As the health of a family depends more upon the quality of their food than upon any other cause whatever, it is a public benefaction to give good advice upon this subject. That this advice may be most widely beneficial, it should have reference to the material and the preparation of food; and in both these respects, regard should be had to economy. The rich, who are able to provide the most choice and expensive articles of diet, frequently fail in having them prepared for the table in an agreeable and healthful manner; and the poor, and even those in moderate circumstances, are not only not generally well informed as to healthful and nutritious articles of food, which may be purchased at moderate expense, but when procured, they more generally err in the healthful preparation of them, mistaking high seasoning and rich mixtures for delicious and wholesome food. It is to aid the family in procuring and preparing their food according to their means, and with a view to elegance, taste, and health, that the authoress of this book has been induced to publish these receipts and the accompanying advice and reflections. She does this at the solicitation of many heads of families, and with the confidence of knowledge founded on long personal experience. This is the only source of reliable knowledge on the subject of procuring and preparing healthful food, in good taste, and with elegance and economy.

But proper materials may be obtained for food, and the cook may understand how to prepare them; yet she will fail if she does not have the kitchen furnished with proper articles for culinary purposes. Each of these articles should be kept in its proper place, and scrupulously clean, while every thing should be done with exactness, and at the proper time.

The authoress has the greatest confidence that the circulation of this book will promote elegance and comfort in wealthy families, and economy and health in families of moderate means.

THE
FAMILY RECEIPT BOOK.

TO PREPARE AND TO SELECT BEEF, MUTTON, LAMB, VEAL, AND BACON.

White meats, such as veal, mutton, and lamb, should be washed as quickly as possible, or the juices of the meat will be extracted by the water. Fresh beef should never be washed, but well scraped with a clean knife twice over; any soiled parts which cannot be scraped must be cut off. If the bones are soiled, saw off the part with the meat saw. Salted meat should be well washed in three or four waters, and soaked at least fifteen minutes in cold water, before putting it down to boil. The pot should be filled with cold water, and boil slowly till done, according to the size of the meat, or allow a quarter of an hour for every pound of the meat; quick boiling will make the meat hard and insipid. Be careful that it does not stop boiling, or the meat will be injured; remove the scum frequently. People are not generally aware of the injurious effects from eating the flesh of diseased animals. It has been my practice to choose beef from the whiteness of the fat, and always object to it if a dark shade of yellow; let the fat be clear and thick, and the beef smooth and close; if otherwise, it is old. The flesh of a young ox should be a good red, and have a smooth and open grain, and feel tender. Pork may be judged by the thinness of the skin, and by pinching the lean; if young, it will break. When clammy, it is not fit for use. Fresh pork will be always cool and smooth. The fat of mutton should be white and firm, and the lean a good colour. If the vein in the neck of lamb has a greenish cast, it is stale: it should be of a bluish hue.

Bacon.—The lean should be of a good colour, and tender, and firm on the bone, the fat should be firm and of a red tinge, and the rind thin. Try a ham by putting a sharp knife in under the bone. If the smell is agreeable, the ham is good; if otherwise, and the knife soiled, reject it. Veal,—The whitest is the most juicy, having been made so by frequent bleeding: the flesh of a bull calf is firmest, but of a darker colour. Old and diseased meat will shrink very much in cooking. Hams and tongues, if they are old and hard, should be put to soak in warm water the night before they are boiled. A large ham will take from four to six hours to boil, and a tongue will take nearly as long. They should be kept constantly boiling, and well skimmed: put them down in plenty of cold water. Fish should always be boiled in hot water with a little salt in it: let them boil slowly.

Wild fowls do not require as much cooking as tame. They should be done before a brisk fire, and be constantly basted. Wild ducks will cook sufficiently in a quarter of an hour; pheasants in twenty minutes. A large turkey will take from two hours and a half to three hours. Hen turkeys are the best for boiling. The time will depend on the size: if a large one, it will take two hours and a half, and should be boiled in a cloth. All meats when roasting should be put some distance from the fire, and brought gradually nearer; the more they are turned and basted, the more juicy they will be. Vegetables should be freshly gathered; they are much sweeter and more healthy, if cooked as soon as taken out of the ground. When potatoes are to be fried, throw them in water with plenty of ice in it after slicing. This will make them crisp.

