114. Puree Of Endive

Trim off all the outside leaves of a dozen full white-heart endives; wash them thoroughly, and carefully remove all insects, etc.; throw the endives into a stewpan of boiling water, and, after allowing them to remain boiling for the space of twenty minutes, immerse them in cold water. When thus cool, squeeze each endive separately, entirely extracting the water; then cut off the root end from each endive, and after first chopping the leafy portion, place them in a stewpan with two ounces of fresh butter, nutmeg, sugar, and salt; stir the whole over a stove-fire with a wooden spoon for five minutes, moisten with a ladleful of white broth, then cover with a round of buttered paper, place the lid on the stewpan, and set it on a slow fire to continue very gently simmering for half an hour; next add a small ladleful of white sauce and half a pint of cream, and reduce the puree quickly on a brisk fire; as soon as it is reduced to its proper consistency, instantly remove it into a small stewpan for use.

This kind of puree is usually rubbed through a coarse hair-sieve in preference to a tammy.

115. Puree Of Chestnuts

Slit the husks of fifty chestnuts, and place them in a stewpan with a piece of butter; put the lid on the stewpan, and set it on a slow fire, taking care, now and then, to toss up the chestnuts, so that they may get an equal degree of heat; in about twenty minutes the husks will easily peel off, and should then be removed. Put the chestnuts into a clean stewpan with a ladleful of good consomme, and place the lid thereon; set them to simmer gently on the corner of the stove; when they are done, pound them in a mortar, take them up into a deep sauta-pan, and a little sugar, nutmeg, and half a pint of cream; reduce the puree, and rub it through a tammy on to a dish ; remove it into a small stewpan ; and just before using it, make it hot, mix in a small pat of butter and a piece of glaze.

116. Puree Of Potatoes. Peel And Wash Eight Potatoes, Cut Them Into Slices, And Place Them In A Stewpan With Two Ounces Of Butter, Some Minionette Pepper

salt, and a little nutmeg; moisten with a pint of white broth, put the lid on the stewpan, and set it to boil on the fire. By the time the broth is reduced, the potatoes will be done; then add half a pint of cream, and with a wooden spoon reduce the puree on the fire to the usual consistency of mashed potatoes; rub the puree through the tammy on to a dish, and then remove it into a small stewpan; previously to using it, add a pat of butter.

117. Puree Of Artichokes

First, pick off the outer leaves of six young full-grown artichokes; then turn, or pare off with a knife, the whole of the outer green part of the bottom of the artichokes, so as to leave it white ; when this is finished, rub each artichoke thus turned with a piece of lemon, and put them directly into a pan of water with a little vinegar in it. Then place the artichokes in a stewpan with boiling water, a little butter, lemon-juice, salt, and minionette pepper; after three-quarters of an hour's gentle boiling, take the artichokes up, extract the fibrous interior from each, and place them in a deep sauta-pan with a ladleful of white sauce, half a pint of cream, nutmeg, a little salt, and a tea-spoonful of sugar; reduce the puree quickly over a brisk fire, stirring it the whole time with a wooden spoon, and then rub it through a tammy; after which remove it into a small stewpan; finish with a pat of butter, and a small piece of glaze.