Mutton Stew à la Romaine.—Cut up about a
pound of mutton (say a piece of the leg; if you
use the neck or breast a little more must be allowed
on account of the bones) into neat pieces, rather
more than 2in. long by 1in. wide; then lay in a
stewpan about 2oz. of minced onion and the same
of minced fat bacon, and fry lightly; when almost
cooked add a wineglassful of any red wine, and let
it all cook till nearly a glaze, when you add three
or four tomatoes peeled and quartered (or if handier
take half a tin of canned tomato), half a pint of
water, salt and pepper; then add the meat, and let
it all cook together very gently for one and a half
hours, when you serve it with gnocchi alla romana.
For these make a thick porridge with fine semolina,
exactly as you would with oatmeal, and when
thoroughly cooked turn it out on a slab to get cold.
Now have ready a buttered piedish, and lay a series
of spoonfuls of semolina porridge neatly at the
bottom; then on this strew a layer of grated cheese,
some morsels of butter, and, if liked, a spoonful of
the gravy from the meat; repeat these two layers
till the dish is full, when you pour over it rather
more of the liquor and set it in the oven till
thoroughly hot. Dish the meat with the rest of
the gravy round it and over it, and send the gnocchi
to table with it. These are excellent, though perhaps
not quite so delicate, if made with Indian cornmeal.
This same porridge or polenta, to give it its proper
name may also when cold be cut into dice or
lozenges, fried in hot fat or oil, and served either
with tomato or mushroom purée as a dish by itself,
or as an accompaniment to any joint. It is par-
ticularly good with mutton.