The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight Opened Part 13

BOILED RICE DRY

The manner of boiling Rice to eat with b.u.t.ter, is this. In a Pipkin pour upon it as much water, as will swim a good fingers breadth over it. Boil it gently, till it be tender, and all the water drunk into the Rice; which may be in a quarter of an hour or less. Stir it often with a woodden spatule or spoon, that it burn not to the bottom: But break it not. When it is enough, pour it into a dish, and stew it with some b.u.t.ter, and season it with sugar and Cinnamon. This Rice is to appear dry, excepting for the b.u.t.ter, that is melted in it.

MARROW SOPS WITH WINE

Make thin tosts or slices of light French bread, which dry well, or toste a little by the fire, then Soak them in Canary or old Malaga-wine, or fine Muscat, and lay a row of them in a deep dish or bason; then a row of lumps of Marrow upon that; then strew a little fine sugar mingled with some Powder of Cinnamon and Ambergreece (and Nutmeg, if you like it) upon that.

Then another row of sops, &c. repeating this, till the dish be full: and more Sugar, Cinnamon and Amber at the top, then on the other rows. If you will, you may put a row of stoned Raisins of the Sun upon every row of Marrow. Then cover the dish, and put it in an Oven to bake for half-an hour; or till the Marrow be sufficiently baked.

CAPON IN WHITE-BROTH

My Lady of Monmouth boileth a Capon with white broth thus. Make reasonable good broth, with the crag-ends of Necks of Mutton and Veal (of which you must have so much as to be at least three quarts of White-broth in the dish with the Capon, when all is done, else it will not come high enough upon the Capon). Beat a quarter of a pound of blanched Almonds with three or four spoonfuls of Cream, and, if you will, a little Rose water; then add some of your broth to it, so to draw out all their substance, mingling it with the rest of your broth. Boil your Capon in fair-water by it self; and a Marrow-bone or two by themselves in other water. Likewise some Chess-nuts (in stead of which you may use Pistaccios, or macerated Pine kernels) and in other water some Skirrits or Endive, or Parsley-roots, according to the season. Also plumpsome Raisins of the Sun, and stew some sliced Dates with Sugar and water. When all is ready to joyn, beat two or three New-laid-eggs (whites and all) with some of the White-broth, that must then be boiling, and mingle it with the rest, and let it boil on: and mingle the other prepared things with it, as also a little sliced Oringiado (from which the hard Candy-sugar hath been soaked off with warm-water) or a little peel of Orange (or some Limon Pickled with Sugar and Vinegar, such as serves for Salets) which you throw away, after it hath been a while boiled in it: and put a little Sack to your broth, and some Ambergreece, if you will, and a small portion of Sugar; and last of all, put in the Marrow in lumps that you have knocked out of the boiled bones. Then lay your Capon taken hot from the Liquor, he is boiled in, upon sippets and slices of tosted light bread, and pour your broth and mixture upon it, and cover it with another dish, and let all stew together a while: then serve it up. You must remember to season your broth in due time with salt and such spices as you like.

TO b.u.t.tER EGGS WITH CREAM

Take to a dozen of Eggs a pint of Cream; beat them well together, and put three quarters of a pound of b.u.t.ter to them, and so set them on the fire to harden, and stir them, till they are as hard, as you would have them.

TO MAKE c.o.c.k-ALE

Take eight Gallons of Ale; take a c.o.c.k and boil him well; then take four pounds of Raisins of the Sun well stoned, two or three Nutmegs, three or four flakes of Mace, half a pound of Dates; beat these all in a Mortar, and put to them two quarts of the best Sack; and when the Ale hath done working, put these in, and stop it close six or seven days, and then bottle it, and a month after you may drink it.

TO MAKE PLAGUE-WATER

Take a pound of Rue, of Rosemary, Sage, Sorrel, Celandine, Mugwort, of the tops of red brambles of Pimpernel, Wild-dragons, Agrimony, Balm, Angelica of each a pound. Put these Compounds in a Pot, fill it with White-wine above the herbs, so let it stand four days. Then still it for your use in a Limbeck.

