Page:Economical and complete housekeeper.pdf/12

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sel containing the meat to be kept perfectly close. The lid of the stew-pan should seldom be removed, and shake it frequently, to prevent the meat adhering to the bottom and sides. Dr. Cullen recommends stewing as retaining all the native juiciness of the meat, and obtaining from it the greatest amount of nourishment.

Made dishes, by stewing, are liked by the economist, because a much less quantity of meat than would suffice for a boil or roast, will make a good and well-flavoured dish; while, by re-dressing, every thing cold is turned to account. The commonest fault of made dishes is, that they are overdone. The general rules for made dishes are, that they be not over hastily done, that the sauce be smooth and properly thickened, so as to adhere to the meat, and that the pieces of meat be not clumsily large. A little butter or dripping should be melted in the stew-pan before the meat is put in. After the meat has been removed to be dished, prepare some flour and water, seasoned with pepper and salt; then, mixing and boiling this with the gravy in the stew-pan, pour it over the meat in the asset or dish.

Allow twenty minutes to every pound of meat.


BROTH.

Put two or three pounds of neck of mutton or hough of beef, into a pot holding four or five Scotch pints of cold water. Two tea-cups-full of barley may be put in at first if the broth be wanted thick, but if otherwise, when the pot begins to boil. Cut two small middling-sized carrots and turnips, to be put in shortly after the boiling commences, and by and by a few onions or leeks. If the greens, which are added along with the onions, be rank or strong