Acetaria: A Discourse of Sallets Part 11

14. Cuc.u.mbers. _Take the_ Gorkems, _or smaller_ Cuc.u.mbers; _put them into_ Rape-Vinegar, _and boyl, and cover them so close, as none of the Vapour may issue forth; and also let them stand till the next day: Then boil them in fresh White-Wine Vinegar, with large Mace, Nutmeg, Ginger, white Pepper, and a little Salt, (according to discretion) straining the former Liquor from the_ Cuc.u.mbers; _and so place them in a Jarr, or wide mouthed Gla.s.s, laying a litle Dill and Fennel between each Rank; and covering all with the fresh scalding-hot Pickle, keep all close, and repeat it daily, till you find them sufficiently green_.

_In the same sort_ Cuc.u.mbers _of the largest size, being peel'd and cut into thin Slices, are very delicate_.

Another.

_Wiping them clean, put them in a very strong Brine of Water and Salt, to soak two or three Hours or longer, if you see Cause: Then range them in the_ Jarr _or_ Barrellet _with Herbs and Spice as usual; and cover them with hot Liquor made of two parts Beer-Vinegar, and one of White-Wine Vinegar: Let all be very well closed. A Fortnight after scald the Pickle again, and repeat it, as above: Thus they will keep longer, and from being so soon sharp, eat crimp and well tasted, tho' not altogether so green. You may add a Walnut-Leaf, Hysop, Costmary_, &c.

_and as some do, strow on them a little Powder of_ Roch-Allom, _which makes them firm and eatable within a Month or six Weeks after_.

Mango _of_ Cuc.u.mbers.

_Take the biggest_ Cuc.u.mbers _(and most of the_ Mango _size) that look green: Open them on the Top or Side; and scooping out the Seeds, supply their Place with a small Clove of Garlick, or some_ Roccombo _Seeds.

Then put them into an Earthen Glazed_ Jarr, _or wide-mouth'd Gla.s.s, with as much White-Wine Vinegar as will cover them. Boil them in the Vinegar with Pepper, Cloves, Mace, &c. and when off the Fire, as much Salt as will make a gentle Brine; and so pour all boyling-hot on the_ Cuc.u.mbers, _covering them close till the next Day. Then put them with a little Dill, and Pickle into a large Skillet; and giving them a Boyl or two, return them into the Vessel again: And when all is cold, add a good Spoonful of the best_ Mustard, _keeping it from the Air, and so have you an excellent_ Mango. _When you have occasion to take any out, make use of a Spoon, and not your Fingers_.

Elder. _See_ Buds.

Flowers. _See_ Cowslips, _and for other_ Flowers.

15. Limon. _Take Slices of the thick Rind Limon, Boil and shift them in several Waters, till they are pretty tender: Then drain and wipe them dry with a clean Cloth; and make a Pickle with a little White-Wine Vinegar, one part to two of fair Water, and a little Sugar, carefully sc.u.m'd. When all is cold, pour it on the peel'd Rind, and cover it all close in a convenient Gla.s.s Jarr. Some make a Syrup of Vinegar, White-Wine and Sugar not too thick, and pour it on hot_.

16. Melon. _The abortive and after-Fruit of Melons being pickled as_ Cuc.u.mber, _make an excellent Sallet_.

17. Mushrom. _Take a Quart of the best White-Wine Vinegar; as much of White-Wine, Cloves, Mace, Nutmeg a pretty Quant.i.ty, beaten together: Let the Spice boil therein to the Consumption of half; then taken off, and being cold, pour the Liquour on the_ Mushroms; _but leave out the boiled Spice, and cast in of the same sort of Spice whole, the Nutmeg only slit in Quarters, with some Limon-Peel, white Pepper; and if you please a whole raw Onion, which take out again when it begins to perish_.

Another.

_The_ Mushroms _peel'd_, &c. _throw them into Water, and then into a Sauce-Pan, with some long Pepper, Cloves, Mace, a quarter'd Nutmeg, with an Onion, Shallot, or Roccombo-Seed, and a little Salt. Let them all boil a quarter of an hour on a very quick Fire: Then take out and cold, with a pretty Quant.i.ty of the former Spice, boil them in some White-Wine; which (being cold) cast upon the_ Mushroms, _and fill up the Pot with the best White-Wine, a Bay-Leaf or two, and an Handful of Salt: Then cover them with the Liquor; and if for long keeping, pour Sallet-Oil over all, tho' they will be preserved a Year without it_.

