The Country Housewife and Lady's Director in the Management of a House Part 27

_Potatoe-_Puddings, made with Sweet-meats. From Mr. _Moring, Temple-Bar._

Take some clean Potatoes, boil them tender, and when they are so, and clean from their Skins, break them in a Marble Mortar, till they become a Pulp; then put to them, or you might beat with them some slices of candy'd Lemons and Oranges, and beat these together with some Spices, and Lemon-Peel candy'd. Put to these some Marrow, and as much Sugar, with Orange-Flower Water, as you think fit. Mix all together, and then take some whole candy'd Orange-Peels, and stuff them full of the Meat, and set them upon a Dish, in a gentle Oven; and when they have stood half an hour, serve them hot, with a Sauce of Sack and b.u.t.ter, and fine Sugar grated over them.

_Potatoe-_Pudding baked. From _Mr. Shepherd_ of _Windmill-Street._

Boil some fair Potatoes till they are tender; then, when they are made clean, bruise them in a Marble Mortar, till they become a Paste, with some Mace powder'd, some Sugar, and the Pulp of Oranges, with a _Naples_ Biscuit or two grated in, and a large Carrot grated. Add to these some Orange-Flower Water; and when all these are well mix'd, put to them some b.u.t.ter'd Eggs, with some slices of b.u.t.ter laid upon your Pudding, when it is put into the Dish, or Pan. A little baking will serve for it; and when it is enough, serve it hot, with a garnish of sliced Lemon or Orange. Some will put this into a Paste, but not cover it.

To make _Whipt Syllabubs._ From Mrs. _Cater_ of _Salisbury._

To a Pint of Cream put a Gill of Canary-Wine, and two Ounces of Loaf-Sugar finely beat, and a slice or two of Lemon; then with a clean Whisk, whip it together, adding a little Milk, as it grows thick: then have your Gla.s.ses clean, and put into each of them three or four spoonfuls of any sorts of Wine, red in some, and white in others, sweeten'd with fine Sugar powder'd; then fill your Gla.s.ses with the Froth of your Cream, as it is whipt up.

Of the fashionable Tables, for Persons of Rank, or Figure, where five Dishes are serv'd at a Course. From _S.G._ Esq.

The Tables I shall speak of, are so order'd, as to save a great deal of trouble to the Mistress of the Family, as well as to the Guests; for with this Table every one helps himself, by turning any Dish he likes before him, without interrupting any body. You must have first, a large Table with an hole in the Middle, of an Inch Diameter, wherein should be fix'd a Socket of Bra.s.s well turn'd, to admit of a Spindle of Bra.s.s, that will turn easily in it. The Table I speak of, may be, I suppose, five or six Foot diameter; and then have another Table-board made just so large, that as it is to act on the Centre of the first Table, there may be near a foot vacancy for Plates, _&c._ on every side. Then fix the Spindle of Bra.s.s in the Centre of the smaller Table, which Spindle must be so long, as, that when one puts it in the Socket of the great Table-board, the smaller turning Table may be about four Inches above the lower Board; so, that in its turning about, no Salt, or Bread, or any thing on the Places, may be disturb'd. These Tables have Cloths made to each of them; the upper, or smaller Table, to have an whole Cloth to cover it tight, and fasten'd close, so that none of the Borders hang down; and the Cloth for the under Table, or great Table, must have an hole cut in the middle of it for the Spindle of the upper Table to pa.s.s thro' into the Bra.s.s Socket: and when this is rightly order'd, and every necessary Furniture of the great, or lower Table, set by every Plate; then the upper Table, which will turn, may be furnish'd with Meats. It remains only then, in some Places, for the Lady of the House, to offer the Soup; but after that, every one is at liberty to help themselves, by turning the upper Table about, to bring what they like, before them.

_I am Yours,_ S. G.

The Manner of killing and salting _Oxen,_ in the hottest Months, for the Sea, that the _Beef_ may keep good. From a Contractor with the Commissioners of the _Royal-Navy._

Sir,

I have often read your Books, and particularly your _Lady's Monthly Director,_ relating to the Management of the several Products of a Farm, but you have not taken notice of the Preservation of Flesh, as I expected.