BEEF SOUP, THIN.

Wash and scrape well a shin of beef, put it down early in the morning in plenty of cold water, with a piece of veal, and a small piece of lean ham; let it boil slowly one hour, and skim it well; then add two carrots, washed, scraped, and cut fine, six potatoes, four onions, and one turnip; some horse-radish cut in small pieces; season with black and cayenne pepper, and salt to your taste: about half an hour before it is done, put in a bunch of sweet herbs, parsley, and a little celery cut in small pieces. You can either strain it or send it to table with the vegetables in it.

ANOTHER BEEF SOUP.

Boil a shin of beef the day before it is wanted. The next day put on your stock, after removing the fat from the top of it; then put in a tea-cup of barley, wash and cut up two carrots, three onions, one turnip, three tomatoes, put in parsley and the usual pot herbs, twenty minutes before it is done; season with cayenne and black pepper and salt to your taste.

VEAL SOUP.

Put into the soup kettle a small piece of ham; wash and cut up four onions; put them into the pot with the ham, and six quarts of water; let it boil slowly an hour and a half, then put in a shin of veal; let it boil an hour and a half longer; then take out the ham; skim off the grease as it rises; beat up in a gill of good cream, two table-spoonsful of flour, and the yolks of two eggs very light; and then add the soup; season with parsley, pepper, and salt, and serve up.

MUTTON BROTH.

Scrape and wash clean a breast of mutton; put it down in the soup kettle to boil with five quarts of water, put in a small cup of barley, or two tablespoonsful of rice; let it boil slowly three hours and thirty minutes; skim it well; add carrots, a turnip, an onion, and a little parsley cut up; let it boil forty minutes longer; season with pepper and salt; serve hot. The carrots should be grated.

CHICKEN BROTH.

Chicken broth may be made in the same way. Some persons prefer rice, but rice is used in so many ways, that barley is more uncommon as well as more nutritious. Noodles or vermicelli can be substituted, if preferred.

CHICKEN SOUP.

Put a pair of chickens in the soup kettle, with five quarts of water, one large carrot grated, and let it boil; skim off the grease as it rises: after it has boiled three hours take out the chickens, and strain the liquor through a sieve; put it in the kettle again; add the vermicelli after it has boiled an hour, an onion chopped small, some pepper and salt, a few blades of mace, a little parsley cut fine. If you like, just before it is served up, add a small bunch of thyme.

OYSTER SOUP.

Strain the liquor from a hundred oysters into the soup kettle; add a quart of milk, a little mace, cloves, pepper and salt, with a little rolled cracker; boil 20 minutes; then put in the oysters; stir frequently: fifteen minutes after the oysters are in, serve it up.

MOCK TURTLE SOUP.

Clean very well a calf’s head, take out the eyes, cut off the nose; let it soak for ten minutes; then put it down with five quarts of water, a small piece of ham, four onions, and some salt; let these boil till tender, or till the meat will leave the bones; then strain it; add cloves, nutmeg, parsley, and thyme; let it stew slowly for an hour; add a small piece of butter rubbed in flour, some wine and mushroom catsup. You can then put the meat in or send the soup to table without it, as preferred.

CALF’S HEAD SOUP.

Prepare as above. Then put down the head and liver in six quarts of water; let them boil till tender; take them up; cut the meat in small pieces; be careful to take out all the bones; then put the meat into the liquor with three onions, some cloves, mace, and nutmeg, pepper, black and cayenne, and salt; set this on the fire; let it simmer gently an hour: just before taking it up, add a little butter rubbed in flour, and some wine.

OX-TAIL SOUP.

