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Mrs. Roundell's Practical cookery book

1898

Page 115 · 1 recipe record on this page

Presented as published in 1898. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Then moisten the Fillets with a pint of good broth — enough, that is to say, to come up level with their upper surface — add a tablespoonful of Marsala, and let them simmer for three-quarters of an hour upon a gentle fire, basting them with their own broth. When done, lift the Fillets out of the pan, put them in a line, over- lapping each other, in the centre of a well-heated good-sized oval dish, metal if possible, brush them over with glaze, and garnish with mushrooms. [ Wyvern. ] Or arrange the Fillets in an oval, and fill the centre with broiled mushrooms. For the sauce have ready the usual roux of an ounce of flour and an ounce of butter, stir the strained broth from the saute- pan into this by degrees, skim, flavour with a gill of broth made from the mushroom peelings and half an ounce of glaze, thicken, bring to the boil, and pass through a strainer into a hot sauce- boat. Or the Fillets can have a tiny pat of maitre d’h6tel butter melting on each, and a pile of fried potatoes in the middle, their own gravy being poured round them. Or they may be arranged on a border of carefully mashed potato. Beef-steaks.' — Beef-steaks should never be fried, as was the old-fashioned custom. They may be stewed, but they are infinitely better either broiled or jugged. Cut a piece of rump Steak three-quarters of an inch thick, and if possible cut it from a BEEF-STEAKS i73 joint which has hung for a (lay or two. Lay the Steak on a clean cloth, and beat it well on both sides with a cutlet-bat. Or take a heavy blunt carving-knife, and hack it as closely as you can from one end to the other on both sides. The knife must be too blunt to cut with. Wipe the Steak, but on no account wash it. Heat the gridiron, butter it well, lay the Steak upon it, and turn it with cutlet-tongs very often, or the gravy will be drawn out on one side more than on the other. Do not add pepper or salt. The fire must be very clear, and if it is so the Steak will be done in from twelve to fourteen minutes. Have ready a hot fire-proof dish with a cover, rub the dish with half a raw onion, lay the Steak in it, add salt and pepper, and serve immediately. Some cooks put a pat of butter on the Steak, then put the hot cover on the dish, and set it in the oven for five minutes to draw all the juices to the surface. Either way is good. For a Jugged Beef-steak see Jugging. As to quantity, four pounds of Steak is enough for eight people. If the Beef-steak is stewed it should just colour in boiling suet, and then stew for four hours in broth, with plenty of vegetables. The pan should be shallow, and the broth only just cover the meat. Half an hour before the Steak is done add one teaspoonful of mustard flour, and one of dried horseradish. (Some cooks add a tablespoonful of brandyBeef-steaks.) Stir into the broth which the Steak has made. If possible, use a fire-proof dish for stewing the Steak.