Frog Broth

Ingredients

• two ounces of fresh butter
• two carrots
• two onions
• three spring onions
• the head of half a celery
• two pounds of fresh frogs
• three pints of boiling water
• salt to taste
• white pepper to taste

Method

1. 1

   Fry vegetables and frogs in butter, add boiling water, season, and boil for forty minutes.

2. 2

   Strain the broth.

As published

This recipe was extracted from Practical household cookery (1891) by E. Duret, page 12. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

FROG BROTH. I know well beforehand the expressions of disgust that will be felt in reading the heading of this broth ; neverthe- less, do not be led astray by an uneducated palate or a prejudiced opinion. Frogs are considered a delicacy in France, are quite as much appreciated in Italy and in Ger- many, and are reared on a very large scale in America; therefore, why should they not be cultivated and eaten iu Great Britain ? The mode of preparing this broth is as follows : — Put two ounces of fresh butter in a stewpan and fry to a nice brown ; two carrots, two onions, three spring onions if in season. PRACTICAL HOUSEHOLD COOKERY. 27 and the head of half a celery, all shred finely; also two pounds of fresh frogs properly skinned and cleaned. When the whole is nicely hrown pour three pints of boiling water over it ; salt and white pepper to taste ; boil gently for forty minutes ; then pass the broth through a fine cloth, and serve with a few crodtons fried in butter. Whoever partakes of this broth will ask for it again. 28. FROG PUR^E SOUP. Take the flesh of two pounds of frogs, diy nicely with a cloth ; roll the pieces into some flour and fry them slowly in a stewpan with two ounces of butter till well done ; after which, pound them in a mortar, mixed with half a pint of Bechamel sauce ; then put the mixture into another stewpan ; dilute the purine with a quart of hot frog broth, stir occasionally, and boil for five or six minutes ; then pass it through a sieve and back again to the stewpan, with a little grated nutmeg ; salt and pepper to taste ; add more broth or water if required ; set it to the boil ; pour it into a soup-tureen with croiitons or quenelles, and serve. 29. CRAYFISH BROTH. Brown in butter the same sort and quantity of vegetables as in No. 27. Meantime wash well in two waters thirty live crayfish ; place these in a saucepan with half a handful of parsley, two onions, the head of a celery, and two carrots, all shred fine; pour enough cold water to cover the lot; add a handful of salt ; cover the saucepan and boil fifteen minutes ; strain the water through a colander, and as soon as the crustaceans are cold take the meat out of the shells with your fingers ; place the meat from the claws and tails on a plate; pound the shells, with the inside residue, in a mortar with two ounces of fresh butter, 28 PRACTICAL HOUSEHOLD COOKERY. and mix it with the fried vegetables; fry this for a few minutes longer; then pour three pints of boiling water over it ; season with salt and pepper ; stir and simmer gently for ten minutes ; skim off the butter and place it on A plate apart ; pass the broth through a sieve and let it get cold ; then pour it into tho stewpan and boil till reduced by one-third ; after which, strain it through a cloth into a soup- tureen, and serve with the meat off the claws and crayfish- tails, keeping the butter to season sauces when required. 30. VEGETABLE BROTH. Clean and scrape four carrots; peel six turnips, three leeks, three onions, and two small heads of celery; slice the lot in fours and sixes, and brown them in a stewpan with three ounces of fresh butter, first the onions and leeks, and afterwards the other vegetables; and when all are nicely coloured add about an ounce of sugar, half a pint of boiling water, and salt to taste

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.