Book of Household Management — 008 - Recipes. Chapter 6. Part 1.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE SOUPS.

[_It will be seen, by reference to the following Recipes, that an entirely original and most intelligible system has been pursued in explaining the preparation of each dish.

We would recommend the young housekeeper, cook, or whoever may be engaged in the important task of "getting ready" the dinner, or other meal, to follow precisely the order in which the recipes are given.

Thus, let them first place on their table all the INGREDIENTS necessary; then the modus operandi, or MODE of preparation, will be easily managed.

By a careful reading, too, of the recipes, there will not be the slightest difficulty in arranging a repast for any number of persons, and an accurate notion will be gained of the TIME the cooling of each dish will occupy, of the periods at which it is SEASONABLE, as also of its_ AVERAGE COST.

_The addition of the natural history, and the description of the various properties of the edible articles in common use in every family, will be serviceable both in a practical and an educational point of view.

_ _Speaking specially of the Recipes for Soups, it may be added, that by the employment of the_ BEST, MEDIUM, _or_ COMMON STOCK, _the quality of the Soups and their cost may be proportionately increased or lessened.

_] STOCKS FOR ALL KINDS OF SOUPS.

RICH STRONG STOCK.

104. INGREDIENTS.

--4 lbs.

of shin of beef, 4 lbs.

of knuckle of veal, 3/4 lb.

of good lean ham; any poultry trimmings; 3 small onions, 3 small carrots, 3 turnips (the latter should be omitted in summer, lest they ferment), 1 head of celery, a few chopped mushrooms, when obtainable; 1 tomato, a bunch of savoury herbs, not forgetting parsley; 1-1/2 oz.

of salt, 12 white peppercorns, 6 cloves, 3 small blades of mace, 4 quarts of water.

_Mode_.

--Line a delicately clean stewpan with the ham cut in thin broad slices, carefully trimming off all its rusty fat; cut up the beef and veal in pieces about 3 inches square, and lay them on the ham; set it on the stove, and draw it down, and stir frequently.

When the meat is equally browned, put in the beef and veal bones, the poultry trimmings, and pour in the cold water.

Skim well, and occasionally add a little cold water, to stop its boiling, until it becomes quite clear; then put in all the other ingredients, and simmer very slowly for 5 hours.

Do not let it come to a brisk boil, that the stock be not wasted, and that its colour may be preserved.

Strain through a very fine hair sieve, or tammy, and it will be fit for use.

_Time_.

--5 hours.

_Average cost_, 1s.

3d.

per quart.

MEDIUM STOCK.

105. INGREDIENTS.

--4 lbs.

of shin of beef, or 4 lbs.

of knuckle of veal, or 2 lbs.

of each; any bones, trimmings of poultry, or fresh meat, 1/2 a lb.

of lean bacon or ham, 2 oz.

of butter, 2 large onions, each stuck with 3 cloves; 1 turnip, 3 carrots, 1/2 a leek, 1 head of celery, 2 oz.

of salt, 1/2 a teaspoonful of whole pepper, 1 large blade of mace, 1 small bunch of savoury herbs, 4 quarts and 1/2 pint of cold water.

_Mode_.

--Cut up the meat and bacon or ham into pieces about 3 inches square; rub the butter on the bottom of the stewpan; put in 1/2 a pint of water, the meat, and all the other ingredients.

Cover the stewpan, and place it on a sharp fire, occasionally stirring its contents.

When the bottom of the pan becomes covered with a pale, jelly-like substance, add 4 quarts of cold water, and simmer very gently for 5 hours.

As we have said before, do not let it boil quickly.

Skim off every particle of grease whilst it is doing, and strain it through a fine hair sieve.

This is the basis of many of the soups afterwards mentioned, and will be found quite strong enough for ordinary purposes.

_Time_.

--5-1/2 hours.

_Average cost_, 9d.

per quart.

ECONOMICAL STOCK.

106. INGREDIENTS.

--The liquor in which a joint of meat has been boiled, say 4 quarts; trimmings of fresh meat or poultry, shank-bones, &c. , roast-beef bones, any pieces the larder may furnish; vegetables, spices, and the same seasoning as in the foregoing recipe.

_Mode_.

--Let all the ingredients simmer gently for 6 hours, taking care to skim carefully at first.

