The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary Part 57

SPROUTS. Before the sprouts of greens are boiled, trim and wash them very nicely, and drain them in a cullender. Then put them into boiling water, with some salt thrown in, and sprinkle a little more upon the sprouts. Boil them very fast, and clear off any sc.u.m that may arise.

When the stalks are quite tender, drain the sprouts off directly into a cullender, or they will lose both their flavour and colour. Serve them up laid neatly in the dish with a fork, as that will not break them like a spoon. Borecole and Brussel sprouts, like all the cabbage species, should be boiled in plenty of water, changing it when about half done, and boiling them well.

SPRUCE BEER. Pour sixteen gallons of warm water into a barrel, with twelve pounds of mola.s.ses, and half a pound of the essence of spruce.

When cool, add a pint of yeast, stir it well for two or three days, and put it into stone bottles. Wire down the corks, pack the bottles in saw dust, and the liquor will ripen in about a fortnight.

SQUAB PIE. Prepare apples as for other pies, and lay them in rows with mutton chops. Shred some onion, and sprinkle it among them, and also some sugar.--Another. Make a good crust, and sheet your dish all over; lay a layer of pippins, and strew sugar over them; cut a loin of mutton into steaks, season them with pepper and salt; lay a layer of steaks, then pippins; then lay some onions sliced thin on the apples, then the rest of your mutton, and apples and onions over all; pour in a pint of water, and lid your pye; let it be well baked.

STAFFORDs.h.i.+RE BEEF STEAKS. Beat them a little with a rollingpin, then flour and season, and fry them of a fine light brown, with sliced onions. Lay the steaks into a stewpan, and pour over them as much boiling water as will serve for sauce. Stew them very gently for half an hour, and add a spoonful of ketchup or walnut liquor, before they are served up.

STAFFORDs.h.i.+RE SYLLABUB. Put into a bowl a pint of cider, and a gla.s.s of brandy, with sugar and nutmeg. Pour into it some warm milk, from a large tea-pot, held up high, and moved over it.

STAINS BY ACIDS. Wet the injured part, and lay on some salt of wormwood; then rub it, without diluting it with more water. Or let the cloth imbibe a little water without dipping, and hold the part over a lighted match at a due distance. The spots will be removed by the sulphureous gas. Another way is to tie up some pearl ash in the stained part, then sc.r.a.pe some soap into cold soft water to make a lather, and boil the linen till the stain disappears.

STAINS IN MAHOGANY. If any kind of furniture get stained with ink, dilute half a tea-spoonful of oil of vitriol with a large spoonful of water, and touch the stained part with a feather dipped in the liquid.

It must be watched, and not suffered to remain too long, or it will leave a white mark. It is better to rub it quick, and to moisten it again, if the stain be not entirely removed.

STAINING OF BONE. This article must first be prepared, by being steeped for several days in a mixture of roche alum, vitriol, verdigris, and copper filings, infused in white wine vinegar. When the ingredients are dissolved, the mixture may be boiled with the bone in it, and it will take a fine green colour. By infusing brazil wood, French berries, or indigo in the vinegar, with a little roche alum, either red, yellow, or blue may be produced. Either bone, ivory, or wood, may be coloured in this manner.

STAINING OF PARCHMENT. Paper or parchment may be stained of a green colour, by gradually dissolving some copper filings in aqua-fortis, or the spirits of salt, putting in the filings till the ebullition ceases.

A solution of verdigris in vinegar, or the crystals of verdigris in water, will answer the same purpose. A fine crimson stain may be produced by a tincture of the Indian lake, made by infusing the lake several days in spirits of wine, and pouring off the tincture from the dregs. A beautiful yellow may be formed from the tincture of turmeric, made in the same way. If the colours be wanted of a deeper cast, arnatto or dragon's blood may be added to the tincture.

