JOHN DORY

_Ingredients._—-¼ lb. of salt to each gallon of water. _Mode._—This fish, which is esteemed by most people a great delicacy, is dressed in the same way as a turbot, which it resembles in firmness, but not in richness. Cleanse it thoroughly and cut off the fins; lay it in a fish-kettle, cover with cold water, and add salt in the above proportion. Bring it gradually to a boil, and simmer gently for ¼ hour, or rather longer, should the fish be very large. Serve on a hot napkin, and garnish with cut lemon and parsley. Lobster, anchovy, or shrimp sauce, and plain melted butter, should be sent to table with it. _Time._—After the water boils, ¼ to ½ hour, according to size. _Average cost_, 3_s._ to 5_s._ _Seasonable_ all the year, but best from September to January.

_Note._—Small John Dory are very good baked.

JUNE—BILLS OF FARE.

Dinner for 18 persons.

_First Course._

Asparagus Soup, removed by Crimped Salmon.

Fillets of Gurnets. Vase of Soles aux fines herbes. Flowers.

Vermicelli Soup, removed by Whitebait.

_Entrées._

Lamb Cutlets and Peas.

Lobster Patties. Vase of Tendrons de Veau Flowers. à la Jardinière.

Larded Sweetbreads.

_Second Course._

Saddle of Lamb.

Roast Spring Vase of Boiled Capon. Chickens. Flowers.

Boiled Calf’s Head.

_Third Course._

Leveret, Prawns. removed by Tartlets. Iced Pudding.

Vol-au-Vent of Wine Jelly. Custards, Strawberries and Cream. in glasses. Vase of Flowers. Cheesecake. Plovers’ Eggs. Blancmange.

Goslings, removed by Fondues, in cases.

Dessert and Ices.

Dinner for 12 persons.

_First Course._—Green-pea soup; rice soup; salmon and lobster sauce; trout à la Genévése; whitebait. _Entrées._—Lamb cutlets and cucumbers; fricasseed chicken; stewed veal and peas; lobster rissoles. _Second Course._—Roast quarter of lamb and spinach; filet de bœuf à la Jardinière; boiled fowls; braised shoulder of lamb; tongue; vegetables. _Third Course._—Goslings; ducklings; Nesselrode pudding; Charlotte à la Parisienne; gooseberry tartlets; strawberry cream; raspberry-and-currant tart; custards; dessert and ices.

Dinner for 10 persons.

_First Course._—Julienne soup; salmon trout and parsley-and-butter; red mullet. _Entrées._—Stewed breast of veal and peas; mutton cutlets à la Maintenon. _Second Course._—Roast fillet of veal; boiled leg of lamb, garnished with young carrots; boiled bacon-cheek; vegetables. _Third Course._—Roast ducks; leveret; gooseberry tart; strawberry cream; strawberry tartlets; meringues; cabinet pudding; iced pudding; dessert and ices.

Dinner for 8 persons.

_First Course._—Vermicelli soup; trout à la Genévése; salmon cutlets. _Entrées._—Lamb cutlets and peas; fricasseed chicken. _Second Course._—Roast ribs of beef; half calf’s head, tongue, and brains; boiled ham; vegetables. _Third Course._—Roast ducks; compôte of gooseberries; strawberry jelly; pastry; iced pudding; cauliflower with cream sauce; dessert and ices.

Dinner for 6 persons.

_First Course._—Spring soup; boiled salmon and lobster sauce. _Entrées._—Veal cutlets and endive; ragoût of duck and green peas. _Second Course._—Roast loin of veal; boiled leg of lamb and white sauce; tongue, garnished; vegetables. _Third Course._—Strawberry cream; gooseberry tartlets; almond pudding; lobster salad; dessert.

* * * * *

_First Course._—Calf’s head soup; mackerel à la maître d’hôtel; whitebait. _Entrées._—Chicken cutlets; curried lobster. _Second Course._—Fore-quarter of lamb and salad; stewed beef à la Jardinière; vegetables. _Third Course._—Goslings; green-currant tart; custards, in glasses; strawberry blancmange; soufflé of rice; dessert.

