Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/641

Rh prepare"), and lard one side closely with fine lardoons (see No. 989). Place the vegetables in a stewpan, lay the cutlets on the top, add the peppercorns, and stock to nearly cover the vegetables. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper, cover lightly with a greased paper, and put on the lid. Cook gently for 1 hour, basting frequently, and adding more stock as that in the stewpan boils away. Place the cutlets on a tin in a hot oven for a few minutes to crisp the bacon, brush them over with the reduced gravy, and arrange them neatly on a border of mashed potato. Serve the sauce separately.

Time.—About 1½ hours. Average Cost, 11d. to 1s. 2d. per lb. Sufficient for 6 or 7 persons. Seasonable, April to October.

Ingredients.—1 breast of lamb, 2 quarts of stock, 1 onion, 1 carrot, ½ a small turnip, a bouquet-garni (parsley, thyme, bay-leaf), 1 egg, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper, frying-fat, Soubise sauce, Allemande sauce (see Sauces).

Method.—Trim the breast of lamb, cut it in two, and blanch it. Bring the stock to boiling point, put in the meat, boil rapidly for a few minutes, then add the vegetables cut into thick slices, the bouquet-garni, salt to taste, and cook gently for about 1 hour, or until the meat is tender. Remove the bones, press the meat between 2 dishes until cold, then trim off all the skin and gristle, and cut the meat into pieces convenient for serving. Have ready the Allemande sauce, which must be very thick and nearly cold; season the épigrammes, or lamb entrées, with salt and pepper, dip them into the sauce, and if not completely coated, repeat the operation. When the sauce is set and firm, dip the épigrammes into beaten egg, coat them carefully with fine breadcrumbs, and fry in hot fat until they acquire a golden-brown colour. Drain well, and arrange in the form of a circle on a hot dish, and serve the Soubise sauce in the centre.

Time.—3 hours. Average Cost, 8d. to 10d. per lb. Sufficient for 6 or 7 persons.

The leg of lamb is the part usually selected for boiling, but this method of cooking is not often adopted. Careful and frequent skimming is essential to preserve the colour of the meat, and the liquor in which it is cooked must contain nothing to destroy or overpower its delicate flavour. The peas, carrots, or whatever is served as a garnish, should be cooked separately, and the meat masked with a good white or Béchamel sauce.

Ingredients.—Slices of underdone lamb, 30 asparagus, 1½ ozs. of butter,