Miss Parloa's kitchen companion

For common sauces the quick method is generally used, and it sometimes happens that, by mistake, the sauce is cooked so long that it becomes oily. In this case add a little cold stock or water, and stir until the sauce begins to boil. It will then be perfectly smooth ; take it from the fire at once. If the suggestions here given be remembered and the rules for the various sauces carefully followed, any housekeeper may feel assured of success. Spanish Sauce. This is the finest of the brown sauces, and is the foundation of many of the meat and fish sauces. There will be required for it one pint and a gill of consomme, three table-spoonfuls of gelatine, four of flour, four of butter, two of chopped onion, one of chopped carrot, one of chopped celery, one ounce of lean ham, one bay leaf, one sprig of parsley, two cloves, a bit of mace, salt, and pepper. Soak the gelatine in one gill of consomme for an hour or more. Cook the butter and vegetables together for ten minutes, being careful not to let them burn ; add the flour, and cook until brown, stirring all the while. Draw the saucepan back, and gradually add the pint of consomme ; boil for three minutes, stirring all the while. Then add the herbs and spice, and put the mixture back where it will simmer, letting it stay there for two hours. At the end of that time add the soaked gelatine, and cook for fifteen minutes longer. Skim the fat from the sauce, and strain. It is now ready to be served as a simple Spanish sauce, or as the foundation for various fish and meat sauces. Chateaubriand Sauce. Use one pint of Spanish sauce, one gill of sherry, three table-spoonfuls of butter, a teaspoonful of minced parsley, one table-spoonful of lemon juice, one saltspoonful of salt, and a little pepper. Beat the butter, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together ; then add the parsley. When ready, to serve, add this mixture and the wine to the hot sauce; stir for one minute, and serve. Financiere Sauce. Use one pint of Spanish sauce, one gill of essence of chicken, one cupful of chopped mushrooms, and one small box of truffles, chopped fine. Put all the ingredients together, and let them simmer for one hour ; strain, and the sauce will be ready for use. The materials that remain in the strainer may be put into a stew-pan, with three pints of any kind of stock, and simmered for two hours or longer. This will give a strong flavor of the mushrooms and truffles. This stock may be used for any kind of sauce. Madeira Sauce. To a pint of Spanish sauce add one gill of Sicily Madeira. This sauce is used with baked fish and with game. Venison Sauce. Put into a stew-pan one pint of Spanish sauce, four table-spoonfuls of currant jelly, one of lemon juice, and one gill of port wine. Place on the fire, and cook until the jelly is melted. Stir frequently. Olive Brown Sauce. Stone two dozen olives. Cook them for half an hour in water or stock enough to cover them. Drain them ; put them into a stew-pan, with a pint of Spanish or brown sauce ; simmer for five minutes. This sauce is suitable for broiled steak, roast duck, or any entrée of poultry or game where olives may be used. Duxelles Sauce.