Alexis Soyer's Part 7: Meat Puddings and Meat Pies
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MEAT PUDDINGS.
233. Puddings.—Although the same word with the same meaning exists in all European languages, yet it may properly be said to be peculiarly English, as pudding has become quite a national dish. The various counties of England have each a particular way of making them, and it is almost impossible to give any method hitherto untried.
The first most important point is never to use any meat that is tainted, for in pudding, above all other dishes, it is least possible to disguise the confined process which the ingredients undergo; the gradual heating of the meat, which alone would accelerate decomposition, will cause the smallest piece of tainted meat to contaminate all the rest. Be particular that the suet and fat are not rancid, ever remembering the grand principle, that everything which gratifies the palate nourishes.
Tainted meat, you will justly say, is bad in whatever way it may be cooked; true, but take a joint which, in the middle of summer, from some trifling cause, has some small part a little tainted, and which is often sold cheap to those who cannot afford to purchase better, this, by the worst part being cut away, rubbed with a piece of charcoal, if for roasting, or a piece of charcoal put into the water, if for boiling, at once renders it sweet; but our great national dish cannot be subjected to this process. Although the tastes of all people differ; some may like the haut gout of high venison or the wild fowl, and possibly might like the same in pudding, yet ?+, is our duty here to point out those things which are nourishing, and likewise those that are not; therefore, I here send you some receipts which will please everybody's taste, everybody's palate, and, I hope, everybody's pocket.
234 Beef Pudding.—Take about one pound of steak, cut it lengthways in three pieces, and then slantways at each inch, instead of in lumps; but should you buy cuttings of meat from the butchers, then remove all the sinew and over fat, and cut the large pieces slantways, put them in a dish, and sprinkle over with a teaspoonful of salt, a half ditto of pepper, and a teaspoonful of flour, the same of chopped onions; mix well together, make six or eight ounces of paste as No. 319, roll it to the thickness of a quarter of an inch, or a little more, put pudding-cloth in a basin, sprinkle some flour over it, lay in your paste, and then the meat, together with a few pieces of fat; when full put in three wineglasses of water; turn the paste over the meat, so as not to form a lump, but well closed; then tie the cloth, not too close on the paste, or it will not be light; boil it fast in four quarts of water for one hour; take it out, let it stand a few minutes to cool the cloth, cut the string, turn back the cloth, place a dish on the top, and turn it over on it, remove the cloth, and serve.
235.—If you choose to add a kidney it may add to the richness of the gravy, also a few oysters, or even a mushroom. The crust should always be cut with a knife.
If you carefully follow the above instructions you will have a pudding quite perfect, the paste as light and as white as snow, and the meat tender, with a thick gravy.
236.—Observation. You will perhaps be surprised that I recommend It to be boiled fast instead of simmering. I do so, because the meat, being enclosed in the paste, and sometimes in a basin, is alone subject to the action of simmering in its own gravy. These puddings lose a less amount of nourishment in cooking than any other kind. In a large pudding a few sliced potatoes is not bad. This may truly be considered as much a national dish as roast beef and plum pudding, and being so, it is surprising that it is so often made badly, and indigestible: the pieces of meat and fat often cut two inches square, instead of smaller pieces; the pudding, sometimes left half out of the water, the crust becomes hard and black, and the meat very dry.
237. Roast Beef Pudding.—Any remains of cold roast beef may be done as follows: mince about one pound of cooked meat cut in dice, put on a dish, add one teaspoonful of salt, half that of pepper, one of flour; fill your paste with it, add a gill of water; cover over as usual, shake it well, tie it up in a cloth, and boil for half an hour, and serve. A little chopped onions or parsley may be introduced.
238. Another Way.—Proceed as above, only add for every pound of meat two ounces of either gherkins, pickled walnuts, or mushrooms, chopped fine or sliced.
239. Mince Beef Pudding with Eggs.—Proceed as above; omit the pickles, adding boiled ham or fried bacon instead, cut in dice, also add two hard-boiled eggs cut in dice; mix all together; boil as above, white sauce over, or melted butter.
