Welcome to Celtnet's Hannah Glassse's Recipes for Stock Sauces and Preserving — This page gives you the entire contents of the Nineteenth Chapter: 'To make anchovies, vermicella, catchup, vinegar ; and to keep artichokes, French beans, &c.' from Hannah Glasses's 1747 volume,
The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy. Each recipe is given here in its original form, with a link underneath to the modern redaction, should you wish to replicate it. This is the first time that Hannah Glasse's book has been made available in its entirety on the internet. Enjoy...
These pages have been written to be as close to the 1747 original as possible, within the limitations of HTML. As a result, the long-s symbol 'ſ' has been used in the text wherever it features in the original. Typically this is used where the s precedes a long letter such as an I, t or 1 or another long-s (to create a ligature), or where the S precedds a curved letter such as an 'a', 'e', 'o' or 's'. As a result, in the original work 'seasoned skirret soop' is typeset 'ſeaſoned ſkirret ſoop'.
You will encounter many unfamiliar culinary terms and usages in this work. Where the recipe has been redacted into modern form, these are either defined in the redaction or a link to a definition is given. However, may of the terms can also be found by browsing or searching the
glossary of cooking and food terms pages on this site.
The text presented here is derived directly from Hannah Glasse's book and redacted specifically for this website. Please do not copy or use the content of these pages without first gaining permission.
Hanna Glasse's Nineteenth Chapter
CHAP. XIX.
To make anchovies, vermicella, catchup, vinegar ; and to keep artichokes, French beans, &c.
To make anchovies.
TO a peck of ſprats, two pounds of common ſalt, a quarter of a pound of bay-ſalt, four pounds of ſalt-petre, two ounces of ſal prunella, two penny-worth of cochineal, pound all in a mortar, put them into a ſtone pot, a row of ſprats, a layer of your compound, and ſo on to the top alternately. Preſs them hard down, cover them cloſe, let them ſtand ſix months, and they will be fit for uſe. Obſerve that your ſprats be very freſh, and don't waſh nor wipe them, but juſt take them as they come out of the water.
To pickle ſmelts, where you have plenty.
TAKE a quarter of a peck of ſmelts, half an ounce of pepper, half an ounce of nutmeg, a quarter of an ounce of mace, half an ounce of petre-ſalt, a quarter of a pound of common ſalt, beat all very fine, waſh and clean the ſmelts, gut them, then lay them in rows in a jar, and between every layer of ſmelts ſtrew the ſeaſoning with four or five bay-leaves, then oibl red wine, and pour over them enough to cover them. Cover them with a plate, and when cold tie them down cloſe. They exceed anchovies.
To make vermicella.
MIX yolks of eggs and flour together in a pretty ſtiff paſte, ſo as you can work it up cleverly, and roll it as thin as it is poſſible to roll a paſte. LEt it dry in the ſun ; when it is quite dry, with a very ſharp knife cut it as thin as poſſible, and keep it in a dry place. It will run up like little worms, as vermicella does ; though the beſt way is to run it throug ha coarſe ſieve, whilſt the paſte is ſoft. If you want ſome to be made in haſte, dry it by the fire, and cut it ſmall. It will dry by the fire in a quarter of an hour. This far exceeds what comes from abroat, being freſher.
To make catchup.
TAKE the large flaps of muſhrooms, pick nothing but the ſtraws and dirt from it, then lay them in a broad earthen pan, ſtrew a good deal of ſalt over them, let them lie till next morning, then with your hand break them, put them in a ſtewpan, let them boil a minute or two, then ſtrain them through a coarſe cloth, and wring it hard. Take out all the juice, let it ſtand to ſettle, then pour it off clear, run it through a thick flannel bag, (ſome filter it through brown paper, but that is a very tedious way) then boil it ; to a quart of the liquor put a quarter of an ounce of whole ginger, and half a quarter of an ounce of whole pepper. Boil it briſkly a quarter of an hour, then ſtrain it, and when it is cold, put it into pint bottles. In each bottle put four or five blades of mace, and ſix cloves, cork it tight, and it will keep two years. This gives the beſt flavour of the muſhrooms to any ſauce. If you put to a pint of this catchup a pint of mum, it will taſte like a foreign catchup.
Here you will find the modern redaction for Hannah Glasse's To make catchup.
Another way to make catchup.
