Cookery and housekeeping

Cut the oxtail in joints or sections, and trim away the fat from the rump sections ; the very small joints may be used to make the sauce ; they do not look well sent to table. Let the oxtail disgorge in cold water, then simmer it in the stock-pot, or by itself with broth and vegetables till it is tender. Take out those pieces which are to be sent to table, and keep warm ; reduce the sauce in which they have been simmered, or make a Robert sauce, and send up round the oxtail. A watery sauce would make the dish very insipid, a well-composed sauce a la Bearnaise makes it savoury. Ox Cheek. Wash the cheek in lukewarm water, dry and wipe. Put it in a large stewpan and cover with tepid water, a little salt, and some peppercorns ; cover close. When it begins to simmer, remove the scum. After all has been cleared off, put on the lid and simmer for two hours. If the water has shrunk, replace it by water of the same temperature. When the meat is quite tender, turn out the whole into a deep dish. Remove the bones and let it stand all night. Take off the fat, and mix it with as much flour as it will absorb. To this add three leeks, an onion, three or four carrots, two turnips, fry all together, and then place this, the meat and broth, in the stewpan again, and add water ; simmer till quite blended — two or three hours. A large cheek ought to make a gallon of soup, or stew. Beef Palates. The palates must be boiled in plain water till quite tender ; as this requires a long time, they must be prepared the day before. When quite tender the hard black skin must be removed, and the palates must be washed in cold water, and then be pressed between two plates with a moderate weight laid on them. If the palates are to be used as an entree, they must be cut into either circles or ovals, to admit of being neatly arranged. If they are for a curry, they must be cut into large dice ; if for croustades into small dice. The sauce must have a decided flavour, as Robert sauce, soubise sauce, tomato sauce, &c. The palates should be warmed in the sauce, and arranged in a circle like cutlets, with sauce round. If the croustades are to be filled with palates, the small dice must be warmed in rich gravy, and the croustades neatly arranged on a napkin in the dish. If for curry the treatment given in recipes for curry is to be followed. Beef Palates a la Lyonnaise. The palates must be cleaned and boiled in a white sauce, and pressed. Cut them into neat shapes, either round or square, and warm them in a sauce made with brown sauce, slices of fried onion, and mustard flour. The palates are intended to be white, or rather cream colour, the sauce brown ; and the onions are to be in the centre of the circle of palates. Marrow Patties. Ingredients : Marrow, lemon, pepper, salt, thyme, parsley, chives, or shallot, one tablespoonful of cream.