Culinary jottings

pan to which add a little flour, the sorrel, a tea-spoonful of sugar, and the steak gravy stirring vigorously to prevent the leaves catching at the bottom of the pan: — When the gravy and butter are thoroughly well absorbed, turn the sorrel out, stir in the yolks of three eggs beaten up in a little milk, and pour the puree round the steak, which should have been kept hot whilst the last stage was completed. The sorrel should, of course, be got ready beforehand. 4. — This way of cooking potatoes will be found at page 132: — Boil the potatoes till nearly done, cut them in thick slices, and heat them a la fricassee j in nice white sauce made with milk previously flavoured with onion, spice, pepper and salt. The yolk of an egg, a large spoonful of curly parsley minced fine, and a pat of butter the size of a rupee, should be stirred into the sauce-pan, off the fire, before serving. A few drops of lime juice are an improvement, and to those who think that they might not like the onion-flavoured milk, that of pounded almonds may be more pleasing. 5. — Order the duck to be roasted — not baked in the chatty oven, (which Ramasamy will certainly do if you do not take steps to prevent the sacrilege) and let it be nice and juicy, not dried up by over-dressing. I have known an ignorant Ramasamy stuff a wild duck like a tame -one ! need I do more than warn you that this is erroneous ? Having served the bird with all the gi'avy that was caught during the roasting on a very hot dish, what must we do for a sauce on the spot ? This will be found a good one : — Score the breast of the bird in the direction you intend to slice it, and let the gravy run out bountifully ; to that add a table-spoonful of port, burgundy, or fruity Madeira, (the first if possible) give that a dessert-spoonful of lime-juice and six drops of " tabasco,'' or a tea-spoonful of chilli vinegar ; stir the gravy round with a spoon, and baste the breast of the duck liberally with it, then go on with your carving. If you have a little sauce-boat on a spirit lamp by your side (a beautiful modern invention) the gravy can be heated therein, on the spot admirably. 6. — An apple charlotte (practicable also with plantains) should be made in this easy way. Butter a small but deep pie- dish or plain mould : cut a thin piece of bread (to form the top of the charlotte) the size and shape of the top of the mould, butter it on both sides, and put it into the mould ; now line the side of the mould with moderately thin strips of bread and butter, buttered on both sides : that is to say, cover both the inverted top and sides of the mould, making a case of bread and butter as it were. Within the case place layers of apples cut small, (or sliced ripe plantains) with apricot jam spread between each layer, some lime juice sprinkled over them all, and a good allowance of white sugar ; when packed, cover the bottom of the mould with slices of bread and butter, the same as that used for the top and sides, and bake till the bread browns nicely. Use plenty of good butter please, and you will find this a simple but pleasant sweet dish : a sprinkling of any liqueur would, of course, add to the nice flavour of the fruit. Turn it out very carefully, and let cold custards accompany the charlotte.