Part 16

15. Limon. Take Slices of the thick Rind Limon, Boil and shift them in several Waters, till they are pretty tender: Then drain and wipe them dry with a clean Cloth; and make a Pickle with a little White-Wine Vinegar, one part to two of fair Water, and a little Sugar, carefully scum'd. When all is cold, pour it on the peel'd Rind, and cover it all close in a convenient Glass Jarr. Some make a Syrup of Vinegar, White-Wine and Sugar not too thick, and pour it on hot.

16. Melon. The abortive and after-Fruit of Melons being pickled as Cucumber, make an excellent Sallet.

17. Mushrom. Take a Quart of the best White-Wine Vinegar; as much of White-Wine, Cloves, Mace, Nutmeg a pretty Quantity, beaten together: Let the Spice boil therein to the Consumption of half; then taken off, and being cold, pour the Liquour on the Mushroms; but leave out the boiled Spice, and cast in of the same sort of Spice whole, the Nutmeg only slit in Quarters, with some Limon-Peel, white Pepper; and if you please a whole raw Onion, which take out again when it begins to perish.

Another.

The Mushroms peel'd, &c. throw them into Water, and then into a Sauce-Pan, with some long Pepper, Cloves, Mace, a quarter'd Nutmeg, with an Onion, Shallot, or Roccombo-Seed, and a little Salt. Let them all boil a quarter of an hour on a very quick Fire: Then take out and cold, with a pretty Quantity of the former Spice, boil them in some White-Wine; which (being cold) cast upon the Mushroms, and fill up the Pot with the best White-Wine, a Bay-Leaf or two, and an Handful of Salt: Then cover them with the Liquor; and if for long keeping, pour Sallet-Oil over all, tho' they will be preserved a Year without it.

They are sometimes boil'd in Salt and Water, with some Milk, and laying them in the Colender to drain, till cold, and wiped dry, cast them into the Pickle with the White-Wine, Vinegar and Salt, grated Nutmeg, Ginger bruised, Cloves, Mace, white Pepper and Limon-Peel; pour the Liquor on them cold without boiling.

18. Nasturtium Indicum. Gather the Buds before they open to flower; lay them in the Shade three or four Hours, and putting them into an Earthen Glazed Vessel, pour good Vinegar on them, and cover it with a Board. Thus letting it stand for eight or ten Days: Then being taken out, and gently press'd, cast them into fresh Vinegar, and let them so remain as long as before. Repeat this a third time, and Barrel them up with Vinegar and a little Salt.

Orange. See Limon.

20. Potato. The small green Fruit (when about the size of the Wild Cherry) being pickled, is an agreeable Sallet. But the Root being roasted under the Embers, or otherwise, open'd with a Knife, the Pulp is butter'd in the Skin, of which it will take up a good Quantity, and is seasoned with a little Salt and Pepper. Some eat them with Sugar together in the Skin, which has a pleasant Crimpness. They are also stew'd and bak'd in Pyes, &c.

21. Purselan. Lay the Stalks in an Earthen Pan; then cover them with Beer-Vinegar and Water, keeping them down with a competent Weight to imbibe, three Days: Being taken out, put them into a Pot with as much White-Wine Vinegar as will cover them again; and close the Lid with Paste to keep in the Steam: Then set them on the Fire for three or four Hours, often shaking and stirring them: Then open the Cover, and turn and remove those Stalks which lie at the Bottom, to the Top, and boil them as before, till they are all of a Colour. When all is cold, pot them with fresh White-Wine Vinegar, and so you may preserve them the whole Year round.

22. Radish. The Seed-Pods of this Root being pickl'd, are a pretty Sallet.

23. Sampier. Let it be gathered about Michaelmas (or the Spring) and put two or three hours into a Brine of Water and Salt; then into a clean Tin'd Brass Pot, with three parts of strong White-Wine Vinegar, and one part of Water and Salt, or as much as will cover the Sampier, keeping the Vapour from issuing out, by pasting down the Pot-lid, and so hang it over the Fire for half an Hour only. Being taken off, let it remain covered till it be cold; and then put it up into small Barrels or Jars, with the Liquor, and some fresh Vinegar, Water and Salt; and thus it will keep very green. If you be near the Sea, that Water will supply the place of Brine. This is the Dover Receit.

24. Walnuts. Gather the Nuts young, before they begin to harden, but not before the Kernel is pretty white: Steep them in as much Water as will more than cover them. Then set them on the Fire, and when the water boils, and grows black, pour it off, and supply it with fresh, boiling it as before, and continuing to shift it till it become clear, and the Nuts pretty tender: Then let them be put into clean Spring Water for two Days, changing it as before with fresh, two or three times within this space: Then lay them to drain, and dry on a clean course Cloth, and put them up in a Glass Jar, with a few Walnut Leaves, Dill, Cloves, Pepper, whole Mace and Salt; strowing them under every Layer of Nuts, till the Vessel be three quarters full; and lastly, replenishing it with the best Vinegar, keep it well covered; and so they will be fit to spend within three Months.

To make a Mango with them.

The green Nuts prepared as before, cover the Bottom of the Jar with some Dill, an Handful of Bay-Salt, &c. and then a Bed of Nuts; and so stratum upon stratum, as above, adding to the Spice some Roccombo-Seeds; and filling the rest of the Jar with the best White-Wine Vinegar, mingled with the best Mustard; and to let them remain close covered, during two or three Months time: And thus have you a more agreeable Mango than what is brought us from abroad; which you may use in any Sauce, and is of it self a rich Condiment.

