The Book of Household Management Part 61

_Sufficient_ for a small salad.

This recipe can be confidently recommended by the editress, to whom it was given by an intimate friend noted for her salads.

SCARCITY OF SALADS IN ENGLAND.--Three centuries ago, very few vegetables were cultivated in England, and an author writing of the period of Henry VIII.'s reign, tells us that neither salad, nor carrots, nor cabbages, nor radishes, nor any other comestibles of a like nature, were grown in any part of the kingdom: they came from Holland and Flanders. We further learn, that Queen Catharine herself, with all her royalty, could not procure a salad of English growth for her dinner. The king was obliged to mend this sad state of affairs, and send to Holland for a gardener in order to cultivate those pot-herbs, in the growth of which England is now, perhaps, not behind any other country in Europe.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE OLIVE.]

THE OLIVE AND OLIVE OIL.--This tree a.s.sumes a high degree of interest from the historical circ.u.mstances with which it is connected. A leaf of it was brought into the ark by the dove, when that vessel was still floating on the waters of the great deep, and gave the first token that the deluge was subsiding.

Among the Greeks, the prize of the victor in the Olympic games was a wreath of wild olive; and the "Mount of Olives" is rendered familiar to our ears by its being mentioned in the Scriptures as near to Jerusalem. The tree is indigenous in the north of Africa, Syria, and Greece; and the Romans introduced it to Italy. In Spain and the south of France it is now cultivated; and although it grows in England, its fruit does not ripen in the open air. Both in Greece and Portugal the fruit is eaten in its ripe state; but its taste is not agreeable to many palates.

To the Italian shepherd, bread and olives, with a little wine, form a nourishing diet; but in England, olives are usually only introduced by way of dessert, to destroy the taste of the viands which have been previously eaten, that the flavour of the wine may be the better enjoyed. There are three kinds of olives imported to London,--the French, Spanish, and Italian: the first are from Provence, and are generally accounted excellent; the second are larger, but more bitter; and the last are from Lucca, and are esteemed the best. The oil extracted from olives, called olive oil, or salad oil, is, with the continentals, in continual request, more dishes being prepared with than without it, we should imagine. With us, it is princ.i.p.ally used in mixing a salad, and when thus employed, it tends to prevent fermentation, and is an antidote against flatulency.

II.

507. INGREDIENTS.--4 eggs, 1 teaspoonful of mixed mustard, 1/4 teaspoonful of white pepper, half that quant.i.ty of cayenne, salt to taste, 4 tablespoonfuls of cream, vinegar.

_Mode_.--Boil the eggs until hard, which will be in about 1/4 hour or 20 minutes; put them into cold water, take off the sh.e.l.ls, and pound the yolks in a mortar to a smooth paste. Then add all the other ingredients, except the vinegar, and stir them well until the whole are thoroughly incorporated one with the other. Pour in sufficient vinegar to make it of the consistency of cream, taking care to add but little at a time.

The mixture will then be ready for use.

_Average cost_, for this quant.i.ty, 7d.

_Sufficient_ for a moderate-sized salad.

_Note_.--The whites of the eggs, cut into rings, will serve very well as a garnishing to the salad.

III.

508. INGREDIENTS.--1 egg, 1 teaspoonful of salad oil, 1 teaspoonful of mixed mustard, 1/4 teaspoonful of salt, 1/2 teaspoonful of pounded sugar, 2 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, 6 tablespoonfuls of cream.

_Mode_.--Prepare and mix the ingredients by the preceding recipe, and be very particular that the whole is well stirred.

_Note_.--In making salads, the vegetables, &c., should never be added to the sauce very long before they are wanted for table; the dressing, however, may always be prepared some hours before required. Where salads are much in request, it is a good plan to bottle off sufficient dressing for a few days' consumption, as, thereby, much time and trouble are saved. If kept in a cool place, it will remain good for 4 or 5 days.

POETIC RECIPE FOR SALAD.--The Rev. Sydney Smith, the witty canon of St. Paul's, who thought that an enjoyment of the good things of this earth was compatible with aspirations for things higher, wrote the following excellent recipe for salad, which we should advise our readers not to pa.s.s by without a trial, when the hot weather invites to a dish of cold lamb. May they find the flavour equal to the rhyme.--

"Two large potatoes, pa.s.s'd through kitchen sieve, Smoothness and softness to the salad give: Of mordent mustard add a single spoon, Distrust the condiment that bites too soon; But deem it not, thou man of herbs, a fault.

To add a double quant.i.ty of salt: Four times the spoon with oil of Lucca crown, And twice with vinegar procured from 'town; True flavour needs it, and your poet begs, The pounded yellow of two well-boil'd eggs.

Let onion's atoms lurk within the bowl, And, scarce suspected, animate the whole; And, lastly, in the flavour'd compound toss A magic spoonful of anchovy sauce.

Oh! great and glorious, and herbaceous treat, 'Twould tempt the dying anchorite to eat.

Back to the world he'd turn his weary soul, And plunge his fingers in the salad-bowl."

SAUCE ALLEMANDE, or GERMAN SAUCE.

509. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of sauce tournee (No. 517), the yolks of 2 eggs.

_Mode_.--Put the sauce into a stewpan, heat it, and stir to it the beaten yolks of 2 eggs, which have been previously strained. Let it just simmer, but not boil, or the eggs will curdle; and after they are added to the sauce, it must be stirred without ceasing. This sauce is a general favourite, and is used for many made dishes.

_Time_.--1 minute to simmer.

_Average cost_, 6d.

SAUCE ARISTOCRATIQUE (a Store Sauce).

