181.—BLONDE SAUCE. (Fr.—Sauce Blonde.)
Ingredients.—¼ of a pint of white stock (either meat or fish), ½ a pint of milk, 1 tablespoonful of cream, 2 yolks of eggs, 1 teaspoonful of lemon-juice, 1 oz. of butter, ¾ of an oz. of flour, salt and pepper.
Method.—Melt the butter, add the flour and cook for a few minutes without browning. Add the stock and milk, stir until boiling, then simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Whisk the yolks of the eggs and cream well together, and add them to the sauce when not quite boiling. Season to taste, add the lemon-juice, and whisk the mixture by the side of the fire until the sauce thickens slightly, but do not allow it to boil. Strain and use with fish or meat, according to the stock forming the base.
Time.—From 35 to 40 minutes. Average Cost, 6d., in addition to the stock.
182.—CAPER SAUCE. (Fr.—Sauce aux Câpres.)
Ingredients.—½ a pint of melted butter (see page 228) 1 tablespoonful of capers, either cut in two or coarsely chopped, 1 dessertspoonful of vinegar from the capers, salt and pepper.
Method.—Make the melted butter as directed, add to it the capers, vinegar and seasoning, and use.
Time.—Altogether, about 20 minutes. Average Cost, 3d. to 4d. Quantity ½ pint.
Note.—If for serving with boiled mutton, make the melted butter sauce with the liquor in which the meat was boiled, instead of plain water.
Capers (Fr.: Câpres).—The name given to the unopened flower-buds of a low trailing shrub which grows wild among the crevices of the rocks of Greece and in Northern Africa, and is cultivated in the South of Europe. It was introduced into Britain as early as 1586. After being pickled in vinegar and salt, they are imported from Sicily, Italy, and the south of France, and are used as a table-sauce chiefly with boiled mutton. The flower-buds of the nasturtium are frequently pickled and used as a substitute for the genuine article.
183.—CAPER SAUCE, SUBSTITUTE FOR.
Ingredients.—½ a pint of melted butter (see Sauces) 2 tablespoonfuls of cut parsley, 1 tablespoonful of vinegar, salt and pepper.
Method.—Choose dark-coloured parsley, or boil it slowly in order to destroy some of its colour, and then cut it into small pieces, but do not chop it. Have the melted butter ready made, according to directions given, add to it the parsley, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Serve as a substitute for caper sauce.
Average Cost.—2d. or 3d.
