The Jewish Manual Part 1

The Jewish Manual.

by Judith Cohen Montefiore.

PREFACE.

Among the numerous works on Culinary Science already in circulation, there have been none which afford the slightest insight to the Cookery of the Hebrew kitchen.

Replete as many of these are with information on various important points, they are completely valueless to the Jewish housekeeper, not only on account of prohibited articles and combinations being a.s.sumed to be necessary ingredients of nearly every dish, but from the entire absence of all the receipts peculiar to the Jewish people.

This deficiency, which has been so frequently the cause of inconvenience and complaint, we have endeavoured in the present little volume to supply. And in taking upon ourselves the responsibility of introducing it to the notice of our readers, we have been actuated by the hope that it will prove of some practical utility to those for whose benefit it is more particularly designed.

It has been our earnest desire to simplify as much as possible the directions given regarding the rudiments of the art, and to render the receipts which follow, clear, easy, and concise. Our collection will be found to contain all the best receipts, hitherto bequeathed only by memory or ma.n.u.script, from one generation to another of the Jewish nation, as well as those which come under the denomination of plain English dishes; and also such French ones as are now in general use at all refined modern tables.

A careful attention has been paid to accuracy and economy in the proportions named, and the receipts may be perfectly depended upon, as we have had the chief part of them tested in our own kitchen and under our own _surveillance_.

All difficult and expensive modes of cookery have been purposely omitted, as more properly belonging to the province of the confectioner, and foreign to the intention of this little work; the object of which is, to guide the young Jewish housekeeper in the luxury and economy of "The Table," on which so much of the pleasure of social intercourse depends.

The various acquirements, which in the present day are deemed essential to female education, rarely leave much time or inclination for the humble study of household affairs; and it not unfrequently happens, that the mistress of a family understands little more concerning the dinner table over which she presides, than the graceful arrangement of the flowers which adorn it; thus she is incompetent to direct her servant, upon whose inferior judgment and taste she is obliged to depend. She is continually subjected to impositions from her ignorance of what is required for the dishes she selects, while a lavish extravagance, or parsimonious monotony betrays her utter inexperience in all the minute yet indispensible details of elegant hospitality.

However, there are happily so many highly accomplished and intellectual women, whose example proves the compatability of uniting the cultivation of talents with domestic pursuits, that it would be superfluous and presumptuous were we here to urge the propriety and importance of acquiring habits of usefulness and household knowledge, further than to observe that it is the unfailing attribute of a superior mind to turn its attention occasionally to the lesser objects of life, aware how greatly they contribute to its harmony and its happiness.

The _Cuisine_ of a woman of refinement, like her dress or her furniture, is distinguished, not for its costliness and profusion, but for a pervading air of graceful originality. She is quite sensible of the regard due to the reigning fashion of the day, but her own tasteful discrimination is always perceptible. She instinctively avoids every thing that is hackneyed, vulgar, and common place, and uniformly succeeds in pleasing by the judicious novelties she introduces.

We hope, therefore, that this unpretending little work may not prove wholly unacceptable, even to those ladies who are not of the Hebrew persuasion, as it will serve as a sequel to the books on cookery previously in their possession, and be the medium of presenting them with numerous receipts for rare and exquisite compositions, which if uncommemorated by the genius of Vatel, Ude, or Careme, are delicious enough not only to gratify the lovers of good cheer generally, but to merit the unqualified approbation of the most fastidious epicures.

We ought, perhaps, to apologize for the apparent incongruity of connecting the "Toilet" with the "Kitchen;" but the receipts and suggestions comprised in the Second Part of the work before us, will not, we trust, be considered misplaced in a volume addressed exclusively to the ladies.

Many of the receipts are for articles in common use, but which, with proper directions, are prepared with greater economy and in a superior manner at home; the others are all original receipts, many of them extremely ancient, and given to us by a person who can vouch for their efficacy from personal experience and observation.

We must now conclude our preliminary remarks, but cannot take leave of our patient readers without availing ourselves of the opportunity our editorial capacity affords, to express our hope, that with all its faults and deficiencies "The Jewish Manual" may prove to them a useful a.s.sistant, and be fortunate enough to meet with their lenient, kind, and favourable consideration.

OBSERVATIONS FOR THE USE OF THE COOK.

The receipts we have given are capable of being varied and modified by an intelligent pains-taking cook, to suit the tastes of her employers.