Strain it off, and put by for use.

_Time_.

--6 hours.

_Average cost_, 3d.

per quart.

WHITE STOCK.

(_To be Used in the Preparation of White Soups_.

) 107. INGREDIENTS.

--4 lbs.

of knuckle of veal, any poultry trimmings, 4 slices of lean ham, 1 carrot, 2 onions, 1 head of celery, 12 white peppercorns, 1 oz.

of salt, 1 blade of mace, 1 oz.

butter, 4 quarts of water.

_Mode_.

--Cut up the veal, and put it with the bones and trimmings of poultry, and the ham, into the stewpan, which has been rubbed with the butter.

Moisten with 1/2 a pint of water, and simmer till the gravy begins to flow.

Then add the 4 quarts of water and the remainder of the ingredients; simmer for 5 hours.

After skimming and straining it carefully through a very fine hair sieve, it will be ready for use.

_Time_.

--5-1/2 hours.

_Average cost_, 9d.

per quart.

_Note_.

--When stronger stock is desired, double the quantity of veal, or put in an old fowl.

The liquor in which a young turkey has been boiled, is an excellent addition to all white stock or soups.

BROWNING FOR STOCK.

108. INGREDIENTS.

--2 oz.

of powdered sugar, and 1/2 a pint of water.

_Mode_.

--Place the sugar in a stewpan over a slow fire until it begins to melt, keeping it stirred with a wooden spoon until it becomes black, then add the water, and let it dissolve.

Cork closely, and use a few drops when required.

_Note_.

--In France, burnt onions are made use of for the purpose of browning.

As a general rule, the process of browning is to be discouraged, as apt to impart a slightly unpleasant flavour to the stock, and, consequently, all soups made from it.

TO CLARIFY STOCK.

109. INGREDIENTS.

--The whites of 2 eggs, 1/2 pint of water, 2 quarts of stock.

_Mode_.

--Supposing that by some accident the soup is not quite clear, and that its quantity is 2 quarts, take the whites of 2 eggs, carefully separated from their yolks, whisk them well together with the water, and add gradually the 2 quarts of boiling stock, still whisking.

Place the soup on the fire, and when boiling and well skimmed, whisk the eggs with it till nearly boiling again; then draw it from the fire, and let it settle, until the whites of the eggs become separated.

Pass through a fine cloth, and the soup should be clear.

_Note_.

--The rule is, that all clear soups should be of a light straw colour, and should not savour too strongly of the meat; and that all white or brown thick soups should have no more consistency than will enable them to adhere slightly to the spoon when hot.

All _purées_ should be somewhat thicker.

ALMOND SOUP.

110. INGREDIENTS.

--4 lbs.

of lean beef or veal, 1/2 a scrag of mutton, 1 oz.

of vermicelli, 4 blades of mace, 6 cloves, 1/2 lb.

of sweet almonds, the yolks of 6 eggs, 1 gill of thick cream, rather more than 2 quarts of water.

_Mode_.

--Boil the beef, or veal, and the mutton, gently in water that will cover them, till the gravy is very strong, and the meat very tender; then strain off the gravy, and set it on the fire with the specified quantities of vermicelli, mace, and cloves, to 2 quarts.

Let it boil till it has the flavour of the spices.

Have ready the almonds, blanched and pounded very fine; the yolks of the eggs boiled hard;

mixing the almonds, whilst pounding, with a little of the soup, lest the latter should grow oily.

Pound them till they are a mere pulp, and keep adding to them, by degrees, a little soup until they are thoroughly mixed together.

Let the soup be cool when mixing, and do it perfectly smooth.

Strain it through a sieve, set it on the fire, stir frequently, and serve hot.

Just before taking it up, add the cream.

_Time_.

--3 hours.

_Average cost_ per quart, 2s.

3d.

_Seasonable_ all the year.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

[Illustration: ALMOND & BLOSSOM.

] THE ALMOND-TREE.

--This tree is indigenous to the northern parts of Asia and Africa, but it is now cultivated in Europe, especially in the south of France, Italy, and Spain.

It flowers in spring, and produces its fruit in August.

Although there are two kinds of almonds, the _sweet_ and the _bitter,_ they are considered as only varieties of the same species.