* * * * *

_First Course._—Green-pea soup; baked soles aux fines herbes; stewed trout. _Entrées._—Calf’s liver and bacon; rissoles. _Second Course._—Roast saddle of lamb and salad; calf’s head à la tortue; vegetables. _Third Course._—Roast ducks; vol-au-vent of strawberries and cream; strawberry tartlets; lemon blancmange; baked gooseberry pudding; dessert.

* * * * *

_First Course._—Spinach soup; soles à la crême; red mullet. _Entrées._—Roast fillet of veal; braised ham and spinach. _Second Course._—Boiled fowls and white sauce; vegetables. _Third Course._—Leveret; strawberry jelly; Swiss cream; cheesecakes; iced pudding; dessert.

JUNE, Plain Family Dinners for.

_Sunday._—1. Salmon trout and parsley-and-butter, new potatoes. 2. Roast fillet of veal, boiled bacon-cheek and spinach, vegetables. 3. Gooseberry tart, custard.

_Monday._—1. Light gravy soup. 2. Small meat pie, minced veal, garnished with rolled bacon, spinach, and potatoes. 3. Raspberry-and-currant tart.

_Tuesday._—1. Baked mackerel, potatoes. 2. Boiled leg of lamb, garnished with young carrots. 3. Lemon pudding.

_Wednesday._—1. Vegetable soup. 2. Calf’s liver and bacon, peas, hashed lamb from remains of cold joint. 3. Baked gooseberry pudding.

_Thursday._—1. Roast ribs of beef, Yorkshire pudding, peas, potatoes. 2. Stewed rhubarb and boiled rice.

_Friday._—1. Cold beef and salad, lamb cutlets and peas. 2. Boiled gooseberry pudding and baked custard pudding.

_Saturday._—1. Rump-steak pudding, broiled beef-bones and cucumber, vegetables. 2. Bread pudding.

* * * * *

_Sunday._—1. Roast fore-quarter of lamb, mint sauce, peas, and new potatoes. 2. Gooseberry pudding, strawberry tartlets. Fondue.

_Monday._—1. Cold lamb and salad, stewed neck of veal and peas, young carrots, and new potatoes. 2. Almond pudding.

_Tuesday._—1. Green-pea soup. 2. Roast ducks stuffed, gravy, peas, and new potatoes. 3. Baked ratafia pudding.

_Wednesday._—1. Roast leg of mutton, summer cabbage, potatoes. 2. Gooseberry and rice pudding.

_Thursday._—1. Fried soles, melted butter, potatoes. 2. Sweetbreads, hashed mutton, vegetables. 3. Bread-and-butter pudding.

_Friday._—1. Asparagus soup. 2. Boiled beef, young carrots, and new potatoes, suet dumplings. 3. College puddings.

_Saturday._—1. Cold boiled beef and salad, lamb cutlets, and green peas. 2. Boiled gooseberry pudding and plain cream.

JUNE, Things in Season.

_Fish._—Carp, crayfish, herrings, lobsters, mackerel, mullet, pike, prawns, salmon, soles, tench, trout, turbot.

_Meat._—Beef, lamb, mutton, veal, buck venison.

_Poultry._—Chickens, ducklings, fowls, green geese, leverets, plovers, pullets, rabbits, turkey poults, wheatears.

_Vegetables._—Artichokes, asparagus, beans, cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, lettuces, onions, parsnips, peas, potatoes, radishes, small salads, sea-kale, spinach,—various herbs.

_Fruit._—Apricots, cherries, currants, gooseberries, melons, nectarines, peaches, pears, pineapples, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries.

JULY—BILLS OF FARE.

Dinner for 18 persons.

_First Course._

Green-Pea Soup, removed by Salmon and dressed Cucumber.

Whitebait. Vase of Stewed Trout. Flowers.

Soup à la Reine, removed by Mackerel à la Maître d’Hôtel.

