following manner. Cut into small pieces three large legs of veal, one of beef, and the lean part of a ham. Put a quarter of a pound of butter at the bottom of a large caldron, then lay in the meat and bones, with four ounces of anchovies, and two ounces of mace. Cut off the green leaves of five or six heads of celery, wash the heads quite clean, cut them small, put them in with three large carrots cut thin, cover the caldron quite close, and set it over a moderate fire. When you find the gravy begins to draw, keep taking it up till you have got it all out; then put water in to cover the meat; set it on the fire again, and let it boil gently for four hours; then strain it through a hair sieve into a clean pan, till it is reduced to one part out of three. Strain the gravy you draw from the meat into the pan, and let it boil gently till you find it of a glutinous consistence, observing to keep skimming off the fat clean as it rises. You must take particular care, when it is nearly enough, that it does not burn. Season it to your taste with chyan pepper, and pour it on flat earthen dishes a quarter of an inch thick. Let it stand till the next day, and then cut it out by round this a little larger than a crown piece. Lay the cakes in dishes, and set them in the sun to dry, to facilitate which turn them often. When the cakes are dry, put them into a tin box, with a piece of clean white paper between each, and keep them in a dry place. If made in frosty weather, it will be sooner formed in its proper solidity. This soup is not only particularly useful to travellers, but it is also exceeding convenient to be kept in private families; for by putting one of the cakes into a saucepan, with about a pint of water, and a little salt, a basin of good broth may be had in a few minutes. There is also another great convenience in it; that by boiling a small quantity of water with one of the cakes, it will make an excellent gravy for roast turkeys and fowls.