The book of plain cooking

pudding. Make a rich suet crust, with which line a large-sized basin, so as to allow for plenty of gravy, as this pudding requires a good many ingredients. First a little rump steak and kidney with a clove and garlic, then some oysters in their liquor, and a few mushrooms. Then sprinkle with salt and pepper and a dusting of sweet herbs and flour. Add one or two small birds, then the remainder of the steak and kidney. Fill up with water and again dust with flour. Firmly tie on the puddingcloth. After having well covered with the top crust, plunge into the saucepan of boiling water, and boil for at least five hours. 131. Fillet of Beef en Casserole To cook a nice thick piece of the fillet of beef in a casserole preserves all its goodness. Place it in the casserole with a good-sized piece of butter, a dusting of flour, pepper, and salt, and about a teacupful of clear stock and serve as an entree. 132. Stewed Kidneys When you cannot obtain sheep’s kidneys, ox kidney, if carefully stewed, serves the same purpose. Cut into small pieces, and place in a saucepan with a good-sized piece of butter, a dusting of flour, and pepper and salt. Well shake the saucepan till the kidneys have browned, then add a little water, and let them simmer for about twenty minutes, and you will find them deliciously tender, a nice rich gravy coming from them. Then place round the dish some shoes of bacon which have been previously grilled. T omatoes baked and served with the bacon and kidneys make a very effective dish. 133. Stewed Pigeons and Kidneys Cut the pigeons in halves, and put them in a saucepan or stewpan. Just cover them with water or stock, pepper, salt, etc., to keep them simmering. When nearly cooked, add to them some sheep’s kidneys, cut in halves, or some ox kidney, cut into small pieces. When making the thickening, the addition of a few mushrooms gives a nice flavour, or a few tomatoes, previously cooked and served round the dish, have the double effect of making the dish look nicer, and also go much farther. If you cannot obtain fresh mushrooms, there are some very excellent bottled. 134. Haricot Ox-tail Have the ox-tail jointed, then fry with a little butter and onions, cut in slices, till it is sufficiently brown to colour the gravy. Then place in a saucepan or stewpan, and cover with good stock, to which add carrots, sweet herbs, pepper, salt, etc. To make this thoroughly palatable, it requires three to four hours’ gentle simmering. Before serving, make a thickening of flour, sauce, etc. The addition of a very small quantity of finely- chopped pickle will be found an improvement. Whenever procurable, a little celery should be introduced. 135. To Hash Mutton To hash mutton, well stew the bones with pepper and salt, onions, sweet herbs, and a little parsley. Then strain off the liquor, and let it stand till perfectly cold. To this introduce the mutton, and let it simmer gently till it boils. Make a thickening of flour, ketchup or Worcestershire sauce, and add a little pickled walnut. Stir till it is well thickened. Have a hot dish ready to serve, garnished with sippets of toast. Do not, in making any kind