Harper's cook book encyclopædia

Beef a la Mode. — Tie up a small round of beef to keep it in shape; make a stuffing of bread, butter, and any seasoning you like, as you would for a fowl ; cut holes in the beef with a skewer, and put in half of the stuffing ; tie the beef up in a cloth and just cover it with water, and let it boil an hour and a half, or until it is tender ; then turn the liquor off and let the beef brown over a slow fire ; turn it often, keeping enough gravy in the bottom of the pan to prevent the meat from becoming too dry. Baste it well from time to time. Then take it out and add a little water, into which lay the rest of the stuffing, made up into balls. When done, they are served in the same dish as the beef, and are ranged around it so as to be symmetrical. A garnish of sliced carrots and pickles improves both looks and flavor of the beef. Another way : — Select about 6 or 8 lbs. out of the round, free of bone, and a tender, juicy piece. Cut gashes in it so as to go nearly all the way through, and insert strips of fat salt pork about half an inch in thickness. If possible, pull the pork through on the under side. Season with salt and pepper. Tie as tightly together as possible with strong twine, making the meat as round and compact as you can. Allow two tablespoonfuls of whole cloves to this quantity of meat, sticking them on the outside. A few blades of mace stuck in are an improvement, and garlic, if wished. When the meat is prepared, put it info a large stewpan, setting it on the back part of the stove, and adding no water, as the essence of the meat soon runs out. Let it cook slowly five hours, keeping it covered all the time, and turn it once or twice. When nearly done, pour over it three table-spoonfuls of Beef a la Mode Beef Ox-tail lemon-juice and half a gill of strong brandy, basting it every few minutes. When done, remove the strings. Beef a la Mode, Cold. — With a large larding-needle lard a rump piece of beef weighing about 4 lbs. with 1/2 lb. of larding-pork cut in a dozen strips. Tie the meat to give a perfectly round shape. Melt two tablespoonfuls of butter in a saucepan, and put in the meat, with one carrot and two large onions, sliced. Brown the meat well on all sides for fifteen minutes. Pour over a quart and a half of warm bouillon, one large glassful of white wine, and add two calf's feet that have been previously cut in four pieces and boiled for ten minutes in salted water. Season with one-half table-spoonful of salt, one salt-spoonful of pepper, two cloves, and a bouquet. Leave the cover of the saucepan slightly loose, and cook slowly but constantly for two hours and a half. Add three bunches of very small new carrots. Cook half an hour more. Remove the meat to a round china bowl, and take off the string. Bone the calf's feet; place the nicest pieces upward alongside of the edge of the bowl ; put one carrot straight up between each piece of calf's foot so as to make a crown around the meat, afterwards adding the remaining small pieces. Strain the gravy, which should be clear, through a silk strainer or a clean napkin previously dipped in cold water. When it has stood in a cool place for two hours, skim and pour over the meat. Be careful not to disturb the symmetry of the dish.