Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-02-24
HOW TO MAKE STEWS
DISHES THAT ARE INEXPENSIVE, YET
ARE DELICIOUS.
Nutritiv- Value of Beef Is In Inverse Pro
portion tn Its Market Price-The Proper
Way to Prepare Irish stew and Beef
Stew.

PoEhoh ~ us
Way to Prepare Irish stew and Beef
Stew.
How tired one gets of ringing the
changes on the same bills of fare" writes
a housekeeper. Isn't there something
besides the everlasting roasts and boils
anu sautes that everybody grows so tired
OF eatingf / want something that shall be
at once delicate and economical. Is that
quite an impossible combinations"
Ii you want rest from the everlasting
roast and broil, why don't you make the
variation by substituting occasionally a
savory stew Most men like IL when
1t Is well prepared, and if you wish a
more impressive name than a stew you
may call your dish IA harcot. ragout, "a
salmi or u fricassee. The best stews are
made from the least expensive cuts of the
meat, and the delicacy is obtained by care
In cooking and wisdom in seasoning The
latter is "a most important point and one
that Is not properly appreciated by the
average cook and bousekeeper, although it
is point that is constantly making itself
better understood as cookery becomes more
and more advanced toward the standpoint
OF a science or an art.
ability to so use the favors that there
shall be as "a result pleasant blending. in
which no one taste will be perceptible
above another.
The process of stewing is rather slow
one and should be carefully done. The OBJ
ject is to extract the juices from the meat
partially, enough to enrich the sauce in
which il is served, but still to leave FLAW or
and nutriment in the meat. The water
in which the meat is cooked is to act as "a
solvent as well as heat conveyOr.
Instead of the meat itself surrounding
and enyeloping the juices, as it should
when boiled roasted, grilled-or broiled-
and fried, it is demanded instead by this
process that the juices shall surround and
envelop the meat. The cooking must be
slowly done the water should not be al
lowed to boil, but to gently simmer, as the
rapid cooking would harden the meat
and render it tough and indigestible,
rather than tender and easy of digestion.
The water should be heated TO boiling
after it has been poured over the meat, the
scum which arises taken of and the kettle
drawn back where the water will simmer
and hold the juices or solution until the
proper degree OF tenderness is reached.
The two stews most commonly in use
are the beef stew and the Irish stew.
Take pounds from breast of mutton,
remove the skin and the tat, cut it in
medium sized pieces, rather snail than
otherwise, and put into deep saucepan,
with quarts OF cold water. tablespoon
full of salt, half saltspooniul Of white pep
per, IA much cayenne as you can take up
on the point of penknife and very lit
tic nutmeg. Set over the fire. and when
it begins to boil skim carefully all the
grease and other matter which arises to
the top of the water. After 1t has been
skinned set the saucepan containing the
stew back where IL will merely simmer
and keep it at steady, even heat. AS
soon as il is set back add 2 small carrots
and small turnips, cut in dice, small
onions, peeled and sliced, 8 whole cloves,
Glove of garlic, peppercorns, bay
leaves, sprie vi thyme and bunch of
fresh parsley. the last three tied together.
The garlic may be- omitted If you do not
like the flavor, but the rule calls for it's
addition.
Simmer for nearly two hours. Peel :
potatoes and cut them in small pieces,
parboil them 10 take out the peculiar acid
flavor that is unpleasant to some people,
and add them To the stew at the end of
the two hours cooking. Blend 2 table
spoonfuls OF -four in "a little cold water,
and add To the stew to make the sauce of
proper consistency. stirring to make IL
smooth. Skim out the bunch OF herbs and
the garlic, and serve at once.
For the old fashioned beef stew use the
meat from the lower part of the round, as
it is the juiciest and of the best flavor. You
may have it as low as the shin even, and
with the result OF having richer stew,
for you get the marrow from the bone,
which is most nourishing. Indeed meat
which has some bone and fat should al
ways be chosen for stew in preference to
solid flesh or lean meat. Take about four
pounds of meat with the bone, cut the
meat into pieces the right size for serving
and crack the bone. Cut IA white turnip
and carrot into small slices peel and
slice half a dozen onions, put the meat
and bones into a kettle cover with cold
water. Add teaspoonlul OF salt, hall a
saltspoonful OF pepper, bay leaf, dozen
whole cloves and the sliced vegetables.
Set over the fire to boil. When it is boil
ing and has been kimmed, set the kettle
back where the contents viii simmer Let
IL cook from three TO tour hours, until the
meat is perfectly tender. Remove the
bones and skim off all the fat you can
Prepare the potatoes as you were directed
to do in the rule for Irish stew, parboiling
them and draining them before adding to
the meat and other vegetables Add more
salt at this point il it is needed. Make the
dumplings and put them To cook hen the
potatoes are nearly done. Put the dump
lings on the top OF the stew and cover
closely to keep the steam in. Cook ten
mi liftinU ka uhapa
should be liquor enough in the Kettle to
keep the stew from sticking TO the bottom
and scorohing while the dumplings are be-.
ing cooked. Boston Herald.