Directions for Cookery, in its Various BranchesLeslie, Eliza
General
Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches
Leslie, Eliza
Cooking, American
Prepare some fine ripe oranges, paring off the yellow rind very thin,
and cutting it into slips, and then laying it in scalding water to
extract the bitterness. Cut the oranges into pieces; allow a pint of
water to each orange, and boil them to a pulp. Afterwards strain them,
and allow to each pint of the liquid, a pound of the best loaf-sugar,
and stir in a little beaten white of egg; one white to four pounds of
sugar. This is for the second syrup. Boil the peel in it, skimming it
well. When the peel is soft, take it all out; for if left among the
cantelopes, it will communicate to it too strong a taste of the orange.
Put the cantelopes into your jars, and pour over them the hot syrup.
Cover them closely, and keep them in a dry cool place.
Large cantelopes may be prepared for preserving (after you have taken
off the outer rind) by cutting them into pieces according to the
natural divisions with which they are fluted. This receipt for
preserving cantelopes whole, will do very well for green lemons or
limes, substituting lemon-peel and lemon-juice for that of oranges in
the second syrup.
You may use some of the first syrup to boil up the pulp of the orange
or lemons that has been left. It will make a sort of marmalade, that is
very good for colds.
PRESERVED WATER-MELON RIND.
Having pared off the green skin, cut the rind of a water-melon into
pieces of any shape you please; stars, diamonds, circles, crescents or
leaves, using for the purpose a sharp penknife. Weigh the pieces, and
allow to each pound a pound and a halt of loaf sugar. Set the sugar
aside, and put the pieces of melon-rind into a preserving kettle, the
bottom and sides of which you, have lined with green vine leaves. Put a
layer of vine leaves between each, layer of melon-rind, and cover the
top with leaves. Disperse among the pieces some very small bits of
alum, each about the bigness of a grain of corn, and allowing one bit
to every pound of the melon-rind. Pour in just water enough to cover
the whole, and place a thick double cloth (or some other covering) over
the top of the kettle to keep in the steam, which will improve the
greening. Let it simmer (but not boil) for two hours. Then take out the
pieces of melon-rind and spread them on dishes to cool. Afterwards if
you find that they taste of the alum, simmer them in very weak ginger
tea for about three hours. Then proceed to make your syrup. Melt the
sugar in clear spring or pump water, allowing a pint of water to a
pound and a half of sugar, and mixing in with it some white of egg
beaten to a stiff froth. The white of one egg will be enough for four
pounds of sugar. Boil and skim it; and when the scum ceases to rise,
put in the melon-rind, and let it simmer an hour. Take it out and
spread it to cool on dishes return it to the syrup, and simmer it
another hour. After this take it out, and put it into a tureen. Boil up
the syrup again, and pour it over the melon-rind. Cover it, and let it
stand all night.
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