Clayton's Quaker Cook-Book Part 1

Clayton's Quaker Cook-Book.

by H. J. Clayton.

PREFACE.

One of the sacred writers of the olden time is reported to have said: "Of the making of many books, there is no end." This remark will, to a great extent, apply to the number of works published upon the all important subject of Cookery. The oft-repeated saying, attributed to old sailors, that the Lord sends victuals, and the opposite party, the cooks, is familiar to all.

Notwithstanding the great number and variety of so-called cookbooks extant, the author of this treatise on the culinary art, thoroughly impressed with the belief that there is ample room for one more of a thoroughly practical and every day life, common sense character--in every way adapted to the wants of the community at large, and looking especially to the preparation of healthful, palatable, appetizing and nourishing food, both plain and elaborately compounded--and in the preparation of which the very best, and, at the same time, the most economical material is made use of, has ventured to present this new candidate for the public approval. The preparation of this work embodies the result of more than thirty years personal and practical experience.

The author taking nothing for granted, has thoroughly tested the value and entire correctness of every direction he has given in these pages.

While carefully catering to the varied tastes of the ma.s.s, everything of an unhealthful, deleterious, or even doubtful character, has been carefully excluded; and all directions are given in the plainest style, so as to be readily understood, and fully comprehended by all cla.s.ses of citizens.

The writer having been born and brought up on a farm, and being in his younger days of a delicate const.i.tution, instead of joining in the rugged work of the field, remained at home to aid and a.s.sist his mother in the culinary labors of the household. It was in this home-school--in its way one of the best in the world, that he acquired not only a practical knowledge of what he desires to fully impart to others, but a taste for the preparation, in its most attractive forms, of every variety of palatable and health-giving food. It was his early training in this homely school that induced him to make this highly important matter an all-absorbing theme and the subject of his entire life study.

His governing rule in this department has ever been the injunction laid down by the chief of the Apostles: "Try all things; prove all things; and hold fast that which is good."

INTRODUCTORY.

A Brief History of the Culinary Art, and its Princ.i.p.al Methods.

Cooking is defined to be the art of dressing, compounding and preparing food by the aid of heat. Ancient writers upon the subject are of opinion that the practice of this art followed immediately after the discovery of fire, and that it was at first an imitation of the natural processes of mastication and digestion. In proof of the antiquity of this art, mention is made of it in many places in sacred writ. Among these is notably the memoirs of the Children of Israel while journeying in the wilderness, and their hankering after the "flesh-pots of Egypt."

Among the most enlightened people of ancient times,--cooking, if not regarded as one of the fine arts, certainly stood in the foremost rank among the useful. It was a highly honored vocation, and many of the most eminent and ill.u.s.trious characters of Greece and Rome did not disdain to practice it. Among the distinguished amateurs of the art, in these modern times, may be mentioned Alexander Dumas, who plumed himself more upon his ability to cook famous dishes than upon his world-wide celebrity as the author of the most popular novels of his day.

In the state in which man finds most of the substances used for food they are difficult of digestion. By the application of heat some of these are rendered more palatable and more easily digested, and, consequently, that a.s.similation so necessary to the sustenance of life, and the repair of the constant waste attendant upon the economy of the human system. The application of heat to animal and vegetable substances, for the attainment of this end, const.i.tutes the basis of the science of cookery.

Broiling, which was most probably the mode first resorted to in the early practice of this art, being one of the most common of its various operations, is quite simple and efficacious. It is especially adapted to the wants of invalids, and persons of delicate appet.i.tes. Its effect is to coagulate, in the quickest manner, upon the surface the alb.u.men of the meat, effectually sealing up its pores, and thus retaining the rich juices and delicate flavor that would otherwise escape and be lost.

Roasting comes next in order, and for this two conditions are essentially requisite--a good, brisk fire, and constant basting. As in the case of broiling, care should be taken at the commencement to coagulate the alb.u.men on the surface as speedily as possible. Next to broiling and stewing, this is the most economical mode of cooking meats of all kinds.

