Original White House Cookbook

Skin the leaf lard carefully, cut it into small pieces, and put it into a kettle or saucepan; pour in a cupful of water to prevent burning; set it over the fire where it will melt slowly. Stir it frequently and let it simmer until nothing remains but brown scraps. Remove the scraps with a perforated skimmer, throw in a little salt to settle the fat, and, when clear, strain through a coarse cloth into jars. Remember to watch it constantly, stirring it from the bottom until the salt is thrown in to settle it; then se^- it back on the range until clear. If it scorches it gives it a very bad flavor. ★ ★ ★ DRAWN BUTTER. Melted butter is the foundation of most of the common sauces. Have a covered saucepan for this purpose. One lined with porcelain will be best. Take a quarter of a pound of the best fresh butter, cut it up, and mix ’with it about one tablespoonful . of flour. When it is thoroughly mixed, put it into the saucepan, and add to it half a teacupful of hot ’water. Cover the saucepan and set it in a large tin pan of boiling water. Shake it round continually (always moving it the same way) till it is entirely melted and begins to simmer. Then let it rest till it boils up. If you set it on too hot a Are, it will be oily. If the butter and flour are not well mixed, it will be lumpy. If you put in too much water, it will be thin and poor. All these defects are to be carefully avoided. In melting butter for sweet or pudding sauce, you may use milk instead of water. TARTARE SAUCE. The raw yolks of two eggs, half a teacupful of pure olive oil, three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, one of made mustard, one teaspoonful of sugar, a quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, one teaspoonful of salt, one of onion juice, one tablespoonful of chopped capers, one of chopped cucumber pickle. Put together the same as mayonnaise dressing, adding the chopped ingredients the last thing. This sauce is good for fried or boiled fish, boiled tongue, fish salad, and may be used with fried and broiled meats. EGG SAUCE, OR WHITE SAUCE. Mix two tablespoonfuls of sifted flour with half a teacup of warm butter. Place over the fire a saucepan containing a pint of sweet milk and a saltspoon of salt, and a dash of white pepper ; when it reaches the boiling point, add the butter and flour, stirring briskly until it thickens and becomes like cream. Have ready three cold hard-boiled eggs, sliced and (149) chopped, add them to the sauce; let them heat through thoroughly, and serve in a boat. If you have plenty of cream, use it and omit the butter By omitting the eggs, you have the same as “White Sauce.” OYSTER SAUCE. Take a pint of oysters and heat them in their own liquor long enough to come to a boil, or until they begin to ruffle. Skim out the oysters into a warm dish, put into the liquor a teacup of milk or cream, two tablespoonfuls of cold butter, a pinch of cayenne and salt; thicken with a tablespoonful of flour stirred to a paste, boil up and then add the oysters. Oyster sauce is used for fish, boiled turkey, chickens and boiled white meats of most kinds. LOBSTER SAUCE.