Alexis Soyer's Part 3: Recipes for Invalids
Welcome to Celtnet's Alexis Soyer's Part 3 (Recipes for Invalids) Page — Here you will find the full text from the third section: Recipes for Invalids of Alexis Soyer's Modern Housewife or Ménagère As well as the full text this page also provides links out to the overall index of the book and links to modern redactions of each and every recipe (where practicable). This site builds a complete library of Eliza Acton recipes, allowing the modern cook to make them at home today. Enjoy...
COMFORTS FOR INVALIDS.
57. MEAT.—The best meat as food for invalids is, in fact, that which is principally used, mutton and beef, lamb, if not too young (sweetbreads, I consider, ought oftener to be introduced), and calves' feet or head, scalded and boiled until tender, are very nutritious; chickens, pigeons, partridges, are also very inviting. All the above-mentioned articles are easy of digestion, excepting perhaps the beef, which may require to be gently stewed until tender, if for a delicate stomach just ordered to take meat after a serious fit of illness.
58. PLAIN MUTTON BROTH.—Get one pound of scrag of mutton, break the bone with a chopper, without separating the meat, then put it into a stewpan with three pints of water and a salt-spoonful of salt; boil gently two hours, carefully removing all the scum and fat, which is easily done by allowing it to simmer slowly by the side of the fire; it will be by that time reduced to about one quart, and is then ready to serve. This broth cannot be expected to drink very palatable, being deprived of vegetables and seasoning, it is in fact more like a beverage than a soup: at the commencement of convalescence more strength may be given if ordered by the doctor, by reducing the original quantity to one pint. This broth is often administered by a spoonful only at a time.
59. SEASONED MUTTON BROTH.—Put the same quantity of mutton and water into your stewpan, add two salt-spoonfuls of salt, and a half one of brown sugar, a small-sized onion, very little celery, and one ounce of turnip; set it upon the fire, and when beginning to boil draw it to the side; let it simmer gently two hours; skim off all the scum and fat, pass it through a sieve, and use it when required. When finished, there ought to be about a quart of broth remaining; but if by neglect it has boiled too fast, add more water, and set to boil for a quarter of an hour longer. When the patient is getting better, the medical man will probably order a little of the meat, or even turnips, to be eaten, in which case serve them on a plate separately; should the meat not be required by the patient, it is very excellent for a healthy person, with a few spoonfuls of onions or caper sauce, or even plain. If pearl-barley is required to be taken with the broth, put a tablespoonful of it in with the water when you first put it upon the fire, the whole will then be done together; if the barley is to be eaten by the patient, take out the meat and vegetables, and skim off every spot of grease; but if the barley is not required, pass the broth, as before, through a sieve.
60. MUTTON BROTH, (with variations.)—With Vermicelli. Having made your broth, and passed it through a sieve, as before, put the meat and vegetables upon a plate, and the broth back into the same stewpan; when boiling, if about a quart, add one or two tablespoonfuls of vermicelli, depending upon the strength of the patient's stomach; ten minutes' boiling will be sufficient to cook vermicelli.
61. With Rice.—One spoonful of best rice in the stewpan, with mutton and water the same as the barley, as it is better for the rice to be in pulp than underdone.
62. With Semoulina.—Semoulina is very delicate and glutinous, and I am quite confident that the faculty would approve of it after a trial or two; it is good in any kind of broth or milk for invalids, of very easy digestion, and having also the advantage of being tolerably cheap and quickly cooked; proceed as directed for vermicelli.
63. With Arrow-root.—After having passed your broth, place it again into the stewpan to boil; when boiling, put two teaspoonfuls of arrow-root into a cup, which mix smoothly with a gill of cold broth, or half ditto of water; then pour it into your boiling broth, which keep stirring with a spoon; let it simmer ten minutes, and it is ready for use.
64. VEAL BROTH, (French method.)—The following is much recommended by French physicians:—Put one pound of veal from the knuckle, with but very little of the bone, into a stewpan with three pints of water and a saltspoonful of salt, place it over the fire to boil; when boiling, take off all the scum; then add a small cabbage-lettuce and a few sprigs of chervil, if handy (this herb is now in greater use than ever, and may always be had for a trifle at Covent-garden Market); let simmer slowly for two hours, it will then be reduced to about a quart; pass it through a sieve, letting the meat drain, and it is ready to serve.
65. ANOTHER WAY, (more palatable)—Take the same quantity of veal as before, which cut into small dice (as you should cut all meat, if possible), put it into the stewpan, with a small pat of butter, half an onion, about the same quantity of carrot and turnip, a little celery, and a teaspoonful of salt; set the stewpan upon the fire, keeping the contents stirred, for about ten minutes, until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a whitish glaze, then add three pints of hot water; let the whole simmer one hour at the corner of the fire, skim well, pass it through a sieve, and use when required. This broth is most palatable and very digestible, but of course only to be given to the convalescent; it may be served with vermicelli, rice, arrow-root, and semoulina, as directed for mutton broth.
66. ANOTHER WAY, (very Refreshing and Strengthening.)—Put two pounds of knuckle of veal into a stewpan, with a calf's foot split, the bone taken out and chopped up, add three quarts of water, a good-sized onion, one leek, a piece of parsnip, and two salt-spoonfuls of salt (if allowed by the doctor, if not, the salt must be omitted), set it upon the fire, and when beginning to boil, skim, and let it simmer at the corner of the fire four hours; twenty minutes before passing, again skim off all the fat, and add ten large leaves of sorrel, or twenty small, one cabbagelettuce, and a handful of chervil; when done pass it through a sieve; it is then ready for use. This broth is very cooling and nutritious when taken cold, as it is then quite a jelly; vermicelli, rice, &C., may be added when served hot, and the veal and calf's foot is very excellent, eaten with parsley and butter or sharp sauce; but should the patient require any, it must be quite plain, with a little of the broth and only the gelatinous part of the foot.
The above also makes an excellent dinner soup, and if put in a cool place, will keep a week in winter and three days in summer.
67. SOYER'S NEW WAY OF MAKING BEEF TEA.—Cut a pound of solid beef into very small dice, which put into a stewpan, with a small pat of butter, a clove, two button onions, and a salt-spoonful of salt, stir the meat round over the fire for a few minutes, until it produces a thin gravy, then add a quart of water, and let it simmer at the corner of the fire for half an hour, skimming off every particle of fat; when done pass through a sieve. I have always had a great objection to passing broth through a cloth, as it frequently quite spoils its flavour.
The same, if wanted plain, is done by merely omitting the vegetables, salt, and cloves : the butter cannot be objectionable, as it is taken out in skimming; pearl-barley, vermicelli, rice, &C., may be served in it if required.
68. REAL ESSENCE OF BEEF.—Take one pound of solid beef from the rump, a steak would be the best, cut it into thin slices, which lay upon a thin trencher, and scrape quite fine with a large and sharp knife (as quickly as possible, or the juice of the meat would partially soak into the wood, your meat thus losing much of its strengthening quality), when like sausage-meat put it into a stewpan or saucepan, and stir over the fire five or ten minutes, until thoroughly warmed through, then add a pint of water, cover the stewpan as tightly as possible, and let it remain close to the fire or in a warm oven for twenty minutes, then pass it through a sieve, pressing the meat with a spoon to extract all the essence.
I beg to observe that here you have the real juice of the meat; but if wanted stronger, put only half instead of one pint of water; seasoning may be introduced, that is, a little salt, sugar, and cloves, but no vegetables, as they would not have time to cook, thus leaving a raw, bad flavour.
69. PURE OSMAZOME, or ESSENCE of MEAT.—Take two pounds of the flesh of any animal or bird (the older the better for obtaining the true flavour), as free from sinew as possible, and mince it well; place it in a Florence oil-flask, and cork it; put this in a saucepan filled with cold water, leaving the neck uncovered; place it on the side of the fire until the water arrives at 160° Fahr., at which temperature it must remain for twenty minutes; then remove it, and strain the contents through a tammie, pressing the meat gently with a spoon; should it require to be kept for some time, put the liquor in a. basin or cup, which place in the saucepan; subject it to a boiling heat until it is reduced to the consistency of treacle, removing the scum; this, when cold, will become solid, and will keep for any number of years. Osmazome is known under various names in different cookery books, as " fumet," " essence," &C., and is obtained in a different way, which causes the gelatine to be produced with the osmazome; but by the above plan the gelatine is left in the meat, and the osmazome and the albumen are extracted; the albumen is afterwards removed as the scum.
70. CHICKEN BROTH.—Put half a raw chicken into a stewpan, with a quart of water, a little leek and celery with a salt-spoonful of salt, and a few sprigs of parsley (if allowed); set the stewpan upon the fire; when boiling, skim well, and let simmer upon the corner for one hour, pass it through a sieve, and it is ready for use.
The chicken would eat very nice with a little maître-d'hôtel sauce, or any other from that series would do for the parlour, that is, when the patient is not allowed to eat it.
For a change, chicken-broth in the following way is very nutritious; that is, after having passed the broth through a sieve, pour it back again into the stewpan, which place over the fire; moisten a teaspoonful of flour in a cup with a little cold broth or water, and when quite smooth, pour it into the broth whilst boiling, stirring quickly; let simmer a quarter of an hour, and it is ready. Mutton or veal broth may also be varied the same.
71. EEL BROTH, (very strengthening.)—Take a small eel, which skin as described under fish, and wash well, then cut it into slices, which put into a small saucepan, just covered with water, add a little salt, a few sprigs of parsley, two button onions, and a clove; let it simmer very gently until the eels are tender, when skim off all the fat, pass the broth through a very fine sieve into a cup, it is then ready to serve when required, but a spoonful only should be taken at a time.
A patient is sometimes allowed to take part of the fish, which being so much boiled, constitutes a lighter food than eels are in general; a little melted butter and parsley might be served with them.