ANOTHER PLAGUE-WATER

Take Rue, Agrimony, Wormwood, Celandine, Sage, Balm, Mugwort, Dragons, Pimpernel, Marygold, Fetherfew, Burnet, Sorrel, and Elicampane-roots sc.r.a.ped and sliced small. Scabious, Wood-betony, Brown-mayweed, Mints, Avence, Tormentil, _Carduus benedictus_, and Rosemary as much as of anything else, and Angelica if you will. You must have like weight of all them, except Rosemary aforesaid, which you must have twice as much of as of any of the rest; then mingle them altogether and shred them very small; then steep them in the best White-wine you can get, three days and three nights, stirring them once or twice a day, putting no more wine then will cover the Herbs well; then still it in a Common-still; and take not too much of the first-water, and but a little of the second, according as you feel the strength, else it will be sower. There must be but half so much Elicampane as of the rest.

TO MAKE RASBERY-WINE

Take four Gallons of Deal wine, put it into an earthen jugg; put to it four Gallons of Rasberries; let them stand so infusing seven days; then press it out gently; Then infuse as many more Rasberries seven days longer, and so three times if you please; put to it as much fine Sugar as will make it pleasant; Put it into a Runlet close stopped, let it stand till it is fine; and then draw it into bottles, and keep it till it be fine.

TO KEEP QUINCE ALL THE YEAR GOOD

Take all your least and worst Quinces, that are found, and cut them in pieces, with all the Corings and Parings you make; boil them more then an hour; then put the Quinces into this boiling liquor, and take them forth presently, not letting them boil, and lay them to cool one by one a part; then take the liquor and strain it; and put for every Gallon of liquor half a pint of honey; then boil it and sc.u.m it clean; let it be cold; and then put your Quinces into a pot or tub, that they be covered with the liquor, and stop it very close with your Paste.

TO MAKE A WHITE-POT

Take three quarts of Cream, and put into it the yolks of twelve Eggs; the whites of four, being first very well beaten between three quarters of a pound of Sugar, two Nutmegs grated, a little Salt; half a pound of Raisins first plump'd. These being sliced together, cut some thin slices of a stale Manchet; dry them in a dish against the fire, and lay them on the top of the Cream, and some Marrow again upon the bread, and so bake it.

TO MAKE AN HOTCHPOT

Take a piece of Brisket-beef; a piece of Mutton; a knuckle of Veal; a good Colander of pot-herbs; half minced Carrots, Onions and Cabbage a little broken. Boil all these together until they be very thick.

ANOTHER HOTCHPOT

Take a Pot of two Gallons or more; and take a brisket rand of Beef; any piece of Mutton, and a piece of Veal; put this with sufficient water into the pot, and after it hath boiled, and been skimmed, put in a great Colander full of ordinary pot-herbs; a piece of Cabbage, all half cut; a good quant.i.ty of Onions whole, six Carrots cut and sliced, and two or three Pippins quartered. Let this boil three hours until it be almost a gelly, and stir it often, least it burn.

TO STEW BEEF

Take good fat Beef, slice it very thin into small pieces, and beat it well with the back of a chopping Knife. Then put it into a Pipkin, and cover it with wine and water, and put unto it a handful of good Herbs, and an Onion, with an Anchoves. Let it boil two hours; A little before you take it up, put in a few Marygold-flowers; and so season it with what Spice you please, and serve them up both with sippets.

ANOTHER TO STEW BEEF

Take very good Beef, and slice it very thin; and beat it with the back of a Knife; Put it to the gravy of some meat, and some wine or strong broth, sweet-herbs a quant.i.ty, let it stew till it be very tender; season it to your liking; and varnish your dish with Marygold-flowers or Barberries.

TO STEW A BREAST OF VEAL

Take a Breast of Veal half rosted, and put it a stewing with some wine and gravy; three or four yolks of Eggs minced small; a pretty quant.i.ty of Sweet-herbs with an Onion, Anchoves or Limon; stick it either with Thyme or Limon-peels, and season it to your liking.

SAUCE OF HORSE RADISH

Take Roots of Horse-radish sc.r.a.ped clean, and lay them to soak in fair-water for an hour. Then rasp them upon a Grater, and you shall have them all in a tender spungy Pap. Put Vinegar to it, and a very little Sugar, not so much as to be tasted, but to quicken (by contrariety) the taste of the other.