I send this therefore, to inform you, that upon the setting out of a Fleet in _June_, it was thought difficult to salt the Beef; but it was done, to full Satisfaction, by the following Method.

We killed an hundred Oxen, in _June,_ towards the Close of the Evening, and let them hang up whole, till the next Evening: then, when the Cool comes on, cut out the Messes, and by every Stand have a Punchin of Brine, and throw them into it as soon as they are cut, and in about three Minutes after that, take them out, and salt them well. _Note_, These Pieces will by these means lose their b.l.o.o.d.y Parts, in great measure, and be capacitated to receive the Salt much better than otherways, and then put them up.

_Memorandum,_ We had not, out of all this quant.i.ty, above three Pieces fail'd, though the Weather was extreme hot.

_Cheshire-_Pye with _Pork._ From Mr. _R. J._

Take some salt Loin of Pork, or Leg of Pork, and cut it into Pieces, like Dice, or as you would do for an Harsh. If it be boiled or roasted, it is no matter; then take an equal quant.i.ty of Potatoes, and pare them, and cut them into dice, or in slices. Make your Pye-Crust, and lay some b.u.t.ter, in pieces, at the bottom, with some Pepper and Salt; then put in your Meat and Potatoes, with such seasoning as you like, but Pepper and Salt commonly, and on the Top some pieces of b.u.t.ter. Then close your Pye, and bake it in a gentle Oven, putting in about a Pint of Water, just before it is going into the Oven; for if you put in your Water over Night, it will spoil your Pye.

To bake _Herrings_ in an extraordinary manner. From Mrs. _M. N._ of _Shrewsbury._

Take fresh Herrings, and when they are scaled and cleaned, put them in a glazed earthen Vessel, where they can lie straight; then put in as much of the following Liquor as will cover them, _viz._ an equal quant.i.ty of fine pale and old strong Beer, with Vinegar, which is the best, or else all Vinegar, or as some do, put two parts of Vinegar and one of Water; any of these will do well. Then put in some Bay-Salt, such a quant.i.ty as you think will season it to your mind, and to that a tenth part of Salt-Petre, which will not make it salt, but give it a fine relish: to these put two or three Bay-Leaves, a bunch of sweet Herbs, some Cloves, or _Jamaica_ Pepper, and some whole Pepper; then cover your Pan, and bake it in a quick Oven, with Bread. These must be eaten cold; they are excellent for a Country Breakfast, especially, if they are warm of the Spice, and if they are well done, the very Bones will dissolve.

To draw _Gravey_ for a private _Family._ From the same.

Take some fleshy part of Beef, without Fat, and cut it in pieces about the bigness of Pidgeons Eggs; then flour it well, and put it in a Sauce-Pan, with a little fresh Lard, or a little b.u.t.ter, a little Onion sliced, some Powder of sweet Marjoram, and a little Pepper. Cover all close, and stir it now and then till the Gravey is come out enough, and then pour on it some Water, when the Gravey is brown, and stir all together, and let them boil some time; then strain it off, adding a little Lemon-Juice.

Another _Gravey,_ for a private Family, where there is not an opportunity of getting _Beef_ to make it of.

Take some b.u.t.ter, and some Onion, cut small, put it in a Sauce-Pan, and set it over the Fire till the b.u.t.ter melts; then drudge in some Flour, and stir it well, till the Froth sinks down, and then it will be brown; you must then have ready prepared the following Mixture to throw in, _viz._ some good old Beer, and as much Water, an Onion cut small, some Pepper and Salt, a small Anchovy shred, a little Lemon-Peel grated, a Clove or two, and, if you have it, a little Mushroom Liquor, or Liquor of pickled Walnuts; then let them all simmer together a little while, and it will produce a thick good Gravey.

The Manner of Trussing a _Rabbit_ for Boiling.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 1]

Cut the two Haunches of the Rabbit close by the Back-Bone, two Inches, and turn up the Haunches, by the Sides of the Rabbit; skewer the Haunches through the lower Part of the Back, as at A; then put a Skewer through the utmost Joint of the Leg at B, and so through the Body, and through the other Leg, so that the end of the Leg reaches the Shoulder-Blade. Then truss up the Shoulders high, and let the Pinnions be carried back, to take the Legs at B, and lie between them and the Body; and under the height of the Pinnions, put a Skewer, and bend the Neck backwards, and pa.s.s the Skewer through all, at C, so that it supports the Blade-Bone, and holds the Head up.

The Manner of Trussing a Single _Rabbit_ for Roasting. From Mr. _W. N._ Poulterer.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig, 2 ]

You case the Rabbit all, excepting the lower Joints of the four Legs, and those you chop off: then pa.s.s a Skewer through the middle of the Haunches, after you have laid them flat, as at A; and the Fore-Legs, which are called the Wings, must be turn'd, as at B; so that the smaller Joint may be push'd into the Body, through the Ribs. This, as a single Rabbit, has the Spit pa.s.s'd through the Body and Head, but the Skewer takes hold of the Spit to preserve the Haunches. But to truss a couple of Rabbits, there are seven Skewers, and then the Spit pa.s.ses only between the Skewers, without touching the Rabbits.

To make a _Pheasant_ of a _Rabbit,_ truss'd in such a manner, that it will appear like a _Pheasant,_ and eat like one, with its Sauce. This is called, by the topping _Poulterers,_ a _Poland-Chicken,_ or a _Portugal-Chicken._ But it is most like a _Pheasant,_ if it is larded. From Mrs. _Johnson,_ at the famous Eating-House in _Devereux-Court_ near the _Temple._

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 3]

Take a young Rabbit full grown; case it all, excepting the Fore-Feet, chop off them, and the Head, as close as may be, but strip the Skin from the hind Legs, even to leave the Claws on them. These Claws are not unlike the Claws of a Pheasant, and some good Judges may be deceiv'd by their first Look, for they are little different from the Legs of the Fowls we design to imitate. Then turn the Neck-part of the Rabbit, the Breast inwards, to the Scut or the Rump, leaving the Rump somewhat short, but to appear; then will the Rabbit appear in the Shape above, _viz._ B is the Scut, or Rump, of the Rabbit, and C is where the Neck comes; then will the Part mark'd F, appear like the Breast of a Fowl: but you must put up the stript Legs of the Rabbit, over each side of the Neck of it, and tie all together, with a String, as mark'd H H. So will the Hind-Legs of the Rabbit appear like the Legs of a Fowl, and where you see the Letter G mark'd, the Back of the Rabbit is broken. D, is what represents the Back-Side of the Fowl, and E is the Appearance of the Wings, which are supposed to be stuck into the Back, where two large Orifices are made, but the Bones of the Wings, of the Rabbit, must be taken out. A, shews the Legs as they ought to be tied, and O O Directs to the Points of the Skewers which are to run through it.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 4]

Fig. 4. will shew you the Back of the same, when it is truss'd, with the Appearance of the Skewers, o, o, o, o, with the Orifices, wherein are the supposed Bones of the Wings. If this is larded on the Breast, I think it best, and it should be served with the following Sauce, if it is roasted.

When this is thus prepared, you may stick a Pheasant's Tail-Feather at the Scut, and roast it as you would do a Pheasant, basting it well with b.u.t.ter, after it is drudg'd well with Flour; then make the following Sauce for it.

Take some strong Gravey, and put a little Lemon-Peel into it, with some Spice, and a little Wine; then take a few b.u.t.tons of Mushrooms pickled, and thicken it with burnt b.u.t.ter, so that the Sauce becomes like one fit for a Ragout, or _Ragoo_, as the _English_ p.r.o.nounce it. Pour this over the Fowl or Rabbit, which you please to call it, and serve it hot, with a Garnish of Lemon sliced, and pickled Red Beet-Roots sliced.