We next come to that very large
variety of soups that contain vegetables, the best one to take as a type of the class
perhaps being spring soup. Spring soup is simply a number of vegetables boiled in
stock; such vegetables as turnips, celeiy, carrots, small spi'ing onions, cauliflowers,
asparagus tops, green peas, &c. Now when we come to speak generally on the
principles of boiling vegetables, we shall have to explain the importance of leaving
plenty of room for the steam to escape, in order to ensure a good colour being
CASSELL S DICTIONARY OF COOKERY.
attained. These vegetables, therefore, should not be thrown into the stock dii-ect,
but into boiling water first. By this means, besides perfect cleanliness being
guaranteed, the vegetables will look brighter than they othei'wise would do ; and we
all know the difference between soup in which the carrot is a bright red and the
peas a bright green, and soup in which the former is a dirty brown and the latter a
dirty yellow. I would here, iu passing, observe that many English cooks imagine
that spring soup and Julienne soup are the same thing. In properly-made Julienne
soup the vegetables should be first stewed in a little butter in a stewpan till they
begin to slightly turn colour, or, in other words, till they just begin to brown ;- then
the stock is added, as well as a little sugar. Owing to this difference in the
preparation, the flavour is matei-ially altered — of course the butter is thrown up by
boiling and removed by skimming. We will next discuss that exceedingly delicious
soup known as clear mock turtle. An excellent receipt is given in its proper place.
I would, however, remind the cook of the importance in making clear mock turtle of
having the flavouring herbs in proper proportions. Sweet basil should form quite
one-third of the whole quantity, and marjoram, lemon-thyme, and winter savour}"-
should make up the other two-thu'ds. We will suppose, of course, that as a rule
calf's head is used to make the soup, though a very excellent imitation can be
made by using pig's head instead. Cayenne pepper should also be used, and not
black. But we will not enter into the whole details of soup making which, as we
have said, will be found elsewhere, but will say a few words on the general principles
to be remembered when adding wine to soups. A very rich, glutinous soup like
mock turtle, or of course still more like real turtle, will bear a large quantity of
wine. - Madeira is by far the best, but good sherry will answer the same purpose.
And here I would strongly appeal to the mistress of the house against the folly of
using, not cheap sherry, but some extraordinary compound that is not sherry at all,
for cooking purposes. Bad sherry will no more make good soups or jellies than bad
eggs will make good puddings or custards.
We shall have to speak of this latter point in another place, but will keep to the
sherry. Suppose you have been making some excellent soup from the half of a
calf's head, or from some dried turtle flesh, which makes such splendid soup if you
only have the patience to soak the flesh for two or three days, and boil it steadily
for two more. Why should you spoil this soup — absolutely spoil it — for the sake of
saving the difierence between the price of half a pint of good sherry and half a pint
of some decoction sold imder the same name 1
Page 41
Presented as published in 1892. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
We next come to that very large variety of soups that contain vegetables, the best one to take as a type of the class perhaps being spring soup. Spring soup is simply a number of vegetables boiled in stock; such vegetables as turnips, celery, carrots, small spring onions, cauliflowers, asparagus tops, green peas, &c. Now when we come to speak generally on the principles of boiling vegetables, we shall have to explain the importance of leaving plenty of room for the steam to escape, in order to ensure a good colour being
attained. These vegetables, therefore, should not be thrown into the stock direct, but into boiling water first. By this means, besides perfect cleanliness being guaranteed, the vegetables will look brighter than they otherwise would do ; and we all know the difference between soup in which the carrot is a bright red and the peas a bright green, and soup in which the former is a dirty brown and the latter a dirty yellow. I would here, iu passing, observe that many English cooks imagine that spring soup and Julienne soup are the same thing. In properly-made Julienne soup the vegetables should be first stewed in a little butter in a stewpan till they begin to slightly turn colour, or, in other words, till they just begin to brown ;- then the stock is added, as well as a little sugar. Owing to this difference in the preparation, the flavour is materially altered — of course the butter is thrown up by boiling and removed by skimming. We will next discuss that exceedingly delicious soup known as clear mock turtle. An excellent receipt is given in its proper place. I would, however, remind the cook of the importance in making clear mock turtle of having the flavouring herbs in proper proportions. Sweet basil should form quite one-third of the whole quantity, and marjoram, lemon-thyme, and winter savory- should make up the other two-thirds. We will suppose, of course, that as a rule calf's head is used to make the soup, though a very excellent imitation can be made by using pig's head instead. Cayenne pepper should also be used, and not black. But we will not enter into the whole details of soup making which, as we have said, will be found elsewhere, but will say a few words on the general principles to be remembered when adding wine to soups. A very rich, glutinous soup like mock turtle, or of course still more like real turtle, will bear a large quantity of wine. - Madeira is by far the best, but good sherry will answer the same purpose. And here I would strongly appeal to the mistress of the house against the folly of using, not cheap sherry, but some extraordinary compound that is not sherry at all, for cooking purposes. Bad sherry will no more make good soups or jellies than bad eggs will make good puddings or custards.
We shall have to speak of this latter point in another place, but will keep to the sherry. Suppose you have been making some excellent soup from the half of a calf's head, or from some dried turtle flesh, which makes such splendid soup if you only have the patience to soak the flesh for two or three days, and boil it steadily for two more. Why should you spoil this soup — absolutely spoil it — for the sake of saving the difference between the price of half a pint of good sherry and half a pint of some decoction sold imder the same name 1