Practical household cookery

Cut two pounds of beef in two-inch dice. Cut in the same style a quarter of a pound of streaky bacon, remove the rind, and fry the bacon only, with one ounce of butter in a stewpan, to a brown colour; then add a quart of common stock or water, a "bouquet garni," one onion shred, and a pound of potatoes cut in squares like the beef ; boil these for fifteen minutes ; after which, add the pieces of beef ; warm them up, without boiling, for ten minutes ; then take out the " bouquet," add some salt if necessary, dish up and serve. 884. MINCED BOILED BEEF. Brown for three minutes in a stewpan three tablespoonfuls of flour with an ounce of butter; take this off the fire, add one pint of broth, salt and pepper to taste, mix for two minutes and pusli the stewpan on the fire, stir for ten minutes,, then add three pounds of beef, previously trimmed and mixed fine, together with a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and stir again for three or four minutes on the fire. Should the mixture be too thick, add a little more broth, stir, and serve. This mince can be made with Italian or Tomato sauce instead of broth, and in either case the process is the same. 885. BOILED BEEF CROQUETS. Chop fine about two pounds of boiled beef. Make a pint of Poulette sauce (No. 179), and reduce it on a sharp fii-e to half that quantity. Thicken it with the yolks of three eggs well beaten. Mix the chopped beef with this sauce ; add one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and season with salt and pepper ; when well mixed with a wooden spoon, spread it out on a dish to a thickness of an inch and a half, let it get cold, when it will be firm and divide it into twenty equal parts. Strew on a board some bread-crumbs, and put the twenty paiis of minced meat thereon, each separated by about two inches, cover these with a sprinkling of bread-crumbs, roll each into the shape of a cork, then beat the whites of the three eggs for one minute, without frothing, add to this a dessert-spoonful of salt, two of oil, and same quantity of water, mix well together, dip the croquets in the mixture, roll them again in bread-crumbs, and place them on a dish. Twenty minutes before serving, have the frying-kettle ready with hot fat, place the croquets in the frying-basket and put this in the fat to fry ; when nearly done move them gently with a slice to ensure their even colouring and becoming crisp ; then draw the basket out of the frying fat, drain the croquets on a clean cloth, sprinkle with salt, dish them up on a napkin, garnish with fried parsley, and serve. 886. BOILED BEEF SALAD. Cut up the same quantity of cold boiled beef in small thin slices, properly trimmed and free from gristle, and put these on a dish. Prepare in a bowl a similar sauce as for the sheep's feet (No. 384), po^r it over the beef well mixed, and serve.. This will be found very appetising in warm weather. 887. BOILED VEAL MINCED, AND POACHED EGGS. Pare off the outside part of two pounds of boiled veal, cut it in shreds and chop very fine. Melt in a stewpan an ounce of butter, and brown two tablespoonfuls of flour in it, by stirring on the fire with a wooden spoon for three minutes ; then gradually mix it with a pint of broth, stirring the while, and reduce it on a brisk fire to the consistency of sauce; then add the minced veal, a little grated nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste ; stir and mix this on the fire for three minutes, and dish it up ; after which, place eight poached eggs on it, decorate with croutons fried in butter, and serve. Note, — Any pieces of cooked ham, bacon, or pickled tongue, properly minced, as well as mushrooms, can be added to the minced veal. 888. BOILED VEAL, MINCED A LA NAPOLITAINE. Trim two pounds of boiled veal, and cut it in dice of a quarter of an inch thick. Put half a pint of white wine