BILL OF FARE FOR LONDON SUPPERS

In introducing the subjoined Bill of Fare, applicable to the London suppers, I must here repeat that which I have previously mentioned, that my idea is far from replacing the dishes now so much in vogue both at the “Albion,” Simpson’s in the Strand, Evans’ Cider Cellars, and such-like places; but now and then a couple of dishes taken from these receipts cannot fail to prove agreeable to the partakers, without much interfering with the regular routine of the nightly business of such establishments.

NO. 1.--PLAIN MUTTON CHOPS AND RUMP STEAKS.

Though almost anybody can boast of being able to cook a plain steak or a chop, very few can say they can do them to perfection. First of all, to obtain this important point, either the mutton or beef ought to be kept till properly set, according to season; secondly, the chop especially is more preferable when cut and beat, some time before cooking, so as to set the meat and prevent its shrinking; it at all times requires a sharp fire (the broiling City fires may be taken as an example, and the continual red heat of the gridiron); lay your gridiron over a sharp fire, two minutes after lay on your chop or steak, turn three or four times; when half done, season highly with salt and pepper, and when done, serve _immediately_, on a very hot dish. Ten minutes will do a steak of 1½lb., and about six minutes a chop.

NO. 2.--RUMPSTEAK AND POTATOES.

Of all steaks, rumpsteaks are far more preferable than any other, not excepting the fillet of beef, as the meat in England is so rich, while in France they eat only the fillet of beef--that being the only eatable steak of a French ox. Have your steak cut as even as possible, nearly an inch thick, and weighing from about 1½lbs. to 2lbs.; broil it sharply as described above, season when properly done, lay it on a very hot dish, put on 2oz. or more of maître d’hôtel butter (No. 2), turn it three or four times on the dish quickly, when a most delicious gravy will be formed, then place about a pound of fried potatoes round it, and serve. For smaller steaks, for cooking be guided by size.

_Ditto with Anchovy Butter_, of which use 2oz. in lieu of the maître d’hôtel butter, and omit the potatoes.

_Same with Pimento Butter._

_Same with Shalot Butter_, well rubbing the dish prior to putting the steak on it.

NO. 3.--MUTTON AND LAMB CUTLETS A LA BOUCHERE.

The word à la bouchere, in English, means the butcher’s wife’s plain fashion, and at one time had only the merit of economy; but a real gourmet, the illustrious Cambaceres, who lived in the time of the first Empire, being served with this dish at a little country inn, while travelling, discovered the correctness of the proverb that “the nearer the bone the sweeter the meat,” and on returning to Paris introduced it to the fashionable circle, and for a long period this exquisite cotelettes d’agneaux de maison, or house-lamb cutlet, and the dainty and justly celebrated cutlets de presalé, were figuring on all the banqueting tables of the Paris gourmets in perfect _negligé_, being dressed in the following unceremonious manner:--Take either a neck of lamb or mutton, neither too fat nor too lean, chop the cutlets about six inches in length, cutting them as usual, leaving a bone in each; flatten them with the chopper, not trimming them at all, season them highly with salt and pepper, broil them very quick, and serve hot. Lamb, mutton, and veal cutlets may be done the same.

For plain cutlets with fried potatoes, cut them either à la bouchere _or trim them_, and proceed as for rumpsteak.

_Ditto for Cutlets_ à la maître d’hôtel.

For relishing sauce, see List of Sauces.

NO. 4--LAMB AND MUTTON CUTLETS, SEMI-BOUCHERE.

Cut your cutlets from the neck, one inch thick; beat them flat with a chopper without trimming them, roll them in flour, butter over; season with salt, pepper, a little chopped shalot; broil on a sharp fire, turn three or four times, and serve.

NO. 5.--RELISHING STEAK.

(Mutton, Veal, Pork, Chops and Cutlets, Fowls, Pigeons, Grilled Bones, Kidneys, &c.)

Chop fine a tablespoonful of green pickled chillies: mix with two pats of butter, a little mustard, a spoonful of grated horseradish; have a nice thick steak, spread the steak on both sides with the above, season with half a teaspoonful of salt, put on a gridiron on a sharp fire, turn three or four times; put on a hot dish with the juice of half a lemon and two teaspoonfuls of walnut ketchup, and serve. If glaze is handy, spread a little over the steak.

Mutton, lamb, veal, pork, chops and cutlets may be done the same; as well as kidneys; also grilled fowls, pigeons--the latter may be egged and bread-crumbed. Proceed the same for cooking according to size. Any of the above may be half done before rubbing in the Chili butter.

NO. 6.--FILLET DE BŒUF, PARISIAN FASHION.

Cut a piece of the fillet of beef crosswise, including some fat, the thickness of an inch; beat it slightly flat with a chopper, set on a gridiron, put it on a very sharp fire, turn it two or three times; when half done, season with a quarter of a teaspoonful of salt, quarter that of pepper, put on a hot plate, rub over with an ounce of maître d’hôtel butter (as No. 2); serve up with fried potatoes.

Mutton chops, veal chops, and lamb chops may be dressed similar.

NO. 7.--FILLET OF BEEF, SEMI-CHATEAUBRIANT.

Cut it double the thickness of the above, butter lightly over, set on the gridiron on a slowish fire, turn several times; when half done, place it nearer the fire; season with half a teaspoonful of salt, quarter one of pepper, a little cayenne, and serve with sauce à la Mussulman (as No. 17). Maître d’hôtel butter or anchovy butter may be used instead; serve fried chipped potatoes round.

NO. 8.--CHOPS, SEMI-PROVENÇAL, OR MARSEILLES FASHION.

