Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/1841

Rh steamed for 1 hour; when a steamer is not available, the rice may be laid on a plate on the top of an inverted basin, and placed in a saucepan containing a little boiling water.

Roux.—This is the French term for a preparation used for thickening sauces, soups, and gravies. There are three kinds of roux: "white," "blond," and "brown," all of which consist of equal quantities of butter and flour cooked together over the fire. The butter and flour are fried for a few minutes without browning, when white roux is required, and until slightly browned in making blond roux; but when the third variety is desired, the frying process must be prolonged until the roux acquires a rich nut-brown colour. (See p. 208 tor further particulars.)

Salpicon.—This name is applied to the various mixtures used for filling timbales, bombs, patty-cases, croustades, ramakins, etc. It may consist of dice of chicken, game, veal, ham, tongue, truffles, mushrooms, oysters, shrimps, lobster, sole, or other kind of fish, variously seasoned, and moistened with a thick sauce, usually Béchamel or Espagnole.

Sieve : To Rub or Pass Through a Sieve.—The means employed for rubbing or pressing any substance through a sieve is the back of the bowl of a wooden spoon, the exception being breadcrumbs, which are usually rubbed through with the palm of the hand. In the case of meat, lentil, haricot, and similar purées, sieving is not an easy process, but it may be greatly facilitated by frequently moistening the purée with any liquid ingredients included in the recipe.

To Whip Cream.—Put the cream into a cold basin, and stand in a cool place whilst whipping it. Use an ordinary wire whisk for the purpose, whip gently until the cream begins to thicken, then a little more quickly. In warm weather cream quickly turns to butter if overwhipped: should this occur, continue the whipping to make the conversion complete, and use the butter for cookery purposes. When the whipped cream is not intended for immediate use, let it drain on a hair sieve in a cool place until required.