STAINING OF WOOD. To stain wood of a mahogany colour, put it into a mixture of oil of turpentine and pounded dragon's blood, and let it stand an hour over a slow fire. When taken off the fire, the wood may remain in the liquor all night. The dye may be made stronger or weaker, by using more or less of dragon's blood, and by a greater or less degree of digestion and boiling. The best wood for this purpose is plane tree, because it may easily be sawn and polished, and is beautifully veined and spotted. To stain wood a fine black, drop a little oil of vitriol into a small quant.i.ty of water, rub it on the wood, and hold it to the fire. It will then become a fine black, and receive a beautiful polish.

STALKS OF BEET LEAVES. Trim and well wash the stalks of green and white beet leaves, and boil them in water, moving them frequently, to prevent the upper ones from turning black. When done enough, drain them in a cullender. Make a white sauce with a little flour and water, a piece of b.u.t.ter, some pepper and salt, and a taste of vinegar. Thicken this over the fire, and put in the stalks to stew gently for a few minutes, to give them a flavour. If the b.u.t.ter oils, it is a sign that the sauce is too thick. In this case add another spoonful or two of water, and shake the stewpan till the sauce recovers it appearance.

STARCH is a substance which is extracted from wheaten flour, by was.h.i.+ng it in water. All farinaceous seeds, and the roots of most vegetables, afford this substance in a greater or less degree; but it is most easily obtained from the flour of wheat, by moistening any quant.i.ty thereof with a little water, and kneading it with the hand into a tough paste: this being washed with water, by letting fall upon it a very slender stream, the water will be rendered turbid as it runs off, in consequence of the fecula or starch which it extracts from the flour, and which will subside when the water is allowed to stand at rest. The starch so obtained, when dried in the sun, or by a stove, is usually concreted into small ma.s.ses of a long figure and columnar shape, which have a fine white colour, scarcely any smell, and very little taste. If kept dry, starch in this state continues a long time uninjured, although exposed to the air. It is not soluble in cold water; but forms a thick paste with boiling-hot water, and when this paste is allowed to cool, it becomes semi-transparent and gelatinous, and being dried, becomes brittle, and somewhat resembles gum. Starch, although found in all nutritive grains, is only perfect when they have attained maturity, for before this it is in a state approaching to mucilage, and so mixed with saccharine matter and essential oils, that it cannot be extracted in sufficient purity to concrete into ma.s.ses. Wheat, or such parts of it as are not used for human food, are usually employed for manufacturing starch, such as the refuse wheat and bran; but when the finest starch is required, good grain must be used. This, being well cleaned, and sometimes coa.r.s.ely bruised, is put into wooden vessels full of water to ferment: to a.s.sist the fermentation, the vessels are exposed to the greatest heat of the sun, and the water is changed twice a day, during eight or twelve days, according to the season. When the grain bursts easily under the finger, and gives out a milky white liquor when squeezed, it is judged to be sufficiently softened and fermented. In this state, the grains are taken out of the water by a sieve, and put into a canvas sack, and the husks are separated and rubbed off, by beating and rubbing the sack upon a plank: the sack is then put into a tub filled with cold water, and trodden or beaten till the water becomes milky and turbid, from the starch which it takes up from the grain. A sc.u.m sometimes swims upon the surface of the water, which must be carefully removed; the water is then run off through a fine sieve into a settling-vessel, and fresh water is poured upon the grains, two or three times, till it will not extract any more starch, or become coloured by the grain. The water in the settling-vessels being left at rest, precipitates the starch which it held suspended; and to get rid of the saccharine matter, which was also dissolved by the water, the vessels are exposed to the sun, which soon produces the acetous fermentation, and takes up such matter as renders the starch more pure and white. During this process, the starch for sale in the shops receives its colour, which consists of smalt mixed with water and a small quant.i.ty of alum, and is thoroughly incorporated with the starch; but this starch is unfit for medicinal purposes. When the water becomes completely sour, it is poured gently off from the starch, which is washed several times afterwards with clean water, and at last is placed to drain upon linen cloths supported by hurdles, and the water drips through, leaving the starch upon the cloths, in which it is pressed or wrung, to extract as much as possible of the water; and the remainder is evaporated, by cutting the starch into pieces, which are laid up in airy places, upon a floor of plaster or of slightly burnt bricks, until it becomes completely dried from all moisture, partly by the access of warm air, and partly by the floor imbibing the moisture. In winter time, the heat of a stove must be employed to effect