Hand-Book of Practical Cookery for Ladies and Professional Cooks Part 34

_Cold._--Cold lamb is served in every way like cold mutton. A part left from a roasted piece may be enveloped in b.u.t.tered paper, put on the spit just long enough to warm it, and served just in the same way as roast lamb.

_Lamb's head_, _feet_, _kidneys_, etc., are prepared and served like the same parts of the sheep, and as directed in the different receipts.

KID.

Prepare, cook, and serve kid the same as lamb.

VEAL.

Never buy too young veal. It is very easy to know it; when too young, the bones are very tender; they are more like nerves than bones; the meat is gluish, and has little or no taste. Epicures say that if a calf is killed before it is two months old, or at least six weeks, it is not fit for eating. We are of that opinion, although, perhaps, very few are allowed so long a life. We will therefore recommend our readers to beware buying too young veal; many diseases, especially in children, come from eating it.

When you broil or roast a piece of veal, baste often. Veal is better when a little overdone; it is not good, and operates like physic, if underdone.

The best veal is that of a greenish color and very fat. It is fresh when the eyes are full and smooth, and when the meat is firm. If the meat is yellowish or contains yellowish spots, it is not fresh. The veins must be red.

_To improve._--Chop fine a tablespoonful of parsley, a teaspoonful of shallots, same of green onions, a bay-leaf, two sprigs of thyme, two or three mushrooms, add to them, salt, pepper, a little grated nutmeg; cover the bottom of a tureen with half of each, put on it the piece of veal you wish to improve, cover with the other half of the seasonings; then pour gently on the whole two tablespoonfuls of sweet-oil; leave the veal thus about four or five hours in winter and about two in summer.

ROASTED.

The pieces of veal that are roasted are the _loin_, _leg_, and _shoulder_.

It may be improved as directed above or not, according to taste; but we earnestly recommend it as not a little improvement, but as a marked one, as everybody can try it and judge, veal being naturally tasteless.

There are three ways of roasting veal. We will describe them, so that it can be done according to taste.

1. Spread a thin coat of b.u.t.ter around the piece of veal after being salted all around, put on the spit before a good but not very sharp fire; near it, but not too much so: veal being more tender than beef, it would also burn much quicker. Baste often with melted b.u.t.ter first, and then with the drippings, and from the beginning to the end. When done, that is, when overdone, as veal must always be, serve with the gravy only, or in the different ways described below.

2. Lard all the fleshy parts of the piece of veal with a larding-needle and strips of salt pork, the same as a fillet of beef, but which strips you roll in a mixture of parsley chopped, salt and pepper, before running them into the meat, and proceed as above for the rest. Serve also like the above.

3. After the piece of veal is improved as directed, spread the seasonings in which it has been improved all around it, then envelop the whole in b.u.t.tered paper, which you fasten with twine, put it on the spit, and baste often with melted b.u.t.ter. It must be basted often to prevent the paper from burning. About fifteen minutes before it is done, remove the paper, put the meat a little nearer the fire so as to give it a fine yellow or golden color, finish the cooking till overdone, and serve also like the first, or No. 1.

No matter which of these three ways the piece of veal is roasted, it is served in the same manner.

_With Asparagus._--When the roasted piece of veal is dished, put a _puree_ of asparagus all around, and serve warm.

_With Peas._--Spread one pint or one quart (according to the size of the piece of meat) of green peas _au jus_, on a dish; place the meat on the peas, spread the gravy over the whole, and serve as warm as possible.

_With Quenelles._--Dish the roasted piece, place around it six or eight _quenelles_ of chicken or of veal, strain the gravy on the whole, and serve warm.

_With Vegetables._--When roasted and dished, put any kind of vegetables, prepared _au jus_, all around the piece of meat, and serve warm.

_With Sweetbreads._--Roast the piece of veal as directed, and when dished, place six sweetbreads, prepared _au jus_, tastefully around the meat; strain the gravy over, and serve very warm.

_Decorated._--Every piece of roasted veal may be decorated with skewers, either served _au jus_ or in any of the above ways. The skewers are first run through either of the following and then stuck into the piece of meat: slices of truffles; chicken-combs, prepared as for garniture; slices of sweetbreads or whole ones, prepared _au jus_; _quenelles_ of chicken or of veal; slices of carrots, turnips, beets, all prepared _au jus_; and mushrooms. One, two, three, or more to every skewer; for instance: one slice of truffle, then one of turnip, a chicken-comb, then a slice of sweetbread or a whole one, and then stick in the meat. From two to six skewers may be used. On a large piece never put less than two, and no matter how many you use, always have even numbers of them.

BAKED.

All the parts of veal that are roasted, that is, the loin, leg, and shoulder, can be baked. They may be improved in the same way as to roast them. Put the piece of veal in a bakepan; spread salt, pepper, and b.u.t.ter on it; cover the bottom of the pan with cold water, about a quarter of an inch in depth; place a piece of b.u.t.tered paper on the meat, and put in a warm oven. If the meat has been improved, the seasonings are spread over it before placing the b.u.t.tered paper. Baste often with the water and juice in the pan and over the paper, which you need not remove till about ten minutes before taking from the oven, or in case it should burn; then you must replace it by another. It keeps the top of the meat moist, and it is more juicy when done.