_They are sometimes boil'd in Salt and Water, with some Milk, and laying them in the Colender to drain, till cold, and wiped dry, cast them into the Pickle with the White-Wine, Vinegar and Salt, grated Nutmeg, Ginger bruised, Cloves, Mace, white Pepper and Limon-Peel; pour the Liquor on them cold without boiling_.

18. Nasturtium Indic.u.m. _Gather the Buds before they open to flower; lay them in the Shade three or four Hours, and putting them into an Earthen Glazed Vessel, pour good Vinegar on them, and cover it with a Board.

Thus letting it stand for eight or ten Days: Then being taken out, and gently press'd, cast them into fresh Vinegar, and let them so remain as long as before. Repeat this a third time, and Barrel them up with Vinegar and a little Salt_.

Orange. _See_ Limon.

20. Potato. _The small green Fruit (when about the size of the Wild Cherry) being pickled, is an agreeable Sallet. But the Root being roasted under the Embers, or otherwise, open'd with a Knife, the Pulp is b.u.t.ter'd in the Skin, of which it will take up a good Quant.i.ty, and is seasoned with a little Salt and Pepper. Some eat them with Sugar together in the Skin, which has a pleasant Crimpness. They are also stew'd and bak'd in Pyes_, &c.

21. Purselan. _Lay the Stalks in an Earthen Pan; then cover them with Beer-Vinegar and Water, keeping them down with a competent Weight to imbibe, three Days: Being taken out, put them into a Pot with as much White-Wine Vinegar as will cover them again; and close the Lid with Paste to keep in the Steam: Then set them on the Fire for three or four Hours, often shaking and stirring them: Then open the Cover, and turn and remove those Stalks which lie at the Bottom, to the Top, and boil them as before, till they are all of a Colour. When all is cold, pot them with fresh White-Wine Vinegar, and so you may preserve them the whole Year round_.

22. Radish. _The Seed-Pods of this Root being pickl'd, are a pretty Sallet_.

23. Sampier. _Let it be gathered about_ Michaelmas _(or the Spring) and put two or three hours into a Brine of Water and Salt; then into a clean Tin'd Bra.s.s Pot, with three parts of strong White-Wine Vinegar, and one part of Water and Salt, or as much as will cover the_ Sampier, _keeping the Vapour from issuing out, by pasting down the Pot-lid, and so hang it over the Fire for half an Hour only. Being taken off, let it remain covered till it be cold; and then put it up into small Barrels or Jars, with the Liquor, and some fresh Vinegar, Water and Salt; and thus it will keep very green. If you be near the Sea, that Water will supply the place of Brine. This is the_ Dover _Receit_.

24. Walnuts. _Gather the Nuts young, before they begin to harden, but not before the Kernel is pretty white: Steep them in as much Water as will more than cover them. Then set them on the Fire, and when the water boils, and grows black, pour it off, and supply it with fresh, boiling it as before, and continuing to shift it till it become clear, and the_ Nuts _pretty tender: Then let them be put into clean Spring Water for two Days, changing it as before with fresh, two or three times within this s.p.a.ce: Then lay them to drain, and dry on a clean course Cloth, and put them up in a Gla.s.s Jar, with a few Walnut Leaves, Dill, Cloves, Pepper, whole Mace and Salt; strowing them under every Layer of Nuts, till the Vessel be three quarters full; and lastly, replenishing it with the best Vinegar, keep it well covered; and so they will be fit to spend within three Months_.

To make a _Mango_ with them.

_The green Nuts prepared as before, cover the Bottom of the Jar with some Dill, an Handful of Bay-Salt_, &c. _and then a Bed of Nuts; and so_ stratum _upon_ stratum, _as above, adding to the Spice some_ Roccombo-Seeds; _and filling the rest of the Jar with the best White-Wine Vinegar, mingled with the best Mustard; and to let them remain close covered, during two or three Months time: And thus have you a more agreeable_ Mango _than what is brought us from abroad; which you may use in any Sauce, and is of it self a rich Condiment_.

_Thus far_ Pickles.

25. Potage Maigre. _Take four Quarts of Spring-Water, two or three Onions stuck with some Cloves, two or three Slices of Limon Peel, Salt, whole white Pepper, Mace, a Raze or two of Ginger, tied up in a fine Cloth (Lawn or Tiffany) and make all boil for half an Hour; Then having Spinage, Sorrel, white Beet-Chard, a little Cabbage, a few small Tops of Cives, wash'd and pick'd clean, shred them well, and cast them into the Liquor, with a Pint of blue Pease boil'd soft and strain'd, with a Bunch of sweet Herbs, the Top and Bottom of a_ French Roll; _and so suffer it to boil during three Hours; and then dish it with another small_ French Roll, _and Slices about the Dish: Some cut Bread in slices, and frying them brown (being dried) put them into the Pottage just as it is going to be eaten_.

