Elements of the theory and practice of cookery

286. Materials for soup-stock. — Put raw-meat trim- mings cut off by the butcher, flank ends of steak, etc., into one jar, bits of cooked meat and bone, except mutton fat, which is rank in flavor, into another, first rinsing in cold water pieces left on the plates at table. Keep also water in which meat has been cooked, and, separately^ because it sours in about two days — quicker than meat-liquor spoils — the cooking water from rice and vegetables. Use sparingly that from strong-fla- vored vegetables, such as onion and turnip, and do not use cabbage or potato water at all. Celery and asparagus water may be used either for soup-stocks or for cream-of-vegetable soups. (Chap. VIII, sect. 3.) Keep by themselves, and separate from one another, if possible, remnants of vegetables, rice, macaroni, etc. 287. How to choose soup meat. — What sort of meat shall we choose for soup-making, — tender or tough, with bone or Avithout ? What advantage has the meat from young creatures over that from old ? Soup meat should include some fat, because tlie cake formed by it 160 THEOEY AND PRACTICE OF COOKERY when cold, if kept unbroken, helps to preserve the stock. Compare a cut from the loin of beef with one from the leg (shin). Compare a shin of beef with a knuckle of veal (the joint of a calf's hind leg). Which will yield the most juice ? The most gelatin ? The highest flavor ? Which of these cuts would you expect to find the cheapest ? Why ? Helpful Hints about making and using Soup-stock 1. Have all trimmings sent home by the butcher to be used in making stock. 2. On account of its strong, fatty flavor, avoid using much mutton in stock containing other meat. 3. For white stock use veal, or veal and chicken ; for dark brown stock use beef, part of it browned ; and brown all the vegetables. Caramel or Kitchen Bouquet is used to darken and flavor stock. 4. Stock made without vegetables keeps best in hot weather. When taking out a portion of such stock for soup, add for each pint of it one heaping tablespoonful of each vegetable included in the Directions for making Soup-stock, cook them in it one hour, and strain. 6. A little salt helps to preserve stock, but it must be used sparingly at first, the stock growing Salter as it lessens by evaporation. 6. Do not try to extract the last bit of gelatin from bones ; the result will be glue, not soup. 7. If you must use the stock the day it is made, skim THE FLESH OF ANIMALS 161 off what fat you can, and remove the rest as completely as possible with absorbent paper, or with a bit of ice wrapped in cloth. The fat hardens on the cloth and can be scraped off. 8. Cook vegetables, macaroni, and other materials to be served in soup in a small quantity of stock, and add this with them to the portion to be served. If, how- ever, the stock is weak, so that it would be improved by boiling down, cook this material in the whole quantity to be sent to table. 9. Stock used instead of water in meat sauces, gra- vies, and stews makes them richer. By boiling meat in stock the stock itself is enriched.