The spirit of cookery

General Observations. — On account of the somewhat pronounced flavour of some sorts of mutton, the broth made from that kind of meat is not so frequently used for the production of savoury dishes as beef. But the glace, or essence, or extract of mutton is even more savoury, and withal more refined, than extract of beef. But it is not so extensively brought into trade, simply because the production of essence of beef is somewhat cheaper than that of essence of mutton. What is called Scotch mutton-broth is not a simple broth such as we are here discussing, but an expanded ragout of mutton chops or cutlets with barley and turnips. As Scotland is the country where sheep thrive better than elsewhere, mutton is there such a constant household article of nutrition that Scotch broth is made to signify Scotch mutton broth. It is also proper that mutton should be accompanied not only with barley, which is the principal cereal now grown in Scotland, and in its southern counties shares the arable surface with turnips, but also with hirnips, upon which sheep have to live for a part of their existence, and from which they derive a part of the flavour of their meat. Recipe. — Trim a neck of mutton as for cutlets, and cut it into cutlets ; pare away all superfluous skin and excess of fat, and yellow elastic tissue or neck ligament ; place the cutlets in a stewpan with the outer part of two carrots, three turnips, two leeks, an onion, and a head of celery — all vegetables cut into very small dice. Have ready two quarts of mutton-broth, or standard beef-broth, and pour it over the cutlets ; add 6 oz. of Scotch barley, previously parboiled. Boil the whole until the mutton, vegetables, . and barley are properly cooked. Use salt sparingly, remove fat from the top of the broth, and point it with some chopped and blanched parsley. Some cooks n^ake the broth which is to be poured over the cutlets with the aid of the trimmings. Considering how small is the quantity of meat in them, it will be seen that they could yield only little of a weak broth, and the result would hardly be worth the trouble and cost of production. We find that for this and the hotch-potch next to be described the broth is best produced with Anderson’s extract of mutton, which gives the finest mutton-tea that can be produced. Hotch-Potch. This name is generally spelled as in our title, and not hodge-podge, as some writers have it. It is derived from the French liochepiot, from hocher, to shake, and pot.* The dish may be defined as ‘ a confused mass of ingredients shaken and gently boiled together in the same pot.’ The French recipes contain no mutton nor mutton-broth ; but besides oxtail and slices of beef, ham, and a saveloy (sausage), a long list of vegetables — carrots, salsify, turnips, scorzonera (black salsify), topinambur, celery, red potatoes, and many onions. It is therefore a very general ragovit soup, in which the meat has been, in Scotland, changed or limited to mutton. Produce the mutton-broth with chops or cutlets as in the previous recipe, and add thereto a pint and a half of tender green peas, preferably marrow-fats. Boil the soup until all the ingredients are done, and then add to it a pint of puree of spinach with some parsley, so that the soup have a deepgreen colour. Gravy-Broth of Fowls.