NO. 4. COMMON SUET FORCEMEAT.
Beef suet is commonly used in the composition of this kind of forcemeat, but we think that veal-kidney suet, when it could be obtained, would have a better effect; though the reader will easily comprehend that it is scarcely possible for us to have every variety of every receipt which we insert put to the test; in some cases we are compelled merely to suggest what appear to us likely to be improvements. Strip carefully every morsel of skin from the suet, and mince it small; to six ounces add eight of bread-crumbs, with the same proportion of herbs, spice, salt, and lemon-peel, as in the foregoing receipt, and a couple of whole eggs, which should be very slightly beaten, after the specks have been taken out with the point of a small fork. Should more liquid be required, the yolk of another egg, or a spoonful or two of milk, may be used. Half this quantity will be sufficient for a small joint of veal, or for a dozen balls, which, when it is more convenient to serve it in that form, may be fried or 159browned beneath the roast, and then dished round it, though this last is not a very refined mode of dressing them. From eight to ten minutes will fry them well.
NO. 5. OYSTER FORCEMEAT.
Open carefully a dozen of fine plump natives, take off the beards, strain their liquor, and rinse the oysters in it. Grate four ounces of the crumb of a stale loaf into fine light crumbs, mince the oysters but not too small, and mix them with the bread; add an ounce and a half of good butter broken into minute bits, the grated rind of half a small lemon, a small saltspoonful of pounded mace, some cayenne, a little salt, and a large teaspoonful of parsley. Mingle these ingredients well, and work them together with the unbeaten yolk of one egg and a little of the oyster liquor, the remainder of which can be added to the sauce which usually accompanies this forcemeat.
Oysters, 1 dozen; bread-crumbs, 4 oz.; butter, 1-1/2 oz.; rind 1/2 small lemon; mace, 1 saltspoonful; some cayenne and salt; minced parsley, 1 large teaspoonful; yolk 1 egg; oyster-liquor, 1 dessertspoonful: rolled into balls, and fried from 7 to 10 minutes, or poached from 5 to 6 minutes.
Obs. 1.—In this preparation the flavour of the oysters should prevail entirely over that of all the other ingredients which are mixed with them.
Obs. 2.—The oyster-sausages of Chapter III. will serve excellently for forcemeat also.
NO. 6. A FINER OYSTER FORCEMEAT.
Pound the preceding forcemeat to the smoothest paste, with the addition only of half an ounce of fresh butter, should it be sufficiently dry to allow of it. It is remarkably good when thus prepared, and may be poached or fried in balls for soups or made dishes, or used to fill boned fowls, or the breasts of boiled turkeys with equally good effect.
NO. 7. MUSHROOM FORCEMEAT.
Cut closely off the stems of some small, just-opened mushrooms, peel them, and take out the fur. Dissolve an ounce and a half of good butter in a saucepan, throw them into it with a little cayenne and a slight sprinkling of mace, and stew them softly, keeping them well shaken, from five to seven minutes; then turn them into a dish, spread them over it, and raise one end, that the liquid may drain from them. When they are quite cold, mince, and then mix them with four ounces of fine bread-crumbs, an ounce and a half of good butter, and part of that in which they were stewed should the forcemeat appear too moist to admit of the whole, as the yolk of one egg, 160at the least, must be added, to bind the ingredients together; strew in a saltspoonful of salt, a third as much of cayenne, and about the same quantity of mace and nutmeg, with a teaspoonful of grated lemon-rind. The seasonings must be rather sparingly used, that the flavour of the mushrooms may not be overpowered by them. Mix the whole thoroughly with the unbeaten yolk of one egg, or of two, and use the forcemeat poached in small balls for soup, or fried and served in the dish with roast fowls, or round minced veal; or to fill boiled fowls, partridges, or turkeys.
Small mushrooms, peeled and trimmed, 4 oz.; butter 1-1/2 oz.; slight sprinkling mace and cayenne: 5 to 7 minutes. Mushrooms minced; bread-crumbs, 4 oz.; butter, 1-1/2 oz. (with part of that used in the stewing); salt, 1 saltspoonful; third as much of cayenne, of mace, and of nutmeg; grated lemon-rind, 1 teaspoonful; yolk of 1 or 2 eggs. In balls, poached, 5 to 6 minutes; fried, 6 to 8 minutes.
Obs.—This, like most other forcemeats, is improved by being well beaten in a large mortar after it is entirely mixed.
NO. 8. FORCEMEAT FOR HARE.
The first receipt of this chapter will be found very good for hare without any variation; but the liver boiled for three minutes and finely minced, may be added to it when it is thought an improvement: another half ounce of butter, and a small portion more of egg will then be required. A couple of ounces of rasped bacon, and a glass of port-wine, are sometimes recommended for this forcemeat, but we think it is better without them, especially when slices of bacon are used to line the hare. A flavouring of minced onion or eschalot can be added when the taste is in its favour; or the forcemeat No. 3 may be substituted for this altogether.
NO. 9. ONION AND SAGE STUFFING, FOR PORK, GEESE, OR DUCKS.
Boil three large onions from ten to fifteen minutes, press the water from them, chop them small, and mix with them an equal quantity of bread-crumbs, a heaped tablespoonful of minced sage, an ounce of butter, a half saltspoonful of pepper, and twice as much of salt, and put them into the body of the goose; part of the liver boiled for two or three minutes and shred fine, is sometimes added to these, and the whole is bound together with the yolk of one egg or two; but they are quite as frequently served without. The onions can be used raw, when their very strong flavour is not objected to, but the odour of the whole dish will then be somewhat overpowering.
Large onions, 3; boiled 20 to 30 minutes. Sage, 2 to 3 dessertspoonsful (or 1/2 to 3/4 oz.); butter, 1 oz.; pepper, 1/2 teaspoonful; salt, 1 teaspoonful.
161The body of a goose is sometimes entirely filled with mashed potatoes, seasoned with salt and pepper only; or mixed with a small quantity of eschalot, onion, or herb-seasonings.
NO. 10. MR. COOKE’S FORCEMEAT FOR DUCKS OR GEESE.
Two parts of chopped onion, two parts of bread-crumbs, three of butter, one of pounded sage, and a seasoning of pepper and salt. This receipt we have not proved.