If my fifteenth-hand Victorian book of domestic hints and tips is to be believed, the Victorians lived in a constant social whirl; friends that call in the morning, to leave a card, expect to be entertained later that day in grand style, and the lady of the house never seems to have a minute to herself.
Through it all Mrs Beetroot calmly picks her way, dispensing bon mots and good advice on every topic. One can only admire the way in which she never allows a deep fund of ignorance to dent her confidence.
Here she caters with typical ease for a party that has enjoyed that perennially popular Victorian amusement, a day at the races.
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Roast saddle of horse.
Ingredients. A saddle of horse sufficiently sized to sustain the whole company, including outdoor gentlemen. Onions, a sprig of parsley, a quart of strong ale, a blade of mace (pounded), a gallon of good well water, three peppercorns, 2 lbs of fresh butter, a pinch of cayenne pepper, salt to taste, half a bacon pig.
Mode. Have the large saddle delivered directly to the kitchen table. Remove the stirrups, stirrup leathers and irons, pommel decorations, reins, skirt, D rings, saddle flap, buckle guard, fixed head, bar and keeper, bells and undercloth, set aside.
Set a cauldron upon a sharp fast fire, in it bring a half gallon of well water to a rolling boil. While the water commences to boiling (an hour and a half) prepare the saddle, by washing with yellow soap paying particular attention to the cantle, seat and gullet. Rinse thoroughly. Using a pestle, pound a pound of the butter into the saddle in every part, drench with flour, press peppercorns into the seat, if liked, and season well. Place into the pot and boil for five and a half hours, replenishing the water when necessary. Towards the end of the cooking time, test with a long skewer to ascertain the tenderness of the saddle, which should be easily penetrable at all points.
While the saddle is boiling take the stirrup leathers, reins and saddle flap. Mince twice to a fine paste, pound with the cayenne pepper, mace and remaining pound of butter. Cook in pipkins in a Bain Marie in a sharp oven for an hour.
Prepare the roasting dish by greasing it with a pound of lard. Lifting the saddle of horse from the pot, drain thoroughly, reserving the cooking juices, place in the roasting dish, stuff with onions, cover with strips of bacon and pour the ale round the saddle but not over, scoring vigorously if crackling is desired. Roast in a hot oven for three quarters of an hour. Fast boil the juices until reduced four fifths, whereupon add a quart of good brandy and reduce again to half the volume.
Present the saddle, garnished with the parsley, whole to the company but carve upon the dressing board. Indicate to the butler that it is not necessary to carve the saddle tree, or present it as a carcass to the guests. Have the footman hand each diner the pipkins, which may be set to the left of the second bread plate, in the normal place for the oyster fork.
This dish is best accompanied by a robust vegetable, such as fingers of boiled cabbage, or morsels of boiled swede, decoratively carved. The saddle tree, when saved intact, may be presented to the carpenter to make clothes pegs, if it is of oak, other wise for brush handles or, if much skewered, kindling.
Make mittens from the undercloth and give them to the poor.
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Next week – the home physician- indigestion remedies.
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