240. Veal Pudding.—Cut two pounds of raw veal, four ounces of ham, or lean bacon; season delicately with a teaspoonful of salt, the half of pepper, a little flour and chopped parsley, a gill of water; proceed as for the other puddings, boil two hours, and serve.
241. Calves' Brain and Tongue of any kind, previously cooked.—Soak and wash a brain clean, boil it for a quarter of an hour in a quart of water, in which has been added a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter of pepper, and a little vinegar, if handy. Let it get .cold, then mould the pudding; cut the brain in half-inch slices, lay thin slices of tongue, previously cooked, on the bottom, then of brain; season with salt, pepper, parsley, and a little chopped onions; continue until full; then mix a teaspoonful of flour with a gill and a half of milk, or water, and pour in; close the pudding, and boil one hour and serve. Cut it with a knife. Two hard-boiled eggs cut in slices, would improve it; also a little gherkin, chopped fine, will vary the flavour.
242. Sheep's, Lamb's, and Pig's Brains, and Tongue Puddings.—Proceed as for Calves', but will not take quite so long in cooking.
243. Calves' Head and Tongue.—The remains of any from a previous dinner can be used for puddings with or without a little brain: proceed as for brain pudding. A little curry powder added will improve it.
This will produce a better effect on the table as a pudding, than a common hash; for the great principle in cookery is to please the eye, as well as the palate.
244. Lamb, Veal, or Pork Liver Pudding.—Cut one pound of liver in slices, also two ounces of bacon; season with a teaspoonful of salt, a half of pepper, one chopped onion, one of parsley; mix it well with the bacon, dip each piece of liver in some flour, and lay the liver and bacon in the pudding, with a gill and a half of water; boil one hour. A teaspoonful of colouring mixed with the water will give a rich appearance to all pudding gravies.
245. The same, a plainer Way.—Cut one pound of liver and two ounces of bacon into dice, a quarter of an inch square; season with only salt, pepper, and onions, a spoonful of flour, and a gill and a half of water; lay it in the pudding, and boil as before. Stuffing No. 464 may be mixed with it.
246. Liver and Kidney Pudding.—Put in a frying-pan two ounces of dripping, two ounces of bacon, in dice; put it on the fire; when the liver and kidney are seasoned, place it in the pan, and stir round until it is set; each piece should be firm; then add a tablespoonful of flour, mixed with a gill and a half of coloured water, No. 462a. When nearly boiling, place it in the pudding, tie up, and boil three quarters of an hour. A few herbs is a variation.
247. Mutton Pudding.—Chump of mutton is the best part to make into pudding, which cut in slices as for beef pudding; in case it is very fat, add potatoes, and proceed the same.
248. Sheep's Head, Tongue, and Trotters, previously cooked, may be made into a very nice pudding, proceeding as usual. A few pickled walnuts, sliced, may be added.
249. Lamb Pudding.—Take the breast, and remove the big bones; cut it crossways, season lightly; have some veal stuffing ready, and lay the meat and stuffing in alternate layers in the pudding, with a gill and a half of water to every pound; boil one hour and a half; serve with melted butter over the pudding, and a little chopped parsley on the top; it has an inviting effect.
Any part of the lamb may be done the same way.
250. Pork Pudding.—Get about a pound of pork, as lean as possible; any cuttings will do; cut them into slices; season with a little chopped sage, a teaspoonful of salt, half of pepper; roll the pieces up, and put them in the pudding with a few slices if potatoes, onions, one apple; add a gill and a half of water; cover as usual, and boil for one hour and a half.
251. Rabbit Pudding.—A rabbit cut into about sixteen or eighteen pieces, and a quarter of a pound of bacon, sliced; season in proportion to size, as before, and if for a numerous family, add ten potatoes and four onions, sliced, and half a pint of water; boil for two hours, or according to size. Boiled rice may be added instead of potatoes. "Well intermix the meat with the vegetables or rice.
252. Chicken Pudding.—Cut one into eight pieces, half a pound of bacon, cut into slices; season with one teaspoonful of salt, half of pepper, two of chopped parsley, a little thyme, and one captain's biscuit, well broken; fill the pudding with the meat, add half a pint of milk, boil for one hour and a half; serve with melted butter over, and chopped parsley on the top.