TAKE the large flaps, and ſalt them as above ; boil the liquor, ſtrain it throug ha thick flannel bag : to a quart of that liquor put a quart of ſtale beer, a large ſtick of horſe-raddiſh cut in little ſlips, five or ſix bay-leaves, an onion ſtuck with twenty or thirty cloves, a quarter of an ounce of black and white pepper, a quarter of an ounce of mace, a quarter of an ounce of nutmegs beat, a quarter of an ounce of black and white pepper, a quarter of an ounce of all-ſpice, and four or five races of ginger. Cover it cloſe, and let it ſimmer very ſoftly till about one third is waſted ; then ſtrain it through a flannel bag, when it is cold bottle it in pint bottles, cork it cloſe, and it will keep a great while : you may put red wine in the room of beer ; ſome put in a head of garlick, but I think that ſpoils it. The other receipt you have in the Chapter for the Sea.
Here you will find the modern redaction for Hannah Glasse's Another way to make catchup.
Artichokes to keep all the year.
BOIL as many articholes as you intend to keep ; boil hem ſo as juſt the leaves will come out, then pull off the leaves and choke, cut them from the ſtrings, lay them on a tin-plate, and put them in an oven where tarts are drawn, let them ſtand till the oven is heated again, take them out before the wood is put in, and ſet them in again, after the tarts are drawn ; ſo do till they are as dry as a board, then put them in a paper bag, and hang them in a dry place. You ſhould lay them in warm water three or four hours before you uſe them, ſhifting the water often. Let the laſt water be boiling hot ; they will be very tender, and eat as fine as freſh ones. You need not dry all your bottoms at once, as the leaves are good to eat : ſo boil a dozen at a time and ſave the bottoms for this uſe.
To keep French beans al the year.
TAKE fine young beans, gather them on a very fine day, have a large ſtone jar ready, clean and dry, lay a layer of ſalt at the bottom, and then a layer of beans, then ſalt, and then beans, and ſo on till the jar is full ; cover them with ſalt, and tie a coarſe cloth over them and a board on that, and then a weight to keep it cloſe from all air ; ſet them in a dry cellar, and when you uſe them take ſome out and cover them cloſe agiain ; waſh them you took out very clean, and let them lie in ſoft water twenty-four hours, ſhifting the water often ; when you boil them don't put any ſalt in the water. The beſt way of dreſſing them is, boil them with juſt the white heart of a ſmall cabbage, then drain them, chop the cabbage, and put both into a ſauce-pan with a piece of butter as big as an egg rolled in flour, ſhake a little pepper, put in a quarter of a pint of good gravy, let them ſtew ten minutes, and then diſh them up for a ſide-diſh. A pint of beans to the cabbage. You may do more or leſs, juſt as you pleaſe.
To keep green peaſe til Chriſtmas.
Take fine young peaſe, ſhell them, throw them into boiling water with ſome ſalt in, let them boil five or ſix minutes, throw them into a cullender to drain, then lay a cloth four or five times double on table, and ſpread them on ; dry them very well, and have your bottles ready, fill them and cover them with mutton fat, try'd ; when this is a little cool fill the necks almoſt to the top, cork them, tie a bladder and a lath over them, and ſet them in a coold dry place. When you uſe them boil your water, put in a little ſalt, ſome ſugar, and a piece of butter ; when they have boiled enough, throw them in a ſieve to drain, then put them int oa ſauce-pan with a good piece of butter : keep ſhaking it round all the time till the butter is melted, then turn them into a diſh, and ſend them to table.
Another way to preſerve green peaſe.
GATHER your peaſe on a very dry day, when they are neither old, nor yet too young, ſhell them, and have ready ſome quart bottles with little mouths, being well dried ; fill the bottles and cork them well, have ready a pipkin of roſin melted, into which dip the necks of the bottles, and ſet them in a very dry place that is cool.
To keep green gooſeberries till Chriſtmas.
PICK yor large green gooſeberries on a dry day, have ready your bottles clean and dry, fill the bottles and cork them, ſet them in a kettle of water up to the neck, let the water boil very ſoftly till you find the gooſeberries are codled, take them out, and put in the reſt of the bottles till all are done ; then have ready ſome roſin melted in a pipkin, dip the necks of the bottles in, and that will keep all air from coming at the cork, keep them in a cold dry place where no damp is, and they will bake as red as a cherry. You may keep them without ſcalding, but then the ſkins will not be ſo tender, nor bake ſo fine.
To keep red gooſeberries.
PICK them when full ripe, to each quart of gooſeberries put a quarter of a pound of Liſbon ſugar, and to each quarter of a pound of ſugar put a quarter of a pint of water, let it boil, then put in your gooſeberries, and let them boil ſoftly two or three minutes, then pour them into little ſtone jars ; when cold cover them up and keep them for uſe ; they make fine pies with little trouble. You may preſs them through a cullender ; to a quart of pulp put half a pound of fine Liſbon ſugar, keep ſtirring over the fire till both be well mixed and boiled, and pour it into a ſtone jar ; when cold cover it with white paper, and it makes very pretty tarts or puffs.
To keep walnuts all the year.
