Practical gastronomy and culinary dictionary

Anything which needs to be carved at table should be dished on a dish sufficiently large to allow the joint to be turned, if needed, without moving the dish from its position. The dish should be placed close in front of the carver. The knife used for carving must be light and sharp, and of a convenient size. Such joints as ham, veal, and beef should be cut very thin ; whilst pork, lamb, and mutton should be cut a trifle thicker. The carver ought to be fully acquainted as to the choice cuts of each kind of joint. 518. To Carve Fish. — A silver slice should be used 572 RECHERCHE COOKERY. for this purpose. Great care must be taken in serving out fish to prevent breaking the flakes, which ought to be kept as entire as possible. Short-grained fish, such as sahnon, Sec, should be cut lengthwise, not crosswise. 519. To Carve Sirloin of Beef. — A sirloin should be cut into thin slices, with a sharp firm cut from end to end of the joint. At the upper portion the cut should be clean and even, then use the point of the knife to loosen the slices from the bones. In carving the under- cut remove the superfluous fat, and cut the slices from end to end in the same manner as the upper portion. 520. Neck of Veal or Mutton. — See that the neck is properly jointed before it is cooked. Cut the joint diagonally from the left-hand side into slices of mode- rate thickness. HOW TO CARVE. 2 Neck of Veal. 521. Loin of Veal.— Cut out the kidney, turn the joint over, and carve into slices of moderate thickness. Serve a slice of kidney and fat with each slice of meat, having first inquired of the guest if the former are desired. 522. Shoulder of Mutton. — This joint is usually sent to table lying on the dish the reverse side to that which is shown in the illustration. It should then be turned BEMOVES AND EOASTS, WITH HINTS ON CARVING. 573 over. Commence carving into slices, more in the shape of a wedge at the end. Serve a small sHce cut from the bladebone end to each guest. All slices should be cut through to the bone, as shown in the illustration. The under parts of a shoulder are considered the most delicate, but it is essential for the carver to consult those at table as to which portions they prefer. Shoulder of Mutton. 523. Saddle of Venison, Iamb, or Mutton. — Com- mence to carve lengthwise at first on both sides of the spinal bone, after which cut crosswise downward, and detach from the bone. The slices should be cut as close to the bone as possible. Hold the fork firmly in the centre of the saddle. Large slices should be cut in two crosswise. The slices should be from h to J of an inch in thickness. 524. To Carve a Leg of Mutton. — The simplest way to carve a leg of mutton is to take hold of the bone end with the left hand, to cut the portion marked a with a firm stroke of the knife : next make a sharp incision down to the bone at b. Cut slender slices from A to c, 574 PtECHERCHE COOKERY. then loosen the shoes from the bone ; then turn the leg and cut the under portion m the same manner. Another \ E D way is to reverse the leg, commencing to cut at d, pro- ceeding in a similar way as above described.