_Entrées._

Lamb Cutlets and Peas.

Lobster Curry Vase of Scollops of en Casserole. Flowers. Chickens.

Chicken Patties.

_Second Course._

Haunch of Venison.

Pigeon Pie.

Boiled Capons. Vase of Spring Chickens. Flowers.

Braised Ham.

Saddle of Lamb.

_Third Course._

Roast Ducks, removed by Vanilla Soufflé.

Prawns. Raspberry Cream. Custards.

Vase of Flowers. Cherry Tart. Raspberry-and-Currant Tart. Strawberry Cream.

Creams. Green Goose, Tartlets. removed by Iced Pudding.

Dessert and Ices.

Dinner for 12 persons.

_First Course._—Soup à la Jardinière; chicken soup; crimped salmon and parsley-and-butter; trout aux fines herbes, in cases. _Entrées._—Tendrons de veau and peas; lamb cutlets and cucumbers. _Second Course._—Loin of veal à la Béchamel; roast fore-quarter of lamb; salad; braised ham, garnished with broad beans; vegetables. _Third Course._—Roast ducks; turkey poult; stewed peas à la Française; lobster salad; cherry tart; raspberry-and-currant tart; custards, in glasses; lemon creams; Nesselrode pudding; marrow pudding. Dessert and ices.

Dinner for 8 persons.

_First Course._—Green-pea soup; salmon and lobster sauce; crimped perch and Dutch sauce. _Entrées._—Stewed veal and peas; lamb cutlets and cucumbers. _Second Course._—Haunch of venison; boiled fowls à la Béchamel; braised ham; vegetables. _Third Course._—Roast ducks; peas à la Française; lobster salad; strawberry cream; blancmange; cherry tart; cheesecakes; iced pudding. Dessert and ices.

Dinner for 6 persons.

_First Course._—Soup à la Jardinière; salmon trout and parsley-and-butter; fillets of mackerel à la maître d’hôtel. _Entrées._—Lobster cutlets; beef palates, à la Italienne. _Second Course._—Roast lamb; boiled capon and white sauce; boiled tongue, garnished with small vegetable marrows; bacon and beans. _Third Course._—Goslings; whipped strawberry cream; raspberry-and-currant tart; meringues; cherry tartlets; iced pudding. Dessert and ices.

* * * * *

_First Course._—Julienne soup; crimped salmon and caper sauce; whitebait. _Entrées._—Croquettes à la Reine; curried lobster. _Second Course._—Roast lamb; rump of beef à la Jardinière. _Third Course._—Larded turkey poult; raspberry cream; cherry tart; custards, in glasses; Gâteaux à la Genévése; Nesselrode pudding. Dessert.

JULY, Plain Family Dinners for.

_Sunday._—1. Salmon trout and parsley-and-butter. 2. Roast fillet of veal, boiled bacon-cheek, peas, potatoes. 3. Raspberry-and-currant tart, baked custard pudding.

_Monday._—1. Green-pea soup. 2. Roast fowls garnished with water-cresses; gravy, bread sauce; cold veal and salad. 3. Cherry tart.

_Tuesday._—1. John dory and lobster sauce. 2. Curried fowl with remains of cold fowls, dish of rice, veal rolls with remains of cold fillet. 3. Strawberry cream.

_Wednesday._—1. Roast leg of mutton, vegetable marrow and potatoes, melted butter. 2. Black-currant pudding.

_Thursday._—1. Fried soles, anchovy sauce. 2. Mutton cutlets and tomato sauce, hashed mutton, peas, potatoes, 3. Lemon dumplings.

_Friday._—1. Boiled brisket of beef, carrots, turnips, suet dumplings, peas, potatoes. 2. Baked semolina pudding.

_Saturday._—1. Cold beef and salad, lamb cutlets and peas. 2. Rolled jam pudding.

_Sunday._—1. Julienne soup. 2. Roast lamb, half calf’s head, tongue and brains, boiled ham, peas and potatoes. 3. Cherry tart, custards.