Wash and joint two ox-tails; pour over them in a soup kettle five quarts of water; when it comes to a boil skim it, and add some salt, three onions, two carrots cut fine, three turnips, four potatoes, a large bunch of pot herbs, some cayenne pepper, and a little rice flour; boil slowly for three hours, but do not put in the vegetables till after it has been boiling two hours: half an hour before you take it up, add a little celery cut up fine.

MULLAGATAWNY SOUP.

This soup is always made of the same materials, only varying in quantity. Brown in some butter six or eight onions; fry some pieces of rabbits and chicken; lay it upon the onions; have ready some stock, boiling hot; let it simmer gently for an hour and a quarter; then strain it through a sieve; add two quarts more of stock, and let it stew; mix with it three tea-spoonsful of currie powder, and two of brown flour with a little cold water; let it boil slowly for half an hour. If preferred, the juice of a lemon may be strained into it.

OCHRA SOUP.

Wash well a dozen and a half young ochras; slice them thin, three onions chopped fine; pour on these five quarts of water early in the morning with pepper and salt; let this stew slowly two hours; then put in a piece of veal and a piece of lean bacon, with seven or eight tomatoes, skinned and sliced; boil it till it is thick; serve hot to table.

CATFISH SOUP.

Take one large catfish, clean it well, cut off the head; then cut the fish in half; put it in a pot with two onions, and a bunch of parsley cut up fine, and some pepper and salt; put in a quart of water, and stew slowly till the fish is tender; then add a pint of milk and a quart of water; let this all simmer for half an hour; roll a piece of butter in a little flour: in twenty minutes after the butter and flour go in, it will be sufficiently done.

DRIED PEA SOUP.

Wash a quart of dried peas well; put them in four quarts of water to soak over night; early in the morning place it over the fire in your soup kettle; when it has boiled three hours, put in a small piece of salt pork; add some salt, pepper, and two chopped onions; after it has boiled some time take out the pork; mash the peas, and strain the liquor through a sieve into a kettle; put the pork in again; skim off the fat; let it boil one hour; serve up hot with toast.

GREEN PEA SOUP.

Shell a quart of green peas; wash them, and put them down to boil with three quarts of water and a little salt; when it has boiled slowly an hour and a half, season with pepper and a little butter rolled in flour: boiling a few of the pods with the peas is an improvement.

BEAN SOUP.

Wash the beans and soak them over night; in the morning throw off the water, and put down the beans with five quarts of water and a small piece of salt pork; let it boil till the beans are perfectly soft; then take out the pork and either strain the soup, or send it to table with the beans in, as preferred.

CLAM SOUP.

Wash the shells of a peck of clams carefully; put them to boil in two quarts of cold water; when the shells have opened, take off the liquor; return it to the soup kettle; take the clams out of the shells, put them in the pot with the seasoning; a little salt and pepper; rub in a small piece of butter, a dessert spoonful of flour; stir constantly till boiling hot; add some parsley chopped fine, and a pint of milk.

FISH.

Fresh fish are easily told by the redness of their gills. If the gills are white or the flesh is not hard to the touch, reject them. They are not fresh. Fish should be sent to table as soon as cooked. Broiled fish should be sprinkled with salt before broiling. When boiled, should have salt in the water.

TO BAKE A SHAD.

Shad should be fat. Clean it well, take out the inside and the gills. Score and salt the fish, make a dressing of bread, butter, pepper, salt, parsley, thyme and sweet marjoram; fill the fish with this; tie it up and put it in a pan with some water: dredge the fish with flour, let it cook slowly, baste it often; when nearly done, add some mushroom catsup to the gravy; season to your taste with pepper and salt. Take it up very carefully: bake half an hour.

TO BROIL A SHAD.

Cut it down the back, sprinkle it with pepper and salt, grease your gridiron well, and put it down on the flesh side first. Let it be well done. Send hot to table.

FRESH COD BOILED.

Clean and wash it well; put it down to boil in the fish kettle. It will cook in half an hour; take it up carefully, garnish the dish with hard-boiled egg, and serve with egg sauce. All boiled fish should have salt in the water, or the fish will be insipid.