253. Pigeon Pudding.—Pluck, draw, and stuff two pigeons with the stuffing No. 464; then cut some large thin slices of beef, and some of the bacon; season well; roll the pigeons in the meat and bacon, lay them in the pudding; boil four eggs hard, cut them into quarters, and fill the cavities with them; mix a teaspoonful of flour with half a pint of milk, or water, close up, and boil for one hour and a half, and serve.
The same in Brown Gravy.—Add a tablespoonful of colouring, a little more salt and pepper.
Young wood-pigeons may be done the same way, but will take half an hour longer doing.
254 Partridge and Cabbage Pudding.—Cut a Savoy cabbage into four pieces, removing some of the outside leaves; boil it for ten minutes, let it get cold, press the water out, cut off the thick root, and cut the other in slices; then stuff the partridge as No. 456, place slides of bacon round it, lay some cabbage in the pudding, paste as usual, season the partridge, and lay it in with six or eight button onions, then the remainder of the cabbage, a gill of brown gravy, No. 2, or coloured water, No. 453 A: boil two hours, if an old bird, or one and a half, if young.
255. Young Rook Pudding.—If these young inhabitants of the woods and. forests are eatable in pies, I do not see why we should not give them, after their wild career, a soft bed of repose in a pudding crust. Open them by the back, then draw them, divide them into two, and then into quarters; extract the big bones, leaving the flesh only; beat each piece flat, and season with salt, pepper, and a little grated ginger; make a stuffing with the liver, No. 457. Lay on the crust a slice of bacon, then the birds, then a slice of steak; season with any aromatic herbs, or chopped onions, leeks or mushrooms; add a gill of ale, or wine, gravy or water; boil one hour and a half, and serve.
Pigeons may be done in the same way.
256. Fish Pudding.—Take two pounds of cod fish, cut in slices about the size of five-shilling pieces, half an inch thick; fill the bowl with the paste, as usual, lay some of the fish on the bottom, season with salt, pepper, a little chopped parsley, onions, a little flour and pieces of the liver, if any, then the fish, and so on until full; add a gill of milk or water, shake it well, tie up, and boil one hour, and serve. A little bay leaf and thyme may be added, if handy.
All fish may be done the same way, varying the flavour according to taste.
257. Fish Pudding, a plainer Way.—Cut one pound of any fish in small pieces, season with salt and pepper on a dish, a little flavour; mix well, put in the paste with a gill of water, and if you have a wine-glass full of any fish sauce, add it, cover up, boil one hour, and serve.
258. Mackerel Pudding.—Cut off the heads of two mackerel, cut each one in four pieces, keeping the roe in; fill the pudding with the pieces, season with salt, pepper, a little chopped onions and fennel, add a gill of water, boil one hour, and serve with fennel sauce over.
259. Eel Pudding.—Cut in long pieces, season with salt, pepper, chopped onions, parsley; add a gill of water; wine or beer is very good, and proceed as for the others.
260. Baked Puddings.—My excellent friend, you must be of the same opinion as the rest of the world, namely, that variety is charming in almost every movement of life, therefore you will not object to my new proposal to send it to the baker's; when the oven is at a moderate heat, they will be found excellent, eating different to a pie. The cloth of course is not required, only grease the basin; lay on the paste when the contents are in; make the paste meet equally on the top, moisten with water, roll out another piece about a quarter of an inch thick, put it over when fit, and cut away the trimmings from the edge of the basin, egg it over, bake in a slow oven, giving about the same time as you would for boiling; when done, shake the basin well, to make the gravy the same thickness throughout, and serve, turning it out on a dish; perforate the top.
261. Puddings half steamed and boiled.—Put in a pan a quart of water, when boiling, put your basin in with the pudding in it, boil gently one hour or more, according to what your pudding is made of; add boiling water occasionally, so as always to keep the same quantity in the pot. By having previously well buttered the basin, when done, by passing a knife between the paste and the basin, you may turn or cut it out, and pour over any appropriate sauce you like. They may also be steamed, as now almost every kitchen possesses steam pans, in connexion with the boiler of the range; or put some water in our new baking-pan, put in the pudding, and send to the oven.