Where _one_ receipt has been thought sufficient to convey the necessary instruction for several dishes, &c., &c., it has not been repeated for each respectively, which plan will tend to facilitate her task.

We might, had we been inclined, have increased our collection considerably by so doing, but have decided, from our own experience, that it is preferable to give a limited number clearly and fully explained, as these will always serve as guides and models for others of the same kind.

The cook must remember it is not enough to have ascertained the ingredients and quant.i.ties requisite, but great care and attention must be paid to the manner of mixing them, and in watching their progress when mixed and submitted to the fire.

The management of the oven and the fire deserve attention, and cannot be regulated properly without practice and observation.

The art of seasoning is difficult and important.

Great judgment is required in blending the different spices or other condiments, so that a fine flavour is produced without the undue preponderance of either.

It is only in coa.r.s.e cooking that the flavour of onions, pepper, garlic, nutmeg, and eschalot is permitted to prevail. As a general rule, salt should be used in moderation.

Sugar is an improvement in nearly all soups, sauces, and gravies; also with stewed vegetables, but of course must be used with discretion.

Ketchups, Soy, Harvey's sauce, &c., are used too indiscrimately by inferior cooks; it is better to leave them to be added at table by those who approve of their flavour.

Any thing that is required to be warmed up a second time, should be set in a basin placed in a _bain-marie_, or saucepan, filled with boiling water, but which must not be allowed to boil; or the article will become hardened and the sauce dried up.

To remove every particle of fat from the gravies of stews, &c., a piece of white blotting-paper should be laid on the surface, and the fat will adhere to it; this should be repeated two or three times.

It is important to keep saucepans well skimmed; the best prepared dish will be spoiled by neglect on this point.

The difference between good and bad cookery is particularly discernible in the preparation of forcemeats. A common cook is satistified if she chops or minces the ingredients and moistens them with an egg scarcely beaten, but this is a very crude and imperfect method; they should be pounded together in a mortar until not a lump or fibre is perceptible. Further directions will be given in the proper place, but this is a rule which must be strictly attended to by those who wish to attain any excellence in this branch of their art.

Eggs for forcemeats, and for every description of sweet dishes, should be thoroughly beaten, and for the finer kinds should be pa.s.sed through a sieve.

A trustworthy zealous servant must keep in mind, that waste and extravagance are no proofs of skill. On the contrary, GOOD COOKERY is by no means expensive, as it makes the most of every thing, and furnishes out of simple and economical materials, dishes which are at once palatable and elegant.

CHAPTER I.

Soups.

STOCK OR CONSOMMe.

This is the basis of all kinds of soup and sauces. Shin of beef or ox-cheek make excellent stock, although good gravy-beef is sometimes preferred; the bones should always be broken, and the meat cut up, as the juices are better extracted; it is advisable to put on, at first, but very little water, and to add more when the first quant.i.ty is nearly dried up. The time required for boiling depends upon the quant.i.ty of meat; six pounds of meat will take about five hours; if bones, the same quant.i.ty will require double the time.

Gravy beef with a knuckle of veal makes a fine and nutritious stock; the stock for white soups should be prepared with veal or white poultry. Very tolerable stock can be procured without purchasing meat expressly for the purpose, by boiling down bones and the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs of meat or poultry.

The liquor in which beef or mutton intended for the table has been boiled, will also, with small additions and skilful flavoring, make an excellent soup at a trifling expense.

To thicken soups, mix a little potatoe-flour, ground rice, or pounded vermicelli, in a little water, till perfectly smooth; add a little of the soup to it in a cup, until sufficiently thin, then pour it into the rest and boil it up, to prevent the raw taste it would otherwise have; the presence of the above ingredients should not be discovered, and judgment and care are therefore requisite.

If colouring is necessary, a crust of bread stewed in the stock will give a fine brown, or the common browning may be used; it is made in the following manner:

Put one pound of coa.r.s.e brown sugar in a stew-pan with a lump of clarified suet; when it begins to froth, pour in a wine-gla.s.s of port wine, half an ounce of black pepper, a little mace, four spoonsful of ketchup or Harvey's sauce, a little salt, and the peel of a lemon grated; boil all together, let it grow cold, when it must be skimmed and bottled for use.

It may also be prepared as required, by putting a small piece of clarified fat with one ounce of coa.r.s.e sugar, in an iron spoon, melting them together, and stirring in a little ketchup and pepper.

When good stock or consomme is prepared, it is very easy to form it into any kind of soup or sauce that may be required.

GRAVY SOUP.