RECIPES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue XVIII, 31 October 1896, Page 570

RECIPES.

Clear Stock (Consomme}. - Cut up in small pieces ilb of lean veal, put it into a saucepan with a couple of onions, two or three carrots, all cut in pieces, and a large piece of butter. Shake the saucepan on the fire until the contents have become a nice colour ; moisten with half a pint of common stock (hot), and keep stirring on the fire for some time time longer, adding during the process half a pound of ham, cut up small. Then take the saucepan off the fire, and when the contents are cold pile up in the saucepan a small knuckle of veal, chopped up (bones and all) into small pieces; fill up with common stock (cold), and add parsley, sweet herbs, spices, pepper and salt in due proportions. Set the saucepan to simmer gently by the side of the fire for about three hours, then strain the liquor, free it from fat, and clarify as above. Diplomates.—Line some deep tartlet moulds with puff paste that has been made three or four hours beforehand. Place some finely-chopped candied fruit and peel at the bottom of the moulds, then fill them up with the following mixture :—Pound finely %lb of almonds ; add three eggs, sugar, and, when well mixed, %Xb of butter just made liquid and half a teaspoonful of Vanilla sugar ; beat all thoroughly together, and, having filled the moulds, cook them in a slow oven. When they are done glaze the tops of them with apricot jam, and then ice one half of each diplomate with plain white fondant and the other half with chocolate fondant. Ragout of Mutton.—For six persons use two pounds of mutton —the trimmings of chops or a roast, the shoulder-blade chops, or any of the tougher parts—two onions, one tablespoonful of butter, one tablespoonful of flour, one tablespoonful of salt, one teaspoonfu! of pepper, two quarts of white turnips and two quarts of potatoes cut in large cubes and measured after being peeled and cut, and one quart of water. Free the mutton from all the skin and nearly all the fat. Put the butter in a stewpan and over a hot fire. When the butter is hot add the mutton and cook until it is browned on all sides. Now take the meat from the stewpan and add the flour, stirring well until it is browned, then add the water, stirring all the time. When this sauce boils add the mutton, salt, pepper and the onions, cut in thin slices. Cover the stewpan and place where the contents will simmer slowly for two hours. At the end of this time add the turnips, stirring the mixture well. Now spread the potatoes on top, cover the stewpan and place where the contents will cook a little more rapidly. It will require three-quarters of an hour longer to finish the ragout. The turnips may be omitted and only the potatoes used, or one quart of carrots cut in thin slices may be substituted for the turnips. If carrots are used they should be first boiled in plenty of water for half an hour. Sometimes only one vegetable is used. Macaroni which has boiled in salted water for fifteen minutes, can be substituted for the other vegetables. Half the amount of meat may be used in the preparation of this dish. The French often employ veal or pork instead of the mutton. One can substitute sweet drippings for the butter. The remains of a roast or boil can be used instead of the fresh meat. The thing which one cannot change is the method of cooking, which is always done slowly. To Preserve Eggs. —September is the best time to preserve eggs for winter use. If delayed till further on in the season they do not keep so well, owing to the heat. The lime process is considered the most satisfactory, but more seems to depend on the eggs being treated the same day they are taken from the nest than on the particular method adopted. The lime process is as follows : —To four gallons of boiling water add half a peck of quicklime, and stir well. When cold pass through a fine sieve ; add ten ounces of salt and three ounces of cream of tartar; dissolve and mix well, and leave to temper for a fortnight. Pour off the clear liquor, and imbed the eggs closely in it, keeping plenty of liquid over them. Add a little water now and again to prevent the lime setting.