The new century cookery book

44. Olives. — Spanish and French olives are the best for hors d’oeuvre, the Spanish being the most esteemed ; they should remain on the table until the dessert is served. Olives destroy the taste of what has been previously eaten, hence they are so popular a relish. Choose them firm, and of a nice green colour. Steep them in cold water before serving ; dish up on small dishes or boats with a little cold water. Never use a metal fork or spoon to dress them. Those left over from a meal should be rebottled at once with salted water, else they will turn black. 45. Concombre (Cucumber). — Peel very thin and cut up into thin slices, lay the slices on a dish, sprinkle with salt, cover, and let them remain thus for one or two hours. Drain well, dish up on small glass dishes, season with a little salad oil and French wine vinegar. Sprinkle over some chopped parsley, and serve. 46. Salami, Bologna, Brunswick, Lyons, and other Smoked Sausages. — Cut the sausage into very thin round slices, remove the skin, dish up neatly, garnish with parsley, and serve. 47. Royans d la Bordelaise. — These are procured packed in oil, usually in tins. Dish up in glass dishes, garnished with some parsley. 48. Sardines. — Procure an 18-oz. tin: choose a well-known brand. Take them carefully out of the tin, wipe each slightly with a cloth, lay them in small dishes, moisten with a little sweet oil, garnish with capers and sprigs of parsley. Never use the oil out of the tin. Other fish preparations, such as lax, herrings (marine), fillets of herring (sour), &c., are served as hors d’oeuvre in the same manner. 49. Bonnes Bouches de Crevettes a l’ Avondale (Bouche Cups of Shrimps, Avondale style). — f pint aspic jelly (No. 38), ^ oz. leaf gelatine, i pint picked shrimps or prawns, 1 tablespoonful chutney, 1 dessertspoonful anchovy essence, \ teaspoonful mixed mustard, % teaspoonful chilli vinegar, 1 gill tomato aspic (No. 295), salt, and a small pinch of cayenne. Dissolve the gelatine and strain it into about half a pint of liquefied aspic, put it into a basin, and whisk over some broken ice until it becomes spongy in appearance ; fill up quickly a number of small Bouchee cup moulds (Dariole or Timbale shape) and allow them to set firmly on the ice. Cut the shrimps or prawns into small dice, put HOBS D'CEUVBE (APPETISEBS) them in a stewpan with the chutney (chopped finely), the anchovy essence, mustard, vinegar, and tomato aspic ; heat up while stirring, season to taste, and turn into a basin. Scoop out a portion of the centre of each mould with a hot dessertspoon, fill up the cavity with the prepared mixture, as it becomes cool. Set the mould on the ice for about an hour, turn out, dish up, and garnish with chopped aspic jelly. 50. Bonnes Bouches de Sardines — 2£ oz. of sardine paste, a handful of small cress, 1 dessert-spoonful of street oil, 1 teaspoonful of vinegar, 3 oz. butter, brown bread, salt, pepper, and cayenne ; 2 hard-boiled eggs, watercress for garnish.