The best sweet almonds brought to England, are called the Syrian or Jordan, and come from Malaga; the inferior qualities are brought from Valentia and Italy.

_Bitter_ almonds come principally from Magadore.

Anciently, the almond was much esteemed by the nations of the East.

Jacob included it among the presents which he designed for Joseph.

The Greeks called it the Greek or Thasian nut, and the Romans believed that by eating half a dozen of them, they were secured against drunkenness, however deeply they might imbibe.

Almonds, however, are considered as very indigestible.

The _bitter_ contain, too, principles which produce two violent poisons,--prussic acid and a kind of volatile oil.

It is consequently dangerous to eat them in large quantities.

Almonds pounded together with a little sugar and water, however, produce a milk similar to that which is yielded by animals.

Their oil is used for making fine soap, and their cake as a cosmetic.

APPLE SOUP.

111. INGREDIENTS.

--2 lbs.

of good boiling apples, 3/4 teaspoonful of white pepper, 6 cloves, cayenne or ginger to taste, 3 quarts of medium stock.

_Mode_.

--Peel and quarter the apples, taking out their cores; put them into the stock, stew them gently till tender.

Rub the whole through a strainer, add the seasoning, give it one boil up, and serve.

_Time_.

--1 hour.

_Average cost_ per quart, 1s.

_Seasonable_ from September to December.

_Sufficient_ for 10 persons.

[Illustration: APPLE AND BLOSSOM.

] THE APPLE.

--This useful fruit is mentioned in Holy Writ; and Homer describes it as valuable in his time.

It was brought from the East by the Romans, who held it in the highest estimation.

Indeed, some of the citizens of the "Eternal city" distinguished certain favourite apples by their names.

Thus the Manlians were called after Manlius, the Claudians after Claudius, and the Appians after Appius.

Others were designated after the country whence they were brought; as the Sidonians, the Epirotes, and the Greeks.

The best varieties are natives of Asia, and have, by grafting them upon others, been introduced into Europe.

The crab, found in our hedges, is the only variety indigenous to Britain; therefore, for the introduction of other kinds we are, no doubt, indebted to the Romans.

In the time of the Saxon heptarchy, both Devon and Somerset were distinguished as _the apple country_; and there are still existing in Herefordshire some trees said to have been planted in the time of William the Conqueror.

From that time to this, the varieties of this precious fruit have gone on increasing, and are now said to number upwards of 1,500. It is peculiar to the temperate zone, being found neither in Lapland, nor within the tropics.

The best baking apples for early use are the Colvilles; the best for autumn are the rennets and pearmains; and the best for winter and spring are russets.

The best table, or eating apples, are the Margarets for early use; the Kentish codlin and summer pearmain for summer; and for autumn, winter, or spring, the Dowton, golden and other pippins, as the ribstone, with small russets.

As a food, the apple cannot be considered to rank high, as more than the half of it consists of water, and the rest of its properties are not the most nourishing.

It is, however, a useful adjunct to other kinds of food, and, when cooked, is esteemed as slightly laxative.

ARTICHOKE (JERUSALEM) SOUP.

(_A White Soup_.

) 112. INGREDIENTS.

--3 slices of lean bacon or ham, 1/2 a head of celery, 1 turnip, 1 onion, 3 oz.

of butter, 4 lbs.

of artichokes, 1 pint of boiling milk, or 1/2 pint of boiling cream, salt and cayenne to taste, 2 lumps of sugar, 2-1/2 quarts of white stock.

_Mode_.

--Put the bacon and vegetables, which should be cut into thin slices, into the stewpan with the butter.

Braise these for 1/4 of an hour, keeping them well stirred.

Wash and pare the artichokes, and after cutting them into thin slices, add them, with a pint of stock, to the other ingredients.

When these have gently stewed down to a smooth pulp, put in the remainder of the stock.

Stir it well, adding the seasoning, and when it has simmered for five minutes, pass it through a strainer.

Now pour it back into the stewpan, let it again simmer five minutes, taking care to skim it well, and stir it to the boiling milk or cream.

Serve with small sippets of bread fried in butter.

_Time_.

--1 hour.

_Average cost_ per quart, 1s.

2d.

_Seasonable_ from June to October.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

ASPARAGUS SOUP.

I.

