English Housewifery Part 25

Three quarters of a pound of sugar will make syrrup to do the peels of twenty-five oranges.

443. _To make_ MUSHROOM POWDER.

Take about half a peck of large b.u.t.tons or slaps, clean them and set them in an earthen dish or dripping pan one by one, let them stand in a slow oven to dry whilst they will beat to powder, and when they are powdered sift them through a sieve; take half a quarter of a ounce of mace, and a nutmeg, beat them very fine, and mix them with your mushroom powder, then put it into a bottle, and it will be fit for use.

You must not wash your mushrooms.

444. _To preserve_ APRIc.o.c.kS _another Way_.

Take your apric.o.c.ks before they are full ripe, pare them and stone them, and to every pound of apric.o.c.ks take a pound of lump loaf sugar, put it into your pan with as much water as will wet it; to four pounds of sugar take the whites of two eggs beat them well to a froth, mix them well with your sugar whilst it be cold, then set it over the fire and let it have a boil, take it off the fire, and put in a spoonful or two of water, then take off the skim, and do so three or four times whilst any skim rises, then put in your apric.o.c.ks, and let them have a quick boil over the fire, then take them off and turn them over, let them stand a little while covered, and then set them on again, let them have another boil and skim them, then take them out one by one; set on your syrrup again to boil down, and skim it, then put in your apric.o.c.ks again, and let them boil whilst they look clear, put them in pots, when they are cold cover them over with a paper dipt in brandy, and tie another paper at the top, set them in a cool place, and keep them for use.

445. _To pickle_ MUSHROOMS _another Way_.

When you have cleaned your mushrooms put them into a pot, and throw over them a handful of salt, and stop them very close with a cloth, and set them in a pan of water to boil about an hour, give them a shake now and then in the boiling, then take them out and drain the liquor from them, wipe them dry with a cloth, and put them up either in white wine vinegar or distill'd vinegar, with spices, and put a little oil on the top.

They don't look so white this way, but they have more the taste of mushrooms.

446. _How to fry_ MUSHROOMS.

Take the largest and freshest flaps you can get, skin them and take out the gills, boil them in a little salt and water, then wipe them dry with a cloth; take two eggs and beat them very well, half a spoonful of wheat-flour, and a little pepper and salt, then dip in your mushrooms and fry them in b.u.t.ter.

They are proper to lie about stew'd mushrooms or any made dish.

447. _How to make an_ ALE POSSET.

Take a quart of good milk, set it on the fire to boil, put in a handful or two of breadcrumbs, grate in a little nutmeg, and sweeten it to your taste; take three jills of ale and give it a boil; take the yolks of four eggs, beat them very well, then put to them a little of your ale, and mix all your ale and eggs together; then set it on the fire to heat, keep stirring it all the time, but don't let it boil, if you do it will curdle; then put it into your dish, heat the milk and put it in by degrees; so serve it up.

You may make it of any sort of made wine; make it half an hour before you use it, and keep it hot before the fire.

448. _To make_ MINC'D PIES _another Way_.

Take half a pound of Jordan almonds, blanch and beat them with a little rose-water, but not over small; take a pound of beef-suet shred very fine, half a pound of apples shred small, a pound of currans well cleaned, half a pound of powder sugar, a little mace shred fine, about a quarter of a pound of candid orange cut in small pieces, a spoonful or two of brandy, and a little salt, so mix them well together, and bake it in a puff-paste.

449. _To make_ SACK POSSET _another Way_.

Take a quart of good cream, and boil it with a blade or two of mace, put in about a quarter of a pound of fine powder sugar; take a pint of sack or better, set it over the fire to heat, but don't let it boil, then grate in a little nutmeg, and about a quarter of a pound of powder sugar; take nine eggs, (leave out six of the whites and strains) beat 'em very well, then put to them a little of your sack mix the sack and eggs very well together, then put to 'em the rest of your sack, stir it all the time you are pouring it in, set it over a slow fire to thicken, and stir it till it be as thick as custard; be sure you don't let it boil, if you do it will curdle, then pour it into your dish or bason; take your cream boiling hot, and pour to your sack by degrees, stirring it all the time you are pouring it in, then set it on a hot-hearth-stone; you must make it half an hour before you use it; before you set on the hearth cover it close with a pewter dish.

_To make a_ FROTH _for them_.

Take a pint of the thickest cream you can get, and beat the whites of two eggs very well together, take off the cream by spoonfuls, and lie it in a sieve to drain; when you dish up the posset lie over it the froth.

