FRICASSEEING.
SECT. I.
BUTCHER’S MEAT, POULTRY, &c.
Neat’s Tongue.
HAVING boiled the tongue till it is tender, take it up, peel it, and cut it into slices. Put them into a frying-pan with a proper quantity of butter, and let them fry till they are brown. Then pour the butter clean out of the pan, and put in some good gravy, with a bunch of sweet herbs, an onion, some pepper and salt, a blade or two of mace, and a gill of wine. When they have all simmered together about half an hour, take out the slices of tongue, strain the gravy, and put all again into the pan, with the yolks of two eggs beat fine, a little nutmeg grated, and a small piece of butter rolled in flour. Shake the whole well together, and when it has simmered for about five minutes, put the tongue into your dish, pour over the sauce, and serve it to table.
Sweetbreads White.
THESE must be likewise first scalded, and then cut into long slices; when done, thicken some veal gravy with a piece of butter rolled in flour, a little cream, some grated lemon-peel and nutmeg, white pepper, salt, and a little mushroom powder. When these have stewed together about ten minutes, put in the sweetbreads, shake the pan, and let them simmer; then squeeze in a little lemon-juice, pour the whole into your dish, and serve it up.
Calf’s Feet a-la-Carmagot.
PARBOIL them, then take out the long bones, split them, and put them into a stew-pan, with some veal gravy, and a glass of white wine. Add likewise the yolks of two or three eggs beat up with a little cream, grated nutmeg, salt, and a piece of butter. Stir it till it is of a good thickness; and when the whole has gently simmered for about ten minutes, put the feet into your dish, and pour the sauce over them. Garnish with sliced lemon.
Tripe.
CUT your tripe into pieces, about two inches square, and put them into your stew-pan, with as much white wine as will half cover them, a little white pepper, sliced ginger, a blade of mace, a bunch of sweet herbs, and an onion. When it has stewed a quarter of an hour, (which will be sufficient time to do it,) take out the herbs and onion, and put a little shred parsley, the juice of a lemon, half an anchovy cut small, a cup full of cream, and either the yolk of an egg, or a piece of butter. Season it to your taste; and when you dish it up, garnish with lemon.
Chickens.
SKIN your chickens, and then cut them into small pieces, after which wash them with warm water, and thoroughly dry them with a cloth. Season them with salt and pepper, and put them into a stew-pan with a little water, a large piece of butter, a bunch of thyme, and sweet-marjorum, an onion stuck with cloves, a little lemon-pickle, a glass of wine, an anchovy, a little mace and nutmeg. When the chickens have stewed till they are tender, take them up, and lay them in your dish. Thicken your gravy with butter rolled in flour, and then strain it. Beat up the yolks of three eggs, and mix them with a gill of rich cream; put this into your gravy, and shake it over the fire till it is quite hot, but do not suffer it to boil. Pour this over your chickens, and serve them up. Garnish with sliced lemon.
Rabbits White.
To fricasee rabbits white, you must cut them up as for eating, and then put them into a stew-pan, with a pint of veal gravy, a little beaten mace, a slice of lemon, an anchovy, a tea-spoonful of lemon pickle, a little chyan pepper and salt. Let them stew over a gentle fire till they are enough, then take them out, and lay them in your dish. Thicken the gravy with butter and flour; then strain it, and add the yolks of two eggs, mixed with a gill of thick cream, and a little grated nutmeg. Stir these well together, and when it begins to simmer, pour it quite hot over your rabbits, and serve them to table.
Rabbits Brown.
CUT them into pieces as before directed, and fry them in butter of a light brown. Then put them into a stew-pan, with a pint of water, a slice of lemon, an anchovy, a large spoonful of browning, the same of catsup, a tea-spoonful of lemon-pickle, and a little chyan pepper and salt. Stew them over a slow fire till they are enough, then thicken your gravy with butter and flour, and strain it. Dish up your rabbits, and pour the gravy over them. Garnish with sliced lemon.
SECT. II.
FRICASEEING FISH, &c.
Cod Sounds.
HAVING properly cleaned them, cut them into small pieces, boil them in milk and water, and then set them to drain. Then put them into a clean saucepan, and season them with beaten mace, grated nutmeg, and a little pepper and salt. Add to them a cup full of cream, with a good piece of butter rolled in flour, and keep shaking the whole till it is thoroughly hot, and of a good thickness. Then pour all into your dish, and serve it up, with a sliced lemon for garnish.
Soles.
WHEN you have skinned, gutted, and thoroughly washed them, cut off their heads, and dry the fish in a cloth. Then cut the flesh very carefully from the bones and fins on both sides; cut it first long-ways, and then across, in such divisions that each fish may make eight pieces. Put the heads and bones into a stew-pan, with a pint of water, a bunch of sweet herbs, an onion, a little whole pepper, two or three blades of mace, a small piece of lemon-peel, a little salt, and a crust of bread. Cover it close, and let it boil till it is half wasted: then strain it through a fine sieve, and put it into a stew-pan with your fish. Add to them half a pint of white wine, a little parsley chopped fine, a few mushrooms cut small, a little grated nutmeg, and a piece of butter rolled in flour. Set altogether over a slow fire, and keep shaking the pan till the fish are enough: then dish them up with the gravy, and serve them to table. Garnish with lemon.