_Monday._—1. Hashed calf’s head, cold lamb and salad. 2. Vegetable marrow and white sauce, instead of pudding.

_Tuesday._—1. Stewed veal, with peas, young carrots, and potatoes. Small meat pie. 2. Raspberry-and-currant pudding.

_Wednesday._—1. Roast ducks stuffed, gravy, peas, and potatoes; the remains of stewed veal rechauffé. 2. Macaroni served as a sweet pudding.

_Thursday._—1. Slices of salmon and caper sauce. 2. Boiled knuckle of veal, parsley-and-butter, vegetable marrow and potatoes. 3. Black-currant pudding.

_Friday._—1. Roast shoulder of mutton, onion sauce, peas and potatoes. 2. Cherry tart, baked custard pudding.

_Saturday._—1. Minced mutton, rump-steak-and-kidney pudding. 2. Baked lemon pudding.

JULY, Things in Season.

_Fish._—Carp, crayfish, dory, flounders, haddocks, herrings, lobsters, mackerel, mullet, pike, plaice, prawns, salmon, shrimps, soles, sturgeon, tench, thornback.

_Meat._—Beef, lamb, mutton, veal, buck venison.

_Poultry._—Chickens, ducklings, fowls, green geese, leverets, plovers, pullets, rabbits, turkey poults, wheatears, wild ducks (called flappers).

_Vegetables._—Artichokes, asparagus, beans, cabbages, carrots, cauliflowers, celery, cresses, endive, lettuces, mushrooms, onions, peas, radishes, small salading, sea-kale, sprouts, turnips, vegetable marrow,—various herbs.

_Fruit._—Apricots, cherries, currants, figs, gooseberries, melons, nectarines, pears, pineapples, plums, raspberries, strawberries, walnuts in high season, for pickling.

JULIENNE, Soup à la.

_Ingredients._—½ pint of carrots, ½ pint of turnips, ¼ pint of onions, 2 or 3 leeks, ½ head of celery, 1 lettuce, a little sorrel and chervil, if liked, 2 oz. of butter, 2 quarts of stock. _Mode._—Cut the vegetables into strips of about 1¼ inch long, and be particular they are all the same size, or some will be hard whilst the others will be done to a pulp. Cut the lettuce, sorrel, and chervil into larger pieces; fry the carrots in the butter, and pour the stock boiling to them. When this is done, add all the other vegetables and herbs, and stew gently for at least an hour. Skim off all the fat, pour the soup over thin slices of bread, cut round about the size of a shilling, and serve. _Time._—1½ hour. _Average cost._—1_s._ 3_d._ per quart. _Seasonable_ all the year. _Sufficient_ for 8 persons.

_Note._—In summer, green peas, asparagus-tops, French beans, &c., can be added. When the vegetables are very strong, instead of frying them in butter at first, they should be blanched, and afterwards simmered in the stock.

KALE BROSE (a Scotch Recipe).

_Ingredients._—Half an ox-head or cow-heel, a teacupful of toasted oatmeal, salt to taste, 2 handfuls of greens, 3 quarts of water. _Mode._—Make a broth of the ox-head or cow-heel, and boil it till oil floats on the top of the liquor, then boil the greens, shred, in it. Put the oatmeal, with a little salt, into a basin, and mix with it quickly a teacupful of the fat broth: it should not run into one doughy mass, but form knots. Stir it into the whole, give one boil, and serve very hot. _Time._—4 hours. _Average cost_, 8_d._ per quart. _Seasonable_ all the year, but more suitable in winter. _Sufficient_ for 10 persons.

_Ingredients._—Any cold fish, 1 teacupful of boiled rice, 1 oz. of butter, 1 teaspoonful of mustard, 2 soft-boiled eggs, salt and cayenne to taste. _Mode._—Pick the fish carefully from the bones, mix with the other ingredients, and serve very hot. The quantities may be varied according to the amount of fish used. _Time._—¼ hour after the rice is boiled. _Average cost_, 5_d._ exclusive of the fish.

KIDNEYS, Broiled (a Breakfast or Supper Dish).

