Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Time, two hours and a half. Ragouts, Gravy for all kinds of (another way). — The bones and trimmings of meat and poultry ought to furnish stock for making the sauces required for every-day use in an ordinary household. In a properly managed kitchen no bone ought to be thrown away until it has been stewed so that it is as clean as a piece of ivory. If cooks would only stew the bones thoroughly, they might save their masters many pounds in a year, which are otherwise spent in buying beef and veal for gravy ; and if the cook were clever in flavouring her sauces, six persons out of ten would not discover that the sauce was not made from fresh meat. To make gravy from bones, break up the bones of a leg of mutton or of a piece of beef into small pieces. If these bones are not at hand, purchase from the butcher two pennyworth of fresh. Wash these with scrupulous care, and cut away any portions that are not agreeable. Put the bones into a large saucepan, and pour over them five pints of cold water. If a very strong gravy is wanted, less water may be used. Bring the liquor slowly to the "boil, remove every particle of scum, and let it simmer very gently indeed for five hours. Strain it into a bowl, and if convenient put it aside until the next day. Take away the cake of fat from the top (it may be used for frying fish, Sec), pour off the liquor gently, to leave undisturbed any sediment which may have settled at the bottom. Put the stock into a saucepan, and with it vegetables and herbs for flavouring suited to the meat with which it is to be served. For ordinary brown gravy the following will be sufficient : — a large carrot cut into three or four pieces, three or four outer sticks of celery, or half a tea-spoonful of bruised celery seed tied in muslin, an onion stuck with three cloves, a small blade of mace, a bunch of sweet herbs, two tea-spoonfuls of salt, and a tea-spoonful of pepper. Simmer all gently for two hours, strain the stock, and put it aside in a cool place. It will keep for a week in cold weather, in hot weather it should be boiled every other day. When it is wanted, take as much of it as is required, mix with it a small portion of Liebig's Extract of Moat, thicken it if necessary with a little brown thickening, and it will be ready for use. Probable cost, 6d., exclusive of the bones. Sufficient for a quart of gravy. Time, two days. Raised Pie, French (see French Raised Pie). Raised Pie, Lancashire (see Lancashire Raised Pie). Raised Pies. — Raised pies may be made of any size and with almost all kinds of meat, poultrj', or game, the only indispensable requisite being that there shall be no bone in them. They are usually served cold, and should be rather highly flavoured. The pastry of small pies is generally eaten, but with large pies it is merely used as a case in which to serve the savoury preparation inside. There is no difficulty in making the pastry for raised pies, but inexperienced cooks are sure to find it difficult to raise the walls of the pie. The process is much easier of accomplishment if a tin mould is used. Instructions are here given both for forming the pie with and without a mould (see Raised Pies, To Form).