European and American cuisine

Boiled Ribs of Beef. — Procure a 2-ribbed piece of roast beef, cut off the ribs close to the meat, use the round piece of meat for roasting. Rub the ribs thickly with salt all over, let them lay in a cool place or in the ice box for one week; when wanted to use, wash the meat in cold water, place it in a saucepan with cold water over the fire, and boil till tender, which will take 3 hours. Serve with onion or horseradish sauce. Fillet à l'Américaine. — Season 4 pounds fillet of beef with 1 even tablespoonful salt, 1/4 teaspoonful pepper. Put 2 ounces fine-cut suet in a roasting pan, lay the fillet on top the suet, pour 2 ounces melted butter over or lay 2 ounces suet on top the meat, set the pan in a hot oven, and roast 15 minutes ; then pour 1/2 cupful boiling water in the pan, roast 25 minutes, basting frequently. When done lay the fillet on a warm dish ; mix 1/4 tablespoonful cornstarch with 1 gill of cold water, remove the fat from the gravy, add the dissolved cornstarch, stir for a few minutes over the fire ; add sufficient boiling water to make a creamy sauce, season with a little beef extract, salt and pepper to taste, boil 3 minutes, strain, pour 2 tablespoonfuls over the meat and serve the remaining sauce in a sauce bowl. Place 6 stuffed and baked tomatoes around the fillet and serve. Fillet of Beef à l'Allemande.— Take 4 pounds of fillet of beef, remove with a small sharp knife the sinewy skin which covers it, lard with fine strips of larding pork, season with 1 even tablespoonful salt, 1 even teaspoonful pepper ; lay the fillet in a roasting pan, pour 4 ounces melted butter over, set in a hot oven, and roast 10 minutes ; then add 1/4 gill of water and 1/2 pint sour cream,* baste and roast 30 minutes, allowing 10 minutes to a pound. When done lay the fillet on a warm dish ; mix 1/2 tablespoonful cornstarch with 1 gill of cold water, add it to the sauce, stir for a few minutes over the fire ; add sufficient boiling water to make a creamy sauce, boil 3 minutes ; then strain through a sieve, pour a little of the sauce over the meat, and serve the remainder in a sauce bowl, with the meat. Garnish with shaved horseradish ; half of it should be colored with a little pink coloring paste ; serve with compote and salad. (For Compote and Salad see my book Desserts and Salads.) Fillet of Beef à la Berlinoise. — Pare and trim 4 pounds fillet of beef, lard it closely with fine strips of larding pork, season with 1 eventablespoonful salt, 1 even teaspoonful pepper. Lay the meat in a roasting pan a little larger than the meat ; add 1 sliced onion, 1 small sliced carrot ; baste the meat with 2 ounces melted butter, set in a hot oven and roast 40 minutes, basting occasionally with its own gravy (if the vegetables should brown too much in bottom of pan, add 2 tablespoonfuls of water). At the same time drain off the liquor from a can of mushrooms, melt 4 ounces butter in a saucepan ; when hot, put in the mushrooms, add 1 even teaspoonful salt, cover, and cook 16 minutes. When ready to serve» put the fillet on a warm dish, add 1/2 tablespoonful flour to the gravy in pan, stir for a few minutes on top the stove, then add 1 cupful boiling water, 1 teaspooniul beef extract, 1/4 cupful mushroom liquor, a small bouquet ; season with 1/4 teaspoonful pepper, salt to taste, and boil 6 minutes ; strain, pour