Eels.
SKIN three or four large eels, and notch them from end to end. Cut them into four or five pieces each, and lay them in some spring water for half an hour to crimp: then dry them in a cloth, and put them into your pan, with a piece of fresh butter, a green onion or two, and a little chopped parsley. Set the pan on the fire, and shake them about for a few minutes: then put in about a pint of white wine, and as much good broth with pepper, salt, and a blade of mace. Stew all together about half an hour: and then add the yolks of four or five eggs beat smooth, and a little grated nutmeg, and chopped parsley. Stir the whole well together, and let it simmer four or five minutes, then squeeze in the juice of a lemon, give the whole a good shake, pour it into your dish, and serve it up hot. Garnish with lemon.
Tench are exceeding fine dressed in the same manner.
Flounders.
TAKE a sharp knife, and carefully raise the flesh on both sides from head to tail; then take the bone clear out, and cut the flesh into pieces in the same manner as directed for soles, only let the pieces of each consist of six instead of eight. Dry your fish well, then sprinkle them with salt, dredge them with flour, and fry them in a pan of hot beef dripping, so that the fish may be crisp. When so done, take them out of the pan, drain the fat from them, and set them before the fire to keep warm. Then clean the pan, and put into it some minced oysters, with their liquor clean strained, some white wine, a little grated nutmeg, and three anchovies. Stew these together a few minutes, and then put in your fish, with about a quarter of a pound of fresh butter. Shake them well together, and, when quite hot, dish up your fish with the sauce, and serve them to table. Garnish with yolks of eggs, boiled hard and minced, and sliced lemon. You may fricasee salmon, or any other firm fish, in the same manner.
Skate or Thornback.
THESE must be prepared for dressing in the same manner as directed for soles and flounders; after which put them into your stew-pan. To one pound of the fish put a quarter of a pint of water, a little beaten mace, and grated nutmeg; a small bunch of sweet herbs, and a little salt. Cover it close, and let it boil about a quarter of an hour. Then take out the sweet herbs, put in a quarter of a pint of good cream, a piece of butter, the size of a walnut, rolled in flour, and a glass of white wine. Keep shaking the pan all the time one way till your fricasee is thick and smooth; then dish it up, and garnish with lemon.
PUT a little butter into your stew-pan, with a slice of ham, a faggot of parsley and sweet herbs, and an onion stuck with two cloves. Let them stew over a slow fire a few minutes, and then add a little flour, some good broth, and a piece of lemon-peel; then put in your oysters, and let them simmer till they are thoroughly hot. Thicken with the yolks of two eggs, a little cream, and a bit of good butter, take out the ham, faggot, onion, and lemon-peel, and add the squeeze of a lemon. Give the whole a shake in the pan, and when it simmers put it into your dish, and serve it up.
Eggs.
BOIL your eggs hard, and take out some of the yolks whole; then cut the rest in quarters, yolks and whites together. Set on some gravy with a little shred thyme and parsley in it, and let it boil about a minute. Then put in your eggs, with a little grated nutmeg, and shake them up with a piece of butter till it is of a proper thickness. Pour it into your dish, and serve it up.
Eggs with Onions and Mushrooms.
WHEN you have boiled the eggs hard take out the yolks whole, and cut the whites in slips, with some onions and mushrooms. Fry the onions and mushrooms, throw in the whites, and turn them about a little. If there is any fat, pour it off. Flour the onions, &c. and put to them a little good gravy. Boil this up, then put in the yolks, and add a little pepper and salt. Let the whole simmer for about a minute, and then dish it up.
Mushrooms.
IF your mushrooms are very small (such as are usually termed buttons) you must only wipe them with a flannel; but if large peel them, scrape the insides, and throw them into some salt and water. After lying some time, take them out and boil them in water with some salt in it; and when they are tender, put in a little shred parsley, an onion stuck with cloves, and a glass of wine. Shake them up with a good piece of butter rolled in flour, and put in three spoonsful of thick cream, and a little nutmeg cut in pieces. When the whole has stood two or three minutes, take out the onion and nutmeg, then pour the mushrooms with their sauce into your dish, and serve them to table.
Skirrits.
WASH them thoroughly clean, and when you have boiled them till they are tender, skin the roots, and cut them into slices. Have ready a little cream, a piece of butter rolled in flour, the yolk of an egg beaten fine, a little grated nutmeg, two or three spoonsful of white wine, with a very little salt, and stir all together. Put your roots into the dish, and pour the sauce over them.
Artichoke Bottoms.
THESE may be fricaseed either dried or pickled. If dried, lay them in warm water for three or four hours, shifting the water two or three times. Having done this, put some cream into your saucepan, with a large piece of fresh butter, and stir them together one way till the butter is melted. Then put in the artichokes, and when they are hot dish them up.