Warne's model cookery and housekeeping book : containing complete instructions in household management / compiled and edited by Mary Jewry.
61/177

delicate. She should be careful in the use of ketchups and sauces, though they are both useful and important. Cow-heel, | calf's-feet, and ox-tail soups, all require flavouring, and will bear a little sauce or ketchup, but it should never be over-done. I Clear soups have been the fashion of late years ; pun’es, such as pea-soup, &c., being not so often seen, except at old fashioned people’s tables. Soup is clarified by means of the white and shell of eggs, one eggj being .allowed to each quart of soup. The eggs must be broken over a basin, and care | must be taken not to let a particle of the' yolk fall in. The stock, which has been| previously made, must then have the fat removed from it, and the jelly underneath must be put into a clean stewpan and melted. Meantime, the white of egg must be beaten to a stiff froth, and white and shell must be then gradually poured into the stock, which must be well stirred or whisked till it boils. Then it is to be taken off the fire, covered close and let stand fora quarter of an hour ; then strained through a sieve. Take care that the soup-kettle or stewpan is perfectly clean and free from any grease or sand. An iron soup-pot should be washed the moment you have finished using it, witli apiece of soda the size of a small nut- meg, dissolved in hot w'ater, to remove all gre.asiness or taste of onion. A teaspoonful of potash will answer the same purpose. Do not uncover the soup-kettle more fre- quently than necessary for skimming it clean; but if your soup is too weak, do not cover the pot in boiling, as the water will evaporate in steam and leave your liquor stronger. Skim frequently ; it is important that every portion of scum should be removed from the soup. Pour in occasionally a little cold water, which will cause the albumen to rise in abundant scum, or if you put in the re- quired quantity of salt with the meat it will cause the scum to rise ; but the cup of fresh water is much the better mode of helping the Soup to clear itself. Always stir your soup with a wooden Spoon. Let the soup be quite free from scum be- fore the vegetables are put in. It will take six or eight hours to extract the essence from a few pounds of beef. It is better to make your soup the day before it is required, because then the fat Ivill cake at the top of it and can be easily laken off, and you can judge of the goodness of your soup by the consistency and firm- ness of the jelly. The water in which meat or fowls have been boiled will make good broth, but for »<iup add a little gravy beef to it. Vegetables to be added to soup should hif well cleaned, washed, and picked. It is very difficult to give a perfect mea- surement of seasoning, as the taste of people differs considerably with regard to it. and the cook must conform to that which suits the palates of her employers ; but in a rough way, it is usual to add about a tea- spoonful of salt to a pound of meat, and pepper according to taste, some naturally insipid broths and soups requiring more ; very savoury soups less. It is better to season too little than too highly. Put fresh meat into cold water to stew for soup. If you make soup of already cooked meat, pour hot, but not boiling water over it. Time and attention are required to achieve a good soup. Clear Stock for Soups. Time, six hours and a half. 118. Six or seven pounds of knuckle of veal or beef; half a pound of lean ham or bacon ; a quarter of a pound of butter ; salt : two onions ; one carrot ; one turnip ; half of a head of celery; two gallons of water. Cut fresh meat and ham into very small pieces, and put them into a stewpan, which has been rubbed over with a quarter of a pound of butter; add half a pint of water, the salt, onions, turnip, carrot, and celery cut into slices ; cover the stew- pan, and place it over a very quick fire, until the bottom of the pan is glazed, but stirring it round frequently to prevent its burning. Then pour in the two gallons of water, and when on the point of boiling, draw it to the side of the fire to simmer for six hours and a half, or seven hours if the stock is made of beef ; skim it thoroughly, and when done pass it through a very fine sieve for use. A little browning or gravy must be used to colour it. General Stock-Pot. 119. Stock, in its composition, is not con- fined to the above proportions, any meat or bones are useful; pieces of beef, from any part from which gravy can be extracted ; bones, skin, brisket, or tops of ribs, ox- cheek, pieces of mutton, bacon, ham, and trimmings of turkeys, fowls, veal, &c. ;and also of hare, pheasant, if they are old and fit for no other purpose ; in fact, anything that will become a jelly, will assist in mak- ing stock ; to this medley of ingredients add carrots cut into slices, herbs, onions, pepper, salt, spice, &c. ; and when all have stewed until the stock is of a rich consistency, take it from the fire and pour it out to cool.