The spirit of cookery

There are a number of variations of loins of beef, boned, i rolled, and braised, bearing different names, which depend upon variations of garnish mainly. Thus, the roll may be garnished with a ragout d la Financidre or d la Flamande, or d la Printanihre, or the garnish may consist of alternate j groups of stewed peas and potatoes, turned in the shape of olives and fried. We believe that no joint has received so much attention, and so many skilful modifications, as the braised loin of beef. In several of the recipes which we have perused, a great excess of alcoholic liquid is recoin- LOIN AND FILLET OF BEEF mmended to be added to the braised roll of beef. Allowing the roll to amount to 12 lb. of clear weight, there were to be added a bottle of red wine and two glassfuls, say 4 oz., of brandy, then the broth. After the beef had been braised for five hours, there were again to be added to the braise a glassful, or two glassfuls, of malaga or madeira. Such additions, or any addition of wine at all, are destructive of the essential element of braise, namely, the savour; no complicated additions, and no garnish, can ever be a set off against any deficiency in the quality of the joint. The Fillet, or Under-cut, or Inside of Loin, the psoas muscle of the ox, is the tenderest flesh ou the whole animal, and therefore preferred for many preparations, particularly in countries where beef is tough, owing to natural conditions or the necessity of early consumption. But the fillet is also relatively tasteless, and therefore by common consent receives a kind of culinary preparation which is to supplement that deficiency. It is always greatly improved by mere larding, when it is to be roasted by itself ; when it is roasted with the loin, larding is not to be advised, except in case the loin itself be also larded. It may also be marinaded, larded, braised, and variously prepared. When garnished with macaroni or ravioli, it passes by the name of d la Najiolitame ; when the macaroni are prepared separately with bechamel sauce and Parma cheese, the dish is called d la Milanaise. The fillet may be braised d la Jardiniere, or in a plain manner. In the latter form it was formerly called mock hare ; later it was assimilated to the Continental dressing of roebuck, and named d la Chevreuil. When neatly trimmed and closely larded, it should be put in a cold marinade of two parts vinegar with one part of water, pepper, bay-leaves, lemon, and some olive oil for two or three days, and turned over repeatedly, and then braised with all accompaniments. Plere also we repeat the caution against the addition of wine : we have seen recipes directing