Part 131 (1/2)

1100. INGREDIENTS.--To each 1/2 gallon of water, allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt; carrots.

_Mode_.--Cut off the green tops, wash and sc.r.a.pe the carrots, and should there be any black specks, remove them. If very large, cut them in halves, divide them lengthwise into four pieces, and put them into boiling water, salted in the above proportion; let them boil until tender, which may be ascertained by thrusting a fork into them: dish, and serve very hot. This vegetable is an indispensable accompaniment to boiled beef. When thus served, it is usually boiled with the beef; a few carrots are placed round the dish as a garnish, and the remainder sent to table in a vegetable-dish. Young carrots do not require nearly so much boiling, nor should they be divided: these make a nice addition to stewed veal, &c.

_Time_.--Large carrots, 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours; young ones, about 1/2 hour.

_Average cost_, 6d. to 8d, per bunch of 18.

_Sufficient_,--4 large carrots for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_.--Young carrots from April to June, old ones at any time.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CARROTS.]

ORIGIN OF THE CARROT.--In its wild state, this vegetable is found plentifully in Britain, both in cultivated lands and by waysides, and is known by the name of birds-nest, from its umbels of fruit becoming incurved from a hollow cup, like a birds-nest. In this state its root is whitish, slender, and hard, with an acrid, disagreeable taste, and a strong aromatic smell, and was formerly used as an aperient. When cultivated, it is reddish, thick, fleshy, with a pleasant odour, and a peculiar, sweet, mucilaginous taste. The carrot is said by naturalists not to contain much nouris.h.i.+ng matter, and, generally speaking, is somewhat difficult of digestion.

TO DRESS CARROTS IN THE GERMAN WAY.

1101. INGREDIENTS.--8 large carrots, 3 oz. of b.u.t.ter, salt to taste, a very little grated nutmeg, 1 tablespoonful of finely-minced parsley, 1 dessertspoonful of minced onion, rather more than 1 pint of weak stock or broth, 1 tablespoonful of flour.

_Mode_.--Wash and sc.r.a.pe the carrots, and cut them into rings of about 1/4 inch in thickness. Put the b.u.t.ter into a stewpan; when it is melted, lay in the carrots, with salt, nutmeg, parsley, and onion in the above proportions. Toss the stewpan over the fire for a few minutes, and when the carrots are well saturated with the b.u.t.ter, pour in the stock, and simmer gently until they are nearly tender. Then put into another stewpan a small piece of b.u.t.ter; dredge in about a tablespoonful of flour; stir this over the fire, and when of a nice brown colour, add the liquor that the carrots have been boiling in; let this just boil up, pour it over the carrots in the other stewpan, and let them finish simmering until quite tender. Serve very hot.

This vegetable, dressed as above, is a favourite accompaniment of roast pork, sausages, &c. &c.

_Time_.--About 3/4 hour. Average cost, 6d. to 8d. per bunch of 18.

_Sufficient_ for 6 or 7 persons.

_Seasonable_.--Young carrots from April to June, old ones at any time.

CONSt.i.tUENTS OF THE CARROT.--These are crystallizable and uncrystallizable sugar, a little starch, extractive, gluten, alb.u.men, volatile oil, vegetable jelly, or pectin, saline matter, malic acid, and a peculiar crystallizable ruby-red neuter principle, without odour or taste, called carotin. This vegetable jelly, or pectin, so named from its singular property of gelatinizing, is considered by some as another form of gum or mucilage, combined with vegetable acid. It exists more or less in all vegetables, and is especially abundant in those roots and fruits from which jellies are prepared.

STEWED CARROTS.

1102. INGREDIENTS.--7 or 8 large carrots, 1 teacupful of broth, pepper and salt to taste, 1/2 teacupful of cream, thickening of b.u.t.ter and flour.

_Mode_.--Sc.r.a.pe the carrots nicely; half-boil, and slice them into a stewpan; add the broth, pepper and salt, and cream; simmer till tender, and be careful the carrots are not broken. A few minutes before serving, mix a little flour with about 1 oz. of b.u.t.ter; thicken the gravy with this; let it just boil up, and serve.

_Time_.--About 3/4 hour to parboil the carrots, about 20 minutes to cook them after they are sliced.

_Average cost_, 6d. to 8d. per bunch of 18.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_.--Young carrots from April to June, old ones at any time.

NUTRITIVE PROPERTIES OF THE CARROT.--Sir H. Davy ascertained the nutritive matter of the carrot to amount to ninety-eight parts in one thousand; of which ninety-five are sugar and three are starch. It is used in winter and spring in the dairy to give colour and flavour to b.u.t.ter; and it is excellent in stews, haricots, soups, and, when boiled whole, with salt beef. In the distillery, owing to the great proportion of sugar in its composition, it yields more spirit than the potato. The usual quant.i.ty is twelve gallons per ton.

SLICED CARROTS.

(Entremets, or to be served with the Second Course, as a Side-dish.)