the drying. Lastly, the pieces of dried starch are sc.r.a.ped, to remove the outside crust, which makes inferior starch, and these pieces are broken into smaller pieces for sale. The grain which remains in the sack after the starch is extracted, contains the husks and the glutinous part of the wheat, which are found very nutritious food for cattle. The French manufacturers, according to "Les Arts et Metiers," pursue a more economical method, as they are enabled, by employing an acid water for the fermentation in the first instance, to use the most inferior wheat, and the bran or husks of wheat. This water they prepare, by putting a pailful of warm water into a tub, with about two pounds of leaven, such as some bakers use to make their dough rise or ferment. The water stands two days, and is then stirred up, and half a pailful of warm water added to it; then being left to settle till it is clear, it is poured off for use. To use this water in the fermentation of the materials, a quant.i.ty of it is poured into a tub, and about as much fair water is poured upon it as will fill the tub half full: the remainder of the tub is then filled up with the materials, which are one half refuse wheat, and the other half bran. In this tub it continues to steep and ferment during ten days, or less, according to the strength of the leaven-water, and according to the disposition of the weather for fermentation. When the materials have been sufficiently steeped, or fermented, an unctuous matter, which is the oil of the grain, will be seen swimming on the surface, having been thrown up by the fermentation. This must be sc.u.mmed off; and the fermented grain, being taken out of the tub, is put into a fine hair sieve, placed over a settling-tub, when fair water is poured upon it, and washed through the sieve into the tub; by which means the starch is carried through the sieve with the water, of which about six times the quant.i.ty of the grain are used. The water stands in the settling tub for a day, and becomes clear at top; when it is carefully laded out of the tub, leaving at the bottom a white sediment, which is the starch. The water which is taken off is sour, and is called _sure_ water: this is the proper leaven for the first steeping of the materials. The starch now obtained must be rendered marketable; for which purpose, as much water is poured upon it as will enable it to be pounded and broken up with a shovel, and then the tub is filled up with fair water. Two days after this, the water is laded out from the tub, and the starch appears in the bottom, but covered over with a dark-coloured and inferior kind of starch, which is taken off, and employed for fattening hogs. The remainder of the sediment, which is good starch, is washed several times, to remove all the inferior starch; and when this is done, about four inches of thick starch should be found at the bottom of each tub: but the quant.i.ty varies, according to the goodness of the meal or bran which has been used. It is evident that the refuse wheat, when employed for making starch, ought to afford more, the whole being used, than the bran or husks; but the starch so extracted is always of an inferior quality to that which is extracted from the bran of good wheat, particularly in the whiteness of its colour. The starch in the different tubs is brought together into one, and there worked up with as much water as will dissolve it into a thin paste, which is put into a silk sieve, and strained through with fresh water. This water is settled in a tub, and afterwards poured off, but before it is so completely settled as to lose all its white colour: this renders the starch which is deposited, still finer and whiter; and the starch which is deposited by the water so poured off, is of a more common quality. The starch, thus purified, is taken out of the bottom of the tubs, and put into wicker-baskets, about eighteen inches long and ten deep, rounded at the corners, and lined with linen cloths, which are not fastened to the baskets. The water drips from the starch through the cloths for a day, and the baskets are then carried up to apartments at the top of the house, where the floor is made of very clean white plaster; and the windows are thrown open, to admit a current of air. Here the baskets are turned downwards upon the plaster-floor, and the linen cloths, not being fastened to the baskets, follow the starch, and when taken off, leave loaves, or cakes of starch, which are left to dry a little, and are then broken into smaller pieces, and left on the plaster-floor, till very dry. But if the weather is at all humid, the starch is removed from the plaster-floor and spread out upon shelves, in an apartment which is warmed by a stove, and there it remains till perfectly dry. The pieces are afterwards sc.r.a.ped, to remove the outside crust, which makes common starch; and the sc.r.a.ped pieces being again broken small, the starch is carried to the stove, and spread out to a depth of three inches, on hurdles covered with cloths. The starch must be turned over every morning and evening, to prevent it from turning to a greenish colour, which it would otherwise do. Those manufacturers who are not provided with a stove, make use of the top of a baker's oven to spread the starch upon; and after being thoroughly dried here, it is ready for sale.

