Practical household cookery

Butter a stewpan, with an ounce of butter put in it, a shred onion, and about three pounds of leg of veal cut in small slices skinned and the fat removed, also a pound of beef cut in slices, as well as any carcasses of chicken and game that may be had ; moisten the lot with half a pint of broth or stock No. i. Boil on a good fire till the broth is reduced by one-half, turn the meat round so as to glaze it of an even brown colour ; when the meat is nicely glazed, draw the stewpan by the side of the fire, cover it, and let it stand for a few minutes. After this, pour in three quarts of stock No. i, boil it, skim it in the usual way, and add a " bouquet garni," one carrot shred finely, salt and pepper to taste, then let it simmer till the meat is well done, when it must be taken out and the broth strained through a fine cloth; return the broth to the stewpan, and set it by the side of the fire. Meantime put three ounces of butter in a small stewpan, and when properly melted pour a similar quantity of semolina flour with it. Stir it well over the fire with a wooden spoon, and simmer it for a quarter of an hour, giving it an occasional stir. Dilute this with some of the broth, and when properly mixed pour the remainder of the broth ever it ; boil it, stir it constantly till boiling, then draw the stewpan to the side of the fire and let it simmer for two hours; skim off the fat and scum as it rises, then strain the sauce through a fine cloth into an earthenware pan, and put by in a cool place for future use. These sauces will, in ordinary weather, keep perfectly well and good for four or five days. 153. Velouté SAUCE. Put about two pounds of lean veal, free from skin and fat, into a buttered stewpan, also three slices of ham, half a pint of white stock, two carrots and one onion shred. Simmer the contents very gently, taking care not to colour the meat, and after half an hour moisten with three quarts of veal broth ; boil it, skim it, and then draw the stewpan to the side of the fire; add a few shalots, a ** bouquet garni," and the cuttings of half a dozen white mushrooms ; simmer till the veal is well done ; take it out and strain the broth through a fine cloth ; put the broth back to the stewpan by the side of the fire Meantime prepare a mixture of three ounces of butter with the same quantity of semolina fiour in a stewpan, as in the Espagnole sauce, but do not brown the flour; dilute this with the white stock or veal broth in the same way as in No. 152, and mix it with the remainder of the stock in the stewpan ; stir constantly till it has reached ebullition, let it simmer for two hours, skim off the fat and scum as it rises, give it an occasional stirring, and strain through a tammy sieve into an earthenware pan, and put by in a cool place. 154. BECHAMEL SAUCE. Put in a stewpan six ounces of butter, the same quantity of lean ham cut in thin slices, one pound of lean veal, one carrot, one shalot, a little celery, all shred in the usual style ; also a bay-leaf, two cloves, a small *^ bouquet '' of thyme and pepper-corn. Set the stewpan on a moderate fire, let it simmer without browning the meat, and when almost dry sprinkle over three ounces of semolina flour, moisten with three pints of chicken broth and one quart of cream, stir and mix well together; boil it, draw the stewpan to the side of the fire, and simmer gently; stir occasionally, and skim in the usual way; if too thick add a little more broth or cream, and after two hours of simmering strain through a tammy sieve into an earthenware pan, as with the other sauces. 155. ANOTHER MODE OF PREPARING BECHAMEL SAUCE.