Harper's cook book encyclopædia

brown, uneatable pieces of roasted and broiled meat or poultry should be put into a jar and covered with boiling water. The next day they should be boiled and strained, and will then be ready for use. The brown liquid thus obtained will be much better than water to put under the joint. Gravy, Sage and Onion. — Prepare a little more sage and onion stuffing than is required, and rub a portion of it through a sieve. Mix with the pulp as much good stock as will make the requisite quantity of gravy, add a spoonful of Worcestershire sauce, let all boil up once, and serve. Gravy, Seasoning for. — Put I ozs. of white pepper into a mortar, with Yz oz. of mace, I oz. of nutmeg, two drachms of cayenne, a drachm of ginger, and a drachm of cassia. Pound, and mix thoroughly. Put the powder into a small bottle, and keep it closely corked, or the strength and flavor will escape. A pinch of this powder will season half a pint of gravy. Gravy Soup. See Soups. Gravy, White (for fish). — Take 1 lb. of any common fish, cut it into small pieces, and put these into a saucepan with two pints of water, a small bunch of savory herbs, the rind of a quarter of a lemon, four cloves, four peppercorns, and half a teaspoonful of salt. Cover the saucepan closely, and simmer gently for an hour. Strain, and when the gravy is wanted mix a table-spoonful of flour in a clean saucepan with 2 ozs. of butter. Beat with the back of a wooden spoon until the flour and butter are perfectly smooth, add the liquid gradually, boil all together for a quarter of an hour, and serve. Roux. — A mixture of flour and butter. See Roux ; also Thickening. Thickening, Brown. — Take i lb. of flour. Spread it on a newspaper or Thickening with Butter G R A V I E S , ETC. Thickening, Simple large dish, and dry it thoroughly before the fire, and afterwards sift it carefully. Put I lb. of fresh butter into a stewpan over a gentle fire and melt it very gradually. Skim carefully, and afterwards pour off the portion that looks like clear oil, and leave untouched the white, thick substance which will have settled at the bottom. Pour the clear oiled butter into a clean stewpan, mix the dried and sifted flour thoroughly and gradually with it, and beat it over a gentle fire with a wooden spoon until it forms a thick mass. Continue to stir it patiently until it is lightly colored. Draw it to the side of the fire, and throw in with it a slice of onion for flavoring, and do not cease to stir the mixture until it no longer bubbles. Take out the onion, pour the roux into an earthen jar, and let it get cold. When wanted for thickening, mix the roux with the gravy, and stir it till it boils. The gravy only attains its proper consistency after it has been stirred and boiled. This thickening may be mixed with either hot or cold liquor. If cold, stir it over the fire till it boils. If hot, moisten the roux gradually, and off the fire, with the gravy, then pour it into the remainder, and stir it over the fire till it boils. In order to cleanse gravy that has been thickened, that is, to remove the fat which has not become thoroughly incorporated, draw the saucepan to the side of the fire and throw in a small quantity of lukewarm water. The fat, etc., will rise to the surface, and may be removed with a spoon. Time to brown the roux, about an hour. A dessert-spoonful will thicken a pint of gravy.