The "Queen" cookery books: Entrees

the hone, producing alternately a boned and a boneless cutlet, all of the same thickness, and then carefully remove the bones from the former ; you will now have a chop as at Fig. 2 (You will see that, also like the surloin of beef, the loin of mutton possesses a miniature undercut (known in France as the filet mignon ), shown at point A) Now bat this out as advised for cutlets. (Please remember — what too many cooks forget — that “ batting ” is not synonymous with mashing, but should be done gently and with discretion, or the cutlet, chop, or steak will be reduced to an unappetising and mangled mass of purplish red, anything but inviting, either to the eye or the palate.) When nicely batted, trim off all the skin, B B, together with as much of the fat as you judge convenient, either retaining all the undercut fat, and delicately skewering it round the lean part (previously gently pressed into shape with the wet knife), as at Fig. 3 or else removing it almost entirely, as at Fig. 4 The latter is perhaps the best way of treating large mutton. The cutlets thus prepared are known as “ noisettes,” though strictly speaking the whole of the undercut is in French termed the “ noix,” and becomes noisettes when sliced straight down in rounds, or “ filets mignons ” when cut into longitudinal slices. These noisettes are also termed escalopes , grenadins, medallions, &c., according to the method of their serving, or at times, of their garnish; at the same time, these latter terms are nowadays more frequently applied to beef or veal, or even fish, than to mutton. These noisettes may be cooked when trimmed, by any of the methods advised for cutlets, and fuller directions for their treatment are given below Another method, and one much to be recommended when they are to be used cold en chaufroix, or mayonnaise, is to have them stewed. For this purpose the whole of the best end of the neclc or loin should be put into the pan with vegetables, stock, seasoning, spice, Ac., and then gently braised till cooked, when it is lifted out and allowed to get quite cold. It is then cut into cutlets, and these are trimmed and served egged and crumbed ; or coated with rich forcemeat on both sides ; either wrapped in paper cases ( en papilottes ) and broiled, or used cold as they are en chaufroix or cn mayonnaise. By far the most difficult method of cooking cutlets is to broil them, and it is one that requires much practice, though at the same time it is well worth the trouble, as it is undoubtedly the most delicate way of serving them, the crisp, fresh, burnt taste, always characteristic of a broil, harmonising with and enhancing any garnish with which it may be served. The proper method is as follows : Have a delicately clean and bright gridiron, and rub its bars lightly with a morsel of suet ; see that your fire is clear as well as sharp ; then dip each cutlet singly in some hot butter, melted, or, better still, into good salad oil, and lay each on the grid, allowing the latter to be very near the fire at first so as to let the surface of the meat catch (though without actually burning), thus sealing up the pores, and keeping in the juice of the meat. Turn them frequently whilst cooking (they will take about eight to ten minutes),