The handy dictionary of cookery

Take an ox foot, wash it thoroughly well, cut it up into small joints ; put them into cold water ; bring to the boil, pour away the water ; add six quarts of clean cold water ; simmer very slowly, with a lid on the pan, six hours ; strain it; allow it to get quite cold. Remove every particle of fat by means of an iron spoon dipped into boiling water ; wring out a clean towel in hot water, pass it over the surface. Put the stock thus prepared into a very clean pan with two tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, two tablespoonfuls of white vinegar, a blade of mace, twenty white peppercorns, one small turnip, one onion prepared {see Onions), one small carrot, a sprig of parsley, thyme, celery, the whites and shells of two eggs. Whisk these all over the fire until a stiff froth is formed on the top remove the whisk ; allow it to boil up to the top of the pan twice ; remove it very carefully from the fire so as not to break the froth formed on the top ; put on the lid ; allow it to stand twenty minutes ; strain through a clean kitchen towel. Note. — It is the froth on the top which forms the filter for clearing the jelly. There is no need of a flaiinel bag. Aspic jelly may also be made as above, only using one ounce of gelatine and one pint of water instead of the ox foot. Bacon and Egg Pies. Put into a basin half a pound of flour, rub finely into it a quarter of a pound of lard or dripping, make into a stiff paste with cold water, roll it out on a floured board to about a quarter of an inch in thickness ; line some patty-pans with the paste, and put into each one some cooked bacon and egg cut up into small pieces ; season with pepper and salt ; wet round the edges, put a lid of paste on the top, cut it evenly round, mark with a fork; bake in a hot oven ten minutes. Banbury Cakes. Take some flaky crust Flaky Crust) or puff pastry {see ^ Puff Pastry) ; roll it out to about half an inch in thickness ; cut some pieces four inches long and three and a half wide, put some Banbury meat in the centre, fold it in three, press the edges firmly together, make three marks with a knife across the top, brush them over with whipped white of an egg ^nd sugar ; bake in a hot oven. Time to bake, fifteen minutes. Banbury Meat. Beat a quarter of a pound of butter to a cream ; mix with it a quarter of a pound of moist sugar, two ounces of mixed candied peel chopped fine, six ounces of best flour, one pound of currants, a quarter of an ounce of allspice, a quarter of an ounce of cinnamon : mix all these dry ingredients well together ; blend well with the beaten yolks of five eggs. Tie in jars and keep in a dry place for use. Barley Cream. Cut up half a pound of fillet or cutlet of veal in small pieces, remove all fat and skin, put it into a pan with one pint of water ; well wash the barley, add it to the veal, allow it to simmer very slowly two hours ; pass the meat, barley, and soup through a sieve. Then add to it one gill of cream, pour all into a pan, and stir till thick and quite hot; do not allow it to boil or it will curdle. Serve with toast cut in dice. Barley Pudding’.