_The same Herbs, clean wash'd, broken and pulled asunder only, being put in a close cover'd Pipkin, without any other Water or Liquor, will stew in their own Juice and Moisture. Some add an whole Onion, which after a while should be taken out, remembring to season it with Salt and Spice, and serve it up with Bread and a Piece of fresh b.u.t.ter_.

26. Pudding _of_ Carrot. _Pare off some of the Crust of Manchet-Bread, and grate of half as much of the rest as there is of the Root, which must also be grated: Then take half a Pint of fresh Cream or New Milk, half a Pound of fresh b.u.t.ter, six new laid Eggs (taking out three of the Whites) mash and mingle them well with the Cream and b.u.t.ter: Then put in the grated Bread and Carrot, with near half a Pound of Sugar; and a little Salt; some grated Nutmeg and beaten Spice; and pour all into a convenient Dish or Pan, b.u.t.ter'd, to keep the Ingredients from sticking and burning; set it in a quick Oven for about an Hour, and so have you a Composition for any_ Root-Pudding.

27. Penny-royal. _The Cream, Eggs, Spice_, &c. _as above, but not so much Sugar and Salt: Take a pretty Quant.i.ty of Peny-royal and Marigold flower_, &c. _very well shred, and mingle with the Cream, Eggs_, &c.

_four spoonfuls of Sack; half a Pint more of Cream, and almost a Pound of Beef-Suet chopt very small, the Gratings of a Two-penny Loaf, and stirring all well together, put it into a Bag flower'd and tie it fast.

It will be boil'd within an Hour: Or may be baked in the Pan like the_ Carrot-Pudding. _The sauce is for both, a little Rose-water, less Vinegar, with b.u.t.ter beaten together and poured on it sweetned with the Sugar Caster_.

_Of this Plant discreetly dried, is made a most wholsom and excellent Tea_.

28. _Of_ Spinage. _Take a sufficient Quant.i.ty of_ Spinach, _stamp and strain out the Juice; put to it grated Manchet, the Yolk of as many Eggs as in the former Composition of the_ Carrot-Pudding; _some Marrow shred small, Nutmeg, Sugar, some Corinths, (if you please) a few Carroways, Rose, or Orange-flower Water (as you best like) to make it grateful.

Mingle all with a little boiled Cream; and set the Dish or Pan in the Oven, with a Garnish of Puff-Paste. It will require but very moderate Baking. Thus have you Receits for_ Herb Puddings.

29. Skirret-Milk _Is made by boiling the Roots tender, and the Pulp strained out, put into Cream or new Milk boiled, with three or four Yolks of Eggs, Sugar, large Mace and other Spice_, &c. _And thus is composed any other Root-Milk_. _See_ Acetar. p. 42.

30. Tansie. _Take the Gratings or Slices of three Naples-Biscuits, put them into half a Pint of Cream; with twelve fresh Eggs, four of the Whites cast out, strain the rest, and break them with two Spoonfuls of Rose-water, a little Salt and Sugar, half a grated Nutmeg: And when ready for the Pan, put almost a Pint of the Juice of Spinach, Cleaver, Beets, Corn-Sallet, Green Corn, Violet, or Primrose tender Leaves, (for of any of these you may take your choice) with a very small Sprig of Tansie, and let it be fried so as to look green in the Dish, with a Strew of Sugar and store of the Juice of Orange: some affect to have it fryed a little brown and crisp_.

31. Tart _of_ Herbs. _An_ Herb-Tart _is made thus: Boil fresh Cream or Milk, with a little grated Bread or_ Naples-Biscuit _(which is better) to thicken it; a pretty Quant.i.ty of Chervile, Spinach, Beete (or what other Herb you please) being first par-boil'd and chop'd. Then add_ Macaron, _or Almonds beaten to a Paste, a little sweet b.u.t.ter, the Yolk of five Eggs, three of the Whites rejected. To these some add Corinths plump'd in Milk, or boil'd therein, Sugar, Spice at Discretion, and stirring it all together over the Fire, bake it in the Tart-Pan_.

32. Thistle. _Take the long Stalks of the middle Leaf of the_ Milky-Thistle, _about_ May, _when they are young and tender: wash and sc.r.a.pe them, and boil them in Water, with a little Salt, till they are very soft, and so let them lie to drain. They are eaten with fresh b.u.t.ter melted not too thin, and is a delicate and wholsome Dish. Other Stalks of the same kind may so be treated, as the_ Bur, _being tender and disarmed of its p.r.i.c.kles_, &c.