_Ingredients._—Sheep kidneys, pepper and salt to taste. _Mode._—Ascertain that the kidneys are fresh, and cut them open, very evenly, lengthwise, down to the root, for should one half be thicker than the other, one would be underdone whilst the other would be dried, but do not separate them; skin them, and pass a skewer under the white part of each half to keep them flat, and broil over a nice clear fire, placing the inside downwards; turn them when done enough on one side, and cook them on the other. Remove the skewers, place the kidneys on a very hot dish, season with pepper and salt, and put a tiny piece of butter in the middle of each; serve very hot and quickly, and send very hot plates to table. _Time._—6 to 8 minutes. _Average cost_, 1½_d._ each. _Sufficient._—Allow 1 for each person. _Seasonable_ at any time.

_Note._—A prettier dish than the above may be made by serving the kidneys each on a piece of buttered toast cut in any fanciful shape. In this case a little lemon-juice will be found an improvement.

KIDNEYS, Fried.

_Ingredients._—Kidneys, butter, pepper, and salt to taste. _Mode._—Cut the kidneys open without quite dividing them, remove the skin, and put a small piece of butter in the frying-pan. When the butter is melted, lay in the kidneys the flat side downwards, and fry them for 7 or 8 minutes, turning them when they are half done. Serve on a piece of dry toast, season with pepper and salt, and put a small piece of butter in each kidney; pour the gravy from the pan over them, and serve very hot. _Time._—7 or 8 minutes. _Average cost_, 1½_d._ each. _Sufficient._—Allow 1 kidney to each person. _Seasonable_ at any time.

KIDNEY OMELET (a favourite French Dish).

_Ingredients._—6 eggs, 1 saltspoonful of salt, ½ saltspoonful of pepper, 2 sheep’s kidneys, or 2 tablespoonfuls of minced veal kidney, 5 oz. of butter. _Mode._—Skin the kidneys, cut them into small dice, and toss them in a frying-pan, in 1 oz. of butter, over the fire for 2 or 3 minutes. Mix the ingredients for the omelet, and when the eggs are well whisked, stir in the pieces of kidney. Make the butter hot in the frying-pan, and when it bubbles, pour in the omelet, and fry it over a gentle fire from 4 to 6 minutes. When the eggs are set, fold the edges over, so that the omelet assumes an oval form, and be careful that it is not too much done: to brown the top, hold the pan before the fire for a minute or two, or use a salamander until the desired colour is obtained, but never turn an omelet in the pan. Slip it carefully on to a _very hot_ dish, or, what is a much safer method, put a dish on the omelet, and turn the pan quickly over. It should be served the instant it comes from the fire. _Time._—4 to 6 minutes. _Average cost_, 1_s._ _Sufficient_ for 4 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.

KIDNEYS, Stewed.

_Ingredients._—About 8 kidneys, a large dessertspoonful of chopped herbs, 2 oz. butter, 1 dessertspoonful of flour, a little gravy, juice of half a lemon, a teaspoonful of Harvey sauce and mushroom ketchup, cayenne, and salt to taste. _Mode._—Strew the herbs, with cayenne and salt, over the kidneys, melt the butter in the frying-pan, put in the kidneys, and brown them nicely all round; when nearly done, stir in the flour, and shake them well; now add the gravy and sauce, and stew them for a few minutes, then turn them out into a dish garnished with fried sippets. _Time._—10 or 12 minutes. _Seasonable_ at any time.

The most delicious sorts of lamb are those of the South-Down breed, known by their black feet; and of these, those which have been exclusively suckled on the milk of the parent ewe, are considered the finest. Next to these in estimation are those fed on the milk of several dams; and last of all, though the fattest, the grass-fed lamb: this, however, implies an age much greater than either of the others.

LAMB, in the early part of the season, however reared, is in London, and indeed generally, sold in quarters, divided with eleven ribs to the fore-quarter; but, as the season advances, these are subdivided into two, and the hind-quarter in the same manner; the first consisting of the shoulder, and the neck and breast; the latter, of the leg and the loin.—As lamb, from the juicy nature of its flesh, is especially liable to spoil in unfavourable weather, it should be frequently wiped, so as to remove any moisture that may form on it.