Starch may be made from potatoes, by soaking them about an hour in water, and taking off their roots and fibres, then rubbing them quite clean by a strong brush: after this they are reduced to a pulp, by grating them in water. This pulp is to be collected in a tub, and mixed up with a large quant.i.ty of clear water: at the same time, another clean tub must be provided; and a hair sieve, not too fine, must be supported over it by two wooden rails extended across the tub. The pulp and water are thrown into the sieve, and the flour of starch is carried through with the water; fresh water must then be poured on, till it runs through quite clear. The refuse pulp which remains in the sieve, being boiled in water, makes an excellent food for animals; and the quant.i.ty of this pulp is near seven-eighths of all the potatoes employed. The liquor which has pa.s.sed through the sieve is turbid, and of a darkish colour, from the extractive matter which is dissolved in it. When it is suffered to rest for five or six hours, all this matter deposits or settles to the bottom, and the liquor which remains is to be poured off as useless; and a large quant.i.ty of fresh water is thrown upon the flour, and stirred up: it is then settled for a day, and the water being poured off, the flour will be found to have again settled in a whiter state.

But to improve it, another quant.i.ty of water is poured on, and mixed up with it; in which state it is pa.s.sed through a fine silk sieve, to arrest any small quant.i.ty of the pulp which may have escaped the first hair sieve. The whole must afterwards be suffered to stand quiet, till the flour is entirely settled, and the water above become perfectly clear; but if the water has any sensible colour or taste, the flour must be washed again with fresh water, for it is absolutely necessary that none of the extractive matter be suffered to remain with it. The flour, when thus obtained pure, and drained from the water, may be taken out of the tub with a wooden shovel, and placed upon wicker-frames covered with paper, to be dried in some situation properly defended from dust. When the manufacture of starch from potatoes is attempted in a large way, some kind of mill must be used to reduce them to a pulp, as the grating of them by hand is too tedious an operation. A mill invented by M. Baume is very complete for this purpose. In its general structure it resembles a large coffee-mill: the grater consists of a cone of iron plate, about seven inches in diameter, and eight inches in height, the exterior surface of which is made toothed, like a rasp, by piercing holes through the plate from the inside. This cone is fixed upon a verticle axle, with a handle at the top to turn it by; and is mounted on the pivots of the axle, within a hollow cylinder of plate-iron, toothed withinside like the outside of the cone; the smallest end of the interior cone being uppermost, and the lower or larger end being as large as the interior diameter of the hollow cylinder. A conical hopper is fixed to the hollow cylinder, round the top of it, into which the potatoes are thrown; and falling down into the s.p.a.ce between the outside of the cone and the inside of the hollow cylinder, they are ground, and reduced to a pulp, when the interior cone is turned round by its handle; and as the lower part of the cone is fitted close to the interior diameter of the cylinder, the potatoes must be ground to a fine pulp before they can pa.s.s through between the two. The machine, when at work, is placed in a tub filled with water; and as fast as the grinding proceeds, the pulp mixes regularly with the water, ready for the process before described.

Poland starch is reckoned the best: its quality may be judged of by the fineness of the grain, its being very brittle, and of a good colour. The price of starch depends upon that of flour; and when bread is cheap, starch may be bought to advantage. If it be of good quality it will keep for some years, covered close, and laid up in a dry warm room. In the year 1796, lord William Murray obtained a patent for manufacturing starch from horse-chesnuts. The method was to take the horse-chesnuts out of the outward green p.r.i.c.kly husk, and either by hand, with a knife or tool, or else with a mill adapted for the purpose, the brown rind was carefully removed, leaving the chesnuts perfectly white, and without the smallest speck. In this state the nuts were rasped or ground to a pulp with water, and the pulp washed with water through a coa.r.s.e horse-hair sieve, and twice afterwards through finer sieves, with a constant addition of clear cold water, till all the starch was washed clean from the pulp which remained in the sieve; and the water being settled, deposited the starch, which was afterwards repeatedly washed, purified, and dried, in the same manner as the potatoe-starch before described. We are not informed if this manufacture has been carried into effect. The sour, nauseous, milky liquor obtained in the process of starch-making, appears, upon a.n.a.lysis, to contain acetous acid, ammonia, alcohol, gluten, and phosphate of lime. The office of the acid is to dissolve the gluten and phosphate of lime, and thus to separate them from the starch.