72. LAIT DE POULE, (French remedy for colds.)—This may be made from any of the foregoing broths, and for colds is excellent Break a fresh egg, separate the white from the yolk, put the yolk in a basin, with a quarter of a gill of good cream or milk, which mix well with a spoon; have half a pint of broth boiling, which pour gradually over the egg and cream, mixing it (as you pour the broth) with a wooden spoon; it is then ready, and ought to be taken when going to bed, if only for a cold.
73. SWEET LAIT DE POULE.—This is also reckoned very good for a cold. Put two yolks of eggs into a cup, with two teaspoonfuls of pounded sugar, a few drops of orange-flower water, or the eighth part of the rind of a fresh lemon grated, beat them well together for ten minutes, then pour boiling water gradually over, keeping it stirred until the cup is nearly full. Drink this very hot when in bed; I can strongly recommend it from experience.
74. RIZ AU LAIT, or RICE MILK, is a very favourite food, or soup; in France many persons make their suppers of it, even when in a state of perfect health. Proceed as follows:—wash a tablespoonful of good rice in water, which drain and put into a stewpan, with a pint of milk, upon the fire, and when boiling, place it at the corner to simmer, until the rice is quite tender, (for invalids it must be in a pulp); sweeten with a little sugar, and it is quite ready.
75. RICE MILK, (seasoned.)—Proceed exactly as in the last, but when the rice is quite tender add an ounce of butter, two teaspoonfuls of sugar, and a little salt, stir well together, and it is then ready; this must neither be too thick nor too thin, but about the thickness of well-made gruel. In France they always add a few drops of orange-flower water, but that depends upon taste. These last two are very nutritious, especially after a long illness.
76. VERMICELLI AU LAIT.—Boil a pint of milk, and when boiling, add sufficient vermicelli to make it about the thickness of the last article; it may be served quite plain if required, or seasoned as for the riz au lait, omitting the orange-flower water.
77. SEMOULINA AU LAIT.—Boil a pint of milk, and when boiling, add a tablespoonful of semolina, stirring it gently, to prevent its becoming lumpy; let it simmer twenty minutes, and serve either plain or seasoned, as for the riz au lait.
78. TAPIOCA AU LAIT.—Proceed exactly as in the last, but it will require rather longer to simmer before the tapioca is tender; and, by way of change, add a little grated lemon-peel, or a glass of white wine, if allowed by the doctor, or season as for the last.
79. ARROW-ROOT.—Put two teaspoonfuls of arrowroot, which mix gradually with enough water or milk, stirring it with a spoon, let it boil a few minutes, and if made with milk, add only a little butter, sugar, and salt, or serve plain; but if made with water, add the eighth part of the rind of a fresh lemon to boil with it; when done, add a glass of port or sherry, sugar, a little salt, and a small piece of butter, unless prohibited.
80. GRUEL.—Put two tablespoonfuls of oatmeal or prepared groats into a stewpan, and by degrees add a pint of water, mixing smoothly with a wooden spoon; place it upon the fire, keeping it well stirred, until it has boiled a couple of minutes, then pour it into a basin, add half a salt-spoonful of salt, two teaspoonfuls of brown sugar, and two ounces of butter, the latter especially; if for a cold in the chest even more than that quantity, should the stomach be strong enough to bear it.
Gruel when properly made, ought to adhere rather thickly to the back of the spoon, but not to be pasty; it ought likewise to be eaten directly it is made, or it becomes thick and unpleasant to eat; if required plain, omit all the seasoning; it might also be made with milk.
81. GRUEL FROM SCOTCH GROATS.—Proceed as above, but add rather more water, and boil a few minutes longer; many people prefer eating it with the rough groats in it, but if objectionable, place a small clean sieve over the basin you intend serving it in, pass the gruel through, and season as in the last. Some add spirits or wine; but that I should never recommend any one to do, unless by the doctor's orders, and that would be very seldom, I should think, especially as regards spirits.
82. SAGO GRUEL.—Put two tablespoonfuls of sago into a small saucepan, which moisten gradually with a pint of cold water, set it over a slow fire, keeping it stirred until becoming rather stiff and clear, similar to a jelly; then add a little grated nutmeg and sugar according to taste, and serve; half a pat of butter might also be added with the sugar, or it might be made with new milk, and a little salt added; a glass of wine in either case makes it more palatable.
83. ARROW-ROOT TRANSPARENT JELLY.—Put a good teaspoonful of arrow-root into a basin, which mix smoothly with two spoonfuls of water, then add enough boiling water to make it about the consistency of starch, stirring all the time, pour it into a stewpan, and stir over the fire until it has boiled two minutes; add a little cream, a small glass of wine, and a little sugar, and serve.
84. FRENCH PANADA (for aged people, invalids, and children.)—Break a stale penny roll into a saucepan, in which pour just sufficient water to cover the bread, stir well over the fire, allowing it to boil five minutes, then add half a teaspoonful of salt, and two ounces of fresh butter, mix them, and take from the fire; have one yolk of egg well beaten, with two tablespoonfuls of milk (if handy) or water, which pour into the panada, stirring very quickly for half a minute, it is then ready to pour into a basin and serve. Any common bread would do for panada, but would not eat so light as when made from a roll.
I knew a very aged lady in France who accustomed herself to eat a basin of panada every night, a few minutes previous to going to bed, for a period of eighteen years, which will prove that, although very substantial in appearance, it is easy to digest.
Panada ought to be rather thicker than gruel,- and may likewise be made of milk, but water is preferable, especially for bilious people.
85. BARLEY WATER.—Put half a gallon of water into a very clean saucepan, with two ounces of clean (but unwashed) pearl-barley; when boiling, carefully skim it with a tablespoon, and add half the rind of a small lemon, let it boil until the barley is quite tender: sweeten with half an ounce of white sugar, strain it through a fine hair sieve, and use when required. The juice of half a lemon in some cases may also be introduced.
86. RICE WATER.—Put a quart of water to boil in a saucepan, with a handful of clean rice, (but not washed), place it upon the fire, and let boil gently until the rice is quite in a pulp, then pass it through a hair sieve into a jug, pressing as much of the rice through as possible; when getting cold, sweeten moderately with honey, which will make it very palatable; it should be drunk lukewarm.
87. A NEW DRINK.—Put half a gallon of water upon the fire, and when boiling, have ready four pippin apples (quite ripe), cut each apple into eight slices, without peeling them, throw them into the water, which keep boiling until the apples are quite soft, pass the water through a sieve, pressing the apples gently against the side of the sieve, but not rubbing them through, add enough honey to make it sweetish, and drink lukewarm.
Two apples thrown into the rice-water and boiled the same would be a great improvement. People in good health would much enjoy such drink, during the summer especially; as also would poor people in the country, where apples are plentiful. Any kind of apples would suit, and brown sugar instead of honey, or even without sugar or honey.
88. COOLING DRINK.—Bake four or six apples, without peeling them; when done and quite hot, put them into a jug, and pour over three pints of boiling water; cover the jug over with paper, and when cold it is ready for use; a spoonful of honey or brown sugar added makes it very palatable.
89. ALMOND WATER.—Put five ounces of sweet and two of bitter almonds into a saucepan, with a pint of warm water, which set upon the fire, and, when boiling, strain them upon a sieve, take off their skins, and set them in spring water to cool, then dry them upon a cloth, pound them in a mortar until very fine, adding a few drops of water occasionally, to prevent their becoming oily, set a pint of syrup to boil, and throw in the mashed almonds; boil altogether a minute, then set it at the corner to simmer for a quarter of an hour; it is then ready to pass through a fine sieve for use. When required, add any quantity of cold water, according to taste or direction, to make it palatable.
90. BARLEY LEMONADE.—Put a quarter of a pound of sugar into a small stewpan, with half a pint of water, which boil about ten minutes, or until forming a thickish syrup; then add the rind of a fresh lemon and the pulp of two; let it boil two minutes longer, when add two quarts of barley-water, from which you have omitted the sugar and lemon; boil five minutes longer, pass it through a hair sieve into a jug, which cover with paper, making a hole in the centre to let the heat through; when cold, it is ready for use. If put cold into a bottle and well corked down, it would keep good several days.
BARLEY ORANGEADE is made the same way as above, substituting the rind and juice of oranges; the juice of a lemon, in addition, is an improvement, when taken as a refreshing beverage.
91. A REFRESHING BEVERAGE. — Slice two oranges and one lemon, which put into a jug, with two ounces of sugar-candy, over which pour one quart of boiling water; stir it occasionally until cold, drink it a little at a time, as often as ordered by the medical attendant. This drink is also very excellent for persons in health, especially in warm weather.
92. RASPBERRY VINEGAR BEVERAGE.—Put two tablespoonfuls of raspberry vinegar into a cup, over which pour half a pint of boiling water; when cold, use it as you may be instructed or when necessary; any kind of fruit syrup would answer the same purpose, and be equally as good, that is, currants, cherries, strawberries mulberries, &c.
93. A VERY STRENGTHENING DRINK.—Put a teacupful of pearl-barley into a saucepan, with three pints of cold water, the rind of a lemon, and a small piece of cinnamon; boil the whole very gently until the barley becomes tender, then strain it through a fine sieve, and sweeten with a spoonful of treacle: if treacle should be objectionable, honey or sugar will do.
94. FRESH FRUIT WATER.—Fresh fruits, when in season, are very preferable to syrups, which are but seldom well made, except at some of the first confectioners or Italian warehouses.
Pick a pottle of fresh raspberries or strawberries, whichever you may require, rub them through a sieve into a basin, which mix well with half a pint of syrup, the juice of a lemon, and a quart of spring water; pass it through a fine hair sieve, and put it by in a jug for use: both the syrup and water may either be increased or diminished according to taste.
