1442. Currant And Raspberry Transparent Cheese

Pick the stalks from a quart of ripe red currants and a pottle of raspberries; put these into a small preserving-pan with one pound of pounded sugar and a gill of water; stir the whole on a stove-fire and keep it boiling for about five minutes; remove the scum as it rises to the surface, and then rub the whole through a hair-sieve into a large basin; add two ounces of clarified isinglass, and then pour it into a jelly-mould, ready imbedded in rough ice to receive it. When this kind of cheese is set firm, dip the mould in warm water, wipe it, and turn the cheese out on its dish; fill the well or cylinder with some stiffly-whipped cream, and serve.

1443. Apricot Cheese, A La Chantilly

Remove the stones from eighteen ripe apricots, and put them into a small preserving-pan with one pound of loaf sugar, and a gill of spring water; stir this on a brisk stove-fire, until the whole of the fruit is entirely dissolved ; and then rub it through a hair-sieve into a large basin; add two ounces of clarified isinglass, and fill a jelly-mould (ready imbedded in rough ice) with the preparation. When the cheese is set firm, turn it out on its dish, and fill the centre with whipped cream.

Note. - These cheeses may be made of every kind of fruit before directed to be used for both jellies and creams; and also with pears, apples, and quinces.

1444. Mince-Meat

Thoroughly cleanse four pounds of currants, and remove the stones from four pounds of raisins; cut up two pounds of candied citron, one pound of candied lemon, and one pound of orange-peel, into shreds, or very small dice; remove the skin, and then chop four pounds of fresh beef-suet, and place this with the currants and the candied peel in an earthen pan; next chop the raisins with four pounds of peeled apples, and add them to the other ingredients. Trim away all the sinewy parts from eight pounds of roasted sirloin of beef, and chop all the lean of the meat quite fine ; this will produce about four pounds, which must also be placed in the pan. To the foregoing must now be added four pounds of moist sugar, four ounces of ground spice - consisting of nutmegs, cloves, and cinnamon in equal proportions, with the grated rind of twelve oranges, and of the same number of lemons; the whole must then be thoroughly mixed together, and pressed down to a level in the pan. Two bottles of brandy, and a like quantity of Madeira, sherry or port, should be poured into the mince-meat. Put the lid on the pan, place a cloth over it, and tie it down close, so as to exclude the air as much as possible, and also to prevent the evaporation of the brandy, etc. The mince-meat should be kept in a cool place, and will be fit for use a fortnight after it is made.

1445. Lemon Mince-Meat

Boil four lemons till quite tender, then pound them in a mortar or chop them up while warm, adding to them two pounds of pounded loaf sugar; let this stand till next day, then add two pounds of suet, two pounds of currants, one pound of raisins chopped, a little brandy, one ounce of mixed spice, and port wine, to taste, say half a pint of brandy and wine together.