Whether in the form of stuffing-balls or for patties, forcemeat makes a considerable part of good cooking, by the flavor it imparts to the dish it accompanies, and considerable care should be taken in preparing it. It is often the case, at many excellent tables where everything else is well done, to find very bad forcemeat or stuffing.

Forcemeat (for Fowls)

Quarter lb. suet, 2 oz. ham, the grated rind of 1/2 lemon, a dessertspoonful of minced parsley, 1 tablespoonful of minced sweet herbs, cayenne, salt, grounded mace to taste, 7 oz. bread-crumbs, 2 eggs.

Cut the ham into small, thin strips, chop the suet finely, also the lemon peel; add the seasoning, then the crumbs; thoroughly blend, and after the eggs have been well beaten add to the other ingredients, and it is ready for use. If wished for balls, fry a golden brown in hot lard.

Forcemeat (Balls for Soup)

Eight oz. bread-crumbs, sweet herbs, salt and pepper to taste, 5 eggs.

Have the bread-crumbs finely grated, and the herbs pounded to a powder; sprinkle with pepper and salt; boil 2 eggs hard and mince finely. Mix all together and bind the whole with the remaining eggs. Form into little balls, and drop into the soup about 5 or 6 minutes before serving.

Oyster Forcemeat (for Roast or Boiled Turkey)

Two teacupfuls bread-crumbs, 1/2 oz. minced suet, 1 tablespoonful savory herbs a sprinkle of nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, 2 eggs, 1/2 doz. oysters.

Have the bread-crumbs and suet finely minced, add the herbs chopped as finely as possible; mix well. Having opened the oysters, beard and chop them (not very small) and add to the other ingredients; beat up the eggs, and with the hand work all together thoroughly; it is then ready for use.

Sage and Onion Stuffing (for Pork, Ducks, Geese)

Two teacups bread-crumbs, 4 large onions, 12 sage leaves, butter the size of an egg, pepper and salt to taste, 1 egg.

Peel and boil the onions for 5 or 6 minutes, dip the sage leaves in the same water (while boiling) for a minute or two, then chop finely; add seasoning, the bread-crumbs and butter; beat up the egg, and work all together. It is then ready for use

Quenelles

Moisten 1 cup of finely-crumbed bread with 3 tablespoonfuls of milk, add 2 tablespoonfuls of melted butter and as much finely-chopped meat (stewed veal or fowl, cold) as you wish, work in 1 well-beaten egg, and season all thoroughly with salt and pepper; flour your hands, and shape mass into round balls, rolling them into flour when shaped. Bring to a boiling heat in a saucepan 1 large cup well-seasoned gravy, drop in the balls, and boil fast for about 5 minutes. The gravy can be thickened and poured over them, or they can be rolled in flour or cracker crumbs, and fried in lard or butter.