I happen to be on my mother's side of West Indian
parentage ; and I must fain say something of the genuine
tropical dish. The fundamental ingredient in real West
Indian Pepper-Pot is casaripe, the inspissated juice of the
bitter cassava, or manioc. " Insj^issated " means thickening
a liquid by boiling, or by evaporation. All kinds of
vegetables and meats may be put into pepper-pot (which
is best made in an earthen pipkin); and through its very
high seasoning with casaripe and other condiments, it may
in the tropics (with occasional replenishment) be kept
" going " for months. For a very old form of this dainty
(" Mannei's and Customs in the West India Islands," 1888)
I find this recipe : " A small piece of pork or beef, sliced ; a
fowl dissected ; ochras, yams, plantains, ' calilvo,' and plent}^
of ' fire-balls ' or red pepper." (See under Entremets, p. 319.)
116. Sharp Soup.
Cut up some mutton into pieces the size of small
wahiuts ; wash and put them in a stew-pan, with sufticient
salt, and as much water as the quantity of soup required;
put the pan on the fire. When boiling, skim it well, and
let it simmer until the pieces of meat are tender, and skim
off the fat ; then put in a basin sufficient flour, which mix
with water to form a smooth batter, but not too thick,
and add to it the broth by degrees, stirring at the same
time, so as to prevent it from getting lumpy ; let it simmer
till the smell of flour has dispersed, and take it off.
Then beat up the yolks of three eggs in a small saucepan
with sufficient wine-vinegar or lemon-juice✪ Sharp Soup, set it on a small
charcoal fire, and keep it stirring with a wooden spoon
SOUPS. 139
until a little thick; take it off, and add it gradually to
the soup, stirring it quickly at the same time, to prevent
the eggs from curdling; then pour it in a tureen, sprinkle
a little pepper and cinnamon over, and serve.
117. "Crusts" for Thick Soups.
Cut up some bread-crumb into small dice. Melt and
clarify two ounces of butter✪ Crusts for Thick Soups. Fry the dice in the
butter till of a nice light brown. If you wish to garnish
spinach or an entree of game, cut a slice of bread a quarter
of an inch thick ; divide it in two, lengthwise. Cut away the
crust, then cut the crumb in zig-zag pieces either in cubes
or lozenges, and fry in butter till of a nice brown colour.
140
SECTION II.— FISH.
1. Forcemeat for Stews of Fisli, etc.
Beat the flesh and soft parts of a boiled lobster in a
"inortar, with a boned anchovy, the yolks of three eggs hard-
boiled, and a head of boiled celery chopped. Put to this a
handful of bread-crumbs, cayenne, mace, a spoonful of mush-
room catsup, a quarter-pound of melted butter, a large spoon-
ful of oyster liquor, or some oyster pickle, and two or more
^ggs well beaten✪ Forcemeat for Stews of Fish, to cement the composition. Mix it well,
and form into small egg-shaped balls, which fry, or brow^n in
a Dutch oven. Or the fish that makes the stock for soups
may be pounded for forcemeat.
2. Fish Forcemeat, or Quenelles. ✪ Fish Forcemeat or Quenelles
Page 87 · 5 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1895. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
I happen to be on my mother's side of West Indian parentage ; and I must fain say something of the genuine tropical dish. The fundamental ingredient in real West Indian Pepper-Pot is casaripe, the inspissated juice of the bitter cassava, or manioc. " Inspissated " means thickening a liquid by boiling, or by evaporation. All kinds of vegetables and meats may be put into pepper-pot (which is best made in an earthen pipkin); and through its very high seasoning with casaripe and other condiments, it may in the tropics (with occasional replenishment) be kept " going " for months. For a very old form of this dainty (" Mannei's and Customs in the West India Islands," 1888) I find this recipe : " A small piece of pork or beef, sliced ; a fowl dissected ; ochras, yams, plantains, ' calilvo,' and plent}^ of ' fire-balls ' or red pepper." (See under Entremets, p. 319.)
116. Sharp Soup.
Cut up some mutton into pieces the size of small walnuts ; wash and put them in a stew-pan, with sufficient salt, and as much water as the quantity of soup required; put the pan on the fire. When boiling, skim it well, and let it simmer until the pieces of meat are tender, and skim off the fat ; then put in a basin sufficient flour, which mix with water to form a smooth batter, but not too thick, and add to it the broth by degrees, stirring at the same time, so as to prevent it from getting lumpy ; let it simmer till the smell of flour has dispersed, and take it off. Then beat up the yolks of three eggs in a small saucepan with sufficient wine-vinegar or lemon-juice, set it on a small charcoal fire, and keep it stirring with a wooden spoon
until a little thick; take it off, and add it gradually to the soup, stirring it quickly at the same time, to prevent the eggs from curdling; then pour it in a tureen, sprinkle a little pepper and cinnamon over, and serve.
117. "Crusts" for Thick Soups.
Cut up some bread-crumb into small dice. Melt and clarify two ounces of butter. Fry the dice in the butter till of a nice light brown. If you wish to garnish spinach or an entree of game, cut a slice of bread a quarter of an inch thick ; divide it in two, lengthwise. Cut away the crust, then cut the crumb in zig-zag pieces either in cubes or lozenges, and fry in butter till of a nice brown colour.
SECTION II.— FISH.
1. Forcemeat for Stews of Fisli, etc.
Beat the flesh and soft parts of a boiled lobster in a "inortar, with a boned anchovy, the yolks of three eggs hardboiled, and a head of boiled celery chopped. Put to this a handful of bread-crumbs, cayenne, mace, a spoonful of mushroom catsup, a quarter-pound of melted butter, a large spoonful of oyster liquor, or some oyster pickle, and two or more ^ggs well beaten, to cement the composition. Mix it well, and form into small egg-shaped balls, which fry, or brow^n in a Dutch oven. Or the fish that makes the stock for soups may be pounded for forcemeat.
2. Fish Forcemeat, or Quenelles.
Records on this page
Sharp SoupThick Soup with Egg YolkCrusts for Thick SoupsForcemeat for Stews of FishFish Forcemeat or Quenelles