Part 105 (1/2)

_Time_.--To soak 1 hour, to be boiled 10 minutes, baked 40 minutes.

_Average cost_, 1s. to 5s. _Sufficient_ for an entree.

_Seasonable_.--In full season from May to August.

FRIED SWEETBREADS a la Maitre d'Hotel (an Entree).

907. INGREDIENTS.--3 sweetbreads, egg and bread crumbs, 1/4 lb. of b.u.t.ter, salt and pepper to taste, rather more than 1/2 pint of Maitre d'hotel sauce No. 466.

_Mode_.--Soak the sweetbreads in warm water for an hour; then boil them for 10 minutes; cut them in slices, egg and bread crumb them, season with pepper and salt, and put them into a frying-pan, with the above proportion of b.u.t.ter. Keep turning them until done, which will be in about 10 minutes; dish them, and pour over them a Maitre d'hotel sauce, made by recipe No. 466. The dish may be garnished with slices of cut lemon.

_Time_.--To soak 1 hour, to be broiled 10 minutes, to be fried about 10 minutes.

_Average cost_, 1s. to 5s., according to the season.

_Sufficient_ for an entree.

_Seasonable_.--In full season from May to August.

_Note_.--The egg and bread crumb may be omitted, and the slices of sweetbread dredged with a little flour instead, and a good gravy may be subst.i.tuted for the _maitre d'hotel_ sauce. This is a very simple method of dressing them.

STEWED SWEETBREADS (an Entree).

908. INGREDIENTS.--3 sweetbreads, 1 pint of white stock No. 107, thickening of b.u.t.ter and flour, 6 tablespoonfuls of cream, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, 1 blade of pounded mace, white pepper and salt to taste.

_Mode_.--Soak the sweetbreads in warm water for 1 hour, and boil them for 10 minutes; take them out, put them into cold water for a few minutes; lay them in a stewpan with the stock, and simmer them gently for rather more than 1/2 hour. Dish them; thicken the gravy with a little b.u.t.ter and flour; let it boil up, add the remaining ingredients, allow the sauce to get quite _hot_, but _not boil_, and pour it over the sweetbreads.

_Time_.--To soak 1 hour, to be boiled 10 minutes, stewed rather more than 1/2 hour.

_Average cost_, from 1s. to 5s., according to the season.

_Sufficient_ for an entree.

_Seasonable_.--In full season from May to August.

_Note_.--A few mushrooms added to this dish, and stewed with the sweetbreads, will be found an improvement.

SEASON AND CHOICE OF VEAL.--Veal, like all other meats, has its season of plenty. The best veal, and the largest supply, are to be had from March to the end of July. It comes princ.i.p.ally from the western counties, and is generally of the Alderney breed. In purchasing veal, its whiteness and fineness of grain should be considered, the colour being especially of the utmost consequence. Veal may be bought at all times of the year and of excellent quality, but is generally very dear, except in the months of plenty.

STEWED TENDRONS DE VEAU (an Entree).

909. INGREDIENTS.--The gristles from 2 b.r.e.a.s.t.s of veal, stock No. 107, 1 f.a.ggot of savoury herbs, 2 blades of pounded mace, 4 cloves, 2 carrots, 2 onions, a strip of lemon-peel.

_Mode_.--The _tendrons_ or gristles, which are found round the front of a breast of veal, are now very frequently served as an entree, and when well dressed, make a nice and favourite dish. Detach the gristles from the bone, and cut them neatly out, so as not to spoil the joint for roasting or stewing. Put them into a stewpan, with sufficient stock, No.

107, to cover them; add the herbs, mace, cloves, carrots, onions, and lemon, and simmer these for nearly, or quite, 4 hours. They should be stewed until a fork will enter the meat easily. Take them up, drain them, strain the gravy, boil it down to a glaze, with which glaze the meat. Dish the _tendrons_ in a circle, with crotons fried of a nice colour placed between each; and put mushroom sauce, or a puree of green peas or tomatoes, in the middle.

_Time_.--4 hours. _Sufficient_ for one entree.

_Seasonable_.--With peas, from June to August.