A year's cookery

If an invalid has arrived at the stage of convalescence when solid food is allowed, the difficulty of providing variety of diet has very much diminished, yet it cannot be said that the choice of food is even yet very large. Pork and veal must, of course, be avoided ; they are not easy of digestion. Beef, also, is known not to be as readily digested as is mutton ; and rabbits and similar food are generally forbidden. The mode of cooking meat, too, is often a subject of doubt. Almost all authorities agree that meats which are boiled, broiled, roasted, or stewed, are more wholesome than meats which are fried. Frying is understood to be objectionable, because fat, in which the meat is cooked, produces an excess of the volatile acids, and this renders the food unsuitable for invalids. If, howeverer, fried food is required, the portion thus cooked must on no account become greasy or burnt. It is quite easy to avoid greasi¬ ness, if a sufficient quantity of fat be employed, and if this is quite hot before the meat is put into it. When fried foods are greasy, the reason almost always is that the fat was not hot enough. Mutton Chop. — When a small portion of animal food has to be provided, a mutton chop is always the first thing thought of, and, fortunately, it can be served in so many ways that, in itself, it furnishes abundant scope for variety. A chop taken from the middle of the loin is the best. A portion from the chump end is too large ; the best end consists largely of bones and fat, and is not sufficiently meaty. Having procured the chop, be careful to trim it neatly before cooking it. It may be prepared according to one of the following recipes : — Mutton Chop Broiled. — Have a clear, hot fire, without smoke. The best fire for broiling is made from cinders. If, about twenty minutes before the chop is to be broiled, a layer of cinders be put upon the fire, these will probably have burnt through by the time the chop is to be cooked. If a fire is not clear at the last moment, throw a little salt or sugar upon it, this will make it so. Grease the bars of the gridiron, lay the chop upon it, and set it over the fire. Let the outside brown, then turn it and brown the other sides, and turn every minute till the chop is done. On no account stick a fork into the meat, as this would Jet out the gravy. Have ready a very hot plate ; put the chop upon it, and serve instantly. A chop from the middle of the loin, which weighs about six ounces when trimmed, will probably be done in eight minutes. When calculating the time, however, allowance will have to be made for the taste of the invalid. Some people like meat rare, some like it well done. Sauce or butter should be sent up separately ; it is not wise to put any garnish upon a broiled chop. If approved, before being broiled, the chop may be dusted with pepper, but it must not be salted.