The Skilful Cook Part 8

1 sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram.

1 gla.s.s of port wine.

3 oz. of flour.

Pepper and salt.

_Method._--Put the beef into the water with the vegetables cut in pieces, herbs, cloves, pepper and salt, and stew gently from four to five hours, until quite tender.

Then make a thickening of the flour, stir it in, and boil well for two or three minutes.

For serving, place the beef on a hot dish.

Add the wine to the gravy, and strain it over the meat.

Haricot Mutton.

_Ingredients_--7 or 8 mutton cutlets.

1 pint of second stock.

1 carrot.

1 turnip.

1 onion.

1 stick of celery.

1 oz. of flour.

Pepper and salt.

2 oz. of dripping.

_Method._--Fry the cutlets a nice brown in the dripping.

Mix the flour smoothly with the stock; boil it in a stewpan for two minutes.

Then put in the cutlets and the vegetables cut in fancy shapes.

Stew gently for about three-quarters of an hour, until the meat and vegetables are tender.

Dish the cutlets in a circle; place the vegetables round them and pour the gravy over.

Sheep's Head.

_Ingredients_--1 sheep's head.

1 oz. of b.u.t.ter or dripping.

Pepper and salt.

1 oz. of flour.

A few drops of lemon juice.

_Method._--See that the head has been properly prepared by the butcher, and the nostrils removed.

Soak it well in salt and water, and wash it carefully.

Cut out the tongue, remove the brains, and tie the head into shape with a piece of string.

Put it and the tongue into a saucepan of boiling water, and simmer it from three to four hours.

A quarter of an hour before it is cooked, put in the brains tied in muslin.

To make a sauce for it, melt the b.u.t.ter or dripping in a small stewpan.

Mix in the flour smoothly.

Pour in one pint of the broth from the sheep's head.

Stir and cook well, adding pepper and salt to taste a few drops of lemon juice, or one teaspoonful of vinegar.

Lastly, add the brains, chopped small.

For serving, put the head on a hot dish.

Remove the string, and pour the sauce over.

Sheep's Head au gratin.

_Ingredients_--1 sheep's head.

2 tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs.

oz. of b.u.t.ter.

1 teaspoonful of chopped parsley.

1 teaspoonful of dried and powdered herbs.

Lemon juice.

Pepper and salt.

_Method._--Boil the sheep's head according to the directions in preceding recipe.

When cooked, lay it on a greased baking-sheet.

Sprinkle over it the crumbs, parsley, and herbs, adding a few drops of lemon juice; pepper and salt.

Put the b.u.t.ter in little pieces about the head, and brown it in a quick oven or before the fire.

Serve with the brain sauce given in the foregoing recipe.

Liver and Bacon.

_Ingredients_--1 sheep's liver.

1 lb. of fat bacon.

1 pint of hot water.

Some flour.

Pepper and salt.

_Method._--Cut the bacon into slices, and remove the rind.