FoodNet

The housekeeper's guide to preserved meats, fruits, vegetables, &c

1880

Page 213

Presented as published in 1880. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Under the heading of “ Chick e n- and -Ham Pate ” I have already given directions as to how to make kromeskies and ris- soles, and under the heading of “ Pate de Foie Gras” I have given descrip- tions of the way to make Italian fritters, a very nice and at the same time very cheap dish. These Strasburg pies are equally useful to assist in making any of these three dishes. Of course, as they contain truffle, they are far more suited to be mixed with the meat and chicken or any kind of poultry than with beef or mutton. A most delicious forcemeat can be made from the re- mains of these Strasburg pies, with the assistance of scraps of cold roast fowl, and some pieces of ham. Of course a few mushrooms would be a still greater improvement. STRAWBERRIES, CRYSTALLISED.— Crystallised strawberries are one of the most delicious forms of crystallised fruits. Owing to their beautiful taste and colour they are an admirable addition to any kind of dish of crys- tallised fruits, and owing to their size they are very useful in decorating the. dish, as they will fit into holes and cor- ners between the piled-up fruit of larger size. In serving a dish of crystallised fruits it is generally best for the colour BLACKWELL'S green to predominate, and to be placed round the base. STRAWBERRIES IN SYRUP.— Straw- berries can now be obtained preserved in syrup, and make an extremely nice dish when served by themselves. The bottle has simply to be opened and the strawberries carefully placed in a dish with the syrup, taking as much care as possible not to break up the fruit in turning it out. A very nice addition to this dish is to cover the top with some whipped cream. When the dish of fruit has been covered with cream the cream itself can be orna- mented by sprinkling over the top a little coloured sugar or a spoonful of those well-known sweets called by chil- dren hundreds and thousands. But it should not be put on the top of the whipped cream till just before the dish is sent to table. The sugar and sweet- meats have, of course, a tendency to sink into the cream, and thus give the whipped cream the appearance rather of lialf-melted snow than the clear white froth which it should be. Devon- shire cream, which can now be obtained in many towns preserved in small jars, is also exceedingly nice with straw- berries in syrup. In this case I think as a rule it is better to hand the cream in the jar itself than to turn I it out on to the dish. Where cream itself cannot be obtained a very nice substitute can be made by dissolving sufficient Swiss milk in ordinary milk to make the whole of the consistency of cream, and as the Swiss milk is sweet no sugar need be added.