Handbook of practical cookery

When the potatoes have been pared, put them into cold water, and allow them to come to the boiling-point, which being reached, they are at once to be taken out. Slice then enough of the potatoes to cover the bottom of a good-sized vegetable dish, putting them in in layers, after which cut the mutton into small, convenient pieces, roll each piece into a mixture made of the flour, pepper, salt, and nutmeg, and put them into the dish in layers alternating with the layers of potato, until the contents are level with the top. The remaining potatoes should be cut in half and arranged over the top, leaving the round sides up. Melt the butter and brush it over the top of the potatoes to prevent their hardening in the oven, pour the catchup and water in at the side of the dish, and bake in a moderate oven for an hour and a half. NOTE. — Potatoes should never be used without being put first into cold water and then brought to the boiling-point. This draws out the greenness, which produces indigestion, and is exceedingly injurious to some stomachs. Stewed Beef. — Four pounds of stewing beef, two carrots, two turnips, one onion, one half ounce of flour, one ounce of butter, three gills of second stock, one half table-spoonful of Worcestershire sauce, one half table-spoonful of catchup, one tea-spoonful of salt, one half salt-spoonful of pepper. The butter must first be melted in a sauce-pan, and when the smoke arises therefrom, put into it the beef, and brown well on both sides. While the beef is browning, put into a bowl the flour, and make it smooth with a table-spoonful of the stock ; add then the catchup, Worcestershire sauce, with the pepper and salt, and the remainder of the stock. Stir all until thoroughly blended, and pour the mixture over the browning beef. Stir the liquor around the meat until it boils, skimming the grease from the top as it arises, and adding then one carrot and one turnip sliced ; also the onion, Draw the sauce-pan now aside from the blaze of the fire, and allow it to simmer slowly for two hours ; meantime, half an HARICOT OP MUTTON — BLANQUETTE OF VEAL. 53 hour before the time for cooking expires, cut the remaining carrot and turnip into fancy shapes with a vegetable cutter, throw them into a small sauce-pan filled with boiling water, and cook them until quite tender. When the meat is done, place it upon a large hot platter, strain over it the gravy, and taking the prepared carrot and turnip from the water, drain, and garnish with them the stew. Haricot of Mutton.— One half dozen mutton chops, one half ounce of butter, twelve button-onions, one ounce of flour, two turnips, one carrot, one tea-spoonful of salt, one half saltspoonful of pepper, one pint of second stock. Trim the fat from the chops, and melting the butter in a sauce-pan, slice into it one of the onions.