Entrees made easy

It is well to remember, if a dinner will perhaps have to wait, that such things as hashes, stews, casseroles, hotpots, and curries are the best to order, as any or all of these will bear being kept hot, as long as they are allowed to soak in their own gravy, and on no account allowed to recook. In fact, such things as curry and hashes are better for being reheated a second time. Anything that is to be served hot, must be sent very hot to table on a properly heated dish, and the plates too must be sent up hot. For ordinary household purposes it is not necessary to give a long list of the many sauces, but it is essential that the four foundation sauces should be thoroughly well mastered, and then they can be varied to suit the different flavourings required. Brown and white roux are the foundations of all sauces, and may be kept for a day or two. White Roux. Melt 4 oz. of butter very slowly in an absolutely clean pan ; then sprinkle into this 4 oz. ofof fine, dried, sifted flour, a little at a time, stirring it till it forms a smooth, even, rather thick pasteste, which will take from 12 to 15 minutes. If, however, it is to be used at once, it only needs to be cooked from 8 to 10 minutes, as it gets the extra cooking when added to the sauce. It is a very useful thing to have by one, as then almost any white sauce may be made in a few minutes. Brown Roux. This is made exactly like the last recipe, except that the butter and flour are stirred over a slow fire until they are a light cafe au lait colour ; but this must be done very slowly, as otherwise the roux will burn, and become bitter. It can be kept just like white roux. VeloutS (Hot). Make a white roux with 2 oz. of flour and 2 oz. of butter (if less flour is sprinkled in, it makes the sauce richer), then pour in very gradually | pint of white or light stock, and stir it all together over the fire, allowing it to boil for about 10 minutes, so as to ensure its being free from all lumps. Pour it all through a strainer into a hot sauce boat, and flavour with 2 or 3 drops of lemon juice, and some white pepper. Melted butter is made in exactly the same way, only using water or milk instead of the stock. Brown Sauce (Hot). Made exactly as above, only using brown roux and dark brown stock. Espagnole Sauce (Hot). Fry together 1| oz. butter, oz. flour, a sliced tomato, a sliced onion, and a small slice of lean ham, then add gradually a full \ pint of good brown stock ; boil it all together for about 15 minutes, pass it through a sieve, add about l gill of sherry, skim well, and boil up till reduced about a fourth part. Bechamel Sauce (Hot). Make a white roux with 2 oz. fresh butter, and 1£ oz. dried, sifted flour ; then pour on to this gradually £ pint of white stock, being careful to allow no lumps. Have ready £ pint of milk, previously boiled with a bouquet of herbs, and a green onion, add this in the same way ; boil it all together for 12 to 15 minutes to reduce it a fourth part, when it will be thick enough to drop slowly from the spoon ; stir in 2 tablespoonsful of fresh cream and, if liked, just as the pan is lifted off the fire, stir in a little butter. A squeeze of lemon juice can be added, too, and pepper and salt. Mayonnaise Sauce (Cold).