THE only necessary observation here is, that whatever vessel or pan meat is baked in ought to be kept sweet and clean. Most of the articles in the former chapter may be done in the oven, observing to pour in at least a pint (mutchkin) of water with a piece of butter.
A Rump of Beef.
Cut out the bone, beat the flesh well, season it with a mixture of pepper, salt, and cloves; cut slices of bacon from the back, lay it across the meat, put it in a baking pot with butter, onions, sweet herbs, and a little water; cover the pot close, or tie over strong paper three or four fold. It will take four hours; when ready, skim off the fat, dish it and pour the liquor over.
Calf’s Head.
Scald and clean the head thoroughly, put some long iron rods, or skewers, across the top of a large earthen plate, on which lay the head, grate a nutmeg over it, sprinkle a few sweet herbs shred small, bread crumbs, lemon peel, pepper and salt; dredge with flour, stick a few bits of butter over it and in the eyes; pour a pint (mutchkin) of water into the plate, with a bunch of sweet herbs, onions and spiceries; when the head is ready, put it on a dish before the fire to keep warm while you prepare a sauce. Strain its gravy into a saucepan, add a glass of wine, a little ketchup, and if you chuse take out the brain, chop it fine, add a squeeze of lemon, a little salt and pepper; boil all five minutes, pour over the head and serve it; garnish with green.
Pigs
May be baked; follow the same method as ordered for roasting (p. 329.) Serve with veal gravy, mustard, and apple sauce.
Bullock, or Calf’s, Heart.
Make a stuffing with sweet herbs, bread crumbs and spiceries; soften with raw eggs and stuff the heart; put it into a dish, and when ready, serve with gravy, melted butter and red currant jelly, in sauce tureens.
Fish.
Cod’s Head.
After cleaning the fish, rub the dish with butter, and lay in the head; pour in a sufficient quantity of water, with what spiceries and salt you chuse. To those who like high seasoned dishes, put in all manner of sweet herbs and spiceries, dredge the head with flour, and grate nutmeg over. When baked, place it over a pot of boiling water and cover it up, while you prepare a sauce from the liquor in the baking dish; boil, strain, and season it with wine, ketchup, shrimps, oysters, and butter; pour into the dish, serve with toasted bread cut in slices and laid round.
Turbot, Salmon, Carp, and Eels,
Are cut in slices of an inch thick, and the skin taken off, then placed in a dish, a layer of the slices and a layer of forced meat, alternately; or first the slices and then the forced meat above. Melted butter is poured over and a few bread crumbs and oysters strewed round; when it is a fine brown, it is served with melted butter, wine, and lemon juice. The forced meat is made with a part of the salmon, an eel, and a few mushrooms, seasoned with salt and spiceries, and pounded fine; the crumb of a roll boiled in milk and beat with four eggs; the whole is then mixed into a paste. Eels require no wine.
Herrings and Mackarel.
After cleaning and scaling (mackarel must be split) rub them with pepper and salt, lay them properly in a deep dish, pour vinegar over them, tie them up with strong paper and bake them. They eat well either hot or cold; some chuse a few bay leaves. Or, in place of vinegar take water, and when baked pour vinegar over them with part of their liquor; they will keep a considerable time.
