Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/639

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RECIPES FOR COOKING LAMB
561

Method.—Cut the meat into pieces about 2 inches square, and put them into a stewpan with the onion, herbs, peppercorns and a little salt. Cover with cold water, and cook gently for 2 hours. Melt the butter, add the flour, stir, and cook for a few minutes without browning. When the meat is ready, strain from it ½ a pint of the liquor, and add it to the blended flour and butter. Stir until boiling, simmer for 3 or 4 minutes, then add the yolks of eggs and cream, previously beaten together. Stir and cook gently for a few minutes, taking care that it does not boil, or it may curdle. Arrange the meat neatly on a hot dish, strain the sauce over, and serve.

Time.—About 2¼ hours. Average Cost, from 8d. to 1s. 2d. per lb. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. Seasonable from April to October.

952.—CHARTREUSE À LA GASTRONOME.

Ingredients.—1 or 2 breasts of lamb, boned and braised (see "Shoulder of Lamb, Braised"), braised lettuce-stalks, ½ a pint of demi-glace sauce No. 242, stock, salt and pepper.

Method.—Braise the lamb as directed, and at the same time cook the lettuce-stalks. Cut the lamb into strips, arrange alternately with layers of lettuce in a plain cylindrical mould, adding a little good stock and a seasoning of salt and pepper. Cook gently for 1¼ hours in the bain-marie, then unmould carefully, and serve with a little of the sauce poured round, and the remainder sent to table in a sauce-boat.

Time.—About 1¼ hours after braising. Average Cost, 8d. to 10d. per lb. Sufficient for 1 large mould. Seasonable all the year.

953.—CHAUD-FROID OF LAMB CUTLETS. (Fr.Chaud-Froid de Côtelettes d'Agneau.)

Ingredients.—The best end of a neck of lamb (braised as directed in No. 989), ½ a pint of aspic jelly (see jellies) 4 leaves of French gelatine, 1 gill of Béchamel sauce, ½ a gill of tomato sauce (see Sauces), ½ a gill of cream, salad, salt and pepper.

Method.—When the lamb is quite cold divide it into cutlets, and trim them into a neat uniform shape. Dissolve the gelatine in a tablespoonful of water, add it to the hot white sauce, add also lather more than ½ the aspic jelly, and divide the mixture into 2 equal portions. To the one add the cream, and to the other the tomato sauce, season to taste, and while hot pass the mixtures separately through a tammy-cloth. Coat half the cutlets with the white sauce and the remainder with the red. When the sauce is set pour over the cutlets the remainder of the aspic jelly, which must be nearly cold at the time. Dish in a circle, placing the colours alternately, and fill the centre with dressed salad.

Time.—About 1½ hours. Average Cost, 4s. Allow 9 or 10 cutlets for 7 or 8 persons.