Practical household cookery

Soak the brains required in lukewarm water in the manner described in No. 328, then blanch them for a few minutes in salt water, drain, and wipe them with a cloth ; when cold, cut these in scollops, pass them in bread-crumbs, then into some well-beaten eggs and bread-crumbs again. Give each scollop a nice form with your hands ; after which, place them in a sauté-pan, with a few thin rashers of bacon, half a carrot, the quarter of an onion shred fine, a bayleaf, salt to taste, half a pint of French white wine, and same quantity of broth ; let these simmer for half an hour, then strain and dish the scollops on some croutons fried in butter, sprinkle over them a little hot Neapolitan sauce (No. 208), and serve. 865. OX-BRAINS WITH MONTPELLIER BUTTER. Soak and blanch as above two ox-brains, then cook them in good broth, and let them get cold in the broth ; after which drain, and put them in a sauté-pan with three tablespoon fuls of olive-oil, sprinkle over them a little salt and pepper, squeeze the juice of a lemon, add a few sprigs of tarragon, and set the sauté-pan on the fire to simmer for a few minutes, and draw the pan from the fire. Put half a pint of Montpellier butter (No. 163) into another sauté-pan on the fire, put the two brains in it, and glaze them well Dish them up, and pour the Montpellier butter over them before sending to the table. S66. BLACK PUDDINGS. Take one pint of pig's blood, add to it half a pint of boiled cream, half a pound of the inside fat of the pig, cut in small dice, cut three onions also in dice and fry them with two ounces of butter in a frying-pan without colouring them ; mix these with the blood, season with half an ounce of salt, a pinch of pepper, a little grated nutmeg, a sprig of thyme, and half a bay-leaf, chopped very fine ; mix all these well together and fill the skins (previously cleaned and washed) with this mixture, taking care to allow space for tying them into five-inch lengths When completed and thus tied, immerse the black puddings in boiling water, without, however, boiling them, but let them remain in it till they become somewhat firm to the touch, when they must be taken out and hung in the larder to cool. When required, cut them into lengths, score them well with a sharp knife, or prick them all round with a trussing-needle, so as to prevent them bui'sting. Broil them on a moderate fire for about ten minutes, taking care to turn them round as required ; when done, dish them up with mashed potatoes and serve very hot. 367. PIG'S FEET A LA STE. MENEHOULD. Procure four large pig's feet, pickle them for eight days in common salt brine, then wash and boil them in a quart of ordinary stock for about three hours and a half, properly seasoned with a " bouquet garni/' one carrot, two onions, and half a head of celery, all shred fine. When done, drain and cut them in two, lengthways ; remove all the large bones, press them into shape with the hands, and let them get cold ; after which, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, rub them over with a brush or feather dipped in clarified butter, then roll them in bread-crumbs and broil them over a clear fire (taking care to frequently turn them) till of a nice golden colour ; then dish them up, and serve with a sharp sauce (No. 205) apart. 368. PIG'S FEET A LA OENOISE. Prepare and cook four pig's feet as in the previous number, bone and fill them up with a salpicon à la monglas (No. 315); after which, join the two halves, tie them around with some pig's caul, prepared for the purpose, give them their original form, pass them through bread-crumbs, and broil them over a clear fire, taking care, as in No. 367, to turn them round ; and when nicely done, dish them up in halves and serve with Italian sauce (No. 204) apart. 869. PIG'S EARS A LA VENITIENNE.