Starch is used along with smalt, or stone-blue, to stiffen and clear linen. The powder of it is also used to whiten and powder the hair. It is also used by the dyers, to dispose their stuffs to take colours the better. Starch is sometimes used instead of sugar-candy for mixing with the colours that are used in strong gum-water, to make them work more freely, and to prevent their cracking. It is also used medicinally for the same intentions with the viscous substance which the flour of wheat forms with milk, in fluxes and catarrhs, under various forms of powders, mixtures, &c. A drachm of starch, with three ounces of any agreeable simple water, and a little sugar, compose an elegant jelly, of which a spoonful may be taken every hour or two. These gelatinous mixtures are likewise an useful injection in some diarrhoeas, particularly where the lower intestines have their natural mucus rubbed off by the flux, or are constantly irritated by the acrimony of the matter.

STEAKS FRIED. Moisten the pan with b.u.t.ter, put in some beef steaks, and when done, lay them on a dish. Put to the gravy that comes out of them, a gla.s.s of port wine, half an anchovy, a sliced shalot with nutmeg, pepper, and salt. Give it a boil in the pan, pour it over the steaks, and send them hot to table. In a plainer way, put a little flour and water into the pan with the gravy when the steaks are taken out, adding a spoonful of ketchup, an onion or shalot. The wine and anchovy may be omitted. Garnish with sc.r.a.ped horse-radish round the dish.

STEAK PIE. Raise a crust pretty deep and thick. Divide a breast or neck of mutton into steaks, beat and season them with nutmeg, pepper, and salt. Add some sweet herbs cut very fine, two onions sliced, the yolks of three or four hard eggs minced, and two spoonfuls of capers. Scatter these among the steaks as they are laid into the pie. Put on the top crust, and let the pie soak in a moderately hot oven for two hours or longer, according to its size. Have some gravy ready to put into it through a funnel, when it is to be served up.

STEAK PUDDING. Make a paste of suet or dripping and flour, roll it out, and line a basin with it. Season the meat, and put it in. Cover it with the paste, pinch it close round the edge, tie it up in a cloth, and boil it two hours, but be careful not to break it.--Another way. Make a good paste, with suet shred very fine, and flour; mix it up with cold water, and a little salt, and make your crust pretty stiff; about two pounds of suet to a quarter of a peck of flour. Let the steaks be either beef or mutton, well seasoned with pepper and salt; make it up like an apple-pudding, tie it in a cloth tight, and put it into the water boiling. If it be a large pudding, it will take four or five hours; if a middling one, three hours.

STEAKS ROLLED. After beating them to make them tender, spread them over with any quant.i.ty of high seasoned forcemeat. Then roll them up, and skewer them tight. Fry the steaks in nice dripping, till they become of a delicate brown. Then take them out of the fat in which they were fried, and put them into a stewpan with some good gravy, a spoonful of port wine, and some ketchup. When sufficiently stewed, serve them up with the gravy, and a few pickled mushrooms.

