A Course of Lectures on the Principles of Domestic Economy and Cookery

If you want to prepare it for over night put it in the oil and vinegar about 6 o'clock, about supper time, and let it stand till bed time, then turn it over, and let it stand till morning. When you come to cook the steak do not wipe the oil and vinegar off; simply let what will run off, and then lay the meat on the gridiron and broil it, or fry it; there will be no taste perceptible if the oil is good. CARAMEL FOR COLORING SOUP. A heaping tablespoonful of common brown sugar if you have it; if not, use any kind of sugar; put it in the frying pan and stir it until it is dark brown; that is, until it is on the point of burning; see that it browns evenly. Then put in a tablespoonful of water, either hot or cold--it does not make any difference; stir that until it is mixed with the sugar; then another tablespoonful, until you have used about half a cupful of water. If you should pour the water all in at once the sugar would simply boil over and burn you. Use about half a cupful of water, adding it gradually, and stirring until the burnt sugar is dissolved. That gives you the caramel. Now, while I am making the caramel, I will describe to you the clarifying of the soup. CLARIFYING SOUP. To clarify soup stock: For each quart use the white and shell of one egg and one tablespoonful of cold water. Put the white and shell of the egg and the cold water into the bottom of the saucepan, and mix them together. Then put in the soup stock. Set the saucepan over the fire and let it boil gradually, stirring it every minute to mix the egg thoroughly so that it will not cake on the bottom of the pan before it begins to boil. When you have the stock made quite hot, when it begins to boil, then you do not need to stir it; but let it boil until the egg rises