Thus far Pickles.

25. Potage Maigre. Take four Quarts of Spring-Water, two or three Onions stuck with some Cloves, two or three Slices of Limon Peel, Salt, whole white Pepper, Mace, a Raze or two of Ginger, tied up in a fine Cloth (Lawn or Tiffany) and make all boil for half an Hour; Then having Spinage, Sorrel, white Beet-Chard, a little Cabbage, a few small Tops of Cives, wash'd and pick'd clean, shred them well, and cast them into the Liquor, with a Pint of blue Pease boil'd soft and strain'd, with a Bunch of sweet Herbs, the Top and Bottom of a French Roll; and so suffer it to boil during three Hours; and then dish it with another small French Roll, and Slices about the Dish: Some cut Bread in slices, and frying them brown (being dried) put them into the Pottage just as it is going to be eaten.

The same Herbs, clean wash'd, broken and pulled asunder only, being put in a close cover'd Pipkin, without any other Water or Liquor, will stew in their own Juice and Moisture. Some add an whole Onion, which after a while should be taken out, remembring to season it with Salt and Spice, and serve it up with Bread and a Piece of fresh Butter.

26. Pudding of Carrot. Pare off some of the Crust of Manchet-Bread, and grate of half as much of the rest as there is of the Root, which must also be grated: Then take half a Pint of fresh Cream or New Milk, half a Pound of fresh Butter, six new laid Eggs (taking out three of the Whites) mash and mingle them well with the Cream and Butter: Then put in the grated Bread and Carrot, with near half a Pound of Sugar; and a little Salt; some grated Nutmeg and beaten Spice; and pour all into a convenient Dish or Pan, butter'd, to keep the Ingredients from sticking and burning; set it in a quick Oven for about an Hour, and so have you a Composition for any Root-Pudding.

27. Penny-royal. The Cream, Eggs, Spice, &c. as above, but not so much Sugar and Salt: Take a pretty Quantity of Peny-royal and Marigold flower, &c. very well shred, and mingle with the Cream, Eggs, &c. four spoonfuls of Sack; half a Pint more of Cream, and almost a Pound of Beef-Suet chopt very small, the Gratings of a Two-penny Loaf, and stirring all well together, put it into a Bag flower'd and tie it fast. It will be boil'd within an Hour: Or may be baked in the Pan like the Carrot-Pudding. The sauce is for both, a little Rose-water, less Vinegar, with Butter beaten together and poured on it sweetned with the Sugar Caster.

Of this Plant discreetly dried, is made a most wholsom and excellent Tea.

28. Of Spinage. Take a sufficient Quantity of Spinach, stamp and strain out the Juice; put to it grated Manchet, the Yolk of as many Eggs as in the former Composition of the Carrot-Pudding; some Marrow shred small, Nutmeg, Sugar, some Corinths, (if you please) a few Carroways, Rose, or Orange-flower Water (as you best like) to make it grateful. Mingle all with a little boiled Cream; and set the Dish or Pan in the Oven, with a Garnish of Puff-Paste. It will require but very moderate Baking. Thus have you Receits for Herb Puddings.

29. Skirret-Milk Is made by boiling the Roots tender, and the Pulp strained out, put into Cream or new Milk boiled, with three or four Yolks of Eggs, Sugar, large Mace and other Spice, &c. And thus is composed any other Root-Milk. See Acetar. p. 42.

30. Tansie. Take the Gratings or Slices of three Naples-Biscuits, put them into half a Pint of Cream; with twelve fresh Eggs, four of the Whites cast out, strain the rest, and break them with two Spoonfuls of Rose-water, a little Salt and Sugar, half a grated Nutmeg: And when ready for the Pan, put almost a Pint of the Juice of Spinach, Cleaver, Beets, Corn-Sallet, Green Corn, Violet, or Primrose tender Leaves, (for of any of these you may take your choice) with a very small Sprig of Tansie, and let it be fried so as to look green in the Dish, with a Strew of Sugar and store of the Juice of Orange: some affect to have it fryed a little brown and crisp.

31. Tart of Herbs. An Herb-Tart is made thus: Boil fresh Cream or Milk, with a little grated Bread or Naples-Biscuit (which is better) to thicken it; a pretty Quantity of Chervile, Spinach, Beete (or what other Herb you please) being first par-boil'd and chop'd. Then add Macaron, or Almonds beaten to a Paste, a little sweet Butter, the Yolk of five Eggs, three of the Whites rejected. To these some add Corinths plump'd in Milk, or boil'd therein, Sugar, Spice at Discretion, and stirring it all together over the Fire, bake it in the Tart-Pan.

32. Thistle. Take the long Stalks of the middle Leaf of the Milky-Thistle, about May, when they are young and tender: wash and scrape them, and boil them in Water, with a little Salt, till they are very soft, and so let them lie to drain. They are eaten with fresh Butter melted not too thin, and is a delicate and wholsome Dish. Other Stalks of the same kind may so be treated, as the Bur, being tender and disarmed of its Prickles, &c.

33. Trufles, and other Tubers, and Boleti, are roasted whole in the Embers; then slic'd and stew'd in strong Broth with Spice, &c. as Mushroms are. Vide Acetar. p. 28.

34. Turnep. Take their Stalks (when they begin to run up to seed) as far as they will easily break downwards: Peel and tie them in Bundles. Then boiling them as they do Sparagus, are to be eaten with melted Butter. Lastly,