Middle class cookery book

Meat covered with water and cooked in it is said to be boiled, but it must not be supposed that the water should be kept at boiling point. Plunge the meat into boiling water (212° Pahr.), enough to cover it. This hardens the outside, and keeps in the juices. After the water (cooled by the meat) again comes to the boil, let it remain boiling for about 5 minutes, then skim carefully, and add cold water, or move the pot to a less hot place, till the water simmers. Tested by thermometer, there is little difl'erence between the heat of boiling and of simmering. The difference of the result of the two methods of cooking is very great indeed, and appears to be due to the different rates atwhich the heat is communicated to the food. Meat boiled is meat spoiled — it must be simmered slowly to be properly cooked. Draw the pot aside, keep it simmering till the meat is cooked, allowing a of an hour to each pound, counting from the time the water begins to boil, and ^ of an hour over. If it is a large piece of meat, allow an hour over. Add a little salt when the meat is nearly ready. For salt meat or pork allow 20 minutes to each pound. Salt meat is put on with cold water. For fish allow 10 minutes to the pound, and, when thick, 10 minutes over. Green vegetables should be boiled briskly and If I i, f; • •• . 38 MIDDLE CLASS COOKERY BOOK part ii without a lid on the pan ; this helps to preserve the colour. Steaming In steaming, the food to be cooked is placed in a tin or earthenware vessel, covered with a tight cover or buttered paper.1 The vessel is placed in a pan of boiling water, which comes half-way up its side. If the water boils away, more boiling water must be added. Puddings, etc., when steamed, do not require to have so much liquid in them as when baked. The dry air of the oven dries them ; steaming keeps them moist (see p. 137). Stewing In stewing juicy meats the outside should be hardened by browning (see p. 42) in order to keep in the juices. The meat is then placed in a stewpan and a small quantity of hot water or stock poured round it. This is slowly warmed and then allowed to simmer slowly, and must on no account be allowed to boil. Stewing chiefly differs from boiling in the quantity of water used, and in the length of time of cooking. The juice that is drawn out of the meat is served in the gravy. Coarse pieces of meat may be made tender by careful and long stewing, but they should not be browned. If very tough, they may be dipped in vinegar to soften the fibre. Gristly pieces should be put on with cold water and simmered till tender, but not allowed to boil fast. Another and a good way of stewing is to put the stew in a stone jar with a closely fitting lid or cover of buttered 2 paper. The jar is placed on the hob, or in a slow oven, or in a saucepan with water kept boiling round it. 1 No printed paper should be used in cooking 2 Soft fat can be used instead of butter. CHAP. J GENERAL DIRECTIONS 39 Frying-