113. INGREDIENTS.

--5 lbs.

of lean beef, 3 slices of bacon, 1/2 pint of pale ale, a few leaves of white beet, spinach, 1 cabbage lettuce, a little mint, sorrel, and marjoram, a pint of asparagus-tops cut small, the crust of 1 French roll, seasoning to taste, 2 quarts of water.

_Mode_.

--Put the beef, cut in pieces and rolled in flour, into a stewpan, with the bacon at the bottom; cover it close, and set it on a slow fire, stirring it now and then till the gravy is drawn.

Put in the water and ale, and season to taste with pepper and salt, and let it stew gently for 2 hours; then strain the liquor, and take off the fat, and add the white beet, spinach, cabbage lettuce, and mint, sorrel, and sweet marjoram, pounded.

Let these boil up in the liquor, then put in the asparagus-tops cut small, and allow them to boil till all is tender.

Serve hot, with the French roll in the dish.

_Time_.

--Altogether 3 hours.

_Average cost_ per quart, 1s.

9d.

_Seasonable_ from May to August.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

II.

114. INGREDIENTS.

--1-1/2 pint of split peas, a teacupful of gravy, 4 young onions, 1 lettuce cut small, 1/2 a head of celery, 1/2 a pint of asparagus cut small, 1/2 a pint of cream, 3 quarts of water: colour the soup with spinach juice.

_Mode_.

--Boil the peas, and rub them through a sieve; add the gravy, and then stew by themselves the celery, onions, lettuce, and asparagus, with the water.

After this, stew altogether, and add the colouring and cream, and serve.

_Time_.

--Peas 2-1/2 hours, vegetables 1 hour; altogether 4 hours.

_Average cost_ per quart, 1s.

[Illustration: ASPARAGUS.

] ASPARAGUS.

--The ancients called all the sprouts of young vegetables asparagus, whence the name, which is now limited to a particular species, embracing artichoke, alisander, asparagus, cardoon, rampion, and sea-kale.

They are originally mostly wild seacoast plants; and, in this state, asparagus may still be found on the northern as well as southern shores of Britain.

It is often vulgarly called, in London, _sparrowgrass_; and, in it's cultivated form, hardly bears any resemblance to the original plant.

Immense quantities of it are raised for the London market, at Mortlake and Deptford; but it belongs rather to the classes of luxurious than necessary food.

It is light and easily digested, but is not very nutritious.

BAKED SOUP.

115. INGREDIENTS.

--1 lb.

of any kind of meat, any trimmings or odd pieces; 2 onions, 2 carrots, 2 oz.

of rice, 1 pint of split peas, pepper and salt to taste, 4 quarts of water.

_Mode_.

--Cut the meat and vegetables in slices, add to them the rice and peas, season with pepper and salt.

Put the whole in a jar, fill up with the water, cover very closely, and bake for 4 hours.

_Time_.

--4 hours.

_Average cost_, 2-1/2d.

per quart.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

_Sufficient_ for 10 or 12 persons.

_Note_.

--This will be found a very cheap and wholesome soup, and will be convenient in those cases where baking is more easily performed than boiling.

BARLEY SOUP.

116. INGREDIENTS.

--2 lbs.

of shin of beef, 1/4 lb.

of pearl barley, a large bunch of parsley, 4 onions, 6 potatoes, salt and pepper, 4 quarts of water.

_Mode_.

--Put in all the ingredients, and simmer gently for 3 hours.

_Time_.

--3 hours.

_Average cost_, 2-1/2d.

per quart.

_Seasonable_ all the year, but more suitable for winter.

[Illustration: BARLEY.

] BARLEY.

--This, in the order of cereal grasses, is, in Britain, the next plant to wheat in point of value, and exhibits several species and varieties.

From what country it comes originally, is not known, but it was cultivated in the earliest ages of antiquity, as the Egyptians were afflicted with the loss of it in the ear, in the time of Moses.

It was a favourite grain with the Athenians, but it was esteemed as an ignominious food by the Romans.

Notwithstanding this, however, it was much used by them, as it was in former times by the English, and still is, in the Border counties, in Cornwall, and also in Wales.

In other parts of England, it is used mostly for malting purposes.

It is less nutritive than wheat; and in 100 parts, has of starch 79, gluten 6, saccharine matter 7, husk 8. It is, however, a lighter and less stimulating food than wheat, which renders a decoction of it well adapted for invalids whose digestion is weak.