STEAM. Steam is employed to great advantage for culinary purposes. It is made to communicate with vessels in the form of boilers, as a subst.i.tute for having fires under them, which is a great advantage, both in the economy of fuel, and in avoiding at the same time the nuisance of ashes and smoke. The most convenient application of steam for culinary purposes is, when it directly acts upon the substance to be heated. This has been generally effected by placing the substance, whether meat or vegetables, in a vessel without water, and allowing the steam to enter and condense upon it. The most convenient apparatus of this kind we have yet heard of, consists of a cast-iron plate about thirty inches or three feet square, standing horizontally in a recess in the wall, like a table. Round the edge of this plate is a groove, about half an inch wide and two inches deep. Into this groove fits an inverted tin vessel, like a dish-cover. This is capable of being elevated and depressed by a pulley and chain, having a counterpoise, in order to expose the table at any time. The steam comes under the table and enters in the centre. The dishes to receive the heat are placed on any part within the groove, the steam being common to all. The water resulting from the condensation runs into the groove, and at a point short of the top runs off. The water which remains forms a complete water-lute, to prevent the escape of steam. The table being placed in a recess, like a common stone hearth, a small flue is placed over it to take away any steam that may escape when the cover is lifted up. The great quant.i.ty of hot water required in a scullery should be perpetually kept up by a supply of steam. For this purpose a large cylindrical vessel of cast-iron should be elevated in a corner of the scullery, in order that water may be drawn from it by a c.o.c.k. This vessel should be connected from the bottom with a cold-water cistern, the bottom of which is level with the top of the cylinder, by which the latter is kept constantly full. The hot-water cylinder is closed firmly at the top, and therefore, when the air is allowed to escape, the water rises to the top. If now a pipe be connected with the top, coming down to where it is to be drawn off, if any portion is drawn out here, as much will come in at the bottom of the cylinder from the reservoir above. So far we have described this cylinder without its steam-vessel. Within this cylinder, and about the middle, is a distinct vessel, nearly of the width of the cylinder; but having a free s.p.a.ce round the inner vessel about an inch wide. The depth of the inner vessel must be about one-sixth that of the outer one. This inner vessel must have no connection with the outer one, and must be so water-tight, that although it is surrounded with the water of the outer one, none should get in. The inner vessel is on one side connected by a pipe with a steam-boiler, having another pipe to allow the condensed water to run off, which may be preserved as distilled water, and is valuable for many purposes. The heat arising from the condensation is communicated to the water in the outer vessel, the hottest being at the top, where the mouth of the exit-pipe is placed. When, therefore, a portion of hot water is drawn from the c.o.c.k, the pipe of which comes from the top of the vessel immediately under the cover, an equal quant.i.ty comes in at the bottom from the reservoir. This useful apparatus is the invention of an ingenious economist of Derby, and is at present in use in his kitchen. The art of boiling vegetables of all kinds in steam instead of water, might probably be managed to advantage, as a greater degree of heat might be thus given them, by contriving to increase the heat of the steam after it has left the water; and thus the vegetable mucilage in roots and seeds, as in potatoes and flour puddings, as well as in their leaves, stems, and flower-cups, might be rendered probably more nutritive, and perhaps more palatable; but that many of the leaves of vegetables, as the summits of cabbage-sprouts, lose their green colour by being boiled in steam, and look like blanched vegetables. Steam has likewise lately been applied in gardening to the purpose of forcing plants of different kinds in the winter season, in order to have their produce at an early period, as to the cuc.u.mber, and some other vegetables of a somewhat similar nature; but the exact manner of its application in this intention, so far as we know, has not yet been communicated to the public; it is, however, by some mode of flues, pipes, and other contrivances for conveying and containing it, so as that its heat may be uninterruptedly, equally, and regularly afforded to the roots of the plants which it is designed to push forward into the fruiting state. It is said to have been used in some instances in different parts of Lancas.h.i.+re with great success. But how far the expense and advantage of such a method may admit of and encourage its being introduced into general practice, have not, probably, yet been well or fully ascertained. If it should be found capable of perfectly succeeding in this use, on more full and correct experience, it will, however, const.i.tute not only a neat and clean, but an elegant mode of forcing plants into fruit at early seasons.

STEAMED POTATOES. The potatoes must be well washed, but not pared, and put into the steamer when the water boils. Moderate sized potatoes will require three quarters of an hour to do them properly. They should be taken up as soon as they are done enough, or they will become watery.

STEEL. To transform iron into steel, put four ounces of cast iron into a crucible, with a considerable degree of heat. While in a state of fusion, immerse in it a polished iron wire of some thickness, and keep it there for some time, but not so long as to fuse it. When cold, the wire will be so hard as to resist the action of a common file, being converted into steel.