TO BOIL HALIBUT.

Sprinkle it with salt, tie it up in a cloth, put it in the kettle in boiling water; let it boil slowly till done, which will depend upon the size, allowing eight minutes to a pound.

TO FRY HALIBUT.

Cut it into small pieces, season it with pepper and salt, dip it in the yolk of egg, then into rolled cracker: fry in hot lard, and serve it up.

TURBOT.

Turbot is one of the most delicious fish we have, when properly prepared and served. It must be washed with the greatest care, and cut down the middle of the back, on the dark side of the fish. Have your kettle perfectly clean; put your fish into boiling water, enough to cover it, with two table spoonsful of salt; let it boil slowly, skim it frequently. It will cook sufficiently in twenty minutes: drain and dish it; serve up hot with butter and egg sauce, or any other preferred.

TROUT.

Trout should be fried as perch.

TO BOIL STURGEON.

Sturgeon may be boiled as rock fish, and served up with the same sauces. It is very good with spiced vinegar poured over when cold.

TO PICKLE FRESH HERRING.

First scale and clean them well, cut off the heads, put salt, pepper and cloves in the vinegar; boil it, and when cold, pour over the fish in a stone jar; set the jar on a warm stove for half a day; then put them in a cold place.

TO BOIL SHEEP’S HEAD.

Sheep’s head is one of the most delicate fish, and should be boiled as rock fish; to be eaten with egg sauce, walnut catsup, or harvey sauce.

SEA BASS.

Sea bass are good either fried or boiled.

HADDOCK.

Haddock must be well cleaned and emptied of its contents; take out the gills and wash them inside and out with particular care; lay them in warm water a little salted; drop in a small piece of saltpetre; skim the water frequently, and let them simmer from ten to fifteen minutes: serve hot with egg and other sauces to your taste.

TO DRESS A SALT COD.

Put your fish in water over night to soak; add a little vinegar to the water; wash it well: it should not boil, but simmer slowly for half an hour, or till tender: to be eaten with egg sauce and mashed potatoes: when cold, mix with mashed potatoes: dip them in egg, and fry them in hot lard.

TO PICKLE SALT SALMON.

Put it to soak over night; in the morning clean the scales and put it down to boil for ten minutes; take it up, and put it in a stone crock; boil some vinegar with a little mace, whole pepper and allspice; pour over the fish, and when perfectly cold, cover and set it away: this will keep for a length of time, and is a nice relish for tea.

TO BOIL FRESH SALMON.

Tie it up in a cloth and put it in the kettle with boiling water; let it boil slowly, allowing ten minutes to each pound; sprinkle it with salt before putting it in the cloth; to be eaten with egg sauce and walnut catsup, or with fish sauce.

TO BOIL FRESH MACKEREL.

Sprinkle it with salt after cleaning: tie it in a cloth, and boil as other fish. It will boil sufficiently well in twenty-five minutes; serve with egg sauce.

TO BOIL ROCK FISH.

Clean and wash it well, tie it up in a cloth, boil it in water and salt; let it boil gently according to the size: one weighing six pounds will cook in half an hour. Garnish the dish with hard-boiled egg; to be eaten with egg sauce.

TO FRY ROCK FISH.

To fry rock fish, dip them in Indian meal and fry in hot lard; score them and season with pepper and salt before you fry them.

TO FRY PERCH.

Clean them well, and sprinkle with pepper and salt, and fry in lard; scoring them and dipping them in Indian meal before frying.

TO FRY SMELTS.

These little fish must be drawn at the gills, as they must not be opened: they are a very delicate fish: season them with salt; beat up the yolk of egg very light, dip them in the egg; then in grated cracker; fry in hot lard; serve hot.

LOBSTERS AND CRABS.

After washing them, put them alive in a pot of boiling water. Lobsters will boil in forty minutes, or longer, if they are very large. Crabs thirty minutes. Dress them with the yolk of hard-boiled eggs, oil, pepper, salt, and mustard.

