Part 98 (1/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: BREAST OF VEAL.]

857. INGREDIENTS.--Veal; a little flour.

_Mode_.--Wash the veal, well wipe it, and dredge it with flour; put it down to a bright fire, not too near, as it should not be scorched. Baste it plentifully until done; dish it, pour over the meat some good melted b.u.t.ter, and send to table with it a piece of boiled bacon and a cut lemon.

_Time_.--From 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

_Average cost_, 8-1/2d. per lb. _Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

STEWED BREAST OF VEAL AND PEAS.

858. INGREDIENTS.--Breast of veal, 2 oz. of b.u.t.ter, a bunch of savoury herbs, including parsley; 2 blades of pounded mace, 2 cloves, 5 or 6 young onions, 1 strip of lemon-peel, 6 allspice, 1/4 teaspoonful of pepper, 1 teaspoonful of salt, thickening of b.u.t.ter and flour, 2 tablespoonfuls of sherry, 2 tablespoonfuls of tomato sauce, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, 2 tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, green peas.

_Mode_.--Cut the breast in half, after removing the bone underneath, and divide the meat into convenient-sized pieces. Put the b.u.t.ter into a frying-pan, lay in the pieces of veal, and fry until of a nice brown colour. Now place these in a stewpan with the herbs, mace, cloves, onions, lemon-peel, allspice, and seasoning; pour over them just sufficient boiling water to cover the meat; well close the lid, and let the whole simmer very gently for about 2 hours. Strain off as much gravy as is required, thicken it with b.u.t.ter and flour, add the remaining ingredients, skim well, let it simmer for about 10 minutes, then pour it over the meat. Have ready some green peas, boiled separately; sprinkle these over the veal, and serve. It may be garnished with forcemeat b.a.l.l.s, or rashers of bacon curled and fried. Instead of cutting up the meat, many persons prefer it dressed whole;--in that case it should be half-roasted before the water, &c. are put to it.

_Time_.--2-1/4 hours. _Average cost_, 8-1/2d. per lb.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

BREEDING OF CALVES.--The forwarding of calves to maturity, whether intended to be reared for stock, or brought to an early market as veal, is always a subject of great importance, and requires a considerable amount of intelligence in the selection of the best course, to adopt for either end. When meant to be reared as stock, the breeding should be so arranged that the cow shall calve about the middle of May. As our subject, however, has more immediate reference to the calf as _meat_ than as _stock_, we shall confine our remarks to the mode of procedure adopted in the former case; and here, the first process adopted is that of weaning; which consists in separating the calf _entirely_ from the cow, but, at the same time, rearing it on the mother's milk. As the business of the dairy would be suspended if every cow were allowed to rear its young, and b.u.t.ter, cheese, and cream become _desiderata_,--things to be desired, but not possessed, a system of economical husbandry becomes necessary, so as to retain our dairy produce, and yet, for some weeks at least, nourish the calf on its mother's milk, but without allowing the animal to draw that supply for itself: this, with the proper subst.i.tuted food on which to rear the young animal, is called weaning.

VEAL CAKE (a Convenient Dish for a Picnic).

859. INGREDIENTS.--A few slices of cold roast veal, a few slices of cold ham, 2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 tablespoonfuls of minced parsley, a little pepper, good gravy.

_Mode_.--Cut off all the brown outside from the veal, and cut the eggs into slices. Procure a pretty mould; lay veal, ham, eggs, and parsley in layers, with a little pepper between each, and when the mould is full, get some _strong_ stock, and fill up the shape. Bake for 1/2 hour, and when cold, turn it out.

_Time_.--1/2 hour.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

BOILED CALF'S FEET AND PARSLEY AND b.u.t.tER.

860. INGREDIENTS.--2 calf's feet, 2 slices of bacon, 2 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 2 tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice, salt and whole pepper to taste, 1 onion, a bunch of savoury herbs, 4 cloves, 1 blade of mace, water, parsley and b.u.t.ter No. 493.

_Mode_.--Procure 2 white calf's feet; bone them as far as the first joint, and put them into warm water to soak for 2 hours. Then put the bacon, b.u.t.ter, lemon-juice, onion, herbs, spices, and seasoning into a stewpan; lay in the feet, and pour in just sufficient water to cover the whole. Stew gently for about 3 hours; take out the feet, dish them, and cover with parsley and b.u.t.ter, made by recipe No. 493. The liquor they were boiled in should be strained and put by in a clean basin for use: it will be found very good as an addition to gravies, &c. &c.

_Time_.--Rather more than 3 hours.

_Average cost_, in full season, 9d. each. _Sufficient_ for 4 persons.

_Seasonable_ from March to October.

WHEN A CALF SHOULD BE KILLED.--The age at which a calf ought to be killed should not be under four weeks: before that time the flesh is certainly not wholesome, wanting firmness, due development of muscular fibre, and those animal juices on which the flavour and nutritive properties of the flesh depend, whatever the unhealthy palate of epicures may deem to the contrary. In France, a law exists to prevent the slaughtering of calves under _six weeks_ of age. The calf is considered in prime condition at ten weeks, when he will weigh from sixteen to eighteen stone, and sometimes even twenty.

FRICa.s.sEED CALF'S FEET.