Mrs. Roundell's Practical cookery book

five minutes, ancl mince them small. Melt an ounce of butter in a saucepan, stir the onion mince in it till it seems about to colour, keeping the fire low. Then take the saucepan off the fire and dilute the onions with half a pint of Sauce Blonde. Boil, skim, reduce a little over the fire again ; then pass the whole through the sieve, and put the onion puree back into the saucepan to be re-heated in the bain-marie. For the brown Soubise, do not blanch the onions. Slice them, and fry very gently till they are nicely coloured. Use brown sauce instead of Sauce Blonde, but with these exceptions cook the brown Soubise like the white. Sauce Milanaise is a refined sort of Soubise, excellent with many dishes both of vegetables and of meat. Put four ounces of onions blanched and cut up into a saucepan with an ounce of butter, a saltspoonful of salt, and a pinch of sugar. Add a tablespoonful of previously boiled rice or pearl-barley, and moisten with half a pint of broth. Let all cook slowly, and when the onions are done add a tablespoonful of finely grated mild cheese (Parmesan if possible). Stir the mixture, pass it through the sieve, and add it to half a pint of Sauce Blonde. The original Sauce Robert has been so much spoiled by chefs in their attempts to improve it (as they suppose) that the original Sauce has been almost lost sight of. It is very good with veal, stewed ox-tail, pork, or duck, and is suitable for a grill. Chop up in small squares two ounces of onion, throw the mince into a saucepan with an ounce of butter. Let it take slight colour, then add an ounce of flour by degrees, work it well with a wooden spoon, then add half a pint of broth, half a saltspoonful of salt and the same of mignonette pepper, and a pinch of sugar. When thoroughly mixed, simmer for twenty minutes, pass the sauce through the strainer, catch up all lumps, and at the last moment stir in a teaspoonful of tarragon or anchovy vinegar, and a dessertspoonful of French mustard. The only variation in this original Sauce Robert which should be allowed is to omit the French mustard and to substitute for it a tablespoonful of Marsala and a dessertspoonful of mushroom ketchup. This makes a good Sauce Robert for cutlets. If it is not thought dark enough, add a few drops of Parisian essence. k 2 These are often liked with boiled fish, or with veal cutlets or any dish of meat which is insipid in taste. There are several varieties, from which I shall select three of the most useful. Half an ounce of glaze should be added to all these Sharp Sauces. Sauce Piquant e. — Mince half an ounce of shallot as finely as possible, and put it into a quart stewpan with one ounce of butter and four tablespoonfuls of Orleans vinegar. Stir over a moderate fire till the vinegar is reduced, which is indicated by the butter becoming clear. Unless this were done the flour which must next be added would not amalgamate. When the vinegar has been thus absorbed by the shallot mix one ounce of flour into the butter, stir for four minutes, then add half a pint of broth., a saltspoonful of mignonette pepper, and a few drops of Parisian essence to give colour. Simmer for a quarter of an hour, adding a tablespoonful of finely-minced parsley, and the same of chopped gherkins. Boil up once, skim, and serve.