CHRISTMAS DINNER
STARTERS.
2lb of Spanish Chestnuts;
Peel the chestnuts, put them into hot water, and set them over the fire until the brown skin can be easily removed.
Put the chestnuts into a stew pan, pour over them a little good stock and simmer until quite soft. Then mash them through a fine sieve. Put the puree into a pan, add the rest of the stock, the milk, a little salt, cayenne pepper, and the sugar. Boil the soup once more, stirring it constantly, and serve it very hot.
ROAST TURKEY DINNER.
1 large turkey;
Forcemeat (see below for how to prepare the forcemeat);
Cover the breast with greased paper or with a piece of fat bacon. Put the turkey in a baking-tin,
Spread the dripping or butter over the top, place it in a hot oven and finish cooking the bird. Baste frequently.
Just before it has finished cooking, remove the paper, dredge the breast with flour, and then with a little butter to froth and brown it. The time depends upon the age and weight of the bird, but a general rule is to allow about 12 minutes to the 1b. And 12 minutes over. Place the turkey on a hot dish, remove all strings a skewers, make the gravy in the dripping-tin, pour a little round the bird, and hand the rest in a sauce boat. Garnish with forcemeat balls or fried sausages, and serve with bread sauce. Note.-Turkey may be stuffed with chestnuts or truffles, and instead of brown gravy, chestnut, celery, mushroom, or cranberry sauce may be served with it. A large turkey for 6 or 8 persons. Time about 2 ½ hours depending on the size of the bird.
FORCEMEAT BALLS FOR POULTRY
The bacon should be shredded as thinly as possible, and the suet , lemon peel, and herbs chopped. Stir in the breadcrumbs, taking care that all the ingredients are well mixed together. Season well and add a pinch of nutmeg. Beat the eggs and bind the mixture with them.
If too dry, add a little milk. Divide the mixture and roll it into balls. Coat with flour and fry them a nice brown. This mixture may also be used for stuffing poultry or veal.
BREAD SAUCE.
1 pint of milk;
Put the onion stuck with the cloves, into a pan with the milk and bring to the boil; add the breadcrumbs and leave the pan by the side of the fire for about 1 hour, or until the bread thickens and becomes soft. Take out the onion, add the butter and seasoning. Make the sauce hot and serve in a tureen. Note if to thick, add more milk. ½ pint. Time 1 hour
CHRISTMAS PUDDING.
1 ½ 1b. Of raisins;
The flour should be dried in the oven and rubbed through a sieve with the ginger nutmeg, and salt. Mix it with the breadcrumbs and the finely shredded suet. Wash the currents, dry them in a cloth, stone and halve the raisins, shred the candied peel finely, add these to the breadcrumb mixture. Beat the eggs and stir them into the pudding mixture with the brandy. Mix thoroughly. Cover the basin and leave four 12 hours. The next day stir again. Then divide the mixture into 2 or three portions. Tie these portions in scalded floured cloths, and put them into a saucepan of boiling water. Boil for 6 hours. Remove the pudding from the pan, drain well, and allow them to cool. Then hang them up in a dry place until required. When required, the pudding should be boiled or steamed again for 2 or 3 hours. Turn the pudding out of the cloth on to a hot dish, put a sprig of red-berried holly into the centre of the pudding, pour a little brandy over and round, and set light to the brandy at the dining room door. Note. - These puddings may be made at the end of October, and, if desired, they may be put into greased basins covered with scalded floured cloths and boiled. If cooked in a basin, the cloth should be removed to allow the steam to escape. Dry the cloth and replace it, or re-cover with a clean, dry cloth. ¼ 1b. Of peeled, cored, and chopped apples may be added to any plum pudding mixture.
Disclaimer Knowledge of London © copyright 2005
Chestnut Soup.
2 lumps of sugar;
5 pints of good stock;
1 pint of milk;
a little salt and cayenne.
salt;
pepper;
1 ½ 1b. Of veal or sausage;
3 or 4 oz. of butter or clarified dripping;
Bread sauce; ( see below for mixture)
(As now day’s most people buy ready prepared Turkey we will not dwell on the Victorian preparations).
3 oz. Of lean bacon;
6 oz. Of breadcrumbs;
Pepper, salt, nutmeg;
2 eggs;
¼ 1b. Of suet;
1 teaspoonful of parsley;
The peel of ½ lemon;
1 teaspoonful of thyme and a sweet marjoram mixed.
2 cloves;
4 oz. Of breadcrumbs;
Cayenne, salt;
1 onion;
1 oz. Of butter;
½ 1b. Of currants;
½ 1b. Of mixed candied peel;
6 eggs;
½ nutmeg;
¾ of breadcrums;
½ 1b. Of flour;
¾ 1b. Of suet;
1 wineglassful of brandy;
1 teaspoonful of ground ginger;
A pinch of salt.
For 8 persons. Time - 6 hours
Please note that as these are authentic recipe's before fridges and modern appliances were invented
no responsibility can be held for any accident or injury however caused from following these recipes. They are meant as historic documents only.
Disclaimer
Please note that as these are authentic recipe's before fridges and modern appliances were invented
no responsibility can be held for any accident or injury however caused from following these recipes. They are meant as historic documents only.
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