Baking meat is in very many respects objectionable--and should never be resorted to when other modes of cooking are available, as it reverses the order of good, wholesome cookery, in beginning with a slow and finishing with a high temperature. Meats cooked in this manner have never the delicate flavor of the roast, nor are they so easily digested.

Boiling is one of the easiest and simplest methods of cooking, but in its practice certain conditions must be carefully observed. The fire must be attended to, so as to properly regulate the heat. The utensils used for this purpose, which should be large enough to contain sufficient water to completely cover the meat, should be scrupulously clean, and provided with a close-fitting cover. All sc.u.m should be removed as fast as it rises, which will be facilitated by frequent additions of small quant.i.ties of cold water. Difference of opinion exists among cooks as to the propriety of putting meats in cold water, and gradually raising to the boiling point, or plunging into water already boiling. My own experience, unless in the preparation of soups, is decidedly in favor of the latter. Baron Liebig, the highest authority in such matters, decidedly favors this process. As in the case of roasting, the application of boiling water coagulates the alb.u.men, thus retaining the juices of the meat that would be dissolved in the liquid.

Stewing is generally resorted to in the preparation of made dishes, and almost every variety of meats are adapted to this method. The better the quality of the meats, as a matter of course, the better the dish prepared in this way; but, by careful stewing, the coa.r.s.er and rougher quality of meats can be rendered soft, tender and digestible, a desirable object not generally attained in other modes. Add pieces of meat, tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs, sc.r.a.ps and bones, the latter containing a large amount of palatable and nourishing gelatine, may be thus utilized in the preparation of wholesome and appetizing dishes at a comparatively trifling cost.

An Explanatory Word in Conclusion.

As a matter of strict justice to all parties concerned, the author of this work deems it proper to explain his reasons for mentioning in the body of some of the recipes given in this book, the places at which the purest and best articles used are to be purchased. This recommendation is, in every instance, based upon a thorough and complete personal test of every article commended. In these degenerate days of wholesale adulteration of almost every article of food and drink, it is eminently just and proper that the public should be advised where the genuine is to be procured. Without desiring to convert his book into a mere advertising medium, the author deems it not out of place to give the names of those dealers in this city of whom such articles as are essential in the preparation of many of the recipes given in these pages may be procured--of the most reliable quality, and at reasonable rates.

CLAYTON'S

Quaker Cook-Book.

SOUPS.

Stock.

The foundation--so to speak--and first great essential in compounding every variety of appetizing, and at the same time wholesome and nourishing soups, is the stock. In this department, as in some others, the French cooks have ever been pre-eminent. It was said of this cla.s.s in the olden time that so constantly was the "stock"--as this foundation has always been termed--replenished by these cooks, that their rule was never to see the bottom of the soup kettle. It has long been a fixed fact that in order to have good soup you must first have good stock to begin with. To make this stock, take the liquor left after boiling fresh meat, bones, (large or small, cracking the larger ones in order to extract the marrow,) bones and meat left over from a roast or broil, and put either or all of these in a large pot or soup kettle, with water enough to cover. Let these simmer slowly--never allowing the water to boil--taking care, however, to keep the vessel covered--stirring frequently, and pouring in occasionally a cup of cold water, and skimming off the sc.u.m. It is only where fresh meat is used that cold water is applied at the commencement; for cooked meat, use warm. The bones dissolved in the slow simmering, furnish the gelatine so essential to good stock. One quart of water to a pound of meat is the average rule. Six to eight hours renders it fit for use. Let stand over night; skim off the fat; put in an earthen jar, and it is ready for use. Every family should keep a jar of the stock constantly on hand, as by doing so any kind of soup may be made from it in from ten to thirty minutes.

General Directions for Making Soup.