510. INGREDIENTS.--Green walnuts. To every pint of juice, 1 lb. of anchovies, 1 drachm of cloves, 1 drachm of mace, 1 drachm of Jamaica ginger bruised, 8 shalots. To every pint of the boiled liquor, 1/2 pint of vinegar, 1/4 pint of port wine, 2 tablespoonfuls of soy.

_Mode_.--Pound the walnuts in a mortar, squeeze out the juice through a strainer, and let it stand to settle. Pour off the clear juice, and to every pint of it, add anchovies, spices, and cloves in the above proportion. Boil all these together till the anchovies are dissolved, then strain the juice again, put in the shalots (8 to every pint), and boil again. To every pint of the boiled liquor add vinegar, wine, and soy, in the above quant.i.ties, and bottle off for use. Cork well, and seal the corks.

_Seasonable_.--Make this sauce from the beginning to the middle of July, when walnuts are in perfection for sauces and pickling.

_Average cost_, 3s. 6d. for a quart.

MANUFACTURE OF SAUCES.--In France, during the reign of Louis XII., at the latter end of the 14th century, there was formed a company of sauce-manufacturers, who obtained, in those days of monopolies, the exclusive privilege of making sauces. The statutes drawn up by this company inform us that the famous sauce a la cameline, sold by them, was to be composed or "good cinnamon, good ginger, good cloves, good grains of paradise, good bread, and good vinegar." The sauce Tence, was to be made of "good sound almonds, good ginger, good wine, and good verjuice." May we respectfully express a hope--not that we desire to doubt it in the least--that the English sauce-manufacturers of the 19th century are equally considerate and careful in choosing their ingredients for their various well-known preparations.

SAUCE A L'AURORE, for Trout, Soles, &c.

511. INGREDIENTS.--The sp.a.w.n of 1 lobster, 1 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 1/2 pint of Bechamel (No. 367), the juice of 1/2 lemon, a high seasoning of salt and cayenne.

_Mode_.--Take the sp.a.w.n and pound it in a mortar with the b.u.t.ter, until quite smooth, and work it through a hair sieve. Put the Bechamel into a stewpan, add the pounded sp.a.w.n, the lemon-juice, which must be strained, and a plentiful seasoning of cayenne and salt; let it just simmer, but do not allow it to boil, or the beautiful red colour of the sauce will be spoiled. A small spoonful of anchovy essence may be added at pleasure.

_Time_.--1 minute to simmer. _Average cost_, for this quant.i.ty, 1s.

_Sufficient_ for a pair of large soles.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

SAUCE A LA MATELOTE, for Fish.

512. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of Espagnole (No. 411), 3 onions, 2 tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, 1/2 gla.s.s of port wine, a bunch of sweet herbs, 1/2 bay-leaf, salt and pepper to taste, 1 clove, 2 berries of allspice, a little liquor in which the fish has been boiled, lemon-juice, and anchovy sauce.

_Mode_.--Slice and fry the onions of a nice brown colour, and put them into a stewpan with the Espagnole, ketchup, wine, and a little liquor in which the fish has been boiled. Add the seasoning, herbs, and spices, and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring well the whole time; strain it through a fine hair sieve, put in the lemon-juice and anchovy sauce, and pour it over the fish. This sauce may be very much enriched by adding a few small quenelles, or forcemeat b.a.l.l.s made of fish, and also glazed onions or mushrooms. These, however, should not be added to the matelote till it is dished.

_Time_.--10 minutes. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

_Note_.--This sauce originally took its name as being similar to that which the French sailor (_matelot_) employed as a relish to the fish he caught and ate. In some cases, cider and perry were subst.i.tuted for the wine. The Norman _matelotes_ were very celebrated.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE BAY.]

THE BAY.--We have already described (see No. 180) the difference between the cherry-laurel (_Prunus Laurus cerasus_) and the cla.s.sic laurel (_Laurus n.o.bilis_), the former only being used for culinary purposes. The latter beautiful evergreen was consecrated by the ancients to priests and heroes, and used in their sacrifices. "A crown of bay" was the earnestly-desired reward for great enterprises, and for the display of uncommon genius in oratory or writing. It was more particularly sacred to Apollo, because, according to the fable, the nymph Daphne was changed into a laurel-tree. The ancients believed, too, that the laurel had the power of communicating the gift of prophecy, as well as poetic genius; and, when they wished to procure pleasant dreams, would place a sprig under the pillow of their bed. It was the symbol, too, of victory, and it was thought that the laurel could never be struck by lightning. From this word comes that of "laureate;" Alfred Tennyson being the present poet laureate, crowned with laurel as the first of living bards.

SAUCE PIQUANTE, for Cutlets, Roast Meat, &c.

513. INGREDIENTS.--2 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 1 small carrot, 6 shalots, 1 small bunch of savoury herbs, including parsley, 1/2 a bay-leaf, 2 slices of lean ham, 2 cloves, 6 peppercorns, 1 blade of mace, 3 whole allspice, 4 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, 1/2 pint of stock (No. 104 or 105), 1 small lump of sugar, 1/4 saltspoonful of cayenne, salt to taste.

_Mode_.--Put into a stewpan the b.u.t.ter, with the carrot and shalots, both of which must be cut into small slices; add the herbs, bay-leaf, spices, and ham (which must be minced rather finely), and let these ingredients simmer over a slow fire, until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a brown glaze. Keep stirring with a wooden spoon, and put in the remaining ingredients. Simmer very gently for 1/4 hour, skim off every particle of fat, strain the sauce through a sieve, and serve very hot. Care must be taken that this sauce be not made too acid, although it should possess a sharpness indicated by its name. Of course the above quant.i.ty of vinegar may be increased or diminished at pleasure, according to taste.