Practical gastronomy and culinary dictionary

of eighteen large prawns picked, one large gherkin, six anchovy fillets, and the white part of a hard-boiled egg, all of which are minced rather fine. Put these into a basin and season with a ladleful of Tartare sauce ; put a little mustard and cress at the bottom of each crust and fill up with the preparation ; stamp out some thin slices of aspic jelly, cover the surface of each with a slice, fasten the heads of prawns in the centre of each with a little lobster butter ; ornament the edges with lobster butter. Dish up on small round dishes, garnish with parsley, and serve. 62. Petites Cassolettes a rEpicurienne (Little Cases, Epicurean Style). — 2 oz. preserved lax, 2 oz. cooked ox tongue, 6 French olives, 1| oz. fresh butter, 2 French gherkins, 1 teaspoonful of chopped parsley, ^ teaspoon- ful of chopped tarragon and chervil, ^ table -spoonful of wine vinegar, 1 table-spoonful of sweet oil, ^ stick celery, about ^ lb. cassolette paste. Prepare the cassolette paste as given below, roll out very thin ; line ten or twelve little round fluted moulds, place a round of buttered paper in each, fill up with rice and bake for fifteen minutes in a mode- rately heated oven. Take out rice and papers, replace them on a baking sheet in the oven, so that they become quite crisp, then put on sieve to cool. Cut the lax, tongue, and gherkins into little strips ; season lightly with oil, vinegar, and chopped herbs ; fill the little cases carefully with this ; stone the olives, and place one in the centre of each. Cream the butter, put it in a forcing bag or paper cornet with a fancy piping tube, and ornament the edges and surface to taste. Keep in a cool place until required for table, then dish up on little round glass saucers, and garnish with tiny bunches of shredded celery and sprigs of parsley. 63. Cassolette Paste. — ^ lb. flour, 1^ oz. butter,^ an egg, a little water, a teaspoonful of lemon juice, a pinch of salt. Put the flour into a basin, add the salt and rub in the butter until quite smooth ; then moisten with the 382 RECHERCHE COOKERY. egg, the lemon juice, and a very little water, mix the whole thoroughly, and work into a smooth but stiff paste. Use as directed. 64. Rosettes aux Anchois. — 6 filleted anchovies, 8 small mushrooms, 1 oz. anchovy paste, J oz. butter,^ 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped parsley, green butter for garnish, bread for croutes, clarified butter for frying. Cut the bread mto slices about an eighth of an inch thick ; stamp out some rounds about 2| inches in diameter ; mix the butter and anchovy paste ; rub the yolk of egg through a sieve, and chop the white finely. Fry the rounds of bread a golden colour in clarified butter, drain, and cool. Spread thick on one side "svith anchovy butter ; cut the anchovy fillets into little strips and arrange on the croutes in the form of rosettes ; cut the stems of 8 small preserved mushrooms, and put the heads m the centre of each ; garnish with the hard- boiled white and yolk of egg and the chopped parsley, decorate by means of a paper cornet with green butter ; dish up on little glass dishes and serve. 65. Canapes a la Turqiie. — 4^ oz. butter, 4 yolks of hard boiled egg, 4 Gorgona anchovies (boned), 3 oz. cooked lean ham, 1 oz. blanched parsley, spinach green- ing, 1 table- spoonful brown sauce, bread for croutes, and clarified butter.