TAKE a large jar, a layer of ſea ſand at the bottom, then a layer of walnuts, then ſand, then the nuts, and ſo on till the jar is full ; and be ſugre they don't touch each other in any of the layers. When you would uſe them, lay them in warm water for an hour, ſhift the water as it cools ; then rub them dry, and they will peel well and eat ſweet. Lemons will keep thus covered better than any other way.
Another way to keep lemons.
TAKE the fine large fruit that are quite ſound and good, and take a fine packthread about a quarter of a yard long, run it thro' the hard nib at the end of the lemon, then tie the ſtring together, and hang it on a little hook in a dry airy place ; ſo do as many as you pleaſe, but be ſure they don't touch one another, nor any thing elſe, but hang as high as you can. Thus other, nor any thing elſe, but hand as high as you can. Thus you may keep pears, &c. only tying the ſtring to the ſtalk.
To keep white bullice, pear plumbs, or damſons, &c. for tarts or pies.
GATHER them when full grown, and juſt as they begin to turn. Pick all the largeſt out, ſieve about two thirds of the fruit, the other third put as much water to as you think will cover the reſt. Let them boil, and ſkim them ; when the fruit is boiled very ſoft, then ſtrain it through a coarſe hair-ſieve ; and to every quart of liquor put a pound and a half of ſugar, boil it, and ſkim it very well ; then throw in your fruit, juſt give them a ſcald ; take them off the fire, and when cold put them into bottles with wide mouths, pour your ſyrup over them, lay a piece of white paper over them, and cover them with oil. Be ſure to take the oil well off when you uſe them, and don't put them in larger bottles than you think you ſhall make uſe of at a time, becauſe all theſe ſorts of fruits ſpoil with the air.
To make vinegar.
TO every gallon of water put a pound of coarſe Liſbon ſugar, let it boil, and keep ſkimming of it as long as the ſcum riſes ; then pour it into tubs, and when it is cold as beer to work, toaſt a good toaſt, and rub it over with yeaſt. Let it work twenty-four hours ; then have ready a veſſel iron-hooped, and well painted, fixed in a place where the ſun has full power, and fix it ſo as not to have any occaſion to move it. When you draw it off, then fill your veſſels, lay a tile on the bung to keep the duſt out. Make it in March, and it will be fit to uſe in June or July. Draw it off into little ſtone botles the latter end of June or the beginning of July, let it ſtand till you want to uſe it, and it will never foul andy more ; but when you go to draw it off, and you find it is not ſour enough, let it ſtand a month longer before you draw it off. For pickles to go abroad, uſe this vinegar alone ; but in England you will be obliged, when you pickle, to put one half cold ſpring-water to it, and then it will be full ſour with this vinegar. You need not boil, unleſs you pleaſe, for almoſt any ſort o pickles, it will keep them quite good. It will keep walnuts very fine without boiling, even to go to the Indies ; but then don't put water to it. For green pickles, you may pour it ſcalding hot on two or three times. All other ſort of pickles you need not boil it. Muſhrooms only waſh them clean, dry them, put them into little bottles, with a nutmeg juſt ſcalded in vinegar, and ſliced (whilſt it is hot) very thin, and a few flades of mace ; then fill up the bottle with the cold vinegar and ſpring-water, pour the mutton fat try'd over it, and tie a bladder and leather over the top. Theſe muſhrooms won't be ſo white, but as finely taſted as if they were juſt gathered ; and a ſponfull of this pickle will give ſauce a very fine flavour.
White walnuts, ſuckers, and onions, and all white pickles, do in the ſame manner, after they are ready for the pickle.
To fry ſmelts.
LAY your ſmelts in a marinade of vinegar, ſalt, pepper, and bay-leaves, and cloves for a few hours ; then dry them in a napkin, drudge them well with flour, and have ready ſome butter hot in a ſtew-pan. Fry them quick, lay then in your diſh, and garniſh with fry'd parſley.
To roaſt a pound of butter.
LAY it in ſalt and water two or three hours, then ſpit it, and rub it all over with crumbs of bread, with a little grated nutmeg, lay it to the fire, and as it roaſts, baſte it with the yolks of two eggs, and then with crumbs of bread al the time it is a roaſting ; but have ready a pint of oyſters ſtewed in their own liquor, and lay in the diſh under the butter ; when the bread has ſoaked up all the butter, brown the outſide, and lay it on your oyſters. Your fire muſt be very ſlow.
To raiſe a ſallad in two hours at the fire.
TAKE freſh horſe-dung hot, lay it in a tub near the fire, then ſprinkle ſome muſtard-ſeeds thick on it, lay a thin layer of horſe-dung over it, cover it cloſe and keep it by the fire, and it will riſe high enough to cut in two hours.
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The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy
