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

with a single good-sized truffle, owing to its being able to be cut up into thin slices. The black truffle is extremely useful in ornamenting in conjunction with red ham on a white surface. For. instance, suppose we take the case of an ordinary boiled turkey which has been stuffed with truffle forcemeat, a very nice garnish can be made as follows : A rich white bechamel sauce should be poured over the breast, and some small black specks of truffle scattered upon it, with some finely-chopped pieces of red tongue and a little chopped green parsley. Round the base of the turkey, on the dish, should be placed a garnish made as follows : Take a dozen cock’s-combs, and having boiled them tender, if they are not bottled, mask them over with white bechamel sauce and place them round the base of the turkey alternately with some slices of red boiled tongue cut out the same shape as the cock's-comb. Some black truffle can be placed at the base of each cock’s-comb, and some small specks of black truffle placed round the edge, so as to form a sort of eye to the frill. This forms a very handsome garnish. Truffles are the base of all sauces and flavours known under the name of “ Perigueux.” One of the most highly-appreciated sauces known is Perigueux sauce. M. Francatelli, who was formerly chef at the Reform Club and Freemasons’ Tavern, states in his receipt that the best truffles are to be obtained in bottles, and recommends the following method of making it : — Chop six or eight truffles extremely fine ; put them in a stewpan with two glasses of white wine, a little lean ham and some thyme, and a bay-leaf. Set them to boil gently on a stove fire for a few minutes, then add a little brown sauce and a little consomme , and stir the sauce on the fire till it boils. Then set it by the side to clear itself. Skim it well, take out the ham, bay-leaf, and thyme, and, after reducing it to the proper consistency, pour it into a bain-marie for use. Just before dinner-time add a small piece of butter to soften the flavour. The presence of truffle is essential for all those delicious dishes which come under the titles of a la Financiere or a la Toulouse (see Financiere Ragout). It is needless almost to remind housekeepers of the importance of saving all the fagends of truffles. When truffles are ob- tamed in bottles this caution is perhaps not so necessary ; but when purchased fresh there is far too often a tendency on the part of cooks to waste them. One very convenient method of using up chips of truffle is to make a rich accompaniment known as pate of truffle. This is simply made by placing all the truffles in a stew pan with a little butter, bay-leaf, thyme, and a little grated nutmeg and a bit of garlic, and adding a little brown sauce. This should be rubbed through a wire sieve and put by for use. Of course, when the flavour of garlic is not liked it should be omitted, and in any case only a small bead used. Truffles are sometimes used for ornamenting the centre of some rich entree, and when this is the case they can be cut up with a knife into various shapes — such as round balls or leaves, arranging the small balls into a circle or scallops. These, after being allowed to simmer for a short time in a little glaze, should be placed, covered with glaze, in the centre of an entree.