1008.—HARICOT MUTTON. (Fr.—Ragoût de Mouton.)
Ingredients.—2 lb. of neck of mutton (or scrag end), 2 ozs. of butter, 1 oz. of flour, 1½ pints of stock or water, 1 large onion or 12 button onions, 2 carrots, 1 turnip, a bouquet-garni (parsley, thyme, bay-leaf), salt and pepper.
Method.—Divide the meat into thin cutlets, and trim off the skin and greater part of the fat. When a large onion is used cut it into dice; scoop the carrots and turnip into small rounds, about the size of a Spanish nut, or shape them like small olives. Melt the butter in a stewpan, fry the meat until well browned on both sides, then take it out. Fry the carrot and turnip until they acquire a good colour, then drain them from the butter. Now fry the onion dice or button onions, and when slightly browned add to them the flour, which must be cooked and stirred until it becomes nut-brown. Have ready the hot stock, pour it into the stewpan, stir until it boils, put in the carrot and turnip, then add the bouquet-garni and salt and pepper to taste, replace the meat, and stew gently for 1½ to 1¾ hours. Arrange the meat neatly in the centre of a hot dish, strain the sauce over, and garnish with the onions, carrot, and turnip.
Time.—To cook, about 2 hours. Average Cost, 2s. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons.
Note.—When a more simple dish is required, fat may be substituted for the butter, and the turnip and carrot cut into dice.
The Golden Fleece.—The beautiful classic legend of the Golden Fleece may be briefly told as follows: Phrixus, a son of Athamus, King of Thebes, to escape from the persecutions of Ino, his stepmother, paid a visit to the court of his friend Æetes, King of Colchis. A ram, whose fleece was pure gold, carried the youth through the air. On his safe arrival at Colchis, Phrixus offered the ram on the Altar of Ares, but kept the golden fleece. Æetes received the youth with great kindness and gave him his daughter Chalciope in marriage; but some time after, he murdered Phrixus to obtain posession of the coveted fleece. To avenge the murder of Phrixus and recover the fleece, which was said to be a sleepless dragon, Jason, commissioned by his uncle Pelias of Iolcus, commanded Argus, the son of Phrixus, to build a ship of fifty oars, which he manned with fifty of the most celebrated heroes in Greece, including Hercules, Castor and Pollux, Theseus, and Orpheus. The Argonauts, after various adventures, reached Colchis, and King Æetes promised Jason the Golden Fleece on the condition that he should yoke to a plough two fine-breathing, brazen-hoofed oxen, and sow the dragon's teeth which Cadmus had left at Thebes. By the aid of Medea, the sorceress, and daughter of the King, who had fallen deeply in love with Jason, the fleece was secured, and brought to Iolcus. Various interpretations have been given to the legend, which probably refers to a voyage of discovery to the coasts of the Euxine by adventurers inspired by the desire to find new fields of commercial enterprise.
1009.—HOT POT (LANCASHIRE).
Ingredients.—2 lb. of the best end of the neck, 3 sheep's kidneys, 12 sauce oysters, 2 lb. of potatoes, 1 Spanish onion, salt and pepper, ½ a pint of gravy, 1 oz. of butter, stock.
Method.—Divide the meat into neat cutlets, trim off the skin and greater part of the fat. Put the short rib bones, the lean trimming of the meat, the beards of the oysters, and a small onion into a stewpan, cover these with cold water, and boil them down for gravy. Grease a fireproof baking-dish, put in a deep layer of sliced potato, on the top