BREAD SOUP.

(_Economical_.

) 117. INGREDIENTS.

--1 lb.

of bread crusts, 2 oz.

butter, 1 quart of common stock.

_Mode_.

--Boil the bread crusts in the stock with the butter; beat the whole with a spoon, and keep it boiling till the bread and stock are well mixed.

Season with a little salt.

_Time_.

--Half an hour.

_Average cost_ per quart, 4d.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

_Sufficient_ for 4 persons.

_Note_.

--This is a cheap recipe, and will be found useful where extreme economy is an object.

[Illustration: QUERN, or GRINDING-MILL.

] BREAD.

--The origin of bread is involved in the obscurity of distant ages.

The Greeks attributed its invention to Pan; but before they, themselves, had an existence, it was, no doubt, in use among the primitive nations of mankind.

The Chaldeans and the Egyptians were acquainted with it, and Sarah, the companion of Abraham, mixed flour and water together, kneaded it, and covered it with ashes on the hearth.

The Scriptures inform us that leavened bread was known to the Israelites, but it is not known when the art of fermenting it was discovered.

It is said that the Romans learnt it during their wars with Perseus, king of Macedon, and that it was introduced to the "imperial city" about 200 years before the birth of Christ.

With them it no doubt found its way into Britain; but after their departure from the island, it probably ceased to be used.

We know that King Alfred allowed the unfermented cakes to burn in the neatherd's cottage; and that, even in the sixteenth century, unfermented cakes, kneaded by the women, were the only kind of bread known to the inhabitants of Norway and Sweden.

The Italians of this day consume the greater portion of their flour in the form of _polenta_, or soft pudding, vermicelli, and macaroni; and, in the remoter districts of Scotland, much unfermented bread is still used.

We give a cut of the _quern_ grinding-mill, which, towards the end of the last century, was in use in that country, and which is thus described by Dr. Johnson in his "Journey to the Hebrides:"--"It consists of two stones about a foot and half in diameter; the lower is a little convex, to which the concavity of the upper must be fitted.

In the middle of the upper stone is a round hole, and on one side is a long handle.

The grinder sheds the corn gradually into the hole with one hand, and works the handle round with the other.

The corn slides down the convexity of the lower stone, and by the motion of the upper, is ground in its passage."

Such a primitive piece of machinery, it may safely be said, has entirely disappeared from this country.

--In other parts of this work, we shall have opportunities of speaking of bread and bread-making, which, from its great and general use in the nourishment of mankind, has emphatically been called the "staff of life."

The necessity, therefore, of having it both pure and good is of the first importance.

CABBAGE SOUP.

118. INGREDIENTS.

--1 large cabbage, 3 carrots, 2 onions, 4 or 5 slices of lean bacon, salt and pepper to taste, 2 quarts of medium stock No. 105. _Mode_.

--Scald the cabbage, exit it up and drain it.

Line the stewpan with the bacon, put in the cabbage, carrots, and onions; moisten with skimmings from the stock, and simmer very gently, till the cabbage is tender; add the stock, stew softly for half an hour, and carefully skim off every particle of fat.

Season and serve.

_Time_.

--1-1/2 hour.

_Average cost_, 1s.

per quart.

_Seasonable_ in winter.

_Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

[Illustration: CABBAGE SEEDING.

] THE CABBAGE.

--It is remarkable, that although there is no country in the world now more plentifully supplied with fruits and vegetables than Great Britain, yet the greater number of these had no existence in it before the time of Henry VIII.

Anderson, writing under the date of 1548, says, "The English cultivated scarcely any vegetables before the last two centuries.

At the commencement of the reign, of Henry VIII.

neither salad, nor carrots, nor cabbages, nor radishes, nor any other comestibles of a like nature, were grown in any part of the kingdom; they came from Holland and Flanders."

The original of all the cabbage tribe is the wild plant _sea-colewort_, which is to be found _wasting_ whatever sweetness it may have on the desert air, on many of the cliffs of the south coast of England.

In this state, it scarcely weighs more than half an ounce, yet, in a cultivated state, to what dimensions can it be made to grow!

However greatly the whole of the tribe is esteemed among the moderns, by the ancients they were held in yet higher estimation.