Cookery.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 976, 14 November 1890, Page 5

Cookery.

SANDWICHES. Now that the holiday-making time of the year is fast approaching the question of preparing tasty sandwiches will be discussed. The visit to the agricultural show, the races, a trip to Island Bay, Somes Island, rural Belmont, or picturesque Paikakariki, necessitates the cutting of many sandwiches. The general custom in this Colony is to cut a slice of cold meat or ham, lay it between two thin shoes of buttered bread, put a dash of mustard on the meat, and then the average housekeeper thinks she has made the perfection of a sandwich. But these pall even upon the best_ regulated stomach. To enlighten picnickers, and to provide a dainty dish at home, I have decided to give a short account of sandwiches, savoury and sweet. The making of sandwiches nowadays is a vastly different thing to what it used to be, when we were familiar with only very few varieties, and when people were not quite so fastidious regarding size, shape, and thickness. The change, however, has most decidedly been for the better, for now a dish of carefully prepared sandwiches is looked upon—and rightly so—as a real treat, while the sandwiches of the past were only suitable for those who were fortunate enough to possess a hearty appetite, and strong sharp teeth. The introduction of the more delicate kinds of sandwiches has often proved a perfect boon to the housewife, as in a case of emergency, when perhaps a dainty little meal has to be provided at very short notice, or when there is a sudden request for an easily.carried, appetising luncheon, &c., there are few things that surpass them, and she who is well skilled in the useful art of sandwich-making need never fear being taken at a disadvantage. Sandwiches may be served at any meal in the day, and they afford changes innumerable, as they can be made either savoury or sweet, and may be eaten either hot or cold; they also provide an excellent opportunity for the utilising of odd scraps, as the remains of almost any kind of meat, fish, game, or poultry, may with advantage be put to this purpose. Very few directions need be given for the making of ordinary meat sandwiches, but I should just like to remind those who undertake their preparation that the meat is best cut as thin as possible; that it should be carefully freed from all skin, bones, and gristle, and be pleasantly seasoned previous to being placed between the bread ; and that the latter should be cut oi an even thickness, then be bnttered liberally, and, after being gently pressed together, the slices should be cut iu small, neat-shaped pieces of equal size. Serve them neatly arranged on a folded napkin, or fancy dish paper, tastefully garnished with sprigs of fresh parsley.. But the following are some of the newer methods of preparation : MINCED MEAT SANDWICHES. Take the remains of any kind of cold meat there may be at hand—beef, mutton, pork, v ? a l’.F oU^r^1 or 6 an3e ; remove every morsel o. skm, bone, or gristle, and mince the meat just as finely as possible ; then put it in a basin and add a sufficient quantity of suitable seasonings. For beef use salt, pepper, mixed mustard, and finely-minced celery, or cucumber ; for mutton, salt, pepper, mushroom ketc-bup, and mixed powdered herbs; for pork, salt, pepper, finely-minced boiled onion, and powdered sage; for veal, finelychopped parsley, lemon juice, pounded mace, and salt and pepper ; for poultry, same as for veal; and for game, use salt, cayenne, lemon juice, and pounded cloves. Moisten the mince, if necessary, with a good stock; mix all tbe ingredients thoroughly; then spread the preparation on slices of thinly-cut, buttered bread; cover with more bread • press gently together, and divide into small’ neat-shaped pieces ; arrange these tastefully on a fancy dish-paper; garnish liberally with sprigs of fresh parsley or nicely-seasoned crisp watercress, and serve. c SCOTCH SANDWICHES (HOT). Prepare a savoury mince, same as described m tbe foregoing recipe. Put it into the saucepan, moisten it. nicely with warm butter or stock, and stir it over a moderate fire until thoroughly hot. Cut some slices of bread, about a quarter of an inch thick, from a stale loaf ; stamp these out in rounds about two inches and a half in diameter, and fry in boiling clarified fat until coloured a delicate golden brown ; then drain carefully from the fat by laying the tiny rounds on blotting paper. When all we ready, put them together in twos, with a layer of the minco between, thus forming the sandwich ; sprinkle the tops rather thickly with grated cheese, and place the sandwiches on a flat baking tin ■ put them in a brisk oven for five or six minutes, then arrange neatly on a hot dishpaper ; garnish with fried parsley, and serve immediately. Note. Ham sandwiches are very delicious when prepared according to. either of the above recipes, and they will prove decidedly more economical than the ordinary ham sandwiches, as mere scraps of meat cut from the bone will answer the purpose admirably. fish sandwiches. Free the fish from bones and skin, and either divide it into neat, thin scallops—or flakes or tear it into small pieces and pound it to a smooth paste. In either case ieason the fish pleasantly with salt, cayenne, minced parsley, and lemon juice, then place it between thin slices of well-buttered bread—either brown or white—press gently together, and cut in small squares. If liked, a little finely-minced lettuce and thin slices of hardboiled egg may also be added. A small quantity of anchovy essence, too, is considered by many people to be an improvement, but these, points are altogether questions of individual tastes. Serve the sandwiches as already directed. Space forbids more recipes being given just now, but doubtless many other methods will suggest themselves to the housewife who cares to study the matter, and the above will give some idea of the wonders which may be accomplished in the way of sandwiches when a littie ingenuity and good taste are introduced into the business.