Modern cookery for private families

by several considerations; for though the mere juices of meat require but little boiling after they have been fully extracted by the slow heating recommended by Baron Liebeg, soup to which many vegetables are added (winter vegetables especially) requires long stewing to soften and to blend properly the flavour of _all_ the ingredients which it contains, as that of no one in particular ought to be allowed to predominate over the rest. We have in consequence retained the old directions as to time, in many of the following receipts; but an intelligent cook will soon ascertain from practice and observation how and when to vary it with advantage. _Over-boiling_ renders all preparations insipid, and causes undue reduction of them likewise: it is a fault, therefore, which should be carefully avoided. TO THICKEN SOUPS. Except for white soups, to which arrow-root is, we think, more appropriate, we prefer, to all other ingredients generally used for this purpose, the finest and freshest rice-flour, which, after being passed through a lawn sieve, should be thoroughly blended with the salt, pounded spices, catsup, or wine, required to finish the flavouring of the soup. Sufficient liquid should be added to it very gradually to render it of the consistence of batter, and it should also be perfectly smooth; to keep it so, it should be moistened sparingly at first, and beaten with the back of a spoon until every lump has disappeared. The soup should boil quickly when the thickening is stirred into it, and be simmered for ten minutes afterwards. From an ounce and a half to two ounces of rice-flour will thicken sufficiently a quart of soup. Instead of this, arrow-root or the condiment known by the name of _tous les mois_, which greatly resembles it, or potato flour, or the French thickening called _roux_ (see Chapter V.), may be used in the following proportions:—Two and a half ounces of either of the first three, to four pints and a half of soup; to be mixed gradually with a little cold stock or water, stirred into the boiling soup, and simmered for a