Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Collops, Savoury (to imitate Game).— Prepare collops as in the recipe for Beef Collops. After they are browned, put them into a saucepan, cover them with good gravy, season rather lightly with salt and pepper, and add a little pounded mace. Thicken the gravy by putting with it a lump of butter rolled in flour, and simmer the collops gently for three-quarters of an hour. Before serving, take out the meat, put it on a hot dish, and pour a table-spoonful of mushroom ketchup and a wine-glass of port to the gravy. Let it boil, then pour it over the meat. Send red currant jelly to table with the meat. Probable cost. Is. id. per pound. Sufficient, two pounds for four persons. Collops, Scotch. —Cold meat as well fresh meat may be used for collops. Cut some pieces from the fillet of veal about two inches wide and half an inch thick, and sprinkle over them some salt, white pepper, and pounded mace. Fry them in some hot butter or lard till they are lightly browned, then lay thtm in a stewpan, dredge some flour thickly over them, and add as much good stock as will cover the veal. Put it on the fire, bring it to a boil, skim carefully, and simmer it gently for three-quarters of an hour. Take out the veal, lay it on a hot dish, add to the gravy the juice of a lemon, a tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, a glass of claret, and two or three grains of cayenne ; boil the sauce once more, pour it over the meat, and COL ( l-'5*-i ) CON serve. Probable cost, 6d., exclusive of the cold meat. SutKcient, two pounds for five persons. CoUops, Scotch, White.— Prepare the veal as in the last recipe. Fry it in bacon-fat if it can bo had, if not, in butter, lard, or good dripping. When lightly browned, put it into a stewpan, cover it with good veal stock, thicken this with a lump of butter rolled in flour, and add a cupful of cream and a glass of sherry. Simmer gently for twenty minutes in the gravy. Place the meat on a hot dish, and pour the gravy over it. Time, five minutes to fry the collops. Sufficient, two pounds for five persons. Probable cost, lOd., exclusive of the cold meat. Colouring. — Broicn. — It is a very usual practice witli common cooks to make the brown colouring as it is wanted by burning a little sugar in an iron spoon, and stirring it into the soup or sauce. By this means the llavoui- is almost sure to be spoilt. Much the better plan is to make a little browning, and keep it stored for use. It will keep for years. Proceed as follows: — Crush a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar to powder, put it into a saucepan with a table-spoonful of water, and stir it unceasingly over a gentle fire, with a wooden spoon, imtil it begins to acquire a little colour. Draw it b;:.ck and bake it very slowly, still stirring it, until it is almost black, without being in the least bm-nt. It will take about half an hour. Pour a quart of vvater over it, let it boil for a few minutes until the sugar is quite dissolved, pour it out, and when cold strain it into a bottle, and store it for use. A table-spoonful of this browning will colour half a pint of liquid, and there will be no danger of an unpleasant taste being given to the sauce, &c. The addition of a little claret or mushroom ketchup will often impart as much colouring to sauces as is required.