(j^^TlT^E persons out of every ten with whom I con-
Ji-\y\ verse on culinary matters seem to be more exer-
cised in their minds regarding their entrees than
about the whole of the arrangements of their dinner put
together. The really presentable side-dishes that the
average Ramasamy can master may, as a rule, l)e counted,
I am told, upon the fingers of one hand : and these are
generally so well known that a lady is oft times at her
wit's end to compose her meyiu. So precious, indeed, has
the knowledge of a new entree become, that the happy
mistress of a novelty might be fairly excused were she to
refuse to divulge the secret to her dearest friend. It must
be a humiliating sensation, I admit, after having eaten
oyster patties with your friend on Monday, to be forced
to bid him partake of the same dish with you on Thurs-
day ; conscious perhaps, that the pastry at your house is
not a whit better than that which you thought so indiffer-
ent at his. The oyster patty, by the way, is one of Rama-
samy's few art studies.
Now, I cannot but alloAv that the apprehension with
which this part of the bill-of-fare is so generally regarded,
is well-founded and natural. There are, of course, entrees
and entrees. Though a few may be easy, some are beyond
our reach in this country owing to a variety of reasons,
HINTS ABOUT ENTREES. 61
and many, owing to the ambiguous wording of cookery
book receipts, seem equally inaccessible. Then the task
of ordering dishes from works composed for people with
English cooks, kitchen ranges, and the best market in the
world at their disposal, is far from easy. Even those who
fancy themselves to be pretty good cooks find, every now
and then, in the pages of their pet author, knotty points
which require much consideration to settle. But if you
will patiently follow me, not rushing to the conclusion
that I only write for the benefit of a few enthusiasts like
myself, I firmly believe that I shall be able to smooth
down much that appears rugged ; and help you towards
the selection and accomplishment of many tasty dishes,
which, if neither elaborate, nor very scientific, will still be
found practicable, and generally worthy of a second trial.
First, let us divide entrees into three distinct classes : —
the plain, the half -rich, and the fanciful.
In the first class I would place such dishes as the
mutton cutlet (neck chop) grilled, fried, or stewed ; the
epigramme ; fillets of meat, turkey, fowl, rabbit, or pigeon ;
grenadins ; entrees of meat, that is to say, plainly cooked,
accompanied by carefully devised sauces, or really good
purees of vegetable.
For class the second, I would reserve all compositions
of meat requiring the mincing machine and the mortar, — ■
delicate combinations which demand attentive flavouring — ■
such as cassolettes, croquettes, croustades, quenelles, boudms,
timbales, rissolettes and mixed ingredients en caisses.
Whilst in the superlative class should be entered, I
think, the supreme, the vol-au-vent, the hramoushy, the
studied ragout, the artistic salmis, and any entree out of
class the second when raised from its ordinary form to a
higher level by treatment a la financiere, a la ReinCj d la
Perigueux, and so on.
6
62 CULINARY JOTTINGS FOR MADRAS.
Page 35
Presented as published in 1885. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
(j^^TlT^E persons out of every ten with whom I con- Ji-\y\ verse on culinary matters seem to be more exercised in their minds regarding their entrees than about the whole of the arrangements of their dinner put together. The really presentable side-dishes that the average Ramasamy can master may, as a rule, be counted, I am told, upon the fingers of one hand : and these are generally so well known that a lady is oft times at her wit's end to compose her meyiu. So precious, indeed, has the knowledge of a new entree become, that the happy mistress of a novelty might be fairly excused were she to refuse to divulge the secret to her dearest friend. It must be a humiliating sensation, I admit, after having eaten oyster patties with your friend on Monday, to be forced to bid him partake of the same dish with you on Thursday ; conscious perhaps, that the pastry at your house is not a whit better than that which you thought so indifferent at his. The oyster patty, by the way, is one of Ramasamy's few art studies.
Now, I cannot but allow that the apprehension with which this part of the bill-of-fare is so generally regarded, is well-founded and natural. There are, of course, entrees and entrees. Though a few may be easy, some are beyond our reach in this country owing to a variety of reasons,
and many, owing to the ambiguous wording of cookery book receipts, seem equally inaccessible. Then the task of ordering dishes from works composed for people with English cooks, kitchen ranges, and the best market in the world at their disposal, is far from easy. Even those who fancy themselves to be pretty good cooks find, every now and then, in the pages of their pet author, knotty points which require much consideration to settle. But if you will patiently follow me, not rushing to the conclusion that I only write for the benefit of a few enthusiasts like myself, I firmly believe that I shall be able to smooth down much that appears rugged ; and help you towards the selection and accomplishment of many tasty dishes, which, if neither elaborate, nor very scientific, will still be found practicable, and generally worthy of a second trial.
First, let us divide entrees into three distinct classes : — the plain, the half -rich, and the fanciful.
In the first class I would place such dishes as the mutton cutlet (neck chop) grilled, fried, or stewed ; the epigramme ; fillets of meat, turkey, fowl, rabbit, or pigeon ; grenadins ; entrees of meat, that is to say, plainly cooked, accompanied by carefully devised sauces, or really good purees of vegetable.
For class the second, I would reserve all compositions of meat requiring the mincing machine and the mortar, — ■ delicate combinations which demand attentive flavouring — ■ such as cassolettes, croquettes, croustades, quenelles, boudins, timbales, rissolettes and mixed ingredients en caisses.
Whilst in the superlative class should be entered, I think, the supreme, the vol-au-vent, the cromesquy, the studied ragout, the artistic salmis, and any entree out of class the second when raised from its ordinary form to a higher level by treatment a la financiere, a la ReinCj d la Perigueux, and so on.