IMPORTANT OBSERVATIONS ON THE ABOVE RECEIPTS.
"I must not forget to tell you, Eloise, that any of the above sort of puddings, no matter what made of, if sweet or savoury, is preferable made in a basin to being put in a cloth, which is often very dirty in appearance; while, if boiled in a basin, the paste receives all the nutriment of the meat, which, if boiled in a cloth, would evaporate in the water, if by neglect it ceases boiling. If you wish to turn it well out, thoroughly grease the inside of your basin when making.
On Pudding Cloths.—A pudding cloth, however coarse, ought never to be washed with soap; it should be dried as quickly as possible, and kept dry and free from dust, and in a drawer or cupboard free from smell.
MEAT PIES.
Previous to making any pie do not omit reading the very important remarks I have made at the introduction of fruit pies, see Index. 262. Beefsteak Pie.—Cut two pounds of steak into about twenty thin pieces, lengthways, fat included, season them with two teaspoonfuls of salt, one of pepper, and a little chopped herbs, and place them symmetrically on the dish, forming it high in the centre. Add half a pint of water, in which has been put two tablespoonfuls of colouring. Cover over with paste (No. 317) half an inch thick, and bake for one hour in a slow oven. Pudding paste No. 319 may be used. For variety of pie-dishes see appendix.
A little stuffing rolled up in the meat makes a change, and is fit for the best table.
A few spoonfuls of Harvey's sauce is likewise a change.
263. Family Steak Pie.—Take and cut two pounds of beef in slices, two pounds of potatoes, a quarter of a pound of onions; season with three teaspoonfuls of salt, one of pepper; mix it well together; put the meat and potatoes into the pie-dish, in alternate layers; add a pint of water; cover over, as above, and bake for one hour and a half.
264. Veal Pie.—Delicate veal and ham pies can be made like the above, rolling up the veal and a little ham, or bacon, together, and a little stuffing, if handy. Proceed as for steak, or as for family steak-pies.
Pork pies may be made in the same way.
265. Rabbit Pie.— Cut the rabbit up as for pudding (No. 251); roll the pieces in flour, then put them in the pie-dish, with some slices of ham or bacon; season with salt, pepper, chopped onions, nutmeg, (grated, if handy), according to size; add half-a-pint of water; cover, and bake. A teaspoonful of curry may be added, instead of pepper.
For family rabbit pie proceed as for family steak pie.
266. Fish Pie.—Proceed in every way as for puddings, and bake one hour. Oysters, muscles, perrywinkles, cockles, &c., may be used.
267.Hare Pie.—If it is a large hare it is best to jug it, as No. 216, cut in half crossways. Save the back and legs for roasting, and with the front part, which cut in pieces, make the pie. Put some steak at the bottom of the dish, with salt, pepper, and chopped onions; dip each piece of hare in flour, lay them on the steak, make some small balls of veal stuffing, which place in various places; cover over with more steak; add half-a-pint of water; finish with paste as usual. When baked, shake the dish to mix the gravy. The addition of a glass of wine, a few herbs, and two teaspoonfuls of currant jelly, is a great improvement.
268. The Artisan's Pie.—Any pieces of meat, but not ton fat—four ounces of fat to every pound of meat is enough. Take two pounds of meat cut in slices, season it with three teaspoonfuls of salt, one of pepper, four sliced onions; peel four pounds of potatoes, cut in thick slices, which place on the bottom of the dish, then a layer of potatoes, then the meat; season well; add a pint of water, and bake for two hours.
Trimmings of meat of all kinds may be purchased in every large town, especially in London, and are the proper pieces for such economical pies; in buying them, take care there is none tainted, as it will produce the effect as described in introduction of puddings. Cover with crust, as No. 319.
269. Poor Man's Potatoe Pie.—Wash and peel six pounds of potatoes, cut them in slices; take half-a-pound of the fat of mutton or beef, or dripping, cut into small dice; season the whole with a teaspoonful of pepper and three of salt; cover with paste, No. 317 and bake one hour and a half.
