Frying. — The first thing in frying is to have a
very clear bright fire and to see that the frying-pan
is perfectly clean. A deep frying-pan such as the
* Crown Fryer '^ (see Plate II.); the bottom is made of
asbestos, so that nothing can burn in it, and it has, as
will be seen, a wire fryer inside, so that what is fried
can be lifted out quickly. When fat is hissing in the
pan, nothing should be put into it until it leaves off
and smokes.
All things egg-and-bread-crumbed should be made
two hours before being fried ; stale bread should
always be used for bread-crumbing. Meat should be
frequently turned and the pan shaken during frying
to promote evaporation of the watery components.
Everything fried should be drained the moment
it is taken out of the pan ; a wire sieve with a piece of
blotting-paper placed over is the best drainer.
Stewing is the most economical and best mode of
cookery if properly managed ; it has this advantage,
that pieces of meat which are in any way tough by
stewing become tender and nutritious. The French
are very much given to the use of the stewpan. In
all good stewing the water should never be thrown
away, as it contains nearly as much nutriment as the
meat itself. To stew well, the meat should only be
just covered with water ; so many cooks object to
its slow process, as, if properly cooked, it takes many
hours and in some cases from one to two days.
* As the asbestos heats very quickly it is apt to get so hot, that
when removed from the stove it should be placed on an iron stand.
E 2
52 COOKERY A LA MODE
The old-fashioned French country way of stew-
ing is the acme of perfection. All the ingredients
are placed in an earthenware jar, with a tight-fitting
lid, with very little water. Then place it in the hot
ashes of a wood fire, where it can be left for hours.
I always stew in the Gourmet boilers, standing them
in a saucepan of boiling water on the stove or in the
oven, as the case may be. (See Plate XVII.)
Grilling and broiling is cooking over the top
of a hot clear fire. The gridiron should be put close
down to the fire, and gradually raised as cooking
proceeds, to diminish the heat.
Broiled meat is more savoury than roast. The
surface becomes charred, and a dark-coloured crust
is formed, which delays the evaporation of the juices,
and causes the meat to be as tender as roast, but it
requires the most attentive cooking. The fire must
not be too hot, or the meat would be scorched ; but
it must be quick and clear enough to brown the
meat and prevent the gravy escaping. The gridiron
must be perfectly clean and dry, and should be
rubbed with dripping before it is heated at the
fire.
No salt should be thrown over a chop till it is
cooked, though it ought to be slightly peppered.
Steaks and chops must be constantly turned whilst
grilling to preserve the gravy.
Steaming is for delicate preparations. Whatever
has to be steamed should be prepared as for boiling,
then placed in the steamer, with the lid tightly
closed, over a saucepan full of boiling water, kept
boiling, and more water added as it boils away.
ENTREES 53
Page 21
Presented as published in 1902. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Frying. — The first thing in frying is to have a very clear bright fire and to see that the frying-pan is perfectly clean. A deep frying-pan such as the 'Crown Fryer' (see Plate II.); the bottom is made of asbestos, so that nothing can burn in it, and it has, as will be seen, a wire fryer inside, so that what is fried can be lifted out quickly. When fat is hissing in the pan, nothing should be put into it until it leaves off and smokes.
All things egg-and-bread-crumbed should be made two hours before being fried ; stale bread should always be used for bread-crumbing. Meat should be frequently turned and the pan shaken during frying to promote evaporation of the watery components.
Everything fried should be drained the moment it is taken out of the pan ; a wire sieve with a piece of blotting-paper placed over is the best drainer.
Stewing is the most economical and best mode of cookery if properly managed ; it has this advantage, that pieces of meat which are in any way tough by stewing become tender and nutritious. The French are very much given to the use of the stewpan. In all good stewing the water should never be thrown away, as it contains nearly as much nutriment as the meat itself. To stew well, the meat should only be just covered with water ; so many cooks object to its slow process, as, if properly cooked, it takes many hours and in some cases from one to two days.
* As the asbestos heats very quickly it is apt to get so hot, that when removed from the stove it should be placed on an iron stand.
E 2
The old-fashioned French country way of stewing is the acme of perfection. All the ingredients are placed in an earthenware jar, with a tight-fitting lid, with very little water. Then place it in the hot ashes of a wood fire, where it can be left for hours. I always stew in the Gourmet boilers, standing them in a saucepan of boiling water on the stove or in the oven, as the case may be. (See Plate XVII.)
Grilling and broiling is cooking over the top of a hot clear fire. The gridiron should be put close down to the fire, and gradually raised as cooking proceeds, to diminish the heat.
Broiled meat is more savoury than roast. The surface becomes charred, and a dark-coloured crust is formed, which delays the evaporation of the juices, and causes the meat to be as tender as roast, but it requires the most attentive cooking. The fire must not be too hot, or the meat would be scorched ; but it must be quick and clear enough to brown the meat and prevent the gravy escaping. The gridiron must be perfectly clean and dry, and should be rubbed with dripping before it is heated at the fire.
No salt should be thrown over a chop till it is cooked, though it ought to be slightly peppered. Steaks and chops must be constantly turned whilst grilling to preserve the gravy.
Steaming is for delicate preparations. Whatever has to be steamed should be prepared as for boiling, then placed in the steamer, with the lid tightly closed, over a saucepan full of boiling water, kept boiling, and more water added as it boils away.