Fricassee Of Brains

"Isobel, you can order me three pairs of sheep's brains from the butcher's; tell him to send them between three and four o'clock, that will give us time to prepare them before tea. Yes, they are very fresh; put them into a basin of cold water, add a pinch of salt; see they skin quite easily. We can now remove the veins. Place the brains in that muslin bag, tie it loosely, boil them for five minutes. Take them up, lay on that plate, see that none are lost. They are beautifully white. I shall want the chopping-board on which to chop them. Now, I want you to chop the brains so that they will not be a pulp when finished That will do very nicely. Put them into a clean stewpan, into which you have first dropped a piece of butter not bigger than your thimble; add a teaspoonful of minced parsley, a salt-spoonful of pepper, and a dust of cayenne. By a dust of cayenne, I mean you to take the cayenne bottle from the kitchen cruet, shake it once, while holding it low over the mixture. A dash of nutmeg is one grate down the nutmeg grater. More than a dash of each would spoil the flavour of the dish. Stir the mixture well, but do not scratch the saucepan. While I garnish the dish with radishes, I want you to make some slices of toast, butter and cut them into triangular-shaped pieces. Pour the brain paste over them; do not spill it on the dish, Isobel, for it looks so untidy. You see I have not cut off that little tuft of green at the top of the radishes for one reason, it is easier to pick them up when it is left; for another, that they look prettier with it; and lastly, because I always eat it, for I find it prevents their disagreeing with anybody."

Croquettes Of Mutton

"Croquettes of mutton make a very good breakfast dish, so give me any scraps of cold mutton you have in the safe, please, Isobel. First, I must remove all skin and gristle, then cut it into dice a quarter of an inch thick. Mix with it about a third of its quantity of tinned mushrooms, also cut dice-shaped. Now I want you to brown an ounce of butter in the stewpan, without burning it. To do this you put the ounce of butter into a stewpan; stir in half a pint of good strong stock; the liquor from the mutton and ham, mixed with an ounce of isinglass, will be just the very thing. You must flavour it well by adding a spoonful of ketchup, the same quantity of pickled walnut vinegar, and a good dash of black pepper;. also a pinch of salt if it requires it. Let all boil slowly for ten minutes, stir carefully the whole time, then add the meat and mushrooms; let them be thoroughly heated, but mind they do not boil. When all is done, pour it on to a flat dish, and set in a cold place till morning. Then you may quickly flour your hands, and work all into small balls of equal sizes; roll them in bread crumbs. Put a lump of sweet dripping in the frying-pan on the stove; when at boiling-point pop in the balls, let them fry till of a golden-brown colour; set them in the oven on paper, so that they may drain for a minute. I shall be down in time to dish them on a serviette, and garnish with parsley. I think you will all own that they are very tasty, and far better than cold meat."