Little French dinners

Potage Royal à l'Oseille (Sorrel Soup with. Custard). — Whisk very lightly the yolks of three eggs and the white of one ; mix them with a gill of milk, add a little salt, strain the mixture and divide it into two equal parts, one of which colour a pale pink with a few drops of cochineal. Pour each into some small timbale moulds previously buttered, and place them in a stewpan with sufficient cold water to reach half-way up the moulds. When the water is on the point of boiling, remove the saucepan to the side of the fire, and let the water simmer very gently for about a quarter of an hour ; then if the custards are sufficiently set, put the saucepan in a cool place, and when the water is cold turn out the custards on to a clean cloth. Cut each little mould of custard into slices, and cut these out again into little fancy shapes, such as hearts, stars, crescents, diamonds, etc. Put these in the soup tureen with some sorrel, which has been boiled in stock, having been previously cut in narrow strips as for julienne ; add some very clear pale consomme, and serve. Saumon a la Hollandaise (Salmon with Dutch Sauce). — Take a piece of salmon, cut from the middle, place it in the fish-kettle, and cover it with cold water, into which throw plenty of salt. Bring the water slowly to the boil, removing any scum, and then let it simmer till the fish is done. Directly the boiling of the salmon is completed, drain it thoroughly and serve it on a Little French Dinners. 37 dish on a napkin, with the following sauce in a boat : Take three ounces of butter, and the yolks of two eggs, put them in a double saucepan, and stir them quickly over the fire till the butter is dissolved; then mix in rather less than an ounce of flour, stir well, and add the strained juice of a lemon, half a pint of milk, a little grated nutmeg and pepper and salt to taste. Stir without ceasing till the sauce has thickened to the consistency of custard. Poulets en Salmis (Fricassee of Fowl). — Half roast one or two chickens, carve them very neatly, making four pieces out of the legs, two out of the wings and two out of the breast, thus sixteen pieces if two fowls are used. Remove all skin and outside parts, and put the pieces of chicken aside till wanted. Then put into a saucepan a rasher of bacon cut in dice, a couple of carrots sliced, three minced shallots, a bay-leaf, thyme, parsley, whole pepper, salt to taste, and two ounces of clarified dripping. Let these all simmer for about twenty minutes, and when well browned add a tablespoonful of flour, let it cook thoroughly, then moisten with a pint and a quarter of common stock, and. if possible, a liqueur-glassful of Marsala, letting the sauce boil up once or twice during the process. Next put in all the trimmings of the chickens with the backs cut up in small pieces, and let the whole simmer for about an hour. Strain into a clean saucepan, and, when cold, put in the pieces of chicken, and warm them up gradually by letting them simmer in the sauce for about three-quarters of an hour. Serve as hot as possible with the sauce, which will have considerably reduced, poured over the chicken. Mashed potatoes may be handed round at the same time.