Cookery for every household

The aspic used for chopping should be rather stiff and very clear. Put the quantity required on to a sheet of white paper that has been sprinkled with cold water, and with a long knife, that has been dipped in cold water, chop it until it is the size required. This should be done in a cool place. Chopped aspic is used to decorate various cold dishes ; it may either be placed in small quantities on the top of the meat, or placed in a circle round the dish. Small entrees too, are sometimes decorated with chopped aspic squeezed through a forcing bag. 1309. Aspic Croutons Pour some stiffish aspic into a wetted shallow tin or dish, not more than 1 inch in depth, and set it aside to cool. When firm, turn out on a sheet of paper that has been sprinkled with water, and cut out into crescents, circles, triangles, lozenge shapes, &c., with a knife or cutters that have been dipped in water. These form a very useful garnish for various cold dishes. 1310. Tomato Jelly 1 lb. ripe tomatoes. 1 pt. hot water. 1 oz. gelatine. 1 glass sherry. 12 peppercorns. A small bunch of herbs. 1 cupful mixed vegetables. 1 lemon. 1 tea-sp. salt. 2 or 3 drops carmine. 1 white and shell of egg. Put the water and gelatine into a jelly pan, and allow them to soak whilst preparing the other ingredients. Wipe the tomatoes and cut them in rough pieces, prepare a few small pieces of carrot, turnip, onion, and celery, and add all these to the gelatine and water. Add also the thinly peeled rind and strained juice of the lemon, the wine and other ingredients. Finish and clear in the same way as aspic jelly (see above). Rings of cucumber are also pretty as a garnish. Cut some cucumber in slices about | inch in thickness. With a round cutter cut off the outer green skin, and then with a much smaller cutter stamp out the seedy part from the centre. Cook these rings in boiling salted water until they are tender without being broken, then drain and use as a garnish either for hot or cold dishes. The centres of the rings may be filled with a tiny piece of tomato, radish or truffle. 1312. Egg Garnish Separate the yolk from the white. Rub the yolk through a wire sieve, lift it as lightly as possible and use it for sprinkling over fish, boiled fowl, and various savoury dishes. The hard-boiled white may be either chopped or cut in fancyshaped pieces. If a large number of the latter are required, it is better to steam 2 or 3 whites of eggs separately in a small cup or mould, then to turn them out, and cut in slices and fancy shapes as desired. 1313. Grated Horse-radish Wash and scrape a root of horse-radish until all the brown outside part is removed, and if possible let it lie in cold water for an hour. Then with a very sharp knife scrape it down in very fine shreds, from the root end downwards. This is used for decorating both meat and fish, and especially roast meat. It should be laid on very lightly in little bunches. 1314. Cheap Glaze for Meat | pt. stock or water. | oz. French sheet gelatine. 1 tea-sp. meat extract. Dissolve the gelatine in the stock or water, then add the meat extract, and boil until reduced to about half the quantity, stirring frequently. Season if necessary, strain, and allow it to become almost cold before using. 1311. Cucumber Garnish