STEEL RUST. The prevention of rust, on such articles of furniture as are made of polished steel, is an object of great importance in domestic economy. The cutlers in Sheffield, when they have given a knife or razor blade the requisite degree of polish, rub them with powdered quick-lime, in order to prevent them from tarnis.h.i.+ng; and it seems that articles made of polished steel are dipped in lime water, before they are sent into the retail market. But when steel has contracted rust, the method of cleaning and polis.h.i.+ng it is to oil the rusty parts, and let it remain in that state two or three days. Then wipe it dry with clean rags, and polish with emery or pumice stone, or hard wood. After the oil is cleared off, a little fresh lime finely powdered will often be found sufficient; but where a higher polish is required, it will be necessary to use a paste composed of finely levigated bloodstone and spirits of wine.

STEEL STOVES. To preserve them effectually from rust, beat into three pounds of unsalted lard, two drams of camphor sliced thin, till the whole is absorbed. Then take as much black lead as will make it of the colour of broken steel; dip a rag into it, rub it thick on the stove, and the steel will never rust, even if wetted. When the stove is to be used, the grease must be washed off with hot water, and the steel be dried before polis.h.i.+ng.

STEWED ARTICHOKES. Wash and pare some Jerusalem artichokes, and part them in two. Boil them in a small quant.i.ty of gravy till almost done, and the liquor nearly consumed. Then add some cream, a piece of b.u.t.ter rolled in flour and a little salt, all in proportion to the number of artichokes. Stew them gently for ten minutes, and serve them up with sippets of white bread fried.

STEWED ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS. Boil some artichokes till about half done, and then take off the leaves and the choke. Trim the bottoms nicely, and stew them gently in some gravy, with a little lemon-juice or vinegar, and some salt, till they are quite tender. Before serving them up, wipe them dry, then lay them in a dish with sippets of toasted or fried bread laid round it, and pour some strong clear gravy over them. Dried artichoke bottoms may also be used for stewing, but should first be soaked a little while in warm water.

STEWED BREAST OF VEAL. Take a nice breast of veal, cut off the thin end, and boil it down for your sauce, with a f.a.ggot of sweet herbs, an onion stuck with three cloves, two blades of mace, some whole pepper and salt; put to it a quart of water, and let it stew gently till half is wasted, then raise the skin off your breast of veal, and make a forcemeat of the sweetbread first parboiled, a few crumbs of bread, a little beef suet, and some parsley shred very fine; season it with pepper, salt, and nutmeg; moisten it with a spoonful of cream, and an egg; mix all well together, and force your veal; skewer it down close, dredge it over with flour, tie it up in a clean cloth, and let it boil an hour and a half.

If your gravy is done, strain it off, and take off the fat very clean; blanch and beard half a pint of oysters, a gill of pickled mushrooms, a little lemon-peel shred very fine: put this to your gravy, and thicken it with a piece of b.u.t.ter rolled in flour; fry six or eight large oysters, dipped in batter for garnish. When your veal is enough, dish it up, and pour your sauce over. Garnish your dish with lemon, oysters, and barberries.

STEWED BRISKET OF BEEF. Stew nine pounds of brisket of beef, in two gallons of water, for two or three hours over night. When made sufficiently tender, take out the bones, and carefully skim off the fat.

Boil in some of the liquor a few carrots, turnips, onions, celery, and white cabbage, till they become quite tender. Add some salt, and the remainder of the broth to the beef, and stew all together till sufficiently done.

STEWED CALF'S LIVER LARDED. Take a calf's liver, and lard it, and put it into a stewpan, with some water, a bundle of sweet herbs, an onion, a blade of mace, some whole pepper, and a little salt; cover it close, and let it stew till it is enough; then take up your liver, and put it into the dish you intend; cover it over, and take out your herbs and spice; skim off all the fat very clean; put in a piece of b.u.t.ter rolled in flour; boil it till it is of a proper thickness; pour it over your liver, and send it to table garnished with lemon.

