Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/268

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Ingredients.—½ a pint of white stock, ¼ of a pint of cream or milk, ½ a lb. of chestnuts, a thinly cut strip of lemon-rind, cayenne, salt.

Method.—Cut the tops off the chestnuts and roast or bake them for about 20 minutes. Remove the outer and inner skins, put them into a saucepan with the stock and lemon-rind, and let them simmer until tender (about ½ hour). Rub through a fine sieve, return to the saucepan, add seasoning to taste, and re-heat. Stir in the cream, and use as required. If milk is used, mix with it a teaspoonful of cornflour or ordinary flour, stir it into the purée when boiling, and simmer for 5 minutes to cook the flour. Season with salt and a tiny pinch of cayenne.

Time.—1¼ to 2 hours. Average Cost, 10d. per pint with cream. Sufficient for a boiled turkey.

Ingredients.—3 tablespoonfuls of Béchamel sauce, 2 tablespoonfuls of cream, 1 oz. of butter, 2 yolks of eggs, a few drops of lemon-juice, salt and pepper.

Method.—Put all the ingredients except the lemon juice into a small saucepan, which must be placed either in a bain-marie or in a larger shallow pan, half full of boiling water. Stir the mixture until it acquires the consistency of thick cream, then pass through a tammy-cloth, reheat, add the lemon juice, and use.

Time.—20 to 30 minutes. Average Cost, 6d. to 7d.

Ingredients.—½ a pint of Béchamel sauce (see page 220) 1 cucumber, 1 oz. of butter, a little spinach greening, salt and pepper.

Method.—Peel the cucumber, cut into thick slices, and remove the seeds. Melt the butter in a stewpan, put in the cucumber, cover