Red or white currant waters are made precisely the same, only omitting the lemon, the currants themselves being sufficiently sharp.
95. CHERRY DRAUGHT.—Choose a pound of good fleshy cherries, from which take the stalk and stones; have a pint of syrup boiling, into which throw them, to boil as fast as possible for ten minutes; then take them from the fire, and add a good wine-glassful of Madeira or sherry, and a quart of boiling water; put it into a jug, with a cup over; when cold, pass it through a sieve, and it is ready for use. The wine may be omitted if not required. A drink of the same description may likewise be made from mulberries, but then a little lemon-juice must be added.
96. ARROW-ROOT WATER.—Put half a gallon of water to boil with two apples, the same as in No. 87, with the addition of a stick of cinnamon; let the whole boil half an hour, then mix two large spoonfuls of arrow-root with half a pint of cold water, very smoothly, and pour it into the boiling water; let the whole boil ten minutes, and pass it through a sieve; when cold, it will be thickish and drink light.
97. FRENCH HERB BROTH. — This is a very favourite beverage in France, as well with people in a state of health as with invalids, especially in the spring, when the herbs are young and green. Put a quart of water to boil, but have previously prepared about forty leaves of sorrel, a cabbage lettuce, and ten sprigs of chervil, the whole well washed; when the water is boiling, throw in the above, with the addition of a teaspoonful of salt, and half an ounce of fresh butter; cover your saucepan close, and let them simmer a few minutes, then pass it through a sieve or colander. This is to be drunk cold, especially in the spring of the year, after the change from winter. I generally drink about a quart per day for a week, at that time; but if for sick people, it must be made less strong of herbs, and taken a little warm. To prove that it is wholesome, we have only to refer to the instinct which teaches dogs to eat grass at that season of the year. I do not pretend to say that it would suit persons in every malady, because the doctors are to decide upon the food and beverage of their patients, and study its changes, as well as change their medicines.
98. DRY PLUM BEVERAGE.—Put a quart of water in a saucepan upon the fire, and, when boiling, throw in twelve fresh dry French plums, and let them boil twenty minutes, then pour them in a basin with the liquor to cool; when cold, take out the plums, which put into a basin; add two tablespoonfuls of brown sugar, and a very small quantity of port wine. They are excellent to eat, and the liquor to drink.
99. FIGS AND APPLE BEVERAGE. —Have two quarts of water boiling, into which throw six fresh dry figs, previously opened, and two apples, previously cut into six or eight pieces each; let the whole boil together twenty minutes, then pour them together into a basin to cool, and pass through a sieve, drain the figs, which will also be good to eat.
100. STEWED PLUMS.—Put twelve French plums in a stewpan, with a spoonful of brown sugar, a gill of water, a little cinnamon, and some thin rind of a lemon; let them stew twenty minutes, then pour them in a basin until cold, take them from their syrup and eat them dry. They are sometimes stewed in wine and water, either port, sherry, or claret.
101. BAKED APPLES are very much used by invalids. Have a common yellow dish, such as you frequently see in farmhouses, into which put about twelve apples (previously well wiped) and about a gill of water, and put them in a hot oven for half an hour, or rather more should the apples be large; when well done, take them out to get cold upon the dish, and eat them cold, either with powdered lump or moist sugar.
102. COOLING LEMONADE.—Put a quart of water in a stewpan to boil, into which put two moist dried figs, each split in two; let it boil a quarter of an hour, then have ready the peel of a lemon, taken off rather thickly, and the half of the lemon cut in thin slices; throw them into the stewpan, and boil two minutes longer; pour it into the jug, which cover closely with paper until cold, then pass it through a sieve: add a teaspoonful of honey, and it is ready for use.
103. IMPERIAL, (a Cooling Drink for the Spring.)— Two ounces of cream of tartar, two lemons (juice and peel), four ounces of sugar; place in a stone jug, and pour about six quarts of boiling water; allow it to get cold, and bottle for use. Or, instead of sugar, add three tablespoonfuls of raspberry vinegar, and six ounces of honey. This is excellent aerated like soda water. Essence of ratafia, or any other, may be added, with about half a pint of pure spirit at proof, for those accustomed to spirits.
104. ORANGEADE.—Proceed as for lemonade, but using the whole of the orange, a little of the peel included, sweetening with sugar-candy, and adding a teaspoonful of arrow-root mixed with a little cold water, which pour into the boiling liquid at the same time you put in the orange. The arrow root makes it very delicate.
Toast and Water.—The facility of making this popular drink is probably the cause of its not being well made one time in ten, that is, in private families; the bread is too much or too little done, or there is too much or not half enough water, or more or less bread; I venture to say that if any person would take the trouble to go from house to house, where there are patients, and taste toast and water at each, they would not-find two of the same flavour, and perhaps not any of it properly made. To make it to perfection, proceed as follows:—
105. TOAST AND WATER.—Cut a piece of crusty bread, about a quarter of a pound in weight, place it upon a toasting-fork, and hold it about six inches from the fire; turn it often, and keep moving it gently until of a light yellow colour, then place it nearer the fire, and when of a good brown chocolate colour, put it into a jug, and pour three pints of boiling water over; cover the jug until cold, then strain it into a clean jug, and it is ready for use: never leave the toast in it, for in summer it would cause fermentation in a short time. I would almost venture that such toast and water as I have described would keep good a considerable time in bottles.
The idea that bread must be burnt black to make toast and water is quite a popular delusion, for nothing nourishing could come from it: if your house were burnt to ashes, it would be valueless; and the same with burnt bread, which merely makes the water black, but the nutriment of the bread, intended to relieve the chest, has evaporated in smoke by being burnt.
PUDDINGS FOR INVALIDS.
106. APPLE AND RICE PUDDING.—Boil half an ounce of Carolina rice in a gill of milk until very tender, then add a very small piece of butter, sugar, a little cinnamon, and a grain of salt; then peel, core, and slice a middling-sized apple, which put into a stewpan, with a small piece of butter, a little sugar, and a drop of water, and stew it until tender; when done, put the apple in a small tart-dish, mix an egg with the rice, which pour over the apple, and bake ten minutes in a moderate oven; it may also be made quite plain, if preferred.
107. CUSTARD PUDDING.—Boil one pint of milk, with a small piece of lemon-peel and half a bay-leaf, for three minutes; then pour these on to three eggs, mix it with one ounce of sugar well together, and pour it into a buttered mould: steam it twenty-five minutes in a stewpan with some water (see No. 115), turn out on a plate and serve.
108. RICE PUDDINGS.—Wash well two ounces of rice in some water, strain, then put it into a pint and a half of boiling milk, with a small piece of lemon-peel, cinnamon, and half a bay-leaf tied together; let it boil gently, stirring it occasionally until quite tender; then put to it one ounce of butter, a little grated nutmeg, a tablespoonful of sugar, and two eggs; pour it into a buttered tart-dish, and bake it half an hour.
109. MACARONI PUDDING.—Blanch two ounces of Naples macaroni in some water for eight or ten minutes; strain it, and add it to one pint of boiling milk, in which you have previously boiled a piece of lemon-peel, cinnamon, and one ounce of butter; when the macaroni is quite tender, add two eggs, and sugar enough to sweeten it: steam it one hour in a stewpan, in a buttered tart-dish.
110. VERMICELLI PUDDING.—Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of lemon-peel, half a bay-leaf, and a piece of cinnamon, then add one ounce of vermicelli; when reduced to half, add two eggs, and a little sugar; pour these in a buttered mould, and steam it half an hour.
111. TAPIOCA PUDDING.—Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of lemon-peel and a little cinnamon; then add two ounces of tapioca; reduce to half; add two eggs, and one ounce of butter; pour these in a buttered mould, and steam half an hour.
112. BREAD PUDDING.—Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of cinnamon and lemon-peel; pour it on two ounces of bread-crumbs; then add two eggs, half an ounce of currants, and a little sugar: steam it in a buttered mould for one hour.
113. CABINET PUDDING.—Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of lemon-peel, pour it on one ounce of sponge biscuit, let it soak half an hour, then add three eggs, half an ounce of currants, and very little sugar: steam it in a buttered mould, lined with raisins, one hour.
114. BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING.—Butter a tart-dish well, and sprinkle some currants all round it, then lay in a few slices of bread and butter; boil one pint of milk, pour it on two eggs well whipped, and then on the bread and butter; bake it in a hot oven for half an hour.
115. A SMALL BREAD PUDDING.—Cut an ounce of the crumb of bread into thin slices, with the least piece of butter spread over each, which place in a small tart-dish; then break an egg into a cup, with a teaspoonful of sugar and a little powdered cinnamon, beat well; then add about six tablespoonfuls of boiled milk, mix well together, pour over the bread, and bake in a slow oven, or steam it, if preferred, by standing the dish in a stewpan containing about half a pint of water,—that is, the water should be about half way up to the rim of the dish; set the stewpan (covered close) upon the fire, and let it slowly boil about ten minutes or longer, until the pudding is properly set, then take the cover from the stewpan, which let remain a few minutes longer upon the fire; then take out the padding, wipe the dish, and serve.
FISH FOR INVALIDS.
Slips, soles, flounders, whitings and smelts are the lightest of any fish, and upon that account more to be recommended to invalids in a state of convalescence.
116. WHITING, PLAIN BOILED.—Put two quarts of water into a small fish kettle, with about an ounce of salt; when boiling, put in the whiting, draw the kettle to the corner of the fire to keep it just simmering, and no more; a whiting of the ordinary size would take about ten minutes; when done, which you can tell by trying with the point of a knife whether it leaves the bone easily, take it up carefully, and dish it upon a clean napkin, with a few sprigs of parsley (if at hand) round; although the parsley is of course useless, as far as the stomach is concerned, nothing can be more pleasing to an invalid than to see his meals carefully cooked, and invitingly served.
At any time, I prefer a whiting with the skin on, whether boiled, grilled, or fried; a little butter just melted, with a pinch of salt, and the least drop of lemon-juice added, makes a very excellent sauce for them. Should you purchase your fish in the country, it will of course require cleaning, by opening the belly, and pulling out the gills and interior; but never wash these fish; merely wipe them with a cloth.
117. BROILED WHITING.—Having cleaned your whiting, and wiped it gently dry with a cloth, flour it all over lightly, rub the gridiron over with a little oil, lay the whiting upon it, and put it over a clear fire, but not too close, turn it carefully three or four times, and when it feels firm to the touch of the finger, it is done; if a large one, it will take about twenty minutes; sprinkle a little salt over, if required, and serve with plain melted butter, with a few drops of essence of anchovies in it.
118. SAUTEED WHITINGS.—Put some fat or butter in a frying-pan, which place over a clear but moderate fire; have your whiting floured as in the last, and when the fat or butter is melted, lay it in the pan; let it saute slowly until it is done, which try as in either of the last two; when done, drain it upon a cloth, sprinkle a little salt over, and serve.
If fried, enveloped in bread-crumbs, dip the fish lightly into flour, then egg it all over with a paste brush, and dip in some very fine bread-crumbs, and fry it rather longer, but do not let the fat get black, or it will give the fish a, black heavy appearance, and quite spoil the flavour. Fish fried in oil would have the much better appearance than when fried in fat, but probably would be objectionable to a weak stomach. They ought to be completely covered with the fat.
119. SMALL SOLES Ok SLIPS may be either boiled, broiled, or fried, as directed for whitings, requiring about the same time to cook; serve precisely the same.
Smelts are very delicate fish, but ought never to be plain boiled; being confident of the good use they may be turned to as a diet for the sick, I shall here give two receipts for dressing them very plainly, yet still very palatably.
120. SMELTS, BOILED.—Choose them rather large, —if so, two would be sufficient for a meal,—having previously drawn and cleansed them, put a gill of water into a small stewpan, with a little salt, a saltspoonful of powdered sugar, and four small sprigs of parsley; when boiling, lay in your smelts, which let simmer five minutes, or more, if larger than usual, keeping the stewpan well covered; then take them out carefully, lay them upon a dish, and pour the broth over; both fish and broth are excellent. They may be cooked the same way in the oven.
120*. BOILED SMELTS ANOTHER WAY.— Another way is to add a little arrow-root, mixed with a drop of cold water to the above, when half cooked; it makes it very soothing to the chest. Be extremely careful not to let the fish or liquor burn at the bottom of the stewpan; there should be about three parts of the quantity of liquor when cooked as you first put in water, allowing one quarter to evaporate whilst boiling.
121. BROILED SMELTS.—When cleansed and wiped dry with a cloth, dip them lightly into flour, and put them upon a gridiron over a slow fire, for five or six minutes, turning them carefully when half done; serve plain, or with a little sauce, if allowed, as many patients are forbidden moist food. I can highly recommend any kind of white fish cooked in this manner; and it is well known that nothing in the way of food is more digestible than fish.
Water souchet of flounders, soles, and slips may also be served to invalids, by proceeding the same as above.
MEAT FOR INVALIDS.
Meat, Game, and Poultry.—These, of every kind, for invalids, ought to be served as free from fat as possible.
122. A MUTTON CHOP.—Choose one from a lean loin of mutton, or if one in the house rather fat, cut the greater part of it off; your chop should be about six ounces in weight, and cut of an equal thickness; lay it upon a table, and beat it lightly with the flat part of your chopper, then lay it upon a gridiron, over a good clear fire; season with a little salt, if allowed, and turn it four or five times whilst broiling; it will require about eight minutes over a good fire, but of course longer over an indifferent one; if by pressing it with a knife it feels firm, it is done; serve upon a very hot plate, for if partly cold, the least fat would immediately set, and be very unpleasant, especially to a person unwell.
123. PLAIN MUTTON CUTLET, from the Neck.— An invalid will frequently be tired of a mutton chop; and for my own part I must say a cutlet is far superior in flavour, and has a much neater appearance; cut off a rib from the neck, of the same thickness as a mutton chop; cut away the skin upon each side of the bone, to the chine, which chop off; trim away the greater part of the fat, cut a piece at the end of the bone, which scrape off, leaving about half an inch of the bone bare; then beat it lightly with the flat of the chopper; season; broil and serve very hot, as in the last.
124. STEWED CHOP or CUTLET.—Put it into a stewpan or small saucepan, with a pint of water, and a little salt and sugar; let it stew as gently as possible from an hour and a half to two hours, skim off all the scum and fat, and the patient may partake of both chop and broth; if seasoning is allowed, put a teaspoonful of pearl-barley, with a little celery, leek, and turnip, cut up very small, into the stewpan with the water, when you first put the chops on, and proceed as before; serve the broth in a soup basin, with the chop in it; should the meat happen to be tough, let it stew rather longer. The broth should be reduced to about half a pint.
125. RUMP STEAK. —The tenderest part of the rump should be selected, about half a pound, not cut too thick, and very even: place it upon your gridiron over a moderate fire, turning it frequently; when done, sprinkle a little salt over. Ten minutes would cook it thoroughly, but if wanted underdone, as in many cases where the patient only sucks the gravy, less time must be allowed.
126. STEWED BEEF. —Put the same quantity of beef as in the last into a saucepan, with a quart of water, which place over the fire, and when beginning to boil, well skim; then add a little celery, turnip, and carrot, the whole weighing about an ounce, and cut very small; let stew gently about three hours, by which time the broth will be reduced to one quarter; skim all the fat off carefully; serve the meat upon a plate, and the broth in a basin.
127. LAMB CHOPS or CUTLETS. —Proceed as just described for mutton, but being more delicate, they will require little more than half the time to cook.
128. LAMB'S FEET are very nutritious; purchase . them ready cleaned; lay them ten minutes in boiling i water, by doing which you will be able to draw out the leg-bone with facility; then, put them in a stewpan (two would be sufficient,) and pour over a pint of water with which you have mixed smoothly a tablespoonful of flour, and half a teaspoonful of salt; place them upon the fire, stirring frequently until boiling, then add a small onions with celery, parsley, and parsnip; boil gently for two hours, and when done, serve plain upon a plate, or with a little melted butter and parsley poured over. By using a little white broth from any meat instead of water, you make a delicious soft soup, which may be partaken of freely.
Calves' feet are dressed in the same manner, but using a double proportion of everything, and stewing them double the time; they are served precisely the same.
POULTRY FOR INVALIDS.
129. ROAST CHICKEN.—Procure a nice plump chicken, which draw and truss, and cut the sinews; pass the spit through under the skewer as usual, and set it down before a clear fire: after being there five minutes, have ready a pat of butter, in the bowl of a wooden spoon, with which rub the chicken all over; if the fire is too fierce, put it back a short distance, that it may roast of a yellowish-brown colour; when alight smoke arises from the chicken, which will be in about twenty minutes from the time it is put down, it is done; but to be quite sure whether a bird is done, the better way is to press it lightly with your finger and thumb; should it feel quite set, it is sufficiently cooked.
130. BOILED CHICKEN.—Put a quart of water to boil in a saucepan, with a saltspoonful of salt, and two ounces of butter; when boiling, lay in the chicken, which keep gently simmering for twenty minutes, when it will be done.
By adding a few vegetables of each description to the water, and straining it when you take out the chicken, you have a very excellent broth either for the sick or healthy, especially if, after skimming off the fat, you add a little vermicelli, which must be boiled in it five minutes.
As it is very improbable that a sick person would eat the whole of a chicken at once, I have annexed a few receipts, by which a chicken would suffice for four meals.
First, put a tablespoonful of rice in a stewpan, with half a pint of light broth; let it boil gently until the rice is in pulp, then put in the wing or leg of the previously-cooked chicken, which let remain to warm about five minutes; should the rice be too dry, add a little more broth; serve the fowl and rice together upon a hot plate. Secondly, if wanted plain, set it in a stewpan, with a few spoonfuls of stock, and let it warm gently. Thirdly, it may be folded in a sheet of paper lightly oiled and warmed very gently upon a gridiron; and, Fourthly, plain broiled upon a gridiron, and served with a little light gravy.
181. PARTRIDGE.—Proceed in every manner to roast as just directed for the chicken; a young one would require about ten minutes, or an old one fifteen, but then the breast only ought to be eaten, whatever remains may be served in either of the ways directed for chickens.
132. PIGEONS may be roasted the same as partridges, but would not require so long. A pigeon may also be stewed as follows:—Put half a pint of mutton broth into a stewpan, with a pigeon trussed as for boiling, let it stew gently twenty minutes, if young; both the pigeon and broth ought to be partaken of. Pigeons may also be broiled, by cutting them open from the bottom of the breast to the joint of the wings, but not separating them; rub over with a little butter, broil twenty minutes over a moderate fire, and serve with a little gravy.
133. LARKS are also very excellent and light food; when cleaned, pass a thin wooden skewer through three or four of them, as many as are required, then broil them a few minutes over a sharp fire, and serve very hot. You will find them superior broiled than roasted, and not so much trouble.
134. PULLED FOWL.—With the remainder of a roast or boiled fowl or chicken you may make a very light dish, by pulling off all the flesh with a fork, and putting it into a stewpan, then in another stewpan place all the bones (previously broken small with a chopper), with a little parsley, salt, sugar, and half a pint of water; let it boil gently until the water has reduced to a gill, then strain it over the flesh of the chicken in the other stewpan, which place over the fire until quite hot, and serve; should it be too thin, a small piece of butter and flour rubbed together may be added, and boiled a minute. Old or young fowls may be used, as it is not always convenient to get a young fowl, especially in the country, where everything must be turned to account and properly used: you would proceed with an old fowl the same as for a chicken, but stewing it three times as much, and adding more water in proportion; it would be here impossible to name the exact time required, as the fluctuation is so great, but by feeling the thigh of the fowl with the finger and thumb, you may ascertain, for if done sufficiently it will feel tender to the touch, and leave the bone with ease.
Recipes for Invalids.
57. MEAT.—The best meat as food for invalids is, in fact, that which is principally used, mutton and beef, lamb, if not too young (sweetbreads, I consider, ought oftener to be introduced), and calves' feet or head, scalded and boiled until tender, are very nutritious; chickens, pigeons, partridges, are also very inviting. All the above-mentioned articles are easy of digestion, excepting perhaps the beef, which may require to be gently stewed until tender, if for a delicate stomach just ordered to take meat after a serious fit of illness.
58. PLAIN MUTTON BROTH.—Get one pound of scrag of mutton, break the bone with a chopper, without separating the meat, then put it into a stewpan with three pints of water and a salt-spoonful of salt; boil gently two hours, carefully removing all the scum and fat, which is easily done by allowing it to simmer slowly by the side of the fire; it will be by that time reduced to about one quart, and is then ready to serve. This broth cannot be expected to drink very palatable, being deprived of vegetables and seasoning, it is in fact more like a beverage than a soup: at the commencement of convalescence more strength may be given if ordered by the doctor, by reducing the original quantity to one pint. This broth is often administered by a spoonful only at a time.
59. SEASONED MUTTON BROTH.—Put the same quantity of mutton and water into your stewpan, add two salt-spoonfuls of salt, and a half one of brown sugar, a small-sized onion, very little celery, and one ounce of turnip; set it upon the fire, and when beginning to boil draw it to the side; let it simmer gently two hours; skim off all the scum and fat, pass it through a sieve, and use it when required. When finished, there ought to be about a quart of broth remaining; but if by neglect it has boiled too fast, add more water, and set to boil for a quarter of an hour longer. When the patient is getting better, the medical man will probably order a little of the meat, or even turnips, to be eaten, in which case serve them on a plate separately; should the meat not be required by the patient, it is very excellent for a healthy person, with a few spoonfuls of onions or caper sauce, or even plain. If pearl-barley is required to be taken with the broth, put a tablespoonful of it in with the water when you first put it upon the fire, the whole will then be done together; if the barley is to be eaten by the patient, take out the meat and vegetables, and skim off every spot of grease; but if the barley is not required, pass the broth, as before, through a sieve.
60. MUTTON BROTH, (with variations.)—With Vermicelli. Having made your broth, and passed it through a sieve, as before, put the meat and vegetables upon a plate, and the broth back into the same stewpan; when boiling, if about a quart, add one or two tablespoonfuls of vermicelli, depending upon the strength of the patient's stomach; ten minutes' boiling will be sufficient to cook vermicelli.
61. With Rice.—One spoonful of best rice in the stewpan, with mutton and water the same as the barley, as it is better for the rice to be in pulp than underdone.
62. With Semoulina.—Semoulina is very delicate and glutinous, and I am quite confident that the faculty would approve of it after a trial or two; it is good in any kind of broth or milk for invalids, of very easy digestion, and having also the advantage of being tolerably cheap and quickly cooked; proceed as directed for vermicelli.
63. With Arrow-root.—After having passed your broth, place it again into the stewpan to boil; when boiling, put two teaspoonfuls of arrow-root into a cup, which mix smoothly with a gill of cold broth, or half ditto of water; then pour it into your boiling broth, which keep stirring with a spoon; let it simmer ten minutes, and it is ready for use.
64. VEAL BROTH, (French method.)—The following is much recommended by French physicians:—Put one pound of veal from the knuckle, with but very little of the bone, into a stewpan with three pints of water and a saltspoonful of salt, place it over the fire to boil; when boiling, take off all the scum; then add a small cabbage-lettuce and a few sprigs of chervil, if handy (this herb is now in greater use than ever, and may always be had for a trifle at Covent-garden Market); let simmer slowly for two hours, it will then be reduced to about a quart; pass it through a sieve, letting the meat drain, and it is ready to serve.
65. ANOTHER WAY, (more palatable)—Take the same quantity of veal as before, which cut into small dice (as you should cut all meat, if possible), put it into the stewpan, with a small pat of butter, half an onion, about the same quantity of carrot and turnip, a little celery, and a teaspoonful of salt; set the stewpan upon the fire, keeping the contents stirred, for about ten minutes, until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a whitish glaze, then add three pints of hot water; let the whole simmer one hour at the corner of the fire, skim well, pass it through a sieve, and use when required. This broth is most palatable and very digestible, but of course only to be given to the convalescent; it may be served with vermicelli, rice, arrow-root, and semoulina, as directed for mutton broth.
66. ANOTHER WAY, (very Refreshing and Strengthening.)—Put two pounds of knuckle of veal into a stewpan, with a calf's foot split, the bone taken out and chopped up, add three quarts of water, a good-sized onion, one leek, a piece of parsnip, and two salt-spoonfuls of salt (if allowed by the doctor, if not, the salt must be omitted), set it upon the fire, and when beginning to boil, skim, and let it simmer at the corner of the fire four hours; twenty minutes before passing, again skim off all the fat, and add ten large leaves of sorrel, or twenty small, one cabbagelettuce, and a handful of chervil; when done pass it through a sieve; it is then ready for use. This broth is very cooling and nutritious when taken cold, as it is then quite a jelly; vermicelli, rice, &C., may be added when served hot, and the veal and calf's foot is very excellent, eaten with parsley and butter or sharp sauce; but should the patient require any, it must be quite plain, with a little of the broth and only the gelatinous part of the foot.
The above also makes an excellent dinner soup, and if put in a cool place, will keep a week in winter and three days in summer.
67. SOYER'S NEW WAY OF MAKING BEEF TEA.—Cut a pound of solid beef into very small dice, which put into a stewpan, with a small pat of butter, a clove, two button onions, and a salt-spoonful of salt, stir the meat round over the fire for a few minutes, until it produces a thin gravy, then add a quart of water, and let it simmer at the corner of the fire for half an hour, skimming off every particle of fat; when done pass through a sieve. I have always had a great objection to passing broth through a cloth, as it frequently quite spoils its flavour.
The same, if wanted plain, is done by merely omitting the vegetables, salt, and cloves : the butter cannot be objectionable, as it is taken out in skimming; pearl-barley, vermicelli, rice, &C., may be served in it if required.
68. REAL ESSENCE OF BEEF.—Take one pound of solid beef from the rump, a steak would be the best, cut it into thin slices, which lay upon a thin trencher, and scrape quite fine with a large and sharp knife (as quickly as possible, or the juice of the meat would partially soak into the wood, your meat thus losing much of its strengthening quality), when like sausage-meat put it into a stewpan or saucepan, and stir over the fire five or ten minutes, until thoroughly warmed through, then add a pint of water, cover the stewpan as tightly as possible, and let it remain close to the fire or in a warm oven for twenty minutes, then pass it through a sieve, pressing the meat with a spoon to extract all the essence.
I beg to observe that here you have the real juice of the meat; but if wanted stronger, put only half instead of one pint of water; seasoning may be introduced, that is, a little salt, sugar, and cloves, but no vegetables, as they would not have time to cook, thus leaving a raw, bad flavour.
69. PURE OSMAZOME, or ESSENCE of MEAT.—Take two pounds of the flesh of any animal or bird (the older the better for obtaining the true flavour), as free from sinew as possible, and mince it well; place it in a Florence oil-flask, and cork it; put this in a saucepan filled with cold water, leaving the neck uncovered; place it on the side of the fire until the water arrives at 160° Fahr., at which temperature it must remain for twenty minutes; then remove it, and strain the contents through a tammie, pressing the meat gently with a spoon; should it require to be kept for some time, put the liquor in a. basin or cup, which place in the saucepan; subject it to a boiling heat until it is reduced to the consistency of treacle, removing the scum; this, when cold, will become solid, and will keep for any number of years. Osmazome is known under various names in different cookery books, as " fumet," " essence," &C., and is obtained in a different way, which causes the gelatine to be produced with the osmazome; but by the above plan the gelatine is left in the meat, and the osmazome and the albumen are extracted; the albumen is afterwards removed as the scum.
70. CHICKEN BROTH.—Put half a raw chicken into a stewpan, with a quart of water, a little leek and celery with a salt-spoonful of salt, and a few sprigs of parsley (if allowed); set the stewpan upon the fire; when boiling, skim well, and let simmer upon the corner for one hour, pass it through a sieve, and it is ready for use.
The chicken would eat very nice with a little maître-d'hôtel sauce, or any other from that series would do for the parlour, that is, when the patient is not allowed to eat it.
For a change, chicken-broth in the following way is very nutritious; that is, after having passed the broth through a sieve, pour it back again into the stewpan, which place over the fire; moisten a teaspoonful of flour in a cup with a little cold broth or water, and when quite smooth, pour it into the broth whilst boiling, stirring quickly; let simmer a quarter of an hour, and it is ready. Mutton or veal broth may also be varied the same.
71. EEL BROTH, (very strengthening.)—Take a small eel, which skin as described under fish, and wash well, then cut it into slices, which put into a small saucepan, just covered with water, add a little salt, a few sprigs of parsley, two button onions, and a clove; let it simmer very gently until the eels are tender, when skim off all the fat, pass the broth through a very fine sieve into a cup, it is then ready to serve when required, but a spoonful only should be taken at a time.
A patient is sometimes allowed to take part of the fish, which being so much boiled, constitutes a lighter food than eels are in general; a little melted butter and parsley might be served with them.
72. LAIT DE POULE, (French remedy for colds.)—This may be made from any of the foregoing broths, and for colds is excellent Break a fresh egg, separate the white from the yolk, put the yolk in a basin, with a quarter of a gill of good cream or milk, which mix well with a spoon; have half a pint of broth boiling, which pour gradually over the egg and cream, mixing it (as you pour the broth) with a wooden spoon; it is then ready, and ought to be taken when going to bed, if only for a cold.
73. SWEET LAIT DE POULE.—This is also reckoned very good for a cold. Put two yolks of eggs into a cup, with two teaspoonfuls of pounded sugar, a few drops of orange-flower water, or the eighth part of the rind of a fresh lemon grated, beat them well together for ten minutes, then pour boiling water gradually over, keeping it stirred until the cup is nearly full. Drink this very hot when in bed; I can strongly recommend it from experience.
74. RIZ AU LAIT, or RICE MILK, is a very favourite food, or soup; in France many persons make their suppers of it, even when in a state of perfect health. Proceed as follows:—wash a tablespoonful of good rice in water, which drain and put into a stewpan, with a pint of milk, upon the fire, and when boiling, place it at the corner to simmer, until the rice is quite tender, (for invalids it must be in a pulp); sweeten with a little sugar, and it is quite ready.
75. RICE MILK, (seasoned.)—Proceed exactly as in the last, but when the rice is quite tender add an ounce of butter, two teaspoonfuls of sugar, and a little salt, stir well together, and it is then ready; this must neither be too thick nor too thin, but about the thickness of well-made gruel. In France they always add a few drops of orange-flower water, but that depends upon taste. These last two are very nutritious, especially after a long illness.
76. VERMICELLI AU LAIT.—Boil a pint of milk, and when boiling, add sufficient vermicelli to make it about the thickness of the last article; it may be served quite plain if required, or seasoned as for the riz au lait, omitting the orange-flower water.
77. SEMOULINA AU LAIT.—Boil a pint of milk, and when boiling, add a tablespoonful of semolina, stirring it gently, to prevent its becoming lumpy; let it simmer twenty minutes, and serve either plain or seasoned, as for the riz au lait.
78. TAPIOCA AU LAIT.—Proceed exactly as in the last, but it will require rather longer to simmer before the tapioca is tender; and, by way of change, add a little grated lemon-peel, or a glass of white wine, if allowed by the doctor, or season as for the last.
79. ARROW-ROOT.—Put two teaspoonfuls of arrowroot, which mix gradually with enough water or milk, stirring it with a spoon, let it boil a few minutes, and if made with milk, add only a little butter, sugar, and salt, or serve plain; but if made with water, add the eighth part of the rind of a fresh lemon to boil with it; when done, add a glass of port or sherry, sugar, a little salt, and a small piece of butter, unless prohibited.
80. GRUEL.—Put two tablespoonfuls of oatmeal or prepared groats into a stewpan, and by degrees add a pint of water, mixing smoothly with a wooden spoon; place it upon the fire, keeping it well stirred, until it has boiled a couple of minutes, then pour it into a basin, add half a salt-spoonful of salt, two teaspoonfuls of brown sugar, and two ounces of butter, the latter especially; if for a cold in the chest even more than that quantity, should the stomach be strong enough to bear it.
Gruel when properly made, ought to adhere rather thickly to the back of the spoon, but not to be pasty; it ought likewise to be eaten directly it is made, or it becomes thick and unpleasant to eat; if required plain, omit all the seasoning; it might also be made with milk.
81. GRUEL FROM SCOTCH GROATS.—Proceed as above, but add rather more water, and boil a few minutes longer; many people prefer eating it with the rough groats in it, but if objectionable, place a small clean sieve over the basin you intend serving it in, pass the gruel through, and season as in the last. Some add spirits or wine; but that I should never recommend any one to do, unless by the doctor's orders, and that would be very seldom, I should think, especially as regards spirits.
82. SAGO GRUEL.—Put two tablespoonfuls of sago into a small saucepan, which moisten gradually with a pint of cold water, set it over a slow fire, keeping it stirred until becoming rather stiff and clear, similar to a jelly; then add a little grated nutmeg and sugar according to taste, and serve; half a pat of butter might also be added with the sugar, or it might be made with new milk, and a little salt added; a glass of wine in either case makes it more palatable.
83. ARROW-ROOT TRANSPARENT JELLY.—Put a good teaspoonful of arrow-root into a basin, which mix smoothly with two spoonfuls of water, then add enough boiling water to make it about the consistency of starch, stirring all the time, pour it into a stewpan, and stir over the fire until it has boiled two minutes; add a little cream, a small glass of wine, and a little sugar, and serve.
84. FRENCH PANADA (for aged people, invalids, and children.)—Break a stale penny roll into a saucepan, in which pour just sufficient water to cover the bread, stir well over the fire, allowing it to boil five minutes, then add half a teaspoonful of salt, and two ounces of fresh butter, mix them, and take from the fire; have one yolk of egg well beaten, with two tablespoonfuls of milk (if handy) or water, which pour into the panada, stirring very quickly for half a minute, it is then ready to pour into a basin and serve. Any common bread would do for panada, but would not eat so light as when made from a roll.
I knew a very aged lady in France who accustomed herself to eat a basin of panada every night, a few minutes previous to going to bed, for a period of eighteen years, which will prove that, although very substantial in appearance, it is easy to digest.
Panada ought to be rather thicker than gruel,- and may likewise be made of milk, but water is preferable, especially for bilious people.
85. BARLEY WATER.—Put half a gallon of water into a very clean saucepan, with two ounces of clean (but unwashed) pearl-barley; when boiling, carefully skim it with a tablespoon, and add half the rind of a small lemon, let it boil until the barley is quite tender: sweeten with half an ounce of white sugar, strain it through a fine hair sieve, and use when required. The juice of half a lemon in some cases may also be introduced.
86. RICE WATER.—Put a quart of water to boil in a saucepan, with a handful of clean rice, (but not washed), place it upon the fire, and let boil gently until the rice is quite in a pulp, then pass it through a hair sieve into a jug, pressing as much of the rice through as possible; when getting cold, sweeten moderately with honey, which will make it very palatable; it should be drunk lukewarm.
87. A NEW DRINK.—Put half a gallon of water upon the fire, and when boiling, have ready four pippin apples (quite ripe), cut each apple into eight slices, without peeling them, throw them into the water, which keep boiling until the apples are quite soft, pass the water through a sieve, pressing the apples gently against the side of the sieve, but not rubbing them through, add enough honey to make it sweetish, and drink lukewarm.
Two apples thrown into the rice-water and boiled the same would be a great improvement. People in good health would much enjoy such drink, during the summer especially; as also would poor people in the country, where apples are plentiful. Any kind of apples would suit, and brown sugar instead of honey, or even without sugar or honey.
88. COOLING DRINK.—Bake four or six apples, without peeling them; when done and quite hot, put them into a jug, and pour over three pints of boiling water; cover the jug over with paper, and when cold it is ready for use; a spoonful of honey or brown sugar added makes it very palatable.
89. ALMOND WATER.—Put five ounces of sweet and two of bitter almonds into a saucepan, with a pint of warm water, which set upon the fire, and, when boiling, strain them upon a sieve, take off their skins, and set them in spring water to cool, then dry them upon a cloth, pound them in a mortar until very fine, adding a few drops of water occasionally, to prevent their becoming oily, set a pint of syrup to boil, and throw in the mashed almonds; boil altogether a minute, then set it at the corner to simmer for a quarter of an hour; it is then ready to pass through a fine sieve for use. When required, add any quantity of cold water, according to taste or direction, to make it palatable.
90. BARLEY LEMONADE.—Put a quarter of a pound of sugar into a small stewpan, with half a pint of water, which boil about ten minutes, or until forming a thickish syrup; then add the rind of a fresh lemon and the pulp of two; let it boil two minutes longer, when add two quarts of barley-water, from which you have omitted the sugar and lemon; boil five minutes longer, pass it through a hair sieve into a jug, which cover with paper, making a hole in the centre to let the heat through; when cold, it is ready for use. If put cold into a bottle and well corked down, it would keep good several days.
BARLEY ORANGEADE is made the same way as above, substituting the rind and juice of oranges; the juice of a lemon, in addition, is an improvement, when taken as a refreshing beverage.
91. A REFRESHING BEVERAGE. — Slice two oranges and one lemon, which put into a jug, with two ounces of sugar-candy, over which pour one quart of boiling water; stir it occasionally until cold, drink it a little at a time, as often as ordered by the medical attendant. This drink is also very excellent for persons in health, especially in warm weather.
92. RASPBERRY VINEGAR BEVERAGE.—Put two tablespoonfuls of raspberry vinegar into a cup, over which pour half a pint of boiling water; when cold, use it as you may be instructed or when necessary; any kind of fruit syrup would answer the same purpose, and be equally as good, that is, currants, cherries, strawberries mulberries, &c.
93. A VERY STRENGTHENING DRINK.—Put a teacupful of pearl-barley into a saucepan, with three pints of cold water, the rind of a lemon, and a small piece of cinnamon; boil the whole very gently until the barley becomes tender, then strain it through a fine sieve, and sweeten with a spoonful of treacle: if treacle should be objectionable, honey or sugar will do.
94. FRESH FRUIT WATER.—Fresh fruits, when in season, are very preferable to syrups, which are but seldom well made, except at some of the first confectioners or Italian warehouses.
Pick a pottle of fresh raspberries or strawberries, whichever you may require, rub them through a sieve into a basin, which mix well with half a pint of syrup, the juice of a lemon, and a quart of spring water; pass it through a fine hair sieve, and put it by in a jug for use: both the syrup and water may either be increased or diminished according to taste.
Red or white currant waters are made precisely the same, only omitting the lemon, the currants themselves being sufficiently sharp.
95. CHERRY DRAUGHT.—Choose a pound of good fleshy cherries, from which take the stalk and stones; have a pint of syrup boiling, into which throw them, to boil as fast as possible for ten minutes; then take them from the fire, and add a good wine-glassful of Madeira or sherry, and a quart of boiling water; put it into a jug, with a cup over; when cold, pass it through a sieve, and it is ready for use. The wine may be omitted if not required. A drink of the same description may likewise be made from mulberries, but then a little lemon-juice must be added.
96. ARROW-ROOT WATER.—Put half a gallon of water to boil with two apples, the same as in No. 87, with the addition of a stick of cinnamon; let the whole boil half an hour, then mix two large spoonfuls of arrow-root with half a pint of cold water, very smoothly, and pour it into the boiling water; let the whole boil ten minutes, and pass it through a sieve; when cold, it will be thickish and drink light.
97. FRENCH HERB BROTH. — This is a very favourite beverage in France, as well with people in a state of health as with invalids, especially in the spring, when the herbs are young and green. Put a quart of water to boil, but have previously prepared about forty leaves of sorrel, a cabbage lettuce, and ten sprigs of chervil, the whole well washed; when the water is boiling, throw in the above, with the addition of a teaspoonful of salt, and half an ounce of fresh butter; cover your saucepan close, and let them simmer a few minutes, then pass it through a sieve or colander. This is to be drunk cold, especially in the spring of the year, after the change from winter. I generally drink about a quart per day for a week, at that time; but if for sick people, it must be made less strong of herbs, and taken a little warm. To prove that it is wholesome, we have only to refer to the instinct which teaches dogs to eat grass at that season of the year. I do not pretend to say that it would suit persons in every malady, because the doctors are to decide upon the food and beverage of their patients, and study its changes, as well as change their medicines.
98. DRY PLUM BEVERAGE.—Put a quart of water in a saucepan upon the fire, and, when boiling, throw in twelve fresh dry French plums, and let them boil twenty minutes, then pour them in a basin with the liquor to cool; when cold, take out the plums, which put into a basin; add two tablespoonfuls of brown sugar, and a very small quantity of port wine. They are excellent to eat, and the liquor to drink.
99. FIGS AND APPLE BEVERAGE. —Have two quarts of water boiling, into which throw six fresh dry figs, previously opened, and two apples, previously cut into six or eight pieces each; let the whole boil together twenty minutes, then pour them together into a basin to cool, and pass through a sieve, drain the figs, which will also be good to eat.
100. STEWED PLUMS.—Put twelve French plums in a stewpan, with a spoonful of brown sugar, a gill of water, a little cinnamon, and some thin rind of a lemon; let them stew twenty minutes, then pour them in a basin until cold, take them from their syrup and eat them dry. They are sometimes stewed in wine and water, either port, sherry, or claret.
101. BAKED APPLES are very much used by invalids. Have a common yellow dish, such as you frequently see in farmhouses, into which put about twelve apples (previously well wiped) and about a gill of water, and put them in a hot oven for half an hour, or rather more should the apples be large; when well done, take them out to get cold upon the dish, and eat them cold, either with powdered lump or moist sugar.
102. COOLING LEMONADE.—Put a quart of water in a stewpan to boil, into which put two moist dried figs, each split in two; let it boil a quarter of an hour, then have ready the peel of a lemon, taken off rather thickly, and the half of the lemon cut in thin slices; throw them into the stewpan, and boil two minutes longer; pour it into the jug, which cover closely with paper until cold, then pass it through a sieve: add a teaspoonful of honey, and it is ready for use.
103. IMPERIAL, (a Cooling Drink for the Spring.)— Two ounces of cream of tartar, two lemons (juice and peel), four ounces of sugar; place in a stone jug, and pour about six quarts of boiling water; allow it to get cold, and bottle for use. Or, instead of sugar, add three tablespoonfuls of raspberry vinegar, and six ounces of honey. This is excellent aerated like soda water. Essence of ratafia, or any other, may be added, with about half a pint of pure spirit at proof, for those accustomed to spirits.
104. ORANGEADE.—Proceed as for lemonade, but using the whole of the orange, a little of the peel included, sweetening with sugar-candy, and adding a teaspoonful of arrow-root mixed with a little cold water, which pour into the boiling liquid at the same time you put in the orange. The arrow root makes it very delicate.
Toast and Water.—The facility of making this popular drink is probably the cause of its not being well made one time in ten, that is, in private families; the bread is too much or too little done, or there is too much or not half enough water, or more or less bread; I venture to say that if any person would take the trouble to go from house to house, where there are patients, and taste toast and water at each, they would not-find two of the same flavour, and perhaps not any of it properly made. To make it to perfection, proceed as follows:—
105. TOAST AND WATER.—Cut a piece of crusty bread, about a quarter of a pound in weight, place it upon a toasting-fork, and hold it about six inches from the fire; turn it often, and keep moving it gently until of a light yellow colour, then place it nearer the fire, and when of a good brown chocolate colour, put it into a jug, and pour three pints of boiling water over; cover the jug until cold, then strain it into a clean jug, and it is ready for use: never leave the toast in it, for in summer it would cause fermentation in a short time. I would almost venture that such toast and water as I have described would keep good a considerable time in bottles.
The idea that bread must be burnt black to make toast and water is quite a popular delusion, for nothing nourishing could come from it: if your house were burnt to ashes, it would be valueless; and the same with burnt bread, which merely makes the water black, but the nutriment of the bread, intended to relieve the chest, has evaporated in smoke by being burnt.
106. APPLE AND RICE PUDDING.—Boil half an ounce of Carolina rice in a gill of milk until very tender, then add a very small piece of butter, sugar, a little cinnamon, and a grain of salt; then peel, core, and slice a middling-sized apple, which put into a stewpan, with a small piece of butter, a little sugar, and a drop of water, and stew it until tender; when done, put the apple in a small tart-dish, mix an egg with the rice, which pour over the apple, and bake ten minutes in a moderate oven; it may also be made quite plain, if preferred.
107. CUSTARD PUDDING.—Boil one pint of milk, with a small piece of lemon-peel and half a bay-leaf, for three minutes; then pour these on to three eggs, mix it with one ounce of sugar well together, and pour it into a buttered mould: steam it twenty-five minutes in a stewpan with some water (see No. 115), turn out on a plate and serve.
108. RICE PUDDINGS.—Wash well two ounces of rice in some water, strain, then put it into a pint and a half of boiling milk, with a small piece of lemon-peel, cinnamon, and half a bay-leaf tied together; let it boil gently, stirring it occasionally until quite tender; then put to it one ounce of butter, a little grated nutmeg, a tablespoonful of sugar, and two eggs; pour it into a buttered tart-dish, and bake it half an hour.
109. MACARONI PUDDING.—Blanch two ounces of Naples macaroni in some water for eight or ten minutes; strain it, and add it to one pint of boiling milk, in which you have previously boiled a piece of lemon-peel, cinnamon, and one ounce of butter; when the macaroni is quite tender, add two eggs, and sugar enough to sweeten it: steam it one hour in a stewpan, in a buttered tart-dish.
110. VERMICELLI PUDDING.—Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of lemon-peel, half a bay-leaf, and a piece of cinnamon, then add one ounce of vermicelli; when reduced to half, add two eggs, and a little sugar; pour these in a buttered mould, and steam it half an hour.
111. TAPIOCA PUDDING.—Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of lemon-peel and a little cinnamon; then add two ounces of tapioca; reduce to half; add two eggs, and one ounce of butter; pour these in a buttered mould, and steam half an hour.
112. BREAD PUDDING.—Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of cinnamon and lemon-peel; pour it on two ounces of bread-crumbs; then add two eggs, half an ounce of currants, and a little sugar: steam it in a buttered mould for one hour.
113. CABINET PUDDING.—Boil one pint of milk, with a piece of lemon-peel, pour it on one ounce of sponge biscuit, let it soak half an hour, then add three eggs, half an ounce of currants, and very little sugar: steam it in a buttered mould, lined with raisins, one hour.
114. BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING.—Butter a tart-dish well, and sprinkle some currants all round it, then lay in a few slices of bread and butter; boil one pint of milk, pour it on two eggs well whipped, and then on the bread and butter; bake it in a hot oven for half an hour.
115. A SMALL BREAD PUDDING.—Cut an ounce of the crumb of bread into thin slices, with the least piece of butter spread over each, which place in a small tart-dish; then break an egg into a cup, with a teaspoonful of sugar and a little powdered cinnamon, beat well; then add about six tablespoonfuls of boiled milk, mix well together, pour over the bread, and bake in a slow oven, or steam it, if preferred, by standing the dish in a stewpan containing about half a pint of water,—that is, the water should be about half way up to the rim of the dish; set the stewpan (covered close) upon the fire, and let it slowly boil about ten minutes or longer, until the pudding is properly set, then take the cover from the stewpan, which let remain a few minutes longer upon the fire; then take out the padding, wipe the dish, and serve.
Slips, soles, flounders, whitings and smelts are the lightest of any fish, and upon that account more to be recommended to invalids in a state of convalescence.
116. WHITING, PLAIN BOILED.—Put two quarts of water into a small fish kettle, with about an ounce of salt; when boiling, put in the whiting, draw the kettle to the corner of the fire to keep it just simmering, and no more; a whiting of the ordinary size would take about ten minutes; when done, which you can tell by trying with the point of a knife whether it leaves the bone easily, take it up carefully, and dish it upon a clean napkin, with a few sprigs of parsley (if at hand) round; although the parsley is of course useless, as far as the stomach is concerned, nothing can be more pleasing to an invalid than to see his meals carefully cooked, and invitingly served.
At any time, I prefer a whiting with the skin on, whether boiled, grilled, or fried; a little butter just melted, with a pinch of salt, and the least drop of lemon-juice added, makes a very excellent sauce for them. Should you purchase your fish in the country, it will of course require cleaning, by opening the belly, and pulling out the gills and interior; but never wash these fish; merely wipe them with a cloth.
117. BROILED WHITING.—Having cleaned your whiting, and wiped it gently dry with a cloth, flour it all over lightly, rub the gridiron over with a little oil, lay the whiting upon it, and put it over a clear fire, but not too close, turn it carefully three or four times, and when it feels firm to the touch of the finger, it is done; if a large one, it will take about twenty minutes; sprinkle a little salt over, if required, and serve with plain melted butter, with a few drops of essence of anchovies in it.
118. SAUTEED WHITINGS.—Put some fat or butter in a frying-pan, which place over a clear but moderate fire; have your whiting floured as in the last, and when the fat or butter is melted, lay it in the pan; let it saute slowly until it is done, which try as in either of the last two; when done, drain it upon a cloth, sprinkle a little salt over, and serve.
If fried, enveloped in bread-crumbs, dip the fish lightly into flour, then egg it all over with a paste brush, and dip in some very fine bread-crumbs, and fry it rather longer, but do not let the fat get black, or it will give the fish a, black heavy appearance, and quite spoil the flavour. Fish fried in oil would have the much better appearance than when fried in fat, but probably would be objectionable to a weak stomach. They ought to be completely covered with the fat.
119. SMALL SOLES Ok SLIPS may be either boiled, broiled, or fried, as directed for whitings, requiring about the same time to cook; serve precisely the same.
Smelts are very delicate fish, but ought never to be plain boiled; being confident of the good use they may be turned to as a diet for the sick, I shall here give two receipts for dressing them very plainly, yet still very palatably.
120. SMELTS, BOILED.—Choose them rather large, —if so, two would be sufficient for a meal,—having previously drawn and cleansed them, put a gill of water into a small stewpan, with a little salt, a saltspoonful of powdered sugar, and four small sprigs of parsley; when boiling, lay in your smelts, which let simmer five minutes, or more, if larger than usual, keeping the stewpan well covered; then take them out carefully, lay them upon a dish, and pour the broth over; both fish and broth are excellent. They may be cooked the same way in the oven.
120*. BOILED SMELTS ANOTHER WAY.— Another way is to add a little arrow-root, mixed with a drop of cold water to the above, when half cooked; it makes it very soothing to the chest. Be extremely careful not to let the fish or liquor burn at the bottom of the stewpan; there should be about three parts of the quantity of liquor when cooked as you first put in water, allowing one quarter to evaporate whilst boiling.
121. BROILED SMELTS.—When cleansed and wiped dry with a cloth, dip them lightly into flour, and put them upon a gridiron over a slow fire, for five or six minutes, turning them carefully when half done; serve plain, or with a little sauce, if allowed, as many patients are forbidden moist food. I can highly recommend any kind of white fish cooked in this manner; and it is well known that nothing in the way of food is more digestible than fish.
Water souchet of flounders, soles, and slips may also be served to invalids, by proceeding the same as above.
Meat, Game, and Poultry.—These, of every kind, for invalids, ought to be served as free from fat as possible.
122. A MUTTON CHOP.—Choose one from a lean loin of mutton, or if one in the house rather fat, cut the greater part of it off; your chop should be about six ounces in weight, and cut of an equal thickness; lay it upon a table, and beat it lightly with the flat part of your chopper, then lay it upon a gridiron, over a good clear fire; season with a little salt, if allowed, and turn it four or five times whilst broiling; it will require about eight minutes over a good fire, but of course longer over an indifferent one; if by pressing it with a knife it feels firm, it is done; serve upon a very hot plate, for if partly cold, the least fat would immediately set, and be very unpleasant, especially to a person unwell.
123. PLAIN MUTTON CUTLET, from the Neck.— An invalid will frequently be tired of a mutton chop; and for my own part I must say a cutlet is far superior in flavour, and has a much neater appearance; cut off a rib from the neck, of the same thickness as a mutton chop; cut away the skin upon each side of the bone, to the chine, which chop off; trim away the greater part of the fat, cut a piece at the end of the bone, which scrape off, leaving about half an inch of the bone bare; then beat it lightly with the flat of the chopper; season; broil and serve very hot, as in the last.
124. STEWED CHOP or CUTLET.—Put it into a stewpan or small saucepan, with a pint of water, and a little salt and sugar; let it stew as gently as possible from an hour and a half to two hours, skim off all the scum and fat, and the patient may partake of both chop and broth; if seasoning is allowed, put a teaspoonful of pearl-barley, with a little celery, leek, and turnip, cut up very small, into the stewpan with the water, when you first put the chops on, and proceed as before; serve the broth in a soup basin, with the chop in it; should the meat happen to be tough, let it stew rather longer. The broth should be reduced to about half a pint.
125. RUMP STEAK. —The tenderest part of the rump should be selected, about half a pound, not cut too thick, and very even: place it upon your gridiron over a moderate fire, turning it frequently; when done, sprinkle a little salt over. Ten minutes would cook it thoroughly, but if wanted underdone, as in many cases where the patient only sucks the gravy, less time must be allowed.
126. STEWED BEEF. —Put the same quantity of beef as in the last into a saucepan, with a quart of water, which place over the fire, and when beginning to boil, well skim; then add a little celery, turnip, and carrot, the whole weighing about an ounce, and cut very small; let stew gently about three hours, by which time the broth will be reduced to one quarter; skim all the fat off carefully; serve the meat upon a plate, and the broth in a basin.
127. LAMB CHOPS or CUTLETS. —Proceed as just described for mutton, but being more delicate, they will require little more than half the time to cook.
128. LAMB'S FEET are very nutritious; purchase . them ready cleaned; lay them ten minutes in boiling i water, by doing which you will be able to draw out the leg-bone with facility; then, put them in a stewpan (two would be sufficient,) and pour over a pint of water with which you have mixed smoothly a tablespoonful of flour, and half a teaspoonful of salt; place them upon the fire, stirring frequently until boiling, then add a small onions with celery, parsley, and parsnip; boil gently for two hours, and when done, serve plain upon a plate, or with a little melted butter and parsley poured over. By using a little white broth from any meat instead of water, you make a delicious soft soup, which may be partaken of freely.
Calves' feet are dressed in the same manner, but using a double proportion of everything, and stewing them double the time; they are served precisely the same.
129. ROAST CHICKEN.—Procure a nice plump chicken, which draw and truss, and cut the sinews; pass the spit through under the skewer as usual, and set it down before a clear fire: after being there five minutes, have ready a pat of butter, in the bowl of a wooden spoon, with which rub the chicken all over; if the fire is too fierce, put it back a short distance, that it may roast of a yellowish-brown colour; when alight smoke arises from the chicken, which will be in about twenty minutes from the time it is put down, it is done; but to be quite sure whether a bird is done, the better way is to press it lightly with your finger and thumb; should it feel quite set, it is sufficiently cooked.
130. BOILED CHICKEN.—Put a quart of water to boil in a saucepan, with a saltspoonful of salt, and two ounces of butter; when boiling, lay in the chicken, which keep gently simmering for twenty minutes, when it will be done.
By adding a few vegetables of each description to the water, and straining it when you take out the chicken, you have a very excellent broth either for the sick or healthy, especially if, after skimming off the fat, you add a little vermicelli, which must be boiled in it five minutes.
As it is very improbable that a sick person would eat the whole of a chicken at once, I have annexed a few receipts, by which a chicken would suffice for four meals.
First, put a tablespoonful of rice in a stewpan, with half a pint of light broth; let it boil gently until the rice is in pulp, then put in the wing or leg of the previously-cooked chicken, which let remain to warm about five minutes; should the rice be too dry, add a little more broth; serve the fowl and rice together upon a hot plate. Secondly, if wanted plain, set it in a stewpan, with a few spoonfuls of stock, and let it warm gently. Thirdly, it may be folded in a sheet of paper lightly oiled and warmed very gently upon a gridiron; and, Fourthly, plain broiled upon a gridiron, and served with a little light gravy.
181. PARTRIDGE.—Proceed in every manner to roast as just directed for the chicken; a young one would require about ten minutes, or an old one fifteen, but then the breast only ought to be eaten, whatever remains may be served in either of the ways directed for chickens.
132. PIGEONS may be roasted the same as partridges, but would not require so long. A pigeon may also be stewed as follows:—Put half a pint of mutton broth into a stewpan, with a pigeon trussed as for boiling, let it stew gently twenty minutes, if young; both the pigeon and broth ought to be partaken of. Pigeons may also be broiled, by cutting them open from the bottom of the breast to the joint of the wings, but not separating them; rub over with a little butter, broil twenty minutes over a moderate fire, and serve with a little gravy.
133. LARKS are also very excellent and light food; when cleaned, pass a thin wooden skewer through three or four of them, as many as are required, then broil them a few minutes over a sharp fire, and serve very hot. You will find them superior broiled than roasted, and not so much trouble.
134. PULLED FOWL.—With the remainder of a roast or boiled fowl or chicken you may make a very light dish, by pulling off all the flesh with a fork, and putting it into a stewpan, then in another stewpan place all the bones (previously broken small with a chopper), with a little parsley, salt, sugar, and half a pint of water; let it boil gently until the water has reduced to a gill, then strain it over the flesh of the chicken in the other stewpan, which place over the fire until quite hot, and serve; should it be too thin, a small piece of butter and flour rubbed together may be added, and boiled a minute. Old or young fowls may be used, as it is not always convenient to get a young fowl, especially in the country, where everything must be turned to account and properly used: you would proceed with an old fowl the same as for a chicken, but stewing it three times as much, and adding more water in proportion; it would be here impossible to name the exact time required, as the fluctuation is so great, but by feeling the thigh of the fowl with the finger and thumb, you may ascertain, for if done sufficiently it will feel tender to the touch, and leave the bone with ease.
Notes: