A year's cookery

Chop Stewed. — Trim the fat entirely from a thick mutton chop, dip it in cold water, pepper it lightly, and dredge it with flour. Put it into a small earthenware jar with a closely-fitting lid, put three or four spoonfuls of water with it, cover it, and set it in a saucepan of water to stew gently for an hour and a half. Turn over when half-cooked. Carefully skim the gravy, and serve very hot. If necessary, another spoonful of gravy may be added, and for this purpose stock will be much better than water. Chop with Oysters. — Beard half a dozen oysters, and stew the beards and trimmings in the oyster broth, to which has been added a small cupful of water, until the liquor is reduced to half. Strain and let it go cold. Trim a chop, and let it be entirely free from fat. Put it in a delicately clean saucepan ; pour the oyster broth over it, and simmer very gently for ten minutes. Mix a teaspoonful of flour to a smooth paste with cold water, and add gradually a cupful of milk. Season delicately with a little salt, pepper, and a suspicion of nutmeg ; put the milk with the chop, and add the bearded oysters. Let all stew together very gently two or three minutes longer, and serve. Welsh Chop. — Put the white part of three good-sized leeks in water, and boil. Throw away the water ; cover with fresh salted water, and boil till tender. The result of changing the water will be that the leeks will be rendered mellow. When thoroughly soft chop them finely or rub them through a sieve ; put them into a clean stewpan, with pepper and salt, and a gill of cream, and stir the puree over the fire till thick and smooth. A little butter may be added if approved. Have ready a daintily stewed chop. Spread the pre¬ pared leeks on toast, put the chop on the top, and serve. If liked, onion-pulp may be used instead of leek-pulp. Pleasant accompaniments to a chop are a few green peas, a little potato mashed with cream, a few sprigs of cauliflower, or a single tomato baked. To cook the latter, cut a slice from the top and take out the pulp without breaking the skin. Mix with the pulp a few breadcrumbs, a little butter, pepper, salt, and a tiny pinch of sugar ; return to the tomato case and bake. Or the tomato may be plainly baked. Fried potatoes are, of course, most excellent accompaniments to a chop ; but potatoes are not always allowed by the doctor. Minced Mutton. — When mutton is to be minced for the use of an invalid, it is a good plan to tie three chops together, and cook the three ; then use that which was in the centre, and which will be moist and full of gravy, for mincing. The two chops on the outside will be excellent also, and will be enjoyed by healthy folk ; but they will not be as succulent and nourishing as the other will be. Fillets of Beef. — When beef is preferred to mutton, the tenderest part which can be chosen is the under-cut of the rump, known as fillet steak. A slice, half an inch thick, should be neatly trimmed from skin and fat, and, if broiled or very gently stewed, will be sure to be satisfactory.