Mince is almost always made from meat that has been cooked before, and the chief point to be considered is how to avoid over-cooking it, which is very likely to happen considering how very small are the pieces to be warmed up. Take the remains of any cold beef or mutton, remove all the skin and gristle, and chop the meat very fine. Take sufficient Stock No. 3 to moisten the mince, and make it hot in a stewpan. Chop up a small piece of onion very fine - a piece as big as half the thumb for every pound of meat - and also a little parsley - half a teaspoonful; boil these in the stock for five minutes, and add some pepper and salt, and a teaspoonful of Harvey sauce. Have some fried bread ready, or some sippets. A few minutes before the mince is wanted, warm it up in the stock, flavoured as we have said, watch it, heat it slowly, and as soon as it is hot turn it on to the dish, place the bread round it, and. serve at once. Underdone beef (or mutton) makes exceedingly nice mince if it is exposed, to the action of the fire only just long enough to make it hot through.

Veal is best warmed up in the same manner, with a little white stock boiled away mixed with a little boiled milk. Some chopped parsley may be added, as well as a little veal stuffing (very little) if any is left. Only add just sufficient stock to moisten the mince. No Harvey sauce should be used. Poached eggs are very nice on minced veal.

Mince Meat

Take three apples, three lemons, one pound of raisins, three quarters of a pound of currants, one pound of the best beef suet, a quarter of a pound of raw beef, two pounds of moist sugar, four ounces of candied peel, a quarter of a rind of a fresh orange, one good teaspoonful of powdered spices - composed of equal quantities of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg - one glass of port wine, and half a pint of brandy.

Peel the apples, and cut out the cores very carefully, and then bake the pieces till they are soft. Squeeze the lemons, and cut away the white pappy part, and boil the lemon-peel till it is fairly soft. The raisins must be carefully stoned, and the currants washed, picked, and dried. Chop the suet very finely (see No. 16), as well as the raw meat and lemon-peel.

Mix all the ingredients well together, and add the brandy last of all. It must be very thoroughly stirred. Press the mincemeat down in a jar, and place a piece of brandied paper over the top. The mincemeat should be occasionally stirred, and a fresh piece of paper added. By adding a spoonful of brandy every two or three months, this will keep good for a year.

Mince Pies

Make some good paste (see Paste, Puff); roll it out very thin; butter some pattypans; line the pans with the paste; put in a generous heap of mincemeat; cover over with some more thin paste; join the edges, and trim. Bake in the oven, shake a little powdered sugar over the top, and serve very hot.

N.B. - Two mince pies, with mincemeat in them, are worth more than four mince pies without.