Larks On Toast

We had larks on toast for breakfast on Thursday morning. They were drawn and trussed as for the spit, a lump of butter dusted with cayenne put into the body of each, and then gently roasted for twenty minutes. My cousin had boiled about two pounds of bacon, which she had allowed to simmer for an hour and a half. She had stripped off the rind and grated over the top some fine bread crumbs.

Grilled Mutton With Poached Eggs

For Friday morning we had grilled mutton and poached eggs. Some slices of underdone mutton had been cut from the leg. Each slice had been dusted with cayenne, dipped into heated dripping, and broiled carefully over a clear fire. Then they had been laid on a hot dish before the stove, while six fresh eggs were poached, neatly trimmed, and one laid on each slice of meat. Around these was poured a delicious sauce. A gill of good gravy had been put in a stewpan with a tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, and thickened with a lump of butter rolled in flour, and stirred over the fire for a few minutes. Finely chopped parsley was scattered over all. A dish of potato straws was served with this.

Pigs' Kidneys And Dried Haddocks

On Saturday morning we had three pigs' kidneys; they had been cut lengthwise down the middle (but the knife had not been allowed to go right through), well seasoned with pepper and salt, brushed over with a beaten egg, dipped into bread crumbs which had been mixed with some chopped parsley and shallot, a skewer run through to keep them open, and then grilled over a clear fire for ten minutes. When done they were placed on a dish, one ounce of butter was mixed with the juice of a lemon, a little pepper, and a teaspoonful of mustard, and a third of the mixture was placed on each kidney. The whole was set in the oven for one minute. This was garnished with slices of lemon and watercress.

Dried Haddock

A large dried haddock accompanied the kidneys. It had been scalded, and laid, back downwards in a Dutch oven before a bright fire, then dusted over with nutmeg, pepper and salt. When half cooked a gill of good milk was added, the fish dished very hot, and sent to table with a plate of watercress.

Mackerel And Omelettes

On the following Sunday morning we had mackerel, cooked in the same way as the pickled fresh herrings, which all of us enjoyed very much.

Omelettes

The omelettes were delicious. As each one was cooked, it was brought to table on a separate dish, hot from the pan. My cousin never made milk one of the ingredients in her omelettes; if anything, she added the juice of a lemon, or a little water; and she never turned them. Here is the recipe: Break three eggs into a basin, beat them a little. Well butter an omelette pan, then pour in the eggs, hold it over a clear fire. On no account let it burn. Have ready a tea-spoonful of a mixture of finely minced ham, parsley, and shallot, to add to each omelette. Scatter this on the egg a moment after they have been poured into the pan. If this recipe be carried out properly, the omelette will be as light as a feather, and will at once rise to the top of the pan.