A bloater, boned and cut up with the fat, makes a nice change of flavour.
Meat Puddings and Meat Pies.
233. Puddings.—Although the same word with the same meaning exists in all European languages, yet it may properly be said to be peculiarly English, as pudding has become quite a national dish. The various counties of England have each a particular way of making them, and it is almost impossible to give any method hitherto untried.
The first most important point is never to use any meat that is tainted, for in pudding, above all other dishes, it is least possible to disguise the confined process which the ingredients undergo; the gradual heating of the meat, which alone would accelerate decomposition, will cause the smallest piece of tainted meat to contaminate all the rest. Be particular that the suet and fat are not rancid, ever remembering the grand principle, that everything which gratifies the palate nourishes.
Tainted meat, you will justly say, is bad in whatever way it may be cooked; true, but take a joint which, in the middle of summer, from some trifling cause, has some small part a little tainted, and which is often sold cheap to those who cannot afford to purchase better, this, by the worst part being cut away, rubbed with a piece of charcoal, if for roasting, or a piece of charcoal put into the water, if for boiling, at once renders it sweet; but our great national dish cannot be subjected to this process. Although the tastes of all people differ; some may like the haut gout of high venison or the wild fowl, and possibly might like the same in pudding, yet ?+, is our duty here to point out those things which are nourishing, and likewise those that are not; therefore, I here send you some receipts which will please everybody's taste, everybody's palate, and, I hope, everybody's pocket.
234 Beef Pudding.—Take about one pound of steak, cut it lengthways in three pieces, and then slantways at each inch, instead of in lumps; but should you buy cuttings of meat from the butchers, then remove all the sinew and over fat, and cut the large pieces slantways, put them in a dish, and sprinkle over with a teaspoonful of salt, a half ditto of pepper, and a teaspoonful of flour, the same of chopped onions; mix well together, make six or eight ounces of paste as No. 319, roll it to the thickness of a quarter of an inch, or a little more, put pudding-cloth in a basin, sprinkle some flour over it, lay in your paste, and then the meat, together with a few pieces of fat; when full put in three wineglasses of water; turn the paste over the meat, so as not to form a lump, but well closed; then tie the cloth, not too close on the paste, or it will not be light; boil it fast in four quarts of water for one hour; take it out, let it stand a few minutes to cool the cloth, cut the string, turn back the cloth, place a dish on the top, and turn it over on it, remove the cloth, and serve.
235.—If you choose to add a kidney it may add to the richness of the gravy, also a few oysters, or even a mushroom. The crust should always be cut with a knife.
If you carefully follow the above instructions you will have a pudding quite perfect, the paste as light and as white as snow, and the meat tender, with a thick gravy.
236.—Observation. You will perhaps be surprised that I recommend It to be boiled fast instead of simmering. I do so, because the meat, being enclosed in the paste, and sometimes in a basin, is alone subject to the action of simmering in its own gravy. These puddings lose a less amount of nourishment in cooking than any other kind. In a large pudding a few sliced potatoes is not bad. This may truly be considered as much a national dish as roast beef and plum pudding, and being so, it is surprising that it is so often made badly, and indigestible: the pieces of meat and fat often cut two inches square, instead of smaller pieces; the pudding, sometimes left half out of the water, the crust becomes hard and black, and the meat very dry.
237. Roast Beef Pudding.—Any remains of cold roast beef may be done as follows: mince about one pound of cooked meat cut in dice, put on a dish, add one teaspoonful of salt, half that of pepper, one of flour; fill your paste with it, add a gill of water; cover over as usual, shake it well, tie it up in a cloth, and boil for half an hour, and serve. A little chopped onions or parsley may be introduced.
238. Another Way.—Proceed as above, only add for every pound of meat two ounces of either gherkins, pickled walnuts, or mushrooms, chopped fine or sliced.
239. Mince Beef Pudding with Eggs.—Proceed as above; omit the pickles, adding boiled ham or fried bacon instead, cut in dice, also add two hard-boiled eggs cut in dice; mix all together; boil as above, white sauce over, or melted butter.
