Cassell's dictionary of cookery

a nice brown. When done, remove them from the frying-pan into a stewpan. Then fry two pounds of neck or shin of beef, hghtly floured, also a middle-sized onion, or two or three shallots. Place them all together in the stewpan with the ham, and cover with about two I pints of stock; skim as the liquid boils, and i add salt, a few cloves, peppercorns, a blade of ! mace, a smaU bunch of herbs, a carrot, and a I head of celery. Let all boil till reduced in I quantity to one-half; then strain, and when j quite cold, take off the fat. When required, heat the gravy again, and flavour with the sauce best adapted to the dish for which it is intended. If the gravy be properly boiled, it will be thick enough. Half this quantity is sufficient at a time, and careful housekeepers would reduce the quantity of meat. Time, from three to four hours. Probable cost of beef, about 8d. per pound. Sufficient for one pint of gravy. Gravy Espagnole (a highly flavoured brown gravy). — As this gravy will keep good for three or four days, and is frequently required in domestic cookery, it is well to make more than will be used at one time, and put it aside until wanted. It should be looked at every day, and will keep longer if it is boiled occasionally. Put a piece of butter the size of a large egg into a stewpan, and, when it is melted, place on it a moderate-sized onion, cut into 'slices. Turn these over until they are lightly browned, then add a quarter of a pound of the lean of ham or bacon, in dice (undressed), a large carrot , scraped or cut into small pieces, two spiigs of parsley, one of thyme, a quarter of a tea-spoonful of finely-chopped lemon-rind, a dozen peppercorns, a blade of mace, and a bay-leaf. Pour in a cupful of cold water and shako the pan, or stir it occasionally, over a moderate fire for a quarter of an hour, until the ingredients are brightly browned. Add very gradually a pint of good stock, and simmer gently for three-quarters of an hour. Strain, skim oft' the fat, and the gravy will be ready for use. Salt must be added, if necessary, but this will depend upon the saltness of the ham. When no stock is at hand, half a pound of lean beef may be cut into small squares, and fried with the rest, but when this is done a pint and a half I of Avater should be added, and the gravy simmered an hour and a half. Another plan is to dissolve half a tea-spoonful of Liebig's extract in the gravy. If a rich gravy is required, a glass of sherrj' or Madeira and a table-spoonful of ketchup may be put into the saucepan a few minutes before it is taken from the fire. To thicken the gravy, dissolve an ounce of butter in a saucepan, mix with it an ounce of flour, and stir it with a wooden spoon until brightly browned, add gradually the strained gravy, and boil. Sufficient for nearly a pint of gravy. Probable cost, 8d. per pint. Gravy Espagnole, made without Meat. — Cut two large onions into thick slices, and fry them in an ounce and a half of butter until brightly browned. Put with them a scraped carrot, two sprigs of parsley, GBA (273) GEA