Cookery for every household

The stitch must only be made deep enough to cause the ends of the bacon to stand up. Continue putting in more strips of bacon in even rows across the meat until the surface to be larded is entirely covered. The stitches should be at least £ inch apart, and those in rows 2 and 4 should come between those in 1 and 3, and so on. When finished, cut the ends of the lardoons evenly with a pair of scissors. Larding is more practised in France than it is in this country. Strips of tongue, gherkin, truffle, or anchovy are sometimes used instead of bacon. Barding This serves the same purpose as larding in providing fat to a dry piece of meat, only it is a much simpler method. It is generally used to protect the breasts of poultry and game and prevent them Barding becoming dry when roasting. Cut some fat bacon, cooked or uncooked, in thin slices, slit it several times to prevent it curling up during the cooking, and lay or tie it over the breast with a piece of string. To Marinate The process of marinating is not so much practised in this country as abroad, the reason perhaps being, that on the Continent inferior meat has so often to be used, that juice and flavour must be imparted to it from external sources. To marinate a piece of meat or fish is to soak it in a mixture of oil and vinegar, with various seasonings, for some time before cooking it. This mixture of oil and vinegar in which the meat is soaked is called a “ marinade,” and the ingredients of which it is composed can be varied at pleasure and according to the kind of meat under treatment. Two table-spoonfuls of oil to one of vinegar are very usual proportions, but some people prefer more vinegar ; then some thinly-sliced onion or shallot, a little lemon rind, savoury herbs, thinly-sliced carrot, and seasoning are generaly added as well. In some cases wine will take the place of some of the vinegar, either white or red wine being used. Port wine and redcurrant jelly, for instance, are sometimes added to a marinade, to impart the flavour of game to meat that is to be used for a tasty hash. There is no occasion to make the marinade in large quantities ; there should be just sufficient to cover the bottom of a dish on which the meat can be soaked. Lay the meat in it, and let it remain for an hour at least before cooking, turning and basting it frequently. Then drain it, and use as directed without washing. The marinade is frequently strained and added to the sauce which is to accompany the meat, or it may be kept for use again. In some cases the marinade is made boiling hot and then poured over the meat. This is a quicker method. The advantages to be gained by marinating meat are : 1. The flavour of the meat is improved by absorption of the marinade. 2. The meat is made more tender, as the vinegar or wine acts on the fibres and softens them. 3. The meat is kept soft and juicy by the action of the oil. 4. The marinade acts as a preservative, and a iece of meat soaked in this way can often e prevented from turning bad. different methods of cooking meat Baking or Roasting