240. Veal Pudding.—Cut two pounds of raw veal, four ounces of ham, or lean bacon; season delicately with a teaspoonful of salt, the half of pepper, a little flour and chopped parsley, a gill of water; proceed as for the other puddings, boil two hours, and serve.
241. Calves' Brain and Tongue of any kind, previously cooked.—Soak and wash a brain clean, boil it for a quarter of an hour in a quart of water, in which has been added a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter of pepper, and a little vinegar, if handy. Let it get .cold, then mould the pudding; cut the brain in half-inch slices, lay thin slices of tongue, previously cooked, on the bottom, then of brain; season with salt, pepper, parsley, and a little chopped onions; continue until full; then mix a teaspoonful of flour with a gill and a half of milk, or water, and pour in; close the pudding, and boil one hour and serve. Cut it with a knife. Two hard-boiled eggs cut in slices, would improve it; also a little gherkin, chopped fine, will vary the flavour.
242. Sheep's, Lamb's, and Pig's Brains, and Tongue Puddings.—Proceed as for Calves', but will not take quite so long in cooking.
243. Calves' Head and Tongue.—The remains of any from a previous dinner can be used for puddings with or without a little brain: proceed as for brain pudding. A little curry powder added will improve it.
This will produce a better effect on the table as a pudding, than a common hash; for the great principle in cookery is to please the eye, as well as the palate.
244. Lamb, Veal, or Pork Liver Pudding.—Cut one pound of liver in slices, also two ounces of bacon; season with a teaspoonful of salt, a half of pepper, one chopped onion, one of parsley; mix it well with the bacon, dip each piece of liver in some flour, and lay the liver and bacon in the pudding, with a gill and a half of water; boil one hour. A teaspoonful of colouring mixed with the water will give a rich appearance to all pudding gravies.
245. The same, a plainer Way.—Cut one pound of liver and two ounces of bacon into dice, a quarter of an inch square; season with only salt, pepper, and onions, a spoonful of flour, and a gill and a half of water; lay it in the pudding, and boil as before. Stuffing No. 464 may be mixed with it.
246. Liver and Kidney Pudding.—Put in a frying-pan two ounces of dripping, two ounces of bacon, in dice; put it on the fire; when the liver and kidney are seasoned, place it in the pan, and stir round until it is set; each piece should be firm; then add a tablespoonful of flour, mixed with a gill and a half of coloured water, No. 462a. When nearly boiling, place it in the pudding, tie up, and boil three quarters of an hour. A few herbs is a variation.
247. Mutton Pudding.—Chump of mutton is the best part to make into pudding, which cut in slices as for beef pudding; in case it is very fat, add potatoes, and proceed the same.
248. Sheep's Head, Tongue, and Trotters, previously cooked, may be made into a very nice pudding, proceeding as usual. A few pickled walnuts, sliced, may be added.
249. Lamb Pudding.—Take the breast, and remove the big bones; cut it crossways, season lightly; have some veal stuffing ready, and lay the meat and stuffing in alternate layers in the pudding, with a gill and a half of water to every pound; boil one hour and a half; serve with melted butter over the pudding, and a little chopped parsley on the top; it has an inviting effect.
Any part of the lamb may be done the same way.
250. Pork Pudding.—Get about a pound of pork, as lean as possible; any cuttings will do; cut them into slices; season with a little chopped sage, a teaspoonful of salt, half of pepper; roll the pieces up, and put them in the pudding with a few slices if potatoes, onions, one apple; add a gill and a half of water; cover as usual, and boil for one hour and a half.
251. Rabbit Pudding.—A rabbit cut into about sixteen or eighteen pieces, and a quarter of a pound of bacon, sliced; season in proportion to size, as before, and if for a numerous family, add ten potatoes and four onions, sliced, and half a pint of water; boil for two hours, or according to size. Boiled rice may be added instead of potatoes. "Well intermix the meat with the vegetables or rice.
252. Chicken Pudding.—Cut one into eight pieces, half a pound of bacon, cut into slices; season with one teaspoonful of salt, half of pepper, two of chopped parsley, a little thyme, and one captain's biscuit, well broken; fill the pudding with the meat, add half a pint of milk, boil for one hour and a half; serve with melted butter over, and chopped parsley on the top.
