Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Peach Marmalade

Ingredients

  • Peaches (as many as you wish to make into marmalade).
  • A stove.
  • Two pots.
  • A wooden Spoon.
  • Sugar (at least 12 oz per lb of peaches).
  • Lemons (at least one per 3 lb of peaches).
  • Small sealable jars.

Directions

  1. Slice each peach in half and remove the pits, then weigh the peaches to determine the required quantity of other ingredients.
  2. Add 1/4 of the peach pits to enough water to cover them and boil while following the remaining steps until needed.
  3. Add the peaches to a pot and heat slowly to draw out peach juice.  Stir the bottom of the pot often with a wooden spoon.
  4. After the mixture is hot and contains ample juice, quickly bring the stove to a boil, and continue stirring for 45 minutes.
  5. Add sugar (12 oz per lb of fruit).
  6. Boil for another five minutes, scaping off scum that develops within the mixture.
  7. Add the juice on an entire lemon (one lemon per three lb of fruit) as well as the water which the peach pits were steeping in.
  8. Stew the mixture for ten minutes and continue stirring.
  9. Remove the mixture from head and once cool add the mixture into small jars.  Seal and cover the jars tightly and store in a cool, dark place.
Source — The Unrivalled Cook-Book
Prepared by Alexander J. Kyle
Louisiana Anthology
April 4, 2024

Stuffed Artichokes

Ingredients

  • Very large artichokes
  • One tablespoon of fresh meat
  • One tablespoon of ham or pork
  • One tablespoon of bread crumbs
  • Salt and pepper
  • Gravy or broth
  • One nutmeg sized piece of onion

Directions

  1. Reserve the very large artichokes for this recipe.
  2. Boil the artichokes.
  3. Take out several of the inner rows of the scales. Cut off the tender portion of these scales and chop them fine.
  4. Create a stuffing with a tablespoon of fresh meat, a tablespoon of pork, a tablespoon of breadcrumbs, and the finely chopped artichoke scale flesh.
  5. Season the stuffing with salt and pepper to taste. Moisten the stuffing with a little gravy.
  6. Mash the onion piece up to a pulp and add it to the stuffing.
  7. Fill the middles of the artichokes with this stuffing.
  8. Set the artichokes in a pan with rich gravy or broth at the bottom.
  9. Cover the pan well and let them stew slowly for an hour.
Source — The Unrivalled Cook-Book.
Prepared by Alexander Frederick
Louisiana Anthology
April 3, 2024

Small Beer

Ingredients

  • Fifteen gallons of water
  • Five gallons of molasses
  • Five pounds of wheat bran
  • Half a pound of hops
  • One quart of good yeast [brewers yeast]

Directions

  1. Boil the water, molasses, wheat bran and hops for three hours.
  2. Strain the mixture into a clean cask.
  3. When milkwarm, pour in a quart of brewers yeast, and shake well.
  4. Stop the cask close.
  5. Bottle the beer when quite clear.
  6. The excellence of the beer depends upon putting in the yeast at the proper time; if too hot or too cold it will not ferment.
Source — The Unrivalled Cook-Book.
Prepared by Alexander Frederick
Louisiana Anthology
April 3, 2024

Gherkin Pickles

Ingredients

  • Roughly 1 lb of small and firm gherkin.
  • Quart-sized sealable glass or ceramic jar.
  • Cloth (to be tied over the jar).
  • 8 oz of table salt.
  • Gallon of cold water.
  • 8 oz of fresh vine leaves (grape leaves or similar).
  • 8 oz of powdered alum.
  • Quart of vinegar.
  • 2 oz sugar.
  • 18 whole black peppers.
  • 18 whole cloves.
  • 2 ounces of whole allspice.
  • 3 blades of mace.
  • A pot
  • A steam kettle.