450. _To dry_ CHERRIES _another Way_.

Take cherries when full ripe, stone them, and break 'em as little as you can in the stoning; to six pounds of cherries take three pounds of loaf sugar, beat it, lie one part of your sugar under your cherries, and the other at the top, let them stand all night, then put them into your pan, and boil them pretty quick whilst your cherries change and look clear, then let them stand in the syrrup all night, pour the syrrup from them, and put them into a pretty large sieve, and set them either in the sun or before the fire; let them stand to dry a little, then lay them on white papers one by one, let them stand in the sun whilst they be thoroughly dry, in the drying turn them over, then put them into a little box; betwixt every layer of cherries lie a paper, and so do till all are in, then lie a paper at the top, and keep them for use.

You must not boil them over long in the syrrup, for if it be over thick it will keep them from drying; you may boil two or three pounds more cherries in the syrrup after.

451. _How to order_ STURGEON.

If your sturgeon be alive, keep it a night and a day before you use it; then cut off the head and tail, split it down the back, and cut it into as many pieces as you please; salt it with bay salt and common salt, as you would do beef for hanging, and let it lie 24 hours; then tie it up very tight, and boil it in salt and water whilst it is tender; (you must not boil it over much) when it is boiled throw over it a little salt, and set it by till it be cold. Take the head and split it in two and tye it up very tight; you must boil it by itself, not so much as you did the rest, but salt it after the same manner.

452. _To make the_ PICKLE.

Take a gallon of soft water, and make it into a strong brine; take a gallon of stale beer, and a gallon of the best vinegar, and let it boil together, with a few spices; when it is cold put in your sturgeon; you may keep it (if close covered) three or four months before you need to renew the pickle.

453. _To make_ HOTCH-POTCH.

Take five or six pounds of fresh beef, put it in a kettle with six quarts of soft water, and an onion; set it on a slow fire, and let it boil til your beef is almost enough; then put in the scrag of a neck of mutton, and let them boil together till the broth be very good; put in two or three handfuls of breadcrumbs, two or three carrots and turnips cut small, (but boil the carrots in water before you put them in, else they will give your broth a taste) with half a peck of shill'd pease, but take up the meat before you put them in, when you put in the pease take the other part of your mutton and cut it in chops, (for it will take no more boiling than the pease) and put it in with a few sweet herbs shred very small, and salt to your taste.

You must send up the mutton chops in the dish with the hotch-potch.

When there are no pease to be had, you may put in the heads of asparagus, and if there be neither of these to be had, you may shred in a green savoy cabbage.

This is a proper dish instead of soop.

454. _To make_ MINC'D COLLOPS.

Take two or three pounds of any tender parts of beef, (according as you would have the dish in bigness) cut it small as you would do minc'd veal; take an onion, shred it small, and fry it a light brown, in b.u.t.ter seasoned with nutmeg, pepper and salt, and put it into your pan with your onion, and fry it a little whilst it be a light brown; then put to it a jill of good gravy, and a spoonful of walnut pickle, or a little catchup; put in a few shred capers or mushrooms, thicken it up with a little flour and b.u.t.ter; if you please you may put in a little juice of lemon; when you dish it up, garnish your dish with pickle; and a few forc'd-meat-b.a.l.l.s.

It is proper for either side-dish or top-dish.

455. _To make white_ Scotch Collops _another Way_.

Take two pounds of the solid part of a leg of veal, cut it in pretty thin slices, and season it with a little shred mace and salt, put it into your stew-pan with a lump of b.u.t.ter, set it over the fire, keep it stirring all the time, but don't let it boil; when you are going to dish up the collops, put to them the yolks of two or three eggs, three spoonfuls of cream, a spoonful or two of white wine, and a little juice of lemon, shake it over the fire whilst it be so thick that the sauce sticks to the meat, be sure you don't let it boil.

Garnish your dish with lemon and sippets, and serve it up hot.

This is proper for either side-dish or top-dish, noon or night.

456. _To make_ VINEGAR _another Way_.

Take as many gallons of water as you please, and to every gallon of water put in a pound of four-penny sugar, boil it for half an hour and skim it all the time; when it is about blood warm put to it about three or four spoonfuls of light yeast, let it work in the tub a night and a day, put it into your vessel, close up the top with a paper, and set it as near the fire as you have convenience, and in two or three days it will be good vinegar.

457. _To preserve_ QUINCES _another Way_.