253. Pigeon Pudding.—Pluck, draw, and stuff two pigeons with the stuffing No. 464; then cut some large thin slices of beef, and some of the bacon; season well; roll the pigeons in the meat and bacon, lay them in the pudding; boil four eggs hard, cut them into quarters, and fill the cavities with them; mix a teaspoonful of flour with half a pint of milk, or water, close up, and boil for one hour and a half, and serve.
The same in Brown Gravy.—Add a tablespoonful of colouring, a little more salt and pepper.
Young wood-pigeons may be done the same way, but will take half an hour longer doing.
254 Partridge and Cabbage Pudding.—Cut a Savoy cabbage into four pieces, removing some of the outside leaves; boil it for ten minutes, let it get cold, press the water out, cut off the thick root, and cut the other in slices; then stuff the partridge as No. 456, place slides of bacon round it, lay some cabbage in the pudding, paste as usual, season the partridge, and lay it in with six or eight button onions, then the remainder of the cabbage, a gill of brown gravy, No. 2, or coloured water, No. 453 A: boil two hours, if an old bird, or one and a half, if young.
255. Young Rook Pudding.—If these young inhabitants of the woods and. forests are eatable in pies, I do not see why we should not give them, after their wild career, a soft bed of repose in a pudding crust. Open them by the back, then draw them, divide them into two, and then into quarters; extract the big bones, leaving the flesh only; beat each piece flat, and season with salt, pepper, and a little grated ginger; make a stuffing with the liver, No. 457. Lay on the crust a slice of bacon, then the birds, then a slice of steak; season with any aromatic herbs, or chopped onions, leeks or mushrooms; add a gill of ale, or wine, gravy or water; boil one hour and a half, and serve.
Pigeons may be done in the same way.
256. Fish Pudding.—Take two pounds of cod fish, cut in slices about the size of five-shilling pieces, half an inch thick; fill the bowl with the paste, as usual, lay some of the fish on the bottom, season with salt, pepper, a little chopped parsley, onions, a little flour and pieces of the liver, if any, then the fish, and so on until full; add a gill of milk or water, shake it well, tie up, and boil one hour, and serve. A little bay leaf and thyme may be added, if handy.
All fish may be done the same way, varying the flavour according to taste.
257. Fish Pudding, a plainer Way.—Cut one pound of any fish in small pieces, season with salt and pepper on a dish, a little flavour; mix well, put in the paste with a gill of water, and if you have a wine-glass full of any fish sauce, add it, cover up, boil one hour, and serve.
258. Mackerel Pudding.—Cut off the heads of two mackerel, cut each one in four pieces, keeping the roe in; fill the pudding with the pieces, season with salt, pepper, a little chopped onions and fennel, add a gill of water, boil one hour, and serve with fennel sauce over.
259. Eel Pudding.—Cut in long pieces, season with salt, pepper, chopped onions, parsley; add a gill of water; wine or beer is very good, and proceed as for the others.
260. Baked Puddings.—My excellent friend, you must be of the same opinion as the rest of the world, namely, that variety is charming in almost every movement of life, therefore you will not object to my new proposal to send it to the baker's; when the oven is at a moderate heat, they will be found excellent, eating different to a pie. The cloth of course is not required, only grease the basin; lay on the paste when the contents are in; make the paste meet equally on the top, moisten with water, roll out another piece about a quarter of an inch thick, put it over when fit, and cut away the trimmings from the edge of the basin, egg it over, bake in a slow oven, giving about the same time as you would for boiling; when done, shake the basin well, to make the gravy the same thickness throughout, and serve, turning it out on a dish; perforate the top.
261. Puddings half steamed and boiled.—Put in a pan a quart of water, when boiling, put your basin in with the pudding in it, boil gently one hour or more, according to what your pudding is made of; add boiling water occasionally, so as always to keep the same quantity in the pot. By having previously well buttered the basin, when done, by passing a knife between the paste and the basin, you may turn or cut it out, and pour over any appropriate sauce you like. They may also be steamed, as now almost every kitchen possesses steam pans, in connexion with the boiler of the range; or put some water in our new baking-pan, put in the pudding, and send to the oven.
