European and American cuisine

Braised Beef k la Fran^aise. — Procure a piece of beef of 6 pounds from the rump well covered with fat ; remove the bone and lard the meat with strips of raw ham ; season with salt and pepper ; put the bone, cut into pieces, with 2 fine-cut onions, 1 carrot, 1 stalk of celery, a bouquet, and 1 leek, in a saucepan ; place the meat on top of this, pour over iVg cup sherry wine, 1 gill of brandy ; set the saucepan over the fire, cook 10 minutes ; then add sufficient veal broth to nearly cover the meat, cover with buttered paper, put on the lid, and cook slowly 4 hours. Remove the meat, take off the strings, put it in a roasting pan ; strain the broth, remove all the fat, pour 1 pint of the broth over the meat, set it in a hot oven, roast and baste frequently 30 minutes; put the remaining broth in a saucepan over the fire, and reduce by boiling without a cover to 1 pint. Melt 1 ounce butter in a small saucepan, add 1 fine-chopped onion, a little fine-chopped carrot, cook 6 minutes ; add 1 tablespoonful flour stir a few minutes; add the reduced broth, y^ cupful mushroom liquor, Y4 teaspoonful pepper, and boil 10 minutes ; then strain, add the gravy from the meat (if too thin, reduce the sauce by boiling). When ready to serve, pour a little of the sauce over the meat, arrange on a hot dish, and garnish with young cooked vegetables in season. Braised Beef h la Jardinidre. — Procure a nice rump piece of beef of 6 pounds, remove the bone ; season with 1 tablespoonful salt, Ys tablespoonful pepper, roll the meat up and tie it with 3 strings. Gat the bones into small pieces, place them in a saucepan large enough to receive the meat ; add a small shank of veal cut into small pieces, 2 large onions cut into slices, 1 carrot, 1 leek, and a bouquet ; lay the meat on top of this, cover with cold water, place the saucepan over the fire ; as soon as it boils cover the meat with a piece of buttered paper, put on the lid, draw the saucepan to side of stove, and let boil slowly from 3 to 4 hours. (One may ascertain if done by sticking a larding needle into the meat ; if penetrating easily it is done, if not the boiling must be continued. The one-week-old meat of a young animal generally cooks well done in 30 minutes for each pound; but the meat of an old animal and fresh meat needs longer cooking.) When done, take the meat out, remove the strings, lay in a roasting pan with 1 pint of the strained broth ; set it in a hot oven and roast 20 minutes, basting frequently ; strain the remaining broth, remove all the fat, return the broth to the fire in a saucepan, and reduce it by boiling to ly^ pint. Melt 1 ounce butter in a saucepan, add ly^ tablespoonful flour, stir for a few minutes; add the strained broth, also the gravy from the meat in oven, cook 10 minutes ; add a small piece of butter and y^ teaspoonful beef extract, pour a little of the sauce over the meat. Dress on a hot dish, garnish with 1 pint of boiled cauliflower roses, 1 pint cooked carrot balls, 1 pint stewed green peas, Ys pint of boiled asparagus tops, and 1 pint small potato balls. Each vegetable is to be cooked separately, the cauliflower, the asparagus, and potatoes in salted water, the peas and carrots in water with a little sugar; when the vegetables are done, drain them, add to each one y^ tablespoonful butter, to the peas and carro