The Cook's Oracle; and Housekeeper's Manual Part 46

MEM. This portable soup is a most convenient article in cookery; especially in small families, where it will save a great deal of time and trouble. It is also economical, for no more will be melted than is wanted; so there is no waste.

Nine pounds of neck of beef, costing 2_s._ 7-1/2_d._ produced nine ounces of very nice soup; the bones, when boiled, weighed ten ounces.

Half an ox-cheek, costing 1_s._ 9_d._ and weighing 14-3/4 pounds, produced thirteen ounces; but not so firm or clear, and far inferior in flavour to that obtained from a s.h.i.+n of beef.

A sheep's head, costing 9_d._, produced three ounces and a half.

Two pounds of lean meat, from the blade-bone of beef, produced hardly an ounce.

The addition of an ounce of gum arabic, and two ounces of isingla.s.s, to four ounces of the extract from a leg of beef, considerably diminished the consistence of the ma.s.s, without adding to its bulk.

It has been thought that the portable soup which is manufactured for sale, is partly made with ox-heels; but the experiment (No. 198) proves this cannot be, as an ounce of the jelly from ox-heel costs 5_d._ For the cheapest method of procuring a hard jelly, see N.B. to No. 481; nineteen bones, costing 4-1/2_d._ produced three ounces: almost as cheap as Salisbury glue.

A knuckle of veal, weighing 4-3/4 pounds, and costing 2_s._ 4_d._ produced five ounces.

A s.h.i.+n of beef, weighing nine pounds, and costing 1_s._ 10-1/2_d._ produced nine ounces of concentrated soup, sufficiently reduced to keep for several months. After the boiling, the bones in this joint weighed two pounds and a quarter, and the meat two pounds and a quarter.

The result of these experiments is, that the product from legs and s.h.i.+ns of beef was almost as large in quant.i.ty, and of much superior quality and flavour, as that obtained from any of the other materials; the flavour of the product from mutton, veal, &c. is comparatively insipid.

As it is difficult to obtain this ready-made of good quality, and we could not find any proper and circ.u.mstantial directions for making it, which, on trial, answered the purpose, and it is really a great acquisition to the army and navy, to travellers, invalids, &c. the editor has bestowed some time, &c. in endeavouring to learn, and to teach, how it may be prepared in the easiest, most economical, and perfect manner.

The ordinary selling price is from 10_s._ to 12_s._, but you may make it according to the above receipt for 3_s._ 6_d._ per pound, _i. e._ for 2-1/2_d._ per ounce, which will make you a pint of broth.

Those who do not regard the expense, and like the flavour, may add the lean of ham, in the proportion of a pound to eight pounds of leg of beef.

It may also be flavoured, by adding to it, at the time you put the broth into the smaller stew-pan, mushroom catchup, eschalot wine, essences of spice or herbs, &c.; we prefer it quite plain; it is then ready to be converted, in an instant, into a basin of beef tea, for an invalid, and any flavour may be immediately communicated to it by the magazine of taste (No. 462).

_To clarify Broth or Gravy._--(No. 252*.)

Put on the broth in a clean stew-pan; break the white and sh.e.l.l of an egg, beat them together, put them into the broth, stir it with a whisk; when it has boiled a few minutes, strain it through a tamis or a napkin.

_Obs._ A careful cook will seldom have occasion to clarify her broths, &c. if prepared according to the directions given in No. 200.

FOOTNOTES:

[193-*] In culinary technicals, is called FIRST STOCK, or long broth; in the French kitchen, "_le grand bouillon_."

[193-+] A dog was fed on the richest broth, yet could not be kept alive; while another, which had only the meat boiled to a chip (and water), throve very well. This shows the folly of attempting to nourish men by concentrated soups, jellies, &c.--SINCLAIR, _Code of Health_, p. 356.

If this experiment be accurate, what becomes of the theoretic visions of those who have written about nouris.h.i.+ng broths, &c.? The best test of the restorative quality of food, is a small quant.i.ty of it satisfying hunger, the strength of the pulse after it, and the length of time which elapses before appet.i.te returns again. According to this rule, we give our verdict in favour of No. 19 or 24. See N.B. to No. 181.

This subject is fully discussed in _The Art of Invigorating and Prolonging Life, by Diet_, &c. published by G. B. Whittaker, 13 Ave-Maria lane.

[194-*] Called, in some cookery books, "SECOND STOCK;" in the French kitchen, "_jus de buf_."

[194-+] A great deal of care is to be taken to watch the time of putting in the water: if it is poured in too soon, the gravy will not have its true flavour and colour: and if it be let alone till the meat sticks to the pan, it will get a burnt taste.

