The "A1" cookery book

Scotch Woodcock. — A couple of slices of buttered toast and two anchovies. Take the yolks of two eggs and a gill of cream, beat the yolks and stir them into the cream. Put these into a saucepan and bring just to boiling-point. Pound the anchovies and spread them on the hot toast, and pour a little of the sauce on each piece. Anchovy paste can be used instead of anchovies. * Arrowroot. — Mix a dessert-spoon (or less) of arrowroot with a little cold water to a smooth paste, pour upon it half a pint of boiling milk or water, and stir it in the cup till it thickens. Sweeten and flavour to taste. Devilled Almonds. — Blanch some almonds and fry them in oil or butter for a few minutes, till they are a pale golden colour ; drain them on paper in front of the fire, roll them in salt mixed with a little cayenne, and set them in the oven to dry and crisp. Barley Water (very good). — 2 teaspoons of Robinson’s patent barley, 1 quart boiling water, rind and juice of -i- a lemon, 1 oz. lump sugar. Mix the barley to a smooth paste with a very little cold water, and then add the lemon and sugar and pour over the boiling water. This drink is equally nice hot or cold, and is very much liked by invalids. Bechamel Sauce. — 2 oz. butter, oz. flour, sprig of parsley, 6 peppercorns, 6 mushrooms, \ pint white stock, £ pint milk or cream. Melt the butter in a saucepan, and mix the flour smoothly with it ; add the other ingredients and stir till the sauce boils, then set it on one side, and let it simmer for twenty minutes. Strain, and it is ready for use. To Bottle Fruit or Vegetables. — Put the fruit into bottles and place in the oven till it is almost cooked. Remove from the oven and fill up the bottles with hot water. Pour oil over the top, and when it is cold cork the bottles tightly and keep in a dry place. The fruit should have the water poured off before it is used, and be sweetened to taste. Peas and French beans can be preserved in the same way. Chestnut Soup. — -Strip the outer rind from some fine Spanish chestnuts, throw them into a large saucepan of warm water ; just before the water boils take out the chestnuts, peel them quickly, and throw them into cold water, wipe, and weigh them ; take * of a lb. for each quart of soup. Cover them with good stock, and stew them gently for an hour, or until they break when touched with a fork. Drain, pound them smoothly, and rub them through a fine sieve; mix with them slowly the proper quantity of stock, add sufficient mace, cayenne, and salt to season the soup, stir often till it boils, i of a pint of cream will greatly improve the soup. Part of the stock in which the chestnuts were boiled can be used for the soup if the sweetness is not objected to. Chutnee. — 3 dozen apples peeled and cored, cut into eight pieces, ^ lb. preserved ginger scraped, 1 oz. mustard seed picked and washed, 6 shalots, 5 Spanish onions cut in thin slices, i| oz. small bird’s-eye chillies, £ lb. salt, 2 lbs. coarse brown sugar, 3 quarts brown vinegar, 4 oz. sultana raisins. The sugar, vinegar, and salt dissolved together cold. Then the whole to be boiled till the apple is tender. This chutnee is greatly improved by being kept six months before being used.