IN THE PURCHASING OF LAMB FOR THE TABLE, there are certain signs by which the experienced judgment is able to form an accurate opinion whether the animal has been lately slaughtered, and whether the joints possess that condition of fibre indicative of good and wholesome meat. The first of these doubts may be solved satisfactorily by the bright and dilated appearance of the eye; the quality of the fore-quarter can always be guaranteed by the blue or healthy ruddiness of the jugular, or vein of the neck; while the rigidity of the knuckle, and the firm, compact feel of the kidney, will answer in an equally positive manner for the integrity of the hind-quarter.

MODE OF CUTTING UP A SIDE OF LAMB IN LONDON.—1. Ribs; 2. Breast; 3. Shoulder; 4. Loin; 5. Leg; 1, 2, 3. Fore Quarter.

LAMB, Breast of, and Green Peas.

_Ingredients._—1 breast of lamb, a few slices of bacon, ½ pint of stock, 1 lemon, 1 onion, 1 bunch of savoury herbs, green-peas. _Mode._—Remove the skin from a breast of lamb, put it into a saucepan of boiling water, and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Take it out and lay it in cold water. Line the bottom of a stewpan with a few thin slices of bacon; lay the lamb on these; peel the lemon, cut it into slices, and put these on the meat, to keep it white and make it tender; cover with 1 or 2 more slices of bacon; add the stock, onion, and herbs, and set it on a slow fire to simmer very gently until tender. Have ready some green peas, put these on a dish, and place the lamb on the top of them. The appearance of this dish may be much improved by glazing the lamb, and spinach may be substituted for the peas when variety is desired. _Time._—1½ hour. _Average cost_, 10_d._ per lb. _Sufficient_ for 3 persons. _Seasonable._—Grass lamb, from Easter to Michaelmas.

LAMB, Stewed Breast of.

_Ingredients._—1 breast of lamb, pepper and salt to taste, sufficient stock to cover it, 1 glass of sherry, thickening of butter and flour. _Mode._—Skin the lamb, cut it into pieces, and season them with pepper and salt; lay these in a stewpan, pour in sufficient stock or gravy to cover them, and stew very gently until tender, which will be in about 1½ hour. Just before serving, thicken the sauce with a little butter and flour; add the sherry, give one boil, and pour it over the meat. Green peas, or stewed mushrooms, may be strewed over the meat, and will be found a very great improvement. _Time._—1½ hour. _Average cost_, 10_d._ per lb. _Sufficient_ for 3 persons. _Seasonable._—Grass lamb, from Easter to Michaelmas.

LAMB, TO CARVE.—Leg, loin, saddle, shoulder, are carved as mutton.

LAMB, Fore-quarter of, to Carve.

We always think that a good and practised carver delights in the manipulation of this joint, for there is a little field for his judgment and dexterity which does not always occur. The separation of the shoulder from the breast is the first point to be attended to; this is done by passing the knife round the dotted line, as shown by the figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, so as to cut through the skin, and then, by raising with a little force the shoulder, into which the fork should be firmly fixed, it will come away with just a little more exercise of the knife. In dividing the shoulder and breast, the carver should take care not to cut away too much of the meat from the latter, as that would rather spoil its appearance when the shoulder is removed. The breast and shoulder being separated, it is usual to lay a small piece of butter, and sprinkle a little cayenne, lemon-juice, and salt between them; and when this is melted and incorporated with the meat and gravy, the shoulder may, as more convenient, be removed into another dish. The next operation is to separate the ribs from the brisket, by cutting through the meat on the line 5 to 6. The joint is then ready to be served to the guests; the ribs being carved in the direction of the lines from 9 to 10, and the brisket from 7 to 8. The carver should ask those at the table what parts they prefer—ribs, brisket, or a piece of the shoulder.