Harper's cook book encyclopædia

Butter Sauce (Brown or Beurre Noir). — Melt 6 ozs. of butter in a stewpan over the fire until it becomes of a brown color, and then allow it to become cold. Take another stewpan, and put into it a cupful of vinegar with pepper, which reduce onethird by boiling. When the butter is cold, add it to the vinegar and pepper, stir all up well, and warm it over the fire, care being taken that it is not allowed to boil. If the butter is not cool before adding it to the vinegar it will spurt over the sides of the vessel. Caper Sauce. — Blend 2 ozs. of butter with one table-spoonful of flour, and stir it into a saucepan containing the third part of a pint of boiling water; add equal quantities of shrimps and capers, pounded, about two dessertspoonfuls of each, and boil for some minutes; remove the saucepan from the fire and stir in an ounce more of butter and two teaspoonfuls of whole capers. Celery Sauce. — Cut the white part of two heads of celery into pieces about one inch and a half long. Put 2 ozs. of butter into a .saucepan, and when it is melted throw in the celery, cover closely, and stew gently till it is quite tender. Mix in very smoothly a large table-spoonful of flour, and when it has browned a little add a breakfastcupful of good gravy, salt, and a little nutmeg. Rub through a sieve, heat, and serve. Sufficient for one small fowl. Celery Sauce (a quick way). — If celery sauce is wanted in a hurry, some good melted butter may be flavored with a few drops of the essence of celery, and a little cream or new milk and a pinch of powdered mace may be added. Time, ten minutes. Sufficient, five drops on a piece of sugar to a pint. Cranberry Sauce. — Pick the berries, and put them in a kettle with just water enough to prevent burn- ing, and stew until reduced to pulp, stirring all the time, and then add the clarified syrup, previously prepared, and stir a few minutes while boiling. The syrup is made by allowing a quart of water to 3 lbs. of sugar, and the whipped whites of two or three eggs, all boiled and strained. Allow equal weights of fruit and sugar. Cucumber Sauce. — Peel the cucumbers, cut them up into small dice, and sprinkle them well with salt. Let them remain thus one night, and in the morning put them into a colander to drain. Put the cucumbers thus prepared in a stone jar. To every quart allow one teacupful of white mustard-seed and a pod of fresh red pepper, or half a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper. Then cover the cucumbers with strong vinegar, and stop it up closely. The jar should not be entirely full, as it will swell a good deal. When the sauce is well matured, which will be in a few weeks, it should be transferred into small, air-tight glass jars, about the size that is required to put on the table for use at one time. The addition of a few tiny tabasco peppers makes an attractive addition to this sauce. Curry Sauce (for chicken or boiled rice). — Blend two table-spoonfuls of butter in a saucepan with two tablespoonfuls of flour, a scant tablespoonful of curry powder, and a teaspoonful of onion-juice. Let these cook a few moments, but do not allow them to brown. Gradually stir in one cup of milk, and again cook them for a few moments before putting in one cup of cream. Season with salt, and just before serving add a hardboiled egg chopped fine.