TO STEW CLAMS.

Take equal quantities of the liquor and new milk; stew it, and when it comes to a boil, stir in the clams; season with pepper, salt and parsley.

TO FRY CLAMS.

Strain them; then make a batter of the yolks of two eggs, two table-spoonsful of flour, and a little milk; put them in and fry in hot lard.

TO STEW CRABS.

Put them into a pot of boiling water for ten minutes; then take out the meat and put it down with the juice that runs out, and very little water, pepper, salt, and butter; a few minutes will cook them.

LOBSTER STEWED.

Proceed as for crabs. Cut them into small pieces; then stew for a few minutes; season with cayenne pepper, salt and butter.

OYSTERS BROILED.

Take them from the shell and broil on an oyster iron; season with a little pepper, salt, and butter; serve them hot.

TO ROAST OYSTERS IN THE SHELL.

Wash off the shells and place them on a large oyster gridiron; put it over the coals; turn them once: ten minutes will cook them.

TO PICKLE OYSTERS.

Put the oysters on in the juice, and boil them plump; then take the oysters out; add half as much vinegar as juice, a little mace, and some grains of pepper, to your taste; boil this slowly; pour over the oysters, and they are done.

TO STEW OYSTERS.

Take a hundred oysters; put them in a stew pan, with boiling water enough to cover them; stir them till they are plump; then take them out with a strainer; add half as much juice as there is water in the pot, with some mace, whole grains of pepper, and salt, half pint of cream, and piece of butter; two crackers rolled very fine, which sprinkle in; then put in the oysters, and keep stirring for a few minutes, when they will be done.

OYSTER PIE.

Make a puff paste; put some around the sides of a deep dish. Have a hundred good oysters; take each oyster out of the liquor with a wooden spoon or fork; mash as fine as possible the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs. Put in a layer of oysters, over which strew a little of the egg with some mace and whole grains of pepper; then another layer of oysters with the egg, and spice as above, and so fill up the dish till the oysters are all in; strew a little butter on the top: then place precisely in the centre of the pie a small egg cup, so as to prevent the top paste touching the liquor; strain the liquor, and put in according to your judgment; cut a cross in the centre of the paste, and open it to let the steam escape; let it bake slowly. If you find the paste getting too brown, put a sheet of white paper over the top. If the oysters are fresh, add some salt.

OYSTER FRITTERS.

Make a batter in the usual way; have your lard boiling hot; drop in a spoonful of batter with an oyster in it, and let them brown; turn them once, so that each side may brown.

SCOLLOPED OYSTERS.

Put well buttered toasted bread around the sides of a deep dish; put in the oysters; season with salt, pepper, mace, and butter; strain into it a little of the liquor; strew bread crumbs over it, and bake in a quick oven.

TERRAPINS.

Wash them very well; then put them into a pot of boiling water; let them stay till you can easily take off the toe nails and the skin; take off the bottom shell; be careful in taking out the sand bag and the gall; (the gall is in the liver) cut the terrapins up; save all the juice which runs out in cutting; take out the eggs; put the terrapins down to stew; season with cayenne pepper, salt; roll a piece of butter in flour and mix in; add some wine, and drop in the eggs just before taking them up. The quantity of wine and butter depends very much upon the taste of the cook; but a quarter of a pound to two terrapins will be sufficient; and half a pint of wine to four or five terrapins.

TO FRY TRIPE.

Have some lard boiling hot; cut your tripe in pieces three inches square; dip them in butter and fry.

TO PREPARE A RENNET.

A rennet is the stomach of the calf. As soon as the calf is killed, take it; wash it very quickly, and cover it with salt; let it lie three or four days; then stretch it on sticks; hang it up to dry: when dry, put it in a bag, and set it in a dry place to keep.

TO MAKE SMEARCASE OR COTTAGE CHEESE.

Keep thick milk near the fire till the whey has risen; pour it in a muslin bag, and hang it in the shade for twelve hours; then take it out and dress it with pepper, salt, and cream.