Harper's cook book encyclopædia

Mutton, Leg of, Boiled. — For boiling, this joint should not hang so long as for roasting. Two or three days will be enough if the color is considered of importance. This and careful skimming will prevent the necessity for a floured cloth, which some inexperienced cooks resort to. Cut off the shank-bone, and if necessary wipe the joint with a damp cloth. Put it into a large, oval stewpan with as much boiling water as will cover it. When restored to its boiling state, skim the surface clean, and draw the stewpan to the side of the fire to allow the contents to simmer until done. Allow for a leg of mutton of 9 or 10 lbs. two and a half hours from the time it boils. Boil very young turnips for a garnish ; these will take twenty minutes, but allow an hour for older ones, which are to be mashed. Place the turnips, which should be of equal size, round the dish, and send the mashed ones to table separately. Melted butter, with capers added, should accompany the dish. The liquor from the boiling may be converted into good soup at a trifling expense. Time, about twenty minutes to each pound. Mutton, Leg of, Boned and Stuffed. — Having removed the bone from a small leg of mutton, fill the Mutton in Jelly Mutton, Braised space from which it was taken with a force-meat composed of the following ingredients worked together into a firm, smooth paste : Shred finely 4 ozs. of suet and 2 ozs. of ham ; mix these with 6 ozs. of breadcrumbs, and flavor with a teaspoonful of minced thyme, marjoram, and basil, the same of parsley, and a couple of shallots; add a little nutmeg, pepper, and salt. Moisten with a couple of eggs, well beaten first. Keep the force-meat from falling out into the dripping-pan during the process of cooking by sewing up the opening. Time for roasting, about twenty minutes to the pound. Or if a more savory dish be preferred, pound the solid parts of a couple of red herrings to a paste. Season highly with pepper, and by detaching the skin from the thickest part of the joint, force the paste under and secure well. The mutton thus stuffed need not be boned. Trim off the fat from the mutton before putting it to the fire. Baste with good dripping. For sauce, add to the gravy of the meat an anchovy pounded, and pepper and salt to taste ; boil for a few minutes ; thicken with butter rolled in flour, and serve in a tureen with half the juice of a lemon squeezed into it. Mutton, Leg of, in Jelly. — Remove all the bones from a medium-sized leg of mutton, about 6 lbs. in weight. Cut in narrow strips one inch long I x/z lbs. of lean, raw ham ; pare off the fat, chop it, and keep it for further use. With a pointed knife make some small incisions in regular rows all around the mutton, and put in each hole a strip of the ham. Rub the meat all over with one teaspoonful of salt, one salt - spoonful of black pepper, and tie it in an oblong shape. Put a brasier over a moderate fire. Put in it two table-spoonfuls of butter, the chopped fat from the ham, two medium-sized onions, two carrots, sliced, three sprigs of parsley, one small bayleaf, two cloves ; then add the mutton, with 1 Yz lbs. of veal knuckle. Let