"I must not forget to tell you, Eloise, that any of the above sort of puddings, no matter what made of, if sweet or savoury, is preferable made in a basin to being put in a cloth, which is often very dirty in appearance; while, if boiled in a basin, the paste receives all the nutriment of the meat, which, if boiled in a cloth, would evaporate in the water, if by neglect it ceases boiling. If you wish to turn it well out, thoroughly grease the inside of your basin when making.
On Pudding Cloths.—A pudding cloth, however coarse, ought never to be washed with soap; it should be dried as quickly as possible, and kept dry and free from dust, and in a drawer or cupboard free from smell.
Previous to making any pie do not omit reading the very important remarks I have made at the introduction of fruit pies, see Index. 262. Beefsteak Pie.—Cut two pounds of steak into about twenty thin pieces, lengthways, fat included, season them with two teaspoonfuls of salt, one of pepper, and a little chopped herbs, and place them symmetrically on the dish, forming it high in the centre. Add half a pint of water, in which has been put two tablespoonfuls of colouring. Cover over with paste (No. 317) half an inch thick, and bake for one hour in a slow oven. Pudding paste No. 319 may be used. For variety of pie-dishes see appendix.
A little stuffing rolled up in the meat makes a change, and is fit for the best table.
A few spoonfuls of Harvey's sauce is likewise a change.
263. Family Steak Pie.—Take and cut two pounds of beef in slices, two pounds of potatoes, a quarter of a pound of onions; season with three teaspoonfuls of salt, one of pepper; mix it well together; put the meat and potatoes into the pie-dish, in alternate layers; add a pint of water; cover over, as above, and bake for one hour and a half.
264. Veal Pie.—Delicate veal and ham pies can be made like the above, rolling up the veal and a little ham, or bacon, together, and a little stuffing, if handy. Proceed as for steak, or as for family steak-pies.
Pork pies may be made in the same way.
265. Rabbit Pie.— Cut the rabbit up as for pudding (No. 251); roll the pieces in flour, then put them in the pie-dish, with some slices of ham or bacon; season with salt, pepper, chopped onions, nutmeg, (grated, if handy), according to size; add half-a-pint of water; cover, and bake. A teaspoonful of curry may be added, instead of pepper.
For family rabbit pie proceed as for family steak pie.
266. Fish Pie.—Proceed in every way as for puddings, and bake one hour. Oysters, muscles, perrywinkles, cockles, &c., may be used.
267.Hare Pie.—If it is a large hare it is best to jug it, as No. 216, cut in half crossways. Save the back and legs for roasting, and with the front part, which cut in pieces, make the pie. Put some steak at the bottom of the dish, with salt, pepper, and chopped onions; dip each piece of hare in flour, lay them on the steak, make some small balls of veal stuffing, which place in various places; cover over with more steak; add half-a-pint of water; finish with paste as usual. When baked, shake the dish to mix the gravy. The addition of a glass of wine, a few herbs, and two teaspoonfuls of currant jelly, is a great improvement.
268. The Artisan's Pie.—Any pieces of meat, but not ton fat—four ounces of fat to every pound of meat is enough. Take two pounds of meat cut in slices, season it with three teaspoonfuls of salt, one of pepper, four sliced onions; peel four pounds of potatoes, cut in thick slices, which place on the bottom of the dish, then a layer of potatoes, then the meat; season well; add a pint of water, and bake for two hours.
Trimmings of meat of all kinds may be purchased in every large town, especially in London, and are the proper pieces for such economical pies; in buying them, take care there is none tainted, as it will produce the effect as described in introduction of puddings. Cover with crust, as No. 319.
269. Poor Man's Potatoe Pie.—Wash and peel six pounds of potatoes, cut them in slices; take half-a-pound of the fat of mutton or beef, or dripping, cut into small dice; season the whole with a teaspoonful of pepper and three of salt; cover with paste, No. 317 and bake one hour and a half.
A bloater, boned and cut up with the fat, makes a nice change of flavour.
Notes: