Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/259

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RECIPES FOR COMPOUND BUTTERS
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Compound Butters.

Chiefly used for the enrichment of sauces.

158.—CRAYFISH OR SHRIMP BUTTER. (Fr.Beurre d'Ecrevisses.)

Method.—Pound ½ a pint of picked shrimps or prawns in a mortar till smooth, add 3 ozs. of fresh butter, ½ an oz. of anchovy paste; mix thoroughly, and rub through a fine sieve. Keep on the ice till wanted. A little liquid carmine or cochineal may be added to improve colour, if found necessary.

159.—DEVILLED BUTTER. (Fr.Beurre à la Diable.)

Method.—Mix 1 oz. of butter with white pepper, cayenne, and curry-paste, about a saltspoonful of each, and blend thoroughly with a few drops of lemon-juice.

160.—LOBSTER BUTTER. (Fr.Beurre de Homard.)

Method.—Procure the eggs (spawn) and coral of a lobster, pound till smooth in a mortar with double its weight of fresh butter, rub through a fine sieve, and keep in a cool place till required.

161.—MONTPELLIER BUTTER. (Fr.Beurre Montpellier.)

Ingredients.—2 ozs. each of parsley, chervil, tarragon, chives and cress; 2 anchovies, 9 yolks of hard-boiled eggs, 3 ozs. of butter, 1 teaspoonful of capers, 1 gherkin.

Method.—Wash and pick the parsley, cress and herbs, blanch for 3 minutes, strain and cool. Dry well in a cloth, and pound in a mortar. Wipe and bone the anchovies, pound them in a mortar with the egg-yolks, capers, and gherkins until smooth, then add the butter and lastly the green purée. Pass through a wire sieve, and use as required. A little spinach may be added if the herbs should not colour the butter sufficiently.

162.—RAVIGOTE OR GREEN BUTTER. (Fr.Beurre Ravigote.)

Ingredients.—1½ ozs. of chervil, 2 ozs. of spinach, 1½ ozs. of green chives, 1 oz. of tarragon, ½ an oz. of parsley, 3 shallots, 6 ozs. of butter, salt and pepper.

Method.—Put the chervil, spinach, chives, tarragon and parsley into a saucepan with water, blanch and drain well, then pound these ingredients in a mortar. Peel and chop the shallots finely, cook them in a little butter until golden-brown, and mix them with the herbs. When