Practical household cookery

Mince two pounds of lean beef, half a carrot, a little celery, and an onion ; put the lot in a stewpan with three pints of cold water, and salt to taste. Boil, skim, and strain. Should there be, however, a wish for this broth to be improved, add at the same time as the other ingredients two ounces of rice or vermicelli in a muslin bag, and when cooked pour the contents of the bag into a soup-tureen with the broth, and serve. 14u JULIENNE SOUP. Slice four carrots of ordinary size so as to leave the middle or heart part out; shred the other parts into small fillets or strips of about an inch and a half long ; add also in the same manner three turnips, one onion, one head of celery, and four leeks ; dry and mix the lot well together ; put them into a stewpan with one ounce and a half of good fresh butter; fry them to a nice brown colour; then add two branches of endive, a small lettuce, and a little chervil, all shred very fine. Mix well again, and pour two quarts of No. 2 broth, together with six leaves of sorrel previously blanched * and cut small Boil gently for twenty minutes or until the vegetables are perfectly well cooked; skim carefully ; add about half an ounce of sugar ; salt to taste ; then pour into a soup-tureen with a few small crusts of bread fried in butter, and serve. 15. SPRING SOUP. This soup, as its name implies, should only be made when the vegetables are fresh and tender; and to make it a success it is essential that all the following items should be cut fine. This will give a good opportunity to the cook to show his or her skill in shredding and cutting the said vegetables in artistic and decorative forms which are always pleasing to the eye. * Scalded or parboiled in saU water. Take one carrot, one turnip, the heart of a small cabbage, half a head of celery, about two ounces of French beans, the same quantity each of green peas and asparagus-points; boil the lot in salt water (asparagus apart) till properly cooked; then strain the water and pour the vegetables into a sauto-pan in which two or three spoonfuls of either chicken or beef gravy have already been placed ; simmer for a few minutes ; then add one quart of No 2 broth ; salt to taste and two lumps of sugar ; boil, pour it into a soup-tureen, and serve. 16. CONDENSED BROTH OR GLAZE. Put into a stock-pot six pounds of shin of beef, eight pounds of leg of veal, an old fowl, two old pigeons, the same quantity of vegetables as in No 2, but first browned with butter; pour enough cold water to cover the whole (no salt nor bouquet). Let it boil ; skim properly ; cover the stock-pot closely, and let it boil gently for six hours; after which, strain through a fine cloth. Return the broth to a stewpan ; add a quart of boiling water, skim off all fat, and simmer till the broth is reduced to a gelatinous substance, stirring meanwhile the contents with a wooden spoon, till the gravy is thick enough to remain attached to the said spoon. Then pour it into an earthenware jar, the inside of which must be previously greased with either fresh butter or fine olive-oil ; let it get cold. Then lay flat at the top a sheet of white paper properly greased or oiled, and cut to the shape of the jar ; then place another cover, made of brown paper, over it, and tie it around with string. Put the jar on a shelf in the larder, as it is now ready for use. When it is wanted, remove the string and paper, and cut with a knife the glaze or condensed broth as required. 17. BRUNOISE SOUP.