and let the inside of the cover and the rim be equally eo. Wash
the meat, and prepare the vegetables with great nicety before
they are laid into it ; and be careful to keep it always closely shut
when it is on the fire. Never, on any account, set the soup by in it,
but strain it off* at once into a clean pan, and fill the stock-pot imme-
diately with water ; pursue the same plan with all stewpans and
saucepans directly they are emptied.
Skim the soup thoroughly when it first begins to boil, or it will
not be easy afterwards to render it clear ; throw in some salt, which
will assist to bring the scum to the surface, and when it has all been
taken off, add the herbs and vegetables ; for if not long stewed in the
soup, their flavour will prevail too strongly. Remember that the
trimmings, and the bones of fresh meat, the necks of poultry, the
liquor in which a joint has been boiled, and the shank-bones of
mutton, are all excellent additions to the stock-pot, and should be
carefully reserved for it. The remains of roast poultry and game
also will improve both the colour and the flavour of broth or soup.
Let the soup be very slowly heated, and after it has been well
skimmed, and has boiled for a few minutes, draw it to the side of
the stove and keep it simmering softly , but without ceasing, until
it is done ; for on this, as will hereafter be shown, its excellence
principally depends. Every good cook understands perfectly the
difference produced by the fast boiling, or the gentle stewing , of soups
and gravies, and will adhere strictly to the latter method.*
Pour boiling water, in small quantities at first, to the meat and
vegetables of which the soup is to be made when they have been
fried or browned ; but otherwise, always add cold water to the meat.
Unless precise orders to the contrary have been given, onions,
eschalots, and garlic, should be used for seasoning with great mode-
ration ; for not only are they very offensive to many eaters, but to
persons of delicate habit their effects are sometimes extremely preju-
dicial ; and it is only in coarse cookery that their flavour is allowed
ever strongly to prevail.
A small proportion of sugar, about an ounce to the gallon, will
very much improve the flavour of gravy-stock, and of all rich
brown soups ; it may be added also to some others with advantage ;
and for this, directions will be given in the proper places.
Two ounces of salt may be allowed for each gallon of soup or
broth, in which large quantities of vegetables are stewed ; but an
ounce and a half will be sufficient for such as contain few or none ; it
is always easy to add more if needful, but oversalting in the first
* It is most difficult to render rapidly-boiled soup or gravy clear for table ;
but that which is only simmered will clarify itself if allowed to remain undis-
turbed for some little time (half an hour or so) after it is withdrawn from the
fire ; it should then he poured very gently from the sediment. Calfs feet
stock likewise may he converted into transparent jelly with far greater facility
when it has not been thickened by too quick boiling, by which so many pra
parations in our Engliso kitchens are injured.
4
MODERN COOKERY.
[chap. i.
Page 31
Presented as published in 1884. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
and let the inside of the cover and the rim be equally so. Wash the meat, and prepare the vegetables with great nicety before they are laid into it ; and be careful to keep it always closely shut when it is on the fire. Never, on any account, set the soup by in it, but strain it off* at once into a clean pan, and fill the stock-pot immediately with water ; pursue the same plan with all stewpans and saucepans directly they are emptied.
Skim the soup thoroughly when it first begins to boil, or it will not be easy afterwards to render it clear ; throw in some salt, which will assist to bring the scum to the surface, and when it has all been taken off, add the herbs and vegetables ; for if not long stewed in the soup, their flavour will prevail too strongly. Remember that the trimmings, and the bones of fresh meat, the necks of poultry, the liquor in which a joint has been boiled, and the shank-bones of mutton, are all excellent additions to the stock-pot, and should be carefully reserved for it. The remains of roast poultry and game also will improve both the colour and the flavour of broth or soup.
Let the soup be very slowly heated, and after it has been well skimmed, and has boiled for a few minutes, draw it to the side of the stove and keep it simmering softly , but without ceasing, until it is done ; for on this, as will hereafter be shown, its excellence principally depends. Every good cook understands perfectly the difference produced by the fast boiling, or the gentle stewing , of soups and gravies, and will adhere strictly to the latter method.*
Pour boiling water, in small quantities at first, to the meat and vegetables of which the soup is to be made when they have been fried or browned ; but otherwise, always add cold water to the meat.
Unless precise orders to the contrary have been given, onions, eschalots, and garlic, should be used for seasoning with great moderation ; for not only are they very offensive to many eaters, but to persons of delicate habit their effects are sometimes extremely prejudicial ; and it is only in coarse cookery that their flavour is allowed ever strongly to prevail.
A small proportion of sugar, about an ounce to the gallon, will very much improve the flavour of gravy-stock, and of all rich brown soups ; it may be added also to some others with advantage ; and for this, directions will be given in the proper places.
Two ounces of salt may be allowed for each gallon of soup or broth, in which large quantities of vegetables are stewed ; but an ounce and a half will be sufficient for such as contain few or none ; it is always easy to add more if needful, but oversalting in the first
* It is most difficult to render rapidly-boiled soup or gravy clear for table ; but that which is only simmered will clarify itself if allowed to remain undisturbed for some little time (half an hour or so) after it is withdrawn from the fire ; it should then he poured very gently from the sediment. Calfs feet stock likewise may he converted into transparent jelly with far greater facility when it has not been thickened by too quick boiling, by which so many pra parations in our Engliso kitchens are injured.
[chap. i.