Modern cookery, in all its branches

Dissolve a couple of ounces of good butter in a thick stewpan or saucepan, throw in from four to six sliced eschalots, four ounces of the lean of an undressed ham, three ounces of carrot, cut in small dice, one bay leaf, two or three branches of parsley, and one or two of thyme, but these last must be small ; three cloves, a blade of mace, and a dozen corns of pepper ; add part of a root of parsley, if it be at hand, and keep the whole stirred or shaken over a moderate fire for twenty minutes, then add by degrees one pint of very strong veal stock or gravy, and stew the whole gently from thirty to forty minutes; strain it, skim off the fat, and it will be ready to serve. Butter, 2 oz. ; eschalots, 4 to 6; lean of undressed ham, 4 oz. ; carrots, 3 oz. ; bay leaf, 1 ; little thyme and parsley, in branches ; cloves, 3 ; mace, 1 blade ; peppercorns, 12 ; little parsley root : fried gently, 20 minutes. Strong veal stock, or gravy, 1 pint : stewed very softly, 30 to 40 minutes. ESPAGNOLE, WITH WINE. Take the same proportions of ingredients as for the preceding Espagnole , with the addition, if they should be at hand, of a dozen small mushrooms prepared as for stewing; when these have fried gently in the stewpan until it appears of a reddish colour all round, stir in a tablespoonful of flour, and when it is lightly browned, add in small portions, letting each one boil up before the next is poured in, and shaking the pan well round, three quarters of a pint of hot and good veal gravy, and nearly half a pint of Madeira or sherry. When the sauce has boiled gently for half an hour, add to it a small quantity of cayenne and some salt, if this last be needed ; then strain it, skim off the fat entirely should any appear upon the surface, and serve it very hot. A smaller proportion of wine added a few minutes before the sauce is ready for table, would perhaps better suit with English taste, as with longer boiling its flavour passes off almost entirely. Either of these Espagnoles , poured over the well bruised remains of pheasants, partridges, or moor fowl, and boiled with them for an hour, will become most admirable game gravy, and would generally be considered a superlative addition to other roast birds of their kind, as well as to the hash or salmi, for which see Chapter XV. Ingredients as in preceding receipt, with mushrooms 12 to 18 ; Madeira, or good sherry, | to \ pint. JUS DES ROGNONS, OR, KIDNEY GRAVY. Strip the skin and take the fat from three fresh mutton kidneys, slice and flour them ; melt two ounces of butter in a deep saucepan, and put in the kidneys, with an onion cut small, and a teaspoonful of fine herbs stripped from the stalks. Keep these well shaken over a clear fire until nearly all the moisture is dried up ; then pour in a pint of boiling water, add half a teaspoonful of salt, and a little cayenne or common pepper, and let the gravy boil gently for an hour and a half, or longer, if it be not thick and rich. Strain it through a fine sieve, and take off the fat. Spice or catsup may be added at pleasure. Mutton kidneys, 3 ; butter, 2 oz. ; onion, 1 ; fine herbs, 1 teaspoonful : \ hour. Water, 1 pint ; salt, a teaspoonful ; little cayenne, or black pepper : 1^ hour.