FoodNetArchive

Mrs. Roundell's Practical cookery book

1898

Page 271 · 3 recipe records on this page

Presented as published in 1898. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Mattre d’Hdtel Butter. — In this, as in all Fancy Butters, only the best butter should be used. It must be as firm and as fresh as possible, and in warm weather it should be iced. The butter should be made in a cold larder, and when finished it should be put either in the ice cave, or on a plate (the pats well apart) set over a basin of broken ice. For Maitre d’Hotel Butter, add to two ounces of butter the juice of one lemon, a dessert- spoonful of chopped parsley leaf free from all moisture, a pinch of white pepper, and a pinch of saltMaitre d’Hotel Butter. Form with the butter bat. Green Butter. — Make spinach colouring by squeezing two handfuls of boiled and drained spinach leaves through muslin into a small basin. Blanch some parsley leaf, and mince as 392 FANCY BUTTERS finely as possible enough of it to fill a tablespoon. Mince and pound capers enough to fill a teaspoon. Now colour the butter pale green by working the spinach colouring into it as lightly as you can. Then add the minced parsley and capers by degrees, and when they are thoroughly worked into the butter form it into little pats. This sort of Fancy Butter can be varied in an infinity of ways. For instance, Ravig’Ote Butter is made by working in equal quantities of chervil, burnet, tarragon, and chives, all blanched in scalding water for two minutes, and pounded. Or minced olives or gherkins can be added, or mustard and cress, or a little minced cooked mushroom. Tomato Butter is made by adding a little tomato conserve to the butter, enough to colour it red. For Watercress Butter pick, wash, and scald three ounces of watercress leaves, weighed after picking. Pound in the mortar, blend with five ounces of butterGreen Butter, and six well- pounded capers, and pass through the sieve. Pass all flavourings through the sieve. Other Fancy Butters can be made with Anchovies, Herring Roes, etc. For Anchovy Butter allow four full-sized anchovies. Scald, drain, and wipe them free from any trace of oil, pick out their spines, and pass them through the sieve. Work the anchovy pulp into four ounces of butterAnchovy Butter. For Herring’ Roe Butter pound the soft roes of two bloaters to a cream with one ounce of butter. Pass through the sieve, season with Nepaul pepper, and a dust of mace if liked. Work it into three ounces of butter coloured with spinach, adding a teaspoonful of anchovy vinegar. Or tint the butter yellow with hard-boiled yolk of eggs passed through the sieve, and instead of the anchovy vinegar flavour the herring roes with a teaspoonful of pounded capers, passing all through the sieve. Cod roes can of course be used. Recipes for Lobster Butter and Shrimp Butter are given elsewhere, also for the Green Butter and Black Butter eaten with fish. 393 CHAPTER XI. EGGS AND OMELETTES. Books have already been published containing recipes for cooking Eggs in numbers of ways. I shall, however, content myself with giving a few recipes, all excellent and all capable of variety. Most of these can be carried out by means of that excellent invention, the Chafing Dish, to be procured at 119 New Bond Street, and many of them are suitable for the luncheon or light dinner of ladies who dislike meat. For several of these recipes, and for the hints as to Omelettes, I am indebted to Wyvern. The fire-proof china pans, dishes, shells, and cases are all most valuable in the cooking of Eggs.