THE QUEENS HOTCHPOT FROM HER ESCUYER DE CUISINE, MR. LA MONTAGUE

The Queen Mothers Hotchpot of Mutton, is thus made. It is exceeding good of fresh Beef also, for those whose Stomacks can digest it. Cut a neck of Mutton, Crag-end and all into steaks (which you may beat, if you will; but they will be very tender without beating) and in the mean time prepare your water to boil in a Possnet, (which must be of a convenient bigness to have water enough, to cover the meat, and serve all the stewing it, without needing to add any more to it; and yet no superfluous water at last.) Put your meat into the boiling water, and when you have sc.u.mmed it clean, put into it a good handful of Parsley, and as much of Sibboulets (young Onions or Sives) chopped small, if you like to eat them in substance; otherwise tied up in a bouquet, to throw them away, when they have communicated to the water all their taste; some Pepper; three or four Cloves, and a little Salt, and half a Limon first pared. These must stew or boil simpringly, (covered) at least three or four hours (a good deal more, if Beef) stirring it often, that it burn not too. A good hour before you intend to take it off, put some quartered Turneps to it, or, if you like them, some Carrots. A while after, take a good lump of Houshold-bread, bigger than your fist, crust and crum, broil it upon a Gridiron, that it be throughly rosted; sc.r.a.pe off the black burning on the on side; then soak it throughly in Vinegar, and put this lump of tost into your possnet to stew with it; which you take out and throw away after a while. About a quarter of an hour before you serve it up melt a good lump of b.u.t.ter (as much as a great Egg) till it grow red; then take it from the fire, and put to it a little fine flower to thicken it (about a couple of spoonfuls) like thick Pap. Stir them very well together; then set them on the fire again, till it grow-red, stirring it all the while; then put to it a ladleful of the liquor of the pot, and let them stew a while together to incorporate, stirring it always.

Then pour this to the whole substance in the Possnet, to Incorporate with all the liquor, and so let them stew a while together. Then pour it out of the possnet into your dish, meat and all: for it will be so tender, it will not endure taking up piece by piece with your hand. If you find the taste not quick enough, put into it the juyce of the half Limon, you reserved.

For I should have said, that when you put in the Herbs, you squeese in also the juyce of half a Limon (pared from the yellow rinde, which else would make it bitter) and throw the pared and squeesed half (the substance) into it afterwards. The last things (of b.u.t.ter, bread, flower) cause the liaison and thickening of the liquor. If this should not be enough, you may also put a little gravy of Mutton into it; stirring it well when it is in, least it curdle in stewing, or you may put the yolk of an Egg or two to your liaison of b.u.t.ter, Flower, and ladleful of broth. For gravy of Mutton.

Rost a juycy leg of Mutton three quarters. Then gash it in several places, and press out the juyce by a screw-press.

A SAVOURY AND NOURISHING BOILED CAPON DEL CONTE DI TRINO, a MILANO

Take a fat and fleshy Capon, or a like Hen; Dress it in the ordinary manner, and cleanse it within from the guts, &c. Then put in the fat again into the belly, and split the bones of the legs and wings (as far as you may, not to deface the fowl) so as the Marrow may distil out of them. Add a little fresh b.u.t.ter and Marrow to it; season it with Salt, Pepper, and, what other Spice you like, as also savoury herbs. Put the Capon with all these condiments into a large strong sound bladder of an Ox (first well washed and scoured with Red-wine) and tie it very close and fast to the top, that nothing may ouse out, nor any water get in (and there must be void s.p.a.ce in the bladder, that the flesh may have room to swell and ferment in; therefore it must be a large one). Put this to boil for a couple of hours in a Kettle of water, or till you find by touching the Bladder, that the Capon is tender and boiled enough. Then serve it up in a dish, in the Bladder (dry wiped) which when you cut, you will find a precious and nourishing liquor to eat with bread, and the Capon will be short, tender, most savoury and full of juyce, and very nourishing.

I conceive, that if you put enough Ox-marrow, you need no b.u.t.ter; and that it may do well to add Ambergreece, Dates-sliced and pithed, Raisins, Currants, and a little Sugar.

Peradventure this might be done well in a Silver-flagon close luted, set in _Balneo bulliente_, as I make the nourishing broth or gelly of Mutton or Chickens, &c.

AN EXCELLENT BAKED PUDDING