When the chop is half broiled, scrape half a clove of garlic and rub over on both sides of the chop; serve with the juice of a lemon. For semi-Provençal, the clove of garlic is cut in two, and the flat part is placed at the end of a fork and rubbed on the chop.

NO. 9.--CHOP OR STEAK A LA SULTANA.

Add a tablespoonful of Sultana sauce in a dish to each pound of meat; place in a dish and serve; when the steak is done, turn it in it three or four times, and it will make a most delicious gravy.

NO. 10.--MUSHROOM KIDNEY SANDWICH.

Broil 3 plain kidneys à la Brochette to keep them flat. Broil also 6 large mushroom heads; well season with salt and pepper (cayenne if approved of). A few minutes will do them; then rub a little fresh butter inside the mushrooms; dish up each kidney between two mushrooms while very hot, and serve.

If a large quantity is required, proceed thus--well butter a sautépan, lay in 20 or more heads of large mushrooms just washed, season well with salt and pepper; let stew for twenty minutes gently in an oven, or till done; make your kidney sandwich as above, add a tablespoonful of the gravy over, and serve. The same may be served on thin toast; a tablespoonful of the Sultana Sauce to every half-dozen kidneys, make a dish worthy an Epicurean. The stems of the mushrooms may be stewed and served with the dish.

NO. 11.--MINCED SANDWICHES.

Cut in small thin slices some dressed ham, ox tongue, game, or poultry, with a few pickled gherkins and olives, the whole in equal portions; mix well together; butter the bread and spread some mustard over, place the cut meat over the butter, cover over with the other slice, cut small, and serve.

NO. 12.--KIDNEYS SAUTE, WITH SHERRY, PORT, OR CHAMPAGNE.

Cut three kidneys each in five pieces, put an ounce of butter in the pan; when very hot, and beginning to smoke, add the kidneys; stir round for two or three minutes with a spoon till set; add a teaspoonful of flour, quarter ditto of salt, the third part of that of pepper; mix well; add half a gill of broth, a small wineglass of either of the above wines; if no broth, use water, adding a little glaze. A tablespoonful of colouring (No. 15) is a great improvement to the appearance of the sauce. Ox, calf, or pig’s kidneys may be dressed the same, following the proportions according to the quantity made. All the above are extremely good on toast, which would require a little more liquor. A few mushrooms are an improvement. If brown sauce can be obtained, omit the flour and broth. Do not let them boil; a few minutes will do them.

NO. 13.--SEMI-CURRIED KIDNEYS.

Take three kidneys, which forms a portion, make a small incision in the fleshy part, so as to enable you to remove the outer skin; cut each in five pieces crosswise, put some butter in a stewpan, salt, pepper, a little chopped onions, give it a fry, add the kidneys, stir them for a few minutes till set, put four tablespoonfuls of curry sauce (No. 9), and serve. If no curry sauce, add a quarter of a teaspoonful of curry powder, one of flour, and one gill of broth; serve with rice.

NO. 14.--KIDNEY TOAST.

Split the kidney in two, remove the sinews and outer skin, mince it up, and then chop fine; place in a stewpan some chopped eschalot and parsley, with a small piece of butter, and fry the same lightly; when done, add a small spoonful of Sultana Sauce, a little flour, and boil again; while boiling, mix in the chopped kidneys; add salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.

Spread the composition upon slices of toast slightly buttered; mask them up with bread-crumbs mixed with Parmesan cheese, place in a sharp oven for ten minutes, brown them with the salamander, and serve quite hot.

NO. 15.--MUTTON, LAMB, OR VEAL CUTLETS EN PAPILLOTE, OR WRAPPED IN PAPER. DITTO, QUARTER OF FOWLS AND HALF PIGEONS, DEVILLED.

Cut two or three veal or mutton cutlets half an inch thick, then put in a sauté, or frying-pan, four tablespoonfuls of oil, season your chops thoroughly with salt and pepper, cook them gently in the pan, turning them several times; before they are quite done, take them off, add in; mix with oil remaining in the pan two tablespoonfuls of fine chopped onions, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, fry these gently on the fire for a few minutes, stirring continually; when they become a little yellowish, add a tablespoonful of flour, mix quick, then put in a pint of broth, boil till forming a thick sauce, add salt and pepper in proportion; put back the chops into the pan, simmer a few minutes, turning them; cut some paper in the shape of a heart, large enough to envelope one chop, oil it well, put a tablespoonful of the sauce on the paper, then place on it a chop, then more sauce, and plait the paper round the edge of the cutlet to inclose it; then place in the pan in a hot oven, or broil slowly. These cutlets might be prepared the day before using, and placed more conveniently in paper when cold.

NO. 16.--PORK CHOPS A LA TARTARE,

Which has one great charm--simplicity. It is seldom to be obtained, even in Crim Tartary, and when it is, the animal is in no very nice condition. When procurable in a first-class Tartar family, they are dipped in vinegar for about an hour prior to being fried or broiled. Thin slices of raw onions are eaten with the above, and a kind of cucumber peculiar to Russia, and most delicious when properly pickled; they are cut in slices with the onions very thinly, the chop is then placed over a layer while very hot, and another layer placed over the chop, until it forms a vegetable sandwich. Such is the dish so much relished by our hospitable Tartar families.

NO. 17.--LAMB CHOPS A L’AFRICAINE.

Cut a lamb chop as usual, broil it very sharply, turning it continually; when nearly done, season highly with salt and pepper, rub over with chutnee (about a teaspoonful to each chop) on both sides, then broil another minute and serve. Light melted butter with a chopped girkin makes a good variation for such as veal, pork, and broiled fowls, pigeons, and also for devilled poultry.

I must also observe that chutnee is excellent with all kinds of broiled devils; a little curry-powder may be introduced.