Having prepared your stock according to the foregoing directions, take a sufficient quant.i.ty, when soup is required, and season, as taste may dictate, with sweet and savory herbs--salpicant, celery salt, or any other favorite seasoning--adding vegetables cut fine, and let the same boil slowly in a covered vessel until thoroughly cooked. If preferred, after seasoning the stock, it may be thickened with either barley, rice, tapioca, sago, vermicelli, macaroni, farina or rice flour. A roast onion is sometimes added to give richness and flavor. It is a well-known fact that soups properly prepared improve in flavor and are really better on the day after than when first made. By subst.i.tuting different materials, garnitures, flavorings and condiments, of which an endless variety is available, the intelligent housewife may be able to furnish a different soup for every day of the year. In following these, as in all other directions for every department of cookery, experience will, after all, be found the great teacher and most valuable aid and adjunct to the learner of the art.

Calves'-Head Soup.

Take a calf's head of medium size; wash clean, and soak it an hour or more in salted water; then soak a little while in fresh, and put to boil in cold water; add a little salt and a medium-sized onion; take off the sc.u.m as it rises, and as the water boils away add a little soup stock; when quite tender take the meat from the bone, keeping the brain by itself; strain the soup, and if you think there is too much meat, use a portion as a side-dish dressed with brain sauce; do not cut the meat too fine--and season the soup with allspice, cloves and mace, adding pepper and salt to taste; put back the meat, and taking one-half the brain, a lump of b.u.t.ter, and a spoonful of flour, work to a thin batter, stirring in claret and sherry wines to taste, and last of all add a little extract of lemon, and one hard-boiled egg, chopped not too fine; if desirable add a few small force-meat b.a.l.l.s.

[Turtle soup may be made in the same manner.]

Ox-Tail Soup.

Take one ox-tail and divide into pieces an inch long; 2 pounds of lean beef cut in small pieces; 4 carrots; 3 onions sliced fine; a little thyme, with pepper and salt to taste, and 4 quarts cold water; boil four hours or more, according to size of the ox-tail, and when done add a little allspice or cloves.

Okra Soup.

One large slice of ham; 1 pound of beef, veal or chicken, and 1 onion, all cut in small pieces and fried in b.u.t.ter together until brown, adding black or red pepper for seasoning, along with a little salt, adding in the meantime, delicately sliced thin, sufficient okra, and put all in a porcelain kettle. For a family of four use 30 pods of okra, with 2 quarts water, over a steady, but not too hot fire; boil slowly for 3 or 4 hours; when half done add 2 or 3 peeled tomatoes.

Chicken Gumbo.

[Mrs. E. A. Wilburn's Recipe.]

For the stock, take two chickens and boil in a gallon of water until thoroughly done and the liquid reduced to half a gallon. Wipe off 1-1/2 pounds of green okra, or if the dry is used, 1/2 pound is sufficient, which cut up fine and add to this stock while boiling; next add 1-1/2 pounds of ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped fine, adding also 1/2 coffee cupful of rice; let these boil for six hours, adding boiling water when necessary; then take out the chickens, carve and fry them brown in clear lard; into the fat put 1 large white onion, chopped fine, adding 2 tablespoonfuls of flour. Just before serving, put the chicken, boned and chopped, with the gravy thus prepared, and add to the soup with salt and pepper to taste.

Fresh Oyster Soup.

Take 25 or 30 small Eastern and 50 California oysters; wash clean, and put into a kettle over the fire, with a little over a pint of water. As soon as they open pour into a pan and take the oysters from the sh.e.l.ls, pouring the juice into a pitcher to settle. If the oysters are large, cut in two once; return the juice to the fire, and when it boils put in a piece of b.u.t.ter worked in flour; season with pepper and salt, and let it boil slowly for two minutes; put in a cupful of rich milk and the oysters, along with a sufficient quant.i.ty of chopped crackers, and let the liquid boil up once. Should you need a larger quant.i.ty of soup, add a can of good oysters, as they will change the flavor but little. In my opinion nutmeg improves the flavor of the soup.

Fish Chowder.