Directions

  1. Fill the jar with gherkin in layers, covering each layer generously in salt.  Pack the top layer out of sight in salt.
  2. Pour cold water into the jar until it's full and seal the jar.
  3. Leave the gherkin in the jar for a month and the bottom of the jar each day.
  4. After a month, pour out the brine (liquids) and any gherkin that may have turned soft.
  5. Soak the remaining gherkin in cold water for twenty-four hours, then replace the water and let them sit for another twenty-four hours.
  6. Line a steam kettle in fresh vine leaves and evenly lay the gherkin within the kettle.  Scatter about 2 tablespoons of alum over each layer of gherkin and cover the last layer with three layers of leaves.
  7. Steam the gherkin for 5-6 hours.  You'll know they're ready when they turn a fine green.
  8. Once ready, remove the leaves and place the gherkin into cold water.  They will remain soaking until needed again.
  9. Prepare a quart of vinegar in a pot by adding 2 oz of sugar, 18 whole black peppers, 18 whole cloves, 2 ounces of whole allspice, and 3 blades of mace.  Boil the mixture for five minutes.
  10. Place the gherkin into the jar, cover with the vinegar mixture while it is still scalding hot, and seal jar.
  11. After two days remove the vinegar, heat until scalding, add the mixture back to the gherkin, and seal the jar once again.  Repeat this process three more times at intervals of two, four, and six days.
  12. Make sure the jar is sealed tightly and tie a strong cloth over the lid, and set aside the jar for at least two months in a cool, dry place.  After two months they will be ready to consume.
Source — The Unrivalled Cook-Book
Prepared by Alexander J. Kyle
Louisiana Anthology
April 3, 2024

Potted Beef

Ingredients

  • Two pounds of tender beef without fat or skin
  • One blade of mace
  • Two ounces of butter
  • Two tablespoons of water
  • One quarter pound of butter
  • Salt and pepper
  • Essence of anchovy

Directions

  1. Beat the beef.
  2. Put the beef into a covered jar with two ounces of butter, two tablespoons of water and the mace.
  3. Bake slowly until thoroughly cooked.
  4. Pound the beef in a mortar while hot, adding the gravy with a quarter pound of butter. Season with pepper, salt, and essence of anchovy.
  5. Press the beef tightly into pots and cover with butter.
Source — The Unrivalled Cook-Book.
Prepared by Alexander Frederick
Louisiana Anthology
April 3, 2024

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Beef Collops

Ingredients

  • Beef
  • Butter
  • A small amount of Onion
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Browned flour

Directions

  1. Cut beef into small, thin pieces.
  2. Butter a pan and put as much beef as will cover the pan, as well as a touch of onion, some cucumber cut small, salt, and pepper.
  3. Toss over a fire for 2-3 minutes.
  4. For the gravy, take the leftover juice and add water, butter, and a little browned flour.
Source — Unrivaled Cook-Book
Prepared by Cameron Westerfield
Louisiana Anthology
April 2, 2024

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon of butter
  • 1/2 medium onion (chopped)
  • 1 clove of garlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons of flour
  • 2 cups of chicken broth
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes (with juices)
  • 1 can of crushed tomatoes (with juices)
  • 1/4 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon of brown sugar (packed)
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 2 cups of cheese tortellini
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Pepper (to taste)
  • 1 handful of fresh basil (optional)

Directions

  1. Add the olive oil and butter to a soup pot over medium heat.
  2. Once the butter has melted, add the onion and sauté it for 5 to 7 minutes.
  3. Stir in the garlic and flour, and cook it for about a minute.
  4. Whisk in the chicken broth until the flour has been dissolved.
  5. Add in the canned tomatoes, Italian seasoning, brown sugar, and cream to the pot.
  6. Increase the heat to high and bring it to a gentle boil.
  7. Once the soup is boiling, add the tortellini and reduce the heat to a simmer.
  8. Let it cook for 8 minutes.
  9. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
  10. Tear basil into small piece and add in a few minutes prior to serving.
  11. Makes 4 to 6 servings (pairs well with grilled cheese).
Source — Personal Recipe
Prepared by Jenna Carballo
Louisiana Anthology
March 24, 2024