STEWED CARDOONS. Cut them into pieces, not more than five or six inches long. Take off the outward skin, and wash and scald them. Put them into a stewpan, with gravy enough to cover them, and let them stew gently till almost done, and the liquor nearly exhausted. Add a small quant.i.ty of fresh gravy, and continue stewing them gently till quite tender.

Serve them up with sippets of toasted bread round the edge of the dish.

If the gravy is not sufficiently seasoned, add a little salt and cayenne.

STEWED CARP. Scale and clean the fish, and preserve the roe. Lay the carp in a stewpan, with a rich beef-gravy, an onion, eight cloves, a dessert-spoonful of Jamaica pepper, the same of black pepper, and a gla.s.s of port or cider. Simmer it closely covered; when nearly done, add two anchovies chopped fine, a dessert-spoonful of made mustard, a little fine walnut ketchup, and a bit of b.u.t.ter rolled in flour. Shake it, and let the gravy boil a few minutes. Serve with sippets of fried bread, the roe fried, and a good deal of horseradish and lemon.--Another way. Scale your carp, then gut and wash them very clean, and dry them in a cloth; put a piece of b.u.t.ter into a stewpan, when it is hot, fry them as quick as you can, till they are of a fine brown; boil the roes, then fry them of a fine gold colour; take them up, and keep them hot before the fire: then put to your carp half port wine and half water, as much as will cover them a little more than half way; put in some thyme, parsley, a piece of lemon-peel, whole pepper, a few cloves, a blade or two of mace, an onion, some horse-radish sliced, and two spoonfuls of ketchup; put on your cover, and let it stew very gently, till your fish is enough; do not turn them in the pan, but with a ladle take some of the liquor, and pour over your fish every now and then, while they are stewing, then cover them close again: When they are done enough, take them out of the pan with a slice, and take care not to break them; put them into the dish you intend to send them to table in, then strain the liquor, and thicken it up with a piece of b.u.t.ter rolled in flour; let it boil till it is pretty thick, pour the sauce over the fish, and garnish your dish with the roes, lemon, and horseradish, and send it to table. You may squeeze a little lemon into the sauce, if you like it, and add oysters fried in b.u.t.ter; or you may stew them in cider, instead of wine, and it is very little inferior. Tench may be done the same way.--To stew carp white. Scale and gut your fish very clean, save the roes and melts, then stove them in some good white broth; season them with mace, salt, whole pepper, an onion stuck with cloves, a f.a.ggot of sweet herbs, and about half a pint of white wine; cover them close, and let them stew gently over a charcoal fire. Dip the roes and melts in the yolk of an egg; flour them, and fry them of a fine brown, and have fried parsley and sippets ready. When the fish is near done, take out the onion and f.a.ggot, beat up the yolks of four or five eggs, take up the fish carefully, and put it into the dish you serve it in; pour off the sauce, then strain it into a stewpan, and put in your eggs; keep it stirring till it is as fine as cream, then pour it over the dish. Garnish with the roes, fried parsley, sippets, horseradish sc.r.a.ped, and lemon: send it as hot as possible to table.--A plain way to stew carp. Clean your carp very well, cut them in two, put them into a stewpan, with a little onion shred fine, pepper, salt, a little beaten mace, a few capers chopped small, and some crusts of bread chipped in. Then pour in a gill of white, and a gill of red wine, and as much water as will just cover them; cover the pan close, and let them stew till they are enough, and the sauce grown thick. Serve it up with lemon and horseradish for garnish.

STEWED CARROTS. Half boil, sc.r.a.pe them nicely, and slice them into a stewpan. Add half a tea-cupful of weak broth, the same quant.i.ty of cream, with pepper and salt. Simmer till the carrots are quite tender, but not broken. Before serving, warm them up with a bit of b.u.t.ter rubbed in flour. Chopped parsley may be added, if approved, ten minutes before serving.

STEWED CELERY. Wash six heads, and strip off the outer leaves. Either divide or leave them whole, according to their size, and cut them into lengths of four inches. Put them into a stewpan with a cup of broth, or weak gravy, and stew them tender. Add two spoonfuls of cream, and a little flour and b.u.t.ter seasoned with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, and simmer them all together.