When properly baked (overdone, as every piece of veal must be), serve either _au jus_, or with the same garnitures, the same decorations, as directed for roasted veal.

The gravy in the bakepan is strained, the fat skimmed off, and then it is turned over the meat and garnitures when dished, the same as the drippings or gravy of roast meat. In case the water in the bakepan, or the juice, or both, should boil away or be absorbed, put more cold water in it, so as to be able to baste.

BLANQUETTE.--(_Also called Poulette._)

Take about two pounds of neck, breast, shoulder, or any other piece, which cut in pieces, two inches square, throw them in boiling water, with a little salt, for five minutes, and drain them. Put in a stewpan a piece of b.u.t.ter the size of an egg, set it on a good fire, and when melted mix in a tablespoonful of flour, stirring all the time, and when turning yellow pour gently and slowly in the pan a pint of boiling water; add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and green onions, salt, pepper, six small white or red onions, two or three mushrooms, and then the meat; boil gently about three hours, and serve.

CROQUETTES.

Proceed as for chicken croquettes in every particular, except that you use cold veal instead of cold chicken.

RAGOUT.

The neck and breast pieces are generally used to make a _ragout_, but any other piece may be used. Take about three pounds of veal, which cut in pieces about two inches square. Put two ounces of b.u.t.ter in a saucepan, set it on the fire, and as soon as the b.u.t.ter is melted, lay the meat in, stir now and then till of a golden color, and then take the meat from the pan. Leave the pan on the fire, and put in it a tablespoonful of flour, little by little, keep stirring about five minutes; add also half a pint of broth, same of warm water, one onion with a clove stuck in it, a bay leaf, two sprigs of thyme, two of parsley, a clove of garlic, a small carrot cut in two or three pieces, salt and pepper, then the meat, and cover the pan. Half an hour after your meat is in, fry in b.u.t.ter in a frying-pan six small onions, which you also put in the stewpan as soon as fried. When the whole is cooked, place the meat on a dish, strain the sauce on it, surround the whole with the six small onions, and serve warm.

_In Scallops._--Take a piece from the loin or leg of veal, cut it in pieces about three inches long, two inches broad, and one-third of an inch thick, as evenly as possible, and flatten them with a chopper. Salt and pepper them on both sides, and fry them with a little b.u.t.ter till about half done, on both sides alike. Add a little broth and chopped parsley, and boil gently till done. Place the pieces of veal all around the platter, one lapping over another, turn the sauce in the middle of them, and serve.

_Another._--Cut the veal in pieces as for the above; beat one or two eggs in a plate with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley; dip each piece into it and then roll in bread-crumbs; b.u.t.ter a bakepan, place the veal in with a small lump of b.u.t.ter on each piece, and bake; turn over to bake evenly. Serve as the above, with a _piquante_ or tomato sauce in the middle.

BREAST, STEWED.

Cut in dice two ounces of bacon, put it in a stewpan and set on a good fire; add two ounces of b.u.t.ter, and two onions cut in slices; when melted, lay the breast in, turn it over and leave till of a golden color on both sides; add then two small carrots cut in pieces, one teaspoonful of chopped green onions, three sprigs of parsley, half a turnip, salt, and pepper; moisten with half a pint of warm water; leave thus about three hours on a moderate fire. Strain the juice in a dish, put the meat on it, and serve.

The pieces of carrots and of bacon may be served with the meat, if you choose.

_The same, with Green Peas._--Cut the breast in square pieces about two inches in size. Put in a stewpan a piece of b.u.t.ter the size of an egg, and set it on the fire; when melted, mix in it a teaspoonful of flour, then lay the meat in, and wet with half a gla.s.s of broth, same of warm water, also two sprigs of parsley, salt, and pepper; stir now and then.

One hour after add green peas, and leave on the fire till the whole is cooked, when skim off the fat on the surface, and serve.

_In Matelote._--To make a _matelote_ of veal any piece can be used, but most generally it is made with a breast or neck piece. Cut the veal in square pieces about two inches in size; have in a stewpan and on a good fire a piece of b.u.t.ter about the size of an egg; when melted, put the meat in, stir now and then till of a golden color; then take the meat from the stewpan, which you leave on the fire, and in which you put half a pint of warm water, same of claret wine, same of broth, a bay-leaf, two cloves, two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a clove of garlic, salt, and pepper; when turning brown, put the meat back in the pan, and fifteen minutes before it is cooked add also ten small onions fried in b.u.t.ter beforehand and four or five mushrooms, then have a brisk fire to finish the cooking; place the meat on a dish, strain the sauce on the meat, put the ten small onions around it, and serve.

_Broiled._--Salt and pepper both sides of the breast of veal, grease it all over with melted b.u.t.ter, by means of a brush, and broil till overdone. Serve with a _maitre d'hotel_, _piquante_, or _poivrade_ sauce.

CUTLETS.

_Broiled._--When properly trimmed, they may be improved as directed for veal. Salt and pepper both sides; spread a little melted b.u.t.ter on both sides also by means of a brush; place them on, before, or under the fire (_see_ Broiling); baste now and then with melted b.u.t.ter; turn over one, two, or three times, and when rather overdone serve with a _maitre d'hotel_ sauce spread all over.