Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/269

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WHITE SAUCES AND SALAD DRESSINGS
225

closely, and let it steam in the butter until tender (about 30 minutes), stirring occasionally. When sufficiently cooked, add the sauce, lemon-juice, seasoning, and spinach greening. Cook two or three minutes, pass through a sieve and serve.

Time.—About 1 hour. Average Cost, 8d. to 10d. for this quantity.

190.—DUTCH SAUCE. (Fr.Sauce Hollandaise.)

Ingredients.—2 tablespoonfuls of vinegar, 1 shallot, peeled and chopped, 1 bay-leaf, 4 white peppercorns crushed, 1 gill of white sauce, the yolks of 2 eggs, 1 teaspoonful of lemon-juice, 2 ozs. of butter, salt.

Method.—Put the vinegar (French wine vinegar in preference to malt vinegar) with the shallot, bay-leaf and peppercorns in a stewpan, and reduce to ½ its original quantity; add the white sauce, let it boil, remove the bay-leaf, and stir in the yolks of eggs. When it begins to thicken remove the preparation from the fire and strain into another stewpan. Re-heat (taking great care that the sauce does not curdle), and whisk in the butter by degrees. Add the lemon-juice and enough salt to taste, and serve with boiled fish, artichokes, asparagus, etc.

Time.—About ½ an hour. Average Cost, 6d. to 7d.

191.—DUTCH SAUCE. (Fr.Sauce Hollandaise) (Another Method.)

Ingredients.—The yolks of 3 eggs, 2 ozs. butter, 1 gill Béchamel sauce, ¼ of a gill of stock, the juice of ½ a lemon, salt and pepper.

Method.—Make the sauce hot, remove the saucepan to the side of the stove, and whisk in the yolks of the eggs, stock and lemon-juice. Cook over a slow fire, then add the butter in small pieces off the fire. Season, strain, and it is ready to serve. The sauce must be carefully cooked, and on no account placed on the fire after the butter is added, or it will oil.

Time.—20 minutes. Average Cost, 6d. to 8d.

The Lemon (Fr.: Citron).—This well-known fruit of the lemon tree. Citrus Limonum, is a native of the tropical parts of Asia, and was probably introduced into south-western Europe by the Arabs. It is allied to the citron and the orange, but is more hardy than the latter. The lemon is imported into this country chiefly from Spain, Portugal, Sicily, and the Azores. From the lemon lime-juice is obtained, which is used in the manufacture of lemonade, and as a beverage; it is also largely employed in calico printing to discharge colours. The anti-scorbutic properties of lime-juice are of high value, and lime-juice is extensively used in the Navy and the Merchant Service. Its constituents are sugar, vegetable, albuminous and mineral matter, including potash. Citirc acid and the oil of lemon are obtained by pressure and distillation from the fresh peel; the latter is a volatile oil of a yellow or greenish colour, much used in perfumery, medicinal preparations, and for various domestic purposes. Lemon-peel is prepared by drying the rind, and preserving it with sugar.

192.—FRENCH ONION SAUCE. (Fr.Sauce Soubise.)

Ingredients.—2 Spanish onions, 1 gill of white stock, ½ a pint of Béchamel sauce, white pepper, salt, a pinch of white sugar.