[195-*] Truffles, morells, and mushrooms, catchups and wines, &c. are added by those who are for the extreme of _haut gout_.

[195-+] The general rule is to put in about a pint of water to a pound of meat, if it only simmers very gently.

[195-++] A tamis is a worsted cloth, sold at the oil shops, made on purpose for straining sauces: the best way for using it is for two people to twist it contrary ways. This is a better way of straining sauce than through a sieve, and refines it much more completely.

[197-*] By this method, it is said, an ingenious cook long deceived a large family, who were all fond of weak mutton broth. Mushroom gravy, or catchup (No. 439), approaches the nature and flavour of meat gravy, more than any vegetable juice, and is the best subst.i.tute for it in maigre soups and extempore sauces, that culinary chemistry has yet produced.

[200-*] See "_L'Art de Cuisinier_," par A. Beauvillier, Paris, 1814, p.

68. "I have learned by experience, that of all the fats that are used for frying, the _pot top_ which is taken from the surface of the broth and stock-pot is by far the best."

[203-*] To make pease pottage, double the quant.i.ty. Those who often make pease soup should have a mill, and grind the pease just before they dress them; a less quant.i.ty will suffice, and the soup will be much sooner made.

[204-*] If the liquor is very salt, the pease will never boil tender.

Therefore, when you make pease soup with the liquor in which salted pork or beef has been boiled, tie up the pease in a cloth, and boil them first for an hour in soft water.

[204-+] Half a drachm of celery-seed, pounded fine, and put into the soup a quarter of an hour before it is finished, will flavour three quarts.

[204-++] Some put in dried mint rubbed to fine powder; but as every body does not like mint, it is best to send it up on a plate. See pease powder, No. 458, essence of celery, No. 409, and Nos. 457 and 459.

[205-*] My witty predecessor, Dr. HUNTER (see _Culina_, page 97), says, "If a proper quant.i.ty of curry-powder (No. 455) be added to pease soup, a good soup might be made, under the t.i.tle of _curry pease soup_.

Heliogabalus offered rewards for the discovery of a new dish, and the British Parliament have given notoriety to inventions of much less importance than 'curry pease soup.'"

N.B. Celery, or carrots, or turnips, shredded, or cut in squares (or Scotch barley,--in the latter case the soup must be rather thinner), or cut into bits about an inch long, and boiled separately, and thrown into the tureen when the soup is going to table, will give another agreeable variety, and may be called _celery and pease soup_. Read _Obs._ to No.

214

[207-*] The French call this "_soup maigre_;" the English acceptation of which is "_poor and watery_," and does not at all accord with the French, which is, soups, &c. made without meat: thus, turtle, the richest dish that comes to an English table (if dressed without meat gravy), is a maigre dish.

[209-*] We copied the following receipt from _The Morning Post_, Jan.

1820.

WINTER SOUP.--(No. 227.)

210 lbs of beef, fore-quarters, 90 lbs. of legs of beef, 3 bushels of best split pease, 1 bushel of flour, 12 bundles of leeks, 6 bundles of celery, 12 lbs. of salt, 11 lbs. of black pepper.

These good ingredients will make 1000 quarts of nouris.h.i.+ng and agreeable soup, at an expense (establishment avoided) of little less than 2-1/2_d._ per quart.

Of this, 2600 quarts a day have been delivered during the late inclement weather, and the cessation of ordinary employment, at two stations in the parish of Bermondsey, at one penny per quart, by which 600 families have been daily a.s.sisted, and it thankfully received. Such a nourishment and comfort could not have been provided by themselves separately for fourpence a quart, if at all, and reckoning little for their fire, nothing for their time.

[211-*] Read No. 176.

[214-*] Some lovers of _haut gout_ fry the tails before they put them into the soup-pot.

[216-*] Fowls' or turkeys' heads make good and cheap soup in the same manner.

[218-*] To this fine aromatic herb, turtle soup is much indebted for its spicy flavour, and the high esteem it is held in by the good citizens of London, who, I believe, are pretty generally of the same opinion as Dr.

Salmon. See his "_Household Dictionary and Essay on Cookery_," 8vo.

London, 1710, page 34, article 'Basil.' "This comforts the heart, expels melancholy, and cleanses the lungs." See No. 307. "This plant gave the peculiar flavour to the _original Fetter-lane sausages_."--GRAY'S _Supplement to the Pharmacopia_, 8vo. 1821 p. 52.

[219-*] "Tout le monde sait que tous les ragouts qui portent le nom de TORTUE, sont d'origine Anglaise."--_Manuel des Amphitryons_, 8vo. 1808, p. 229.