The Stag Cook Book: Written for Men by Men

Melt two tablespoonsful of fresh butter, add 12 finely chopped shallots, %. pound of finely chopped fresh mushrooms, pepper, salt, and let it simmer, by constantly stirring, until it is thoroughly cooked, and finish with chopped parsley; mix well into this two tablespoonsful of demiglace. Cover the bottom of tartlettes with a layer of this preparation, place a freshly poached egg on top, cover with thick cream sauce, spray with grated Parmesan cheese, a dash of melted butter, and bake in moderate oven for about five minutes. Dish up on napkin with crisp fried parsley. ROMAINE SALAD A L'ALEXANDER Decorate half a head of Romaine with sliced grapefruit, sliced orange and white grapes split and seeded, or large black cherries. Prepare dressing as follows: Incorporate into French dressing finely chopped chives, French mustard and teaspoonful of red currant jelly; mix well and use as dressing for above salad. ROGNONS DE VEAU A L'ALEXANDER Take six fresh veal kidneys, remove skin and fat, and cut to very small cubes, adding J^ pound of very fine chopped fresh mushrooms, and put aside. Melt two tablespoonsful of butter with twelve finely chopped shallots and brown to a nice golden color. Add [66] the kidneys and mushrooms and let it simmer for about eight minutes, taking good care not to let it cook too much, preventing the kidneys from getting hard; incorporate into this appareil one pint of demi-glace, one cup of bread crumbs (for thickening) chopped parsley, pepper and salt, and let it cool down. Cut round canapes of bread 3 inches in diameter, and 54 inch thick, and fry in butter to crusts, and drain; then cover the crusts with this preparation to a half ball shape, pass through beaten egg, spray with a mixture of bread crumbs and grated parmesan cheese and dash of melted butter on top and bake in moderate oven for about ten minutes. Dish up on napkin with fried parsley, and serve with demi-glace sauce separate. STRAWBERRY TARTLETS ALEXANDER Work into a dough J^ pound of flour, J4 pound sugar, • I tablespoonful of butter, 2 whole eggs, and a little salt. Cut the dough to oval or round tartlet forms, have them baked in moderate oven, and after they are cooled down fill out the bottom of the tartlets with custard (Creme Patissiere). Cover the cream entirely with a layer of selected fresh whole strawberries, and apply, with a decorating brush, lightly diluted red currant jelly; spray the top with finely chopped pistachio nuts. BAKED OYSTERS ALEXANDER Open six large oysters, keep in deep half shell, place [67] in roasting pan and cover with Sauce Alexander as follows: " two tablespoons! ul of Chili sauce one tablespoonful of horseradish sauce Mix: \ one tablespoonful of French mustard one dash of Worcestershire Sauce finely chopped chives, salt and pepper Take good care the oysters are entirely covered by the sauce, then spray with bread crumbs, and have them baked for about eight minutes. feMINCE OF CHICKEN A L'ALEXANDER Select a choice five-pound fowl, have it boiled, cut into flakes and put aside. Brown in saucepan J4 pound of butter and two tablespoonsful of flour to a nice yellow color, add to this one quart of chicken broth and let it boil for a few minutes, keeping on stirring it; beat into this sauce six yolks of eggs and the juice of two lemons, working it all the time, but taking good care not to let it boil any more; pass it through a fine sieve and keep it hot in Bain-Marie. Cut into flakes and saute in butter J^ pound of fresh mushrooms, then take ^ pound flaked boiled Virginia ham, one bunch of finely chopped Tarragon and mix this with the chicken flakes in the thoroughly heated sauce; season with salt, pepper and paprika to taste and serve in chafing dish ; place on freshly made toast or hot buckwheat cakes. [68]