A LESSON IN HOUSEKEEPING

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4259, 19 January 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

A LESSON IN HOUSEKEEPING

CUTLETS: HOW TO PREE’ARE THEM A’.\.u i, 00 TC TJX EM. (By Mr,U. 8. Vecl, in “Hearth and I tone’. ’'} Asit U in average plain cook to semi up a ilia I ol cutlets, and what appears f A collection °K ragged-looking objects, rcm^ h i- nl " untidy miniaturo mutton chops. Ihn tact is that many cooks do not It new how to prepare a cutlet—a process which is quite easy, but which cannot, lie done ill a minute. When mutton, cutlets are required, a neck of mutton should Bo ordered and hung until tender. At the time of ordering the butcher should bo instructed to remove the chine hone. Now when the mutton is ready for eating, the cook, with si, sharp, strong knife, should divide the joint into cutlets, cutting midway between each bone. If, however, ilu neck is a. large one, it will be necessary to cut close to each bone, thus leaving a boneless cutlet-shaped, piece of meat between each cutlet proper. Now take a cutlet and lay it on the meat-board, and with a wet knife pat it gently into- shape, so that the meat spreads out a little, and is even with the bone. Now trim eff all superfluous lat and skin, and scrape the bone quite clean. Chop off each bone to an equal length, and thou remove the little bone which remains at the head of each cutlet. , Von now have a properly shaped cutlet, i.e., a round piece of meat at the end of a cleanly scraped bone, ready for grilling, frying, braising, etc. A neck of mutton, bo it small or large, as before stated, there remains a piece of meat between each cutlet. Therefore, if more than seven etdlets arc required for a. dish, (ho boneless pieces of meat must bo I rimmed, and when cooked, served alternately with the cither cutlets; or the meat may he cut from cutlets to match the boneless pieces of meat, (hereby obtaining what arc often, though incorrectly, formed noisettes, i. 0., boneless cutlets. Tfie correct noisette is obtained from the bemed. loin of mutton, each section being neatly trimmed, rolled and secured with a skewer, whereas a. cutlet is a portion of the neck of mutton. When cutlets take the place of a joint the loin, is occasionally used, but loin cutlets need careful trimming to make them, sightly, and they are. of course, larger than the rightful neck cutlet. They are juicier, and for that reason considered by some people superior to the orthodox nock outlet. It is the practice of some cooks to order from the butcher so many pounds of trimmed cutlets. This is a. most extravagant proceeding, as tho butcher charges a high price for the trimmed meat, and the scrag and trimmings of tho neck of mutton, so valuable for Irish stow, hot-pot, haricot, or Scotch Broth, are thereby lost. For Ibis reason, when cutlets are needed; order the whole neck of mntton, and cut and trim the cutlets at home. Thus, in a family where there are three or four for late dinner a large neck of mutton wouhi yield a dish of live or six cn!lets. a. di-'h oT noisettes, haricot, etc. (made lrou> Iks mat cut from be tween I he cid Iris' and r.n Irish stew nr [scotch broth, made Irion Hie odd cutlets and noisettes and His scrag end of (lie nock. Thus three dishes of once cooked meat, are obtained trdm the joint. Or for a smaller party I ho neck may be. divided into three cutlets, a, I nr. joint roasted or’ boiled, and Scotch broth. There are several ways of cooking eiitlrls —broiling, frying, stowing or sauteing—and dozens of ways of garnishing them. They are also served cold in aspic, on ehandfrnix. nr in niavonn,aiso .sauce. When required (o bp cold the best war' v*. cooking (hem is as follows: (’old Cutlets.—Stew the best end of H e neck of motion whole, with vegetables, and spire; when done, I ho cutlris are separated. one from the other, trimmed a: masked with the jelly or sauce, decorated with Hnv cutlet iritis, and served on a border of aspic or inaccdnme of vegetables, l.amb and veal outlets may he treated in iu?t the same way as mutton cutlets, Imt the orthodox veal cutlet is prepared and cooked as follows; Veal Cutlets.—Take a slice from a tiih’t of veal and cut the,meat into rounds about three-quarters of ah inch thick and not larger’than’ a .five-shilling piece. Peat them out neatly with a wet knife. Flour them well, or egg and breadcrumb them, and fry in clarified fat until thoroughly cooked, which will take about fifteen minutes. Lift them on to a bot, dish and l-;-t them drain, serve with rolls of bacon on n ; border of mnshed' potato, tomato or olhm-; vegetable- If a. sauce is required, l'iw (bo 1 cutlets in butter instead of fat. Wh»n : fried add a little more butter lo tbc liquid in (.he pan, and then hy degrees, stirring all the time, a. dessert-spoonful■ of dried auT suited flour, and cook together until lh° mixture in a pale brown. Add a gill of boiling stock or; water, a little wine, if.

liked, a few drops of lemon-juice, pepper, and salt; boil it all up together, colour with Paris-on essence, if mpm-ed, and strain it round the dish of cutlets. Broiled Mutton Gullets. —Have ready a, clean gridiron, and rub the b.'rs with a little tat. Be sure that the fire is clear and hoi. While preparing the tire and gridiron let ti.o cutlets lie in olive oil, turn thou so lluit they are oiled on both sides. Lay them on the grid, and cook them very near the fire, so near, indeed, that the surface of the meat catches without becoming actually burnt. Tfo them fin Lath side?, and then cook mors gently, (Turning now and then. On no account prick the meat with a fork, or the juice will run cut, for the cutlets, when done, should !;a pink and juicy inside, and brown on the outside. Serve very hot round a purco of potato or other vegetable. Cutlets ei Papillolcs.—Take ihe trim moil cutlets and spread them on each side with potted ham or tongue, foie gras or a purco of tomato, mushroom or onion. Oil sonic ovals of white kitchen pa per, twist Uie cutlets up in them as neatly as possible, and broil as before. Servo in Hie papers. Stewed Cutlets.. —Prepare the; cutlets, mid place them in a stew pafi which lias been well greased and lined with sliced vegetable, a little ham or bacon, and spice. Cook until the vegetables begin to brown, then pour in some stock sufficient to just cover the cutlets, cover tlie pan, and cook gently for about an hour. Strain off the gravy, free it from fat, brown and thicken ij. Arrange the cutlets round a mound of cooked carrot and turnips or macaroni, and pour the gravy round. The macaroni may he sprinkled with cheese if liked. Pried Outlets.—Egg and crumh these, and fry exactly as for veal cutlets. Serve with dr without sauce, and with a purco of vegetables, fried potatoes, a mould of potato, or a centre of macaroni and cheese. Saute Cut lets. —Butter a saulc or trying pan and lav the cutlets in it so that they do not overlap each other. Sprinkle a few drops of wine or stock and melted glaze, and a little popper,. Cover with buttered and cook over a. clear tire, turning them now and then; or cook them in the same way in a. buttered tin in (he oven. tviien cooking them, thus use. a little more stock, and be careful that the cutlets do not became dry. When once ihe cook can broil, fry, stow and saute tier cutlets, she may easily vary Uie methods of serving; the name of the dish being taken from its garnish.